Taeyeon smiles politely at a couple of female pool players as they pass in the corridor. Strangely, instead of smiling back as they usually do, they look away and walk to the left, distancing themselves from her. Puzzled, she walks on into the locker room and retrieves her gear.

She is changing her shoes when Sunny enters and they sit in companionable silence after greeting, each getting ready for training.

“Hey, you know something weird?” Taeyeon asks Sunny after tucking her socks into her duffel bag.

“What?”

“I met Jina and Haeri in the corridor and they looked like they were avoiding me or something.”

“Why would they avoid you?”

Taeyeon shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“It’s either you had something on your face or you’re imagining things.”

“I guess . . .”

Four hours later, Taeyeon wraps up her training session and is on her way back to the locker room when she runs into Jina and Haeri again. She smiles and even says hi this time but they avoid looking at her and walk away a little faster than before.

This can’t be my imagination, right? So do I have something on my face?

Taeyeon ducks into the nearest toilet and checks the mirror. Nothing is amiss; she looks just fine. So what is the problem?

X

Three days later, Taeyeon is more than certain that it isn’t her imagination. Jina and Haeri have been avoiding her, and yesterday’s encounter was the defining moment when Jina actually tugged her friend, Saera’s arm and stopped her from coming over to say hi. These people are actively dodging her like the plague—but why?

Try as she might, she can’t figure it out, so she ends up sipping her fruit punch and people watching instead.

“Hey, Tae.”

Taeyeon looks away from the snooker game in front and smiles at the smiling woman towering over her. “Hi, Hyerim.”

“Mind if I join?”

“Of course not. Come, sit.”

Hyerim slides onto the chair beside her and smiles. “Why are you here alone? Waiting for someone?”

Taeyeon nods with a smile.

“Do I need to ask who it is?”

“It’s Tiffany.”

“Good, then I won’t have to keep a secret.”

Taeyeon chortles. “Don’t be silly.” She looks around. “Where’s your other half?”

Hyerim pouts. “Jihyun is running an errand for her mother so I’m waiting for her here.”

“So we’re on the same boat here.”

“We are.”

“Join me in watching those two play?”

“The two men aren’t that good,” Hyerim comments after seeing one of them miss an easy angle. I can’t believe you’d rather watch them than play a game yourself.”

“I trained for four hours in the afternoon. I’m done for the day.”

“That’s true. Me too.”

A thought strikes Taeyeon and she leans over the table to Hyerim. “May I ask you about something?”

“What? Ask away.”

“It’s about some weird stuff happening to me this week.”

“What kind of weird stuff?”

“Jina and Haeri have been avoiding me like I’m some kind of contagious disease but I can’t figure out why and I don’t think I can even get close enough to ask them either.”

“Jina and Haeri?” Hyerim’s smile is replaced by a frown. “They aren’t nice to me either. Jihyun included.”

Taeyeon is surprised to hear about this. “Why is that so?”

“It’s because they have something against us.”

“Something against us?”

“Yeah, as in who we date.”

“Oh.”

“She must have seen or heard that you’re dating a woman.”

“But how would she know?”

Hyerim shrugs. “Someone could have told her. Or she could have seen you with Tiffany at the quarters.”

“Oh.”

Hyerim eyes her for a moment. “How do you feel about it?”

Taeyeon shakes her head. “I don’t know. It’s not a great feeling, but at the same time, it’s not the end of the world. We aren’t close friends anyway.”

“It happens from time to time. Weird stares and stuff. Is this the first time you experienced it?”

Taeyeon nods.

“I guess it’s because you hang out here a lot, and people here aren’t like Jina.”

“Yeah . . . here and my place. We don’t really go out that much . . .”

Hyerim laughs. “You’re turning into an old couple that quickly? You should go out more. Don’t end up like Jihyun and me.”

“Don’t end up like what?”

Taeyeon looks up and Tiffany’s smiling face is right above hers. “Hey.”

“Hey, you. Hi, Hyerim.” Tiffany squeezes onto Taeyeon’s cushioned seat. “Whatcha talking about?”

“Taeyeon was—”

“I was watching the two men playing snooker.”

Tiffany looks from Taeyeon to Hyerim, confused. “And?”

“Hyerim was just telling me not to end up playing in mixed competitions like them.”

“Ah, are those harder?”

Taeyeon makes a face at Hyerim, willing her to go with the flow.

“Yeah . . . mainly because the men play poorly when their opponent is pretty.”

Taeyeon heaves an inner sigh of relief as the topic is successfully changed. She isn’t entirely sure why she doesn’t want Tiffany to know about Jina and Haeri right now but she knows one thing—she needs to have a private talk with Tiffany, soon.

X

“Are you tired?” Tiffany asks, hands kneading Taeyeon’s shoulders as they watch the late night news on television after returning from Pot Shot.

“A little.”

“You seem a little tensed. Practiced too hard?”

“It was the usual.”

“Is it nerves?”

Taeyeon shakes her head, wondering how she can broach the subject. Tiffany is obviously picking up on her unease, so she should just come right out and ask about it. “Baby, shall we go out on a date after my semis?”

Tiffany frowns. “Wouldn’t it distract you? Assuming you win the semi-final, you’ll have to focus on the finals, right?”

“A date wouldn’t hurt. I need a break too.”

“We can hang out at Pot Shot if you want.”

“I meant like out.” Taeyeon clears . “Like a picnic at a park along the river.”

“Why would you wanna sit on grass and eat when you can eat in comfort at home?”

“I have a picnic mat so we won’t be sitting on grass. I just think it’ll be fun to go out and play.”

“But we can play just as well at home. Or at Pot Shot.” Tiffany stares at her for a moment. “Well, if you really wanna go out, we could go for a movie date?”

“Why do you sound reluctant to go out?”

“Do I?”

Taeyeon nods. “You do.”

“Well, I’m not.”

“If you’re not, I’d really like to have a date in the park and stroll along the river after the picnic.”

“Did you get some funny ideas from a drama or something? Why are you suggesting such a cheesy date all of a sudden?”

Taeyeon shrugs. “I just feel like going out, you know. We’ve been hanging out here a lot. And Pot Shot. But we haven’t really gone anywhere together.”

“Are you sure you want to do this in the middle of your competition?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fine if it’s just one day. I need a break too.”

“If this is what you want.” Tiffany grins. “I’ll prepare the salad. The rest’s on you.”

“Salads are easy. No fair.”

An arm wraps around Taeyeon’s shoulder and lips brush the shell of her ear. “Your idea, your job, sweetie. That’s how it rolls.”

X

A week later, Taeyeon walks out of the arena, and straight into the waiting arms of Tiffany. She sighs into the hug, adrenaline buzzing in her veins from the victory she has just attained. “Thanks for coming to support me again,” she mumbles into Tiffany’s hair.

Tiffany pulls back and grins. “Who said I’m here to support you? I’m just here to watch eye candies bending over a large table for a couple of hours.”

“Does that mean we’re on for tonight?”

“Hey, hey, look who’s talking. Aren’t you the one who brought up the picnic-by-the-river idea?”

Taeyeon’s heart swells, happy that Tiffany remembers their date. “I’m talking post-picnic activities.”

“Oh, right . . . after the picnic . . . not during the picnic.”

Mischief sparks off in Taeyeon’s eyes. “If we find an area secluded enough, we could . . .”

Tiffany tosses her head back and laughs. “You’re totally off the roof when your friends aren’t here.”

“Only when I’m alone with you.”

“Oh my God. Stop.” Picking up Taeyeon’s duffel bag that had been dumped on the floor when they hugged, Tiffany nods towards the exit. “Let’s get outta here.”

“I’m with you on that,” says Taeyeon as she reaches for Tiffany’s free hand to follow. But Tiffany pulls it out and links their arms instead. Is there a problem?

X