Chapter 7

The room was dark, with the only source of light coming from the crack in the slightly parted curtains. The streak of sunlight shone onto the sleeping girl's face. Her face...those flawless features. She examined the resting face. The girl had long eyelashes, so long that she wanted to run her finger across. The girl’s thin cotton tank top rode up her tummy as she shifted in her sleep. She resisted the urged to grab the hem of the top and pull it off in one go. She gulped as the girl shifted once more, snuggling closer to her. She feels her self-control slipping away. Her fingers were twitching, itching to explore and feel the soft skin on her fingertips. Her heart pounded as she inched closer, allowing the unconscious girl's sweet scent to overwhelm her senses. With slightly trembling fingers, she slowly tugged at the thin material to reveal the expanse of smooth, milky skin. She was about to lean in to kiss the skin above the bellybutton when...

"Yah Taeyeon!"

She woke up with a thud, regaining consciousness almost immediately. She was feeling warm and the back of her pajama top was soaked with sweat.

She tried to register the owner of the voice with the depository in her brain. But it failed for the first few tries as her mind was still swirling and whirling. Taeyeon scratched the back of her sweaty neck as she recalled what just happened minutes ago. Wait...was it a dream or...?

"Yah! Are you okay?" Sunny hit the top of her best friend's head. "What were you doing to your Jack skellington plush?"

Taeyeon turned her head towards the owner of the voice. It's Sunny! She blinked several times as she tried to digest what was said to her. She looked down at the plush that she was grabbing on to. Still clouded by sleep, she did not quite understand what was going on.

"You were doing strange things to it!" Sunny elaborated when she noticed that Taeyeon was still clouded by sleep. "Kissing it..." She cleared awkwardly.

"WHAT" The drowsy girl immediately let go of the plush that she was holding on and threw it onto the floor. The dream was vivid.

"Are...you okay...?" Sunny took a cautious look at her roommate with flushed cheeks who was now taking in shallow breaths.

"..."

"Hey."

"..."

"Yah." She pokes her best friend's forehead.

"..."

"Kim Taeyeon, talk to me."

"Leave me alone." The girl laid back down onto the bed and covered her head with her pillow.

I am really, really going crazy this time round. What was that dream about? It felt so real. The girl looked really familiar. Was it...Tiffany? Argh. I'm going crazy. I really am. I'm a ert. A disgusting ert. Even chopping off my fingers is useless.

Sunny watched her kick around the bed with the pillow over her head. Muffled groans of frustrations were emitting from the tiny figure. She decides that it is best to give Taeyeon some space and time to calm down.

==

"Where's Taetae?"

"Ah, Taeyeon is having extra lesson with her teacher now so she told me to bring you out for lunch today. She will meet you for dinner later."

"But it's a Saturday. Teachers these days don't give students breaks."

"It's only a one day thing." Sunny elaborated on her lie.

"Oh well, I guess it couldn't be helped. Our Taetae has always been a smart girl. I never have to worry about her."

Sunny could only force a rigid smile. She was dying to finish the meal and get back to the dorm to check on her best friend.

==

"Hey."

"What? Are you gonna lecture me again?"

"Go check on Taeyeon. She has been acting weird ever since this morning. Something cropped up so I can't rush back to check on her."

"Come on, she's always weird."

"Are you even her girlfriend?"

"Exactly I'm her girlfriend, not her babysitter."

"Trust me. I have known Taeng for years and I can tell the difference between her being odd and her having one of those mental breakdowns. Look I have to go now, please go check on her."

"Hm."

Sunny exhaled and locked her phone. She was supposed to rush back after lunch but Taeyeon's mother had insisted on a shopping trip after lunch.

==

On the other side of the line, Tiffany was left confused by Sunny. She had no idea what was happening but decided that she should pay Taeyeon a visit just in case. After all, her morning texts were left unreplied and that never happened as Taeyeon always made sure she replies to every single message that Tiffany sends.

She packed lunch and headed to Taeyeon's room, knocking on the door. She tapped the door several times to no avail.

Maybe she is not even inside.

Tiffany scoffed at Sunny being all dramatic and over reacting again. She was about to turn on her heels and leave when she saw Taeyeon's cream coloured sneakers lying on the floor mat. Taeyeon only wears that singular pair of sneakers so she knew that her girlfriend must be inside.

She quickly pulled out the spare key from the bottom of the floor mat and unlocked the door.

When she entered the room, the first thing she saw was the lump on the bed, covered securely with a purple blanket.

She took a few steps closer to the bed, and gently pats the lump. "Taeyeon ah..."

The person under the blanket flinched immediately, as if Tiffany’s touch was searing her skin.

“Hey, are you okay?” Tiffany tries one more time.

“Don’t touch me...” The voice was soft and shaky as the girl rolled further away.

“Okay okay I won’t touch you. Can you please talk to me? Take off the blanket at least?”

“Leave me alone...”

Tiffany sighed. This is going to be difficult. “Come on, please?”

“…” Tiffany could hear sobbing from under the blanket.

“Baby…”

“Go away please. I don’t deserve you. I am a sick, dysfunctional ert.”

“What happened? Talk to me? So that we can solve this together? I am your girlfriend.”

Shuffles were heard as the tiny figure fumbles with the thick blanket. She eventually emerges from the blanket after some struggle, still clad in her pyjamas. Tiffany saw the puffy eyes and messy bed hair sticking out everywhere. Her first instinct was to hug the girl but she decided against it as Taeyeon was still sensitive.

“Talk to me?” Tiffany repeated, gently this time.

The girl rubbed her puffy eyes and tried to fix her messy hair, combing it with her fingers.

“I am really sorry…” She croaked. was dry as she had stayed in bed ever since she woke up.

“Hang on” Tiffany went over to the pantry and grabbed a glass of water for the dehydrated girl. “Drink up”

Taeyeon gulped down the entire glass of water in seconds. “Fany ah…I am really very sorry.”

“Why do you keep apologizing? Is there something that I don’t know about?” Tiffany was getting a little frustrated because it seemed like they are going back and forth in their relationship with no progress. Taeyeon was always over reacting over every little thing and she was getting weary. Besides, if somebody had to apologize, it would have been herself. Definitely not Taeyeon.

Taeyeon took several deep breaths to calm down. I need to be honest with Tiffany. I can’t lie to her anymore. What is a relationship when there is no honesty?

“I dreamt of you today.” She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand harshly. “I dreamt that I was touching you. Inappropriately.”

Tiffany wanted to burst out in laughter at how absurd the entire issue was but she held it in, knowing that Taeyeon was being serious. Maybe this was why Sunny had disapproved of our relationship in the first place.

“Haven't I told you before? I'm YOUR girlfriend. You can do anything." Tiffany stomped towards the girl. "Stop acting like a baby." She pushed the tiny figure back onto the bed, pressing her down.

The girl in pajamas was shocked, her arms rigid at the sides. Her first instinct was to squirm and roll away but the steel in Tiffany's eyes stopped her from moving.

She pinned the girl down, resting her entire body weight down. She could feel Taeyeon's heaving chest and rapidly pounding heart.

"Hey, relax..I'm not going to hurt you." She spoke gently this time, and cupped Taeyeon’s flushed cheeks with both of her hands.

Meanwhile, Taeyeon was not sure how she was even alive. With Tiffany pressing on her body, she felt goosebumps on every inch of her skin which was in contact with Tiffany’s. She took shallow breaths in order for her body to continue functioning. Numerous shallow breaths to be exact. At this point, she felt like her heart is going to stop on her anytime. Heartstopper.

"I'm going to kiss you now." Tiffany dipped down and gave the nervous girl a peck to calm her down.

The kiss was gentle and soft. It was weird how Tiffany made Taeyeon feel a thousand things at once. Nervous and calming. One minute Tiffany made Taeyeon feel all jittery, the next minute, calm and steady. 

"Smelly morning breath. Somebody didn't brush her teeth." She nibbled Taeyeon's cracked lips and whispered. "You're lucky I love you."

Taeyeon could only blink her eyes in response.

"Put your arms around me." When she saw the hesitation in Taeyeon's eyes, she continues, "Before I change my mind and leave."

Taeyeon quickly circled her arms loosely around Tiffany's waist, not daring to put too much pressure.

"Do you trust me?"

Taeyeon nodded once. The poor girl was so nervous that her lips were trembling non-stop.

Tiffany slowly ed the first few buttons of Taeyeon's pajamas top, elicting a sharp gasp from the girl.

"Shh..." Tiffany silenced the girl by putting a finger over her lips.

Tiffany swallowed her saliva as she took in the sight in front of her. Taeyeon's skin was milky white, smooth and blemish free. She slipped her hands inside and dipped downwards, wanting a taste of her skin.

She hears a squeak from the girl as she nipped her collarbone. Her lips mapped the expanse of the skin. She slowly made a trail of light kisses from the base of her neck, along her jawline up to her forehead. "You're so beautiful."

"A-ah..." Taeyeon replied shakily, feeling lightheaded and delirious at what her girlfriend had done.

Without warning, Tiffany flipped around, pulling along Taeyeon with her. And suddenly Taeyeon found herself staring down at her girlfriend.

"I have shown you how it's done. It's your turn now."