Tiffany’s POV

I'm not much a runner.

I'm not even a jogger. 

Heck, I don't even like to walk. 

 

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I hate any form of physical activities. 

But right now, I'm running. 

 

I've been running almost every day of the week now ever since that embarrassing encounter with Seohyun's mom. 

 

I’d imagined Seohyun’s mom over forty years old, unfit, messy and you know – a lot more motherly looking.

 

I’ve never been my wrong in my entire life.

She’s way too attractive to be a single mother AND a doctor at the same time.

 

 

I can't sleep that night due to the overwhelming feeling of embarrassment (was it really embarrassment though?) in the pit of my stomach. 

 

Every time I think of the incident, I get all flustered and I wished I could crawl into a hole to the center of the earth and just disappear.

 

That kind of feeling.

 

Sure it was embarrassing, but why is the effect to this extent? 

Why am so affected by it? 

 

 

Is it because she's so freaking stunning and I looked like a squid in front of her? 

 

Don't even let me start on how I've rejected her and mistaken her for my actual date.

 

She must have thought that I'm out of her league because she was puzzled and amused when I said all those things.

 

My hands got all sweaty after I touched her hand when I was trying to comfort her.

 

What was that all about? 

 

I remember kissing Nickhun on our first date and I was as cool as a cucumber. 

This was just a slight touch. 

 

 

Anyway, here I am, running.

It's the only way I could exhaust myself so I can fall asleep peacefully at night.

 

I get it, it is insane, but it is the only way. 

Trust me, this is better than tossing and turning in the middle of the night, thinking how you wish things were different.

 

 

This is my fourth round running around the neighbourhood. I usually only do two rounds after work but since today is Saturday, I have all the extra energy that needs to be used up.

 

Or I won't be able to get any sleep again tonight.

 

My heartbeat is going faster by the minute, which is a good sign and I’m sure I’ll be tired soon enough.  

 

 

I figured I probably need some rest so I slow down my pace, only to notice that a black BMW is slowing down too. 

 

Ugh, erts. 

 

When I realised that the window of the car is being rolled down, I quickened my pace again.

 

I’m not in the mood to be treated like a ual item right now. 

But the stubborn car started to catch up to me. 

 

I ran faster while giving out my middle finger but I kept looking straight ahead. 

 

"Miss Hwang!" 

 

I know that voice.

 

I turned to confirm whose voice it was and sure enough, it's her. 

Kwon Yuri.

 

The reason why I'm doing all this. 

 

Panic surge through me and I tumbled after stepping on a pretty large rock.

‘THUD!’

With that, I, along with my shred of dignity, fell to the ground – nothing better than getting a slap from the universe.

 

I hit my knee on the cement ground, a bit thankful that my face isn't the one to land on the ground first.

 

I wanted to get up and run away from this humiliation but my knees wouldn't let me.

I tried to get up only to feel my knees failing me and I ended up feeling the force of gravity once again.

 

"Omo!" she rushed towards me. 

 

I looked up to meet her eyes, only to regret my decision a second later.

She has the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.

 

 

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Her eyes wrecked with guilt.

 

 

"This is my fault," she took my hand in hers, trying to help me get up. 

 

"Uh, I'm ffff," 

Oh no, I can't talk again. 

 

What I meant to say was, I’m fine and that it’s my freaking fault for not watching where I’m going.

 

My heartbeat is pounding and I'm pretty sure it's even more intense than when I was running. 

 

"You're not, you can't even get up," she said, holding me steady.

 

"Here, better?" she puts my arm around her neck. 

 

Skin contact, bad, this is bad.

 

"Uh..." 

 

I’m a complete idiot when I'm in front of her. 

A complete moron. 

 

Our face is so close together I could feel her warm breath on me. 

 

She's still looking at me, waiting for an answer so I just gave her a simple nod. 

 

It's settled, I'm not uttering a single word when she's around.

 

"Let's get in my car," 

No, I need to leave now. I need to crawl into my hole.

It’s what I’m supposed to say.

 

But I found myself nodding to her offer.

 

"I have first aid kit in my house, you don't want to get an infection," 

 

I nodded again and tried to curve my lips to form a smile. 

 

 She smiled back, her eyes sympathetic.

 

She helped me get into the passenger seat of her car, I used all my strength on my other knee so that she didn’t have to do majority of the work. 

 

"I'm sorry again, I just wanted to say hi," she said after she gets on the driver seat.

 

"It's not your fault," I smiled internally, feeling proud that I can talk without sounding like a complete idiot.

"I wasn't careful enough," I added with a reassuring tone.

 

"Does it hurt?"

 

"Not at all," I lied, in my effort to look cool in front of her.

 

"You're not working today?" I asked, trying to change the topic.

 

"Yeah, promised movie night with Hyunnie," she quipped happily.

 

"That's so cute," I said, my tone sounding like a pathetic love-struck teenager.

Oh no, idiot Fany comes again.

 

What did we say about not talking?

 

"I meant... Hyunnie is cute," 

"Not that you are not..." 

 

There goes my cool. It appeared one sec and gone the next.

 

“You’re rambling again,” Her infectious laugh comes out again. 

“You do that a lot, don’t you?”

"I get it, no worries," she reassured me again, probably sensing my panic state.

 

"You're a very funny person," she added when I was busy trying to think of something interesting to tell her. 

 

"I try..." I gave her an awkward chuckle and she responded with that addictive laughter of hers.

 

"Who did you think I was?" she asked lightly.

 

"Huh?" 

I was supposed to say Pardon, I mean, that’s what I usually said if I wanted someone to repeat a sentence.

 

What is happening to me?

 

"You gave me a middle finger when I was about to stop," Yuri replied, she didn’t seem to mind my lack of politeness.

 

I closed my eyes shut, palm to my face. 

This is definitely not going to make me sleep any better tonight.

 

"Sorry," I replied reluctantly. 

"I thought you were some ert," 

 

"That's okay, I guess it's appropriate," she smiled understandingly.

 

"We're here," she spoke up before I could reply, which is a good thing, I’d probably ended up saying some idiotic things again.

 

Just like before, she put my arm around her neck once again and helped me to enter her house. 

 

She gently sat me down on her sofa before excusing herself to go to the kitchen to get the first aid kit.

 

She came back moments later, not enough for me to catch my breath and actually process the fact that I’m in her house.

 

"Does it hurt?" she said softly while applying the gel on my bruised knee.

"If it hurts, let me know okay?"

 

 

The moment the cotton bud touched my bruised knee, I felt an overwhelming sharp pain but I grit my teeth because I didn't need to look anymore pathetic in front of her. 

 

"Just a bit more," she said when she realised that I was about to bite off my lower lip. 

 

"There, it's done," she smiled and I suddenly felt the need to kick something because I could feel my idiotic smile forming on my lips.

 

"So sorry, I’m complete mess," I said after clearing my throat.

"I'm smelly and sweaty," 

"I swear you only see me on my ugliest days," I whined.

 

"I'm going to get home now, I don't want to dirty your lovely place," 

 

She responded with another delicious laugh. 

The kind of laugh that’s a bit husky and really, really y.

 

She’s Seohyun’s mom!!!

 

"No, you’re fine," 

"And I definitely don't think you look ugly,"

 

"Hah," I was going to laugh but I got really stunned by her reply, I ended up responding like an idiot that I am.

 

"Sorry, did I make you uncomfortable?" she slightly scratched her neck.

 

"No, no, it's just, thank you, for saying that, you're too kind," I gave her my warmest smile. 

 

"It's the truth," she explained further.

 

Does she have any idea on the effect she has on me?

Is she trying to send me off the rails?

 

Come on brain, think, respond, and say something smart.

 

"Why are you fanning yourself?"

"You want me to turn up the air-conditioner?" she asked, concerned again.

 

I quickly placed my hands to my sides, I didn't even realise I was doing that. 

 

Geez Fany, be cool!

 

"That's okay, I'm going to go now anyway,"

"Thank you, Dr. Kwon... or do you prefer Ms. Kwon?"

 

"Oh, call me Yuri, please," she suggested kindly. 

 

"You can call me Fany," I replied.

 

She nodded happily and gave me her heart dropping smile.

 

"You can't even walk properly, how are you going to get home?" she asked.

 

When I was scrambling for an answer, I heard soft steps coming from the stairs. 

"Teacher Ppani?" she rubbed her sleepy eyes as she approached me.

                                                                                   

 

"Good afternoon sleepyhead, did you get a good nap?" her mom asked as she ruffles her daughter's already messy hair. 

 

"Miss Fany got into a little accident and I brought her here to treat her wounds," 

 

She comes closer towards me to see my wound, "Does it hurt?" she asked, worried.

Like mother, like daughter.

 

"No, sweetie, just a minor bruise," I ran my fingers through her messy hair and she gave me her innocent smile in return.

 

"Are you joining us for movie night?" her eyes pleading. 

 

"Uhh, I have to get back home," 

"I'm sweaty and I smell foul, next time?" 

 

Seohyun eyes became sad but she nodded anyway. 

 

"I have clothes," Yuri spoke up.

 

"Sorry?" 

 

"You can change and get shower here, if that's what you're worried about," 

 

 

How do I get out of this?

The chance of me embarrassing myself again is over 90 percent if I stay. 

 

"Please..." Seohyun sat next to me and rest her head on my body. 

Yuri also mouthed a please, along with a really cute smile.

 

"Alright, fine..." 

It’s not like I have anything waiting for me in my empty apartment anyway.

 

"Yay! We're going to have soooooooo much funnnnn," she spread her arms wide, showing just how much fun we're going to have. 

 

She hopped in excitement and started to pull out a drawer full of DVDs.  

 

"Princess Stories or princess fighting stories?" 

 

The both of us laughed heartily seeing how Seohyun is talking to herself, trying to pick the perfect movie for us to watch.

 

"Thank you for staying, Hyunnie really likes you," 

"She's been talking to me non-stop ever since you promised her dinner," 

 

"Sorry," 

 

"No, that's okay, I understand you have your own life," 

 

"But you're willing to accompany her tonight, so thank you,"

 

"My pleasure," 

 

Oh yeah, I can be cool.

 

"Let me get some change of clothes for you," 

 

 

 

After I showered, no thanks to my bruised knee, I had to shower in the weirdest position, I came downstairs with the spare clothes that Yuri brought in for me. 

 

Yuri... It still feels weird for me to say.

 

I made my way to the kitchen where they're cooking dinner together. 

 

"Omma, here's the cheese," Seohyun said while carrying the bowl of grated cheese in her hands and showing it to her mother.

 

"Well done baby," 

 

"Oh, hey, you can just sit in the living room," Yuri said after she noticed me standing by the foot of the door.

 

"I can help," 

 

She shook her head in response.

 

"Please, baby, bring your teacher outside will you, I'm almost done here," 

 

"Okay, omma," 

 

"Let's go, Teacher Fany," she took my hand in hers and tugged it slightly so that I'd follow her and I did.

 

 

 

 

"So have you decided on the movie for later?"

 

She nodded instantly, "Mulan!" 

 

"Good taste!" I exclaimed cheerfully. 

 

"It's my favorite cartoon," 

 

"Why is that so?" 

 

"Because Mulan is the hero in the movie, she didn't wait for a handsome prince to kiss and save her," 

 

"Mulan reminds me of Omma," 

"Omma is saving people too, on a daily basis!" 

 

"Mummy Sica is a hero too, she died saving people in need," she stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

 

My heart felt heavy listening to the girl's story, detecting the admiration she clearly has of her other mother.

 

She then pointed to the picture on the wall, which consisted of Yuri, Seohyun and I assume the other person is this Sica person. 

 

The happiness in their eyes evident in the picture.

 

"Is that your mommy?" I asked the obvious question.

 

"Yes," she quipped.

 

"She's beautiful," 

 

"She was..." Seohyun trailed off, her eyes sad.

 

"I'm sorry," I embraced her in my arms.

It's unfair for a little girl to go through so much at such an early age.

 

"You want to know something?" 

 

She didn't respond but instead looked at me with curious eyes. 

"I think you're beautiful too, just like your mummy," 

"Omma too?" 

 

"Yes, like your Omma too," 

 

She gave me a brief smile. 

 

"And you know what?" 

"I think you're a hero on your own way too," 

 

"How?" her curious eyes made me smile wide.

 

I put her hand on her chest, where her heart is, "You have the most beautiful heart," she blushed shyly at this. 

"With this heart, you've made your Omma immensely happy, and the people around you too," 

"When you're all grown up, this heart will continue to do so too," I smiled sincerely, and she hugged me tighter in response. 

 

"Thank you, Teacher Fany," she whispered. 

 

Our conversation was cut short when we heard the sound of Yuri clearing . 

She stood at the corner of the living room, with a wide smile on her face, "Everything okay?" 

 

"Splendid," I replied, my voice a little too high pitched for my liking. 

 

Idiot Fany appears again.

 

 

She chuckled in amusement, “Dinner is ready," 

 

With that Seohyun and I got up to help Yuri place the dishes on the dining table. 

 

Yuri rejected my offer to help at first but I refused to listen to her, she could only give me a helpless smile as I helped her with setting up the dinner table. 

 

 

 

 

"This is delicious," I complimented Yuri and my heart felt giddy when I noticed a slight blush on her cheeks. 

 

She gets shy too.

Thank god, she's not as flawless as I thought. 

 

"You should come here often for dinner, Teacher Fany," Seohyun said, glancing towards her mom for support. 

 

"My mom is the best cook in town!" she declared whole-heartedly as she takes another bite of the food. 

 

"You mean, in the whole wide world," Yuri claimed with a confident tone, earning a chuckle from me.

 

Seohyun giggled merrily, "Auntie Hyo would tear you apart if she heard you say that," 

 

Yuri laughed heartily at her daughter's reply, "Right, she'd kill me," 

Yuri stopped laughing when she sees the clueless look on my face.

"A friend," she explained. 

 

"Anyway, you're welcome to come for dinner anytime you wish, Fany," Yuri added with sincere eyes.

 

Bite me, but hearing her say my name out loud made my heart skipped a beat for a second. 

And the fact that I just got my free pass to enter the Kwon's house made my heart smile. 

 

"Thank you, but I don't want to trouble you," I lied.

 

"Not at all, in fact, you will be doing us a favour," 

 

"How is that?" I queried.

 

"Dinner is more fun with three people!" Seohyun interjected happily and Yuri just nodded in approval. 

 

"Okay," I pretended to sigh, "If you insist..." I chuckled and Yuri laughed at my failed attempt to sound convincing. 

Hey, Idiot Fany is nowhere in sight.

 

 

 

 

After dinner, we watched Mulan, Seohyun sitting in between us. 

We sang along to the soundtrack, I'm quite surprised that I still remember the lyrics to the songs. 

 

Seohyun and I cried at the sad parts and Yuri just shook her head in disbelief, but I noticed the hint of smile on her lips nonetheless.

By the time the credits rolled, Seohyun was already fast asleep so Yuri carried her upstairs to her bedroom. 

 

 

 

 

"Her bedtime is an hour ago," Yuri said, approaching towards me. 

 

I smiled at this, "Thanks for dinner," 

 

"Thank you, for staying," she said, her eyes gazing into mine, and for a second there, I think I lost myself in her eyes.

 

, who says things like these?

 

We chuckled awkwardly afterwards. 

The silent environment threatening my idiotic side to come out again.

 

"I have a confession to make," Yuri declared.

I could feel my insides threatening to stop functioning that instant.

 

What confession does she possibly have for me?

 

No, of course not that, that's just crazy.

 

"Yeah?" I found myself replying her. 

 

"We were actually set up together," she said reluctantly.

 

"Wait, what?" 

 

"Hyoyeon, Hyunnie's Auntie Hyo, my friend," 

 

"Uh huh…" 

 

"She's Taeyeon's cousin," 

 

"Oh," 

 

How about that?

 

"Yeah," 

 

"What do you mean we were set up?" I felt like a fool because I still couldn't put the two and two together. 

 

"I was meant to be your date initially, but I refused," 

 

"I wasn't ready," she admitted.

 

"So Choi Sooyoung, another dear friend of ours, agreed to be your date instead," she explained further. 

 

"And we still ended up meeting one another?" I questioned in amazement.

 

"Small town," 

 

"You bet," I replied but kept my silent afterwards because I was still trying to wrap my head around it.

 

"You were really funny,"

"I'm glad it happened," Yuri said, and I could feel myself melting on the spot. 

 

"Ha. Glad for YOU, I made a fool of myself!" I protested.

 

Yuri laughed out loud, her hand on her stomach, earning a small pout from me.

"Sorry, can't help it,"

 

She tried to stop laughing but her efforts failed.

I ended up bursting out laughing eventually when Yuri imitated my facial expressions and how I stuttered the whole way through. 

 

"Stop it!" I pleaded desperately because she couldn't stop her little Tiffany act. 

 

"Okay, I'm done," she said and then pretended to zip her lips. 

 

I smiled appreciatively, "I need to get home," 

 

"I'll send you home," 

 

"You crazy? It's so near," I asked her in disbelief.

"I'll just walk," 

 

"But you're injured,"

 

"I can manage," 

 

"What if some ert decided to catcall you in the middle of the road?" 

 

"Then they will get a perfect view of my middle finger," 

 

"Ha," she pretended to laugh at my sore attempt to be funny. 

 

"Seriously, I'm fine, it doesn't hurt as much anymore," I tried to kick my knee only to be proven wrong, but I pretended that I didn’t feel any pain.

 

"You're still limping, you can't even run to save your life," she quipped in a more serious tone.

 

I never knew she's this stubborn. 

 

"You can save mine if anything happens?" I asked her in a challenging tone.

 

"Of course, I am Mulan after all," she winked playfully - sending me screaming for help internally.

 

I must be out of my mind. 

 

---

I wanted to do a double update again yesterday, but I figured I shouldn’t spoil you guys too much! :p but your comments made me eager to post another update! So here it is, keep calm and wait patiently for the next update ;)

Thank you, lots of love xx