Part 4

 

Los Angeles

“Well” Jessica says excitedly, gesturing in front of them. Theyâ’re on the third floor of the Saks, staring at a section of racks that bear the Jessica Jung Originals logo, and she’s clutching Tiffany’s hand so tightly it’s starting to go numb. Ignoring it, Tiffany turns to Jessica with a smile on her face.

“Jess, this is amazing?” She turns further, pulling Jessica into a hug, and says into her ear, “I’m so happy for you?”

“I’ve been working for this for so long?”

“Let’s celebrate?” Tiffany says, letting go of her. “We’ll go to Cut; have champagne, order dessert first?”

“I’d love that?” Jessica says, lacing her fingers through Tiffany’s again; they start to walk back towards the elevators.

“Hang on a second?” Tiffany says suddenly, pulling free from Jessica’s grasp. She picks up the first hanger on the rack in front of her and stares at it admiringly. “Taeyeon would love this?” It’s said more to herself than to Jessica.

“Is it her birthday or something?” Jessica asks.

“Or something?” Tiffany says, still distracted by the dress, and Jessica doesn’t know what to make of it. Tiffany heads for the register and flashes a charming smile at the salesgirl as she pulls out her credit card. When Jessica joins her a few moments later, Tiffany’s scrawling her signature onto the receipt. Slinging the garment bag over her arm, she turns to Jessica. “Hey, so, dinner? We’ll order some outrageously expensive champagne and split a chocolate soufflé?

“Yeah” Jessica nods, unable to resist being the focus of Tiffany’s attention; Taeyeon may be getting a gift, but that’s all she’s getting. While Taeyeon’s trying on her new dress, Jessica will be persuading Tiffany out of hers; it’s more than a fair trade. “That sounds perfect”

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Seoul

The package is from Tiffany.

Taeyeon sees the LA postmark even as she's signing for the delivery; a long, flat box wrapped in nondescript brown paper.

It's been a few months since Tiffany sent her a gift. She eyes it tentatively; deeply aware of the confusing rush of emotions that Tiffany's thoughtful, though sporadic presents stir in her.

Taeyeon takes the package into the dining room. It's bulging slightly in the middle though it's not very heavy. Fingers shaking slightly, Taeyeon rips into the paper and peels it off to one side. Glossy white cardboard shines underneath the lamplight and she sees the familiar black lettering of a California-based designer.

Securing the ends of the box top, Taeyeon lifts until sheafs of tissue paper crackle and spring up resolutely. Taeyeon drops the top onto the table and folds the paper away until she sees the gift itself.

It's stunning. Taeyeon pulls the brown dress from the box gently and holds it out in front of her. It's short and toffee colored, with intricately woven gold threading near the hem.

Taeyeon knows it will fit perfectly. Tiffany has always known her well and even two years and great distance can't change that.

Dropping it almost tenderly across the table, Taeyeon sees the cream colored envelope with her initial scrawled broadly in black ink. It's always the note that gets her.

She grasps the envelope and turns it over to find that it hasn't been sealed. Tiffany hates the taste of the adhesive and Taeyeon smiles at the idea that she'll always know that about the mushroom. Some things are immutable.

The note is brief; they always are. Barely six words long, it's written in an uneven but somehow beautiful slant of mismatched letters that vary in size. There's a smudge toward the signature; between the name and the word love.

Taeyeon runs her fingertip over the most important part and closes her eyes against a familiar burning warmth.

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Taeyeon is standing in her bedroom with her new dress on when the phone starts ringing. Just as she expected, the dress fits phenomenally well. She takes a lingering look behind her as she walks away and then reaches out to