CHAPTER 1 - MY VOICE

A loud cheer erupted as she passionately belted out the strongest cue of the song. She smiled sadly whilst the memories flooded her mind. She felt like crying, but the show must go on as always. She needed to be strong, as strong as she was during the times when her sisters shed tears. The fans deserved better than seeing her crying her eyes out, unable to continue performing.

It had been three winters.

Three seasons of autumn.

But despite three seasons of spring passing by, it seems like it will always be winter whenever she crosses her mind.

She’s seen her through the billboards, the magazines, the pictorials and through other’s phone screens. It’s funny how time taunted her into thinking that she would always be within reach, until there came for a time where they couldn’t meet no matter how far Taeyeon wanted to extend her hand towards her.

Taeyeon wished so badly, that circumstances could different. Deep down she felt like she could blame no one but herself for letting things between them become as shattered and maimed as this. However, the cruel reality was that whatever she wanted between them could never begin in the first place. Despite this, nothing felt as real as the feeling of ‘almost.’

And as she belted the last note of the song as softly as her voice would allow, she tried so hard not to let her voice crack and mimic the state of her heart.

Yeah, this break-up keeps making me cry.

She finished the song flawlessly. Having her friends there cheering her on helped too, but she couldn't help but wish that that one person was there to watch her sing, hear her message for her and hopefully feel the same.

At the same time however, the last thing she wanted was for a certain ice princess to see her so broken.

—————

Hyoyeon waited under the dark shade of the patio of a then closed coffee shop, poking her head around in various directions to see if she could catch the glimpse of a certain brunette walking down the street. Meeting in front of an abandoned building, disguised as best as they could and with the guise of Jessica being in italy, was what they had planned on.

The dancer had been vehemently against doing this for Jessica, knowing how much pain it would inflict on her, but knowing that the moment would come soon, her conscience had gotten the best of her.

She lifted up her wristwatch and angled it towards the light of the street lamp beside her.

She cursed under her breath.

She had been waiting a whole two hours for Jessica. The girl had a habit for being late and never rushing even if she had been, but this was exceptionally excessive.

————

“Open up! I know you’re in there!”

Hyoyeon slammed her fist hard against the steel door of the high rise condo unit, the sound of cold metal and flesh echoing throughout the long empty hallway.

Before she could begin her tirade of incessant jabs on the slab of steel, the door swung open.

“Yah, do you know what time it is?” A tall groggy figure, scratching at the back of his neck could be seen hunching over the small crack between the door and the door frame.

“Ah arasso, arasso. Could you get your girlfriend to come out for me? Before I come get her myself?” Hyoyeon began to tie her air into a messy ponytail, preparing to put her back into dragging an adult female out of their home if need be. She shoved the man out of the way, knowing full well he could do nothing but watch as she barged in.

Tyler groaned, rolling his eyes as he neatly closed and locked the door behind him and lazily tightened up the knot of his robe. He watched Hyoyeon storm off towards their bedroom, practically huffing and puffing all the doors down, and sighed.

“She’s not here.”

Hyoyeon whipped her head around, her eyes animatedly bugging out of their sockets.

“Don’t bull me. She’s here right?”

“Language. Do you always have to be so—” Tyler shook his head in defeat. It was pointless arguing with Hyoyeon like this. He sighed, “She’s in italy remember?”

“Ah chincha, that’s what she told you huh?” Hyoyeon chuckled incredulously under her breath, the sound coming out of her nostrils like a gust of wind whistling loudly through the cracks of a closed door. “Gomawo. Give this to Sica for me when she comes back will you?”

Hyoyeon gave — more like pushed — a black shirt and cap onto Tyler’s exposed abdomen,

“You’re in the room with another woman at least cover yourself up decently, aish.”

Tyler looked down at himself, rolling his eyes, “Ah, shibal 338000 won and can’t even hold up a simple knot...”

And with that, Hyoyeon stormed out of the apartment as hastily as she made herself in. Tyler watched the girl see herself out and looked down at the curious pile of clothing in his arms. He unfolded the bla