“What’s this for?” Taeyeon wondered as she peeked into the kitchen to look for her missing glasses and spotted Tiffany sticking her head back into the fridge before pulling out a carton of eggs and some strawberries. “Hwang Miyoung, are you actually trying to cook?”

“Don’t say it like I don’t ever.” Tiffany snorted delicately, arranging an assortment of ingredients on the counter before going back to the fridge. “And I’m baking.”

“Well, the last time I checked you weren’t very good at cooking or baking. Barely acceptable is more like it.”

“We’re gonna bake since you don’t want to sleep yet,” Tiffany announced like she hadn’t heard Taeyeon’s comment, hip checking the fridge door shut as she placed butter and strawberries on the kitchen island. She quickly pulled her hair back into an messy bun, pointing at a high stool next to the counter. “Get started on measuring out the flour, please.”

“Why are we baking all of a sudden?” Taeyeon asked even as she complied, hopping on top of the stool before Tiffany pushed a large wooden bowl towards her.

“Because we haven’t baked together in ages.” Tiffany said, casual, matter-of-fact, and Taeyeon fell silent for a moment.

She hadn’t done anything together with Tiffany in a long time, period.

Taeyeon pushed the thought aside, cheering herself up with the fact that she and Tiffany were here for each other now as she pulled the bowl closer and started.

“Well, in case you forgot, Sunny will kill us if we make a mess in the kitchen.” Taeyeon offered helpfully, moving to measure out the flour anyway.

Tiffany waved a hand dismissively, her back still turned to her friend. “It’s okay, we’ll just give her some of whatever we’re making.”

Taeyeon’s eyebrows shot up, disappearing into her hairline. “You don’t know what we’re baking?”

“Suggest something then,” Tiffany turned back to poke her tongue out teasingly before bending down to pull out more pots and pans from the lower cupboards.

Taeyeon looked at Tiffany’s back thoughtfully. According to Jessica who had left right after dinner, Tiffany had been oscillating between depression and her normal upbeat self the past few hours. Her mood took a noticeable nosedive when she stayed in her room and opened up her laptop; she would beat herself up mentally and emotionally by reading comments left by spiteful netizens who made Taeyeon’s blood boil with their poisonous, venomous words written behind the safe smokescreen of anonymous freedom of speech.

Tiffany looked perfectly fine at the moment, but then again, she had always been particularly resilient with an amazing reserve of willpower that rose to the occasion even now. Dear, sweet Tiffany was someone who would always be the first to cry but the last to crumble, who would cry while holding her arms open for Taeyeon to hide in and someone who Taeyeon would do everything and anything for.

The doorbell rang, loud and insistent, cutting into Taeyeon’s reverie.

“I’ll get it!” Taeyeon hopped off the stool, heading for the door as she called over her shoulder, “How about cheesecake?”

“Cheesecake sounds good,” Tiffany agreed loudly, still searching in the cupboard before something metal clattered to the floor noisily.

“You better not dent anything!” Taeyeon hollered, pausing with her hand on the doorknob before the doorbell rang once more, longer this time. “Coming, coming!”

She pulled the door open before stopping short, her eyes widening as rounded. “T.O.P. oppa?”

T.O.P stood outside with a patient look on his face as he offered up a plastic bag.

“I brought fruits for you girls.”

“More like just for Fany. Weren’t you just here this afternoon?” Taeyeon grinned teasingly as she took the bag from him. Then she sobered, her voice dropping to a hushed murmur. “Thanks a lot though, oppa. For being there for Tiffany today, and trusting her.”

T.O.P. nodded silently, knowing what she was referring to as he smiled slightly.

“I heard my name!” Tiffany came to the door as well, wiping her hands on the front of her jeans before raising her eyebrows in surprise. “Oh, Seunghyun!”

T.O.P. smiled then – a proper smile that made Taeyeon understand why her best friend was so crazy about him as said best friend blinked like a deer caught in headlights.

“Miyoung.”

His voice caressed her name so intimately that Taeyeon’s eyes flickered away, feeling like she had witnessed something far too private and personal.

Tiffany blinked again, seeming slightly dazed as she leaned forward to hug her fiancé.

“Thanks, Seunghyun.”

Taeyeon busied herself with inspecting the contents of the plastic bag with more interest than was normal as she pointedly stared away from the engaged couple.

“Ooh, watermelon! Tiffany’s favourite.”

“I know.” T.O.P replied simply before he stepped back slightly with a small smile. “Well, since you girls are busy I’ll get going.”

“Goodnight,” Tiffany smiled sweetly just as Taeyeon said, “Why don’t you stay? We’re baking!”

They glanced at each other before bursting into laughter, both giggling as they smacked each other. T.O.P only smiled amusedly, having met the rest of SNSD enough times to have grown used to their occasionally childish antics.

“Stay, stay,” Taeyeon laughed behind her hand even as she waved T.O.P in.

He shook his head, smiling. “It’s alright, I have to get back anyway. Goodnight, Taeyeon sshi.”

“It’s your loss – goodnight, T.O.P. oppa,” she waved before heading back to the kitchen as Tiffany hung back, slipping her hand into her fiancé’s.

“Thanks for coming by.” Tiffany smiled softly as T.O.P leaned down to kiss her cheek.

“Don’t you just love me sometimes?” T.O.P grinned mischieviously, relaxing a little.

Taeyeon sighed, picking up a packet of sugar as she pretended to read the label on the back while eavesdropping.

“Maybe,” her friend’s low laugh echoed throughout the room. “Just a bit.”

Taeyeon watched as Tiffany smiled at something T.O.P said to her – just the slightest of smiles –  the way her eyes disappeared into crescents making Taeyeon’s heart ache even as she found herself still unable to look away.

She watched them as they spoke to each other in low, hushed tones, feeling like an intruder as she watched the scene of private intimacy; as she watched T.O.P brushed Tiffany’s cheek with the back of his knuckles, looking at her like she was the only thing in the world. Tiffany brightened effortlessly, glowing despite her bare, no-makeup face and messy hair as she laughed in her fiancé’s arms.

She watched them, and she felt a whole confused tangle of emotions settling like a lump of hot coal in her stomach. It stirred, hot and cold and sharp and painful, coupled with something else that ate at her insides like acid, slowly clawing its way out of her…

Jealousy.

She was jealous, jealous of T.O.P. who Tiffany looked at so adoringly and smiled at so slowly, so privately with that special Miyoung smile of hers instead her Brighter Than Jewels Fany Fany Tiffany smile that was for everyone. Even though she was glad that T.O.P. could look after Tiffany in a way she never could and do so much more for her, she was jealous. She was jealous of how T.O.P. made Tiffany light up so easily, simply because he was T.O.P., because he possessed all of Tiffany’s love and all of Tiffany herself.

Tiffany who was so sweet and open and affectionate gave her love to many people, but Taeyeon had always guarded her piece of Tiffany’s heart jealously. Now that she saw how much more of Tiffany there was to be had, she was aching, dissatisfied, left wanting more.

She was greedy. Selfish. Taeyeon knew that well but she used to think she would be content with what she had of Tiffany’s affection.

But T.O.P. had all of Tiffany.

T.O.P. murmured something else and Tiffany laughed blithely, touching her forehead to T.O.P.’s in a sweet display of affection.

Taeyeon finally looked away, her eyes bleak, the words I love you echoing in the room.

It was going to be a long night.