There are two knocks on the door but Tiffany barely hears them.

“Sunny Wash and Dry laundry service at your service,” Sunny announces in a sing-song voice as she enters the room. “Most unfortunately, today is the last day of this company’s existence. At the of twelve, the magical Sunny laundry service will disappear and you’ll be left with a pile of dirty, stinky clothes if you don’t do your own laundry.”

“Mmm.”

“Whatcha doing?”

“Mmm?”

Sunny’s nose pokes over Tiffany’s shoulder. “You’re editing her pictures again?”

“Mmm.”

“T.”

“Mmm?”

“Stop mmm-ing me.”

“Mmm.” Tiffany is totally focused on finding the best balance for the picture when her mouse is snatched from her. “Hey! Give it back!”

“Not until you explain what you’re doing.”

Tiffany nods at the screen. “I’m editing.”

“Whose pictures are you editing?”

“Taeyeon.”

“Taeyeon.”

Tiffany frowns and tries to snatch her mouse back but Sunny has ninja-like reflexes and is quick moving the mouse away.

“Just look at yourself, T.”

“What?”

“Listen to yourself mmm-ing away. Look at how you’re treating me.”

“How am I treating you?”

“Like a stranger.”

Tiffany scoffs. “I’m not treating you like a stranger.”

“Then stop mmm-ing me.”

“Sunny, I’m really busy.”

“You’re not busy.”

“I am. Can’t you see I’m editing?”

“But you’re editing Taeyeon’s pictures. Are you telling me I can’t compare to Taeyeon?”

“What are you talking about? Just one more picture. One more picture and I can upload the whole batch on Smiling Petals. Then you can talk to me about whatever is bugging you, okay?”

“You like Taeyeon, right?”

“What are you talking about? I don’t like Taeyeon. You know that.”

“When did you stop calling her Shortae and all the other names you made up to call her?”

Tiffany pauses to think. “I don’t remember.”

“Up till last week, I distinctly remember you calling her Shortae.”

“Taeyeon is nicer.”

Sunny’s face scrounges up and she shakes her head slowly, looking as though someone has died. “The end . . .”

“Sunny, seriously. Give it back.”

“Tell me where you went this whole week and I’ll give it back.”

“Why must I?” Tiffany questions as patiently as she can. Her supply of patience is about to run out.

“Humour me.”

That’s it. The needle is pointing to the red zone. The light is flashing. Out of patience. Out of patien—Tiffany pounces on Sunny, knocking her onto the bed and the element of surprise enables Tiffany to wrestle the mouse out of her hand.

“What has she done to the Tiffany that I know?”

“You’re being too dramatic.”

“Dramatic she says . . .”

Tiffany ignores Sunny and refocuses on the picture. The contrasts seems a little off . . . she doesn’t hear the sigh. Neither does she hear the door closing, leaving in her room, undisturbed for the rest of the afternoon.

[o]

It isn’t until the next morning that Tiffany is questioned again, over breakfast.

“Where are you going today?”

“The musical then the radio station.”

“There’s another radio show today?”

Tiffany nods.

“Ho Un Dung?”

“Taeyeon.”

“Seriously?”

“Uh huh.”

“Tell me very honestly.” Sunny puts her spoon down and straightens up. “Do you still like Ho Un Dung?”

“Of course,” Tiffany replies without hesitation.

“Then why aren’t you going to his schedules?”

“Shining Dung is on hiatus, remember?”

“When are you going off-hiatus?”

“It’s not a hiatus if you don’t have plans to return.”

“I will return. I just haven’t decided when yet.”

“So your hiatus is indefinite.”

“I suppose you could say that.”

“T.”

“Yeah?”

“I hate to say this but—but . . .”

“But?”

“You’ll probably disagree but I have to tell you that you’re turning into Taeyeon’s fan.”

“I disagree.”

“I knew you’d say that.”

“That’s because it’s not true.”

“Including the musical and radio show later, how many times would you have seen Taeyeon this week?”

“About five?”

“And Ho Un Dung?”

“I haven’t seen him at all, but he’ll be at the musical anyway.”

“Taeyeon, five, Ho Un Dung, one. And that’s only because he happens to be in the musical too.” Then Sunny, with the air of a nonchalant victor, says “I rest my case.”

“I told you Shining Dung is on hiatus. I’ll see him lot more when I’m off-hiatus.”

“How about right now. Do you want to see him? Do you miss seeing him?”

Tiffany frowns. “Not really. I mean, I get to see him I in the musical so it’s okay if I don’t see him at the other schedules.”

“T, you would never have said that if you still like him. Remember the time when you went for his fansign and almost missed the deadline to submit your paper?”

Tiffany nods.

“Would you have said the same thing back then?”

Tiffany shakes her head slowly. Her eyes widen with each shake as the message finally dawns on her. “Oh my God,” she says. But it is already too late.

[o]