five
FocusHe was kind of cute, Taeyeon had to admit. She was sitting on the kitchen floor with her back against the fridge, playing a gentle game of tug-of-war with the puppy, using an old pair of Tiffany’s socks. The puppy let out the least intimidating growl Taeyeon had ever heard as he tried to pull the sock out of Taeyeon’s grasp; as she watched, his tiny paws skittered for purchase on the smooth tiles and he fell over with a surprised whine.
“Silly,” she said with a smile, picking him up. The little thing made a good effort to clean her whole face before settling down suddenly in the hollow of her lap. With a yawn, he curled into a ball and looked up at her with wide, earnest eyes. Taeyeon his soft fur. “Good boy."
They were still in the kitchen when Tiffany came home.
“Taeyeon? I’m so—”
Taeyeon looked up as Tiffany stopped in the kitchen doorway. Her hair was a little wild, and she was breathing heavily as she held onto the doorframe for support. Before Taeyeon could say anything, the puppy had already leapt out of her arms and launched himself at Tiffany.
“Hey, little guy,” Tiffany bent down with a tired grin, “hello there.” She patted his fluffy head for a while before suddenly freezing and turning to face Taeyeon. “I’m so sorry, Taeyeon, I was held up at the office. I’ll clean the mess up right…now?"
Taeyeon almost laughed at the confused expression on Tiffany’s face as she looked around the spotless kitchen. “It’s alright,” Taeyeon said instead, keeping her tone neutral. “It wasn’t a huge mess."
“Oh. Thank you."
“It’s nothing."
Taeyeon was about to go take a shower when she heard Tiffany say, “Have you eaten yet?"
“No,” she said, turning away from the door to meet Tiffany's eyes. “Have you?"
Tiffany shook her head. Putting the puppy down on the fresh towel Taeyeon had laid down, she stood up and brushed herself down. “Sooyoung gave me a bottle of truffle sauce she got from her sister. I was thinking of making some pasta — do you want some?"
“Truffle sauce? That’s expensive."
Tiffany smiled down at the puppy, who was now chewing ferociously at the discarded pair of socks. “She wanted to thank me, or, um, us, for taking care of him."
“I see.” Taeyeon paused for a moment, pretending not to see the cautious way Tiffany was looking at her, thinking instead of the very small salad she at had lunch. “That would be nice."
“Y-You want pasta?"
“Yes, please."
The relief on Tiffany’s face was almost audible. “Okay!"
“I’m going to go shower,” said Taeyeon.
As she went into her room — the spare room they, she thought wryly, had never thought they’d use — Taeyeon picked out her pajamas and listened to the oddly soothing noises from the kitchen.
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