Taking a deep breath, she finally summed up the courage to text Leeteuk.

Leeteuk oppa, I’m Sunny. Sorry for taking a while to text you. How is Sungmin?

She stared at the send button for a moment before tapping it and exhaling her breath.

Fervently praying that the reply would be a positive one and she would not have to see Sungmin again, she closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. Her mobile lit up and buzzed a few moments later. Her hopes were dashed as she read the message.

Sunny, I’m so glad you finally texted me. Sungmin has gone from bad to worse. He’s now on a drip at home. All that drinking on an empty stomach nearly killed him. Please come and help me talk some sense into him.

“Oppa…” whimpered Sunny as tears formed in her eyes. She still cared for him, as a close friend would. Although they had parted badly, she knew that he was not at fault. It was none of theirs. They just weren’t meant to be. Seeing him, however, would unleash all her most painful memories on her and it hurt her so much.

Leeteuk oppa, I will visit him. Please be there when I go. I can’t do this alone.

Her mobile lit up and buzzed again.

Sunny, thanks for doing this. I know it’s hard on you. Don’t worry, I’ll be there for you.

She closed her eyes and breathed slowly.

I’ll go after my cast is removed.

•°★°••°★°••°★°•

BANG!

Yoona shot off the starting line and sprinted a short way down the track before slowing into a jog. Yuri was watching her moves intently. The lanky girl walked back towards her and sat down next to her.

“How was that? Better?”

“Better than the first time but definitely not your best. You tend to lean slightly more on your right foot. Push off with both feet to get the most force going. That will propel you to a better start.”

Yoona nodded her understanding and got up to try again. She practiced a few more times before finally getting a bright, radiant smile from Yuri. The tanned girl ran to her in delight, raising her palm for a high five. Yoona high fived Yuri and threw back her head in an alligator-like laugh of victory.

Yuri threw her arm carelessly across Yoona’s shoulders.

“Let’s go for a celebratory meal, shall we?”

Yoona nodded and yelled exuberantly, “LET’S GOOO!!!”

•°★°••°★°••°★°•

Jessica was slouching in her chair when Sunny entered the classroom with Taeyeon by her side. She stiffened. Her eyes frosted over and she did not respond to Sunny’s cheerful greeting. Tiffany replied her cheerfully and nudged Jessica afterwards. Jessica did not respond.

Taeyeon looked at her and remarked softly, “Looks like it’s back to winter for all of us.”

Sunny looked at her feeling rather perplexed. She whispered, “Her mood really swings to extremes.” Unable to suppress the urge to show concern, she decided to risk it.

“Sica, are you alright?”

Jessica turned to her with her classic icy cold look and turned away wordlessly. Sunny shivered, feeling as though it was the first day of school again.

How can she be so cold again when she was so warm to me just a week ago?

Taeyeon and Tiffany left Jessica alone. They knew better than to tread on thin ice. Lessons commenced and they were all engrossed in their work when the bell finally rang.

•°★°••°★°••°★°•

[Jessica’s POV]

Oh no, she’s in class! I’ve got to look like I don’t care. I don’t care. I don’t care.

Looking like winter’s coldest night isn’t difficult for me. However, what was making it challenging for me was that I actually wanted to return that glorious sunshine-like smile she gave me.

I don’t care.

Okay. I pulled it off. I heard Taeyeon’s whisper. I smirked inwardly and let Tiffany and Taeyeon think that I’m just being my usual icy self.

ARGH. No, she did not just talk to me. Is she insane? Nobody would dare to talk me after seeing the ice in my eyes.

I heard her asking if I was alright. Ha Ha. I caught myself thinking happy thoughts again.

I’ll just give her the death glare I’m so good at. That should settle it. Remember Sica, she’s Taeyeon’s girlfriend. Taeyeon comes first.

•°★°••°★°••°★°•

RING!

Good. Lessons are over. I better scram fast.

Before I could even stand up, I heard that aegyo voice which tickled me pink again. I groaned inwardly, wondering just how dense or brave this little blonde really is.

“Sica, I’m getting my cast removed tomorrow. Would you like to come along?”

Of course I would wanna go along! I want to know how well your leg has recovered!

“Sorry. I’m busy tomorrow. Taekwondo stuff, you know,” was what I heard myself say instead.

“Oh. I shan’t bother you then. But I wanna thank you for helping me out in the woods and everything else you did.”

Her voice was hesitant, slightly shaky but I saw that she was determined to say those things to me. I knew what she was referring to of course, so I nodded my head curtly before turning to leave the classroom.

I duck into the washroom and enter a cubicle before fishing out my mobile. I called my Dad’s personal assistant, Kangin.

“Kangin oppa, can you call the hospital and tell them to give Sunny the same VIP treatment as before? She’s going to remove her cast tomorrow. Remind them that she’s our close friend and their most esteemed guest.”

“No problem, Miss Jung.”

“Oh and… tell them not to breathe a word about my request. I don’t want Sunny to know anything.”

•°★°••°★°••°★°•

The tanned girl and the lanky girl grinned at each other as they warmed up on the tracks. They were about to race in the finals of the hundred meters sprint event for the nation-wide, inter-high school sporting event of the year.

Yoona was completely confident of clinching this race after undergoing all the training and practices with Yuri.

Yuri knew that she would be beaten by Yoona. She had seen how the younger girl miraculously improved her personal best timing for the hundred meters sprint. She would not go down without a fight of course, whether or not Yoona’s confession banked on it. The sportsmanship in her would make her run her absolute best. It was going to be a tough race.

Hyoyeon and Sooyoung were cheering madly from the stands. Yoona saw Sooyoung’s self-made banner for her and grinned dorkily. Yuri was all focused on the finish line.

“On your mark…”

“Set…”

BANG!

Yoona pushed off on both legs, feeling the force propelling through her body and shot off the starting blocks like a bullet. She had the built of a born sprinter and her hard work in training her physique and technique really paid off.

“YOOOOOOOOOOOOON WIN!!!” screamed Hyoyeon and Sooyoung off the top of their voices. Sooyoung waved the banner madly and jumped excitedly as she saw Yoona take the lead.

“YUUUUUUUUUUUUUL WIN!!!” screamed both girls next. They giggled after that cheer because it sounded exactly like “You’ll win.”

Hyoyeon nudged Sooyoung at the fifty meter mark and asked her, “So is it Yoona or Yuri for you?”

“Yoona of course! You dense little creature… HA HA!”

Hyoyeon smiled and continued to cheer.

Yuri had drawn level with Yoona. She was definitely no pushover. Her years of training and consistent performance on the track had put her on the wanted list of many track and field teams in high schools. She even received offers from talent scouts to join their national track and field team.

She had accepted the offer made by the South Korean track and field team and chose a high school of her choice to study in. Her scholarship would fund all her school fees and provide her with a monthly allowance for rental and other expenses. Naturally, she chose So Nyuh High because Sunny was there and also for their top notch track and field team and the nation’s best coach.

Now, all she could see was the finish line. Both girls stuck their necks out to cross the finish line. They raised their hands in victory, slowed down and exchanged looks, grinning widely at each other. They raised their hands and high fived each other. In that moment in time, they had perfect understanding of each other’s thoughts and feelings. They knew that it wouldn’t matter to them who really won the race because they had both done their utmost best.

It was a really close finish. The officials had to review the footage closely. Hyoyeon and Sooyoung both waited with bated breaths, all ready to cheer no matter who won.

“Winner of the hundred meters sprint… IM YOON AH of SO NYUH HIGH.”

And with that, the entire So Nyuh High section erupted in cheers and whistles. The So Nyuh High flag was waved proudly by the cheerleaders.

“First runner-up… KWON YURI of SO NYUH HIGH.”

Another round of loud cheers and whistles rang through the stadium. Hyoyeon and Sooyoung were totally exhilarated by their victories.

They cheered the loudest when the two girls accepted their medals. The two winners hugged each other tightly on the podium. Tears of joy were streaming down their faces; their emotions ran so high. When they returned to where their school mates were sitting, they were both engulfed in a sea of congratulating bodies, all eager to hug and pat their backs for a job well done. After they finally stepped into the locker room to change, they grinned at each other widely. Yuri walked to Yoona and slapped her back real hard.

“OOF! YA! What was that for?” she yelled in annoyance, trying to rub her stinging back.

“Giving you all my courage so that you can finally confess your feelings for Sooyoung later.”

“OH. HA HA…” Yoona laughed awkwardly. She was silent for a while, then she said, “Hey, Yuri ah, before I get down to confessing to Sooyoung I wanna have a victory dinner with you first. You helped me through everything. I owe you everything I’ve got.”

Yuri looked at her and laughed merrily. “You got yourself the hottest dinner date in town then. Watch out, people are going to be jealous of you!”

Yoona swallowed a lump in and joined Yuri in her laughter. “I’m not afraid of them, don’t forget, I can out run any of them any time, HA HA…”

•°★°••°★°••°★°•

As promised, Sunny texted Leeteuk after her cast was removed. She was still reeling from the bit of news she had heard from the gossipy Hyung Jun oppa doctor who was in-charge of her yet again.

He had bent low and whispered right into her ear, “So, what kind of special relationship do you have with Ms. Jung?”

Sunny looked at him blankly, totally clueless. “What do you mean?”

He shook his head lightly, “Tsk tsk, don’t pretend… I heard that Ms. Jung had personally requested for you to be treated as our VVIP again and this time she even asked not to be mentioned that it was her who requested for it. HE HE HE… shady business isn’t it?”

Why is she trying to hide it from me?

“HA HA… you’re a good actress, acting all stunned like that. Okay, if you’re not telling, I’ll just have to speculate, HA HA HA…”

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she sent the text message to Leeteuk.

Leeteuk oppa, I’m ready to meet Sungmin. I have a short lunch break tomorrow. Can we meet at the café down the road?

Why is she trying to hide it from me?

Her mobile buzzed, interrupting her thoughts and she read the message.

Thanks. We’ll be there. See you soon.

She squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. She had too many things on her mind. Jessica was right. She should have told Taeyeon about this. It was so difficult to keep things from her when all she wanted to do was share everything with her.

I’m going to come clean with Taeyeon after meeting Sungmin tomorrow. Hopefully he’ll finally get over me and Taeyeon will have nothing to worry about.

She smiled, feeling lighter after making that decision. Just then her mobile buzzed again. The new message put a bigger smile on her face.

Sunny baby! The meeting just ended :( I wish I were there with you! Have you got your leg back yet?

Taeyeonie, I can’t wait to run to you with my two short legs again. See you later! :D

She left the hospital smiling.