Tiffany grunted, frowning although her eyes were still tightly closed. She tossed and turned, changing positions several times until she gave up trying to sleep again. She was awoken but her body still feel tired that she wanted more rest. Her hand unconsciously tried to touch her itchy stomach when she suddenly realized she couldn’t feel clothes covering her body. Her eyes were forced to open and she sat up almost immediately.

“What the hell?! Why am I ?” Tiffany stared at her exposed body. She removed the blanket and recognized how her lower area was uncovered as well.

“Wait.. How did this happen? Did I go to a club or something? Was I drunk?” Tiffany asked herself. She blew some air onto her palm and tried to sniff it. Her eyebrows furrowed deeper when she couldn’t find trails of alcohol from her breath.

“I did not drink alcohol last night so it wasn’t one night stand.” Tiffany said, feeling a little bit relieved. She had been single for some time but she wasn’t a needy type; a bedroom matter had never been a priority for Tiffany so when she knew it wasn’t one night stand, she was still worried but relieved nevertheless.

Tiffany rested her back, calming herself down first. She moved her legs and it was obvious. She definitely had slept with someone last night. But who was the person? She wrinkled her forehead, trying to recall the event. The image was hazy; too blurred to define who the person was. All she could picture in her mind was that the wasn’t forced. It was weird how she could imagine each and every movement with the stranger but the only thing she couldn’t picture was the person’s face.

“Who was that person?” Tiffany sighed, trying again but it was resulted a pain on her head, like her head was hammered with a big mallet and it was too painful to bear.

“Rose petals?” Tiffany gave up, thinking she must not force herself to think too hard. So she looked around her messy bedsheet which was not only covered by blanket, but also by petals of red roses.

“So it’s definitely not a stranger. But who?” Tiffany inhaled deeply, trying to close her eyes again to think and remember.

“Aghh.” The pain came again.

“Slowly, Tiff. Slowly.” Tiffany reminded herself. She gave the last attempt to reveal the secret person who had with her.

Tiffany finally recalled how she was treated gently by the person. She remembered how they kissed passionately before Tiffany led the person to the bed. Tiffany was sitting when the person helped her to her shirt. They did it willingly and Tiffany could still feel how her body was appreciated and they had passionately yet gently. However when Tiffany tried to concentrate further, again her head felt like it was collided to a wall.

“Weird.” Tiffany shook her head, finally giving up for real.

“I will try again later.” Tiffany said to herself.

She searched for her phone and found it dead. She plugged the phone to charge, letting it reboot on its own. She slowly got up and felt a weird sensation on her lower area. She blushed because it’s surely been a while since the last time she did it with anyone. Of course, she still clearly remembered that her ex was the last person she had with; well before the stranger did with her last night.

“If it’s not one night stand, why did he leave?” Tiffany tapped her chin, wondering.

“Oh well. I just hope I wasn’t a disappointment last night.” Tiffany shrugged and went to the bathroom to take a long bath.

Meanwhile Taeyeon was still on her bed, thinking. She took a glance at the table clock on the bedside and sighed; it’s almost noon and there’s no message coming from Tiffany. No matter how much she wanted to believe that Tiffany was still in love with her and they would be okay even after the intimate session, Taeyeon just knew that her wish was impossible to be granted.

At this time, she really hoped that Yuri lied to her; that Tiffany’s feelings wouldn’t change despite they had done the intimate moments. Taeyeon left Tiffany alone after they did it because yes she was a coward. She wasn’t proud to call herself a coward but it left a lingering regrets inside her heart. What would happen if she didn’t leave last night? Would Tiffany accept that Taeyeon was the person who slept with her? If Taeyeon lied to Tiffany, would it possible for Tiffany to finally love her?

“Nah, keep on dreaming, Taeyeon!” Taeyeon slapped her own cheek but not too hard to wake herself from the impossible wishes.

“Fany-ah, why should I end up loving you when at the end you’d forget about me?” Taeyeon sighed, staring at nothingness inside her locked bedroom.

“Does it mean that we break up?” With that realization hitting her, her eyes became teary.

“Why does it feel this hurt?” Taeyeon laughed sarcastically at her tragic love story and yet the tears flew down her face like a broken dam. She clenched her chest, feeling where it hurt the most.

“Can we repeat what we have experienced? If I try to court you this time, will you say yes to me?” Taeyeon asked to no one.

“I love you, Fany-ah.” Taeyeon confessed but Tiffany was not there to reply. And so, Taeyeon spent the remaining of her weekend staying inside her bedroom, weeping after her love story which hadn’t have the happy ending.

---

Taeyeon knew she didn’t have to pick Tiffany up when Monday came but maybe it was out of habit or maybe because she indeed missed Tiffany so much that she didn’t even realize that she had driven to Tiffany’s apartment instead of going straight to the office. It was too late because the moment Taeyeon knew she made a mistake, her car had already parked in front of Tiffany’s apartment building.

“Come on, Tae. You have to accept that she no longer remembers you, moreover needs you. What are you doing here?!” Taeyeon hit the wheel drive frustratingly.

“Fine. Let’s just search for a nearby restaurant to have a breakfast. Poor tummy for you will never taste her cooking again.” Taeyeon rubbed her stomach as she smiled bitterly.

She then went to the bakery store not far from Tiffany’s apartment to have a glass of coffee with tuna croissant as her breakfast. She knew she had more time before she had to drive to the office so she ordered bagel and another coffee to take away. She thought that maybe Tiffany hadn’t had her breakfast. Yes, Tiffany might forget about her but Taeyeon’s memories were all filled with Tiffany.

Taeyeon arrived at the office sharply at 7.40 am which meant she wasn’t late. She had already felt lonely because usually, Tiffany would blabber about anything while she was driving her car carefully to work. Again, Taeyeon could only sigh, pumping some encouragement into her mind and said today would be okay. Literally, today would be the first day Taeyeon would meet a different Tiffany and it would also the first time they’ve become strangers.

Nervous was an understatement for Taeyeon. Well, aside from feeling disappointed, sad, and hurt; nervous was the feeling she barely able to control the moment she opened her eyes that morning. Taeyeon tapped her foot while waiting for the elevator to pick her up. She kept on telling the fate not to let her meeting Tiffany outside of her office room because she wasn’t prepared; not that she would be prepared should they meet whenever later though.

Taeyeon had arrived on her company’s floor and her nervousness had become multiplied if it’s even possible. She looked around and found people she knew but not one of them was Tiffany. She exhaled, feeling relieved. She waved her hand and bowed when she found older people. She walked passed the receptionist table and made a turn toward her desk which was located inside Tiffany’s office room.

“Good morning, Mam.” Taeyeon gulped, feeling her hands were sweating when she found Tiffany had already on her table.

“Morning. You just came.” Taeyeon nodded, still standing in front of Tiffany.

“Is there anything you want to discuss with me, Taeyeon?” Tiffany asked while Taeyeon felt panic.

“Uhm.. I am sitting there actually.” Taeyeon pointed at her table on the corner of the room.

“Oh is that your table?” Taeyeon nodded again.

“I thought I would have a secretary or something.” Tiffany chuckled and Taeyeon was dazed, seeing the real definition of beauty reflected from Tiffany’s smile.

“Hey!” Tiffany called and Taeyeon shook her head, trying to focus.

“You can go back to work. It’s already 8 am.” Tiffany said. The hulking woman then put her purse below her desk; grabbing her laptop and turned it on.

“Why are you sitting there?” Tiffany tried to initiate the conversation.

“Uhm.. You told Jessica to make me sit here around 4 to 5 months ago, Mam.” Taeyeon answered. Her heart beat loudly, afraid that Tiffany would ask something she couldn’t answer. Besides, the person sitting before her was the real Tiffany before being bewitched and if Taeyeon remembered correctly, she’d be to the point, strict, assertive, and perfectionist.

“Really? Why would I do that?” Tiffany asked again.

“You told her that you wanted to ensure that I worked seriously so you felt the need to monitor me working. Thus, you ordered Sunny to prepare me this table and since then I started working here.” Taeyeon explained.

‘Did I do that? Why couldn’t I remember any of it? Since when do I start to care about someone’s work ethic? I don’t even care I have fired some of them in the past. I must ask Jessi later.’ Tiffany thought to herself. She decided not to dig further, didn’t want to be looked down by Taeyeon since she could only vaguely remembered why, how, and when.

“So, did you finally pass the trial?” Tiffany suddenly remembered that she had given Taeyeon a chance to prove herself.

“Yes, I did Mam. Actually, that’s also the main reason why I was moved here; so I could pass the trial and finally become a real employee who’d be useful for you.” Taeyeon replied again.

‘So she really didn’t remember what we are, what we were.’ Taeyeon said to herself.

‘She has returned to the old Tiffany before she was affected by the spell. I should have felt relieved, but why do I feel hurt?’ Taeyeon silently sighed.

“Good then. It’s already time for you to be useful for this company anyway.” Tiffany remarked and Taeyeon tried to brace every painful word came out from Tiffany’s mouth.

“So, have you got received the target for this year from me?” Tiffany’s questions contained only things related to work; Taeyeon had predicted it before but why did it still feel hurt to actually hear it? The small woman wondered.

“Not yet, Mam.” Taeyeon meekly replied.

“Please remind me again about it next week, Taeyeon. You should have accepted it since I have submitted others’ target since last month. How can I forget to make one for you?” Tiffany told the latter.

“Of course, Mam.” With that, they started working on their own.

Today was surely different. If before, Taeyeon would receive jokes or teases from Tiffany about what she wore, her make-up, and many random things; today Taeyeon didn’t receive any of it. Tiffany was serious while working. She kept staring at her laptop’s screen and if she didn’t, she’d be busy with her mobile phone. She too sometimes went out from her office room to go to the toilet or simply to have meetings outside.

It was the biggest lie Taeyeon had ever made if she said she was okay about the changes. Vice versa, she felt lonely and mostly longing for Tiffany’s existence in her life. She too couldn’t recall since when her life would be controlled by Tiffany’s very existence. It was already time for lunch but instead of asking Taeyeon to have lunch with her, Tiffany didn’t bother to give her a brief glance before walking out from the office room to have lunch with someone God knew who.

“She didn’t even ask me to have lunch together with me.” Taeyeon sighed.

“Of course she didn’t. You are no one to begin with.” Taeyeon added. Her appetite was gone together with her crushed hope to spend some time with Tiffany during lunch. She at least thought that Tiffany would ask her for lunch together out of courtesy and Taeyeon would shamelessly say yes but then again, yes, she was no one for Tiffany now; she was nothing but Tiffany’s meaningless subordinate.

“Afternoon, Taeyeon.” Tiffany greeted her around 1.30 pm.

“Good afternoon, Mam.” Taeyeon replied in return. It was obvious that Tiffany had lunch outside of the building. But with who? Taeyeon was curious and felt jealous but she bit her tongue harder so she wouldn’t ask that question.

‘She is no longer your lover, Taeyeon! Keep that in mind!’ Taeyeon scolded her stupid heart.

“You didn’t go lunch outside?”

“I.. I am not hungry.” Taeyeon smiled a little.

“Really? Can you concentrate with an empty stomach?” Tiffany asked again because she didn’t want her member unable to pay attention at work just because she skipped lunch.

“I will try.” Taeyeon smiled but Tiffany’s frown was still lingering.

“Here, I had leftover during lunch before. You can eat it.” Tiffany handover the transparent plastic contained boxes of sushi pieces.

“Thank you.” Taeyeon received the offer and took the leftover lunch given by Tiffany.

“So with whom do you have lunch with?” Taeyeon blurted out accidentally. She quickly covered but it was too late, Tiffany heard it already.

“Mark. Why?” Tiffany raised one of her eyebrows.

“Oh nothing. I am sorry for prying. I thought you went with Jessica to discuss about my performance.” Taeyeon hurriedly made a reason and lied.

“It’s okay. You can eat it in the pantry. I don’t like people eating at their desks. It’d be dirty.” Tiffany said and Taeyeon could only obediently nod her head.

“I will eat this first then.” Taeyeon excused herself, smiling more sincerely this time.

Taeyeon knew very well that she shouldn’t be happy just because of simple gesture from Tiffany but her heart betrayed her. Her logic said, Tiffany did it just because she didn’t want Taeyeon to be useless at work for the rest of the day but her heart told her that she did it because deep inside Tiffany still cared about her.

Taeyeon ate her sushi like a person who hadn’t had a proper meal for so long because she wanted to cry while feeding herself. It was the sushi from the restaurant they used to visit when Tiffany still remembered about her. The logo said it all but today, instead of going with Taeyeon, Tiffany chose to spend her recess time with Mark. Taeyeon’s tears went down and made her face wet as she tried to swallow the leftover lunch.

It’s not that Taeyeon had never fallen in love before but she never thought love could be this painful. The love she experienced was far from the current love she has for Tiffany. Taeyeon used to be the one to break things off but this time, she didn’t even have a proper closure; no one said that it had ended but Taeyeon had to accept that Tiffany was no longer her lover. It was merely the first day she met the different Tiffany and she already wanted to give up. She missed Tiffany even she literally was in the same room with her the whole day. Taeyeon breathed sharply, telling herself to be strong before she went back to her desk which was located inside Tiffany’s office room.

The rest of the day was spent with them barely exchanging words. Tiffany would instruct Taeyeon to contact specific vendors and asked her to review the contract draft before submitting it to Tiffany for approval. Taeyeon tried hard not to stare at the latter but it was hard for Taeyeon. She couldn’t get attention from Tiffany, she knew but she still could stare, right? She had eyes to admire Tiffany’s beauty; those pair of eyes that used to give her warmth gazes; those lips that used to kiss her; that nose that used to wrinkle whenever she laughed at Taeyeon’s lame jokes, and those eyebrows that used to move up and down whenever she teased Taeyeon. But no, Taeyeon couldn’t see the expressions made by Tiffany’s face body parts anymore.

“It’s already passed 5 pm. Let’s go home.” Taeyeon stopped typing, saving her work before turning her head around.

“You ask me to go home together with you?” Taeyeon was taken aback. Could it be possible that Tiffany-

“What? Of course not. I want to go home and have my office room locked. But how can I do that if you’re still working here?” Tiffany’s answer made Taeyeon’s imagination crumbled again.

“A-ah. I am sorry. I thought..” Taeyeon looked down, trying hard to find reason why she asked that way.

“Nevermind. Hurry and tidy up your things. If you still have outstanding, you can continue it at home instead.” Tiffany told Taeyeon.

“Y-yes, of course.” Taeyeon tried to compose herself and acted normally but it’s not an easy task. She felt like she wanted to cry already. She knew Tiffany was mean but after months being with ‘another’ Tiffany, the sudden transformation still surprised her.

Taeyeon quickly put her laptop into sleep mode and put it back inside her purse. She too organized her charger cables and before putting inside her purse together with the laptop. She placed her mobile phone inside her pocked. Her mind was a jumble that she didn’t even care should she leave things here because she knew she would come back again tomorrow anyway.

“I am done, Mam.” Taeyeon informed.

“Good. Let’s go.” Tiffany stood up and walked to the door. Taeyeon understood the hints and walked out first.

“You don’t have to wait for me.” Tiffany said as she locked the door.

“Ah yes. Then, see you tomorrow.” Taeyeon decided to walk away. She already had enough embarrassing moments in front of Tiffany today and she didn’t want to add another one to the lists.

‘Why would I feel this way? It’s to be expected and Yuri had informed be before anyway.’ Taeyeon made a turn into the toilet. She wanted to cry and she couldn’t hold it back any longer.

‘I have to be strong. Seeing her alive and healthy should have been enough for you, Taeyeon! You cannot be that selfish and wanting to own her again because it’s obvious that she doesn’t have any feelings for you!’ Taeyeon reminded herself for the umpteenth time today.

Taeyeon wiped her wet face with the tissues and flushed the toilet, pretending she just finished doing business inside the toilet cubicle. She then got out from the toilet and directly brought herself to the parking area. She ignited her engine on and pulled down the hand break handle. She dialled Yuri’s number and put it on speaker. She needed someone to talk to right now; it was too overwhelming and Taeyeon couldn’t bear it alone.

“Yes?”

“Yul, are you busy?” Taeyeon asked as she searched for the parking ticket somewhere inside her car.

“Nope. I just got out from work. What is it, Tae? Do you want to come over?”

“Not really. I just want to let you know that what you have said is true.” Taeyeon swallowed hard, just saying the simple words had already made her sad again.

“What is true?”

“My boss, Stephanie or Tiffany in short. Well, we did it last night and she is totally different today; like she didn’t remember anything occurred within the past months.” Taeyeon now sought for the water; she needed it badly.

“Wait.. You did it? You mean you had with her last night?” Taeyeon didn’t reply immediately, she gulped the drink and put the cap back before replying.

 “Yes we had.. that.” Taeyeon didn’t want to call it as because it meant so much more than just an activity conducted caused by lusts.

“So she had forgotten about what happened with you two? Oh God! Are you okay, Taeyeon-ah?” Yuri’s voice softened.

“I.. I tried to be okay, Yul but why is it so hard to do it?” Taeyeon’s bit her bottom lip to prevent the tears from attacking her eyes.

“H-how different is she?”

“She is exactly as she was the first time I met her, Yul. She even asked me what I was doing working inside her office?” Taeyeon bitterly chuckled.

“But I tried my best to be normal, Yul no matter how hard it was. I was clumsy too that I asked her whom she was with during lunch.” Taeyeon continued.

“How big is your love for her, Taeyeon-ah? Do you think you can recover after everything that happened?”

“Is unmeasurable, Yul. I too don’t know how big my love is for her but if it’s small, why does it feel hurt when I saw her not paying attention to me? Why does my heart feel painful when she didn’t even spare me a glance before she went out with someone who’s not me?” Taeyeon sniffed. She pulled sheets of tissues and wipe her eyes because she must also focus with driving.

“I am so sorry, Taeyeon-ah. It’s all my mistakes. If only I –“

“Save it, Yul. Yes, you are wrong because you missed the target but it is my heart’s decision to fall in love with her. I didn’t it because I have to but I do love her because… because it just happened that way.” Taeyeon used one hand to hold her face so her sobbing wouldn’t be heard by her friend.

“But Taeyeon-ah, I can always make her bewitched again. I also already know her name and I can put different condition this time.”

“No, Yul. If she’s indeed cannot return my feelings for her then so be it. Maybe we aren’t meant to be after all.” Taeyeon tried to be strong when in fact, her heart was fragile; it was on the verge of broken into pieces by now.

“Are you sure?”

“Undoubtedly.”

“Why don’t you try to court her though?”

“What do you mean?” Taeyeon frowned. How could she court Tiffany when the latter didn’t even want to stare at her longer than 5 seconds?

“I mean it’s obvious that she couldn’t remember the moments she spent with you but it doesn’t mean her memories couldn’t be rectified at all, Tae. Besides, she cannot even deny that what she did with you is real.”

“What do you think I should do? I mean, is it possible to restore her memories?” Taeyeon slowed down her car so she could concentrate with the conversation between her and Yuri.

“I cannot guarantee since I too never had experience with bewitching someone before but it’s harmless to try, right?”

“It is harmful, Yul. What if she didn’t react to me courting her or worse, she rejected the idea of me trying to court her?” Taeyeon reasoned out.

“But what if you actually have your chance but you missed it just because you were too afraid to even try?” Yuri statement made Taeyeon quiet.

“Why don’t you try courting her the same way as she did toward you? Who knows it can refresh her memories, no?” Yuri added.

“Besides, if you didn’t try it, I can always easily put her under spell again and-“

“Don’t you dare to do that!!” Taeyeon raised her volume.

“I won’t if you try courting her in normal ways.”

“But-“

“Hwang Stephanie, right?” Taeyeon cursed lowly when Yuri threatened her like this.

“Fine! I will try to do it. I hope it really works, Yul. I don’t know if my heart can take another painful impact if it didn’t work.” Taeyeon sighed loudly.

“It depends on your endless effort, the similarity of Tiffany’s courting methods which you will apply starting tomorrow, and the rest is up to fate I guess.” Yuri elaborated.

“I clearly remember what she did to court me in the past, Yul.” Taeyeon confirmed.

“Good. Now I have to go, Tae. You can always come here if you feel lonely or sad.”

“Nah,I have to write down my plan to start courting her tomorrow Yuri-ah.”

“Okay then. Your lost because I have new collection of my oh not so saint movies.”

“Errr. No, thank you.”

“Well don’t forget to let me know about the outcome, okay Tae?”

“I will. And Yuri-ah?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“My pleasures.”

With that Taeyeon hung up the phone. She finally could breathe better now, feeling slightly relieved, knowing that there’s still a hope after all. She needed to direct her maximum attempts this time but she knew it would be worth it; Tiffany was worth her time and effort. Taeyeon smiled and brushed the remnant of tears left on her face before pressing her gas pedal with more strength; couldn’t wait to go home and draft her plan for tomorrow.

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