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BigDinosaur

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“Let’s go there!” squealed Tiffany as she pointed at the painting stand. Taeyeon could only sigh and follow the excited girl to the booth.

They entered the said place and Tiffany sat at one of the glittery stools that were there. Rapidly, a person attended Tiffany, asking her in a fake cheery voice what she wanted to have painted on her cheek.

Two weeks had passed since the day they first met, and today was one of their dates (suggested by Tiffany, of course). This event, known as a ‘fair’ had garnered attention because there was a rumor of this being a common occurrence in the past. Nobody knew for sure about what had happened before Panem was formed, but they appreciated the fair with open arms.

Taeyeon had never asked herself how the pre-Panem world was because it seemed useless. Nobody documented anything and even the thing called ‘fair’ was very questionable. Besides, for her the past that didn’t affect her present didn’t matter at all. The world that was unknown for everyone in Panem was something that had been buried over time in a way that it didn’t affect in any way her lifestyle, which made it unimportant.

She could not negate, however, that when that frivolous Capitol inhabitant told her that she felt curious.

Tiffany gestured Taeyeon to sit on the equally glitter-covered stool next to her. Taeyeon could only groan.

“Come on, Taetae, this will be fun!”

“I have the complete right to refuse to this nonsense.”

Tiffany pouted a little. Hah! Does she think that I will be swayed by that? I don’t even care about that cute little pout that she’s making. Wait. Did I say cute? No, no, no, Kim Taeyeon! You’re succumbing to her retarded duckface. Look elsewhere. Look elsewhere.

“Taetae~”.  Oh, hell no.

“I’m not doing it, and that’s final,” Taeyeon said as she turned her head elsewhere and crossed her arms. Tiffany frowned, but then smirked.

“Well, I guess that I can’t force you. But I’m afraid that if you’re not next to me I will, in some way, have a teeny tiny slip and tell someone what you did on our first date.”

Taeyeon snapped her head to look at Tiffany again, her eyes glaring at her.

“You wouldn’t.”

Tiffany’s smirk grew. “Don’t believe me? Then watch me.” As Tiffany stood up, Taeyeon raised a hand towards her.

“That’s not necessary,” Taeyeon sighed, regretting drinking too much alcohol on their first date. “What do you want me to paint on my cheek?”

Tiffany squealed, grabbing Taeyeon’s extended arm and pulling her to the stool next to her. I swear this girl’s mood…

--

“Let’s try this one,” Tiffany said while pointing at the ride called ‘Giro Drop’. Taeyeon watched as the big metal ball fell with great speed and rose to a great altitude to fall again. It was enough to make her feel sick.

“How about that one,” Taeyeon pointed at the less extreme rollercoaster, hoping that Tiffany would desist.

“Hmm… nope. Let’s try this one,” Tiffany insisted with a smirk. This . She knew what she was doing.

Taeyeon wanted to refuse, but knew she couldn’t. Tiffany held the truth of what happened after she got drunk in their first date. I’m truly an idiot, baring myself to her so embarrassingly.

Taeyeon sighed.

“Could we please not go in this one?” she asked, although she knew the answer.

“Nope. Come on, let’s get in the line!” Tiffany grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the game. Taeyeon grimaced slightly.

“You know, there are much more exciting rides in this fair,” Taeyeon tried to reason once they were in the line. Tiffany just hummed. “Are you really going to ignore me?”

“Oh, what? You spoke? Sorry, I didn’t know chickens talked,” she spoke playfully.

“Who said I’m a chicken? I’m just being a good date and helping you see better options,” Taeyeon deadpanned, feeling powerless in front of the Hwang.

“And I thank you, but I want to ride this one.”

“Then, couldn’t you ride it alone?”

“Nope. We are a package deal.”

“What are we? Leftover bags of rice and beans?” Tiffany looked at her weirdly.

“What?” Tiffany giggled.

“You say the weirdest things.”

“I do not. You just don’t understand what I want to say.”

“It’s not my fault that I don’t get it. Nobody uses those phrases here!”

“Well, they are not used here, but they are used in my district.”

Tiffany didn’t continue the conversation and Taeyeon took that as an opportunity to coach herself while watching the machine do its job a few times. I can do this. I’ll definitely do this and rub it in this bitc- girl’s face. I’m the woman.

She had been deep in her own encouragement that she was surprised when she felt her hand being held again by Tiffany. Taeyeon looked.

“Just enjoy the ride,” the taller girl said gently, tracing little circles in Taeyeon’s hand in a soothing manner. Taeyeon was stunned. She had never seen the girl so gentle, nor with her words either her eyes that shone with something that Taeyeon didn’t want to comprehend. Did I look that nervous?

She just gave a small smile, feeling that it was the most appropriate thing to do at the moment, which made Tiffany give a matching smile, eyes following suit. Though she had seen Tiffany’s eye-smile, it still made her heart do some weird lurching.

Finally, their time to use the ride came. The nervousness came back in full force, making Taeyeon feel like running out of there. It was too late. She was already strapped to the ride. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to have the people standing up! I’ll go kick them in the nuts after this!

Her hands were pressing hard against each other, nails leaving marks in her skin. The countdown for the start of the ride started. Why are they delaying this so much? They should just start it fast. Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m doing this anyway. Let’s just take a deep breather and relax. 5 seconds. Oh, God, I’m not ready! I’m not ready! I’m so not ready! 2 seconds. Crud. Asdefsdfsrsdv…

Taeyeon’s soul was flying to the sky, letting her body fall to the deep dungeons of hell. Or so she felt. Who’s screaming? Oh, it’s me. Her mind registered a soft and smooth object touching her hands and she grabbed it. Screw investigating what it was. It didn’t matter. Not when she felt she was just about to die.

--

They walked through the fair holding hands (Tiffany’s suggestion), looking at the attractions with interest. Taeyeon had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that being in a fair, with or without Tiffany, despite the ride of hell, was very fun. She had never seen so many colors in a place. It filled her with a little of cheerfulness.

“Tae, I need to go to the ladies’ room.” Taeyeon almost snorted when she heard the term ‘ladies’ room’, but held it in. She had never heard such phrase used ever. In her district, everyone just laid it as it was. Not vulgar, but definitely not like they were tiptoeing through a mine camp.

“Let’s go then.” She tugged Tiffany’s hand and searched for the bathroom.

While waiting for Tiffany to get out of the bathroom, she scrutinized the people there. They looked so frivolous, having so much fun, just as much as she was. Her expression darkened. Should she be having fun here? Should she be here letting herself go? She had to remember that this was not permanent. She would be living in this frivolous place until Tiffany got tired of her, until she was casted aside for a new toy. That was the life of Capitol citizens, was it not? Always living from the new. New fashion, new technology, new surgeries, new friendships, new boy toys.  Well, I’m technically a girl toy.

Someone won her attention. A man in his twenties with a tailored suit, looking at a certain stand intently. She approached to the man.

“Hey,” she said. He turned around.

“Hey, Taeyeon. Nice to see you here,” he responded, giving her a mock salute.

“What are you doing?” she asked, curiously.

“Always to the point, huh? No hello, how have you been?”

“Hello, oppa, what are you doing?” He chuckled and directed his gaze at the stand he was looking at before.

“Nothing, I’m just thinking.”

“About what?”

There was a little moment of silence, but then, he turned to look at her, eyes reflecting some intensity.

“Taeyeon, have you wondered about life outside this… outside Panem?”

“W-what do you mean?” she stuttered, surprised by his tone and question.

“I mean… have you asked yourself what was out there before? Before all this?”

“Umm…” Taeyeon contemplated in how to answer. The answer was yes. By a creepy coincidence, she had been thinking just about that a few hours ago, but her train of thought wasn’t as intense as his gaze.

“Yes. I have.” His gaze didn’t waver and it made her feel uncomfortable. He was almost never like this. He was a joker with an eternal smirk on his face.

“What would you say if I told you that there were different nations and governments before Panem?”

She just looked at him like a deer in the headlights, not really understanding where this was coming from.

He shook his head.

“Nevermind. Taeyeon, I just want to ask you to read this,” he said, giving her a fragment of some sort of old book.

“What is this?” she asked suspicious. He was acting very strange, and that made the warning bells resound in her head.

“Just read it.” Taeyeon looked at it. “Not now. Read it at your house. Put it in a safe place.”

“I don’t think I’m understanding, oppa.”

“Just read it. You will understand better when you read it.”

“But opp-

“TaeTae!” A voice called as an arm surrounded Taeyeon’s waist. She looked at her right, seeing a Tiffany smiling stiffly at him.

“Who’s this guy?” Tiffany asked.

“I’m Junsu, Taeyeon’s former co-stylist for the Games,” he said, returning to his normal persona.

“You’re a stylist?” Tiffany asked skeptically.

“Yes. You may not know me-”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Because I work only with tributes,” he said, amused by Tiffany’s interruption.

“Hmm, I wonder why that would be,” Tiffany said rather crossly. Junsu laughed.

“I decided to do that. It came from my own desire.”

“I think me and Tiffany should leave to look out for other rides,” Taeyeon said, grabbing Tiffany’s hand. It felt weird for her to have two people he knows and regards differently meet each other.

“Very well. I’ll not stop you. See you later, Taeyeon. Don’t forget what I said.”

Taeyeon nodded and pulled Tiffany, taking her away from Junsu. She succeeded for a few meters, to only stop when Tiffany pulled her hand.

“Who is he, Taeyeon?” she asked, her arms crossing at the sides.

“He already told you. He’s a stylist.”

“But what is he to you?”

“Just a friend. Why?” Taeyeon was weirded out by Tiffany’s questions and attitude. Why would she be angry? Unless… Nah, that’s impossible.

“Is he really just a friend?”

“Of course. Why would I lie to you?”

“You’d better not. Or I’ll tell Sooyoung your little adventure with alcohol on our first date.” Taeyeon groaned.

“Are you always going to bring that up?”

“If I feel the necessity to gain the upper hand, then yes.”

“What did I do to deserve this treatment?”

“Your fault.”

“Not my fault I needed wine to go through the date.”

“Do you want to go to the Giro Drop again?”

“How about going to the haunted house?”

“It’s scary there!”

“Then where do you want to go?”

“Let’s to go to the carousel!” And with that, they finished the questioning.

She went back to Junsu’s words. It really seemed sketchy. Why it was so important to know what was outside Panem? Was it just curiosity like hers? Was it fueled by something else? She erased those thoughts from her head as they sat on a horse each. Although she felt she shouldn’t be enjoying herself so much, she thought it was better than thinking about Junsu and his questions. So she let herself go.