Note: Italic means flashbacks or inside thoughts on some parts. The present is the normal text.

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That Person, You

Part 1

“Tae?”

Tiffany softly called looking to her left and right, noticing the dimly light emitting from the small bar at home. She walked slowly, hearing the faint sound of tapping glass on the table, as she got closer. Tiffany stopped at the corner of the corridor, shortly stared at her best friend’s back before walking gently towards her, and to stand by her side. She sighed, seeing she poured another alcoholic drink in her crystal glass and drank straight. She wasn’t sure how much Taeyeon did drink already or how many glasses she had but Tiffany believed that Taeyeon consumed enough considering how her face and ears were red already. How her eyes gently gazed into nothing while blinking continuously. Tiffany realized that her best friend was feeling sleepy but the latter suppressing it.

“Don’t you want to rest?” She asked, moving closer to her as she puts her right arm around Taeyeon’s shoulder. “We need to wake up early tomorrow.”

Taeyeon looked up smiling a bit. “I’m not yet sleepy, Fany-ah.”

“It’s not true. I can see in your eyes how tired you are. You should stop drinking.” She tried to snatch the glass from her hand but Taeyeon refused.

“I’m going to my room later, Fany-ah. I just still want to drink more.” She whispered. Taeyeon glanced back at her when Tiffany didn’t even move from her spot. She tapped the taller girl’s hand hanging around her shoulder with a soft smile in her lips. “Don’t worry, Fany-ah. I’ll sleep after this glass.” And Taeyeon averted her eyes after.

She stared for seconds, thinking, before pulling Taeyeon’s head to her chest to hug. Tiffany could feel her tears would threaten to seep through her eyes at any moment, but she had to hold back. She felt her best friend’s sadness. The truth, she was lonely too and scared to the point of wanting to scream her lungs out or heck to join Taeyeon with her collection of drinks until the dawn breaks on them. But she couldn’t do that. Tiffany Hwang should stand on her feet, well and ready. She needed to be strong for their group’s sake. She must not break, also definitely not at the time when Taeyeon needed her the most.

“F-Fany-ah?”

Tiffany hummed.

Taeyeon put her arms across her best friend’s waist as she nuzzled her face in Tiffany’s abdomen, while the latter touching her hair. Taeyeon felt so sleepy.

“I’m tired, Fany-ah…” She whispered.

“Then rest, Taeyeon-ah.”

“But I can’t.”

Tiffany nodded, knowing Taeyeon was overthinking again.

“I’m tired of thinking, Fany-ah. Of always having do the right thing.”

Silence.

“To keep up to other people’s expectations. I don’t want to fail them, Fany.”

“I know.”

“But…”

Tiffany waited for words.

“I-I feel that I betrayed someone…”

Tiffany could hear her voice shaking. “No, you didn’t. No one betrayed anyone, Tae. It happened because…” She paused, swallowing. “…because of some circumstances…” She put her chin on her head, talking very softly.

Taeyeon closed her eyes again.

They hugged each other for minutes until Taeyeon pulled herself from the hug, avoiding Tiffany’s eyes that fixated on her.

“You should go to your room now.” She weakly said.

“How about you?”

“After this, Fany-ah… after this…”

Tiffany heaved a sigh one more time. “Remember Tae, no one faults this. We didn’t betray her. You didn’t betray her. We were hurt too. No one wanted it to that extent, it’s just… it’s just…” Tiffany shook her head, not knowing to say anymore. “Even though uncontrollable things happened in our hands, we should strongly accept the outcome and let everything change. Always do right, Taetae.” Tiffany paused. “She might defy the situation at first, and has a lot of pain to bear but I know she’ll soon realize the reason why it happened. I trust that she’ll understand because that’s how she is. She always has a heart to listen to, Taeyeon. You, of all people, know that.” Tiffany patted her head, walking after throwing one last look to the sitting girl.

Taeyeon nodded, hearing Tiffany’s footsteps fading away. She leaned her forehead on her hand, looking down at her glass. ‘Always do right’. “I’m pathetic, right?” With an inward laugh, Taeyeon let the tears flow freely, without shame from her eyes.

“I’m sorry…” She murmured. “I’m so sorry…”

And Taeyeon bit down her lip hard to push back the sobs that caught in .

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“…”

Taeyeon pressed her contact’s number on the phone, repeatedly. “Crap… crap…” She again did the same, totally ignoring the people hearing and watching her. She wouldn’t stop until the person she was calling pick up. ‘Why the you’re not answering!’ Taeyeon yelled inside her head, almost throwing her phone on the vanity mirror in front of her. She balled her fists, her head down, and her eyes tightly shut. Her head hurts, feeling heavy because of not having enough sleep the last night.

Sooyoung sighed, knowing who Taeyeon was calling to. “Taeng, you have to give her time. Don’t expect that she’ll ans—.”

“I need to speak to her, Sooyoung. She shouldn’t have done that to us. She shouldn’t have said that as if we’re all—.” She paused. “—did treat her badly.”

“She was hurt, Taeng.” Sooyoung said gently.

“Aish! Hurt or not she should have thought of the things first! She always acts stupidly!” Taeyeon slammed her palm on the table, creating a loud thump inside the room. She was angry that much that her arms continuously trembling. She couldn’t help but breathe hard.

Other people inside the room, including the stylists and make-up artists, turned their heads to them, feeling awkward to hear Taeyeon cursed, flushing with irritation. Taeyeon maybe felt sorry for Sooyoung, for everyone who was there inside the waiting room to have seen her angry but who could ever blame her? Absolutely, no one.

“This won’t happen if you people didn’t decide drastically.”

“What?” Taeyeon's face turned dark, turning on her shoulder.

“Sunny please…do not.” Sooyoung inhaled, facing the others. “Guys, can you please leave us for a moment?”

“Uhm… but Sooyoung-shi, the fan meeting will go to start—.”

“I know. Just give us a few minutes to talk please? We will call you in again after.”

The manager nodded, gesturing to others to go out of the room except the members who currently quiet sitting on the couch and chairs.

“What did you say, Sunny? Are you having that nerve to blame everything to us?”

“I’m not blaming, Taeyeon!” Sunny said loudly. “But voicing out and bringing to the agency all our hesitations and doubt about her devotion to staying with us was a wrong move. You know SM only cares about business. And we are just a part of that business, Taeyeon.”

“We made her decide, Sunny. And she couldn’t choose. We… the company, just did what was right… for everyone.”

“Really? Did we even listen to first? Or we just made her torn and confused?”

Silence.

“Where are you going Yuri-yah?” Sooyoung startled, asking the other taller girl who standing up from the couch.

“I need some air.”

“We have a show.”

She held the doorknob tightly. “I know, Soo, but my ears are tired listening to this . I’m out for a bit.”

“Yul!”

And Yuri closed the door behind her.

“Sigh.” Sooyoung wanted to smash her head on the wall. “Guys, we need to make our minds straight now. We have no time for any sentiments. The fans are waiting for us. We need to start soon.”

“And do you think we didn’t know that?”

“Then if you do, stop this talk right away! Set aside your anger and think clearly. We are all helpless here. Don’t add another burden for us to carry on. Give her time to think, give her the space that she needed the most.” Sooyoung said. “You can’t expect her not to mope around when she’d suddenly being told she was out.”

“B-But—.”

“Tae…” Tiffany cut in. “Sooyoung was right. Let’s just focus on this, okay? We all know this could happen the moment we agreed. There’s no way we could look back, and change what was already done.”

“But… have we done the right choice?”

That made Tiffany shut. All stayed quiet. No one could ever give a response to a simple question at that moment. Sooyoung knew what would each of them was thinking. ‘What was the right choice anyway?. It’s not a decision made without thinking. They’d talked. Yes, it was tough but the majority agreed. They’ve decided yet no one knows what will be the aftermath. Sooyoung chuckl