a/n: I wrote this as a one shot a year ago, and it's only recently that I decided to continue it. It won't be long though, will only run for a couple of short chapters. Either way, I hope you enjoy the story.

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Everything had all been a bet.

She knew it, right from the start, but only because she had accidentally eavesdropped on the whole planning while she was peacefully doing her business in the toilet. Because really, why would you plan someone else’s demise in the ladies room without checking the stalls first? In the same school where said person was studying too?

A bunch of idiots, she thought.

But you see, Taeyeon really liked Tiffany since the dawn of time, so she went with it. Who knows? Maybe she could get something from it at the end.

Tiffany Hwang was the typical popular high school girl—smart, beautiful, rich, really beautiful—practically everything she’s not.

Because our Kim Taeyeon only came from humble beginnings, was never a social butterfly, and a little average on the height department. She was pretty though; too charming for a girl, but that fact alone couldn’t save her from the bullies’ list.

So when that day came, the day where the bet would start, she had put on her best shocked face when Tiffany Hwang suddenly approached her in the middle of her lunch, asking if she could join her.

Taeyeon resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Tiffany’s idiot friends who were more than obviously snickering at their table, and just concentrated on the girl who had joined her, offering half of the sandwich her mom had made her this morning.

And so they ate, peacefully, ignoring the rest of the student body, ignoring the butterflies in her tummy whenever she would get a smile from her.

Needless to say, those times with Tiffany had been her best, because even though Taeyeon knew that the other girl had a heart of gold unlike most of the popular people in her school, seeing it herself had been a much more divine experience.

But that night, before the day said bet were to come to its culmination, Tiffany had come to her house unannounced, wearing the guiltiest and the most remorseful expression she had ever seen on the girl’s face. And as soon as she had let her in, she was tackled in a hug and her ears had been filled with hushed yet sincere apologies. They had come clean about the whole thing, both of them, of how the other girl agreed on the stupid bet and of how Taeyeon knew about everything.

Tiffany slept over that evening, and they spent the whole time on the roof of her house stargazing, holding each other’s hands, fingers interlaced. Underneath the night sky, Taeyeon had confessed her feelings and there in the cold of the night, they had shared their first kiss, a kiss devoid of bets or lies or forced admiration. It was real, and it was Taeyeon’s first ever.

But, reality was a cruel .

The day came and just as planned, Taeyeon was dumped at lunchtime, in front of everyone and their lunches. She had run away from the scene, let a few tears slip from her eyes for full effect, and since then, Kim Taeyeon had been known as the stupid girl who fell in love in a bet.

Time flew and high school was done, and even then no one knew of how the popular girl really fell in love with a nobody, but Taeyeon wouldn’t have it any other way, because Tiffany’s subtle smiles and soft gazes from afar had all been enough for her to survive until graduation.

Tiffany Hwang moved back to the States after that, but the night before she left, Taeyeon had stayed over, and there at the foot of her pink bed, they had shared their last kiss.

But this story isn’t about how too short Taeyeon and Tiffany’s love story was, or the bet that forced them to separate.

It’s about a different bet entirely; the one that brought them back together.

Cue coming of age music.

Years later…

Friday night.

The bar was filled up to the brim with more people lining up outside, but Kim Taeyeon couldn’t be bothered.

Because she and her small team of awesome colleagues slash super friends had just successfully finished a multi-million dollar project and earned themselves a hefty bonus and a few days off.

So what better way to end the wonderful work week than to drown in booze, loud music and more than good company?

Right. There’s nothing better than that.

“Here’s to a wonderful week of sleeping in until the sun is about to set! Cheers!”

Glasses clinked and shots were downed almost instantly, and the alcohol just kept on flowing until everyone was laughing at practically everything.

But in the middle of the celebration, Sooyoung, Taeyeon’s best buddy from way back business college, blurted out something that would later on bring a huge change in her life.

“Bet you couldn’t get that girl’s number?”

“What girl?”

“Bar,” Sooyoung pointed and Taeyeon turned, flipping her blonde hair at the same time. “The one who looks waaaay out of your league.”

Yes, our Kim Taeyeon was now blonde, because there’s always a point in our lives that we do something crazy, and dyeing her hair in said color was hers.

Aside from her hair, she had changed a lot, in several aspects too. The years had been kinder to her and she matured rather wonderfully. Gone were her awkward moments, and cringe-worthy antics, and in place stood confidence and overflowing charisma.

But enough about Taeyeon and her awesomeness, because there’s still a bet waiting to happen.

Going back to the present predicament, Taeyeon suddenly found herself gawking, because leaning by the bar was the prettiest woman she had ever seen in her entire life, her back at least.

The girl’s back was facing their table but her perfect curves were enough to draw attention. And that red hair looked really y.

“So…? You game? If you win, I’ll pay for everything tonight and it would be my treat instead of yours.”

“And if I lose?”

“Well, you pay for all my meals for a month.”

Tempting, Taeyeon thought as she looked at their table filled with bottles and shot glasses and empty plates. Money was not an issue to her but seeing Sooyoung lose would be really lovely.

“Just the number?”

“Yep.”

“Okay.”

But even before Taeyeon could make a move out from their booth, Sooyoung had decided to make the bet a lot more interesting.

“Add in a kiss and I’ll pay for the next two get-togethers.”

Taeyeon laughed at that, shook her head before heading out.

She zeroed in on the girl, took a deep breath before tapping her on the shoulder. “Excuse me, miss?”

“Yes—Oh my God…”

And in an instant, Taeyeon felt like she was in high school again—awkward, shy, not as pretty, but most of all, in love.

Cue cheesy love song.

Taeyeon suddenly found herself in a hug but she was too shocked to reciprocate. And back at their booth, Sooyoung’s face had resembled her own.

Tiffany Hwang—her high school sweetheart, first love, and first kiss taker—pulled back and chuckled at her face. She smiled that smile that Taeyeon loved, that smile that never failed to make her feel all warm and tingly inside.

“Oh my God, it’s been so long! How are you?”

Just like her, Tiffany had grown to be such a beauty, even more beautiful than she could remember, if that was even possible. Her eyes still curved upwards whenever she smiled that huge face-splitting grin and she still exuded that soothing aura that solely belonged to her.

Taeyeon was speechless.

By the time she recovered, the other girl had already finished her cocktail. And the first thing that came out of was—

“Can I get your number?”

The next thing she knew, Tiffany already had her phone in her hands, punching in her number. She was still feeling a little disoriented but Taeyeon didn’t miss the small smile that was playing on the other girl’s lips while she tapped in her details.

“Can I get a kiss too?”

The other girl suddenly lifted her head from her phone, raised her eyebrow and looked at her suspiciously.

“Excuse me?”

“Err… My friend and I had a bet—”

“Oh, so you’re betting on me now, Kim Taeyeon?”

“No, no! I didn’t know it was you so I said yes, I swear—”

It was only when Tiffany pulled back from her lips, brushed her thumb on the skin of her cheek, that she realized she had gotten her kiss.

“I’m glad that it was me, though,” Tiffany said with a soft smile. “Call me, Taetae. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Taeyeon won the bet that night, but she knew deep inside that it wasn’t the only thing she won.

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