Tiffany was easily excitable. This was one of the first things Taeyeon learnt about Tiffany. But even then, Taeyeon was still astounded by how enthusiastic Tiffany was about her new car—the QM3. It came a week after she paid for it. Black all around with a white roof. Smart and cool. And a very nice .

Taeyeon stood back, leaning her back against the wall while admiring her new car’s and Tiffany’s . Both were great to look at. And there was a certain joy that filled her heart. A kind of love. It had to be love. What else could feel this warm and full and happy?

Was she really in love with Tiffany? Taeyeon watched as Tiffany got into the car like a kid getting to ride in front for the first time. With an amused grin, she left the wall to see what she Tiffany was doing in her car. The grown up woman had her hands on the steering wheel and was pretending to drive, making her own engine noises. Then she tinkered with the other knobs and controls, oohing and aahing when the windscreen wipers were activated, when the radio came, when the signal lights blinked . . .

Taeyeon chuckled and shook her head at her grown up girlfriend. Was she dating a twenty-eight year old or an eight year old? Mmm . . . for one, an eight year old would not have the curves Tiffany had or the moves she could make.

In the past week since they first became intimate, Tiffany had proved to be quite the fire cracker in bed. A fire cracker with a short fuse. A very short fuse. She was impatient, much like her usual self at any other time, and could hardly wait to get down to business. So by the third time they got intimate, Taeyeon was well prepared to get Tiffany off before settling her down for an extended . Or post-play, rather.

Post-play. Taeyeon chuckled again. That was new. And cute in a Tiffany way. Classic Tiffany who couldn’t wait till she got what she wanted. Hence the onslaught of y selfies that came in just a day after they met. Taeyeon chuckled some more. It was funny now that she thought about it.

“Why are you laughing to yourself?” Tiffany asked.

Taeyeon laughed again. “You.”

“Me? Why?”

“It’s a long story.”

Tiffany got out of the driver’s seat that had entertained her for the past few minutes and took Taeyeon’s arm. “Tell me.”

Taeyeon planted a kiss on Tiffany’s cheek and grinned. Her girlfriend was too adorable to leave alone for long.

“Hey, don’t just kiss me. Tell meee . . .”

“Just amused by you and your fast track living.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re so many things in one. You’re cute, y and so impatient.”

“Why is that funny?”

“I was reminded of the time when you sent me selfies of your tattoo the day after getting it. Like you didn’t even wait a day or two before telling me about it.”

“If I had waited a day or two, you might have met someone else. Like how Wendy might have become your girlfriend if I hadn’t snagged you first.”

“Woah, woah . . . why are you dragging Wendy into this?”

“I’m not dragging her into this. I’m just saying it like it is.” Tiffany put both her hands up. “I’m not jealous. I’m just stating the very high possibility.”

“I don’t think it’s fair to assume that.”

“You can’t deny that you get on very well with Wendy.”

Taeyeon groaned inwardly. Tiffany was obviously still jealous of Wendy. She had been dropping little bits of green monster talk ever since Taeyeon told her she was going to take Wendy out in her new car on the coming Sunday night.

“Getting along well doesn’t mean I’m gonna make her my girlfriend.”

“That’s the first step.”

Taeyeon couldn’t deny that. “True, but I know I won’t. She doesn’t make me feel that way.”

“So you did think about it.”

Oh my God. “Of course I thought about it. I was still single at that time. I had the choice. But I chose you.” Tiffany stared at her for a little longer than was comfortable and Taeyeon couldn’t tell if she was going to blow her top or cry. “Babe, are you . . . angry?”

“No.”

“Okay, but why aren’t you talking?”

“Cos I’m happy.”

“You’re happy?”                                

Tiffany’s blank face stare became a warm smile. “I’m happy cos you chose me.”

“You obviously knew that since you were there when I first met Wendy. And you’ve always known that I suggested exclusivity after becoming friends with Wendy. But you’re still jealous.”

“To be very honest,” Tiffany took Taeyeon’s hand and avoided Taeyeon’s eyes, choosing to look at their hands instead, “a small part of me always felt that you brought up the thing about dating exclusively to shut me up.”

Taeyeon’s jaw slackened. “What?”

“I know, I know. It’s terrible and I can’t believe I would have thoughts like that cos you’ve been so great this entire time.” Tiffany kept her eyes glued to their hands. “I was just a little insecure.”

“Babe, look at me.” Tiffany didn’t look up so Taeyeon took her by the chin and raised her head. “C’mon, look at me.” It took a moment before Tiffany finally met Taeyeon’s eyes. “Whatever flaws you think you have that makes you feel insecure—well, they may exist, but it doesn’t change my mind about you. I like you. A lot. And I think I might be falling a little bit in love with you too.”

Tiffany’s eyes widened in surprise. “You are?”

Taeyeon nodded. “I was just thinking that while you were acting like a kid with my car.”

“I was not acting like a kid.”

“Oh, you definitely were. Bouncing around, pretending to drive it, pressing all the buttons . . .”

“I was testing it, making sure everything works.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I was!”                                         

Taeyeon laughed. “Okay, okay. You’re an adult. Mature and very woman.”

“And you’re falling in love with me.” Tiffany’s smile was beautiful as she spoke. “A little bit.”

“Yeah.”

“A little bit is good enough for now.” Tiffany giggled. “I made you love me as promised.”

The proud expression on Tiffany’s face had replaced the shadow of jealousy and insecurity and it made Taeyeon laugh out loud. “Yeah, you made me love you.”

T

She should have known that things were going too well. Having her dream come true and becoming a tattooist, making good money out of doing something she loved, having an apartment, a new car, and falling in love with a wonderful woman she met because she was a tattooist . . .

Everything was bordering on perfection. That was when she should have been more careful. But life was too good and she let her guard down. The sinking feeling in her chest hit her hard. She knew she was in big trouble now.

T