Taeyeon noticed a figure approaching her table in her periphery, making her look up in reflex. After meeting a pair of dark brown eyes possibly mirroring her own in terms of unbidden disappointment and resignation, she went back to people-watching through the glass windows of the café-restaurant.
 

She should have expected this to happen. They were always the earliest ones to arrive during their group get-togethers, even when they tried to come later than usual. Only the order in which they arrived would vary.
 

The brunette unceremoniously took a seat across Taeyeon, barely sparing the latter a glance, much less a greeting. Tiffany immediately began to fiddle with her phone, while Taeyeon’s gaze remained on the street outside.
 

If Tiffany was oil, then Taeyeon was water; their relationship could be described as simple as that. They were practically complete opposites, with Tiffany loving pink and Taeyeon loving blue, Tiffany extroverted and loud while Taeyeon preferred silence and solace. The term ‘opposites attract’ didn’t seem to apply to them. The only thing they could probably agree on was the importance of punctuality, something the rest of their friends heavily disregarded, hence the reason why the two always had to endure one another’s presence for a few minutes, until one of their friends finally arrived to break the awkward and slightly hostile silence.
 

They didn’t have anything completely against each other; they just never really clicked, even after seven years of being acquainted. The timing always seemed to be off between them. Tiffany would be obnoxiously loud during the days when Taeyeon terribly wanted some peace and quiet. Or Taeyeon would be regarded as a party pooper, when her reserved mood ended up bringing down the atmosphere during an important event Tiffany had invited her to in the latter’s desperate attempt to try and fix this weird relationship they’ve got going on.
 

It was these nuances in the other’s character, paired with a large bout of bad timing and clashing opinions, which prevented them from truly becoming friends.
 

Like right now, wherein Tiffany was completely absorbed with her phone.
 

Taeyeon loathed that. It’s not like she wasn’t understanding. She knew that Tiffany might be talking to somebody important on the other end, but the brunette did this every. Single. Time. They. Were. Alone. Together.
 

Taeyeon grumbled under her breath in annoyance so the other woman won’t hear her. She decided to spare Tiffany a glance; people-watching was getting boring anyway.
 

Tiffany was smiling softly at her phone screen, eyes crinkling slightly, giving Taeyeon a glimpse of a half-watted eye-smile. Taeyeon was annoyed, but she wasn’t blind. She knew Tiffany Hwang was gorgeous, and her eye-smile could stop traffic. It was also beneficial to the group when such a smile could get them quick-as-lightning service in bars, so Taeyeon had grown to appreciate it.
 

Taeyeon found a new game to play that was way better than people-watching: What could Tiffany be smiling at on her phone?
 

Maybe Tiffany was talking to her new boytoy.
 

Or she found a pair of Christian Louboutins on sale at half price.
 

A shirtless picture of Brad Pitt?
 

A pink on pink on pink layered outfit?
 

Admiring her own beautiful face because she was actually using the phone’s camera to check herself out?
 

Taeyeon couldn’t help but chuckle a little at that last one…because it was highly likely.
 

She didn’t realize that the source of her mirth had heard her laughter and was now looking at her like she had lost her mind.
 

Thankfully, she didn’t have to respond to the question Tiffany was about to ask her regarding her sanity because one of their friends, Choi Sooyoung, had finally arrived.
 

Once Sooyoung sat in their booth, the two visibly relaxed because now they had a buffer to prevent further awkward silences.

***

It was just the two of them again, along with that weird awkward tension that always hung in the air when they were together. Although, that tension felt even more overbearing than usual today, largely due to the incident that occurred five days ago when the both of them were carpooling with Yuri and Sunny on the way to one of Sooyoung’s charity events.
 

Taeyeon and Tiffany had ended up sitting together at the backseat, while Sunny drove her navy blue sedan and Yuri occupied the passenger seat. Yuri and Sunny were having a conversation while the other two remained silent at the back; Taeyeon was looking out the window and Tiffany was playing with her phone.
 

Sunny noticed the tension blanketing her two friends again and decided that enough was enough. “You guys have been friends for seven years,” she suddenly spoke up, looking at the blonde and brunette through her rearview mirror, “And you can’t even find it in yourselves to hold a conversation? Even just some idle chitchat about the weather? Nothing?”
 

Taeyeon and Tiffany both looked at her, startled. Yuri turned her head around to observe them. Amusement lit Yuri’s eyes as she observed the considerable distance between the two, with Taeyeon almost pressed up against the car’s door, but this was nothing new.
 

Tiffany opened , seemingly wanting to give off one of her usual excuses about why they were the way they were, but Taeyeon beat her to it. “Maybe we could, if she wasn’t always using her phone to text her boytoys,” the blonde remarked quietly, although the unbearable stillness that filled the car after Taeyeon had spoken signified that everyone had heard her, especially the woman next to her.
 

Before Tiffany could formulate a good enough comeback besides the narrowing of her eyes and the fierce glare she threw at Taeyeon, they had arrived at the venue. Taeyeon immediately opened the door the moment the car stopped, and she disappeared inside the building. Tiffany would catch glimpses of the petite blonde during the entire night, but the moment that the brunette would try and go near her, Taeyeon was nowhere to be found.
 

Although she knew Taeyeon’s excuse was not as valid as the blonde thought it was, Tiffany decided to let it go, also partly because she may have been a little bit at fault. Just a little bit.
 

So here she was now, trying to amend that tiny fault by heeding Taeyeon’s “concern for her reliance to her boytoy (Seriously? Boytoy? They were 26 years old, for goodness’ sake).” She had barely glanced at the phone in front of her, much less touched it.
 

Whether or not Taeyeon actually even noticed her lack of technological tapping and swiping was anyone’s guess, since the blonde never acknowledged her actions, barely sparing Tiffany a glance, as usual. Since Tiffany didn’t have her phone as a distraction, she peeked at the woman across from her at the corner of her eye as she sipped on her iced coffee, which she had bought to at least act as a mild distraction. Since she couldn’t fiddle with her phone, she could at least fiddle with the straw instead, as well as the plastic cup that she sporadically lifted to shake in order to mix the melted ice and coffee properly.
 

Taeyeon was, as usual, people-watching, besides the person that was right in front of her, that is. Seeing the lack of irregularity with Taeyeon’s habit, Tiffany was annoyed. She thought that maybe now that she wasn’t playing with her phone, then Taeyeon would actually talk to her, seeing as how the older woman made the whole thing an excuse as to why they don’t communicate when they were alone together like this.
 

As the minutes flew by, Tiffany seethed and grew even more frustrated. Seethed because what the hell was wrong with Taeyeon? Grew frustrated because what the HELL was wrong with Taeyeon? And also, what the hell was wrong with HER?
 

She shouldn’t have quit the habit of using her phone. She should’ve just ignored the woman’s jabs days ago. And maybe she should’ve rebutted and told her that she was merely playing games in her phone, unlike what Taeyeon thought, because Tiffany didn’t know how to strike a conversation with the blonde without it turning awkward like it usually did. Maybe then Taeyeon would have understood. But it’s too late to tell her now, what with her apathetic dismissal of Tiffany’s presence.
 

What Tiffany didn’t know was that Taeyeon’s hands, which were hidden underneath the table, were toying nervously with the hem of her shirt. And the brunette didn’t know how Taeyeon’s thoughts were mostly filled with Oh my god Tiffany’s not using her phone anymore which means I have to start a conversation with her oh my god what do I even SAY? Why did I have to open my stupid mouth and say something about it …
 

After a few more minutes of crippling tension, Tiffany couldn’t take the silence anymore. If she used her phone now, Taeyeon won’t ever be able to tell her off again since she didn’t even talk to her. As Tiffany reached for her pink-cased salvation, Taeyeon’s eyes bulged from their sockets as she caught the eye of a woman standing a few meters behind Tiffany.
 

“Taeyeon?” The woman said, approaching their table.
 

Tiffany’s hand stilled inches from her phone upon hearing the unknown voice. Before she was able to spare the owner of the voice a glance, she noticed the slight look of panic in Taeyeon’s eyes, sparking her curiosity.
 

Tiffany turned to her left and surveyed the stranger. She was pretty, in a y kind of way. And Tiffany immediately thought that she totally seemed to be Taeyeon’s type. Tiffany had seen a fair share of Taeyeon’s women, whether they be flings or girlfriends, and they always seem to have this appeal thing going on. Kind of what Taeyeon had herself. Tiffany wasn’t going to deny that the blonde’s usual leather jacket and dark skinny jeans getup screamed ‘y and mysterious.’
 

“Hi Hyunbi,” was Taeyeon’s seemingly cool reply. Tiffany noted how Taeyeon had now visibly stiffened, more so than the usual tension her shoulders possessed when she was alone with Tiffany. Ex, maybe?
 

The lady standing before them tucked a curl of her hair behind her ear, which Tiffany thought seemed to be a sign of nervousness…or…excitement? Was that excitement in her eyes?
 

“I-I didn’t know you were back from Paris.”
 

Tiffany couldn’t control her eyes from widening at the statement, amusedly meeting Taeyeon’s dark brown ones. Paris???
 

Taeyeon’s eyes seemed to be communicating with her as well, albeit in a panicky and desperate sort of way. Telling her to not sell her out. Practically begging her. Which made Tiffany bite her lip to keep from laughing. Who knew that Taeyeon would ever plead with her?
 

Taeyeon’s eyes quickly return to Hyunbi. “Ah…yes…well…I...only recently got back.”
 

“Ah…but…you told me you’d call once you came back,” Hyunbi said with a pout. Wow, even her pout is y. How long did she have to rehearse that in front of the mirror? Tiffany thought, amused.
 

“Right…well, about that…” Without warning, Taeyeon’s hand, which was underneath the table, lifted up and grasped Tiffany’s left one which was on the table. The brunette almost flinched at the sudden contact, not because it was unwanted, but because it was surprising how warm Taeyeon’s hands were. And smooth. And soft. Did they ever hold hands during the entire seven years? As Tiffany racked her brain trying to remember any instances, she was brought back to the present when she heard Taeyeon’s next words.
 

“I actually have a girlfriend now.”
 

Hold up. What?
 

Tiffany’s eyes widened instinctively, and her eyes shifted from their joint hands to Taeyeon’s eyes. One look from her dark brown orbs had Tiffany blinking her surprise away, relaxing her posture. She smiled inwardly, finding it hard not to enjoy this. She liked roleplaying, and she also liked helping her friends out. Because as much as Taeyeon annoyed and frustrated the hell out of her, Tiffany still thought of her as a friend.
 

She turned her friendly yet slightly predatory gaze at the woman standing before them, and flashed her her signature Tiffany eye-smile. “Hi, I’m Tiffany, Taeyeon’s girlfriend,” she told her, offering the woman the hand that was not preoccupied with holding Taeyeon’s for a shake.
 

“G-girlfriend?”
 

Tiffany nodded at Hyunbi as she let go of the latter’s clammy hand. “Yes. We actually met in Paris, while I was participating in Paris Fashion Week.” She wanted to say that Taeyeon was one of the photographers there, but she didn’t know the extent of Taeyeon’s lies to this woman, so Tiffany played it safe. “TaeTae and I somehow clicked, even though we’re total opposites…and now…” She looked down to meet Taeyeon’s eyes, giving her a loving gaze that she knew was A+ acting-worthy. “…We’re here.” She bit her lip shyly to add an even more I’m-so-in-love effect, and she knew she was doing well because Taeyeon’s eyes were filled with surprise and awe. And she also looked a little bit stunned, which could easily pass as being love-struck. Good.
 

Tiffany maintained their eye contact and began to play with Taeyeon’s hand, brushing her thumb against the back of it, acting as if they were the only people in the entire room. Which was not lost on Hyunbi, who began to stutter out her words. “W-well…it was nice to see you again, Taeyeon. And call me…if you…umm…”
 

Hyunbi’s words made Tiffany break her gaze and look up sharply at the woman who couldn’t seem to take a hint. Now she understood why Taeyeon lied to her. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think Taeyeon will be giving you a call. Ever,” Tiffany told her with a cold finality, even though she wanted to say more and unleash a little bit of her possessive side as Taeyeon’s fake girlfriend. Gone was her lovey-dovey eye-smile, and what replaced it was a subtly calculating and dangerous look. Although they’ve only been acquainted for a few minutes, the vibe Tiffany was getting didn’t sit well with her. She didn’t want this woman near Taeyeon, ever.
 

Thankfully, Hyunbi seemed to get Tiffany’s blatant hint of “BACK OFF," as the woman finally muttered a goodbye and walked away from them, leaving the café in a rush.
 

“Wow.”
 

Tiffany’s gaze, which had followed the fleeing woman until she disappeared from view, turned back to Taeyeon, who was looking at her in amazement. She gave Taeyeon a proud smile. And then a questioning glance. “How did you get acquainted with that?”
 

“It’s a long story.”
 

“Well, our friends won’t be here for another few minutes or so, so…”
 

Taeyeon chuckled at that, and nodded, proceeding to tell Tiffany about how she met the clingy and obsessive Hyunbi, who didn’t show her true colors until a few weeks after they met.