Chapter 3

“Hey, want to hang out after school? We can play video games and order pizza in.” Sunny managed to get hold of her best friend slash roommate after lessons.

“Maybe another day? I am kinda busy today." She shouldered her backpack and rushed off.

Sunny sigh inwardly. Ever since Taeyeon got together with Tiffany, all she does is to talk about Tiffany, eat with Tiffany, hang out with Tiffany. It was worrying to see how overly attached her best friend was. She made a mental note to talk to Taeyeon about it.

==

“Fany-ah, where are you?” She swung her legs as she sat on the stone bench, waiting to have lunch with Tiffany.

“Erm…Taeyeon, you go ahead? I don’t think I can make it today. I need to stay back for extra lessons.”

Taeyeon deflated, disappointed at the fact that she would not get to have lunch with Tiffany today. She had specially made an extra cute bento box to share with Tiffany today.

"Alright then..." She pouted, poking at the cute teddy bear made of rice balls and seaweed with her fork. “Dinner?”

“I don’t think I can make it for dinner either.” Tiffany could hear a soft exhale of disappointment from the other side of phone. “How about we grab breakfast tomorrow…?”

“O-okay then”

==

“See? It’s not that difficult after all. She believed you right?”

“I feel bad…”

“Oh come on Fany, it’s just one lunch break. Ever since you have gotten a new girl, you are practically domesticated.” Everyone in the clique burst out in laughter. “Having lunch breaks at the canteen, studying at the library after school. What did that nerd feed you?”

“Don’t call her that…” Tiffany wanted to speak up and defend Taeyeon but her friend was not entirely wrong. Ever since she got together with Taeyeon, she found herself spending most of her free time with her. It was not that she did not like being with Taeyeon. She likes it when Taeyeon is attentive to her. She likes it when Taeyeon is fussing over her.

But it seems like she is not who she was anymore. Late night parties are a no go because she has to wake up early to meet Taeyeon for breakfast before lessons. Free periods between lessons are spent with Taeyeon in the library. She found herself slowly becoming distant from her own friends. To make matters worse, she has recently became the of the jokes in school. Dating Taeyeon wasn't exactly something everyone expected.

“Oh Fany, loosen up! I was just joking. It’s Friday, let’s go have some fun.”

I will just have fun for one day. One day surely wouldn’t do any harm right? “Fine. What’s the plan for tonight?”

“Now, that’s the Tiffany Hwang that we all know and love. Party tonight at Yuri’s apartment. But I was thinking of having a pre-party at our dorm. You know, get hyped up for a bit first.”

All the other girls in her clique nodded in approval and started making plans for the pre-party. TIffany decided to let loose for the first time in a long time and joined in.  

==

The door opened and closed with a loud bang.

“Wow. Am I seeing things?” Sunny eyed her best friend as she stepped into the room. “You’re actually back so early?”

“Let’s get pizza tonight.”

“I thought you have a date?”

“…” The girl threw herself on her bed and covered the sheets over her head.

“She cancelled on you? It’s just one dinner date. No big deal, stop acting like a spoiled kid.”

Sunny casually grabbed one of the soft toys leaning on the sides and threw it in the direction of her head, eliciting a muffled grunt from the blanket covered girl.

“Come on, stop being so grumpy. I am letting you choose the pizza flavours today. You better get up before I change my mind.”

“…”

“Alright then. We are getting the spicy seafood pizza.”

“NO” Taeyeon sat up with a thud and grabbed the phone from Sunny, ordering a simple pepperoni pizza instead.

The pizza delivery was speedy. The two girls soon found themselves sitting cross legged on their bed, chewing the stringy pizza cheese.

Taeyeon’s mood had lightened up considerably so Sunny thought it would be a good time to talk to her about Tiffany. Really, she couldn’t help but be extra protective of her best friend. After all, they have grown up together and Sunny has seen how Taeyeon coped with the teasings back in high school.

“How’s things between Fany and you?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“It’s your first relationship after all. I just wanted to see if she’s mistreating you.”

“Come on, Fany would never do that.”

“I just wanted to check.”

“Well, here you go. She’s perfect. We have fun together every day.” Taeyeon grinned at the thought of Tiffany, her earlier frustrations dissipating.  

“Taeyeon ah…”

“Hm?” Taeyeon wiped the excess tomato sauce off the side of with her pyjamas sleeve and continued chewing the pizza deliciously.

“Don’t you think that you are spending a little too much time with Fany?” Sunny knew how sensitive her best friend can get so she tried to say it as gently as she possibly could.

‘What do you mean?”

“I mean, couples should spend time together. But you can’t possibly spend every single free second with Fany. You two need your own personal space in order to have a healthy relationship.”

“I don’t get it. Sunny, we are happy together.” The girl frowned slightly. She did not like the way the conversation was going.

“Come on Taeng. It’s your first relationship. I am just trying to help you.”

“I really don’t understand. Fany and I are doing well. Soonkyu, I am old enough to make my own decisions.” Taeyeon laid on the bed and did a lazy stretch, revealing her slightly bloated tummy. “Ah, so full.”

Knowing her stubborn best friend well, Sunny decided not to press on. She would leave it to another day and hope that Taeyeon would not get hurt before that.

==

The endless techno music blasted from the oversized speakers and the air was hazy with cigarette smoke. The noise, the cologne, the alcohol. Tiffany felt like she was home again.

“Hey Fany, it has been a long time.”

“Hi Yuri. Yeah, I have been busy lately.”

“Busy with your new girl? I have heard about it. Change of taste huh? Bring her along the next time, should be fun.”

Tiffany could hear a tinge of mockery and sarcasm from Yuri’s words but decided against speaking up. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was a little embarrassed.

“Will do. See you around.” She spun her heels and walked off hastily, not wanting to continue the conversation any longer.

She leaned against the kitchen island, her plastic cup of beer left touched. The party was getting boring and repetitive. Her initial excitement to party wore down quickly. It was just not as interesting to her as before. She reminded herself to pinch Taeyeon's cheeks for "domesticating" her.

“Hey! Tiffany?”

She turned her head around and saw a semi familiar figure. She searched her head for names.

The stranger noticed the furrowed eyebrows and chuckled. "What you don't remember me? High school year two?"

Sooyoung!

"Hi"

"Why are you so stiff and awkward? I almost thought you had forgotten about me." Sooyoung moved closer to the bar counter. "Here, have some beer to loosen up."

Tiffany eyed the lanky girl from head to toe and gulped. She has gotten so much prettier.

Tiffany her flirty mode instantly. She straightened her back, smoothed the creases off her blouse and fluttered her eyelids several times. "Only if you have some too."

"Still as flirty as ever, I see."

Tiffany noticed the girl’s eyes dipping downwards.

"Like what you see?" She adjusted her blouse ever so slightly, deliberately pulling it downwards with one hand.

"Of course, I know a good thing when I see it."

She slowly took a sip of the beer. Tiffany has always enjoyed the sort of effect she had on girls. A flutter of her eyelids, a sway of her hips drives those girls crazy, chasing after her heels, begging for more.

"More for my gorgeous lady?"

"Sure"

Her cup was refilled over and again and she soon found herself slightly tipsy. My alcohol tolerance has really gone down after not drinking for such a long time.  

"Darling, my place tonight?”

Tiffany vaguely heard something but her head was too clouded and her legs were jelly. She allowed herself to fall into someone's hold and closed her eyes when she felt an arm circling her waist.

==

Sunlight crept through the cracks of the curtains. She shifted slightly and tried to toss around only to realize that there was an arm around her bare waist.  

A sharp pain shot through her head as she tried to turn sideways. was dry, almost parched.

Wait. What happened?

She turned and saw a girl leaning against her, fast asleep.

SOOYOUNG?  I am not wearing anything and... She took a cautious peek under the sheets. And she is not wearing anything either.

Tiffany gulped and tried to recollect last night. But the memories were hazy. She needed to get out fast. As gently as she could, she pried the arm off her unclothed waist. The girl stirred a little and remained in deep slumber.

Thank goodness Sooyoung is a heavy sleeper.

She climbed out of the bed with a throbbing head and tried to pick her clothes from the messy pile at the foot of the bed. She quickly put on her clothes and tiptoed her way out of the room.

Helping herself to a glass of water in the kitchen, Tiffany felt a buzz on her jeans back pocket. She pulled out her cellphone and got a shock when she saw the amount of notifications.

30 missed calls and 80 messages.

 All of which were from Taeyeon. Maybe it was the aftereffects of the alcohol, or maybe it was the fatigue. But Tiffany decided that a clingy Taeyeon was the last thing her throbbing head needed. She switched the phone off and plopped herself on Sooyoung’s couch, heading back to sleep.