===

 

Knock knock knock

 

“Please come in.”

 

Tiffany instantly straighten up on her chair and looked at the closed door. When the young secretary went in with folders in hand, the disappointment in her face was evident that made the young lady raise her brows in surprise.

 

“The finance department needs your signature in these documents, Miss Hwang.” The secretary placed a folder on the desk. “These are the new proposals for the Choi account.”

 

“Okay.” Tiffany took the folders and skimmed through them before signing. 

 

“Miss Hwang?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Were you expecting someone?”

 

“What do you mean?” Tiffany conveniently avoided the secretary’s curious look by scanning the papers.

 

“You seem… a little disappointed when you saw me enter the office.” The secretary said carefully.

 

“You must be working too hard that you’re starting to imagine things.” Tiffany retorted with a stern voice. “You can go home early today after the 3 o’clock meeting.” She made sure that every piece of paper had her signature before giving it back. 

 

“Okay…” The secretary double checked the documents before bowing politely. “Thank you Miss Hwang.”

 

“No problem.” Tiffany waited until her secretary was out of sight before letting out a deep sigh. “Expecting someone?” She scoffed at the thought. “Of course I wasn’t thinking about…” And as if on cue, her phone vibrated, signaling a message from Taeyeon.

 

Taeyeon: Hi Tiffany!!! I hope you’re doing well! I miss you. :)

 

Tiffany narrowed her eyes at the innocent device. “When will you ever stop?” She shook her head and typed a reply.

 

Tiffany: Hi. I’m fine.

Taeyeon: I miss you

Taeyeon: Tiffany

Taeyeon: I miss you so much!

Tiffany: I’m busy. I’ll get back to you later.

Taeyeon: Okay! Take care! :)

 

=== 

 

Not true to her words, Tiffany didn’t get back to Taeyeon later.It has been 2 and a half days now but she hadn’t got back to the said girl, and Taeyeon didn’t get back to her either. Tiffany thought it was a bit odd that she didn’t get a message since then, but quickly brushed it away since work had started to swallow her. 

 

A week had passed and nobody got back to anybody. By now, Tiffany was a bit alarmed and lowkey annoyed that she didn’t get any message. Not even a gross I miss youmessage from Taeyeon. Of course Tiffany being the ultimate in denial person that she was, she reasoned that it was nothing, that Taeyeon was just busy with school. And that she was definitely notmissing her for some unknown reason. So she took a deep breath and resumed to read the documents scattered on her desk. 

 

Upon picking up one of the folders, a piece of paper fell from it, slowly gliding down and landed on the floor. Tiffany took the paper with a table printed in it and thought it must be one of the timetables that they had to follow. She read the contents and everything didn’t make sense to her. Literature at 9 am? Philosophy at 3 pm? Of course it wouldn’t make any sense since it wasn’t for any of their projects. It was Taeyeon’s class schedule and Tiffany didn’t know how it got there, until her phone vibrated.

 

Dad: Hi sweetheart! How are you?

 

Tiffany narrowed her eyes at her phone then to the closed door, to the piece of paper, and back to her phone.

 

Tiffany: Why are you always meddling with my life?

Dad: Meddling? How?

Tiffany: You asked my secretary to slip Taeyeon’s class schedule to one of the folders, didn’t you?

Dad: What are you talking about?

 

Tiffany rolled her eyes at the laughing sticker Mr. Hwang had sent her.

 

Tiffany: I know you did. Who else is crazy enough to get some university student’s class schedule like this?

Dad: Oh, Tiffany. I really don’t know what you’re talking about.

Tiffany: Whatever. Just leave me alone.

Dad: I’m just trying to help here!

 

Tiffany sighed exasperatedly and locked her phone. She looked at the innocent piece of paper staring back at her before placing it aside. It wasn’t the right time to get distracted over silly things. 

 

=== 

 

Knock knock knock

 

“Please come in.”

 

“Good afternoon, Miss Hwang.” The secretary bowed politely upon entering the office. “Mr. Han canceled the meeting this afternoon and rescheduled it next week Wednesday.”

 

“Is that so?” Tiffany nodded and turned off her laptop. “Anything else?”

 

“That is all, Miss Hwang.”

 

“Okay. Since I have no more meetings, I’ll just get off early.” Tiffany started to gather her things and prepared to leave. “You too. Go home early and rest well. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

“Thank you Miss Hwang.” 

 

“No problem.” 

 

Tiffany watched her secretary quietly leave the office before further tidying her desk. When everything was in order, she shouldered her bag and took out her phone to check for unread messages. Almost 2 weeks now and still, no messages from Taeyeon. She frowned at the thought and her eye caught sight of the piece of paper under the laptop. 

 

“You are totally notgetting into my head.” Tiffany snatched the paper away and stuffed it into her bag before leaving.

 

=== 

 

“I know right! Serves him right for being such a…” Taeyeon immediately stopped laughing when a particular shiny red sports card halted in front of them. She peeked behind the opened window and saw Tiffany staring at her with unreadable eyes.

 

“Did you do something wrong?” Sunny stepped closer to her friend and whispered.

 

“I didn’t do anything.” Taeyeon whispered back.

 

“What are you staring at? Get in.” Tiffany said in a demanding tone that left Taeyeon hurrying into the car. 

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow Sunny!” Taeyeon waved at her friend before turning to Tiffany. “What’s… wrong?”

 

“Where have you been?”

 

“At… school?”

 

“Were you that busy at school that you didn’t have time to message me?”

 

“I’m… yes…?”

 

“You’re a terrible liar, Taeyeon.” Tiffany said with utter disappointment while glancing at the fidgeting girl before turning back to the road. “Do you know how that makes me feel?”

 

“No…” Taeyeon wasn’t able to look at Tiffany and opted to stare down.

 

“I feel stupid for worrying about you for the past few weeks. I even stopped denying that it was my fault for not replying and that I missed you.” Tiffany’s nose was flaring by now with annoyance and all that mixed feelings. “Then… I’ll see you laughing and looking all happy?!” The car screeched to a stop along the sidewalk.

 

“You missed me?” Taeyeon perked up and looked at Tiffany’s annoyed face.

 

“That’s not the point.”

 

“You missed me.” 

 

“Taeyeon, you’re completely missing the point.” Tiffany huffed and unfastened her seatbelt.

 

“I missed you too, Tiffany. I’m sorry.” Taeyeon released her seatbelt as well and gave Tiffany a huge warm hug. “I knew it was a stupid thing to do. I shouldn’t have listened to Sunny.”

 

“What?”

 

“She said that I shouldn’t be a complete sap and wait until you message me first.” Taeyeon pulled back and smiled apologetically. “I swear it almost killed me after a day of not receiving anything from you.” She added with a sad pout.

 

“What…?”

 

“I missed you so much. Please forgive me.” Taeyeon took Tiffany’s hands and held them gently, giving it a few light kisses. “I won’t do it again. I won’t listen to Sunny’s stupid advice ever again. You’re not leaving me right?”

 

Tiffany leaned back as those cute hopeful eyes inched closer. “Leave you? Why would I… even leave you?”

 

“I don’t know? Maybe you’re so sick of me or something?”

 

“What… are you saying?” Tiffany had nowhere to go as her head hit the window. “And what are you doing?!” She held the girl’s shoulders to stop her from getting any closer.

 

“Tiffany, let’s be real here. Drop all the pretenses. Just…” Taeyeon didn’t budge and held Tiffany’s face. “Say that you like me too.”

 

The faint smile on the girl’s face totally wrecked Tiffany’s heart and mind. It would be a big fat lie if she said that her heart wasn’t beating like crazy at their close proximity, that she didn’t want to ravish those cute plump lips, and that what she felt was mere physical attraction. So before she could stop herself, not that she wanted to anyway, Tiffany wrapped her arms around Taeyeon’s waist to pull her closer before giving the most passionate kiss she had ever given to anyone.

 

“T-Tiffany…?” Taeyeon gasped for air, clearly surprised for receiving such deep kiss.

 

Tiffany leaned back, disappointed that the kiss was cut short. “What?”

 

“Uh… That’s… one hell of a kiss.”

 

“You made me crazy for weeks. I could barely hold it in.” Tiffany shook her head and let out a deep sigh. “I guess I like you more than I’d like to acknowledge.” She slowly returned her gaze back to Taeyeon and couldn’t help but mirror the smile on her face.

 

“I’m… so happy to hear that!” Taeyeon threw her arms around Tiffany to give her another hug. She squeezed the woman in her arms tightly, squealing every now and then. “So… does this mean… we’re… girlfriends now…?” She asked carefully upon releasing Tiffany.

 

Tiffany stared at Taeyeon’s expecting eyes, her brain turning into a mush the longer she looked at them. “I guess… yeah…?” 

 

===