As the interview progressed it seemed more and more like a conversation and less of a chore. Tiffany found herself learning plenty, but mostly about Taeyeon. About how the girl was actually older than her (she just never aged), how the girl seriously liked laughing, and that communicating with international fans was so important to her that Taeyeon, at one stage, had spent more time studying the English language than on her music. It was fun, being able to talk to such a famous celebrity in such a manner, but Tiffany was a professional and she knew that her job came first. So with an apologetic smile, Tiffany attempted to steer the conversation back towards the topics she had to report on.

"So why America, Taeyeon? What makes you so interested in this particular country?" 

Tiffany had pieced together, threw stray remarks and offhand comments, that Taeyeon had quite the fascination with America and thus questioning her about it seemed a simple way to transition the conversation from idle banter to a proper interview question. Taeyeon was pondering the question slowly, tapping her chin in the process.

"Well many things I guess," she replied slowly. "First of all, I've never actually been here before and I love travelling. This is the first time my company has attempted a concert in a non-asian country so it was a good opportunity to see what it's like."

Tiffany nodded and scribbled down a few quick notes. "And what kind of things do you hope to see while you're here?"

"One of my seniors who visited here previously told me about lots of stuff she thought I'd be interested in." Taeyeon interrupted, her gaze focused on some point on the ceiling. "The culture of course, how the cities never sleep, the diversity in food, the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate bridge, Mardi Gras..."

Tiffany raised an eyebrow as her interviewee trailed off. There was something about the way she mentioned the last particular object of interest that rang an alarm bell in her head. Staring at Taeyeon curiously, the singer met her gaze almost beseechingly, as if willing Tiffany to understand. But then, Taeyeon's manager (who had seemingly disappeared after her rushed apology to Tiffany) coughed politely and as Taeyeon swang around to see what the matter was, the moment was interrupted and faded into history. 

"My manager went and bought you these as an apology." Taeyeon said, holding out a brown paper bag to Tiffany. 

The bag was quite hot and Tiffany almost dropped it in surprise. A sweet, woody smell filled Tiffany's nose.

"What's in it?"

"Roasted chestnuts. One of my favourites.¹"

"Oh? Why?"

Taeyeon's gaze grew distant.

"It reminds me of home. My mother and I use to laugh as we peeled them. We'd always peel a little bit then drop them because they were so hot coming out of the oven. It's pauper food but in Korea there are vendors everywhere on the street and it's a cheap and easy snack for when I'm out and about."

"Can I put that in the article?"

"Sure."

Tiffany glanced at her notes and wrinkled her nose slightly in distaste at the following personal questions that she was required to ask. There was a reason she didn't work in spotlights, and the key one was she disliked prying into the personal lives of others, as if it was something she was entitled to do just because the person was famous.

"Do you... have anyone special to share your chestnuts with?"

Taeyeon's face visibly paled a bit and her posture stiffened. 

"Well, I'm sharing some with you now. Are you special?" Taeyeon replied with a laugh. But Tiffany had just been talking and joking with Taeyeon for the last hour and had learnt by now that when Taeyeon laughed there was nothing feminine or graceful about it. It was a full blown explosion of hearty laughter, not the forced chuckle that she was hearing now.

"I hear you're one of Korea's most eligible bachelorettes, though." Tiffany forced a laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood. Taeyeon was visibly much more sullen now although, Tiffany noted, her reaction to the question did seem a little extreme.

"I guess I'm just waiting for the right kind of person."

"And what kind is that?"

"Hmm. I guess the standard things we look for in a partner? Kind, compassionate, caring, understand. The usual."

"What about their appearance? Should he be good looking?"

In response, Taeyeon fluttered her eyelashes at Tiffany, using her hands to form a 'V' under her face, her eyes wide and innocent.

"Shouldn't I be pretty enough for both of us?"

Tiffany snorted and Taeyeon responded in kind and before she knew it, they were both holding their stomachs, tears in their eyes and the sound of true, joyful laughter filling the room.

In hindsight, many years from now, Tiffany would think back to this moment and realize that all in all, it really wasn't that funny, but there was nothing wrong with sharing the same type of fondness for bad jokes and exaggerated arrogance.

~ ~ ~

With the interview over, Tiffany had risen to leave but Taeyeon had insisted that she stay and eat the chestnuts with her. Tiffany was therefore forced, with a pink face, to confess that she had never really peeled chestnuts herself before and that her parents had always done the work for her.

"I'll show you. It's really easy." Taeyeon said.

True to her word, the chestnut shells literally fell apart in her hands. The shells were burning hot though and Tiffany found herself picking up fallen chestnuts that she had dropped as her fingers spasmed in pain due to the heat. Taeyeon on the other hand, seemed to have no such problems and was easily through half the bag before she noticed Tiffany's struggles.

"Ah~"

"What?" Tiffany grumbled, dropping her chestnut for the third time.

"Ah~"

"Wha-" Tiffany looked up only to jump back as a single perfectly peeled chestnut floated in front of .

"Ah~"

"Taeyeon wha-" She was silenced by the chestnut being shoved in . Taeyeon smirked as Tiffany blinked in surprise, still open. A finger lifted her chin, closing her gaping mouth.

"Chew."

She chewed.

"Swallow."

She swallowed.

"Good?"

In all honesty, Tiffany hadn't the slightest clue what the damn thing had tasted like. She had just been hand fed by Kim Taeyeon. How was one expected to react in such situation? Nonetheless she nodded and Taeyeon smiled approvingly.

"I think if I had a special someone, I'd like to sit around on a balcony or veranda, just basking in the sun and feeding each other things like this."

It was with a sudden realization that Tiffany noticed that each time the topic had come up, Taeyeon had shied away from mentioning any sort of gender and with a start, all the pieces seemed to fall into place.  The mention of Mardi Gras, the extreme reaction when asked about her relationships, it all lead to a single thought.

Could Kim Taeyeon, the most beloved voice in all of Korea, be gay?

- - -

1. I'm aware Taeyeon in actuality is quite allergic to nuts, whether this extends to the chestnut, I'm not sure but in this story, she is not.

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