-05-

Tiffany woke up with the sun's rays hitting her face.

She feels weird.

She feels so... Alive.

It's all weird but new.

She feels like she slept for weeks and that everything feels so calm.

She sits up on her bed and checks on her clock, it's still 7 in the morning. She makes her way to the bathroom of her room. She prepares her toothbrush before washing her face. After brushing her teeth she looks at the mirror one last time. She was about to leave the bathroom when she noticed something odd. She pushed the neckline of her night dress just a bit from her chest. She was so surprised to see something that wasn't there before, a mark. A padlock birth mark was on her skin... And then it hit her

"Taeyeon!"

Taeyeon was inside her room, covered by a bathrobe. She was looking out the window, the day looks so beautiful but it’s not for her. Each day that is given to her, reminds her of the curse and now reminds her of Tiffany. Of all the people, she let her best friend save her from dying but she pulled the poor girl with her to this. Now, Tiffany will be stuck with the fate her family carries. A lone tear fell from her eyes. How useless... You failed, you were not able to protect her. She can still feel the stinging pain from her birthmark. She kept on wiping it when she was taking a bath hoping for it to disappear and giver her back her freedom, give back Tiffany's freedom. She woke up two days ago after fulfilling the promise. She woke up and was welcomed by happy faces of her friends who apparently know about the curse already. Yuri apologized to her, the others did too. Her Umma and Appa were happy. Her Unnie was smiling at her, but her Oppa... He can feel the same pain she was feeling, the feeling of pulling someone away from their own happiness just for you. She hugged him immediately and cried in his arms right in front of everybody. Tiffany was not the same though. The pain was so much for Tiffany to handle so she was unconscious for almost a week. Her father was not mad though. He was actually aware of the curse, why? She doesn't know. But his words struck her.

"I know this would happen. That girl loves you so much, Taeyeon. She would do anything for you. At least I know that she will be in safe hands"

Safe hands? She failed to protect Tiffany... She... She's a failure.

"Taetae?"

That voice, so she's awake... but she, she can't face Tiffany.

"Taetae" a hand touched her shoulder. She saw her kneel down. "Are you okay now? You're not hurt anymore, right?"

"How can you still ask me if I'm fine or not? You should be more worried about yourself." With that Taeyeon stands up and left. Tiffany looks at her leaving figure.

"Tae, you should eat more. We made all your favorite foods. I know you missed them, the hospital foods " Her unnie told her as they all gathered in the Kim's dining hall together with the Hwang's. She only smiled at her Unnie. Honestly, she doesn't feel hungry but she has to eat, she doesn't want their efforts to go to waste. She glances at the woman in front of her from time to time, the woman who’s busy happily chatting with the others, her best friend who saved her life.

"Why don't we all go on a trip somewhere? I'm sure our companies won't go bankrupt in just a few days that we will be away" Mr. Hwang suggested. The others gave a positive response towards the invitation. Hanna looks happy too, she wants to go to a break after all that their family has been through, yes their family. She has accepted being a part of it already... She has accepted everything. She looks at her husband expectantly who had no heart to reject that puppy eyes directed towards him. Tiffany looks happy too.

"Taetae, where do you want to go?" she asked the silent woman in front of her. "We will be celebrating your birthday there!" she looks so excited, but Taeyeon is not. "I'm fine anywhere" she answered without taking a glance at the girl who asked her. They all noticed Taeyeon's change but they all think it’s because she was still recovering, except her Oppa that is. He felt that too.

"How about Paris? Or America? California?" Tiffany's face lit up after hearing the last choice. It was where she was from. That place holds so many memories and she loves that place so much but she did not tell anyone, since they are still busy thinking about other places. Taeyeon did not fail to notice though. "California sounds good. I haven't been there before" she said still not looking away from her food. Everyone was surprised; Taeyeon's not fond of going overseas. She'd rather go to Jeju or Japan is the farthest. Tiffany silently thanked Taeyeon, still oblivious that the latter chose it for her. "Then, California it is. We can go to other places too after Cali" they all looked so excited as they talk more about their plan.

Everyone was having a late night talk slash