My day has been good so far. No one has interrupted me yet from my work, and I am still doing my audit review as usual.

But I admit that after Tiffany’s drunk incident during the party, I expected her to come here in my office and confront me about my wavering attitude towards her. I closed my eyes for a moment and tell myself to stop expecting, that I should be instead be happy that she’s not disturbing my space.

I heard a knock on my door and it opened, revealing Tiffany as she entered my room. She closed the door and gives me that wary look. “Are you busy?”

I took a short glimpse of her and pretended to continue reading the document that I am holding and replied, “It depends. Why are you here?”

“About what happened to us again the other night…” I can feel her nervousness even from my seat. I waited for her to finish her sentence but it seems like she won’t be finishing it any time.

I finally put down the document that I was holding and clasped my hands altogether. I stared at her blankly and nonchalantly said, “What? Did something happen to us?”

She met my gaze and says, “I understand if you’re trying to act like nothing had happened. But Taeyeon-ah, can you at least act like you know me better like you always did?”

“Well, I’m being civil to you right now.” I coolly said with a shrug.

“No. You act like I’m just a mere colleague to you.” She said in utter disappointment.

“But you are.” 

“Kim Taeyeon.” She warned.

“Hwang Miyoung.” I retorted. 

Then her frown suddenly turned into a smile. Her eyes turning into crescents again. Even though I acknowledge her beautiful eye smile, I am still oblivious on why she’s giving me that. And even before I melt with that expression, I coldly asked. “What?”

“You called me by my name. My Korean name.” She answered, still wearing the same cheerful expression

“Oh, did I?” I said with my eyebrow raised. I am stalling some time, trying to remember my words. I know that she’s aware of what I am doing and she just lets me be.

I don’t want to give her any advantage so I shrugged it off and said, “Fine. I won’t argue with you anymore, Tiffany. I’m sorry.”

Her expression went subtler and steps forward. She shakes her head and softly said, “No. You don’t have to be sorry.”

Before I could fall into her trap, I leaned back to my seat and said with composure, “Why are you here again?”

“So, are we friends again?” Tiffany said with a bright smile. She takes a seat on the couch uninvited and looked at me.

I sighed, and in a slightly sarcastic tone I told her, “I don’t know. We’ll be seeing each other every single day, we’ll be working together. So I think that maybe I would just make myself adjust again since I’m the only one who adjusts to everything. It’s my forte after all.”

I see her wince at my words. The guilt in her face says it all. Then she said, “Look. I’m really sorry, Tae. You know that I’m willing to do everything for you just to forgive me.”

“Please stop calling me that, Tiffany. Please.” I pleaded. Seeing her dejected like that, and hearing her calling me with that is still my weakness. I know I should have already freed myself from her after all these years, but I guess that she still have the same effect on me.

She looked down and pursed her lips. Then she muttered, “Okay.”

I sighed once again and observed her from my seat. I recognize her current expression as one way of her moping. Not wanting to feel guilty, I changed topics and spoke. “You still haven’t answered my question, and you’re wasting my supposed to be working time.”

“Yuri and the other girls asked me out for lunch. I’m just wondering if you want to join us.”

“Okay.” I replied with a curt nod and started to get back at the document that I was reading earlier before she interrupted. When I see that she’s still not moving, I shifted my gaze to her and asked, “Do you have anything else to say?”

“We’ll be going together, right?” She said expectantly.

“Uh, yeah.”

“Okay. See you in an hour, Tae…Taeyeon.” Tiffany said with a wry smile as she stood up from the couch and abruptly left my room.

Just what are you doing, Taeyeon? You shouldn’t feel sorry for her. She left you, right? And you told so yourself that you’re going to make her feel the pain you’ve felt throughout the years. Stick to your plan. A voice in my head reminded me on what should I do. And she’s right. I shouldn’t let my heart be in charge of my life, or else I would get hurt again.   

After making some notes with regards to the audit report that I was reading, I arranged the documents on my table and piled them neatly on the nearby bookshelf to my right. I grasped my phone on the table and sent Jessica a text message.

J

Busy?

Hi, Taengoo. What’s up?

Oh, manners. Sorry. Hi Sooyeon. R u free?

Lunch? Sure…
But I’m not being your jealous object, am I?

Ofc not. Having lunch w/ the squad.

You’re kidding, right?
I’m busy.

Liar.
Oh. But Kwon Yuri will be there too. :)

I waited for a good few seconds until I see Jessica’s name on my phone’s screen. I snorted when she took my bait and shakes my head in amusement. I swiped my screen and answered the call. “Kim Taeyeon speaking. How may I help Blanc and Eclare’s CEO?”

“Where are we having lunch? I’m actually free right now. Should I go and get you? Oh, right. I won’t. I’ll let you be with Tiffany and make yourself realize that you still love her despite of everything.” Jessica said in an overexcited to nagging friend manner.

“What do you mean by that? I don’t love her.” I casually denied and rolled my eyes as if she could see what I am doing.

“I’m not one of your dense friends, Taeng. Well, I’m not telling that Yuri’s dense. Whatever. But I’m not like them who aren’t aware of your feelings towards each other. Plus, have you forgotten already what you told me that day?”

“We were just best friends, Sica.” I defended myself, not totally agreeing with what is Jessica insinuating.

I hear her scoff, and she just probably rolled her eyes just right now as she said, “Best friends your . Are there best friends who argue like this? Who hurt each other like how you and Tiffany do? And for the record, you are mad at her yet you still slept with her not just once, but twice. And you’re planning to do that again, aren’t you?”

“Nothing happened to us the last time. I wasn’t drunk or something that night. I left right after I made sure she’s asleep.” I clarified to her before the wrong idea of me sleeping with Tiffany and taking advantage of her drunkenness will get implanted forever in her mind.

“Oh, well it’s the same. You still slept with her.” She countered in a reprimanding tone.

“Jessica. I don’t have time to be reprimanded right now. I just called you to invite you for lunch.” I said in a much sterner tone.

There then she exhaled and apologetically said, “I’m sorry, Taeng. I’m just carried over with you and your egoistic mind. Just please, don’t be someone who isn’t you.”

I pretended not to hear what she just said and instead replied, “I’ll just text you the details of the restaurant, Sica. Yuri will be happy to see you too. Bye.”

“Taeyeonnie!” Sooyoung whined cutely as soon as I stepped inside the restaurant with Tiffany. She gives me a brief hug and smi