Irene blinked, shocked to see the message that she received. She then covers .

 

“WAAAAH!” Wendy and Joy jumps happily feeling so happy while Irene just stands there, still can not believe her eyes.

 

“What should I do now!?” Irene replies, her hands are trembling. It feels like she has a crush for the first time, again.

 

 

“What should I reply? What should I say to her?” Irene continues then sits down on the edge of her bed.

 

“Well, how about a ‘thank you unnie, you too’ for a start?” Joy replies then jumps off the bed and drink a water nearby while Wendy continues to turn on her k-drama.

 

“What if she stops to reply?”

 

“Of course she’ll stop, she told you to get a good rest, and you need to rest.”

 

“What if she doesn’t send me a message tomorrow?”

 

“Bae Joohyun!” Wendy shouts as she turns her gaze to her best friend.

 

“What?” Irene says nonchalantly.

 

“What do you expect!? Calm down, take it slow.” Wendy continues, Irene sighs as she puts down her phone, she just sits there and stares blankly at her phone

 

“I’m doomed. I think.. I really like her… quiet a lot.” Irene takes a deep breath, “Ottokkhae?” she continues then turn on her phone again.

 

Wendy and Joy exchange glances, wearing a smile on their face.

 

“How about this, instead of replying to her now how about tomorrow morning? That way it can keep the conversation going, right?” Wendy suggested then continue on her K-drama.

 

“How’s that supposed to keep the conversation going? No! she’d think I ignore her.”

 

“Well, after the good morning text, you can start asking about her daily activities.”

 

“That’s actually a good idea!” Joy shouts, “DO that!!!” Joy continues as she lies down on Irene’s bed.

 

“So I’ll just ignore the text now?”

 

“Since it’s past eleven, I guess you are safe now. She probably think you’re already asleep.”

 

Irene nods, she’s slightly agreeing on this one. “Alright, then.” After all, her best friends were right about a lot of things in her life.

 

 

Birds are chirping, roses are in bloom and the sun feels warm on her face. As she expected, she woke up too early today. Her best friends are still asleep, safe and sound. the balcony on her second floor never fail her to feel warm in this sunny day, or as the tv news said this morning.

 

It’s eight am and she feels hungry, she goes to the kitchen on the first floor and she takes a bowl of eggs, flour, oats, yogurt, and all of the ingredient to make pancakes for them. After she get them ready, she sits on the chair around the counter table. She turns on her phone then decided to reply to the direct message that she’s been eager to reply.

 

“I’m sorry unnie, I was already asleep last night T,T”

 

Irene finds herself stares blankly at the window, last night she couldn’t sleep thinking about how possible it is for her to like someone after getting over a break up pretty fast, or she thought. Or maybe it is just one of her ways of helping herself getting over the break up?

 

Irene also knows she will never get the answer now but eventually she will gets it, all she knows that she is so attracted by her senior, how gorgeous her smile is, how she admires her mid-length brown hair matches her appearance, how mature she behaves, how Taeyeon talks with a very well-mannered way, how Taeyeon talks about letting loose of her anxiety, Irene never thought that she will meet someone that makes her life a little bit lighter to bear just by two conversations and meetings. Anxiety was never a friend of her, and Taeyeon can make it slowly but gradually fading away at certain moments.

 

“Ding!” Irene immediately opens up her phone,

 

(ㅋㅋㅋㅋ it’s alright Irene-ssi, good morning then :). Did you sleep well?)

 

A smile begins to spread on her face, her hearts beat even faster than earlier, Taeyeon just asked about her sleep! She knows she was right to trust her best friends last night to wait until morning for her to reply.

 

(Good morning unnie! yes I did, how about you? I’m making breakfast for Wendy and Joy, they are still sleeping.)

 

“Ding!” another reply came,

 

(Me too thankfully. Ah really? What are you making?)

 

(Just simple pancakes, they like mine so much I don’t even know why. One Sunday peaceful morning they barged into my door just to get pancakes, ㅋㅋㅋ )

 

(Well, it must be a really good pancake then and I should try it someday, haha)

 

(ㅋㅋㅋ, maybe you should unnnie ;p)

 

(Definitely. By the way, I’m kinda late, I should get going to a practicum. You can continue your cook Irene-ssi.)

 

(Ah? This early unnie?)

 

(ㅋㅋㅋ, yes, this early. It’s usually at seven but our professor is a bit late today, she had a seminar.)

 

(Well, I guess that’s one of the perks of being a medical student unnie? being a morning person. ㅋㅋㅋ.)

 

(Indeed, Irene-ssi. How about you? Are you a night owl or morning person?)

 

(Morning person also, but not that early to even wake up at 5 am. I usually wake up at 6 unnie.)

 

(That is great, it’s very good. A night own usually don’t really have a good sleep cycle, it can interrupts your performance at daylight, difficulties in digesting information etc. do you have a class today?)

 

(Thank God, Unnie ㅋㅋㅋ. Yes we do have a class this morning around 10. Alright then, I should probably making pancakes don’t want you to get late for class!)

 

(You’re right ha ha. Alright then, good luck on your class today!)

 

(Thank you unnie, you too! Good luck!)

 

(☺️🌞)

 

Irene puts down her phone, feeling happy somehow inside just by exchanging texts with Taeyeon. She then continue to make her pancakes while humming to a song, her hands are busy making the dough but her minds keep thinking about the conversation that she had earlier.

 

“Alright class, it’s enough for today. Today’s low points will deduct any points from the previous assignment. See you guys next week.”

 

The class couldn’t help but to sigh loudly. They should’ve thought about it a week before, their professor today gave them an unexpected quiz from a week before without warning. And the score that they will get will affects their last grade. Irene can only sighs, while Joy and Wendy already put their heads on the table.

“We’re doomed. Really.” Joy replies, she hits head again lightly on the her table. “We are.” Wendy can only stares blankly at the window.

 

“Yah, don’t think too much about it. Everyone in this class is doomed, you’re not alone. Relax. It’s not much of a deduction, we’ll be fine.”

 

Wendy and Joy exchange glances as they heard something unusual from Irene. That particular best friend is always the one who will sighs more loudly, ranting around about their quiz earlier and could even curse on herself for how stupid she was that she wasn’t prepared. But this one much to Wendy and Joy’s surprise is an unbelievably good thing surprise.

“Joohyun-ah, where all this positivity comes from?” Wendy now stands up, her eyes are rounded.

 

“Ani.. I mean we already worked hard so just let the results come out, it won’t disappoint us. I believe in us.” Irene says firmly as she packs her belongings to her tote bag.

 

“It must be from her favorite unnie.” Joy says nonchalantly then packs her bags too.

 

“Ah matta! I should’ve known better” Wendy decided to join the party while Irene only smiles, it’s a fact after all. Denying to her best friends are useless because they absolutely know better.

 

“Guys! Do you want to join us?” A group friends consist of three girls approach the three best friends.

 

“Where exactly?” Wendy asks, “Lunch of course, we’re going to eat the famous Kimchi Guksu in the university.” Seulgi answers as she takes a seat next to Irene.

 

“We have a good Kimchi Guksu?” Joy now is ready to take her leave, as far as she knows their faculty doesn’t really have a good Kimchi Guksu. “and Rosé, since when do you eat Kimchi Guksu?” Joy continues. “Since that Kimchi Guksu is very good” the girl in blonde hair answers straight-forwardly.

 

“and yes, of course we do. You three should really try, it’s at the Faculty of Medicine cafetaria.” Adds Rosé.

 

The three best friends exchange glances, their eyes are starting to get rounded.

 

“Faculty of Medicine!?” Wendy shouts, she’s excited. For her best friend of course.

 

“Yeah, do you guys wanna come?” Jennie now the one who’s talking.

 

“Definitely!” Joy jumps happily, also excited, for her best friend, none other than Irene.

 

Irene just keep her face straight, trying hard to hide her excitement because she’s not that close with Jennie, Seulgi or Rosé like Wendy or Joy, she doesn’t want them to think Irene is weird.

 

“Kajja!”

 

The six girls then leave the room and walk side by side while talking about their quiz earlier and how they are going to mess up this semester’s grade.

 

“Are you excited to meet her?” Wendy whispers to Irene quietly, making sure no one can hear them.

 

“I am but Unnie said she rarely go to anywhere else than library. Med student’s thing.” Irene answers more quietly to Wendy’s ear.

 

“Let’s just keep holding onto your luck, again.” Irene can only nods by that. Secretly hoping she can meet Taeyeon today, again.

 

Around five minutes after their walk, they arrive at the building. The building is a big and wide white room filled with many stalls selling various kinds of food, mostly home-made cook and instant foods are rare to be seen, it’s a med-school cafetaria after all.

 

Today is pretty crowded but there are still empty tables left and how shocked the girls are to see people with their white coats, almost all of them wearing white coats which turns out to be normal for medical students on Tuesday to wear their practicum coat due to their short-breaks.

 

They enter the building carefully, searching for an empty table. “Let’s just sit here.” Rosé says, they take seats facing each other.

 

“Seeing these medical students with white coats give me creepy vibe.” Joy watches people around her, “Agree. I feel like my heart is about to explode, my heart is beating faster than usual.” Rosé adds to the statement.

 

“I heard it’s normal, it’s some kind of natural reaction of the body seeing this white coats and I heard it can affect your blood pressure too.” Jennie explains shortly after everyone nods agreeing with Rosé.

 

“Where exactly did you get the information from? You know so much about medicine. Are you a med student or law? Geez. Even she knows about how med students suture a wound!” Rosé can only shakes her head.

 

“Yah! I have a friend here, her name is Yeri.”

 

“No wonder…”

 

“Anyway, let’s go get Kimchi Guksu. I’ll order six okay.” Seulgi says, she’s ready to take their order, “I’ll come with you.” Wendy then joins her.

 

After five minutes they talk to each other again about classes, assignments, internship until a girl with a white coat approaches them,

 

“Jen!” She shouts, Jennie turns her gaze to find her friend.

 

“Yeri-ah! I sent you a text earlier.” Jennie stands up as she hugs the girl while the rest are still watching.

 

“Ah sorry, my phone is in my bag. What are you doing here?”

 

“I’m eating my lunch with friends, we’re ordering Kimchi Guksu.”

 

“I see. Well it’s not a perfect summer without a perfect cold-noodle after all.”

 

“Indeed. Let me introduce you to my friends, this is Rosé, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy and Irene.” Jennie explains as she points her finger at her friends.

 

“Nice to meet you guys!”

 

“Nice to meet you, Yeri!”

 

“Come, come. Sit here.” Jennie pats the seat next to her, “Ah no I can’t, I’m actually having a short break and I have my seniors over there teaching me biochemistry and they’re waiting for me.” Yeri answers as she points a group of her seniors right in the corner of this cafetaria making the six friends turn their gaze.

 

“uh-uhuk!” Irene coughs her water when she finds Taeyeon is eating her lunch with seems like her friends on the group that Yeri was pointing at. Taeyeon probably did not notice since they are pretty far away.

 

“Is that Taeyeon unnie?” Wendy asks as she squints her eyes, trying to get a better look at the figure.

 

“You know her?” asks Yeri, Wendy and joy can only nod and turn her gaze to Irene while Irene looking at the bottle, not bothering her best friends.

 

“Who is this again?” Rosé is lost,  “Isn’t she famous though? She’s the BBB right?”, “Brain, beauty, behavior?” Seulgi answers,

 

‘apparently a lot of people know you Kim Taeyeon’, Irene thought.

 

“Yes, Taeyeon unnie is famous in our faculty, and she’s really kind to me.” Yeri starts to praise her close senior.

 

“Do you think we should greet her!? let’s just say Hi!” Joy shouts happily, making the rest of the girls turn to her.

 

“You guys know her?”

 

“Wendy, Irene and I even followed by her on Instagram.”

 

“How’s that possible again?” Rosé asks.

 

“We just happen to know her I guess. You guys stay here, while we’re going to greet her.” Wendy now is ready to greet her senior, “Come on Irene!” Irene shakes her head too embarrassed even speak,

 

“Oh come on!” Wendy and Joy drags her hand to stand up, “I’ll accompany you guys, I have to go anyway.”

 

“Bye Yeri!” the rest of the girls bid her goodbye to Yeri then the three best friends and Yeri walk to the table around the corner, Irene bites her lip and her face looks very anxious.

 

“What’s up with you? You talked to her this morning!” Wendy whispers to her ear, Iren shakes her head “I don’t know.” She continues.

 

“Annyeonghaseyo Taeyeon-unnie!” Wendy and Joy greet their senior as the three girls bow their back a little to show some respect.

 

Taeyeon who was eating and talking to the girl across her turn her gaze to three best friends looking quite surprised.

 

 

___________________________________

 

 

“Annyeonghaseyo Taeyeon-unnie!” Wendy and Joy greet their senior as the three girls bow their back a little to show some respect.

 

Taeyeon turns her gaze to find the three best friends that she met last night, looking at them quite surprised but gives her smile in the end.

 

“Eo? Annyeonghaseyo!” Taeyeon stops her eating, “What are you guys doing here?” she continues, eyes never leave Irene who is now looking down at her feet.

“We’re having lunch Unnie!” Wendy answers, “let me guess, Kimchi Guksu?” Taeyeon gives her smile again to the girls.

 

“Ne!” Wendy and Joy shouts happily while Irene only smiles.

 

Yeri takes her seat beside Taeyeon, “Apparently a friend of mine also friends with them too Unnie.”

 

“Ah, what a small world!” Taeyeon exclaims, “So this is Tiffany and Yoona, Yoona is a third year like you guys but different class with Yeri, but still a baby to us.”

 

“Yoong and Fany, this is Wendy, Joy and Irene.”  Taeyeon continues.

 

“Annyeonghaseyo, Yoona and Tiffany Unnie!”

 

Tiffany and Yoona give their smile “Annyeong!”

 

“Here, sit, sit.” Taeyeon hits the table lightly, “Ah it’s okay unnie, we just came by to say Hi, we know you have a short break.”

 

Taeyeon chuckles, “No it’s okay, it’s actually our last practicum but we just too tired to even take off our white coats.” Tiffany answers softly.

 

“That’s right. Only Yeri here who has packed schedule today.” Tiffany adds to the statement,

 

“Well I guess we can seat here for five minutes then he he.” Joy and Wendy take hear seat still dragging Irene who is now facing Taeyeon,

 

Both Taeyeon and Irene can’t look at each other’s eyes,

 

“So how was your class?” Taeyeon starts the conversation, “Horrible unnie! our professor gave us a sudden quiz, the class is so sure that we are all doomed.” The medical students only chuckle at Joy’s answer.

 

“Was it right, Irene-ssi?” Taeyeon takes a glance at the girl across her, “Y-Yes unnie, it was kind of difficult but we’ll survive.” Irene answers then gives her smile to Taeyeon.

 

“Bae Joohyun isn’t herself today, Unnie.” Wendy couldn’t help but to say it, she wanted to tease Irene so badly that it chokes her.

 

“Is that so? Why?”

 

“It’s just, Joohyunie was always the one who will have this anxiety attack much worse than all of us in the class combined. But today she apparently is quiet about it, and seems more relaxed…” Joy explains as she takes a sip of her lemon tea. “I wonder where that comes from.” Joy continues, implicitly referring to Taeyeon.

 

Taeyeon only chuckle, “Getting there huh? Irene-ssi?”

 

Wendy and Joy are the only ones that can see their best friend feeling flustered because of Kim Taeyeon, again.

 

They spent a couple minutes talking and catching up about their day, even though Yoona, and Tiffany just met the three best friends, somehow they are clicked and feeling relaxed and open towards their junior.

 

Tiffany takes a mental note that she is so sure that the girl across her ex is that one particular girl who liked Taeyeon’s picture the other day, she is lost and confused how the hell that Taeyeon even knows her and her best friends right in this moment, talking with them like old friends, so she just looks at them quietly, noticing how Taeyeon and Irene stealing glances right here and then.

 

“Unnies we better take our leave now, seems like our lunch has arrived there!”

 

Finally after around seven minutes the three best friends bid their goodbye to their seniors, “I have to go too Unnie, thank you unnie for the notes!” Yeri also takes her leave, waving to her seniors.

 

After they saw the girls reached their table, Tiffany nudges Taeyeon’s elbow.

 

“Is that the girl from the other day?” asks her.

 

“What do you mean? Who?”

 

“Irene, the girl who liked your picture.” Tiffany answers, “Wait, Irene liked your picture? I’m lost here help.” Yoona suddenly asks.

 

“Yes, Bae Joohyun. Apparently her stage name is Bae Irene. And I delivered her pizza last night. What a coincidence huh?” Taeyeon replies as she continues her lunch, Tiffany can only clench her fist, feeling this uncomfortable feeling deep inside her heart.

 

“She is so pretty.” Yoona continues her lunch,

 

“Who? Irene?” Taeyeon almost finish her lunch, Yoona only nods.

 

“So you talk to her now?” Tiffany again decided to look further,

 

“Not really, but we follow each other on Instagram.”

 

Tiffany puts down her fork, “Why?”

 

“Why what? I just followed her.”

 

“You can’t do that! She’s a stranger.”

 

“First, I followed Wendy and Joy too. Second, she’s not a stranger. Her real name is Bae Joohyun, born in Daegu, and she’s a third year law student who dream to become a corporate lawyer. Does that sounds like a stranger for me to you?”

 

Tiffany’s jaw dropped for a moment while Yoona can only looking as she confusedly watched her two best friends.

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“We talked, a bit.”

 

“I’m not sure it’s a bit. Does she knows that you’re from Jeonju?”

 

“She knows. I told her.”

 

Yoona’s jaw dropped. “Unnie! How deep exactly the conversation went last night?”

 

“Nothing too deep. She’s kind, soft and friendly, she opens up so I open up too.”

 

“I’m clearly jealous now that you’re talking to a friendly, nice, pretty girl, Kim Taeyeon.”

 

“Why would you jealous Fany unnie? they just talk.”

 

“That’s correct, Yoong. And also don’t forget that I’m your ex.” Tiffany sighs because of the sentence.

 

“Whatever! Still jealous!” Tiffany pouts as she crosses her arms.

 

Taeyeon finds it cute each time Tiffany being clingy, jealous, ex-girlfriend so she caress Tiffany’s back hair gratefully.

 

“Times like this that I am so confused of my two unnies, you broke up yet still act cutely and sweet towards each other.” Yoona shakes her head, she takes a sip from her glass.

 

“She’s still my best friend.” Taeyeon replies, she takes her phone from her bag then she types something,

 

“Who are you texting?” Says Tiffany as she tries to peek but no luck because Taeyeon immediately turns off her phone. “No one?” Taeyeon answers.

 

“Taeyeon-ah.”

 

“So I’m supposed to tell you who am I texting now? Remind me what are we again?”

 

“Best friends, you said.”

 

“That is correct, and best friends respect each other’s privacy. Now, let’s go, I need to tutor first year students.”

 

“You’re still tutoring them, unnie?”

 

“Of course. They paid me 500 bucks for three sessions. I’m rich.” The three best friends laugh.

 

“You’ve been working too hard lately.” Says Tiffany, “Yes unnie. Take a rest. We don’t want you to get sick.” Taeyeon can only chuckle,

 

“Don’t worry about me, I’m totally fine. I need to fill up my savings, I was thinking of getting a car. What do you think? It’s not a fancy one like Tiffany’s but it can help me a lot travel back and forth to Jeonju. I always miss my train because of our unexpected schedule.”

 

“So you’ve been saving for a car? Appa said he wanted to buy you a car?” Tiffany always consider Taeyeon’s family like her own, Taeyeon smiles knowing that.

 

“Appa? ah. I declined. But I accepted that we have a share on this one. He let me to pay half of it. So I’ve been saving for it.”

 

“I think it’s a good thing unnie, I can hitch a ride!” Yoona exclaims happily.

 

“Correct! now let’s go Yoong, you can review the material from the first year.”

 

Taeyeon takes her last glance of the group by the doorway and finds Irene looking at her smiling, so she replies with a smile. She then takes a leave through the opposite doorway.

 

___________________________________________________

 

 

Irene keeps chewing her cold noodles while focusing and listening to her friends conversation, stealing glances to her far right side, trying to take a glimpse of her now favorite figure without knowing that Wendy has been watching her.

 

Wendy smiles at her and leans to whisper in her ear “Stealing glances I see.”

“I was not.” Irene clears nervously—with her cheeks turning red.

 

“Yeah right.” Wendy rolls her eyes,

 

“Ding.”

 

Irene checks her phone, her smile grew wider.

 

@taeyeon_ss sent you a direct message. Click to reply.

 

[I heard someone having a rough day today. But she is still standing firmly I see. Keep it up! :)]

 

[I learned from you unnie :p]

 

After a reply, she then turns off her phone still smiling.

 

“You’re smiling like an idiot. Everyone can easily notice that you’re falling in love!” Adds Wendy whispering to Irene, knowing that her best friend just got a text.

 

“I’m not!”

 

“Look! Taeyeon unnie is leaving!” it’s Joy’s turn to whisper.

 

“There goes your last glance with favorite unnie.” Adds Joy with her chuckle as they are seeing Taeyeon and her friends step out of the big glass door.

 

Irene’s eyes never leave the figure until she disappears behind the glass, still admiring Taeyeon over her shoulder.

 

“We were not glancing at each other.” Irene says as she turns her gaze back to her lunch.

 

“You do realize that I’m your best friend right? I know that you two were stealing glances at each other! Also I know that you just got a DM from her.”

 

“Yah! Were you peeking at me!?”

 

“Not you, your phone!” Joy answers.

 

“Hey guys, you three. What’s up with the whispers?” Rosé asks, the three best friends look up to find her friends in front of them looking confused.

 

“Nothing! It was just some stupid jokes.” Irene answers.

 

“About what?”

 

“About Joohyun’s crush.”

 

“Irene has a crush? Where? Here?”

 

“I don’t have a crush!” Irene exclaims again. “Let’s forget about it okay? Let’s eat peacefully, we still have one class to go.”

 

They just shrug, don’t want to be noisy friends towards Irene.

 

They spent another half an hour talking and eating before going to class.

 

____________________

 

“So tell me, what’s the LAD supplies?” no one raises a hand. Taeyeon furrows her eyebrows,

 

“Don’t be shy. As a medical student, you’re going make mistakes, heck, you can even misdiagnose a case from your Q-bank, we are bound to make mistakes and we learn from it.” Taeyeon continues as she watches her students from first year.

 

Finally a girl with long black hair raise her hand,

 

“Yes, Lee Ji-Eun?”

 

“LAD or left anterior descending artery supplies anterior portion of the interventricular septum, anterolateral papillary muscle, anterior surface of the left ventricle, and it is the most common artery to be involved in myocardial infarction.” Ji-Eun explains, there was a doubt for a moment but she continues to finish.

 

“Correct!” Taeyeon and Yoona claps,

 

“Good work Ji Eun-ah! Next question, tell me what you know about S2 Heart Sound?”

 

It was a room full of silence until all of them raises a hand,

 

“Seohyun?”

 

“S2 is a closure of aortic and pulmonary valves loudest at left upper sternal border, Unnie!” Seohyun answers without a doubt, again Yoona and Taeyeon claps,

 

“Again, correct! Alright, good work guys! We’ll finish here, and I’ll see you guys next week. Don’t forget to study the flashcards that I have shared.”

 

“Thank you! Taeyeon-sunbaenim.” Taeyeon only nods a she packs her bag,

 

“So where are we going now unnie?” Yoona asks her best friend,

 

“We are going to the bookstore. I promise you to recommend you pathology books, so let’s go.”

 

“Yay!” Yoona jumps happily, she waits for Taeyeon to finish packing also seeing one by one of Taeyeon’s students leaving the room.

 

“Taeyeon-sunbaenim.” A girl approach Yoona and Taeyeon then bows to them.

 

“Yes Ji Eun. Do you have any questions?” Taeyeon asks the girl politely,

 

“It’s not that, it’s about the weekend session, if I may ask.. when do you have time Sunbaenim? I’ll match our schedule. ” Taeyeon tries to remember her plans on the weekend then check out her schedule app.

 

“I’ll be free on Saturday, so we’re safe to go.”

 

“Alright then Taeyeon-sunbaenim. Thank you.” The girl once again bows to Taeyeon and Yoona, she then takes her leave quietly.

 

“You have a date with her unnie?”

 

“A date!? Of course not. I’ll be teaching her physiology, she is one of this year’s delegate to present our university to the National Medical Olympiad.” Yoona then watched her go, admiring and puzzled.

 

“She’s a genius then, like you.” Taeyeon only chuckle, all her life she never gets tired of people calling her genius or smart, she takes it as an appreciation from people around her. Taeyeon is much simpler than she looks, she doesn’t takes most of the things that people say about her personally. She is that type of a girl who can say no easily if she wants to. She say things bluntly, she says what she wants to say. She ignores what she wants to ignore, and she will do things what she wants to do.

 

Taeyeon and Yoona make their way out of the building, then take a subway to go to the nearest bookstore.

 

They spent another two hours searching and looking for books and they sat down for a small talk and coffee at the café across the bookstore. It was a nice catch up with Yoona, their age difference and different year make it difficult for them to see each other regularly because Taeyeon’s schedule a lot more packed than Yoona since it’s her final year before she goes to her clinical year.

 

Taeyeon was about to leave the café after finishing her coffee alone since Yoona left first because she had a study group schedule before her phone rang.

 

“Where are you?” a familiar voice greeted her.

 

“Café, why?”

 

“Which one?”

 

“Braillé café. What is it Yuri-ah? I’m about to leave.”

 

“Taeyeon-ah, my smarty-pant best friend, pretty, very kind, very genero-“

 

“What do you want, Kwon Yuri?”

 

“See? That’s what I like about you, always get straight to the point.”

 

“Tell me! I have to catch my bus.”

 

“It’s just, you know that I need money to get the tv right.”

 

“And then what?”

 

“Can you give me your spot tonight? I need to get that extra money. Just for tonight? Please?”

 

“Of course. I need to take a day or two off anyway.”

 

“Assa! By the way, I was on my way back to the dorm, and I heard Lee Ji Eun and her friends were talking about you, they were trying to get your number or something. Should I give it to them?”

 

“Kwon Yuri. Stop talking non-sense.”
 

“I’m not! Looks like they have a big fat crush on you.”

 

“Stop it, just get ready! I don’t want you to be late.”

 

“Alright. alright. once again, thank you, ‘Taeyeon-sunbaenim’ khkhkh”

 

“Kwon Yuri!”

 

 

 

She first heard about it last month during lunch with her close friends.

 

There’s this new restaurant at the outskirts of town serving Italian and western food by the beach. Her best friends were dying to drag her to join them for family dinner but Irene never agrees to attend the invitation because it was a family dinner.

 

She wasn’t interested in visiting restaurant since it’s too far away from her house and she simply can’t invite her parents to go with her due to their heavy schedule.

 

But then again Wendy asked her go with her this weekend just so she get out and get some fresh air. Irene is having a hard time trying to remember when she spends her weekend out of the house. Ever since she broke up, she never really spend her weekend with any other people except her best friends, and usually it was always at her place or theirs. She just didn’t have the opportunity to go out. She wants to, but don’t know how or where to go.

 

Irene walks to her bookshelf, again looking for a book that she thinks might missing since it’s always there. The book was given by her father and it’s a really important one book.

 

She groans in frustration as she finally gives up looking for the book. She then turn on her laptop then she browse for the book to get the new one.

 

As she scrolling up her browser, she takes a glance at her phone, It’s been seven hours since she replied to Taeyeon’s message at today’s lunch but still no replies. It’s not like her reply was a message that needs to be responded but she’s still there thinking and wondering while being nervous when will she get the reply.

 

“Ding”

 

(@taeyeo_ss sent you a direct message.)

 

Speak of the devil, all her life she never grabs her phone that fast.

 

(Guess where am I?)

 

-picture sent-

 

(Are you at a showroom unnie!?)

 

(Yes! I’m getting a car. It’s not a fancy one like Tiffany’s though. But I’ve been filling up my savings to pay half of the payment.)

 

(That is so cool Unnie ! T,T I wish could buy my car with my own money.. But I don’t even have a job khkhkh)

 

(One day you will make your own money! Everyone has different path. What are you doing by the way? Studying?)

 

(You are right unnie! hm.. I was going to, but one of my books is missing. I feel like I left somewhere, but I totally forget.)

 

(What book? Is it a law book?)

 

(Yes, Appa gave it to me and I looked up online but there was no available stock.)

 

(Ah really? Have you looked though every store?)

 

(Yes. I feel like I’m losing my gem, it was one of my favorite book.)

 

(Who is the author and send me the tittle.)

 

(Sweet and Maxwell: Davies: Principles of Tax Law by Geoffrey Morse if I’m not mistaken the author..)

 

(Found it! How about the day after tomorrow we do a test drive with my car? You’ll be the first to sit in my car, ha ha. I’ll drive you to my favorite bookstore. It’s not an official bookstore, they sell these secondhand books. Every single I have a hard time looking for a book, they always have it and they have your book on their website.)

 

(Sounds really good! thank you so much unnie T,T I feel like you’re trying to save my life again. How can I return your kindness please tell me.)

 

(Ha ha no need to. I’m just happy If I can help you, beside I need to find a book also. Anyway I gotta go, I’ll have dinner with Appa!)

(Ah okay unnie! I’ll text you later then?)

 

(Sure :)! Bye!)

 

Irene puts her phone, feeling so excited about the invitation. “I couldn’t have find a better crush than Kim Taeyeon, could I?” she said to herself. She decided to tidy up her books and make herself a dinner.

 

 

 

___________________________________________

 

 

The first thing she did when she woke up the next day was to check her phone for any message. And there was none. So she gets up and get shower, ready to leave for a class. She takes her car key and she drives for another fifteen minutes to get to the building. She parked her white sport car in front of the building and find that Wendy was also just got there.

 

“Joohyunnie~” Says Wendy as she tries to match Irene’s pace.

 

“How is it? Are you excited about your date with Kim Taeyeon tomorrow!?”

 

“Yah! Sssh! You can’t just say things like that around here! In case you forget, Kim Taeyeon is well-known here! And it’s not a date!”

 

“Oh so inviting you to be the one who will get a first ride with her car and want to accompany you to get a book it’s not a date?”

 

“It’s not! Now let’s walk quietly.”

 

“Alright then. So it’s her first car, and she wanted you to be the first passenger, I’d call it, a progress.”

 

“Anyway, they’re going to Joe’s tonight since we don’t have a class tomorrow. Wanna come?” Wendy continues,

 

“You coming?” Irene asks, it’s not like she will come anyway.

 

“Joy and I, definitely. And you should!!! It’s been a while since we have a shot together. Let’s go!”

 

“I’ll pass. I really want to sleep. I slept really late last night.”

 

“You have to come. we have plenty of time to sleep later!”

 

“Do we? We don’t. you know it, I know it, the whole class know it. We have an exam on Friday!”

 

“But we studied really hard for it! Let’s prepare ourselves before the war!”

 

“By drinking and get drunk?” Irene pauses for a moment but no answer from Wendy, “Yeah, I thought so.”

 

“Whaetever! But you should come!” Irene sighs, “Alright, but I’ll just have one shot and that’s it.” Wendy jumps happily, it is really hard for her and Joy to drag their best friend to get out of her room lately, Irene never really talks about her feelings and they don’t want to be noisy and nag her about it. They think that she’ll come when she’s ready.

 

She checked her watch, noticed that she still has more than an hour before the clock strikes at ten and decided to take it easy, following that nagging inner voice. It’s been almost twenty four hours that she has not received any text from Taeyeon and start getting nervous about it. Should Irene text first? She’s way too ahead of herself to text first. She’s no the type who will text first, beside, what if she turns out bothering her by her text?

“It’s already the 9^th time you checked out your phone in less than an hour now..” Joy whispers, half drunk.

 

“Were you counting!? Geez. You’re such a weirdo.”

 

“I’m not! But you are, I dare you to text her first.”

 

“Are you out of your mind? I will not text her.”

 

“Why?”

 

“It’s just, I don’t know. I’m afraid I’ll bother her.”

 

“It’s not that you’re afraid of bothering her, let’s get real. You just don’t want to seem desperate.”

 

“Rude!”

 

Joy snatch Irene’s phone and pauses for a moment, “Here, let me take a picture of you.”

 

“Yah! What for?”

 

“Make a pose!” it’s like there’s something inside her mind that drives her to follow Joy’s guide,

 

“Yah! Really? Show your face.”

 

“No. take it or leave it.” Joy sighs as she takes the picture anyway.

 

“Now send it. Tell her you’re having fun. That way It’s not a text, it’s an update.”

 

“What!?”

 

“SEND IT!” Joy shouts, making the other four girls turn their gaze at the two girls on the corner.

 

“Sorry.” Answer Joy, half drunk. And they get back to their conversations earlier.

 

“I’m not going to send it to her!” Irene exclaims quietly to the girl who sits across her.

 

“So you rather wait for another God knows how many hours till you get another text?” Irene only nods,

 

“You’re Bae Joohyun!”

 

“So what?”

 

“You turned down Hyunwoo in front of the class. Yet…. I THOUGHT you’re the most bravest human being I’ve ever known when it comes to get what they want.” Joy pauses for a moment, “Scaredy cat.” Joy continues.

 

“I am not!” Irene exclaims, her best friend is right. Maybe she should step up her game, after all it’s just a harmless text anyway.

 

“I’m sending her an ‘update’!”

 

[At Joe’s tonight, relieving the stress for this week’s exam. How about you unnie?]

 

 

Irene clicked send. She sent her a direct message. She takes a deep breath, feeling anxious suddenly. What if there’s no reply?

 

“You’ll be good. Now, let’s talk.” Says Joy as she gives Irene another shot,

 

Thirty minutes later there’s still no answer, she’s starting to doubt her action earlier. She keeps checking out her phone, there were notifications but none of them from Taeyeon.

 

She was about to drink another shot hoping she’d forget about what she did earlier before another notification appeared on her display.

 

[@taeyeon_ss sent you a direct message]

 

She grabs her phone immediately,

 

[Pretty Joohyunnie always looks pretty even when she covers her face 😍 *,*).

 

Her smile begins to spread on her face.

 

She was about to reply before her phone rang,

 

(“Hey! It’s Taeyeon.”)

 

A familiar voice greets her, then her heart stops beating for a second.

 

(U-unnie? how did you get my number?)

 

(I’m sorry if it’s way too much, I hope you don’t mind, I asked Joy your number this morning..)

 

(Aa-ah no n-no it’s okay unnie!)

 

Irene gets up from her seat, then she make her way to a much more quiet space while Joy and Wendy observing their best friend from their seat with a smile.

 

(So.. are you having fun!?)

 

(Yes unnie, but.. I don’t drink much, it’ll upset my stomach tomorrow unnie.)

 

(Good! It’s good that you know your limit. Anyway, I am so sorry that I haven’t been able to reach you today. I was so caught up on my schedule..)

 

Taeyeon pauses for a moment,

 

(I was about to call you earlier just right when I finished an assignment, but then I looked up Joy’s stories and seems like you guys are having fun so I thought I’d wait for you)

 

Irene’s smile grew wider, she questions herself whether she only has crush on Taeyeon or she just.. really likes her, a lot.