'Appa called me. I have to go back to US tommorow.'
'What's the matter? Why so sudden?'

There was a bitterness in her voice. I could sense that.
It was a cold pause before she replied, also did she breathless up there?

'Nothing... I just have to do some errands. It's about my family.'
'What's that?'
'I don't know yet...'
'Oh...'
'Taeyeon-ah...' She switched it to video call mode. 'Hey...'
'Why did you switch it?'
'I just wanna see my girlfriend, can't I?'
'Oh. Sorry...'

It was getting colder as ever now. I had too many questions trying to break out from inside of my head. I looked at her from our video call screen. I saw her, smiling. For some times, I haven't seen her smiling that way. I remember on that cold night, the day when I met her, the day when I let the lights to come in to go through me. I remember her warm smile, her weird Korean accent, even the movement of her mouth when eating passionately. Sica... Why should I be put in this situation? How should I tell you how I feel?

'Baby...' She called me softly. 'I know you're disappointed cause I have to delay our trip, our first trip ever, even longer now. I'm terribly sorry... I really am... But I couldn't say no. This is about family. What should I do?'
'Yeah... I know...'
'Should I just ignore it and be with you?'
'No... You don't have to. I get it.'
'Are you sure?'
'Yes. I get it. The faster you do the things there, the faster we will be going for our first trip.' I smiled. 'Also, I was the reason why the trip postponed at the beginning. Don't blame yourself for the thing I did.'
'Taeyeon-ah...'
'Yeah?'
'Are you sure, you don't want me to stay here with you instead?'
'I'll be good.'

It's been 5 days after the phone call. Did I regret it? I did. I actually did. I felt so selfish but it's been 5 days without seeing her, with tons of questions trying to explode out of my head and with this tightness I felt in my chest. I immersed myself to busyness. She indeed contacted me every day, mostly at night, we talked before sleep, but it looked like she was so tired handling things related to Jung Company as she is the eldest of Jung family.

'Why do you look like a mess, Taeyeon-ah?' She said. 'Hard days at office?'
'Hard days without you here.'
'Baby, I'm sorry. I'll be back next couple days.'
'I just...' Once again, I felt the tightness. 'I just need you the most right now.'
'I'll try to come home faster.'
'Can I pick you up at the airport?'
'Of course you can... You don't have to ask for my permission.'
'Thank you.'
'Baby... Are you okay?'

I said I was okay. Of course, I said that. I would not have the heart to make her stress over me. I hated the way I didn't understand myself enough during that period. Was it pure jealousy? I didn't even know clearly what happened last year? Also, didn't Jessica tell me she moved to Seoul right after she finished her master in London? What's with the engagement thingy? That day, I determined to find a closure about this, whether I'd like it or not.

9 PM. I walked out of the office building. On the way home, I stopped by a convenience store to buy some snacks and bottles of beer. As I headed towards the subway station, from a distance I saw a young woman half running toward me while calling my name. Her outfit style was quite different from what I usually see. That day, she was wearing plain dark blue jeans and white polo shirts.

"TAEYEON! Heyyyyy!"
"Tiffany? Where were you?" I stared at her: from top to bottom. "It doesn't look like you on regular."
"Haha I guess so... I just did an audition for YG Entertainment."
"Wow! It's a big deal. That's good for you! Congrats!"
"I haven't got any further information, though."
"Still. Congrats for being so brave but stepping out from the comfort zone." I amazed, I really was. "Did Mr. Hwang know about this?"
"Of course he doesn't know."
"Oh..." I took her hand. "It's okay. As long as your happy. Let's celebrate the night. You want some Gopchang?"
"What's that?"
"You don't know? It's a grilled small intestines."
"Ewwww!"
"Have you tried?"
"No..." She looked uncomfortable. "Never!"
"Then let's go! Trust me!"

I pulled her arms. Later we took the subway to a gopchang restaurant in the Sinchon area. I know, what I was doing is very unusual, to me. Especially the one I brought was Tiffany, but I think on that night she deserved a little celebration and I ... deserved a friend to talk to. Arriving at the destination subway station, we walked a little to the location. On the trip, Tiffany, with her own enthusiastic face, talked a lot about how she enjoyed the auditions she went through. She thought a lot of the chat that night, on the night Seohyun and I encouraged her to want to try to achieve her dream.

"Now eat!"
"Oh my God... This looks disgusting, honestly."
"Open your mouth and eat the gopchang with this fried rice."
"Can't I order something else?"
"Of course you can. But after one bite." I raised my eyebrows.
"Ugh... Okay... Just one bite."

She put a spoonful of fried rice and a piece of grilled gopchang into her mouth, then chewed it in slow motion.
She paused while looking at me. Shortly, she began to chew normally.

"This actually not bad at all."
"I told you..."
"Uh oh! There is something inside this gopchang that is so soft and juicy. While the skin is so crispy."
"Then?"
"