Tiffany is restless. After the unfortunate end of her short break, she has gone back to work and inevitably leaving TaeYeon with SunMi. The reluctant look the pilot was sending her before she walked out of the café is the only highlight of the situation. Clearly, TaeYeon is not interested in entertaining the cheerful co-pilot.

But with time, grows understanding... fondness... and then, love... The treacherous voice on the far back of Tiffany’s head whispers for the nth time since she left the two on their own.

Three hours. For three long hours that feels like years, Tiffany is heavily distracted. Three torturous hours combating a mental battle inside her head whilst going about her job managing the planes on autopilot mode. The ATC fully comprehends how absurd, dangerous, unproductive, and so many more negativities it can and has caused her. Yet she can’t stop the jealousy streak from spanning all over her heart and taking over her faculties to twist them into something dark, something she does not recognize.

The green-eyed monster.

The term comes as Tiffany hands over her headset to the night shift’s ATC, fake smile plastered over her lips. The older man replies with a crooked smile of his own and several kind words about job well done, but Tiffany fails to register any of them. Instead, she nods and bids goodnight to her coworkers before leaving the control room. She does not even bother to hide the disappointed downturn on her lips when she steps into the empty hallway. The brown-haired woman had indulged herself in the wistful thinking of TaeYeon waiting for her after her shift to continue their date, in order to ebb the uneasiness knotting in her stomach.

Maybe it was not a date at all. Again with the insecurity. TaeYeon wants to be friends.

Tiffany is aware of the madness she is trapping herself in, but she also acknowledged the advantage of TaeYeon’s request. Being friends is like having a safety-net and the two of them are undoubtedly scared of the prospective of dating then falling apart. Different personalities, upbringings, and demanding job schedules with long hours are some of the things that can put strain on any kind of relationship. They are lucky to have met and somewhat share mutual attraction to each other at all.

The sky is already dark when Tiffany, distracted as she is, manages to board the public bus without any incident. After getting seated, she fishes her phone out of her purse to turn it on. The ride home is a quick one, but she needs to occupy herself with something—anything other than the blonde pilot. Her hope comes crashing in a complete package when the sleek black device buzzes with notification of a new text message, from TaeYeon.

Are you home yet?

I’m going to be within fifteen minutes. Tiffany hesitates for a second before adding, How was your day with SunMi? The brown-haired woman stares at her phone, willing the screen to light up again, for there is no immediate response after a couple of minutes she has sent the message. I’m sorry, forget| She has not finished typing a new message when TaeYeon’s replies come in.

Boring!

I’d rather spend more time with you.

Is it okay?

What is? Tiffany types back, feigning innocent even when the heat creeping up from her chest to her neck is a good indicator of her awareness of what TaeYeon is asking about. Maybe you need to spend more time with her then you’ll find her no longer boring. Lie, but she can’t possibly tell TaeYeon to stay away from SunMi. She is her co-pilot, after all.

I had spent and from now on, will spend more than twelve hours with her.

Every. Single. Day.

Would you like to come to my place? The out of nowhere offer has obviously thrown TaeYeon off because she has not replied yet and Tiffany beats her to it. I didn’t mean right now. How about Friday night? Still no response and the ATC is getting flustered. I will cook dinner, anything you like, and we can watch movies afterwards...

At this point, it is practically begging plus bribing, but Tiffany has dug in so deep that she can’t see any way out. So far, TaeYeon has always been the one leading whatever relationship they have and it is refreshing for the ATC to be the one taking the first step for a change. She bites her bottom lip nervously as she waits for a reply. A small laugh erupts from when TaeYeon answers with something she does not expect.

You can cook? o_O

At other time, Tiffany will surely scoff at the use of emoticon on text message. She never quite understands how improper combination of letters and symbols can even eloquently convey human’s expression, but she gets it this time. TaeYeon is surprised, and animatedly so. Tiffany can actually picture the pilot’s widened eyes and maybe a slightly dropped jaw.

Yes, I can.

Wow...

Did you expect otherwise?

You just don’t seem like someone who enjoys playing in the kitchen...

I don’t play in the kitchen.

Somewhere inside the airport lodging, TaeYeon rolls her eyes at Tiffany’s literalness but says nothing about it on her next text. Friday night, then.

Do you want me to cook anything particular? Do you have food allergies?

I haven’t eaten home-cooked meal for months now, so I’ll eat everything you dish out. And nuts upset my stomach.

Okay. No nuts.

I’ll bring wine. Red?

Red will do. I’ll see you at eight on Friday night. Tiffany smiles brightly as she finishes her message with Good night, TaeYeon.

Tiffany puts her phone back into her purse when her bus stop comes into view. She still has to walk to her apartment and paying attention to phone while walking is decidedly a hazardous activity she has been against since a very long time ago. She does, however, check the gadget the moment she steps inside her building. As predicted, two messages from TaeYeon once again greet her and her face almost split into two from grinning too wide.

It’s a date!

Good night, my Rapunzel, with a silly, tiny <3 by the end.

Their exchange that night is what leads TaeYeon to where she is at the moment. Two days later, at 19.55, standing in front of Tiffany’s building with an identical fool-in-love grin but clear nervousness. Remembering their first date, the blonde decided to skip on her usual assemble of pants and shirt. Instead, she wears sleeveless black dress that stops just a little above her knees, tan jacket, and heels. She actually dug through the messy hole that is her closet in her apartment back in Seoul to find them and now she thinks that maybe, maybe she is being overdressed for a simple home-cooked dinner date.

The chilled bottle of Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the wine TaeYeon bought in France—yet another perk of being an international pilot—is grasped firmly on her left hand while her right is holding a bouquet of yellow tulips. “There is sunshine in your smile”, TaeYeon recalls what her choice of flowers means and realizes that she indeed has gone overboard with everything tonight. Pushing all the unrelated thoughts to the back of her head and steeling herself for one last time, TaeYeon finally pushes the button to Tiffany’s apartment and waits.

“Yes?” comes the answer from the other side. It’s Tiffany’s voice, obviously. “How may I help you?”

“It’s TaeYeon.”

“Oh! Come in!”

The front door buzzes open and TaeYeon quickly gets inside. Tiffany’s apartment is located on the second floor so she has to take the stairs. The blonde catches glistening lights coming from the pool in the middle of the compound while she walks down the hall on the second floor. The apartment complex seems to be cozy and holds a good degree of tranquility, definitely the place TaeYeon imagines someone like Tiffany will live at. When the blonde comes out of her inner musing, she is already in front of Tiffany’s door. Taking a deep breath, she knocks on the sturdy door twice. Several seconds later, the door opens to reveal someone TaeYeon does not expect at all.

“Heyyo.”

“Uum... Hi?” TaeYeon stares at the girl in confusion; dread begins filling the pit of her stomach. “Is this Tiffany’s?”

The small girl’s honey-blonde hair sways as she bobs her head up and down. Green orbs hidden behind the arc shapes of her eyelids, creating the identical eye-smile TaeYeon has seen on Tiffany. “Mama’s date ‘s here!” She calls out loud over her shoulder, where the pilot can see Tiffany coming to their way.

TaeYeon is glad that it is the bouquet of flower, instead of the expensive bottle of French red wine, which has slipped out of her grasp in surprise.