"Can we meet up tonight?"
 
 
There it was, the soft voice that could make her insides warm up comfortably.
Taeyeon readjusted her hold on her guitar case.
 
"Just a few drinks, catch up..."
 
"I'm sorry, I can't," Taeyeon replied a little weakly. She could imagine the pout instantly forming on the caller's lips. She hated turning down her invitations, even before, when they were still...
 
But she had no choice. Things weren't the same anymore.
 
"I already know everything..." her soft voice lingered, not really touching on the subject. "...And to me, it doesn't change things, really."
 
Taeyeon stayed silent, looking up at the flickering light of a lamppost. The street where she was looked deserted and bleak. Must be the only one in Hongdae. The night air had a certain bite to it. She cursed silently for not bringing a coat with her.
 
Actually, she had a lot to curse about at that moment.
 
She just found out that her months of hard work and blind commitment would not pay off. She was stuck with a new and bigger problem, and she was dead tired from working and constant worrying. Her guitar case felt lighter, thanks to the sudden turn of events.
 
And she had forgotten to bring a damn coat.
 
"I really want to see you, Taengoo..."
 
Taeyeon's eyes stung. Her lower lip quivered.
 
To say that the day had been terrible to her, it didn't even come close.
 
"Jessica, I'm sorry... I can't."
 
But Taeyeon needed to build up a strong front just for the phonecall she was having with a person she really cared about.
 
"But you don't need to prove yourself to me," Jessica almost whined.
 
"I know I don't," she said softly. "But, at least, to myself, I do."
 
"Taeyeon..."
 
The silence stretched between them. Jessica didn't say anything more, to which Taeyeon was grateful for.
 
"I need this," Taeyeon added. She could hear how grave her tone had become. "I'll make it up to you some other time, okay?"
 
She hung up first, not really wanting to hear the dial tone coming from Jessica's end.
 
 
Taeyeon took a deep, shaky breath. She lifted her guitar case closer to her body, hoping that somehow it would lessen the cold. Then, she started walking again.

One step at a time, she decided. It was what she would do. It was what she needed to do.

 
But as she was about to turn around the corner, something harshly wrapped around her shoulders. Then a soft handkerchief covered half of her face.
 
Before consciousness left her, she felt her body being lifted off the ground.

* * *

"Be my lover."
 
 
Taeyeon didn't see it coming. Not at all.
 
She looked at Tiffany, who refused to meet her eyes after her bold statement. She scanned the faces of everyone else in the room. 
 
Is--is this... Seriously?!

There was a sudden ringing in her head, as if Tiffany's three words were like a screwdriver thrown into the cogs in her head. 

"In a span of one year, you shall live with Miss Tiffany as her lover," the young man Tiffany called Donghae said in a firm voice. He laid a contract down on the table. "In exchange for this sum."
 
Taeyeon ignored the papers in front of her, still at a loss. She could be mumbling gibberish next.
 
Tiffany was biting on her lower lip while looking at the floor.
 
"Pose as her devoted lover," Donghae dutifully went on. "Keep the pretense for a year. Act like how an ordinary, contented couple should act. Show that you're really happy together."
 
She heard Donghae’s words, but she couldn’t make complete sense of them. She was asked to pretend with Tiffany... pretend to be happy? 

"Especially to one person."

Taeyeon scoffed.
She couldn't help it.
 
It instantly received frowns from everyone else. These people threw her a bomb, and then she scoffed.
 
"What, to make an ex regret breaking up with you?" Taeyeon asked curtly. She immediately found the whole situation ridiculous.
 
Women were brought in forcefully, examined to the core, kept in seclusion for hours. All of that happened in less than 24 hours was just an introduction to another show! 

And she wasn't gonna put up with any of it.
 
"This is absurd," Taeyeon muttered.
 
Tiffany's jaw visibly clenched.
 
Donghae made a step forward. His eyes momentarily flashed with anger and hurt.
 
"Oppa," Tiffany said evenly, stopping Donghae from doing anything further.
 
Taeyeon squeezed her eyes shut to contain her rising anger. They were asking her to set aside her pride, and devote her time for someone else's vanity? No matter how dismal her current life had become, she—

She thought of what had happened before she was taken. The isolation, and misery she felt.
 
Bile easily rose up . Taeyeon couldn't stop. She glared at Tiffany in front of her. "Or to make someone jealous, is that it?"
 
That time, Sunny started to move, and Tiffany held her back with a pleading look.

"Sunny, it's okay," the girl said under her breath.

Taeyeon caught a hint of helplessness in Tiffany's tired voice. She bit the insides of to control more awful words from coming out.

"My Mom's really ill. She could be gone within a year."

* * *

"My Mom's really ill. She could be gone within a year."

Taeyeon's back became stiff. As if cold water was splashed all over her body. The day had been squeezing the life out of her. She felt exhaustion, shock, confusion, anger, and shame in just a matter of hours. It didn't help that her senses suddenly heightened, and finally noticed how stressed everybody looked.
 
Sunny's eyes had dark shadows beneath them. Her complexion, gray.
Donghae's face seemed to be darkened by two-days worth of unshaven facial hair.

And Tiffany...
 
Taeyeon stared at the girl in front of her, whose eyes shifted away again. She didn't know if it was because Tiffany's face was so pale, or her lower lip looked a bit redder than the usual. Either way, Taeyeon compared what she saw to the small gash on her own finger.

Donghae cleared his throat, breaking the awkward, suffocating silence that ensued.

"There's nothing for you to lose. This is a generous offer," Donghae pointed at the contract that Taeyeon hadn't looked at or touched yet. "Just give us a year of your life, and you can do whatever you want after the end of the contract. Make us compensate over the year that we took from you. Even sue us for taking you."

Tiffany wrapped her arms around herself as Taeyeon looked up at her straight in her eyes. She met her gaze with the same intensity. She didn't know what Taeyeon wanted to see but she held that gaze as if her mother's condition and her life depended on it.
 
After a few more seconds, Taeyeon looked down, and took the papers in front of her... and then, she started reading.
 
An unexpected lightness welled up within Tiffany at the sight of Taeyeon's face furrowing in concentration.

Seeing that the other party was considering it, her godbrother, Donghae cleared his throat, and continued, "We will provide a bank account for you. We'll send 50% of the agreed money into it. Personal allowance will also be wired monthly. The rest of the money will be given—"
 
"Stop." Taeyeon cut him off. "Stop talking about money."
 
Sunny and Donghae's eyes flickered between Taeyeon and her.

But before Tiffany could process Taeyeon’s reaction, the girl wordlessly went back to reading the contract, skimming through some of the details. 
 
Tiffany could sense the growing anticipation and dread from the people around them. The sound of paper shuffling seemed louder than how it should be. They all waited in suspense as Taeyeon particularly read and reread the conditions.

Tiffany also took notice of how Taeyeon's lips formed a small pout as she continued reading, and how the girl’s hands seemed to tremble every now and then.

Tiffany waited with bated breath... And silently wished that Taeyeon, who was still a stranger to them, would accept.
 

 
Taeyeon scanned through the rest of the pages before going back to the conditions, rereading them.
 
In a period of one (1) year, you are to live with Ms. Tiffany Hwang as her lover...

...Comply with anything Ms. Tiffany Hwang asks of you. Everything should be met with compliance, unless it's a matter of violating human rights...
 
You are allowed only one (1) refusal every week...
 
...You are also entitled to one (1) request that the other party must comply or act in accordance with.
 
Everyone in the room stood up straighter as Taeyeon finally looked up. She pointed to one of the terms. "Make this 'two.' Add in another request."
 
The white-haired lawyer promptly turned to Tiffany for her approval.
Sunny and Donghae looked at each other, with slight frowns on their faces.

Taeyeon didn’t want to think anymore... about her pride, about the grimness of her present. She just told herself that if they didn’t approve of her own terms, it would be easier to walk out of the door. 

But Tiffany seemed to just want it signed, and she nodded her head once. "I accept."

Without pause, Taeyeon held up the contract in front of everyone, and started laying down her own conditions.

"First, I want to have time for myself," she firmly stated. "No contact of any kind from any of you for three days, every week. No requests asking me to drop by or make an appearance within these three days. I will also decide on which days. Not you.
 
"Second. Don't meddle with my personal affairs," Taeyeon stated in a clearer voice, looking hard from Donghae, to Sunny and finally, to Tiffany. "And if I hear that you're prying into my private life, the deal's over."
 

 
Tiffany froze. Her jaw dropped in disbelief. She put forth most of her savings just for the contract. Sunny and Donghae were even willing to back her up financially if she ever needed more. She actually expected to hear demands as extravagant as 'a yacht and a monthly trip to the Bahamas,' or 'a private jet and a strip club.' She couldn't actually afford them but she was ready to bargain with all her might if ever those things were asked. In Taeyeon's case, it didn't happen.

They boldly displayed a generous amount in front of the girl; a tactic Sunny thought would make anyone easily agree to almost anything.

But Taeyeon, she wasn’t blinded by it.
 
'Curious' was a much too easy word to explain what Tiffany was feeling then.
'Intrigued,' maybe.
But above all, Tiffany found it a little ‘troubling,’ Taeyeon's display of cautiousness and her guarded responses.
 
As their family lawyer duly noted the additional conditions into the contract, Taeyeon stared at it with unblinking eyes, her lips pursed into a grim line... as if she was watching the chance to back out slip past her.

Taeyeon’s eyes were blank as she took the pen her Uncle Jiho offered. Without pause, Taeyeon made her first sign.

Tiffany watched the whole procedure, almost in a daze. She wondered how a simple sign could change one's life. All of a sudden, she wanted to put a stop to everything. If not for her, the need for charades wouldn’t be necessary. Involving others into her own mess wouldn't be necessary.
 
As Taeyeon was finalizing her signatures, Sunny suddenly voiced out things that added gravity to the situation... Things Tiffany refused to touch on. "If you happen to be some sort of a felon, or has psychotic tendencies, we'll gladly have you disposed of. Refrain from doing anything that can harm the Hwangs, especially Tiffany. Hurt even one inch of her, and you're as good as dead."

But Taeyeon didn't flinch.

"Assume away," the girl replied, without even looking up. She stared hard at the table while waiting for their family lawyer to finish rechecking every page of the contract.

And when her Uncle Jiho was done, Taeyeon sat up straighter, and dropped the pen on the table in an unconcerned manner. Without asking for permission, the girl reached down for her guitar case, and slung it on her shoulder.
 
Taeyeon gave her a passing glace before heading straight out of the room.

 
Taeyeon went out into the unfamiliar carpeted hallway. Her feet, heavy. Her chest, tight.
 
She wanted to burst into tears at what she just agreed to do. Her self-esteem just went down another notch. If her current situation had been a bit easier on her, there would be no need to sign at all. No need to even consider. She could just walk away, and not be involved in others' lives.
 
And yet...
 
Taeyeon balled her hands into fists, and stopped her tears from b.
She suddenly broke into a run, feeling the weight of the guitar case behind her back...
 
 
Or the lack of it.

* * *

Tiffany drew in a shaky breath.

We did it. We actually pulled it off.
 
Behind her, Sunny droned on on her phone, giving out instructions. "Tiffany would like to be escorted back to her apartment. Taeyeon will be coming with her."

Donghae and their Uncle Jiho were reviewing every page of the contract all over again.

Tiffany wanted to urge the others to just go home and finally take some rest.
 
Her mother's recent condition had been really tough on her father, on her family, on all of them.
 
For the past 24 years of her life, her father had always been strict but affectionate and understanding towards her. Not once did she feel like she disappointed him in any way. Not even when she didn't pursue her father's plans for her, and took up an Arts degree.
 
Not until recently.

"What, you want to take responsibility? By the time you manage to get someone to actually love you, she'd be already gone."
 
His words echoed in her head. The only hurtful words her father had ever told her, managing to strike the two things that would constantly wound her: her mother's condition, and what worried her mother — her life alone.

So after a week of planning, Tiffany, with the help of Sunny and Donghae, managed to execute that somewhat-shameless endeavor to find herself someone to present to her parents.

If it would help lessen her mother's anxieties, she'd do it. 

All of them, including some of Donghae's few friends from their company, their family lawyer, and family doctor agreed to participate in it behind her father's back.
 
The ‘kidnapping’ was Donghae's idea, and the hotel was Sunny's. The two of them, who seemed to be fans of gangster movies like Old Boy, found their collaborative efforts, brilliant, and themselves, remarkable. They might not show it to Tiffany's face but she had sensed how they somehow took pleasure from setting up strategies, to acting out their plans, and even behaving like gangsters themselves. If she wasn't that exhausted, and if she didn't find their situation serious, she could have found the two amusing.
 
She was heavily against the use of force, but time was ticking fast for them... She was running out of ideas. She had considered speed-dating, hooking up with the few friends she had, blind-dates. All of which she had no time, luck, and passion for.
 
She almost felt love, and had been hurt before. And since she wasn't the type of person who would jump into unknown waters unless she was being swept by it, she ended up having no one special but a few friends.
 
With the lack-luster love affairs she had, it even crossed her mind that she must have been a ruthless temptress who drove a lot of people mad in her past life, and thus doubled her bad karma in the present life.
 
Or she must have seduced an influential royalty in her past life, ruined the royal family and their ultimate, familial image. And while wearing an outfit with a pink letter A on her chest, she was executed in front of everyone, men, women, snot-nosed kids, and stray puppies.
 
Tiffany shook away the stray puppy images in her head.
 
"I'll be heading home now, Tiffany."
 
She snapped out of her stress-stimulated thoughts, and looked about her. Beside her, their family lawyer was looking at her expectantly.
 
"Are you okay?" he asked.
 
“Yes. Yes, Uncle Jiho," she replied softly, bowing twice. "And thank you so much.”
 
"Don't thank me, young lady," the old man said sternly. "You know I'm still against this."
 
"I know, Uncle." Tiffany nodded. "But please, don’t tell Dad."
 
The old man heaved a sigh of defeat. He had been working alongside her father for as long as Tiffany could remember. He was always there during important family occasions too, like an unofficial member of the Hwangs. A man she respected, almost like a second father.
 
"You won't have any problems anymore with the other girls you... took," Uncle Jiho informed, with a thinly-veiled disapproval in his low voice. "They've signed the settlements without any more problems since they all got out unharmed... They were pampered, even. Seems like most of them just wanted to go home."

He kept the original contract and its copies for safekeeping. "You should be thankful that they bought that social-experiment act Sunny thought of."
 
Tiffany looked behind her at Sunny, who was giving out... threats to keep Donghae's friends from their company mum about everything that had happened. Her chest warmed up with affection. "Yes, I'm really thankful, Uncle."

"You're a beautiful, young woman," Uncle Jiho said, shaking his head in sympathy. "I still don't understand why you need to hire somebody, and fake love."
 
Tiffany didn't answer. She just nodded timidly.
 
"And now, you're stuck with a haughty brat," the old man added sternly but his eyes were somehow twinkling with amusement.
 
Tiffany managed to laugh a bit. She stepped forward, and gave the old man a brief hug. Then he said his goodbyes, and headed out of the room.
 
She immediately felt a surge of sadness upon seeing the empty seat Taeyeon had abandoned.
 
"I'll head back, too," Donghae said. "All your father knows is that I'm on leave and sunbathing with a woman somewhere warm."

"Thanks again, oppa..."

"Don't mention it, Fany-ah," Donghae said, looking around the sparsely-decorated hotel room. "The others will take care of the mess we made to your father's property.”

Tiffany nodded her head. Then their eyes landed on her foster sister, who was inspecting Taeyeon's limited profile with narrowed eyes.
 
"Sunny can be both impressive and scary at times," Donghae said, obviously pleased. "Who would have known that this dingy hotel still has some use? We got a hold of the kinkiest rooms here, too."
 
Tiffany tried to share his amusement... but failed at it.
 
"A two-way mirror?" he chuckled, shaking his head. But upon seeing Tiffany's half-hearted and exhausted smile, Donghae gave her a light pat on the head and a tired but reassuring smile of his own.
 
"You better go home now. Get some sleep," her godbrother said, heading out. "Also put an ice compress on your lower lip."
 
Tiffany nodded absentmindedly. She stared at Donghae’s back until he disappeared behind the door.
 
 
It all seemed somewhat surreal.
 
Tiffany felt alone.
 
Ironic.
 
 
Especially when she already had a 'lover' waiting for her outside.

* * *

Tiffany found her at the far end of the empty hallway.
 
Taeyeon was sitting on the floor, her guitar case propped beside her on the wall. She seemed to be deep in thought. Compared to how she had acted inside, the Taeyeon she saw then looked... more open. Her features, calm.
 
Tiffany's chest swelled with warmth, something so untimely and foreign.
 
When Taeyeon felt Tiffany's presence, the girl turned to face her.
 
 
Almost in a whisper, Taeyeon asked, "How do we go about this?"