~Nearly 10 Years Ago~

It was a normal weekday where Jessica arrived home before Taeyeon because Taeyeon had an afternoon lab and Jessica only had morning classes. Usually, Jessica would take a nap, but she found herself very awake today. Not sure what to do with herself, Jessica started to pace around the room. She looked over at her study desk and shook off the idea of getting ahead on a proposal she needed to write, but instead wandered over to Taeyeon’s study area that was a complete mess.

Jessica chuckled at the way Taeyeon studied, “No wonder she is always losing her assignments.”

Being a good roommate, Jessica decided to make Taeyeon’s desk her boredom project and reorganize it. She could see Taeyeon made a ton of sketches for new ideas mixed with class assignments and notes. Trying to stack things according to purpose, Jessica started with the notebooks in one pile, then class assignments and then Taeyeon’s random idea pile.

As she went through Taeyeon’s stuff, a particular idea page stuck out, “fabrics?” Jessica wondered why Taeyeon even cared about something like fabric, but the idea caught her attention, “this could be cost efficient yet elegant…so interesting.”

Just then the door opened and Taeyeon walked in, “I’m home.”

Jessica quickly turned around with the paper still in hand, “Oh…how was classes?”

Taeyeon threw herself on the coach with her hand over her head, “I am so tired! I am going to die without a nap.”

Jessica tapped the paper in her hand a few times before going up to Taeyeon, “Hey Taengoo…I found this on your desk and wanted to ask you about it.”

Taeyeon peeked a lazy eye open, hardly able to make out Jessica, “I have a lot of papers on my desk.”

Jessica held up the blueprint, “This one. I find it so interesting. I have a proposal for a new business plan coming up, part of the graduation project. I was wondering if I could submit this for luxury items? I have a few ideas in mind already. Jackets, shoes, purses…something like that would be really cool.”

Taeyeon waved Jessica off, “Yea sure whatever. Most of those are throw away ideas anyway. Just be quiet, I am so tired.”

Jessica shrieked in excitement but quickly whispered, “Thanks Taeyeon.” Although Taeyeon was already off in dreamland.

Nearly a month later, Taeyeon went to the business school senior year project pitch to support Jessica. She went around looking at a few other ideas and thought they were lame, but eventually found her way to Jessica’s booth. It was strange, that none of the other students had nearly every faculty member surrounding their area, but Jessica’s was packed with students and faculty. Taeyeon assumed Jessica must have done an amazing job although she only remembered Jessica muttering things about purses the past few days.

Making her way up to the booth, Taeyeon stood on her tiptoes, but she was only able to make out some of Jessica. So Taeyeon waited for a while until the crowd died down and then made her way back to the booth.

“Taengoo!” Jessica immediately went up to Taeyeon and gave her a hug, “You will never believe what happened! They loved it! I mean…the professors loved the idea and want me to pitch it to some investors. If this works out…I mean a dream of having my own business could really come true!”

Taeyeon was so happy for Jessica and was ready to tell her that she worked so hard for this moment, but all those thoughts died when she started to look at the board, “Are those my blueprints?”

Jessica let go of the hug, “Yes you…”

Taeyeon backed away shaking her head, “H-how could you? No wonder…I was looking all over for that…”

“Taeyeon?” Jessica tried to get closer but Taeyeon retracted.

“You ing snake. I didn’t know you would go so low to steal an idea.”

“Taeyeon I didn’t.”

“Taeyeon waved her off, don’t ever come near me again.” And that was it. By the time Jessica returned to the dorm that night, Taeyeon had already packed and left. It was then that her heart shattered into a million pieces.