Tiffany Hwang’s New Phone

Inkigayo Backstage
SBS Studio
Seoul, South Korea
3 p.m.

“Who owns this phone?” Tiffany yelled and waved a mobile phone over her head.

It was an old iPhone 4. She was fixing her things and was about to leave the dressing room when she noticed someone else’s phone among her things. It was in between her Chanel bag and her make-up kit.

SNSD members were leaving one by one and so are the SM staff inside their designated backstage room in Inkigayo. Tiffany called out once more. “Who owns this phone? I’m throwing this. I’m so throwing this.”

Her words fell into deaf ears. Some laughed, but no one claimed the iPhone. After a few more minutes, Tiffany felt irritated that no one is paying attention to her and that no one seems to be interested to her concern. Until finally, their stylist, Lee Namjoo approached her.

“That’s mine.” She shyly whispered to Tiffany avoiding her eyes. “Throw it, Tiffany-ssi. Please.”

“Unni.” Tiffany’s expression suddenly changed. Her yelling came to a halt and impatience eventually faded. Tiffany noticed how Namjoo is fighting her tears and how her face spelled heartbreak. Tiffany heard from Sooyoung, who was closest to Namjoo, that she just broke up with her boyfriend who cheated on her.

“It… it… brings back bad memories.” Namjoo continued. “Throw it away. I’m getting a new one. The phone line expires soon anyway.”

“We can just give it away to someone who needs it… or who likes it.” Tiffany knew that was lame but she gave it a shot. So much for trying to lighten the unspoken heavy emotions in their conversation.

“You can have it.” Namjoo replied fast. “Keep it if you like.”

Great.
Now, it’s hers.
The broken-hearted (too) her.  Sound off Horvejkul, people.

Tiffany was staring at the ‘it-brings-back-bad-memories-phone’ so she didn’t notice Namjoo rushed to the door to leave. She partly knew the story so she was bothered a bit. Tiffany didn’t notice either that there were only the three of them left – Taeyeon, Yuri and her.

“Let’s go, Stephanie.” Taeyeon got the iPhone and threw it inside Tiffany’s open Chanel bag. While Yuri pulled her out.

Tiffany went home bothered feeling bad for Namjoo. She was certainly looking for something to keep her sane, keep her busy after somewhat getting over her own break-up and this is what welcomed her – an ordeal with another break-up. Not hers, but it affected her just the same. She was too familiar with break-ups and heartaches; she felt she could do a manual on the steps on how to get over men. She wanted to help Namjoo.

If there’s one thing’s that Tiffany’s unsure about is this: she doesn’t know what to do with her new phone.  Throwing it is not an option. But keeping it too seems like not a better one too.

Throw or not to throw?

She thought of a nice pink case.

Tiffany is so keeping it.

Uncle Tabi
Baby Minhyuk’s Birthday Party
Apgujeong, Seoul
5 p.m.

 “Are you Yeon Jun’s dad?” The celebrant’s grandma asked him.

“No, I’m his Uncle. My sister and my brother-in-law are in their friends’ wedding right now so they asked me to go with Yeon Jun.” He flashed his handsome smile while he carried his sleeping nephew, “Happy birthday to Minhyuk again.”

“Thank you for coming.” Minhyuk’s Grandma is finding Yeon Jun’s uncle too handsome, her smile never left her face. She even watched them reach the door and only then she realized she was still holding Yeon Jun’s party loot bag.

“Oh dear!” Grandma exclaimed, while she tried to look for someone to run after Yeon Jun and his handsome Uncle.

She found her son and gave the loot bag and a mobile phone – an iPhone 4 she found at their table.

Her son quickly returned and told his mother he was able to give everything to Yeon Jun’s Uncle. He was scratching his head and was almost in disbelief why his mother didn’t tell him that Yeon Jun’s uncle was BIGBANG’s TOP.

Choi Seunghyun has a new phone

Choi Seunghyun’s Villa
Hannam-dong, Seoul
8 p.m.

“They give away phones to adults in birthday parties now?” Seunghyun was scanning the phone in his hand.

He laughed at himself while he stashed the phone inside the drawer of his bedside table.
He is weird alright, but his weirdness has limits too.

His sister found it in Yeon Jun’s loot bag when Seunghyun drove him home. Of course, that didn’t belong to Yeon Jun so Hyeyoun gave it to her brother who was clueless as to whoever owns it. The bingu had no choice but to claim ownership in the end.

The Bingu has a new phone.

No, he didn’t bother opening it.

Tiffany Hwang is Lee Namjoo.

Tiffany Hwang’s Home
Gangnam-gu, Seoul
2 p.m.

She can’t find a book to read.
No movie that she wanted to watch either.
She’s too lazy to cook or experiment anything in the kitchen either.
She is not bringing her y to shop that Saturday afternoon.

So Tiffany Hwang lay still on her bed and rolled to her side, then to her other side, stared at the ceiling, then shifted her gaze to the wall then to the other wall of her room.

Lazy day.
Lazy girl.

She doesn’t want to chat with anyone either; and everyone’s probably out and enjoying the weekend while she’s stuck wondering what she’s going to do aside from rolling to her side and staring at the walls and the ceiling.

Bored Hwang at her finest.   

After minutes (long minutes actually) of contemplating, she decided to call delivery. Her stomach started to make some weird noises now. No lunch yet for Pig Tiffany. No matter how lazy and bored she is, she must eat. She reached out for her mobile phone only to find out its battery’s drained. Tiffany had no choice but to stand up because her charger is on her bag.

Finally.
Her saving grace out of boredom that afternoon.
Inside her bag, she found her new but old phone – the iPhone.

Tiffany literally slammed herself back to her bed hoping to find out something from the mysterious phone. Namjoo-Unni wanted her to throw this but in the end, she gave it to her.

There are no more pictures.
No more messages.
It only bore one name and number:

Park Jaebum.

Tiffany, the nosy little dweeb is bored. Her mind and her heart raced. Suddenly, she wanted to send this Park Jaebum, the , a message.

Does she want to send harsh messages? Like ‘I-wish-you’ve-never-been-born kind of messages”?
Will she go easy?
Will she ask him back again?
Plead?
Beg?

She wanted to help her stylist Unni. There was that big change in her. How she was so cheerful then she became so quiet in an instant. Then eventually they learned, her boyfriend cheated on her for a much older woman. Tiffany had no patience for cheaters. She’s the type who avenges for her friends too.

Pig Avenger.

And…

Tiffany is bored.
And definitely that day, and more importantly, she is Lee Namjoo.

Drunk by the afternoon, that Choi Seunghyun.

Vinga Wine Bar
Apgujeong, Seoul
3.30 p.m.

Kwon Jiyong never knew the essence, much more the purpose of getting drunk and wasted at past three in the afternoon. He doesn’t care during the night if someone passes out because of too much alcohol – that is reasonable, justifiable and forgivable. But three p.m.? No logic at all.

But Seunghyun-hyung is totally wasted, blabbering nonsense and throwing up at his Ferrari just before the clock said hello to 4 p.m.

Jiyong knew Seunghyun is single and not broken-hearted whatsoever. The Shin Minah and Kim Woo Bin dating news wouldn’t have affected him for sure; so he doesn’t know why he drank too much that Saturday.

Seunghyun is so drunk, Jiyong had to accompany him up to his bedroom.

“My phone.” Seunghyun told Jiyong, after wiping his saliva.

“Yuck.” Jiyong laughed.

Jiyong tried to look for his phone. It’s actually in his jeans pocket but he was already lying down so Jiyong wouldn’t have known. So he looked elsewhere.

The bedside drawer.

“You have a new phone?” Jiyong asked. “Oh, this is… old?”

Choi Seunghyun is Park Jaebum

Choi Seunghyun’s Villa
Hannam-dong, Seoul
10 p.m.

Tiffany: Jaebum-ie, let’s talk. Let’s talk things over.

Seunghyun: O.K.

Tiffany’s heart skipped a beat.
Park Jaebum replied.
Oh my.

Tiffany: I am not in Seoul. Just SMS or KakaoTalk, do not call. Just send text messages.

Seunghyun: O.K.

Drunk Seunghyun just kept replying ok.

Tiffany: I still love you. I forgive you for what you have done.

She KakaoTalk-ed.

Tiffany closed her eyes and crossed her fingers. She was just trying to help. No harm intended, she told herself. She kept reminding herself Namjoo-Unni had totally changed. She is wrecked. If she and Park Jaebum come back together, she’ll get back to her old self.

Seunghyun: O.K.

Tiffany: Leave Sora-ssi and come back to me, please.

Seunghyun: O.K.

Tiffany didn’t want to fight Park Jaebum. That’s what she did to Nichkhun.  She waged a war during their break-up period. In the end, they both lost; they ended in Splitsville. She was trying to use another strategy this time. Her heart is a bit hurt now that she’s been getting all these ‘O.K.s’ from Jaebum.

What ifs after floating over her mind.
What if she begged Nichkhun?
What if she stayed a little longer?
What if she was more patient?

Would Nichkhun have given her his O.K.?

Tiffany: Come back to me, Jaebum. Let’s be together again.

Seunghyun: O.K.

Then he passed out.
Choi Seunghyun passed out drunk as Park Jaebum, reconciled with his girlfriend.

While Tiffany started to cry.
Again.

Guilt and Shout

Tiffany Hwang’s Home
Gangnam-gu, Seoul
11 p.m.

Tiffany shrieked the loudest in years.
She felt in trouble.
Guilty.

Tiffany called up Sooyoung to tell her the good news. Namjoo and Jaebum are so back together and it’s because of her. She pretended to be Namjoo and begged Jaebum – he replied O.K. No fuss, easy, peasy, baby. It was actually Sooyoung who shouted first. She shouted, then cried then cursed Tiffany endlessly. Sooyoung was talking nonstop, talkative pig Tiffany couldn’t even ask a simple WHY.

Then finally, she told Tiff - Park Jaebum got married to the woman he left Namjoo for. Namjoo-Unni never wanted him back because Namjoo was the other woman.

Tiffany shouted again.
With little tears in her eyes.
It was past 12 a.m.

Hangover

Choi Seunghyun’s Villa
Hannam-dong, Seoul
10 a.m.

O.K.

He woke up with a terrible headache. Hangover at its best. Choi Seunghyun’s only moving body part was his eyeballs and those travelled to see an iPhone beside him.

Finally, his hands needed to move. He saw the phone. His new phone.

Why is it beside him?
Someone was with him that night?
He checked the other side of the bed to make sure he was alone.

Oh bingu.

The he checked his phone. 

No pictures.
No contacts.

Just one exchange of messages yesterday… in KakaoTalk.
Last night when he was not himself but a total wasted Choi Seunghyun.

A girl asking a guy to get back with him.  The girl is Lee Namjoo, the guy is Jaebum. The Jaebum just replying O.K. all the time. Seunghyun even smiled that the okay comes with dots - O dot K dot. He found it weird and corny.  He finished reading the messages and felt guilty that he was sticking his nose in others’ business. Oh well, he’s going to throw the phone soon anyway, what’s the harm of reading a little?

Seunghyun called Jiyong and asked what time he brought him home. He knew he was dead drunk and his drinking buddies called Jiyong up to drive him home. He told Jiyong he lost a bet that’s why he drank a little over his capacity.

Jiyong told him the details.

Choi Seunghyun froze.

He is Jaebum.
He is that .

That’s not O.K.

Beep

SM Entertainment
Gangnam, Seoul
10 a.m.

Tiffany was too uneasy the whole afternoon. Even her friends and her cousin visiting from the U.S. noticed it too. Tiffany knew she must tell Taeyeon.

“Send him a message again.” Taeyeon urged, “You might just ruin a relationship, Tiffany.”

“I know right.” Tiffany sounded worried, “I will. Now… now… now…”

Tiffany: Jaebum…

“Tell him you didn’t mean what you said yesterday.” Taeyeon said hurriedly, “That  you were just emotional and stuff-“

“I know Taeng relax…” Tiffany was breathing from .

Tiffany: I didn’t mean what I said yesterday. I was just emotional and stuff.

No response. Tiffany wanted to cry.

After five hours, there was that beep.
The one she’s been waiting for.

Seunghyun: O.K.

He continued being an .

Choi Seunghyun, you handsome a$$

Who are you?

Tiffany always carried the iPhone with her. It’s been months since she did that brave mistake but it always reminded of the lesson it taught her. Well, it taught her big time. No more nosy Tiffany and she learned if she wanted to help, she must ask first if that person wanted her help in the first place. The line was cut as Namjoo-Unni told her but Tiffany had it reconnected. For some weird reason, she was paying for it but not using it.

But it got her curious. Jaebum only replied O.K. Like, all the time. Was she sending KakaoTalk messages to the wife? If that was Jaebum’s wife, she would’ve cursed Tiffany and told her to die. If that was Jaebum, O.K. is such a weird answer.

Oh dear.
Her curiosity is killing her.
Maybe that’s why she held on to the phone so dearly and for so long.

Not nosy anymore but… still curious.
She was definite it wasn’t Park Jaebum.

‘Just this last time’. Tiffany told herself, ‘Just this last time’.  She wanted to find out if it was really Park Jaebum that replied to her or not. She wanted to apologize and come out. And she wanted to clear Namjoo-Unni’s name at least.

Like shooting for a star.
Here it goes, she sends another KakaoTalk message on that number saved on Park Jaebum’s name:

Tiffany: Who are you?

She didn’t wait long.

Seunghyun was waiting for his turn. They were filming Can’t Fall in Love MV when his phone beeped. His other phone. Funny that he carried it around after all this time. It reminded him of his drunkenness, and him being an – on the extreme level. He wondered what happened to that girl Namjoo. She seemed too desperate to get back with her boyfriend one day but took it back the next. Just the same, he thinks she was perplexed and pitiful. And him – certified bastard. He didn’t even contact her afterwards to tell her he wasn’t really Jaebum.

Seunghyun got scared. The Bingu didn’t know what to do. And Namjoo didn’t contact anymore either so, he let it be.

Seunghyun stared at his mysterious phone before he actually replied. He felt like he was in a horror movie more than a romantic-serendipity-kind of one.  Is this real? Seunghyun had to ask himself. Well, it has to be. He just saw the message. And he actually smiled after the shock had worn off.

Needless to say, he was waiting for it. He was waiting for her message after all this time. If not, why did he keep the phone? Why did he go to extreme measures of using his friends’ connections just to keep the phone line up to this day? He doesn’t know Park Jaebum; but he used his phone and he is intentionally is using it now.

Seunghyun: Who are you?

Choi Seunghyun is curious.

Tiffany: I asked first.

Seunghyun: Seunghyun, you?

Tiffany: Miyoung.

Seunghyun: You’re a woman?

Tiffany: A beautiful one.

Seunghyun and Tiffany both laughed while holding their phones. Only if they can see and only if they know. About those beautiful smiles and eye smiles. And only if they knew, that they actually know each other.

Seunghyun: I hope you’re older.

Wow, Seunghyun the preference is too evident.

Tiffany: I’m ninety years old.

Seunghyun laughed too hard, staff around him were startled and approached him to ask what made him laugh. Of course he said nothing significant.

Tiffany: Let’s clear things. I am not that person saved in that phone. I am not Lee Namjoo. I am her friend. Please forget what I told you back then. I was just trying to help her.

Seunghyun: I don’t know who owns this phone. They gave me this at a children’s birthday party.

Tiffany: Wow.

Seunghyun: Yes.

Tiffany: Um, if I may ask, why do you keep replying O.K. back then?

Seunghyun: I was drunk.

Tiffany: In the afternoon?

Seunghyun: I lost a bet.

Tiffany: Darn that bet.

Seunghyun: You bet.

Seunghyun: Talk later Miyoung. I have work.

Tiffany: O.K.

Seunghyun: Don’t copy me.

Tiffany: O.K.

Seunghyun: I said don’t copy me.

Tiffany: I’m drunk too. :P

Seunghyun: O.K.

Choi Seunghyun being cute and honest.
Tiffany Hwang being cute and cute.

Both liking their first honest conversation a little too much.
Both knew it wasn’t their last conversation either.

Like everyday.

They send each other messages everyday. Just KakaoTalk messages. They don’t go on specifics, unfortunately. They don’t know each other’s families' and friends' names – but they talk about stuff.

General stuff.

Seunghyun says he’s into arts.
Tiffany says she’s into fashion.
They discuss music, food, news.

Boring and weird stuff.

Eventually they started to talk about love.

Then Seunghyun eventually became her habit and Tiffany became his habit.
Like every day.

They were hooked - insanely at that and very comfortable, so they held on.
They exchange messages, like everyday.

Saturday

Seunghyun: Miyoung.

Seunghyun: Miyoung.

Seunghyun: Miyoung.

Seunghyun: Miyoung.

Seunghyun: Miyoung.

Tiffany: It’s Saturday and you’re you too bored. You don’t have any friends, don’t you?

Seunghyun: I’m actually having fun that I got your attention. What you doin’?

Tiffany: Shopping.

Seunghyun: Exciting.

Tiffany: Absolutely.

Seunghyun: Shall I send you my credit card?

Tiffany: Next time when I go car shopping.

Seunghyun: Funny. Why not house shopping, then?

Tiffany: Send me your card, hurry.

Seunghyun: I’ll just send myself instead.

Tiffany: Nevermind.

Seunghyun: I’ll send myself… with my credit card.

Tiffany: Ok, hurry Seunghyun.

Seunghyun: I will never understand women.

Tiffany: Seunghyun.

Tiffany: Seunghyun.

Tiffany: Seunghyun.

Tiffany: Seunghyun.

Tiffany: Seunghyun.

Seunghyun: What?

Tiffany: Send me your credit card.

Seunghyun: I’m sending me.

Tiffany: No, thanks.

Tiffany looked like a lunatic smiling by herself typing a message on her phone in Louis Vuitton. She didn’t notice people were looking at her while she went on exchanging messages with her ‘friend’. Some even snapped pictures of her. While Seunghyun, who claims he was bored was at home, lying in his bed smiling as wide while he .

Suddenly he wanted to shop; he wanted to go the mall. Something he hasn’t done for a long time now.

Nightmare

Tiffany just cried.

Seunghyun waited until she was done. It must’ve been an hour before she actually stopped.  She woke up in the middle of the night because she had a bad dream. She scrambled in the dark and looked for her phone and called up Seunghyun. She didn’t say anything except he felt she had a terrible nightmare. Later, she sent a message that she did.

Seunghyun listened to her sob and doing that  comforted her nonetheless.

He was tired because he just came from a concert but he couldn’t just put the phone down.

No, he ain’t going to leave her crying like that.

No Phone Calls

YG Recording Studio
Seoul
5 p.m.

“No phone calls?” His manager asked while he took Seunghyun’s two phones from him. “You’re not taking any?”

Choi Seunghyun is writing a new song with Jiyong and Teddy for their fourth mini-album ‘E’, the last part of the MADE series. It’s going to be a GTOP collaboration.

“Nope.” He shook his head and smiled. “Well, except from my Mom and my sister…. and Yang Hyun Suk… and…”

Seunghyun smiled and slightly blushed.

“And?” His manager flashed an evil grin.

“She’s not going to call.” Seunghyun assured, still blushing, “She’ll just send a message or Kakao.”

“Got it.” His manager replied, “Still, no phone calls.”

Who else?

Pink Paws Grooming Station
Gangnam-gu, Seoul
10 a.m.

“This isn’t my idea of bonding, Tiff.” Yuri complained, “I had my dogs groomed last week.”

Apparently Kwon Yuri has to cancel her own date because Tiffany begged her to come to the dog grooming station. Tiffany begged with tears on her eyes so Yuri gave in.

“Prince is so due for a cut, Yul, sorry. I have no one to go with me.”

“You better get a boyfriend.” Yuri told her. “Instead of hanging out with us and stylist friends and sending Kakao messages to that substitute boyfriend of yours, better get a real boyfriend… and let him go with you here.”

“Substitute boyfriend?” Tiffany asked, “Does he really seem like it?”

Yuri nodded, “Like you are connected 24/7. How many times did you bump yourself into other people because you were sending him messages? How many times did you bump into a wall and into a door? You smiled and laughed by yourself? You’re always, Seunghyun like this, Seunghyun like that?”

Yuri realized she was talking to no one, blabbing to one.
Tiffany was focused on her phone.

“What?” Tiffany asked.

“Seunghyun?” Yuri raised her eyebrow.

Tiffany smiled.

Who else?

Just KakaoTalk friends

Seunghyun: You have someone?

Tiffany: Define someone, Seunghyun.

Seunghyun: You know, someone you hold hands with, you kiss… like that.

Tiffany: No.

Seunghyun: I have none too.

Tiffany: I didn’t ask.

Seunghyun: I was just telling you. Maybe you are interested.

Tiffany: Why would I be?

Seunghyun: Because...

Tiffany: Because?

Seunghyun: Because we’re KakaoTalk friends.

Tiffany: Oh.

Tiffany smiled. What was she expecting? Of course, they’re just friends. KakaoTalk friends at that. So what if they message each other everyday, like multiple times everyday? Like they update each other on what they do, where they are, what they eat everyday. You know, couple messages. But they haven’t talked to each other yet… they haven’t met each other yet.

They don’t know each other’s last name. Their birthdays…

How could there be a little hurt in her heart when he said they’re just KakaoTalk friends? But truly, they just are.

…

But Seunghyun wanted to tell her, truly, truly tell her…

But I wanted to know because I’m interested.

Drunk Dada Drunk

Hong Kong MADE Concert After Party
W Hong Kong
12.30 a.m.

“I can’t do it.” Taeyang shook his head. “You do it. He is so drunk, man. We’re gonna get in trouble. Hyung is going to kill us… they have never talked. Just KakaoTalk… Dae…”

“I fear for my life. No way.” Daesung doesn’t want to do it either, “After the wine is gone, he’s gonna cut our balls. He’s in love with that woman in that phone, I swear he is. He smiles alone. Laughs alone when that beeps.”

“So that leaves me to do the dirty job?” Seungri asked, “Aigoo, I’m always the one. The bravest. You guys are cowards! It’s my hands which are dirt