“Taeyeon, stop pacing about… You’re making me dizzy,” said an agonized Yuri as she placed her chin on the table. “What’s so bad about your situation? I don’t get it.”

Taeyeon jerked to a stop. Raising her hands in exasperation, she approached her friend menacingly. “What’s so bad? Can’t you tell?” she asked, her voice loud and booming.

Yuri yawned. Leaning back against her chair, she glanced around her room. “I don’t. And I’m tired. It’s been a long first day. Help to clean up the room, won’t you? We haven’t moved in for long.”

Taeyeon seethed through her teeth and held Yuri down, forcing her to stay. “Yah! Kwon Yuri, you stay here and help me!”

Yuri sighed loudly. “What do you want, Taeyeon? Seriously!” Standing up so she was taller than Taeyeon, she placed her hands on Taeyeon’s shoulder. “A cute guy just confessed to you, and because you didn’t like him you rejected him. Now what are you worrying about?”

Taeyeon shrugged her hands away. “Did you not catch anything I said just now on our way home? Were you sleeping while walking again?”

Yuri stared at her, incredulous, until she realized that Taeyeon was right. “Well—I do that when I’m tired!”

Taeyeon smacked her forehead. “You make me lose my brain cells, Yuri, all this frustration…”

Sighing, Yuri sat back down, her hand supporting her chin up. “Okay, what did you have to say?”

“I said I didn’t know what to do. I mean, it’s the first time a guy has ever confessed to me, and I don’t want this to be the reason why he’s sweeping me off my feet…”

“Why not? At least he’s sincere.”

“Who knows if he’s just kidding?”

“You worry too much, Taeyeon… Just chill. Everything will work out. Besides, you’re single and available. Worse comes to worst, just accept him! You don’t have anyone else in your head, anyway.”

Cat getting her tongue, Taeyeon looked down, looking more troubled than ever. “About that…”

“Please don’t tell me you like somebody else.”

“I can’t fulfill your plea,” Taeyeon replied, dismayed.

“You like somebody? Who? I mean, it’s the first day of school!”

“Jaejoong confessed to me on the first day of school, so why can’t I fall for somebody? Okay, I didn’t exactly fall for somebody… Just interested in him.”

“Wait, wait, Taeyeon, you’re missing the point. Who is the one you’re interested in?” Yuri pressed on.

Taeyeon smiled. “Junsu,” she replied.

Yuri felt like she could flip at her friend’s words. “He just confessed to you, not knowing that you’re interested in his best friend…” Pausing, she let the name sink into her head. “Wait, Junsu? You mean that piggish guy? Why are you interested in him?”

Taeyeon frowned at her friend. “Junsu is not piggish. He seems like a nice guy. You know, when he did the whole peacemaker duty and stuff. And he’s really polite.”

Yuri clucked her tongue. “I did the peacemaker thing too.”

“I’m already in love with you,” Taeyeon replied, grinning slyly at her friend.

Yuri smacked Taeyeon on the head. “Well, this is a nice love triangle. What do you plan to do?”

Taeyeon folded her arms, staring out the window. “Good question. Isn’t that what I’ve been trying to ask you?”

“Oh. Well, it’s not like I would know. I’m not any more experienced than you are.”

Getting up from the table, Yuri headed towards the bed. “I’ll take a nap, see you later.”

Taeyeon screamed at her friend in futile.

=/

Yoona released her bag onto the ground. Glancing at her older brother, she smiled. “Yah, oppa, leave if you have to. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Seulong shook his head. “You go shower. I’ll leave when you do.”

Yoona nodded. Heading towards the toilet, she decided to tell him something. “Oppa, are you sure it’s okay for you to rush home every afternoon like that? Look at you now, you’re rushing, aren’t you?”

He smiled at her. “If I get to see my pretty younger sister every afternoon, I don’t mind being late. It’s fine, it really is.”

Yoona laughed. “Alright, I’m in the shower. Bye!”

Seulong waved to Yoona. He heard the water running and decided to head out.

He narrowed his eyes as he tried to think about that figure from earlier on. Yunho?

It was oddly peculiar, watching Yunho appear as Yoona’s friend just like that.

He was familiar, Seulong knew that, and he knew – he had to find out more about him before it was too late.

Before it was too late…

=/

It was the second day of school. Yuri and Taeyeon entered the school, with the latter still fretting over her problem with the two boys. Almost immediately after they headed through the gates, two figures popped up from nowhere, blocking their way. Raising her head, Taeyeon gasped as she recognized who they were.

“Good morning, girls!” Jaejoong greeted.

Yuri smiled and nodded. Taeyeon bit her lower lip and shrugged, nodding her greeting.

Junsu smiled at them, indifferently standing beside Jaejoong. Taeyeon gave him a warmer greeting, smiling and waving.

Jaejoong failed to notice this. “So, let’s go for lunch together later, okay?” he asked, directing his question towards Taeyeon.

Taeyeon looked past Jaejoong, setting her sight on the classroom. Nudging Yuri, she turned back to Jaejoong. “We… We have classes over lunch! Sorry, can’t join you guys,” she apologized, secretly looking out for Junsu’s expression.

She felt indignant when Junsu barely flinched. Turning to Yuri, she winked slyly. “We have to go, Yuri – don’t we? Let’s go!”

Not even giving Yuri a chance to answer, she dragged Yuri off past Jaejoong. The two guys stood there, Jaejoong dumbfounded, Junsu indifferent.

“What’s up with her?” Jaejoong asked.

Junsu shrugged. “Let’s just go to class.”

=/

“Please don’t tell me you plan on avoiding him like that.”

Taeyeon glared at her friend, who had just accused her of being a coward. “I am not avoiding him.”

Yuri snorted. “Then you’re avoiding them.”

Taeyeon seethed and gritted her teeth. “At least until I figure things out!”

They got seated beside each other in class. Yuri chuckled. “Which is never, right?”

Taeyeon slapped her friend on the arm. The impact led to everyone’s attention being drawn to the two of them. Yuri clenched her jaw tight and faced down.

“If I hadn’t known you for ten years already, you’d be out of my friends list now.”

Taeyeon smiled smugly.

=/

Jaejoong was heading for the cafeteria for lunch with Junsu. He was now free enough to finally think about what he could do for Taeyeon that would perhaps change her mind about rejecting him.

“Yah, Junsu – stop reading! Help me, suggest something…”

“What for?”

“To melt Taeyeon’s heart so she’ll accept me!”

Junsu felt the uneasiness inside of him rising again. He shut his book and glanced at his friend, who was deep in his thoughts with his eyes closed. Junsu exhaled in relief – at least Jaejoong wouldn’t be able to see how uneasy he was feeling.

“Well, uh—you could give her gifts. Girls adore those things.”

Jaejoong’s eyes split from the crooked slits into big round circles. Snapping his fingers, he beamed at his friend. “You’re right! Girls do love gifts, huh? Man, you’re a freaking genius!”

Junsu forced a crooked smile out. “The question is: what do you plan on getting her?”

Jaejoong stopped dead in his victory dance when he registered Junsu’s question. “Oh. Right. You’re right again.” His eyes darted away onto several passers-by, a bunch of girls holding a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

“Dude, I’m a genius! Firstly, girls love chocolates—those will definitely take the punch! Secondly, Valentine’s Day is approaching, isn’t it? Man, Junsu—do you realize what this means? It means there’s a high chance Taeyeon will be my girlfriend if I do the right things!”

Junsu stared at his friend, trying to make out what he said. He glanced at his watch, which told him the date: February 8.

So Valentine’s Day was coming.

He bit his lower lip and stared at Jaejoong again, who resumed his victory dance.

6 more days—Jaejoong had 6 more days.

But so did he.