Tiffany pulled her seat out and sat down at her desk. As usual, she turned around to greet Taeyeon but instead of saying "good morning" she bought her hands up to as a gasp escaped her lips. Taeyeon's left cheek had a huge gash on it, and Tiffany counted 6 stitches.

"Taeyeon, what happened to you, are you alright?" Tiffany asked with concern. Yuri turned around at the sound of Tiffany's surprised voice.

"She is fine Tiffany, she...fell down the stairs last night when she went to get a drink without wearing her glasses." Yuri answered for Taeyeon.

"Ouch, that looks nasty." Jessica grimaced.

Tiffany looked at Taeyeon's hands and saw traces of bruising on her knuckles and a couple of bandaids around her fingers. There must have been more injuries covered up under the sleeves of her blazer. Taeyeon quickly hid her hands underneath the desk and bowed her head trying to hide the injury on her face.

Tiffany opened to inquire further but Yuri cut her off.

"She is fine Tiffany." Yuri said sternly, shooting Tiffany a warning glare.

Tiffany closed while Yuri turned back around to face the front.

***

"Are you sure you're ready for this." Yuri asked worriedly.

Taeyeon nodded her head.

"Okay fine, but let me be here with you."

Taeyeon shook her head.

"No, I need to do this by myself."

Yuri sighed but walked away, leaving Taeyeon standing underneath the tree by the sports shed. Once Yuri was gone Taeyeon immediately popped open her medicine bottle and took 4 pills. It was double her usual dose but she would need it for what was coming next.

Taeyeon sat down, putting some headphones in her ears and letting the beautiful notes of Svendsen soothe her soul. Her eyes snapped open when she heard the sound of footsteps lightly approaching.

"Yuri asked me to come." Taeyeon heard that familiar husky voice as she paused her music player. She could feel her heart pounding against her rib cage and a dull pain forming in her chest. Surprisingly, this was the most calm she had ever felt when a stranger was in close proximity. Taeyeon slowly lowered herself until she was sitting on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest. Tiffany cautiously approached and sat down with a 2 metre distance between her and Taeyeon.

Taeyeon glanced at Tiffany, whose eyes disappeared into their usual crescent shapes, and immediately looked away again.

"Is there a reason why you wanted me here?" Tiffany started.

Taeyeon nodded her head but didn't say anything further, she was busy concentrating on trying to control her autonomic hyperactivity.

"Are you afraid of me Taeyeon?" Tiffany asked snapping Taeyeon from focus.

Taeyeon nodded once.

"Don't be." Tiffany said softly. Taeyeon looked up and met Tiffany's brown orbs, she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Those beta blockers were doing a good job of keeping her heart rate at bay.

I wish I wasn’t afraid

Everyone is afraid of something

But I hate it

Then let me help you

Tiffany smiled and broke the eye contact. She stretched her arms and lay down on the grass sighing in content as she watched the cherry blossoms get carried away by the warm spring zephyrs.

"Let's be friends Taeyeon-ah." Tiffany turned her head to look at Taeyeon. Taeyeon just evaded the eye contact and buried her head between her knees. The two spent the rest of lunch together in silence.

***

Taeyeon entered her room, taking off her glasses and placing them on the dressing table. She sat on the edge of the bed and lay down letting her feet dangle off the sides. She thought back to the lunch she had spent with Tiffany. It had gone better than she expected and it may be because she was taking larger doses of her pills or the fact that she was now able to exert a greater sense of self control. Taeyeon turned to her side and placed her hands underneath her head to form a makeshift pillow. She stared at the corner of her room where a black case rested against the wall. Taeyeon had almost forgotten that it was there in the first place, she had not touched it for four years…not since that day. It was something she used to love, something she found solace in but had abandoned since she no longer had any interest in it…had lost interest in life in general.

Taeyeon made her way over and picked the case up before placing it on her bed. She traced the smooth leather with her hands before flicking the buckles and unlocking the case. She could see her reflection looking back at her from the surface of the glossy rosewood. She ran her fingers over the strings and plucked on one, the vibration sending out a lone note. She flicked each of the strings one by one, testing out the sound.

Still in perfect tune.

Taeyeon smiled.

She picked up the bow, running her fingers down the length of it. She then picked up the instrument and placed one end on her shoulder, holding it in place beneath her chin. Taeyeon closed her eyes and lifted the bow, resting on the instrument. She imagined Svendsen in her head and let her hands automatically glide along to the music. Her worries floated away with each of the bow and Taeyeon felt liberated.

But that moment of tranquility was cut short as she was interrupted by a few knocks on the door.

“Come in.” Taeyeon lowered the instrument.

“Tae Unnie.” Miyeon’s head peeked in through the gap of the doorway. It seemed the little girl had just come out from a bath as her hair was dripping wet.

Taeyeon smiled and gestured for Miyeon to come over. The little girl giggled and ran over, dragging a towel behind her.

“Dry my hair unnie.” Miyeon jumped on the bed and handed the towel to Taeyeon. Taeyeon took the towel and began drying Miyeon’s hair.

“What’s this?” Miyeon pointed to the musical instrument sitting beside her on the bed.

“It’s a violin.” Taeyeon replied.

“Violin?”

“MmmHmm.” Taeyeon took out a brush from the drawers, running it through Miyeon’s chestnut tresses.

Miyeon touched the instrument before picking it up and strumming it like a guitar. Taeyeon chuckled at the little girls actions.

“You don’t play it like that Miyeon.” Taeyeon placed the brush down. “Here, let me show you.” Taeyeon held her hands out and the little girl handed over the violin to her.

Taeyeon finished her rendition of a small part of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante and was met with a standing ovation from her little sister.

“WAHHHHH!!! Unnie Jjang!” Miyeon jumped up and down clapping her hands. Taeyeon laughed and handed over the violin to Miyeon who tried to imitate what her older sister did but only ended up emitting loud squeaks. Miyeon pouted and frowned and Taeyeon chuckled at how cute the girl looked.

“Here.” Taeyeon turned the girl around on the bed and stood behind her. She reached forward and trapped Miyeon within her arms as she guided the girl’s small hands in swif