“What did you want to talk to me about?”

Images of Uncle Im flaring up and rejecting her from the family flickered like the lights in a horror movie but there was no other choice.

“I’m here to tell you about Tiffany.”

Uncle Im nodded. “What about her?”

“The last time you asked, I didn’t confirm.” This was it. This was make it or break it. “I’m here to confirm it.”

“Are you confirming the fact that you are girlfriends? Or otherwise.”

“We are girlfriends. And I just proposed. Kinda. Like a pre-proposal. And she said yes.”

Uncle Im’s eyes grew bigger for a moment. Then, it regained normalcy and Uncle Im leaned forward. “You proposed? Marriage?”

“Not marriage. We can’t get married. Not legally.”

“What did you propose, if not marriage?”

“Commitment. We’ll be mutually exclusive, forever.”

“I see.”

“Do you have anything to say to me?”

Uncle Im stared at her and shook his head slowly. “No.”

“Really?”

“What are you expecting me to say? No, you can’t marry Tiffany?”

“My mother said you are in denial about my relationship with Tiffany.”

“In denial?” Uncle Im frowned. “No, I’m not in denial. I don’t know how she got that idea. Maybe it’s because I haven’t talked to her about it.”

“Why haven’t you?”

“It always came up at a bad time. We were about to talk about it a few days ago, but I had a conference call to tend to.” Uncle Im chuckled. “Your mother is such an adorable soul, worrying like that.”

Taeyeon couldn’t see how her mother’s soul could ever be adorable and she had no wish to be an audience to Uncle Im’s smitten remarks about her mother. “So my mother was worried for nothing.”

“She was worried?”

Taeyeon nodded. “She asked me to come clean with you before the engagement.”

“Your mother…” Uncle Im grinned and shook his head. “She’s always thinking too much. But every family needs someone like that.”

Taeyeon didn’t think any family needed someone like that but she wasn’t about to dispute his point. “So, you don’t have an issue with Tiffany and I.”

Uncle Im shook his head. “I have nothing against this. But I will have some work to do if the news gets out—and it will.”

“The board of directors? Shareholders?”

“The public, in general. And yes, the directors and people who have shares in this company.”

“This is going to affect the company.”

“It might.”

“It will.”

Uncle Im took deep breath and held her gaze, his dark brown eyes steady and calm. “You’re a pessimist. But try to think of the good that can come out of this.”

“What good could possibly come out of this.”

“You’ll be happy.”

“That’s too selfish.”

“Happiness is worth more than anything. Denying yourself will lead to a life less worth living. We will deal with the problems as they come. And there will be a way to play this right. I’ll show you that.”

Taeyeon couldn’t see any way to play this right but Uncle Im had his ways, she was sure. “Whatever you say, Uncle Im.”

Uncle Im smiled. “Very soon, you’ll be calling me Dad. I look forward to the day when both you and Hayeon will call me Dad.”

“Thank you, Uncle Im.”

“Why are you thanking me?”

“For making Hayeon happy. She’s ecstatic about the new family.” Taeyeon smiled. “She’s been texting me happy faces recently and she doesn’t really do that.”

“A happy family takes a lot of hard work but if we all try, it can be done.”

Taeyeon nodded. “I understand.”

Uncle Im smiled. “Good.”

–

Tiffany had regained almost a hundred percent of her psychomotor skills and was walking about in the ward when Taeyeon entered.

“Taeyeon, look!” She took several steps forward. “I’m walking great.”

Taeyeon grinned. “Your catwalk would beat all the supermodels out there.”

“Think I can be the next top model?”

“Sure, you can. You’ll top everything you want to with how stubborn you are.”

“Stubborn? I’m not stubborn.” Tiffany glared at Taeyeon. “You’re stubborn.”

“I’m not stubborn. I’m not the one who’s insisting on racing when we all know who the winner will be.”

“That’s not being stubborn. That’s being firm. People call it perseverance.”

Taeyeon grabbed Tiffany’s arms and tugged. Lips came within an inch of each other and all she had to do was lean to close the distance. “You’re pretty good at persevering when it comes to too.”

Tiffany grinned. “I can see the lust in your eyes. Deprived much?”

Taeyeon rested her forehead on Tiffany’s shoulder. “So much, it hurts.”

“You haven’t been shagging any other girls on the tracks, have you.”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes. “Do I look like I’ve been getting any?”

“It’s hard to tell with you.”

“I haven’t even been racing. I can’t shag girls if I don’t race them, remember?”

“You say it like I was an easy catch.”

“You were.”

“ you.”

“Soon, I hope.”

Tiffany rubbed Taeyeon’s ear between her fingers and leaned in, whispering, “How about right now?”

“In here?”

“Why not?”

Taeyeon laughed. “Looks like I’m not the one losing her mind to lust.”

“The doctor said I’m good to go. I can be discharged tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Mhm. I’m good. And I’m so done with all the tests. One more test and I’m gonna flip the ing machine, I swear.”

“What time will you be discharged?”

“Anytime, actually.”

“Anytime?”

“Yeah, they’re keeping me here for a final night, just to monitor.”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier. I need to take leave.”

“The doctors decided today. The test results came back negative so that means everything is okay with my head but I don’t really need a test to tell me that. I know how I feel.”

“Anyway, I just told Uncle Im about the proposal today.”

Tiffany tensed. “What was his reaction?”

“He’s totally against it.”

Tiffany’s face lost all traces of happy. “. How bad is it?”

“It’s bad. He won’t marry my mother anymore.”

Tiffany gasped. “Really?”

“He’s cancelling the engagement announcement.”

“. ! How could you waltz in here and joke, knowing about this? This is ing serious.”

“I know.”

“Taeyeon, you have to tell him not to cancel it.”

“He can’t be persuaded.”

“Then you’ll tell him we won’t get married.”

Taeyeon stared at Tiffany. “What?”

“We won’t get married. Unless he’s against the whole thing?”

“You would call it off?”

Tiffany frowned. “We’re talking about your family, Taeyeon. We don’t have to get married. We can stay together and be happy the way we are. There’s no need to make things difficult.”

“Since when have you ever been afraid of making things difficult.”

“Taeyeon, your family will be broken up because of you and I. How will I ever face Hayeon again if I’m the reason for all the that’s happening to her?” Tiffany took her hand. “I don’t need anything but you. Besides, we can’t even get married for real.”

“Oh, it’s real. It’s real to me.”

“You know what I’m talking about. We can be together, just like this.”

“Why would you give up on marrying me so ing easily. I don’t understand.”

“I’m not giving up on marrying you. I’m willing to give way because a family is what you want. Hayeon’s wish is what you want too. Don’t lie and say it’s not. Iknow how much you want this. I know how happy you are about this, even though you don’t show it. I can feel it.”

“You would rather give up the chance to say ‘I do’ for that?”

“I would give up a lot for you to be happy. Truly happy.”

“Then, don’t.”

“Don’t?”

“I lied. Uncle Im isn’t against it.”

“What the ?”

“It was a joke.”

“A ing bad joke.”

“But I’m not sure I like your solution to the joke.”

“I don’t like it either.”

“But you were willing to do it.”

“For you.”

“Don’t, ever. I don’t want to choose between you and my family.”

“Family always comes first, Taeyeon.”

“You’ll be my family too. You’re gonna be my wife.”

“Taeyeon—”

“Shut up.”

“Fine.”

“Now you’re pissed.”

“I hate it when you say shut up.”

“It’s a good choice when there’s nothing more to say.”

“There’s lots more to say but you don’t wanna talk about it.”

“We don’t have to because Uncle Im isn’t against it and your dad will be cheering for us when we tell him. Speaking of which, when are we telling him?”

“After tomorrow. I want to tell him in a nice place. Properly.”

“Okay.” Taeyeon looked at Tiffany for a moment. “So we’re good?”

Tiffany wrinkled her nose. “Yeah.”

“That’s not a real yeah.”

“I said yeah.”

“But you did the nose thing.”

“What nose thing.”

Taeyeon wrinkled her nose. “This nose thing.”

“We’re good. I’m not pissed. I’m just not entirely happy.”

“I can deal with that.”

“Fine.”

Taeyeon grinned and pressed her lips on Tiffany’s. “We’ll deal with it.”

–

The move back to Tiffany’s apartment went well. No accidents, no broken limbs. And as soon as they entered the apartment, Taeyeon had the strongest urge to jump Tiffany’s bones but she couldn’t. Not with the flashing red beacon that was Uncle Hwang. So, she busied herself with Tiffany’s laundry, pausing to admire one of Tiffany’s extra lacy before tossing them into the machine that promised to restore their cleanliness. Very soon, Tiffany will be able to wear them again. And she’ll be able to slide them down Tiffany’s legs again. Soon.

Tiffany’s voice filled the living room as they completed the tour of the apartment. “So you see, Paul has been taking good care of me.”

“This place does look comfy. But is it more comfy than our home? No.”

“You can drop it, Dad.”

“You should come home with me. You’ve been away for a long time.”

“But—”

“I know. Taeyeon’s here. Your job’s here. But you shouldn’t go back to work right now. You should rest more. Come back for a month or two. The season’s off anyway.”

“Uncle is right.” Taeyeon joined them in the living room. “You should take a good break. Recuperate.”

“Not you too.” Tiffany frowned. “The season’s off but I need to train. I’ll lose my touch if I don’t get back on the tracks soon.”

“You’ll regain your touch soon enough. There’s no hurry,” said Taeyeon.

“See, Taeyeon agrees. You should listen to her,” said Uncle Hwang.

Tiffany looked up to the sky (ceiling, actually) in resignation. “Fine. We’ll go back for a bit. But Taeyeon has to come with me.” She gave Taeyeon a long, hard stare. “You’re coming with me, right?”

“I’ll have to stay for my mother’s engagement announcement and I’ll have to take leave from SM.”

“So we’re good to go after the engagement?”

Taeyeon nodded. “Why not.”

Tiffany shrieked and threw her arms around Taeyeon, knocking the woman back a couple of steps.

“Hey, hey, watch it. You just got out of the hospital, you don’t want me to end up in it next, do you.”

Tiffany pulled away. “No, you’d better not.” Then, she went right back to hugging Taeyeon.

It was all Taeyeon could do to keep from pushing her away with Uncle Hwang’s watchful eyes on them.

–

It was no longer Paul at the helm. And despite the knowledge that he was gone, it was still hard for Tiffany to sit in the office that used to belong to Paul. This new guy looked every bit like a man who had no concept of empathy, what with his overbearing eyebrows, thick and intense, framing his cold, cold eyes. He sat at the desk, with a blazing new name plate that said: Mr Vincent Kim, CEO.

“Paul transferred the apartment and Bugatti to you.”

Tiffany held her chin level. “Yes.”

“A little lavish for a Roulette championship reward, don’t you think?”

“Paul knows what he’s doing.”

“He knows too well what he’s doing.” He leaned back, pressed his fingertips together, and smiled. “You are the asset he brought with him and true enough, you have proved to be worth the investment. It’s a shame that the accident had to happen or we would have won the Constructor’s as well.”

“Yes, it was unfortunate.”

“Never mind that. What’s done is done. You will be back on the team soon and the company will look towards to next championship worth winning. I’m sure you know which one that is.”

“The International Tuscan Series?”

“You’re sharp. You’ll go far.”

“This wasn’t in the plans.”

“Those were Paul’s plans. He’s gone, so are those plans. The new plans include this series. Hyundae will be looking to expand our foreign markets, further our reach.”

“But The International Tuscan Series begins in two months.”

“Is there a problem.”

“I’m planning to take some time to recuperate. For a month or two.”

“You’ve been discharged from the hospital. Did the doctor advise you against racing?”

“No, but my father wants me to rest and recuperate properly.”

“Well, your father isn’t the CEO of this company, is he?”

Tiffany disliked the condescendence in Vincent’s smile. “My father is someone I respect and would want to obey.”

“I see.” Vincent frowned. “The company cannot stop you from taking leave despite the inappropriate timing of it. Especially since your recent discharge.” He rubbed his chin, slowly and deliberately and Tiffany didn’t like it. “Who would you recommend we send for the series.”

“In all honestly, I don’t think the rest of the team is ready for this. The standards are higher than The Roulette.”

“I mean, import.”

“Based on The Roulette, Krystal would be your next best choice. But she’s contracted to Samjung.”

“Contracts are never the biggest obstacles.” Vincent picked up a pen and tapped the top end on the desk. “Krystal of Samjung.” He pressed a button on the phone and spoke, “Get me Krystal of Samjung. I want her to meet me.”

“Yes, Mr Kim.”

“That will be all, Tiffany. I will see you back here in two months.”

Tiffany nodded, stood and left with the taste of milk turned sour in . Damn Grandpa Kim and his decisions. Damn him.

–