"Falling in love with someone is an easy thing;

the more difficult one is how to keep the flame burning until one of you be taken away from you."

(AUTHOR)

CHAPTER 22

1 month later

       Krystal was still preparing dinner at Taeyeon’s apartment when suddenly her mobile phone blasted. She specially came and cooked to welcome Taeyeon that now on the way back home from Busan after two days business trip there.

       She unconsciously smiled once finding the name appeared on the display screen.

       “Baby,” Taeyeon greeted sweetly over there. “What are you doing?”

       “Hmmm... Something you’re gonna like it,” Krystal replied playfully although she knew Taeyeon already known that she was at her apartment now.

       “Hmmm… What is it? Ah, are you bathing now?” Taeyeon smirked and earned a shout from Krystal.

       “Ya~… How could you think that way?” she pretended to be upset for her dirty thought.

       “Why I can’t think you’re bathing? You said it’s something I’m gonna like. I like to see you bathing.” Taeyeon smirked even wider and afterward both of them just giggled.

       “You’re ert.”

       “Ooops? I think every boss just became ert when it came to you. So, who’s the one who should be put on blame?”

       Krystal just couldn’t argue anymore with her smart girlfriend.

       “Uughhhh… You…~,” she just didn’t find any word to fight her and only could hear her girlfriend giggled over there.

       “I hate you,” Krystal mumbled.

       “But I miss you,” Taeyeon replied.

       Krystal stayed silence and Taeyeon shook her head in disbelief. She just realized Krystal was really could act like a child in front of her and she was the one who always spoiled her so much.

       “Hey, earth calling,” Taeyeon tried to persuade her; however Krystal was still persisting to keep quiet. Taeyeon heaved a huge sigh but she didn’t complain; she decided to play around with her, instead.

       “Hey, the-most-gorgeous-stunning-adorable-beautiful-lucky-girl in this world… I’m talking to you…”

       “Ya~ cut the ‘lucky’ part!” Finally Krystal answered.

       “Wae?”

       “I’m not that lucky.”

       “Oh yeah? Having me you said not that lucky? Uhm, it’s insulting!” Taeyeon acted to be offended.

       “Yeah, Kim Sajangnim. Having someone like you always make me feel worry all the time…,” Krystal trailed off before finally a smile appeared on her face. “Because I don’t want anybody else steals you from me.”

       Taeyeon couldn’t help but smile as well hearing the cheesiness.

       “Where’s your coolness?” she giggled.

       “Still exist, though, but gone away just in front of you,” Krystal admitted and it made Taeyeon satisfied even more.

       “Ha-ha. I’m glad you’re so honest today,” Taeyeon laughed softly. “So?” She asked again, requesting Krystal to spill out Taeyeon’s mind that she’s sure Krystal could read it.

       “Yeah, Sajangnim. Nado bogosipo. Neomu bogosipo,” finally Krystal spilled it out.

       “Good girl.”

       “Always be.”

       “Uhm, anyway… where would you reach home?” Suddenly Krystal remembered it had already almost hit 7 in the evening and Taeyeon didn’t show any indication to come.

       “Ooops… It’s…”

       “Don’t tell me you would be late,” Krystal cut off.

       “No. I’m not.”

       “Good….”

       “Instead, I think… I can’t back this night. I’m sorry. I have nothing to do…”

       “Kim Tae Yeon? Are you kidding me?” Krystal unconsciously raised her pitch as she was getting shock. And now she spaced out at the meal she had already prepared.

       “No, I’m not kidding. Mianhae, Baby.”

       “Great. Don’t expect we’d have lovey-dovey time at least for one week then,” Krystal threatened her.

       “Whoa… How could you be so cruel???” Taeyeon yelled, but actually she struggled hard to hide her laughter.

       And actually as well, she was now standing in front of her flat and entering the pin code to gain access into it.

       While listening to Krystal mumble, she secretly stepped in and smirked slyly as she found Krystal was still concentrating on grumping and her back now was facing her. Slightly tip toe, Taeyeon got approach to her and just suddenly wrapped the latter from behind.

       “Surprise!” she said and made Krystal really jerked in surprise and dropped the cell-phone onto the floor.

       Taeyeon didn’t give her any answer to scowl anymore as she already kissed her cheek and spread the warmth all over her body.

       “Hi, Miss Grumpy,” she muttered playfully and dropped another kiss; her arms were still lingering around her waist.

       “I’m coming.”

       “Ugh, I really hate you now. Officially!” Krystal shouted and pretended to try to release from her hug. Taeyeon giggled and let her did it and afterward Krystal now just turning around and face her. Her eyes were glimmering with missing feeling and excitement discovering her lover already came.

       And now as her eyes caught something Taeyeon held, she threw her a questioning look.

      “Cupcakes for my beloved girlfriend!” Taeyeon grinned and handled the package to her.

      “Tae… You… made a chance to buy me this?” Krystal felt so touchy as she knew Taeyeon must be very tired after running some packed schedule but she made her way to buy those little things she said she wanted to eat couple previous days.

       “It’s nothing. Don’t make drama,” Taeyeon smiled warmly.

       Krystal excitingly opened up the box and as she found the cupcakes her expression just turned into less bright one. And Taeyeon noticed it.

       “W-what’s wrong?” she asked.

       “Oh, aniya,” Krystal who’s suddenly noticed that Taeyeon caught her expression changing tried to lie but she knew Taeyeon didn’t just buy her lie.

       “Krys-Baby?” Taeyeon tried to persuade her to tell; her tone was firm but warm.

       “It isn’t big deal, anyway.”

       “What’s it?”

       “I thought you bought me chocolate one,” Krystal said reluctantly as she didn’t want make Taeyeon felt guilty.

       Taeyeon just smacked her head dramatically in guilt as she already got it.

(Shoot… How could I forget… How could I buy… pink cupcakes one, whereas she already told me that she wanted the chocolate one… Pink… Hell… Hell pink…)

       “I’m sorry,” Taeyeon said sincerely. She felt so bad for herself for doing such a stupid thing.

       “Hey, I said it isn’t a big deal, Tae,” Krystal who already noticed that Taeyeon felt bad for it gently lifted her head by chin to look at her now. Krystal threw her sincere smile and afterward just planted a kiss on her forehead.

       “I like strawberry as well. Don’t worry,” she said.

       “I’m so ignorant,” Taeyeon shook her head.

       “No. You’re so lovely. I couldn’t ask for more from you,” Krystal encouraged her and kissed her again.

       “Let’s eat before it already cold.”

       Discovering Taeyeon still didn’t move from the place as she’s still pondering with her fool, Krystal patiently smiled and approached to her again.

       “Hmmm… Someone needs mood booster right now,” Krystal whispered and earned a frown from Taeyeon.

       “How about this one?”

       She leaned forward and just kissed her lips.

       “I love you, Tae. Cheer up, okay?”

       This time, it worked out. The gloom expression just gradually faded away. Taeyeon knew she had to count her blessing from now on.

       While having dinner, they did small sweet conversation, but Krystal wasn’t didn’t notice that fatigue expression clearly painted on her lover face. Moreover, Taeyeon had already yawned for several times. So after bathing, Krystal didn’t let Taeyeon helped her to wash the plates.

       “Just get your rest, Tae. I can handle this,” Krystal said understandingly.

       “Can’t you just do it tomorrow? I miss you on the bed,” Taeyeon said naughtily.

       Krystal rolled her eyes in disbelief and smacked her playfully.

       “Look at you,” she giggled. “How could someone with low-batt like you still expect something on the bed?”

       “Hey, are you doubt my power?” Taeyeon pretended to be upset.

       Krystal shook her head and began to wash some plates, but she felt Taeyeon didn’t just stop to ‘disturb’ her and kept her hand to herself.

       “Aniya. I don’t dare,” she said to make the latter satisfied. “But seriously, Tae. Get on the bed. I’ll join you soon.”

       Taeyeon just put puppy-eyes face though Krystal now wasn’t facing her, but actually Krystal had already known about the face as well.

       “Don’t make that face now. It won’t work,” Krystal remarked.

       “Mean girl,” Taeyeon mumbled but she tamely walked toward the bed and got onto it.

       Krystal finished the washing session within 10 minutes and she just hastily made her way to climb onto bed and joined her girlfriend. The lamp was still turning on but as she heard soft snoring sound, she had already known the battery was really running out now. She giggled witnessing the cute expression while turning off the lamp.

       “You must be really exhausted, Baby,” she whispered and pulled up the comforter to cover her properly.

       Afterward, she dropped her goodnight kiss and reached her into her hug in such a careful way to not awake her.

       “I love you, Tae.”

KTY

       I felt much more freshen when I woke up this morning as I got enough rest last night. I blinked my eyes for some times and just suddenly widened as I realized Krystal wasn’t on my sight. The comforter had half parted, indicating Krystal had already left.

(Hm… Where’s the girl?)

       I lazily rose from the bed and the first place I approached was the shoes closet. I unconsciously smiled once I discovered a pair of running shoes had missed already. Ah, she must have jogging now.

       While waiting her, I decided to prepare my own breakfast, but even before I had any chance to move, the bell of my flat was ringing.

       “Yeah, you forget the password, Krys-baby?” I shouted and shook my head in disbelief. My password was indeed not an easy combination. I guessed Krystal hadn’t memorized it well. She usually saw the code through her cell-phone.

       “Wait, wait!” I yelled again and opened the door with smile.

       The smile just already frozen once I discovered the one who’s standing in front of me now.

       I dropped my jaw open and my blood felt like curdled. My head felt like spinning around and there’s no word could be spilled out from my mouth for some moment.

       Tiffany was now standing in front of me.

       Her eyes were so watery, her face were so messy.

       “Tiff…,” It’s the only word I could say at that time, but at the next time I found her already hustled into my hug.

       I embraced her tightly and felt her skin touched mine.

       “Tae…,” she muttered under her breath.

       “Tiff… what’s happened?” I asked worryingly.

       “I run away… I run away, Tae… I can’t do that…,” she said and started to sob. I couldn’t help but caressing her back gently. But suddenly I stopped caressing her as I caught some bruises on her arm. I just clenched my teeth once a thought suddenly popped on my mind and I really hope it was wrong.

       “Who did it to you?” I mastered courage to ask and gave her the cue with fixating my eyes fiercely on the bruises.

       She didn’t immediately answer and with it I thought I already got the answer, actually.

       “Dong Hae did it to you????”

       “You can’t blame him…,” she said feebly. “I humiliate him and his family… by cancelling our marriage…”

       “But still he couldn’t do this to you!”

       “Can’t we just put it aside Tae?” Tiffany begged. “I don’t care what happened to me as long as it could bring me back to you…”

       Now she was looking at me hopefully. It made me being hurt and guilty, tangling together. I couldn’t stand to see her in pain, but… it was also never be right to act this way when someone else had already have my heart.

       “You made me confuse, Fanny…”

       “I don’t love him, Tae… I want you… I know I have done the most stupid mistake in this world. I supposed not to leave you…,” Tiffany murmured.

       I shut my eyes for some moment, couldn’t think about anything.

       Discovering me didn’t immediately react, Tiffany sense something wasn’t right that way.

       She just pulled away so now can look into my eyes.

       “Y-you don’t love me anymore, Tae?” she asked, stammering.

       Frankly, it was the most difficult question to answer. Even though I still love you, Fanny~ya, now I had Krystal already… Why this universe seemed never became satisfied to keep swinging me around???

       “It isn’t like that,” I just could only say it.

       She stepped backward for some steps but I quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her into my hug again. She struggled hard to release but I persisted until I felt her struggle was lessen.

       I caressed her again in the silence for some moment.

       My head was like almost explode at that time. I swore, it was the most difficult circumstance I ever had.

       “I heard… you mention some name…,” finally she broke the ice, still buried her head into my chest.

       I just managed to nod my head and knew she could feel it.

       “You’ve found someone else?” she asked. Her voice was crack. Her tone was reflecting pain.

       If I had to admit, my love for her would never be less; even after all this time. I still love her, much. A lot.

       But I could say as well, hurting someone as sweet as Krystal was only the last thing I would do in this world.

       I really had no idea what to do now.

to be continued...

Okay, double updated today: ENCOURAGEMENT and DIVINING ROD.

Ya~ don't screaming! I granted your wish to meet Tiffany up with Taeyeon!!!

And now, things was indeed getting complicated, right. Don't blame me.

You bear the same responsibility with me. Now, what Taeyeon supposed to do???

Oh, and tell me, how's the chemistry between Krystae? Run well?