Taeyeon’s eyes graze over the dorm Jessica was staying in whilst she cuddled up to the warm body next to her, “Did you clean before I came?”

Jessica nuzzled her head into Taeyeon’s hair, “A bit.”

A shy smile spread across Taeyeon’s face with the little things Jessica does for her, “Are you going to miss it here?”

Reaching her hand out to lace her fingers with her girlfriend, Jessica sighed, “I like my courses here but it will be nice to go back home...home with you.”

The fluttering in her stomach was making her dizzy with the words Jessica said and the careful caress she felt on her arm, “I missed you.”

With the small kiss she placed on Taeyeon’s neck, Jessica whispered, “Me too.”

Spending some time in silence so they could just bask in each other’s warmth, it was Taeyeon who decided to talk again, “Sooyeon..”

“Hmm?”

“You said Professor Kim was your professor?”

“Yea he is my Economics teacher. He has such an immature sense of humor, but it makes the class interesting. It is also nice to see another Korean on campus I guess...makes me feel like I am home some.”

“So he is a nice man?”

Taeyeon looked up to see Jessica smiling, “Yea. He seems to care for the students a lot. His office is always open so asking for help on things is easy.”

“Everyone likes him...huh...”

“Well some say his English isn’t the best but I think the course content is so intriguing that students keep taking his classes.” Jessica looked down into Taeyeon’s eyes, “Why so curious about my professor?”

Taeyeon looked away from Jessica to an empty space on the wall, “You just seem to be close with him.”

“Well he was a bit help when I first came. In the first semester here I had him for an Microeconomics course. He knew I was an exchange student and helped me get accustomed to the American lifestyle. Of course I liked his class so much that I joined is Macroeconomics class which I am finishing up now. I feel very grateful to him than just respecting him as a good professor.”

Taeyeon doesn’t know why her heart sank with every praise Jessica gave the man that she had no words to express how Jessica was trapped in a world of lies. There was no way that man could be that respectable or caring...there just couldn’t be.

------------------------

Taeyeon shut the door of her hotel room softly but gave out an uneven sigh thinking about Jessica’s words just a few hours prior relating to a certain man. Her heart was so uneven and confused that her arm outstretched and her fist collided with the door in anger, “Why!?” She didn’t even feel the pain in her hand as she sunk to the floor trying not to let tears from her eyes. That night, it was a mantra’s of ‘why’ in her head that let lulled her to sleep.

*knock knock*

Taeyeon opened her eyes on the coach before looking over to her phone for the time; it was early. She wasn’t supposed to meet Jessica until the girl had a break at lunch time. Why would someone be at her door at 7am?

*knock knock*

Lazily Taeyeon got up and raked her fingers through her hair as she made it over to the door, but the person on the other side made her slam it shut again. Taeyeon’s heart was racing as she held her hand on the door afraid to open it up to the demon on the other side.

“Taeyeon?” Her hold tightened on the door as the person caller her name, “Please open up...I just want to talk.” Taeyeon’s resolve was not breaking even though she could hear the person practically begging, “Please...just five minutes.”

She let her head rest on the door, “How did you find me?”

“I asked around...”
“You asked Jessica.”

“Yes but...”

“What right do you have to bother her?!” Taeyeon had raised her voice to the point where she was sure the neighbors would have heard.

“Please Taeyeon. I just want to talk for a bit. It has been years...”

“What would another year or a year after matter then?”

“Taeyeon come on I am your....”

“No you’re not!” Taeyeon yelled, “and never again will you be.”

“How can you say that?”

“After mom died, that was when you died with her too...no even before that you were dead to me.”

Taeyeon could hear silence on the other side, “I get it.” She raised her eyebrow in surprise as if the person was really letting her be? “You know where to find me now anyways. I hope you do come and find me Taeyeon.”

After that, silence came and Taeyeon let out the breath she was holding. No she would not let her resolve break...she won’t let it.

--------------------

Jessica looked up to her girlfriend who was just pushing her food around, “Do you not like American food? We can always try and find a Korean restaurant...”

“Sooyeon...” Jessica continued to look at her girlfriend with concern, “I am just not that hungry.”

“Is something on your mind or are you sick? Should we go to the hospital?”

“It isn’t that...just something is bothering me.”

“You know you can always talk to me about it...”

Taeyeon opened up but closed it again, “I want to...”

Jessica could see the confliction in Taeyeon’s eyes and understood the girl instantly, “You know what...have you had gelato before Tae?”

Taeyeon looked up from her food, “No.”

Jessica smiled, “Come on, I think we should have something sweet.”

A small smile finally appeared on Taeyeon’s face making Jessica feel like she accomplished something big. If anything, Jessica knew that she was here to make her girlfriend happy when Taeyeon couldn’t let her true emotions show.

Taeyeon enjoyed her afternoon with Jessica eating gelato and hearing some funny jokes but as soon as the girl left to do her group project, the frown once again appeared on her face. She was supposed to go back to her hotel and wait out the afternoon until Jessica was done with her class at 4pm but Taeyeon started to walk around campus thinking of various things until a thought came to mind. Immediately she reached into her bag for her phone and dialed a number, “Hey Soo. I think I am ready. Okay...see you soon.”

Taeyeon continued to do circles around campus until she heard a honk of a horn, “Tae!”

Taeyeon smiled when she saw her friend, “That was fast.”

“I was close by when I got your call.”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“Not after I got your call.”

Taeyeon smiled, “Thanks Soo...”

“I told you to find me when you are ready.”

Taeyeon just nodded as the car set off to their destination. It was a longer drive than Taeyeon thought it would be or was it that she was nervous that time went slow? The two women pulled up to a rather large building that seemed quiet and peaceful on the outside. Taeyeon tried to take in every detail of the establishment but her thoughts went back to the idea that this place was nice just as Sooyoung explained to her before.

Sooyoung went straight to the counter to fill out some paperwork before going back to Taeyeon, “They said just a few minutes. Did you want to sit?”

Taeyeon looked over to the couch and had thoughts of many people sitting on that thing, “I am okay standing.”

Sooyoung nodded knowingly, “Ms. Kim?”

Taeyeon turned to see the nurse and then looked back at Sooyoung, “Are you coming?”

“I will be here Tae.”

Taeyeon didn’t know why Sooyoung was making her go on her own but she decided to follow the nurse without Sooyoung trailing. They walked down the hall where Taeyeon saw many patients wandering the halls mindlessly with the other caregivers, “She is here.” Taeyeon returned her attention to the nurse, “This is the visiting room. There are various distractive items like coloring books and a TV to make her feel more comfortable. However with your prior experience...we are going to have security outside during your visit. I hope that doesn’t make you uncomfortable?”

Taeyeon gave a smile to the nurse, “I will be fine. I am just here to talk to her.”

“Alright. Make sure to tell the nurse at the station you are done with your visit when finished.”

Taeyeon nodded before following the nurse into the room. She noticed her friend sitting at the table coloring as the nurse went up to the girl, “Tiffany you have a visitor. I will take you to your room when you finish okay?” Taeyeon noticed that Tiffany didn’t answer back but continued to focus on the picture she was coloring.

From her experience, Taeyeon knew it was best to give the girl space and ease into the situation slowly so she took a seat at the far end of the table, “What are you coloring?” No answer from the girl so Taeyeon tried to mention something personal, “I think that picture needs more pink.”

Finally the girl looked up at Taeyeon, “Someone stole all the pink.”

Taeyeon noticed there were several pink crayons in the pile so her mind went to something more ambiguous, “Do you really think it was stolen? Or is that an excuse for you hiding all the pink?”

Tiffany broke the crayon in her hand making Taeyeon flinch a bit but she decided not to budge from her seat while Tiffany slowly raised her head to finally look at the older girl, “you stole it.”

Taeyeon wanted to reach out to her friend and say that she could help or at least let her out of here soon but she knew that right now those were all lies, “I didn’t steal it Tiffany. You are here to find what you have hidden.”

Tiffany leaned back in her chair and folded her arms in defiance, “Although you locked me away in here you are saying it is my fault and not yours? How does that make any sense?”

“Do you know why you are here?”

“I heard what the doctors have to say and what was said in court...all that bull.”

Taeyeon sighed as she leaned forward, “You need to find out where your hidden crayon is and then you can finish that pretty picture.”

Tiffany scoffed, “Even if there were something wrong with me, this picture will never be pretty again.”

Taeyeon knew that this visit wasn’t going to go much farther, at least not for today so she stood up and walked out the door. She had nothing else to say to the girl and she knew the girl no longer wanted her to stay so walking out was the best option. At least for now.

Sooyoung looked up when she saw Taeyeon coming out, “That was fast.”

“It wasn’t the right time.”

“She just got here.”

“I know but I thought...after everything she would make better progress.”

“Not everyone can get past the white to see the black. Who wants to face their demons?”

Taeyeon just nodded agreeing that the black was not somewhere she wanted to go into alone. At least not again.

-----------------------

Taeyeon was sitting in the living room working on her schoolwork whilst her brother was sitting on the couch watching some sporting event. Mother was out working late so she wasn’t home and dinner was just leftovers from the night before. Suddenly the door slammed open making both of the children look over in shock, but rather than be stricken in fear from a stranger entering their house, they feared the familiar person even more.

The man walked in swaying a bit before walking into the kitchen. Both children remained in their spots while they watched the man go to the fridge as in search of food but the man stopped at the pile of dishes in the sink. In anger the man grabbed the plates and glasses, “ing lazy s!” The dirty dishes started flying across the room towards the children in the room. They did their best to avoid the onslaught of porcelain and glass, “Home all day and just watching TV?! No respect or responsibility when your parents work all day?”

The man’s anger didn’t stop as he now charged towards the kids throwing the boy to the side and slapping Taeyeon on the face, “You will never find a husband! You are always so ing dirty and what is this?” The man held up a corner of the sweatshirt Taeyeon was wearing, “You dress like a ing man! No man wants a ing dirty man for a wife!” With a few more slaps and shoves the man turned his attention towards the boy in the room punching him in the face making the boy lay on the floor, “ing isn’t even a man. Weak piece of .” Still in a rampage, the man flipped over a chair screaming profanities and the fact that he had a girl for a son and a man for a daughter, “ing messed up family.”

Once the man finally left the house, Taeyeon went towards her brother as if to see if he was okay but her brother slapped her away, “It is your fault! I told you to change and do the dishes before dad came home!”

Thinking it was really her fault, Taeyeon ducked away and groaned as she held her side in pain. There was only thing she could to and that was to clean up this mess. With broken glass covering the floor, Taeyeon did her usual routine and that was to clean up the mess her father always left behind.

“Taeyeon?” Taeyeon opened her eyes and refamiliarized herself with the car she was in, “We are back at the school.”

Taeyeon looked down at the clock before unbuckling quickly, “Oh thanks Soo! I have to go, I am 30 minutes late.”

Sooyoung just smiled, “Tell Jessica I said hi okay?”

Taeyeon stuck her head back in the window, “Of course I will and thanks again.”

With a smile the two friends knew that thanks weren’t needed but it gave them reassurance that they were always grateful for the friendship they had.

“Tae!”

Taeyeon turned around and saw her girlfriend coming, “Sorry I am late.”

Jessica just smiled as she engulfed the girl into a hug, “No worries. Was that Sooyoung?”

“Mmm she says hi.”

Jessica was in a good mood so she gave Taeyeon a kiss on the cheek and weaved their arms together, “Come on, we can’t be late for the movie!”

Taeyeon laughed at the girl’s eagerness, “You are really that excited over a movie?”

Jessica stopped so she could face Taeyeon, “Just excited that I get to see it with you.” With a little sign of affection, Jessica leaned in to give her girlfriend a peck on the lips. Taeyeon smiled as the girl led her to the theater only with thoughts of being so thankful she had this girl at her side.

Author's Note

Miss me?? I really haven't gone missing, I have been doing one shots mostly and trying to finish up Yes Your Highness since it is only a short taengsic story.

Since I have been MIA with this story for so long, I hope to see lots of comments!

Also 600 subscribers!!! Wow! Thanks!