Few months later…

Taeyeon heaved out a long deep breathe. Finally the day is over. She has been drowning herself with work. After that one night stand she has sworn never to drown herself with alcohol again. Afraid whom she might end up with this time. So she chose to work her off than be on bars night after night. She was too tired being on that routine for more than a year now.

How have you been Sica-ah? Are you also having a hard time moving on? Because I really do. I still do.

Taeyeon let out a long deep sigh. She then stood up packed her things and went out of her office. It has been another long day for her. Another day where she still ends up thinking about the same person over and over again. Day in and day out. Jessica.

Tiffany was exhausted from talking to clients. It’s been a long day and all she wanted to do was to get out of her office and have a break. She hurriedly stepped out of her office and drove to her favorite coffee shop. After that one night stand couple of months ago she resorted to keep herself busy with work and chose nonalcoholic stuff to accompany herself with. Though that night didn’t turn out to be that bad, she still was a bit guilty of what she did. One night stand. It’s just so not like her. So instead of going to bars, she’s been trying shopping therapy and the latest thing she found a bit relaxing aside from shopping, sweets. It’s when she discovered this cozy Café which recently opened just a few blocks from her office.

After driving aimlessly from her office Taeyeon ended up inside a cozy café. She’s pretty sure this shop is new because she hasn’t seen it before so she decided to give it try. A cold drink might be the thing she needs to at least cool herself off.

Now what should I get? Taeyeon stared at the board above the counter. She’s not sure what to get.

“Try the milk tea with vanilla caramel.” She heard a familiar voice coming from behind her. When she turned around to have a view of the owner of the voice she stared. And stared. Then her face became flushed. 

Tiffany heard the woman in front of her quite having difficulty of what to choose. So she suggested her own favorite flavor, milk tea with vanilla caramel. She was already wearing her infamous eyesmile to greet the woman in front of her but then her face fell when she realized who’s in front of her and that same woman was staring at her. Tiffany also stared. And stared. But when she finally saw how flushed the woman in front of her is she couldn’t help but chuckle. She’s not too slow to get what the woman remembered of her. She couldn’t help but blush also at the memory. She was the first one to regain consciousness so she started off the conversation.

“Oh Hi. It’s you again.” She was now wearing her eyesmile again.

“Hi---Hi.” Taeyeon could only mutter. She’s too shy to even look the other person in the eyes. She has never been that wild in her entire life. Let alone with a total stranger. It’s just so not like her. Damn that night. For her it wasn’t a bad night either. She just couldn’t help but feel embarrassed of what she did. How she teased the other girl and…. Gosh. I really should stop my thoughts now. She’s so flushed now that she could feel it up to her ears.

Tiffany chuckled again at the sight in front of her. She didn’t thought this girl in front of her all flustered up to her ears is the same girl who she spent that night with. That damned night.

“Milk tea with vanilla caramel please.” Taeyeon told the cashier trying to avoid eye contact with Tiffany.

“Make that two please.” Tiffany added smiling. The cashier can only nod.

Both settled on a corner table. Both unsure of what to do or say next.

“So…”

“So…”

Taeyeon felt guilty that day for leaving the girl just like that. So she mustered all her courage and decided to apologize for what she did back then. She’s not the player type after all, doing one night stands with whoever is available. And she doesn’t want to have that kind of image either.

“Tiffany right? I’m sorry I just left like that. Honestly, I just didn’t know what to do. But I can assure you I’m really not that kind of person. I’m sorry again.” Taeyeon could only hung her head low.

Tiffany can feel the sincerity. And if she were the one waking up in someone else’s room and , she wouldn’t also know what to do next. She might also do the same, leave. And then she remembered the note and the medicine. She found it really thoughtful so her impression on Taeyeon wasn’t that bad after all.

“It’s okay. Taeyeon right? I think I would have done the same thing if it was me who woke up on someone else’s room. And thank you for the medicine by the way. It was indeed of great help.” Tiffany smiled assuring Taeyeon that it was really fine and that she doesn’t hold any grudges or whatsoever if that’s what the other girl is thinking.

“Let’s start off a new? I’m Hwang Tiffany.” She extended her hand and brightly smiled.

“I’m Kim Taeyeon.” Taeyeon grinned and shook her hand. She was more than happy getting another opportunity to come clean with the other girl.

“So what do you do for a living?” Tiffany started off the conversation.

“Oh. I’m an accountant. How about you?” Taeyeon trying to keep up the conversation.

“I’m an event organizer. Do you live or work near here? I come here quite often and only saw you today.”

“I live a few blocks from here. I just saw this shop today so I thought I should give it a try. I don’t usually go out so I haven’t notice this one. Just today.” Taeyeon smiled.

“How about you? Do you work near here? Your apartment isn’t a few blocks….” Taeyeon trailed unable to finish her statement. Her face became flushed again at the memory of Tiffany’s apartment. She’s pretty sure it isn’t a few blocks away from here. How could she forget?

Tiffany chuckled at the sight. She’s definitely sure what just came across Taeyeon’s mind why she has gotten all flushed again.

“Yes I work near here. I just got out from a long day’s work and I often come here to cool my mind off. It’s just too cozy here.” Tiffany beamed a smile. She was enjoying the all too shy Kim Taeyeon in front of her. Though that night there was a time when she was too frustrated with all the teasing from the shorter girl. But she enjoyed it nonetheless.

“Ohh. Okay.” Taeyeon couldn’t look at Tiffany again in the eyes. She’s too embarrassed at how her mind wandered on that memory again. Crap. Get a hold of yourself Kim Taeyeon.

Their order came in just in time so she was saved from an awkward situation again.

“So how have you been? I mean we had quite a real talk that night you know. If you get what I mean.” Tiffany broke the silence between them. She can’t point it out but the talk with Taeyeon that night made her feel a bit at ease at the blonde girl.

“We’ve been together for 2 years! How am I supposed to give up on her just like that?! Hell I wasn’t even sure back then that I swing that way. Not until she came and turned my world upside down! And just like that, she told me to forget about her and have a happy life?!” Tiffany was fuming at the memory of her last relationship. It’s been a year already but she still finds it ridiculous that she was left just like that. She’s been bottling it all up and tonight, tonight with this stranger beside her sharing the same brokenness she is in with, she laid it all out. She poured her heart out. The alcohol have been of really great help making her loosen up.

“I had her almost 3 years. I was sure she was happy with me. I did everything I could to give whatever she wants. She hated cucumbers, I ate all the cucumbers that would come with the food being served. Heck I didn’t even like vegetables back then! But for her I ate every single damned cucumber that she would put on my plate! I used to eat ice cream almost everyday but because she told me to take it easy, I avoided every damned ice cream shop I could pass upon by! I only get to eat ice cream five times a week!” Taeyeon was whining at the memory. It might be childish but that’s the thing, she would willingly do every childish thing she has to do just for her.

“Heck I even hate marshmallows but for her I would eat them because she likes it!” Taeyeon added.

“I loved her too much. I really did. But.. but.. she still chose to leave me. She said that it’s what’s best for everyone. Especially for me. Up until now I still don’t understand what she meant by that. I refuse to understand. Because if she wants what is best for me then she shouldn’t have left!” Taeyeon was also whimpering from the bitter memory of her previous relationship. The last relationship she thought she would probably have. It just hurts too much that she’s too afraid to experience any of it anymore.

She knows pretty well it’s because of the alcohol that she has been acting this way. But she doesn’t give a damn. She has bottled up everything inside and if she’s not going to let it all out she might just explode and there wouldn’t be anyone to piece her back together.

They spent a couple of bottles while crying their hearts out. It’s quite comforting knowing there is someone else also hurting and sharing the same pain. It was comforting to feel each other’s sorrow and have each other’s shoulder to cry on. Maybe it was way better having a stranger’s shoulder after all. At least there wouldn’t be any judgment. Only ears to listen. And maybe luckily, empathy. Which they found in each other’s shoulder.

And after being exhausted of crying their hearts out, the next thing they knew, they were also releasing their heats out. Wait, scratch that. The next thing they knew, they woke up with each other’s shoulders, .

Taeyeon glanced at Tiffany and smiled. She felt the same. She has never confided to anyone that much. More so, breakdown. That night after letting it all out she felt a ton of load was lifted up her chest. She felt also at ease with the girl. They have something only the two of them knows and could understand.

“I’m fine actually. Still trying to mend what’s broken.” Taeyeon gave her a weak but sincere smile.

“How about you? How have you been?” Taeyeon was also curious about the black haired girl.

“Doing the same thing you’re doing. Trying to mend what’s broken.” Tiffany also gave her a weak smile.

“Well I wouldn’t mind sharing with someone. Mending things with someone is a bit better than doing it alone. Don’t you think so?” Taeyeon sincerely asked. More so, stated.

“It’s indeed so much better than mending things alone.” Tiffany smiled and this time it reached her eyes. She genuinely thought it would be better to have each other and helping each other to mend what’s broken.

And just like that, everything has been quite well with both of them. They have been constantly in contact. Their friendship escalated quickly if an outsider would say. But to them it’s not about the amount of time spent or how long they have known each other but the connection they had. It was too comforting having each other’s back.

Setting aside the waking-in-each-other’s-arms-, part.