Tiffany didn’t even need to look at me. One moment she was just reaching for something inside the paper bag and in a blink of an eye, even before my mind could process everything, a container of gummy bears flew in my direction and hit me right in the gut. 

Taeyeon winced.

Jessica’s jaw dropped.

I in a breath, hissing through the pain, holding on my stomach for the life of me as I dropped on my knees.

Tiffany huffed, a smirk forming on her face.

“Long time no see, you stupid jerk.”

 

What Makes a Rock Star

 

Chapter 26

(Keeping Up With JeTi)

 

The air was tense and there was an aura of discomfort present in all the people in the living room aside from Tiffany. I fidgeted on my seat as I watched Tiffany interrogate Jessica, bombarding her questions I honestly couldn’t see the importance of but Tiffany asked with utmost attentiveness that I actually started to think the answers really mattered. I watched as Jessica shifted on her seat uncomfortably. I glared at Taeyeon. He was sitting, neglected, beside Tiffany. I jerked my head to the direction of the kitchen and stood up, suggesting him to follow me. I heard him sigh before clearing his throat.

 

“Excuse me, ladies. Looks like this would take us longer than I expected. Let me just get us something to drink.”

 

I looked over my shoulder, just in time to see him smiling at Jessica in his signature flirty way, teeth flashing charmingly. Jessica shrunk slightly on her seat, cheeks red, which makes her really cute but stupid because why the hell is she acting like some stupid lovesick cat in front of stupid Taeyeon?! Annoying brat!

 

Tiffany huffed at that and rolled her eyes after Taeyeon turned to her and gave her a warning look that clearly says Behave. I waited until Taeyeon was walking towards me before I opened the kitchen door and entered.

 

“Are you crazy?!!” I grabbed Taeyeon’s collar and pushed him to the door as soon as we’re inside the kitchen.

 

Taeyeon gripped on my wrist, trying to loosen my grip, “I didn’t have a choice, Yul. She was the one who followed you here; I just had the right hitch where she’d gone to so I managed to follow her here.” He winced when I pushed him further.

 

“But you could have stopped her! You know how vital it is that nobody knows my whereabouts!”

 

“I tried to but you know how Tiffany is. She wouldn’t shut up and I bet she wouldn’t stop trying to get to you anyway so I let her get her way,”

 

He was talking calmly and for some reason, it felt more irritating.

 

“You should have tried harder! I’m already in a deep as I am, Taeng! You know what would happen if someone outside us knows of my situation! You know how reckless Tiffany could be!”

 

 Suddenly, Taeyeon’s voice sounded stern, “That’s why you should’ve done better in hiding where you’re staying.” Unlike his apologetic gaze before, there was seriousness in the way he looked at me now and it made me gulped in doubt, “I told you to be careful, Yuri. I warned you. I thought you understood that perfectly. Now, look what happened. If someone like Tiffany could follow you like this easily, what more the paparazzi? It’s you who ed up, Yul, and don’t you dare blame this on me or Tiffany… especially Tiffany.”

 

Feeling the accusation in his gaze, I looked away and let him go with a shove. 

 

He rubbed at the sore spot where I shoved him, unfazed, “She’s only worried about you. You know that, right?”

 

I know.

 

With a sigh, I backed away and said nothing, feeling ashamed for how I reacted. I know Tiffany was just worried. Despite being the youngest, Tiffany had the tendency to act motherly and overly protective of our band members, and sometimes (if not most of the time) her over protectiveness would go overboard to the point that it’s scary. Now, aside from worrying what this would do to my career, I had to worry what Tiffany would do to Jessica too, now that she thought of the girl as the enemy.

 

I sighed dejectedly, “I’m sorry. I guess I overreacted.”

 

“Yes, you did,” He answered quietly.

 

No one spoke for a few minutes and then suddenly I felt Taeyeon’s hand on my shoulder and saw that his demeanor had softened.

 

“Don’t worry, if things get too worse because of what Tiffany did today, I’ve thought of a cover up,” He smiled reassuringly.

 

“Really?” I asked, leaning back against the counter as I raised an eyebrow at him.

 

“Yes, I thought of the moment Tiffany entered this house’s gate,” He smirked and waved his phone, flashing some sort of a digital coupon, “Trust me.”

 

I watched as shoved the phone back inside his pocket before holding on to the doorknob and turning it open.

 

“But on one condition.” 

 

He jerked his head towards the opened door. There was bitterness in his eyes when he said the next words.

 

“Take Tiffany out tonight and make her happy.”

--

 

“Yuwree, say aaah~”

 

Now, we’re practicing and because Jessica’s hand was injured, I was the one playing the piano for her while she practiced her singing. The whole arrangement would have flown fluidly if not for Tiffany’s insistence to stay by my side even during practice, and her constant babying and antics causing minor interruptions. Now that Taeyeon has left to do some 'errands', there’s just no way for me to stop Tiffany.

 

I stole a glance at Jessica worriedly. When she didn’t react and just continued singing, I opened my mouth to let Tiffany shove another gummy bear in my mouth.

 

“Aww~” I missed a note when Tiffany suddenly pinched both of my cheeks, squishing my face like I was her 4 year old niece, “So cute!”

 

“Ouch! Fany-ah, stop it!” I frowned, furrowing my eyebrows in annoyance but that only made Tiffany harden the pinching, to the point I had to stop playing. I noticed that Jessica stopped singing and I flinched at the look she gave me. Her expression was dark but when she looked away, like nothing happened, her expression was back to neutral.

 

“But your face is cute!” Tiffany squealed, twisting and pinching my face like no tomorrow, “If the public would see me crumple your face like this, all the rumors of you having done plastic surgery would be gone like poof!” She clapped her hands on the air to emphasize her point.

 

“I know, I know. Geez,” I mumbled, looking at Jessica in embarrassment before looking away as I rubbed my abused cheeks. Looking this helpless against Tiffany when Jessica’s around makes me want to bury myself in my seat.

 

Tiffany scooted back, tilting her head and crossing arms on her chest at she examined my face contemplatively, “Really, though. I don’t get why people keep on insisting you’ve done it and hating on you because you have both the talents and the face. I mean, they do it to me and the others too but with you, they’re just too much and it’s ridiculous. Remember that one time someone from the internet claimed you’ve plagiarized your songs? Having to go to the extent that she faked some net accounts and music scores just to prove her lies?”

 

I saw Jessica’s face brighten with interest. She must have heard about that rumor too, considering that she’s a hardcore fan.

 

“Yeah, yeah.” I said dismissively, not wanting Jessica to hear more but Tiffany went on.

 

“She even went to the bar you and Taeng were frequenting just to make a scandal about it, right? Calling you a bogus talentless prick and all that.”

 

“Tiffany,”

 

“After that, the issue went on wildfire. Spreading everywhere and the people, even our own fans, stupid as they are, believed the damn girl right away. Remember how we lost a lot of fans because of that?”

 

“Yes. But Fany-ah, I really don’t think we should be talking about this again right no-“

 

But Tiffany cut me off. That’s when I noticed she was glaring at Jessica. Then suddenly Tiffany’s blabbing made sense.  

 

 “Remember how much it affected you? How you couldn’t hold an instrument for days? How many times have we had to decline a gig because you couldn’t sing? How much music scores you ripped because you thought of what’s the sense of writing them when no one believed in you anyway? How broken you were all those times when we had to smile in front of a crowd who secretly hated us?”

 

“Tiffany, stop-“

 

Tiffany stood up abruptly, raising her chin up and holding Jessica’s gaze challengingly, “All of those just because of rumors. Rumors that started because some of our fans decide to act selfishly,” Tiffany smiled, sinister and prodding, the words sounded poisonous she spoke, “Like what you’re doing right now.” 

 

“TIFFANY, ENOUGH!” 

 

I stood up and  pulled Tiffany by the wrist.

 

“What? I’m just telling the truth.” She scoffed, pulling her hand away, not taking her eyes off Jessica who’s now looking down, biting trembling lips like she’s close to crying. She hid her eyes behind the shadows of her hair.

 

With a sharp intake of air, Jessica muttered through gritted teeth, “Excuse me,” before turning to leave.

 

I pushed Tiffany to the piano seat as soon as Jessica was out of the door, “What the hell is wrong with you, Tiffany?!”  Tiffany looked away. She puffed her cheek childishly, refusing to speak. “I know I promised Taeyeon I’ll treat you nicely today but with the way you acted just now, I don’t think I could stick to that promise! Jessica received you nicely in her home and you dare act like this?!”

 

Tiffany stood up abruptly, catching me unprepared, “Why can’t I when she’s taking you away from us!”

 

With a shove on my chest, she strode out of the house, leaving me alone.

 

--

 

“Sica?”

 

I knocked at the door while pressing my ear on the door's surface, listening for any sound from inside.

 

“Sica-yah? Brat? Hey, can you please open the door?”

 

I knocked again, hoping to get a reaction but everything stayed silent.

 

“Look, don’t take what Tiffany said to heart, okay? She was just bitter about,” I paused, realizing Jessica didn’t know about me leaving Cliché yet, “… about you becoming somewhat part of our little clique now. I, staying in your house, made that complication. Because, you see, aside from Hyo, no one in our band had really dated someone before. That's why having another woman associated with the members irks Tiffany a lot. I guess that’s one of the cons of being the only girl member. She’s insecure. That little rebel.” I chuckled awkwardly.

 

I sighed when, again, she didn’t answer. Giving up, I leaned my back against the door. “Do you think she’d come out?”

 

Jessica’s maid, who was waiting outside the latter’s room as well, shook her head, “She looked pretty upset, Young Master.”

 

I heaved another sigh and pressed my fingers on my temples. Giving up, I let my back slide until I slumped on the floor, feeling tired of the sudden. “AAAH! Jinjja!?” I turned to the maid in exasperation, “Why are women like this?! I can’t understand!”

 

 “I don’t know, Young Master. Maybe… maybe you’re not trying enough?”

 

She stiffened when I suddenly looked at her and relaxed eventually when I didn’t say anything.

 

“Women are really hard to understand, I know because I am one, but does that mean you should stop?”

 

I leaned my head back against the door, staring at the ceiling, “You really think so?”

 

“I guess. I mean, really, what bad would trying harder do?”

 

Flashbacks of the times I tried to make sense of how Jessica was acting and how bad those attempts turned out came into my mind.

 

“Sometimes… a lot.”

--

 

Jessica’s maid went down to the kitchen and I was left at the corridor alone. It didn’t feel good. Thinking Jessica, on the other side of the door, might be feeling the same as I was made me even more worried.

 

‘Okay…. One more try.’

 

“I guess we’re back to this again, huh, brat?” I leaned my head back, turning my head to the door a little as if I was talking to it, “With you, hiding inside your shell, shunning me outside like this again.”

 

I looked down at my hands, thinking of how useless they were for not being to hold her in times like this.

 

“Before you get your mind confused and bothered by what Tiffany said, I just want you to know,” I took a deep breath, feeling that the next words are harder to say than the previous ones, “I am here because I’ve chosen to be here and I want you to remember that even if Tiffany or anybody says otherwise. I want to be here, with you, and to be honest? I don’t think I would want to be anywhere else better.”

 

I know you don't want me around you anymore, so if someone was being selfish right now, it's me. Not you. 

 

I waited and waited for a reply but it didn’t come. Looking at the clock, I stood up and dusted off my pants. Knocking gently, I crouched to slip the envelope Taeyeon gave me through the slit of the door. He told me to give it to Jessica before he left. I don’t know what’s it for, really, but knowing Taeyeon, it’s probably for something important.  

 

Taking the car keys from my room, I went to the garage where Tiffany was waiting. She was leaning on car Mr. Jan was working on, curiously observing the man and she instantly reverted back to her sulking self when she saw me. Ignoring the behavior, I entered the car, not giving her the attention she wanted. She frowned but followed nonetheless. We spent the ride to back to the dorm in silence.

--

 

“Look, I’m sorry.” Tiffany mumbled as soon as she we arrived at the hotel’s lobby. She was pouting and bouncing on her heel, keeping on trying to cling onto me. I would have find it cute if not she’s wearing a gothic Lolita dress, which, to be honest, I think looked sort of ridiculous when she’s supposed to be acting like her ‘rebel’ role instead of her squishy puppy self.

 

I pretended not to hear her, occupying myself with the restaurant’s red carpet and giving a heads up to some of the patriots of the hotel who recognized us. Some of them started bringing out their phones and cameras to take pictures, which means I had to warn Tiffany. No one’s supposed to see her act like this.

 

I turned my head to her, eyes narrowed threateningly.

 

That was a bad decision.

 

“Yuwree,” Tiffany whined when I finally paid her some attention, louder this time. She persistently slipped her hands on my side so she could cling on my elbow. She looked at me pleadingly with those puppy eyes and adorable pout, “I said I’m sorry, already. Please forgive me.”

 

I closed my eyes and sighed, untangling her arm from mine, “Don’t say sorry to me, Fany-ah. Save that for Jessica.”

 

“B-But, I was just saying the truth!” She complained.

 

“…”

 

“And- And Jessica’s not here!”

 

“…”

 

“Aaaah! Okay, fine! I was wrong! I promise I will apologize to her later, just don’t ignore me like this! People are watching us! Please, please, please~~” She pleaded, tugging on my shirt, just in time I heard snaps of cameras from behind us.  

 

Deciding the girl suffered enough of the cold shoulder and not wanting to bleach our image, I gave in and let her clung to me as we waited for Taeyeon’s car to arrive.

 

We’re at the lobby of the hotel where, as what’s Taeyeon’s hoax contest implied, the ‘lucky fan’ of Cliché who won the ‘lucky coupon’ from one of the giveaway albums would get the chance to dine with three of Cliché band members, namely: Taeyeon, Tiffany and I, Kwon Yuri. We would treat the fan to dinner, do a little song number and give her a little tour. Official behind the scene pictures of the said fanservice would be released after a week, Taeyeon had mentioned.

 

How this would get us an alibi for videos or pictures of either Tiffany or him taken while they were going to the Jung’s household, I wasn’t sure, to be honest, but it is Taeyeon’s plan and Taeyeon always gets things done.

 

How he managed to come up with this plan, record the announcement of the winner and have our official fan site publicize it in just a span of eight hours was still a mystery to me. And to be honest, I don’t really care. I just want to get on with this so I could go back to the sulking brat. I didn’t get to tell her about this.

 

I looked at my watch from time to time, impatience getting to me. The more we waited out here the more attention we get from the people and more of them cramping the space. Before, I was used to the crowd but nowadays, it felt nothing but suffocating. I was too absorbed by my thoughts that I didn’t notice a black Mercedes Benz stopped in front of the entrance.

 

“Yuwree, Taetae’s here!” Tiffany exclaimed, nudging me on my side.

 

I looked outside just time to see Taeyeon stepped out of his car. He was wearing a black suit. Unlike me, who was only wearing a blue fitted blazer over a white tee and denim pants, he looked formal. He was holding a rose when he got out and the first thing he did was kiss the receptionist’s hand when she came out to welcome him. He flashed the woman a smile before giving her the rose. Typical of Cliché’s Charmer, Taeyeon, really. I coughed a laugh when the woman’s knees buckled at the gesture. Again, why do they always fall for that?

 

Taeyeon caught my eyes from the glass window and faked salute. I did the same. There was smugness in the way he smiled at me after and for some reasons, it irked me.

 

“Now that Taetae is here, we only need to wait for our lucky fan,” Tiffany whispered beside me. I nodded absently and then suddenly, she gasped, “Oh, wait! There’s someone else in his car?”

 

 Instead of approaching us, Taeyeon went back to his car and opened the door of the passenger seat. I shoved my hands on my pocket and snapped my neck from side to side, suddenly feeling anxious. I don’t have a good feeling about this.

 

“Oh my-” I felt Tiffany’s hand squeezed my arm, “Isn’t that-”

 

A pair of red stilettos found the surface of the pavement. Mid-length white dress that hugged the form of milky white legs materialized from inside and I held my breath as silky blonde hair, that was curled into waves, was swept by nimble fingers to one side, exposing the skin of one delicate neck. I stared, mesmerized by fluttering of eyelashes and by a pair of brown eyes which perked up and found mine. There was a glint of gentleness in her eyes when our eyes met and I felt my stomach flutter when a thin smile formed on her lips.

She waved her hand timidly, pink tainting her cheeks,  and for stupid reason, I found myself stupidly waving back, too preoccupied by the violent thumping of my heart to notice that somebody else had taken a hold of her hand. It was only until Taeyeon finally went down on one knee in front of her, diverting her gaze towards him, that I noticed. Taeyeon smiled charmingly before he kissed her hand, and for some reason I felt jealousy burn inside my heart. 

 

Arm linked on Taeyeon's, while her other hand held the hem of her dress, she tried not to look too self-conscious as they walked down the aisle.

I didn't know I was holding my breath until she's finally in front of me, the light of cameras around us making a blinking halo of light around her. 

 

I could only mutter her name under my breath,

 

“Jessica.”
 

 

---

A/N: This fic is not dead. God, please give me the feels to write fluff because I need it for the next chapter. This fic is getting way too serious. Believe me, I want to give you fluff, people. I'm just waiting for the right moment.

I'm having a hard time writing this fic, to be honest. My writing style has changed a lot since. Plus, real life responsibilities are getting on the way. I hope you understand.