The soothing riffs and runs of the piano wafted through their ears. It was a good change for once. Way better than those noisy, boisterous clubs Tiffany would regularly drag her to. At least here, the music in the lounge was mostly quiet and calming, and there was no need for any shouting or screaming over music to be heard. Not to mention, it wasn’t packed with seas and oceans of people. A definite plus.

They should frequent here more often.

Well, if only the prices of the cocktails weren’t so darn expensive.

Taeyeon sighed and took a tentative sip of her mojito, the burn of the alcohol slithering down . If she could melt right into her bar stool, she would do so at the moment. Nothing was more exhausting than shopping with Tiffany for a full afternoon. Her feet were killing, from walking on and on for hours without rest, and her arms were throbbing from carrying all the shopping bags, which honestly felt more like lead weights than anything else. (And more than half of them weren’t even hers.)

When initially their agenda for the day was to shop for homecoming gifts for both Yuri and Jessica, they had sidetracked somewhere along the lines and ended up buying a whole load of junk irrelevant for their day’s agenda and more suited for themselves instead. Impulsive shopping was okay if done once in a while, Taeyeon supposed. Moreover, it did manage to help relieve some of her pent up stress.

Speaking of which…

Taeyeon looked to her side where the redhead sat with her lips pursed and eyes downcast, every so often giving her whisky an idle swirl before taking a long sip from her glass. She had been awfully silent for the past twenty minutes and it was so unlike her to be staring into that empty spot before her and looking painfully distracted.

Yuri and Jessica were returning back to Korea in two days time.

Taeyeon frowned.

Inwardly, she wondered if the way Tiffany was acting had anything to do with it.

She had noted the change in her demeanor over the course of the week as the day to their friends’ homecoming drew near. Taeyeon had never seen her this focused in her studies before and even though it was a good thing, it worried her to see her friend acting strangely out of character. Even the daily teases were cut down to a minimum.

Watching Tiffany slide her finger round the rim of her glass of whiskey with a sigh, Taeyeon bit at her lip. Something was troubling her alright. In fact, that something had probably been on her mind for the entire week. And for a week, Taeyeon waited patiently— waited for her to confide in her. But at this point, it almost felt like she didn’t want to indulge her in anything at all and it made Taeyeon feel all the more helpless to be unable to alleviate some of the redhead’s worries.

“Taeyeon-ah,”

A fragile voice quivered beside her. And instantly, Taeyeon was drawn back up to meet those eyes, dark like chocolate. However, they weren’t looking back at her. Instead, they were still lowered down onto some invisible speck on the bar top as an absent smile plastered itself across the redhead’s lips.

Taeyeon frowned deeply.

There was that smile again.

That same dreaded broken smile, Taeyeon so clearly remembered seeing on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.

There was a distinct pang in her chest.

Taeyeon inhaled deeply. “Yeah?”

“Do you… Do you think I’ll lose at a game?” Tiffany asked, chuckling mirthlessly and for the first time that night, their eyes met.

And like always, they were dark, misty and swirling with untold secrets.

Swallowing, Taeyeon shook her head. “No,” she replied truthfully, “I can never picture you losing.”

The redhead flashed an enigmatic smile, shook her head and downed the last of her whiskey, sighing.

That was her fifth glass now and Taeyeon knew from the way she had stiffened up in her bar stool that she was going to order another one and that she should probably stop her from doing so. She was about to speak up when Tiffany had raised a silencing hand at her. 

She turned to the bartender by the bar and called out, “Could you fix me one more of this, thanks.” A practiced smile and the bartender was off to work.

Taeyeon sighed, sinking into her stool defeatedly. Silently musing that she would stop her with the next one if she had to.

And so, they waited— again in silence— and it was only until the bartender had set a new glass of whiskey in front of them and Tiffany had taken a long drag out of it, that she finally started again.

“I’m so nervous, I’m so scared and I don’t like it. Being like this.” Tiffany said, with a foreign tremor in her voice that was so unlike her to have. She held her hands out in front of her. And Taeyeon was surprised to see them shaking.

Tiffany took a final swig, throat bobbing and when she was done, she laid out the empty glass on the bar with a loud, deafening ‘clink’. She shivered, her fingers tugging at her crimson locks.

“I don’t ever want to lose again.” Came a shuddering breath and the redhead turned to Taeyeon, with an expression that tugged painfully on the chords of her heart.

For once, Tiffany’s high towers of defense were lowered and Taeyeon could see the fear— the vulnerability—  shining in her eyes.

“Taeyeon-ah, I don’t want to…” She choked and reached forth helplessly towards her, to which Taeyeon instinctively responded by wrapping her arms around her, encasing her in an embrace.

Eyes softening, she ran her digits through the girl’s scarlet mane gently, softly. Tiffany sighed and huddled closer, so much so that Taeyeon could smell the musky scent of whisky on her (on her breath) as her armed gripped at her tightly.

Well, she was definitely drunk and out of it now. That’s for sure.

“If it’s a game, you’ll always win. No matter what.” Taeyeon murmured, pursing her lips. “You’ve never lost.”

And for a long while, they stood like this in silence. Arms encircled over each other with the swing of jazz softly playing in the background.

“Taeyeonie,”

“Yeah?”

“What do you think of me?” She felt fingers digging into her shoulders, clutching onto the fabric of her shirt desperately. “Do you… Do you like me?”

The brunette blinked, breath hitching and heart nearly stopping. A blush immediately rose up to claim her cheeks as she struggled to keep herself from getting visibly flustered. She swallowed thickly and at her lips, steeling herself.

“Yes, I like you. You’re a very good and close friend of mine, Fany-ah, and I would honestly trust you with my life.”

Taeyeon thought she heard Tiffany sigh at that, but it was so soft that she had merely passed it off as a figment of her imagination. The redhead pulled away sluggishly. Eyes falling onto her, she laughed, lips curling into a teasing smile.

“Ah, really?” She slurred.

“Yes, really.”

Tiffany grinned and even when she was drunk, her eyes still held that same wistful glint from before.

And then she moved.

So fast that Taeyeon couldn’t even see it coming.

She had leaned in, planting a sloppy kiss right smack on the corner of her lips.

Just as quickly as it happened, Tiffany drew away just as abruptly. An unreadable smile was spread across her face.

“I like you too.” She said, with a silly drunken smile and Taeyeon felt her heart gave a crazy lurch at that, blushing furiously. Tiffany sniffed and her expression quickly grew somber.

“Taeyeon, you’re… really important to me,” she paused, slumping forward, resting her forehead against the edge of Taeyeon’s shoulder. “Please don’t ever leave my side unless I tell you to.” She whispered.

Taeyeon could only blink, still very much overwhelmed by the things that had occurred within the couple minutes or so. Her heart was still racing and she could hear it pulsing in her ears.

“I won’t,” she answered with all her heart.

Tiffany raised her head up at her and Taeyeon immediately caught her breath. Eyes sparkling under the light, the redhead had smiled sweetly back at her. And she would have melted right there and then if she could.

“Good,”  

And it was only when she finally withdrew herself away, putting a respectable amount of space between them that Taeyeon could finally breathe easily.

“I’m so tired,” Tiffany murmured, scrubbing at her eyes. “You know what, Taeyeonie? Let’s just go home already.” And without even waiting for Taeyeon’s reply, she had gotten out of her seat and was staggering towards the exit by herself.

Taeyeon sighed and shook her head, quickly paying off for their drinks before padding after the tipsy redhead.

--

The car-ride home was fairly quiet.

Only fifteen minutes after getting into the car, Tiffany had fallen asleep in the passenger seat; her head off tilted towards the side and soft breathings filling the small confined area of the car.

Taeyeon drove on further into the night.

With half her mind on the road and the other half still reeling from what had occurred nearly an hour ago, she was lucky that the streets were mostly empty for the night.

What was that all about?

Tiffany losing?

Who was she trying to kid?

She had seen her play. Chess, checkers, video games, mind games. Anything. Despite whomever she was playing with, be it Sooyoung, Yuri or even Jessica, the outcome was always the same. She always won. She always got whatever she wanted eventually.

For Tiffany to lose… It was just something Taeyeon could never fathom happening. Couldn’t possibly happen.

Taeyeon shook it off, glancing off to her side. A soft smile unconsciously found its way up to her lips as she watched the girl slumber on peacefully.

Well, everyone had their own insecurities… And Tiffany had hers.

Which brought on to the next thing.

The kiss.

She kissed her.

It wasn’t a full-on kiss on the lips, but still…

A kiss was still a kiss. And now, she couldn’t stop playing it back in her mind over and over again.

The touch of her soft lips.

The smell of whisky and her perfume.

Warmth.

It brought up that one memory from five years back.

The pepero stick was getting shorter as the seconds ticked by.

And her face was inching closer and closer.

Those lips.

Taeyeon stopped breathing as she clung on to the tiny piece of whatever that was left of their pepero stick by her teeth.

She could hear some squealing off to the corner. From Jessica? Maybe Yuri too. But that didn’t matter, they sounded so far away with the thunderous thudding of her heart in her ears.

She was so close now and Taeyeon had no idea if she were ever going to stop.

But she did.

She had paused for a split of a second there.

Their eyes met.

And it was like everything was in slow-mo when she caught that rueful glint in those dark midnight eyes.

She smirked —it actually seemed more sardonic than smug— and finally dove in.

Their lips brushed for the briefest of seconds.

Then it was over. 

And Taeyeon was left stunned and baffled; with the lingering taste of the chocolate pepero stick in as her brain only began to piece out what had just happened.

Twice she was left speechless and frozen.

Twice.

Taeyeon had no idea what to make out of it.

She knew she shouldn’t be thinking too much into it.

And inwardly, she knew. Naturally, it was just a platonic kiss between two close friends. A non-committal kiss on the cheek.  That was surely it. Just like before. It didn’t mean anything.

But deep down she couldn’t help but wish (prayed) it were something more.

Taeyeon shook her head wistfully, smiling wryly to herself.

She should just quickly find herself a boyfriend already.

Get a boyfriend. Win the game. Claim her reward. Be happy and move on.

Pulling up in the parking lot by their apartment, Taeyeon unbuckled her seat belt, and then turned towards the still sleeping redhead.

“Fany-ah, it’s time to get up, we’re home.” Gently prodding her on the shoulder, Tiffany stirred, but didn’t wake, only wiggling closer to the edge of the car seat towards Taeyeon.

She was right about to tap her awake again when the serene look on her face stopped her from doing so. Eyes closed and lips parted slightly, chest falling and rising slowly, never had Tiffany seemed so at peace before. It was the first time Taeyeon thought she didn’t look as if she was scheming something huge for once.

After all, the girl was always planning. Always thinking. 

Taeyeon’s hand faltered in midair, and finally dropped to her side as she released a soft defeated sigh.

She smiled down at her fondly, lightly sweeping stray strands of hair off her face before leaning back against her seat and closing her eyes, counting off the seconds. Minutes.

She had let Tiffany sleep on for another half hour or so in the car, and was about to wake her up once more when she finally stirred and roused from her sleep.

Eyes fluttering open, the redhead let out a groan, rubbing at her eyes groggily.

“Good morning, it’s eight in the morning and we’re late for school.”

Her immediate reaction was to scramble up in her seat and to survey their surroundings in alarm. When it finally registered that it was still a Saturday night, she sunk back into her seat and snorted.

“Har-har, very funny,” Tiffany rasped, voice scratchy from sleep.

Taeyeon watched her as she blinked slowly, dazedly, in a manner she thought was adorable.

“Wait a minute, we’re home. “ She stated, looking to Taeyeon, nonplussed.

The brunette gave a careless shrug of her shoulders.

Tiffany furrowed her brows, frowning. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“I did, but you were out like a log and it’s not like you’re some featherweight that I could carry up so effortlessly, y’know?”

The redhead blushed.

“Do you always have to be so blunt all the time?”

“I only speak the truth,” Taeyeon grinned, twisting the key out of ignition and getting out of the car. “I hope you’re sober enough to help with the shopping bags.”

“Well, my head kinda’ hurts...”

Taeyeon snorted, shooting her a pointed look. “Nah, you’re fine. Grab these or I’m leaving them all in the trunk.”

“Hey, those are mine!”

A triumphant smirk twisted at Taeyeon’s lips when the redhead immediately pounced at the remaining shopping bags, heaving them to her sides, huffing and pouting.

“Geez, cut me some slack, Taengoo-yah.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s get on inside already.”

Tiffany threw Taeyeon a mock glare.

“Meanie!”

--

“You’re still up?”

Turning briefly to look over her shoulder in the direction of the voice, Taeyeon spotted the redhead waddling into the kitchen with her head buried in her hands.

“No, not quite. I’m just sleepwalking in the kitchen.”

Tiffany huffed, shoving Taeyeon gently on the shoulder when she passed the shorter girl by the sink. “It’s late.” She murmured, scouring through the drawers.

Taeyeon shrugged and wiped her hands off the dishtowel by the side. “But you’re up as well.”

“Because my headache is killing me,” the redhead groaned, still desperately rummaging through the drawers and shelves. “Urgh, the hangover I’ll be having tomorrow.”

With a large triumph grin, she held up the box of aspirin she had finally retrieved from one of the many different drawers. However, her grin was short-lived and had faded away almost instantly when the shorter brunette swiped it right off her fingertips.

“Hey—”

“Have this instead.”

Tiffany glanced down at the glass of smoothie that was presented to her by Taeyeon with an eye of caution.

“What’s that supposed to be?”

“Drink it and you’ll know.”

The redhead raised a thin brow, eyes never once leaving the concoction swirling in the glass.

“It’s pink,” supplied Taeyeon with a small assuring smile, gently pushing the glass into her hands.

Tiffany pursed her lips. “Can’t I just have my aspirin back?” She pleaded, nearly bordering on a whine, but she was only met with a firm look and an exasperated sigh.

“Do you want to get rid of your headache or not?”

“But—”

“Trust me,” said Taeyeon firmly, holding the glass of pink smoothie in front of her.

Meeting the brunette’s expectant gaze, Tiffany found herself caving in. Her shoulders sagged and she released a soft, resigned sigh. Apprehensively, she reached for the glass, taking a couple tentative sips out of it and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it wasn’t as repulsive as it thought it would have been. She downed the rest of the mixture in one go.

“How is it?”

“Tomato juice…?”

“With milk and a dash of honey. It’s not too bad, right?” asked the brunette, playing with her hands and looking up Tiffany hopefully.

The redhead offered a smile and it was then, her eyes strayed off slightly towards the side and she caught sight of the blender sitting by the sink, all washed and cleaned. A sudden realization dawned upon as her gaze fell back onto the brunette once more and she couldn’t help the sudden swell in her chest.

“It tastes great.” A giant grin subconsciously found its way up to Tiffany’s lips. “Whoo, I feel better already!”

And that was enough to earn a small, relieved smile from Taeyeon. “I’m glad.” With that, she swiftly plucked the glass out of Tiffany hands and set off for the sink.

“Make sure you drink a glass of water before turning in and try to lay off the aspirin if you can, it’s not exactly good for your stomach.” She said, with her back turned towards the redhead as she the faucet and did her washing.

There was a longer than usual pause and it made Taeyeon wonder just what was the redhead doing behind her in silence. Just when she was about to turn around back towards Tiffany, she had found herself locked in place by a pair of arms quickly snaking around her waist.

Her breath hitched and upon registering the warmth that was only slowly beginning to encase her from behind, she froze for a split of a second. When she felt a chin digging into shoulder and soft lips gently brushing against her the side of her neck at pulse-point, she honestly thought her heart would just leap right out of her chest right there and then.

“Taeyeon-ah, thank you.”

And just as sudden as the hug had come about, the moment ended just as abruptly.

By the time Taeyeon finally regained her senses and whirled around, Tiffany was nowhere to be seen.

All that was left of her was the faint scent of her perfume lingering in the air and the warmth of her short embrace tingling through Taeyeon’s entire being.