“So, what is your plan?” asked Sooyoung as she gave a bite to the big piece of cake that a waiter at her favorite restaurant brought her a few moments ago. She moaned a little when she felt the sweetness invade .

“I’m just going to tell daddy,” answered Tiffany smugly, “I’m sure she won’t be able to say no.”

Jessica snorted. “Really? That’s your idea of romance? Asking your dad to persuade her to be your lover?”

Tiffany shrugged her shoulders. “That’s just details. The most important thing is getting her to like me.”

“So… you’re doing this because you want her to like you? Couldn’t you…you know… get to know her or invite her to dinner or something?” asked Sooyoung before yelping in pain. “Ouch! Why did you do…” she shut up when she saw the murderous glare of her girlfriend.

“Honey, how many times have I told you to not talk with your mouth full?” Sooyoung gulped when she heard the sickeningly sweet voice of her girlfriend.

“I’m sorry, dear,” she said, bowing her head, not wanting to see the glare that was freezing her entire being slowly.

“Now, now, Jessi, give poor Soo a break. You know the girl loves her food,” Tiffany tried to mediate.

Jessica just harrumphed and turned her head to Tiffany. “However, what this never-ending barrel said is true, if you just want her to like you, couldn’t you use other methods? Or what, has Tiffany Hwang’s charm become ineffective?” Jessica ended with a teasing voice.

“Of course not! My charms are stronger than ever! She just needs to pass more time with me,” Tiffany said indignantly.

The couple laughed as Tiffany pouted.

---

Taeyeon walked slowly to the deserted land of the Victors’ Village while looking at the people that surrounded her. Some waved at her, some decided to stay out of her way.  Certainly it didn’t affect them that someone from their district had won. In the end, the message was the same, no matter who won. However, the people from the black market had received her since she got off the train. After a while of conversation and hellos, they had let her go to her new ‘home’.

The snow from the winter accumulating in the unoccupied houses, making them seem more desolate and empty. One house in particular had the entrance snow free, so she directed her feet to there. Why had Auntie decided to live in the farthest house? Taeyeon shook her head. Sometimes she couldn’t understand her.

What would she tell them? She definitely had promised she would come back, and she had come back, but only to go back to a place she despised. The luxury was nice, but to an extent. That extent had been surpassed by far in the Capitol, and she didn’t like it one bit. Surely they wouldn’t be happy, but she had to do it. She needed to protect them, for they were the only thing that she had in this life, the only worthy thing, that is.

It wouldn’t be so bad, she hoped, to comply with the wishes of Lord Hwang. She just hoped that the daughter wasn’t as stuck up as everyone else. Oh, who was she kidding? It was obvious that she’s going to be as stuck as everyone else. She lives in the Capitol! The real thing she hoped was that the girl would get bored of her fast, so she could come back.

She entered the house that now would be hers for the rest of her terrenal life (was there even life after death?) and looked around. The tallness of the other houses made the inside seem very obscure, even if it was just 5:00 pm. Well, in District 12 everything was covered was covered with the darkness and gloominess of slavery and injustice anyway.

The lights of a room connected to a large corridor were on, so she walked there. In there, she found Auntie Hankyu, who was kind of cooking something herbal, maybe something that was medicinal.

“Hello, dear,” said Hankyu, making Taeyeon jump.

“Auntie! Don’t scare me like that!” Taeyeon retorted before engulfing the older woman in a hug. Warm.

“Well, I thought that at this point you would already understand about my hearing.” That was true, though. Ever since Taeyeon could remember, Hankyu had a great earing sense. She recalled the times when she was a kid a tried to grab a cookie from the cookie jar stealthily, only to be busted by Hankyu and be punished. The memory made Taeyeon smile. They stayed like that for a few minutes before leaving each other’s embrace.

“Where is Soonkyu?”

“She’s upstairs, dear. Go for her, I’ll call you when dinner is ready,” said Hankyu with a smile.

“That’s dinner?” said Taeyeon teasingly, receiving a slap in the arm.

“Leave now, kiddo,” said the older woman. Taeyeon just bowed and left the room.

She felt anxious to meet Sunny. Was she feeling well? Was she becoming stronger? She submerged in another memory, remembering the last time they saw each other. They had embraced in an almost never ending hug until the guard came to take Taeyeon away. She remembered her warmness, her cheeriness (hence the nickname), and the affection that she received.

She felt anxious, but also very happy to be able to see her again. Even though she had promised to come back, she never thought she would make it, and when she hugged Sunny in what she thought would be their last farewell; she really was saying goodbye to her through the hug, wishing her the happiness of the world, well, as much happiness as their ugly world would permit her.

Wait, Auntie didn’t even say in which room was Sunny in. Oh, well, she would have to look for her.

After a while of looking for her, she found her in a room, sitting on her old and rusty wheel-chair, looking at the window with a pensive expression on her face.

“Took you long enough to come,” she said, her voice serious, forming goosebumps on Taeyeon’s skin.

“H-hi,” responded Taeyeon fearfully, unsure on how to deal with a serious Soonkyu. Because serious Soonkyu only appeared on special occasions that were very far in between. Taeyeon shuddered as she remembered those special occasions.

“Hi? Is that the only thing you want to say? Hi?!” Soonkyu elevated her voice with each word, making Taeyeon cringe.

“Do you know how worried I was?! Do you know how scared I was every time I would see you in the TV?!” Soonkyu screamed. Taeyeon was speechless.

“S-soonkyu…”

“I thought…” said Sunny, turning to look at Taeyeon, and what Taeyeon saw alarmed her. She could see bitter tears running through Soonkyu’s cheeks. “I thought I would lose you…” Soonkyu finished saying, more tears streaming down her cheeks. That woke Taeyeon from her stupor.

She approached Soonkyu and engulfed her into a hug. Taeyeon could feel tears covering her line of vision.

“I thought I lost you…”repeated Soonkyu shakily.

“I’m here now. You don’t have to fear because I’m here now,” said Taeyeon soothingly, but strongly, not betraying her decaying emotions. She never wanted to give Soonkyu a reason to cry again.

Soonkyu pushed Taeyeon from the embrace, surprising the latter. She looked into the other girl’s eyes, searching for something. The eyes of Soonkyu showed a fiery emotion that made her tremble a little. Her eyes widened when she saw Soonkyu’s face coming close to her.

She felt a pair of lips on hers before closing her eyes and relaxing into the kiss. She moved her lips in a steady rhythm, following the pace of the younger and smaller girl, who encircled Taeyeon’s neck with her arms. She sighed, contentedly, feeling her arms snaking to Soonkyu’s back and pulling her closer.

After a few minutes both separated to come back for air. Taeyeon brought a hand to Soonkyu’s cheek and caressed it slowly.

“You don’t have to fear anymore because I’ll protect you.”