“Yes, Halmeoni. I need your help.”

“I was waiting for your call, Yuri.”

“I… I know,” Yuri muttered softly, her grip on the cold metal railing tightening as she listened to the calm breathing of her grandmother. She missed the old woman very much, but she didn’t dare to visit her grandparents’ house either.

Yuri had thought about this for a long time now; soughting her grandmother's help meant that she had to do something in return. She knew what her grandmother wanted and although she would have much rather preferred to solve it by herself, the blackmail was going to come real soon and Yuri wasn't going to allow it - Taeyeon's career would have been ruined if anyone found the photos before she did this morning.

“I hope you know the kind of decision you’re making, Yuri-ah. I don’t want you to regret anything.”

“I know.”

“… come and visit me soon then.”

All of a sudden, Yuri felt as if her legs weakened and her knees buckled as they gave way; she collapsed into a heap as her back rested against the railings. She had so many things to consider, and it was much more than just her relationship and her future. She had to think about Taeyeon would ever do whatever her grandmother wanted; what if Taeyeon had her own dreams and all? 

Burying her face into her palms, Yuri started to cry softly to herself. 

Why was Taeyeon a teacher? Why was she still a student? Why did everything have to be so damn complicated? 

And whether it was fate, destiny or kismet that Taeyeon was also on the rooftop, Yuri didn't know either but she attributed it as the heavens taking pity on her for their pathetic lives, relationship even. Taeyeon had been walking around on the rooftop for a long while; she was trying to clear her mind of all the difficult issues they were facing when she just happened to pass by the area Yuri was sitting at. 

“Yul?”

When Yuri looked up with swollen, teary eyes, Taeyeon ran over immediately as she took Yuri’s face into her palms. She felt her heart ache at the sight of her poor girlfriend and she brushed Yuri’s tears away with her thumbs. Just as she was about to open and ask, Yuri grabbed her by the waist before closing the gap between them. Taeyeon gasped softly, her hand rubbing Yuri's head soothingly as she tried to contain her shock. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“J-Just hold me… please.”

Taeyeon didn’t say anything much afterward, knowing that Yuri wasn’t ready to tell her the problem just yet. She sat down beside her girlfriend and pushed Yuri’s head into the crook of her neck; Yuri never shed a tear in front of her, except the time where they thought this relationship was wrong – Yuri almost begged her with watery eyes and Taeyeon’s heart shattered too.

“Shh… I’m here, baby.”

*

Yoona and Sooyoung sat at the lunch table quietly; they had been waiting for Yuri to come back to class since yesterday but Yuri hadn't turned up for any lessons this morning either. Sooyoung had an inkling of an idea as to why Yuri wasn't here but she was so worried about them. Apparently, Taeyeon had called in this morning to say that she was taking medical leave for the day and Yuri was missing lessons even with graduation coming up really soon. 

What they didn’t know was how that even though graduation was only a few months away, it felt too long for the couple. Now that they had someone after their trace, it was worse and riskier to be out in public.

“Sooyoung-unnie, do you know something that I don’t?”

The look in Yoona’s eyes already told Sooyoung that she knew there was something they were hiding from her. Sooyoung wanted to keep Yuri's secret still so that Yoona could focus on her studies but if she didn't spill it now, Yoona was just going to barrage Yuri for answers later on. That would be worse for Yuri if she needed to solve the problems with Taeyeon... the dilemma was driving her nuts.

Yoona suddenly hit the table lightly and glared at Sooyoung when she looked up in shock,  “why are you two always hiding things from me? I know she’s having problems with Miss Kim; just tell me and maybe I can help!”

Sooyoung could only imagine how left-out Yoona felt after realising that she didn't know anything while Yuri and herself were busy thinking of solutions. She knew that Yuri was only thinking of Yoona but at this stage, they should also be using more of Yoona's brains too - Yoona was not the smartest among the three, in fact, majority of the entire school for nothing. 

“Alright, but you have to act like you don’t know anything…” Sooyoung pleaded softly, “Yuri wants you to focus on your studies since you’re not planning to take over Uncle’s company.”

Yoona stayed silent; her cousin was only thinking of her benefit but here she was getting angry… was she being selfish? In her defense however, Yoona only wanted to help so that she could make sure Yuri and Taeyeon’s relationship was smooth and peaceful. Taeyeon had to be extra careful of her actions because she was the adult, and she was going to be the one who received more flak than anyone else for dating a younger one. 

“I won’t say anything, Unnie. I just want to help them.”

“There’s someone trying to sabotage them; Yuri came early yesterday to see Taeyeon but she saw photos of them on a date on the bulletin board in the hallway.”

“What?”

Yoona had her eyebrows furrowed and her lips in a downward frown; more than angry, she was flabbergasted that a person could stalk her cousin so crazily. Yuri just wanted to love openly, and the person she fell in love with happened to be a teacher. If anyone was going to hurt them, they would have to go through Yoona first. She knew no one would dare to go against her if she used the right connections that she had. 

She could think of one person Yuri had offended - Baekhyun. 

Was he doing it alone though? 

“Do you think Yuri went to ask your grandmother for help?”

Yoona’s eyes widened in realisation, “maybe.”

Taeyeon had been awake most of the night, unable to sleep after all she could see i