Jessica sat with her broom in hand while she looked at the empty gymnasium, “It wasn’t even my fault...”

“What wasn’t your fault?”

The familiar voice startled Jessica and made her drop the broom, “What are you doing here?”

“Your parents are still gone so I thought you might want a ride home...it is late.” Jessica stayed rooted in her seat as she watched the other girl pick up the broom with a tissue. “Do you still have more work?”

Jessica stood up and took the broom, “No.”

“So do you want to take up my offer?”

Jessica looked at the woman curiously, “Why are you being so nice to me?”

The other woman wiped off a place to sit on the bleachers, “I had a rough afternoon and thought my little delinquent patient would amuse me somehow.”

“What a charming way to make your patient accept your offer.”

The woman flashed a stunning smile, “So what do you say? Do you want to indulge in each other’s misery?”

Jessica started walking towards the door, “Since you miss me, I will give you the entertainment you want.”

Taeyeon smiled as she ran up to her patient, “I knew you would agree eventually.”

“No. I just figured walking home would .”

“Just admit you miss me as much as I miss you.”

Jessica let out a chuckle, “You wish.”

“Only you can make my wishes come true,” Taeyeon stuck out her tongue and then ran to her car before the other girl could hit her.

“You took me here to kill me right?”

“Just because it is secluded doesn’t mean I will kill you. I like that no other people are around.”

“So you can kill me...”

“Ya!! I am not violent. Why would I kill you?”

“Not everyone needs a reason to do what they do.”

Taeyeon looked at Jessica but what she saw was something unexpected. The girl looked lost and vulnerable. “You think that is true? People would do something without a reason?”

Jessica sat on the blanket that Taeyeon put out for them to sit on while they looked over the city on a hill. “If a tree falls in the woods and there is no one around to hear it, does that mean the tree doesn’t fall?”

Taeyeon couldn’t keep her eyes off of Jessica as she was enamored with the fact that Jessica was letting her guard down so quickly. In fact, Taeyeon was starting to find Jessica very innocent and showing a beauty of her own that was locked behind the ugly wall of violence and distrust.

Jessica sighed and laid back on the blanket, “There is probably a reason but how are we to know for sure if they are silent? Just like the tree. I am sure it fell even though no one heard it.”

Taeyeon felt her heart tugging as she remembered the events that happened earlier in the day, “What if you found out the reason? Would you be relieved to know?”

“Would that change the fact that the tree already fell? Does the reason excuse the action?” Jessica was getting a bit annoyed with the questioning so she turned her back to Taeyeon and shut her eyes.

“I know how you are feeling...”

“What am I feeling?”

“Clouded. You see the reason that caused your pain but can’t make it out clearly. You want to know but nothing will come into focus. Every time you try, you become anxious and your world becomes suffocating.” Taeyeon felt the anxiety creep up on her as all her past thoughts came to mind.

Jessica turned towards Taeyeon, “What if the clouds won’t go away?”

“Do you want me to make them go away for you?”

Jessica looked Taeyeon in her eyes and saw the sincerity. Somehow Jessica knew that Taeyeon found out something but at the same time she was afraid of the answer. Knowing the truth suddenly became scary to her. Yet Taeyeon also had a calming effect towards her. Knowing it was Taeyeon that would be next to her when the uncertainty crept up, made her less anxious. It was a weird feeling that one person could make you feel the opposite of what you were feeling most of your life.

“How about I tell you my story first?”

Jessica raised an eyebrow in curiosity, “I thought you told me your story before?”

Taeyeon raked her fingers through her hair, “Just like you, that story was incomplete. So many holes that I couldn’t fill.”

Jessica finally sat up and gave her full attention to Taeyeon, “You filled the holes?”

“This afternoon I found out the whole story.”

“And you want to share it with me? Why not talk to your friends?”

Taeyeon gave an uneasy smile, “Not everyone understands the pains you go through in life. It is weird to say that you and I share almost the same path in life. If there was one person I could share this story with, I would choose you any day.”

Jessica blushed. It wasn’t a confession but a confirmation that they were linked more than patient and doctor. “Ah if you feel comfortable sharing...”

Taeyeon gave one more smile before telling her story, “Well...yesterday my friend…well I still see her as my friend...she left her wallet at a restaurant we went to. I decided to confront her about a picture in her wallet at the same time and this was the story she had to tell me.”

~10 Years Ago (Tiffany POV)~

I was a bit nervous to be starting at a new school but once my eyes met the girls that I saw at the concert a while ago, my fears disappeared. They were just as welcoming as when I first met them. “Tiffany right?”

“Yah yes…Sooyoung and um Tae…?”

“Taeyeon. You can call me Tae if you want.” I smiled thinking these girls were accepting me as an old-time friend.

As the months went on, I was very good friends with Taeyeon and was starting to get used to the school. It also wasn’t long before they introduced me to Sunny. I never believed in love at first sight until I met her. She was cute and charming…even some words I can’t explain. Yet I was too shy to share my feelings. I loved her but was too scared to tell her that I loved her so we remained friends.

Several years passed and my jealousy was increasing. Sunny was always around Taeyeon. I knew they were good friends but it was like they were flaunting their close friendship in front of me. I found it disgusting. Sunny should be with me and not Taeyeon. What was so special about Taeyeon? I mean she was smart and funny but that was it! She didn’t look exceptionally pretty and Sunny was always helping take care of her because of her carelessness.

One day Sunny came up to Taeyeon saying she wanted to speak to Taeyeon alone which was a bit weird but I left to join Sooyoung for lunch. I was almost to the lunch room when I remembered I left my bag in the classroom with my lunch. I walked back and I heard Sunny say she loved Taeyeon. My heart broke but what hurt more was that I saw Taeyeon run away. She left the girl I love to cry alone. Quickly I ran up to Sunny, “Sunny are you okay?”

She wiped away the tears, “Yea…I am.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

She pushed me away which broke my heart even more, “I am sorry Tiff, but I really want to be alone right now.”

When I saw how hurt my Sunny was, I decided right there Taeyeon would have to pay. She would have to feel the same hurt as Sunny. I knew Taeyeon might have feelings for me, even though I found her detestable, so I was going to use that as my advantage. She would soon know what it was like to be left abandoned without the chance of love.

~Present~

“.”

Taeyeon left out a hearty laugh, “Are you going to say that every time I bring her up?”

“It is a fitting nickname for her.”

“If you keep calling her that, I might do it by accident.”

Jessica gave a sly smile, “ …”

Taeyeon started laughing at Jessica. She had to admit the girl knew how to make her sour mood turn around. Then she looked down and saw that Jessica’s hand was on her own. Taeyeon didn’t know how long their hands have been touching but she quickly retracted her hand although it didn’t feel right to separate from the warmth.

“Ah sorry…”

Taeyeon blushed a little, “Ah no. I didn’t notice…”

The air became thick with an awkward aura so Jessica stood up, “I should probably get home.”

Taeyeon quickly stood up as well and grabbed the blanket which Jessica offered to help fold. Then again their fingers touched causing Taeyeon’s fingers to tingle but it was just a simple brush of skinship so it didn’t last long. Both the girls didn’t want to admit, but the slight touch of the other made them feel something in their untrusting and locked hearts. Was the lock breaking?

Author's Note

I have a confession. I was starting to get frustrated with this story for not having enough taengsic interactions and for them not getting together already. I am not sure if the readers are feeling the same way as me....but I hope you stay with my story until the end.