R4. Cereal Killer

Summary: Tiffany sees marriage as her way out of the mundane life of working. After a terrible heartbreak from her boyfriend who doesn’t want marriage, Tiffany moved into a new town. She thought her life was slowly getting in order until she met Kim Taeyeon, the ultimate cereal killer slash the gay divorcee.

Characters: TaeNy ft. Froot Loops

A/N:

I love reading your requests so feel free to send one! Other pending requests, I’ll write about it when I have time, don’t worry. TMI, these days, I’ve been listening to rap tracks and watching Hololive Vtubers live game streams. HAHA. damn it, it makes me feel as if my life is ing good. Anime makes me feel less of a weirdo. Should I make an anime au? ;0 Also, I will be having a co-author for these requests soon since I received some love from you readers, I want to deliver stories faster and I can't do it alone.

Thank you so much for reading. You can check out my A03 for more contents. :)

***

BEGIN.

The weather was gloomy and the rain was pouring down. Tiffany was sitting in a cafe with her boyfriend. Both sat in silence until her boyfriend decided to speak.

“This isn’t working,”  he said as Tiffany stirred her cup of coffee. She sipped it and it tasted bitter on her tongue.

She looked at the window and watched the rainfall, just like how her relationship fell apart. They were so in love at one point of their lives then suddenly they woke up one day and they do not feel the same anymore. Both of them knew that this farewell was bound to happen when they started not to miss each other when they were apart. 

When their stares for each other lacked the warmth and love they used to have.

‘How you love someone today but tomorrow?’

“I understand,” she said and he smiled at her for the last time.

“I don’t think marriage is for me, I’m sorry.”

After working hard for seven years, Tiffany thought that marriage is her way to stop the mundane life of her as a working class. She’s thinking how it feels like to just rest at home and become a happy housewife and have a partner that would treat her well. It sounds nice, but in reality, it never was easy. She really doesn’t have any aspirations, to begin with, perhaps marriage is her last resort to have a fulfilling life.

“I guess this is goodbye?”

Tiffany nodded her head slowly.

“I wish you well.”

“You too, I hope you start anew and find someone who suits you more.” the guy stood up from his seat and hugged her.

 ‘How you pulled somebody closed then turned away?’

“May you find a love that will stay forever.” he walked away.

Tiffany watched her now ex-boyfriend exiting her life. Though the break up is mutual, she couldn’t help but feel sad about it. There was one point of her life that she thought he was the one but her hunches were wrong. There is only one thing left for her to do now, that is to move on and find herself again.

“Is there such a thing as love that stays forever?”

She sings a heavy metal song in the Karaoke to let out every emotion she’s feeling. It’s a hobby that no one ever knows.

“ GUYS, IF YOU CAN’T MARRY THEN WHY HAVE A GIRLFRIEND?! MATRIMONY IS WHAT I WANT TO SAVE ME FROM WORKING! WAAAAAAAHHH!!!!”

She switched her job site and moved towards a new town to start a new life.

***

Moving into a new town and finding a place is a bummer, but Tiffany was determined to find herself and maybe this new town could help her heal her broken heart. 

One night, the landlady was showing her the place. It’s simple, yet good enough. There were two rooms in the flat. She got the other one.

“So, this is our vacant room.” 

Tiffany looked around the room. It looks dull.

‘I need to paint the walls.’

“Thanks, I’ll take it.” the landlady gave her the keys.

“Okay, just text me if you need anything. The other room is occupied, but Taeyeon is barely at home so you'll probably see her less.”

“Taeyeon?”

“Oh, she’s the girl staying in that room. You’ll share this place with her. Don’t worry, she’s a nice girl.”

She wanted a place for herself but with her just starting a new job, a shared place is more convenient for her budget. 

‘It’s a good thing we won’t see each other often.’ Tiffany thought. 

***

Tiffany was doing her work from her laptop inside her room until it shut off and she wasn’t able to save the files she needed.

‘Damn it!’ She rubbed her forehead in stress.

“When your IT boyfriend broke up with you and your computer just broke.”

‘Great, just great!’

When she went out of her room, she saw an unacceptable commotion in the living room. Candy wrappers, cans of empty soda and unkept game console. Tiffany thinks it’s an eyesore. 

She saw the ‘Do not disturb.’ sign on her flatmate’s door. She sighed and walked away.

The first few weeks in her new place were rough. Tiffany was beyond pissed by her flatmate’s (whom she has not seen yet) behaviour. She doesn’t understand how a girl can be so messy. Which caused her to leave some friendly notes like ‘I cleaned the living room today, you’re welcome and have a good day!’ to ‘Can’t you ing clean the god damn living room for Pete's sake!’

Her flatmate would give her a standard reply of: ‘K. :)’ And it left Tiffany frustrated.

Tiffany bought her groceries and put it on the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet. Typical food like her instant noodles, pack of juices, boxes of milk, canned goods and her favourite boxes of cereal.

‘Froot Loops.’

Everything in the kitchen seems a mess. It seems like her roommate wasn't cleaning properly. Tiffany felt quite annoyed but nevertheless cleaned the trash and washed the undone dishes on the sink. 

She left a note on the fridge expecting the same standard reply to come from her flatmate, but things seemed to be different when Taeyeon replied to her more than that one letter K, a period and a smiley.

'I hope you do know that the plates in the sink won't magically wash themselves and the trash at the kitchen won't disappear unless you put it in the bin. I heard from our landlady that you got promoted. As a part of my regards, I bought some groceries. You can have some of it if you like.' 

The next day, Tiffany saw her Froot Loops arranged in a Chromatic set of colours on the table forming a word 'SORRY' and a cut out of the Toucan Sam the mascot bird on the side. 

'What the hell…' 

There was a note below it. 

'This is some weird OCD (like what you have maybe). Thanks for the food though. Indeed, your regards are very warm. - Taeyeon'

She immediately checked her groceries in the kitchen cabinet. 

All her cereals were gone. 

'TAEYEON, WHEN WE MEET, YOU' RE GOING TO PAY FOR EVERY CEREAL YOU STOLE FROM ME. - TIFFANY. '

The message written in all caps as a sign of her aggression. The next day, she saw a reply from Taeyeon. 

'You said I can have some if I want to. Just following instructions. - Your lovely flatmate, Taeyeon. :)' 

That night, Tiffany knocked on Taeyeon's door to confront the latter, but she's not at home. She posted some notes on her door. 

'You cereal killer! ' 

Tiffany was mad. Again.

She saw her favourite pink mug on the sink. When she checked it, it had some cracks on it.

“ you, Taeyeon!” she cursed and wrote a note.

‘When you’re borrowing a mug, better not destroy it or I’ll destroy you!’

Taeyeon replied with her standard note: ‘K. :)’

She saw a mess in the living room again the next day.

“Please clean your mess.”

Taeyeon replied the next day with, “It’s not a mess, it’s just some stuff laying on the floor.”

Tiffany thinks she will never get along with Taeyeon.

“As long as I don’t see her, I’ll be fine.” she sighed and went to her work

That's when their not so friendly notes and treatment with each other started. Tiffany found herself going to Karaoke lately to be distressed from a nuisance named Taeyeon.

“TO THE FLATMATE I HAVEN’T SEEN, YOU TAKE MY FOOD FOR FREE, DESTROY MY THINGS AND YOU’RE ING MESSY! SEE YOU NEVER! RAAAAGEEEE!!!” she sings at the top of her lungs.

Surely, heavy metal saves her soul from crumbling.

***

After her long day at work, she decided to eat some noodles at a distant restaurant near her workplace. She was greeted warmly by a beautiful girl who’s also there to eat. Blonde locks, pale skin, round eyes and red lips. She exudes a warm aura that makes Tiffany feel comfortable.

The girl looks so neat and she looks like she smells good.

Tiffany likes neat people.

The stranger smiled at her and Tiffany nodded in acknowledgement.

It went like that for weeks until Tiffany saw that person in her office. They said it’s a newly promoted high ranking official. Her office mates called the woman  ‘Director Kim’. She sees the woman walking with poise and confidence and it makes everybody respect her. She’s always in the office and everyone doubts if Director Kim still goes home.

A workaholic.

Warm but strict. That’s how she is. Even the company owner is afraid of Director Kim. She’s the type of person that could persuade anyone. Tiffany was shocked to know that the person she was exchanging smiles with at the noodle restaurant for weeks now is Director Kim.

“Director Kim looks like a person whose life is so organized. I aspire to become her.” Tiffany told herself.

“Is she married?” Tiffany wonders.

‘Perhaps not, because she works so hard.’ she frowned when she looked at the pile of paper works on her table.

‘I wouldn't be able to get married if I have this pile of paperwork too.’

Tiffany looked at the leaflet of a Yoga program on her table. Maybe looking good and slim would land her to a perfect guy. She scheduled an appointment on her phone and was startled by a voice. Director Kim went to the accounting division and she saw Tiffany’s table.

“You seem busy.” the woman said as she passed by. Tiffany was ready to be sacked.

“O-Oh… I...I was just checking my pho-”

“I mean you have many paper works on your table.” Director Kim pointed and Tiffany sighed in relief.

‘Ooof! I almost got caught slacking.’

Then, Director Kim took half of it to distribute it to other people in accounting.

“You shouldn’t be doing all of this. I’ll talk to Miss Bae about the accounting division’s distribution of work.” Director Kim explained and Tiffany couldn’t believe her ears.

‘Daebak! She’s a lifesaver.’

“Thank you, Director Kim!” she stood up and bowed.

“We have no time for gratitude, get back to work.” Director Kim said before she left and Tiffany, despite the seemingly cold statement, knowing that the director was right. She has to start working so she could be home early.

Work, Home, Internet and Sleep. 

That’s her life cycle since forever. And she wanted to change that badly.

“Better me for my future partner!” Tiffany signed up for the Yoga class as she looked at her savings.

‘This is some expensive , this better be worth it.’

Then, she printed out her personal dietary plan secretly via printer in the office.

‘Free stuff for me.’

Little did she know, someone saw her.

***

When the weekend came, Tiffany attended her Yoga class. The Yoga master started the session by doing the mountain pose. By that, she just has to raise her hand and stand upright.

‘This is some easy .’ Tiffany smirked.

Then they moved into the Easy Seat position and Tiffany felt like she’s reaching the god level of Yoga positions already until the Yoga master started some weird position that made Tiffany’s bone cracks a little.

They made the Downward Facing Dog position and Tiffany’s face fell on the floor. 

“Owww!”

And it seems like someone was watching her misery because somebody laughed at her misfortune.

“The nerve of you to laugh at me, I’m gonna kill y-” Tiffany was ready to fight until she saw the person who laughed at her.

 It was the ideal woman, Director Kim.

“Director Kim?!” 

Director Kim smiled at her and pointed at the Yoga instructor. 

“Pay attention,” she said and Tiffany nodded embarrassedly.

‘So, she’s taking Yoga class too? No wonder her body looks good.’ Tiffany couldn’t help but to side glance at the fine director.

After their yoga class, Tiffany was contemplating whether she’ll say goodbye to her superior or just let it be and go her own way. She decided to be polite, she approached the director who was drinking her water and wiping her sweats at that time. Tiffany was in a daze.

‘She looks hella fine… Even when she sweats, she looks so clean and perfect.’ she didn’t realize she was gaping and almost drooling until Director Kim called her attention.

“Do you want to have some noodles, Miss Hwang?”

‘She knows me!’

“I-I don’t want to impose.”

“I insist.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s okay, Director Kim.”

For her six sessions of yoga class, Director Kim became the person she had dinner with and she felt the luckiest person on Earth. The director is beautiful, her salary is attractive and her personality is warm. They became friends. She started it by opening up about her annoying flatmate.

“And so, my flatmate would just leave everything messy on the floor and I hated it!” Tiffany said passionately as she rants about her flatmate. Director Kim seemed to be amused as she stirred her drinks.

“Well, the person I am sharing the house with has extreme OCD. She thinks everything is messy even if things are just right in order.”

“The Director Erika Kim shares a house?” Tiffany asked confusedly.

“My mom thinks my place is too big for myself.” Director Kim shrugged, “How about you Miyoung? Where do you live?” she asked.

‘Miyoung? She knows me by my real name.’ Tiffany frowned. She hated her real name because it sounds old.

“Just two stations away. By the way, Director Kim, you can call me Tif-” she was cut off when the waiter came with the bill.

“I’ll take care of this.” Director Kim said.

‘She’s such a gentlewoman.’

“I’ll go home now, Director Kim.” Tiffany bowed. Director Kim nodded and offered, “Would you like me to give you a ride? I’ll be back at the office though. I have some work to do.”

“Wow, Director Kim, you surely are very hardworking.”

‘I wish my flatmate too is hardworking instead of being a slob.’

“The company should prosper for the sake of the employees. So, do you need a ride?