I didn't proofread, so forgive me if there's any typo. And as always, thank you for being patient.

****

It was tiring. It was torturing.

So Tiffany was glad that it was over.

She stood up from where she was sitting for almost two hours and massaged her own arms. The practice room had become way quieter than before, since it was already finished. The mini showcase of some trainees which Tiffany was forced to watch and judge was ended. And even though Tiffany’s job was just sitting and commenting, or complimenting, so typical of her, but she was tired, nonetheless.

Tiffany walked to the huge window and stopped there, leaning her body on the wall. The staffs were still busy cleaning up. She could see them through the blurry reflection on the window. She crossed her arms, pursing her lips to prevent sighing. The room was quiet so her sigh would be unpleasant to hear.

Minutes later, the staffs were finished and left, after bowing to Tiffany. The singer was left alone in that room full of mirrors. She finally could let out the sigh she had been holding.

She hated it.

No matter how many years her career had lasted, she realized she still didn’t have any say of herself at all. She was still a doll, a toy, being controlled by the people above her. She couldn’t voice what she actually wanted. Well, she could, but what for if those would end being unheard and ignored?

You’re kidding, right?

That was her boss’ response when she bravely stated that she wanted to break up with Nichkhun. She had explained everything. From how they had been doing that for months, that people actually fell for it, that both of them gained benefits from it, until the part where each other’s fans’ disturbance started to annoy both of them. She had told her boss everything. But that was the response she got.

Did she really look like she was kidding, dear God.

What would you get if you break up? It’s the consequence you both have to take for being in a relationship. Besides, it’s a fake one anyway, why are you taking it so seriously? Also, aren’t you and Nichkhun good friends? It should be easier, then.

So easy for him to say that.

But that wasn’t the end.

Stop thinking to end it with Nichkhun. Think about your upcoming comeback and also your next tour instead.

Tiffany leaned forward and bumped her forehead to the window, before deeply sighed again until her chest felt heavy. What comeback? What tour? Why did those people decide everything without her consent? Well, she knew she was going to have those schedules in that year but still, they should’ve talked to her about it, instead of telling her so abruptly like it was nothing.

Comeback was nothing unusual, but a tour…

Flying back and forth, performing the exact set list non-stop, less time for rest, less time for sleep, less time for anything that isn’t work.

Great.

So the breakup she and Nichkhun wanted turned out to be such wishful thinking. They wouldn’t get it in anytime soon. They still had to deal with everything for longer. All just because they were freaking told to do it.

Turning around from the window, she walked to the nearest table where she placed her handbag and took out her phone. She dialed Jessica right away. The sky was already dark. Probably Jessica wasn’t so busy during that time. She just wanted to talk. Or at least, to hear Jessica’s voice.

And the luck was on her.

“Hello?”

She didn’t realize that she let out a relieved sigh as she sat down on the table, “Hi.”

“Hi, Stephanie.” Tiffany smiled and imagined Jessica doing the same, “What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Yeah, nothing. I just want to call you.”

A short laugh, “Why is that?”

“What do you mean why? Do I need to have a reason to call you?”

“Well, I guess not.”

Tiffany’s smile kind of faltered. She wanted to say something, to say everything, actually, but she hesitated. She didn’t know how to start, how to explain, and she was already tired of talking that day.

“Jessica,” She mumbled but she didn’t continue.

“Yeah?”

The singer only bit her lip. Now she understood how Jessica felt when she hesitated on the phone. She was doing the same thing too.

“Hmm,” Jessica hummed, “you’re quiet. Did something happen?”

“Well, yeah, just… some things.”

“Want to talk?”

“No-- I mean, not now. I just…” She brought her free hand to her forehead, before brushing her hair and brought it back lifelessly on her lap, “I don’t know, I just…”

“Okay,” Jessica said, “it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it yet. But you do sound stressed. What can I do for you?”

Tiffany shook her head, even though Jessica couldn’t see it. She didn’t need anything from Jessica. She wouldn’t say it out loud, but hearing her voice was already enough to make her feel better. At least she knew Jessica was there for her.

“Just… eat well, rest well, don’t push yourself, don’t get too busy, take care of Jamie, Krystal… those are enough for me.”

A chuckle, “I think I should be fair by asking the same from you.”

“Right. I’ll do the same, then.”

The wooden floor was a bit stained that day thanks to the shoes and sandals that stepped on it that day. Tiffany tapped her feet slightly on it, keeping her eyes down. And once again it hit her, that she was alone, and Jessica wasn’t there with her.

“I miss you.” She whispered, wasn’t sure if Jessica heard it or not.

“I miss you too.” Jessica said the same, and it made Tiffany clench her fist, “Let’s go on another date again. We can travel far, far from here… do everything we want to do… take a break from work and all…”

Tiffany bitterly smiled at the thoughts. It wouldn’t happen in anytime soon, sadly.

“It sounds great. Let’s make that our faraway plan. But now, I just want to know when your free time is.”

She could tell Jessica was smiling, “I will tell you when I’m free.”

“That doesn’t sound promising.”

“No, really, it won’t be that long. Jamie misses you too. I will make time for you.”

“Okay.” Tiffany nodded, “I’m keeping your words.”

The conversation ended after they exchanged I-love-you to each other. Tiffany rubbed her slightly reddened ear, still looking down onto the floor. Her chest felt lighter, though. She probably just needed a warm coffee to calm her down.

Just as she was about to put her phone back inside her handbag, the practice room’s door swung opened and someone familiar gasped seeing there was Tiffany inside.

“Oh, Noona!” Mino stopped at the door and bowed a few times, “I’m sorry I didn’t knock I thought there was no one here I’m sorry--”

“Hey,” Tiffany cut him, half-smiled, “it’s just me, why are you freaking out?”

Mino just stood there, didn’t know what to do.

“Come on in. What are you going to do?”

“Uh, I left my backpack somewhere here…” Mino walked in slowly and then pointed to a black backpack on the floor near the stereo, “there it is!”

He grabbed it and smiled to Tiffany, which the latter returned the same.

“Is there anything else?”

“Nope, just this.”

“Okay, then. Let’s have some coffee with me.” Tiffany said as she stood up and grasped her handbag.

Mino was a bit dumbfounded, “Now, Noona?”

“Yeah, now. What, you don’t want to?”

“No! I mean, of course I want to, Noona!”

She chuckled and held on his arm to pull the younger with her, “Come on, it’s been a while since we last met. I didn’t know you had returned from overseas. Where was it again? And what was it for again?”

-

“The earliest is probably in four months but we need to start planning it from now on. I suggest that we…”

Tiffany barely heard what the producer was saying because she was in the edge of dozing off. With her elbow on the table and her palm on her chin, her eyes were half closed. She looked down to the papers on the table, and the writing made her eyes heavier instead. She felt like a young student being forced to study math in class all over again.

She spent almost all night being wide awake to finish recording the demo of her compositions. And as guessed, she felt like a dead zombie in the morning. Luckily the producer had known her for a really long time so he didn’t question or protest seeing Tiffany’s uninterested behavior that time.

Some minutes that felt like forever passed before Tiffany felt a bump on her arm.

“Fany,”

“Huh? What?” She tried to sit straight after Sunny elbowed her, “I’m sorry, I’m so sleepy.”

The producer only smiled, “I’ve listened to the first two tracks in your CD. And I think it’s best if we take a break, for you to sleep, and for me to continue listening to the remaining tracks. How is that, Tiffany?”

Tiffany sighed contently, “That’s a really great idea. You know me so well.”

So Tiffany then left the recording room to the piano room, the usual. The producer didn’t forget to pat her shoulder with a take care, something he always said to Tiffany as a goodbye greeting. She never knew why he felt the need to do that. It wasn’t like she would be gone for a long time like… it was just a break. They’d meet again in a few hours.

When she reached the piano room, she smiled sheepishly seeing the couch. She finally could sleep. She was totally a nocturnal.

She closed the door behind her and walked to the couch, before taking off her shoes sloppily and threw herself on her bed for today. Of course her real bed was way far more comfortable, but the fact that she could sleep that time was already enough. She hugged a pretty huge cushion as a bolster and closed her eyes.

But in less than a minute, she heard her phone buzzing.

Her eyes opened immediately with a frown. She wanted to ignore it at first, but its constant buzzing disturbed her. Groaning, she harshly grasped it from the table and looked at the screen. The name redeemed her anger, though, somehow.

“Hi, hello,” She picked it up, still lying on her back.

“Hi, Auntie!”

It wasn’t Jessica’s voice so Tiffany’s eyebrows were raised, “Jamie?”

“Yes, it’s me…” The little girl giggled.

Tiffany unconsciously smiled, “Oh, hi, Sweetie… long time no see. How are you?”

“I’m fine! And how about you, Auntie? Mommy said you’re busy.”

“Yeah, kind of. But I’m fine too. And I’m preparing for more concerts to come!”

“Really?! When? Can I go?”

“Of course you can.” Tiffany chuckled as she sat up, “But the time is still a secret. There’s still a lot of preparation.”

“What’s the preparation like? Can I see?”

“Hmm… like, preparing the songs, the stage, the outfits… everything. And if I can, I will bring you here.” She smiled imagining the possibilities.

“Cool! I want to go to your office too, Auntie!”

A laugh, “My office? Where I work?”

“Yes! I’ve been to Mommy’s and Auntie Krystal’s often so I want to go to yours too! What’s your office like?”

“Mine is… kind of different from the others.” Tiffany looked around, actually thinking what it’d be like bringing Jamie there, “When I bring you here, you’ll know. I’ll show you around. It’ll be fun.”

Jamie didn’t say anything after that. Tiffany just smiled. The little girl had her mother’s hesitating habit, it seemed.

“Do you miss me?” She asked.

A shy giggle, “Yes… but Mommy said you’re busy… and she keeps asking for her phone back now…”

Tiffany’s smile grew wider portraying the sight of Jamie and Jessica, “Tell Mommy it’s okay if you still want to talk to me.”

“But you sound sleepy, Auntie.”

“Do I?” It was true, though. She was half slurring her words. She really needed to go to sleep or else she would pass out in no time, “Hmm… since I can’t talk longer on the phone, how about we have lunch today?”

“Lunch? Really?”

“Oh, no, no, not lunch. I mean, kind of late lunch. In the afternoon. How is that?”

An excited gasp before the girl most likely talked to Jessica, “Mommy! Auntie Tiffany asked me…”

Tiffany patiently waited, bearing with her heavy eyes.

“Mommy said yes!”

“Ah, great. Yeah. Let’s meet later, okay?”

“Okay! See you later, Auntie!”

“See you later. But oh, can you pass the phone to Mommy?”

“Sure!” There was a rustling sound before the voice on the other side changed, “Hello?”

“Yeah, hello.” Tiffany smiled, eyes closing, “So I asked Jamie for a late lunch later.”

“Yeah, I heard. And it’s okay, she can go, but I can’t.”

“Hmm…” Tiffany nodded her head, losing consciousness.

“Go to sleep, Stephanie. I’ll hang up now, okay? I love you.”

A muffled I-love-you-too ended the call before Tiffany lied herself back on the couch, and slept immediately.

-

“Thank you! You’re the best!”

Tiffany extended her arms and threw herself to hug Nichkhun, who was way taller and bigger than her. Nichkhun just nodded and hugged back less tightly, because he knew he’d choke the petite singer if he hugged as passionately as her.

Earlier in a sudden, Tiffany called Nichkhun asking him if she could book his whole restaurant for a few hours. Apparently, Tiffany didn’t think much when she asked Jamie for a late lunch. She couldn’t just bring Jamie anywhere. She was a singer, and had no record of having a daughter. Also, people couldn’t know about Jamie’s identity as Jessica’s daughter. So, what was she thinking, really?

But she couldn’t just bring the little girl down. So she tried to call Nichkhun at noon, asking for that. And she was very lucky that Nichkhun let her. Even he willingly came over to the restaurant to help her, because he was free that day.

Nichkhun owned a Korean restaurant, one of his side businesses, somewhere in Seoul. And instead of crowded, the restaurant was actually made for private dining. The security was pretty tight, pretty assuring that no press or stalker fans could follow the public figures inside. And he kindly let Tiffany to book the whole restaurant for her, even though just for a few hours.

After the producer let Tiffany go, after she begged him, the singer went straight to the restaurant. And a room was already prepared for the late lunch.

Nichkhun would be the best boyfriend ever, Tiffany concluded.

“What’s the occasion, anyway? It’s too sudden. And you don’t usually book places.” He asked after Tiffany had let go.

“I asked someone for a date without thinking, because I was sleepy. When I woke up I actually realized I hadn’t planned anything about it. So, yeah. My bad, actually.”

“A date? You mean with your girlfriend?”

“No, not with her.”

“Not with her?” He frowned, “What do you mean? A date with someone else who’s not your girlfriend?”

“Yeah.” She smugly smiled, “But they’re kind of related, you know.”

Nichkhun was still frowning.

“Don’t think too much about it. You’ll know.” She slapped his arm before checking her phone, “Oh, she’s on her way.”

Tiffany waited patiently with Nichkhun accompanying her. She knew Nichkhun was probably felt weird that she was pretty cheerful that day. Tiffany had been kind of dark since that day she was told she couldn’t break up with him. He, too, felt the same disappointment but he got over it quick. So now Tiffany felt like she was starting to get over it.

A few minutes later, a waitress said that Tiffany’s date already came. Tiffany stood up excitedly and as the door opened, a little girl ran to her. She was accompanied by Jessica’s female secretary and a butler.

“Auntie!”

“Hello!” She squatted down and hugged the girl.

As Tiffany stood up with the girl in her arms, she realized the younger had become heavier.

“Whoa, you’re heavy now. You must’ve been eating well.” She ruffled Jamie’s hair as the girl giggled. She then realized that Nichkhun was still there, looking at them with his baffled expression.

Because Tiffany was never good with kids.

“Hey Sweetie, this is my friend Khun. He’s the owner of this restaurant.” She introduced him to the girl.

“Hi, Uncle Khun! I’m Jamie!”

“Hi, Jamie. It’s nice meeting you.” He smiled to the girl before drifting his eyes back to Tiffany, “And I don’t recall you liking kids even having dates with them.”

Tiffany shrugged, “Well, Jamie’s a special one. So, let’s eat!”

They spent nearly two hours eating, and talking. Not just Tiffany and Jamie, but with Nichkhun, the female secretary, and the butler too. Nichkhun soon found out that Jamie was Jessica Jung’s daughter, but he didn’t seem so surprised. Instead he said he understood why Tiffany liked the kid.

Unlike her mother, Jamie was actually really talkative. She was more like Tiffany at that part. She told a lot of things about her school, her teachers, her friends, almost everything. She made Tiffany can actually imagine how Jessica would be like if she talked a lot. Even Krystal wasn’t this much of a talker.

Nichkhun turned out had to leave sooner than expected, and Jamie looked kind of upset at that fact. She easily grew close to anybody, Tiffany realized. That, too, was different from Jessica. And it was somehow fascinating, pinpointing the differences between these mother and daughter pair.

“So, my teacher wrote the question on the whiteboard and asked the students to answer it. And it was easy! I raised my hand, but she didn’t pick me! Instead, she picked my classmate who didn’t even want to answer it!”

As Tiffany held Jamie’s hand and they both walked to the restaurant’s exit door, the little girl still couldn’t stop blabbering. And Tiffany, for once, wasn’t the one who talked the most.

“And then, what happened?”

“Of course he didn’t want to, maybe because he couldn’t, but my teacher insisted! So he just stood there doing nothing but stare at the whiteboard.”

“Nobody helped him?”

“Nope.” She cutely shook her head, “But I actually wanted to! He really couldn’t answer it, so why did she have to pick him? I don’t understand. But I think that’s why my friends said that she’s the scariest teacher. She picked you when you don’t want to be picked!”

“Did the same thing ever happen to you, somehow?”

“Hmm… no? I think? Because I almost always raise my hand. I always want to answer her questions.” She looked up confidently with a grin.

Tiffany just laughed and ruffled her hair for that.

The sun was almost down when they exited the restaurant. The late lunch, or Jamie preferred to say, early dinner, was fun, and Tiffany wanted to do it again. She also had to thank Nichkhun, again, for making it happen.

“I guess this is the end?” Tiffany said, as they stood there, waiting for Jamie’s car.

The little girl pouted, “Can we do things together after this, Auntie? But with Mommy, Auntie Krystal, and Uncle Khun too?”

Tiffany was kind of surprised hearing the last one, “Uncle Khun also?”

“Yeah.” She grinned, “I like him. Mommy doesn’t really have male friends. All of them are scared of her so they can’t talk to me like Uncle Khun can. So, can we?”

Well, Nichkhun was absolutely scared of Jessica, but Tiffany let it pass.

“Sure, we can. We just need to find a right time since we’re all busy. Remember, Uncle Khun is a singer too. He’s as busy as I am.”

The grin faded into pout once again, “Why are all adults busy? Why don’t you all have a time to play?”

Tiffany smiled and was about to explain things to the girl, before suddenly Jamie gasped loudly and backed away seeing something behind Tiffany. The singer was alarmed and turned around quickly. There was a man with a gray sweater walking toward them. Tiffany hadn’t seen this man. She was unfamiliar with him.

Who was this man? Why was he there?

He clearly wasn’t a crazy stalker fan because he dressed so neatly, and looked quite decent.

It surprised Tiffany when Jessica’s butler hurriedly surged forward to the man. She couldn’t hear clearly but she was certain that the butler harshly told the man to leave.

“Please leave now, Sir. You’re not supposed to be here.”

“But I--”

“I’m asking you nicely to leave. Please excuse yourself.”

“I just want to--”

“Leave now, or things would get worse than this.”

Tiffany just watched when the man unwillingly walked away, with the butler and the female secretary’s angry eyes at him. What was that? Who was that man?

Then she realized that Jamie was hiding behind her back while holding her hand tightly. As the man was nowhere in sight, Tiffany squatted down and tried to calm her.

“Hey, Sweetie, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Jamie kept mum, her face got pale.

“How could he get here?!” Tiffany heard the female secretary asked furiously.

“I-I don’t know, Miss.” The butler answered nervously, “He… he probably followed the car or something…”

“Well then, keep an eye on him!”

“Wait, what happened?” Tiffany looked up to both of them, and they looked skeptical and worried, “What was that all about? Who is he?”

Both of them hesitated, and none answered her so Tiffany turned back to Jamie.

“Sweetie, are you okay? Do you… do you know him?”

Jamie bit her lip and held on Tiffany’s hand even tighter, and as her scared eyes met Tiffany, she answered with a nod in a soft whisper, “That’s Daddy…”

And Tiffany felt like she couldn’t be more surprised.

****

So... I guess more drama to come?

And umm I just made an ask.fm account lol... if you want to ask/talk/give me some suggestions or anything so i won't feel like a lonely potato anymore, feel free to do it here http://ask.fm/sikkamjak_jy

Until next time!