Taeyeon blinked a few times with her face paler than usual. "Wha..." she was incapable to form words and felt her knees giving up. She stumbled back and would've crashed to the ground if the strong arm of the commander hadn't enclosed itself around her.

"Shh it's alright, it's alright," he gently patted her head. Taeyeon weakly opened her eyes once more, took a quick glance at Tiffany and went out. Her body went limb in his arms. "Out of the way," the man brushed away Tiffany and hoisted Taeyeon inside her room. With all the gentleness in the world he laid her down on the pink bed that was Tiffany’s.

 

"What's going on?" Tiffany had so many questions.

 

"I can't believe this. How could she have arrived here before me? How did she know?" The man voiced his thoughts and rubbed the back of his neck. He never made wrong decisions but for some reason whenever Taeyeon was involved he tended messed up.

 

"Ehm, hello? Who is that girl laying on my bed?" Tiffany waved her hand in front of him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

 

"That, my dear, is Kim Taeyeon... So you really don't recognize her?" The commander scratched his head. "I mean take a careful look at her. You used to share a bedroom with her, you know?"

 

Tiffany's eyes went wide. "I slept with girls?" Her voice had risen a few pitches.

 

"No no no," the commander widely waved hands, "I mean you were roommates before. Whether you prefer women over men is of little interest to me."

 

"O," Tiffany looked at the sleeping Taeyeon and felt her heart race. She had no idea who this girl was but every time Tiffany looked at her, her heart began to throb faster. She blamed the commander for flustering her with that bedroom thingy.

 

"So she's a friend of mine?" She asked for clarification.

 

The commander watched Taeyeon in silence a feeling of pity developing inside of him. It was an emotion he rarely found himself feeling. After a moment of silence he faced Tiffany.

 

"I won't tell you who you're friends are or how you should feel about everything you see. You need to recover your memory by yourself. Otherwise your mind may get lazy and rely on everything the others tell you."

 

“But… If I don’t know anything, then I don’t know how to respond to the others…” Tiffany protested.

 

“They’ll understand, but I think they may be in a bit in shock if they see you wandering around here without any heads up.” He gave a quick look at the passed out Taeyeon on the bed. “So let’s worry about how to explain you’re not dead to them first,” the commander went on. “It will be a hassle, especially since you don’t know how you survived…”

 

Or what happened to Yuri

 

Tiffany shyly inspected her feet. “Speaking about that… I want to thank you for rescuing me. I was so scared, those monsters…” Tiffany gasped at the memory and took a second before carrying on. “With no memory at all, it was like I woke up in hell. Even without any indication I knew those creatures were evil. I laid on the ground, unable to move as their red eyes gazed down at me. It was like they were waiting for me to move or something. Covered with mud I tried my best to appear dead and held in my breath for as long as possible. If you hadn’t come…” Tiffany had her arms wrapped around herself as if to give herself a hug.

 

“Well, it wasn’t me who killed them,” he smiled as he hinted with his eyes to Taeyeon.

 

“She? But how? She looks so fragile.” Tiffany gave Taeyeon another good look. She was definitely small, but the her disheveled appearance told Tiffany that she had been outside not too long ago. Anyone who could go outside had to be able to protect oneself. There were still some patches of mud on her, contrasting the milky skin that enveloped her. Although her hair was a bit messy right now, Tiffany felt herself attracted to it. Her thin strands of blonde hair almost seemed to lure Tiffany’s fingers to run through them. Tiffany’s eyes couldn’t get enough. She let her eyes brush over every single feature, not stopping when she noticed that the loose black sweater she wore was hanging a little low from her shoulders. She caught a quick glimpse of Taeyeon's cleavage and watered accordingly. She gulped in awe, her face burning red with sensation. She didn’t know looking at someone could produce such extensive emotion. So she saved her hm?

“Tiffany?”

“Huh, what?” Tiffany snapped out of her trance and redirected her attention back to the commander who was smiling ear to ear.

“Nothing, I thought that maybe I should leave you two alone. It would seem Taeyeon is in good hands.”

 

His remark made Tiffany even redder and she didn’t like it. She was rarely caught red-handed like this. Usually Tiffany was the one that made the other blush.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“Right." The commander said totally not convinced. "Anyway, do you see this rifle I’m holding?” He holds up the sniper-rifle that had recently been used by Taeyeon.

 

“It’s so big that it’s impossible not to see it,” Tiffany quipped.

 

“That is what she said.”

 

“What?” Tiffany thought she heard something. Did he just say what I think he said?

 

“I said, this is hers.” The commander changed his previous line.

 

“What is whose?”

 

“This sniper rifle is Taeyeon’s,” he repeated stressing every word.

 

Tiffany shook her head, sending her brown hair fluttering about. “Don’t be ridiculous. That thing is almost as big as she is!”

 

“I’m dead serious. She’s the best sniper this country has seen in many years." He might as well have told her that the world has never been round but instead has always been flat. Tiffany’s eyes shot from the rifle to Taeyeon and back.

 

“Seriously?”

“Positive.”

 

“You’re not playing a prank on me now?”

“Of course not. She is a high caliber sniper, famous across the entire country. Hell, I think the whole world has gotten word of the deadly Korean sniper. I don’t think they would believe it is her either. They probably think it’s a man,” he smirked.

 

“What in the world…” Tiffany glanced once more at Taeyeon, who was now spreading saliva all across her pink pillow.

 

“In fact, she saved you with this rifle from about 600 meters away. That is why you didn’t see her.” He paused. “Quite amazing, isn’t she?”

 

“Quite.” Tiffany murmured as another question came up in her mind. “Why did she pass out?”

 

“Because she thought you were dead and was shocked in a way you and I could never understand.”

 

“O yeah, forgot about that.” She and the commander had already discussed what had happened to her and Yuri. It must’ve been rough for Taeyeon.

 

“Okay, there is another thing I have to tell you before I go.” The commander walked passed Tiffany and into the hallway. He then turned around and said: “Taeyeon’s room number is 9.”

 

Tiffany frowned. “Why do you tell me this?”

 

“Because her new room number is going to be 7 and someone has to go and collect her stuff.” With that he showed his back to her and marched off, leaving Tiffany confused.

 

“Wait, what?”

 

*

Tiffany stood in Taeyeon’s room, observing with great interest her surroundings. The walls were blue and the room was filled with all kind of scopes and gun parts. It made the girls clothes and cute stuffed animals stand out in contrast. “So cute~” Tiffany swooned as she picked up one of the animals, which might or might not have been pink. She spent a long time hugging the animal before moving on to the bed and dropping herself upon it.

 

Hmmm, maybe I should pay her back for drooling all over my pillow?

 

An evil smirk painted her face as she got a hold of Taeyeon’s pillow. Carefully she placed the tip of her tongue at the bottom of the pillow and slithered it up to the top. When she was done she nodded satisfied with her revenge.

 

What is this smell?

 

Tiffany noticed a pleasant odor making it’s way into her nose and she looked around to see what it could be. Confused about the source she sat back on her legs.

 

Wait it can’t be…

 

Suddenly she knew what she was smelling. Slowly she brought her head back to the pillow that she had just contaminated with her saliva and took a sharp breath of air.

 

Well .

 

It was Taeyeon’s scent and the more she inhaled the more it made her mind stirr.

 

This girl… How can she have this kind of effect on me? Maybe I do like girls after all… Damn that dude for insinuating that.

 

Not wanting to be belittled to a sniffing ert she backed off from the smell and left the bed.

Curious to see whether Taeyeon had a diary she maneuvered to the nearest cabinet. Tiffany loved to learn other’s secrets. Full of anticipation she opened the drawer.

 

“Meh, boring.” In the first drawer there were only socks, shirts and some make-up. There was also something to looked like it would be used to dye ones hair. Way too standard for Tiffany.

“Next.” With a slam she opened up the next drawer.

“Ugh, again?” The contents were almost identical to the first drawer.

“Three's a charm.” She opened up the third drawer and was pleasantly surprised.

“Who would’ve thought?” Inside she found all kinds of underwear, from very spicey lingerie to cute blue decorated with a little ribbon. She rummaged around before taking out a pink set. Before she could control herself her mind ran a simulation of how this would look on the owner. She found her insides warming up and bit her lip from lust. Just before she could slip her hand down her own a voice interrupted her.

 

“Enjoying yourself?”

 

In the door was standing the owner of the Tiffany held so recklessly in her hand. Taeyeon walked into the room and sat on the bed. “You may have lost your memories, but I guess some parts never change.”

“Taeyeon I-”

Taeyeon cut her off with her hand. “Spare me the excuses, please. The commander explained to me what is going on and although I may seem calm now, I’m still extremely shocked to see you’re still alive. Frankly I can’t believe it yet, so to protect myself from going crazy I pretend that this is in fact a dream.” Taeyeon closed her eyes and continued, “You really can’t remember anything?”

Tiffany could only shake her head.

 

“What about Yuri? Do you remember her?”

 

“No…”

 

Taeyeon gulped and her eyes moved all over the place. She really didn’t want to ask the next question, but she had to hear it.

 

“You forgot about me too?”

 

Tiffany could see Taeyeon’s unrest building and knew the answer would be a big deal for her. She considered lying, but didn’t want to start of with this girl on lies.That is why Tiffany reluctantly gave her the honest answer.

 

“Yes.”

 

Tiffany saw a flash of a pained expression appear on Taeyeon’s face. Taeyeon had wanted nothing more than to hug her resurrected friend and burst out in tears, but since Tiffany knew nothing about their past she couldn’t just let herself go like that. Hence, Taeyeon quickly replaced the expression with a smile.

 

“Well, I’m Taeyeon.” She stuck out her hand for Tiffany to grab. Tiffany took a while to understand the gesture and took her hand a moment later.

 

“Nice to meet you… I guess you already know who I am,” she laughed a nervous laugh. “You probably know me better than I know myself.”

 

“I can tell you all about yourself, but I think you already know the basics of yourself,” Taeyeon let out a uncharacteristically feminine giggle, referring to the piece of garnish that Tiffany still held in her other hand.

Tiffany yelped in embarrassment and with all the speed in the world she threw Taeyeon’s cute underwear back into the open drawer, causing Taeyeon to laugh even harder.

 

“Fany...” A perplexed voice called her nickname. Taeyeon and Tiffany had been so focused on each other that they hadn’t seen her standing in the door for about five minutes.

 

“What is going on?” Jessica stood transfixed, unable to process the reality of what she perceived.

 

“Sica,” Taeyeon spoke before shooting up from her spot. “Sica!” Jessica was beginning to faint. Tae sprinted towards the girl and reached her just in time. Jessica’s legs collapsed and she had to hang on to Taeyeon’s shoulders to keep standing.

 

"Yuri…" Jessica hummed, “where is Yuri?”

 

Taeyeon knew only one answer to that and Jessica wasn’t going to take it well. As far as she knew, Yuri was still dead.

 

*

Hours before…

 

Yuri...

Jessica's usually shimmering brown eyes had been dangerously dimmed the past weeks.

"Yuri..." This time she whispered the thought. If she had told herself years ago she was in love she would probably burst out laughing. When you're standing so close to the source your sight becomes blurry. For her it had been the same. She had taken everything for granted and like the saying, you don't know what you got until it's gone.

 

"Tsk," she hissed at the world.

 

How can be the world this cruel?

 

Yuri had somehow managed to crack her normally so strong ice armor. As a result, jessica had opened up a little. Her normally so tense attitude and tendency to distrust anyone were nullified by just a single look of Yuri. But as always everything comes to an end...

Yuri was forcefully robbed from her life, leaving her alone once more... To make matters worse, she hadn't seen her sister since the purge. The only reason Jessica was still hanging on was because of the tiny chance Krystal was still alive.

 

There was only one person Jessica knew that suffered the same way as she did now. Kim Taeyeon… Although she wasn’t sure on whether Taeyeon had loved Tiffany the same way Jessica loved Yuri, she was sure it affected her just as much. Of course, Jessica missed Tiffany too, but it was nothing compared to the black emptiness she felt every time Yuri passed her mind.

The wind was still and the sun distributed it’s sunrays across the grasslands in a shy manner. The world had become colder, at least according to Jessica. She didn’t mind it though for it reflected her feelings perfectly.

 

"The air is nice today," she took in a mouthful of cold air and yawned. Unable to feel her limbs anymore she stretched her arms and legs awake. The entire morning she had been outside reading, not caring about the dangers she let herself be exposed to. Preferably she would’ve continued to lay outside reading, but she was asked to attend the training today. Not that she needed any. Jessica was one of the few humans that had evolved into something beyond human understanding. It was as if god gave the humans a chance to fight back their predators. Unfortunately with gaining this power, she automatically received a high responsibility. One she was not too willing to bear.

 

With a deep sigh she got up on her feet and paced back the way she came, the books firmly secured under her arms. Sometimes she wished she was Seohyun. That girl devoured entire books in matter of days, sometimes even hours. At first Jessica thought she was a sham, but after questioning her about one of the books she found out Seohyun actually remembered almost everything perfectly. Instead of feeling envy, Jessica actually felt admiration. Seohyun was the kind of girl who would share her knowledge with everyone and use it to help those who need it the most.

 

Sunken in thoughts about her friends she made her way back. She knew very well that as soon as she stepped through the gate she would have to shun the others away, but it wasn’t like she wanted to. Everyone of them just reminded her of Yuri…

Another sigh escaped her lips.

This is going to be another long day.

 

 

 

To be continued...