Yoona’s POV

Yoona combed her long, luxurious hair as she stared at her image in the mirror.  She tugged at the tangles quite mercilessly almost yanking them out of their roots.  “Ouch!!” she yelled in pain.  “What’s wrong with me?” she mumbled relieved that that none of her Snsd sisters was watching her butcher her own hair.  She patted her luscious mane back into place and continued to dab on her baby pink lip gloss.   As her dainty fingers traced the y-shaped pendant on her dresser, her mind raced back to the source of her discontentment and she promptly shoved it back in its black, velvety box.

With her usually sweet disposition, Yoona never failed to turn heads by flashing that dimpled, angelic smile and batting those doe-like eyes.  However, it was clear that today she was in a foul mood judging by the poignant arching of her brows and the gentle flaring of her nostrils.  As her keen eyes perused the contents of the Daum’s site on her laptop, she cannot help but be drawn to the latest scandal involving Taec and her own Snsd “sister’ Jessica.  “Why are they doing this? Why Jessica unnie of all girls? Why this? Why now?”  As another scene of Taec being all too familiar with Tara’s Eunjung invaded her mind, Yoona let out a string of expletives and finally exploded “Why does he have so many close girlfriends for goodness’ sakes?!”    

On hindsight, Yoona chided herself “Ok, Im Yoona! get a hold of yourself, you’re acting as if you’re a couple which you’re not!”  Yoona struggled with herself for feeling this way.  Even after their compelling, coupling episodes in Family Outing, Yoona has told Taec in no uncertain terms that they should remain as good friends and not jeopardize their friendship.  Gazing down at the crystal bottle of perfume alongside the velvety box, she grudgingly admitted that she was moved and pleasantly surprised by Taec’s coming-of-age gift.

At that moment, she heard a knock at her door, Sunny peeked in and said “Yoona, what are you doing?  We are having a Nutclub gathering tomorrow night, you must come!” Yoona replied “Unnie, I don’t feel like it.”  Sunny continued “Why not?  It has been such a long time since the last meeting.  Please say you’ll come.”  Yoona insisted “I really don’t think so, Unnie.”   A worried Sunny asked “Is something wrong? Is something bothering you?”  Yoona replied warily “No, nothing is bothering me.  I just don’t feel like having a night out, that’s all.” Sunny persisted “Are you sure that’s the only reason?” Yoona countered “What other reasons could there be?”  Sunny continued “Aww c’mon, it’s been a long time since our last Nutclub gathering with all of us being so busy and stuff.”  Yoona replied “Unnie, you guys just go ahead and have a good time.  I’ll join in next time, ok?”  Sunny finally gave up “ok, up to you then. Let me know if you change your mind.”  Yoona thanked her Unnie for the invite.

After the last member left for practice, Yoona was left alone again with her thoughts. She glanced over to the mobile phone lying on her bed. There were 3 missed calls from Taec. She heaved a heavy sigh as she trudged over to her bed to pick it up.  A further 3 text messages came, the last being “Yoona, please reply. I am worried”    

Yoona sent a simple text “Yes, oppa?”.  He replied instantaneously “Are you ok? Is everything ok? Will you be coming to tomorrow’s Nutclub gathering? Yoona replied “No, oppa. I won’t be joining. You guys have fun.”.  Upon receiving this last text message, Taec called Yoona this time to try to find out why but was greeted by the machine.  Yoona did a quick switch to voicemail as she did not know what explanation to give for her absence.  Until she was able to sort out her feelings, Yoona would rather keep her distance from Taec. 

 Taec’s POV

Taec glared at his mobile in disbelief, “the machine??  She’s giving me the machine now?! I cannot believe it!”  He pressed the re-dial button repeatedly until he finally gave up.  “What did I do this time?” he whined.  He cannot understand Yoona’s aloofness these couple of weeks.  He has tried talking to her but she was always too busy to talk and preferred to text instead.  He respected her wishes but still, he could feel that something was just not right.  “I hope Yoona doesn’t get into that ridiculous rumor about me and Jessica!”  A string of curse words were belted right after he uttered that statement.  Taec furrowed his dark, defined eyebrows and frowned at his own misfortune for attracting such unwanted attention.  In frustration, he roughly ran his fingers through his thick locks as he mumbled “Anyway, we are just good friends as Yoona wanted it. There may be nothing for me to worry about”.

As he parked his lean, languid frame on the sofa, he bemoaned the fact that although he has finally managed to knock off early from shooting Dream High today, he still may not be able to see Yoona during his 2 upcoming vacation days.

He reached for his mobile again and started to dial Seulong hyung’s number.  Seulong answered “Yoboseyo”  Taec replied “Hyung, it’s me Taec.  What’re you doing?”   Seulong explained “Oh..Taec..I’m at rehearsal now with IU”  Taec quickly asked “Oh I see.  So, is tomorrow still on?”  Seulong confirmed “Yes, of course.  Why?”  Taec said “Oh nothing, just thought since not ALL of us can make it..”  Seulong teased “By “all”, you mean Yoona, right?”  His hyung already knows his feelings for Yoona, there was nothing to hide, Taec replied “ya..she said she won’t be joining us.”  Seulong assured his dongseng “Don’t worry, my young smitten friend.  Leave it to me.  Well, at least her Unnies will be there. You can chat with them about her.”  Taec agreed half-heartedly “Guess beggars can’t be choosers.  Ok hyung, see you tomorrow then.”

As Taec ended the call, he comforted himself, “Oh well, at least I will be able to get some first-hand accounts of what she has been doing from her Unnies at the gathering”.