Length of Happiness

Chapter 13 - Something is Off

"..."

"Why are you still sitting there? Didn't you want to sit beside me?" Tiffany scooted over a bit, so there's enough space for her.

She gave a slight smile and slowly sat down beside Tiffany. Her long face was still present as she stared at her food tray.

"After all this time, you are still shy to ask to sit beside me?"

"It's not that...it's...ugh I don't know. Just let me sit beside you from now on!" Taeyeon said grumpily. She didn't know what she was thinking, making her that nervous. All this time, it was Tiffany who took the initiative to sit with or next to her. This was the first time she asked to sit next to her. Being friends for so long, she probably didn't need to ask for permission for such a small thing. However, she still felt the need to.

"TaeTae? It's okay, ah. Of course, you can. You are such a child." Tiffany chuckled, comforting her with a rub on her back.

WHO IS A CHILD!? She wanted to shout at her, but nothing came out except her cheeks puffing out. Taeyeon retook a deep breath, finally recovering from her embarrassment. She can't believe she was so nervous just to ask Tiffany to sit next to her.

"So, are you ready for your dance performance? It's in less than two hours." She tried to change the subject.

"To be honest, I am a bit nervous." Tiffany admitted, "You will cheer for me, right?"

"Uh...yeah...sure." I am not screaming for you like some fangirl, though.

"And no, you don't have to scream like a crazy fangirl. You being there is enough."

"Who said I was your fan!?"

"You look just like one who saw their idol standing right in front of her for the first time." Tiffany teased.

"Dance first, talk later."

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Taeyeon looked lost at the entrance to the auditorium as she wandered around the hallways full of people waiting for the performance. She was anxious to see Tiffany's performance, and her heart was racing. Why does it have to be with so many people, just another source of anxiety she did not need.

No one is going to talk to you, nobody knows you to care, just act natural...Pacing back and forth, playing around with her fingers, and when the doors to the auditorium finally opened, she hurriedly went in, hoping for a good seat. While she was walking down the aisle to find a seat, she thought she saw a glance of Sunny from the corner of her eyes.

It has to be her, that same plaid jacket and black pants. "Sunny!" She shouted at the girl not far in front of her.

To her dismay, Sunny kept walking as if she had not heard her and turned right into a row near the front. By the time Taeyeon reached the same row, the seats in that row were already filled.

"Whatever." She sighed in disappointment and looked to the rows of seats that are still available. In the end, she just sat at a seat next to the aisle alone. Is that idiot really not going to talk to me?

The performances spanned over almost two periods. It was meant as a refresher and motivation boost for the students to work hard for their finals. A lot of talented people from different clubs or just students who volunteered performed on stage. And of course, that included her sister as well, who is going to sing. Her sister's performance was outstanding, better than she had imagined compared to when she sang for her at home. But what happened next surprised her, it was Tiffany's performance, but she was not performing with her dance group. It was a duet performance with the one and only evil princess herself, Jessica.

For the next couple of minutes as their performances played out, Taeyeon froze in her seat, unable to move, face prickling, feeling completely numb. She never expected Tiffany to be performing in a duo. She had always been practicing with her group, so Jessica was the last person she expected. Tiffany told her that they had stopped talking.

So, this is what jealousy feels like. Taeyeon admitted right away. Wait...I am jealous??

She was confused by her own feelings and wanted to just go on stage and pull Jessica off the stage so that she could only see Tiffany's performance. When she finally looked away to her right, she saw Sunny happily clapping away at the performance. Something tells her that there is something that she doesn't know or is aware of, which just made her more upset.

After the performances were over, Taeyeon went out fast and forced herself in front of Sunny to get her attention.

"Sunny!" She yelled, pulling the other shorty to a stop.

"Hi, Taeyoon." Sunny replied in an unfamiliar tone.

Taeyeon knitted her eyebrows slightly, confused. "Did you see Tiffany's performance?" She tried starting a normal conversation, despite the uneasiness she felt between them.

"Yea. Why?"

"Did you like it or not?" She replied, starting to feel the unwelcoming tone from the latter. Usually, Sunny would have started sharing her thoughts when they see each other again, but not this time.

"Jessica and Tiffany dancing together is bothering you, isn't it?"

Taeyeon hates how Sunny just knows what she thinks, like it's written on paper. "No..." She paused to think of an excuse out of the accusation, "I didn't even know they were supposed to perform together until today. Did you know?"

"I did. If only you cared enough to ask her, then maybe you would have known too."

"When did she tell you?" Taeyeon asked, not sure what the girl was muttering about. "Why would I ask about that? I am not interested in what she does with that girl." She was genuinely confused by the seemingly meaningless remarks.

"A while ago when I was tutoring her. I don't know, Taeyoon. Anyways, I have to go."

"Where are you...."

Without waiting for a reply, Sunny turned and walked away from her.

"Aaahh, why didn't Tiffany tell me?" She frowned on her spot. "And what is wrong with Sunny?"