“I started falling for you when-“

 

Taeyeon didn’t want to know, didn’t need to know.

 

“Ahh... oh god… the pain, ugh…” Taeyeon started hugging her stomach, dramatically tumbling to the ground as she groaned loudly. She could've just changed the subject by other means, but she's an actress. Her first thought was to act it out.

 

“T-Taeyeon?” Tiffany, in a panicking state, bent before Taeyeon.

 

“Ahhh…. Nnng…” Taeyeon moaned weakly.

 

“Oh my god, what should I do?” Tiffany stood up when she figured Taeyeon was still in ‘pain.’ She even took a few steps back as a precaution.

 

When Taeyeon was met with silence, she peeked with her left eye to find Tiffany staring down at her worriedly.

 

If Taeyeon were actually in trouble, Tiffany would be a useless bystander. The nerve of this girl. “Yah! Are you just going to let me die here?”

 

The younger girl pouted as she slowly moved back a bit. “B-But whatever you have might be contagious.” Tiffany explained cautiously.

 

Sighing, Taeyeon had to break character to sit herself up since it didn’t look like Tiffany was going to help her. “I think it's a stomachache. Now help me up.”

 

The girl slightly cringed and looked about ready to let go and drop Taeyeon when their hands touched. This heartless germ-a-phobe.

 

“Now you’re going to get sick with me.” Taeyeon chuckled evilly when Tiffany’s eyes doubled in size.

 

“You said it was a stomachache!”

 

“It is, I'm just messing with you.” Taeyeon admitted as she released her famous ahjumma laugh. Tiffany was so gullible.

 

“Haha.” Tiffany sarcastically said as she rolled her eyes, “You’re so funny. But you know what’s funnier? That the whole school found out about our relationship. Keke.” The girl winked at Taeyeon, making her face turn red with rage.

 

“And whose fault is that?! Yours!” Taeyeon’s pointer finger aimed directly at the blabbermouth slash delusional liar.

 

Tiffany gasped in utter shock. “It takes two to tango!”

 

“We did not tango, what the hell are you talking about?”

 

“Oh my god. No wonder you’re failing English.”

“Engrisheu? Wae?” Taeyeon’s Taenglish slipped out as she tilted her head in confusion.

 

Tiffany was growing a headache. Taeyeon was so slow that it hurt.

 

“Never mind. Just know that we’re together now and based on Irene’s mad fangirl skills, there will be articles about us within the next day.” Just as Tiffany finished speaking, her phone rang.

 

It was Jessica. Wow Irene worked fast.

 

“Come home now. N.O.W.” Tiffany flinched and pulled the phone away from her almost deaf ears.

 

“O-Okay, unnie.” Tiffany only calls Jessica by unnie when she wants to work her aegyo magic on the manager and butter her up. It is a technique that is 110% fail-proof.

 

“Unnie my ! We’re going to have a talk when you get here!”

 

Tiffany reflexively straightened her shoulders, feeling incredibly flustered now. Jessica usually softens when she calls her 'unnie.' “Yes, ma’am.”

 

In the background is Taeyeon laughing her off. Tiffany did deserve a good scolding. Who told her to make up lies about their ‘relationship,’ which was absolutely never happening as long as she lived.

 

Just then, her own cell started ringing, and on the screen appeared Yuri’s face. “Ugh, why me?”

 

***

 

“Taeyeon, Tiffany, it’s so good to finally have you on the show!” Eric Nam, the host of the show called Juicy Drama, hugged the two. “Please have a seat since we all know it’s going to be a looong discussion.”

 

The audience and Eric laughed while Taeyeon and Tiffany faked theirs.

 

“After all this time of being careful off cameras, we finally caught you guys. So it’s not just an onscreen relationship, things are actually moving forward off-screen as well. I think we all deserve to know when it started and how.”

 

“Well, actually, it’s only been a month since we started dating. We’re still getting to know each other romantically. I’m sorry I can’t really fill you in on the details since there isn’t much to begin with.” Taeyeon said to end the discussion quickly. Even though Taeyeon denied everything to both managers and the director, the damage was permanent since the recording on Irene’s cell had spread online.

 

“Aye, Taeyeon, don’t be so modest.” Tiffany giggled.

 

“What are you saying?” Taeyeon whispered to Tiffany as she gave her a suspicious look. Tiffany was not following the script, which worried her even more because this girl was unpredictable.

 

“Ooh!” Eric clapped his hands excitedly as he scooted up in his seat, “Is there something else you might want to share with us, Tiffany-ssi?”

 

“I don’t know if I should say this, it’s embarrassing.” Tiffany shyly twiddled with her fingers.

 

Taeyeon laughed humorlessly as she gritted her teeth. “Then don’t, Tiffany.”

 

“Aw, why not? Do, please do.” Eric begged as he clasped his hands over Tiffany’s.

 

“Well, okay.” It didn’t really take much effort to get Tiffany to spill the beans. Taeyeon can guess this girl was planning to speak more than the ‘short and simple’ plan they had come up with. “It was love at first sight for us.”

 

Love at first what? Taeyeon could feel her lunch slowly climb up .

 

“I’m sorry, I mean for me it was love at first sight.”

 

Cue the ‘aws’ and comments like ‘so sweet, this is too cute, *cough* TaeNy is real.’

 

“Taeyeonie didn’t start off as a co-star but as my first crush.”

 

Taeyeon didn’t feel bothered by Tiffany’s cringeworthy nickname for her because she was too busy gaping over Tiffany’s ability to create a very light and fluffy atmosphere. The way Tiffany was blushing and speaking in a gentle tone made her words sound almost believable.

 

“She may look like a baby-faced kid, but she’s actually talented in what she does. Her acting is the reason I wanted to be an actress. Just one look at her enchanted me. It was like I was in a trance. I knew I was falling in love. Like, like, um”

 

“Like your heart is soaring out of your chest? Like you can’t do anything without having your eyes follow Taeyeon?” Eric assisted passionately with them googly eyes.

 

Tiffany bit down on her lip as she nodded like an embarrassed schoolgirl. That seemed to intensify the amount of cheers and ear-to-ear smiles from the audience.

 

“Aw!” Eric cooed before his head turned to Taeyeon. “And what are your thoughts on—omo! Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we are actually witnessing Taeyeon blush on real air time!”

 

Hearing her name, Taeyeon woke up from her daze to find everyone’s attention on her. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening or explain why she was feeling warm all of a sudden. Must be the lighting, she figured.

 

Taeyeon straightened herself to get her groove back. “I wasn’t blushing, Eric-ssi.” There was a slight stutter even though she intended to have the words come out confidently.

 

“There’s no need to be ashamed of being in love. Tiffany is one great girl, you should be thrilled!”

 

“I’m not—“

 

“Maybe we should help Taeyeon overcome her shyness. I request for a kiss! Right, everyone?” Eric was doing well to hype up the audience as they chanted “Kiss, kiss, kiss!”

 

“I don’t think—“

 

“If that’s what you want...” Tiffany stood up from her seat and walked over to where the glaring Taeyeon was seated.

 

“Don’t you dare.” Taeyeon hissed but Tiffany smiled back at her.

 

“But Taeyeonie, it’s for the fans.” Tiffany reasoned as she leaned down with puckering lips.

 

Just as the moment of truth was coming down on her, Taeyeon jumped up to avoid Tiffany’s lips.

 

“Enough!” Taeyeon couldn’t reel in her feelings anymore. All this pressure had built up to the point that everything was pouring out now. “That’s it, I’m ‘breaking up’ with you!” Air quotes on the break up part, they were never dating to begin with.

 

Once the words had escaped Taeyeon’s mouth, the room went dead silent.

 

“Y-You’re dumping Tiffany on live broadcast?!” Eric couldn’t contain the juicy drama that was unfolding before him.

 

Not good. This was not the brightest thing to do. It would greatly affect their drama ratings now since no one would want to watch a love story between two characters that are actually broken up in real life.

 

“U-Um, that was just a little sneak peek into this season’s drama. Please anticipate it!” Taeyeon quickly said as she threw a peace sign at the camera.

 

Even though her save led to relieved sighs and gasps among the crowd, Tiffany and the managers behind the curtains were throwing silent death glares at Taeyeon, who had just broken up Hara and Jieun’s relationship. 

---

 

As promised, a longer update. I hope I didn't disappoint, heh

And thanks for the vote you guys: BlackJacky, sone_1991, imhyorin, AJKJKryBer, suji01, MyDesTaeNy, drunkenW, ynyltroiper, nerdcanread, Razang, TaeaeNyFany, itaeyang9, akiflee