I opened the text from Taeyeon and my smile dropped.

 

Text Message
From: Taetae

Oh ok... I don’t work today.

 

 

Aw man, I internally groaned. I was really hoping I could see her again today but I guess I’ll just have to wait until next time and that’s exactly what I told her. I hit send on my phone and quickly told my manager oppa to change route.

“What,” Sunny asked. “I thought you said you wanted to get a smoothie?” I shook my head.

“It’s okay. I’ll get one later.” She looked at me like I was nuts. Uhm… “What? You’re the one that just said we can’t be late,” I countered. Gosh, and now she was trying to waste time getting a smoothie? “I mean we can go if you-”

“No,” she said quickly with her hands up in defeat. “No, it’s perfectly fine Tiff, I was just asking…” I grinned.

Ugh, I was really going to miss her being around all the time.

Sunny got accepted into Korea University’s business program this fall and I was so proud of her… but also very sad because my best friend was leaving me! The last few years having her as my manager were seriously the best.  Thankfully there were still a couple more months before she actually had to leave. The more time with her the better!

I couldn't wait to see what stuffy old ahjussi SM gave me once Sunny left…

Ugh, I didn't even want to think about it and thankfully I’d be so busy today I wouldn't even have time to do so.

I was performing live at Music Bank later today and that meant almost an all day schedule. Hair, make up, rehearsals, soundchecks, interviews… It was going to be a busy day so I was super happy when my other best friend walked through the door right after I got back from my first run through on stage.

“I have to share the room with some rookie group that won't stop practicing their routine,” Jessica said annoyedly. “Can I get ready in here instead?” I wrapped my arms around her briefly and hummed.

“Of course. Ahh~ you're new song is doing so well Jess, congrats,” I praised. I told her once already via text but I needed to say it aloud too! Jessica released a single a few days or so ago and it was already tearing up the charts. I was so proud!

“Thanks girl, but your song came out a month ago and you're still up for the trophy. I don’t know how you do it.” I smiled.

“Me neither,” I said honestly. “My fans are amazing.”

Seriously. I truly don’t know where I’d be if it weren't for them. Jessica scoffed.

“And annoying… tell them to vote for me instead.” I laughed. First of all that definitely wouldn't look good with all the ‘scandals’ between us and secondly I doubt my fans would be too happy about me telling them to vote for someone not me… and I mean there’s always the whole ‘I don’t want to’ thing too.

Whoops~!

“I love you Jess, but not that much.” She gave me a dirty look, but it quickly morphed into a soft Jessica like smile and I was so glad she was here. Waiting in this room all day by myself was so boring. I got to talk to Sunny and my stylists of course but they had their own job to do and couldn't just sit with me the whole time… That was probably the biggest regret I have about not debuting with a group too. Some of these groups just seem to have so much fun with each other at shows like this and I just get to sit and watch. Having Jessica here definitely helped.

We talked about various things, like our upcoming projects and about how Jessica’s little sister Krystal was going to debut in a girl group here soon. She was telling me about the members and about how Krystal really got along with a couple of them and I was kinda jealous.

“Hey, we’ll be back in a little bit,” Sunny said as she and Jess’s manager started walking out the door. “The PD wanted to talk to us.” I hummed.

“Ne~ unnie,” Jessica said just as they walked out. “How’s what’s her name?”

Huh?

“Who,” I asked curiously. OH~!- “Sunny? She’s been go-” Jessica shook her head, but then I was confused to as who it could be? Did she mean- wait… she wasn’t seriously asking me about someone debuting in her sister’s group was she? They aren't even at the same agency as-

“I mean your friend~ pabo-ya,” she said with an evil grin. Oh my… I knew who she was talking about now and my heart dropped.

“Yah, shut up,” I scolded.

It was one thing to bring it up in front of Sunny, but it was a whole other story to bring her up in front of Jessica’s assistant… who just so happens to be that girl’s friend!

“What,” Jess laughed. “I wanted to hear about what happened after you-”

“Shht,” I said again loudly, thankfully stopping her from saying anymore. I quickly nodded in the girl’s direction and Jessica literally rolled her eyes at me when she realized what the problem was.

“You’re ridiculous. Yuri-yah,” Jess called to the girl… but there was no response.

Uhm...

“Yuri,” Jessi repeated again. Yuri however didn't look up from her phone for a second. “Kwon Yuri!”

Oooh she was lucky she was the CEO’s daughter. I think Jess might’ve killed her if she wasn't…

“YURI,” Jessica basically screamed, finally breaking the girl out of whatever trance she was in.

“Wh- oh? Were you calling for me?”

“Uh yeah,” Jessica said with an attitude that was almost hilarious. “What are you so focused on over there? I called your name four times.” Yuri’s eyes grew twice their normal size and I really don’t think she heard Jess calling her. She seemed pretty surprised to me.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry,” Yuri said. “My friend’s birthday is coming up and we were talking about what to get her and-”

“No one cares,” Jessica said, cutting Yuri off; but I don’t think that was quite true. “Can you-”

“Which friend,” I asked without even thinking.

Oh god, was that weird?

“Ah, that’s right. You two have met her,” Yuri added. Now I was definitely curious. “It’s Taeyeon. Her little sister won the dancing contest and got backstage passes?” I nodded. Jessica not so sneakily looked at me and then back to Yuri.

Oh no...

“Oh really?” Yuri hummed. “When is her birthday?”

“March ninth. We still have a few weeks to think of something, but she’s a very confusing friend,” Yuri laughed. “What did you need though Jessica-ssi?”

“Oh,” Jessica said. “I was just going to ask if you could get me a lemon tea from the cafe downstairs.” Yuri nodded.

“Sure thing. I’ll be right back.” Jessica told her to take her time and then immediately turned toward me.

Here we go~

“Well well well, your girlfriend has a birthday coming up,” she teased. Oh my gosh! She-

“She’s not my girlfriend Jess. I don’t even know if you’d call us friends...”

Jessica thought I was kidding but I was being totally serious.

I've tried to text her everyday since I kinda confessed and it was going great at first! We would just text about random things but then she started to text me back less and less… I told myself that she was probably just busy, but maybe she just didn’t want to talk to me? Ugh, and I thought it was going so well!

She did say she wasn't a fan of me after all...

“Yeah, yeah~. Now tell me what happened after you gave her the hoodie... you did give it to her right?”

“I- uh,” I sighed. “Yeah, I did.”

“And then?” I groaned. What was this? An interrogation?

“And then,” I hesitated. She was totally going to make fun of me for this too. “And then I kinda told her that I liked her.”

“YOU WHAT?” Jessica’s eyes would’ve seriously just fallen out if they weren't attached. “Tiff! Seriously? Already?!” I nodded. “How- wh-what did she say back?”

“Nothing really,” I said truthfully.

“What,” she asked with a surprised expression. “Seriously? Nothing?!” I nodded.

“Well she might’ve… I don’t know. Sunny called me like right after I told her and said we needed to leave so I just said bye and left.” I honestly don’t even know if she said bye back because I was in such a hurry to get out of there… I almost forgot the smoothie that I ordered too. If it weren't for her tall friend I probably would've.

“Heol…,” Jessica said dumbfoundedly. “You’ve talked since then, right?” I nodded.

“Yeah we’ve texted everyday but-”

“Has she said anything about it?” Wait what? Which ‘it’ was she talking about?

“About what? The hoodie or me saying that I couldn't stop thinking about her?” Jessica’s jaw dropped.

“O-oh my god Tiff… You- you actually said that to her? In person?!” I nodded again. Oh gosh, hearing her tone just made me feel even more dumb than I already did!

“I know,” I replied quickly. I knew I probably shouldn't have but I couldn't help it. “She asked why I liked her and I had to say something... why? Is that really bad?”

I don't know why but talking to Jessica about this was making me even more nervous than I already was. Did I really screw it up?! She shook her head.

“It’s just,” Jessica started, clearly hesitant to continue. “I know I told you to go for it before, but you like barely know her Tiff. I thought you were just going to flirt not full on confess holy… Don’t you think you should've waited a bit to tell her that?”

Okay so she wasn't as hesitant as I thought… ouch.

“I mean I know you like her and everything, but the last time I saw you two together she certainly wasn't trying to get to know you… if you know what I’m saying.” I shook my head.

I don’t think I was following.

Was she trying to tell me that Taeyeon didn’t like me back? Because that much I knew.

“I know she doesn’t like me like that Jess and I’m not even sure if I like her like her,” I admitted. “Right now I think it’s more of a crush... I like the idea of liking her and I could really see myself doing so, but it could also not work out at all.” She nodded.

“That makes sense… but I say you should just give it three days.”

“Huh,” I said almost immediately. “Three days?” She hummed.

“Krystal told me about this actually,” she grinned. “Don't call or text the person for three days and see if they try to contact you first.”

Uh, okay? What good was that going to do?

“And then what if they don’t?”

“Forget’em,” she shrugged. What the- How can she say it so calmly like that?

I was just supposed to forget Taeyeon like nothing ever happened? Like that was possible...

“What if she doesn't contact me first though? What if she’s busy?” Jess chuckled.

“It takes like thirty seconds to text someone Tiff. No one is that busy for three days straight.” That was true. Even when I had a full schedule I could always text on the way there or during a break…

Another question popped in my head and I wasn’t quite sure that I wanted to hear her response.

“But…,” I hesitated.

Ugh, no. You need to hear this Tiff.

“But what if I can’t forget about her?” She sighed.

“Tiff, why would you wanna be with someone who doesn’t even want to talk to you? I know you and you deserve to be with someone that’s obsessed with you… anything less just isn’t worth your time.”

I nodded and tried to fight the growing lump in the back of my throat.

Her words hit me hard… freaking Soojung. Why does a sixteen year old know things like that anyway… Ugh!

What she said just further added onto the growing fear inside of me though and I hated it. What if Taeyeon really wanted nothing to do with me?

I knew we weren't friends or anything, but she hasn't even really given me the chance to be her friend in the first place!

If we had tried to be friends and it didn’t work out it’d be one thing. I could accept that. Not everyone gets along with everyone no matter how hard they try… but I really felt like Taeyeon and I could be at least friends! Did I really have to give her up?

Part of me wanted to completely forget what Jessica just said, but another, bigger part of me told me that she was right.

I needed to give Taeyeon three days.

If she didn’t contact me in three days I would delete her number and try to never think about her again.

…

I could start tomorrow right?

 

___________________________________________

 

I just finished taking my makeup off when I heard my phone vibrating in the other room.

“Ugh,” I outwardly groaned. “What does she want now, I literally just- omo.”

I froze.

“I just saw her,” I continued to say aloud.

Since I was home and Sunny unofficially l lived with me I knew she wouldn't call me, I mean she was in the other room. Jessica probably wouldn’t call me either when she could text me even quicker…

Then who… no way. She wouldn't… would she? I didn’t text her even once yesterday or today and I was kind of proud of myself. That meant she only had a little over twenty four hours left to contact me but I was hopeful. I- Ahh! I heard it vibrate again and quickly shook myself out of it. If I didn’t hurry it didn’t matter who it was, they would be going straight to voicemail! OMO!

I ran into my bedroom, grabbed my phone off the table beside my bed, and swiped the green button before I could even read the name on top.

“Yeoboseyo?!”

“...Yeoboseyo?”

Uh, did they not hear me?

“Hello? Can you-”

“Ah unnie!” Unnie? I checked the ID just as I heard her say- “It’s me, Seohyun.” -through the phone.

Aish…

While it was great to hear from her I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t the least bit disappointed.

“Ah Seohyun-ah! It’s nice to hear from you. How are you?”

“It’s nice to hear your voice again too unnie, and I’m great… and I know this is really sudden, but my manager just told me I had a full day off tomorrow.” I nodded… as if she could see me. “I know you're probably busy but I was calling to see if you wanted to grab a coffee or tea or whatever you have time for,” she laughed. I smiled.

Seohyun was so sweet. As busy as this friend is she still makes the time to ask if I want to have a drink with her- and that just made Jessica’s whole point the other day sink in that much more… Maybe Taeyeon really-

“Unnie? Are you still there?”

“Ah! Yeah Seohyun I’m here and I have almost all day off tomorrow too,” I explained. “I have a radio interview at seven so I can be yours until five.”

“Wah~!” I heard her cheer. She was so precious. “That’s amazing! Do you have anywhere you want to go? I’m not up on all the hip places of Seoul yet,” she joked. I laughed. That girl goes between Seoul and New York so often I’d be surprised if she knew where anything was!

“Hmm how about we start with coffee and the-”

“You and your coffee unnie...,” Seohyun warned. I just shook my head. I've been on the phone with her for less than a minute and she was already scolding me.

Not only was Seohyun a health nut, but she wants everyone else to be one too. Seriously. The last time I think I remember eating with her outside of work she told me I was going to die because I was eating a cheeseburger… She’s lucky I love her.

“Yeah yeah~ I’m sure wherever we go will have tea or-”

“Smoothies,” Seohyun shouted, like it was the answer to all life’s problems. “Omo! Let’s go to that cafe I always see you going to unnie… what’s it called again?”

My stomach dropped… she couldn't possibly mean-

“Orange something, right?”

She did.

Crap. Since they have multiple locations in Seoul though the chance of her wanting to go to the one Taeyeon works at is pretty low… but if I do run into her does the counter reset back to three? Oh my- This might be a good thing...

“Orange Carnival? No. It was something like-”

“Orange Caramel?”

“AH yes! That’s it. Let’s go there… if that’s okay with you,” she laughed. “The drinks you have always look so yummy on Instagram!” I hummed.

How could I say no to my little Seohyun like that? Especially when the only reason I would say no is to avoid Taeyeon, who might not even work tomorrow or at that particular Orange Caramel Cafe she decides on in the first place.

“That sounds good to me Seohyun-ah~. Text me the details?” She hummed.

“I’m getting breakfast with my mom in the morning but I’ll text you after, okay?” I hummed. “Bye unnie~!”

“See you tomorrow Seohyunie!”

I put the phone back on the table and seriously considered giving Jessica a quick call.

What did the three day rule say about accidental run-ins?

Or should I say not-so-accidental… Sorry Jess! It was too hard to pass up!

When Seohyun called to tell me where to meet’ she gave me two options... always the overachiever that one. She said we could go to the Orange Caramel Cafe that was closer to her or to the one that was closer to me… which also was the one that Taeyeon may or may not work at.

“Since you’re already out we’ll probably get to the one closer to me at the same time if I leave right now, don’t you think?”

That was definitely the only reason why I would suggest the one closer to me too… totally.

“Ooh, you’re probably right unnie,” Seohyun thankfully agreed. “I’ll meet you there then!”

I said ‘bye’ and internally hoped that she won't be the only person I meet there today.

Ugh… I could only wish.

 

 

_________________________________________________________

 

 

 

I am SO sorry that it's taken me this long to update!

Please feel free to yell at me because I totally deserve it!

:(

 

It makes me really happy to know that you all haven't forgotten about me and continue to comment/subscribe/read though!<3

I couldn't thank you guys enough!

If you have any questions/comments/concerns don't be afraid to let me know! Good or bad!

I promise to resond to everyone!

 

ps. I edited this when I was really sleepy so please forgive me!

I was going to finish editing tomorrow, but I figured that I needed to get it out as fast as I could!

I'll go back through and fixit tomorrow for sure if you all

PSS Since the 'yes' vote in the poll only reached 64% I will NOT be changing their ages. Like I said it doesn't really bother me either way so I hope it doesn't bother you all too!

I know some people can't imagine Tiffany/Jessica/Seohyun in the story being so famous at a young age but Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and even the queens themself (BoA ansd Britney) we're all like this. I'm sure there are more but these are just the best examples I could think of off the top of my head so, I'm sorry haha