A/N : I took this long to update ;; I’m sorry and I hope you guys will enjoy this story along with the TaengSic Drabble (:

Stars Align Chapter Nine

The grinding of coffee beans fiiled the ear drums of the customers, the faint aroma of coffee spreaded across the café.

Tiffany stared into her cup of coffee while gently stirring it, ‘so, how long did you realize that you were ill?’

‘A few years ago,’ she replied as she starred into the air.

‘Katherine, are you serious? Why do you always like to hide things from others?’ Tiffany clenched her fist and punced the air quietly under the table a few times.

‘Tiffany, I have a child. What am I supposed to say to Jessica about my illness? ‘Hey Jessica, I am diabetic and also suffering from hypoglycemia, please come visit me?’’

‘You could have at least informed Jessica. It’s just irresponsible of you to never reveal any of your ‘secrets’ to her, you know,’ the former said as she looked straight into Katherine’s eyes.

‘I didn’t mean to do that. I just don’t want Jessica to pity me instead of really caring. I don’t need sympathy,’ the latter stood up and was about to leave.

‘Stay,’ the former begged as she grabbed hold of Katherine’s arm.

Katherine sighed as she pulled her chair out again, this time she dropped into her seat instead.

‘Look Tiffany, I … I know it is irresponsible of me to be the one who leaves first, be it in the past or currently. But that’s because I don’t want to be a burden to others just because of my uneven feelings.’

‘Are we going to catch up about the past or are we going to let me know more about your illness?’

‘Your choice, my dear.’

‘I want to know more about your illness and how it happened,’ Tiffany spoke, determined.

‘After I gave birth to Tegan, I was really stressed about how I should keep up with a child. The child is… she is an angel sent from above, but I didn’t know how to take care of her. Her constant cryings at night, her need of affection from me, her sudden mood swings. I had to deal this all alone simply because my father finds me as a disgrace to the family,’ Katherine dropped her shoulders and held on tight onto her own hands.

Tiffany nodded to encourage Katherine to go on with her story.

‘Even though my mother had sent me some money back then, I didn’t use a single cent. I still had a stable job and just because I have a child with me then, it doesn’t make me seem any weaker, does it? Whenever I couldn’t take the stress, I took a bar of chocolate. But it turns out I was stressed out everyday, and in it goes, every bar of chocolate went into my stomach,’ the latter fidgeted in her seat as the guilt slowly crept into her mind and slowly got hold onto  her heart.

‘And your addiction of taking red meat with wine didn’t stop either?’ Tiffany prompted.

‘No, it didn’t stop,’ Katherine looked at the latter sadly.

-/-/-/-/-/

‘I don’t understand,’ Tiffany shook her head as she looked at the piece of leaf she had picked from the ground.

‘Did you think it was too difficult to hold on, or did the tree didn’t have enough strength to hold onto to you? Or was it the tree that had given up on you?’ Tiffany asked that leaf again.

‘Tiffany, come into the house now,’ Mrs Hwang ordered.

‘Alright,’ Tiffany went in with the leaf still in her hands.

‘Honey, you have been acting like this for the past few weeks. What is going on? Is it about Katherine again?’ Mrs Hwang sighed as she gently placed a cup of orange juice in front of Tiffany and sat opposite of her.

‘I don’t know, Mum. How could somebody just leave you alone as if nothing has happened? Am I that unworthy that Katherine just don’t even want to contact me even when she’s abroad?’

‘No, Honey. Of course you are worthy and in fact, you’re a precious girl. But not everyone shows out how they feel neither do they express it out. Some love to escape while some keep everything to themselves.’

‘Does Katherine hate me? I mean first she left without bidding goodbye except for dedicating me a letter, then now even when she’s at a total new place, she didn’t even bother to catch up with me,’ Tiffany trembled as she spoke, her tears threatening to spill.

‘Isn’t it better to leave something unsaid instead of saying words that would have scarred the heart?’

------

The words that Mrs Hwang had said has been circling Tiffany’s mind for days.

Maybe Tiffany was just bitter that Katherine could have left her so easily because if one day Tiffany were to leave, she’d have bid a proper goodbye to everyone that is important to her.

Maybe Tiffany just couldn’t handle the fact that she’s been feeling lonely ever since Katherine has left. Tiffany has been walking alone in school, she has been playing alone with her toys when her parents were busy with their work, she has been studying alone, singing alone, doing almost everything alone.

Or maybe Tiffany just wanted to have a friend she could count on no matter what. Tiffany just wish to have a pair of arms that would embrace her whenever she felt that it was too hard for her to carry on walking.

But there was something Tiffany was sure of, that she loves Katherine more than a friend.

-/-/-/-/-/

The lights were being switched on and Katherine shuffled into her room.

She felt as if she’s been missing too much on her life, first she left her childhood best friend, Tiffany, alone in the America while she escaped to Korea. Then, she met Jessica Jung, the one she’s been loving the day they first met. After that, she’d burdened the blonde to take care of her child because being a coward as she always was, she didn’t know how to face the truth that she was ill and has a child.

The sudden knock on the door broke the train of thoughts running in her head.

‘Come in,’ she said.

‘Jessica?’ Katherine’s eyes doubled it’s size as she saw the blonde walking nearer to her.

‘Yeah. I’m here to talk, to have a proper and honest talk with you,’ Jessica replied as she settled herself on Katherine’s bed while the latter was sitting on her own chair.

‘We should do that so since there’s no one in the house,’ Katherine gave Jessica a genuine smile.

Jessica was relieved when she’d heard that sentence from Katherine. The blonde was really afraid of being rejected by Katherine, knowing how egoistic the girl could be sometimes.

With Tegan being in school and Tiffany being busy with her project with her project mates, Jessica managed to have some time alone with Katherine.

‘I heard from Tiffany that you are suffering from some illness, what happened to you?’ Jessica asked with her concerned tone.

‘The diagnosis is that I’m both diabetic and also suffering from hypoglycemia. It’s kind of difficult to fully recover from both the illnesses,’ Katherine gave a bitter smile. ‘That’s why I have to pass Tegan to you on Christmas Eve’s night.’

‘Is that an excuse?’ Jessica laughed. ‘Anyway, did you keep a balance of what you’re eating and drinking?’

‘I did not,’ Katherine shook her head.

‘As expected,’ Jessica said and Katherine could feel her own heart sink. There was this cold and distant tone that came out of Jessica’s throat that Katherine might get a frost bite if she’d tried to catch it with her bare hands.

‘Yeah,’ Katherine replied with a thin smile.

Is this how it feels to smile even when your heart is broken? Like how Jessica had done it when Katherine broke up with her?

‘Don’t misunderstand my words,’ Jessica pulled Katherine’s chair closer to her. ‘I didn’t know how to respond to it, honestly. It all came in so sudden and unexpectedly. So are you going back to America to get cured?’

‘I was about to say that but you beat me to it. I am going back soon and I thought…’ Katherine paused.

‘I think you should bring Tegan back too,’ Jessica nodded.

‘You’re allowing me to do that?’ Katherine lifted her eyebrows.

‘Why not? The child is yours and I really think you should bring her along with you. At least I was right that you left with a reason. Tell the girl what exactly happened. She may be young, but she is definitely grown up enough to understand you for doing that,’ Jessica encouraged.

‘Furthermore, this time, you’ll have to be responsible for yourself and your child. Tegan loves you and you’re her mother, you should be responsible.’

‘Thank you, Jessica,’ Katherine wrapped her arms around Jessica’s slender arms. ‘Thank you for not giving up on me even with all those that I’d done. Thank you for always being patient and kind and thank you for taking care of Tegan even when she’s not related to you.’

Jessica said nothing but she, too, had wrapped her arms around Katherine.

Without any exchange of words, without any ‘I love you’ or kisses, they stood there hugging.

Jessica gentle breathed in Katherine’s perfume, and there was it, this scent that she could have never successfully forgotten, this faint floral smell from Gucci.

This hug that could hopefully melt away all their unhappiness; this hug that could probably bring them back to friends; this hug that might successfully make them understand that misunderstandings are meant to be resolved.

Katherine had gently patted Jessica’s back and they broke free from each other.

“I’m sorry,’ they said in unison.

‘You first,’ they continued together.

Jessica chuckled and Katherine felt as if the heavy weight that had plummeted straight down into her stomach that day when she’d left the blonde, has finally been lifted up.

‘I could have given you a call or something these few years when Tegan was with me, could have called you back when I’ve received your letter and all,’ Jessica shook her head as she mentioned.

‘I could have too, done the calling instead of writing. I’m such a coward,’ Katherine bite her lips as she finally admitted her own mistakes.

‘Guess we’re cool now then?’ The blonde offered a handshake and Katherine slapped her palms against Jessica’s.

‘Ouch!’ Jessica whined jokingly.

‘By the way, Jessica, Tiffany and I used to be close friends when we were younger. She has told you that, hasn’t she?’ Katherine asked curiously.

‘Yeah she did, and I’m glad that both of you guys told me about it. At least no one is hiding anything from me,’ the blonde pulled a wide smile on her face.

‘There’s something I’m hiding still,’ Katherine mumbled.

‘What is it?’

‘The feelings are still the same; I still love you.’

-/-/-/-/-/-/

The cool air blew gently as the stars blinked and winked at the pair.

‘Jessica, I’m keeping something from you,’ Tiffany sudden words had shaken Jessica’s mind awake.

Right now, they are at their roof top, spending their Saturday night together with some beers.

In the afternoon, Katherine had just told her that she still loves her and right now, Tiffany is telling her that she has been something from her too.

‘What is it?’ Jessica struggled to have a smile on her face, trying to be as calm as possible.

‘I… I used to be in love with Katherine,’ Tiffany let the words roll out of her tongue.

‘What?’ Jessica looked at Tiffany, totally ridiculed by her words.

‘I used to be in love with Katherine. But she wasn’t in love with me and I thought I should have let you known that because it’d be unfair to you since I guess, the three of us will still be friends in future,’ the brunette dropped her shoulders as she told Jessica the truth.

Jessica laughed and Tiffany could only stare in at her, utterly confused by the blonde.

Jessica kept laughing and laughing and all Tiffany could do is to join in the laughter.

They did that for a good five minutes before the blonde stopped and looked straight into Tiffany’s eyes, ‘You mean you used to be in love with Katherine and you didn’t even tell me that?’

‘Jessi, I… I am sorry. I should have told you that earlier but I really have no idea that Katherine is linked to both of our lives and I used to tell my previous girl friend about my past and she totally flipped out.’

‘I would have done the same if I were her and I am currently doing the same thing.’

Tiffany gently placed her beer on the floor before she stood up, rested her chin and Jessica’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around Jessica’s waist.

‘I’m sorry,’ Tiffany sighed quietly, ‘But I really want you to know me thoroughly, about all the things that had happened in my life so we could both focus on how to build our future together.’

Jessica shrugged as she turned herself around, still in Tiffany’s arms.

‘I don’t know what to do. Here you are telling me about your past and I should accept it well and fine but Katherine just confessed to me about her feelings to me in the afternoon and,’ Jessica paused and Tiffany froze. ‘And I don’t know what to do.’

‘I trust you. I trust that you’ll make a good decision,’ Tiffany smiled as she’d said those words to calm Jessica down even though deep down inside, she is still unsure whether Jessica will be accepting Katherine’s feelings and return back to America with her.