This chapter is sponsored by Tim Hortons, aka the café I imprisoned myself in to finally write this down hahaha

Alternative title: If I never see your face again (I would mind)

***

Once upon a (very recent) blue moon, Taeyeon thought that the sooner she could leave New York City, the better. The sooner she could escape dark, unreadable eyes that remind her of pink hoodies and sad smiles, the sooner she could get her life back on track and pretend this month was just a blur that never really happened. But now that a deadline of one week is set for her to wrap things up in New York City, instead of the noose loosening, it seems to pinch even tighter around her neck.
 

She can’t count how many times she’s gone back on her decision that night in Tiffany's office, wondering if she should have stopped what could have been or just let all her inhibitions go and done what she’d been dreaming about on one too many nights.
 

She can’t help but think about how she had hesitated. Again.
 

Somehow, when it comes to Tiffany, Taeyeon becomes unsure about a lot of things. Or maybe cautious is now a better word for it, because she’s definitely sure about what she feels for Tiffany.
 

Gone are the days of denial when touches that tingle and looks that hold more meaning are brushed off and ignored; she’s attracted to Tiffany. Stupidly attracted to Tiffany. And she doesn’t know what to do about it. Because she’s leaving in a week and god knows when she’ll be back. If she’ll ever be back.
 

She can always try to remain in contact with Tiffany, which won’t be difficult to do in this day and age. The only problem is this can only be plausible if Tiffany wants to stay in contact with her in the first place. So, Taeyeon realizes she can’t just sit idly by when there are various opportunities for her to show Tiffany she’s worth the effort as a friend, and hopefully, even as a lover.
 

Which brings her back to her current situation: giving Tiffany her morning coffee.
 

Sounds innocent enough, but for Taeyeon, this act holds a far deeper meaning. A symbol of truce? A fresh start? It doesn’t matter what Tiffany thinks of it – Taeyeon will gladly accept crumbs at this point, the desperate fool she is.
 

It wasn’t difficult to ask Tiffany's secretary for her preferred beverage – disregarding the curious yet teasing smile Sharon had sent her way before handing her a piece of paper with the order written down.
 

After purchasing the drink that morning on the way to work, her final task is to step inside Tiffany's office and hand it to her. Which seems a lot more difficult than what is acceptable, given that she already had to walk to the nearby Starbucks while icy winds nearly inverted her umbrella and droplets of rain relentlessly hit her in the face.
 

Still, Taeyeon hesitates by the door, the cup nearly slipping from her clammy hands. She’s about to knock when Tiffany beats her to it, the door opening quickly and her raised hand nearly knocking onto Tiffany’s chest.
 

“Oh!” Tiffany exclaims in surprise.
 

“Oh. Uh.” Taeyeon’s mind blanks out; she’s not surprised at this point.
 

“Were you about to come in? I just need to use the restroom for a sec. You can set your laptop up by the couch.”
 

And then she’s gone, leaving a hint of perfume in her wake that leaves Taeyeon’s head spinning.
 

Taeyeon realizes she’s been standing there far longer than necessary, and she quickly turns around and goes inside her office to take her laptop. She sets up and readies her files by the couch, just as Tiffany had instructed. It’s good that she has a few minutes to herself though, as she is able to calm her nerves.
 

In a few minutes, Tiffany returns, and Taeyeon finally offers her the cup of coffee as the brunette sits beside her. “For you.”
 

“Oh. …Really?” Tiffany hesitates, before taking the cup from her hands. “Thank you.” She takes a sip, and Taeyeon watches as mild surprise etches her face.
 

“I, uh, asked Sharon for your usual order,” Taeyeon answers her silent question.
 

“Ah…” Tiffany quirks her lips into a hint of a smile, and Taeyeon thinks that’s all she’s getting, but it morphs into a full-blown one, catching her off-guard in the best way. “Thank you…again. So…shall we begin the meeting?”

***

Up till the next morning, Taeyeon thinks Tiffany’s grateful smile is all she will get in return (although it’s more than enough).
 

However, a steaming cup of Starbucks coffee on her desk stops her in her tracks by the doorway to her office.
 

Smile quickly growing, Taeyeon turns around and watches Tiffany through the window of her own office, eyebrows furrowed in concentration at something she’s looking at on her computer.
 

Their eyes don’t meet – not that morning nor that afternoon either, but Taeyeon doesn’t mind. She tries not to read into it – or at least that’s what she tells herself – but maybe, just maybe, she can be a little hopeful this time around.
 

Tiffany Hwang is worth the gamble, after all.

xxx

Even though Tiffany knows Taeyeon’s leaving soon, she tries to push it out of her mind, burying herself deep in her work until she’s practically spending the entire day in her office. It isn’t until Thursday though, that she’s forced to remember this significant detail.
 

She gets an email from the President of Halcyon, inviting her to a cocktail party in one of the trendiest bars in New York City this Friday night, as a celebration for successfully closing deals with various companies that month, SMT included. Kim Taeyeon is listed as one of the guests-of-honor, and Tiffany doesn’t know if she should smile or smack herself for wanting to.
 

If Tiffany allows herself to reflect on things, maybe she’d actually figure out what she truly feels at the thought of Taeyeon leaving.
 

Alas, Tiffany sends an RSVP to the email, closes it, and buries herself even deeper in work. At this rate, she’ll finish the annual financial report even before the year ends.

***

Just a few more hours, Kim Taeyeon. …Oh god that’s not comforting at all.
 

Taeyeon groans inwardly as she’s forced to make small talk with various businessmen who probably couldn’t care less about what she has to say and are far more interested in what she has between her legs. Because Taeyeon’s not blind; she knows quite a few have been staring at her – more like ogling her, and it makes her feel like a dozen insects are crawling across her skin. It’s probably the ‘exotic’ Korean thing, she surmises. Or maybe just a woman-to-a-disgusting-man thing.
 

She regrets dressing up tonight, in a beautiful single-strap lavender high-low dress that she had seen in one of the many trendy clothing shops she usually passes by on her way home. This dress wasn’t bought with the thought of impressing sleazy men; Taeyeon had only one person in mind to impress.
 

Said person hasn’t been looking at her the entire night, except for that one appreciative gaze she had run through Taeyeon from head-to-toe at the start of the party when she had seen her. Which is a miracle for Taeyeon to note, as she was also slack-jawed staring at Tiffany in her elegant-yet-alluring black strapless dress. Taeyeon would say that that made it worth it, but now she’s not so sure, what with the misogynistic torture she’s had to deal with for the past hour. She’s not sure if she’s being ignored intentionally though, as Tiffany has been flitting around the room the entire time, making her rounds with her eye-smile in tow, charming gentlemen and not-so-gentlemen alike.
 

Taeyeon thinks about how Tiffany has probably dealt with this slander for years, and the realization makes her straighten her spine and plaster a fake but determined smile, ready to blatantly reject every subtle offer so she can finally start enjoying the rest of the night.

***

In a few minutes, Taeyeon triumphantly evades further unwanted small-talk and grabs herself a seat at the bar. She orders one of the funniest-sounding cocktails on the menu, exhaling a sigh of relief in finally getting some time to herself.   
 

Her drink arrives, and she sips on it as she takes the time to people-watch, noting how most are mingling about and chuckling at things out of politeness than anything else. In the midst of it all though, Taeyeon’s eyes inevitably follow Tiffany’s figure, watching as she throws her head back (a little too enthusiastically) to laugh at one of the creepier men who’s been eyeing Taeyeon all night. Taeyeon narrows her eyes, trying to gauge the superficiality of Tiffany’s actions by reading her body language, but a voice draws her attention away before she’s able to conclude anything.
 

“You okay there, Ms. Kim?”
 

Taeyeon turns to see Sharon taking the empty stool next to hers, and she instantly smiles at the sight of a rare familiar face. “Hi. Yes, I’m okay,” she replies.
 

Taeyeon’s heart beats faster at the knowing look Sharon gives her, and she thinks that’ll be all, but Sharon’s probably feeling a bit more daring tonight, from the alcohol-induced sparkle in her eyes. “Why are you trying to incinerate Ms. Hwang with your gaze, then?”
 

“Uh…”
 

Sharon laughs, patting Taeyeon’s shoulder in sympathy. “It’s okay; I get it. Ms. Hwang is something else. She’s like a fairy princess, but a deadly fairy princess.”
 

Taeyeon’s so surprised at the accuracy of the comparison that she can’t help but burst out laughing, almost falling off her stool. “I- yeah. Yeah, she is.” She turns to look at Tiffany again, and her breath gets stuck in when dark eyes meet hers from across the room.
 

“I can’t believe she’s charming Mr. Cooper for you.” Sharon shudders in distaste. “Even I can’t do it if she asked me to. …Okay, maybe I would, for her, but the heebie-jeebies will last for weeks.”
 

“Wha- What? Charming Mr. Cooper…for me?” Taeyeon looks at Sharon in surprise, and she turns back to Tiffany, only to find her deep in talk with Halcyon’s CFO, Ms. Lawson.
 

“He’s rotten, is he not?” Sharon asks her, and Taeyeon nods quickly in confirmation. “Uh…she’s actually been kind of dissuading men like him from hitting on you. Once she saw that you were uncomfortable with it, of course.”
 

Taeyeon’s jaw drops in utter shock, even as her stomach flutters with an intensity that makes her feel dizzy. “I- she- what? How did you know…?”
 

“She told me to make sure a cab is ready for Mr. Cooper when he gets drunk. Ms. Hwang knows alcohol makes him really sleepy so she’s been serving him drinks as quickly as she can.”
 

Taeyeon is rendered speechless, quickly looking for Tiffany in the room to see if it was true,