A/N: Double update because it’s the Independence Day here in the Philippines today. Haha. :) Oh yeah, don’t you like Jessica’s character? Haha! She’s such a tease. I think I’m like that to my friends in real life. :)

“WHAT?!”

“What?” Jessica answered calmly. “I talked to your landlord yesterday and she told me that the old lady living in the room beside yours moved out the other day.”

“That’s great!” Taeyeon chirped. She was happy that they finally found an apartment for her best friend. It was really hard for them to look for one in Seoul since they’re both not familiar with a place, so it was a good thing that Jessica decided to help. “It’s even better that it’s beside Tiffany’s!”

What’s so great about that? Tiffany thought. 

“Well, the landlord told me that you can move in any time, as long as you’re okay with the terms and the rent. Anyway, we can talk about it later. Now, how about we eat out?” Jessica said and looked at the three people in front of her.

Tiffany sighed. “I can’t. I already left a lot of work from yesterday because of the trip to the amusement park. If I leave now, I won’t be able to go home tomorrow with the amount of work that’s going to be left behind.” She frowned. She wanted to go, especially since Taeyeon was with Sunny, but she can’t. She has so much work to do and they can’t be put off for another day.

“Aww, that’s too bad,” Jessica said. Tiffany saw the playful glint in the girl’s eyes but wasn’t sure what it was for. Jessica then faced the other two. “How about you two? It’s a good way to celebrate.”

Sunny nodded while Taeyeon looked unsure. 

“What’s wrong Taengoo?” 

Tiffany flinched at the way Sunny called Taeyeon.

“Yeah, Taengoo, what’s wrong?”

Now Tiffany just wanted to throw her laptop at Jessica who was obviously teasing again.

“It’s just... if Tiffany’s not going, then I don’t think I should go either. I mean, I am still working for her, so I think I should stay.” It wasn’t a complete lie. She did think that she needed to be with Tiffany for the rest of the day since they she wasn’t going to do anything important with her friend now. She thinks celebrating can wait. Aside from that, though, she just really wanted to be with her boss.

Tiffany wanted to smile but she knew she had to wait for her best friend’s reaction. 

“Psh. She’ll be fine, Taeyeon. What’s one day right?”

Taeyeon was still hesitating.

“Come on, we’ll be back after eating, I promise,” Jessica tried convincing the girl.

“Okay then.”

“Great! I’ll call Sooyoung so it can be like a double date!” Jessica said excitedly while pushing the two girls out the door. Before she can step out herself, she heard Tiffany call for her.

“Jessica, can I talk to you for a while?”

“Ah, yes,” she had a clue what the talk was going to be about, “you two wait for me here,” she told Sunny and Taeyeon before closing the door and walking back to Tiffany’s desk. “Yes?”

“What was that?”

“What was what?”

“You know I’m jealous of Sunny and you offered an apartment beside mine?”

“Actually, I didn’t know you were jealous of her, although I did have my suspicions.”

“Well, then take it back!” Tiffany raised her voice a bit. 

Jessica raised an eyebrow. “You know I can’t do that. Besides, it’s not even 100% sure yet. Sunny will still have to look at the room. Anyway, I was helping a friend so I don’t see anything wrong with what I did.”

“Since when were you even friends with her?”

“Oh, we saw them one time at the café. I think we talked for hours that time. It was the same day Sunny rented a car.”

Tiffany thought for a while then remembered the day when Taeyeon promised to come by at break time but didn’t. So she was with them. “Oh,” was all that she could say.

“Well, I have to go. Bye, Miyoung-ah.”

Tiffany waited for Jessica to walk out of the door before sighing loudly and leaning back on her chair. She was already having so little time with Taeyeon because of Sunny. How will she be able to be alone with the girl when Sunny will be living literally 10 steps away from their house?

She closed her eyes for what seemed like five minutes before she heard her phone ring.

“Hello?”

“Miyoung-ah.” She heard the familiar voice of the person who treated her like a daughter.

“Uncle,” she smiled.

“Are you busy?”

“I can spare a few minutes. What is it, Uncle?” she spun her chair and looked at the view from her big window.

“I’d like to talk about Taeyeon’s contract.”

She furrowed her eyebrows. “What about it?”

“Can you bring her here to sign a new one? I’m fixing my employees’ papers and since you told me that you only need her for three months, I need her to sign a new contract.”

She frowned she remembered the deal she made with her uncle. “Oh yeah.”

“Unless you still need her for more?”

She didn’t answer right away. Of course she wanted to be with Taeyeon, but she also knows that the only reason the older girl’s in Seoul was because of the money she needed to save up for her sister who was back in Jeonju. She can’t possibly make Taeyeon stay here while her whole family’s back there. She sighed quietly before answering, “No, Uncle. Three months is enough.”

“Are you sure? You don’t seem fine with it. I can still revise the contract, you know.”

She almost forgot how well her uncle knows her. He did raise her, after all. She was troubled now. Should she tell him that she wanted Taeyeon to stay because she likes her, what will her uncle think of her? Although he did accept Jessica and Sooyoung’s relationship, as well as Yoona and Yuri’s, but how will he react when he finds out that his own niece has a thing for girls? Not only that. What will the others think of her? Would they dub her as selfish when she makes Taeyeon stay while the girl’s family was miles away from her?

When she realized she was taking a long time to respond, she spoke again, “No, three months is fine.” It’s not like something can happen between us anyway. She obviously doesn’t like me.

“Okay. Bring her here when you can, okay?”

“Okay, Uncle.”

“I’ll see you then. Goodbye.”

“Bye.”

---

Tiffany was staring at the view from her window while deep in her thoughts. She didn’t hear the door creak open and footsteps coming closer. She sighed and spun her chair back around. She then noticed that her door was open. She frowned. She doesn’t remember leaving it open when she came back from a meeting a while ago. She didn’t think much of it and decided to just close it.

She stood up and walked around her table.

“BOO!”

“AHHHHHHHHHH!” She shouted as loud as she can when a figure appeared from the other side of her desk.

“Ow! Ow! Ow! Don’t be too loud, boss. I’m sorry.”

Tiffany stopped shouting when she heard Taeyeon’s voice. “Yah! Why did you do that?” she hit Taeyeon’s shoulder lightly.

Taeyeon chuckled. “Sorry, couldn’t help it. You were just too serious and I found it cute, so I decided to scare you.”

Tiffany blushed at that. I’m cute? Have you seen yourself?

“Ahem.”

Both averted their gazes to the open door and saw a bunch of Tiffany’s employees huddling outside. Among them were Seohyun, Nicole and Sulli that were looking at them with worried expressions.

Seohyun decided to speak up. “Ms. Hwang, we heard you scream. Are you alright?”

“Ah, yes, Seohyun. I’m fine. I just...” she looked at Taeyeon who was stifling a laugh. She glared at the girl before continuing, “I thought I saw a bug. Sorry for disturbing everyone. You can go back to your work now.” 

Most of the employees slowly walked away from the scene, leaving Seohyun, Nicole and Sulli still looking at their boss with concern. Seeing this, Tiffany gave them a reassuring smile and waited for them to go back to their desks before walking to her door and gently closing it. 

She turned around and looked at the now laughing Taeyeon. “Why are you here?”

Taeyeon stopped laughing and looked at Tiffany with a frown. “You don’t want me here?”

“NO! I-I mean... weren’t you with Jessica and Sunny?”

Taeyeon smiled. “I was. Jessica said I’ll come back after we eat right?”

Tiffany nodded and smiled back. “Where are they then?”

“Oh, they’re still at the restaurant, I think. Jessica made Sunny stay because she needed someone to talk to while Sooyoung finished everything on the menu.”

Tiffany chuckled. Sooyoung was always a shikshin. She saw Taeyeon walk to the couch and sat there before grabbing a magazine. She smiled at how familiar the girl’s actions were. Her face then turned serious when she remembered her conversation with her uncle. She sighed and sat back on her seat.

“Taeyeon.”

The older girl looked up from the magazine. “Yes?”

“We need to go to Uncle’s house this weekend.”

“Okay.”

“You need to sign a new contract.”

“Why? What’s wrong with the one I already signed?” Taeyeon said as she put down the magazine, her face filled with worry.

Tiffany saw it and decided to lighten up the mood. “Don’t be too serious, Taeyeon-ah,” she chuckled, “didn’t you tell me before that you only needed three months to save up for your sister’s education? So, I think Uncle revised your contract for that.”

“Oh!” Taeyeon laughed. “Oh yeah!” Then her smile slowly faded. Three months? “Three months? So I’m only going to be here for three months?”

“Er... yes?” Tiffany couldn’t Taeyeon’s expression.

Taeyeon counted her remaining time with the younger girl. 

A month and a half. That’s it?