Taeyeon’s POV

            I can’t believe it. We’re on a train, on our way to my hometown. Are we really doing this? Am I really coming home unannounced AND telling them that they’re oldest daughter is falling in love with a woman?

            Tiffany is sitting beside me and looking at me with a smile across her face. I smile back, covering up my uneasiness as best as I can. Seems like it works because she turns her head outside the window but still smiling. I let out a sigh slowly so she wouldn’t notice it.

            I AM SO NERVOUS! I don’t know how my mom will react. Okay, I did tell her that my mom would accept me and I SAID it very confidently. I am not lying to her, okay? I have this hunch that my mom WILL accept our relationship. Well, it’s more of a slight hope rather than a hunch, but what can I do?! She broke up with me because she’s afraid my family wouldn’t accept us. So I have to make her believe that they would, right?

            “Tae..”

            “Yes?”

            “What makes you so sure that your mom will be okay with all of this? Don’t you remember what she said on Christmas?”

            What should I say? WHAT SHOULD I SAY?! I take my time before I answer her, “People say mothers know what’s happening to their children. They called it a mother’s instinct, right? Well I suppose there’s also a daughter’s instinct.” I wink at her playfully. She seems not satisfied with my answer.

            “I’m serious, Taeyeon-ah. Did she say something?”

            “She didn’t.”

            “So how can you be so sure and.... relaxed? You were so nervous before.” I AM STILL NERVOUS NOW!

            “Don’t worry about it, okay.” I intertwine our hand.

            She looks a little bit surprised by my action, but she still agitates, “But what if-”

            “Don’t even think about it.”

            “But Tae-” she won’t let it go, will she? 

            “It will be just fine, Fany-ah.” 

            “But-”

            I put my lips on hers. This seems to be the most effective way to silence her.

            “Everything will work out, okay? I will always be with you and my family will accept that. End of discussion.”

            She still has her eyes close, “Okay.”

            Hopefully she won’t talk about it anymore.

            She opens her eyes and looks at me adoringly.

            “What?”

            “Do you realize what did you just do?”

            “Hmm?” What did I just do?

            “You kissed me....” yes, I kiss her. So? “...in public, Tae.”

            Uh-oh. We’re on a train! It’s definitely a public area. I look around. There are not so many people here and they seem to have their own business to care about.

            But still, this is a public area and I just kiss her! Not a friendly kiss on a cheek or a sisterly kiss on a forehead, but a full on kiss on the lips! Strangely, I don’t feel scared or anything.

            “I kiss you whenever I want.” I finally say that in a boastful tone.

            She looks at me in amazement, but then she gives me her infamous smile and hugs my arm while putting her head on my shoulder.

            I look around once again and this time an old lady who’s walking on an aisle catch my eyes. I can’t comprehend the way she stares at us. Hell, I don’t even need to comprehend it. I just smile politely at her. She scoffs and looks away while getting back to her seat.    

 

            We finally arrived in front of my house. I push the doorbell and hold my girlfriend’s hand.

            “Who is it?” I can hear my mom’s voice and a clicking sound.

            “Taeyeonnie! What are you doing here?” my mom looks very much surprised at my sudden appearance.

            “Hi mom. I need to tell you something.”

            “You can’t do it over the phone? Oh, hey you bring Tiffany along.” She waves at her and she returns it with a nervous smile.

            “I need to tell you directly, mom.”

            “O...kay. Well don’t you want to come inside first?”

            “It’ll be quick.”

            She looks me with a confused look and a little bit frighten?

            “What is it? You’re making me nervous, Tae.” She’s nervous? Try being me! I could feel my heart thumps loudly.

            “Mom, Tiffany and I are in a relationship.” I could sense she’ll say ‘of course you two are! You two are friends.’ so I speak again, “Not in a friendly or sisterly kind of way. We’re a couple, mom. She’s my girlfriend.” I hold up our clasped hands to prove it.   

             My mom just looks at me. No hint of surprised, or anger, or sadness, no nothing.

            After what seems to be hours of staring, she finally lets out a sigh, “I knew it.”

            My eyes widen, “You...you knew?”

            “I had a feeling about it. And somehow I confirm it on Christmas.”

            “On Christmas? What do you mean, mom?”

            “I won’t lie to you now.” She heaves another sigh, “Remember how you got upset when your brother asked if she’s single? I knew right there and then that you two are more than just friends. I got scared and I said all those things about how I don’t want to experience what Yuri’s mom did. I was so relieve after that because you don’t talk about her on the phone again. But as times go by, I also realize you’re unhappy. I could tell you didn’t enjoy our conversation on the phone anymore and you seem so lost and sad.”     

            She stops talking and I’m speechless.

            “So, you made your choice, huh?” she asks me and I don’t understand her indication. Is she mad at me? Is she okay with it?

            “Am.. am I still welcome here?” I ask her and my lips tremble a bit.

            “Of course you are.” She has her hand on my cheek, wiping away a tear that unconsciously slid down my eyes. Then she hugs me and I bury my face on her shoulder.

            “You’re my daughter and I will always love you no matter what you do, who you are, where you at.” She whispers on my ear and I wet her shirt with my tears. Happy tears. Relieve tears. I feel like I just won a battle.  

            I pull away and once again she wipes my tears away.

            She looks behind me, “Aigoo, why are you girls crying?”

            Tiffany frantically wiping her tears away. My mom pushes me aside and hugs her. She cries harder. I smile to myself.

            They let go of the hug, but my mom still stands in front of her, grabbing her upper arms.

            “Well now, don’t you go and break my daughter’s heart, okay?”

            Tiffany shakes her head vigorously, “I won’t. I promise.”

            My mom smiles tenderly, “Let’s go inside. Have you girls eaten lunch?”

            “No, we haven’t, mom.”

            “I’ll cook something then. Oh, both of you are staying for the night, right? It’ll be too tired to travel back and forth on the same day.”

            Tiffany looks at me hesitantly, “I don’t bring any clothes.”

            “You can use mine.” She nods her head.

            “Good. I’ll prepare the guest room too then.”

            “Huh? What for? She can stay in my room.”

            Suddenly my mom halts her step and turns her body to look at us, “Nuh-uh. Don’t think I’ll be giving her a special treatment, young lady. I don’t let your brother’s girlfriend sleep in the same room with him when they come over, do I?” she says nonchalantly.

            We’re both blushing, “Oh, right.”

            She chuckles and continues her step toward the kitchen.  

            When we’re about to go inside the kitchen, she slaps her forehead, “Goodness God! What time is it? I need to pick up your sister from school.”       

            “We can go and pick her up, mom.” I offer myself.

            “You sure?” she asks me.

            “Yes.” I smile at her.

            “Okay then. I’ll prepare lunch so you girls can eat after that.”

            “Okay. See you later, mom.” We’re going back outside the house and go to my sister’s school. It’s not really far away from our house, but my parents think my sister is still too young to go home by herself.

            “So... that went well.” She smiles at me.

            “That went very well.” I smile back and intertwine my hand with hers.

            “I feel so relieve, Tae.”

            I chuckle, “We still have 3 more people, Fany-ah. The next person will be the most difficult to crack.” I refer to my little sister and meant it as a joke, but she takes it seriously.

            “You’re right. I think your little sister doesn’t like me.”

            “Hey, I’m just kidding.” I nudge her shoulder.

            “Well, I’m serious. She doesn’t seem happy whenever she sees me.”

            “That’s impossible. She likes you.”

            We arrive at the school and kids starting to come out from the building. I finally spot her and she beams when she sees me.

            “Unnie!” she runs to me and instantly hugs me.

            “Hey, baby girl~” I hug her back and lift her a little. She squeals in excitement.

            “What are you doing here?” she says, not letting go of my waist.

            “Visiting you, of course! I’m not the only one though. Look who’s here also!” I step aside so she can see my girlfriend.

            “Is Oppa here too?” her face fell a little when she sees Tiffany, “Oh.”

            “Hi there.” Tiffany waves at her.

            “Hello.” She waves back half-heartedly. Did she really not like her?

            “Let’s go home, shall we?”

            “Sure.” Seriously, what’s wrong with her, she looks extremely happy when she sees me but now she turns solemn.

            Tiffany has this ‘I-told-you’ face and we start walking together, my little sister in between us.

            “Oh, I got something for you!” I take out a doll from my bag.

            She smiles again and snatches the doll from my hands, “It’s so pretty! Thank you so much, unnie~” she hugs me.

            As we’re walking home, my little sister holds my hand with her free hand and she skips happily. Her mood swings are like girls on pms (premenstrual syndrome).

            We stop by a convenient store because Tiffany needs to buy something. I stay outside with my little sister.

            “Hey, I need to ask you something.” I crouch down so I can meet her eye level.

            “Hmm?” her eyes are on the doll as she caresses it.

            “You don’t really like Tiffany, do you?”

            She looks at me hesitantly and shakes her head slowly.

            “Why is that?”

            She contemplates a little, “She’s always with you.”

            “Huh? So what if she’s always with me?”

            “She’s with you ALL THE TIME! You’re with her when you’re not home but when you DO come home, she always comes along. I want to be with my sister a lot of time too.” She pouts.

            Her reason is just too adorable! She thinks Tiffany hogs me all the time.

            I hold her small hand in mine, “Well, Tiffany and I are super best friends. I really like her and if you get to know her, I’m sure you’ll like her too.”   

            She frowns at my statement and just in time, Tiffany comes out from the convenient store, “Hey, what did I miss?”

            “Nothing much.”

            We’re walking in silence and I can see my little sister is sulking a little. But she still holds my hand while her other hand clutches on her new doll. I need to make her like my girlfriend.

            “So, you really like that doll?”

            “Yes~” she looks up at me and smiles.

            “Well, actually Tiffany is the one who told me to buy that for you.”

            “Really?” she asks me, flabbergasted.

            “Yep.”

 

Flashback:

            We’re at the train station and we passed a souvenir shop. Suddenly she stopped and looked at the display.

            “Tae, you should buy that doll for your little sister.”

            I looked at the doll, “Huh? Why should I?”

            “Because that’s what I will do if I have a little sister.” She smiles at me, “Besides, do we need a reason to make someone happy?”

            I know she’s a royal person, but what she said makes me think of her in a whole new level. She has a heart of gold.

 

            “She’s also the reason why I come home.”

            I’m not lying. I came home because I want to tell my family about her, right?

            “You told me you’re here to visit me!” she whines.

            “I am! But if it wasn’t for her, I won’t remember to come home. She reminds me everyday that family is important and tells me to visit you more often.”

            “She did?” my little sister looks up at me. I nod my head.

            She seems like thinking about something for a while, then she lets go of my hand, switches the doll to her other hand, and...... holds Tiffany’s hand.

            Tiffany seems surprised but then she smiles widely. I smile also.

            “You know, I also have some dolls like that.” She starts talking to my little sister.

            “You do?”

            “Yeah. I’ll bring them for you next time I’ll visit.”

            She looks at her as if she just found a new friend.

 

We've been together for a while now

We're growing stronger everyday now

It feels so good and there's no doubt

I will stay with you as each morning brings sunrise

And the flowers bloom in springtime

On my love you can rely

And I'll stay with you

 

Oh I'll stay with you through the ups and the downs

Oh I'll stay with you when no one else is around

And when the dark clouds arrive

I will stay by your side

I know we'll be alright

I will stay with you