"Woah woah woah. Calm down. One question at a time!"

Yuri had been shot at with questions. Taeyeon didn't like doing things without knowing every detail. 'Who, What, Where, When, Why?' 

"A childhood friend. Wedding. Don't worry about it - just kidding. I forgot, but it's written on the invitation. Next month. Because you need to get out of your comfort zone and... I don't have anyone else to take." She whispered toward the end.

She didn't like the idea of being surrounded by completely strangers. She didn't know the bride or groom, and it made her sad that she couldn't give them her blessings genuinely. Afterall, she would be just a plus one. The only reason why she agreed to this proposal from Yuri was because it had been a while since she surrounded herself around happy people. Smiles are contagious. Tiffany's smile is contagious. Tiffany is contagious. Then it hit her that Tiffany was having a wedding of her own. 

"What about the blonde girl you were talking to... what's her name.. uhm.. Jessica!"
"God she's so hot." Yuri bites her knuckles. "But too bossy for my liking."
"You guys seemed to hit it off pretty well the last time I saw you two together."
"Come on, can you just come? Stop trying to find alternatives for me." 
"This could be a good start to a great bond, don't you think? Ice Princess and the Black Pearl," she animated with hands in the air. "There's a nice ring to it."
"...Black Pearl," she whispered following behind Taeyeon. "You're in love with me aren't you, Kim Taeyeon?"
"How did you ever come up with that from what I just said?" Taeyeon stopped dead in her tracks questioning Yuri's wellbeing.
"So... yes?....Just tell me you're in love with me so we can finally NOT be single!" Yuri desperately begged.
"You can't be serious."
"Fine. I'm going to use your bathroom and go. Andddddd - You're still coming with me." She took the last bite of Taeyeon's ice cream cone and gave Taeyeon a wink in which she responded with rolling her eyes. 

Taeyeon turned her TV off, grabbed her light blanket from the sofa and made her way to her bedroom not far from the bathroom. 

"Hello, this is Kim Taeyeon's Black Pearl speaking~ Who may I ask is spe-" Taeyeon snatched the phone out of Yuri's hand so quickly she accidently ended the call. 
"Yah! Who said you can pick up my calls and especially like that?!"
"It's not my fault you left your phone in the bathroom. It seemed pretty urgent considering it rang three separate times. Kim Taeyeon, how could you cheat on me!"
"Are you okay? Because lately you've been out of your mind."
"So...Who's the girl? She has a y husky voice." Yuri said with a smirk as she closed the bathroom door.
"No.... no no no no no."

Taeyeon checks her recent calls. Tippany. Her ears turn red as she makes her way to the living room. The right thing to do is call back she thought. She drank some water and cleared ; she clicked on the most recent call hoping Tiffany wouldn't pick up right away. She hadn't figure out what she was going to say in regards to Yuri's not so surprising introduction, but she didn't like the thought of having to wait the long ringback tone either.

"...Hello?"
"Hi, this is Kim Taeyeon speaking. I'm so sorry about earlier, that was.. a friend of mine. May I ask who's calling?"

Taeyeon face palmed herself at the last part. Although she was a calm and collected person, very few things would still get to her. Tiffany was able to get to her. She was never supposed to. 

"Oh, this is awkward. I assumed you saved my number," she embarrassedly laughed. "This is Tiffany"

Taeyeon felt bad. Of course she saved it, and even if she didn't she memorized the number as if it was tattooed to her brain like the first one Tiffany wrote on her hand the last time she saw her at their sacred place. 

"Oh, i'm so sorry!" She had no choice but to continue. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"
"I wanted to apologize for having to leave so suddenly earlier. I wasted your time. I was wondering if I can pay you back with dinner. That's the leas-"

Yuri snuck up behind Taeyeon, "I'm going to head out. I'll see you next week" she whispered and gave Taeyeon a friendly kiss on the cheek.

It was a whisper, but a whisper loud enough for Tiffany to hear. Taeyeon raised her fist at Yuri and bit her lower lip. Yuri laughed and skipped her way to the front door, locking it before leaving. This encounter - also loud enough for Tiffany. Both of them cleared their throat at the same time.

"I'm sorry, what was it you were saying?"
"Haha, it's okay. I said that's the least I can do... dinner" she finished off strongly.
"No, you don't have to. It's really alright. I had to leave to finish a project anyway."
"No really, It's the least I can do. I promise I won't be weird or anything."
"You're not weird.. but okay.. dinner sounds good. If you insist."
"I insist." Taeyeon heard Tiffany's smile through the phone. 

⋆╰☆╮⋆

"Table for two."

Taeyeon got to the restaurant first. They were having samgyupsal. The thought of dinner with Tiffany made her really happy. This was going to be their first meal outside of the sacred place. Taeyeon and Tiffany outside of the sacred place. Having dinner. It made her really sad at the same time. Instead of waiting for them to appear at the same place at the same time, they were now having a scheduled date dinner. Instead of having conversations by the tree, they were having conversations over the phone. Somehow it felt refreshing. 

"I thought I'd come by early to save us a table. Looks like you beat me to it," Tiffany took off her pea coat. 

Taeyeon stared at Tiffany and smiled. She noticed how pampered Tiffany looked. She thought to herself 'Tiffany has really come a long way.' She couldn't imagine what Tiffany went through in the states. 

"o-ho, already starting without me?" Tiffany noticed the gin and tonic in front of Taeyeon.
"Sorry, I didn't think you'd come so soon." 
"Oh. I'm sorry," she picked up her pea coat, "I can come back when you're finished," Tiffany teased with her crescent eye smile.
"No, that's not what I mea-"
"I'm joking. Relax.. drink some more of that" She teased again.

Taeyeon shook her head with a smile. Tiffany was still the bright and humorous person she knew. Her heart ached with warmth. Tiffany's heart ached with warmth. She still couldn't understand why Taeyeon's smile kept tugging at her heart. She felt her eyes start to sting. 

"I'm going to put an order in for us and wash my hands. You hold on. Take your time with your drink." The teasing kept going.

Tiffany was taking an awfully long time in the bathroom. Taeyeon took out her sketchbook and began sketching the soju bottles Tiffany apparently ordered. She didn't find Tiffany to be the drinking type but there was definitely a lot to catch up learn. The food came a minute before Tiffany sat down taking a peak at the drawing. Either she took a life time or the service here is great.

"Hope you don't mind. I ordered a few bottles of soju. We're the same age right? I hope we can speak to each other comfortably. It would be really awesome if we can become close friends."

-flash*-
“How old are you anyway?”
“Sixteen! You?” Tiffany replied.
“Are you kidding me?” Taeyeon said under her breath. “Same,” she answered, completely engaged with her sketchbook and only giving glimpses once every while.
“That’s great! … so.. I hope we’ll become close?”
-back*-

"Why not?" Taeyeon responded. Everything flowed out of naturally.  

She didn't find the need to build her walls around Tiffany. She knew they would be taken down sooner or later. Either by herself or Tiffany. She wishes she could tell her everything but didn't want to make everything complicated. Taeyeon knew she wasn't one to make anyone's lives difficult. It has always been that way. She kept to herself, spoke minimally, and listened to Tiffany. After an hour of dinner nothing and everything has changed. Tiffany still talked a lot. She was still silly. She was still beautiful. And she still didn't know who Taeyeon was. Shot after shot, Tiffany grew the courage to ask Taeyeon a question that has been on her mind.

"The first time we met you asked me if it was my first time meeting you. Why?"
I was confused.
"Was it? Your first time?"
"Don't ask me questions. I want the truth. Do you know me?"

-----

Author's Note:
Update on life! I've graduated from college and have some spare time to write now!
I'm back after a few years! Sorry for such a long wait! This is one of my stories I missed the most. 
I'm sorry if the style isn't the same. I tried to write as close to it as possible but it has been so long!
I hope you guys can continue to support me! Hope you all have been well :)

xoxo,
loveaddict!