Two weeks before their final exams, the ground is covered by a thick blanket of snow on a Thursday evening. After looking out the window the whole day, Taeyeon can finally come out and enjoy the view. Although the weather is a bit gloomy, it’s the first time in a while that the city has seen so much snow on the ground all at once. Because of that, Taeyeon decided to walk home, enjoying their time treading down the snowy paths. The only thing that could make this time better is if Tiffany were beside her. Unfortunately, the latter had a tight schedule, juggling between schoolwork and her dance practices. Sunny took her place instead of walking home with her.

Taeyeon walked through the snow-covered sidewalk, her shoes slowly crunching down on the snow with each step. In time, steps become tiny hops as she enjoyed this moment. Sunny followed, equally fascinated by the scenery, but could only watch Taeyeon hopping around in the snow like a kid with her arms slightly stretched out. At school, Taeyeon had a nonchalant attitude that she rarely changed; aside from when Tiffany was around, she would talk a bit more. That’s why Sunny couldn’t stop giggling at her stepping through the snow, sometimes with small, awkward, but cute movements. It was another time when Taeyeon wasn’t nonchalant about everything and actually enjoyed the moment.

However, their moment was soon interrupted by a white ball of snow flying past Sunny’s head.

Thwack! A clump of snow suddenly hit Taeyeon on her back, making Sunny look behind them. Her heart sunk at the sight of who it was; there they were again, Jessica and her group of misfits. The fear that she had almost forgotten for weeks slowly crawled back into her as her legs froze, unable to move or say anything.

Taeyeon’s eyes looked troubled as she gazed at the group of laughing teenagers in the distance. She almost had forgotten about the group of bullies since they haven’t bothered them outside of the school for a while, other than a few bickering and name-calling in between class breaks.

The group slowly made their way to Sunny, each step mocking the small girl.

“Hi, Sunny!” Yuri was the first of the bunch to speak.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten about us, and it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Jessica followed up with Hyoyeon beside her.

“Just what do you want?” Sunny asked, her voice almost shaking as all the bad memories rushed back in her head.

“Ya, Sunny don’t sound like that. We are just here to show you something, plus aren’t we old friends?” Jessica smiled; her hands rested on Sunny’s slightly slumped shoulders. “Aish. Sunny, relax. Today we aren’t going to do anything to you, aren’t you relieved?”

Sunny was confused, staying silent, unsure of what they were going to do next.

But the next thing she noticed was Taeyeon approaching the group and pushed Jessica away from her. However, her efforts were in vain when she was held on to by the other two girls. When she tried to fight back, she noticed they were more serious this time as they locked their grip onto her.

“Get off of me!” She tried to struggle, but the two other girls were either too tall or too strong for her to wiggle her way out of. She grunted frustratingly, eyes glaring at Jessica. How dare Jessica ruin her mood like this? What’s her problem? Can’t she get the hell out of her life? Anger stirred inside her this time without her usual self-control, as she wasn’t expecting her night to be ruined like this.

“Taeyoon, are you blind or an idiot? Did you not see that there are three of us and only one of you? Charging in like that?” Yuri tightened her grip as she mocked the struggling girl being held underneath her.

Taeyeon took a couple of deep breathes, trying to calm herself down. At the end of the day, she still knows that it’s better not to mind their hurtful comments than to give them a reaction. However, that was easier said than done because of how persistent this group was.

Jessica was happy to see the girl helpless, and she was sure that there wouldn’t be anyone interrupting them like last time. It was cold, so everyone went back to their homes or stayed in school to study.

“You really think it will be over after you made me look like a fool like that? You think you can walk away when you get my friend in trouble?”

“Aren’t you tired? Do you need help to set your mind straight?” Taeyeon muttered just loud enough for her to hear.

“Shouldn’t you be the one who needs help right now? At least Jessica got useful friends.” Yuri sniggered.

“Wow, after few weeks of not talking to each other, you already think Tiffany is useless. No wonder not even your best friend want to hang with you.”

“Jess! Look at her! So arrogant!” Yuri whined, bending the shorty’s arm harder, but no reaction was shown from the latter.

“It’s okay, Yuri.” Jessica hooked her arm around Taeyoon. “Tonight, I am going to show you how it feels like to have your best friend watch you get embarrassed.”

“YESSS!!” Yuri squealed in excitement.

“Sunny, watch carefully. I know you have wondered why she never cared about you, even after she ‘protected’ you. You know she is just using you, right? Protecting you is just her making herself look nice and fill that worthless pride of hers. In other words,” Jessica said mockingly and ordered her two friends to hold on to Taeyeon tighter and lifted latter’s chin. “She doesn’t care about you at all.”

Sunny slowly tilted her head towards her, looking disheartened.

“How did I know?” Jessica said as if reading her mind. “I have seen the way she looks at you after she intervened in our sessions—the frustration inside her and how she wishes that you didn’t exist. And you know what? She despises you; she thinks you are annoying.”

“Only an idiot would believe you.” Taeyeon spat.<