“Hey, I’m back!” She announced, but no one made a big commotion. The evening news was on TV and Jiyeon had light homework duties.

 

“Did you get her home alright?” Soyeon asked.

 

“Yes of course. Without a hitch. I’m gonna go take a shower,” she answered.

 

Hyomin went to the shower, and just allowed herself to be soaked. She was the last one to get the shower so she knew it was all hers and she had no time limit. The shower was a strange place to use as ‘quiet place’.

 

She finished her shower, blow dried her hair and return to the living room with her mates. Her appearance was just for show, part of her ‘act normal’ show because she really just wanted to go to her room and lay down. She faked a yawn and told everyone she would go off to sleep first and wished everyone a ‘good night’ and collapsed onto her bed. Her room wasn’t quite a sanctuary but she could attempt to find some peace through sleep.

 

“Maybe I’ll see her tonight... or maybe I won’t...” She whispered to herself pulling the sheets on. She put on her ipod radio on the sleep function for some tunes to rock her to sleep. A Secret song came on, ‘Hesitant’.

 

‘you don’t know about my wavering heart...

my eyes only see you...

even though I act like I don’t care

now, I can’t help it anymore

 

you were mean, with your hesitant heart

my hesitant confession

you made me uneasy by myself

my heart pounded with the hesitant kiss

will you tell me? Before I get tired of waiting...’

 

“Why does this song seem like it says what I’m feeling?” Hyomin thought.

 

‘...your sweet voice during phone calls

your text messages full of love...

...you were mean with your hesitant heart

my hesitant confession...’

************************

“There you are! We’ve been wondering about you! Thought maybe you weren’t coming home,” Tiffany proclaimed hugging Sunny. “What is that you got?”

 

“Hyomin gave me some photos, I haven’t looked through them yet.” Sunny answered.

 

“Let’s look at them together, Jessi get out here. Sunny is here, we’re going to look at her photos.” Tiffany shouted.

 

The four girls looked through the 4x6 printouts that Hyomin had prepared for Sunny.

 

“Unnie, why are you not wearing a shirt?” Hyunah asked in Korean.

 

“You know, when I left, I remember you still had a shirt one,” Jessica remarked.

 

Sunny defended herself, to no avail as she was relentlessly picked on by her friends. They went through the photos and concluded it was time for sleep. Everyone did their routines for bed preparation and pulled into bed. Just as Sunny got into bed with Hyunah, Jessica came in the room requesting for Sunny.

 

“Hyunah, I hope you don’t mind, but I think I need my Sunny-bunny tonight. I saw something earlier and don’t want to sleep alone. Is that alright? I’m sure Hyunah you can afford to give up your unnie for a night?” Jessica asked.

 

“No of course, I’m an adult now. I can sleep perfectly well without someone with me, but if you need someone, please take what you need,” Hyunah answered ‘matter of factly’.

 

“Sunny-bunny?” Jessica asked sweetly and cutely, almost unlike her, certainly enough to give chills to Hyunah.

 

“Of course,” Sunny said getting out of bed and readjusting the sheets to fit back onto Hyunah. “You enjoy yourself okay? Goodnight Hyunah.”

 

“Night Jessica, night Sunny,” Hyunah said as Sunny exited her room with Jessica.

 

“Jessi, is everything alright?” Sunny asked, crawling into Jessica’s bed.

 

“No, I’ll be okay, I just don’t want any nightmares, and I just didn’t want to sleep alone tonight. I couldn’t ask Tiffany,” Jessica answered, in her soft voice.

 

“No problem Jess, I’m always here for you,” Sunny said, tiredly.

 

Sunny had her back to Jessica and Jessica leaned up onto Sunny ran her hand up and down the Sunny’s right side. It was her way of comforting Sunny with her touch, of the hair was typically the method of comforting, but Jessica knew Sunny liked the comfort of being petted and caressed in a sincere way. It always calmed her, just like when Jessica and Tiffany used to do when Sunny was still afraid of fireworks.

 

“Jessica, what are you doing?” Sunny asked.

 

“Sunny, what’s wrong? Is there anything you want to tell me?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I saw your eyes whenever a photo of Hyomin popped up. Something is wrong and I just know it. So tell me?” Jessica asked. Sunny took a deep breath and turned around to face Jessica.

 

“Jessi, were you ever in the situation where you wanted to say something, and it was the right something but you didn’t say it... and the moment to say it passed and things got difficult?” Sunny asked, and Jessica just nodded and continued to her side.

 

“I know this seems weird to you, but Hyomin confessed to me that she liked me. Not like me, but like like me. And I think she was waiting for me to say something, and I just froze. I didn’t say anything or do anything. I just told her that I’d see her tomorrow like nothing had happened...” Sunny spoke in a soft whisper.

 

“Oh Sunny, you can talk to her tomorrow. What’s the part that bothers you the most? You know there’s something more.” Jessica said, running her hands down to Sunny’s leg and continued back up to her shoulder.

 

“When Hyomin told me she liked me, I wanted to tell her that I liked her too. I mean I think I do. It’s confusing, I never dated anyone really how could I like Hyomin, a girl? Jessica does that make any sense? I’ve only known her a few weeks, barely a month... I’ve barely liked any boys...”

 

“Bunny, I’ll always support you, regardless if you like her or some guy. She confessed to you, and you did nothing, maybe you were scared. Confused. You know... it happens,” Jessica said, now rubbing her hands under Sunny’s shirt along her spine.

 

Sunny’s body startled, she felt the tingle from Jessica’s touch along the nerves of the thoracic area. She’s normally ticklish and squirms under such touch, but when one is down and upset, the mind can easily override sensitivity of such.

 

“You know, I got that tingle whenever Hyomin touched my skin, okay, don’t give me that look. It’s always subtle. I would think it’s a breeze thing. I’m always wearing shorts, and sometimes she accidentally just touches me. It’s like maybe an awkward touch but not awkward. Like I don’t get that feeling when you do it...” Sunny continued.

 

“Bunny, sweetie, I think you like Hyomin too. That’s why you feel like this; you feel like you wronged her or hurt her by not telling her you like her. If she really likes you, you can bet she still really likes you. Just talk to her tomorrow and I know it’ll be fine.” Jessica reassured Sunny.

 

“Thank you Jessica, you’re always so great,” Sunny smiled.

 

“Of course. I love you bunny, I’ll always be there for you. You know that,” Jessica said and placed a kiss on Sunny’s forehead. “Try and sleep sweetie.”

 

“I love you too Jessi. Thanks for being you. Night.” Sunny said and snuggled into Jessica and slept.

 

“Night,” Jessica whispered and continued Sunny’s hair until she fell asleep. “You should see how pretty you are when you sleep...”

Her phone buzzed with a text message. It was the moment she had been fretting over all last night, all day. She fell asleep in class because of this, fell asleep for this. She walked to their usual meeting place for lunch and saw the little girl there, dressed the same nearly as always, shorts and a shirt.

 

“Hyomin, hi... I brought you a sandwich...” Sunny said all cute and with a smile.

 

Hyomin accepted the sandwich with a smile and still very confused of the whole situation. She felt maybe it was time for her to say something but that didn’t work too well last time. These situations were no fun, and it’s obvious that it was getting awkward. Sunny’s attempt to make it seem like normal won’t work, and Hyomin didn’t know why.

 

“I think maybe we should talk,” Sunny said leading Hyomin outside under some trees, it was one of those hidden, ‘secret getaway away’ places on campus. People overlooked the spot, often.

 

“If it’s about last night, you know... I think I was being silly... there’s really no reason...” Hyomin started and was cut off by Sunny.

 

“I have something for you.” Sunny said handing Hyomin an envelope.

 

Hyomin opened it to find a ticket for Six Flags and sheet of paper from a stationary all neatly folded. She unfolded the to find ‘Park Hyomin, I Like You’ written in Korean. Hyomin looked at Sunny.

 

“Really? You like me?” Hyomin asked in Korean, in an emotionally distress, almost teary voice.

 

“Yes.” Sunny said softly.

 

“You know, I couldn’t sleep last night. Why couldn’t you tell me last night? Do you know what that was like? I mean... it was just...” Hyomin started to stammer on.

 

“I’m sorry. Hyomin... but I’m here now... and I just told you...I hope you can accept that...” Sunny again said softly. Hyomin said nothing; Sunny sat down next to Hyomin on the bench and put one arm around her. “I can’t tell you that I love you, but I can tell you that I love spending time with you. Will you be with me? Will you be my girlfriend?”

 

“...yes... wait... why would I not want to be your girlfriend? Of course... yes...” Hyomin said teary eyed and leaned into Sunny’s shoulders and arms.

 

“Stop crying now, we’re past the first step. Be happy.” Sunny said Hyomin’s hair.

 

“Okay, what do we do now?” Hyomin asked recovering herself.

 

“Same as we have been doing? Right? I mean we can go on dates, hang out and spend time together. That seems like nothing new. Hehe,” Sunny said with a bright smile. “Oh... no kissing...”

 

“What?! Why?!” Hyomin asked.

 

“You stole my first kiss. I had purposely been saving for a special moment, so now I want to wait for my next kiss to be at a special moment... I’m a little weird like that...” Sunny explained.

 

“Okay... deal... anything else?”

 

“Yes, please make sure you wear a bikini for Friday. I want to see that.” Sunny said causing them both to erupt in laughter.

 

Sunny took Hyomin’s hand and lead them to the rec center. Sunny challenged her to another trip up the rock wall. Hyomin asked Sunny if she was wearing shorts, she said told Hyomin that it was all she had in her gym bag.

*************

“So you want me to come with you to the theme park this Friday?” Yuri asked.

 

“Yes, I’m inviting you. I mean I don’t want you to be left out, Taeyeon is going as well. I know you want to come. We’re gonna be swimming too. You can’t turn that down.” Jessica pitched.

 

“Of course, you personally asked me. I shall go. Wait, Taeyeon was asked before I was?” Yuri asked tossing her fork in the air.

 

“Well, you know Tiffany... she has something going on with Taeyeon, so she’s never off a beat really.” Jessica said.

 

“Tiffany and Taeyeon? What do you mean something is going on? What are you getting at? What do you know?” Yuri asked raising her eyebrows.

 

“What do you know?” Jessica asked in response.

 

“You know that they’re dating now?”

 

“I’ve known. I live with her. We’ve been friends since like forever. Of course I know, she’s been beating around the bush with it though.” Jessica said.

 

“What does beating around the bush mean?” Yuri asked.

 

“She admits it, but like at the same time she denies it. It’s tricky...” Jessica answer.

 

“I know what you mean, Taeng has been like that too. I ask her what she been doing, or how Tiffany is and she suddenly gets freaked out. Where’s my fork?” Yuri asked.

 

“You threw it up and now it’s on the ground, here I’m done with mine you can use it,” Jessica said handing her fork over to Yuri.

 

“Thank you very much. I will go Friday, are we meeting you guys there? Or meeting you at your house? I don’t know how to get there. I think we should meet up.” Yuri suggested.

 

Jessica nodded as Yuri finished her salad and the two walked off to their next class.

***************

“Soyeon, do you want to go to Six Flags this Friday? Sunny invited me, and said I could bring you and Jiyeon,” Hyomin pestered.

 

“Who ever said I would want to go. Can Ji-eun go to? She doesn’t get out much?” Jiyeon asked.

 

“I don’t see why not,” Hyomin answered. “They want to use the water park too, so swimsuits are needed too.”

 

“So I have to take off work this Friday and be half- in front of a lot of people? I haven’t been working out... oh man.....,” Soyeon mentioned.

 

“It’ll be fine, you’re pretty. I bet the boys will be all over you this Friday. So are we in?” Hyomin asked.

 

“I’m in if Ji-eun can go.” Jiyeon mentioned.

 

“Then you are in! Soyeon?”

 

“Okay, fine, let me get off work and we’ll go, but you need to pick up Ji-eun and you will drive.” Soyeon said.

 

“Yes!” Hyomin screamed.

***************

Her bedroom door was closed. It was highly unusual, the only time the doors were closed were when someone was changing or sleeping. Something is happening; she crept up to the door and place her ear against the soft wood composite.

 

“So they’re going too? That’s exciting. Friday will be fun remember what I said. You owe me that much,” the voice said, belonging obviously to Sunny.

 

“Haha, what do you mean why? Today is the official day you and I started dating, and you cried for like two hours of it.... Hyomin... YAH!... Buying me a bag of Cheetos from the vending machine does not count as a treat or gift... not to your girlfriend... Of course I expect much more...I didn’t kiss you back so I refused to accept that as my first real kiss, so sorry hon, you’re not that special...”

 

The curious look on her face (along with her curiosity) slowly slipped to a surge of tribulation.

 

“What am I wearing? I’m wearing the same thing you saw me with today at school... what? no it’s not lime you ert. Because we are together does not mean I’ll tell you what I’m wearing under my clothes... you’re crazy Hyomin... wait, what are you wearing... WHAT?!?!... put some clothes on, I don’t feel comfortable talking to you like that... I don’t care if you’re just trying on swimsuits for Friday, why did you even call me when you’re doing that... no... I don’t want a picture... please don’t send it... You sent it after I asked you not too... although that color is very cute... I said the color is cute, not you!

 

“Sunny, I hate you...” She whispered.

 

“No, I’m kidding. You’re cute. Don’t be like that! I don’t want someone clingy like that, gosh. Okay I need to go, it’s my turn to make dinner tonight. Jessica has been dying for me to make something just for her. Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.”

 

With the called Jessica quickly scrambled back to the front door area and acted nonchalantly when Sunny walked out of her room. Jessica greeted Sunny and came up to hugged her and then went to her room to put down her things. She took death breaths and told her ‘plausible deniability’. ‘That’s right Jessica, you were not ease-dropping, you’re not a creeper. That’s someone else.’

 

“How was your day sweetie?” Jessica stepped out and asked in her charming manner.

 

“It was fine, school was fine, you know.” Sunny answered while digging through the kitchen to prepare dinner.

 

“Did everything go well with Hyomin?” Jessica earnestly.

 

“Why yes. Thank you for asking. It went really well. I told her that I like her, and today is our first official day together. Oh, but I think we should hold off on telling everyone in our bevy.” Sunny answered.

 

“Bevy?” Jessica asked.

 

“Bevy, it’s a noun, meaning a group of people or a crowd. Something like that. It’s from that word a day calendar Tiffany gave me,” Sunny answered.

 

“I know what bevy means. Who do you not want to tell, and why?”

 

“Well I’m not sure how Hyunah would react. I’m like an older sister to her and she looks up to me. I’m not sure how she would think of me, if she were to find out. I’m not too worried about Tiffany, because I’m more than certain that she has something going on with Taeyeon...” Sunny reasoned before being interrupted by Jessica.

 

“We don’t mention Tiffany and Taeyeon until they say something to us. They weren’t doing anything here the other night, I just wanted to treat you guys to dinner. Remember?” Jessica reminded Sunny.

 

Sunny replied her understanding in Korean and Jessica jokingly screamed out ‘English’ in the same manner Sunny would do to Hyunah. Sunny threw a banana at Jessica in retaliation. Jessica just caught the banana and went to the couch in the living, to finish her novel. The smiles and playfulness left her face. It wasn’t icy or plain, it was the same look of despair before. She pulled out her phone and texted Yuri.

 

‘Hey, we should go out for dinner tomorrow. Just the two of us.’ Her phone buzzed back with a reply ‘Okay. Sounds perfect.’