A/N: 

Nobu - Thank you for all the the comments! They were greatly appreciated and the feedback was helpful. I know this chapter is a little heavy on the angst, especially considering everything that is happening with soshi at the moment, but things will get better in the fic and in real life. That I am sure of ^_^ Never lose hope fellow sones.

Silly T - Thank you guys for all the support you've given. Just like Nobu said its highly appreciated. Keep hoping, keep dreaming, keep believing. I believe thats what Soshi wants.

CHAPTER 5 - FINE

“So, how are you Krystal?” Tyler asked with a smile as the waiter finished setting his cappuccino in front of him. He lifted up the cup and took a small sip, soon after at the top of his lip where foam had stuck. He cleared his throat and soon enough he was beaming up at Krystal once more, patiently waiting for her to begin speaking.

Krystal gazed absentmindedly at her iced Americano like it was the most interesting object in the room. She fiddled around with the plastic straw as she tried to form her jumbled thoughts into words. She didn’t know where to begin after Tiffany had dropped one bomb after another over the phone. Her sister lied to her, but it seemed like the half-truths the ice princess admitted to Krystal last night was just a cover up for a den of secrets she wasn’t braced to uncover.

Krystal stared at Tyler and strangely felt his very presence a mockery.

Krystal felt she didn’t know who her sister actually was, yet she thought she knew who this man in front of her was, branding him as the perfect man for her sister. Krystal felt like a child. All the grownups had their own little conversations about grownup things while she sat in the dark, watching on cluelessly, only able to grasp the bits of information they let her on about.

“Krystal?” Tyler asked, confused with Krystal’s behavior. He leaned in closer across the table, trying to get her attention until finally Krystal looked up from her cup. A little startled, she leaned back to sit up straight in her chair and searched Tyler's confused eyes.

“What happened with you and unnie?” Krystal asked. Her voice was soft and wary. She knew what happened courtesy of Tiffany. She could put the pieces together well enough. Krystal understood she didn’t have any reason to call Tyler here, but if Jessica didn’t tell her the truth last night, her sister definitely wouldn’t tell her the whole truth now, Taeyeon included.

Krystal gripped the plastic cup in her hand firmly.

Tyler was a bit taken aback with her straightforwardness. He blinked before taking another sip of his hot drink, clearing his throat quietly after he did.

“Why do you ask?”

“Please, oppa don’t play dumb.” Krystal took in a shaky breath, “I know there is something wrong between you two. Unnie made a huge mistake didn’t she? That could be the only reason why you were at my apartment the other day so early in the morning looking for her.” Krystal added while taking off her sunglasses, revealing the disappointment on her face. She took her iced americano in hand, lifted it up to , and nibbled at the straw.

Tyler chuckled and nodded.

“And was she there?”

Krystal stopped chewing the plastic straw, “I told you right oppa? She wasn’t. Please, don’t try to change the topic.”

Tyler smiled and swirled the liquid caffeine in his cup. He took another sip and rubbed his thumb against the handle of the cup, unsure if he should speak any more.

After what seemed like an eternity to Krystal, he leaned back comfortably and clasped his hands on top of his lap, twiddling his thumbs.

“Your sister... She’s... How do I put this,” Tyler placed his hand over his mouth in thought, kneading his cheeks. Letting his hand fall onto his lap, he chewed on his bottom lip and continued, “Her heart is with someone else let’s just say”

Krystal remained silent, feeling even more disappointed in her sister. The sister she knew was an honest person. Just who was Jessica really? So far Tyler’s responses were matching Tiffany’s. How Krystal wanted Tiffany to be mistaken and just horribly drunk, but the pink loving girl spelled it out as clear as day for Krystal. Crystal clear.

“Is it anyone I know?” Krystal asked carefully, afraid to mention any names lest Tyler really didn’t know anything about Taeyeon and Jessica.

But then she remembered all the little details Tiffany told her over the phone last night and suddenly Krystal thought it was too late to play these dumb little mind games.

“It's Taeyeon unnie isn’t it.” Krystal spat out, her voice faint.

Tyler’s eyes widened, but not too wide as to give his surprise away. Lowering his gaze, he took another sip of his drink, his mouth lingering near the rim for a split second. his lips, he grinned but not genuinely enough to be believable. Krystal eyed the way his lips curled away from his teeth and noted how they twitched uncertainly. The light had dimmed from his brown eyes and Krystal found herself unexpectedly empathizing with him.

Tyler opened his mouth to speak and closed it again shortly after, his lips pressing against one another to form a thin line. He chuckled softly, his gaze far.

“You’re pretty funny Krystal. Jessica always mentioned how she’d always laugh when she was with you.”

Krystal pitied the man. Despite having been lied to by her sister and played for a fool he still tried to protect Jessica.

“Then why would Sica-unnie need to lie to you about going to Taeyeon’s concert?” Krystal asked while staring into Tyler’s eyes pleadingly, “If what I’m saying is true that's the only reason you would be that angry last night.”

Tyler avoided her gaze, afraid that looking would only give him away. The action however, had the opposite effect. He cleared his throat and leaned his elbows on the table, intertwining his fingers.

“Forgive me Krystal but... Didn’t you just say your sister wasn’t with you last night?” Tyler asked, trying his best not to give away how gleeful he felt catching Krystal in the midst of her own lie. It provided him a small compensation after the sisters had both tried to deceive him.

Krystal gulped, “She wasn’t.”

Tyler looked away and rolled his eyes discreetly. Taking his mug once more he drank the last few drops of coffee and lightly set the mug back onto the coaster, the action taking all of his willpower. A strong urge to just let the cup fall without a care, shattering into numerous jagged pieces bubbled up within him.

“You lied to me Krystal. You know how worried I was about her.” Tyler said, exasperated. He played with the napkin on his table to keep his disappointment from bubbling over into anger. If Tyler was honest with himself that was probably much too late.

“I’m sorry.” Krystal replied flatly, her tone of voice without a semblance of much remorse, “But you weren’t worried oppa. You were angry. Why?” she leaned in and placed her hand gently on top of Tyler’s, “What is going on between unnie and Taeyeon-unnie? Did you know about them the whole time?”

Tyler stared at their connected hands. Krystal’s soft touch added truth to her intentions. He understood she was confused, just as he was initially when he found out about Taeyeon and Jessica. However, letting Krystal continue on this road of discovery would prove to be more harmful for him. He slipped his hand out from under Krystal’s hand and rested it on his lap.

“Let’s say there was something between Jessica and Kim Taeyeon-ssi... Why would you be angry? I mean, assuming what you’re saying is true.”

Krystal blinked slowly. She smiled incredulously, “Oppa, she lied to you — almost cheated on you — how could you even ask that?”

Tyler gripped his knee as he tried to ignore the heartache and painful shot to his ego the recollection brung. He shook his head slowly. He didn’t want to discuss this, especially not when it became about him.

“Krystal-ah...” Tyler paused and smiled gently, “Why am I here? You feel angry don’t you? Disappointed in your sister? Why?”

“Because...”

“Because?”

Krystal’s eyes darted around the room, searching for an answer.

“Let’s see, she lied to you about being a faithful partner. You’re disappointed in her. The sister you looked up to acted dishonestly. I understand. Now...” Tyler rested his cheek on his palm, drumming his fingers on his cheek, “If she was in love with Taeyeon-ssi like you’re suggesting that would completely crush your expectations of her, your image of her. You wouldn’t know her anymore and it scares you.”

Krystal shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Tyler raised an eyebrow.

“Do you think... The aspect of two women, together is perhaps wrong? Immoral?” Tyler chuckled under his breath and smirked, “erted maybe?”

Krystal bolted upright in her seat, “Of course not!”

“So why did you ask me to come here today Krystal-ah.” Tyler asked calmly, his voice gentle so as not to provoke Krystal to anger.

Krystal combed her hair back, eyes darting around the room once more.

Tyler chuckled, “If you’re feeling such animosity towards your sister, perhaps discussing this with her is for the best.”

Krystal furrowed her eyebrows, “I’m not angry at her... I’m just disappointed.”

Tyler chortled, “It's strange, your way of being disappointed is eerily similar to being angry. ”

Krystal furrowed her eyebrows, “Well, I think it's strange how you’re okay with your girlfriend having feelings for someone else.”

Tyler rested his chin on his palm and smiled, “Who said I was okay with it?” he took the cup on the table and moved to the side, and leaned in closer to Krystal, “I love her, I want her, so as long as she’s with me I’ll it up.”

Tyler understood Krystal’s need for answers, however he decided that he was not the person she needed to hear those answers from. A small part of him wanted to confirm Krystal’s suspicions out of spite for Jessica and pity for Krystal, but another part of him knew what trouble that would bring him.

Having more people know about Jessica and Taeyeon’s secret would bring him more shame than anything. A rich tycoon, with women all over the world clamoring to be with him all except for one. Tyler pictured Jessica and Taeyeon laughing at him now, and then saw as the headlines in the news flashed across his mind momentarily. His hand began to ball up in his lap.

“If you want answers, you know I’m not the person you should be speaking with.” Tyler smiled, much sweeter than he had before, “It's not right for me to speak on behalf of your sister, but if you are so adamantly against speaking with your sister about this, Kim Hyoyeon-ssi might be a better place to start.”

Krystal couldn’t help but notice something... odd about the changes in Tyler’s demeanor. The way he would switch emotions so quickly made the hairs on her body stand. The different masks he would put on and the speed with which he switched between them hid the true him so well. The more time she spent with Tyler alone the more she wondered what mask he had used when they first met.

If Krystal had learned anything by growing up in the entertainment industry, it was that the most perfect people had the most secrets to keep and the ugliest secrets to hide. Krystal scolded herself for even contacting Tyler in the first place.

And so she just nodded along silently, deeming talking to Tyler any further a fool’s journey to begin with. She took her iced americano in hand once more and sipped on the cool drink deep in thought.

Tyler chuckled and took his hand in hers this time. Krystal immediately looked up at him, her gaze filled with suspicion. He squeezed her hand lightly.

“I’m sorry about last night. I must have frightened you. How about I treat you to brunch? It wouldn’t be right for me to let my future sister in law walk out hungry.”

Krystal gave a close-mouthed smile, “Thank you for the offer oppa.” she squeezed his hand lightly in response. Two could play this game, “But I need to go. Unnie is waiting for me.”

“Alright well say hi to your sister for me. Tell her I'll be waiting for her patiently, whenever she's ready.” Tyler got up from his seat, and walked around the table with outstretched arms and a bright smile.

Krystal flashed a quick smile before reluctantly going in for a hug. Tyler squeezed her briefly in their short embrace and patted her back softly. Krystal thought that the hug lasted an unbearable eternity and when Tyler pecked her quickly on the cheek, she tried not to grimace. It was a western formality that not even she was accustomed to.

“I'll see you later oppa. Have a good day.”

Tyler simply nodded politely and off they were on their separate ways.

Taking her coat that hung from the back of her chair, Krystal picked it up and swung it over her shoulders. She walked over to the counter where she had placed an order earlier for pick up.

Krystal felt the vibration of her phone in her jean pocket. As the cashier gave her order after she had paid, she lifted up the phone and answered with it.

“Yes unnie. I got the crepes, just as you asked.”

Krystal smiled as she walked out from the Cafe, feeling more confused than when she entered.

Krystal pinned herself as a person that was particularly accepting, but to what extent? She had many friends that had relationships that didn't follow the set norm in her country and Krystal never thought twice about her friendships with those individuals. Yet somehow the idea of a family member belonging to this group of people sat uneasily with the younger Jung.

How could Krystal bring this concern up with her older sister in addition to her feelings of disappointment and betrayal? Krystal sighed at the thought. Bringing this topic up with Jessica while Krystal’s emotions were still raw wouldn’t help either of them. Krystal loved her sister and the least she wanted was a fight.

And so Krystal opted to uncovering the truths her sister had hidden from her. Ignoring the small voice within her that begged she respect her sister’s wishes in keeping her relationship with Taeyeon a secret, Krystal resolved to talk to Hyoyeon.

————————

Lively music boomed from the practice room, the bass line of the song vibrating against the walls and onto the wood floors, the sound seeping through the cracks of the door. Hyoyeon approached the glass door, the sound bringing her body to move along to the beat. She could hear Taeyeon and her backup dancers’ feet skidding across the wooden floor, their voices animatedly yelling along to the melody of the song. It had only been a few seconds since Hyoyeon arrived but the song was now over and the sound of feet against wood halted.

“Ah! So tiring.”

Hyoyeon peeked through the glass door of the practice room upon hearing the voice of a certain tired danshin. She entered the room, closing the door behind her, and bowed towards the dancers that greeted her. She scanned the faces smiling at her until she recognized the kid leader behind them, clad from head to toe in black while chugging down a cold bottle of water. Hyoyeon tiptoed carefully up behind Taeyeon and when the time was right...

“Wah!” Hyoyeon jumped out at Taeyeon, shaking the girl's shoulders vigorously. Taeyeon rolled her eyes.

“There's a mirror I can see you.” Taeyeon shook her head and capped the water bottle in her hand, chuckling.

Embarrassed, Hyoyeon smiled sheepishly, her cheeks pink, “At least pretend to be scared.”

Hyoyeon hopped up onto the plastic table at the far end of the room and swung her feet aimlessly, her lips pursed to the side as she observed Taeyeon stretch. Taeyeon stretched one way and then the next, the moments passing without a word exchanged between the two. In the silence, the holes Hyoyeon was digging with her eyes that bore deep into Taeyeon's backside began to burn a little for the kid leader.

Finding the unbearably awkward silence enough, Taeyeon quickly swiveled around on her heels and yelled out, “Are you waiting for something?”

Hyoyeon shrugged lazily.

Rolling her eyes, Taeyeon walked over to where Hyoyeon sat and took a seat beside her on top of the table.

“So did you just come here to check me out?” Taeyeon chuckled and opened up her water bottle again.

Hyoyeon rolled her eyes and bumped shoulders with Taeyeon, “Don't give Tiffany another reason to grill me in.”

Taeyeon blinked slowly and capped her water bottle. With the back of her hand she wiped at the water at the corner of and shook her head.

“Alright lay it on me.” Taeyeon said while waving her hands in mid air as if she was in a music video for her very first rap single. Hyoyeon raised an eyebrow and chuckled. Tiffany was a strong influence.

Broaching the upcoming topic proved to be a great difficulty for Hyoyeon, especially when it would concern her name and the word “apology” in the same sentence. She figured however, that this was a small hill to overcome compared to the upcoming task of getting her beloved to forgive her.

“So I need your advice...” Hyoyeon averted her gaze, the heat crawling up from behind her neck and onto her cheeks, her skin tinting pink. The presence of the other dancers was certainly no help. But then an idea came to her, her eyes lighting up like a light bulb.

“I have a friend...”

Taeyeon scrunched her eyebrows. Hyoyeon was definitely failing at being subtle.

“Yes, a friend and?”

Hyoyeon looked down at her feet, “She— I-I mean they— love this uhm, person, but then they lied about something and now that other person is angry at her. But they totally lied for a good cause and not because of what their significant other thinks. So I guess, what do you think she needs to do?”

Hyoyeon turned to look at the kid leader but unsurprisingly she was already smirking like a know-it-all schoolboy, her sweaty disposition making her appearance even creepier.

Hyoyeon frowned, “Shut it.”

Taeyeon burst into laughter. Seeing how Hyoyeon moved and spoke like a jittery mess, completely devoid of her usual confident self, and then remembering the unduly amount of clumsiness displayed by Tiffany the night prior was wholly amusing for Taeyeon.

“Yah! Why are you laughing? This friend of mine is really stressing out about this.”

Taeyeon tried to hold her laughter by clearing and nodded.

“I’m sorry Hyoyeon-ah.” Taeyeon cleared repeatedly, a chuckle or two sneaking in between, “So has this ‘friend’ of yours apologized to her girlfriend?”

Hyoyeon’s bottom lip protruded out ever so slightly as her eyes looked down at the hardwood floors. She nodded her head slowly but Taeyeon couldn’t stand it anymore and her signature ahjumma laugh was unleashed. The sight of Hyoyeon acting like a sad puppy was far too amusing.

“Yah!” Hyoyeon whined, nudged Taeyeon’s shoulder, “Stop laughing it’s not funny.”

Taeyeon stopped laughing and stared at Hyoyeon quietly, her lips quivering from the strain.

“So?” Hyoyeon asked.

“...”

Taeyeon laughed harder while clapping her hands together reminiscent of a happy seal. Hyoyeon glared at the kid leader and folded her arms across her chest. Seeing the fiery darts shooting from Hyoyeon’s brown eyes, Taeyeon’s laughter slowly subsided, replaced with silence. She gulped.

Despite the death glare Hyoyeon was giving her, Taeyeon couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

“Okay, okay I’m sorry. But can you cut it with the ‘friend’ business and just tell me why Tiffany is mad at you?” Taeyeon said. She wiped the droplets of tears at the corner of her eyes with her manicured thumb and chuckled softly.

A light shade of pink began to surface on the apples of Hyoyeon’s cheeks, “Ah, just forget it.”

“Hyoyeon-ah, It’s Tiffany we’re talking about. You just need to talk to her. A few measly texts aren’t enough. There are times when she likes to let her assumptions get the best of her and after that it's quite hard to change her mind.” Taeyeon lifted up her legs and sat cross-legged on top of the table, “If you don’t say how you feel sooner or later, it’ll be harder to convince her otherwise.”

Hyoyeon nodded along silently. Talking about feelings was never her forte.

“Just apologize to her in person this time and tell her how you feel.” Taeyeon reached out for Hyoyeon’s hand and squeezed it gently. A small smile appeared on Hyoyeon’s face. The dancer was unsure if a simple apology would be enough for Tiffany.

“Thank you Taeyeon-ah.” Hyoyeon squeezed Taeyeon’s hand back gently, Taeyeon smiling in reply.

The willingness Hyoyeon displayed to fix the misunderstandings between her and Tiffany warmed her and at the same time brought her sadness. Why couldn’t Jessica be just as willing? The thought soured Taeyeon’s mood, picking at a scab that still felt a little fresh.

“Sorry for disturbing your practice, but you know if you need a dance teacher you know where to find me.” Hyoyeon smiled mischievously, that quirky side grin of hers showing off her teeth.

Taeyeon slapped Hyoyeon’s arm jokingly, the comment bringing her out from her thoughts before she went in too deeply.

“And if you need a vocal coach you know where to find me.” Taeyeon brought her hand up to salute and stuck her tongue out.

Hyoyeon’s eyes widened, a laugh caught halfway up , halted by the surprising amount of sass Taeyeon unleashed upon her, “Yah, are you that comfortable with me now that you wou—”

“Lets eat!”

Hyoyeon’s eyes widened.

The doors swung open and there she was. Just as they had finished talking about her, the eye smiling girl was before them, accompanied by the fragrant smell of jajangmyeon. Hyoyeon felt her jaw dropping, her heart revving up as if to run away up and out of her body.

The smell of the takeaway intensified as Tiffany neared towards Taeyeon, a grin stretched from ear to ear, unaware of how the person she least wanted to see today was sitting right beside the person she was here for. Tiffany moved with a hop in her step not knowing that the timer in Hyoyeon’s mind was nearing zero and th