Chapter 17

 

Taeyeon woke up at the sound of the alarm. Being a light sleeper, she would always wake up before Tiffany when the alarm rang every morning.

 

She turned around and saw the other girl still sleeping peacefully, snoring lightly.

 

Taeyeon playfully poked the sleeping girl’s cheek.

 

“Hmm…Taetae! I know, I know….I will be up in 5 minutes.” Tiffany muttered in her raspy sleepy voice, making Taeyeon smile.

 

However, that didn’t stop Taeyeon from continuing to poke Tiffany’s cheek, earning a soft growl from the American born.

 

Knowing that Taeyeon wasn’t going to stop poking her cheek, Tiffany grabbed the offending limb and held it close to her, in an attempt to stop the other occupant of the bed to disturb her sleep.

 

She felt Taeyeon’s hand struggling against her own, trying to break free. But she only held on tighter to not let the other girl win.

 

Tiffany smiled her eyes still closed. Her mind was groggily awake, and her eyes were still not ready to open.

 

Tiffany frowned when suddenly the struggling fingers within her grasp stopped moving. She was going to open her eyes to see what caused the pause, when she felt, soft lips making contact with her cheek, her eyes immediately shot open, as she turned her head to come face to face with the offender.

 

Tiffany was surprised to see the mischievous smile on Taeyeon’s face that she never saw since they moved to the US.

 

Before she could say something, she felt that Taeyeon’s face was moving closer to hers and she instinctively closed her eyes waiting for the unexpected.

 

‘OMG! Is she going to kiss me? Whaaat! My Morning Breath, I need to brush, I need to shower….I can’t stink’

 

She opened her eyes when she felt something wet wipe over her chin and nose.

 

“YaaH! You stupid! How dare you me! You didn’t even brush your teeth!”

 

“Why do I need to brush my teeth to your face? You thought I was going to kiss you?”

 

Taeyeon broke out into her trademark ajhumma laughter, causing Tiffany to pout.

 

The couple was startled when they heard someone knocking, rather banging on the door, followed by a head popping out of the door.

 

“OH- Oh my gosh! I am so sorry. I didn’t realize you guys were-” It was Sonkyu on the door.

 

The couple looked at the door, and frowned seeing their friend’s red flushed face.

 

Taeyeon and Tiffany looked at each other, and realized the position they were in.

 

Taeyeon was on top of Tiffany, hovering over her, pinning one of her hands above her head, while Tiffany’s hand was on Taeyeon’s shoulder trying to push her off.

 

The couple blushed deeply realizing the situation, Taeyeon got off from Tiffany, and quickly went to her friend.

 

“Sonkyu-ah! We were just playing around…it was nothing.”

 

Taeyeon widened her eyes in horror as she saw Sonkyu’s mischievous face.

 

‘Ahh! Man! Now she is going to tease me forever!’

 

“Oh my my! Look at little Taengoo blushing!”

 

“Yah! Stop calling me ‘little Taengoo’!”

 

“So finally you feel like an adult huh?  Of course romancing your wife in the morning, tsk, tsk….atleast  have the decency of locking the door….”

Sonkyu teased the red faced Teayeon.

 

“I-I wasn’t….”

 

“TAEYEON!”

 

‘Whew! Saved by the call!’

 

“Coming!”

 

“Yeah Yeah! Your wife calls you, and you are right at her service….and when I was standing outside knocking on your door for an hour, you didn’t even bother. And I am supposed to be the guest here. Where are your manners, Taengoo?”

 

“Shut up!”

 

“Getting defensive now. I see! I didn’t know you liked to be on top.” Sonkyu giggled, seeing her best friend’s face, turning even redder than before, if that’s even possible.

 

“YAH!” Taeyeon got embarrassed, and pushed her friend.

 

“TAEYEON! Can you pass me the towel?”

 

‘Oh gosh! Now Sonkyu would eat me alive. Why Fany! Why!’

 

And true to her thought, Sonkyu didn’t miss this golden opportunity to friend. 

 

 

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“Where is Taeyeon?” Sonkyu asked, when she saw Tiffany coming down the stairs, already in her office attire.

 

They had to almost tackle down Taeyeon in order to prevent her from going to work, otherwise, Taeyeon would also be ready to leave for the café.

 

 

 

“She is taking a shower. Sonkyu , I have to leave soon, but can you make sure Taeyeon takes her medicine-”

 

“NO!!! Not me! It’s not going to happen! I can’t make her do it. You tell her. You don’t know how she is about taking medicines.”

 

Taemin nodded in agreement.

 

“Last time she didn’t say anything.”

 

“That was because she was barely aware of what was going on.”

 

Tiffany nodded.

 

“That stubborn shorty! She really needs to have the medicine. She is still a bit warm, which means that her temperature is still not normal. She won’t let me put a thermometer on her.”

 

“That sounds like Taeyeon alright. There is no way she will listen to us, unless you can magically teleport here during lunch time, and feed her the medicine. She might listen to you, you are her wife after all, and she seems to listen to you well.”

 

Tiffany smiled hearing the last sentence.

 

‘Aish! I am so silly, feeling all jittery and butterflies in the stomach, just because Sonkyu called me your wife.’

 

“Okay you can stop the creepy smile, while staring at nothing. Taeyeon is here, so at least stare at her and smile.” Sonkyu said, without looking away from the TV.

 

Taeyeon came down and was greeted by the same sight. Sonkyu and Taemin watching TV, and Tiffany was awkwardly sitting in front of her breakfast with pink taint of her cheeks.

 

“Are you okay?” She asked when she saw Tiffany sitting at the table with slight pink hue on her cheeks.

 

“Y-yes. Why do you ask?”
 

“Your face looks a bit red. I am afraid that my germs are getting to you.”

 

“No I am fine.”

“Are you sure? I think I should sleep on the couch tonigh-”

 

“NO-no…” Taeyeon’s eyes widened as Tiffany almost yelled out her response, embarrassing herself even more in front of Taeyeon.

 

‘Way to embarrass myself in front of her! I should really stop acting like an idiot. I don’t want to look desperate.’

 

“No I don’t think your germs are getting to me. I am perfectly fine. Don’t worry.” Tiffany managed to say without any unnecessary stuttering, or embarrassing excitement.

 

She saw Sonkyu’s teasing smirk from the corner of her eyes and sighed.

 

“Are you feeling tired?”

“No! I had a good night sleep. Why do you say that?”
 

“You were sighing right now, like you were tired.”

 

“Oh that was nothing.” Tiffany brushed it off, and gave Taeyeon her eyesmile.

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Uff! I think I ate too much cheese this morning.” Suddenly Sonkyu yelled out, intentionally to tease the couple, her eyes still glued to the TV.

 

Taeyeon shook her head.

 

“Yah! Your voice is making me deaf!”

 

Taeyeon walked into the living area and saw Taemin writing something.

 

“Tae did you write your journal for yesterday?”

 

“Yes, I did before I went to bed last night.”

 

“Good! Show me your work.”

 

“Right now?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Could you also get my glasses?”

 

“Yeah! I will be back in a second!”

 

Tiffany smiled a bit seeing their interaction.

 

Even though Taeyeon always acts like Taemin’s friend, playing with him, accompanying him in doing all sorts of playful deeds, she still manages to be strict with him when it came to academics.

 

Since, Taemin will be staying with them for 2 months, Taeyeon told him to write a journal with his daily activities in English.

 

Every day Taeyeon would go over the journal with him, and correct his mistakes and grammar, and make him read it out loud, so that he also learns the pronunciations and the correct accent.

 

Tiffany was almost done with her breakfast, but she decided to get some more coffee for herself so she could watch Taeyeon helping Taemin with his journal entry.

 

Somehow she found this side of Taeyeon really attractive.

 

Taeyeon wearing her reading glasses, with a serious look on her face, listening attentively to Taemin, as he was reading from his journal, correcting him at places.

 

She saw Taeyeon and Taemin high-fiving each other and jumping around.

 

 

‘How can you be so hot one moment, and be a dork the next second…’

 

Taeyeon was piggybacking Taemin and walked into the kitchen.

 

“Fany, you are running late.”

 

“No my boss told me to come in a little later today. But I should get going soon. Before that I need to talk to you.”

 

Taeyeon immediately groaned knowing what the ‘talk’ would be about.

 

“I don’t want to talk!”

 

“You don’t have to. You just have to keep a promise.”

 

‘Oh thank god! It’s not about the medicine.’

 

“Yeah! I can keep a promise.” Taeyeon smiled with a relieved face.

 

Tiffany had to suppress a smile seeing Taeyeon’s expression.

 

‘You are so easy Taeyeon-ah.’

 

“Taeyon, you promise me to take your medicine on time.”

 

Taeyeon opened to argue immediately realizing that she fell for the trap. But she didn’t dare speak seeing Tiffany’s stern look.

 

Taeyeon puffed her cheek and frowned at the order, but still nodded her head. 

 

‘Cute.’

 

Tiffany patted her head, as she grabbed her jacket, and headed out, with a sulking Taeyeon tailing behind her.

 

“Did you get your purse?”

 

“Oh! I totally forgot. Thanks for reminding me.” Tiffany was about to take off her shoes, when Taeyeon stopped her.

 

“Hold on. I will get it for you. Is it in the usual place?”

 

“Yeah! Inside the closet-“

 

“On the second drawer. Got it.”

 

Tiffany watched as Taeyeon went upstairs in their bedroom to get the purse, an unconscious smile forming on her face.

 

‘I could really get used to this.’

 

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It’s been a week since Taeyeon has recovered; she was finally able to go to work.

 

It seemed like Taeyeon truly enjoyed what she did.

 

Aunt Susan, the owner of the café, came to visit Taeyeon, when she was sick and brought a fruit platter and some bread and soup for her and the family.

 

Taeyeon appreciated the gesture a lot.

 

Taeyeon was very excited to get back to the café, she was also very excited to see her friend Nana, although Tiffany was not quite entertained by this idea.

 

It was a busy week for both Tiffany and Taeyeon, the only time they could relax was in the evenings, when they would go out with Sonkyu and Taemin, around the city in various places.

 

So the couple thought that it would be a nice idea to bring Taemin and Sonkyu to the Six-Flags amusement park on Saturday, since Taemin has been wanting to go to an amusement park for a while now.

 

 

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“Taemin!”

 

“Taeyeon!”

 

“We will be back right after this one last one.”  The older one shouted while holding the hand of the little boy and running toward the gigantic convoluted thriller ride.

 

“Aish! I thought the last one was their ‘last one’.” Sonkyu sighed, giving up the agenda of chasing down the ‘children’. Although the older of the two ‘children’ has long passed her childhood, even her teenage years, but the child inside her never seems to pass.

 

“I think she said that after we rode the Anaconda, which was probably the fifth one.” Tiffany replied, as she too sat down on the bench beside Sonkyu.

 

They were tired after the third ride, but Taeyeon seemed to have infinite supply of energy, even Taemin had to stop in the middle of the day to eat something.

 

But Taeyeon was just high on cotton candy.

 

“I don’t know where she gets all that energy from.”

 

“I don’t have any idea either. Maybe from those cotton candies and jellies that she ate on the way here.”

 

The day passed by so fast. They didn’t even realize when the sun started making its way down on the west.

 

Tiffany and Sonkyu were looking around the vendors.

 

“TIFFANY!”

 

Tiffany turned around hearing her name being called out, but saw no one that she knows who might be calling her.

 

 

“TIFFANY UP HERE”

 

“NOONA LOOK UP”

 

She looked up, so see Taeyeon and Taemin waving at her from the ride that they were on.

 

“Oh gosh! Taengoo, would never grow up. I have no hopes.”

 

Tiffany laughed at Sonkyu’s comment, and waved back.

 

Tiffany had never seen this childish version of Taeyeon before, and somehow it made her feel happy inside, seeing Taeyeon so happy.

 

Tiffany and Sonkyu were walking around silently, occasionally talking about random stuff.

 

“Fany, you know Taeyeon and I have been best friends since we were fifteen.”

 

Tiffany nodded her head absentmindedly, not really understanding why Sonkyu would say that out of the blue.

 

“That girl has been in love with you for quite a while. And I know you love her too. I can almost see the love in the eyes of you two. But you know what else I see?”

 

Tiffany looked at Sonkyu, still confused as to where the conversation was heading.

 

“I see longing in your gazes; I can feel how much Taeyeon yearns for you.”

 

Tiffany almost gasped in surprise, realizing what Sonkyu was getting at.

 

‘Does she know? Oh my gosh! Taeyeon! I am so sorry…”

 

“You don’t have to tell me what is it, that’s going on between you two. Taeyeon means a lot to me, and I want to see her happy. No relationship is perfect; you have to put work and effort that is the whole point of it. All I ask for, is that, Tiffany-ah, talk to her. She might be scared or shy or just plain oblivious. You know how she is. Just talk it out between the two of you. Don’t let her go. I respect your privacy, and I don’t need any details. I just need you to give me your word that you would make this work, to be honest you alone can’t do anything, so just speak with her. She would understand. What you two have is rare. Don’t let go of each other. Because misunderstandings can be cleared and mistakes can be mend, but a lost love can’t be found every again.”

 

Sonkyu looked at the redhead, who was looking at the ground, sniffing.

 

She pulled the girl in her embrace and patted her back, hoping that everything would work out between the two of her friends.

 

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“HEY GUYS!”

 

Sonkyu and Tiffany turned around hearing the familiar voice yelling and panting.

 

Tiffany widened her eyes at the sight of a half drenched Taeyeon, and a similar looking Taemin.

 

Tiffany was almost about to smile seeing the big grin on Taeyeon’s face, but she stopped herself, and narrowed her eyes instead.

 

“Kim Taeyeon.”

 

Taeyeon’s smile left and was replaced with a scared frown, upon hearing her full name being called out.

 

“I thought we had a talk, in the very beginning about how you are not going to take a water ride. You just got out of a fever. I can’t believe that you would do that.”

 

Tiffany huffed in annoyance.

 

“Sorry.” Taeyeon said in a small voice.

 

Tiffany pretended not to hear her and looked ahead.

 

“Let’s go to that clothing store, they will definitely have something for the two of them to wear.” Sonkyu said, while shaking her head.

 

Tiffany smiled when she saw Taeyeon and Taemin following Sonkyu into the store, with their heads hung low, and lips forming matching pouts.

 

‘How old are you! You look like a guilty, wet puppy.’

 

Tiffany went to buy a towel for them to dry their hair.

Tiffany couldn’t help but laugh out loud when she saw Taeyeon. She was wearing flashy yellow pants and a t-shirt with one of the one eyed minions from Despicable me.

 

“Guys! Stop laughing at me.” Taeyeon said while pushing back the wet hair off her face.

 

“Taeyeon-ah come sit here.”

 

Once Taeyeon was seated, Tiffany started to rub the towel gently over Taeyeon’s wet hair.

 

“You are ruining my hair.” Taeyeon complained.

 

“HAHAHA! Ruining your wet doggy hair?”

 

“Sonkyu stop teasing me!”

 

“Why should I?”

 

Taeyeon just made incoherent sounds in response, being unable to make a clever comeback.

 

“By the way, where is Taemin?”

 

“He was changing on the stall beside me; I thought he was out before me.”

“I didn’t see him come out.”

 

“Oh that’s weird.”

 

“I will go look for-”

 

“Oh there he is.”

 

The trio looked over, where the boy was standing, getting smothered by some girls, who were squealing over how cute he was, and he was enjoying the attention.

 

After the girls left, he came running to the trio who was waiting for him.

 

“hmmm…so now our Taemin is becoming a player huh?” Taeyeon teased the little boy.

 

“Noona!”

 

“Taemin, now it’s your turn. Sit, here. Let me dry your hair for you.” Tiffany said, gesturing for the small boy to take Taeyeon’s seat.

 

Taeyeon smiled, seeing how caring Tiffany was toward Taemin. It made her heart feel fuzzy.

 

“Noona! Your hair is sticking out! HAHAHA”

 

“Taeyeon-ah you look like you got an electric shock.”

 

“NANA NANANA NANA NANANA E-E-E-Electric Shock.” Taeyeon started dancing.

“Oh My gosh! Taeyeon stop! People are staring. Sorry Fany, it’s a song from this k-pop band called f(x). I don’ know why this ajhumma is dancing right now.”

 

“Yeah I know them. They are getting quite popular in the States as well.”

 

“I love Krystal!” Taeyeon yelled out to no one in particular, earning a few stares from the crowd.

 

“OMO! I thought Victoria was your bias.”

 

“Yeah, she was. Now it’s Krystal.”

 

“Yah! You pedo ajhumma!”

 

“Whatever! I think she has a nice voice. Plus I feel bad, because everyone is always criticizing her. She is only a kid.”

 

“Anyways so who wants to ride the Ferris wheel with me?” Taeyeon asked.

 

“Not me! I am totally done for the day.” Sonkyu declared.

 

Taemin was about to say yes, but stopped when Sonkyu nudged him.

 

He saw her eyeing the couple and nodded in understanding.

 

“Taeminie?”

 

“Noona! I am feeling a bit hungry; I would rather go to the food stall with Sonkyu noona.”

 

“But I really wanted to go on the ferris wheel.”

 

“Then go by yourself.”

 

“What’s the fun in that?”

 

“Ask Fany-noona.”

 

“Fany-ah please please please ride the ferris wheel with me!”

 

Tiffany looked at the dork, who was standing there staring at her with puppy eyes, hands conjoined in a praying manner.

 

‘Omo! You don’t need to beg for me to come with you! Although you look cute with those puppy eyes.’

 

Tiffany barely said yes, when she felt herself getting dragged by the other girl.

 

 

“Waah! I am soo excited! I was waiting to ride this the whole day.”

 

“Then why didn’t you ride it before?”
 

“Didn’t you see the huge line? It was crazy. Plus right now we could even see the sunset from here. It’s going to be so pretty.”

 

Tiffany smiled seeing the excited Taeyeon trying to look around, hovering out of the small coach.

 

“You are going to fall off Taeyeon-ah! Sit tight.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Taeyeon was smiling and squealing like a little kid, when their coach was moving toward the top.

 

She leaned a bit toward Tiffany’s side, since the sun was setting on that side.

 

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?”

 

Tiffany looked at Taeyeon, who was staring at the sun that was plummeting at the end of the horizon.

 

The light breeze, blowing away Taeyeon’s wind swept hair, tousling it even more. Tiffany gulped; she could smell Taeyeon’s intoxicating scent. Taeyeon was saying something with great excitement, but the words didn’t reach Tiffany’s ears.

 

She was too engrossed in appreciating the oblivious beauty in front of her.

 

Taeyeon turned her face to look at Tiffany, only to get taken aback at the lack of distance between their faces.

 

 

At that moment, Tiffany’s brain became overwhelmed by the proximity of those plump lips of Kim Taeyeon as she unconsciously leaned in to place her lips over the much desired lips of Taeyeon.

 

It took Taeyeon a moment to recognize the presence of the lips over her own, and when she did, the mixed feeling longing, love and passion, just led her to deepen the kiss. 

 

Author's Note: 

 

Thank you to all of you who commented. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If I get more comments, I might update tomorrow...I think I can update sometime this week...we'll see. 

LEt me know what you are thinking of the story so far. What you like, dislike, about the story, about my writing. Where I should improve any thoughts, concerns, perplexities, mental traumas...anything at all