She was amazed at how she understood the English dialogues perfectly, like it was in her native tongue. ‘I definitely look Korean, but why do I find it natural to speak in English? Who am I? Where did I come from?’

She brushed off her confusing thoughts as she held on the remote. Feeling a bit bored, she decided to just turn the TV off. She left her own room and stood idly in front of the blue painted door just beside hers. She was contemplating whether to knock on it when it suddenly swung open, revealing a blonde, wrapped only in a towel.

“Tippany?” Taeyeon had just finished taking a bath. “Why are you still up?”

Seeing the exposed skin of the blonde, Tiffany stopped breathing for a second.

Taeyeon then realized that she wasn’t in her pajamas yet. She immediately covered her shoulders with her palms, feeling embarrassed.

“I’m sorry… I should’ve knocked.”

“I- I didn’t know you were standing here so…”

“Sorry again, I should just sleep… Uhm. Yeah.” Tiffany walked back into her room. She rushed to her bed and went underneath the sheets with her eyes tightly shut. ‘She’s a girl… We’re both girls. It shouldn’t be THIS awkward, right?’

She then heard a few knocks.

Taeyeon came inside Tiffany’s room, fully clothed this time. “Is there anything you need to tell me, Fany-ah?”

She revealed her face from the sheets, warily checking if the blonde was wearing decent clothes. She was relieved upon seeing the long sleeved, buttoned top pajamas. ‘Whew.’

“Nothing, I was just.. bored.” She lied.

“You want to talk about something?” Taeyeon walked closer to the bed and sat on the other side.

“About me.” Tiffany sat up, leaning her back against the bed post.

“It’s just so unfair. I feel so unfair. You tell me stuff about yourself. And I feel like I’ve known you all my life. But I can’t tell anything to you because I have nothing… to tell.” She huffed, finally admitting what had been running on her mind for the past few weeks. “I don’t know anything about myself.”

Taeyeon was silent, thinking deeply about what to say to the moping girl.

“Wanna know something about yourself?” She revealed her pinky finger from her closed fist. “Hmm…”

“You seem to be very addicted to Pink and it’s amusing!” She then continued enumerating things using her fingers. “You’re not really a kitchen person but you love eating!”

“Yah!”

“But it’s true!”

“Hmm… You’re quite fashionable, judging the way you turn my old shirts into stylish ones just by altering stuff. It’s amazing, really.”

She smiled at the honest compliment.

“And your English.” Taeyeon stopped for a moment. “Sometimes it makes me wonder if you’re really from here. You speak English like a tornado.” She then placed her index finger just below her nose. “And you’re making my nose bleed every time you do that.”

Tiffany laughed at the sight. Seeing Taeyeon’s goofy gestures always made her happy.

“And your smile.” Taeyeon stared at Tiffany’s face. “You should know by now that anyone can fall for you just by looking at your pretty eyes.”

Tiffany felt a tug in her heart. Taeyeon’s words were creeping inside her soul, making her heartbeat faster than normal. ‘Taetae, why are you so nice to me? Or are you just THIS nice to everyone?’

***

“It’s been two months now, you should just give up!”

“I can’t! I don’t think she’s dead! She’s just out there! I know it!”

“Are you still planning to fly to Korea?”

“I really want to! But the company… needs me right now.”

“I know this is a tough time for you… But I guess it’s better to focus on the company and just let the rescuers do their jobs.”

“But Stephanie… needs me more.”

***

She heaved one deep sigh. Her lips were shaped into a pout as she continued to strum the guitar. It didn’t sound nice. It was more of a noise than a melody. With one last strum, she huffed and flung the instrument near the edge of the sofa.

“Are you giving up now, Fany-ah?” The blonde snickered. “I thought you said you wanted to learn how to play it?”

“But you’re just showing me how to do it! Do you expect me to learn it just like that?” Tiffany retorded. “It looks so easy but…” Her voice trailed off when Taeyeon shoved the guitar back to her.

“It seems easy because I’ve been playing it almost all my life.” Taeyeon carefully guided Tiffany’s fingers to the guitar’s fret board. “I