Cp. 13 

I took a deep breath as Jessica’s figure was slowly had disappeared from my peripheral vision. Blinked my eyes throughout the scene, I took another deep breath to ease my messed mind. Just then, as I threw my gaze into somewhere else, I saw something that remained me of my best friend. I closed my eyes and just let my mind brought the memory back.

***
****

“Don’t you think is a shame for a boy who’s trying to take a candy from a girl?”

The big bully in front of me turned his head to the source of the sound. His grip on my candy lessened, he probably annoyed by the intruder’s remark.

Moreover, from his sudden change of expression it hinted as much.

“Are you that desperate, for having a candy?”

Came into my peripheral vision, a petite girl that looked familiar. I squinted my eyes to get a better view and immediately smiled.

It’s Taeyeon!

“Go away you kiddo.”

“We are kids you know.” Taeyeon said flatly and I could only grin at her response.

“But I’m bigger!!” He boomed proudly with a hint of mock in his tone. “Unlike you!”

“You may bigger, but I think your brain isn’t as big as your body.” She commented nonchalantly. “From your attitude, shamelessly trying to take other’s stuff.” The girl shrugged. “I know you’re just a mommy’s kid that likes to on your thumb.” Taeyeon continued to fuel this boy’s anger even more. “So, why do you need to take the others if you can beg to your mommy?”

“Damn!” He scowled, facing his body towards her. I couldn’t help but feel worried, this boy was seriously burning with anger.

“Don’t swear. I’m pretty sure your mom will not be happy to hear it.” Taeyeon said cheekily. “You may have this big fat body.” She snorted then shrugged again. “But you don’t have rights to do as you please.”

Whew.. That was nice bluffs.

I took several steps back as this boy began to approach her. Taeyeon saw it and immediately took a safe distance between him. She then shouted something towards me.   

Taeyeon gritted her teeth when she saw my rooted move. I was too confused. She then yelled again, she said that I had to go away.

Something clicked inside my head as I nodded and rushed out. But something inside me tell that I had to at least see her condition rather than leaving her here all alone. So, I decided to just hide myself instead.  The bush was a nice place, so I went to it. Spotting a stick on there, my hand instantly grabbed it. I was about to look for Taeyeon again, just in case she was fainted or something because of him, I would automatically run and frantically stab him with it in the process to rescue her.

But to my surprise, I saw him running, oh no, not running, but limping all the way, crying hysterically instead. The scene left me stunned, my mouth was still wide open. As then, I walked towards Taeyeon who dusted her hands, looking all pissed.

“Just so you know, this is my favorite pants.” She pointed to her below. “And that fat boy was pushing me away straight to the pavement, my is hurt.”

From the way she talked, annoyed was clear from her tone.

“So I got mad and kick his shin severally.”

“Wait a minute.” She then stopped rumbling. “Why are you still here? Didn’t I tell you to go? Save your away?”

I then shoved my candy to her. She took the candy with a clear confused face. A smile crept across her face as soon as I finished my action with a simple word that meant,

“Thank you.”

****
***

“Hey, are you okay? You seem… out since Jessica left?”

I flicked my eyes open, flexing my neck to my side to see who was person that I was talking to. There I saw Taeyeon with worried face. My lips made its way to smile almost immediately. “I’m fine, thanks for asking. Anyway,”

 I pointed at the stock before us.

”Did this lollipop remind you of something?”

She lunged her head forward to examine the said object. It didn’t take her a minute before facing me again with a grin.

“Yes! How could I forget?”

“Which is?” I smiled along. Glad to know that I wasn’t the only who remembered that event.

Her smile was getting bigger when she answered. “Charlie and the chocolate factory right?”

My face fell almost in an instant. “What?”

“Yeah! You know the movie right?” She eagerly replied. “If only it were real!”

How could she be this dense?

I didn’t know why but I felt upset. How could she forget when I clearly remembered it?

“Okay forget it.”

***
****

“Tae! Oh my gosh!”

I ran into her bed with tears trailed my both of cheeks. She displayed a wide smile the moment she saw me stepping into her room. I rushed and almost bumped onto her, but I managed not to break her hospital bed when I arrived at her side. Taeyeon laughed hard at my eagerness. She cooed with a toothy smile. “Hi there fans~ Please don’t try to hug me.”

She reminded when I was about do it. I could only pout on her order. “But why????”

This girl didn’t respond, she only wiggled her eyebrow at me teasingly.

“Oh Tiffany!”

I looked back and found Auntie Kim at the entrance. She frowned after seeing my face.

“Why are you crying?”

I slowly settled down on the seat beside Taeyeon’s bed with a sheepish grin as my hands were wiping my cheeks slowly. The heck, I almost jumped on Taeyeon before.

“Hi auntie!” I replied with a cheerful tone. “Uh well, I kinda miss Taeyeon, whenever I came, she had never greeted me back.”

“That’s because you came when she asleep.” Her mom chuckled as she walked in with a bag of food, I assumed. The thought of food, made me fidget with my palms unconsciously. I dug my head down when the accident played itself inside my head and I would always feel a rush of guilty emotion came upon me whenever I thought about it. Taeyeon seemed to notice my anxiety and immediately clasped my hands with hers; it made me lift my face and inwardly showed my sad eyes.

I was sure by now, if her mother knew the culprit that caused her daughter to lay down on this hospital bed, I would definitely get kicked out of this place as soon as possible.

A moment of silence before her mom suddenly said.

“Taeyeon, don’t try to eat any nuts anymore.”

I heard her mother say in a stern voice and was feeling down even more. Then I felt a squeeze, silently telling me to stop being so gloomy. “I would never umma, I was being careless before.” Taeyeon spoke for me who muted suddenly.

 I looked at Taeyeon in disbelief.

This is not her fault. I am the one at fault.

“I’m sorry umma.” She said again when I was about to talk.

How could she always defend me?

Her eyes met mine and all she did was smiling. Taeyeon’s mom sighed as she placed her belonging down on the table. “I was worried, everyone was worried.” She gazed at us and smiled softly. “Thank goodness Tiffany was there to tell me fast enough, or else, I couldn’t even imagine what would happen if-”

The laid girl hurriedly cut the word. “But Tiffany was there right? And now I’m all okay, so no worries!”

Taeyeon announced with a happy tone. “I will never do that again, umma! Promise.”

Her mom put a soft smile before busying herself to prepare Taeyeon’s food.

I gulped and looked away. I-I nearly got her killed.

Taeyeon’s grip around me tightened, and I could feel my eyes were hurting for keeping it open just so the tears would not spill out any moment.

“I am sorry..”

I mumbled lowly to no one. “I really am sorry.”
 

**** 
***

“Boo!”

My grip around the spatula almost fell down the moment I heard this spooky voice came from behind me. I turned to look at the culprit who grinned childishly at me. I smacked her shoulder as the payback.

“Ack.” She yelped and rubbed her numb area while pouting like a lost puppy. “What was that for?”

“Tsk.. That’s for being such an early prankster in the morning.” I twisted the stove off and brought my pan near the table, where my plate had neatly prepared.

Something was odd, as I didn’t hear any response came from the person beside me. She simply stared at me all the way, and like a snap, something racked inside her mind.

“YOU’RE COOKING??!!”

She stated in a high-pitched voice, making it go echo through our place once she finished saying the word.

“I’m hungry, so yeah..”

I replied shortly. “Besides, it’s just an omelet. “ She eyed me in disbelief, but put a wide smile afterward. Taeyeon marched towards the table and sat quietly. “Make one for me!!”

She then raised one of her hands, obviously demanding me. “I’m hungry too.”

“What if you get admitted to the hospital after eating my cooking?” I asked while turning my body to the fridge’s direction. Although I knew, my cooking wasn’t reason behind it. Deep inside, I couldn’t help but feel that it was all my fault. While taking out some eggs, I shuffled back to face the stove. 

Taeyeon chuckled. “No, of course not. Until you decide to put some nuts on it. Well, that is.”

I cooked silently. Taeyeon’s joke felt somehow dry to me. I nearly got her killed.

It kept repeating in my mind as I swallowed my lump slowly.

“Hey.”

Taeyeon’s voice rang as I snapped back to reality. I shook my head, feeling my mind was losing its track a moment ago. Looking down at my cooking, I couldn’t help but let out a shriek.

“What happened??!” She yelled in a panic state and a creaking sound was formed along the way, must be from her seat. I knew, Taeyeon would jump off that seat and ran to check on me in a matter of second.

“No! I’m okay! Just getting splashed that is!”

Wow, I almost burn the food at the sudden daze of mine.

Turning off the gas quickly, I sighed in relief while inspecting the food for any damage but at last, it looked edible though. Once again, I walked back to her place. Bringing her slightly-burnt-but-still-edible dish to the table.

She clapped her hands happily, but her happy state formed a frown when she saw what supposed to be mine food been shoved into her instead. “What? It’s your food.”

“No. You eat that. I will eat this.” I objected, taking a seat in front of her after placing my cooking utensils on the sink.

“Why?”

“Because, it’s burnt.”

I answered slowly, examining the food in front of me. “Look..” I picked it up with a fork. “Do you still want to eat this?”

To my surprise, she snatched it out of my grip with her bare hand; she flashed a sly smirk while looking at me. But it didn’t last long.

“Aw! Hot!”

Thankfully, it fell on her plate as she was busily blowing her hand desperately. “Gosh, why in the hell it has to be this hot?” 

“Because it’s fresh from the oven pabo.” I rolled my eyes at her. “Now, give my omelet back.”

“Nawww...” I saw she pushed my former omelet instead. “You eat that.” She ordered at me with a grin.

“But-”

I was about to argue, but she already ate that failed food in one go. I trailed on my word as I caught a sight of her swallowing with a scrunched nose. Must be from the burnt side. I frowned.

It had always been like this. Taeyeon would always take the bad side for her only, I just could not understand.

Why she has to be this selfless towards me?

“Tae, can you tell me the reason,” I asked in a low voice, eyes never leaving the figure who was chewing quietly.

“Why are you always being this kind to me?”

Helloooo it's been a while~~

Sorry for the long wait, I have a lot of something to be done for this past month and maybe for the next months as well..

That's way I can't update as fast as used to.  I will not give up on this story though but yeah with the slowest rate of updating for this moment,  I hope you guys can bear with me :) 

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Until next time, have a nice day ^^