Tiffany Hwang.

The girl who taught emotionless, heartless, and careless Kim Taeyeon how to love, again.  The girl that made Kim Taeyeon smile like an idiot whenever she does something cute. The girl who had a contagious smile that reached even her eyes. The girl who Taeyeon would give everything to.

            Tiffany Hwang was that girl.

That was until both of them had the talk.

Tiffany was more than willing to start a family with Taeyeon after years of her uncontrollable awkwardness around kids. The older woman understood that, because she too wouldn’t want to start a family just after a year of marriage.

However, just 4 years into the marriage, things got a little out of hand. Taeyeon got busy with her company, Tiffany got busy with her new fashion line. They both met different people and their marriage was put to a test; a test they couldn’t survive.

            “You think I didn’t know?! You’ve been seeing that guy for months WHILE you’re married to me, Tiffany! What the hell is wrong with you?”

            “Oh so now I’m to blame? Who didn’t want to start a family WITH me in the first place? And do you think I didn’t know that you were seeing your secretary behind my back?!”

            Taeyeon turned around, her eyes flaring in anger. She sends Tiffany a glare but the other woman gives her a glare of the same intensity,

            “Stop turning the tables Tiffany! This is about you and that guy’s relationship! What are people going to say when this comes out in the gossip section of the evening news?! That my wife is seeing one of her models because I’m not enough for her!?”

            Tiffany shakes her head in disbelief, “Oh so you’re making this about you again?” she scoffs as she flails her arm, “yeah, it’s always been about you because you’re the great Kim Taeyeon!”

            Then a pregnant silence ensued. Two people who had their backs against each other, one had her eyes closed, thinking of what possibly went wrong, how could a relationship so perfect end up in this situation?

            The other one trying to swallow her sobs as she thought of what was the best thing to do.

In the end, they knew that their relationship was something they treasure but most of the time, treasures are buried, not because it isn’t valued but because that’s how much people value it.

            “This isn’t working out, right?” Taeyeon said, biting her lips as she stared at Tiffany’s back,

            “Maybe in another time, Tae.”

            Taeyeon sighs but nods her head anyway. She walks towards the woman she loved most and engulfed her into a tight hug, maybe for the last time, because things won’t be the same after this.

            “I loved you.”

            “I did too.”

            “Boss? Yoohoo~”

Taeyeon woke up from her trance and she gives the person who was snapping at her a weird look. How dare she disturb the boss from her trance? She sighs when she sees a familiar face and just waves her off, she’s not in the mood to be teased right now.

            “You spaced out, were you thinking of the former first lady of this company again?”

Taeyeon rolls her eyes and pretends to do something on her laptop but she knows that the other woman inside the office was probably giving her a sly look. The older girl clears and stops what she’s doing to stare at the other girl,

            “Technically, she’s still my wife. The divorce papers have not arrived yet.”

The other girl chuckles, “Yes, okay, my dear boss who’s still in love with her soon-to-be-ex-wife but is too egoistic to admit her mistakes.”

            “Why are you here, Sooyoung? Just go somewhere else. Stop bugging me. I don’t pay you just for you to tease me with my wife.” Taeyeon answers in an annoyed tone, pointing to her office door, as if telling the other girl to go away.

            Sooyoung chuckles and shakes her head as she gathers the folders on top of Taeyeon’s table, “just to remind you though, you have a scheduled lunch with your soon to be ex in-law.”

            Taeyeon widens her eyes. She turns to the calendar to check the date and cusses under her breath. She completely forgot about the lunch. She checks the time and she sighs in relief knowing that she still has a few hours to get ready and to buy something for her in-law.

            Mr. Hwang had always been the kind father. In fact, he didn’t have a problem when Tiffany introduced Taeyeon as her girlfriend. He always said that Tiffany is one of the only people that reminds him of Mrs. Hwang so he can’t just disown her because she loved differently. Tiffany was more important than her preference, and besides, Taeyeon seemed like a nice person and she takes care of Tiffany really well so why not?

            And so he was devastated when he learned that they were getting a divorce. He always believed that they were meant to be together, and he still does, which is why he keeps on arranging meetings with Taeyeon and Tiffany in hopes that he’d be able to change their minds.

            So far, they haven’t, but Mr. Hwang isn’t going to give up.

            Taeyeon clicks her tongue as she hovers her finger over the call button on her phone. Tiffany and her have not talked much ever since they decided to get a divorce but they talk when they really need to talk; like if they need to ask each other where the pan is, or where the dog food is, or in times like this, if they’ll see each other during lunch, they need to have an agreement.

            In the end, Taeyeon presses the call button as she waits for the other to pick up.

            “Hello?”

            “What time are we going to meet?” Taeyeon went directly to the point, much to the other’s annoyance.

            “Have some manners, Taeyeon. You didn’t even bother to say hello to me.” The person on the line sighs, exasperatedly, making Taeyeon  smile a little.

            “Why are you making a big fuss about it, Tiffany? I don’t normally greet you when I call you, you know.” The older woman states, as a matter of factly.

            “”Exactly! Geez, I don’t want to argue with you Taeyeon. We’ll meet at xx restaurant 12 noon sharp. Good bye.”

            Taeyeon , surprised, blinks at her phone when the other person hung up on her. She puts her phone down on the table and leans back on her comfy chair as she thinks of why Tiffany sounded so mad. Taeyeon knew that things would change around them but she still couldn’t accept any “good bye’s” from Tiffany, it just didn’t sound right.

            “She couldn’t even say ‘see you later’?” she blinks again and shakes her head as she thinks about the woman she once called her wife.

            “Sorry I’m late, I got a bit busy at the office.”

            Taeyeon and Mr. Hwang stops stuffing food in their mouths as Tiffany steps in the VIP room where the two were. The former followed the newly arrived girl with her eyes as she takes a seat beside her father and she couldn’t help but admire the woman. Tiffany has changed a lot in just a span of one month. Taeyeon thinks that maybe this divorce is the right thing to do. She almost loses her breath when she hears Tiffany’s husky laughter that she hasn’t heard for months, not even she can make the other girl laugh like that.

            Maybe we’re just not meant to be.

            “You’ve gotten prettier, daughter.” Mr. Hwang utters as he pats Tiffany’s head. The woman pouts because her father was treating her like a kid again. She playfully pinches her father’s arm and answers,

            “I am not a kid anymore, dad. Stop patting my head.”

            Mr. Hwang chuckles and nods his head, “Okay. Okay.” He takes his little tea cup and drinks from it, then his eyes land on Taeyeon who suddenly got quiet as soon as his daughter arrived.

            “So Taeyeon, how are you doing these days?” he asks, in hopes that Taeyeon stops being awkward around Tiffany.

            Taeyeon clears and stops twirling the noodles on her bowl to look at Mr. Hwang, “Ah, we’re doing okay. The company is doing better these days and—“

            However, she was stopped when she heard Mr. Hwang chuckle. She raises an eyebrow at the old man and tilts her head,

            “I know your company is doing well, Tae. It’s all over the news. What I want to know is how are YOU doing these days.” The old man answers, accompanied by a gentle smile.

            Taeyeon’s mouth forms an ‘O’ then she giggles at her silliness. Mr. Hwang had always calmed her. She doesn’t know why but it’s as if Mr. Hwang fills up the spaces that Mr. Kim always left blank, and she’s extremely thankful for that.

            “I’m… doing fine.” She simply answers, grinning to make it look more believable.  Thankfully, Mr. Hwang bought it, or at least Taeyeon thinks he did.

            “How about you, Tiffany, how are you doing?” Mr. Hwang asks. Taeyeon pretends to eat as she listens to Tiffany’s answer.

            “I’m doing great! I have a lot to be thankful for, dad. I am finally about to achieve my dream of establishing my very own fashion line! Can you believe this dad, the little girl you raised is now a successful fashion designer!” Tiffany excitedly answers, hugging her hands near her chest as she smiles at her father.

            Mr. Hwang laughs at his daughter. Sometimes, Tiffany makes it hard for him to believe that she really is a grown woman.

            “I’m so proud of you, Stephanie.”

            Tiffany smiles again, her smile reaching her eyes. The same smile that always made Taeyeon breathless, the same smile she loved, and the smile she’ll rarely see from this day forward. Nevertheless, that smile still had the same effect on her. No wait, scratch that, Taeyeon knew that Tiffany will still have the same effect on her, no matter the time, no matter where. She knew, deep inside, that Tiffany is the one that got away.

            And so Taeyeon almost choked when Tiffany started talking about a new person, with hearts in her eyes.

            “You’re already seeing someone new?!” Mr. Hwang asks, wide eyed, as he alternates looking at his daughter who was nodding, and Taeyeon, who suddenly spaced out.

            Taeyeon didn’t know what to feel. She was startled, yes, because it’s only been a month, but hey, she kind of knew about Tiffany and that guy’s relationship and besides, who is she to tell Tiffany to stop seeing that person? She’s her soon to be ex-wife; she wouldn’t want to make Tiffany unhappy.

            “He’s so romantic, dad. Very attentive too.” Tiffany beams as she slides through pictures on her phone. Taeyeon presumes that Tiffany was looking for a picture to show to her dad. She knows because this was how Mr. Hwang knew her face.

            Taeyeon smiles lopsidedly as she stares at Tiffany and Mr. Hwang, they were her family, and she still thinks that they are. She just wasn’t sure if Tiffany thinks the same. When Tiffany finally, put her phone inside her bag, Taeyeon sighed hard, thankful that the fan girling was finally over.

            Tiffany heard the sigh and she stares at Taeyeon for a second to gauge her reaction. She raises an eyebrow, she’s never seen Taeyeon so gloomy but who is she to judge? She knew that Taeyeon wasn’t expressive, hell, she wouldn’t even share stories to Tiffany. She was that private, but Tiffany didn’t mind.

            “Excuse me, ladies, I’ll just go to the rest room.” Mr. Hwang pats Tiffany’s shoulders and smiles as she stands up to go the rest room.

            Soon enough, Taeyeon and Tiffany were left alone in the room. There was silence, but it was a comfortable silence. Taeyeon was too immersed in her own thoughts to even be aware that Mr. Hwang already went outside. Tiffany on the other hand reaches for a napkin and wipes the corner of with it,

            “So, how’s your secretary going?” she asks, happy that she finally got Taeyeon’s attention, disappointed that the reason why she got her attention was because of her secretary.

            “Who? Sunmi?” Taeyeon stupidly asks, annoying Tiffany more.

            The younger woman rolls her eyes but nods her head anyway, “Who else would it be?”

            “Oh, she’s doing fine?” Taeyeon tentatively answers, not sure why Tiffany was asking about her secretary.

            “Glad that you’re treating her right.” Tiffany answers in monotone, as if mocking the older woman.

            Taeyeon, being the dense woman that she is, just shrugs, and it made Tiffany boil even more.