Cp. 22

“The view is beautiful.”

Taeyeon followed along to take a look of the scenery. It was indeed beautiful, in a way, giving such a soothing feeling. The night view was surely breathtaking once the ride went to a more secluded place when there wasn’t any longer building and its blinding lamps that covered the truly beauty before them. The dark blue sky enlightened by thousand stars that was sowing around it, illumined their surroundings in a much classy way.

“Yeah, indeed. It’s very beautiful.”

Both of them were in their way to go to Taeyeon’s hometown. Using the public transportation only, didn’t seem like a bad idea at all. The sceneries that they had discovered along their journey were worth it.

Tiffany turned her head and smiled while looking at Taeyeon’s awestruck expression. Cute. She unconsciously thought.

Later on, her best friend had already spun her head to her own direction. Making Tiffany startle for countering that exquisite orbs of hers. “Why are you looking at me like that, huh?” Taeyeon grinned, squinting her eyes as well to inspect her. “Have you just happened to realize that your best friend is beautiful?”

The younger girl shook her head and chose to look away instead. “Because you’re weird.” Tiffany indicted, sinking deeper in her seat. Refusing to meet Taeyeon’s playful smile.

“Weird?”

“Yes.” She curtly responded.

“Why?”

“Just weird.”

Taeyeon squinted her eyes friskily. Finding this banter quite funny and amusing to say the least. “So, your best friend is a weirdo?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you’re a weirdo yourself then.”

Tiffany threw a baffled look. “Excuse me?”

“Because you befriended a weirdo. So, in a way, I see no difference.”

She could only shake her head in disbelief at Taeyeon’s remark. “No. It’s just you and only you. End of discussion.”

“You are funny.” Taeyeon suddenly said with a small smile. She leaned back and clasped her hands on stomach, sighing deeply.

Tiffany buried her face over her palms to reduce the increasing heat immediately. She was blushing out of nowhere. She mentally scolding herself for suddenly gushing like a high school girl. You’re no longer a teenager for God’s sake, Tiffany!!!

“Are you sleepy?” Taeyeon questioned while angling her head to look at occupant beside her better. “If so, then you can rest your head over my shoulder, I will wake you up later when we arrive,” Using her thumb, she pointed the object. “Rather than using that window.”

The other girl peeked over her palms, trying hard to hide her wide smile. She then looked up after making sure that any evident of her smiling face was no longer there. Tiffany, as a substitute then put a dubious look.

“You’re much shorter than me, my neck will hurt immediately if I even decided to lean on you.”

“If so,” Taeyeon scooted out a bit before turning her body around. Facing Tiffany who examined her with a skeptical look. She then pulled Tiffany forward and pushed her down; resulting the younger girl to lay her head on her laps instead.

“YAH!!” Tiffany screamed. She was utterly shocked with this sudden turn of event. She was merely teasing her though. “WHAT-“

The older girl used her right palm to cover just in time to save another passengers from the chance of losing their hearing ability albeit temporary. Her head was diving down as she glared at Tiffany.

“Do you want to disturb people here, huh?” Taeyeon whispered, dangerously close to make Tiffany fainted.

She saw the girl blink before tossing her head side to side.

“That’s better.” Taeyeon grinned, retraining her back slowly. “And thank god, we spot these seats first. Or else, I could already imagine that ahjussi driver will definitely lost his concentration just after hearing your scream before which.. Ouch!”

Taeyeon quickly retracted her hand and gazed down, only to spot her smirking.

“D-did you just bite me?!”

“You nearly got me killed, it’s my way to save my life.” Tiffany chimed with nonchalant tone, much to Taeyeon’s surprise.

She pinched the bridge of her own nose with her uninjured hand. “How is that even possible?!”

“I can’t breathe! Your careless acts before had closed two most important organs in respiring circulation of mine!” Tiffany exclaimed. “And your face from below here look so,”

“So?”

“Arrogant!” Arrogantly beautiful, the younger girl thought inside. 

Taeyeon could only rub her throbbing palm and snorted after acknowledging her victorious smile. “Just sleep, you kiddo.”

Tiffany was trying to close her eyes, but the possibility of Taeyeon watching her sleep made her nervous. She ended faking a complaint over her situation. “This is awkward you know,” She then motioned her position, “With my legs and my body and all,”

“You’re really bossy.” Taeyeon sighed before pulling the latter up again, so Tiffany was in a sitting position right away. She decided to just place Tiffany’s head on her shoulder.

“You can slouch a bit.” The latter glanced. “So, it would be more comfortable.”

Tiffany did what she told, all while suppressing her smile that was threatening to burst out the moment she watched Taeyeon drape her jacket over her body from the corner of her eyes.

“Sleep, now.”

She quickly closed her eyes while drowning herself in a comforting scent of her best friend.

***

“Unnie, you’re too good to be true for my undeserved brother.”

And when she finished blurting out her blunt words, a hard punch landed on her shoulder as the response. Taeyeon stared at the culprit in annoyance. “Yah! What was that for?!”

“Serve you right!” He stuck his tongue out while putting one hand over his girlfriend’s waist. “Hyerin is happy with me.”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes at the sight of his childish antic. “Way to act, oppa. Way to act.”

“Just go to your wife!” Jiwoong shooed her with a wave of his hand. “Don’t bother us.”

“Well then, bye unnie!” The younger girl purposely bumped her shoulder over her brother who almost lost his balance. “Hey! I’m holding a glass here!”

Taeyeon just shrugged before dashing away in search of someone.  

“What wife?” Hyerin soon asked as both of them turned around and walked hand in hand to the balcony. The man chuckled after sliding the glass door close behind him.

“It’s just their silly calls towards each other. You know Tiffany right? The girl that has always stood beside my sister ever since they came here?” 

The woman nodded.

“That girl is her wife.” He laughed again, leaning on the railing as he paused to take a sip. “Tiffany is like a sister to me, just like Taeyeon. Both of them had acknowledged their oddness and decided to become best friends ever since Tiffany moved to this neighborhood from America. And until now, they are inseparable.”  

“Oh, so Tiffany had lived near here before?” She asked in interest, witnessing as Taeyeon approached the other girl who sat silently in the corner of the room. Hyerin inwardly smiled.

“Yeah,” He responded, witnessing them as well through the invisible door.

“They truly are inseparable.”

***
****

“You keep on patting your like that, is it that hurt?”

“No, it’s just I want to get rid of those dirt.” Taeyeon gestured her pants while sighing. Oh, anyways,” She looked up again. “You shouldn’t give that candy to me you know.”

Tiffany waved it off. “It’s okay, you were helping me before so, it’s even.”

Taeyeon nodded as they walked in a slow pace on their way to home. But, umma says, we don’t need a payback for helping people. She glanced again at the girl beside her. “But umma doesn’t want me or my brother or my sister to take something for granted.” Taeyeon reached for her pocket and shoved the candy back onto Tiffany. “The wrapper still intact. So, rest assure.” She grinned.

Tiffany stopped walking and turned to look at her. “Okay, if you refuse to receive that candy. You should play with me, later at home.”

Taeyeon raised her eyebrows. “Play?”

She saw the girl was nodding her head, confirming her. “Yes, play.”

“Playing what?”

“Father and mother!”

“What?”

“Yes, you would be the father and I will be the mother.” Tiffany clapped her hands happily.

Taeyeon could only stare at her in disbelief. “Why are you decided to play that kind of game? Why don’t we just sit in a peace and start drawing? Save us from any hassle for thinking like adults.”

“If you don’t want to play father and mother.” Tiffany pondered before snapping her fingers. “Then we can play husband and wife!”

“That’s practically the same game!”

“Oh right, it would be wife and wife because no one between us is a boy. Although you were as strong as a boy.” Tiffany rubbed her chin while nodding her head occasionally “But well it doesn’t matter!”

“It isn’t my point!!” Taeyeon yelled desperately.  

“Okay, it’s all settled!” She was obviously ignoring Taeyeon’s answer.

“Okay! Okay! I will take the candy!” The other girl chimed while grunting.

Tiffany grabbed her hand and began to drag her forward. “It’s up to you, whether to eat it or not. The result is the same, because you’re obligated for playing with me first thing when we reach home later.” She demanded with a blinding eye smile.
   

****
***

“Wife, huh?”

Taeyeon giggled as the memories of them resurfaced again. “You’re so persistent, you know that.” She talked to herself while scanning her surrounding around. She spotted Tiffany who sat silently while closing her eyes in the corner. Taeyeon immediately rushed to her, she felt something quite not right when Tiffany became all silent.

“Tiffany are you okay?”

“Tiffany,” She reached out her hand and touched her arm. She gasped. “You’re warm!”

“I’m okay.” Tiffany stated lowly. But Taeyeon didn’t buy it.

Within a second, her right hand had encircled Tiffany’s waist and was draping Tiffany’s hand over her own shoulder. Her parents saw it and approached them. “What happened?” They asked in worry.

“She is probably tired, I guess.” Taeyeon responded while trying to steady their adjoin weights.   

“Let me help you,” Jiwoong popped out of nowhere and hurriedly took another side to help her carrying Tiffany.

They laid the girl on her bed and left soon after; leaving Taeyeon watch Tiffany in silence for how long it was, only God knew it. She pulled the blanket up until it reached Tiffany’s chin. She stared again and patted the girl’s head softly before deciding to leave as well. Taeyeon stood up and walked towards the door, she then switched the lamp off.

She took a glance at Tiffany’s direction, but because the lamp was turned off, she couldn’t quite see her. Thinking that the other girl didn’t afraid of darkness, she shrugged it off and decided to give her more well-deserved rest. 

Taeyeon was about to grab the knob but stopped midway after hearing a toss sound.  

“Why don’t I turn the bed lamp on?”

Taeyeon grunted as she squinted her eyes at darkness before her. Trying hard to find the figure she was looking for despite of the lack of light inside the room, but because this was room, she was able to make her way. She didn’t want to startle Tiffany who probably had a nightmare or something like that with the brightness of her room’s lamps.

She heard a muffled gasp and scurried to the source of the sound. Thinking that something was wrong, she immediately engulfed the person into a hug. Hoping the warm that radiated from her body could ease her; to make her feel better. Just like her umma usually did to her.
 

“Tae..”

Taeyeon’s forehead creased after hearing her name being called. No, it wasn’t because she didn’t like the way Tiffany was calling her. Her voice and tone that got her attention. It was huskier than her usual normal sound, which actually meant Tiffany at that time was either sick, or crying. And the fact that her tone sounded like a plea made Taeyeon try her best to comfort her.

“It’s okay, I’m here okay?” She whispered while running her hand over her back.

“Everything is gonna be alright.”