A cold wind blows through Seoul as October casts its dominion over the bustling city. A thin sheet of white crystals shower overhead, the street lamps flickering in response to the daunting clouds of the overcast sky. Warm wisps of smoke plume into the crisp air, climbing high into the sky and disappearing amongst the clouds as crowds of people attempt to keep the cold at bay. Possibly the most beautiful sight of all, neither the landscape nor the brilliant mist of lights, but the young couples out enjoying it. Holding hands through the dreadful obstacles of thick winter coats, some warmth seems to radiate around them. 
But in one spot of this beautiful city, the snow is not so inviting. Instead it offers a biting chill to one whose heart is already frozen, shattering like shards of ice by the impossible words escaping her girlfriend’s lips. 

“It’s over Taeyeon, I’m sorry I just… I can’t do this anymore,” already unable to hold back her tears, the brunette is forced to watch as they plop to the ground, making long, visible trails as they sink into the snow.

Taeyeon quickly whips out her phone, ready to beg and plead in front of Tiffany if that’s what she desires. Tiffany angrily swipes at the phone, knocking it out of the brunette’s grip and burying it beneath the white blanket. 
Taeyeon slowly lifts her head to meet Tiffany’s eyes, hoping in some way to convey the millions of thoughts racing through her head.

“Stop Taeyeon! Just stop with all the childish messages and writings and just talk to me! Your voice, your beautiful voice… How could you let it get away? How could you let everything you worked so hard for slip away so easily?” She kicks a clump of snow in frustration, her eyes piercing the ground in their intensity.
She can’t look, she can’t give in. She knows all too well if she looks into those pleading eyes that her resolve will crumble.

Taeyeon opens to argue, to shout and scream for her to stay, whatever Tiffany needed to know to understand her. 

But there is only silence, a mere trail of steam escaping her lips.

“I’m giving you one more chance Tae, just one. Please, my heart can’t bear this burden any longer. If you love me, if you truly don’t want me to leave, tell me. Please, tell me. If you can’t, then it’s time for me to go. I need to live my life Tae, I can’t live with this constant burden any longer.”

Taeyeon fervently scratches at , resolving to tear the blood-stained words from her skin by her own hand to release them.

Silence. Cold, dead silence.

“That’s what I thought,” turning away from the pitiful creature kneeling on the Earth, Tiffany rips at her couple ring, tossing it with an air of disgust into the vast sea of white. “Don’t try to contact me after today. It’s over Kim Taeyeon, goodbye.”

Somewhere else in the city, two other girls walk these city streets, talking in hushed tones amongst themselves. The subject, although just as serious, is not a mere quarrel of love, but of one girl’s impending situation.

“Hyoyeon, I’m begging you, please at least consider what he’s saying. I can’t tell you for sure what the outcome may be, but if it can help you, shouldn’t you give it at least a little more thought?”

“What is there to think about Jess? You heard her. You heard what this could do to me, to my life. I’m already damaged enough, I don’t need to take it any further than that. I’m perfectly happy with how my life is now.”

Suddenly the brunette stops, her wrist forcibly enveloping that of the blonde.

“Happy? You’re really going to stand there and tell me you’re happy? How ing delusional are you? I haven’t seen your real smile in so long Hyo. Everyday… everyday you would smile as if the end of the world couldn’t bring you down. I’m tires of this façade. You’re like this.. this zombie. You’re alive but you aren’t living and I can’t… I just can’t stand it. I want the old Hyoyeon back. Please…. Please!” Tears soak the blonde’s shirt as Jessica burrows her face into her chest. Her deep sobs rock them both to the core, her resolve faltering from the long war in their wake.

“I’m sorry Jessica,” Hyoyeon hugs the girls as she immediately crumbles in her embrace. “It’s just too risky.”

“But Hyo…”

“Wait,” Hyoyeon suddenly stops, her eyes fixed in the distance.

”But…”

“Shhh. Do you see that?”

“See what?”

The streets have long been deserted, many seeking the cozy shelter of nearby shops and restaurants. The only occupant of the seemingly empty streets is that of the thick layer of ice and snow, still continuing its invasion of the city. But suddenly, after wiping away much of the moisture from her eyes, it suddenly becomes clear to her. A slight bump in the snow, small enough to easily go undetected, crystalizes into her vision.
Hyoyeon is the first to venture over, her eyes locked on the abnormality with a strange intensity. Her hand trembles fretfully. If you asked, she’d say it was the cold, but no one would blame her for the nervous tremor coursing through her body at the abnormality. She brushes the sheet away, her eyes slightly widening as she turns her head towards Jessica.

“Jess, come help. It’s a girl, she’s unconscious.”

Immediately responding to her friend’s cry, Jessica rushes over, brushing back the clumps of snow as Hyoyeon lifts the girl into an upright position.

“Should we take her to the hospital?”

“No,” Hyoyeon grabs at her coat, securely locking the mystery brunette in the silhouette of her warmth. ”She’s ice cold and our apartment is much closer. Let’s take her home and we’ll go from there.”

“Are you sure?” She asks but she can already practically hear Hyoyeon’s answer in her head.

That long forgotten look of determination shines clearly in Hyoyeon’s eyes, so familiar, yet, the sight still manages to earn a short gasp from the girl. 

It’s been so long since she's seen that look, she knows it’s foolish, this girl’s life could be at stake… But this Hyoyeon, this is the Hyoyeon she remembers. She trusts her. It’s that familiar confidence, she knows Hyoyeon is sure in her actions. She has to trust her, otherwise, that look might disappear for good.

“Let’s go,” Hyoyeon hoists the petite girl onto her back, a slight whimper escaping as she grits her teeth in response.

“Hyo!” She jumps to help the blonde but the girl in question has already left her in her hurried tracks.

Finally able to catch up she blocks Hyoyeon’s path, “You can’t do this Hyoyeon. At least let me carry her. You could get hurt and then…”

“Sica, trust me, I’m aware of my own limitations. She’s perfectly safe in my arms, she’s pretty light actually. And please, you carry her? From what I’ve heard you can’t even carry your own girlfriend, and she’s a ing stick,” Hyoyeon shoots the bewildered girl a wink, once again continuing her trek home.

“Yah! Kim Hyoyeon! Who the hell told you that?” She runs after her friend, only shouting more profanity along the way.

After trudging through several block of dense powder, the three girls arrive at HyoSica’s apartment. Jessica heads inside first, taking care to crank up the heater and clear a place on the couch for their guest. Not even so much as a glance is given towards the girl as Hyoyeon quickly glides past her, instead deciding to delicately place the girl in her own bed.

"Hyo…”

“It’s warmer in there. Plus I can watch her better if she’s close by.”

Before Jessica can formulate a rebuttal, the vibrating in her pocket interrupts her.

“Yeoboseyo?”

The sudden shift in Jessica’s expression earns a short snort of laughter from Hyoyeon.

“She is so ed,” Hyoyeon laughs once more before excusing herself to the kitchen.

“ Soo I’m sorry I was… Yeah I’m on my way right now… Where was I?... Hyo’s appointment, I promised I would… Okay, be down in a minute.”

Hyoyeon’s laughter echoes throughout the apartment as the conversation filters into her ears. Once Hyoyeon turns her back to the girl Jessica immediately launches a surprise attack, chopping Hyoyeon in the head with her hand.

“Yah! You were supposed to remind me about my date tonight!”

“Was I?” Hyoyeon laughs, scratching her head innocently. “I’m sorry, that doesn’t seem to ring a bell. But, you better hurry princess. You know better than I what happens when the shikskin doesn’t get her food.”

Jessica stares blankly for a moment, the cogs spinning in her head as she processes the notion. The realization hits her like a tone of bricks mere seconds later than the average person.

“No s… No s…” she stutters.

Hyoyeon presses a finger to the girl’s lips, a devilish smile gracing her own. “Yes Jess. No from Sooyoung if she doesn’t get fed.”

Jessica’s dolphin scream rattles the foundation of the entire building. She sprints madly around the apartment, fixing her hair into a manageable mane, throwing clothes haphazardly as she struggles to pull herself into her favorite pair of jeans.

Within minutes she is halfway out the door, only to peer in once again, exchanging a worried glance with her friend.

Hyoyeon notices her look of concern but brushes if off, unable to bear depriving Jessica of her date if only due to her lack of control over her own emotions.

At least someone in this house should be happy.

“Don’t worry Sica, I can take care of her myself. If anything happens, you know I can take care of it. Go have fun on your date.” She stops for a moment, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “Oh, and don’t you dare bring her back here. You already keep me up with all that damn racket. If her and I have to hear your ing tonight you’ll likely scar her for life and have the pleasure of discovering my corpse sprawled on the sidewalk tomorrow morning after I take a mercy jump.”

Jessica laughs, planting a kiss on her best friend’s cheek before heading out. “Love you Hyo.”

“Love you too Jess.” 

She listens for the resounding noise of her footsteps, the slam of the door serving as confirmation that she is indeed alone once again.

When Jessica is gone, she can’t help but get like this. She slips back into the familiar shroud of depression. Lonely, useless, broken, the words creep back to taunt her once more with their ever-present dominion over her senses.

But this time, she is able to ignore it. Not because of her own strength, no, don’t mistake this as some step towards recovery. The only thing stopping her from pouring herself a drink and taking her usual seat snuggled under the comforter is the realization that she in fact is not alone. She has someone to take care of, someone who needs her help right now.

Hyoyeon practically glides into the kitchen, swiftly going through the familiar motions. Having known Jessica for so long, Hyoyeon has cared for the princess excessively in the past. Once Jessica began dating Sooyoung, Hyoyeon had hoped that the responsibility would finally be lifted from her shoulders. Sadly Jessica’s girlfriend Is just as inept at taking care of the sick girl as Jessica herself. When they get sick together they have these lovely little sleepovers where Hyoyeon is demoted to servant status, forced to watch the girls spread their germs even further before tossing a pillow and ordering them to get a room. Of course, Hyoyeon never gets sick. Her once formidable dancer’s body still maintains its past level of fortitude, immune to the common illnesses other so easily fall victim to.

After sticking a small tray of water in the microwave she heads back into the bedroom, three more blankets cast over her arm and a half-empty bottle of headache medicine clad in her fist.

The girl is still unconscious and, unbeknownst to Hyoyeon, suffering from a combination of ice swirling through her system as well as the pain from her life self-destructing entreating her not to abandon her subconscious just yet. The outside world can wait just a little longer, she decides.

Hyoyeon’s brow furrows with worry as an intense shiver rocks the petite girl’s frame. The brunette has cast her blanket to the ground, possibly in a struggle against some unknown nightmare. Hyoyeon plucks the blanket from the ground, tucking the cloth over every inch of her skin, ensuring no warmth would dare escape and deprive the girl of any comfort.

“What happened to you exactly?” Hyoyeon whispers, knowing full well she is only posing the question to the walls surrounding them.

She covers her with the extra blankets, leaving the medicine on the bedside table should a migraine creep up in her absence. 

Turning one more time to reassure herself, Hyoyeon exits the room once again, back to the kitchen to prepare for the long night ahead of her.

Taeyeon’s POV

~
I’m forced to watch over and over again as my love casts me aside like yesterday’s news. I rummage through the snow in a panic, hopelessly attempting to find my phone, my one source of communication, in this vast nothingness. 

“Unbelievable Taeyeon. Do you remember when we first started dating? You would say sweet words to me and sing me songs you composed for your debut. Now… now you can’t even formulate a ing sentence! You’re pathetic. I can’t believe I ever loved you…”

As I continue groping through the snow, Tiffany’s image fades away. The snow melts into a boiling puddle, the steam invading my eyes and bringing forth unwanted tears.

, I can’t see.

“That’s not the only thing you can’t do, good for nothing child.” 

Daddy?

“Daddy? Oh my, that’s hilarious. Don’t act like you still have the right to claim me. I disowned you for a good reason I see. First you have this ridiculous dream of becoming a singer, as if you had some sort of talent. Then you go off and lose your voice like a child. What was it you said? You would sing hard enough and prove to me that it was an honorable profession? That you could make it on your own? Well look at you now little girl, it looks like you’re all tuckered out from singing. Next thing you know you’ll be back on my doorstep, begging for me to take you back into the family. Your girlfriend, ugh, so disgusting, but at least she has some sense. She may be a disgusting ing queer like you but she’s smart enough to know a problem child when she sees one. She seems like a good kid, you must have tricked her into the disgusting world of homouality. Maybe she’ll find herself a nice man now that she’s no longer entrapped in that poisonous grip you had your mother and I in for so long.”

“…”

“Still not a word I see, even in your dreams. Such a useless child…”

The snow begins falling again, swirling around me in a merciless twister of white. My father turns his back to me, disappearing in the blizzard.

“Daddy!”
~

I push myself from the bed, the pain in my head following me in my escalation. 

. My head is throbbing.

I wrap the blanket tightly around me, a mix of ice and heat battling inside me like an elemental storm.

Blanket…? But the snow, I thought I collapsed in the snow.

I raise the blanket to my nose and inhale. 

This scent, it’s clean, comforting. This isn’t my bed. 

I continue to analyze my surroundings. It’s dark, possibly midnight, it’s hard to tell with the curtains drawn closed. I feel something dripping and realize a damp cloth has been strapped to my head. 

Tiffany… Did she come back for me?

I can’t help my lips from curving into a smile at the thought. But those dreams are quickly shattered as I peer over the side of the bed. There’s a young woman there, lying on an inflated mattress mere inches from me. 

Who is that?

I don’t recognize her. Even as I lean closer, the details I gather aren’t ringing a bell. She’s blonde, something I would definitely recall had we met even once before. It’s hard to tell since she’s lying down but she might be only slightly taller than me. 
It’s strange; you think I would be filled with a sense of dread and fear, waking up in an unfamiliar home like this. But think about it, if she wanted to kill me she’d have done it already. There wouldn’t be a cloth on my head and I wouldn’t be snuggled in such warm blankets. Even if she is a stranger, she is taking care of me. 
Suddenly I feel a twisting pain in my stomach. I nearly jump from the bed but all too quickly realize I don’t know where the bathroom is. I run into the nearest room, releasing the contents of my stomach onto the floor.

“Oh my god!” The girls on the bed quickly cover themselves. “Hyoyeon!”

Oh gosh, were they having ? Did I just… Holy Taeyeon, could you have picked a worse room?

“What?!” The blonde from earlier quickly rushes in, her jaw dropping at the scene. As soon as she lays eyes on me, she bursts into laughter, clutching her ribs as the sound of her amusement only increases. “See! What did I tell you Jessica? You’ve gone and made our poor guest sick.”

Hyoyeon, that girl named Jessica called her Hyoyeon. 

“Poor thing,” the blonde kneels before me. “Are you okay?”

“Hey, trying to do something here!” The other girl yells.

You mean someone.

“Sooyoung, you are lucky I’m even tolerating this right now, especially under my own roof. Just for that little bit of retaliation, no food at my restaurant for a week.”

“W-what?!” Sooyoung rips the blanket from the bed, covering herself as she stumbles toward us. “Please Hyoyeon, I beg of you, don’t let me starve to death!”

“Yah!” The girl named Jessica clutches the nearly see through sheets to cover her bare skin. “How dare you almost reveal my body to everyone in this room!”

“Yeah Soo, you could have made her vomit a second time.”

“Are you saying my body is disgusting?!” Jessica yells at an incredibly high pitch but no one seems to be paying her any attention.

“Tell you what, I’ll let you eat at my restaurant again if you clean our guest’s vomit and promise to take Jessica to your place to continue these… activities, for the duration of this young ladies’ stay.”

Is she talking about me? Am I supposed to stay here?

“Yes you’re staying here, you’re still sick and I don’t want you wandering the streets in this condition,” she smiles, taking my hand and helping me from the ground.

How did she know I was going to say that?

“Can everyone just please get out of my room?!” Jessica screams.

“It’s my apartment Jess, they’re all my rooms,” Hyoyeon snickers, slamming the door as Jessica hurls a pillow at the two of us. As soon as we leave the room she cups my cheeks and presses our foreheads together, “You still have a slight fever. I’m sorry if my friends traumatized you. I told them not to have here anymore but those two are like rabbits, you just can’t keep them off each other.”

I feel my face flushing and she looks at me apologetically. 

“Sorry, I guess talking about my friends’ life isn’t the best introduction. My name is Hyoyeon,” she extends her hand for me to take. “And yours?”

Damn, I don’t want to tell her about my voice, she would only look down on me like the rest. 
What do I do?

“Is your throat okay or do you just not want to tell me?” She laughs. “I mean, I know this is a strange situation but you can trust me. Here,” she hands me a paper and pen. “If it’s just your throat you can write it for me.”

I nod my thanks and scribble my name on the paper.

“Kim Taeyeon,” she reads, “hey, that sounds similar to mine. My last name is also Kim. So what were you doing out in the snow like that Taeyeon, you could have died you know?”

I stare harshly at the ground and I think she gets the message.

“No problem, it’s your personal life. Why don’t we just go back to my room? I can give you some medicine and we’ll see how you feel in the morning.”

That sounds like a good idea.

I scribble these words on the paper and return it to her. 

“Alright then… Oh. Your clothes,” she points to the stains from my earlier sickness and frowns. “We’re about the same size so how about you wear some of my clothes?”

I nod again, earning another smile from the blonde.

Her smile, it’s beautiful. Her eyes curve in almost the same was as Tiff’s…

“Good, follow me.”

She takes my hand and leads me back to the bedroom. She shows me to the bathroom, that I somehow missed earlier, and hands me an oversized t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants. The clothes are comfy and they smell so amazing. I’m so used to wearing the same clothes on a daily basis, I’m lazy okay, so it’s nice to have such a fresh scent surrounding me. 

When I exit the bathroom I catch sight of Hyoyeon undressing in the corner. She takes notice, immediately pulling her previous clothing back on.

“Sorry, you scared me,” she laughs nervously.

Strange, she doesn’t know I’m gay, why is she hiding then? I thought girls changed in front of each other all the time.

“I’ll just go change in the bathroom okay,” she shuffles past me, closing the door behind her. 

Even more strange. Maybe she figured it out and doesn’t wanna change in front of me. Was my clothing obvious or something? Do I give off some sort of gay aura? I don’t know, maybe she’s just shy.

“All done.”

She comes out with similar clothing as the ones she gave me, the majority of her skin covered and her hair now tied up in a bun.

All these long sleeved clothes, yeah, she must just be shy. 

“Are you ready for…”

“Oh ! Sooyoung! Ugh…”

We exchange blank stares before Hyoyeon’s eyes blaze with fury. She grabs the bowl of water she had been using to calm my fever from the nightstand, flashing a mischievous smile and then trudging out of the room and back down the hall.

Wonder what she’s gonna do with that…

“Hyoyeon! What the Hell?!”

“Stop ing in my house! Taeyeon is trying to sleep!”

The loud screams echo throughout the house as, I’m assuming, Hyoyeon douses the couple with the water. 

That scream, the pitch sounds so familiar.

“Stop screeching you ing dolphin! If I get complaints from the neighbors we will lose this apartment!”

Dolphin… yeah, that sounds about right.

“As if your shouting won’t wake them!”

“Both of you are gonna wake them!”

“No one asked you Sooyoung! And what the Hell is this vomit doing on the floor? Are you guys seriously having when there’s vomit in the room? That’s it Sooyoung, no food for a month!”

“Nooooooooooooo!”

I hear the door slam from down the hall and after a few seconds Hyoyeon returns, a triumphant smirk adorning her face. 

“What’s so funny?”

I admit it, even after having my heart broken, I’m laughing uncontrollably right now. Wouldn’t you? These girls are just… they’re so hilarious.

“Alright now, that’s enough. You’re gonna have a six pack by the time you finish laughing. I’m sure you’ve been successfully scarred for life now so I think it’s high time we hit the sack. Goodnight Taeyeon,” she leads me to the bed, tucking me tightly under the covers and placing the newly dampened clothe on my forehead.

Goodnight Hyoyeon.