Cp. 24

She turned her body around and huffed. Taeyeon’s early stunt had succeed in making her sulk a bit. Well, it wasn’t like she expected the older girl to confess towards her or maybe even kiss her right there and then. Tiffany quickly shook her head. Her cheeks warmed slightly at the thought of it.

At least something more worth to be said out loud rather than a drool on her face.

Out of people she should’ve known it. Her best friend liked to pull a prank. A lot, especially on her.  

Her eyes caught a sight of small towel that dangled on the edge of a bowl as she turned to look at the table. Tiffany smiled at the memory and touched her own forehead.

“She kissed me,” The girl whispered giddily. “She kissed me.”

The latter chuckled and pushed herself up to sit properly. “I sounded silly.”

She was about to stand up but a piece of paper that laid near her pillow had caught her attention. Tiffany reached for it.

“To whom it may concerns. Well, you know it’s for you so just cut some slack okay.” She read and laughed. “I’m sorry for being such a know-it-all on you last night.” 

She stopped laughing.

“I know, I shouldn’t act like that. Maybe because I wasn’t putting myself on your shoes so I was being inconsiderate towards you. I just thought, sigh. Even for writing it, I couldn’t express myself better.”

Tiffany read again. “I’m sorry? Please forgive me if I somewhat offended you last night. It wasn’t my intention, you know I care about you a lot. I don’t want you to feel sad or something like that because this is your home as well.”

“Anyways, we happened to meet on Christmas right? The day when you insisted me for using that pink crayon.”

Her lips started to curl up. “So, for you being here is something that I appreciate much. Bringing back those joyful memories of our childhood times. Merry Christmas hohoho…”

Tiffany couldn’t suppress her smile that slowly appeared on her face again.

***
****

“Mom,”

A little girl called her mother in English. Diverting her attention off the line of racks before her— she was contemplating in buying ingredients for dinner. She glanced down after feeling a tug on her thighs, seeing a cute crown popped up below her made her smile instantly. The woman softly patted her daughter’s head, she then replied in the same language.

“What’s it sweetie?”    

“I thought I saw daddy,” The younger one chimed in as she looked up to see her mom.

The older woman raised her eyebrows, clearly confused. Her husband said that he would be late and had to pass their dinner because he had to finish his project as soon as possible. Works were overloaded, he reasoned out. So, to find out this information was something that made her wonder. She checked her wrist. Maybe he’s hungry and no one there, so, he has to buy the food by himself.

She bent down and caressed her daughter’s cheeks. “Where were him then?”

“There,” That kid jutted her lips out while pointing its direction. “But when I was about to approach him, he was already gone with someone else.”   

“Someone?”

Tiffany nodded.

“Male or female?”

“Female.”

“Is it Aunt Catherine?”

“I don’t know, because they were back-facing me. Only daddy who happened to turn a bit so I could see his face.” The latter answered, her eyes then caught a sight of something pink being carried when someone had passed them. She gasped loudly.

“Pepero!”

The woman halted her smile as she saw her daughter fidget in her place at the sight of the snack. “Mom, can I have itttttt? Pretty pleeeeeaaaasssseee~~”  

She put a stern look and pointed her finger at the person before her. “But promise me you will eat it later after dinner or I won’t buy it anymore. And get back here as soon as possible. Got it?”

Tiffany bobbed her head up and down vigorously. “I promise!” With that the girl scurried to get her sweet treat in another line of shelf. Leaving the woman with heavy thoughts alone. She straightened up and resumed to pick her stuffs, hoping it would distract her from this gnawing feelings. Her mind couldn’t seem to stop pondering about what had happened before, this store is quite far from his office if he were just taking a quick getaway for instant food. The woman placed another items inside their trolley, still thinking deeply. And a woman? Maybe, it's Catherine? 

She reached for her phone and quickly dialed his secretary. “Hello, good afternoon. Oh yes, this is Ms. Hwang speaking.” She pushed her cart a bit to the corner although not that far; making sure that she was still noticeable for her daughter to see.

“Are you with my husband now?”

“…”

She frowned a little. “Is my husband has appointment with someone today?”

“…”

“Are you really sure? You’ve checked his schedule, right?”

Another reply came that made her question his words. “So, the latest project is done actually? And there’s no need to-“ She stopped herself and thanked his secretary before bidding her good bye.

She heard her daughter was calling her, she turned to look, while putting her best smile, she then waved her hand. “Done?”

“Yeah,” Tiffany showed her the snack. “Is it too much?”

“As long as you can handle it, then there’s no problem.” The woman responded, hiding her smirk. “But don’t you ever try to run when it’s your time to visit Doctor Michael. If he suspected that you can’t take care of it well, he will definitely remove your tooth with fake one like what grandpa has.”

Another loud gasp came from Tiffany. “No way!”

“Yes it is.” She began to walk to pay for their errands. Tiffany was trailing behind her. “Is that cool? You can take it off whenever you feel like it.”

“No! It’s creepy! I saw grandpa once lost it and he couldn’t even eat a meatball!”

The woman laughed at the clearly sulking daughter. She set her stuffs on the counter, waiting for it to be paid.

“Mom, why we didn’t go to the usual shop?”

She watched her daughter fiddle with her candy wrapper, “It’s because the usual shop hasn’t restocked the meat that we usually buy.” She answered before calling their chauffeur.

“Oh,” The kid was nodding in understanding. “Need help?” 

“Yes, thank you.”

When her employee came, she handled her contents over him and quickly made her way inside the car with Tiffany. The woman exhaled loudly while closing her eyes as she leaned back, thinking about what Tiffany had told her before; meeting him. She could just hire private investigation if she wanted to. And to be honest, this wasn’t her first discovery of him, it had been a while and she decided to keep it to herself. Because at this moment, she chose to just trust him. She felt a hand on her thighs and opened her eyes while smiling.

“Tired?”     

A shake of her head was her answer. Don’t do this to her, oppa.

.

***

“Mom, where are we going?”

Tiffany scanned her surrounding and saw that their belongings were being pulled by her uncle. She noticed that they were inside the airport and tilted her head slightly.

“Korea.”

“OH!” Tiffany’s eyes lit up. “For Christmas!”

“Yeah,” Her uncle answered as they slowly paced down. They stopped and her uncle bent down after letting go of their stuffs. “Have fun while been there.”

“Are you coming with us?” The little girl asked. “And where’s daddy?”

The man glanced over his sister before diverting his eyes back at his niece. “Not no, but later. Oh, and daddy is busy, so he can’t accompany you.” He then hugged her. “Be a good girl and listen to your mother.”

Tiffany nodded with a smile, as she broke their hug. She was excited to visit the country somehow. Her mother took a step aside then patted his brother’s shoulder who by now had stood on his ground.

“Thanks, I owe you a lot.” She whispered.

“No. Problem. Have a safe flight.”

The woman just smiled. “Thanks and bye.”  She gestured Tiffany to do the same.

“Bye uncle! See you soon in Korea~”

He laughed and waved back.

Later on both Tiffany and her mother were in their way to go to the said country, for a start of their new and maybe a better journey.

****
***

“What with this sudden thick air?”

Tiffany lifted her eyes that glued over her food and saw Jiwoong waving his chopstick up in the air. He met the latter’s gaze and then averted his eyes to the quiet person beside him. Taeyeon.

“Oh. I will take my words. Just don’t tell me about your love quarrel, it’s too early for drama. AH!” He was basically throwing daggers towards her. “What was that stomp for, huh?!” Jiwoong whispered angrily. He felt annoyed for being the receiving end of her abuse.

Taeyeon was baring her teeth back at him, undeterred. “Shut up,”

“You shut up,” He growled back.

She barked again, didn’t want to lose. “You need to shut up.”

“You’re the one who need to shut u-.”

“Both of you just shut up.” The stern voice that came from the older man was successfully silencing their on-going childish war. They stopped bickering and chose to look away instead.

“Hyerin and Tiffany,”

Tiffany turned her head to look at Taeyeon’s mother. The older girl did the same.

“Sorry for the inconvenience.” She smiled. “Jiwoong and Taeyeon can be childish at times.” 

The two mentioned siblings couldn’t help but whine simultaneously.

“Umma…”

“But umma, Jiwoong started it first.”

“That’s clearly childish Taetae.” She responded back and Taeyeon sulked immediately after seeing Jiwoong’s way to celebrate his victory, sticking his tongue at her happily.

Tiffany held back her laugh.

***

“You’re still mad at me, don’t you?”

Tiffany looked back before tidying her belonging again. “No. I don’t.”

“Then what’s the need to go back?”

“I told you, this is important.”

“Okay. I will come with you then.”

The girl stopped packing. She spun her body around. “What?” 

“You heard me right. If you go back then I will go as well.” She saw Taeyeon lay on her bed nonchalantly. “As simple as that. So, stay?”

“But this is your home. You shouldn’t leave your family while you’re here.”

“So do you.”

“What?”

“I told you already, my family is your family as well. If you can go then why can’t I do the same?”

“You twisted my words.” Tiffany flatly responded.

“You don’t want to listen to my words.” Taeyeon commented back. She grinned while staring at the ceiling.  “Why do I need to listen to yours?”

She heard a sigh coming from Tiffany and fist-pumped secretly.

“You win.”

***

Both of them had finally headed back on their dorm after two days of staying in Taeyeon’s home. They were now at their favorite café, deciding to eat their breakfast on that place. They sat across each other with Taeyeon who was happily skimming her phone and this uncharacteristically quiet Tiffany.

Taeyeon was trying to muffle her laugh, but it was failed miserably. She burst out laughing while clutching her phone hard. Meanwhile Tiffany, who was observing Taeyeon since earlier couldn’t help but wonder. But then again, she saw Taeyeon’s quiet state and all Tiffany wanted to do at that time was snatching the device away. And saw whatever Taeyeon had seen through it to be able to act like that continuously.

The older girl’s sudden movements almost caused their table to stumble. She stood abruptly and was saying something like ‘I need to make a phone call’ hastily and in the next movement she had dashed away into the corner.

Tiffany just stared at her in confusion, she didn’t want to pry, but Taeyeon’s action seemed mysterious. She ate her food halfheartedly, while jabbing the food with her fork aimlessly. Her mind began to wander. She thought Taeyeon and her was finally heading into something more. Because she still couldn’t shake the tingling feelings she felt whenever she remembered that kiss. And of course, Taeyeon’s non-stop caring attitude that made her question herself. Is she like me for real or just being caring? Like she always does?

“Wow, that sandwich looks awful.”

The younger girl looked up and saw her best friend was already there, in front of her, smiling. “Tiffany? Why are you so quiet today?”

Tiffany didn’t immediately answer, she still scrutinizing Taeyeon’s face. She was searching for any evidences of happiness.  

“What’s with that stare?” Taeyeon said as she scratched her back of head awkwardly. “Is there something on my face?”

“Whom are you talking to?”

Tiffany couldn’t hold her curiosity anymore.

Taeyeon smiled at her, but didn’t answer. She even began to play attention on her phone again.

Tiffany, who was waiting for Taeyeon’s reply, was ready to throw her fork at Taeyeon’s head the moment she saw what the older girl was doing. She didn’t like to be ignored.

“Taeyeon.”

With eyes still glued over her phone, Taeyeon answered. “Yes?”

“Kim Taeyeon-ssi.”

Taeyeon lifted her head to face her, she wanted to hide her grin, but her lips was already curving again. “Why do you want to know, hmm.. Tiffany-ssi?” She couldn’t help but play along.

“I have rights to know.” Tiffany said with a flat tone. She was being annoyed at Taeyeon’s circle conversation. Moreover, with that smiling face, she wanted to know what the reason behind her smile was.

Taeyeon remarked in amuse. “Wow, confident much.”

Now, Tiffany was very annoyed. She pointed her fork at Taeyeon. “Cut the crap will ya?”

“Aw.. “ Taeyeon’s grin was getting bigger. “Tell me one reason, why did you really want to know. I will tell you whom I’m talking to after the reason being approved.”

Tiffany flinched, her grip around the fork tightened. “I-I just want to know, that is!” She saw Taeyeon raising her eyebrow, and she sighed in defeat the moment later. “I’m curious.”

Taeyeon checked her phone once more.

“I knew where you were that past two days without any news. You were going with Tiffany, aka your Siamese pair and you brought her home as well right? Because I’m sure there wasn’t anyone who welcomed me back after I had knocked your door endlessly.” 

She closed her conversation chat with Sooyoung and put her straight face on.

“Wow... if I didn’t know you any better, I would have thought that you’re jealous or something like that.”

Tiffany’s eyes instantly widened as she looked away, clearly trying to avoid Taeyeon’s stare. Crap.

Another familiar chapter? kkk sorry, I just re-uploaded it, for the new one, you may click the next button ^^