"Unnie! C'mon, have lunch with me! You've been MIA for weeks now, we miss you!" Yoona complained to Taeyeon on the other end of the line. She had been forcing Taeyeon to go out with her and have lunch, but the persistent and a bit—since she's insisting that she's not—workaholic Taeyeon just wouldn't budge.

          Oh gosh, will this kid stop? Taeyeon let out a sigh, finally giving in to her friend. She couldn't stand the aegyo that Yoona was giving to her anymore, and she's definitely certain that she would only get an headache if she let the younger continue with her annoying aegyo. "Okay fine, fine. Like I have a choice, right?" She answered, rolling her eyes after as she dropped her pencil down on her desk.

          Yoona then giggled out of joy, feeling accomplished that she actually made Taeyeon say yes to her invitation. "Don't worry, it's on me and I won't let you full yourself, you don't want to spoil your once in a blue moon lunch with auntie you know." She said, reminding Taeyeon of what she shouldn't miss out on this day. She mentally thanked her friend for mentioning it as she threw that one on the back of her mind already, not really bothering herself about it.

          But looks like she's now bothered by it, again. Her thoughts then became clouded and she started to worry about what was the said lunch with her mother be about. She had always been anxious about having lunches, dinners, and such with her parents, most especialy, if it's just with her mom. And she is sure that this lunch wouldn't be much of a difference from their previous ones, which she certainly hated. 

          "Oh yeah right, that one..." She let out a sigh of despair, shaking her thoughts out of her head. 

          The sigh didn't escape the younger's ears and she knew how much weight her unnie has on her shoulders, juggling her work and her family's own desires for her. They knew she's been trying her best to keep up with them, and to at least meet their demands even if none of it were what she wanted to do. "Hey, don't think too much about it okay?" She uttered, trying her best to divert Taeyeon's thoughts. When the older didn't answer, she spoke once more. "Enjoy with me first before you stress yourself out." Yoona joked in an attempt to ease out her worries. 

          A soft chuckle came out of Taeyeon as soon as she heard Yoona. She had always been thankful for her friends for being there for her even if she's always drawing herself away from them when things get rough for her. Indeed, she got herself some loyal best friends.

          "Alright. Where are we going to meet?" She asked moments after, a small smile now painted on her face. She stood up on her chair and slowly placed back her sketches on her case, preparing to leave in any minute.

          Yoona then smiled and rolled her eyes after at Taeyeon's question. "Seriously? Do you still have to ask that? Of course, it's in the usual!" The younger retorted, earning a chortle from her unnie.

          "What's new. Okay fine, I'll see you there. I'll be on my way in five!" Taeyeon said, bidding a goodbye after before ending the call right away. 

          Quickly clearing out her desk, she walked towards her office's bathroom to fix herself. As much as they've already seen each other through their ups and downs, aka decent looking or not, Taeyeon still wanted to look presentable to her friend. After all, it has been about three weeks already since she last dropped by their dorm where they all usually meet up. Though most of them have their own places or apartments already, they decided not to let go of the dorm, which held a special place on their hearts already for all the time that they spent their throughout their college years. And also so that they could have a place where they could easily spend time together and bond. After all, even if most of them are already on their late twenties, they still love hanging out with each other, where they wouldn't care about anything. 

          Her work was obviously eating all of her time already especially now that the fashion week is approaching and together with that, number of clients were increasing as well. She've devoted most of her time preparing for the fashion week, and she indeed stressed with all of the demands and deadlines that she needed to obliged with. And then here comes her mother who suddenly joined in on a very bad timing. She couldn't really complain though, so she was left with the option of mentally cursing her mother for everything, and soullessly abide to them. She have to comply to everything that they'll wish her to do no matter what. After all, they didn't really care about her career.

          Grabbing her shoulder bag and car keys, she then proceeded to get out of her office and was greeted by Esther and a few costumers who were looking through the designs and clothes in the store. Esther, upon noticing Taeyeon's presence, looked at her direction and flashed a welcoming smile. Taeyeon gladly returned the smile back to the lady who has been her companion for years. "I'm going out for a bit, I'll be back before evening." She informed. 

          Esther then gave her a reassuring smile and nod. "Okay then, take care! I'll see you later!" She said and Taeyeon gave her another genuine smile as she pass through the costumers before exiting the boutique. She was welcomed by the bustling street with busy people and the warm air from the summer breeze. Taeyeon's outfit was perfect for the weather; denim shorts, and her favorite white loose shirt. Opening her car, she settled herself in and placed her bag on the passenger side. Seating back comfortably, she started the engine and not long after, she pulled onto the road amd drove to meet Yoona.

***

          It took her almost an hour before arriving at their meeting place. She mentally cursed the sudden road construction on her way, that caused a massive traffic which made her supposed to be thrity minute long drive into an hour not worth of one. She immediately went out of her car and ran inside the restaurant only to see Yoona glaring at her. Oh god. She thought. She's hungry already. She made her way to her and spoke as soon as she reached the table. "Look, I'm sorry okay, I went out on time, but that stupid road construction caused the damn traffic." She explained as she took a seat in front of her friend.

          Yoona just narrowed her eyes at her. "You're lucky I'm hungry already and I haven't seen you in awhile." She uttered seconds after.

          Taeyeon just scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You're always hungry," she retorted, opening up the menu and scanning through the desserts section right away.

        The younger just squinted her eyes at her before playfully sticking her tongue out. "Food is life, okay? But whatever, let's order now." She uttered, and quickly opened the menu as well like Taeyeon.

        Not long after, the two made their orders already, with Yoona choosing a variety of foods, and Taeyeon with two slices of cakes only. She purposely ordered lesser than her friend as she has another lunch date—or should she say, lunch meeting with her mom after this one, and she doesn't want to ruin her mother's mood by being full already upon meeting her. This kind of lunch happens once in awhile, everyone knows it, and that made Taeyeon even more anxious and nervous about this meeting. Yoona on the other hand, didn't bother to complain about Taeyeon's orders knowing that she's off to another lunch after this; though if she would be asked, she wanted her to eat more, knowing that out of all of the, she's the one who eats less than everyone. 

         The two talked and chatted, catching up with each other on how they're doing at the moment. Even without telling it directly, both of them were aware of how they both missed each other. With Yoona being busy with her modelling career, and Taeyeon and the other older ones being busy in the fashion industry, though in the same field, both can't seem to find a perfect time to hang out and catch up and they're both beyond grateful that even for a short time, they had this time to finally meet each other. 

          "How was auntie by the way?" Taeyeon asked her friend as she took a bite of her cake.

          Still munching the food on , Yoona managed to utter an answer. "Still crazy and still forcing me to quit my job. She's getting on dad's nerves as well though." She answered, chuckling a little after. Taeyeon just nodded, not wanting to discuss further on the topic for her friend's sake. They're not new to each other and she clearly knew about her friend's situation. A little update was all she needed after all. "How is yours?" Yoona asked back, before putting a spoonful of food inside moments after. Taeyeon could just shake her head in amusement on how her friend eats so much and eats like a man when she stays skinny.

          "I don't know really. This will be the first time I'll be seeing her after, what, two months I guess?" She answered back. Ever since she went to pursue her dreams, her relationship with her parents, specifically her mother had a damage already. Her parents were opposed to what she wanted, instead, they want her to get a master's degree after she graduated from a business college in preparation of being the heir of their company. But she refused, and there she went on her own. Though she kept her communication with them, and her dad still financing her from time to time, it cannot be denied that their relationship is somehow ruined already.

          "I can't blame you. I mean I don't really like to see my mom as well as much as I want to, but she's the one running after me around the world." Her friend uttered, chuckling bitterly afterwards. Taeyeon just gave her a small smile, feeling bitter as well with the topic they're having at the moment. The barely touched on the family topics and issues. This was one of those rare times that they would actually have the guts to talk about them. Yoona thwn shook her head, shaking the lingering thoughts away from her head. "Anyway, what will you two talk about later though?" She asked, now curious about her friend's sudden meeting with her mom.

          Taeyeon let out a heavy sigh, leaning back on her seat, with her right hand extended on the table and the other landing on her left thigh. "It's either about business, or she'll force me to date." She answered with a shrugged. And Yoona almost choked herself upon hearing her friend utter the word 'date'. Taeyeon looked at her in widened eyes and screamed. "Yah! What the heck are you doing?! Are you okay?" Taeyeon asked Yoona while handing her a tissue from the table. Aish, what's with this girl?

        After a few minutes of composing herself, Yoona looked at her with furrowed brows and widened eyes. "You?" She started, and swallowed after. "Date?!" She asked, her eyes widening much more by now. Tell me I'm hearing things wrong in here. 

          Taeyeon looked at her with a blank face before sighing and rolling her eyes. "Seriously?" She asked. What's with me and dating? 

        Yoona who kept her eyes widely open, answered. "Yes, seriously! Because the last thing I know, date is far way behind on your concern in life!" She uttered, tapping the top of the table as she did so.

         The older just rolled her eyes at her as she leaned her back on her seat. "Like I ever said it's my concern in life now," she answered back. "And please, don't act like I'm innocent when it comes to this stuffs, I just don't like to date anyone." She added, now comfortably seating on her seat.

          Leaning in on the table, Yoona squinted her eyes at her. "You never had a boyfriend Miss Kim Taeyeon." She uttered.

         Taeyeon, once again, rolled her eyes, letting out an exaggerated sigh after. "I've had a lot of flings, had suitors and went out on dates, Miss Im Yoona for your information." She answered back, raising her hand and pointing at her.

         Yoona scoffed, leaning away from the table. She rested her back on her seat and grabbed her glass of iced tea. "Like fling is considered dating," she retorted, rolling her eyes as she sipped on her drink.

          Taeyeon sighed heavily as she shook her head, finally giving up. I'm no win with this woman. "Okay fine whatever you say," she mumbled as she reached for her glass of water and Yoona could just laugh at her in response.

          Minutes after, Yoona then took a hold of her phone that vibrated suddenly. "Oh look! Sooyoung unnie replied on our group chat already!" Yoona exclaimed after the chat of their friend flashed on the screen.

          Curious, Taeyeon raised her brows and reached out for her phone that was sitting on the table as well and opened their group chat. Yoona sent a photo of them together and their foods a while ago at their group chat in an attempt to make their other friends jealous as she stated earlier. And of course, when it comes to food, if Yoona's missing, Sooyoung comes first in line, as long as it's about food.

Yah! The two of you! Youre so unfair! ><

          The two couldn't help but to laugh at their friend's reply.

Yoona dragged me into this!! Im innocent!! ^^v

          Not long after, another message came in to Taeyeon. She opened it up and her mood suddenly went down as she saw it.

1PM sharp, ill see you there honey.

        Taeyeon wrinkled her nose as annoyance started to fill her system up. She's honestly not in the mood with whatever she and her mom would be discussing about later. She had been feeling bad about this lunch, and she's quite sure that she wouldn't like whatever's going to happen later. Her stomach then started to hurt in an unexplainable way as she continued to think about it. If it weren't for the hands that shook her arm, she wouldn't be brought back to her senses. She the looked up and saw Yoona worriedly looking at her. "What?" She confusingly asked with her eyes wide open.

          Yoona then heaved a sigh, realizing that her friend had been totally spacing out. "I'm asking you what's the matter. You suddenly fell silent." She answered, her voice displaying a concerned tone.

          Taeyeon shook her head, not wanting to worry her friend over a small thing. Small thing. But she knew that for her, it wasn't a small thing. "Nothing. It's mom. She just reminded me about the lunch." She answered, placing the phone beside her plate before taking a bite of her cake once more.

          Yoona then glanced down on her wristwatch as she remembered. "It's almost one, aren't you suppose to get going?" She asked with a quirked brows.

          Taeyeon furrowed her brows as she reached for her phone again. She suddenly felt an adrenaline rush through her system as soon as as she saw the time on her phone. "Oh !" She cursed instantly. 

          Yoona couldn't help but to laugh in amusement as Taeyeon's reaction. "You better get going if you still want to be alive, you know." She uttered between her laughs as she watched Taeyeon on her seat.

          Taeyeon scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Thanks Yoong, thanks." She sarcastically said while plastering a fake smile on her face, earning a loud laugh from the younger.

          "You're so ugly unnie stop it!" Yoona managed to say between her laughs as she held on her stomach.

         "Whatever you say," Taeyeon mumbled, rolling her eyes. "I need to go before mom beats me out with ." Taeyeon said, reaching for her wallet from her bag to pay her friend with her orders. 

          As soon as Yoona noticed it and she quickly protested with what Taeyeon was about to do. "Hey, hey, hey! No! I said it's my treat right? Just go!" She said, shooing her away.

          "But—" Taeyeon was just about to protest but Yoona was quick to pull her up from her seat and to throw her out of the restaurant.

         "Just go! Go now! Go!" She said pushing the older one out of the door. Both were thankful that there weren't many people inside the restaurant or else, they would be embarrassing their selves with what Yoona was doing to Taeyeon.

         Once they were outside, Taeyeon faced her and scowled immediately. "Seriously? You could have just asked me to go out of the restaurant nicely than to forcibly push me outside!" She complained.

          Yoona just crossed her arms across her chest and shrugged. "I have no options anymore 'cause you better get going now, really."

        Taeyeon then sighed. Knowing that it's time to part way, Taeyeon then pulled her friend into a tight hug. "Thank you for today! I'll see you soon, bye Yoongi!" She said before pulling away from the hug and tapping Yoona's shoulder.

          "No biggie unnie! I'll drop by your boutique soon! Call me! Take care!" She said and bid their farewell already.

***

          "There you are," her mom uttered as soon as she had a glimpse of her daughter, smiling from ear to ear.

         Taeyeon went to give her mom a hug before proceeding to take the seat in front of her. "I'm sorry if I kept you waiting," Taeyeon apologized, afraid that she might get scolded for being late. Oh how does this woman in front of her hates tardiness so much. Taeyeon rolled her eyes mentally at the thought.

          Her mom shook her head, smiling at her. "No, no, I was just early here, you're just on time." She answered and Taeyeon couldn't help but to sigh in relief after. At least I'm safe for the moment. She thought. Taeyeon just nodded her head in response, not really in the mood to start a conversation knowing that her mom has a reserved one for them to talk to later. She then picked up the menu and started scanning it instead. And as she was doing so, her mom suddenly spoke. "Taeyeon honey," she started, and Taeyeon swore she could feel that she wouldn't like what her mom was going to say next after it. Oh god, please. She mentally begged. "I need you to pick your husband now." She added, and Taeyeon couldn't help but to instantly jerk her head up after. Oh . Taeyeon eye's rounded in shock and agape. She tried to utter a response by opening , but not even a single sound came out. suddenly felt so dry that it seemed like it's impossible for her to talk anymore. The strange feeling in her stomach she felt earlier when she was with her friend came back once again. Oh great. She knew this would come, no matter what. She had seen this coming a lot of times. Being a daughter of a businessman and a businesswoman, arranged marriages are normal in their world. It's nothing. But she guessed after all of the anticipation, she still wasn't prepared for it. She hadn't seen it coming this way, this early. Not now, when she's still building and fixing herself and her life. Not now.

         "Oh," she managed to utter in a cracked voice moments after, when she had find her voice. She then went back to look at the menu, to pretend like she heard nothing. Or at least like, what she heard was nothing to her. She didn't really know what should she say to it. Should I be happy? Should I be excited? What does she wanted me to do? She was having all sorts of emotions that she couldn't explain. When she made no more response after that, her mother then reached for her bag and took out a photo album, placing it on top of the table, in front Taeyeon. She eyed the photo album in confusion, her eyes shifting from the album to her mom and back to the album and to her mom again. "What is that for?" Is this my baby pictures? Is she trying to have some throwback session here or what?

          "It's a photo album," her mom answered, leaning in on the table.

          Taeyeon swore she wanted to hit her mother with that answer. As if it wasn't obvious enough to me that this is a photo album, duh! She wanted to roll her eyes so badly but stopped herself from doing so, knowing that she'll probably just get a lecture from her mom if she'll ever do it. "Mom I know, but I'm asking what is it for?" She asked, trying her best to calm herself in front of her mother. 

          Her mom heaved a sigh, leaning away from the table. "It's an album of your possible future husband." She answered. What...? Taeyeon just stared at her with her confused eyes, her brows furrowed down. "I figured out it'll be easy this way so you can pick already without having to worry about them." Her mom explained when she noticed that her daughter was lost. Oh gosh, seriously? Taeyeon wanted to scoff so badly. This woman is out of her mind. "You should start picking out now you know." Her mother said moments later, a smile forming on her face. She's impossible. She thought. She wanted to hit her mom's head so she would wake up from this delusions and she badly wished she could do it. How could she think I can pick a husband over an album easily? A freaking husband. A husband. Tired to even argue knowing that she'll lose over her no matter what, though hesitant, Taeyeon opened the photo album and scanned through the photos. Am I seriously going to marry one of these? She thought. She couldn't get over how her mom came up with this idea. It was the weirdest, craziest, and ridiculous thing that she ever heard. Her mind was too clouded that she couldn't even focus on the photos. She was literally just passing her eyes through the photos to please her mom that had her eyes intently looking at her daughter. After a few minutes of flipping the album pages, her mom spoke. "So, have you choose one?" She asked, beaming at her daughter. 

          Oh ing goodness. Slamming the photo album close, Taeyeon heaved a sigh and stared at her mother in disbelief. "Mom seriously? Do you think I can pick a husband over this album immediately? No way." She said before gulping the water on the glass near her.

         "But Taeyeon honey, you should choose now, or else—" before she could even let her mom talk nonstop about the unending possibilities, she butted in, her patience wearing thin.

          "Can I call you later about this and just eat for now? I'm hungry and picking over a  husband on this is not as easy as picking your meal over a menu, so please?" She uttered, rather still politely, as she didn't really want to take the out of her mother. I don't want a chaos.

          Her mom blinked a few times at her before she answered. "Okay fine," she said, giving in and a sigh of defeat passed through he