Chapter 10

Thunder roaring and its lights flashing echoes in the dimly lit room covered with the sound of rain bashing through the window. Taeyeon, being unable to fall asleep kept twisting and turning on her bed. Her mind occupied by the person she's been trying to have a platonic friendship with in which her heart just won't seem to agree.

 Ever since she had that talk with Tiffany about her not wanting to change how they are at the moment; she kept her feelings at bay. Making sure she was not doing anything that would make anyone think she was courting her and it has been driving her crazy. Because SHE WANTS to court Tiffany. She wants to shower her with love and spoil her and treat her like the queen that she is for Taeyeon. However, she can't because she's afraid that she might push Tiffany further away if she does something more than what friends would do.

 Even though she asked Tiffany to open her heart to her, that doesn't seem to be the case because instead of opening, Tiffany was doing the opposite because now the woman seems to be taking a distance from her. They rarely hang out together now and if they do, it is with their group of friends or with Joohyun. It's not that she hates it, it's just that she wants to spend time with Tiffany, alone.

 She sighed, deciding to get out of bed and get some warm milk to maybe help her sleep.

 As soon as she walked past the living room, she found her flat mate, Sunny playing video games. She stopped on her tracks, "You're still playing?"

 "Hey, Taeng. Yeah, I won't be able to sleep until I finish this game" she hissed. "What are you doing up so late?"

 "I can't sleep either" she sighed.

 Sunny paused her game, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

 Taeyeon walked to the sofa and plopped down her body there. "Tiffany. I don't understand what's going on.."

 "Fany's still avoiding you?"

 Taeyeon nodded her head. "I thought it's supposed to be better now that everyone's okay.. but she's.. she's putting a wall."

 Sunny understood. "Taeng, has it ever occurred to you that maybe she's afraid?"

 Taeyeon furrowed her brows, "of what?"

 "Of hurting you again? of splitting the group? of hurting Joohyun? Everything's just falling back into place. Maybe she's afraid of ruining it again."

 Taeyeon frowned. "But how else could she hurt me? I believe we've been through the worst and we all came out stronger? We'll protect Joohyun, we have each other." She frustratingly explained.

 Sunny chuckled, "I think I'm not the right person to tell these things to. Tell her, Taeng. Give her the assurance, I think this is what she needs to hear.”

“You’re still avoiding her?” Sooyoung asked the woman who just entered her office.

“Hello to you too Choi Sooyoung” Tiffany rolled her eyes and headed to cantilever chair in front of Sooyoung’s desk. “Congratulations on the promotion” she grinned.

“Don’t change the subject, you’re here because you have some free time and is still avoiding Taeyeon.” Sooyoung shook her head closing her laptop to focus on her friend.

“I am not” Tiffany mumbled under her breath. “I came here because Yuri told me you just got promoted to Senior Manager, so I came to congratulate you, you ungrateful person.”

It was Sooyoung’s turn to roll her eyes, “Yeah right. Thank you anyway, but my celebration party won’t be until next weekend. You could’ve just sent a text” she teased.

Tiffany sighed. “Why can’t you just believe me?”

“Why can’t you just tell the truth?” Sooyoung challenged.

“Fine. I am still avoiding her.” Tiffany exhaled.

“And may I ask why? You were so brave approaching her when you believed that she doesn’t know who you were, so why run and hide now?”

Tiffany fidgeted with her finger, “Because I’m afraid. It was different when I just wanted to be friends with her versus now that she’s asking me to open my heart to her once again.” She paused. “It’s not that it was closed in the first place but.. what if I hurt her again? I’m scared Sooyoung-ah, I’ve caused her so much pain already. I don’t want to do that again.” She frowned.

Sooyoung mirrored Tiffany’s expression, “what makes you think that you’ll hurt her again?”

“I- I don’t know. I never meant to hurt her before but I still did. What if history would repeat itself?”

The taller woman raised a brow, “You mean there’s a chance you’ll get pregnant by your boss again? Even though your boss is an old woman this time? And have another child?”

Tiffany rolled her eyes, “You know what I mean!”

“No, I don’t. Honestly, the chances of you doing that same thing now is so slim that it’s smaller than the hole of the smallest needle in the world.” Sooyoung paused. “You’ve been through the worst, what more could happen? What’s worse than what you two have been through? Because I honestly can’t think of anything more. You avoiding Taeyeon is the only thing that’s possibly hurting her now. So if I were you, I’d man up and run to her and just have the happy ending you both deserve.” She exclaimed. “Come on, Fany. What are you so afraid of? You have all of us