—–

‘Honeeeey!!!’

Tiffany almost dropped her phone on the floor when her mom’s voice suddenly blared from the device, deafening her for a good five seconds. She fumbled for it before it fell, shaking her head as she returned the thing to her ear.

‘I’m so glad you called! Your dad and I miss you so much! Where are you now? Are you having fun? Did you get us souvenirs?!’ Her mom continued without missing a beat.

She wanted to roll her eyes from her mother’s silliness, but she did miss her very much, and it was kind of her fault for not calling often.

“Yes, hi mom,” she finally said, “I miss you and dad too. And I’m here at Paris.”

‘Oh, you went back? Weren’t you there months ago?’

“Well, uh, I kind of… didn’t leave.”

Her mom had become quiet after that, probably still processing what she had said.

‘I thought you were gonna travel around?’

“I am—well, was, but something really unexpected happened and now I’m actually working here!”

‘I… don’t get it.’

Tiffany then started to tell everything that happened when she arrived at Paris, starting from the moment she landed at the airport. She excitedly narrated her first encounter with Madame Cosette and how she ended up being her stylist, finally explaining how she got the stint and why she was still in France after staying for a few months already.

“And now I’m being paid for making people wear nice clothes,” she ended with a giggle.

‘Well, you’ve always had nice style, sweetie, so I’m not surprised.’

“Aaaaww! Thanks, mom!”

‘So where are you staying now? Don’t tell me you’re still staying at the hotel? That would be too expensive even if you’re getting paid now.’

Tiffany closed her eyes tightly and grimaced.

She was hoping that her mother wouldn’t bring that up, since she had been trying so hard to omit that one small detail from all of her stories. Mother’s instincts, she thought, but then again she shouldn’t have kept it from the older woman.

With a dramatic sigh, Tiffany prepared herself from being massively teased for the rest of her life.

“Uh, well… About that…”

A few months ago…

The dinner she had was just lovely, and the company a whole lot more, so Tiffany thoroughly enjoyed herself, felt really good about everything that just happened.

She never thought that Taeyeon would be right, though.

When Tiffany left the country, it wasn’t on her mind to look for something new—she just really wanted to travel, to see the world. But it just came and sprung up on her in the most random of times, forcing her to act without much thinking. It did felt exhilarating; that much she couldn’t deny.

All her life, she had done nothing else but work in her family’s company, but she excelled at it. It was perfect, to say the least—she was really perfect in that job, in that whole setting—but it was only that; there was nothing else. Tiffany had never thought of it as boring because that’s what she was used to. She never looked for anything else either, there was no need for that, she thought before.

But this thrill she was feeling right now, added with the newfound knowledge that she was really actually good at something she just thought as an everyday common skill—it was life changing.

The moment she had accepted Madame Dupont’s offer, she felt something stir inside of her—like she was nervous all of a sudden, a little anxious but a whole lot excited.

And the last time she had felt that was when she was silently pushing her pink chopper away from their villa, ready to run away from the world.

“Tiffany, zear,” Cosette’s voice reached her ears and suddenly she remembered where she was.

“Hmm?” Tiffany hummed, smiling at the older lady politely.

“Where do you stay? Lez me drive you back, iz a lizzle late.”

“Oh no, it’s okay, Cosette. My friend’s going to pick me up—“

Just then, Tiffany heard the familiar rumbling of an engine before finally seeing Taeyeon on her moped, cruising towards them wearing her cute blue helmet that looked a size bigger than her head.

She giggled at the sight, especially when the shorter girl had parked in front of her with a huge grin, earning a bunch of incredulous looks from the French valet. They were after all still in front of the exclusive restaurant, with a bunch of luxury cars lined up at the side with at least ten well-dressed valets and chauffeurs.

Tiffany watched the short girl kick the stand on her moped before removing her helmet, placing the thing on the seat before sauntering over to where she stood.

She was about to call for her when the lady beside her beat her to it.

“Taeyeon? Is zhat you, my zear?”

“Oh, Madame Dupont!”

Tiffany didn’t know if she should be disappointed when Taeyeon diverted her attention away from her, but she was more intrigued at how the shorter girl new the French woman.

And by how Taeyeon’s eyes lit up when she saw Cosette, there would be a lot of questioning later on when they’re finally alone.

“Ah, come here, zear!” Cosette exclaimed, excited, “I zizn’t know you were back in Paris!”

She watched the French lady smother Taeyeon into a tight hug after a kiss on each cheek, and she wondered, while all of this was happening, if she should start greeting the other girl the same way, too. They were in Paris anyway, and it’s only polite and customary to greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks.

Tiffany suddenly blushed at the silly thought.

“I arrived weeks ago, Madame Cosette. Comment ça va?”

“Bien, bien,” answered the other, “Are you here for business? Is your crazy fazher wiz you?”

Taeyeon chuckled at that and Tiffany couldn’t help but smile along at the sound.

“Non, I’m here to study.”

“Monsieur Kim finally said yes, eh? Zhis is wonzerful news!”

“Oui, Madame. It really is.”

Tiffany watched the exchange and somehow finally understood what was going on.

“Oh, but whaz are you zoing here?”

Right then, Taeyeon looked like she had actually forgotten why she was there, but when Tiffany met her gaze, her eyes twinkled with clarity

“I’m here for Tiffany,” she heard her say, making her smile.

Madame Dupont’s eyebrows rose at that before smiling widely, suddenly looking like she was up to no good.

It made Tiffany nervous.

“Is she your petite amie, Taeyeon?”

“Non, non!” Taeyeon exclaimed a little too loudly, waving her hands in front of her. “J-Just a friend, Madame.”

Tiffany would have enjoyed seeing Taeyeon blush, but she was sure that she was flustered too, especially when the French lady started to wiggle her eyebrows playfully at the two of them. She sneaked a look at Taeyeon and saw the latter looking at the ground, but there was a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

“Ah, I gez it,” Cosette answered back, still teasing. “Not your girlfriend… yet.”

The French lady’s meaningful chuckle broke through the awkward air, followed by her own giggle and then Taeyeon’s.

“Zon’t be shy abouz it! Love is a beauziful zhing, and Paris is ze perfect place for it.”

Tiffany threw a gaze at Taeyeon and she smiled when she caught the other looking at her, too.

“Ah, young love,” Cosette teased again. “Anyway, Taeyeon. Iz nice seeing you again, zear. Lez have zinner next time. Say hi to your fazher for me, oui?”

“And Tiffany,” the older woman turned to her next and leaned in to give her kisses on her cheeks. “Zhank you for accepzing. Zhink about my ozher offer, okay? Au revoir, you two!”

With that, the French lady boarded her car and rode off, leaving the two of them by the restaurant. Tiffany had looked at Taeyeon then, smiling shyly.

“Hi,” Taeyeon said, grinning. “Ready to go?”

Tiffany nodded. “Oui!”

—–

“I told you ice cream was a good idea.”

The smug smile plastered on Taeyeon’s face was nothing but adorable, and even though the shorter girl was supposed to be teasing, Tiffany thought it looked anything but.

Not when Taeyeon was too busy devouring her ice cream cone like a kid, cream all over her lips and some at the tip of her nose.

Tiffany laughed at that rather loudly, head tossed back and mouth opened really wide, almost dropping her own cone.

“Oh my God, Taeyeon,” she said, still laughing, “How old are you?”

She plucked an extra clean tissue paper wrapped around her cone and approached the busy girl, stopping her from eating before wiping her nose and mouth. Taeyeon pouted while she cleaned her lips, and Tiffany couldn’t help but laugh again at the disappointed look.

“Eat slower, no one’s gonna steal your ice cream.”

“I can’t help it, it’s really good! I need to learn how to make this…”

The last bit ended in a whisper but Tiffany still heard it.

“Don’t forget to make me some when you do.”

“Of course.”

They had fallen into a comfortable silence then, leaving them to their ice cream. Taeyeon was almost done with hers, and Tiffany was too busy looking at her instead of eating her own. Soon enough, they’ve finished their treats, with the shorter girl sighing in contentment.

She watched her lean back on her outstretched arms, head tilted upwards towards the top of the bright tower.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this. Everything’s just too beautiful here.” Taeyeon said, wistful.

“Mhmmm.”

Their evenings were usually spent at a park near the Eiffel Tower, eating snacks or just simply talking. Tonight wasn’t any different but Tiffany felt it would be, soon.

“So, where are you planning to head to next?” Taeyeon asked her, looked at her with a small smile. “That place should be more beautiful than Paris, though. It’s gonna be a tough competition.”

“I agree. Paris is the best city for me now.”

Tiffany looked at Taeyeon and returned the smile with something else, making her eyes curve down even more. She never knew she could feel so happy by just sitting on the grass like this, but lately she had been feeling happy about simpler things, like the pink helmet Taeyeon got her the first time she rode her moped.

She should’ve noticed it sooner—realized faster—right from the time they’ve spent their first night together as if they weren’t strangers.

Tiffany stared at her and shook her head, smiling. Taeyeon wasn’t even her type, she liked taller ones, always have, but the other girl’s big heart made up for her lack in height. She made it up whenever she cooked for her, whenever she would fasten her helmet for her so it won’t fall off, or when she just takes the initiative to open the door for her so she could enter or exit first.

She thought, maybe, even if Madame Dupont didn’t exist in the equation, that Taeyeon was a huge factor enough in making her reluctant to leave.

“Then stay.”

It was barely a whisper, but it was enough for Tiffany to whip her head towards the girl beside her. Taeyeon was now looking down on her lap, playing with her fingers, refusing to meet her gaze.

Just when she was about to reply, the shorter girl had finally lifted her head to look at her, staring at her with round eyes much like a puppy. “It’ll be lonely when you leave.”

Tiffany bit her lip and suppressed a smile. She saw Taeyeon’s lips twitch, too, but the latter kept her face straight, still holding that wounded puppy expression.

“Ugh, your face.”

Taeyeon’s laughter sailed through the quiet night when she smacked her palm flat on her face and pushed her down on the grass, pinning her on the soft ground.

And then Tiffany felt it.

She felt it when Taeyeon stopped laughing, when she smiled softly while she looked up at her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

She felt it when the air suddenly stilled and everything became quiet, like the universe was making way for something.

“I would very much like it if you stayed here… With me.”

Tiffany wasn’t sure where it came from but there was a subtle pull at her heart and now she was lying on her stomach on the grass, propped by her two elbows while she hovered over Taeyeon. They were close, too close, with their noses almost touching, breaths mixing.

“With you?”

“Yep,” she heard Taeyeon answer just as soft, lifting a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. “With me.”

“And why would I do that?”

Her hand stayed there and Tiffany’s eyes fluttered close when she felt the other her cheek.

“Because,” Taeyeon said softly, “you like my company.”

“Do I?”

“You do.”

Tiffany smiled when she felt the other girl nod.

“What else?”

“Hmm… You like my cooking.”

“Oh really?”

“You love it.”

She leaned back as she chuckled, putting a good distance between their faces.

“You’re too cocky, Mademoiselle Kim.”

“I only speak the truth, Miss Hwang.”

Tiffany laughed again, softer this time, and let her face lean back down, nudging Taeyeon’s nose with her own playfully.

“Is that all?” She whispered, feeling a little warmer in her chest.

“You like riding my moped.”

“That, I do.” She nodded with a grin. “But I don’t think that would be enough to make me sta—”

Soft lips stole the words from , along with her breath, her coherence, her consciousness. Suddenly she could taste the sweetness that the ice cream left on Taeyeon’s mouth, could breathe in the air the other was breathing out.

And Tiffany didn’t need to open her eyes to know that the shorter girl was smiling, because she could feel how it was curved up against her own.

“I was hoping that I’m enough to make you stay.” Taeyeon whispered against her lips before giving her another peck.

She felt dizzy at the few seconds their lips were connected, but when the other pulled back a bit, she felt like it wasn’t enough.

So she kissed her back, again, with more intensity than the first.

With every move of her lips, Tiffany made sure that Taeyeon would feel how she felt when she interrupted her with the kiss, made sure that Taeyeon would be as breathless as she was. She wanted her to feel how she felt whenever she cooked for her, whenever she drove her around, whenever she looked at her like she was special.

And she was, she knew she was special to Taeyeon because that’s what she felt when she kissed her, gently, shyly, yielding.

Tiffany smiled when she pulled back and saw the other girl panting like she ran a mile, eyes still closed and lips still parted.

“I guess that means you’re staying now?” Taeyeon asked, barely breathing but smiling.

“I wasn’t even gonna leave at the first place.”

Back to the present…

‘So now… You’re staying with Kim Taeyeon?’

“Yes.”

‘Your dad’s best friend’s daughter, Kim Taeyeon?’

“Uhuh.”

‘The same Kim Taeyeon who visited us at the villa? Your supposed fiancée, Kim Taeyeon?’

“Yes, mom. She’s studying culinary here in Par—“

‘Honey, could you give me a minute? I’ll call you back.’

“Oh, oka—“

Tiffany frowned at her phone, but even before she could put it somewhere, it rang again. She looked at the screen and saw her Dad’s name flashing.

“Hello, dad—“

‘Is it true?! Are you really living with Taeyeon?! Is she there?! Are you together now?! When is the wedding?! THIS IS SO EXCITIIIIIING—’

“Daddy, oh my God, stop!”

End of Part 6

*Comment ça va? – How are you? / How’s it going? (Informal)

Bien – Good

petite amie – girlfriend (There’s actually no direct translation for the word ‘girlfriend’ but that’s the usual term that French people use.)