Taeyeon fidgets while waiting for the door to be opened. She wasn’t able to sleep well last night because all she could think about is Sooyoung. What had happened to her friend? Why was she full of bruises? Why was she absent from school today?

Her thoughts are interrupted when the door swings open, revealing Sooyoung’s mother. “Oh, Taeyeon! You’re here! Come inside!” Taeyeon smiles at the enthusiastic greeting. She really like Sooyoung’s mom because she’s always so nice and caring towards her. And it seems like she is always happy to see her. But when it comes to Sooyoung, her mother tends to become strict but she knows that the older woman only does this for her child’s betterment. “Sooyoung is in her room. Just go up. I’ll be going out for a while.”

“Ne!” Taeyeon replies politely.

Before Mrs. Choi steps out of the house, she holds Taeyeon back before the young girl could go up the stairs. “What happened to her yesterday?” The older woman whispers. “She doesn’t want to talk to me about it no matter how I asked or even after I loudly yelled at her.”

Taeyeon tries to not look guilty and sad. But why would she be guilty anyway? It’s not like she also knows what’s happening to her friend. “I’m sorry but I don’t know eomma. That’s why I’m here. I’m going to make her talk to me.” She says sincerely. Because she’s been very close to Sooyoung, Mrs. Choi insisted that she calls her eomma too and it was really nice. Taeyeon feels she has a second mother.

“Please do that.” Mrs. Choi says. “She’s not being herself lately. I think something’s bothering her, and she shows up like that yesterday! I’m really worried Taeyeon.”

“Don’t worry eomma, I’ll take care of it.” She doesn’t know if she could but that is her duty as Sooyoung’s best friend right? She’s going to take care of her and she will look out for her. Besides, she also wants to help Mrs. Choi because the woman has been so good to her.

“Thank you.” Taeyeon can see the appreciation from Mrs.Choi’s eyes which made her heart swell in pride. “Well, I’m going to go ahead. I have some errands to run.” Sooyoung’s mom says as she finally steps outside the door. “Ne, take care eomma!”

When Mrs. Choi was gone, Taeyeon slowly makes her way up the staircase leading her to Sooyoung’s room. She knocks lightly and after a few seconds, she opens the door.

There’s nobody inside.

“Syoung?” Taeyeon calls out. She searches the small bedroom even though it’s really unnecessary because you can see everything immediately when you enter the said room. “Syoung?” She calls out again. She check the tall girl’s cabinet since it’s big enough for her friend to fit inside and she remembers the time she surprised her by hiding in it. Turns out, Sooyoung isn’t there either.

“What are you doing in my room?” A voice says which is unmistakably Sooyoung’s. The girl suddenly appears behind Taeyeon checking out what she’s looking at inside her cabinet.”Why did you open my cabinet?” The shorter girl turns to meet her friend’s eyes which are doubtful and unsure.

“I was looking for you!” Taeyeon says back, recovering from the shock of seeing the girl appearing behind her. She studies her clothes and without a doubt, Sooyoung has been outside. “And where have you been?!”

“I snuck out. What are you, my mother?” Sooyoung retaliates while plopping herself on her bed. “And why do you care where I’ve been?” Taeyeon is taken aback by the coldness of her best friend’s voice and her questions. She never talks to her in that tone even though they do fight a lot. It was all because they want to get in each other’s nerves but this time Sooyoung sounded serious. It kind of scared Taeyeon a little.

“Your mother thought you’re here and she’s really worried about you. The school said you weren’t feeling well so I decided to visit you. What are you doing outside?” She notices fresh wounds on Sooyoung’s arms.

“Where have you been going? You have so many scratches again.” She whispers as she stares at Sooyoung’s arms which the taller girl notices. Sooyoung attempts to hide her newly acquired wounds but it’s too late. Taeyeon reaches for the first-aid kit which she knows her friend keeps inside her cabinet which is conveniently opened. Her best friend just watches her and sits still on her bed while Taeyeon opens the kit and starts rummaging for the materials she needs.

“Ow!” Sooyoung flinches as Taeyeon applies the medicine on her wounds. “Be careful.” Sooyoung whispers due to the pain. “I’m sorry.” Taeyeon replies and does what she’s told. She carefully dabs the cotton with medicine on the girl’s wounds lightly so that it won’t be too painful.

A few seconds of silence passes and the two girls are suddenly aware of how close they are. Which is nothing new to them but this time, it feels a little more different. A bit tense to be exact. So Taeyeon decides to break it. “Please talk to me.” She hears her best friend sigh but she doesn’t look up. She’s afraid of what she’ll find and she doesn’t want to admit it but it hurts to see Sooyoung pushing her away.

“It’s nothing.” Sooyoung stubbornly and coldly says. As much as possible, she really wants to stop this conversation from happening. It’s not that she’s hiding something but the truth is, she doesn’t actually know what to say.

“Why are you acting like this? It’s like you’ve become a totally different person after…” Taeyeon pauses.

“After what?” Sooyoung challenges. Both girls are staring at each other intently now.

“When I introduced Baekhyun to you.” Sooyoung looks away and Taeyeon catches it. “Are you…maybe…”

Please don’t say jealous… Please don’t say jealous. Sooyoung internally prays.

“Are you…bothered?” Taeyeon says. Sooyoung lets out a breath she doesn’t know she is holding.

“I don’t know.” She settles to say.

“Well, it seems like you do know. Can you just please be honest with me?” Taeyeon pleads. She hates it when Sooyoung becomes this indifferent and insensitive person. The girl is us