R14. Winter Story

Summary: Kim Taeyeon is a widow and her awkward secretary named Tiffany is her daughter’s requested babysitter. 

A/N: Hi guys, Soshi_051697 here. I shamelessly plugged myself to nerdy here since I really like this collaboration writing idea. I co-wrote half of this fic so I am hoping that you would like it. To the person who sent this prompt, I hope I gave justice to the story you are aiming for. Thanks, and enjoy! :D

BEGIN.

In a room filled with cameras, a woman sat on a chair and leaned on a table. The light was reflecting on her pale face. Her face was ready for the camera and the photographers were ready to take a memoire of her look for the day and post it on their magazines for publication.

“Can you tilt your head to the right a little, Mrs. Kim?” the photographer asked and the woman paused a bit before she said something.

“Just Miss Kim, please.”

Everyone in the room felt awkward.

This woman’s name is Kim Taeyeon. She is an heir to the family of Kim. Perfect house, perfect face, billions of money on her bank account, and yet a young widow. Her husband just died recently, leaving her a four-year-old daughter behind to raise on her own. She preceded her husband as the president of the Kim Corporation. Leaving all the responsibilities on her shoulders and yet, her calm face made her very attractive to the media that resulted in her being relevant and a hot topic.

“I-I...sorry… Can you look at your right a little, Miss Kim?”

“Sure.”

Taeyeon changed her angle, her face looked a little sad than her expression a while ago. A multi-million dollar cover girl with the face of a daydream and yet, she looks empty.

“She’s beautiful.” the editor of the magazine gave her a compliment.

Beside the editor of the magazine is Tiffany. She used to be her husband’s secretary when he was still alive. Now, she’s Taeyeon’s secretary, and who’d have known that she’d become a personal assistant and a babysitter as well.

“That’s the one and only President Kim for you all.” Tiffany proudly stated and looked at Taeyeon.

‘I wonder what you look like when you smile in real life and not just for magazines.’

In her arms is little Joohyun, watching her mom while she works.

“My mom is pretty, just like unnie.” the little girl said and Tiffany gave the little girl a kiss on the cheek.

“Yeah, but you’re the prettiest!”

She saw Taeyeon glance in their direction and they both waved at her. Taeyeon’s face softened and her eyes lit up a bit as she posed some more for the camera.

‘One day, I’ll see that pretty smile of yours.’

***

Flashback.

An aircrash.

People said that’s how the multi-billionaire Mr. Kim died.

Tiffany could still remember the first time she met Taeyeon. At the funeral of Mr. Kim, the girl never shed a tear. Taeyeon just stood there looking at her husband’s urn while everyone was weeping. She remembered how a little girl approached her and tugged her sleeves. She leaned down and patted the kid’s head.

“Hi.” she greeted the little girl and the little girl smiled at her.

“Your eyes look pretty, unnie.” the little girl jumped on her arms.

“Oof! You’re quite heavy.” It took Tiffany by surprise. She never took care of a kid before. The kid’s affection makes her feel awkward but nevertheless, she’s not that heartless to deprive the little kid some affection as well.

“Where’s your mom?” Tiffany asked but the little girl shook her head.

“I don’t know. But I want unnie to be my friend...” the girl gave her a toothy grin and that made Tiffany smile.

“Tiffany, that’s my name.”

The kid tilted her head in confusion, “Fany unnie?”

“Yeah, what’s yours?

A voice interrupted their conversation.

“Joohyun.”

Tiffany was surprised who called out the little girl. It was Mr. Kim’s widow. 

Kim Taeyeon.

‘The rumors are true, she looks like a doll.’

“Come to me.” Taeyeon called out her daughter and Joohyun made her way to her mom, “I’m sorry for that.” Taeyeon bowed a little.

“I-It’s okay, Mrs. Kim.”

“I want to be friends with pretty unnie.” Little Joohyun told her mom and Taeyeon shook her head.

“You need friends like your age.” 

“I don’t like them.” Little Joohyun sighed before she looked at Tiffany sadly and followed her mom later on.

Taeyeon and Joohyun went on their way to greet their relatives leaving the secretary behind.

‘What a strange kid.’

***

On a swivel chair, the president waited for her secretary to read the folder she had given. Her cup of coffee was getting colder and the sunlight annoyed her eyes but nevertheless, she remained calm. 

“I beg your pardon, President Kim. This is not what I signed up for!” Tiffany looked at the president in horror while she read her new contract.

‘Personal assistant...Babysitter.’

“I know, but my daughter keeps on looking for you. I have no choice.” Taeyeon looked at Tiffany, “My daughter has social anxiety. It’s hard for her to be friends with anyone. I didn’t know what she sees in you but I want her to be happy.” she explained.

“B-But, I have no experience in taking care of a kid. I’m terrible and awkward around kids.” Tiffany sighed as she closed the folder, “I’m sorry, President Kim.”

“I’ll double your salary.”

“President Kim, I’m sorry, but-”

“Triple.” Taeyeon crossed her arms on her chest and Tiffany’s eyes widened.

‘Triple my salary?! Wow, but why?’

“T-That’s too much.” Tiffany looked down as she thought about the offer.

“For my daughter, I’ll give too much. If necessary, my everything.” Taeyeon seriously said and Tiffany saw the sincereness in the President’s eyes. She ended up agreeing to the offer.

“Okay, President Kim. I’ll be your personal assistant and Joohyun’s friend.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal.”

They shook hands and it was the beginning of their ‘friendship’.

***

Tiffany moved officially into Kim's mansion. It was the first day of Tiffany’s work as Joohyun’s friend slash babysitter and yet she already wanted to go home. Little Joohyun is a prankster. She would trash the floor with her candies as she played hide and seek with Tiffany at the Kim’s mansion. It drained her energy, how Tiffany picked up all the candies on the floor, and put it back in a jar.

‘This is torture.’

“Joohyun, where are you?” Tiffany called out and she heard some giggles. She decided to follow the trail of the candies and it led her to a door.

‘Gotcha.’

Tiffany opened the door only to see little Joohyun about to feed her sleeping mom some candies and Tiffany panicked as she whispered, “Joohyun, no!” she ran towards Joohyun who was on the bed with candies in her hand but Joohyun jumped off the bed, leaving Tiffany in a rather compromising position when Taeyeon woke up.

“Ouch!” she accidentally bumped her head with the girl on the bed as she tried to retrieve the candies.

Taeyeon’s eyebrows met and she opened her eyes and was surprised to see her assistant in close proximity.

“What are you doing here?”

“U-Uh… You see-”

Then, she heard some cute laughters on the side and saw some candies on Tiffany’s hand and her question finally got some answer.

“Joohyun,” Taeyeon called sternly and Joohyun suddenly was quiet. She calmly took the candies on Tiffany’s hand and motioned for Joohyun to come closer.

“What will you say to your unnie?”

Joohyun looked down and said, “I’m sorry.”

Tiffany was amazed. She’s amazed how mothers discipline their children just by saying a few words.

‘No wonder President Kim is tagged as a perfect woman.’

***

Joohyun was still awkward with the kids at the daycare. Tiffany noticed it when she saw Joohyun waiting for her to pick her up at the daycare.

“Unnie!” Joohyun immediately went towards Tiffany for a hug.

“Why are you alone, baby?” Tiffany kissed the little girl’s cheek.

“I’m shy and I have unnie as my friend so it’s okay. You’ll be with me forever, right?” she followed Joohyun’s line of vision and noticed the little girl staring at another alone girl at the bench.

“Joohyun, I don’t know…”

“Please, promise me.” Joohyun held out her pinky and Tiffany laced her own as a truce.

“Okay, I promise but promise me one thing as well.”

“What is it, unnie?”

“You’ll try to be friends with her.” Tiffany pointed out the girl at the bench and little Joohyun looked worried.

“Come on, you’ll do well.”

“You won’t leave me, unnie. Right?”

“I promise.”

“Then, I promise as well.”

***

Tiffany and Joohyun were watching TV. Tiffany was eating her chocolates while Joohyun kept on asking her questions.

“Unnie, are unicorns real?”

“Nope.” she said with no hesitation. Tiffany is not the type of person to believe in fairytales and she’s more into the realistic side of life making her less compatible with the babysitting job.

“How do mermaids pee?”

Tiffany stopped for a moment and thought about that question.

“Just like how fishes pee, I guess.”

“Are mermaids fishes?”

“Yup, technically.”

Joohyun took a magazine under the table and showed it to Tiffany, it was her mom on a mermaid theme photograph.

‘Wow, she’s pretty.’

Before Taeyeon became President Kim, she’s a famous model on magazine spreads. Her visuals attract everybody.

“Then, is my mom a fish?”

‘Smart kid.’

“Well, no.”

Joohyun pointed at her food, “Can I have some chocolates, unnie?”

Tiffany looked at Joohyun suspiciously, “Your mom said you’re allergic to chocolates.”

“It’s not chocolate, it’s raisins.”

It’s like Tiffany’s memories are having a glitch that she cannot remember what food Joohyun was allergic to. So, she believed little Joohyun.

“Okay, just a bit.”

But Joohyun ended up in a hospital because of that ‘bit’.

***

President Kim made her way on Joohyun’s room in the hospital and she saw Tiffany beside her daughter.

“What have you done?!” Taeyeon was angry.

“I’m sorry, but I swear, it was just a bit and-”

“No, I’m sorry.”

Tiffany looked at Taeyeon.

‘Am I being fired?’

“...I should have never trusted my daughter with you in the first place.”

“President Kim, I-”

“Please leave.”

Tiffany left the room with a heavy heart and looked at little Joohyun worriedly.

‘I’m sorry.’

***

Tiffany was ready to go and accept her fate that she’s going to be fired. Even if she’s not good at babysitting, she can’t help but care about Joohyun. Joohyun was very affectionate and that made her love the kid dearly. She fixed her things and was ready to go until she heard some knocks on the door.

It was Joohyun.

“Unnie, please don’t leave! Joohyun is sorry!” she was enveloped into a tight hug. Behind Joohyun is her mom, Taeyeon.

“Joohyun, I’m sorry…”

“But you promised me!”

“President Kim,”

“I’m sorry, Joohyun told me everything.” Taeyeon apologized and told her words she never thought that were comforting to hear.

“Please stay.”

Tiffany smiled before she wiped up the tears that were building up in her eyes.

“I will.”

***

Present.

“I-I...sorry… Can you look at your right a little, Miss Kim?”

“Sure.”

Taeyeon changed her angle, her face looked a little sad than her expression a while ago. A multi-million dollar cover girl with the face of a daydream and yet, she looks empty.

“She’s beautiful.” the editor of the magazine gave her a compliment.

Beside the editor of the magazine is Tiffany. She used to be her husband’s secretary when he was still alive. Now, she’s Taeyeon’s secretary, and who’d have known that she’d become a personal assistant and a babysitter as well.

“That’s the one and only President Kim for you all.” Tiffany proudly stated and looked at Taeyeon.

‘I wonder what you look like when you smile in real life and not just for magazines.’

In her arms is little Joohyun, watching her mom while she works.

“My mom is pretty, just like unnie.” the little girl said and Tiffany gave the little girl a kiss on the cheek.

“Yeah, but you’re the prettiest!”

She saw Taeyeon glance in their direction and they both waved at her. Taeyeon’s face softened and her eyes lit up a bit as she posed some more for the camera.

After an hour, the shooting was a wrap and Taeyeon approached Tiffany and Joohyun.

“Let’s eat somewhere nice?”

“YES!” Tiffany and Joohyun answered in sync. Tiffany saw Taeyeon smiled a little.

‘Did she just smile?!’

"Maybe I'm just hallucinating." 

***         

President Kim worked with her papers, Secretary Hwang helped her. They quietly work together. Tiffany couldn’t help but feel bad for Taeyeon as she looked at the piles of papers laying on the woman’s table.

“Do you need any help, President Kim?” She took initiative but the President shook her head.

“It’s okay, where’s Joohyun?” 

“She’s in her room, sleeping.”

“I see.”

Tiffany was awkwardly sitting at the sofa waiting for the president’s orders.

“You can rest as well.” Taeyeon said as she signed some papers.

“It’s okay, I want to help!” 

Taeyeon looked at her with interest before she resumed back on her papers, “Okay, do what you want.”

Tiffany went to put some bulky papers in order as quietly as possible, afraid to bother Taeyeon with her tasks. All she could hear was the sound of papers being turned; it took a while before it stopped.

“Miss Hwang?”

“Hmmm?”

“How was my husband as a boss?”

Tiffany was surprised by Taeyeon’s random question but she answered nonetheless.

“He was responsible and he did his work very well.”

Tiffany looked at the president’s face. Taeyeon looked like she wanted to say s