On one humid day in late June during the summer of her first year of middle school, Hwang Miyoung had made it her life long ambition to pursue a fashion career.

Her parents were against it, of course, since they both said that such a dream was impractical and that she should focus on her studies and aim for a good university, like all of the other students in South Korea. Though she understood her parents feelings and desires, she didn’t want to be like everyone else; growing up in the United States taught her that being unique was a great thing, despite the “old school” ways her parents lived by.

It wasn’t until the autumn of her final year of high school did her father finally cave into her wishes, allowing her to attend the prestigious fashion school in Venice, Italy.

A far off dream that seemed so out of reach was finally tangible to her finger tips and Miyoung couldn’t help but smile silly as she wandered the streets of the City of Water.

With a small bag of necessities and her camera in tow, the adrenaline rushes through her veins as she walks through the ancient streets of Venice, her feet taking her past fruit stalls, shop windows, and musicians whose music fills the colorful streets.


Her classmates don’t know her as “Miyoung,” but as Tiffany, the girl who grew up in both America & South Korea. She’s the girl with the eye smile and who’s known to be a bit clumsy with anything and everything.


When Tiffany first meets Jongdae, it’s nothing spectacular and such a miniscule event in her life that even she barely recalls what he looks like. It’s a light bump on the shoulder as the two of them rush to their next classes. Tiffany’s a little shocked, eyes blinking rapidly as she tries to recall who that is, the image of his back side growing smaller as he walks in the opposite direction.


She’s absolutely positive that she knows him from some where, though she has no real recollection of what his face, or anything about him, looks like.

Tiffany tells Jessica, her dorm roommate, about the entire incident. Jessica just laughs at her, cheeks turning a bright pink when she reminds Tiffany that here everyone knows everyone, whether they like it or not.

Still laughing at her naiveté, Tiffany scowls and stomps her way to the bathroom, slamming the door harshly as the resounding sound muffles Jessica’s chuckles.

“Fany, if it helps, he’s the new transfer student from Korea and from what I’ve heard he’s a theatre major.”

It’s a quirk of the lips, the corners of rising up slightly and Tiffany has no idea why she’s smiling like a fool.


It isn’t until a few days later that Tiffany finds out that the guy she ran into, Jongdae - Chen - is a full three years her junior. By lunch time she’s fanning herself, the feeling of shock still fresh in her mind as she retells the facts to Sunny who also laughs in her face.

“Tiffany,” Sunny’s face turns mock-stern as she attempts to explain this development “, this isn’t like Seoul okay? No one here gives a about age; you date who you like and no one will question you, got it?”

Tiffany’s facial expressions tell her otherwise so Sunny decides to back-track, a hand held up as she counts off with her fingers “, it’s the trend to be dating younger guys now; you know, being a cougar and all. Like think about it for a minute: Jessica’s dating Jjong, I’m dating Jonghyun, and Taeyeon’s dating Chanyeol.”

It takes a minute for this new information to sink in, but Tiffany nods in understanding but swivels her head towards Sunny, shocking the other girl a bit.

“What is it, Tiffany?!” Sunny nearly shrieks, dropping her fork in the process.

“Taeyeon’s dating Chanyeol?!” Tiffany’s round eyes and bewildered gaze is enough to send Sunny into a laughing fit for the rest of lunch.



In sharp contrast to Tiffany’s normally bubbly personality she likes to spend her free time perusing the endless rows of bookshelves in the school’s library. She could probably spend an entire day there if she want to, curled up in a cozy nook with a pile of books waiting to be read stacked right next to her seat.

It comes as a delightful surprise when she spots Chen a few tables over, his eyes glued to what looked to be a few text books (assuming that he’s studying for those tragic exams of those “required” classes.) Tiffany chuckles under hear breath, glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose.

Oddly enough, a few hours pass before she finally closes the book after finishing a good read, limbs slightly sore and aching. It’s nearly half past ten and the patrons in the library have dwindled down to a handful of people. Tiffany glances around, a hand rubbing tired eyes and she makes eye contact with Lee Jinki, a close friend of Taeyeon’s, who seems to be studying diligently.

The table that was formerly occupied by Chen was conspicuously (to her, anyways) empty and Tiffany scrunches her nose up in slight disapproval. But what did she really expect, for him to stay there the entire time? She nearly scoffs at her ludicrous thought.


What does confuse her is that she finds Chen waiting outside by the sliding glass doors casually sitting on the edge of the planter, an umbrella leaning against the wall. He throws her for a loop when he calmly looks up and makes eye contact, a smile gracing his features.

Tiffany’s bewildered, to say the least, when Chen leisurely stands up and approaches her and it’s at that moment that she discovers that he’s a quite tall, at least a few centimeters taller than her.


“You know, I was wondering when you were ever going to leave that book of yours behind and come outside,” Chen admitted, a chuckle ringing in his voice.

Tiffany fumbles for the right words, a slew of ah’s and umm’s escaping her lips before she can even formulate a coherent thought. A bit of her sanity remains intact, thankfully, as she fumbles for a few words.

“…you were waiting? Why?” is the first thing she blurts out before instantaneously covering in absolute shock.

Chen’s hand automatically comes up to cover his own mouth in an attempt to stifle his laughter but it’s a futile effort when he ends up cracking up, Tiffany puffing up her cheeks in mild discontent. A few moments pass before the man before her gathers up his thoughts, his expression changing into one of calm.

“To be honest, I’m not sure. Perhaps I think I’m interested in you? At least that’s what my friends tell me.”

Tiffany finds him a little blunt, but absolutely adorable, and she can’t help but give him one of her signature eye smiles. She giggles a bit when he agrees to walk her back to her dorm, the smile never leaving her face.

Days eventually turn into weeks that morph into months and the entire school knows of the “thing” going on between Chen and Tiffany, minus some details.

Hyoyeon keeps pestering her for more information (no doubt to fuel the rumor mill) and Tiffany has nothing to say, except for a few vague phrases that hold no value.

“Fany, aren’t the two of you dating? If not you guys should already! You’re always so cuddly and cute together that it’s almost sickening,” Hyoyeon nearly screams into her ear one late afternoon.

“For the millionth time, no we are not dating. We’re just friends.”

“Pfft, friends? Right. That’s what they all say at first.”

“Hyoyeon, what the heck do you mean by that.” Tiffany dons an unamused expression, eyebrows closely knit together.

“Now that I think about it, those were the exact same words Sunny said about her relationship with Jonghyun and look at where they are now. Nearly a year and still going strong. Don’t you see? It’s a sign!” Hyoyeon bellows, arms thrown toward the sky for dramatic effect.

Tiffany playful slaps her on the arm, earning a glare in return but it does stop Hyoyeon’s exceptionally embarrassing antics.

“If anything, we’re just good friends okay?”

“Mhm, hmm. Whatever you say Tiffany but mark my words, you two will be dating sooner or later,” Hyoyeon remarks, waving around her salad fork in emphasis.

Tiffany suddenly feels a sense of foreboding, but it’s a short lived feeling when she remembers that Hyoyeon’s usually wrong in the first place.


Strangely enough, within the next few days Tiffany finds that most of her free time is spent with Chen, from studying in the library together to seeing movies on one of their off days (alone, just the two of you, Jessica likes to point out.)

It certainly feels like they’re dating, that is something Tiffany is willing to admit. But are they official? Certainly not, but it would be nice.

Even if he is a bit awkward and a few years younger, Chen is able to make her feels things she hasn’t felt for anyone before; the desire to be pretty when they meet up and always unconsciously trying to impress him are all new things for her.

Taeyeon and Sunny smile happily whenever Tiffany brings news about the “progress” (because she knows if she ever tells Hyoyeon or Sooyoung the entire school would find out in a matter of hours.)


Summer vacation is fast approaching and the plans to spend it in Japan with her best girlfriends have been made (tickets have been booked, reservations for a hotel have been made.) But it also means Tiffany won’t be able to spend any time with Chen over their three month break, but maybe the separation would be able to clear her head and sort out her thoughts.

It’s finals week though so everyone has been extremely busy, fluttering from one final project to the next and last minute studying groups are all the rage during the last two weeks of classes.

Unlike most of the student population, Tiffany started her final project (a design she has to bring to life all by hand) weeks in advance, because anyone who knows her well enough knows that she hates doing anything last minute. Plus the fact that she’s tedious and slow with everything doesn’t help either.

The next couple of days pass by in a whirl winded blur and everyone is finally able to relax (some more than others) when the last assignment is turned in, sighs of relief echoing each other when the stress is finally lifted.

Everyone is extremely ecstatic about their two month trip to Japan as they’re planning to leave right after their dorms are fully packed and the boxes are shipped to Korea. The countdown seems a bit slow to Tiffany, but the amount of packing she has to do keeps her quite busy.

Nearly a week passes and Tiffany hasn’t caught sight of Chen at all.

Perhaps he’s busy too? I mean, he’s heading back to Korea right?

Maybe, I don’t know.

These are the most common conversations Tiffany finds herself having with her best friends.



In the blink of an eye they’re at the airport, all nine of them (some coming with their boyfriends, too) and still no sign of Chen. Jongdae, whatever. Tiffany mentally adds in an unsatisfied fit.

She looks on with envy at the other couples and nearly throws up at Sunny’s aegyo (which has its desired effect on Jonghyun, she might add) as she quickly glances around for any miniscule sign of Chen.

Disappointment is visible on her face when she turns back, Yuri wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders as they prepare to go through airport security.

In the far distance Tiffany hears the faint call of her name and shakes it off, absolutely certain that this isn’t some drama where the guy she loves suddenly shows up nearly late and sweeps the girl off her feet.

Though in this case Chen really isn’t as smooth as his first impression let on and nearly trips as he sprints across the tiled floor, a sheen of sweat covering his forehead.

Everyone bursts out laughing at his clumsiness as he comes to a complete stop in front of her, a giant suitcase behind him and his passport and plane ticket in the other.

Tiffany’s eyes practically disappear as she smiles widely, her hand instinctively coming up to smack his arms a few times before giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek. She’s red in the face but she could care less when Chen returns her smile and hugs her closer, his arm a nice feeling around her waist.

Chanyeol gives an approving hoot while Jonghyun wolf whistles and it feels like the two of them got married or something.


Love is a completely new feeling for Tiffany, but she’s happy that Venice was a place where she was able to find it. The two of them are still awkward and shy though that may be a good thing for the two of them.