“This is a nice place.” Jihyun turns to Hyerim. “Why aren’t we regulars here?”

“Because you’re too lazy to wander more than a hundred metres from home, that’s why.”

“I’m not the one who insists on staying in to watch ‘that babe in a suit’ on TV.”

Hyerim offers Taeyeon a sheepish grin. “I apologize on her behalf. She tends to embarrass me in front of others.” She cups with a hand and adds in a whisper, “It’s the real reason why I don’t bring her out of the house.”

Tiffany squeezes Taeyeon’s hand as they laugh at Hyerim getting smacked on the arm by Jihyun. It’s been barely thirty minutes since she met them and she’s already liking them a whole lot. “I’m not the boss but Pot Shot will definitely welcome you to join us more often. Any place would benefit from having lovely ladies like yourselves.”

“You’re lovely too.” Jihyun smiles.

Hyerim nods. “We would love to come here more.”

“We’ll let you know when we’re here. It’ll be great.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Hyerim empties her glass of beer. “It’s just what we need, before we turn into hermits at our place.”

“Don’t you go out often?” Taeyeon asks.

Jihyun shakes her head.

“When you’re a couple for a long time, things tend to simmer down. We used to go out every other night. Then it became once a week . . . once in a while . . .” Hyerim explains.

“It sounds terrible when she puts it like that,” Jihyun says with a laugh. “But it’s not a bad thing. We just spend more time at home since we live together. I mean, we went out at first to meet each other. But now we can do things together, at home.”

“You make it sound like we do nothing but stay home and do the grand deed every day,” Hyerim comments dryly and Tiffany chortles while Taeyeon stares. “For the record, we don’t. We do plenty of other things too.” She glances at Taeyeon and pauses. “Okay, I think I’ve said too much.”

“Yes you have, Hyerim,” says Jihyun, her eyes rolling.

“I apologize. I tend to ramble when I get in the mood.”

“We should be talking about you two,” says Jihyun, smiling at Taeyeon and Tiffany. “Tell us, how did you meet?”

Tiffany starts the story off and for the next hour, they proceed to talk about things to do, places to go and food to eat. 

Taeyeon gets up to answer the call of nature while they are in the middle of gossiping about female celebrities and she is still chuckling to herself when an unfriendly voice speaks her name. She looks up and is met by a cold expression from Leeyun.

“What do you think you are doing?”

Taeyeon stares at the woman, not understanding what she wants. “I’m washing my hands.”

“Don’t try to be a smartass.” Leeyun rakes her over with a sneer. “Not such a nice girl when Tiffany isn’t around to see, eh? I just knew you are bad news.”

“I’m not any kind of news. And I’m leaving.”

“No, you’re not.” Leeyun obstructs her path to the door. “You’re not going anywhere until you know what you’re doing.”

“I know what I’m doing.” You should be asking yourself that question, not me.

“Really? Do you really know what you’re doing?”

“What’s the problem you have with me? Is it Tiffany? Because I’m her girlfriend and you’re not?”

“Look at how you’re talking to me. Do you know who I am? Do you know how much history I have with Tiffany?”

“I think the key word here is ‘history’. You’re history.”

“And don’t you know that history repeats itself? Our history isn’t just history. You have no idea how deeply we were in love. And you will never know. You’re not capable of it.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Oh, I know. I know. I know what you new girls are like. I got tricked by one. I made the mistake of believing her and leaving the woman I loved the most for her. And now Tiffany is making the same mistake.”

“Not all new girls are the same.”

“Really?” Leeyun smirks and steps forward. “Are you really sure about Tiffany? Are you in love with her? Will you be with her forever? Can you guarantee you won’t leave her for the next man who seduces you?”

Taeyeon opens to answer, but realizes she can’t. She can’t guarantee anything. She isn’t sure if she’s in love with Tiffany. And forever? Forever is a tough call.

“See? You can’t answer me.” Leeyun shakes her head. “You might be genuine now. But you’re a new girl. You’re gonna break Tiffany’s heart one day. Just like how mine was broken. You’re all the same. It’s new to you. It’s interesting. Dating a woman seems so much better than dating a ty man. You’ve had enough of ty men. Women are more sensitive. You can go shopping together, cuddle together.

“Honey, let me tell you, don’t be mistaken. It’s just a phase. Then you’ll bow out and break her heart on the way out. But I’ll be here to pick up the pieces for Tiffany. I know what I lost and I’m not gonna lose it again.”

“G-Good for you,” Taeyeon says and makes her exit before Leeyun can stop her again.

X

“Hey, what took you so long?” Tiffany asks Taeyeon when she finally returns.

“Uh, there was a queue.”

Is it just me or is she a little strange? Tiffany smiles anyway and takes Taeyeon’s hand. “Hyerim and Jihyun are thinking of calling it a night. Do you wanna go home too?”

“Yes, let’s go home.”

Is it just me or does she sound too eager to leave? “Alright then. Let’s all go home.”

Tiffany holds Taeyeon’s hand the entire way home but Taeyeon seems strangely tensed.

“Are you feeling alright?” she asks Taeyeon when the taxi nears Taeyeon’s apartment.

“I’m okay.”

“Really?”

“Mhm.”

“Are you sure?”

Taeyeon turns to her, eyes colder than usual. “Of course I am sure. Why wouldn’t I.”

“I’m just concerned ‘cos you don’t seem okay to me.”

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

Tiffany shakes her head. “I don’t know.” But you’re definitely not okay.

“There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m just fine.”

“Er, Miss, when you’re talking like that, you don’t sound okay at all.”

Tiffany smiles at the taxi driver in the mirror but Taeyeon lashes out at him. “It’s none of your business.”

“I’m sorry for butting in. I just can’t help it when I see a fight waiting to happen.”

“There’s no fight.”

“Miss, you’re on the verge of fighting with me too.”

“Stop the taxi now.”

“Taeyeon, he was just—”

“Stop it or I’m gonna open the door and—” Taeyeon stops in mid-sentence as the taxi jerks to a stop.

“I’m sorry, Miss. But your friend is just worried about you. You shouldn’t be pushing her away.”

“It’s none of your ing business.” Taeyeon opens the door and sticks a leg out.

Tiffany grabs her arm to stop her. “Taeyeon, you’re not home yet.”

“Don’t worry.” Taeyeon pulls her arm away. “I can walk the rest. I’ll be fine.”

“But—”

Taeyeon is gone and the door is slammed shut. Tiffany digs in her bag to get her money out. “I’m so sorry. I’ll pay you for the fare—”

“Miss, I don’t think you should go after her. Let her cool down first.”

“But—”

“She wants to be left alone.”

Tiffany sinks back against the seat with a heavy sigh. The taxi driver is right. All the signs were there but she chose to ignore them all. Taeyeon just wants to be alone right now. She should respect that, even if she doesn’t know why.

“I’ll send you home, Miss.”

“Thank you.”

Thankfully, the taxi driver doesn’t say anymore as he drives her home. Tiffany bites her lip, worrying it as she worries about Taeyeon. She may not have known Taeyeon for long, but her behavior is uncharacteristic of her. What triggered her? Everything changed after she returned from the washroom. What could have happened in there?

Tiffany sighs again. The answers elude her.

“Miss, don’t worry too much. She’ll come around eventually. Good friends won’t break up because of one small quarrel like that.”

“I hope not.”

“Trust me. It won’t. Everything will be okay.”

Tiffany smiles. Despite her worries, the taxi driver’s assurance is making her feel better. What a nice man. Unlike that mean old uncle we met the last time. But this driver thinks we’re just friends. What would he say if I tell him we’re not just friends?

Deciding to find out, Tiffany waits for the taxi to near her home before speaking up. “To tell you the truth, we’re not just friends.”

“Not just friends? You and the lady?”

“Yeah, we’re together. Girlfriends.”

“I see.”

“It’s karma, right? For us to be together.”

“Miss, no. Don’t think that way. You will be okay. Everything will be okay in the end.”

Tiffany finds herself smiling. “Thank you.”

X