Monday. 0530 hours. Incheon International Airport. 23°C. Light breeze.

The airport is rather quiet. This timing isn’t exactly a popular one with travellers. Tiffany stands around, waiting. Her reliable foldable stool isn’t required today. There is no competition from other fans this morning. Nobody else is here because nobody else knows. No one. Absolutely.

Then it occurs to her that she shouldn’t be standing around like this.

She should hide.

[o]

Kim Taeyeon 
to me

Dear Fany,

I didn’t see you at the airport this morning. Are you alright?

Taeyeon

[o]

Kim Taeyeon 
to me

Dear Fany,

Did you get my e-mail? Are you okay?

Taeyeon

[o]

Kim Taeyeon 
to me

Dear Fany,

Did something happen to you? Please be okay. I hope you reply me soon.

Taeyeon

[o]

Kim Taeyeon 
to me

Dear Fany,

Are you angry with me? It’s okay if you don’t want to talk to me anymore, but please send me a reply because I’m really worried about you.

Taeyeon

[o]

Her inbox is flooded with e-mails from the singer when she finally checks it after a few days. A total of eight e-mails sent over three days. Four of which were sent on the third day. The guilt builds as she reads each e-mail. The singer’s anxiety level is rising as time goes by and the eighth e-mail is practically begging her to be safe and sound and punctuated with apologies for ‘pressuring’ her into taking pictures of the singer.

“Shortae, how should I reply?” Tiffany directs her question at her favourite picture of the singer, pinned on her A3-sized corkboard hanging on the wall. She doesn’t know how to put her thoughts into words but the singer needs to receive a reply or she might just lose her mind at the rate she’s going.

To: [email protected]

Subject: I’m Sorry But Its Your Fault

Dear Shortae,

Yes. I have always called you Shortae. Because as short as you are, you managed to obstruct my shot of Ho Un Dung oppa for an entire week. That is the real reason why I went to the airport that day and ended up falling like a klutz in front of you and losing my kimbap. I didn’t expect to get cookies from you. I didn’t expect to be caught by you in the toilet. I didn’t expect to be threatened by a sasaeng for information about you. The sasaeng turned out to be my flatmate, by the way, and I made her pay for playing the prank on me. I didn’t expect to be helped by you when my legs cramped. I also didn’t expect to have cute e-mail convos with you. But most of all, I didn’t expect to actually like you. What have you done to me?! Because of you, I abandoned Twitter and Instagram and Snapchat and my fansites and buried myself in the library, studying for my finals. Can you believe it? I didn’t snap a single chat or insta a single picture or tweet in 3 days. 3 whole days. 72 hours. All I did was study. I STUDIED FOR 3 WHOLE DAYS IN THE LIBRARY. My flatmate thinks I have gone mad. All my friends are SHOOK. AND ITS ALL BECAUSE OF YOU. YOUR TO BLAME FOR THIS.

Not-Smiling Petals
p/s: sorry I made you worry for me.

[o]

Kim Taeyeon 
to me

Dear Fany,

I am sorry to have caused you so much distress. But studying for your finals is a good thing though and you should do it so I will gladly take the blame for it. I’m very very happy to know that you’re safe and well enough to yell at me over e-mail. How was your finals? Did it go smoothly?

I would like to invite you to have a drink with me after your finals. I hope you will come.

Taeyeon
p/s: I knew you would like me eventually

Tiffany cannot believe her eyes. How thick is Shortae’s hide? Why is she inviting her out for a drink after reading an e-mail that is so ridiculously written?

Dear Shortae,

My finals are done by this week. Studying for finals is a good thing but 3 days in the library without SNS is a sign of insanity.

I will meet you even though I don’t know why you would want to meet me cos you owe me that drink. I want something fruity.

Not-Smiling Petals
p/s: your confidence in yourself is a little nauseating

Tiffany doesn’t receive a reply and by the next day, she’s beginning to wonder if her flat-out jabs at Shortae are too much for the singer to stomach. But she’s proven wrong, just after lunch.

Kim Taeyeon 
to me

Dear Fany,

That’s great. Study hard, study well. Hwaitaeng! May my name give you extra strength and support.

I want to meet you because it’s nice to meet you. Noted your preference in drinks. I’ll think of a nice place to visit.

Taeyeon
p/s: it’s good to know I have such an effect on you

Tiffany is thoroughly disgusted by the too-short-too-pale singer by now but being disgusted by her is a far better response than swooning over her. This is acceptable. She has found a balance.

[o]

The week passes by in a blur, choke full of coarse language and swearing, what with final papers falling on three consecutive days. So when Tiffany steps out from the examination hall after her final final paper, she can’t help but shriek for joy.

“Yas! Yas! YASSS!”

No sooner does she hoot in celebration, her phone buzzes in silent vibration mode.

Kim Taeyeon 
to me

Dear Fany,

You made it! Congrats and well done.

I hope you haven’t forgotten about our fruity drink date because I know a great place to get some of that and I want to bring you there. Please come.

Taeyeon
p/s: I will be parked in the underground carpark. See the map attached for directions. My car is a silver Mercedes. T YH 8990.

“It’s almost as though we’re going out on a secret date and hiding it from reporters,” Tiffany grumbles as she downloads the map. Fortunately, the underground carpark isn’t too far from her place. She can easily drive there and hop onto Shortae’s car.

The thing is, getting there isn’t the challenge. But getting through the ‘date’ is.

[o]