“TaeTae!” Tiffany claps her hands together in a way Taeyeon and Jessica secretly call The Excited Seal. “Happy Birthday!”

Taeyeon smiles. “Thanks.”

“Congrats for turning yet another year older,” is Jessica’s contribution. “Although you still look fifteen.”

“Er… Thanks?”

“How long do you think that’ll last?” Tiffany asks.

“Knowing Taeyeon, at least a few more birthdays.”

“If she looks fifteen, how old do I look?”

“Do you really want the answer to that question?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying—”

“Hey,” Taeyeon feels the need to interject. “This is my birthday, right?”

“Yes, of course,” Tiffany says. “Sorry TaeTae, are you feeling neglected?” She instantly puts on an earnest expression. “Please, take the mic.”

Jessica snickers and then schools her expression into something vaguely encouraging.

“…There is no mic here,” Taeyeon says.

“There’s one in your phone,” Jessica says. “How do you think we can hear you?”

Why did Taeyeon want to talk to them again?

“So?” Tiffany looks at her expectantly. “What did you want to say?”

“I…didn’t?”

Tiffany frowns. “Then why did you cut into our conversation?”

“I—” Taeyeon opens , then closes it. Is it too late to pretend her connection is bad and end the call?

Jessica snickers again, but then seems to take pity on her. “You still didn’t tell me what you want for your present, Tae.”

“Last time I told you what I wanted, you just ignored it and got me what you wanted to buy anyway.”

“It was sold out. What was I supposed to do?”

“You could have just looked on another website. I doubt it was sold out everywhere.”

“You totally liked what I got you anyway, what’s the issue?”

Tiffany sighs. “Are you guys really going to have this argument again?”

Jessica glares. “What did you get Taeyeon, then?”

Tiffany’s eyes sparkle. “Something she’s going to love.”

Taeyeon brightens. “Did you buy that dress then? I thought you didn’t like it.”

Jessica snorts. “Calling it a ‘dress’ is a bit of a stretch.”

“I don’t even think that could take a bit of a stretch,” Tiffany says. “It’d probably rip.”

“Taeyeon would probably love to rip it right off you.”

Taeyeon’s face goes red. “I,” she splutters. “I wouldn—”

Jessica just raises an eyebrow at her, and she deflates.

“And no,” Tiffany says. “I am not buying that…garment.”

“I told you that you should’ve picked out something that comes in pink,” Jessica tsks. “That’s what I did and Steph wore it.”

“You told me you thought it was a nightie and you didn’t know it would be so revealing!”

Jessica laughs. “And you fell for that?”

Taeyeon sulks. “Why didn’t you give me this advice?”

Jessica blinks at her innocently. “Well, I figured that Steph would probably catch on if you did it too. Then what am I going to do next time?”

Taeyeon looks at Tiffany, expecting her to lay into Jessica, but Tiffany bursts out laughing instead. “I can’t believe that Jessi is outperving you, TaeTae. You’re going to have to give her your nickname soon.”

“ByunSic doesn’t have the same ring to it as ByunTae,” Jessica says. “Tae’s name just works too well.”

“It does suit her very well,” Tiffany says with a smile.

“Hey, why aren’t you mad at Sica that she tricked you into wearing that ‘nightie’? At least I didn’t try to trick you!”

“Please, it wasn’t nearly as revealing as what you picked out for me,” Tiffany snorts. “Plus, it was pink.”

“Haven’t you learned anything by now?” Jessica laughs. “It was pink, covered in pink tissue paper, in a pink bag. She was too busy oohing to get mad.”

Tiffany narrows her eyes. “Sounds like you really planned it out.”

“Well Steph, when I saw it on the mannequin, I just thought that it would look way better on you. And I was right.” Jessica even does the innocent blinking act again. Taeyeon has seen it a million times, and yet somehow it still works on her. Judging from the way Tiffany’s expression softens, she’s not immune either.

“You know, TaeTae,” Tiffany says. “Since Jessi loves nighties so much, we should get her one for her birthday!”

Taeyeon grins. “You’re right, Steph. In fact, we should each get her one and see which one she likes better.”

Jessica seems totally unruffled. “Sounds great. I do love nighties. Don’t be cheap, okay, I like mulberry silk.”

Taeyeon looks at Tiffany, speechless at Jessica’s shamelessness, and Tiffany shakes her head, mouthing, don’t bother.

“You know I can see you, right?” Jessica says amusedly. “And Taeyeon, you still didn’t tell me what you want for your birthday.”

Taeyeon looks at her two girlfriends, who both have hectic schedules and are in different time zones but made the time to schedule this call.

“This is enough,” she says softly, and smiles.