Tiffany found herself alone again. Alone in her apartment. Taeyeon had left. The shorter girl didn't forget to slam the door behind her before leaving. Tiffany wasn't sure if the loud slamming was directed to her. She told the girl everything. Mrs Kim and the threats. She would be lying if she wasn't expecting such a reaction from Taeyeon and even though she kinda saw it coming, it didn't mean that the words that Taeyeon said would hurt any lesser. Taeyeon was right. Tiffany was selfish. 

'I…I'm sorry. I thought it was the right thing to do. I….Family is really important to me and when your mother said those things about your father disowning you….I just thought it was the right thing to do.'

'You could have told me. We could have gone through it together. You didn't have to push me away. I thought you loved me.'

'I do. I still do. I love you.'

'Then how could you do something so selfish? How could you do something that you knew would hurt me?'

'Because I thought losing me would hurt lesser than losing your family.'

'That wasn't your decision to make. That wasn't your call.'

'I'm sorry.'

Taeyeon left her cup untouched. She wasn't sure who she was more upset with. Tiffany who didn't trust her enough or her mother. 

'I should have known'

Taeyeon mumbled.

'I should have known that she was behind all this.'

Taeyeon went straight to her car after slamming the door. She got in her car and started to drive. There was no destination. She continued to drive for what seemed like hours before finding herself stopping at a familiar street. She was back to where she started. Her subconscious self had driven her back to Tiffany's apartment. There was no denying this. She knew what her heart wanted. Even after all these years, it was still Tiffany. It will always be Tiffany.

She stepped out of her car and walked back to the apartment that she had left abruptly just a few hours ago. Taeyeon knocked on the door. As soon as the door opened, she could see that Tiffany had been crying. They stood in silence before Taeyeon took a step forward, inviting herself into Tiffany's apartment.

Taeyeon pulled Tiffany into a hug and the younger girl responded. Tiffany snuggled against Taeyeon's hold, crying. 

'I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you like that. You were right. I was selfish. I'm so sorry.'

Tiffany told her in between sobs.

'I know. I know. I'm sorry too. I'm sorry about her. I'm sorry you had to face her alone. I'm here now. We can face her together. I want to stop running away. Let's face this together.'

'I….I want to stop running away too. B..But, what about your dad?'

'I think he knows. I think he knew about it all along.'

Tiffany felt Taeyeon pushing her away. Just as she looked up, she felt a pair of soft lips. Taeyeon kissed Tiffany softly before pulling away.

'Will you? Will you hold my hand through this and never let it go again? I can live without the inheritance. I can live without everything else but I don't think I can ever live without you in my life.'

Tiffany didn't reply. Instead, she leaned in and kissed Taeyeon. This time, the kiss was more passionate. The kiss were saying the things that she could never convey through just words for her. Taeyeon meant everything to her too.

'I don't think I can ever live without you either'

Tiffany replied after ending the kiss.

It wasn't until a few weeks later that Tiffany found herself having lunch with Mr Kim. Taeyeon had insisted that it was time that they came clean with their relationship. No more hiding, no more secrets. 

'It'd be fine.' 

Taeyeon reassured the girl, holding her hand under the table. Only because Taeyeon had already told her old man beforehand. For the first time in years, Taeyeon told her father everything. Everything about herself. Her feelings for Tiffany, her relationship with Tiffany, her feelings for her own mother and the strained relationship that the pair shared. She was expecting him to take her mother's side. Maybe come up with excuses for the woman or say something like 'She did it for your own good'. Instead, the reply she received was a lot more comforting.

'Invite her for lunch tomorrow. Just the three of us. I trust that you will not say a word about this to your mother'

The man said with a fatherly smile. That was when Taeyeon knew that her father was on her side. As for Mr Kim, he was happy for a number of different reasons. It was because for the past few weeks, Taeyeon reminded him of his little girl. The little girl that went missing for so long. The girl that used to tell him everything and anything. His little girl was back and he would do anything to make sure that the girl won't be taken away from him again. 

'Taeyeon ah. Thank you. For letting me back in again'

Taeyeon nodded. She was about to leave when she decided to tell him one last thing.

'I'm planning to ask her to marry me. I'm not telling you because I need your approval or anything. I just thought you should know. I love her. I really do.'

Mr Kim smiled at his daughter. Proud that the girl was ready to take control of her own happiness.

'I know you do. I'm sorry about what your mother did.'

He told her. He wanted to tell her so much more. Reasons why he still kept the woman in his life but he knew that Taeyeon was better of not knowing such details. It wasn't because of love. Mr Kim never wanted to be married to her. It was an arranged marriage to begin with. All it took was a drunken night for a mistake to happen. A mistake that Mr Kim regretted until he held his baby girl in his arms for the first time. Captivated by the girl's brown orbs, Mr Kim found himself making promises to himself. He promised to protect her as much as he could. Despite the lack of love between him and his wife, he couldn't cut her off entirely. After all, if it wasn't for her, there wouldn't even be a Taeyeon. 

They say that a person's desire for revenge can make them do things. Unthinkable things. This was the only reason why Mr Kim kept Mrs Kim around. Now that he knew what she had done to the couple, he knew that he has to keep a closer eye on her. This time, he made a promise to not let history repeat itself. 

=================================================================

'Well, that wasn't too bad.'

Taeyeon commented as she drove Tiffany back to the girl's office. She played with Tiffany's fingers with her free hand. Taeyeon brought Tiffany's hand to her chest before bringing it to her lips and kissing it ever so tenderly.

'I love you.'

She told the girl in the passenger seat

'I love you too.'

That was all Taeyeon needed to hear. 

When she finally parked her car along the side of the road, Taeyeon found Tiffany smiling at her. 

'What's on your mind?'

Taeyeon asked the girl.

'Nothing.'

'Really now?'

'I'm just thinking about how lucky I am. Even after how much I hurt you.'

'That's all in the past.'

Taeyeon told Tiffany as she caressed Tiffany's hand with her thumb.

'Do you want to move in with me?'

Tiffany asked Taeyeon

'I would love to.'

Taeyeon smiled. 

Taeyeon popped the question about a year later. She had asked approval from Tiffany's family during one of her business trips to the US. It was a few weeks after getting their approval that she booked a pair of tickets to Paris for Tiffany and herself. She used the 'you're working too much and too hard' excuse. Tiffany reluctantly agreed. 

'Really Taeyeon? Really?'

Tiffany told the girl as they snuggled underneath the stars

'It's romantic'

'It's cheesy.'

'Can't help it.'

'You could have proposed when we were having dinner at the amazing restaurant. We had the eiffel tower as our background'

'That would be cliche!'

Tiffany smiled thinking about the proposal. It was cheesy. Very cheesy and definitely what she expected. 

'It was perfect though. I love you'

'I love you too.'

Taeyeon had asked for her friend's help. Jessica and Yuri agreed almost immediately. They had flown to Paris a few days before Taeyeon and Tiffany did. The proposal was simple and symbolic. Taeyeon walked with Tiffany back to their hotel after dinner. Tiffany pressed the button to the floor where their room was but Taeyeon said she wanted to sit by the pool for a bit. Tiffany agreed and they went up to the roof where the pool was. They sat around for almost an hour until Taeyeon asked if Tiffany had any coins.

'Why?'

'I'm feeling a little cold. There's a vending machine there.' 

Taeyeon pointed to a vending machine that looked really out of place in Tiffany's opinion.

'Coffee?'

Taeyeon opened her palm. Tiffany reached into her pocket and gave the girl a few coins. She leaned back against the sun bed while Taeyeon walked away

'Pany ah. Can you come here for a bit?'

'What is it now?'

Tiffany whined. Tired from all the sightseeing and walking. She groaned as she walked towards where Taeyeon was.

'I think the machine just ate my coins.'

'Urgh. Seriously.'

Tiffany pressed the button that was suppose to return the coins but no coins fell.

'Should we k……..'

Taeyeon didn't even get to finish when Tiffany gave the machine a kick. A soft thud was heard and all the lights went out except for the one that was just above the two of them.

'Wh….?'

Tiffany was about to say but stopped when she saw Taeyeon kneeling on one knee. The girl reached out to the vending machine's opening and took out a small box.

'Will you marry me?'

Taeyeon asked her THE question.

Tiffany nodded. 

'Yes. A thousand times over. Yes.'

She slipped the ring on Tiffany's finger. Taeyeon got back to her feet. Tiffany wrapped her arms around Taeyeon's neck while Taeyeon's hands naturally rested around the girl's waist. They shared a passionate kiss. An ending that they both deserve. A happy one.