A/N: ANOTHER DOUBLE UPDATE? Wahahahaha! Oh yeah, quite a serious update ahead. Keyword: QUITE.

She heard footsteps coming closer and looked up to see Mr. Hwang make his way to her. She smiled at him as he sat down on the same arm chair. 

“Have you read everything?”

She nodded. “Yes, sir. Every single detail.”

“No complaints? Objections? Or anything you want to clarify?”

She opened and closed it again. She wasn’t sure what to say. She read the whole thing and everything was fine except... she didn’t want to leave after three months. She wanted to stay. What would be her reason though? 

“Is everything okay?” Mr. Hwang asked when Taeyeon didn’t answer. “Do you need time to read the contract more? Do you need to discuss it with your family?”

Family.

That word reminded her of the reason she was here. It reminded her of the people she left back home and was probably worried sick of her. As much as she wanted to stay, she still has a family in Jeonju. 

She flipped through the contract again and sighed as she reached for the pen Mr. Hwang left earlier and grasped it. “Everything’s fine, Mr. Hwang.” She clicked the pen and signed the paper just in time as Tiffany walked in the living room.

Tiffany gulped at the sight of Taeyeon signing the contract. It was much harder than she thought. She never even realized that her birthday’s in a few weeks. How will she celebrate it knowing that Taeyeon’s leaving on that day?

“Miyoung,” she heard her uncle say, “everything’s settled.” She saw Taeyeon handing the contract back to her uncle. She only nodded in response, not able to utter a single word. Her thoughts were rambling inside her head, making it ache. She held it softly and tried to shake it. 

Taeyeon noticed. “Mr. Hwang, I think we better go. Tiffany doesn’t seem okay.”

Mr. Hwang looked at his niece and true enough, she looked like she was having a headache. “I think it’s better if you both stay here.”

“Oh...” Taeyeon looked at Tiffany, unsure what to answer. It’s not her call, she thought.

Tiffany felt eyes on her and she turned to see Taeyeon and her uncle looking at her, waiting for a response. She shook her head softly and said, “No, Uncle, I think we’ll just go home. Taeyeon can drive, right?” She looked at Taeyeon and saw the girl nod her head.

Mr. Hwang sighed. “I’ll be less worried if you both stay here. Just until tomorrow. I miss having company around.”

Tiffany instantly felt guilty. She knew she was the cause of why her uncle was alone now. She lowered her head.

Mr. Hwang noticed it and quickly regretted his choice of words. He mentally scolded himself for reminding his niece about the tragic accident that happened long ago. Of course it wasn’t his intention to make Tiffany guilty, but it didn’t lessen the girl’s guilt. “I didn’t mean anything by it, Miyoung-ah. I just really want you to stay here.”

Tiffany didn’t say anything but nodded her head. Guilt was still eating her up.

Taeyeon looked on quietly. She didn’t know what they were talking about but she presumes that it’s the reason Mr. Hwang doesn’t have a ‘Mrs. Hwang,’ or at least not anymore. She remembered her conversation with Yuri and Sooyoung. She nodded to herself, slowly connecting the dots.

“Stay?” Mr. Hwang tried one more time.

Finally, Tiffany nodded.

Taeyeon smiled and looked at Mr. Hwang. “Do you have extra blankets and pillows, sir?” Looking at the house, it only had two bedrooms. Knowing that one was the old man’s, she guesses that the other one was going to be Tiffany’s. 

Mr. Hwang cocked an eyebrow, “Why?”

“Well, I’m sleeping on the couch right?” Taeyeon tilted her head.

Mr. Hwang softly laughed while Tiffany smiled a little. 

“You can bunk in Tiffany’s old room with her. Not that big, but it has a queen-sized bed. Surely you two would fit without a problem.”

Her heart started to race at the thought of sharing a bed with Tiffany. Why? She doesn’t know. She was confused as well. “Oh, um...”

Before she could object, Tiffany spoke, “Uncle, I’ll be in the room then. I don’t feel so good. I think I’m just going to take a short nap.”

Mr. Hwang nodded his head and patted her shoulder. “Alright. I’ll get you some medicines later and you can drink them when you wake up.”

Tiffany gave him a nod before standing up and heading towards the room down the hall. She twisted the doorknob and opened the door slightly. She then turned back to the other two people in the house and said, “Taeyeon, just come in if you’re tired okay? I won’t lock the door.” She smiled a bit and went in, softly closing the door behind her.

“Well, Taeyeon, I think I’m going to head out for a while. I’ll buy Miyoung’s medicines. Please feel at home okay? If you want to take a shower, you can borrow some of Miyoung’s old clothes. I think they’ll be able to fit you.”

She only nodded.

He smiled at her before going out the front door.

---

She wasn’t tired and she had nothing to do. Mr. Hwang left almost half an hour ago and she was bored to death. She looked up and saw the bathroom door. Smiling widely, she made her way to Tiffany’s old closet and opened it. She raised an eyebrow, amused at the wide variety of colors. 

Of course she was being sarcastic. 

All of Tiffany’s clothes were pink or had pink. She took a deep breath and silently prayed that there was at least a decent shirt there that wasn’t pink.

Minutes passed before she finally found a white shirt just big enough for her. Happy with her ‘discovery,’ she let out a sigh of relief. She proceeded to the bathroom and took a shower.

She doesn’t know how long she was there, but when she went out of the bathroom, she saw Mr. Hwang holding a crying Tiffany. Her eyes went wide with shock. She met Mr. Hwang’s gaze. He gave her a look that said, ‘Let’s talk later.’ She nodded in understanding and headed out the room.

---

Minutes later, Tiffany’s bedroom door opened, revealing Mr. Hwang. He walked to the living room, finding Taeyeon sitting quietly on the couch. He sighed, which caught the girl’s attention.

He sat opposite her. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Mr. Hwang decided to speak. “I’m not sure if I can tell you the story behind what happened. I can only tell you that it’s probably because she’s back here. I guess a lot of memories came back to her when she slept in her old room. I’m sorry you had to witness that.”

She looked up and saw him looking at her with sad eyes. She felt guilty for some reason. Although she had no control over what happened, she can’t help but feel guilty that she walked out of the bathroom and saw everything causing him to look at her like that. “I should be the one saying sorry, sir. It’s really not my business so you don’t have to tell me.”

He smiled at her, thankful that his niece came to good terms with the considerate girl in front of him. “Let’s not talk about this for now. I’m sure she’ll tell you one of these days.”

She nodded. 

“How are you, Taeyeon-ah? Missing your family?”

She nodded again. “Yes, sir. I miss them so much. I... I guess I’ll be able to see them after the contract ends,” she tried hiding her sad tone, but failed.

He looked at her as if he was trying to read her mind. And he actually was. Although unsuccessful, he was sure that her eyes would say more anyway. “If I ask you to stay, will you?”

She furrowed her eyebrows, not sure what to answer. “Um... I mean... uh... it’s not that I don’t like working for you and for your niece... it’s just...” she trailed off, not really knowing how to continue.

“What if Miyoung asks you to stay? Will you consider it then?”

“Yes,” she answered without hesitation. It surprised her.

Mr. Hwang, on the other hand, smiled at her as if he already knew that answer. “Taeyeon, thank you.”

She looked at him, still with a surprised expression. “F-for what, sir?”

“For changing, Tiffany. She’s so different when she’s with you. I haven’t seen her like this. She used to be very stubborn when it comes to other people trying to help her, but with you, it doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore, although she doesn’t seem to realize it. I heard you do things together at home. That’s better than before, Taeyeon. Thank you.”

She blinked her eyes several times, not entirely sure what was happening. She momentarily forgot that Tiffany used to be that independent girl who would shrug off any help offered to her. It seemed so natural to Tiffany now that they do things together.

“Just... thank you, Taeyeon,” he stood up and walked closer to her. He then patted her shoulder before walking off to his room. “Oh and Taeyeon,” he called out to her before entering his room, “I like you for her.” He went inside and closed the door leaving Taeyeon dumbfounded on the couch.

I think a confession is bound to happen soon. Maybe chapter 25? But you know I'll make a twist. :)