CHAPTER 8: 안녕 (GOODBYE-HELLO)

 

 

      As TaeYeon’s eyes floated dreamily on the diamond-filled sky, he couldn’t help but feel like this was all too good to be true. Tiffany was finally beside him, and he was walking her home under this beautiful autumn night. Was it not just a few days that he saw her with someone else? How did she suddenly end up being here with him?

      Although they were a little shy and conservative towards each other, just being able to be this close was enough for the both of them. They both couldn’t organize their thoughts anyway for it still felt so much like an unbelievably perfect dream. They definitely didn’t want to ruin or wake up from it any time soon.

      However, as they walked into a familiar neighborhood, Tiffany was brought back to reality again. She glanced at TaeYeon and noticed how much he smiled all by himself like it was the first time he had gone on a date. Whatever had been going on his mind didn’t seem to be anything troubling, unlike the thoughts that were running in her brain. “Does he remember Eunji? Should I ask him?”

      She shook her head, “No, I shouldn’t. I have to be careful about what I say.”

      “What is it?” TaeYeon shyly asked noticing that Tiffany had been staring at him for a while. She timidly looked away and gulped.

      Not knowing what else to say, she stuttered, “I-I’ve missed you…”

      Without holding anything back, TaeYeon softly replied, “I’ve missed you, too.” This was the second time these words came from her tonight and it didn’t matter how many times she was going to say it, he will always reply the same thing back.

      Soon, they were in front of Tiffany’s house and it was time to say goodbye for now.

      “Well, this is my home,” Tiffany said. “I’ll… see you whenever, okay?”

      “Okay,” TaeYeon smiled.

      Tiffany expected him to walk away but he still stood there, staring at her. The fact that she was finally before him immobilized him, that’s for sure. His dream girl was finally right in front of him—the girl whom he thought would not become a part of his reality, at least not this soon. It was the same for Tiffany. She could not even twist the door knob because she was afraid he would leave before she clearly captured his fresh smile. It has been more than a decade since she last saw him. How was she supposed to let go of the man she loved for so long even if it was just for tonight? If they lose each other’s sight, it would feel like they would never see each other again.

      “Who’s that?” Eunji mumbled as she tried to take a peek from the window. There was a figure of a man in front of their house, but she couldn’t quite see clearly because of the night’s darkness.

      “Goodnight…” TaeYeon waved his hands as he slowly walked farther away. It was hard to lift his feet up or even take his eyes off of her, but he clung onto the hope that someday he would never have to say any form of farewell to her ever again.

      “Goodnight to you, too…” Tiffany’s heart pumped the farther he went away. But she convinced herself this is what was best for now. It’s been fifteen years, she shouldn’t expect too much on their first day meeting again.

      Seeing that the man was out of sight, Eunji opened the door and her mother almost stumbled from leaning on it.

      “Oh, Eunji!” Tiffany sighed with her hands on her chest.

      “Who was that? I couldn’t see his face,” Eunji said, still trying to see if the man was indeed gone.

      “Oh,” Tiffany mentally panicked for a moment and was blank for a good five seconds trying to find a good lie. Then she let out an awkward laugh, “Oh him? He’s uh… just one of my friends.” When she said that, she internally screamed in frustration. She has introduced Eunji to almost all of her friends. If she mentioned someone her daughter did not know about, she would certainly be curious. That’s the least thing she wanted her daughter to be, at least for now.

      “Who? Uncle Taecyeon?” Eunji said, referring to one of Tiffany’s first blind dates that just became one of her close friends. “That guy doesn’t seem as tall though. Besides, not many guys walk you home… who is that?” she raised an eyebrow.

      “Eih,” Tiffany awkwardly laughed and then cleared . She leaned in closer, smiled, and softly pinched Eunji’s cheek. “Well, aren’t you such an overprotective cutie? Stop overthinking things and go to bed. You have school tomorrow.”

      Every time Eunji suspected something fishy, Tiffany would always clear herself without a delay. Her mother had always been a straightforward person, so for her to suddenly throw the “go to bed” card without giving her a proper answer definitely made her suspicious. She knew her mother was hiding something, but since she respected her mother’s privacy and trusted that she was keeping whatever it was from her for a good reason, she just let it side for now. So she changed the topic, “Where’s Aunt Sunny anyway?”

      “She’s crashing in SooYoung’s place tonight.” Tiffany felt relieved that Eunji didn’t press on with the topic of who she was with. She was not ready to tell her that the man whom she claimed to be dead all this time was actually alive and still handsome as ever.

 

 

      “Will you be fine without me?” Tiffany asked TaeYeon while they waited for Tiffany’s cousin.

      “The real question is: will you be fine without me?” TaeYeon questioned back.

      Tiffany sighed and looked down on her lap, petting Prince, the sleeping white Maltese puppy. “Maybe,” Tiffany chuckled. “I do have Prince to keep me company remember?”

      “Aigoo,” TaeYeon snickered and petted Prince. “You should’ve just named him Taeng.”

      “I only have one Taengoo and that’s you,” Tiffany giggled as she ruffled TaeYeon’s hair.

      “Well then,” TaeYeon chuckled. “You know what I have?”

      “What?”                                                                          

      “I have one love, and that’s you.”

      Tiffany’s shoulder raised and she slightly blushed. She then scoffed and hit him softly, trying to calm the butterflies TaeYeon has created in her stomach.

At that moment, a white, rusty car stopped right in front of them. A girl who was slightly smaller than Tiffany got off the passenger seat and approached the two. It was Sunny who was wearing a slightly large, white jersey jacket and a cap, creating a kind of tomboyish image since her hair was somewhat short.

      “Is that your cousin?” TaeYeon asked as they both stood up.

      “Yeah… Sunny,” Tiffany sighed as she readied her bags.

      Before Sunny could reach them, Tiffany gently laid Prince on top of one of the bags and gave TaeYeon a tight hug. Knowing that they won’t see each other for a long time, she relayed her farewell words on him, “I don’t know how long we’ll be separated, but always know that I will come back to you.”

      “Then I’ll be waiting for you,” TaeYeon whispered back and tightly gave her one last piece of his warmth.

      “Bye Taengoo.”

 

 

      “Aish, I’m going crazy,” Tiffany and TaeYeon flopped themselves on their beds and stared at the ceiling. It was quiet in their homes, but their thoughts seemed to buzz louder than a city’s busy street.

      “When are we going to meet again?” Tiffany mumbled.

      “How are we going to meet again?” TaeYeon huffed as his bangs flew up.

      “No, this won’t do.” They both sat upright and reached for their phones.

      “I’m going to call Jessica,” TaeYeon said.

      “I’m going to call Yuri,” Tiffany said.

      Meanwhile, having a peaceful lunch on a Thursday noon, Yuri and Jessica were feeding their kids. Even though they had busy schedules on their jobs, they both always take the time to eat lunch together as one family.

      Since Tiffany and TaeYeon already met, they feel they did not worry about how things will work out for them because they knew those two won’t ever let each other go now. It was obvious to see the immense longing in their eyes last night at Xiah Dragon Noodles. Whatever goes on between them was none of their business anymore. However, their phone rang at the exact same time and it was none other than the two.

(Yuri’s ringtone: Cold Noodles – Jessica [SNSD] and Park Myungsoo)
(Jessica’s ringtone: The Boys – Girls’ Generation [소녀시대])

“…..Chagaweo neomuna, sokishiryeo neomuna, eebbali neomush—”

“Keobi naseo shijakjocha an hae bwaht-damyeon keudaen tudeoldaeji mara jom. GG. Jujeo—-”

      “Yoboseyo?” Yuri and Jessica said in unison on their own phones.

      “Jessica!” TaeYeon exclaimed.

      “Yuri!” Tiffany exclaimed.

      “Oh, Fany-ah!” Yuri greeted.

      “Oh, hi TaeYeon!” Jessica greeted.

      Yuri and Jessica glanced at each other across the table as they both overheard who they were both talking to right now. It’s strange how the two contacted them at the same time.

      “You guys were the ones who planned things last night right?” TaeYeon and Tiffany asked.

      “Yeah…” Yuri and Jessica replied.

      “First of all thank you, guys… for bringing us together again,” they both said.

      “Oh, haha,” Yuri laughed. “Of course, of course!”

      “You’re welcome,” Jessica said. “Told you I had a plan.”

      “But now, what do I do?” TaeYeon and Tiffany asked, making Yuri and Jessica blank. They haven’t really thought this far.

      “I mean, Yuri, you were close with TaeYeon,” Tiffany said. “What do you think I should do?”

      “I mean, Jessica, you’re close with Tiffany,” TaeYeon said. “What should I do?”

      “Um…” Yuri and Jessica’s minds were completely empty.

      “It’s been a long time and I’m really going crazy here! I need some advice!” Tiffany whined.

      “I don’t exactly know how I’m going to be around her and I’m going crazy here! I need some kind of information!” TaeYeon grumbled.

      “Aw, sorry Fany-ah… I don’t know much about TaeYeon myself, at least not anymore, so I can’t say much,” Yuri gently said.

      “Oh… right…,” Tiffany pouted. “I knew it was going to be like this,” she mumbled.

      “Didn’t I already tell you that you ask nothing about Tiffany from me? Go find out things yourself! You can’t just keep relying on me!” Jessica angrily replied.

      “Says the girl who told me to trust her?” TaeYeon scoffed. “Aish, I knew it was going to be like this,” he mumbled.

      “Fine, it’s alright. I’ll call you later,” TaeYeon and Tiffany said.

      “Wait,” Yuri said as he waved his hand to get Jessica’s attention. “If it makes you feel any better, TaeYeon usually goes in the coffee shop near Xiah Dragon Noodles every 5pm.”

      Jessica heard her husband and also said to TaeYeon, “Hey TaeYeon, if it makes you feel any better, Tiffany usually goes in the coffee shop near Xiah Dragon Noodles every 5pm.”

      “Really? Thanks… I’ll call you later.”

      “Alright,” Yuri and Jessica said. “Good luck then.”

      The moment the call ended, Yuri and Jessica sighed in relief and then erupted into laughter. They didn’t want to get caught up in the middle of the two’s relationship. They have done all they could to reunite them, but the next chapters were not up to them.

***

      It was the afternoon, and the four friends were once again on a double date. Taemin wanted to let Chorong and Bomi come a long to make it as a group hang out, but the two didn’t bother. They knew Taemin’s intentions. Bomi and Chorong thought pairing Key and Eunji was useless and stupid since Taemin just wanted to tease them. So Taemin just let them be and the four strolled down the park and ate ice cream that was sold on a snack bar.

      “So what do you guys want?” Eunji asked as she got up from the picnic table with Na Eun.

      “I’ll just have what you’re having,” Key casually said.

      “I’ll have what Na Eun is having!” Taemin cheerfully raised his hands.

      “Okay,” Eunji chuckled. “We’ll be back.”

      As Eunji and Na Eun walked farther away from the boys, Taemin started, “So Key, do you really not have feelings for Eunji? You seem to be really close to her these days.”

      “What kind of feelings are you talking about? We’re just friends,” Key grumbled and crossed his arms to his chest.

      “You did not answer my question,” Taemin smirked. “Do you have feelings for Eunji?”

      “Maybe,” Key aloofly replied with his chin up.

      Taemin snickered, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

      Soon, the two girls came back with only two cups of ice cream. “Sorry guys, they’re out of stock.”

      “That’s alright, you girls can just have it,” Key and Taemin said.

      Eunji sat next to Key and Na Eun next to Taemin. The girls happily enjoyed eating their ice cream while they chattered about random stuff. Because Na Eun and Taemin were now really close friends, Na Eun didn’t mind sharing Taemin her ice cream and fed him like a baby. Key and Eunji just sneered at the sight of the two who was acting all lovey-dovey in front of them. It was nothing new to see since they have been like that for a while. They both have been kind of getting sick of it.

      “Why don’t you guys share your ice cream too?” Taemin said, still trying to find out if the two has some kind of relationship going on. If they will act awkwardly, they surely have feelings for each other.

      “Okay,” Eunji casually replied and held up the teaspoon with ice cream in front of Key’s mouth. Key was a bit startled, but he gladly ate it anyway. Taemin on the other hand, found that it wasn’t going to be easy to crack them open, but he wasn’t going to give up.

      “Eunji, do you like Key?” Taemin asked.

      “Sure,” Eunji said as she spooned more ice cream. “He’s a nice friend,” She smiled and held up the spoon in front of Key again. Key made a flattered face and jokingly ate the ice cream as if he was feeling all shy. Key snatched the spoon and also scooped one for Eunji. She was also taken aback, but she gladly ate it. They were still as playful as ever and totally not cheesy towards each other at all, making things even harder for Taemin.

      “How about you, Key?” Taemin asked, making Key slightly choke.

      “Of course,” Key nodded. “I like Eunji.”

      “How much?” Taemin smirked.

      Key knew Taemin’s intentions by this point and he figured he would not resist bottling up his feelings. In a playful tone, Key answered, “Let’s just say if I was an angel, I’d probably be Eunji’s guardian angel. And if I was supposed to save either you or Eunji, I’d definitely save Eunji.”

      Eunji just snickered and her expressions looked like she just took it as a joke. But deep inside her she listened closely to Key’s words and took it at heart. She knew Taemin and Key were best friends, but hearing that Key would save her rather than Taemin was funny and sweet at the same time.

 

 

      The next day, back in the same small studio where of the baby grand piano and two blood related human beings hung out, a thought came to Eunji after she finished teaching TaeYeon a part of the Chopin song.

      “So, have you found your girlfriend yet?”

       TaeYeon became startled for a moment and stuttered, “Y-Yeah…”

      “Well? What happened?”

      “We met just a few days ago.”

      “And?”

      As Eunji waited for an answer, TaeYeon suddenly looked at his watch, stood up, grabbed his coat hurriedly, and said, “I have to go. Let’s meet whenever okay?”

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