Taeyeon was what you would call a ‘loner’ in high school.

Just as the world operates on systems of hierarchies, so too do schools function on their own systems of social politics.  If all the students occupied a particular space on a metaphorical social ladder, Taeyeon would've been somewhere near the bottom.

She knew this, too.  Although there was nothing about her that distinctly repelled the other students, she was awkward, insecure, and shy, probably much more similar to many other students than she'd have ever known, but just worse at hiding it.  This resulted in her having no friends to hang out with, to keep her company in class or after school.  Taeyeon always ate alone at lunch, watching her classmates talking and laughing together, wishing for nothing more than to just be one of them.

At the time, Taeyeon felt as though she had no choice but to endure her situation until she graduated, so that was exactly what she tried to do.  She focused on not making a fool out of herself (more than she already was, anyway), and lying low in order to avoid attracting any unwanted attention, quietly passing the days instead.

What Taeyeon remembered clearly, though, was the group of popular students who basically ran the school.  All eyes were on them.  Everyone wanted to be part of their little exclusive clique, some did degrading favours for them to try and get on their good side, others simply followed them around all the time.  Some were jealous, even a little resentful.  The school's social scene and all its dramatics revolved around them.

There was Im Yoona, a cheerleader who received multiple love confessions each day and had boys constantly blowing up her phone.  It was common opinion that she was the prettiest girl in school, which simultaneously made her untouchable.

Then there was Choi Sooyoung, Yoona’s friend, who was also part of the cheer team and was known for her enviable height and attractive proportions.  When the two of them walked beside each