Taetae and I like to play games. I like playing house with my Barbie doll, and she likes to play race cars and Rising Force on the computer.

But what do we both like doing together?

Fairytales.

Imagining ourselves as royalty.

We're both lucky enough to set fort on a treehouse today!

"Princess, here, take my hand!" Taeyeon's perched on top of the makeshift rope ladder with her hand stretched out to me.

I grab it and pull myself up slowly until I can fully see the inside of the house. It's small and dirty but I'm too excited to complain about it.

"Thank you, my prince." I make a small curtsy, laughing lightly.

"It is a pleasure, milady," she bows back.

Beside us, her black poodle barks animatedly at us both.

"As for you, Ginger, guard our castle riiight here!" She wastes no time in putting the cute dog near the edge. Ginger comes back to us anyway, and in the end she becomes a patrolling guard for bad enemies.

"No one will attack us, Taetae," I tell her and spin around in my long dress. "We're safe here and up high near the sky!"

Taeyeon hums for a moment, gazing at me, hand poised on her chin. She answers, "You're right. No one can handle HellPany's wrath when she's angry."

"Yah-"

"Except me!" And she comes close to me and taps the part between my eyebrows. The effect on me is instantaneous.

"Huh. True..." I look at her triumphant smile, which makes me giggle. "'Cause Prince Taetae's the only one for me!"

"Yeah!" Taeyeon shouts.

"Arf!" goes Ginger and her wagging tail.

Taeyeon stands straight, clears and approaches me gently, saying, "Pany-ah, my dear princess, it would be an honor to dance with you. Can I...?"

I look at her, like, really look at her and see the warm brown eyes and I can't help but think she's very, very pretty, mind and heart.

Like a practiced well-mannered lady, I put a hand over her palm and the other around her neck. "Why, yes. Yes, of course."

Around the tree house we go humming to a slow song we both know, and we try our best to keep the play going, Taeyeon now softly singing.

And I notice it's very... jumpy.

"Taetae, not the Pororo song!" I whine in between my laughs.

Taeyeon continues a full eight counts or so. She stops. She sings the ... wait, is it?

My mouth opens on its own to join for a shout-out version of the Totoro theme song. There are smiles on our faces, cheeks burning, aching red. We don't even finish it before fully laughing at ourselves for being dorks again.

"Taengoo! Tippani!" A shout from outside stops the playing. "Hey, you kids up there?"

Taeyeon quietly pouts, letting go of me and stomps to the open space aka the door. "Go away, big bad wolf! Don't come near the castle or I'll fight you---to death!"

"...What?" I can hear Jiwoong laugh.

"Ugh. We're playing, oppa! At least do your part, you meanie ."

I crawl by her side and see a good view of Jiwoong oppa, Hayeonie and the Kims all over the place.

"Taeyeon unnie! Tippani unnie! Me too, Hayeonie want play-play too!!" Hayeon's adorable little self is held over Jiwoong oppa's arms and him curling away a bit from the baby's screaming.

Taeyeon and I snort at the same time, look at each other and laugh our heads off again. It's crazy! I feel like even the smallest things are so funny because I'm with her.

Eventually, we go down the ladder one by one, Taeyeon holding Ginger as she did so, and soon Hayeon's attention is on the pup, Jiwoong oppa's at Taetae for stealing the picnic blanket. I smile on the sidelines remembering how good it was to have a lunch out, a good playground for our Fairytale game and the over-extended playtime by ourselves. Oh, and with Ginger too! Wah, I wish I could have a dog. I'm definitely asking Daddy for cute puppy later, hehe.

I feel a big hand on my shoulder and see Taeyeon's dad smiling.

"Hey kiddos. Time to head back now," he tells us all.

When we get in the car, I can only feel Taeyeon's head near mine and our breaths going in and out, eyes closed and a well-used time for a memory to fondly remember in the future.

I know that's what I'll be doing when I grow up.