“Wake up. Come on, wake up.”

Tiffany groaned, rubbing her eyes as she rolled to her side, ignoring the voice waking her up. She felt like only closed her eyes for a few minutes. She needed more sleep. The king sized bed was too comfortable for her liking. She wrapped herself with the warm blanket and buried her face on the fluffy pillow.

“Fany, come on.”

“Ugh, go away, Kyu.” Tiffany slapped the hand that was shaking her shoulder, “I’m sleepy.”

She could hear Sunny, her manager, sighing and walked away from the bed. Her happy thoughts of Sunny letting her to sleep more vanished when she heard the curtains being opened and the sunlight suddenly attacked her eyes.

“It’s noon already, wake up!”

“No…” Tiffany whined, “let me sleep…”

“Come on!” Sunny yanked the blanket off of Tiffany, “Wake up, or I’ll upload pictures of you snoring on Instagram.”

Tiffany’s eyes shot open, “No way!”

“Then wake up!” Sunny pulled Tiffany into sitting position and patted her head, “You still need breakfast. Or more like, brunch at this hour.”

“But I’m tired. Last night was super chaotic, you know.”

Sunny nodded. The security of the annual joint concert the night before was kind of unprofessional. How could fans enter the backstage? They literally rushed to their idols’ waiting rooms, and Tiffany wasn’t an exception. She didn’t know what to do in between the chaos. She wanted to act polite, but she was tired as hell. Plus the weather was really cold because it was close to winter. In the end she needed almost an hour just to get into her van.

“I know.” The manager nodded with a sigh, “Luckily you’re okay. They didn’t touch you, did they?”

“Well, they were pretty much close but, nope, they didn’t.”

“Good. They might hurt you.”

Tiffany shook her head, “Nah. I’m sure they won’t do that. They mostly just want to touch me, not hurt me. It’s just sometimes they get too eager and… things happen.”

“Things happen.” Sunny repeated while rolling her eyes, “Yeah, things like I had to rush to the nearest hospital because your arm bled so much do happen, right?”

A cringe, “That female fan just happened to forget cutting her nails or something. She didn’t intend anything. And Jihoon Oppa gave her an inhuman slap too so I think it’s enough.”

Before Sunny could argue, Tiffany rose from the bed and stretched her aching body. She needed to get regular in the gym again, it seemed. With a sigh, she walked to the window and peeked through the opened curtains. She liked this hotel. It provided her a nice view of Incheon. And a decent security, of course.

“It’s getting cold, don’t you think?” Tiffany asked, eyes still on the window, looking down to the people on the road, “When is the first snow going to fall?”

“I don’t know. I don’t follow the weather forecast.”

“Hmm… neither do I.” She then turned around to face Sunny, “What’s my schedule today?”

“Going back to Seoul, recording, practicing, exercising.”

“No performing?”

“Not for today, I guess. And oh, I think you got something on your email, I didn’t open it. You can check on it later.”

Tiffany nodded, half-glad she had no performance that day, “Great. Thanks, Kyu.”

“Sure. Now take a bath and then eat your brunch. Jihoon Oppa will arrive in two hours.”

-

Tiffany’s lips pursed as she read the latest message she received in her private email through her phone. She was on the way back to Seoul with Sunny and Jihoon, her two managers. Her thumb scrolled down the screen and it led a frown from her. Obviously she didn’t expect such thing would enter her inbox.

“What is it?” Sunny asked from the passenger seat.

“Uh…” Tiffany scratched her head, “it’s an invitation.”

“Invitation?”

“Yup. From… Lim Yoona.”

Sunny and Jihoon simultaneously gasped, “What?!”

“I know, right.” Tiffany nodded as she dropped the phone onto her lap, “It’s a private party. Still two, uh no, three weeks away but she already sent the invitation.”

“What party? Birthday party?”

“I don’t think so. Her birthday is in May.”

“So?”

“I don’t know.”

Some people would trade anything to be in Tiffany’s shoes right now, because Lim Yoona, the top actress invited her for a private party. But Tiffany wasn’t one of those people. She knew Lim Yoona and her dirty little secrets behind closed doors. People who work in the entertainment industry would be aware of it right away. And Lim Yoona was blessed because of her ability to act and also her outstanding looks, the public simply loved her.

She first met the actress a couple of months ago in a private event. A lot of top stars attended it, mostly actors and actresses so Tiffany took that as an opportunity to get to know them better. Being a public figure herself had made her ignore all the rumours and unproved news surrounding the top stars. She wanted to judge them herself. To see who they really were by physically being with them.

And after that event she could tell that the dark news about the great Lim Yoona had a big chance to be true.

“Would you go?” Jihoon then asked.

Tiffany didn’t answer. She was busy thinking.

“Didn’t you say you don’t want to meet her again?” Sunny added.

“Yeah.” Tiffany nodded, “She… she knew me.”

“That’s for sure. She can’t seem to take her eyes off of you ever since that meeting happened. You know she likes you, Fany.”

“I know.”

Which wasn’t good.

“But she’s gorgeous, though.” Tiffany continued, “And tall. And skinny. And a painfully sweet talker.”

Sunny chuckled, “You’re totally head over heels for her.”

“I’m not!” Tiffany quickly defended herself, “I’m just saying the truth here. She’s everybody’s ideal woman, I acknowledge it.”

“So, are you going or not?”

“I don’t know… should I? But isn’t that going to make it obvious?”

As the time went by, the public started to notice the closeness between the actress, Lim Yoona, and the singer, Tiffany Hwang. The way they smiled at each other, the way they talked, or some pictures they took together. Surely, most of them saw that as a rare and precious friendship between two great stars but some people just weren’t as oblivious. And Tiffany of course, felt worried.

“Not if you’re careful.” Sunny shook her head.

“So, you’re telling me to go?”

“It’s up to you, Fany. You’re a big girl after all. We don’t need to tell you what to do.” Sunny said and Jihoon nodded, “If you want to go, you should just go. Have some fun. You’ve been busy nowadays.”

That’s true. Tiffany bit her lip.

“I’ll just think about it later.”

She then plunged in her two earphones to listen to some ballads, crossed her arms, and threw her head back to have some sleep. Sleeping was a rare event these days. She should use every spare time to sleep.

She never needed much time to doze off anyway.

-

Our singer, Tiffany Hwang, was spotted exercising in a gym around Gangnam! She had just attended the joint concert last night in Incheon and…

With a muffled cuss, Tiffany tightened her hoodie. She walked past through the gym’s empty corridor while putting her snapback on. The sound of those journalists on TV still could be heard. Such psychos. Those lifeless people really didn’t have a life, did they? No matter how kind Tiffany was, she didn’t like being stalked. They even knew her schedule better than herself.

She rushed her steps to the backdoor, because it wasn’t save going out from the front entrance. They would be there. And because she was alone and it was dark already, she was scared of getting hurt. The news of her exercising in a gym, her usual gym which nobody but her managers and trainers knew before, spread quickly and in a matter of minutes, people already gathered outside. For real, the person who spread it should rot in hell.

As she opened the back door that cracked loudly, she let out a relieved sigh because no one was there. She was safe. Her white car was parked not too far from where she was standing. She didn’t have time to put her coat on. Despite the cold weather, she just hurriedly walked to her car. And when she reached it, she suddenly forgot where she put her key.

“…”

She dropped her coat carelessly onto the ground and roamed her handbag. Where is the damn key? She needed to be quick. Those people would recognize her car too. And it wasn’t impossible for them to find Tiffany in a moment--

“Your coat pocket.”

Tiffany almost jumped at the voice. She jerked her head and found a young girl, probably a high school student, smiling at her. Tiffany puffed a breath, letting out the white smoke because of the cold flowing out of . She knew that face. Oh, she definitely knew those faces like hers.

Without saying any words, Tiffany picked up her coat and roamed the right pocket. But she found nothing.

“The left one.”

The girl said again, pointing at the coat with her finger.

Tiffany froze for a second before she put her hand inside the left pocket, and the girl was right. The key was there. She took out the key and stared in disbelief at the girl in front of her. How could she know where her key was?

“I saw you putting it inside there when you arrived earlier, Unnie.” The girl said, as if she could read Tiffany’s mind, “You were in a hurry so I think you forgot.”

So this girl had been there since Tiffany arrived. Cool. Tiffany held back her scoff because she might offend the girl.

“Here, Unnie. I brought this for you.”

Tiffany didn’t realize the girl had a cup of hot coffee in her hand. She offered it to Tiffany. The singer hesitated. Everything that came from people like this girl never looked promising. It looked dangerous instead.

“It’s okay.” Again, the girl seemed could read her mind, “I just bought it. I didn’t poison it or something. I know you like Caramel Coffee. And it’s cold. You’ll need it.”

Half-heartedly, Tiffany nodded and then shivered as the warmth of the cup touched her palm. She wasn’t going to drink it, for sure. But like every time, she was too kind. Still, without any words, she unlocked her car and opened the door.

“Unnie!” The girl suddenly called.

Battling with her impatience, Tiffany looked back to the girl. What did she want this time?

“What is your relationship with Lim Yoona?”

Hearing the blunt question made Tiffany’s breath hitched. The girl’s face turned from cheerful to serious. This girl… she can’t be serious. She knew? Well, Tiffany was aware if people like her know everything but, Lim Yoona? She didn’t expect the issue to spread this quick. Now, what don’t they know? They literally invaded every space of privacy Tiffany used to have.

Tiffany gripped the cup really tight until she felt like breaking it, but she didn’t. Instead she just took a deep, heavy breath.

“That is nobody, right?”

The singer closed her eyes and tried her best to redeem her anger. And finally, she finally spoke,

“Go home now. It’s cold.”

She then got inside her car and shut the door roughly. She put the cup carefully in the cup holder, because she didn’t want the coffee to spill and made her car dirty. The girl was still there, standing with mixed expressions that Tiffany didn’t have time to analyse. Whatever. She could assume whatever in her mind, Tiffany didn’t care. People like her still had their limit. There was no way Tiffany would let them cross it.

After she her car, the girl took some steps back and waved her hand. Tiffany didn’t bother to look at her as she headed home in a speed of light.

-

Something on her lap was buzzing. The jazz music halted.

Tiffany sighed. She couldn’t sleep that night. She decided to play some swing and jazz by the piano to help her getting sleepy. She had insomnia. It wasn’t too severe, but sometimes it’s disturbing. When she had to go so early in the morning and yet she couldn’t sleep the night before, times like that. She would go to the piano and play one or two songs. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn’t.

In the middle of the jazz song she was playing, her phone buzzed. She stopped playing and looked at the screen. Her tired eyes narrowed reading the name. At this hour? Was this woman crazy or what?

But Tiffany was lonely, upset, and sleepless. She had no guts to resist this time. Plus the buzzing voice was distracting her.

“Hello?” She answered hoarsely, her voice sounded tired.

“Oh, haven’t slept? I thought you dozed off already.” There was a low chuckle, “Hi, Tiffany. It’s been a while since we met. And talked.”

To be very honest, Tiffany liked hearing Lim Yoona’s voice. The actress was the epitome of perfection. People called her the goddess. And, yes, it was the truth. But her thoughts instantly flew to the girl earlier who asked her about Lim Yoona. She couldn’t help but flinch a little. Things might get more serious if she kept letting herself involved into Lim Yoona’s circle of life. Even though, she admitted, resisting was almost impossible.

“Yes, it’s been a while… Unnie.”

A raspy laugh, “Stop calling me that. It makes me feel old, you know.”

“Can’t. I’m afraid if I accidentally call you by your name in public. People would call me rude. And I don’t want to be rude to you, Unnie.”

“Alright, if that’s what you want.” The actress hummed for a few moment before, “You’ve been busy, haven’t you? I bought your latest album. It’s great.”

Tiffany smiled. Her finger traced the piano slowly. Yes, Lim Yoona did buy her latest album. She even promoted it on her official website. It said, to our singer, Tiffany Hwang, you did a great job! Unnie is proud of you, or something. Tiffany couldn’t help but cringe at those words. Such a sweet talker indeed.

“I know. Thanks. I’m glad you like it. What’s your favourite song?”

“Hmm… I’m torn between Ghost Tango and Empty Garden. But if I had to choose, then Ghost Tango it is.”

“Ghost Tango.” Tiffany repeated, “I like Ghost Tango too.”

“Mm-hmm. By the way, Tiffany…”

“Yeah?”

“You’ve read my invitation, right?”

Tiffany bit her lip, “Uh… yeah.”

“Would you come? I know you’re busy and stuff but, please? I have something to tell you. Or more like, something to offer. In private. Can you?”

“I…” The singer ran her hand through her black hair, “I’ll try. Hopefully I… can.”

“Good.” She could tell Lim Yoona was smiling, “I’ll be waiting. See you soon, Tiffany.”

“Yeah, see you soon, Unnie.”

“Good night then, Tiffany. Sleep tight.”

“You too, Unnie. Sleep tight.”

After she hung up, Tiffany sighed. What did she just say? Why couldn’t she say no? She indeed had no reason to refuse but just, how many times had she promised herself not to meet Lim Yoona again? They didn’t even know each other that well. They were just merely two public figures in their own way and happened to bump into each other.

Sighing once more, her shoulder slowly sagged. She stood up to throw her phone to the bedroom, onto the bed, away from her. Then she walked back to sit in front of the piano. Her eyes were completely tired but she didn’t feel sleepy yet. Talking on the phone with Lim Yoona didn’t help her insomnia. It made it even worse instead. So she couldn’t imagine if she had to talk face to face with the actress. She wouldn’t be able to sleep until the sun shines, it seemed. Well, at least she got a new lesson that night.

Tiffany didn’t know what had gotten into herself when her fingers started dancing on the piano, and little did she knows, she was playing Ghost Tango. Great. Now Lim Yoona was all in her mind when she played this song.

Probably, Sunny was right. Tiffany indeed fell head over heels for that great actress. Maybe it wouldn’t be wrong to just come to the party and do whatever Lim Yoona wanted her-- no, them to do. Then again, she needed some fun. Who was she to refuse this time?

Tiffany scoffed.

Curse you, Lim Yoona and everything about you.

****

A quick update is quick. I enjoy writing this so much, I don't know why.

This is Ghost Tango and this is Empty Garden, instrumentals from The Sun of My Master. I don't know if songs titled the same exist or not, so let's just pretend those are Tiffany's songs aite.

So... since this is new, tell me what you think?

And oh, this is a JeTi story guys, don't worry lol.