Tonight, tonight

Take me with you

We may be apart, we may be far

It doesn’t matter, no more

Baby, I’ll do anything

Dance with me

Swing with me

Let out this ghost tango just for tonight

Confidence level, up to the highest. Tiffany exhaled a breath and slowly closed her eyes. She didn’t know why but she kept listening to that song, her own song, ever since Lim Yoona said it’s her favourite. Ghost Tango wasn’t so special for her at first. But now it was different. Maybe because all she could see was Lim Yoona and her gorgeous self. As if the song was made for her. As if Tiffany was the ghost tango for Lim Yoona.

It was snowing. Tiffany was standing in front of the big window, somewhere in her company’s building. She had two earphones on each ears, and kept replaying the same song over and over. The first snow was days ago but Tiffany would still be amazed by the sight. And just like every other years, she spent the day the first snow fell, by herself. All alone. Oh, with the Ghost Tango, actually.

Well, out of so many people in the world, or at least in Korea, she wasn’t the only one who always felt lonely anyway. At least she wasn’t alone in that part.

“Sunbaenim?”

Her eyes shot open at the voice. She set her volume low so she could still hear voices around her. Taking off one of the earphones, she turned around and met a young girl. She was different from those faces she used to meet. Tiffany remembered this girl. She was also from the same company.

“Tiffany Sunbaenim, am I right?” The girl’s eyes lit up.

Tiffany smiled, “Yes, you’re right. Anything I can help?”

“O-oh my God! Sunbaenim, I’m a fan! C-can I… I mean, can you sign my album? I-I bought it in my bag…”

Seeing the girl made her smile even wider. She brought Tiffany’s album with her. Luckily Tiffany had a marker in her purse. She had just done a fan-sign event from a product she endorsed. They let her take a marker home. Tiffany nodded and signed the album. The girl squealed in joy.

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Yoojung, Sunbaenim. Han Yoojung.”

“Han Yoojung.” Tiffany wrote it, “Good luck with your debut, alright? Work hard, let’s meet on the stage.”

Tiffany handed back the album to Yoojung’s shaky hands with her best smile. The girl bowed so many times before she quickly ran away with her cheeks red. Tiffany chuckled. She always liked her juniors. They reminded her of her past days before her debut. Those bitter yet sweet days she would always remember.

Facing the window again, Tiffany plunged back her earphone. Her schedule had been friendly nowadays. She didn’t have to rush here and there. Her album promotion was ending. She had more free times now.

Tiffany looked down to the people outside through the window. She was in fourth or fifth floor, she didn’t remember. She still had some recordings to do for the night. Shoving her hand into her coat pocket, she then threw her head back and closed her eyes again.

To you just you

I would, I feel

In this silence we make our music

Only us, you and I

Baby, I’ll do anything

Dance with me

Swing with me

Let out this ghost tango just for tonight

-

“I think I’m going to go.”

Sunny lifted her head to Tiffany who was sitting across her inside the recording studio. She had finished the recording earlier than scheduled. Sunny had expected Tiffany to go home right away but unfortunately, that time was when her insomnia strikes. She would rather spend her sleepless night in the studio than her apartment.

“Go? Where?” Sunny asked.

“Lim Yoona’s party this weekend.”

“Oh, right. I even forgot about that.” Sunny put her phone down, “So you’re really going?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Why did you suddenly change your mind? I mean, weren’t you always like no to Lim Yoona? Did she seduce you?”

Tiffany chuckled, “No, she didn’t. She said there’s something she wanted to say to me. I don’t know. But I assume it’s important. So…”

“Alright. Have fun, then.”

The singer only nodded and leaned her back onto the chair’s backrest. Her eyes were on the papers she was holding. Her new songs. Some were self-composed, self-written, some weren’t. Her finger tapped the table lightly. The tiredness was already there. She wanted to just drop herself onto her bed but she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep either. It was better staying in the studio.

“Kyu?”

Sunny hummed, her focus was on her phone.

“Do you think the fans already know?” She asked, “About me and Lim Yoona.”

Her manager paused for a second. She frowned, thinking.

“I… don’t know.” Sunny said, “They do know you’re kind of close with Lim Yoona but, I have no idea whether they know more or not. Hopefully they don’t, Fany.”

Tiffany nodded, “Yeah. Hopefully they don’t.”

“Why? You’re worried?”

“Kind of.” Tiffany shrugged, putting the papers back onto the table, “I mean, things are getting suspicious these days. Starting from when they spread where my usual gym is, and then my phone number got leaked too on the internet, heck they even sold it for their own profit! And now I can’t even open my email. I’m lucky it’s not the private one. Or else I’m screwed, like totally, screwed.”

“Fany, those people aren’t your fans. Well, they are but they aren’t. All they do is annoy you all the time. There are still a lot of sane fans out there. Don’t worry too much. And you’re not the only public figure who gets treated like that by those ‘fans’. We just need to be extra careful next time.”

Again, Tiffany nodded. There was nothing she could do but being careful.

With a sigh, Tiffany stood up and walked to the nearest, mini piano, and mumbled, “I guess the only time I would say I love this job is when I’m on stage.”

-

The elevator dinged. Tiffany snapped back from her train of thoughts. She fixed her appearance a little before it opened, and a man greeted her with a smile.

The party looked… more settled than she thought. She already prepared herself if she had to see people tossing back and forth, bumping into each other, all drunk and smelly. But turned out it wasn’t like that. The people there were sitting on tables, just like usual dinner. Tiffany wouldn’t call it a party, then. It was more like… a private dine presented by Lim Yoona. Not that she minded, though.

“Miss Tiffany Hwang?” The man, who was apparently a security bowed at her and Tiffany slightly did the same, “Miss Lim has been waiting for you. This way please.”

Tiffany followed the man. She saw many familiar faces. All she did was bowing awkwardly at each person because none of them was singer. She felt like a total stranger there. But it wasn’t long until she saw the star of the night, Lim Yoona.

The actress was sitting in the bar stall, talking with a man, Tiffany didn’t know who because he had his back facing her. They were happily chatting until Lim Yoona caught Tiffany by her eyes and her attention instantly fell onto the singer. She stood up with a smile and Tiffany could feel her knees buckle.

“Miss Hwang has arrived, Miss.” The security said.

Yoona nodded, “Thank you. You may leave.”

As he left, Tiffany was about to bow or say hi but was silenced when Lim Yoona hugged her. She was so tall. Tiffany was so petite compared to her. And she was wearing high heels too, meanwhile Tiffany only had flat shoes on. Such a humiliation. And when Lim Yoona’s scent entered Tiffany’s nostrils, she could feel her head spinning. That wasn’t good. But Tiffany wouldn’t deny that she liked it.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Yoona said, more like whispered after she had let go of the younger woman, “I’ve missed you.”

“Yeah…” That was all Tiffany could mutter.

“So is she the special guest?”

They heard a voice from behind and it came from the man Lim Yoona was talking to. Tiffany held her gasp. It was the top actor, Lee Seunggi. Okay, bless her. She was in the same place as Lim Yoona and Lee Seunggi. She would definitely tell this to Sunny later.

“Yeah. You know her, right?” Yoona wrapped her arm around Tiffany’s shoulders.

Seunggi nodded, “Of course I do. It’s nice to meet you, Tiffany-sshi.”

Tiffany awkwardly bowed, “It’s nice to meet you too, Lee Seunggi-sshi.”

“Tiffany’s here already. So, let’s get started.”

The singer was left amazed more as all of the guests were settled in a huge table to start the party, or more like the dining. Lim Yoona surely had so many connections. From producers, directors, until Lee Seunggi. They were both the top in acting but as Tiffany remembered, they never did a project together. Public kept demanding for that but it never happened. Maybe, this party was a sign that they would do something as two?

That would surprise the public. In a good way, of course.

Unfortunately, Tiffany couldn’t find herself fit in the conversation between those people. Well, she was a singer. Her job, her way, her world was different. They talked about scripts, cameras, takes, and whatsoever that Tiffany didn’t understand. She would just smile and sometimes laugh with the others when some of them said something funny.

At least the actress was sitting right beside her. She kept nudging their legs to one another, making Tiffany confused yet flustered at the same time. Sometimes she would glance at Tiffany and shot her a seductive smirk until Tiffany found it hard to hold her squirm. This actress was really something.

The food and wine were so fine, though. Tiffany had her stomach full before she came here but she shamelessly ate all the servings. It was too tempting. Tiffany might have to revise her exercise schedule if she kept going on like this. The party continued for Tiffany didn’t really know how long, until some of the guests turned tipsy.

Tiffany was good in handling her drink. And she didn’t drink much that night. Those tipsy guests started rambling things that the others found funny. Tiffany always found drunk people amusing. She enjoyed seeing their behaviour.

But her laughter stopped when she felt something, or a hand, crept on her forearm, before clasping her fingers to the owner’s. Who else but the actress? Tiffany jerked her head and Lim Yoona chuckled seeing how dumbfounded her expression was.

She slowly leaned in to whisper right into Tiffany’s ear, “Come with me after this. I haven’t told you what I want to tell you.”

No, no, Tiffany started screaming inside. She was about to say no but seeing how close the actress was to her, all she could say was,

“I-I…”

Yoona chuckled, and it completely silenced Tiffany, “We’ll take my car. My men will take care of yours. We don’t want to get caught, do we?”

It was all a blur to her when Lim Yoona pulled her closer to plant a kiss on her cheek, so very close to her lips. It was so dramatically slow, sweet, and it shivered the singer. Tiffany felt her heart skip a beat. And before she could react more, Lim Yoona pulled herself away and started talking with the others again as if there was nothing happened.

Tiffany sighed and took a greedy shot of the wine. She hoped her insomnia wouldn’t strike tonight so she could just doze off quick.

-

“Make yourself comfortable.”

Tiffany nodded her head as she stepped inside. She was in Lim Yoona’s apartment. It wasn’t too big, because as what she knew, the actress also had a villa somewhere in Seoul. But it was undoubtedly luxurious. And also spacious. Tiffany felt quite comfortable there. The maids left right after they arrived. So it was only the two of them inside.

“You have a piano.” Tiffany said, or mumbled.

“Hmm?”

“A piano.” She pointed at the white, grand piano in the corner of the living room, “You play?”

Yoona shook her head with a smile, “I don’t. I just felt like buying it.”

Felt like buying it. Tiffany chuckled. A rich actress is rich.

They soon sat down on the couch. The actress had prepared a bottle of wine, as if their drinking earlier wasn’t enough. Tiffany only stared in silence when Lim Yoona bent down to pour the wine into the glass. She could never get enough of this beauty. She wondered why she even hesitated in obeying every order Lim Yoona had for her.

“So…” Tiffany started after the two of them had taken sips of the wine, “what is it that you want to tell me, Unnie?”

“Ah,” Yoona nodded, putting the glass back on the table before she leaned back, “I have a new movie project next year. I’m still considering it actually, but they said if I accept it, they will give me a privilege.”

Tiffany hummed.

“Which is, I can choose the main OST myself.” She continued, “So, you know where this goes. Tiffany, I want you to sing the OST.”

Frowning, Tiffany turned her gaze to Yoona, “Me?”

“Yes, you. I’m not being biased, well say that I am, but it makes sense, right? You’re the singer, Tiffany. Everyone loves your voice. And they’ll love the movie too.”

The woman had slightly opened, “Uh… well, I’d love to, but what kind of movie is that? What is the genre?”

“It’s a sad movie, tear-jerking. If you want, your song will be a ballad for sure.”

Tiffany kept silent. She didn’t expect it. To be honest, the offer sounded good.

“It’s a huge project.” Yoona added, “Lee Seunggi will be the lead actor.”

“Oh?” Tiffany got surprised again. So her guess was true.

“Yeah, like finally.” The actress sighed, “The people in the party earlier are the upcoming crews for this movie, just so you know.”

Again, Tiffany got surprised, “Wait, what?!”

“Yup, so basically you just attended as a part of the movie, even though you haven’t considered it. Like I said, because this is a huge project, my agency keeps demanding me to just take it. They even held a party under my name for all of those people plus Lee Seunggi to, I don’t know, build chemistry? And yes honey, before you ask, that party was actually the agency’s idea.”

“Ah…” Tiffany only nodded her head. No wonder it didn’t look like a party.

“But I invited you myself. You… weren’t on the guest list before I asked.”

“Because of the OST?”

“Partly. But mostly because I wanted to.”

That was it. Tiffany turned her head slowly to her left, to Lim Yoona, and soon jerked her gaze away because she couldn’t stand it. This actress could kill by just looking. And the stupid Tiffany would always fall on the same trap over and over, letting herself being pushed and pulled as the actress liked. But was she even regretting it, though?

“Take your time, Tiffany.” Yoona said again, putting her hand on the singer’s shoulder, “It’s not like you have to decide now. The movie is still next year, and I’m also still considering it, remember? Don’t rush.”

Tiffany nodded, so stiff it looked so awkward, “Sure, I will.”

Yoona nodded and started working her hand, massaging the shoulder, “Hmm… you’re kind of… tense.”

Oh, no. Not this again, Tiffany begged.

“Are you tired? Relax a bit, will you? Haven’t got enough rest lately?”

Without hesitating, Yoona scooted closer and brought both hands to each shoulder, massaging it gently. Tiffany was indeed tense, of course who wouldn’t be, but what Yoona was doing made it even worse than before. Tiffany wanted to get away, to stay away, she had so many reasons for doing it, but Lim Yoona was stubborn. She made Tiffany unconsciously tilted her head instead.

Nice, nice move.

“Are singers usually that busy?” Yoona asked, whispered right into Tiffany’s ear, “Do they, I mean, do you all lack of sleep?”

“I… I have insomnia.” Tiffany blurted, didn’t know why she suddenly revealed it.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I often can’t sleep at night. That’s why…”

“Well, then…”

Then Yoona stopped massaging Tiffany’s shoulder and let her arms hanging around Tiffany’s neck, her chin on Tiffany’s shoulder, her hot breath hitting Tiffany’s skin, which started burning red. It didn’t go unnoticed by the actress. She moved even closer, until her lips touched Tiffany’s cheek, just slightly, and whispered,

“It’s not like we’re going to sleep tonight, anyway…”

Swiftly, she moved one hand down and flicked off one button of Tiffany’s shirt. With that she let her hand trace further, smoothly touching Tiffany’s collarbone, and then going up to reach the back of Tiffany’s neck and pushed the singer’s face to hers. Their lips touched. Damn, it did, but none of them moved.

This was when Tiffany lost any hesitation she had. This was when she let Lim Yoona had her way to her. This was when she gave up. She closed her eyes and surrendered in Lim Yoona’s kiss, their lips meld together, and once again Tiffany had to admit that Lim Yoona’s thin lips was definitely, an indescribable addiction.

She let herself lie on her back when Yoona pushed her down, their lips still into one another. She kissed back with much force, much desperation, much wanting, and much hoping. Her arms found their way around Yoona’s thin waist. So, very thin but Tiffany knew it wasn’t because she lacked eating, it was one of her miracles, her inability to gain weight no matter how much she eats. They pulled back for a mere second to catch their breath, before resuming their heated kiss.

Tiffany let out a sigh as she let Yoona’s hand ed her shirt. She wore too many layers that time, but it would take no time for the actress to undress her. When things started getting too slow for the singer, she pushed herself up, along with Yoona, into a sitting position, with the actress on her lap. She kissed the older woman roughly, impatient, demanding. Just for tonight, just for another night.

Probably-- no, she knew for sure what Lim Yoona felt at the moment couldn’t be the same as hers. She liked Tiffany, she really did, but then what? What did it change in them? The thoughts made Tiffany hesitate, but Yoona was there to distract her. To indirectly tell her it’s okay, you can have me tonight. To make her drown into the silly, unstoppable feelings she had for this goddess, again.

The night was old but the end was still far. They weren’t going to stop in anytime soon.

When Tiffany ignored herself not to leave a mark, because she obviously did on the actress’ neck, Yoona threw her head back with a pleased sigh. Tiffany closed her eyes. Lim Yoona, this addiction, this pleasure, this… love?

Whatever. Tiffany didn’t have time to think. She already got her new lesson that night, that sometimes, having insomnia wasn’t that bad.

-

“What is your relationship with Lee Seunggi?”

A soft hum was all she could hear for a second. She blinked, her eyes still found the ceiling entertaining. All the curtains in that room, Lim Yoona’s bedroom, were shut closed so it was dark, and she didn’t know whether the sun had shone or not. She barely got any sleep. Her insomnia was such a jerk. And Lim Yoona wasn’t any better either.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t expected this before. Well, this, it felt weird referring it like that. She knew this was going to happen, and it did. It’s just sometimes Tiffany had that guilt, that regret, even though just a teeny weeny bit, she still had, and felt. What would people think of her, of them, if they knew about this? Where would she bring herself if she kept doing this? Was this the fun she wanted?

But, again, as she felt the woman beside her snuggled closer, securing her in those tiny but strong arms so she couldn’t go anywhere, Tiffany lost her thoughts. She turned her head from the ceiling, and soon pressed her nose on Lim Yoona’s hair, sniffing her addicting scent.

“Why?” Lim Yoona asked, her voice sounded tired yet y at the same time, “Are you jealous?”

Tiffany closed her eyes and mumbled, more like whined, “No…”

“No?”

“Yes, no. I mean, no. I’m just… curious.”

Another hum, “Alright… he’s just a… friend. Nothing special. Yeah, he’s handsome and all but we’re just friends.”

The singer only nodded, didn’t know what to say after that. She was indeed curious, but jealous? She wasn’t sure. She had so many reasons to be jealous after all, Lee Seunggi was just one of those.

In the middle of the silence, Tiffany’s phone rang. She shot her eyes open and grasped it from the night stand. It wasn’t a phone call. But an alarm.

“!” She sat straight instantly, causing Yoona to groan, “It’s nine AM!”

“Oh, is it?” The actress rubbed her eyes and rolled to her back.

“I got to go, Unnie.”

Hurriedly, she stood up, didn’t care how bare she was because basically both of them had seen each other’s everything. Yoona only nodded and tightened the blanket around her body before she sat straight, watching how fast Tiffany dressed. The singer was in a hurry. She seemed very busy.

“Another schedule, huh?” Yoona asked.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“It’s cold outside, be careful, alright? Your car is with my men, you can ask them. Or should I walk you?”

“No, you don’t have to. You’re tired, you should sleep more.”

After she was fully dressed, Tiffany walked into the mirror to fix herself. What a mess she was. Sometimes she wondered how people could find this attractive. She heard a chuckle from behind, and it came from the actress.

“Come here, I’ll help you with that.”

Hesitantly, because she actually didn’t want to go to back to bed, afraid of the temptation to just forget anything today and stay here with this goddess, she dumbly nodded and crawled onto the bed once more, to the actress. She helped her with her hair, at least to make it look better in case someone recognized her later.

“Done. Not good but better, honey.”

“Thank you, Unnie.”

Yoona smiled before she pulled Tiffany for a kiss, a simple lip-lock because she understood Tiffany couldn’t stay longer. They bid goodbyes to each other and Tiffany, still in a hurry, walked out of the apartment. Lim Yoona’s men were outside and gave Tiffany her car keys, it was parked in somewhere out of people’s sight, they said. But Tiffany wanted to get to her car herself, because simply she didn’t want to get caught.

All covered up, Tiffany found her car in an alley. Great, such a hidden place to park, indeed. She made sure nobody was there, before she walked, or more like, ran a little and soon reached her car. She unlocked it and was about to open the door, before she heard a voice.

Gasping, Tiffany looked around her. No one. There was no one. But there was a voice. A crying voice. Yes, she heard it clearly. It was a crying voice. A girl’s crying voice, to be exact. Slowly, Tiffany tried to find where the voice came from. She shivered a little. Was that a ghost? No way. It was 9AM. Tiffany was less scared in the morning than night.

It didn’t take long until she found what she was looking for.

And she had to gasp again seeing a little girl curled up in the corner, hugging her knees, crying silently in cold. She quickly ran to the girl and kneeled in front of her,

“H-hey, what are you doing here?” She asked.

The girl slowly lifted her head, only stared at Tiffany with no words, only sobs.

“It’s cold! Where’s your--”

Before Tiffany could finish, they both heard another voice. Tiffany could already tell what voice it was. Journalist’s cars, or those insane fans’ taxis, none of them sounded good. In panic, she wrapped her arms around the girl and gestured her to cling onto the older. Nobody should spot her like this. Not in an empty alley, close to Lim Yoona’s apartment, and with an unknown little girl.

“Let’s get you out of here, alright? Trust me. I’m not going to kidnap you.” She whispered and could feel the girl nodded on her chest.

Carrying the girl, Tiffany quickly ran back to her car and opened the door to the passenger seat for the girl, before she got in herself in the driver seat and quickly drove away from there. She the heater and covered the girl with any warm layers she could find in the car. The little girl was freezing. It was most likely she was lost.

Tiffany peeked to the back through the mirror, and there wasn’t any suspicious vehicles following her. She sighed in relieve. What was that again? She relaxed herself and took some heavy breaths. That was close. She was sure there were some stalkers behind. Whoever it was, surely it wasn’t going to be good.

And the girl. The little girl beside her. She jerked her head and found that the girl was fast-asleep. Oh, great. Tiffany was about to ask where her house was but now she was sleeping. Sighing once more, she took her phone and dialled Sunny.

“Hi, Kyu. It’s me. Can you come to my place? I… uh,” She peeked at the girl, “I need some help.”

Tiffany bit her lip. It was a long, long day ahead.

****

The high-school girl in the previous chap was a sasaeng guys, not Jessica. She'll appear soon, be patieeent.