Chapter Three: Not-so Family Outing

"Annyeonghaseyo!" She greeted energetically, her eyes automatically roaming in search for him.

And then she found him. Amidst the sea of hugs and well wishes, they found eye contact. He smiles as he watches her go around and get complimented by everyone.

Taecyeon stands and faces the camera announcing, "Yah, my friend is here!"

“Get out of the way,” Junho teased, pushing him away as he went to offer his battered hand to Tiffany.

Taecyeon tapped Junho’s back, as if to tell the younger boy off, not wanting Tiffany annoyed.

“So out of SNSD, you’re friends with...” Ushering Tiffany towards Taecyeon, Madame Kim was about to ask.

 Tiffany approaches him and gives him a strong whack in the back. Teacyeon cringes in pain, looking at her with an annoyed glare--oblivious to the introductions the other cast were giving his guest. She giggles before asking, "Is the pancake good?"

He chuckles at the look on her face as he offers her a bit of what he was eating. She shook her head, her face contorting in disgust.

"Oh my," Madame Kim exclaimed with a gasp, "They... smell like newly-weds."

Tiffany casually leant against Taecyeon, laughing at the notion of her and him as newlyweds.

"So tell me," Wonhee asked as everyone was taking their seat, "How are you guys friends? Do you guys talk often?"

“Yes.” “No.” Tiffany and Taecyeon responded simultaneously, each answering a different question. “Huh?”

“Do you guys talk often?” Wonhee repeated to avoid confusion, still very much curious about their relationship.

Taecyeon could just laugh in response, causing the elderly to misunderstand his reaction. Reading into it, Tiffany quickly denied their notion.

“Aniyo,” Tiffany unconsciously held on Taec's arm as she replied, "We were friends even before we debuted."

"Oh so you've been dating even before your debut?" Madame Kim insinuated

Taecyeon chuckled at Tiffany's firm denial, "Why are you trying to make a scandal all of a sudden?" He asked his co-worker jokingly.

The elderly continued to discuss their relationship, with Jo trying to back their story up by relaying that the two often communicated as they were both comfortable speaking a foreign language. Amidst their discussion, Tiffany and Taecyeon were lost in their own playful exchange that they didn’t mind what was being said of them... Until Wonhee announced: “So I guess the SNSD he really likes is Tiffany.”

“Aniyo,” Tiffany shook her head and hand in firm denial.

"How often do you two see each other?" Saeyeon asked, again trying to insinuate a hidden relationship. 

Tiffany tilted her head thoughtfully as she considered, catching Taecyeon's gaze as she answered, "About once a week, I think?" Tapping Taecyeon's arm for affirmation as she repeated, "For music shows."

"Yeah, Ingikayo MC Baby," Taecyeon announced, pointing at himself energetically. Tiffany gave him a smack in the arm as she too pointed at herself.

"Me too!" She mumbled, copying Taecyeon's actions.

"She's an MC for another show baby," Taecyeon mumbled, now pointing at Tiffany, “Sorry for that." He mumbled suddenly as he realized that how silly he has been.

The elders chuckled as Taecyeon bowed his head sheepishly.

"Aigoo, look at how awkward he's acting." Kim Wonhee noted in observation.

"He's always looks awkward," Tiffany said teasingly, earning her a push in the head.

"He really does look like he’s closer to her than Yoona," Jo remarked.  

Madame Kim concluded, "He looks brighter."

Tiffany giggled as Taecyeon looked away shyly. Jo proceeded to ask her why she came late, launching the discussion on how Saeyeon has been helping in the chores. Even dubbing the older lady as “Nohfany.” The cast shared a few laughs as they note that Tiffany looks much like Saeyeon.

"Tiffany," Madame Kim offered when the discussion ended, "Would you like some kimchi pancakes?"

"No, no," Sangryul objected, "Don’t feed her that, that's cold already. Have her cook a new one for herself."

Tiffany obliged, moving towards the pan.

“I can do it.” Tiffany smiled, “I make good western pancakes.”

Tiffany watched as Taecyeon mixed the batter with gloved hands, assisting her amidst the teasing. Everyone turned their attention to them as they started cooking.

"Taecyeon’s behaviour totally changed." Saeyeon commented.

"Yeah, he's more involved. There’s something going on here." Junho pitch in affirmation.

“That’s not how it is.” Taecyeon said nonchalantly as he tore a piece of tissue to wipe his hands.

Tiffany and Taecyeon continued to make pancakes, ignoring the teasing and requests to call each other ‘honey.’

"They’re ignoring us,” Junho said, motioning towards an imaginary wall. “It's like there's a wall separating them from us."

"Huh?" Taecyeon asked absent-mindedly, turning his attention away from Tiffany for the first time since she arrived.

Tiffany looked at the others with lost puppy eyes, not really understanding what was going on. They were about to get more teasing, but Tiffany opted to redirect their attention to the newly made pancake, as she transferred it to a plate before happily presenting it to the group.

“Say it Taecyeon,” Wonhee said with a teasing smile.

“Say ‘Jagiya, are you done?’”Junho suggested.

“Say ‘Jagiya, that looks good.’” Wonhee added.

Taecyeon just smiled uneasily as Tiffany complained, “You guys know were not like that.”

The group continued teasing, saying that it was only acting—they will improve their acting skills by doing so.

“Appali, Appali,” Taecyeon shyly conceded, smiling in spite of himself. “Let’s get this over with.”

Tiffany hesitantly took the plate back, breathing deeply as she tried to internalize. How hard can it be to act lovey-dovey with someone you already like? She thought. With another deep breath she looked up and faced Taecyeon with a smile.

“Jagiya, I made this for you. Enjoy.” She said, sweetly.

The endearment threw him off. He was bordering speechlessness as he replied, “Thanks.”

The group erupted in cheers, rowdily expressing their approval of the make believe scene.

“Ok.” Tiffany said, clapping her hands to shake off the awkward tension between her and her best friend. “Eat up.”

“Yeah,” Taecyeon agreed, shyly avoiding her gaze. “Let’s eat up.”

The group ate heartily, praising Tiffany’s cooking. Taecyeon himself giving her a thumbs up for approval.

“It not like they changed the ingredients,” Madame Kim noted, “But it tastes better, because they made it with love.”

Tiffany pouted as Taecyeon opted to ignore the new bout of teasing ensued. Trying to divert their attention he asked, “Seriously though, when are the loaches team going to get back.”

As if on cue, the group in question arrived on set with the pail of loaches they caught. The elderly proceeded to scold the group for “being late” and bringing home a dismal amount of loaches. Taecyeon and Tiffany were relieved that they were finally free from the teasing. But Tiffany’s presence did not go unnoticed by Bongsun’s observant eyes.

“Oh, Tiffany is here!” She noted, “Who’s Tiffany’s best friend?”

Tiffany pointed to Taec as he raised the spatula he was holding in the air. Yoona made a sassy remark about everyone inviting someone else’s member into the outing as their best friend. The remark lay forgotten as the group started to prepare dinner. That was until Wonhee suddenly thought it funny to resume the teasing.

“Tiffany and Taecyeon has been lovingly making kimchi pancakes.” She informed the newcomers.

“We’re making a new love line right now.” Jo told Yoona.

“They’re making a love line?” Yoona repeated in amusement. “Oh, and the situation deepens?”