If she’s occupied, not a single bad memory could bother her.

With every hour, minute, or second passing, she knew that when her plate was full, or, in some cases, not a single thing can stop her from driving herself into a workaholic frenzy.

She was tapping on the floor with her high heels, impatiently waiting for another late report from the conference room. Spinning the fountain pen in her hand, she skillfully swirls it a couple of times before a knock, and the door opening makes her lookup.

“I swear you gotta teach me those tricks some other time.”

“My tricks aren’t for free.”

“You have a lot of tricks up your sleeves. Don’t be so stingy.”

“Find someone else to bother, Yul.”

A stack of papers landed on her table courtesy of Yuri. Taeyeon shakes her head, and she gets one to browse and knits her eyebrows when she realizes what she’s reading.

“This isn’t the files I’ve been looking for.”

Yuri shrugs. “Irene has them. I saw her on my way here, still collecting the folders.”

“Then take this crap off my table.”

“Oh, crap, you say? Take a look again, genius.”

Taeyeon looks at her quizzically.

“What do you mean?”

“Came straight from the Blue House. You know how to read, do it.” Yuri ruffles her hair before leaving the lavish office.

Taeyeon fixes her hair and reopens the file.

“She thinks I’m some sort of kid when she does that just because I’m short …” she comments on what Yuri did.

She starts reading it, and as time passes by, she feels her heart sink. She knew it was coming sooner or later. She just didn’t expect that it has gotten worse.

But yes, it was her job to announce about it at the next plenary session. No matter how devastating the news could be.

A knock.

“Miss Kim?”

“Oh, yes, Irene?”

“These were all the files about the recent conference. They’re still waiting for your approval about the recent changes on the Department of Trades, though.”

“I’m not voting for it. We’ve been over this a hundred times. Transferring the command on those cargo vessels will only benefit foreign investors; that will leave the locals nothing.”

She harshly takes the files and starts flipping through the pages. It makes her blood boil when she senses any hint of corruption. Well, that, and the incoming work changes that could occur next month.

Anyhow, it is still quite beneficial to her as it helps her not to put too much focus on her personal life.

“Yes, Miss Kim. Shall I start arranging your things for the trip to Jeju?” Irene slowly asks.

Taeyeon relaxes in her seat. “Just for a day or two. I’m not going to be out for another month.”

The other girl smiles, knowing that Taeyeon’s habits have already changed.

Irene may have heard of Taeyeon’s father almost beating the out of her in Jeju, and this may have pushed Taeyeon to turn around and pick herself up. But this doesn’t mean that her boss was only coming to work because of that. She’s been working with her for years now, and Taeyeon’s relationship with her parents has never crippled.

A gem, that was Taeyeon to them.

Another is she knew about Taeyeon and her ex-girlfriend.

The famed designer Tiffany Young.

Everyone around Taeyeon kept it as a secret. She may have hated Tiffany at some point because seeing her boss suffer like that was something she had never imagined. To Irene, Taeyeon was the older sister she never had. She was lucky enough to have Taeyeon care for her, so looking back at how the girl would often come home and ditch work for alcohol .

While the process of moving on is still in the works, she saw the woman she admired focus on her career and be better.

Not that Kim Taeyeon wasn’t already at her best.

The woman just continuously impresses everyone around her.

“Of course, Miss Kim. I’ll take care of it.”

__________________________________

The sand getting in between her toes didn’t worry her. Her head hung low, watching each of the steps she took, not so faint footprints left behind every time she moved forward. She chuckles when the cold water washes it.

Looking up, the night sky was filled with stars.

She takes a deep breath and sits near the waters. Just enough for her feet to feel the coldness of the waves washing ashore. Taking a swig on the bottled beer in her hand, she feels another presence sit beside her.

“I knew I would find you here.”

“I must say, your stalking skills had gotten better.”

“It doesn’t take a genius to know you’re here, Taeng. Besides, I was also in town. Why not make a visit to make sure this place is still clean and well?”

“Sunny, I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t need a babysitter.” Taeyeon gives her a soft smile.

Sunny brushes off the comment. Not minding it, she knew Taeyeon well. However, it won’t hurt her or anyone to make sure Taeyeon is doing well. The girl always had a way to mask up her emotions. A talent Sunny wished Taeyeon never had.

“O~kay. Just so you know, I’m going to be out of the country tomorrow. Your prayers about me not bothering you are now working.”

Taeyeon laughs hearing that. It has indeed been a while since Sunny and her other friends would often take turns taking her out for lunch or just spend some time with her. Yuri was an exception, though, because they work together. They practically see each other every day.

“I didn’t say anything about that! But it’ll be nice not to have someone breathe on my neck from time to time.” she jokes.

Sunny smiles. They clink their bottles together, agreeing in silence.

The years have passed, and Sunny saw how Taeyeon kept herself up despite the sudden turbulence that hit her. Although she isn’t there to defend Taeyeon’s actions, she knows damn well that her best friend was also at fault. These were one of the few nights that the both of them could freely talk about anything.

If Taeyeon cooperates, that is.

The idea of freeing Taeyeon from her past was a task she, Yuri, and Kibum tried to work on.

And no, it doesn’t involve erasing the memory of the girl Taeyeon loved.

Something along the lines of making Taeyeon stop blaming herself for everything and making her realize that not all things could end in just one night.

It was a matter of showing her she didn’t have to carry so much burden.

That life was still worth living.

“How are you holding up?” Sunny starts off. She watches Taeyeon gazing at the sky.

“Isn’t that the Big Dipper or the Ori-”

“Taeng …”

Taeyeon lets out a sigh.

Pain and anger could be read on her face for a split second but suddenly turn into a defeated expression.

“Everything’s fine.”

Not fine.

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