The week passed in a moment, she was evading Sunny, also that damn song was impressed in her mind and wouldn’t go away. The little girl would individuate her from afar at school and then she would try to approach her, just for her to run away in any way possible.

Yes she was damn scared, her heart didn’t obey to her anymore, it kept beating and missing beats. She wanted desperately to be with her and yet she didn’t.

She was always immersed in her mind, in a lucid dream, picturing the kiss that didn’t happen, and any time it was worst, it felt more real. She was torturing herself with something impossible and she was so afraid of the pain, of suffering.

When the night of the Gala came Taeyeon was trembling just to put her outfit on. At the end she choose a classic suit, black with a white shirt and black silk suspenders. Putting her jacket on and looking at herself in the mirror she breathed deeply, in and out, trying to calm her quivering hands. She had put her hair in waves and light make up. Biting the rosy lips she headed downstairs where her mom was waiting for her.

The bright smile she received made her smile as well, melting a little bit of tension she had.

“You look really beautiful my love.” She kissed her forehead and that made Taeyeon giggle. “Don’t be too late and have fun alright?” She nodded still grinning at her mother, smooching her cheek she grabbed the keys of her car and got out.

It was a perfect night, it wasn’t cold and the stairs shined brightly uncaring of the smog of the city. Staring at the sky she felt her soul calmer, as if she was adsorbing the power of those shining titans from thousands of light years afar.

The place seemed more like a castle than a five stars hotel. It was really big, all in white stone surrounded by a flourished and colorful garden. Taeyeon immediately felt tiny, a crumb in at the mercy of a world made for giants. She was punctual at least.

Looking around searching for the one she was supposed to accompany she felt her heart in , her hands were already sweating and her feet couldn’t stay still. She was going to embarrass herself so bad, why did she suggest it?

Taeyeon was waiting leaning on her car, the President texted her that she would be arriving soon. So much for telling her to be punctual, rolling her eyes she waited, biting her already cut to skin nails. The anxiety was killing her.

Then a limousine stopped at the end of a deep red carpet.

Just how important was this Gala?

She watched as the chauffer, a familiar one, got out of the car to open the back door. She could only see the nape of the girl that stepped of the car, the limousine completely covered her, her hair up in a high ponytail, a small tiara catching the eyes on the knot.

Taeyeon played with the countless piercings on her ear and gulped hard, waiting for the car to leave. The limousine slowly moved away and at the same time the girl turned around, it felt like a movie, she could almost hear a soundtrack. As she suspected it was Sunny, her bright eyes captured the lights and were searching for her, but she couldn’t move.

She was in a red dress, a tight corset with lace on it, hugging her figure as if it was a climber. The dress had a deep slit letting the world see a glimpse of leg up her knees and a shining collier resting on her soft chest. Then the girl saw her and smiled so big her eyes turned into crescents, Taeyeon chocked on her spit and felt a thump in her chest, maybe that was it, she would die of tonight.

The tiny girl looked the epitome of a princess, a castle behind her and a fairytale waiting for her to start. Taeyeon felt so out of place, she doesn’t belong in a tale like that, her dark soul doesn’t fit in, her pockets don’t fit in.

The smile turned quick into a frown when she didn’t see the other girl responding. The music stopped in her mind and she almost ran to match the girl.

Sunny checked her out from head to toe and then nodded satisfied, Taeyeon tried to smile, she was sure it came out strange and forced. But the shorter girl kept nodding, a blush on her cheeks. They were now face to face and she didn’t know what the heck she was supposed to do, her tongue was fully tangled and her stomach was closed in a painful knot. She told herself to at least breathe but she almost stopped, losing her mind in those eyes in front of her, still smiling slightly.

Then she felt two hands grab her suspenders and she saw that Sunny was completely captivated. “I really like these, they look good on you, you look really great.” She was still caressing them, brushing against her shirt covered tummy. “I could’ve sworn you would show up in a suit, I felt it and I am glad it did happen.”

Taeyeon couldn’t seem to remember how to talk and just stared, taking in all the details of her tiny face.

“Are you okay? Why are you not saying anything?” Sunny had grabbed her jacket now, playing with the buttons on it, pouting a bit.

Why does she always have to touch me. I can’t concentrate like this.

Faking a cough she tried to switch her stare elsewhere. Glancing at the elegant people entering the hotel she felt her jacket being tugged a little. Sunny was even closer, worry written all over her face, the pout now more visible and adorable. She couldn’t help but smile a bit and shake her head.

“It’s all fine, this is just new for me and you look… you look ok.” She groaned in her head loud and clear.

You look ok? What a ing idiot.

Clearing again she met the other girl knitted eyebrows. “What I meant, I meant to say…” She couldn’t find the words, all red from having managed to embarrass herself in the first five minutes of the night.

“I got it, thank you, that was a beautiful compliment.” A snarky smile plastered on the rosy lips. Taeyeon was thinking of a way to get out of that situation. Then a flash shocked her and she jumped a little trying to find the source.

“What was that?” Sunny rolled her eyes to the side, throwing a totally fake smile and waving with disinterest. “That was paparazzi, come on we probably need to get going.”

She put a hand on her arm, squeezed it lightly and they started to walk on the red carpet. Focusing on her perimeter Taeyeon saw a lot of people with big cameras, flashing and asking for a pose. “What kind of Gala is it?” She was already regretting her decision, again.

Sunny kept smiling and waving, leaning a bit on her arm. She looked hesitant, glanced at her and lowered her head, to speak in a soft tone. “It is a fund raising one, my Dad, well my family are the organizers. This hotel is Daddy’s, in fact.”

She felt her lungs collapsing onto themselves, burning and closing. When she succeeded to speak her voice sounded hoarse. “What? This is yours?”

She was really a princess, wasn’t she?

Sunny chuckled and denied. “It is my Dad’s, I am just a guest of honor. Or more something to show off.” She chuckled again, it was a bitter sound, hoarse, not like the usually high-pitched sweet one. Taeyeon felt the need to make her laugh in that exact moment, but didn’t know how, she was staring at the red carpet, her lips tensed in a tight line.

“Well tonight you, my lady, get to show me off.” She smirked a bit. “I mean look at that.” Gesturing toward her outfit, snapping the suspenders. “And feel that, see pure muscle.” She flexed hard the biceps under Sunny hand and smirked more when she felt the hand squeezing it.

“There is not even meat on this arm, I just feel your bones.” Her face was unsurprised but she did laugh, a little and in disbelieve.

She felt her heart a little lighter seeing the girl bright expression back. “How dare you, I go to the gym three times a week and eat only proteins!” She pretended to be offended, clutching her chest with one hand.

Sunny raised an eyebrow and examined her figure, again. “Sure, and there is a line of beautiful girls waiting on your door, asking for a date from the macho of the school.” She giggled and patted her arm.

Feeling more at ease now, she grinned in a daring way, her dimple on her chin showing and her eyebrows shouting toward the sky. “Well I am in one right now, and with a very beautiful girl.” The girl flushed until her ears and slapped her shoulder, Taeyeon couldn’t stop grinning like a in idiot.

“I don’t remember me or you ask for a date, so this is not one! And didn’t I look just ok like five minutes ago?” She was still blushing and she was still smirking. She was going with a ridicules pun but she glanced at Sunny smiling eyes and felt the words just leave , without her permission. “I was so mesmerized I couldn’t talk properly.”

An intake of breath was taken abruptly next to her and she stopped walking, they were staring into each other eyes. She saw the other girl open and close , not saying anything. Then she just hidden her face against Taeyeon’s arm, her cheeks rosy and puffing. “Don’t joke with me like that.” She whispered still hiding, the squeeze on her biceps intensifying.

But I wasn’t.

Taeyeon gulped hard and restarted to walk, trying to not put her brain on an overdrive analyzation.

The castle inside was even bigger that she had imagined, the ceiling looked so high it could reach the stars. She stared at everything with a wide opened mouth, awestruck onyx eyes and Sunny just smiled at people, as if all of it was absolutely normal.

“Do you like it?” She was softly smiling at her, her eyes catching the lights of the enormous chandelier at the center of the hall. Taeyeon nodded still astonished, it was like they were living in another era.

“You hungry? I am starving! Let’s go to the buffet I really hope Dad made the right choices.” So she was dragged to the buffet, her stomach grumbled at the sight of the food and Sunny laughed out loud. “Your stomach just answered for you, I think.” Taeyeon scratched her neck and agreed.

She was biting in some sort of canapé, wasn’t sure what was on it but it tasted good, when a boy interrupted their round on the buffet. A tall handsome boy, dark hair pulled back with gel and a charming smile, all teeth.

“Cousin! At least you showed up, uncle was going nuts searching for you!” Sunny rolled her eyes and continued to bite in her own canapé.

“He knows my number, if he was worried he would’ve called.” The boy smirked and then glanced at her smiling even bigger.

“Oh you are new. Where is Tiffany eh?”

“She couldn’t come, she is Taeyeon, Taeyeon my cousin Jack.” They shacked hands, Taeyeon forced herself to smile.

“My pleasure, I was expecting Tiffany but you are even cuter.” He glanced at her with an explicit expression and Sunny started to giggle, high and airy. Jack watched her as if she was crazy, a black eyebrow raised. Taeyeon too was unsure and surprised, this guy was hitting on her and she starts to go crazy?

“God I am sorry but you seriously are a lost cause. First Tiffany, who really doesn’t like you and now her.” She was holding her chest with the free hand, trying to recover her breath. Her cousin snorted at her.

“What are you saying? She doesn’t know me, how can you be so sure?” Sunny looked at her, still grinning and took her arm within hers, her heart skipped a beat yet again. Now she understood where she was going and answered with a big grin, unable to compose herself.

“Let’s say I don’t swing your way.” She winked at the girl on her side, who scrunched her nose and softened her smile.

Could she even get more adorable?

Seeing a flash in the boys eyes she murmured an unconvinced sorry and he snorted again, turning and then left waving.

“Are your relatives all like this?” She asked still trying to keep her grin down. God her cheeks were already hurting.

Sunny pretended to think about it, a delicate finger pushing on her chin. “Yes, most of them.” Then she giggled and took another canapé, nourishing the second flute of champagne.

They kept talking, eating things she couldn’t identify and Sunny explained her the meaning of the party. She sounded so competent, invested and passionate about it. Taeyeon realized she could listen to her talk like that for hours, not getting bored in the slightest.

“I started to help Daddy choose between the various projects they present us, choose where the money will go and to whom.” Her voice softened and got lower, she knows now it is a symptom of insecurity.

“It must be really hard.” She took the hand on her arm in one of her own, her thumb doing little circles on her palm.

“What?”

Taeyeon met brown confused eyes with her calm ones, shrugging a bit. “Choosing who to help, choosing who gets the money and who doesn’t.” Sunny looked at her with surprise and squeezed her hand more, as to ground herself.

“I hate it, truly, but I prefer to see by my own eyes.” She kept trying to reassure the girl, nudging her shoulder and had to restrain herself from gently kissing the hand in hers.

“You are doing a good job, I just know it.” Sunny smiled at her deeply and nudged her back.

“There you are, my princess.” A man on his fifty approached them a large grin on his mouth, mirth in his eyes. Sunny let go of her hand and hugged the man. He put an arm around her tiny waist and kissed her temple, that barely touched his chest. “Sorry Dad I didn’t mean to be this late.”

Her dad is huge how can she be so little?

“Don’t worry about it, but I want to introduce you to a few people, come on.” He was trying to make her turn but she pointed her feet in high heels.

“In a moment! This is Taeyeon, the friend I told you about.” He watched her head to toe before smiling a bit and extending a hand for her to shake.

“My pleasure Miss Taeyeon.” She took the hand and shacked it, feeling the firm hold and prayed for her tongue to not embarrass her too much. “Hi, nice to meet you Sir.” She grimaced at the trembling tone.

Sunny smiled at her. “I’ll be right back ok?” She could just nod, feeling as she belonged to another world, light years away from this one.

Maybe her father hated her, he made her met all the people she couldn’t care less. Also her stare continued to go to Taeyeon every time she could, making sure she was still there, unbothered. She hated every single one of these lousy boys, just out of the college, flirting with her, trying to win her over to get the stocks she was supposed to already have. She didn’t have even one, in fact.

She was so tired of their fake smiles, supposedly charming winks and invite to dinner. She felt dirty all over just from them watching her as if she was a trophy, a victory to conquer. God she felt sick.

She couldn’t be happier when she was with Taeyeon again, even if the girl had this haunted expression on her delicate face. She wanted to pass a finger on her jaw, feel that dimple under her fingertip and trace the big vein on her neck.

And these were the four flutes of champagne.

“Are you okay? I am sorry I had to leave you alone.” She tried to reestablish the affinity they found before, smiling softly and bumping her pinkie on her hand, hoping the dork gets the message.

Taeyeon put her hand into her pocket and murmured a yes.

Sunny whimpered internally. Why she was this easily swayed, a moment it was all cool and fun, the other it turns to silence and deep stares into nothing. They stayed quiet for long moments, with Taeyeon staring at her shoes as if they were the most interesting things into the room.

Sunny crossed her arms under her chest, her corset was starting to irk her. But she wanted to look good, she wanted to impress. But why? She had such a mess into her brain and felt her nerves begin to yield. Just when she was ready to outburst the other girl spoke.

“So, your Dad was trying to find your prince charming? I saw you meeting a lot of tall boys.” She was still talking to her shiny shoes, both of her hands now tucked into her pocket.

Sunny quirked a solitary eyebrow.

Was she jealous?

“He always hoped I’d like someone of them, guess what? I don’t, they are snobby pricks.” She payed attention at the reaction of the blond, her onyx eyes meeting hers from below and then her thin lips started to smile a bit. And in her heart she knew it was ten thousand times best that the sleezy smirks she got from these guys. She saw warm in it, truth and kindness.

“I am really tired to be here, it is boring and I don’t want to talk to any of them one minute more!” Rolling her eyes to the ceiling she snorted then giggled a bit. Her giggle stopped when Taeyeon reached from her hand, gently interlacing their fingers together, smiling knowing at her.

“Why don’t we go somewhere else then? Maybe to eat something more hmm more like real food?” Her eyes were shining with untold promises, a mischievous stare, but her hand felt secure, her fingers filling all the gaps easily.

Sunny felt herself considering the proposal. “I can’t, my Dad wants me here.”

Taeyeon nodded but didn’t relent their stare. “Do you have some duty to do, like a speech?” She denied and she grinned a bit more, her dimple showing and she felt a flash of warmth in all her body.

“Come on then, I promise I’ll bring you back here when you want to.” Resisting the urge to put a big grin on her lips she squinted her eyes.

“Are you trying to kidnap me?” The blond huffed out loud.

“I don’t think it’s the best way to kidnap a person, everyone saw me and my car. I must be a very stupid kidnapper.” Her light red lips pursed without her control but she restrained from laughing at the sulking expression on Taeyeon’s face.

“I think you are stupid enough to do that.” Then a giggle escaped her at the outraged stare she received. But she didn’t expect to be tickled on her waist, unfortunately being her weak spot, and she started to giggle out loud without being able to catch her breath. “Ok, ok please stop! We’ll go, oh God stop!”

All the people near returned to their conversations when the tickling finally stopped and Sunny could catch her breathe.

Taeyeon was watching her with the biggest grin she had ever seen on her face, her hands remained on her waist but now they were simply rubbing gently, trying to coax her.

“You are a crazy person!” Sunny slapped the others arm secretly loving the attention on her hips. Black envelope shoulders shrugged and she slapped her again, with more strength. Taeyeon grimaced but didn’t move her hands.

Then as if she made up her mind the taller one grabbed her hand and started waling toward the exit. “Come on then let’s go.”