4

“You can’t escape anymore Fany-ah.  You know that right?”

“Mhmm.  I know that very well, and it’s a good thing.” She smiled and her eyes disappeared, something Taeyeon had not seen in a long time, too long in fact.

“And I can finally hold your hand, and tell you that you’re pretty every day.”

“Tae-tae, it’s starting to get cheesy.”

“I don’t care.”

“But I do.”  She looked down, making an effort not to meet Taeyeon’s eyes.

“Huh?  Why?”

She was still looking down.  “Because, Tae-tae, if you talk about it, I’m reminded of how stupid I was.  And how much I hurt you…”

“Hey, don’t feel bad.  It was my fault the whole time.  You’re blaming yourself too much, Fany-ah.”  Taeyeon meant this.  No matter how much she had to suffer, she endured it, and not knowing that she would ever have her.  But now she does, and she could not ask for anything more.

“I don’t deserve you, really…”

“Stop saying that.”

“But it’s true.”

“And you’re still stubborn as ever.”

“Hey.  You’re the stubborn one, even Jessi said so!”

“…Jessi?”

“Oh.  Right.  I forgot to tell you…”

“You met her?”

“Yeah, we’re on speaking terms again.”

“That’s good.”  Wait, does this mean she told you? 

“I missed that girl.  How long has it been?”

“About two years.”

“Wow.  That long.  What have I done to our relationship?”

“Tell me about it.”  This earned her a smack on the arm from the taller girl.  “Hey!  Don’t hit me!  Just because I’m small doesn’t mean you should take advantage of it, you know.”

“Hehe, I was just playing.  Sorry Tae-tae,” she said with the cutest pouty face.  Taeyeon really just couldn’t resist kissing the girl.

“Hey, not now.  This is supposed to be a special moment.”

“It is!  That’s why I’m doing this.” A grin appeared on her face.

“Byuntae.  Always was and always will be.”

“I disagree, but I’m glad you still remember our past memories.”  This time, her smile was sincere.

“Of course, Tae-tae.”  She smiled.  “I would never forget them.  I just want to erase these past two years from my memory forever though.”

“Even now?”  Taeyeon asked, with a tone of insecurity in her voice.

“Nope.”  This time it was the younger girl’s turn to peck the other girl on the lips.

She smiled.  “I like this.”

“Yah, again with the Byun.”

“Nonono, I meant, us.”  She blushed.

“Awww, Tae-tae’s blushing!”

There was no point in hiding her face.  Plus, as long as she could see Tiffany smile, she couldn’t care less if anything happened to her.

“Only for you.”  She smiled again.

“I wish I could have realized ages ago… about you.  Us.”

“Don’t go there again.”

“I know.  It’s just… You’re so cute!  I want to pinch your cheeks Tae-tae!” She had fooled the shorter girl.

“No pinching the Tae-tae.  I have a rule for that.  So, only kisses are allowed.”  A smirk.

“Byun, so completely a byuntae.  You can’t be helped.”

“Again, only for you.”

“Fany-ah, it’s getting pretty late.  I think you should go home.”  It took a lot of effort for Taeyeon to say that.

“But-”

“No buts.  I don’t want you going home in the middle of the night.”

“Ahahaha, no ‘butts’.  And you think you’re not a byun?”  She was still laughing at her own lame joke.

“Ha ha ha.  SO PUNNY.”

“You’re so lame Tae.  You know that right?”

“Says the one who came up with ‘butts’ from ‘buts’.  I think you win this lame contest.”

“Whatevs.  Yeah, I should go now.. Maybe, I’ll see you tomorrow?”  Her eyes suddenly lit up.

Taeyeon couldn’t help but laugh at the girl’s cuteness, and of course she couldn’t refuse. 

“Okay.  Maybe.  Go home for now.  I’ll text you later.”

“Yeah, and maybe I’ll go pay a late night visit to Jessi.  I kinda need to thank her.”

“For what?”

“Just cuz.”

“Oh.”  Obviously there was a reason, but Taeyeon just didn’t feel like asking.  “Okay then.  Just don’t stay too late.  And remember to get home before 1 AM.  Okay?  I’ll call you to make sure you got home.  Actually, you better call me.”

“Sigh… Overprotective mother.”

“I just can’t lose you.” 

Hearing that, Tiffany looked up to see the sincerity in Taeyeon’s eyes.  She gave a light smile.  “Okay.  Don’t worry, I will.”

“Good night Fany.  See you tomorrow then!”

“Alright.  You promised okay?”  She waved as she was walking away from the house.

“Yup!”  Sigh… You’re such a dorky kid sometimes Fany.  But I love you for that.  I’m so glad that you’re finally mine.  I’m never going to lose you, not again. 

--

While walking home, Tiffany suddenly remembered that there was still something else to deal with… her boyfriend.  She couldn’t just hide it from him; that would be cheating.

I totally forgot about him.  I have to tell him, so he at least gets a proper explanation.  I can’t do this to him.  She sighed.

The girl took out her phone and looked at the time.

12:18 AM

I still have time.  Tae-tae said 1 AM right?  Yeah, I think I’ll get home by then.  She smiled.

She dialed his phone number and held the phone to her ear, standing out in the cold.

“Hello?” she heard a man’s voice.

“Hi oppa.”

“Hey Tiffany!  What’s up?  Late at this hour?”

“Um.  Nothing really.”  She lied.

“Oh, so you just missed me?”  She could tell he was teasing her.

“Erm.  No.  Actually, oppa, can we meet?”

“Yeah of course.  I thought we had plans for tomorrow.”

“I meant like, now.”

“Now?”

“Yeah.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“It’s not that late.”

“…Well, okay then.  Where?”

“Just at the park.  You know that one?”

“Mhmm.  Alright then, see you later I guess?”

“Yeah.”

-Beep-

Wow… I am such a bad person.  How am I even supposed to face him?  Tell him that I’m suddenly in love with my best friend who’s a girl? 

All these thoughts crowded her mind as she was walking back to the park where she had been just a few hours earlier.  She was happy, that Taeyeon had actually accepted her, but so confused, not knowing how to break the news to her boyfriend.

Trying to come up with all the possible ways of wording the situation, so her boyfriend would not be as shocked, the girl kept walking.  She was completely ignoring her surroundings, but thankfully careful enough to stop at the intersection.

She stood there for a good minute, again, lost in her own thoughts.  When she remembered where she was and what she was doing, she looked up at the light and saw the green man, signalling her to cross.

Step.  Step.  Step.

Tae-tae, how should I tell him?  I don’t want to hurt him, but I know I have to tell him…  She was too lost in her own thoughts.

Step.  Step.  Step.

A bright light shined in her direction.  A loud screech.  Bam.

Next thing she knew, she was lying on the ground, and she heard sounds of a vehicle driving away.

Ow.  I can’t move.  What happened?  Tae-tae ah, where…are…you…?  I…can’t…lose…you…

Her eyes slowly closed and she let out a small mumble, “Tae…”