When Seohyun and Taeyeon came back upstairs with the tea and cookies, they found Yoona and Sunny comfortably lying in Taeyeon’s bed and chatting. Taeyeon smiled peacefully at the scene before exchanging looks with her sister. The two placed the snacks and tea on Taeyeon’s study table and called the attention of the two lying girls.

 

“So did you explain everything to her?” Taeyeon asked as soon as Sunny and Yoona looked her way.

 

“She made a part for herself and Seohyun actually,” Sunny mentioned, laughing at her junior who, just a few seconds ago was enthusiastically adding more and more onto Sunny’s brilliant plan.

 

“I can’t act,” Seohyun voiced, concerned about potentially disappointing her unnies.

 

“What do you mean by ‘parts’?” Taeyeon then asked, uncertain if she was going to like what Yoona was thinking about. The girl was always up to no good.

 

“Your role is Sunny unnie’s girlfriend, right?” Yoona declared, causing Sunny and Taeyeon to exchange shy looks.

 

“Y-Yeah,” Taeyeon agreed, unsure from her discussion with Sunny earlier that day.

 

Sunny shook her head however and got up to hug Taeyeon from behind, “Were you not listening to me properly, Yoong?” She then said, giving the blushing Taeyeon a squeeze. “She’s not only Sungmin’s, but mine as well.”

 

Seohyun’s gasped at first before her smile spread the widest it’s been in a while. She began to clap and cheer in her spot for her unnies. “Ah! Congratulations unnies!” She jumped a little in her spot, “Oh yeah, the tea!” She stopped what she was doing and went straight to serving her unnies like the good maknae she was.

 

“Seriously?” Yoona asked, wide enough to fit a tennis ball inside, “This is really great news!”

 

“Did you really think Taengoo was that good of an actor?” Sunny teased, earning a slap from her best friend and now kind of public girlfriend.

 

“Shut up, not only did both Yoona and I see through your disguise, but Seohyun said she was suspicious as well. Who knows how long it’ll be until the rest of the girls find you out,” Taeyeon pointed out, causing Sunny to let go and face her.

 

“Excuse me, Taengoo but I promise you, they won’t all find out before graduation and Yoong here has decided to help.” Sunny then started walking over to Seohyun who was giving her older sister a cup of tea. “You promise to follow along with the plan, right Hyunnie?”

 

“Yah! Sunny unnie, only I can call her that!” Yoona protested, raising her arms up. None of the girls noticed the blush that crept onto Seohyun’s face from Yoona’s outburst.

 

“I don’t mind, since Yoona unnie went from being so mad at Sunny unnie about this to involving herself in it,” Seohyun stated, offering cookies now to everyone.

 

“So what’re your plans Shikshin jr?” Taeyeon asked, honestly curious as to how the two of them could help out. It was actually really good to have more people on their side. It was 4 against 5 now and the odds of them making it to graduation without anyone finding out Sungmin’s identity were much slimmer now.

 

“Well, Hyoyeon unnie always complains about not having enough guys in our group so I told Sunny unnie to join. That way, she can get closer to the unnies on the dance crew and I can once again become her favourite junior~” she said the last line with a lot of happiness and confidence, the girl reliving her softball years with Sunny. “And since Hyunnie is Taeyeon unnie’s sister, Sunny unnie and Hyunnie can become closer suddenly too, so that both Hyunnie and I could be extra alibis in case.”

 

Taeyeon laughed, “Aren’t those all just excuses to hang out with Sunny?”

 

“Yah, Taeyeon unnie, we’re not going to steal her from you or anything, you can still have your alone time,” Yoona teased, pleased when she sees Taeyeon turn a beautiful shade of pink.

 

“O-Oh please,” Taeyeon started, turning away from her friends, “Take her, you don’t have any idea how much I dreaded being the only one Sunny could really hang out with.”

 

Sunny smirked at her girlfriend’s behaviour and snuck up behind her before dragging her index finger delicately down Taeyeon’s back, “Ahhh, honey~” she purred then burst into laughter the second she saw the goosebumps pop up on Taeyeon’s arm.

 

“Gross,” Yoona spat, shaking her head and taking a cookie from Seohyun.

 

A beeping sound was heard and Taeyeon turned towards the door, “Ah, just a second guys, Seohyun’s sweet potato is done.”

 

Yoona and Sunny turned to Seohyun who was eagerly smiling to herself at the thought of sweet potatoes.

 

“I guess some things never change,” Sunny muttered with a soft smile towards the maknae.

 

Hours later, Yoona, Seohyun and Taeyeon finished their homework for the weekend thanks to the instructions or more, demands of the tallest and youngest girl. She was probably a drill sergeant in another life with the way she was so firm with her unnies.

 

All four were squished onto Taeyeon’s bed, staring at the ceiling in exhaustion.

 

“Didn’t you guys say that you had to go to Sooyoungie’s for dinner?” Sunny asked, breaking the relaxed silence of the four.

 

Seohyun was the first to dash out of bed to look at the time. “Ah! Unnies, we have to be there in 15 minutes!” She searched her unnie’s room for a brush, “Come on, let’s get ready!”

 

Yoona received a text from Yuri at the same moment, “I’ll be seeing you at Sooyoung’s right?” it flashed on her phone. Yoona commenced texting one of her best friends as Seohyun took the initiative of brushing her hair.

 

“Sorry you can’t come Sunny,” Taeyeon said as the couple watched their juniors rush to get ready. Or well, Seohyun rush to get her and Yoona ready. “Original group meeting only, I guess.”

 

“Nah, it’s alright, I understand” the shorter girl replied, “I have to head back home anyway. It’s too bad though, I miss her mom’s cooking.”

 

As the four headed downstairs at once and out the door, the three girls hugged the shortest in their group before heading to Sooyoung’s house.

 

But before Taeyeon could get too far, Sunny pulled on her hand. As she turned around to face Sunny again, the blonde gave her a quick peck on the lips before winking and heading the other way.

 

“Later,” Sunny called out, turning back to watch the flustered Taeyeon stand in the middle of the sidewalk awkwardly with hanging open.

 

“Sungmin oppa is pretty smooth,” Yoona commented as she watched Seohyun pull her sister back to reality, “Sunny unnie was always flirty with guys but never like that.”

 

Taeyeon shook her head trying to shake the feeling of embarrassment and the rosy colour from her cheeks. She honestly didn’t expect Sunny to be so bold suddenly, especially not in front of their friends.

 

“I’ll get her back,” Taeyeon then mumbled to herself, determined to find a way to make Sunny as bashful and taken aback as herself.

“I don’t know about that unnie,” Yoona then responded laughing a little at Taeyeon’s solid facial expression, “Even when you were with Sica unnie you were always so smitten by her.”

 

Taeyeon was going to retort when she realized that Yoona was right. She sighed and frowned, why was she only brave and more forward when she was alone with her girlfriends?

 

“Besides unnie, since Sungmin oppa is the guy, he needs to be the one always catching you off guard,” Seohyun pointed out.

 

“Oh please Seo, it’s 2012,” Taeyeon replied disappointed at her little sister’s old fashioned thinking. “You’ll see girls, this noona will have that Sungmin blushing like crazy before you know it.”

 

Taeyeon stormed off towards the direction of Sooyoung’s house as Yoona and Seohyun exchanged looks and laughed at their silly unnie trying to act so tough.

 

“It’s like those two are in their own world inside of the world that we just entered,” Seohyun pointed out as she watched her older sister walk away furiously.

 

Yoona nodded at her best friend, satisfied with how things turned out. Surely the next three months would be tons of fun with this game that Sunny involved them all in. And hopefully it would take her mind off of the fact that 6 of her unnies would be off to college or university after the summer as well.

 

It was hard to think of much aside from the fact that her favourite unnie was back in her life.

 

---

 

It didn’t take long for the three girls to walk to Sooyoung’s house. They rang the doorbell and was met with Sooyoung’s friendly face.

 

“You guys are the last ones here,” she said as she let the girls in.

 

“Sorry about that,” Taeyeon apologized as the three of them bowed, “We lost track of time while doing our homework.”

 

“You don’t have to lie to me, Taeyeon,” Sooyoung said, raising her eyebrows up and down suggestively, “I know you were with your boyfriend~”

 

“Jealous?” Taeyeon teased, sticking her tongue out at her tall friend.

 

“Oh please,” Sooyoung replied, flipping her hair, “If he met me first I bet he would have fallen for me. You were just lucky.” She wiggled her before leaving the three girls to help her mother in the kitchen.

 

“Unnie is always so confident, I love that about her,” Seohyun said as she took a seat on the couch next to Hyoyeon who was playing a card game with Yuri and Tiffany.

 

“Confident, right,” Yoona replied skeptically, shaking her head at Seohyun’s innocence.

 

“She’s right though,” Taeyeon admitted, “I bet she could get Sungmin to fall for her no problem.”

 

Yoona and Seohyun weren’t sure how to reply and hoped that the joking tone that Taeyeon used wasn't a cover up. They felt relieved however when Taeyeon walked off to a different couch where Jessica was sleeping.

 

“Yah, if you sleep now then how are we going to have a proper sleepover later, Sica?” Taeyeon mumbled to her napping friend. She shook her lightly but the girl only groaned from her comfortable spot on the couch.

 

Defeated, Taeyeon wandered over to the kitchen to find Sooyoung being shooed away by her mother.

 

“Go play with your friends!” she demanded, “I know the real reason why you’re here! Stop eating everything!!”

 

Taeyeon watched amused as Sooyoung fled the kitchen upset and with a piece of Korean beef hanging from .

 

“I’m still jealous of how you can eat all of that without gaining anything,” Taeyeon called out, announcing her presence to the younger girl.

 

Sooyoung quickly chewed and swallowed the piece of meat in as she walked over to the shorter girl. “I do exercise you know,” she stated before flexing her arm, “Check this out!”

 

“Yah, Sooyoung, I still think that you should do a duet with me as the opening for the talent show,” Taeyeon changed the topic, looking at her junior seriously. She knew Sooyoung loved performing, but for some reason, despite helping prepare for the talent show she wasn’t performing at all. She even dropped out of the dance crew this year to Hyoyeon and Yuri’s disappointment.

 

“Aish, Taeng you know I need to focus on my studies and I can’t always have Seohyun tutor me. She has too many students under her wing and Yoona to worry about as well,” Sooyoung sighed deeply, slumping her shoulders at this, “You know how much I want to perform but planning the whole thing is tiring in itself, I don’t understand how you can do that along with choir and keeping your marks up and performing.”

 

“I did quit the dancing crew this year though,” Taeyeon added, “But dancing wasn’t really my thing, I kind of just did it for Hyo and Yuri.”

 

“You were pretty good though for someone with such short legs,” Sooyoung replied, pointing at Taeyeon’s legs for emphasis, “But I’m glad you dropped it, I wouldn’t want you going crazy from all the work.”

 

Taeyeon appreciated Sooyoung’s concern and although she constantly bullied her, she knew that she was the friend who loved all of her friends the most. Sooyoung’s heart was deep and full of love. She was probably the kindest person she’s ever known, her love as ferocious as her hunger. She pondered while looking at Sooyoung, who looked a little saddened when remembering what she had to sacrifice for her marks. Taeyeon wished that she could take Seohyun away from her former commitments and make her tutor Sooyoung at all times instead of those at her club or just Yoona on the weekends, but she couldn’t do that. And then she thought of a different idea.

 

“Yah, Sooyoung, what if I could get you a tutor that could meet with you every Tuesday and Thursday night?”

 

Sooyoung rose her eyebrow at Taeyeon, “Who?”

 

Taeyeon hesitated for a moment and wondered what Sunny would think about this. But it was obvious that she wouldn’t ever say no to help her friend, especially Sooyoung who she was sure was missed greatly by Sunny.

 

“Sungmin is really smart,” Taeyeon started, smiling as Sooyoung’s eyes lit up at the idea, “I knew you were going to like the idea.”

 

Sooyoung grabbed Taeyeon into an embrace and carried her with her sudden burst of energy, “Taeyeon unnie is the best!!!” She yelled out, giggling at the idea of studying with the cutie she met earlier.

 

“Yah! Just don’t seduce him okay? And we’ll start practicing that duet on Friday and I’ll tell Hyo that you’re going to rejoin the dance crew.”

 

“no wait,” Sooyoung interrupted as Taeyeon started walking in the direction of the living room, “Are you sure I can do this?”

 

“You’re Choi Sooyoung, defending champion of the school’s all you can eat contest and number one karaoke singer at the local karaoke bar and not to mention, you received the MVP reward in your dance crew during your freshman year, I think you’ll be fine with the proper tutor to help your academics.” Taeyeon flashed Sooyoung a brilliant smile, earning her another tight hug from Sooyoung, “I believe in you,” she whispered into Sooyoung’s ear and patting her back.

 

Before they knew it dinner was served and all the girls sat on the floor in the living room to eat together despite Sooyoung’s mother’s protests. They all sat in a circle and thoroughly enjoyed the dinner prepared for them.

 

Tiffany and Taeyeon were waving cucumbers in front of Jessica to wake her from her sleepy state which earned them both bonks on the head. Taeyeon and Tiffany laughed at their best friend's reaction despite the pain resonating on the spot where Jessica hit them.

 

Hyoyeon was bothering Seohyun by playing with her food which always bothered the maknae while Yuri and Yoona were obnoxiously singing the current top pop song that was playing on Sooyoung’s tv at the moment. And Sooyoung was just stuffing her face with her favourite food in the world, anything made by her mother.

 

The night was fun and peaceful as usual and the girls all enjoyed each other’s presence as they innocently hung out. Once dessert and tea was finished being consumed, Sooyoung her karaoke system.

 

The 8 girls sang their hearts out for about an hour before everyone decided to head home.

 

“We should all sing only english songs next time,” Tiffany offered as a challenge to the others and an advantage for herself and Jessica, “I think it’ll be fun.”

 

“For you!” Yuri yelled, knowing how much the two americans loved to tease their friends for their accents when singing English. Yuri herself had one of Tiffany’s favourite accents.

 

“Yuri-ah, don’t be so upset, I know you love it when we laugh at you,” Jessica teased, poking ferociously at the girl’s stomach. “Also, stop working out, you and Hyo are making us look bad.”

 

“Like you don’t secretly work out,” Yoona accused, liften her unnie’s shirt a little to reveal Jessica’s fairly toned abs.

 

The girl squealed in response, letting out her infamous dolphin screech and causing all the girls to cover their ears.

 

Yoona felt a slap to the back of her head, “Why’d you go and do that? I think I’m deaf now,” Sooyoung complained, sticking a finger into her ear. “If I’m deaf, how can I keep my promise to Tae about singing a duet with her?”

 

“No way!” the girls all called out at once.

 

“That’s so great Sooyoung!” Tiffany clapped and cheered for her friend, “I can’t wait to see you and TaeTae singing your hearts out together! Although I kind of wish she offered to do a duet with me.”

 

“Am I not good enough of a duet partner?” Jessica jokingly hissed at her best friend.

 

“Of course not, Jessie,” Tiffany replied, rolling her eyes. "You're the best duet partner." She pulled Jessica into a tight hug and rocked her back and forth affectionately.

 

“Ah!! Sooyoung what about us? You’re going to sing but you’re not going to dance with us?” Yuri protested, pouting at the tallest friend.

 

“No, no! I was going to tell you guys right now that I’m going to rejoin your group,” she gave the two leaders of the dance crew a heart and wink showing her excitement.

 

“Yes! You guys are going to love our showcase now that this tower will be joining us,” Hyoyeon declared, placing her arm over Sooyoung’s shoulder.

 

“I’m really excited about the talent show,” Seohyun added to the celebratory scene with her unnies.

 

“Me too,” Taeyeon agreed, patting her little sister on the head.

 

“Aigoo, you children better head home now before all your parents shoot me,” Sooyoung then said, shooing her friends off her property, “I’ll see you all on Monday!”

 

---

 

As the girls headed their own ways, Jessica and Taeyeon said their own goodbyes to Tiffany before returning home together with Seohyun.

 

“I better be invited next time,” Tiffany declared, failing to glare menacingly at her two best friends.

 

“How about this Fany,” Taeyeon started, feeling bad for leaving out her mushroom friend, “We’ll have lunch together, you, me and Jessica.”

 

“Invite Sungmin oppa too!” Tiffany nearly shouted, her eyes sparkling.

 

“Uh, yeah, of course,” Taeyeon agreed, surprised and not surprised that Tiffany asked for his presence. “But you can’t flirt with him this time,” she added, giving a successful glare to the pink loving girl.

 

“I can’t promise that!” Tiffany replied, slowly walking away now, “Goodnight ladies!”

 

“Night!” Taeyeon and Jessica called out in unison as they watched a pink sweater and pair of white shorts disappear into the darkness. 

 

Even though Seohyun was walking on her other side, Taeyeon couldn't help but only feel the tense presence of Jessica who walked so casually beside her. It wasn't their first time having a sleepover with just the two of them, even after they broke up they occasionally had sleepovers since they were such good friends and enjoyed each other's actions. However, with what she saw earlier at Jessica's reaction to Sungmin she couldn't help but worry that maybe things were about to get more complicated. She'd like the think she was just being full of it and that Jessica was just being an overprotective friend but at the same time she hoped that Jessica was jealous of her new relationship with Sungming.

 

As much as she loved Sunny and as happy as she was in their now official relationship, she couldn't help but feel like a bad girlfriend for wanting Jessica to be jealous.