“Saengil chukha hamnida, saengil chukha hamnida. Saranghaneun Hwang Miyoung. Saengil chukha hamnida!” Seven girls sang heartily on their seats as they celebrated Tiffany’s birthday in a restaurant at Hongdae.

Taeyeon noticed on how Yuri frowned as they noticed the hostile look that Tiffany is giving to their friends. She heard her friend say, “What? Why are you looking at us like that?”

Tiffany just shook her head and softened her expression. “I will forgive you this once since it’s my birthday. Don’t you ever call me by my Korean name again.”

“Oh, and this midget here can call you by that name?” Sooyoung bantered.

Tiffany glared at Sooyoung for a moment and suddenly reprimanded her. “Yah! Taetae is not a midget. And of course she’s an exception. She’s my best friend.”

Taeyeon smiled at her best friend’s remark and said, “Don’t mind them, Fany-ah. Just blow the candles.”

“Don’t forget to make a wish, unnie.” Seohyun added.

Tiffany nodded with a smile and closed her eyes. She made her wish and blew the candles from the cake in front of her. She opened her eyes afterwards and grinned in front of her friends, her natural eye smile showing which melts Taeyeon’s heart whenever she does that.

“Happy birthday, Tiffany! Thank you for the food!” Sooyoung exclaimed and started eating her meal.

The other girls laughed at their friend’s enthusiasm towards the food and started eating the food ordered for them by Tiffany.

“What did you wish for?” Taeyeon mumbled only for Tiffany to hear.

“To celebrate more birthdays with you.”

Taeyeon came into her senses when a familiar voice called her name. She blinked her eyes a few times and realized that she’s been daydreaming in the middle of Tiffany’s birthday party.

She looked at the people in front of her, her friends and softly said, “Girls.”

“Taeng, what are you doing here?” Yuri asked in surprise. They looked around their surroundings and spotted Tiffany busy talking to her other guests with Nichkhun. The six of them sighed in relief and focused their attention back to Taeyeon.

“You shouldn’t be here. You should leave before she sees you, Taeyeon-ah.” Sunny said in concern.

“Don’t worry, unnie. We’ll talk it out to Tiffany unnie first and we’ll call you.” Yoona said with a sympathetic smile.

A few moments later, all of them were taken aback when Tiffany suddenly approached them and threw an intimidating greeting towards Taeyeon. “You haven’t greeted me yet and now you’re leaving? I guess you’re good with that, Miss Kim.”

“We didn’t call her.” Hyoyeon immediately defended, not wanting Tiffany to misunderstand them again.

Tiffany made a curt nod and said, “I know. I invited her, her son.”

Then she shifted her gaze to Taeyeon and blankly said, “I thought you’re not going to make it. Where are your husband and Hyeonhyuk?”

Taeyeon pursed her lips and looked at their friends, then to Tiffany and answered, “I… Dean has another appointment to attend. He wanted to extend his apologies. And Hyeonhyuk is at home. He’s already sleeping.”

Tiffany casually nodded in acknowledgment and just stared at Taeyeon. Taeyeon doesn’t know what’s running on Tiffany’s mind right now but she’s sure about one thing, those look on Tiffany’s eyes were telling her that her mere presence ruined her mood.

“I think I got to go. H-happy birthday, Tiffany-ssi.”

“No, you can stay. You already got company with you. And thank you, enjoy the party.” Tiffany nonchalantly stated and left their group.

“Seohyun and I will follow Tiffany and try to talk to her. You guys stay here.” Sooyoung told everyone and gives Taeyeon a comforting smile. Then Seohyun gave her a brief hug enough to console her before following Sooyoung.

“What happened?” Sunny demanded for their friend to answer.

Taeyeon breathed deeply and began sharing to her friends on how Tiffany and her paths crossed again. She told her friends on how she lost Hyeonhyuk on the park one day and found out that the person who found him was Tiffany. She also told them about their recent meeting on the restaurant, on how nice Tiffany is to Hyeonhyuk but still hates Taeyeon for leaving her without giving a fight, without giving her a valid reason.

After hearing Taeyeon’s story, Yuri sighed and said, “Well, at least she isn’t diverting her hatred towards my nephew.”

Dean also said the same thing to her, but it’s different this time. She could casually talk things with Yuri so she reprimanded her, “Ya. You know Tiffany would never hate kids.”

“You’re still defending her even though she hates you. You really love her.” Yuri said not in a question, but a statement.

“Of course, our Taeyeonnie loves our Miyoungie.” Hyoyeon enthusiastically said as she tries to somehow lessen the graveness of their conversation, and it made Taeyeon smile.

Sunny who was in deep contemplation while Taeyeon was sharing the whole story has finally talked, “Wait, did Tiffany just assume that you and Hyuk are married?”

“Yes. And he also thinks that Hyeonhyuk is Taeyeon’s birth child. Stupid, isn’t she?” Yuri said in place of Taeyeon and shakes her head in disbelief.

Taeyeon didn’t mind her friend’s statement and just let it be. It suddenly crossed her mind that this conversation that she’s having with their friends could result into another misunderstanding with Tiffany.

Taeyeon thought that Tiffany might think that their friends are siding with her, that she’s being betrayed again. So before it could happen, Taeyeon subtly walks away from her friends.

But before she could make another move, Hyoyeon asked her, “Where are you going?”

Taeyeon just gave her friend a faint smile and weakly said, “My presence is not needed here and I don’t want to ruin her special day any further.”

Yuri placed her hand on Taeyeon’s shoulder and comfortingly said, “Taeng, you didn’t want anything of this to happen.”

Taeyeon patted her friend’s hand lightly and looked at her. “But it is still my fault, Yul. I still left her.”

“Give us some time, unnie. Sooyoung unnie and Seohyun will convince Tiffany unnie soon.” Yoona pleaded.

Taeyeon just lightly shakes her head and said, “It’s okay, Yoong. I should be thankful enough that she let me stay here. I know I shouldn’t be here.”

Before she can take another step, Sunny grasped her hand and firmly said, “No, Taeng. You’re staying. We have to fix this right now.”

“Sunkyu.”

Sunny sees the weariness and fear in her friend’s eyes. She softened her expression and drew in her breath. Sunny looked at her friend with those sympathetic eyes and said, “I know. We won’t tell her everything without your permission. And besides, we want you to be the one telling her the reason why you have to leave her.”

“What’s going on here?” Tiffany naively said the moment she, Sooyoung and Seohyun joined her friends’ company.

The rest of the girls made eye contact with Sooyoung and Seohyun as if asking them if everything well but the two just subtly shook their heads.

“Taeyeon unnie said she’s leaving. But we told her to stay.” Yoona finally answered for all of them.

The six of them looked on how Tiffany looked at Taeyeon. They can’t decipher on what’s running on Tiffany’s mind as she just gives Taeyeon a vague expression. They expected Tiffany to at least say something, but she just looked away and remained silent.

“Look, I hate it to be the one breaking it to you but Hyeonhyuk is not Taeyeon’s child. He’s Hyuk’s child with his deceased wife.” Yuri suddenly blurted out. She can’t take it anymore, on how Tiffany is treating Taeyeon like the latter cheated on her.

Yuri knows that Tiffany has every right to get mad, but she thinks that it isn’t fair that she’s just directing her anger towards Taeyeon. They are in fault too for not telling Tiffany. Yuri especially feels responsible for what’s happening as she’s connected to the three parties involved with this.

“Oh.” Tiffany rendered speechless. They waited for her to say something but Tiffany kept shut.

“And they are not dating either.” Yuri added in case it will make things clearer for Tiffany.