~12 years ago~

“Are you sure Taeyeon? I think you are still a bit young...” The older man said to the 12 year old girl.

Taeyeon looked up at the man who had raised her since she was an infant, “I want to. Please let me.”

The man sighed, “Sweetie...I don’t want to see you get hurt is all.”

Although the man was not her biological father, this man had adopted her into his family, “Dad...please.”

Seeing the girl’s innocent eyes glaring back at him, the man had no choice but to grant the girl’s request, “Alright, but on one condition.”

“Anything!”

“Let Jihyen be your mentor. I would feel better if she was looking out for you.”

Smiling from ear to ear, Taeyeon hugged the man tightly, “Of course! Thank you so much!”

The man hugged Taeyeon back, “The exams are tough...just be careful and remember everything I taught you.”

“I will! I promise! Also, unnie will be with me.”

“Yes, your unnie will be looking after you carefully.” The man looked Taeyeon in the eyes, “I will leave you in her care from now on. I won’t be able to come and visit you down there you know that?”

Taeyeon was saddened by the idea of not seeing the man anymore but she had dreams and aspirations of her own, “I know.”

Taeyeon stood happily in her new uniform as an older girl came up to hug her, “Taeyeon-nie!”

Happily hugging her mentor back, “Unnie! I haven’t seen you in a long time!”

“I know. I have been very busy with the Party these days but I promised to be your mentor, although I don’t think you need much of my help.”

Taeyeon smiled proudly, “I still want you watching nearby.”

“Of course I can do that for my cute Taeyeon-nie.” Standing straight, the older girl looked at the time, “Well you should hurry off and be with your new classmates. Make some friends here.”

Taeyeon smiled broadly before giving her mentor one last hug, “I will.”

“Call me if you need any help okay?”

“I will!” Taeyeon said before running off to the training rooms.

Looking around, Taeyeon saw everyone wearing the same training uniform as her and decided to take the first empty seat she saw. The girl next to Taeyeon tapped on her desk, “Hello.”

Taeyeon looked over to the girl who was very beautiful, “Hello.”

The girl next to her giggle, “I think I know you, you are Taeyeon-ssi? Right?”

Taeyeon nodded, “Ah yes...umm do I know you?”

The girl shook her head, “Probably not. My name is Hyomin.”

Taeyeon smiled at the girl, “Nice to meet you. How old are you?”

“12.”

“Oh we are the same age? We can drop the honorifics...” Taeyeon said as she looked down a bit embarrassed that she offered that idea on her first meeting with this girl.

“Sure...Taeyeon...umm it is good to finally meet you in person.”

“How do you know me anyway?”

“Word gets around here fast...not everyone was brought into the Resistance by one of the founders...if you know what I mean.” Hyomin said with a serious face.

“Oh. Yea umm yea...” Taeyeon said not sure if it was a good or a bad thing to be associated with one of the Resistance founders.

As the months went on, Taeyeon and Hyomin grew a close friendship and were often seen studying and practicing for the exams together. Both excelled intellectually and physically during the exam period and passed all three exams without any problems. However, luck wasn’t entirely on their side.

After passing the third exam, Hyomin was put into level 8 and Taeyeon level 7 groups causing the two friends to split up and do their own duties for the time being. Yet, the two friends would find time at night to sneak off and be together for several hours.

About a year later, Taeyeon talked to her mentor about a possible promotion that was going to be available soon in level 6. Rumors were going around that 5 spots were about to open due to level 3 and 4 needing extra people to take over spots when 8 Resistance members were killed in action.

Hearing of this news, Taeyeon and Hyomin applied to be moved to level 6, of which both were accepted. The two girls were ecstatic when they heard the news and Taeyeon called for a celebration in which she cooked Hyomin an elaborate meal. She was even able to ask a senior officer for pork although meat was not easy to get.

Hyomin ate her dinner savoring each bite, “Tae you should be a chef...I know that wouldn’t be a promotion but I think it is something you could do well.”

Taeyeon laughed as she wiped , “You know I was taught from the best cook I know.” Clearing , Taeyeon reached over to take Hyomin’s hand, “Umm this isn’t only a celebration for our promotion...I also wanted to bring you here to ask you a question.”

Hyomin looked into Taeyeon’s eyes which showed sincerity, “Y-yes?”

“I think when I first met you, I fell for you...at the time, it was some innocent crush but now I know, Hyomin I really want to be with you because...I kept falling further and further in love with you. D-do you possibly feel that way for me to?”

Hyomin couldn’t hold back her smile as she got up and went over to hug Taeyeon, “Silly...there is no way anyone could not fall for you.”

Taeyeon smiled as she held the girl tightly, “Will you be my girlfriend then?”

Hyomin let go of the hug as she held onto Taeyeon’s cheeks instead, “Yes.” Although the girls were young at the time and may have not quite grasped the meaning of love, both stomachs fluttered when their lips touched for the first time.

Taeyeon’s world moved by quickly during her time in level 6. At that time, she was the happiest girl in the world. She had a loving (adoptive) family, a great job, wonderful friends, and the best girlfriend whom she saw a future with. Due to her success in level 6, many promotions were offered to Taeyeon to move up in rank but she never wanted to part from Hyomin so she refused every single offer given to her although Hyomin told her it would be fine for her to move on if she wanted. Yet, Taeyeon would remind her time and time again, what she had now is what she wanted for a lifetime.

At the age of 21, Taeyeon walked into work as usual. Going into the reporter’s room, Taeyeon looked at the beige cubicles that were filled with the hustle and bustle of reporters trying to finish their stories. Taeyeon’s feet echoed due to the concrete floors that were painted black. Some of the workers greeted Taeyeon as she walked by, all of whom were wearing the same number 6 on their arm. Breathing in the smell of new ink and freshly printed paper, Taeyeon looked around to find her girl, but she was missing from her designated cubical.

Taking a look around, Taeyeon saw a lone girl locked up in the meeting room, Taeyeon made her way over and opened the door. When the girl looked up, she smiled brightly, “Tae...”

Without hesitation, Taeyeon quickly hugged her girlfriend, “I missed you...”

Hyomin turned a bit so she could hug Taeyeon back, “I did too. Why are you coming in so late?”

“I had a few things to prepare for later.” Not wanting to disclose the details of tonight, Taeyeon cupped Hyomin’s cheeks and gave her a long and passionate kiss.

Hyomin was a bit surprised by Taeyeon’s public affection, but it wasn’t any secret that the two have been dating for about 7 years at this point. After releasing the kiss, the two looked each other in their eyes affectionately, “I love you.”

Taeyeon gave the girl a quick eskimo kiss, “I love you more.”

Remembering something, Hyomin released from Taeyeon’s embrace, “Taeyeon before I forget, I wanted to tell you I will do a report with Jihyen tomorrow morning.”

Pulling over a chair, Taeyeon sat down, “Don’t tell me you are going to the Party ceremony too? Why are you taking on such a boring story?”

Hyomin took Taeyeon’s hand, “I know you turned it down because of the other story you are doing but she asked me to come in your place...”

Taeyeon sighed, “You also know why I didn’t want to go...it makes me sick. I can’t watch people I know and love sacrifice themselves into the Party for the sake of the Resistance! Especially not him.”

Hyomin rubbed Taeyeon’s hand affectionately to calm the girl down, “It was his choice...I think you should be there and not me.”

Taeyeon stubbornly let go of Hyomin’s hand, “I’m a bit busy right now. Go if you want.”

Hyomin sighed as she watched Taeyeon leave her alone in the meeting room but she knew the reasons Taeyeon had for being bitter about the situation. Not wanting to aggravate her girlfriend any further, Hyomin left Taeyeon to do her work for the day.

Later that night, Taeyeon watched the clock carefully before excusing herself from the office to finish a few things she had planned for her and Hyomin. Seeing everything looked right, Taeyeon returned to the office and greeted Hyomin with an unusually happy grin, “Ready to leave?”

Hyomin looked at Taeyeon suspiciously, “You were mad earlier...I thought you would be still pouting until the morning.”

Taeyeon shook her head, “No...I know why you are taking the story and I can’t stay mad on a special day like today.”

Hyomin arched her brow, “Special? What is so special about today?”

Intertwining their hands, Taeyeon gave Hyomin a peck on the cheek, “You will see.”

The two girls walked out of the level 6 area and back into the common rooms where Hyomin was greeted by a very romantic scene. Taeyeon had dolled up their leisure area with an array of hearts and set a single table in the middle with a very familiar plate of food.

Hyomin was almost on the brink of tears when she saw what was on the plate, “Taeyeon....is this?”

Pulling out the chair for her girlfriend, Taeyeon helped sit the speechless girl down, “Yes. The same meal we had together when I asked you to be my girlfriend.”

“You remembered?”

Kissing the girl’s temple, “I remember everything with you.”

Taking her seat across from the love of her life, Taeyeon motioned her to eat, “Eat. You must be hungry from a long day.”

Hyomin choked back her tears so she could take a bite into the pork she loved so much.

After the meal, Taeyeon cleared , “Hyomin do you remember what I told you when I asked you to be my girlfriend?”

Hyomin smiled, “Every word.”

Taeyeon giggled as she already knew the answer, “We were both so young back then and I was probably talking about things I didn’t fully understand yet, but as the years went by, I found out the words I told you then were the truth. Hyomin, I love you. Every single day, hour and second with you, I can’t help but falling for you more and more. I know now that I can’t imagine a life without you.” Taeyeon stopped for a minute to fish out a ring from her pocket, “Will you marry me?”

Hyomin already had tears streaming down her face, “Of course you idiot. I love you so much I think my heart would explode.”

Happily, Taeyeon put the ring on the finger before kissing it, “Thank you so much...you have given me the world and I...”

Hyomin started laughed as she tugged on Taeyeon’s hand to get up, “Come here and just kiss me.”

Taeyeon laughed too when she realized she was being ridiculously cheesy so she stopped talking and showed Hyomin all her affection in one kiss.

The next morning, Taeyeon patted the side of the bed that was now empty and cold. The girl groaned remembering Hyomin had an early assignment and was probably already above ground. She wanted to cuddle with her new fiancé but that stupid assignment was killing their romance time. Yet, Taeyeon was still over the moon happy every time she thought of the girl to be her future wife. There were even thoughts of advertisement in the newspaper to spread the news of Hyomin as her fiancé. Today she would have to tell her friends the good news but she thought Hyomin and her should tell them together which means, sometime at night they should all get together.

After rolling around a bit in bed, Taeyeon decided to get up and go out for work. It was still early so several people were at breakfast, one being her good friend Yoona, “Hey.”

Yoona smiled as she lazily dug into her food, “Morning Tae.”

Smiling happily, Taeyeon sat down and ate her food, “Where is your other half?”

Yoona nearly choked on her food, “What do you mean? I am not her keeper.”

Taeyeon laughed, “Come on. I think you can hide it from her because she is a bit dense, but your good friend here isn’t blind to love. Tell her something...be happy.”

Yoona sighed, “I can’t. Not everyone can be brave and proclaim their love to someone they like.”

“Well it works if you try. Look how happy I am because I told her I loved her! Never fails!” Taeyeon said happily with the thought of her fiancé.

Yoona laughed as she shoved food down , “I can think of several bad things that could happen if you proclaim your love.”

Taeyeon sighed as she saw her friend completely closed up to the idea of telling her feelings to the person she liked, “Fine. Be that way and just watch when someone else takes her away.”

Yoona stabbed at her food unusually harsh, “Don’t you have work to get to?”

Taeyeon munched on her toast, “Don’t you have a girl to get?”

Yoona rolled her eyes before standing up, “Well I have work to get to.”

Taeyeon laughed a bit when she saw how flustered her friend was about the whole conversation, “I hope that girl would act soon.” Seeing as she finished her food too, Taeyeon slowly got up to go to work also.

Like usual she made her lonely walk down the hall and into her cubical. However, it couldn’t have been more than 10 minutes when a boy ran into the room yelling, “Huge scoop! Subway train crash!!! Rumors are over 100 on board and reports of deaths.”

Taeyeon’s face paled when she looked at the time, “Which one! Which line!”

The boy stopped for a minute to catch his breath, “Put on the stream!”

Seohyun, the rookie reporter, hooked up the cable to the satellite so their TV can broadcast the Party station, “News just in that it is line 1 was involved in a crash causing other lines to halt. Still waiting confirmation for survivors.”

Taeyeon couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Hyomin would have to take line 1...

“Update. Over 100 members aboard the train as most of the comrades were to attend the Party initiation ceremony for new inductees into the university. The university ceremony is on hold as they await news of family and friends that might be in the crash. Stay tuned.”

Taeyeon felt her breathing shorten with each news update. Every update becoming worse and worse until there was the final call. She received it from her (adoptive) father personally...her world ended that day. The future she once imagined was shattered. The moment she thought she had everything, was the day it was all taken from her.

No longer was Taeyeon able to enter the news room of level 6...although it pained her to leave the memories that she held onto in that place, Taeyeon could no longer step foot into that area without a flood of love and loss manifesting her being.  Instead, she worked her way up to level 2 and opted to be in the bomb squad with a new mission. She knew that she had to stop the Party from doing what they did that one fateful day and one day, she would get them back. She would find out who set the bombs in that subway and kill them. She didn’t care anymore, she would kill them.

-------------------------------

~Present~

Yoona hesitated when she entered the room and saw Taeyeon laying in her bed with a pillow over her head, “Umm are you trying to kill yourself?”

“No.” The girl mumbled.

“Ah do you mind me asking why you are suffocating yourself then?”

Taeyeon sighed before she pulled the pillow off her head, “It would save myself from years of mortification.”

“Sounds like you did something bad.”

Taeyeon shifted her gaze around, “Hey...I like know we just made up and all but I could really use your advice right now.”

Yoona raised her brow at her stubborn friend, “Sure.”

Taeyeon finally sat up on her bed so she could talk to Yoona, “I made a huge mistake.”

“By the way you are acting, it sounds like it is something you don’t think you can fix...”

Taeyeon sighed before looking over at the photo on her table before putting it face down again, “No...I don’t think I can.”

“Are you going to tell me about it or give me a list of reasons why it can’t be fixed?” Yoona said curiously as she scooted closer to the distressed girl.

Taeyeon bit her lower lip, “I kissed...Jessica.”

Yoona looked at the girl in shock, “Oh...oh wow...umm but the way you are acting...did she reject you?”

Taeyeon ruffled her hair, “I well...that isn’t the problem.”

Yoona raised her brow, “Taeyeon either she accepted the action or not.”

“I didn’t give her time to...I ran away.” Taeyeon said as she ruffled her hair in frustration.

Yoona rolled her eyes, “You and Yuri really need time apart. You are both acting like idiots and doing similar things.”

“Yoona...the running away and the kissing isn’t the problem.”

“Really, there is more?” Yoona scooted even closer to her friend, “Come on Tae, tell me.”

Taeyeon groaned, “Have you ever thought Hyomin and Jessica look similar?”

Yoona furrowed her eyebrows before taking the picture from Taeyeon’s bedside to examine it, “Humm now that you say it...” Yoona took a few seconds to connect the dots, “Wait...did you kiss Jessica cause she looks like Hyomin?”

“Worse. I thought she was actually Hyomin and I said her name and all...”

Yoona looked like an alligator with open at the mind blowing situation, “woah...seriously? Tae...that is low. And you ran away! So low...”

Burring her face in her hands Taeyeon mumbled, “I know...I don’t know what to do.”

“Well...other than the fact that you burned yourself like 3 times today and possibly put yourself in a losing situation, I think we need to ask the question, do you have like romantic feelings for Jessica?”

Taeyeon bolted up as she looked at Yoona, “What do you mean?”

Yoona rolled her eyes, “I mean, like are you attracted to Jessica? Or possibly you have taken a liking to her because she reminds you of Hyomin?”

Taeyeon laughed, “Jessica isn’t anything like Hyomin.”

“Yet, you confused the two today although you clearly know Hyomin has passed.”

Collapsing back on her bed, Taeyeon put her arm over her eyes, “I know Hyomin is gone and never coming back. I seriously don’t know what happened today. I knew going back into that room was a bad idea...I was so stupid.”

“Why did you go back anyway? You haven’t been in there for years.”

“Well it was Jessica’s first day...”

“Ah. You went to see Jessica? She was the reason for you breaking your unusual vow to never step foot in level 6 ever again?”

“Jessica is my mentee...I should make sure she is fine and all.”

Yoona rolled her eyes, “Well, I don’t know why I am here giving the love doctor advice but I think you need to sort your feelings out. Only then can you figure out how to face Jessica again.”

Taeyeon rolled over onto her side to face Yoona, “I---I ah...am not sure either.”

“Well as a 3^rd party observer, me and Yul have noticed you doing lots of strange behavior around Jessica. Maybe you should think about those times and come to a conclusion Tae. Try not to take too long to sort out your feelings...Jessica will want an explanation for your actions sooner than later okay?”

Taeyeon sighed, “I know.”

Feelings...was Taeyeon ready to face her feelings again?

Author's Note

Ah sorry no TaengSic this chapter, but another pivitol chapter. 

If you didn't notice my Christmas gift, you can check it out. I finally posted part 2 of Winter Memories a year after writing the first part. 

Anyway, comment and upvote! See ya next time :)