She breaks into a smile as she approaches the sleeping form spread on all fours on their bed. Tiffany moves steathily to the edge of the bed and squats down. Her eyes trace the clueless girl in slumber and Tiffany can't help but reaches out towards the girl. Careful not to wake her up, Tiffany brushes off her fringe and plants a gentle kiss on her temple. 

The girl stirs awake with a cute frown as her eyes adjust to the light.

"Sorry to wake you up, Taetae," Tiffany whispers into her ears.

Tiffany watches as the frown turns into a grin and Taeyeon shifts forward to hug Tiffany sideways with a contented sigh.

"You are going to hurt your neck like this," Tiffany chuckles as she kisses Taeyeon's forehead. "Come, let's get you wash up. I have made you your favourite pancakes for breakfast."

"In bed?" Taeyeon asks in her husky morning voice, seemingly genuine in her question but Tiffany knew otherwise from her suggestive wink.

"No, you lazy ert," Tiffany smacks Taeyeon's behind jokingly as she stands up only to be tug gently back by the hand.

Taeyeon sits up and raises their joint hands to kiss the back of Tiffany's hand.

"I can get use to this," Taeyeon smiles. "You waking me up offering me breakfast."

"And I still can't get use to this cheesy version of you." Tiffany laughs as leans forward to kiss Taeyeon fully on the lips. "Now get up, Taetae."

-

Taeyeon smiles behind her cup as she takes a sip of her coffee made just right with two and one quarter teaspoons of sugar. She glances at Tiffany and feels her heart swell, full of adoration.

"Are you going out today?" Tiffany asks as she cuts the pancake, dips it into the honey and offers it to Taeyeon.

"Nope," Taeyeon replies instantly and accepts the pancake.

"You know my time is all yours." Taeyeon adds once she finishes chewing.

"It's fine if you want to go out and meet your friends you know," Tiffany offers another slice of pancake.

"Don't say it like that," Taeyeon says. "They are my friends as much as yours."

"Sorry, I wouldn't say that again," Tiffany apologises.

"Nono," Taeyeon's voice soften. "Don't apologise, I didn't mean to be harsh, it's just... I don't know."

"I understand," Tiffany smiles. "Let's just stay in and watch that movie you like."

"It's your favourite movie too." Taeyeon frowns.

"Yes, our favourite movie." Tiffany reaches out to hold Taeyeon's hand and smiles, eyes forming crescents.

Taeyeon returns the smile and just then, her phone vibrates, signalling an incoming call. She sighs and picks up the phone, well knowing how the conversation will go.

"Hello?"

"Taeyeon! Glad you pick up! Sunny and I are going to grab brunch at your favourite restaurant, come with us!"

"I am good at home, you girls go ahead without me."

"Come on, you are spending way too much time at home!" Yuri whines.

"I have Tiffany with me, she's all I need."

There is some rustling as the phone switches hands.

"You know what you need, Taeyeon? Some vitamin D and a decent meal with old friends," Sunny says firmly.

"I am not leaving Tiffany, period." Taeyeon says just before she ends the call abruptly, not waiting to a reply.

-

"I am not asking you to.. hello? Hello?" 

"She hung up on you?" Yuri asks.

"She's got the nerve to hang up on me!" Sunny says exasperatedly as she redials the number only to have it go straight into voicemail.

"Forget it," Yuri sighs in defeat.

"No, we are not!" Sunny raises her voice. "Just because she decides to give up on herself doesn't mean we should too! Tiffany wouldn't have wanted us to!"

"But look at her! She is happy! When was the last time you see her smile?" Yuri raises her voice too.

"Not like this, shutting herself out from the world. This is not healthy!" Sunny glares at Yuri. 

"That wasn't what you said when she finally stopped drinking herself to the death." Yuri growls. 

There is a moment of silence as the duo tries to calm themselves down.

"I didn't expect it to turn out this way when I bought her that," Yuri says meekly. "Sorry."

"Neither did I," Sunny sighs as she rubs her temple. "Come on, let's go upstairs and drag her out ourselves."

-

Taeyeon is setting up the dvd just as the front door burst opens and enters her two best friends.

"I didn't give you guys the spare keys for you to stomp in as and when you like." Taeyeon mutters.

"We are your best friends and we care for your well being," Sunny states. "You don't get to dimiss us like this."

"Fine, what do you want?"

"We just want you to step out of the apartment and get some fresh air." Yuri says.

"I can just open my window."

"Look at you, Taeyeon, what happened to you?" Sunny says sadly.

"Life happened." Taeyeon hardens.

"Taetae," Tiffany reaches out and tugs Taeyeon by the elbow, trying to dissuade her from an impending argument.

"Stay out of this," Sunny snaps.

"Don't you dare say that to her again." Taeyeon steps forward and shields Tiffany. 

"Don't," Yuri quickly grabs Sunny who is fuming. "Please, Taeyeon, you have to stop this. This is not real."

"Stop what? Stop being happy? Are you really asking me that?" Taeyeon asks. "What is not real? My feelings? My pathetic life? Or just me?"

"You know that's not what I meant," Yuri says, tears b. "We are worried about you."

"Enough of this encouraging friend approach," Sunny barks before grabbing Taeyeon. "You know better. You are just in denial. I mean, look at her! She's not here! Not anymore. Deep down, you know. She's gone and not coming back anymore."

"No, stop, stop saying that! She is right here!" Taeyeon yells in denial, stumbling backwards away from Sunny as she hugs Tiffany tightly.

Sunny quickly steps forward to pull them apart.

"She is not Tiffany! Tiffany is dead!" Sunny blurts out.

"How dare you!" Taeyeon shouts as she slaps Sunny in the cheek. The slap resonates into the silence as as everyone stills in shock.

"You slapped me," Sunny holds her cheek in disbelief. "You slapped me, your childhood friend over some customed made robot who isn't even human, less say Tiffany!"

Taeyeon avoids Sunny's eyes and stares at her shaking hand before looking up at Yuri, only to see her disappointed look.

"You forced me to," Taeyeon says as she looks at Sunny, eyes b with tears. "Do you think I really don't know that? Why do you have to say it out loud?"

Taeyeon backs away to the wall and slides down to the floor in despair.

"Why?" Taeyeon mumbles in between sniffing. "Why do you have to wake me up? Don't you get it? I don't want to wake up to this nightmare."

Taeyeon looks up helplessly at Tiffany, eyes unwavering. "Do you ever get this feeling that you are lost in the middle of the desert without a single drop of water? Your eyes are burning and your whole being is dried up. You know deep down that you are dying and there's nothing you can do about it. And then suddenly from afar, you see a puddle of water. Your mind is telling you, no, this can't be true, there is no such thing as a puddle of water in the middle of the desert but your body just don't listen. You just gravitate towards it because your body is acting on instinct, desperately trying to survive, to live a day by a day as it is but truly, you just want the suffering to end, to get it over and done with. The puddle of water is just a distraction from the fact that you are slowly dying from dehydration."

Taeyeon finally pulls her eyes off Tiffany to look at her friends.

"Yuri, I know you meant well, when you had Tiffany customed made. For that I thank you. And Sunny, I am sorry I slapped you, but the Taeyeon you knew died with Tiffany." Taeyeon says with a sad smile. 

"So please," Taeyeon manages to say and turns her head away. "Please leave."

Sunny and Yuri are speechless. They helplessly walk away but not before a lingering glance at their friend. 

"Let's give her some time and space." Yuri says before leading Sunny away.

The door closes and Taeyeon buries her head into her hands, breaking into an uncontrollable sobbing mess.

"Taetae," Tiffany kneels before her. "Please don't cry."

"I will never leave you." Tiffany pulls Taeyeon into a hug. 

Taeyeon wipes away her tear and puts on a weak smile as she pulls away from the hug.

"I love you." Tiffany says, kissing Taeyeon's eyes.

Taeyeon doesn't say it back but forces a brighter smile.

"Movie?"

-

A/N: Okay, I seriously didn't expect my artificial intelligence story to turn out angsty.

Also, don't forget to listen to don't forget.