Part 3

She had been twirling her blue pen for the umpteenth time while staring at the white board filled with English words which probably couldn’t get into her head.

She sighed, looked down on her notebook, and noticed that it was empty- like her heart.

She grabbed her pencil case and took the red pen out.

She wrote her feelings as she thought about the girl she had been missing for the past eight months.

Distance is just a test to see how far LOVE can travel.

A half-smile crept on her face.

The bell rang, and it beckoned the professor to stop his lecture.

“Okay, I’d like to remind you that your final exams will be two weeks from now. It will be an essay, so you better do well on your readings. Now, you may go.”

She huffed. ‘If only you were here, things would be easier.’

She remained at her seat while the other students dispersed from the theatre-like classroom.

She captured a photo of that certain page in her notebook and decided to post it on her instagram.

It garnered a number of likes in just a few minutes. She read the first comment.

svnnynight: Aww. Taengoo. I love you too. Come back soon, K? LOL. Kidding. Don’t worry. Everyone here misses you!

She chuckled and typed in her short reply.

Taeyeon_ss: I miss you guys too. <3 :’(

She pocketed her phone and stood up from her chair but was stopped by a voice coming from the far side of the room.

“Missing home?”

She turned her head and saw this one Korean classmate she had always been curious about. He was looking straight at her eyes, with a smirk on his face as his palm rested on his chin.

This guy was always alone, with a headphone propped around his neck. His black hair always stood upright as if it was permanently sprayed.

Today he was wearing a navy blue hoodie, which Taeyeon instantly noticed.

She forced a smile and nodded. “Yes.”

It was the first time they spoke to each other.

“I don’t.” He paused. “I like it here. It’s better here. Freedom at its best.”

He stood up and walked his way to the other side of the room, where Taeyeon was.

He took the seat next to her.

“Joonmyeon.”

“Huh?”

“That’s my name. Kim Joonmyeon.”

She opened for a second and closed it again. “I’m Kim Taeyeon.”

“Well, what can I say? KIMs have good genes, huh?”

She chuckled, didn’t know what to say exactly. “Uhh, thanks?”

He noticed the awkwardness. “Are you always this shy and quiet?”

“Not really. I’m just not used to talking much ever since I arrived here.”

“Culture shock, yeah?” He looked straight ahead, avoiding her gaze. “I’ve been there once. You’ll get used to it once you’ve found someone you can really talk to.”

“Have you gotten used to it now?” She asked.

“Not yet, but maybe I will.” He turned to her intently and smiled. “Soon.”

---

Tiffany was already in bed, waiting for someone’s call. It was already late in the evening, and yet, she wasn’t sleepy at all.

Her phone rang. She had been waiting for that call for three days already.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Fany-ah…” the girl on the other line cooed. “Did you see my post earlier?”

“What post?”

“Instagram.”

She opened her instagram app in her iPad and searched for Taeyeon’s account. She smiled upon seeing the latest photo.

“Was that for me?” She spoke in a higher pitch.

“No. It’s not. I don’t miss you at all.”

She frowned. She knew it was just a joke but it hurt her.

There was a moment of silence.

“Fany-ah… You know I was just kidding, right?”

No response.

“Come on… Talk please? I wanna hear you. I’ve been longing to hear your voice.”

“You don’t miss me.”

“Ahh… I get it. You’re sulking.”

“I’m not.”

Tiffany huffed in silence and realized that she was talking to no one.

‘First, you don’t miss me. And now you just hung up on me. Great.’

She pouted and buried her face in the pillow.

Her phone vibrated—Taeyeon video calling.

She reluctantly tapped the answer button. Her frown was then turned upside down when she saw Taeyeon making funny faces.

She laughed, couldn’t keep cool any longer. “Yah! That’s totally unattractive.”

Taeyeon stopped and tucked her hair behind her ear. She flashed her thousand-watt smile, revealing her chin dimple that no one could ever resist.

“Am I attractive now?”
 

Tiffany had to suppress her smile. She didn’t answer.

“Hey, are you still sulking? I told you. I was just kidding.” Taeyeon pouted cutely. “I miss you so so so so much... Really.”

“I miss you too, Taetae.” A pause. “How I wish technology would just progress even more.”

“Like how?”

“You know… Not just videos. I want to… feel your touch. To hug you tight. Stuff like that.”

Taeyeon was smiling as she watched her girlfriend talk frustratingly.

“And kiss?”

Both were silent, suddenly red at Taeyeon’s remark.

She nodded shyly, trying to hide her flushed cheeks.

That made Taeyeon laugh.

“Let’s just pretend that we’re together… physically.”

Taeyeon moved her head closer to the screen and closed her eyes. She imagined that Tiffany was just in front of her.

Tiffany did the same. It seemed funny or stupid for some. But to them, it was the closest physical contact they could ever engage in. They made kissing sounds and smiled when they both pulled away.

She sighed in frustration.

“I know that it’s been hard… But just hold on a little longer, please?”

Her eyes suddenly became watery.

“I will. After all, I wanted this.” She forced a smile. “Let’s stop this drama. How was your day?”

“I was about to say the same thing! Well uhh… Some Korean guy talked to me earlier.”

She felt somehow anxious abo