“Annyeonghaseyo, Taeyeon-sunbaenim.”

The voice makes her jerk in surprise and she turns around to see familiar figures give her a slight bow, “Oh? Anyeonghaseyo.” She replies with a smile.

“What are you doing here, sunbaenim?”

“Ah I’m looking for smith’s urology.”

“They run out of stock sunbaenim, my friend was looking for it yesterday.” One of the three girls answers,

“I see.. well what are you guys doing here? Hanging out? Or studying?”

“We’re studying, but like, more talking, chatting, playing and less studying.” said the tallest one making four of then laughing,

“No worries, I’m sure you have studied a lot, you guys need this.” The three juniors nod, agreeing with their senior’s statement.

“Anyway where’s Ji-eun? You guys usually like one package” Taeyeon replies with a chuckle. “She’s upstairs unnie, reviewing some materials.”

“I see. Well she studies a lot, I have a plan with her in the weekend though.”

“Yeah we know that unnie, she told us yesterday. We thought how lucky she is to learn from you.” 

“What lucky? I can be scary you know.”

“I don’t mind.” Says one of the girls, “Me too sunbaenim.” “Me too, as long as it’s Taeyeon-sunbaenim.”

Taeyeon lets out her laugh, “Ah..Jinjja..”

“Are you alone sunbaenim? You can join us if you want..” Yena says then her two friends nudge her elbow, “Yes sunbaenim! You can join us!” Exclaims the other girl happily. 

“Ah no it’s okay, I actually came here with someone..” The three girl’s faces immediately fell.

“Tiffany-sunbaenim?” Asks Yena again,

“No, she’s probably sleeping at this hour.” Then they talk a bit more and laughing over a small joke until the familiar figure approaches her,

“Unnie.” Irene calls her softly, 

Taeyeon turns around to find Irene holding a book, “Irene-ah, you found it?” Irene nods, she looks up to see the three girls looking at her confusedly but blankly, “Yes. I need to pay this first then we can go unnie.”

“Alright. oh, and Irene-ah this is my juniors, they are the same age as you, this is Yena, Soojung, Sooyeon.” 

“Annyeonghaseyo.” Irene greets them with a polite bow, the three girls still keeps their silence until one of them nudge the others. 

“Annyeonghaseyo.” They reply with a smile and slight bow.

“I’m going to pay this first unnie, you can wait here and I’ll be back.” Taeyeon nods with a smile, “Geurae. (Alright)” Taeyeon answers.

Irene then walks away from the group to pay her book and Taeyeon finds it funny when the three girls’s gaze still following Irene,

“She’s so pretty.” Yena says unconsciously, “Agree.” 

“You came with her sunbaenim?”

“Yeah, she’s a law student by the way.” Taeyeon answers,

“She goes to our university!?” Exclaims Yena in disbelief,  “Heol.” She continues.

Taeyeon laughs, still finds it pretty funny that the three best friends were in awe because of Irene’s beauty. They aren’t wrong though, even the brunette herself still can’t get over of how pretty the younger girl is.

They talked a bit more about the upcoming exam until a girl with long and black hair approaches them with a bright smile, “Taeyeon-sunbaenim!” She then greets Taeyeon with a bow.

“Ji-eun ah!”

“What are you doing here sunbaenim?”

“Like your friends right here doing, but I’m more relaxed. I was only looking for a book, but Yena said they run out of stock.”

“I see… well, do you want to join us sunbaenim?”

“No it’s alright thank you by the way for the offer!”

“She came here with someone Ji-eun ah.” Yena says nonchalantly. “Ah really? Tiffany-sunbaenim?”

“No..” Taeyeon answers as she looks around for the girl, “there she is.” she continues when she finds her walks towards them.

“I’m done unnie.” 

“Alright then, oh Irene-ah this is Ji-eun, also my junior, they’re friends.”

“Annyeonghaseyo.” Irene greets her with a polite bow,

Ji-eun doesn’t reply and only raises her eye brows until Yena nudge her elbow, “Annyeonghaseyo.” She finally answers.

“Sunbaenim, we’re still on for weekend study session right?” Ji-eun asks and bringing her body closer to Taeyeon without looking at Irene as if the girl’s not there.

“Yes, I’m gonna text you the detail and I’ll send the materials the day before alright.” A big smile begins to spread on Ji-eun’s face as she swings her body showing her excitement,

Irene raises her eyebrows, feeling slightly irritated by the girl’s act, she doesn’t like it. “Shall we go unnie? I’m afraid it’ll be too dark when reach the beach. We haven’t had lunch.” She finally had to do ask that question.

Sooyeon cough as she takes a sip from her coffee, “Taeyeon-sunbaenim and Irene are going to the beach? So fun!” 

Irene smiles and nods “We were also planning to have a dinner there.” She continues.

“That’s right. Alright kids, we better go, enjoy your last day before exam!” 

The brunette and Irene then excuse themselves and bid their goodbye giving their slight bow to the four best friends.

“Here unnie, water.” Irene says as she gives her a bottle of water that she bought at the cashier, Taeyeon takes it and immediately drink a half of the bottle, “How did you know that I was thirsty?” She asks when she finish it.

“My uncle is a doctor, he takes care of his fluid very well unnie and whenever he goes, his 1L of water always tags along.” Taeyeon only chuckle, she then caress Irene’s back slowly as if she’s telling her that she’s grateful for the little act.

Little do they know that the four girls behind still eyeing them until their figures disappear.

They got into the car and Taeyeon make their way out of the parking lot, she turns on the music that happens to be her favorite song.

“You like Urban Zakapa unnie?”

“You know them!?”

“Of course! Their songs are heart-breaking, feels like I have a heartbreak each time I listen to their music.”

“Well… that’s not a good thing then.. or is it?” Taeyeon chuckle, “Depends unnie, some days when I feel like I don’t want to have a bad day, I prefer having a heartbreak over a song rather than cursing myself all day.”

Taeyeon turns her gaze, looking at the girl beside her quite surprised but gives her smile in the end. 

“Sometimes it’s just too frustrating to deal with bad days, I’m afraid I will never be a fully grown up woman who can not deal with little things like that.”

Taeyeon brings her touch to the girl’s back and rubs it softly, “Irene-ah. Some days we do not feel the best, a little down, a little stressed. Some day you will only feel happy, joy, satisfied with your day. Just remember that you have managed to get through every bad day you’ve had.” She pauses for a moment,

“Bad days will end, then they will pop up again. It’s only like a cycle, look at you now, you’re here.” Taeyeon continues. 

Irene smiles, it warms her heart to hear that from Taeyeon. “Thank you unnie.”

“Hm?” She answers as she keeps driving and regain her focus on her wheel,

“Just thank you.” 

Taeyeon turns her head, smiling at her. They went quiet for a couple of minutes and just enjoying the music until Irene’s phone lights up to notify her of an incoming call.

A second later the ring popped up on Taeyeon’s main screen menu, she turned her gaze to the older girl and Taeyeon nodded, implying that she was giving a permission for Irene to answer it on her speaker.

“JOOHYUN-AH!”

(HELP ME!!) again her voice is shaking and heavy.

(What happened!?) 

(PARK SOOYOUNG!)

(Joy? What happened!?)

(She’s tormenting me! She’s freaking angry at that guy, you remember? He left her hanging, he was going out with another girl and I’ve been playing tennis with her for almost three hours now! And she’s not going to stop anytime soon! help!)

(Wha—… seriously Wendy.)

(I’m serious! hhhh)

(Just run from there! You know she will be finished when her anger goes down.)

(I tried! But she’s hiding my car key!)

Irene chuckles, (Then I guess you’ll just have to wait.)

(NoOoooO..!)

(How about you be a nice and good best friend for her today and I’ll give you something in return that you will not reject it.)

(What!? What is that!?)

(Appa told me that his employee will prepare us with a case and It’ll be taken as a plus point when we apply for an internship there.)

(Really!? Alright then! Count me in! Yessss girl!)

(But this particular employee can a be a bit pain in the sometimes.. he’ll gives us stacks.)

(I don’t mind, I can take a loooot of pain, you know what I mean) 

(No, I don’t. Yet you’re calling me just because of Joy’s crying over of a guy.)

(Joohyun-ah, there’s pain, and there’s torture.) Wendy pauses for a moment,

(And she is definitely a torture.) she continues.

Taeyeon can’t help but to laugh at that, she begins to understand how their friendship work.

(Wait..who is that? I heard someone’s laughing)

(Annyeong Wendy.) Taeyeon finally greets her junior.

(Eoh? TAEYEON-UNNIE!? Omo omo!) Wendy stops right there for a second,

(OMO! I’m so sorry unnie!!! I totally forget that Joohyun has a date today!)

(Yaaah! SHON SEUNGWAN!) Irene half shouting, then she looks at Taeyeon regretting how she just shouts at her best friend, she’s doomed, her image is ruined.

Taeyeon only chuckle, hiding her fluttering feeling seeing this side of playful Irene.

(See? unnie!? She can be a bit scary, so just pleaaase think about it unnie, Bae Joohyun is so scary. She laughs too loud, she shouts at me for no reason, she also snorts!!!)

(Yaaah!! I am not!!)

Taeyeon again let out her laugh, (I’m sure I can handle it Wendy-ssi) she finally answers.

(Omo! Your confidence unnie!? I mean, I’m LIKING it already!!)

(Seungwan-ah, gonna hang up. bye)

(Wai—)

Too late, Irene hung up the phone before Wendy could finish her sentence, she knows if the line kept online, her best friend would’ve said things much worse than she already did.

They go quiet for five seconds, Irene still processing things that just happened earlier while Taeyeon finds herself smiling. “I’m sorry unnie.” 

“Nothing to be sorry about, it was kind of funny actually. I can tell that you guys are very close and good best friends.” 

“We are unnie, even though it only has been three years.”

“Numbers aren’t everything Irene. If you know that person, then you know that person.”

“You’re right unnie. Why are you always right again?”

“Me? Kkk.”

“You can be a law student unnie, really.”

“Nah, I’m not good in arguing and negotiating.”

“What about defending?”

“The only time I defended someone was when my sister failed her math exam because she was busy practicing her vocal and dance to umma, and I failed. In the end umma didn’t let her going out with her friends for 5 consecutive days. I felt really bad so I brought her a lot of snacks when she was grounded.”

A laugh escaped , remembering their old days when she and her younger sister used to make up lies just to get their weekend free from studying. Irene observed the figure next to her, not realizing that she herself, was smiling.

“You have a sister unnie?” The younger girl was curious, realizing she only knows so little about Taeyeon. Who would blame her? They’ve been knowing each other only for over a week now. 

Kim Taeyeon nods. “One younger sister, and one older brother. Kim Haeyeon and Kim Jiwoong.”

The younger girl hummed. ‘So that’s where her soft and caring side came from..’ She thought to herself.