They let the puppy out of the kitchen as they ate in the living room. It was fine, Taeyeon had said, because now he was really clean, and he was house-trained, and to herself she had also added that he deserved to explore more of the house than just the kitchen. She’d waited for Tiffany to disagree, but Tiffany had just smiled and nodded.

Surprisingly, once free, the puppy didn’t run all over the apartment. He dashed into each room and sniffed around briefly before running back to Tiffany and sitting neatly on her feet. 

Which made Taeyeon feel a little hurt, but she was an adult, and she could deal with it.

She was biting into her second slice of pizza when Tiffany suddenly asked, “Are we keeping him?"

“Hmm?” Taeyeon covered as she chewed. “What?"

Tiffany gestured at the puppy with her elbow, carefully keeping her pizza away from the excited little tongue. “Are we keeping him?"

“What do you mean?"

“Are you okay with keeping him? Here?"

Taeyeon blinked at the hesitant expression on Tiffany’s face. “What? I thought…"

“I told Sooyoung we could take care of him for a bit."

“He’s just here temporarily?"

“I mean,” Tiffany gave in and broke off a bit of ham for the puppy, “that’s what I was planning to do, just in case you didn’t want the extra hassle."

“Oh."

“But, well, you don’t seem to mind him, so, do you want to keep him?"

Taeyeon put her plate down. “I didn’t know it was temporary."

“It doesn’t have to be."

“Does Sooyoung want him back?"

“No,” said Tiffany, shaking her head. “She adopted an older dog and didn’t realize she was pregnant until the puppies were born. She doesn’t have the space for more than one dog."

“Ah,” said Taeyeon, letting go of the tissue she had somehow crumpled in her hand. 

“What do you think?"

“I’d like to keep him, if that’s okay with you."

“Of course it’s okay with me! I was,” Tiffany looked down at her pizza, “I was worried you’d want to give him away."

“Why would I?"

“Because, well…"

They fell into an awkward silence. Taeyeon knew exactly what Tiffany was struggling to say, and, she admitted it, if she was the one who had brought a dog home out of the blue, she’d also worry over why Tiffany didn’t throw a fit, especially given their current situation.

“Is that why he doesn’t have a name?"

Tiffany looked up. “Hmm?"

“Did you not name him because you thought you’d have to give him away?"

“A little bit."

The little dog chased the bit of ham with his tongue, blissfully oblivious. Taeyeon nodded slowly. “Any ideas, then? Good Boy doesn’t feel quite right."

“His mom’s called Carrot, and his siblings are all named after herbs."

“Really?” Taeyeon couldn’t keep her giggle in. “Are they all black dogs?"

“Yeah. Pretty weird, huh?"

The puppy barked twice and they both laughed. “What vegetable do you want to be, baby?” Taeyeon held out a hand for him to sniff. “What are his siblings’ names?"

“Basil, Thyme, and Coriander."

“…Coriander?"

Tiffany shrugged. “That’s what Sooyoung told me."

“Surely there have to be better herb names?"

“I only really know the really basic ones. Bay, mint, sage, ginger, oregano—”

“Is ginger an herb?"

“Huh,” said Tiffany, frowning thoughtfully. “I don’t really know."

“I like it as a name, though. Ginger? Do you want to be Ginger?” Taeyeon picked the puppy up. “Or do you want to be Oregano?"

“I think Ginger’s nice."

Taeyeon met Tiffany’s eyes as the puppy her chin lovingly. “Ginger it is, then. Good boy, Ginger!"