-*-

Couples. They just have to be everywhere around Taeyeon, don’t they? She sighed a smile as she passed the pair that was making out just outside the shop she wanted to go; the stationary shop. She thought she would be safe from throwing envy looks at madly in love people here but no. Of course no. Couples are everywhere. There was one near the coloured pencils section, one where Taeyeon was aiming to go. The pair was busy picking a set of coloured pencils, just like Taeyeon herself. It was rude to be eavesdropping their conversation but she was just beside them, what can she do about that? Seems like they are a married couple as Taeyeon could tell by their pet names for each other and possibly a child’s name was mentioned too. It made Taeyeon to cringe but her heart doesn’t feel it that way.

Oh how she wished she could call someone jagiya and being called herself as yeobo. But that would be too cheesy for Taeyeon. Other pet names are okay, she thought.

Wait.

Why is she even deciding this all of the sudden? Also to the fact that she’s still alone, why did she? Taeyeon sighed deeply.

‘No one’s going to call you yeobo, stupid.’

“Taeyeon?”

….!

Perhaps, there will be that someone soon, hmm? Quickly alerted when her name was called out, Taeyeon turned around to look at her other side of shoulder that was the opposite of the couple. Her heart recognized the person first before her mind as it was starting to beat faster.

“H–Hyoyeon.” Taeyeon never thought she would meet them here and Hyoyeon probably thought the same thing too.

“Hi.” They greeted with a smile. “Didn’t thought we would meet here besides the café.”

Taeyeon nodded in agreement. The couple behind them shared soft laughter together and it was tempting her to see what were they laughing about but of course, that would mean that she’s intruding their privacy time. Hyoyeon must have noticed the way she almost tilted her head behind to look at them because Taeyeon soon felt an arm reached for her shoulder. Oh, that startled her a little there.

“So is this another one of your favourite place to hangout too?”

“W–What? Um,” Taeyeon quickly gazed at the coloured pencils. “I–I was here to buy a new set of these.”

Hyoyeon followed her glance. “I see.”

“How about you?” The couple was already leaving the area after taking what they wanted to buy, leaving both Hyoyeon and Taeyeon stranded at the section. Yet Taeyeon couldn’t help her eyes that were following the couple that was leaving; especially their locked hands.

Mm.

And she thought Hyoyeon wouldn’t notice that either.

“Ah, I’m here to buy some stickers.” She lifted up the thing that she has been holding on. “Don’t ask why, I just love collecting them.”

Taeyeon flashed a smile as she nodded. She resumed on admiring and comparing the coloured pencils set as she remembered back the reason she came here in the first place. She didn’t realized she was taking too much time, just like how Irene always was when trying to pick a new fabric softener for their laundries. Even the deep stare from the per