“Fresh from the sea! Tuna! Mackerel! Snapper! Oh, ahjumma, do you want any eels?? It’s big and fresh! They just arrived this morning!”

 

 

 

 

 

Taeyeon’s voice attracted many passer-by and she immediately offered all the good fishes they have in the shop. They just opened the shop for 3 hours and almost all of the fishes are sold, thanks to the little girl. An old woman approached Taeyeon when she is taking a lunch break and sat beside her.

 

“Good job, Taeyeon. As always.” The halmoni smiled warmly to her.

“Thank goodness everyone want to eat seafood today! Hehehe.”

“They don’t. It’s you who make them do. Hahaha.”

“Aah I’m just doing my job.”

“I made a super delicious food. I’ll give it some to you so you can eat it for dinner, okay?” The halmoni got up immediately.

“Thank you very much, halmoni. Hehehe.”

 

 

 

 

It’s just a small, old fish shop owned by a very kind halmoni where Taeyeon works at for almost 5 years now. The halmoni’s husband passed away 13 years ago and the couple don’t have any children. For the halmoni, Taeyeon is a really big help. The halmoni is getting older and weak, and since her husband already passed away, she didn’t able to run the shop alone. She treated Taeyeon as her own daughter (should’ve been granddaughter, actually) and always offered Taeyeon to live together in her small house at the back of the shop, but the young girl refused her politely, reasoned that she has too many stuffs and she already feel comfortable in her small apartment near the shop.

 

 

And Taeyeon, she is just an ordinary 22 years-old girl who work at the fish shop for a living. She is an orphan and live with her sister in her current apartment, but that was before the sister passed away from an accident 5 years ago. The halmoni found the young Taeyeon crying at the graveyard one day when she visited her husband’s grave, and took her to the fish shop to work there. Taeyeon is a hard-working girl and always try her best to do her job. She never forget to smile and sell the fishes cheerfully, makes her loved by many people there.

 

 

 

“Here you go. Two boxes of delicious squid!” The halmoni came back to the small table at the back of the shop where Taeyeon is having her lunch.

“Wow, halmoni, it’s too much for me alone. I can’t eat that much. Hehehe.”

“You are still young, of course you should eat well! Look, you’re so thin. Aigoo.” The halmoni pinched the young girl’s cheek and shook her head.

“Am I? Okay then, halmoni. Thank you very much.” Taeyeon scratched her head shyly.

“You shouldn’t worry about food. I love cooking but I live alone, so I always have too many foods here. You can eat here whenever you want, no need to be shy. Just consider this place as your own house.”

“Sure, halmoni. Hehe.”

 

 

Taeyeon just nodded because she didn’t want to hurt the halmoni’s feeling, for actually she really can’t eat that much.

 

 

“So, Taeyeon. Do you have a boyfriend already?”

“Hahaha, halmoni, I always told you, I don’t want to think about that for now.”

“I’ll introduce you to my friend’s son. He is very kind and handsome. What do you think?”

“Still no, halmoni.”

“Aigoo, you should feel love at your age now, you know. Before it’s too late.”

“Soon. If I find a right one. Hehe.” Taeyeon smiled at the halmoni and got up excitedly. “Okay then, I will continue working.”

The halmoni smiled warmly to the young girl. “You don’t know how much I thank God for having you here, Taeyeon.”

“Ah, I should be the one who thank God, for being found by a very cute halmoni and got a job here.” Taeyeon winked.

“I’m old and can not be cute, you little teaser.”

“Hahahaha.”

 

 

 

 

Taeyeon went back to her apartment that night with so many boxes of foods (some ahjummas gave her more when she passed by their shops on the way home)  and had dinner alone in her room, accompanied by a small TV she bought after saving money for months. Her room is small, there are only one bed, one wardrobe, one small and round table in the middle of the room, one TV near the window, and her other stuffs, also her sister’s stuffs, a bathroom, and a kitchen at the same room with her bedroom. She is happy to live just like that. She never dream too big or wishing for something she knew she would never able to reach. She has dreams too, but she tried to be more realistic. And live peacefully everyday like this is her priority for now.

 

 

 

But those peaceful days will be gone soon.

 

 

 

It all will be gone when a young and well-mannered girl stopped by at the shop one day. Taeyeon is working happily as usual that day, when suddenly someone approached her in front of the shop.

 

“Is this… Ng, excuse me, what fish is this?”

Taeyeon, who is busy sorting the fishes on the long table, immediately went to the customer and smiled widely. “This is tuna, Miss.”

“Oh. I-I thought it is a snapper. Hehehe.” The girl smiled shyly with a pinkish cheek.

 

 

 

What is viewed in front of Taeyeon’s eyes was really something unexplainable. Taeyeon thought she is seeing an angel. Her smile was so bright it defeats the sun in the sky, her eyes formed into a perfect curve makes a perfect eye-smile, and her hair looks so beautiful. Taeyeon can’t explain more than that, she is mesmerized, she can’t move her body, not even say a single word. Her lips are stiffen, air stopped being inhaled into her lungs. She could tell that her heart is also stop beating right now. Those 5 seconds totally makes her lost her self.

 

 

 

“I’m in heaven…”

“P-Pardon me?” The beauty in front of her blinked several times.

Taeyeon got her self back and finally took a breath to continue her life. “A-Ah, I mean… I’m s-sorry. I was j-just… just… Omo.”

 

 

Taeyeon moved her hand carelessly and made some fishes fell to the floor, she immediately knelt down to pick all the fishes. The girl giggled and helped her picking them up.

 

“T-Thank you, Miss. I’m… I’m… Aigoo, what happened to me!” Taeyeon slapped her own cheek slowly, causing her already-red-cheek became more red.

The girl in front of her giggled again seeing Taeyeon’s cuteness. “You’re cute.”

“Ah?” Taeyeon widened her eyes.

The other girl looked around the long table with confused face. “I want to buy a snapper. Uhm, but I don’t know how to choose a good one. Can you help me?”

“O-Of course, Miss!”

 

 

Taeyeon helped her chose the best snapper they had at the shop that day, and the girl left. Taeyeon just stared at her back from distance while regretting her dumbness for not asking for at least her name. The halmoni went out from the shop and saw Taeyeon zoning out at the empty street.

 

“Taeyeon?”

“…..”

“Taeyeon?? What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing…”

“You look pale.”

“D-Do I?”

“I know. You’re hungry, right? Go have your second breakfast inside. I cooked your favorite food.”

“Ah, i-it’s not like that…”

“C’mon, let’s eat together. I’ll wait for you inside.” The halmoni ignored her words and went into the shop first.

 

 

 

Taeyeon exhaled a very long breath. She palmed her chest and felt the fast beat of her heart, wondering when will she meet the beauty again.

 

 

 

It didn’t took a long time for Taeyeon to wait. Unexpectedly, that girl came again the next week and this time Taeyeon dropped a pot of water to the floor. The girl wanted to buy some eels.

 

“You’re really clumsy.” The girl giggled.

“I-I’m not like this usually.” Taeyeon hastily fixed her hair after cleaning up the mess she made. “I mean… P-Please don’t take it wrongly… I didn’t mean to say that you bring bad luck… No, I mean… I mean I’m happy… Ng, I mean you are our c-customer, so I’m… yeah, I’m happy to meet you…”

“Hahaha. Uhm, what’s your name?”

“Ah? M-Me? My name? I’m… Ng, i-it’s Tae-Taeyeon.”

“TaeTaeyeon?” The other girl tilted her head to the side.

“I mean Taeyeon.”

“Ohh. I’m Tiffany. Hwang Tiffany.” Tiffany extended her hand to Taeyeon and smiled, asking for a handshake.

“Er, my hand is dirty…” Taeyeon bit her lips and looked at her own hands, but Tiffany ignored it and grabbed her hand firmly.

“Nice to meet you, Taeyeon-ssi.” Tiffany smiled again.

“N-N-Nice to meet you too, T-Tiffany-ssi.”

“Are we at the same age?”

“Oh. I-I’m 22.”

“Really?? Me too.” Tiffany jumped a little out of happiness. “Can I be your friend?”

 

 

 

 

Taeyeon zoning out for 30 minutes on her bed that night, smile never left her face. She wanted to jump all around the city if she could. She’s so damn happy and thought she will die young if she didn’t let out this energy she had all of a sudden after what happened today. She made the halmoni confused because she was smiling all the time at the shop and she worked even harder.

 

 

 

 

 

As time goes by, Tiffany became a good friend of Taeyeon. Tiffany lived alone not too far from the shop and she is from a wealthy family who lived at another city. She just moved to this city some months ago to work, and she said the halmoni once helped her on the street when she just arrived at this city (even though the halmoni couldn’t remember when was it, due to her age), so she wants to thank her by becoming a regular customer at the shop, moreover she likes seafoods and people said this fish shop is the best in this city. The eye-smile girl had lunch at a café beside the fish shop for almost everyday, saying that it’s her favorite café, and whenever she ate there, she would visit the shop and brought some snacks for Taeyeon and the halmoni who are taking a lunch break around that time too. They talked and laughed a lot, and gradually Taeyeon didn’t feel nervous anymore near her. But what has been grown in her heart from the very first time they met didn’t fade away.

 

Tiffany is a very cheerful girl, just like Taeyeon. She likes to tease Taeyeon for being stuttered and always mean something when they talk for the first time. And she also called Taeyeon “TaeTae” because that’s what the petite girl said when she stutteredly saying her name on their second meet. Tiffany often helped at the shop or help cleaning the house whenever she had more free time, and the halmoni really likes her too.

 

 

 

 

“So I usually put the crabs there, and then the eels in the aquarium. We should know the freshness of a fish so we won’t be tricked by our supplier.” Taeyeon explained to the other girl one day, when she said she wanted to learn how to become a fishmonger like the petite girl.

“H-How do you catch the eel? It moves really fast, right?”

“Come here, I’ll teach you how.”

“W-What? Now??”

“Of course.”

“But…”

“It’s okay, they won’t eat you. Hahaha.”

“But…”

 

 

Taeyeon pulled her to the aquarium and catched an eel easily with one hand.

 

“Now you try.” Taeyeon gave her the gloves.

“But…”

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of your favorite food?” Taeyeon smirked.

“I am!” Tiffany shuddered and refused to take the gloves.

“Aigoo, you should at least touch it. You have my guarantee, it’s totally safe.”

“No.”

Taeyeon sighed smilingly. “I’ll help you. Come closer.”

 

 

The petite girl hold the other girl’s hand from behind and slowly directed it to the water. Tiffany wanted to step back but she can’t because Taeyeon’s body is right behind her.

 

“TaeTae! I-I’m afraid!”

“Trust me.”

 

Finally, slowly, Tiffany’s fingertips touched the eel. The eye-smile girl’s body became relax again and she can breathe calmly.

 

“See?” Taeyeon smiled at her.

“It’s slippery.” Tiffany chuckled weakly.

“Aigoo, this couple is now hugging like this at my shop!” The halmoni came with three cups of tea and commented on what she saw there.

“C-Couple??” Taeyeon pulled away immediately.

“Taeyeon just taught me how to catch…”

“…Touch, in your case.” Taeyeon corrected her.

“…Yeah, I mean touch, an eel.”

“Hahaha, come have some tea for awhile, you two.” The halmoni sat on a chair and called them.

“Hmmm, the tea is good!” Tiffany took a sip of her tea.

“Thank you, dear.” The halmoni smiled warmly. “Aigoo, I do think you two would make a good couple, for real!”

“W-What are you talking about, halmoni.” Taeyeon nudged the old woman’s arm slowly with red cheek.

“Fany, this Taeyeon has never been in a relationship, so she might be a little bit awkward, but she is a really good girl!” The halmoni promoted excitedly.

“Halmoni, stop it. Fany must’ve had a boyfriend already.” Taeyeon mumbled. Actually she didn’t know anything about Tiffany’s love life, because they never talk about that.

“Ah, no. I don’t have boyfriend.” Tiffany said.

“Hear that, Taeyeon??” The halmoni laughed happily.

 

The two young girls just glanced at each other shyly and scratched their head nervously.

 

 

 

 

 

Taeyeon really fell too deep for the other girl. She really loves Tiffany’s low-profile and kindness. The eye-smile girl never bragged about her rich family and she always wore casual clothes, she never wasted her money for something useless like alcohol and party, and she is extremely humble. And she refused any payment for her part-time job from the halmoni.

 

Sometimes Tiffany played at Taeyeon’s apartment and fell asleep there. Taeyeon only had one bed, so she had to sleep on the sleeping bag. Sometimes they went to play somewhere, having fun and teasing each other, rolling on the grass, tickling each other like two puppies playing together, talk nonsense things, and laugh at it. They’re so close that Taeyeon is so sure that Tiffany has a same feeling as her, and the eye-smile girl once said she often come to the shop just because she wanted to meet her.

 

 

Taeyeon is waiting for the right time to confess.

 

 

 

 

 

But now everything is messed up.

 

 

 

It happened on that one summer night when Tiffany played on the other girl’s apartment as usual. Taeyeon is cooking for the eye-smile girl to celebrate her new position in her office. They ate together and then watched TV. The show they are watching right now is about love percentage. The host wanted the viewer to think of someone they love and did some calculating. After the segment is over, Tiffany smilingly looked at Taeyeon.

 

“How is yours?”

“Hm?”

“Mine is 91%.”

“Oh, the percentage?” Taeyeon cleared . “Uhm, around 97% if I’m not wrongly calculated it.”

“What?? Whoa, that’s almost perfect!”

“Hehehe.” Taeyeon smiled shyly. “Maybe… I should… Confess..”

“Hm?” Tiffany leaned forward to catch Taeyeon’s voice more clearly.

“Ah, n-nothing.”

“Maybe I should confess?”

Taeyeon widened her eyes and hastily looked at the other girl. “W-What… I’m…”

“What do you think, TaeTae? Should I confess??” The eye-smile girl asked excitedly. “91% is not bad, isn’t it?”

Taeyeon sighed in relief, she thought Tiffany heard her words earlier. “Oh. Ng… A-About that… Err…”

“I’ve been watching for a long time, and finally I could talk to that person. I’m so happy.” Tiffany’s cheek became pinkish.

“Ng, what is that person like?” Taeyeon asked.

“Hmmm. Kind, cheerful, polite, funny, a prankster, reliable, strong, and… good-looking.” Tiffany winked. “So charming. I often find myself mesmerized near that person.”

“I think you are talking about yourself. Hahaha.” Taeyeon said.

“Of course not!”

“Then…” Taeyeon continued carefully. Her heart beats so fast. “Who is… that person?”

“Uhmmm.” Tiffany smiled. “I always stay at the café to see that person.”

 

 

 

Taeyeon felt something heavy fell to her stomach inside her body.

 

 

 

“I could see that person secretly and naturally if I stay there.” Tiffany continued. “I think… I think we have the same feeling. So I… Ng, I want to confess to that person I loved.” Tiffany stared firmly into Taeyeon’s eyes. “What I want to say is… Taeyeon…”

“Hahahahaha! Good luck, then, Fany-ah! I’m… H-Honestly, I want to confess too to someone I loved.” Taeyeon said.

“Really? Ng, w-who is that person, may I know?”

“Do you know… there is a new fish shop not too far from our place?”

“…Yes.”

“The owner’s daughter. S-She is my old friend. And… And I think… We still have the same feeling we had long time ago.”

 

 

 

 

Taeyeon didn’t know what she’s talking about.

 

 

 

She didn’t know what is in her mind.

 

 

 

She’s completely confused.

 

 

 

The heartbreak she got when Tiffany told her that her crush works at the café, or is a regular customer of the café beside their shop, hurts her so much. She didn’t even know the owner of the new fish shop. She didn’t know whether the owner has a daughter or a boy, or whether the owner has married yet or not, she didn’t have any idea about that. She just said whatever in her mind to hide her broken heart.

 

 

“O-Oh…. She must be… really lucky…” Tiffany smiled simply. “She must be a good girl, she waited for you… for years. Hehe.”

 

 

Taeyeon just looked down and gritted her teeth.

 

 

“Ng… I think I should go home now.” Tiffany got up slowly. “See you… TaeTae.”

 

 

 

The silence is killing Taeyeon right when Tiffany closed the door and left her alone in that room. She felt like the air is running out at that place, she can’t breathe. She felt like everything in that room is blaming her for being such a fool. For being such a coward. She can’t pull back her words, and eventually she thinks this is the best way. She should forget the other girl since Tiffany already found her love, and she didn’t want to ruin their friendship. She didn’t even know whether Tiffany is into girls or not. She’s afraid. She’s afraid everything will be messed up if she confessed.

 

 

“Everything’s gonna be alright.” Taeyeon said to herself. “Yeah. It’s gonna be alright.”

 

 

 

 

But it’s not.

 

 

 

It’s not alright.

 

 

 

 

Whenever Tiffany came to the shop and said she was just from the café, Taeyeon would say she wants to go to the new fish shop to meet the girl she ‘loves’ and left Tiffany alone at the shop with the halmoni. But actually the petite girl didn’t go anywhere. She went to a riverside near the shop and sit there alone. Tiffany just sat in the shop while the halmoni poured a cup of tea for her and accompanied her.

 

“Are you two fighting?” The halmoni asked.

“N-No. We aren’t fighting, halmoni.” Tiffany said.

“Taeyeon looks weird recently. She’s not as cheerful as usual, so I think maybe there’s something going on between you two.”

“We’re really okay, halmoni.” Tiffany smiled to reassure the halmoni. “Ng, maybe she just has something in her mind.”

 

 

 

 Both Taeyeon and Tiffany didn’t tell anything about their conversation that night to the halmoni. They didn’t want to make the old woman worrying them, and honestly because both of them didn’t want to talk about that anymore. Both are afraid to talk about that. Taeyeon kept avoiding Tiffany, and Tiffany, even though she really want to do the same, but she forced herself to visit the shop everyday to at least meet the halmoni. Gradually, she lessen her visit to the shop, from once in two days, then once in a week, and then once in a month. The two young girl were separated by distance and no one questioned that to each other. The halmoni just know that Tiffany is busy with her work in her new position causing her couldn’t come too often like before.

 

 

 

 

Until one winter day, Tiffany came with a man to the shop. She introduced him as her fiancé and it really slapped Taeyeon on her face.

 

“This is Jung Yunho, my fiancé. We’re going to get married next week, we hope halmoni and…” Tiffany glanced at Taeyeon who stand behind the halmoni with shocked face. “…And Taeyeon would come.”

“Good afternoon.” Yunho bowed to the halmoni.

“Aigoo, our Fany is getting married!” The halmoni accepted the wedding invitation and looked at it amazedly. “Time really flies, doesn’t it?? Come in, come in! Let’s have a talk for awhile!”

“Ah, I’m afraid we can’t. Yunho has another work to do. But I will come again before the wedding day.” Tiffany smiled warmly to the halmoni.

“Aah, is that so? Okay then. See you soon.” The halmoni turned around to Taeyeon. “Taeyeon, you should congratulate them!”

“Ng…”

“We… should be going now.” Tiffany said hastily.

 

Tiffany and Yunho bowed to them and left. The halmoni still looked at the invitation amazedly, couldn’t believe what she just heard.

 

“Aigoo, that man is so good-looking! And he looks kind and gentle too! Fany must be really loves him. So lucky.” The halmoni stopped when she’s about to pass the petite girl. “You should’ve said something to your bestfriend! It’s her wedding! Aigoo.”

 

 

The halmoni went in while mumbling about the marriage and wondering what will happen if Taeyeon one day get married too. While the petite girl, still standing on her place, froze, with blank mind, empty eyes, and a thousand pieces of her broken heart.

 

 

 

Taeyeon couldn’t be more lifeless than this. She never smiled anymore. She spent almost every night in her apartment staring at Tiffany’s picture. Her bed sheet is wet due to her tears, and the floor is covered with broken pieces of porcelains she threw whenever she felt really mad.

 

 

She is mad.

 

 

 

She’s mad at herself.

 

 

She’s mad at her foolness.

 

 

She’s mad at everything.

 

 

 

That one week is really difficult for her. She can’t concentrate on her work. She can’t smile properly. She can’t talk sincerely to anyone. She felt like a broken lifeless robot. She’s confused. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know what to feel. There are regret, there are sadness, and there are confusion. Is she doing the right thing? What if she’s wrong? What will happen if she confess that night? Will she broke their friendship? Tiffany will marry a man, so she must be straight. Will Tiffany disgusted of her? Or… what will happen?

 

 

 

 

Totally lost it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One day before the wedding day, Tiffany visited the shop as promised. She came alone, covered in a thick coat to protect herself from the cold winter day. It’s snowing, and the street is covered with snow, making it’s slippery and hard to walk. Taeyeon is doing her daily job at the shop’s front door when the eye-smile girl came.

 

 

“Good afternoon.”

Taeyeon stopped her work and looked up to the guest. “Oh. Good afternoon.”

 

 

They looked at each other for awhile before Taeyeon broke the silence because it became awkward.

 

 

“D-Do you want to meet halmoni? She is inside, just come in.” Taeyeon forced a smile.

“O-Okay.”

 

 

The eye-smile girl went in and met the halmoni. The halmoni is really happy to see her again and forced her to have a cup of tea with her.

 

“How is it?” The halmoni excitedly asked the young girl about the tea.

“The best, as always. Hehe.”

“Aigoo, tomorrow you will be someone’s wife. I believe you will be a good wife.” The halmoni smiled. “But you haven’t told us yet about the man. His name is Yunho, right? Who is he? Where does he work? Where do you meet him? How long have you been with him? How is he like??”

“Uhmm, he is my senior at my office, and we’ve been in relationship for… around 6 months. But he is a very good man and he loves me. He is gentle and respect woman so much.” Tiffany added hastily. “I think… he will be my last.”

“You’re really in love with him, eh?” The halmoni chuckled happily.

Tiffany smiled and muted for awhile before finally nodded.

“Your family will come to the wedding?”

“Yes. They will arrive tomorrow morning.”

“But Fany, you will visit us again someday, won’t you? We will be really sad if you don’t come again after the wedding.”

“Ng, about that…” Tiffany looked down. “Actually, we’re going to move to USA after the wedding and live there. Maybe, this will be my last visit.”

“Aah, I already have a feeling about that. You will move to another place. That’s why I asked you.”

“I’m so sorry, halmoni.”

“What are you saying? It’s not your fault at all. Hahaha! You have your own life too, of course.” The halmoni laughed. “But you should go talk to Taeyeon about this. She must be really sad.”

 

 

But Taeyeon already heard it all, she hid behind a wall near them. When she heard Tiffany is getting up from her chair to meet her at the shop, she immediately went to her previous place and pretend to do something with the fishes on the table.

 

 

“TaeTae.”

Taeyeon turned around. It’s been awhile since the last time she heard that nickname. “Yes, Fany?”

“May I come to your apartment tonight? I want to talk about something.”

 

 

Taeyeon bit her lips. Being alone with the other girl is her last wish for now. She didn’t know if she could bear the hurt if she talk again to Tiffany.

 

“About you’re moving to USA? I’ve heard it when you talk to halmoni. Ng, accidentally. Didn’t mean to.”

Tiffany is surprised a little. “Oh. Is that so? O-Okay then.”

 

 

She just watched Taeyeon continued her work in silence, and then she talk again.

 

 

“But there’s another thing I want to talk about.”

“You can talk now. I’m not that busy.”

“I… I don’t want this to be heard by anyone else.”

“Nobody’s here.” Taeyeon looked around the street.

“I want to talk to you only, but not in public place. Please. Can I?”

 

 

 

Taeyeon muted.

 

 

Tiffany looked at her beggingly, and the petite girl can’t resist that look.

 

 

“Okay then.”

“I’ll wait until the shop is closed.”

 

 

 

 

So after the work is over, they bid goodbye to the halmoni and went to Taeyeon’s apartment together. Taeyeon made two cups of hot chocolate for them at her room and they sat on the floor like usual.

 

 

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Taeyeon asked, took a sip from her mug.

Tiffany just gazed at her mug on the small table in front of her.

“Fany?”

“Tomorrow… is my wedding day.”

Taeyeon gritted her teeth. That pain is approaching her heart again. “I know.”

“Will you come?”

“Of course. It’s my bestfriend’s wedding.”

“Tomorrow… I will be his wife.”

Taeyeon sighed. She really hate this slow conversation. “What are you trying to say, Fany-ah? Please say it to the point. It’s already late.”

Tiffany turned her gaze to Taeyeon. “This will be the last time I see you.” Tiffany smiled bitterly. “The very last time.”

Taeyeon kept silent. She waited for the eye-smile girl to continue.

“On this last night, I… I want to say something.” Tiffany took a deep breath. “A confession.”

 

 

Taeyeon gazed at Tiffany’s hand on her lap. They are clenching and trembling. She turned her gaze back to the other girl’s face.

 

 

“When I first moved to this city, I did everything well all by myself because I’ve once lived in here when I was 7 years-old. I still remember this city clearly and I never get lost. I never did something on the street that need someone else’s help. Which means… the halmoni never helped me. That’s why she didn’t remember it at all.” Tiffany said. “Nobody told me that her shop is the best fish shop in this city. For me, buying seafood from any shop is just the same. All fishes are from the same sea.”

“So… Why did you become our regular?”

“I don’t really like the foods in that café beside the shop. They don’t serve eels.” Tiffany continued without answering the question. She looked down to her hands.

 

 

Taeyeon waited in silence again.

 

 

“But like what I’ve said before. I stay at the café to watch someone. She worked really hard, and smile never leave her face. It’s somehow… really charming.”

 

 

Taeyeon waited again.

 

 

“So one day… I encouraged myself to talk to her. I went to her shop and pretend to buy something. And I found her really cute with her stuttering talk and her nervous act.”

 

 

 

 

 

Again.

 

 

Taeyeon felt something heavy fell to her stomach inside.

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m too shy to ask her name. But then on the second meet, I encouraged myself once again and ask her name. Even we became a friend that day. I’m so extremely happy. I… I can’t explain my feeling at that time. It’s beyond incredible.” Tiffany continued. “And we became a really good friend. I always think that she likes me too. More than a friend or a sister. Just like my feeling toward her.”

 

 

Tiffany looked up to the other girl’s face.

 

 

“One day, I decided to confess. But before I can even say those words, she told me that she loved someone else. I was really broken. I walked home while crying that night. Even I’m still crying now whenever I remembered about that.” Tiffany said. Her voice is getting shaken. “So, the point of this is… I want to confess to her now. I want to confess even though I know we can’t be together. I want to confess, I want to say those words I couldn’t say to her that day. I want to say it before my wedding tomorrow.”

 

 

Tiffany touched Taeyeon’s hand, and slowly grabbed it. Tightly. She looked at their hands, and then slowly turned her gaze to Taeyeon’s eyes. Tears finally formed in the eye-smile girl’s pretty eyes.

 

 

“I love you, Taeyeon. I love you so much. You are the only person who could make me fluttered and jumping all around my room in the middle of night just because a simple on my head you did at the other day. I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” Tiffany smiled but her tears are rolling down her cheek. “But I know I can’t. You loved someone else. I don’t know what to do, I’m… I’m totally lost and sad. I…”

 

 

Tiffany couldn’t continue her words due to her tears. Her face is red because she really hold in her tears with all her strength, but she failed. Her shoulder is trembling and shaken several times due to her sob. But she didn’t make any crying sound. She really trying hard to not cry hardly.

 

 

“I don’t think I can make this any longer. Let me say it once again.” Tiffany wiped her tears with her other hand and bravely looked into Taeyeon’s eyes again. “I love you, Taeyeon. I always love you. I think I will love you forever. Yeah, you hear it right. Forever. I still love you now. I still love you even though this is the day before my wedding. I never loved Yunho. I just tried to run away from my own feeling. You are the only one, Taeyeon. I love you.”

 

 

Tiffany’s tears burst out again, so she immediately wiped it with her both hands.

 

 

“Sorry for taking your rest time. I’ll go home now.” The eye-smile girl got up and picked her coat from the floor, but a hand stopped her by the wrist.

“Don’t go.”

 

 

 

Taeyeon’s voice is really warm and gentle. Tiffany can do nothing but to obey. She sat again on her previous place and put her coat down. Taeyeon’s hand grabbed her wrist really tight.

 

The petite girl lifted her other hand slowly, and wiped Tiffany’s tears. Then she her hair, and down to her cheek.

 

 

 

 

She knew she’s too late.

 

 

If regret can kill, she would’ve died now.

 

 

 

Everything  felt so bitter. She’s so hurt she can feel nothing in her chest.

 

 

 

It’s become numb.

 

 

 

 

 

But her heart told her to have courage.

 

 

 

Have courage and say it.

 

 

 

 

“We’re not finish talking yet. Because I have something to confess too.”

 

 

Taeyeon looked deeply into Tiffany’s eyes.

 

 

“I don’t know if you can forgive me for being a fool. But I will say it.” Taeyeon continued. “I love you too, Hwang Tiffany. From the very first time our eyes met each other, I’ve fell for you.”

 

 

Tiffany widened her eyes.

 

 

“W-What…??”

“You are the only person I think of every night before I sleep and every morning when I wake up. I’ve loved you for this entire friendship.”

 

 

Tiffany blinked several times. She still didn’t get it.

 

 

“But… Why…”

“Let me tell you how stupid I could be. So that day I thought you loved someone that always stay at the café, or work there. And my mouth acted faster than my mind. I’m so jealous and brokenhearted, I tried to hide it and told you a story I just made that time. Telling you that I love a stranger’s daughter is my biggest lie in my life. I don’t know them at all. I don’t have any old friend in this city. I never visited the new shop whenever you came to our shop. I just ran away. I avoided you, because it hurts to see you after that night.”

 

 

Taeyeon hung her head low. She palmed her chest.

 

 

“I can’t say anything more. I’m so shocked. I’m…” Taeyeon chuckled bitterly. “I can’t feel anything at all in here, to be honest.”

“Taeyeon…”

“If I ever could make you mine… If I ever could turn back time…” Taeyeon closed her eyes and squeezed her shirt at the chest area tightly. “I’ll do it. Whatever it takes.”

“Taeyeon…”

 

 

 

 

Tiffany lifted the other girl’s face with her palm softly and they stared at each other’s eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

Slowly, both of them moved closer.

 

 

 

 

Closer.

 

 

 

 

 

The gap is getting closed.

 

 

 

 

 

And finally their lips met each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They kissed with all their hearts.

 

They didn’t want to let go of each other.

 

They need each other.

 

 

 

 

Taeyeon wrapped her arms around Tiffany’s body. She softly pushed the eye-smile girl until she lied down on the floor and Taeyeon is on the top of her. Never one of them break the kiss.

 

 

 

When they finally remember to breathe, they pulled away from the kiss, panting.

                                         

                                                                                      

 

 

The monster in their stomach is growling. Wanted to be free.

 

 

Both of them know it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Maybe you can’t turn back time…” Tiffany whispered. “But… you can make me yours tonight.”

Taeyeon, still panted, just looked down. She tried to keep holding on her right mind, but the monster is so strong.

“Make me yours, Taeyeon. Please.”

 

 

 

That one last word makes her lost her mind.

 

She can’t control it anymore.

 

 

 

 

Tiffany is the only thing she could think of right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They showed how big their love is to each other, how much they want to be with the other, how much they don’t want to let go of each other.

 

 

 

 

They had each other in their arms and feel every touch they give to each other. They intertwined their hands tightly. They warmed each other with their breath. They don’t want to waste any second being separated from each other. They touch each other with all of their love. Their body sweated due to the heat they got from each other. They called each other’s name again and again. They kissed passionately like this is the last time.

 

 

 

But it’s really the last time.

 

 

 

And Taeyeon knows.

 

 

 

At that moment, she knows, she would never ever forget this girl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiffany put on her coat again and turned around to see sleeping-Taeyeon on the bed. It’s already 2am. She pulled the blanket higher to cover the other girl’s bare chest. Then she smiled, and bent down to kiss Taeyeon’s forehead.

 

 

“Good night, TaeTae.” Tiffany whispered. “And… goodbye.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wedding is so magnificent. The church is decorated so beautifully and the groom and the bride are really gorgeous. Everyone is happy and confetti floated everywhere in the air. Fireworks is shot to the sky and smile never leaves everyone’s face.

 

Taeyeon just standing at the back of the crowd who is waiting in front of the door for the couple to come out from the church. When finally they appeared on the church’s door, everyone cheered. And that is the first time Taeyeon’s eyes met hers again that day. And maybe for the last time, for real.

 

 

They smiled at each other.

 

 

 

 

A goodbye smile.

 

 

 

 

Time feels like stop running at that moment. Everything around them seems like stop moving.

 

 

 

 

And it feels like they stared at each other for a very long time before finally Tiffany turned away her gaze, and she entered the wedding car with her husband, and they left.

 

 

 

 

They left from the petite girl’s life forever.

 

 

 

Left her with a thousand memories she would never ever forget.

 

 

 

 

Never, after what happened between them.

 

 

 

 

 

Never.