“Unnie!”

Tiffany looked up at the shrill voice and saw a teenager bolting down the corridor towards her. “Hayeon?”

Hayeon stopped in front of her, panting. “Un…nie…”

“Your unnie is inside here,” Tiffany pointed at the door next to them, “with a doctor.”

Hayeon’s lips trembled. “Unnie…is she…”

Her arms went round Hayeon on impulse. “Taeyeon is fine. In fact, the doctor is here to check and see if she can be discharged today.”

Hayeon looked up into her eyes. “Really? Unnie is okay?”

Tiffany smiled. “I saw her just a while ago. She’s her usual grumpy self.” The giggle from Hayeon surprised her and her eyebrows voiced the unasked question.

“Are you her girlfriend?”

“No.”

Hayeon grinned. “Do you like her?”

Tiffany looked deep into Hayeon's eyes. The girl bore no malice or complication. Her eyes were bright and curious, reflecting a healthy, positive mind.

“Would it be okay with you if I'm interested in your sister?”

“Why wouldn't it be okay?”

Tiffany shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t have much experience with younger sisters.” Then a less than pleasant thought struck her. “Do you have a lot of experience with Taeyeon’s girlfriends?”

Hayeon grinned again before laughing out loud. “Jealous already? Unnie is gonna have a hard time with you.”

Tiffany blinked, not knowing what to say. Hayeon was a feisty teenage girl with a sharp tongue that held nothing back. Another thought struck her. It was said that sisters took after each other sometimes. So was Taeyeon the same before life soured her?

“Taeyeon…she wasn’t always this grumpy right?”

The light in Hayeon’s eyes flickered. “No.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Hayeon shook her head. “It’s not your fault.” She leaned closer. “My mother and sister don’t get along.”

“I met your mother last night. Taeyeon looks like her.”

“She didn’t tell me about unnie until this morning. I’m so mad at her.”

“She…didn’t go home last night?”

Hayeon looked down at the floor. “She doesn’t always come home to sleep. Some nights she’s home, some nights she isn’t. But please don’t tell unnie. She’ll get angry with Mommy again.”

“I won’t say a thing.”

“You’d better not.”

A corner of her lip crept up an inch. “I won’t.”

“Okay.”

They sat beside each other, waiting in comfortable silence after that. Hayeon’s answers about her mother had been telling. She had no wish to ask any more questions, in case they made Hayeon sad. The teenage girl had displayed a strong desire for her family to be in harmony, which was only natural. She didn’t seem to harbour the same hatred for her mother as Taeyeon did, and this made her wonder why.

What had Taeyeon experienced that Hayeon didn’t? Why did Taeyeon hate her mother so much?

The metallic click of the door opening jostled her from her thoughts, as did Hayeon’s dash past the doctor.

“Unnie!”

Tiffany peeked and smiled at the sight of Taeyeon shushing her little sister. Then, she turned to the doctor. “Doctor Seo, is Taeyeon good to go?”

“She’s suffering from a concussion which takes a while to go away. She complained of a strained neck as well which is common. Our checks have brought up nothing major that requires immediate attention.” At this point, Doctor Seo paused and glanced at Taeyeon before turning back to her. “Keep a look out for any persistent signs of discomfort when you’re with her.”

“I will.”

“It’s important to pay attention to little details. The implications can be severe, especially when she’s into speeding.”

“How did you know that?”

Doctor Seo merely smiled. “Kim Taeyeon is quite well known within the community.”

“Are you part of the community too?”

“You’ve become quite well known as well, after beating Taeyeon at Cheongdam.”

You haven’t answered my question. “Are you into street racing too?”

Doctor Seo’s eyes gleamed. “Being a doctor is a stressful job. We’re encouraged to find ways to wind down and relax.”

“Will I see you at the next race then?”

“Leisure time is a kind of luxury to people like me.” Tiffany nodded. She understood that doctors had insane shifts. “Just take last night for example. There I was, driving around, having the time of my life, when the hospital called me in because of a car accident at Hongik.”

Hongik? “You were in the race last night?”

Doctor Seo’s clinical smile made another appearance. “I have to continue with my rounds now. Take care.”

Tiffany was left standing in the corridor, staring at Doctor Seo’s departing back, her mind working fast. There were six racers last night. Taeyeon, the racer from LA and Yuri from Carnical. The other three were unknowns. Doctor Seo could’ve been one of them.

It was difficult to imagine the tall, slender, straight-haired doctor in a street race. With her white coat and glasses, Doctor Seo looked every bit the intelligent, meticulous doctor. As a law-breaking street racer however…

Shaking her head, she turned away from Doctor Seo and smiled again upon seeing the sisters. Hayeon was holding Taeyeon’s hand. Then, Taeyeon ruffled her sister’s hair and Hayeon whined in protest. It suddenly occurred to her that she would be intruding if she went in so she turned to the seats at the side.

“Tiffany unnie!”

“Shh!”

Tiffany turned around. “Yes, Hayeon?”

“Aren’t you gonna come in?”

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“You’re not intruding anything. Besides, you’re unnie’s girlfriend so you should be here.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Taeyeon hissed.

“Why is she here if she’s not your girlfriend?”

“I didn't ask her to be here.”

“We met her at the sandwich shop too. I should’ve known something was up when you dragged me out in a hurry. You must like her too and you’re too shy to admit it!”

“Hayeon, stop making wild guesses.”

“Hayeon,” Tiffany spoke up, “we’re not girlfriends yet. But we’ll tell you as soon as we are.”

“Tiffany.” Taeyeon’s voice had gone funny, sounding as though her vocal cords had turned into jelly, “We’re not girlfriends. We’re not gonna be girlfriends. Don't mess with Hayeon's head.”

“Anyway, the doctor said to be careful and watch out for any persisting discomfort or pain.”

“Unnie, are you in pain?”

“Don't worry, I'm not. I’m just feeling a little sore.”

“Are you lying to me?”

“Of course not.”

Tiffany caught Taeyeon's glare just a split second before those eyes softened for Hayeon and she realized in that moment, just how much Taeyeon loved Hayeon. It was to be expected since they were sisters but it refilled the depleting tank of hope within her. Taeyeon was proven capable of gentleness and love. That meant she stood a chance too.

-

“Krystal, over here.” Yuri waved to attract her attention. Crystal’s long black hair fluttered as the woman took wide strides to her. If one were to compare them, it was hard to tell if they were sisters. There were split seconds where she could see flashes of Jessica in Crystal’s eyes but everything else was different. Crystal was much taller, for one. And while Jessica’s features were dainty and feminine, Crystal’s features were bolder, stronger and bore a tinge of masculinity. It looked as though they’d come from different molds and not the same set of parents.

“Yuri, right?”

And that’s Yuri unnie to you, kid. “Jessica is in her ward,” she said, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder at the corridor behind her, “you can go in.”

“What about you? Where are you going?”

It’s none of your business. “I’ll see you later.”

-

The door opened and she grinned. “Back for another kiss?”

“I don’t want to be kissed by you.”

Jessica blinked and pushed herself into a sitting position. “I…”

“You thought I was Yuri.”

“Yes.”

“I ran into her along the corridor.”

“Did the two of you talk?”

“Of course we did.”

“Did…”

“We didn’t say anything much. She told me you were here. I asked where she was going but she didn’t answer me. Then I came in here. That’s all.”

“I have to apologize for Yuri. She’s…protective of me.”

“You’re not a baby.”

“She’s just being careful. We had a few problems with people while looking for you.”

“You don’t know if I’m really your sister yet.”

“The DNA test results are not for me. The results are for our lawyers. I don’t need a DNA test to tell me who my sister is.”

“Why are you so sure it’s me?”

“We were together for many years before we got separated. I can still remember how you looked when you were six and the more I look at you, the more you look just like a grown up version. Not to mention your memories of what we did just before our car crashed. No other person could tell me the part about me kicking you.”

“Maybe it’s a coincidence. Or a lucky guess. Don’t most sisters kick each other anyway.”

“Maybe. But I’ve got a gut feeling about this. I just know. And that’s why Yuri is worried. She doesn’t want me to be cheated or disappointed.”

“Enough about Yuri. I’m not here to hear about Yuri. She said you wanted to see me. And you were in an accident last night.”

“Yes I was. The car in front of me braked suddenly so I swerved and somehow we ended up crashing into each other.”

Crystal’s eyes roved up and down her body. “But you’re fine now.”

“I’m alright.”

“So why did you want to see me?”

“You're the first person I wanted to see after waking up. It wasn't a conscious decision. More like a need. Because you're my sister.”

“I'll be honest with you. I don't feel the same. You don't seem to be a bad person but I can't imagine us as sisters.”

“I know it must be weird for you. But do you believe me? Do you believe we're sisters?”

“I'll wait for the results.”

“Fair enough. We'll wait for the results. Then we'll talk.”

-

Tiffany was sorry to leave but she had to. Paul had asked to see her and he wasted no time when she got to his office.

“Tiffany. Where were you last night?”

He knows. She squared her shoulders and steadied her gaze. “Hongdae.”

Paul remained silent for a moment. His eyes emitted his displeasure and she knew there would be consequences. “Were you at the race?” he asked, his lips barely moving, voice barely audible and she was attacked by a bunch of nerves.

“Yes. I was there but I wasn't racing. I was only watching the race.”

“I told you to stay away.”

“You told me not to race.”

“This isn't a game of words, Stephanie.”

“I'm Tiffany.”

“Stephanie. Remember who brought you here. Who gave you the chance to be Tiffany. Without me, you wouldn't be here, Stephanie.”

“And neither would you.”

The stalemate between them bordered on outright brutal war but she held her ground and tongue as did he. They sparred with their eyes, his piercing hers and hers piercing right back. She wasn't quite sure where her retort came from but his silence made it clear she'd struck a raw nerve. And a raw nerve meant only one thing. It was true.

She was indebted to him but so was he. That was their relationship. Two-way benefits. He provided her the chance to come to Seoul. She gave him the chance to enter Hyundae. But there was an unspoken threat in her words and though she had no intention to wield it, she knew it made him nervous. He had a secret to keep. She didn't.

“I hope I didn't place my trust in the wrong person, Tiffany.”

“I'm still the same person.”

“I'm not sure you're still the same person. Tiffany is a little different from Stephanie.”

“Stephanie and Tiffany are the same. They want the same things, need the same things. Whether I'm Tiffany or Stephanie, my promises will be kept. And I kept my word. I didn't race. Watching the race isn't against the rules, Paul.”

“Association. Association is a dangerous thing. It sets tongues wagging. Wagging tongues are the worst. You know what it's like.”

“I'm a racer. Surely there's nothing wrong in checking out possible competitors. It's part of the job.”

“You're just being difficult.”

“I'm not. I just standing up for what I think is reasonable.”

Paul ran his fingers through his hair and Tiffany knew she'd won the verbal joust even before he said, “Fine. I won't stop you from watching. But you need to be less conspicuous when you're there. You made quite the scene last night and word got to me. I don't want that to happen again.”

“I'll stay out of sight.”

“Good. Remember, it's not a threat when I say I'm the only reason you can stay on in Seoul. It's a fact that no one is going to give you a work permit if I'm forced to fire you. Don't give them a reason to make me fire you.”

Paul's words stung but she knew he was right. “I'm sorry. I'll be careful the next time.”

Paul nodded. “That's enough for now.”

-

She felt considerably better about things as she rode down on the elevator but her mood soured at a record-breaking rate when the doors opened to reveal Denise. Denise's mean lips parted and she braced herself for the malicious sarcasm to come.

“Fired. Who'd have thought? Tsk tsk tsk.”

It didn't take her two heartbeats to figure it out and her eyes flashed in anger. “You told on me.”

Denise merely scoffed. “Are you still in high school? Or is this some American thing. Over here, we call it 'getting what you deserve'.”

She stepped out and towards Denise, putting her face within an inch of the woman's. “I did nothing to deserve this. , get over it or get lost and train so that you can be faster than me one day. Even if the hope is slim.”

Denise quivered but managed to sneer, “I'd love to beat you on the track. Too bad you're out.”

“I'll take you up on that Denise. You'll be happy to know that I'm not out. In fact, I'm far from out.”

“I should've known. Paul has his so far up inside you that he can't think straight.”

Not another idiot. Taeyeon alone is enough. I don't need your . “I don't need to Paul for him to see what a valuable asset I am to the company. But you might want to try going down on all fours for him since you're hopeless on wheels.”

She took a step back and threw an arrogant smirk at Denise's reddening face. She didn't care if the woman was going to make her life more difficult from now on. She didn't even care if Denise grew to truly hate her. She was beyond caring at this point. All she cared about was the grumpy racer who was in the hospital all by herself since Hayeon had left for classes. All she cared about was getting the best sandwich in Seoul so that the grumpy racer could have something better than hospital food for lunch. That was all she cared about.

-

“Hey, you're the racer Kim Taeyeon, right?”

“So what if I am.”

“Nothing. I'm just here to see if you're okay. My girlfriend is the one who crashed with you.”

“I know.”

Yuri took another step into the room, bringing her other foot past the door. “So you know who I am.”

“Of course. Any racer worth their salt will know who you are.”

Taeyeon's no-nonsense compliment made her grin. “I'm that famous, huh.”

“Not as famous as me though.”

“Maybe not.” Taeyeon was an interesting person, she decided and her feet brought her further into the room to investigate. “Feeling alright?” she asked while sitting on the chair next to the bed.

“Not too bad. What about your girl.”

“She's okay. Concussion and whiplash. That's all.”

“About the same as me then.”

“Yeah. What happened last night? I heard there was a cyclist or something.”

Taeyeon's nose crinkled. “Idiot cyclist without any lights on came out from nowhere. A real idiot.”

“I knew it.”

“Knew what.”

“Some people are saying you got distracted. But I know it can't be true.”

Taeyeon scoffed. “Those people don't know me well enough.”

“I'm glad you're not seriously injured or anything.”

“Me too.”

Their eyes met and they grinned, requiring no words to express their mutual respect for each other.

“Bring your car to my place when you get out of here. I'll salvage the good parts for you.”

“I could do that at SM's garage.”

“My workshop is better than yours.”

“And a hell lot pricier.”

“I'll give you a friend's price.”

“Fifty off?” Yuri grinned and shook her head. Taeyeon grunted, “I knew it. Friends are worth less than fifty to you. Twenty?” She shook her head again and Taeyeon scowled. “Stop making a fool of me.”

She couldn't resist giggling then. “My friend's price is a good dinner and drinks after.”

Taeyeon's eyes opened wide. “Are you kidding?”

“Actually, make that two dinners. I have a feeling your car is gonna take more than one night.”

“You're serious.”

“Of course I am. I'm a very serious person. So it's a deal?”

Taeyeon nodded. “Deal.”

-