The vet said that Ginger could go outside a week after his vaccinations. So, bright and early on Saturday morning, Taeyeon fed Ginger and played with him as they waited for Tiffany to wake up.

“Are you ready to see the world, baby?” Taeyeon scooped the puppy up and snuggled into his fur. “Walkies! Though I guess that word doesn’t mean anything to you right now."

Ginger her face obligingly, and as she laughed, Taeyeon caught the glint of light at his neck. 

“Look at your nice collar, Ginger. Who’s a big boy now? Who has his own collar? You do!"

She held onto the dog tag and admired the big, clear lettering on the front — GINGER — before flipping it around to the back. There was a number there: Tiffany’s number.

Taeyeon had said she didn’t mind. At the vet’s last week, they had gotten him microchipped with their address…and Tiffany’s number. To be fair, Tiffany had asked her, twice, if she wanted her number on the microchip instead, but Taeyeon said no. Tiffany had found him and brought him home, hadn’t she? The number should be hers. Especially if they weren’t going to stay together and Ginger would probably go with Tiffany. 

The same at the pet shop, an hour later; again, Tiffany had asked if she wanted to put her number on the back of the tag, and again, Taeyeon had said no. For the same reasons, she told herself. Because — wasn’t Ginger Tiffany’s dog? Maybe it was petty to split things so evenly between them but still, it felt…better, maybe, to draw clear lines between herself and Tiffany. 

But a small, quiet part of her wished it was her number on the gleaming tag. Or on the microchip. Or maybe, both their numbers.

A door opened somewhere in the apartment. Ginger’s ears pricked up and Taeyeon set him down; one of them, at least, had no qualms about running to Tiffany.