Chapter 7

Tiffany’s POV

I hated mirrors.

 I hated them and the ways they made me remember that I didn’t remember anything at all.

I hated that they reflected the aftermath of the day that changed my life.

A scar.

Right above my left eyebrow that ran a few inches down until it ended on the side of my left eye.

I hadn’t really noticed it until today, my bangs had hid it from my view. But this morning after my morning shower as I looked in the mirror there it was, still slightly reddish but still there.

I guess it could’ve been worse, right? I could have ended up dead or with some motor our mental disability.

No. I ended up with a scar on my temple.

A knock on the room door disrupted my thoughts on the consequences of that day.

“Yes.” I called out.

“Hi” Taeyeon greeted as she entered the room. “I was wondering if you wanted breakfast.”

She walked in and stopped behind me with her hands on the back of the chair that I was sitting on.

I didn’t reply. I wasn’t feeling hungry.

“You ok?” she asked at my silence.

My eyes didn’t left the imperfection on my temple.

“You’re beautiful.”

The simple sentence made me shift my gaze from the awful reminder and settle on her eyes through the mirror.

“You always were and that” she reached for my temple and lightly graze her fingertips over the scar. “Is not going to change that.”

“Thank you” I voiced it so softly that for a second I worried that she hadn’t heard.

She dropped a kiss on the top of my head.

“It’s the truth. Just know that I’m always here if you want to talk about the things that unsettle you”

“I know”

“So about breakfast?” she asked.

“I’d like that”

We left the room and headed down the wall, as we reached the stairs I remember something.

“What’s that room?” I pointed at the door to my left.

When she gave me a tour of the house on the day after my ‘Welcome home’ party, she skipped that room, as if she wasn’t aware that the room even existed.

“Hmm, it’s j-just some storage room” she said, her voice cracking a little.

She was lying, but I decided to drop the subject… for now.

Taeyeon’s POV

My heart was racing, hammering so hard against my ribcage that I was afraid that it was going to jump out of my chest.

I knew she didn’t believe my explanation and the fact that she let it go made me even more nervous. I just hoped that she forgets it and moves on.

We made our way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

“Today I have a surprise for you” I said while preparing our breakfast.

“What is it?”

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you” I teased.

“Then why did you tell me you had a surprise for me in the first place?”

A frowned appeared on her face and she started to pout, a move that she usually made to make me cave, but after being on the line of that face so many times I started to gain immunity to it.

“So I could see that face”

Her frown deepened. “You’re so mean” she whined.

I laughed.

This was totally us, it seemed like the last months hadn’t happened at all.

We used to tease each other all the time.

“It’s a good surprise.” I stated. “You’re going to love it” I knew the truth in my own words but it didn’t ease my sense of, dare I say, dread.

Tiffany’s going to love to see her.

A few hours later it was time for me to leave.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to call Sunny? Or maybe Amber, she wouldn’t mind to stay with you?” I asked for the hundredth time.

She sighed and approached me, taking my hands. “I’m not a kid. I can perfectly stay home alone for a few hours and I don’t need a babysitter. Just go and don’t worry about me.”

“I know you can stay alone for a few hours, it’s just that… I’m finding it hard to leave you. Are you sure you’re going to be ok?”

She rolled her eyes. “Just go. I’ll be fine and when you’ll come back, I’m going to be right here”

I sighed. “Ok. But if something happens, promise that you’ll call me.”

“I promise.”

With a final look back and a heavy heart, I left the house.

As I entered the car to drive to the airport I couldn’t stop thinking.

This could be the best thing that I could do or the worst one and the one that could ruin my marriage beyond repair. I’m serious praying for the first.

Tiffany’s POV

“What are we going to do, huh Prince?” I asked Prince as he sat by my feet just looking at me.

Taeyeon just left and I’m already bored.

Why couldn’t she take me with her? I could have had my surprise whenever she went.

I groaned. Tiffany you have to stop whining so much. You’re not a little girl, you’re not 19 anymore, so just stop being a brat and look for something to do. I scolded myself.

I sighed and got up from the couch.

The room.

Taeyeon’s reaction to my question was very suspicious and I don’t believe one second that behind that door only exists a storage room.

As I made my way up the stairs with Prince diligently following me, I thought of the possibilities.

It could be another guest room, but then Taeyeon wouldn’t have any reason to lie.

It could be… a room… OMG TIFFANY. Get your mind out of the gutter. Since when are you a ert?

Ok, focus. It could be … anything.

 I guess I just have to wait and see.

I stopped at the front of the door.

My right hand reached out and grabbed the door knob.

This is it. The secret is going to be revealed.

I turned the knob…

But the door didn’t open. It’s locked.

Damn.

I tried again but the result was the same.

I guess I have to think about another thing to keep me busy.

I returned to the living room and sat on the couch, pulling Prince into my lap.

What to do? What to do? I thought as I moved my hands through Prince’s fur.

Read? No. Watch a movie? Hmm… maybe.

Decided, I put Prince on the couch and made my way to the shelf full of DVD’s that was placed next to the really big TV screen.

Hmm.

My eyes skimmed dozens of names that were printed on the side of the boxes, until they landed on some boxes that had no name. Curious I pulled them out.

On the front of one of the boxes was written Wedding day. My heart speeded up. These are my lost memories, all huddled on boxes.

 Dairy (2011) rambling of a crazed mind; Big proposal: First time; Walk on the beach were some of the titles.

Picking one, I moved to the DVD player and put it on.

Sitting on the couch, I hold my breath. I was nervous about watching this, about having a glimpse of my past.

You have to be strong.

Picking the remote I press play.

I appeared on screen, looking right at the camera.

I had a huge smile on my lips, that looking at it I was afraid it would be permanently stuck on my face.

I think that the title was right. Definitely crazed minded.

I was sitting cross legged on my bed, in my old bedroom.

“I finally met her again.” as it was even possible the smiled widened and I even bounced a little.

I guess I was a little bit of a fan girl for Taeyeon.

“Dad was right; Taeyeon did attend SME’s annual party…” she started by telling how she, I mean I met Taeyeon on that parking lot.

During her speech she looked really excited, her hands moved like crazy and her smile never faded nor diminished from her lips.

It seemed surreal to look at myself, but her enthusiasm was so contagious that it made me smile too.

“She invited me to the party, to watch her performance.” Her eyes shone as she talked about Taeyeon. “She was brilliant on that stage. Her voice is perfect. After her performance, she came to me, all nervous asking me if I liked it. I answered that I love it and that it would be one performance that I would never forget.”

How wrong were you?

After that she went on about how they left the party and went to a little café near the hotel to get to know each other.

“Taeyeon is different then what I thought she would be. She is really nice and extremely caring, not to say that she is gorgeous. She’s also very funny in her dorky way. I was impressed in a good way. I have a feeling that this could work if we ever… go in that direction.”

The screen went black again and as I made my way to change the DVD, it light up again.

This time my face was closer to the camera.

“Tiffany” I whispered. “You’re live is going to be wonderful. Just trust her”.

And the DVD ended.

I was speechless. Why did I mean? Was I talking about Taeyeon?

Confused, I change the DVD.

The next video that I put on was big proposal: the first time.

First the TV screen was all black then my face appeared.

 “Hi there” I smiled at the camera.

This video was noticeably older than the previous one. My hair was dyed red and was a little bit disheveled.

 “Why are you doing this?” a voice sounded at the background.

“I believe that I must record every important marks of my life… for posterity.” I stated “Or if by any chance I forget it”

The camera moved and on screen showed Taeyeon in bed with only a sheet as shield.

My eyes bulged. Oh my god… she’s !

The camera moved a lot for a few seconds as it was placed on top of the bed supported by some pillows so as to show me and Tiffany in bed.

I’m too. Why did I film this?

“Tell them what you said.” Young Tiffany requested with a huge smile on her face.

Taeyeon groaned. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” She whined.

“Come on”

Taeyeon sighed but could prevent the smile from appearing on her lips.

“I love you… Will you marry me?”

I could almost feel younger me swooning.

“No”

No? I frowned. I said no.

“No?” Taeyeon asked.

“No… you can’t expect a woman to say yes to your proposal when you propose after . Where is the big gesture? Where is the romance? And… where is the ring?”

“In my defense I was preparing all of that… but at the moment it seemed… right. We don’t need those big gestures that you were talking about, we just need this” Taeyeon gesture for the space between her and me. “This is all that matters.”

A single tear fell from younger Tiffany’s eyes. And I couldn’t stop the smile.

Tiffany moved and hugged Taeyeon.

“I love you. “ She said.

She shifted away a bit and lay her forehead on Taeyeon’s, theirs nose’s touching in an Eskimo kiss.

“Of course I’ll marry you” I said it so softly that the camera almost didn’t pick it up but the smile on Taeyeon’s face was confirmation enough.

We were so in love... I want to remember it so bad.

A sound of the front door opening was heard on the silence of the living room.

“Tiffany. I’m home” Taeyeon called out.

I didn’t even move from the spot on the couch, transfixed by the scene.

On the TV screen the two lovers were still embracing each other, sheets trapped between their bodies, hiding them from the world.

“I promise to do it again in a more romantic way” sounded from the TV only to be echoed from present Taeyeon’s lips “… I see you found the DVD’s”

I turned and found her by the door, watching me. She approached me and I got up, meeting her half way.

Instantly, my arms went around her neck and my face found comfort on the crock of her neck.

It didn’t take long until a few tears meet the skin on Taeyeon’s neck.

We didn’t uttered any words, for them weren’t needed.

Taking a few breaths, I loosened my grip on her neck and took a step back.

I felt so emotional that I couldn’t even look her in the eyes, so I placed my gaze on her shirt while I played with one of her buttons. I felt her hands move from the place where they rest on my waist to secure my hands. Taking strength from her hold, I looked her in the eyes.

I love you they said.

Moving closer, I place my lips on her cheek. “I really like you” was the best that I could do.

I felt her quiver, so I hugged her again this time more tightly until she stopped, giving her a kiss on the neck as I let go.

She had her eyes closed as I stepped away from her.

I noise from the kitchen broke the tense atmosphere between us and Taeyeon opened her eyes again.

“Your surprise awaits us” she tried to smile but it appeared more like a grimace.

Nodding she took my hand and led me to the kitchen.

As we entered I could see two girls turning away from the doorway. They were shoulder to shoulder talking quietly between them.

“Guys” Taeyeon called.

As they turned I recognize her immediately.

She hadn’t change at all, still the same smirk that had always made me jealous when it was directed to other girls, the straight black hair that I pass hours running my fingers through, the casual style. It was still her.

“Hello Tiffany” she greeted.

“Yuri” I called out and ran to her.

Immediately her arms went around me and she pick me up in her arms.

Oh, how much I had missed her.