"Good job, Kim Taeyeon." Kim Young Min flashed a toothy grin at her, causing her to gag inwardly. "You're doing much better than I thought."

"When can I reveal the truth and deny the rumours?" Taeyeon asked. "The fans will find out the truth one day. Some fans have even started to speculate that this whole dating scandal was part of the company's plan to cover up Kris' removal from EXO. That was also your doing, right?"

Kim Young Min stood up. "That's none of your business." He growled. "You will keep your mouth shut and when the time comes, the company will release a statement saying that you two have broken up after a few months of dating. That's the best I can do, for now."

"What about Jessica?" Taeyeon asked. "What are you going to do to us? I know that you won't leave us alone, and since you already have a thousand cameras installed all over this place like a prison, there's no use for us to pretend anymore."

"Wow, Taeyeon." Kim Young Min snickered. "What's gotten into you suddenly? You've become so bold and rude. I would watch it, if I were you."

Taeyeon was shaking, but she wasn't going to show it.

Ignoring his previous statement, she said, "The least you could do is to tell me what you're going to do with us." So that we can get prepared, she thought.

"What I'm going to do to the both of you depends on your behaviour, Taeyeon."

****

Taeyeon opened the dorm door, only to be greeted by a flying pillow..

"Hey, you're back! We're all waiting for you!" Tiffany yelled, flinging a pillow at Sooyoung, whose other hand was gripping Jessica's hair. The room was soon filled with her signature dolphin screams, accompanied by shrieks of laughter as the other members flung pillows at each other in pyjamas.

Taeyeon stared at the 8 screaming girls in the living room, and sighed. "Really? A pillow fight? Now?"

"Come join us." Hyoyeon tossed a pillow at Taeyeon. "Last one standing gets to pick 2 members as personal slaves for a week!"

Taeyeon immediately dropped her bag, flung off her shoes, and hopped onto the sofa.......Only to be whacked down by Seohyun.

"MAKNAE!" She groaned. "I just joined the fight. Not fair!"

"Sorry, unnie." Seohyun laughed. "I really want Hyoyeon unnie as a personal slave for a week- OOOF!"

***

All 9 girls lay on the sofas in the living room, panting.

"Wow." Yuri spoke first, grinning. "I think that was the first time we've had fun in a long time."

Sunny nodded. "We should have more pillow fights in future."

"Since we're all already here," Tiffany grinned, "I'll grab the wine and let's have a heart to heart talk. Like the old times," she added.

"Like the old times." Yoona echoed. "I miss that."

As Tiffany rushed to the kitchen to grab several bottles of wine from the wine cabinet, Sooyoung turned to Taeyeon. "Don't you have something to say to us?"

"Huh?"

"The truth behind the dating scandal." Sooyoung earnestly said. "Honestly, all the members are really curious. We know that it's not true. You will never date a guy like Byun Baekhyun, Tae."

"They say love is blind."

"In this case, you're not only blind, you're stupid as well."

Taeyeon blinked. "Why? Baekhyun's not that bad, you know."

Jessica huffed. She couldn't take it any longer. "Better than me? Is that it, Kim Taeyeon?"

A deafening silence followed. Tiffany, having overhead the conversation in the kitchen, came back and smiled. "Of course not, Sica."

"Yea." Yoona grinned, and side-eyed the rest of the members. "But I think you two better spill about your relationship, before Sooyoung or Hyoyeon unnie wrenches the truth out of you."

"We are already aware of it." Sooyoung rolled her eyes. "They couldn't be more obvious. Right, Hyo?"

"Congratulations, Jessica and Taeyeon unnie." Seohyun smiled. "We're very happy for you."

Taeyeon's eyes glistened with tears as the members all relayed their heartfelt congratulations and wishes, and felt guilty. She shouldn't be keeping the whole feud with Kim Young Min to herself. They were her members, and would accept her for who she was- and fighting the battle as 9 would be better than fighting the battle alone, right?

"But why have you two been ignoring each other lately?" Hyoyeon asked, and made a face. "Couple fight?"

Jessica and Taeyeon glanced at each other. Their first eye contact in weeks.

Yea, Jessica seemed to say with her eyes. Why have you been ignoring me? Why won't you talk to me?

Suddenly, Taeyeon felt that this whole cold war with Jessica seemed so stupid. She should've confided in Jessica. She should've known, that Jessica would be there for her no matter what. She shouldn't have allowed her lack of courage to stop her from talking and explaining to Jessica.

She felt so stupid and guilty, and was determined to make it up to Jessica and the other members.

I'm sorry, Taeyeon replied to Jessica with her eyes. I'll make it up to you.

Jessica gave her a small smile, sending a chill down Taeyeon's spine. She understood.

She couldn't have asked for a better soul mate.

***

Taeyeon lay in her bed, quietly chuckling to herself. This was the first time in many weeks that she was going to bed with a smile on her face.

Earlier during the heart to heart talk, she had spilled the beans about everything that was going on between her and Kim Young Min. The members were initially mad that she didn't tell them earlier, but they tried to understand, and Taeyeon was grateful for that.

They drank together, and promised each other that they would stop keeping secrets from each other. They made an oath that they will do everything as 9.

As for Jessica....Taeyeon grinned as she recalled how Jessica had approached her after a very long time when the other members had returned to their room, worn out from all the alcohol.

"From now on," Jessica had said, "Share your burdens with me. I'll carry half of your burdens on my shoulders for you. And we'll face them together."

"Are you sure?" Taeyeon had asked. "Are you sure that you're able to do that?"

"Anything for you."

Taeyeon's eyes welled up as she looked into Jessia's worn out eyes. "I'm sorry- I know I confused the hell out of you. I just didn't know what to do. I'm scared, afraid, but yet I'm supposed to lead all of you. How could I do that when I don't even know how to find myself, and make decisions for myself?"

Jessica sighed and silently pulled Taeyeon towards her. Taeyeon slowly leaned into Jessica's embrace and finally, allowed herself to sob all her pent-up feelings and frustration out. Gently the back of her head, Jessica had then planted a kiss on her forehead.

"You have me, right? I'm always here. And I will walk through all of this with you, Kim Taeyeon. Because I...."

Jessica paused, and then smiled. With confidence, now, she pulled Taeyeon away and cupped her cheeks.

"Because I love you."

Taeyeon felt that she was finally beginning to see light in this dark period of her life. And she was more than ready to face Kim Young Min.

Not alone, but with her 7 other sisters....and her soulmate.

"I love you too."