Tiffany couldn’t wait to get out of the car as they pulled up in front of her apartment building.

 

Because the two of them had not actually spoken another word since the call, Mr. Jang had decided that Tiffany should go back home in order to keep Taeyeon’s home from being discovered. In the car ride home, Tiffany had stared out the window in the backseat, studiously not looking at Taeyeon beside her. 

 

“Thank you,” Tiffany jumped a little, startled by the sudden sound of her own voice after so long a silence in the car. 

 

“You’re welcome, Tiffany. I’ll call you tomorrow to figure out the details.” Mr. Jang gave her a warm smile, which she weakly returned. She opened the door cautiously, waited, then stepped out when no reporters swarmed up to interrogate her. 

 

She was just about to go inside her building when the sound of an opening car door made her turn around. “…Taeyeon?” Tiffany looked around nervously as the singer walked up to her. “Are you supposed to be out here?"

 

“I asked Oppa, he said it was okay."

 

“Oh,” said Tiffany. She didn’t know what to do with her hands, so she stuffed them into her pockets.

 

“I’m really sorry about this."

 

“Taeyeon, please stop apologizing. I already said it’s okay, didn’t I?"

 

“No,” said Taeyeon, looking earnestly up into Tiffany’s eyes, “I didn’t know I was giving you so much stress."

 

“Oh, that. The doctor was probably joking. I don’t believe him."

 

“Are—” Taeyeon stopped and tried again. “Do you dislike me?"

 

“What? No!"

 

“Are you sure?"

 

Tiffany nodded vehemently. “I’m sure. I don’t dislike you."

 

“Okay. Do you dislike what we’re doing?"

 

“As in this whole faking it thing?” 

 

“Yeah."

 

“Nothing we can do about it now, is there?"

 

“Sunny said you hate it when people lie, though.” 

 

“I just,” Tiffany shrugged slightly. “It’s a bit uncomfortable, that’s true. But nothing I can’t handle."

 

“Would you be more uncomfortable if you weren’t lying?"

 

“What do you mean?"

 

She blinked in confusion as Taeyeon’s face turned red. “I mean, if we were really dating, would— would that be more uncomfortable? Than if you were lying? I mean, like, would you prefer to not be lying by dating me?"

 

“I’m sorry?"

 

Taeyeon took a deep breath. “It could be a way of getting to know each other, right? Since we’re going to have to see a lot of each other, probably, if you’d like we could try it and see where it goes?"

 

“…Are you suggesting we actually start dating?"

 

“Yes."

 

Tiffany raised her eyebrows.

 

“I’m being serious,” said Taeyeon.

 

“But we don’t know each other."

 

“That’s what dating is for, isn’t it? To get to know the other person?"

 

“But…but I’m,” Tiffany looked down at herself, “I’m like the most boring person possible and you’re a superstar."

 

“I’m human, too."

 

Tiffany looked at Taeyeon and tried to make sense of everything. 

 

“Do you dislike me, Tiffany?"

 

“No, I really don’t."

 

“Then we could try? For a while, at least?” Taeyeon shifted her feet. “So you don’t have to lie."

 

“You don’t have to go this far just so I can get out of lying, Taeyeon. I can handle it."

 

“I want to do this."

 

“Hmm?"

 

“In my position, it’s really hard for me to find anyone, let alone someone I’m allowed to be with. To have a chance like this, right now,” Taeyeon stood a little straighter, “I want to try. If you will."

 

“…So if it was someone else that you were accidentally lumped together with and your company was okay with it, you’d ask the same thing of them?"

 

“Honestly? Yes, I probably would. But,” said Taeyeon quickly, “it’s not anyone else. I’m asking you, Tiffany. Not some hypothetical person. If you were willing, would you consider?"

 

Tiffany took a breath. She looked at Taeyeon in front of her, at the small but determined national star standing before her. She glanced back at the car and thought of Mr. Jang, who was probably wondering why they were taking so long. She thought of the reporters who were very likely hiding in a bush nearby taking a million pictures of this moment. She thought of her family, her friends, her job. She thought about herself.

 

“I would,” she said finally.

 

“You would consider?"

 

“Yes."

 

Taeyeon nodded hesitantly. “You think it’s a good idea?"

 

“I think if there’s anything good that could come of this mess, your plan would be pretty high on the list."

 

“I see. And…are you willing? To put this good plan in motion?"

 

Tiffany looked up at the cloudy night sky, lit up with a entire city’s worth of lights. “I’m not sure why,” she said slowly. “But, yes."

 

“Yes? As in you’ll…you’ll date me?"

 

She smiled at the hopeful look in Taeyeon’s eyes. “Yes, Taeyeon. I will."

 

--

 

Tiffany came out of the bathroom, still drying her hair with her towel. It felt nice to be back in her own home. She sat down on her cozy little single bed and checked the flood of messages on her phone.

 

[Yoona: UNNIE??? UNNIE??? DA FUQ I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T DATING]

[Leo: just a heads up, mom is disappointed that you’re not pregnant]

[Leo: also, congrats but you need to tell me what’s happening]

[SYONG: YOU’RE DATING KIM TAEYEON? HOW DID SENPAI NOTICE U]

[2 Missed Calls from Mom]

[Mom: miyoung please call me. love, mom]

[Mom: miyoung well done. love, mom]

[Sunny: u ok?]

[Mom: miyoung why are you not pregnant. love, mom]

 

“God, here goes nothing,” said Tiffany, dialing. “Hello? Mom?"

 

“Baby! My favorite child!"

 

“Mom."

 

“What happened to little Joowon?"

 

“Mom! We’re both girls!"

 

“So?"

 

“What do you mean, so?"

 

“We’re in the modern age, sweetie."

 

“I literally just met her a week ago! And can you stop with the pet names?"

 

“I’m so proud of you, baby girl. You actually did it. I told you to wear make-up, didn’t I?"

 

“Oh my god, Mom, this is not what you’re supposed to say to your daughter."

 

“Is she a good kisser?"

 

“MOM!"

 

“What, you don’t want to be stuck in a relationship with someone who’s unskilled, you know."

 

Tiffany put a hand over her face. “Please, mom!"

 

“You two are dating for real now, aren’t you?"

 

“Well, yes. Kind of."

 

“She’s cute, Miyoung. I love her songs, we dance to them every zumba class!"

 

“Oh."

 

“You haven’t heard any of them, have you?"

 

“It doesn’t matter."

 

“It does. You’re so behind with the times. I’m ashamed of you."

 

“I thought I was your favorite child?"

 

“Oh, you absolutely are. You have a good night and tell your little sweetheart that we approve, wholeheartedly."

 

“I’m not going to tell her that."

 

“Well, your choice. I have to go tell my friends about this now, bye."

 

“Wait, mo—”

 

Tiffany shook her head fondly as the line dropped. Plugging her phone into the charger, she went to dry her hair and hung her towel up to dry. She picked up her phone again, answering the messages, when a new one popped up.

 

[taeyeon: hello, this is the nation’s favorite model]

 

Tiffany laughed. 

 

[tiffany: omg choi sooyoung? i’m a huge fan!]

[taeyeon: i’m offended that you know her and not me]

[tiffany: should i save your name as something else? is it safe?]

[taeyeon: well we’re supposed to be dating anyway]

[taeyeon: it still feels so weird to say that]

[tiffany: yeah…]

[tiffany: everyone else in the country is more ok with that than we are]

[taeyeon: at least we got rid of joowon]

[tiffany: my mom was disappointed]

[taeyeon: oh]

[tiffany: she’s a free spirit]

[taeyeon: ahahaha]

[taeyeon: anyway you should sleep]

[tiffany: ugh monday]

[taeyeon: oh]

[taeyeon: i think oppa has plans for us]

[tiffany: already??]

[taeyeon: my company is also full of free spirits]

[taeyeon: goodnight]

[tiffany: goodnight]

 

She fell asleep with her phone under her pillow and a faint smile on her face.