Taeyeon POV

I woke up sweating this morning, I had bad dreams again. I would have rather had the bad dream on the bus, and the good dream here. All the imagery I saw. I can’t bare to see it again, all my friends dead, it’s haunting. I lay in bed for about 20 minutes, trying to forget the nightmare, but it keeps finding it’s way back to the front of my mind. I need to try and forget, so I head to the kitchen to get myself a glass of juice. Surprisingly, I see Jessica sitting there drinking coffee, looking upset.

“Morning Sica.”

She doesn’t answer. Is something wrong?

“Jessica!”

“Yes?”

She finally answers.

“Why didn’t you answer me?”

“I didn’t realize you were there. Sorry.”

“It’s ok.”

She just turns her head away from me. Did I do something to upset her?

“You alright Sica?”

“Yeah. Just bad dreams.”

“You too?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

“Not really, but thanks Tae.”

“If you need me, you know where I am.”

I just leave her and head back to my room. It’s best I just give her space. I sit down and slowly start drinking my juice. Orange juice is a nice way to start the morning. I wonder what Jessica’s dreams were about. I just sit thinking for another 5 minutes, and I get a text from Tiffany.

“Tae. You up? I need a hug.”

“I’m up. Everything ok?”

“Not really. Can I come to your room?”

“Yes. The door’s unlocked.”

“Thanks Tae. I’ll be there in a minute.”

This can’t be good. I hope she’s doing ok. I wait about 5 minutes before Tiffany enters my room. She’s been crying, I can see it in her eyes. She didn’t say anything as she walked in, she just sat in my lap and started crying. I hugged her tight, and she just kept crying. It was about 5 minutes before anyone said anything.

“Thank you Tae.”

“For what?”

“Being such a great friend.”

“Any time Fany.”

I decided to wait until she told me, rather than asking. If she didn’t want to tell me, she wouldn’t, but she wouldn’t have come in to my room if she didn’t want to tell me. It just wouldn’t make sense. Once her crying stops, she starts to talk.

“I need to back to America for a while.”

“Oh. How come?”

“My dad was diagnosed with cancer.”

“Oh Fany, I’m so sorry.”

She pulls me in for a close hug and starts to cry again.

“I need to back and see him once promotion times are finished.”

“Do you know how long you’ll be gone?”

“6 months at least.”

“Oh.”

I went quiet. I didn’t want to be away from my best friend for that long.

“I’m sorry Tae.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“Because I have to take time away from the group.”

“No. Family comes first, and your dad needs you.”

“Thanks Tae.”

I give her a peck on the forehead.

“Will you be ok whilst I’m gone?”

“I’ll just have to manage. I will miss you a lot.”

“I’ll miss you too Tae.”

We sat hugging for a solid 20 minutes before doing anything else, and Tiffany’s had almost stopped at that point. She looked really tired and like she was about to fall asleep. I was tired as well, so I just laid down, Tiffany coming with me. Within the next 2 minutes, she was fast asleep with her head in the crook of my neck. Despite what she just told me, she looks really peaceful when she sleeps. I almost fell asleep there, which I think was best, being that I didn’t have much sleep from the night terrors. At least today was our day off, so it would be fine if Fany and I slept in.

~later~

Fany and I woke up at about 11am, and both of us seemed well rested, but I don’t think that would last for very long. I decide to just head to have a shower, as I didn’t have on earlier. But as I leave my room, the dorm seems very quiet, except for one thing. And that was Sunny sitting on the couch playing videogames. I guess everyone must be out. So I go and grab a towel and head to the bathroom, but first I decide to ask her where everyone is.

“Hey Sunny.”

“Yeah Tae, what’s up?”

“Where is everyone?”

“I think they all went to the amusement park. I don’t know if Fany went with them or not though, I haven’t seen her all morning.”

“That’s because she’s been with me in my room.”

“Do I want to know why?”

“She’s just sad that her dad got sick.”

“Oh. Is he ok?”

“I don’t really know.” I lie. “You’re gonna have to ask her yourself when you can.”

“Oh ok. If it’s serious, will she have to take some time away from the group?”

“If it is serious, then she will need to take time off.”

And it’s serious, it’s very serious. But if Sunny is gonna know, then Tiffany has to tell her herself.

“That makes sense. She’s gotta look out for her dad. I just hope that he’s ok.”

I decide to not say anything and just turn around. I start to head off to the bathroom when Sunny stops me.

“Oh, forgot to tell you. Yoona somehow clogged up the shower this morning. She said she’ll fix it when she gets back in a few hours.”

“Crap. Is the bath working at least?”

“Yeah the bath is fine. Take all the time you want.”

“Thanks Sunny.”

As I head towards the bathroom, I run into Tiffany. She’s grabbed a towel too.

“Are you done with the shower Tae?”

“I haven’t even been in the bathroom yet. Sunny just told me that the shower isn’t working.”

“Oh really? Do you know what happened?”

“All Sunny told me, is that it’s Yoona’s fault, and that she’ll fix it when she gets back.”

“Does the bath work at least?”

“Yeah. That’s actually where I’m headed.”

“Do you mind if I join you?”

“What the hell Fany?”

“Come on. If we use lots of bubble bath, we can’t see anything.”

I’m honestly a bit surprised by this. I’ve always kinda wanted to do that, but in reality, it just scares me. Sharing a bath with my best friend, who I think I love, is gonna be really weird. Overthinking it is just gonna make everything worse. She’s my best friend, what’s the worst that could happen?

“Please Tae? Please please please please?”

“Ok fine. Let’s go. Just don’t make it weird.”

“I won’t I promise.”

Tiffany POV

I said I wasn’t gonna make it weird, and that still stands, but I might as well tell her now.

“Ok. Good. You promised, and you better not, because I just want to relax.”

“Same.”

Taeyeon opens the bathroom door and we go in. I don’t know how she baths, but I get undressed before I even turn the water on. So I quickly step into the shower. There’s about 2 inches of water. So that’s what Yoona needs to fix? At least I wasn’t wearing socks. I reach out and grab my towel so I can cover up once I’ve gotten undressed. As I’m nearly finished, I can hear Taeyeon turn the water on. I step out wrapped in my towel, and can see my best friend getting undressed. Wow! She has a really nice body.

She hasn’t seen me yet, so I take a moment to admire Tae’s assets. Wow. Just wow. As she’s putting her towel on, I step back into the shower, just so she thinks that I only just got out. And this works to my advantage. Neither of us say anything, but I do notice a coy smile on Taeyeon’s face as she scans me. I give her one back and she gets shy. She’s so cute. I guess that’s why I love her. Everything about her is perfect. After that weird interaction, I look into the cupboard for the bubble bath, and I find a few different kinds.

“Tae, I’ve found four different scents. Which one do you want?”

“Yours.”

I shoot my head around at her. She looks coy, but she’s laughing too.

“I’m joking Fany. What’s the selection?”

“Ok . There’s strawberry, mint, vanilla and coconut.”

“I’ll go with..”

She stops a moment to think. She has the cutest thinking face ever.

“Strawberry. Yeah, let’s go with that.”

“Ok Tae.”

I grab it out and start pouring it into the bath. The bubbles get big really quick. I drop my towel and step in. Taeyeon looks dazed, and I soon realize that she’s looking at my .

“Earth to ert. Get in before the water gets cold.”

“I’m not a ert.”

She gets in looking embarrassed. I wanted to comfort her, but I didn’t really know how.

We just sit there in silence for about 5 minutes, but it wasn’t at all awkward, it was actually really nice. I wasn’t uncomfortable, and judging by how Tae was smiling, she wasn’t either. I try not to look away, but I can’t stop smiling at her.

“What are you smiling at?”

“Just my beautiful best friend.”

“aww”

I saw her blush, which made her even cuter than she already was. I just continued smiling at her.

“You said you wouldn’t make it weird.”

“But I didn’t.”

I could tell from the way she was, that she didn’t think it was weird.

“Could I wash your back?”

“I don’t see why not.”

She reaches out for the cloth and passes it to me. I start washing her back, and I begin to think. If I’m gonna tell her, I think now is the time. But I’m really nervous about it.

“Hey Tae.”

“Yeah Fany?”

“I need to tell you something.”

“Ok. What’s up?”

Here it goes. It’s now or never. Please don’t freak out Tae.

“Promise not to freak out.”

“Is it scary?”

“No.”

“Ok then. I promise to not freak out.”

“Thank you.”

I take a deep breath.

“I love you Tae.”

“Aww, I love you too.”

“I mean, like, really love you.”

“Oh..”

She goes quite for a second, then turns to me.

“I’m sorry Tae.”

She then opens as if to say something. She cups my face with her hand.

“Don’t be sorry.”

I can feel myself starting to cry again.

“Don’t cry Fany.”

I try to stop myself, but it’s kinda hard. I just face down into the water.

“I have a confession too.”

I don’t say anything, but I just nod.

“Here goes.”