Chapter VII (END)
Haven't Met You YetHaven't Met You Yet VII
Tiffany was late. And by late, she meant very, very late. She was supposed to meet Jessica over an hour ago but here she was with hair sticking out at awkward angles and pillows lying in awkward places all over her room.
And where the hell was her phone?
God, Jessica was going to scold her so badly when she got there. She shuddered just thinking about it.
After sweeping whatever she needed into her tiny bag, she hopped all the way to the toilet, dropping clothes along the way there. Her eyes swept across her room, scanning for her elusive electronic device. She had fallen asleep talking to Taeyeon again and she'd probably have to reply a string of cheese infused messages.
She smiled at the thought.
Tiffany felt blessed to be able to meet someone as wonderful as Taeyeon, not to mention the fact that they were dating. It honestly felt like heaven on earth, even if it meant getting byuntae comments every ten minutes or so. Laughing a little at her own joke, she choked on her toothpaste, sputtering helplessly while she still tried to rush out of the house.
Was she a hopeless romantic or was she just hopelessly in love?
But whatever it was, it's answer could come later because if she wasn't out of the house in the next five seconds, she had a feeling that she'd get bugs stuffed into her bag by the end of the day.
After finally finding her phone, she tapped it on and lo and behold;
Fifteen messages from Jessibutt
Ten missed calls from Jessibutt
Tiffany sighed as she slowed her brisk walk. She was dead when she got there anyway. It was just a cafe down the road, but the walk there seemed terribly long today. Turning the last corner, she received another call from her best friend.
"Hello?" Tiffany grimaced, she wasn't looking forward to the ear deafening shriek she would get in a couple of seconds...
"Hey Tiff, are you still home?" Jessica's voice was level and calm.
What?
"Ummm… No…?"
There was a short pause. "Could you go home, like right now?"
"Why?"
"I need a pad."
"What? Just buy one from the convenience store. It's next to you and I'm like three steps away." Tiffany replied quizzically.
"Tiff, trust me. Whatever you do, don't step through the door."
"What are you talking about? I'm already here."
Tiffany pushed the door open, smiling apologetically as she spotted her friend who looked more panicked than she did. But why?
"Jessi!" She grinned as she greeted her best friend, walking past the rest of the tables in a hurry.
Jessica's face paled, her grip on the teacup tightening. "T-t-tiff."
"Are you sick? Why are you so pale?" Tiffany placed the back of her hand on Jessica's forehead. It felt normal to her.
But Jessica wasn't looking at her anymore, her line of sight completely bypassing her friend. Her eyes darted to and fro as if she couldn't decide to where to look.
"What are you-?" Tiffany half turned around, only to be stopped by the abrupt cupping of her face by her friend's scrawny arms.
"N-nothing! Let's go?" Jessica forced a smile. "Like now? Right now?"
"Um, okay Jessi." Well, Tiffany figured an oddly behaving Jessica was better than a murderous one, right?
As she was ushered out of the cafe, she heard the distinct sound of an ahjumma laughing. She swore she couldn't have heard it wrong. It had to be Taeyeon, right?
"Jessi-" She stopped in her tracks. "Give me a moment."
Tiffany paused, searching the cafe for that distinctive laugh. She couldn't have been mistaken, so why was Jessica in such a hurry to leave? It couldn't have been because Yuri and Taeyeon had dated before, her best friend wasn't that petty.
And then she saw them and it all made sense.
It felt like a block of ice had just knocked all the air out of her lungs, her chest constricting like it never had before. Disbelief coursed through her veins like a lethal poison, only to be replaced with an acute sense of dread as she watched the girl leaning towards Taeyeon to whisper something in her ear.
No, this couldn't be happening.
No no no, it couldn't be.
Not Taeyeon, N-
The stranger placed a light peck on Taeyeon's cheek and from then on all she saw was red. What… What? She staggered forward, the grip she had on her cellphone unconsciously tightening.
This couldn't be happening to her right?
She felt someone tug on her left arm to pull her away but all she could do was stand there. It didn't make sense. It didn't… It couldn't… She thought Taeyeon was different. She wasn't like this. She couldn't be.
Love?
Love?
Tiffany forcefully wiped away the little droplets that had begun to stream down her cheeks. She shrugged off the pressure on her left arm, running out of the cafe as if her life depended on it.
It hurt. It hurt so much. The pain seemed to consume her whole being as the sweet memories stowed away in her heart were quickly categorised as lies. She needed to get away from everything somehow.
Oncoming traffic blared and it agonised her already throbbing head. Nothing was helping, oh god it hurt so much. She staggered towards the traffic light, her weak form slumping against the pole. Please, make it stop, please, somebody, anybody.
Just a couple more blocks to home, she thought as she dragged her laden feet towards her destination. Her vision was blurry and her feet were unsteady.
But finally, she made it to the lobby. She just wanted to shut down. Staying awake was too painful now.
"Tiffany!"
She heard a voice call. But it was so cold, so foreign. So full of deceit.
The pair of arms that clutched onto her hand was violently shrugged off.
"Don't touch me."
"Tiffany, I can explain."
"I don't want an explanation, Kim Taeyeon."
"Wait, Tiff-"
"Please, just shut up."
Taeyeon paused for a split second, clenching her teeth.
"For heaven's sake could you just listen?"
"To what?" Tiffany challenged. "Your lies? I thought you were different, Taeyeon."
"But I'm not lying!" Taeyeon threw her hands into the air exasperatedly.
"Then why the hell was the-" Tiffany shook her head and sighed strenuously. "You know what? I don't even wanna hear it."
"You're not being reasonable, Fany."
"Don't call me that."
"Fany." Taeyeon reached out her hand, only to have it knocked away forcefully.
"Tear up the contract, okay?"
Tiffany repeatedly tapped on the close button, immediately sinking to the ground as the lift doors slid to a close. She still couldn't believe it but as the image of betrayal flashed across her mind, the stoic expression she tried so hard to maintain simply shattered to make way for more tears.
The pain consumed her from the inside out, her physical functions barely working enough for staggering into her apartment.
No.
She still couldn't believe her eyes.
She still…
But it was the truth and there was nothing she could do.
Tiffany slipped underneath her sheets, pulling them up to her chin. Turning towards the left, she curled up into a ball. Taeyeon had slept there just a week ago. She reached out, lightly touching the sheets as more tears flowed from her sore eyes.
Her mind replayed the scenes she loved but didn't want to remember then. Ultimately, all she thought was of goodbyes and long nights.
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid to give so much more than I get
--
Tiffany groaned as she fumbled all over her blanket looking for her phone.
Who the hell was calling her at whatever a.m. it was in the morning? Didn't they know she needed to sleep. Especially since… since…
No.
She just needed to pick up the damn call and go back to sleep.
"Hello?"
"Is this Tiffany?"
"Who is this?"
"Taeyeon is in the hospital."
"What?"
Within the next minute, Tiffany was out of the door and sleep was nowhere near her mind.
What did they mean Taeyeon was in the hospital? Was this some kind of sick prank because it wasn't even vaguely funny. Her heart pounded furiously within her chest, her hands shaking from anxiousness.
The whitewashed walls of the hospital did nothing to calm her nerves. Even the air freshener did nothing but to annoy her even more.
She finally arrived in front of the operating theatre. Taeyeon's family was there, along with the girl she had seen at the cafe earlier.
It wasn't a prank.
Tiffany blinked and repeated the words in her head.
It wasn't a prank.
"Tiffany." The girl stepped forward shakily. Her lips formed a thin line, her eyes cold and piercing. "I'm Kim Hyoyeon, Taeyeon's cousin." She particularly emphasised on the word cousin, as if it was a venomous weapon she wanted to stab Tiffany with.
"… c-" Tiffany could hardly get the word out as she staggered backwards.
She had been wrong.
"Taeyeon was drunk."
But Taeyeon didn't drink.
"She was driving towards you when it happened."
No...
"She didn't see the truck that was coming at her."
It was all her fault.
"There was a text on her phone."
A text?
"Read it." Hyoyeon shoved the phone at Tiffany, swirling around right after.
"Fany ah, you're so silly! ><",
Yeah, I just haven't met you yet
Of course I'm not cheating on you,
I just haven't met you yet
The blonde I was with? She's my cousin!
Oh, promise you, kid
She was helping me plan something… >:
To give so much more than I get
I… was going to get an engagement ring.
I said love, love, love, love.
But you spoilt the surprise!
Love, love, love, love
I'll see you soon okay?
Love, love, love, love
Remember that I'll always love you, no matter what happens.
Love, love
xo, your kim tae tae"
Then the doctor stepped out of the operation room, his face stoic and his eyes downcast.
He shook his head and Tiffany felt her world collapse.
I just haven't met you yet
Comments