“Yes.” He gulped but still could not see what he had done wrong.

She explained to him what he had done and how much he had hurt Jessica. How hard Jessica worked just so she can pursue her dream career. Now that he revealed a false truth so impulsively, it can hugely impact Jessica’s confidence to continue.

“Isn’t that what you want? She deserved it!” He talked back and manages to stand back up because, in the end, he believes that he had done the right thing.

“Has it ever come across your mind that my intention was to help her?” Her eyes now staring into Chanyeol’s.

“No. Why would you help her after everything she had done to you?” Although Taeyeon’s stare can be just as cold and barren as Jessica’s, he has talked to the girl many times. And he just wants to let Taeyeon know all he had done was trying to help her.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with what she had done to me! I want to help her because I don’t know what I am doing, and she does! And you ruined it for your selfish and cynical reasons. How about you put yourself in her shoes and see how it feels to find out that you only got what you wanted from pity? And pitied by someone you regard to be lower than you? ” She raised her voice angrily.

Sunny is stunned by her friend suddenly lashing out at the younger boy. Taeyeon had always been good-spirited and carefree wherever she goes. She smiles even when her classmates spread false rumours about her. Sunny also remembers that Taeyeon still had the mood to walk home and watch the snowfall after Jessica used her as a snowball target. So, what makes her friend so angry about Jessica getting hurt a bit. Sunny thought it was fair payback for what Jessica had done to Taeyeon, Eunhaeng and herself.

“But you aren’t lower than her….” The boy managed to say.

…

“I envy her. I envy her a lot.”

This made her two friends turn their heads.

“What!? No way.” Chanyeol exclaimed.

“You envy her?” Said Sunny, surprised by the answer.

“Because she knows what she wants, and she has a goal and a direction…and I don’t. I can get perfect scores, but so what? It's not like I know what I want to do. It makes more sense to help her.” She admitted quite frustratedly that the two don’t see the same as her.

“What are you saying? Why would you help her at all!?”

Taeyeon explained everything to Chanyeol and Sunny that day. From why she scored lower to how she helped Jessica obtain her perfect score on the midterm. She felt like she spent her life studying, but she doesn’t know what to do or what she wanted. Or what the purpose of it all was. Seeing Jessica actually have something that she is fighting for, she doesn't want to ruin it. However, she concluded that it was her fault, and she shouldn’t have expected Jessica to not find out. So, she smiled and apologized to Chanyeol for shouting at him.

It was then, Sunny realized that she was wrong about Taeyeon before. Taeyeon did care for others, just in an odd way. The other person will haveIt's just Sunny's own insecurities that thought the shorty didn't care. 

———

“Fany, Fany, Fany!”

Taeyeon ran towards the only girl that makes her feel comfortable, her eyes looking desperate for Tiffany’s attention.

“Hi, hi, hi.” Tiffany greeted her three times, matching the number of times the shorty called for her. “You came early today.” She is surprised that Taeyeone came to her today; usually, it’s the other way around.

“What ya doing?”

“Why are you wearing a mask?”

Taeyeon wore a paper mask she made to hide her bruised lip. “I am a ninja!”

“Childish again?” Tiffany shook her head. “I am just finishing up some notes, and I will be done.”

“Can we just go to your house and watch a movie? Or go shopping?”

“Shopping? It’s only Tuesday, Taeyoon-ah.” Tiffany said while she highlighted some lines in her notebook.

“Uhmm, ok. Then movie?” She asked hopefully.

Tiffany her lips, thinking of a response. “Tae, I actually don’t have time to do that. I need to study.” It’s not a surprise that Tiffany would spend extra time reviewing her midterm after the marks are out, even though most students take the short time they have to have fun. It’s what she had done since the first semester.

“But midterm is over. It’s not like studying can change your mark….” Taeyeon whined.

“I still need to understand the materials. What about the tests, assignments and the final exams? Am I supposed to forget about those? You silly goose.”

Taeyeon has a big frown on her face. “But we can do study those a week before its due date, or even a day before. There is plenty of time!”