Taeyeon’s in her basement playing with her solar-powered car that she built with Tiffany. They received an ‘A’ on their project, and they’re supposed to build a boat next, but it isn’t due a month before they graduate high school. 

The solar powered remote control car runs on high gear as Taeyeon makes the car turn a sharp left. It’s three days into her winter break and this is how she’s spending it. Some of her ‘relatives’ are supposed to come to her house for Christmas, so she isn’t going anywhere for the holidays. Tiffany hasn’t contacted her, and whenever Taeyeon suggests that they should hang out, Tiffany always has some excuse. It’s like the girl’s ignoring her.

‘…. I’m one to talk.’

If this is Tiffany trying to get back at her for ignoring her, then she’s definitely succeeding in making Taeyeon's mood dampen. Taeyeon’s mom noticed her damp mood and asked if she’s fighting with Tiffany again. Taeyeon couldn’t help but groan when she asked because she, herself, doesn’t know. All she knows is that Tiffany’s dad is back and that could mean a bunch of things. She doesn’t know Tiffany’s dad!

A knock on the basement door catches Taeyeon’s attention. She turns to the source, not realizing that the car was still running at full speed as it crashes into the wall. “Poor car. I would have thought you’d keep it in a better condition.”

“Tiffany.” Taeyeon let’s go of the power stick and the car stops ramming itself into the wall. She gets up off the couch she was laying on and walks to their car to turn off the contraption, but, before she could, Tiffany stops her. “Can I play with it?”

“Sure.” Taeyeon doesn’t think twice as she hands over the control to Tiffany. The bright girl smiles at Taeyeon, and Taeyeon can’t help but blush at the site. She averts her attention to the other side of the room as she goes back to lay down on the couch. Tiffany follows the shorter girl and lifts Taeyeon’s legs up before setting them on her lap.

“Is this what you’ve been doing these past few days?” Tiffany asks as she makes the car go in reverse and then has it charge straight at them.

“Sorta.” Taeyeon’s trying her best to slow down her rapidly beating heart. Just having Tiffany this close to her makes her feel all sorts of things, weird things, like butterflies, large roaring butterflies. She doesn’t like it when her heart is hammering this hard against her ears, it makes her nervous and twitchy, and she feels like if it hammers any harder then Tiffany will definitely know. Tiffany can’t know.

“Are you okay?” Tiffany asks, popping Taeyeon’s little La La Land bubble. “Huh?” Taeyeon’s confused gaze lets Tiffany know that there is something going on. “You were twitching a bit, and you also didn’t hear a word I said.”

Taeyeon could feel the blush she already had darken. If Tiffany didn’t notice she was a shade of pink before, then she sure will know now. “Sorry.” Taeyeon stops her action as she bites the inside of her lip. “I’m fine. You were saying?”

Tiffany looks at the blushing girl for a second longer before she averts her attention back to the car. “I was apologizing for rejecting each time you wanted to hang out. My dad’s back, and he’s been trying to spend more time with me.”

Guilt sank deep to the bone as Taeyeon realized she was being selfish. Of course, Tiffany would want to spend some time with her dad, but something about the way Tiffany said it seemed off. Tiffany sounded indifferent. Shouldn’t the girl sound happy about it? “Sounds fun.”

Tiffany didn't bat an eyelash as she continued to play with the car, humming in response. It didn’t sit right within Taeyeon. Tiffany should be happy, she should be annoying Taeyeon to an end about how her dad’s back, talking her ear off is more like it, but Tiffany isn’t. Taeyeon retrieves her legs from Tiffany’s lap and sits cross-legged to give Tiffany her divided attention. “You don’t sound like it.”

A sigh leaves Tiffany’s lips as she makes the car turn and charge at them once more, “I don’t want to talk about it.” 

Taeyeon’s eyebrows inched upwards, thinking she may have heard wrong. A dry laugh resonates through the room as Taeyeon tries to grasp the idea that she didn’t mishear Tiffany. “Is this coming from the same girl that wouldn’t shut up when I said that my dad wasn’t hot and almost talked my ear off because of it?”

Tiffany let go of the power stick as a small grin etched on her lips. She sighs as her thumb runs across the power button of the control. “I just….” Another sigh leaves her lips, “I don’t know.” Tiffany’s response confuses Taeyeon. What doesn’t Tiffany know? 

Taeyeon uncrosses her legs and moves over the couch to sit next to the confused girl. “Is your dad why you’ve been acting all…”

“Weird?” Tiffany finishes her question.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah…” Tiffany admits. Her dad is the reason why she’s been acting weird at school.

A moment too long passes as Tiffany keeps fiddling with the switches and buttons on the control. Taeyeon’s warm hand then holds her right one and she looks up to see the shorter girl's gentle smile. “You know I’m here for you.” Tiffany can’t help but smile, relieved?

“I know I should be grateful that he’s made the effort to come back…” Tiffany trails off. “But.” She smiles when Taeyeon begins her next thought. The girl knows her well. “But having him back makes everything feel so real.” Tiffany can feel Taeyeon’s thumb trace small circles on her skin. “Before he came back, I could just pretend they were off on a long vacation, and they would be coming back home soon.”

“But reality hit you hard.” Taeyeon voices her understanding of the situation.

Tiffany weakly smiles as she rests her head on Taeyeon’s shoulder. “It hit me so hard.”

––––

What is love?~

Baby don't hurt me~

Don't hurt me~

No more~

This song has been stuck in my head...