Part 1

When Taeyeon received a call from her eccentric father, who had been away for more than a year traveling the world, the first thing that came out of her mouth was—

“Hell no, dad. Over my dead body.”

She almost threw her phone out the window of her luxurious penthouse suite, because her father, whom she had missed rather dearly, just blurted out an absurd request.

“No! I will not marry your long lost best friend’s daughter!”

‘But Taetae,’ he said with so much aegyo a man his age shouldn’t have, ‘I thought you said you were gay?’

“Dad, this has nothing to do with my gender!” She yelled on the phone as she ran her hand in between her golden locks frustratingly. “I will not agree to this arranged marriage thing!”

‘But Taengooooo—’

Taeyeon didn’t even bother ending the call and just chucked her phone over the veranda, rubbing her temples as she went back inside her spacious living room.

She threw herself on her expensive leather couch and groaned before punching the cushion out of frustration.

“Ugh! I can’t believe this!”

Ring.

Her house phone rang and she eyed the thing suspiciously.

Ring.

Ring.

Taeyeon sighed and pressed the speaker phone button.

Click.

‘Ooooooooooooooooo—’

“Oh my god, dad, stop it! You’re too old for this!”

Taeyeon held her house phone and screamed at it like a fool, throwing the thing back on the side table with a loud clank. ‘But Taetae,’ his father’s voice rang clearly from the speaker phone, ‘She’s your type! You’ll like her, I’m sure of it!’

“You don’t even know my type, dad! You haven’t even met any of my exes!”

‘Yes, I did!’

“Name one.”

The line went silent for a moment, with Taeyeon staring at the phone. Seconds went by, and just when she thought the line went dead, her goof of a father spoke with so much pride, she could feel it slapping her on the face.

‘I met Jessica!’

“Jessica is my best friend, what’s wrong with you!”

‘What, really?’

“Yes!” Taeyeon screamed again before sighing. “You need to stop this, dad. I love you but this is too much. I’m not marrying a stranger!”

‘That’s why you’re going to meet her first, silly Taengoo! Then you’ll fall in love at first sight, accept the arrangement and get married!’

“No!”

‘Please, please, do this for daddy, pleeeaaaasssseee—’

“Dad, no!”

Taeyeon heard a sigh from the other line and she smiled, feeling a little victorious. Her dad sighing could only mean one thing, defeat.

‘Okay,’ he said dejectedly and it made her smile grow bigger.

Sweet victory, Taeyeon thought happily.

‘I’ll make you a deal you’ll never refuse!’

Or not.

Taeyeon covered her face with her hands and groaned, ruffling her hair as she plopped on her couch sideways.

“Dad,” she said, “Trust me, there is no way—” ‘If you agree to at least meet her, I’ll let you off to do anything you want.’

Her ears perked and instantly she found herself sitting up, elbows leaning on her thighs and fingers interlaced in front of her.

Suddenly she felt nervous.

“I’m listening…”

There was some shuffling on the other line before she heard her dad’s firm voice, a hundred eighty degrees different from his previous playful whining.

‘I’ll come back as soon as I can, kick you off the company myself, enrol you in that culinary school you like in Paris and let you study to be a chef like what you’ve always wanted.’

Taeyeon couldn’t help but gasp at her father’s offer.

Her hand instantly shot up and grabbed the receiver before pressing the earpiece on the side of her head really closely.

“You’re kidding me, right?”

‘No, I am absolutely serious.’

“You’d let me ditch my company responsibilities to chase my lifelong dream if I go and meet her? Just meet her?”

‘Yes. And it’s a promise.’

“No take backsies? Even though I don’t end up marrying her after the meeting?”

‘No take backsies, Taetae. You know I always keep my word.’

That he does, she thought.

Taeyeon bit the nail on her thumb as she weighed her options. She could almost taste the freedom (and her nail) at the tip of her tongue.

But what if it’s a trap, she thought again. What if she gets shotgun wedded as soon as she goes off to meet the girl.

Worse of all, what if she’s ugly?!

Her eyes widened at that thought.

“I-Is she pretty?” She asked, feeling a little shallow. ‘Oh, Taetae, she’s beautiful!’

“Stop exaggerating!”

‘I’m not! I swear you’ll be eating your words once you see her. You’d be begging me to marry you two immediately.’

Taeyeon kept quiet while her dad continued to rain praises about her potential fiancée, mentally listing the pros and cons of the whole situation.

It was her dream versus potential (and metaphorical) imprisonment, but the offer was just too tempting not to take.

And if her father said that the girl was pretty, then Taeyeon would take his word for it.

“Okay. Fine,” she said, finally accepting defeat. “I’ll do it.”

‘Aha! That’s my girl!’ The old man screamed and clapped.

“When can I meet her?”

‘I’ll tell my secretary to email you the directions to their private estate on the South, should take you about a day to reach by driving.’

“What?! I’ll have to drive there for a day?!”

‘Road trips are the best, my lovely daughter! You should enjoy nature every once in a while!’

“You’re the one who shoved me into the company to take over while you go travelling around the world! I haven’t had any breaks since forever!”

‘Oh, right. But hey, at least you’d be able to study in Paris soon! Delaying gratification Taetae, delaying gratification. Also, you could use the time to unwind for a little bit before meeting your future wife.’

He ended that with a giggle and Taeyeon wanted to kill herself.

“Whatever, dad. When are you coming back anyway?”

‘Soon. I’m still not done visiting the other sights here, and now that I’ve found my best friend, it’s going to be twice as fun!’

“Fine. Take care of yourself, old man. See you soon. Love you.”

‘Love you too, Taengoo! I’ll bring you lots of souvenirs. Bye!’ “Bye.”

Taeyeon shook her head as she ended the call, dragging herself off the couch towards her mini bar to grab a shot of her strongest liquor.

She downed a shot, and another, and another, until she felt her world starting to spin. She slumped her torso on the bar counter and looked at the family photo hanging on the wall next to her.

It was a photo of her parents hanging upside down after bungee jumping, their huge smiles showing how happy they were at that moment while giving peace signs at the camera. Taeyeon couldn’t help but smile back, remembering how hard it was for her to press the shutter button because of laughing so hard at her goofy parents.

Her dad was crazy for asking her such a huge request, she admit, and Taeyeon thought, with a sad chuckle, what her mom would have done if she was still there with them.

“Mom,” she whispered to the picture, “I’ll never understand why you married dad. He’s just so spontaneous, it’s getting hard for me to follow him sometimes.”

Taeyeon sighed as she stared at the photo before laughing to herself.

“Scratch that. You’re both crazy.”

With one last shot, she headed to her room with wobbly steps, silently psyching herself for an adventure.

—–

“Are you really gonna do this, Taeng?”

The shorter girl stopped halfway from entering her walk in closet to stare at her best friend who was lounging lazily on her bed, fiddling with the new phone she had asked her to buy.

“Jessica, one word: Paris.”

With that she continued pulling random clothes from her wardrobe before throwing them back on the bed, returning with a small duffel bag in her hands.

“Your dad really knows how to make a deal, doesn’t he? No wonder everyone wanted to be his business partner.”

“Yep, he’s really smart,” Taeyeon agreed as she continued to shove the clothes inside the bag. “But my mom was the genius one.” She saw Jessica looking up at her on her peripheral, giving her a soft smile that only she receives from the latter.

“Too bad I didn’t get to meet her. I really wanted to.”

“She would’ve liked you. She likes befriending scheming people.”

“Hey!”

Taeyeon snorted as she zipped her small travel bag before dusting her hands.

Jessica got off the bed and handed her the new phone, the same model with the one she threw off the building. She thanked her best friend with a grin before pulling her in for a hug.

“You sure you’ll be fine by yourself?” She heard Jessica ask, the two of them still tangled in a tight embrace. “I can go with you if you want.”

“Nah, I’ll be fine. Thanks, Sica.”

She playfully patted her on the butt and it earned her a giggle and a slap on the back.

“Call me if there’s anything, okay?”

“I will.”

—–

This was it, Taeyeon thought, feeling the weight of her duffel bag on her shoulders.

She had already cleared her schedule for the whole weekend, informing everyone at the company that she would be going on a personal trip.

And so she stood there inside her family home’s garage, in front of multiple cars, dressed in jeans and a hoodie, looking every bit of a kid that she was. With her duffle bag in hand, she passed by all the available ones as she contemplated on what to take.

She skipped all the coupes and luxury cars, opting for something simpler.

Her eyes widened and twinkled as she remembered something, and with hurried steps, she went to the farthest side of the garage, smiling as she saw the covered truck.

—–

“Mom, I know this is your doing.” Taeyeon tilted her head upwards and closed her eyes before slamming her forehead on the old steering wheel. She let her face stay there, making the horn blare continuously.

She whined and threw tantrums inside the old truck that her mom used to own before heading out, having no idea why the vehicle suddenly stopped. She kicked the front wheel in frustration, muttering curses at everything.

“I thought you were on my side! We’re supposed to stick together against dad, remember?!” Taeyeon yelled at the blue sky, cupping the side of her mouth to make her screams sound louder, hoping that her mom would hear her, as childish as it may sound.

“And of course this has to happen in the middle of nowhere where there is no phone reception. Of course…”

Just when she was about to throw her phone against the asphalt, she heard the rumbling sound of an engine approaching. Soon enough (and to her surprise and amusement) a pink and black chopper passed by before slowing down, parking just behind her truck.

“Need help?”

Taeyeon couldn’t help but raise her eyebrow at the long haired, aviator-wearing biker, and her ripped jean shorts and loose tank top that barely covered anything. She gawked, openly, because she had never seen anyone so attractive and beautiful in her life.

“You okay there?”

An amused chuckle reached her ears and Taeyeon snapped from her shameless gawking.

“Sorry, I was just… Uh… Yeah. Hi.”

“What happened?”

The painfully attractive biker gestured towards her truck with a nod, making Taeyeon remember her problem.

“I’m not sure, it just died on me.”

“Gas?”

“Still half full.”

“Hmm…” The biker removed her aviator sunglasses much to Taeyeon’s delight and realized she looked even more beautiful without it. “I don’t really know much about cars. If it was a flat tire, I could help you change.”

“Yeah, same here. Hmm, do you know if there’s a town near here?” “The nearest and only one is still a couple of miles away. You’d have your legs falling off and you’d only be halfway.”

“Damn it,” Taeyeon cursed, frustrated. As much as she didn’t want to leave her mother’s old truck, she’d need to at least reach the next town so she could ask for help.

The other girl must have sensed her frustration, because she was beside her in an instant, offering an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry I can’t take you there, I’m heading towards the other direction.”

“Oh, no. It’s fine. I understand.” She waved it off and smiled back, albeit small, reassuring the other.

“You should go,” Taeyeon then said, “I don’t want to keep you from your trip. Thank you for stopping.”

She was about to return to her truck when the biker’s hesitant voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Uhm,” she said as Taeyeon turned back to look at her. “Why don’t I just keep you company while we wait for someone to pass by?”

She couldn’t help but mirror the shy smile that the biker had on her face, and for the first time that day, Taeyeon felt a little better.

“I’d like that. Thanks.”

—–

Taeyeon gulped the last of her water before throwing the bottle in a plastic bag by her foot, full and satisfied with her simple dinner.

She watched as the biker did the same, dusting her hands as she placed the last bite of her sandwich in her mouth.

Before Taeyeon left the confines of her apartment, she prepared some food and drinks for the trip, and she thanked her ahjumma qualities for that because at least she had something to snack on now that she was stranded.

With a beautiful, mysterious biker girl nonetheless.

The sun had already set a few hours ago and still there were no signs of other vehicles, much to Taeyeon’s disappointment, but she was somehow glad that she wasn’t alone.

Comfortable silence surrounded them, and it felt nice, Taeyeon thought, because the night sky was clear and the stars were pretty to look at. “So what’s your story?”

The question made her turn towards the other.

Up until now, even after spending hours together, Taeyeon still couldn’t fathom how this rebellious looking girl still resembled the grace and attitude of a princess. She didn’t want to judge, but this stranger was just so… judge-able.

“You’re staring again.”

“I’m sorry, I just…” Taeyeon shook her head in amazement, earning her a cute giggle. “You’re really pretty, do you know that?”

Biker girl smiled and shrugged, and her nonchalance was another thing that Taeyeon liked about her.

“So, will the stranger ever tell me her story?”

“Oh, right sorry, sometimes I forget my manners. Kim Taeyeon, by the way.”

She offered her hand and waited for the other to shake it, smiling as the biker girl reached for it.

“Hwang Tiffany,” the other replied, leaning back on the metal after shaking her hand.

They had taken temporary refuge at the back of Taeyeon’s truck, sitting on the cold metal floors while they waited for other cars to pass by, eating the snacks that she packed.

“So where are you heading to, Kim Taeyeon? And why are you driving a vintage truck?”

“I’m on a trip to get my freedom,” she answered with a grin, earning her an amused look. “And this old thing here was my mom’s. I got a little sentimental and I just thought it was a great idea, like, really symbolical.”

“And now your sentiments got you stuck in the middle of nowhere.”

Taeyeon laughed at that and the sound echoed through the quiet highway.

“Yeah, pretty much,” she said, still chuckling. “I bet my mom’s looking down at me now, laughing her butt off.”

She chuckled more and imagined her mom sitting on clouds while laughing at her.

The meaning might have reached the other girl because she became quiet all of a sudden, stopping Taeyeon from her chortling.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…“ “Don’t be, she’s in a better place now. How about you? What are you running away from?”

“Running away? How’d you say that?”

“Yeah, you know…” Taeyeon gestured at her get-up, “Your whole look, your bike, everything. It just screams ‘I’m running away from the world’.”

Tiffany chuckled all of a sudden and it made Taeyeon smile.

“That I am. Well, I’m running away from someone who’d take away mine.”

“Your…?”

“Freedom.”

“Ah,” Taeyeon nodded in understanding. “I guess we’re both fighting for the same thing, huh.”

“I guess we are.”

It became quiet again after that, signalling the end of the conversation, but Taeyeon didn’t mind. It felt good in a way, because all of a sudden she didn’t feel alone anymore.

She was worried at first—afraid even, that what she had decided to do just for the sake of chasing after her simple dream was idiotic and not worth it, especially when it involved something as big and as permanent as marriage.

But it was nice to know that she wasn’t the only one struggling to be free.

Yawning a bit, Taeyeon shifted and looked for a more comfortable position, hoping to catch some shuteye since she felt like she needed to travel by foot in the morning.

She was about to fall asleep when she heard Tiffany speak again.

“Say Taeyeon, do you have problems with skinship?”

The weird question hung in the air and Taeyeon didn’t know how to react.

“Uh, no?” She answered, unsure.

“Good, cause I’m sleepy.”

Her eyes followed Tiffany as the latter moved closer to her from her previous spot, sitting so closely that their elbows were touching. A head landed on her shoulder not long after and she stiffened a bit before finally relaxing. “Sleep,” Tiffany murmured from her shoulder, “I don’t think there would be any more cars that will pass tonight.”

“Uhm. Okay.”

“Night, Taeyeon.”

“Goodnight, Tiffany.”

—–

“Hey, wake up. Taeyeon, wake up.”

Soft pats on her cheek woke Taeyeon up with a jolt, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she squinted at the bright sun. She looked at the person beside her and furrowed her eyebrows, waiting for her brain to put a name on the face she’s seeing.

“What’s happening?” She asked with her hoarse voice, finally remembering where she was and who she was with.

“I can hear a car coming.”

“Wha—Really?”

Tiffany jumped off the back while Taeyeon stood up and looked for the incoming car. She saw it approaching from not too far away and started to wave.

“Hey!” She yelled, hoping to catch the attention of the driver.

Soon enough, the car stopped beside their stalled truck, the driver asking what happened.

Taeyeon stayed where she was and let Tiffany talk to the kind-looking old man, waiting for good news. And when Tiffany’s lips tugged up in a wide smile when she turned back towards her, Taeyeon felt like everything will be alright again.

—–

“Sorry, I couldn’t drive you there.”

Taeyeon took her small duffel bag from the passenger seat and locked the truck, patting it before walking away with Tiffany beside her.

The old man had offered Taeyeon to take her to the estate since he was heading the same direction, clearing the biggest of her worries.

“It’s okay. Thank you for helping a stranger, though. I really appreciate it.” “No problem.”

They stopped beside the waiting car and stayed there, waiting for something, anything.

“You should go. Your freedom’s waiting.”

Taeyeon chuckled and scratched the back of her neck, looking up at Tiffany who was giving her a soft smile.

“Yeah, I guess should. Well, you take care, Tiffany.”

The biker girl nodded at her before fake saluting, sending her a playful wink as she turned back to head towards her chopper. Taeyeon’s eyes never left her until she was perched on her motorcycle, and when Tiffany revved up her bike, she felt her heart jumpstart too.

“Wait!”

Before she knew it, she was already jogging towards the other girl, mind in a whirl and her body moving on its own.

Taeyeon fished her wallet from her pocket clumsily, pulling out a piece of paper.

“H-Here’s my card, my personal number’s at the back. If,” Taeyeon breathed out before continuing, her voice shaky, “I-If somehow you get into the big city and want to meet up, just call me. Any time, okay? Also if you need anything, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

“I will. Goodbye, Taeyeon. I’ll see you around.”

A kiss on her cheek and an empty hand was what Tiffany left her when she rode her bike down the road, and it was only then that Taeyeon felt like her mini adventure had come to a premature end.

—–

Taeyeon felt like she came at a really bad time.

“I’m really sorry you had to witness all this chaos, Miss Kim. Let me take you to the living room first.”

When the guards at the front gate of the estate had confirmed her identity and purpose of visit, she was immediately let in the huge villa, only to find the whole house in total panic.

“Please sit down and make yourself comfortable. I just have to deal with a very important matter and I shall join you again soon.” “Take your time, please. Don’t worry about me.”

She checked her phone when she was finally alone, relieved that the service was back. Typing a long, detailed message to her family butler, she informed him of the location of her mom’s stalled truck and asked for him to retrieve it, also to send another car for her use at the estate.

After a few more messages sent to her father and best friend, she was now left idle.

Heaving a tired sigh, she leaned back on the comfortable sofa and let her body rest for a bit.

Suddenly she had thought of Tiffany Hwang, the girl who was too inappropriately dressed for her own good. Taeyeon hoped that she was now in a faraway place, far enough to protect her freedom, much like how she was just a tiny bit step away from her getting her own.

And maybe someday, if fate would allow it, they could meet again somewhere, both free, happy and contented.

She smiled at the thought but immediately straightened up when the lady who welcomed her into the villa came back with a still-troubled expression, making her feel suddenly anxious.

“Miss Kim, I have something to confess to you,” the lady sighed as she sat across from her, “The reason why the whole estate was in a frenzy was because my daughter whom you’re supposed to meet today ran—”

Just then, a man in a black suit and dark sunglasses walked in with urgency, addressing the woman in front of her.

“Ma’am, we found her. The team just entered the gate and are on their way back to the main villa.”

Relief became evident on the lady’s face and for the first time since Taeyeon arrived, a genuine smile had finally blossomed on her lips.

She watched her with great curiosity as she dismissed the man, but the anxiety had started to build up in her stomach, making her uncomfortable.

“I apologize for everything, Miss Kim, really. I know it’s already too much but I’m going to ask for you to wait a little bit more.”

The short girl just nodded, feeling her palms starting to sweat from the nerves. She wanted nothing more than to meet the girl her dad wanted her to meet, to introduce herself and to get it over with. Paris was already calling out to her, and she couldn’t wait to leave on the earliest flight to France.

Whatever happens from this moment on, she will not let anyone hinder her from being a chef. Soon enough, muffled shouting and the sound of collective footsteps heading their way filled her ears, making her more anxious than ever.

“Let me go, you gorillas! Stop dragging me; I can walk by myself!”

Taeyeon swallowed, audibly. That voice sounded really familiar.

“Ow! My tummy hurts, stop! Help—”

“We’re not falling for that again, Miss Hwang. Now come on, your mother and your guest are waiting.”

“No, I don’t want to! Let me go!”

The first thing Taeyeon did when she had finally seen her being dragged comically by two bodyguards was to breathe out; releasing the breath she didn’t know she was holding.

Still dressed in that familiar cropped jean shorts and loose tank top, she had never seen anyone so perfect in almost tattered clothes, but Tiffany had made it look like so, twice, even with her frowning, angry face.

“Honey—”

“No mom, save it. I don’t care what daddy says, I am not marrying a—”

“Hi.”

“—stranger…”

And at that point in time, it was Taeyeon’s turn to chuckle, because Tiffany Hwang was openly gawking at her, much like how she did when she first met the beautiful stranger.

Part 2

When Tiffany received a call from her mother telling her to come down to their private estate on the South for a short spontaneous break, she all but willingly cleared all of her schedule for the whole week, squealing like a cute little kid in her lavish office located in the big city.

“Mom, you’re a life saver! You have no idea how much I needed a break!”

‘That’s why I called for you, honey. Your dad’s working you too much. Now go home so you could pack, we need a mother-daughter bonding again soon!’

“I know, right!” Tiffany gushed on the phone with her mom while she gathered all her stuff so she could leave the office early to pack.

‘Oh, by the way, you don’t need to inform the board about your trip, I’ve already fixed everything.’

The overly excited girl smiled wider and thanked her mom with aegyo, earning her a soft giggle from the lady on the other line.

‘Be careful on the road, okay?’

“Yes mom,” she said as she exited her office, waving goodbye to her secretary. “I’ll see you in two days. Love you!”

‘Love you too! Bye!’

“Bye!”

With a spring in her step, Tiffany skipped towards the elevator, smiling widely to herself.

—–

‘Surprise! You’re getting married!’

“What?!”

‘You’re getting married! Isn’t it exciting?!’

“Daddy, are you crazy?!”

‘Of course not, sweetie! I’m perfectly well!’

Tiffany stared at the screen of her laptop, dumbfounded, not because her weird father was showing his nonexistent biceps, but because of the maddening news. Her father had been out of the country for half a year now, gone tropical country hopping, looking for potential business locations to expand their corporate empire. She had been all for it; didn’t mind that her dad had to appoint her as temporary CEO, doubling her workload.

“Daddy, you can’t just go and drop this on me! This is so out of the blue!”

‘What are you talking about? I’ve already talked to your mother about this! It was her idea!’

Tiffany’s head whipped towards the couch where her mom sat a while ago, eyes widening when she had realized that the old lady wasn’t there anymore. The door creaked and she saw her mom slipping out before slamming the door shut.

“Mom! Come back here!”

She slapped her forehead and groaned, finally realizing that the spontaneous break that her mom had offered was nothing but a dirty plan.

That’s why she had been so jumpy ever since I arrived this afternoon, Tiffany thought.

‘—and she is really cute! Really petite! I’m sure you’ll like her! My best friend showed me a picture—’

Tiffany didn’t bother listening more and just closed the laptop lid, ending her conversation with her dad abruptly. She groaned some more and stood up, heading out to where her mom would be hiding—in the kitchen.

—–

She was right.

Along with at least twenty other more people, her mother was indeed inside the kitchen looking very busy ordering everyone on what to do.

Moving stealthily, she grabbed her mother’s arm when she was near enough and dragged her out of the kitchen.

“Mommy, we need to talk.”

“What’s there to talk about, honey?”

“Moooooommmm!“

Tiffany whined at her mother’s innocent smile and the older lady finally let out an amused giggle when she stomped her feet like a toddler.

“Let’s go for a walk, sweetie.” What Tiffany loved about this place was that not only was the estate situated in a very peaceful and lush part of the country, but also because this was where she grew up and spent most of her childhood, running along the halls of the huge villa while being chased playfully by her father.

She had so many fond memories in that place, and even though she had to continue her life in the big city—to study and later on, to work in her father’s company—she had always longed to go back and spend some time with her parents.

Tiffany let her mom lead her out towards the garden, their arms linked and their happy voices echoing through the hallways. She had missed this, bonding with her mother to talk and gossip about useless and random things, just letting the time tick away like it wasn’t important for once.

“I’ve missed this place,” Tiffany said softly, sighing as she sat on the wooden lawn chair right across her mother.

“You need to visit more often, honey. It gets lonely here sometimes, especially when you and your dad are in the city.”

“Tell that to daddy, he never gives me long breaks.”

“Well, you’re in one now.”

Her mother’s cheeky grin, the one she supposedly inherited, showed itself on the old lady’s face and she groaned, suddenly remembering why they were out there in the garden at the first place.

“Mom, this thing—” Tiffany said as she pinched the bridge of her nose, “This marriage thing… What are you trying to do?”

“Tiffany, sweetie,” her mom scolded, “Don’t think I didn’t know about that awful break up you had with whatsherface. I told you, she’s not good for you.”

“Ugh, you didn’t have to remind me, mother.”

Tiffany knew and admitted that her previous relationship was a severe lapse of judgement on her part, because the girl she dated was a shameless jerk (according to both of her family and friends), yet she still went with it. They have been dating for a few months already when she had caught her cheating at her, with an ugly guy nonetheless.

Turned out, her ex was really straight and just dated her because she was rich. Typical, she thought.

Thank god she never gave her anything really expensive except for that Prada purse.

“You know, honey,” her mom started softly, the old lady’s voice drawing her back to the conversation, “When you came out to me and your dad, I felt really happy. I felt like I gained a son all of a sudden!” “Mom! I’m too beautiful to be a guy!” Tiffany answered back as she hit her mother’s thigh lightly, laughing at the silly thought of her having a moustache.

“Of course you are, honey. You’re my daughter after all.”

The proud smile on her mother’s face almost made Tiffany tear up, because honestly, not everyone was welcoming and accepting like her parents were. They were the best, she had deemed, and she wouldn’t have them any other way.

“So let’s talk about your engagement! Oh my god, I am so excited!”

Okay, maybe not that perfect.

“Can we please not talk about this? I really don’t want to be in this—“ Tiffany gestured wildly with her hands, “This thing! Whatever this is!”

“Oh, but honey, your daddy’s best friend’s daughter is really cute!”

“Cute?! You want me to marry a kid?!”

She wanted to bite her tongue for saying that, because now her mother was giving her suggestive smirks.

“Why,” the old lady chided, “How does my daughter like her woman?”

Tiffany gasped, scandalized yet undeniably amused.

“Mom! That’s embarrassing! But if!” she exclaimed, smiling slyly, “If I were to marry, I’d like my wife sexy and matured.”

“Aaaww, you’re just like your father!”

Her mom looked at her rather proudly and she laughed at how silly the old lady was.

“But mom, all jokes aside… I really don’t want to do this. You and dad, I love you both so much and you know that, but I am not gonna approve to this.”

Tiffany held her mother’s hand and gave it a light squeeze, hoping that the older lady would understand and feel her sentiments.

Her parents weren’t like that—that much she knew. They valued other people’s decisions and feelings; never forced anything on anyone.

They were good people, and Tiffany felt very blessed to have them as parents, no matter how crazy they get sometimes. A sigh reached her ears followed by a gentle squeeze on her hand.

“There’s nothing in this world that I’d want more than for you to be happy, my dear daughter. And even though you don’t want to admit it, you’re already in that age where you should be thinking about settling down.”

“I know mom, I just—I don’t want it to be like this, you know? Like…” Tiffany stopped as she felt her cheeks go warm. “I want something nice and romantic to tell my kids someday and… I just don’t think an arranged marriage could do that…”

Silence dawned upon them, save for the sound of the crickets on the lawn and the rustling of the leaves whenever the wind passes.

Another sigh came out of her mother’s mouth.

“Could you at least meet her? I heard she’s really nice. Maybe you’d fall in love at first sight when you see her.”

Tiffany whined and stomped her feet a few times.

“What?” Her mother asked, amused at her daughter’s tantrums, “I’m just saying! You’d never know… What if she really is the one destined for you. I think that would be the most romantic thing ever!”

She looked at her mom and frowned. “Can I even say no?”

“Not really. She’s already on her way here. She’ll arrive tomorrow!”

“Mom!”

—–

Tiffany let the cold breeze brush through her hair as she stood on her room’s veranda, thinking of tonight’s events while replaying the conversation she had with her mother.

‘What if she really is the one destined for you.’

“What if dad had a lapse in judgement and this girl was actually a psychopath and a serial killer…” She whispered to herself.

In less than twenty four hours, she will be meeting her supposed fiancée, and she didn’t know what to feel about it.

She was nervous, anxious and admittedly a little intrigued, but all of those were superficial compared to the heaviness that she was feeling in her heart. Tiffany just wanted love like everyone else, and after multiple unsuccessful relationships, she was more than adamant in finding the right one, hopefully, in a more natural and less dictated way. She believed in fate and destiny, even serendipity, and she had always prayed for something romantic like in the movies, no matter how cliché and silly.

“There’s no way I’ll meet her…”

So she made up her mind; her pride was to blame.

Tiffany was going to run away tonight.

—–

Apologies had been written and folded neatly on her desk, and finally she was ready to slip away, carrying nothing but a small bag that fit an extra shirt, shorts, her wallet and her phone.

Earlier that night before she had decided to take a nap, she had already snuck in the garage to place her things in her car, but when she passed by her old yet well-maintained chopper, an unlikely gift from her father (it was pink so he bought it), her lips tugged up in a knowing smile.

And now the only thing she needed to do was to leave unnoticed.

Closing her door as quietly as she could, she tiptoed her way back towards the garage, only to be greeted by an overly jolly security guard.

“Good morning, Miss Hwang! You’re quite early today!”

Tiffany clamped her mouth, instantly, muffling the beginning of a shriek that came out of her mouth.

“Jesus Christ, don’t scare me like that! And why are you out here so early?!”

“My shift usually starts this early, Miss Hwang.”

“Oh… Okay.”

Tiffany eyed her motorcycle discreetly from where she was, contemplating on how to get close to the thing without looking suspicious. The guard was still starting at her with a goofy smile, looking a little too happy for her liking.

It was only four in the morning. Who in their right minds would be so jolly at work that early?

With a silent groan, she dragged herself away from the garage door, thinking of a Plan B.

Just then, Tiffany thought of something really stupid and hoped that it would still work. “Ow!” She screamed, clutching her stomach before leaning dramatically on the wall beside her.

And right on cue, the smiley guard ran towards her, asking if she was hurt.

“My t-tummy—Uuuggghhhhhh… C-Can you get me medicine?”

“Y-Yes, Miss Hwang! Please wait here!”

Tiffany was almost guilty because the guard looked genuinely concerned before he bolted off like a madman in search of medicine, but as soon as he disappeared around the corner, she immediately scurried towards the garage, retracted the kickstand of her bike and pushed it quietly towards the hidden dirt road at the back of the villa—hers and her dad’s secret shortcut.

When she was far enough, she double checked her belongings before riding the chopper, revving it up before driving off to the open highway with an excited scream.

—–

Tiffany had watched the sun rose from the horizon, and for the first time in a long time she felt so alive.

She rode the empty highway with her arms outstretched and head tilted upwards, basking at the waking sun while she bid goodbye to the sleepy moon.

The engine of her chopper roared with every twist of the handle, drowning the sound of her continuously ringing phone, sending her father and farther away from her family’s estate. She had a very good feeling just now, like something nice was going to happen soon.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPP.

“What the hell!”

She almost lost her balance when she heard someone’s horn blaring, only to find the road still empty. Her furrowed eyebrows finally relaxed when she where it came from.

Tiffany almost laughed out loud when she saw a kid in a hoodie and jeans kicking the front wheel of her stalled truck, probably broken down judging at how old it looked. She finally let out a few loud chuckles when she had realized the irony.

She wanted to just leave the girl alone but something was screaming inside of her, telling her to stop and help.

So she did.

She slowed down and parked just behind the truck. “Need help?” Tiffany asked, kicking the stand before getting off the chopper in a fluid motion. “You okay there?”

She chuckled when she saw the girl gawking at her shamelessly, but she couldn’t blame her, her clothes barely covered anything.

The girl looked really young, though, like barely legal, and Tiffany didn’t know why but she felt so drawn to her. When they’ve talked, she was surprised by the girl’s maturity, and the more she stared at her, the more she felt inclined to know her.

She had asked simple questions but there was something about how she asked them that tickled Tiffany’s interest, and when the shorter girl cursed out loud when she had told her that the nearest town wasn’t for another few miles, Tiffany wanted nothing than to pet her head like a cute kid.

“I’m sorry I can’t take you there. I’m heading towards the other direction.”

“Oh, no. It’s fine. I understand,” the girl said, giving her an understanding smile, “You should go. I don’t want to keep you from your trip. Thank you for stopping.”

When the shorter girl turned around and walked away from her, Tiffany felt something. Suddenly, there was a powerful urge to stop the other, and though she wasn’t sure where that urge came from, she still followed it, calling out to the kid before it’s too late, not like she has somewhere to go with that broken truck.

“Why don’t I just keep you company while we wait for someone to pass by?”

The smile she received was enough to make her feel better.

—–

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into hours, but she didn’t mind, not at all.

Tiffany was comfortable in spite of the cold metal pressed on her exposed skin and the simple meal she had just eaten was the best she had in a long time.

Although she was generally a loud and talkative person, the silence that surrounded them at that time had been very welcoming.

They’ve talked for a while, exchanged names, discussed their plans about getting their freedom, and though it had only been a few words going back and forth in between them, Tiffany had already felt an affinity towards this girl named Kim Taeyeon.

She shivered a bit when the cool breeze suddenly blew, pulling her out of her slumber. Tiffany nuzzled the warm body beside her, pressing her face slightly on the soft material before opening her eyes slowly. She lifted her head from the shoulder she was resting on and smiled, giggling silently at Taeyeon’s slightly opened eyelids and parted lips. The other girl was snoring lightly, making Tiffany’s smile grow even wider.

Cute, she thought with a grin, suddenly remembering the girl she was supposed to meet today. If only her supposed fiancée looked this adorable, then maybe, she would have considered it. Too bad, though, because there was no way she’d know anymore.

Scooting a little bit closer, Tiffany returned to her previous position and just waited for sleep to take her once again, silently enjoying the unexpected comfort that the stranger beside her brought.

—–

She watched as the gasoline pour continuously in her chopper’s gas tank, the sound of the liquid hitting the metal lulling her into a trance.

Tiffany could still feel her lips tingling, as well as the rest of her body, and she thought, unconvincingly, that it was only because of the wind hitting her as she rode the highway towards the North.

It was a spur of the moment thing, leaning towards Taeyeon before kissing her on the cheek, but she felt so good after it, like she had done the right thing, like how she had decided to stay behind to accompany her through the night.

When they’ve parted ways, she felt sad, but the business card Taeyeon left her somehow made it bearable, and the thought of meeting again kind of excited her. There was neither a definite time, nor an assurance if it would even happen, but the thought enough made her smile.

But right now, she had a more pressing issue to deal with, and that was to reach her apartment in the city before deciding where to run off to next.

Checking her filled tank, she swung her legs and straddled the bike, only to have someone’s hand stop her by her shoulder.

“Miss Hwang.”

Tiffany slapped her forehead and shook her head, finally noticing two familiar cars beside her bike, and another one parked not too far away.

“Damn it,” she cursed, getting off her chopper before following the guy in a black suit towards the nearest car.

—– Tiffany heaved a sigh as she watched the trees that lined the road on the way to their estate, and she thought, wryly, if she would have escaped more successfully if she didn’t stop to help Kim Taeyeon.

Probably, she said to herself, because staying with the other girl had delayed her travel for almost a whole day, and if she didn’t stop, she would have already reached the city and was probably on her way to a new place by now.

It’s not like she was leaving for good, she just wanted to go away for a while—away from her family, her work, her friends—away from everything familiar and safe. She had explained everything in the letter she left her mother, but now it was useless, because she was on her way back.

“We’ve just passed the gate. Please inform Madam Hwang that we’re nearing soon.”

She heard the bodyguard sitting shotgun talked through his phone, and for the umpteenth time that day, she sighed, finally, almost, accepting defeat.

Tiffany was exhausted, frustrated and a little mad, and the way the bodyguards were dragging her irritated her more. She yelled and threw tantrums like a kid; she didn’t care anymore.

“Honey—”

“No mom, save it,” she said, cutting her mom off as soon as she saw her in the living room. “I don’t care what daddy says, I am not marrying a—”

“Hi.”

“—stranger…”

Tiffany felt her jaw unhinged when she saw Kim Taeyeon sitting across her mother, looking as much as the kid she was when she first saw her kicking the front wheel of her stalled truck. Part 3

Taeyeon drummed her fingers on her expensive mahogany desk, staring at her phone while chewing on her bottom lip. She inched her hand towards the device but retracted as soon as her fingertip touched the edge, leaning back on her seat as she let out a huge sigh.

Being back in the big city brought an unexplainable uneasiness to her. She felt fidgety and restless with no apparent reason, and everything started when she left the Hwang Estate.

“Just call her,” she told herself, finally snatching the phone from her desk.

Scrolling down her contacts, she paused on Tiffany’s name before hitting the call button with her eyes closed.

Before they parted, she asked for Tiffany’s number, deeming that it was only fair since the latter already had her business card, but this was the first time she was going to contact her since they last talked and seen each other two days ago.

With a shaky breath, she pressed the earpiece on her ear and waited for the ring, only to be met by a recorded voice.

‘Sorry, the number you have dialled is currently unavailable.’

She frowned. “Right. Unavailable.”

Taeyeon’s laugh reverberated in the empty veranda, her weird chortles sailing through the air, making the other girl beside her chuckle as well.

“Why are you laughing?”

She still couldn’t believe it. Even though Tiffany was already standing beside her, mirroring her position, she still thought everything was a joke.

It was too good to be true. The coincidence was so farfetched and crazy and just downright creepy that Taeyeon couldn’t help but laugh raucously.

“Don’t you find this funny?” She tried to say in between her laughter. “Cause I do. I really do.”

Taeyeon felt like she just saw a galaxy exploding into a million stars, because that’s how Tiffany looked like when she snapped from her stupor at the sight of her, almost seeing the gears in her head spinning in catastrophic speeds. The frown flipped and the furrowed eyebrows rose as the other girl finally connected the dots, and even Madam Hwang couldn’t handle the building tension, silently leaving the two of them alone in the living room along with the bodyguards.

Still, that happened hours ago, but Taeyeon was still feeling a little surreal until now.

“I’d like to think it’s fate.”

That stopped her from laughing.

Tiffany’s voice sounded shy but when she turned to her, she had the biggest grin on her face.

“I don’t really believe in fate,” Taeyeon said and the frown that instantly appeared on Tiffany’s face almost made her burst out into another fit of laughter, “But that’s a lovely way to put it.”

It didn’t take long for the silence to dawn upon them, especially when no one wanted to speak up after that. Taeyeon found it funny, though, because after sleeping together for a night, she didn’t think they’d still be shy towards each other.

“So… What now?” She asked, trying to ease out of the awkward air.

“I honestly don’t know…”

“Don’t you think we’re moving too fast, though?”

“What do you mean?”

“This is already our second night together.”

“Hey, watch it.” Taeyeon snorted when Tiffany hit her on her arm. “You’re not sleeping in my room.”

“I’m kidding. But it’s not a bad thing. I like your company.”

“I like your company too.”

Taeyeon nodded absentmindedly, looking over to where Tiffany was.

“You know…”

The other girl threw her a questioning gaze, beckoning her to continue.

“If you’re afraid that I’m going to take your freedom away from you, I’m not,” she said, smiling. “So you don’t need to run away anymore.”

“Why? Not your type?” “What? No, no! It’s not that, you—You’re absolutely pretty! But… I just have so many things I wanted to do first.”

She rolled her eyes playfully when Tiffany snickered at her.

“That’s nice to know. You don’t know how hard it was to run away on a chopper.”

Taeyeon laughed again after hearing that, and the rest of the night was filled with their comfortable chatter.

A knock on the door brought her back.

“Miss Kim, you have a parcel from Chairman Kim.”

“Oh, thanks,” she said, dismissing her secretary with a grateful smile.

Taeyeon tore through the envelop and gasped when she saw the contents.

She held in a squeal as she dialled for her dad’s number, never expecting the old man to act that fast.

‘Taengoooooooo!’

“Dad, I saw the letter. How—Okay, that was really fast,” she said as she gawked at the acceptance letter from that culinary school in Paris.

‘Oh, Taetae, it’s all about connections! Have you seen your plane ticket? It should be there along with all the documents.’

She sorted through the multiple papers and smiled when she saw the first class ticket.

“Yeah, it’s here.”

‘You’re leaving in two weeks. I figured you needed time to fix some stuff first or hang out with your friends before you disappear for years.’

“Don’t exaggerate, Dad. I’ll be back before you know it. But thank you. For everything.”

Taeyeon heard her father sigh through the line.

‘I’m sorry, Taetae. I know you’ve been wanting this ever since… I should’ve done this for you a long time ago.’

“I understand, dad. You needed my help in the company. At least I’m going now.” ‘Yes, and I’m expecting you to excel, okay? Let’s talk about your restaurant business when you get back!’

Taeyeon laughed. Her dad’s enthusiasm was really something.

“Don’t jinx me! I haven’t even started yet!”

‘Nonsense! I know you’ll be able to do it! I can’t see anything wrong with planning ahead.’

She shook her head as she stood up, finally starting on clearing out her office.

“Sometimes I feel like you overestimate me too much.”

‘I don’t. You’re my daughter. You have mine and your mom’s greatness in you.’

Smiling, she took the framed family picture on her desk and stared at her mom’s huge grin.

“Mostly mom’s.”

‘Ah, that I agree.’

She laughed as she continued clearing her desk, dumping everything unceremoniously in the box she brought.

‘I’m sorry I wouldn’t be able to see you off, Taetae. But I’ll visit you there before I go back to work.’

“It’s okay, dad.”

Placing the phone on her desk, she hit the speaker phone button before continuing her packing.

‘So…’

“Hmm?”

‘How’s my best friend’s daughter?’

The question made her stop mid packing. She looked at her phone and she was sure that her father would tease her, but she couldn’t escape the query either.

Sighing, she let a small smile tug at her lips before she continued to fix her things.

“Well, you’re right. She’s really beautiful.”

“Aaaww, thank you!” Her ears perked at the familiar voice and her head snapped towards her door, only to find it open with Tiffany leaning on it with a huge smile.

“Wha—Tiffany?! What are you doing here?!”

‘Ooooohhh. I guess I’ll call you back later, Taetae. Enjoy!’

Taeyeon’s father had ended the call before she could even scramble back to her desk to retrieve it. She cursed to herself, feeling her cheeks getting warm and her palms starting to sweat.

“Please ignore my dad, he’s crazy. And please ignore the mess too, I’m in the middle of packing.”

“I can see that,” Tiffany said, amused. “And I know how you feel about the crazy parents.”

She watched Tiffany enter her office, going around the piles of boxes until she was close to her desk.

“Hi!”

Taeyeon couldn’t help but smile at Tiffany’s huge grin and enthusiastic greeting, and she thought, as she looked at her decked in a crisp skirt and suit, that she looked so very different from the biker chick she met just a few days ago. Not that it’s a bad thing, because seeing Tiffany could never be bad.

Nope. Never.

“So, what can I do for you?”

“Well, I was in the area. I tried calling you but your phone was unavailable so I just decided to drop by and get you myself.”

She raised her eyebrows at that. “Get me yourself?”

“Would you like to get an early dinner with me?”

Tiffany’s smile had become softer, almost shy, and there was no way Taeyeon could ever say no to that face.

“I’d love to.”

—–

Taeyeon thoroughly enjoyed that meal; it was probably the best she had since a very long time, and to think that it was just a simple sandwich at a humble diner, the thought of that alone baffled her to no end. ‘I need to know what’s in this sandwich,’ she even said, earning her an amused chuckle from her new friend.

But now they were on their way back to her office, opting to just walk since it wasn’t that far.

They talked while they ate, about her agreement with her dad and her plans. Tiffany had listened patiently, gave her own opinions and shared a lot of things about her too. It was rather funny, because they knew about each other’s companies, but it never came across their minds that their parents were actually friends.

“So… Paris, huh?”

“Yep.”

“Why Paris?”

Taeyeon looked at the girl beside her and paused, grimacing a bit when she saw the encouraging look. “You’d laugh at me if I tell you.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

She narrowed her eyes at her.

“What? I promise, okay!”

“Fine,” Taeyeon sighed. “Have you seen… Ratatouille?”

“What?”

“Ratatouille, the animated film? With the cooking rat?”

She watched Tiffany’s lips twitch.

“You’re kidding me, right?”

Taeyeon shook her head and Tiffany finally guffawed.

“Hey! You promised you won’t laugh!”

“But it’s really silly!”

“This is why I don’t like telling people about it!”

She wanted to storm off but the other girl already had her hand on her arm, pulling her back beside her. Taeyeon huffed when Tiffany looped her arm around hers. “Aaaww, I’m sorry.”

“I know it’s silly but… It’s what I like to do so… Yeah.”

Her quiet voice must have alerted the other because the next thing she knew, she was already engulfed in a warm hug.

“Sorry, Taeyeon, I didn’t mean to laugh…”

“It’s okay,” she patted Tiffany’s back, “You’re not the only one who laughed at it, to be honest.”

One last squeeze and Tiffany pulled back from her, trapping her cheeks in between her hands instead.

“If it would make you feel any better, you’re cuter than Remy the rat.”

Tiffany pinched her cheeks before bolting off, laughing.

“Hey!”

———

———

“I never asked, but…”

It was already late when they got back to Taeyeon’s office, and since she didn’t have anything important to do in the office the next day, Tiffany decided to stay and keep the girl company as she packed.

“Hmm?” She hummed lazily, scrolling down on her smart phone as she browsed for random things on the internet.

“Don’t you have anything you wanted to do? Like, a career you wished you had instead?”

“Not really,” Tiffany answered, eyes still on her phone. “I haven’t really thought about that.”

Come to think of it, she hadn’t really thought much about her future. She went to business school as soon as she graduated from high school, then to graduate school right after college. Her parents didn’t stop her from doing anything she wanted, too, so now she wondered why the hell was she working under her father’s company when she could’ve been doing something else.

“Working in my dad’s company is enough for me, I guess,” she said, more to herself than to Taeyeon. The shorter girl was still packing her stuff, going to and fro the huge box in the middle of the office, chucking in anything she could get a hold of. Tiffany watched her move about efficiently, and she thought right then, that Taeyeon would probably be a natural in a busy kitchen.

She giggled at the thought, imagining the petite girl in her chef’s outfit with matching toque, moving about while she ordered the sous-chefs.

“You should come to Paris with me, you know,” Taeyeon suddenly said. “Explore, go around the city, see the sights? You might find something you’d like to do there. Upgrade your chopper to a plane; you’d reach more places with that.”

Tiffany knew it was an offhanded remark judging by the way the other girl continued what she was doing without thought, but she felt something stir inside of her—Surprise? Maybe. Excitement? Probably. But whatever it was, it felt really nice.

Her heart suddenly felt really warm.

“Maybe I should,” she said, smiling.

—–

“Sunny, what do you think of Paris?”

“Two words: Louis Vuitton.”

Tiffany wanted to throw her planner at her best friend, but she was right about the luxury brand, and she would love to shop at other boutiques in that city, too.

But that wasn’t what she meant.

Ever since Taeyeon had somewhat invited her to join her in her trip, Tiffany had been having second thoughts about everything in her life. Just an hour ago, she almost dozed off at a board meeting, because she was, well, bored.

And that never happened before.

She loved working for her dad, and she loved what she does. Yet now, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

Tiffany got off from her chair and joined her best friend on the plush sofa, hugging a small pink throw pillow.

“I mean,” she started again, leaning back comfortably, “What do you think of Paris. Like, in general?”

“Well, it’s a beautiful city—the city of lights, the city of love. But why the sudden curiosity?” Sunny looked at her with her head tilted to the side, the magazine she was leafing through temporarily forgotten.

“Nothing, I was just—” Tiffany paused.

Why was she even curious? It’s not life she hadn’t been there before.

“You were just…?”

“I was just thinking of travelling. You know, vacation.”

“Oh, you’re thinking of going to Paris?”

“Yes, something like that.”

Her petite best friend hummed and nodded, picking up the discarded magazine before continuing to leaf through.

“Paris is good,” the smaller girl commented in agreement. “You might even find a nice French girl while you’re there.”

That made Tiffany smile.

—–

She watched as the small circular icon stopped turning on the middle of her laptop screen and a wide smile immediately plastered itself on her face as soon as she saw her father waving back at her.

‘Hi, honey! How’s my baby?’

“Dad, I’m already an adult!” Tiffany whined as her dad laughed heartily, suddenly missing the old man for being gone for so long.

‘Eh, you’ll always be my baby no matter how old you are. So, what does my baby want?’

“Dad,” she started, “Can I ask for a favour?”

‘Sure, sweetie. Anything.’

“I’d like to go on a long sabbatical.”

Her father’s eyes instantly widen before switching into a more interested gaze, suddenly moving closer to the screen as if scrutinizing her.

‘May I ask why?’ “I want to travel.”

‘Ooooh, interesting… Okay!’

Tiffany had her eyes almost falling from their sockets at the nonchalant answer, silently cursing at the fact that she had to go through an anxiety attack before she made the call.

“What? That’s it?!”

The old man looked at her confusedly. ‘Why? You don’t want me to allow you?’

“No! It’s just—That was easier than I thought.”

‘Well, you’re more than old enough to do what you want, Fany. And what kind of father am I if I stopped you from doing that?’

“Wow,” she whispered. “Thanks, daddy!”

‘Uh-uh, wait! Let’s just make this clear… I am not going to pay for any of your trips, okay?’

Tiffany had to resist rolling her eyes at that. “Of course, my dear father. I have my own money to spend.”

‘Aha, good girl! Don’t forget to tell your mom, okay? Call us every once in a while, you hear me?’

“Yes, daddy, of course. Love you!”

‘Love you too, sweetie. Have fun!’

Oh, she definitely will.

—–

“Good day, Ma’am. What can I do for you?”

“Hi. Can you book me a first class ticket on whatever flight’s leaving the closest at this time.”

Tiffany handed her passport and credit card to the airport agent, who was looking at her like she grew another head.

“If there are no more first class seats available, business class would do.”

“Please hold on for a moment, Ma’am.” She looked over at the agent who was typing away, feeling a little excited yet nervous at the same time.

Tiffany was a pretty adventurous person, but never in her life would she imagine that she’d do something as crazy and impulsive as this.

After saying goodbye to her mother and father on the phone and getting a tight hug from Sunny, she ventured out to the airport with nothing but a small duffel bag, just enough to hold in her essentials. Since she didn’t know where she would go first, carrying a light load would be more than sufficient.

Being at the airport again reminded her of Taeyeon, whom she had never heard from again after she had seen her off three days ago. The latter was more than ecstatic, though, especially when she had told her that she was going to see the world.

Tiffany opened a saved note on her phone and smiled at the apartment address that Taeyeon left her, telling her that she could visit any time she wants if ever she stopped by at Paris.

‘I definitely would,’ she had told her, earning her a smile and a thumbs up.

“Ma’am.”

“Yes?”

Tiffany turned back to the agent who handed her passport and credit card back, along with a ticket.

“I’ve managed to get you a first class seat on a last minute flight but I suggest you start running to the check in counter now. Your plane to Paris is leaving in twenty seven minutes.”

Clutching all her belongings, she ran towards the check in counter after thanking the agent, continuing on to Immigration and finally to the gate, barely missing the flight.

Tiffany plopped on her comfortable seat, panting, finally realizing where she was headed.

Somehow she felt like the universe was trying to tell her something. Part 4

Truth be told, this wasn’t her first time being in Paris.

In fact, Tiffany had been in the city multiple times already, but the last time she visited for leisure was when she was still very young, barely able to understand the significance of the place. The other times after that had all been business trips—meeting clients and potential investors that didn’t last for more than a day.

So when her plane started to descend, she couldn’t help but marvel at how the city glowed like a billion fireflies in a clearing, looking more enchanting than it already was.

The melodic chime of the intercom sounded in her ears, catching her attention from the window.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, zis is your capzain speaking,’ the captain’s crisp and heavily accented English followed soon after, making Tiffany giggle. ‘It is now nine in ze evening, local time, wiz outside zemperature of seventeen degrees celcius.’

A map of France with a small moving plane clipart lighted up all the screens, displaying the current time along with the weather.

‘We are now cruising az an altitude of eleven zhousand feet and we’ll be landing in a few moments.’

She closed her eyes and uttered a silent thanksgiving prayer for the smooth travel, finally hearing the landing gears being lowered and the wing flaps being adjusted.

‘Zhank you for flying wiz us and may you have a wonzerful stay in ze City of Lights…’

Tiffany opened her eyes and held in a gasp as she turned back to the window, almost pressing her face on the glass as she gawked at the perfect night view of Paris.

She could swear that the city wasn’t as beautiful as this the last time she visited, or maybe, probably, because she didn’t really care before.

A huge knowing grin tugged at her lips as she drank in the beautiful sight, and it was only then that she finally agreed, that getting on this plane was one of the best decisions she had ever made in her entire life.

‘Everyone,’ the captain spoke again. ‘Bienvenue à Paris.’

—–

The first thing she did when she got off the plane was call the hotel her father’s company partly owned, the place she usually resided in whenever she visited the city. She booked her usual suite, which was fortunately vacant, and asked to be fetched at the airport. That hotel was the fruit of her own labour, flying back and forth just to meet up with a French business partner until they’ve agreed on a mutual proposal. Her father had been so proud of her when she had closed it, and she was proud of herself as well, finally feeling useful in the company.

She was still young back then, a bit inexperienced and still easily intimidated, but her father had trusted her with the huge project without any doubts. That’s why the moment she and the French representative had capped their pens after signing the documents, she all but squealed happily on the phone with her dad, ignoring how loud she might have been.

Tiffany loved the place, too, not only because of the success it brought to her career but also because it had a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower, and it was near the shopping district, along with some of the nicest restaurants around.

And speaking of restaurants…

“Uhm, François?”

The kind chauffeur looked at her from the rear view mirror, giving her a questioning yet friendly gaze.

“Oui, Mademoiselle Hwang?”

“Do you know where this is?”

Tiffany fished her phone from inside her bag and opened Taeyeon’s address before handing the device to the chauffeur, who slowed down on the busy street.

“Ah, oui! Iz not far from ze hotel.”

A smile instantly graced her lips, suddenly feeling excited.

“Can you drive me there tomorrow?”

“Of course, Mademoiselle!” The chauffeur said enthusiastically as he handed her back her phone. “Iz no problem!”

She took the device and sat back more comfortably, an unexplainable giddiness creeping in her body.

—–

Tiffany’s first morning in Paris was everything but mediocre.

The Eiffel Tower greeted her as soon as she opened her eyes, and the early mist that surrounded the city made it all surreal. All signs of jetlag were gone and she was thankful for that, smiling through half lidded eyes as she expected a fun day in Paris.

Since she had just packed light because her first destination was unknown, she had just opted to buy the things that she’ll need when she reaches that country. But now that she’s in Paris, Tiffany thought that it wouldn’t hurt to shop for more.

François opened the car door for her as soon as she stepped out of the hotel, giving him a grateful smile before she slid in the back seat. She made herself comfortable and waited for the cheerful driver to get in.

“Where to, Mademoiselle Hwang?”

“Take me to the shopping district, s’il vous plaît.”

“Oui, Mademoiselle.”

“Merci, François.”

—–

Tiffany wished that Sunny could be there with her, shopping till their arms fall off or until their cards get scratched to the point of uselessness.

Her eyes twinkled at the line of boutiques standing side by side, with the newly released designer bags and shoes and clothes beckoning her to buy from their respective store windows.

She didn’t know where to go first, to be honest, and when she turned to her side to ask François, who was in charge of taking her around the city, the poor chauffeur just shrugged before pointing at the nearest boutique.

“Let’s go!”

—–

“Non, non, non!”

Tiffany grimaced a bit when she almost dropped the expensive bag she had in her hands, turning towards the lady who had been there ever since she entered the boutique. She was surrounded by a couple of people, a team Tiffany deduced, fussing over her with a bunch of dresses and accessories and shoes that, for a lack of a better word, hideous.

“Non! Zis isn’t working! Do you people even know what you’re doing?!”

The lady continued to flail her hands in disappointment, almost hitting a staff on the face. Her heavily accented English reverberated inside the quiet store, drowning out the staff’s apologies. Returning the bag quietly, Tiffany opted to just move on to another store before she gets into the messy flurry. She moved discreetly towards the back of the store so she could sneak out and exit unnoticed, but—

“Hé!”

Tiffany stopped on her tracks instantly, her right foot hanging in mid step. She gulped and willed herself to look at the woman who was standing in the middle of the room, raised in a circular platform, wearing terrible designer clothes and accessories. The large full body mirror reflected her piercing gaze, making Tiffany swallow some more.

“M-Moi?” She asked, pointing to herself.

“Oui! Asian girl at ze back. Come, come.”

With shaky steps, she inched towards the lady that was beckoning for her to come closer.

“Closer, ma chérie, let me zake a good look az you.”

With pursed lips and satisfied nods, the lady scrutinized every inch of her—from head to toe and back—and Tiffany could swear that this was the very first time she ever felt nervous.

Really nervous.

“Très bon!” The lady suddenly exclaimed, making Tiffany jump a little. “I like what you’re wearing, zear! Who is your stylist?”

“Uhm…”

Everyone was looking at her expectantly, especially the lady. The team of stylists were watching her anxiously, too, as if silently pleading for help.

“I,” Tiffany said, softly, “I don’t have one… I pick my clothes myself…”

It took a few seconds before the lady exploded in amazement, complimenting her style as the latter held her by the shoulders and turned her around to take another good look at everything she had on. Tiffany had blushed all throughout, smiled until her cheeks hurt and her jaw numb.

“I have zis… very important gathering zo azzend zis weekend,” the lady suddenly said with her very accented English, “If you were zo dress me, what would you make me wear?”

“Hmm…”

The gears in Tiffany’s head started to turn as she took note of what the lady was currently wearing, and it was very unfortunate that the unnecessary layers and bad choices of colors had hidden away the woman’s strong and complimenting features. She raised her hand and gestured at the horrible blazer.

“Firstly, I think you would look better if you take this off…”

—–

Needless to say, after a mere twenty minutes, Tiffany had managed to put together a perfect ensemble, even gave a few suggestions on how to style the lady’s hair.

The woman had thanked her for it, even offered to pay her for the styling, but Tiffany waved it off with a smile and a very cheerful ‘I had fun’.

“Merci beaucoup, ma chérie, really,” the lady said before entering her limousine, “You already have my card. Don’t forget zo call me zonight, okay Tiffany? I have zo go. Au revoir. À la prochaine!”

After a kiss on both cheeks, the lady finally rode away in her luxurious car, leaving a waving Tiffany on the sidewalk with a very confused chauffeur.

“Let’s get going, François. I just need a few more things then we’ll go back to the hotel.”

“Oui, Mademoiselle.”

———

———

Taeyeon thought it would have been better if Tiffany went with her, because by then she wouldn’t have to feel lonely, just like now.

Paris was a beautiful city, and finally that dream she had been aiming for was at reach, but suddenly she felt weird about it—like something was missing, something really important.

When she landed three days ago, the first thing she did after she got off the plane was to check her documents, leafed through everything just to be sure she didn’t forget anything. She had checked twice, thrice, and even more than that until she realized she needed to head out soon, but as she sat on her taxi on the way to her apartment, she still felt like something wasn’t right.

Taeyeon hadn’t slept properly that first night, opting to just stare outside her bedside window that had an awesome view of the Eiffel Tower, just waited for sleep to take her. But when she woke up the morning after, the uneasiness didn’t go away.

There she was three days after, feeling a little better—a bit miserable, but slightly better. She no longer had that uneasy feeling, just a small voice at the back of her head whispering unintelligible words to her that sounded mostly like ‘miss’, ‘her’ and ‘Tiffany’. A knock on her door made her get up from her couch, albeit begrudgingly, groaning as she dragged herself towards the foyer.

Her apartment wasn’t as luxurious as her penthouse suite back home, but it was really cozy and comfortable, not too big and not too small for someone like her. She had thanked her father for it numerous times when she had finally seen the living space in person, praising the old man and his staff for their impeccable taste.

Another knock forced her to speed up, calling out to whoever was at the other side of her door to wait for a moment.

Knock, knock, knock, knock—

“Seulement une minute!” She yelled, half annoyed and half curious at the unexpected visitor.

Yanking the door open harshly after unlocking, Taeyeon felt her tongue recede back to her throat.

“Bonsoir!”

She couldn’t tell if it was Tiffany’s sudden appearance that made her heart skip a beat, or the fact that the other girl had just greeted her in French in her cheerful yet husky voice. Either way, she was standing there in front of her, with that goofy wide grin, looking all sorts of beautiful and perfect with her simple casual outfit and wavy hair cascading down her shoulders.

“Surprise!” Tiffany adorably squealed in French.

Surprise, indeed.

—–

“Wow…”

Taeyeon chuckled as she placed the cup of tea carefully on Tiffany’s waiting hands, making sure that it won’t spill. The girl was still busy gawking at the view outside her window, staring at the bright tower that lit up the whole Parisian night sky.

“That’s the first thing that comes out of my mouth whenever I wake up.”

“And here I thought the view from my hotel room was the best.”

She watched Tiffany drank from her teacup and she couldn’t help but stare at how the latter’s lips wrapped on the edge of the cup delicately, leaving a tint of her red lipstick when she pulled back. Taeyeon unconsciously licked her lips as Tiffany did the same, but when the other girl turned her head towards her, she diverted her gaze instantly.

“So how long are you gonna be here for?” She asked, hiding her flushed cheeks from almost being caught.

“Honestly? I don’t know. I haven’t done anything much yet, anyway. I just landed last night.”

“Oh, right.”

“So, have you started your classes?”

“No, not yet. I still have a week, I think.”

Tiffany’s face lit up excitedly and Taeyeon grimaced at how evil it looked.

“Good! You can still go around with me!”

“I thought you said you already have a chauffeur?!”

“Well, I don’t need a chauffeur, Taeyeon,” Tiffany told her, rolling her eyes playfully, “I need a friend who can show me around!”

Tiffany was looking at her with a pout, arms crossed on her chest, looking like a kid a quarter her age. She was leaning on the windowpane, eyeing her disappointedly.

Little by little, Taeyeon felt her lips tug at the edges, smiling a bit before chuckling. She saw Tiffany’s lips twitch a bit, too, holding in a smile.

“Fine,” the shorter girl sighed in fake defeat. “We can go around in my moped.”

At the way Tiffany’s eyes twinkled and her lips split open into a wide grin, Taeyeon was so sure that she looked a hundred times brighter than the Eiffel Tower that evening.

—–

*‘Bienvenue à Paris.’ – Welcome to Paris.

Oui – Yes

S’il vous plaît. – Please.

Merci – Thank you

Non – No Hé! – (used to catch someone’s attention)

Ma chérie – my dear

Très bon! – Very Good!

Au revoir – Goodbye

À la prochaine! – Until next time!

Seulement une minute! – Just a minute!

Bonsoir! – Good evening! Part 5

“Wow. This… This is just…“

“Beautiful…”

Taeyeon grimaced as she bit her tongue, but it was too late.

The word had already left her mouth and there was no way to take it back anymore, but just like how she had been considering herself lucky these past few days, Tiffany didn’t notice that it was actually for her.

“Yeah, that’s right,” she heard her say as the latter turned to her with a smile, “It’s beautiful.”

The sun had been down a couple of hours ago and they were now standing at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, resting for a bit after going around the city the whole morning and afternoon.

Three consecutive days they’ve spent almost attached at the hip, combing through the city in Taeyeon’s moped (a gift from her dad for easy travel, he said), decked in pink and blue helmets.

They’ve visited shops, ate at all the restaurants especially the ones hidden away from the main traffic, and visited all the museums.

Taeyeon felt like she was on vacation, and it was the first time she really had fun ever since she had arrived almost a week ago. Gone were her worries and uneasiness, and she thought, as she stared at Tiffany’s side profile that was being highlighted by the Eiffel Tower’s warm lights, that it was only obvious why she was feeling that happy, and that her dad was probably right.

And she hated it whenever her father was right.

Usually, she would debate with him, list all her argument points until she closed all loose ends and covered all loopholes, but with this one she was readily accepting defeat.

Taeyeon, maybe—no, most definitely—had fallen in love with her dad’s best friend’s daughter.

It might not have been love at first sight, as her father had predicted, but it was definitely more than just admiration.

A growling sound reached Taeyeon’s ear, snapping her from her thoughts.

“Oops…”

She chuckled when Tiffany grinned at her, flushed, embarrassed at her tummy.

“Come on, I know a place that serves the best food you’ll ever eat here in Paris. Cheap and has a good view of the tower too!” Tiffany suddenly snatched the keys from her hand, bolting off before stopping a good distance away from her.

“What are you waiting for, Tae?!” She yelled, her loud voice echoing, “I’ll drive! Let’s go!”

Taeyeon took off after her as the other girl ran off again, screaming after the laughing girl.

“Hey, do you even have a French license?!”

—–

If Tiffany had driven her down South that day her truck broke down, then it must have felt something like this.

She didn’t know which one felt better, though, Tiffany’s arms wrapped around her waist as they cruised around the streets of Paris, or her own pair latched onto the other.

Taeyeon had been shy at first, opting to just hold onto the grills at the back of her moped, but the other girl insisted, grabbing both of her hands and pulling on them before wrapping them around her own waist snugly, telling her to stick closer because she was feeling cold.

So she did.

She wrapped her arms around Tiffany tightly as she pressed her body on her back, hoping that the warmth that suddenly filled her was felt by the other, too.

Taeyeon could swear that she heard Tiffany sigh when she drew her closer, but the sound of her moped’s engine coming to life drowned it even before she could confirm anything.

“So, where to, Mademoiselle Kim?” Tiffany asked, bumping her helmet-clad head with her own playfully. She was turned towards her and Taeyeon could feel her breath hitting her cheek.

“Just drive, Chauffeur Hwang. I’ll tell you where to turn.”

—–

When Taeyeon first saw Ratatouille, she thought it was stupid.

A rat who cooked while perched on a kid’s head hidden under a toque was just a ridiculous idea, but as the movie ended with the credits finally rolling out, she suddenly decided that she was going to be a chef.

She saw how people became happy because of Remy’s cooking, how even the cold-hearted critique burst into emotions after just one bite, and she wanted that. Taeyeon wanted people to be happy with the food that she makes—as simple as that. And judging by how Tiffany had her eyes closed and her lips in a smile as she chewed on the simple dinner that she had cooked, she felt like she’s close to achieving that dream.

“You’re right,” the other girl said, catching her attention from her own plate, “this is the best.”

Tiffany hummed some more as she placed another spoonful of pasta in her mouth, making Taeyeon smile.

“Why thank you, Mademoiselle Hwang. There’s more in the pot if you want?”

The other girl shook her head as she tried to swallow what’s in her mouth, raising her palm and gesturing for her to wait for a moment.

It was times like this when Taeyeon would feel her heart beat a little faster and slower at the same time, because Tiffany’s quirks were all adorable—something she had been noticing quite often lately—and she just couldn’t help but adore every single part of her.

“How come you still wanted to study when you’re already this good?” Tiffany asked after swallowing, reaching for the glass of red wine Taeyeon had set out for her.

“I lack the proper techniques. I just learned all these,” Taeyeon gestured at the food, “from watching cooking shows and reading cook books in between my company duties.”

“Well, I think you’re really made for the kitchen,” the other girl commented before shoving another spoon in her mouth. “Wow, this is soooo good…”

Taeyeon chuckled before digging on her own plate.

—–

“You never told me you could ride a motorcycle.”

Taeyeon turned away from the view outside her window, leaning on the windowpane as she faced Tiffany who was comfortably lounging on her sofa after eating so much.

After the simple dinner, Tiffany had volunteered to wash the dishes, but after eating almost everything, just standing up from her chair had been a struggle. So Taeyeon just let her sit there while she washed everything she had used, and by the time she was finished, Tiffany had finally digested.

“Only bicycles and scooters,” Taeyeon answered back. “I don’t think I can handle something bigger, like your chopper.”

She chuckled, suddenly remembering the pink bike.

“Really, though,” she teased, shaking her head, “A chopper, Tiffany? Really?” “Hey, my dad gave that to me, okay? It was a gift!”

“Oh? I wish my dad gave me a cooler bike too, like, a Ducati or something.”

“I think the moped’s perfect for you, though. You look cute on it.”

Taeyeon pouted.

“That’s the point; I don’t want to be cute,” she said with a grimace, “I want to be sexy.”

Tiffany laughed and Taeyeon pouted even more.

“Aaaaww,” the other girl cooed, “How can you not be cute when you’re pouting like that?”

She watched her stand up from the couch, walked the few steps separating them. In seconds, Tiffany was already in her space, pinching her cheeks.

“What’s wrong about being cute? Cute is nice,” Tiffany teased, squishing her cheeks this time, trapping her face in between her palms.

Taeyeon felt herself blush, her squished face starting to feel warm. She wondered if the other girl felt it, but judging by the continuous pinching and squishing, she realized that the latter probably didn’t care.

“But you said you didn’t like cute people…”

She lowered her head when she said that with her hushed voice, refusing to look at the taller girl who had stopped pinching her cheeks.

“I guess I don’t, but… Cute people make me want to hug them like this…”

Taeyeon held her breath when Tiffany gently slid her hands down her jaw then passed her neck, pulling her into a warm embrace. She felt her heart beat wildly inside her chest, and this time she was sure that the other girl could feel it too.

Shyly, she lifted her arms, gingerly wrapping them around the slim waist. She closed her eyes when she heard Tiffany sigh in her ear. The other girl had been doing that quite often lately, she thought in passing.

They stayed like that for a while, neither one of them speaking. It was rather comfortable; felt really natural, like that night where Tiffany had slept on her shoulder at the back of her mother’s truck.

Surely, it was a memory she wouldn’t want to forget. “Are you abusing my non-aversion to skinship?” Taeyeon asked, finally, breaking the silence with a soft chuckle, just enough for Tiffany to hear. She tried to ignore that fluttering feeling in her tummy, but it only intensified every time she breathed in.

“Why, you don’t like hugs, Mademoiselle Kim?”

She chuckled at that, again, before drawing Tiffany even more closer to her.

And it was when the latter tightened the hold around her neck did she felt a mutual understanding.

“I do, Mademoiselle Hwang. I like hugs very much.”

“Good,” Tiffany answered back, and her voice sounded like she was smiling. “I like hugs too, especially from cute people.”

———

———

When Tiffany woke up on her hotel bed, she swore she could still feel the warmth that Taeyeon’s embrace left on her body. She smiled when she recalled all the teasing and all the laughing they did last night, especially the shorter girl’s weird chortles that come out whenever something relatively funny happens or gets talked about.

They spent the night talking about anything and everything, learning new things about each other as they go along, and when it had gotten too late, Taeyeon offered to take her back to the hotel on her moped.

The ride back to her hotel was too short and had ended too fast, but when Taeyeon shyly held her hand to stop her from going inside the lobby, Tiffany felt time slowed down. And when the shorter girl stood on her tippy toes to give her a soft kiss on her cheek, thanking her for the enjoyable day, she felt the world stop spinning completely.

The shorter girl had embraced her briefly then, before getting on her moped and riding away hurriedly, and by the time Tiffany had snapped from her stupor, the other girl was long gone.

She sighed, contentedly, rolling on her bed with a huge smile on her face.

—–

After an hour of bumming around in her hotel room, Tiffany had received a call from Madame Cosette Dupont, the French woman she had helped at that one boutique while she was out shopping with François. They had agreed to meet later that day, and though Tiffany wanted to spend the day with Taeyeon before she officially starts her culinary classes, she couldn’t decline the other woman.

And so hours later, she found herself in an exclusive restaurant, sipping on the best wine she had ever tasted in her life.

“Ah, Tiffany, I’m glad you were able zo meez wiz me zoday! You should’ve seen mes amies, zey all loved my ouzfiz!”

“Madame Dupont—“

“Oh please ma chérie, call me Cosette! ‘Madame Dupont’ makes me feel really old.”

In the short span of time Tiffany had spent with the lady, all have been good-natured and surprisingly a lot of fun. Yes, she was intimidated when they first met, but scary first impressions soon vanished when they’ve actually talked, and not just about clothes, but also about everything.

Turned out, Cosette Dupont was a household name in France, very wealthy and very influential. Why she didn’t have a good stylist, Tiffany would never know, but she was glad, kind of, because if Madame Dupont did, then she wouldn’t have been offered this interesting proposition.

“So, oui? You’re going zo do it, yes?”

Cosette’s hopeful gaze made Tiffany smile.

And right then, she had remembered her initial plan of travelling around the world, but she thought, with a sudden excitement brewing in her chest, that staying in Paris for a little while longer wouldn’t hurt.

Also, because, there was a little cute someone in Paris that the other places in the world could never have.

“Okay,” Tiffany finally answered, nodding her head enthusiastically. “I’ll do it. I’ll be your stylist.” Part 6

‘Honeeeey!!!’

Tiffany almost dropped her phone on the floor when her mom’s voice suddenly blared from the device, deafening her for a good five seconds. She fumbled for it before it fell, shaking her head as she returned the thing to her ear.

‘I’m so glad you called! Your dad and I miss you so much! Where are you now? Are you having fun? Did you get us souvenirs?!’ Her mom continued without missing a beat.

She wanted to roll her eyes from her mother’s silliness, but she did miss her very much, and it was kind of her fault for not calling often.

“Yes, hi mom,” she finally said, “I miss you and dad too. And I’m here at Paris.”

‘Oh, you went back? Weren’t you there months ago?’

“Well, uh, I kind of… didn’t leave.”

Her mom had become quiet after that, probably still processing what she had said.

‘I thought you were gonna travel around?’

“I am—well, was, but something really unexpected happened and now I’m actually working here!”

‘I… don’t get it.’

Tiffany then started to tell everything that happened when she arrived at Paris, starting from the moment she landed at the airport. She excitedly narrated her first encounter with Madame Cosette and how she ended up being her stylist, finally explaining how she got the stint and why she was still in France after staying for a few months already.

“And now I’m being paid for making people wear nice clothes,” she ended with a giggle.

‘Well, you’ve always had nice style, sweetie, so I’m not surprised.’

“Aaaaww! Thanks, mom!”

‘So where are you staying now? Don’t tell me you’re still staying at the hotel? That would be too expensive even if you’re getting paid now.’

Tiffany closed her eyes tightly and grimaced. She was hoping that her mother wouldn’t bring that up, since she had been trying so hard to omit that one small detail from all of her stories. Mother’s instincts, she thought, but then again she shouldn’t have kept it from the older woman.

With a dramatic sigh, Tiffany prepared herself from being massively teased for the rest of her life.

“Uh, well… About that…”

A few months ago…

The dinner she had was just lovely, and the company a whole lot more, so Tiffany thoroughly enjoyed herself, felt really good about everything that just happened.

She never thought that Taeyeon would be right, though.

When Tiffany left the country, it wasn’t on her mind to look for something new—she just really wanted to travel, to see the world. But it just came and sprung up on her in the most random of times, forcing her to act without much thinking. It did felt exhilarating; that much she couldn’t deny.

All her life, she had done nothing else but work in her family’s company, but she excelled at it. It was perfect, to say the least—she was really perfect in that job, in that whole setting—but it was only that; there was nothing else. Tiffany had never thought of it as boring because that’s what she was used to. She never looked for anything else either, there was no need for that, she thought before.

But this thrill she was feeling right now, added with the newfound knowledge that she was really actually good at something she just thought as an everyday common skill—it was life changing.

The moment she had accepted Madame Dupont’s offer, she felt something stir inside of her— like she was nervous all of a sudden, a little anxious but a whole lot excited.

And the last time she had felt that was when she was silently pushing her pink chopper away from their villa, ready to run away from the world.

“Tiffany, zear,” Cosette’s voice reached her ears and suddenly she remembered where she was.

“Hmm?” Tiffany hummed, smiling at the older lady politely.

“Where do you stay? Lez me drive you back, iz a lizzle late.”

“Oh no, it’s okay, Cosette. My friend’s going to pick me up—“ Just then, Tiffany heard the familiar rumbling of an engine before finally seeing Taeyeon on her moped, cruising towards them wearing her cute blue helmet that looked a size bigger than her head.

She giggled at the sight, especially when the shorter girl had parked in front of her with a huge grin, earning a bunch of incredulous looks from the French valet. They were after all still in front of the exclusive restaurant, with a bunch of luxury cars lined up at the side with at least ten well- dressed valets and chauffeurs.

Tiffany watched the short girl kick the stand on her moped before removing her helmet, placing the thing on the seat before sauntering over to where she stood.

She was about to call for her when the lady beside her beat her to it.

“Taeyeon? Is zhat you, my zear?”

“Oh, Madame Dupont!”

Tiffany didn’t know if she should be disappointed when Taeyeon diverted her attention away from her, but she was more intrigued at how the shorter girl new the French woman.

And by how Taeyeon’s eyes lit up when she saw Cosette, there would be a lot of questioning later on when they’re finally alone.

“Ah, come here, zear!” Cosette exclaimed, excited, “I zizn’t know you were back in Paris!”

She watched the French lady smother Taeyeon into a tight hug after a kiss on each cheek, and she wondered, while all of this was happening, if she should start greeting the other girl the same way, too. They were in Paris anyway, and it’s only polite and customary to greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks.

Tiffany suddenly blushed at the silly thought.

“I arrived weeks ago, Madame Cosette. Comment ça va?”

“Bien, bien,” answered the other, “Are you here for business? Is your crazy fazher wiz you?”

Taeyeon chuckled at that and Tiffany couldn’t help but smile along at the sound.

“Non, I’m here to study.”

“Monsieur Kim finally said yes, eh? Zhis is wonzerful news!”

“Oui, Madame. It really is.”

Tiffany watched the exchange and somehow finally understood what was going on. “Oh, but whaz are you zoing here?”

Right then, Taeyeon looked like she had actually forgotten why she was there, but when Tiffany met her gaze, her eyes twinkled with clarity

“I’m here for Tiffany,” she heard her say, making her smile.

Madame Dupont’s eyebrows rose at that before smiling widely, suddenly looking like she was up to no good.

It made Tiffany nervous.

“Is she your petite amie, Taeyeon?”

“Non, non!” Taeyeon exclaimed a little too loudly, waving her hands in front of her. “J-Just a friend, Madame.”

Tiffany would have enjoyed seeing Taeyeon blush, but she was sure that she was flustered too, especially when the French lady started to wiggle her eyebrows playfully at the two of them. She sneaked a look at Taeyeon and saw the latter looking at the ground, but there was a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

“Ah, I gez it,” Cosette answered back, still teasing. “Not your girlfriend… yet.”

The French lady’s meaningful chuckle broke through the awkward air, followed by her own giggle and then Taeyeon’s.

“Zon’t be shy abouz it! Love is a beauziful zhing, and Paris is ze perfect place for it.”

Tiffany threw a gaze at Taeyeon and she smiled when she caught the other looking at her, too.

“Ah, young love,” Cosette teased again. “Anyway, Taeyeon. Iz nice seeing you again, zear. Lez have zinner next time. Say hi to your fazher for me, oui?”

“And Tiffany,” the older woman turned to her next and leaned in to give her kisses on her cheeks. “Zhank you for accepzing. Zhink about my ozher offer, okay? Au revoir, you two!”

With that, the French lady boarded her car and rode off, leaving the two of them by the restaurant. Tiffany had looked at Taeyeon then, smiling shyly.

“Hi,” Taeyeon said, grinning. “Ready to go?”

Tiffany nodded. “Oui!”

—– “I told you ice cream was a good idea.”

The smug smile plastered on Taeyeon’s face was nothing but adorable, and even though the shorter girl was supposed to be teasing, Tiffany thought it looked anything but.

Not when Taeyeon was too busy devouring her ice cream cone like a kid, cream all over her lips and some at the tip of her nose.

Tiffany laughed at that rather loudly, head tossed back and mouth opened really wide, almost dropping her own cone.

“Oh my God, Taeyeon,” she said, still laughing, “How old are you?”

She plucked an extra clean tissue paper wrapped around her cone and approached the busy girl, stopping her from eating before wiping her nose and mouth. Taeyeon pouted while she cleaned her lips, and Tiffany couldn’t help but laugh again at the disappointed look.

“Eat slower, no one’s gonna steal your ice cream.”

“I can’t help it, it’s really good! I need to learn how to make this…”

The last bit ended in a whisper but Tiffany still heard it.

“Don’t forget to make me some when you do.”

“Of course.”

They had fallen into a comfortable silence then, leaving them to their ice cream. Taeyeon was almost done with hers, and Tiffany was too busy looking at her instead of eating her own. Soon enough, they’ve finished their treats, with the shorter girl sighing in contentment.

She watched her lean back on her outstretched arms, head tilted upwards towards the top of the bright tower.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this. Everything’s just too beautiful here.” Taeyeon said, wistful.

“Mhmmm.”

Their evenings were usually spent at a park near the Eiffel Tower, eating snacks or just simply talking. Tonight wasn’t any different but Tiffany felt it would be, soon.

“So, where are you planning to head to next?” Taeyeon asked her, looked at her with a small smile. “That place should be more beautiful than Paris, though. It’s gonna be a tough competition.” “I agree. Paris is the best city for me now.”

Tiffany looked at Taeyeon and returned the smile with something else, making her eyes curve down even more. She never knew she could feel so happy by just sitting on the grass like this, but lately she had been feeling happy about simpler things, like the pink helmet Taeyeon got her the first time she rode her moped.

She should’ve noticed it sooner—realized faster—right from the time they’ve spent their first night together as if they weren’t strangers.

Tiffany stared at her and shook her head, smiling. Taeyeon wasn’t even her type, she liked taller ones, always have, but the other girl’s big heart made up for her lack in height. She made it up whenever she cooked for her, whenever she would fasten her helmet for her so it won’t fall off, or when she just takes the initiative to open the door for her so she could enter or exit first.

She thought, maybe, even if Madame Dupont didn’t exist in the equation, that Taeyeon was a huge factor enough in making her reluctant to leave.

“Then stay.”

It was barely a whisper, but it was enough for Tiffany to whip her head towards the girl beside her. Taeyeon was now looking down on her lap, playing with her fingers, refusing to meet her gaze.

Just when she was about to reply, the shorter girl had finally lifted her head to look at her, staring at her with round eyes much like a puppy. “It’ll be lonely when you leave.”

Tiffany bit her lip and suppressed a smile. She saw Taeyeon’s lips twitch, too, but the latter kept her face straight, still holding that wounded puppy expression.

“Ugh, your face.”

Taeyeon’s laughter sailed through the quiet night when she smacked her palm flat on her face and pushed her down on the grass, pinning her on the soft ground.

And then Tiffany felt it.

She felt it when Taeyeon stopped laughing, when she smiled softly while she looked up at her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

She felt it when the air suddenly stilled and everything became quiet, like the universe was making way for something.

“I would very much like it if you stayed here… With me.” Tiffany wasn’t sure where it came from but there was a subtle pull at her heart and now she was lying on her stomach on the grass, propped by her two elbows while she hovered over Taeyeon. They were close, too close, with their noses almost touching, breaths mixing.

“With you?”

“Yep,” she heard Taeyeon answer just as soft, lifting a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. “With me.”

“And why would I do that?”

Her hand stayed there and Tiffany’s eyes fluttered close when she felt the other stroking her cheek.

“Because,” Taeyeon said softly, “you like my company.”

“Do I?”

“You do.”

Tiffany smiled when she felt the other girl nod.

“What else?”

“Hmm… You like my cooking.”

“Oh really?”

“You love it.”

She leaned back as she chuckled, putting a good distance between their faces.

“You’re too cocky, Mademoiselle Kim.”

“I only speak the truth, Miss Hwang.”

Tiffany laughed again, softer this time, and let her face lean back down, nudging Taeyeon’s nose with her own playfully.

“Is that all?” She whispered, feeling a little warmer in her chest.

“You like riding my moped.”

“That, I do.” She nodded with a grin. “But I don’t think that would be enough to make me sta—” Soft lips stole the words from her mouth, along with her breath, her coherence, her consciousness. Suddenly she could taste the sweetness that the ice cream left on Taeyeon’s mouth, could breathe in the air the other was breathing out.

And Tiffany didn’t need to open her eyes to know that the shorter girl was smiling, because she could feel how it was curved up against her own.

“I was hoping that I’m enough to make you stay.” Taeyeon whispered against her lips before giving her another peck.

She felt dizzy at the few seconds their lips were connected, but when the other pulled back a bit, she felt like it wasn’t enough.

So she kissed her back, again, with more intensity than the first.

With every move of her lips, Tiffany made sure that Taeyeon would feel how she felt when she interrupted her with the kiss, made sure that Taeyeon would be as breathless as she was. She wanted her to feel how she felt whenever she cooked for her, whenever she drove her around, whenever she looked at her like she was special.

And she was, she knew she was special to Taeyeon because that’s what she felt when she kissed her, gently, shyly, yielding.

Tiffany smiled when she pulled back and saw the other girl panting like she ran a mile, eyes still closed and lips still parted.

“I guess that means you’re staying now?” Taeyeon asked, barely breathing but smiling.

“I wasn’t even gonna leave at the first place.”

Back to the present…

‘So now… You’re staying with Kim Taeyeon?’

“Yes.”

‘Your dad’s best friend’s daughter, Kim Taeyeon?’

“Uhuh.”

‘The same Kim Taeyeon who visited us at the villa? Your supposed fiancée, Kim Taeyeon?’

“Yes, mom. She’s studying culinary here in Par—“ ‘Honey, could you give me a minute? I’ll call you back.’

“Oh, oka—“

Tiffany frowned at her phone, but even before she could put it somewhere, it rang again. She looked at the screen and saw her Dad’s name flashing.

“Hello, dad—“

‘Is it true?! Are you really living with Taeyeon?! Is she there?! Are you together now?! When is the wedding?! THIS IS SO EXCITIIIIIING—’

“Daddy, oh my God, stop!”

—–

*Comment ça va? – How are you? / How’s it going? (Informal)

Bien – Good petite amie – girlfriend (There’s actually no direct translation for the word ‘girlfriend’ but that’s the usual term that French people use.) Part 7

There were moments when Taeyeon thought that the only reason why Tiffany stayed was because of Madame Dupont and her offer, but whenever she would exit her school and find the other girl waiting for her at the front, perched on her moped and wearing her adorable helmet, all doubts and insecurities would fly off once they ride the streets of Paris, looking for yet a new place to eat at.

Not this time though, because Cosette had an important event scheduled in the evening and she needed Tiffany to dress her fabulously. It was fine, Taeyeon thought; she was actually really proud of what Tiffany has been doing for the past few months.

Who would have thought that the other girl would actually find something to do in Paris?

Taeyeon suggested it—it was her idea—but that was a mere act of making conversation while she packed in her office that day Tiffany visited and invited her for dinner.

But then again, she was glad that she had said it, because now Tiffany was with her, and she no longer felt lonely since then.

The short girl had just started her moped and finished fastening her helmet when her phone suddenly rang, forcing her to turn off the scooter’s engine.

“Hey, dad,” Taeyeon greeted as she leaned back on her scooter, phone sandwiched between her ear and shoulder while she took off her helmet again.

‘Hi, Taetae! How are you? How’s school?’

“It’s good, dad. Everything’s great! I love it here.”

‘I’m very glad to hear that, Taetae. Oh, but don’t love it too much, I still want you back home.’

She could hear the pout on her father’s voice, and when she would usually cringe at the image, Taeyeon smiled instead, actually missing the old man’s antics.

“I miss you, dad. You said you were gonna visit me before you head back home but you didn’t. I haven’t seen you for more than a year now!”

‘I’m sorry Taeyeon, you know what happened in the company when you left. Everyone on the board wanted your seat; I had to straighten them out again. But don’t worry, as soon as I get some downtime and once I made sure that no one’s gonna steal our business, I’ll fly there immediately.’

Taeyeon only chuckled as she shook her head. It was still rather early, just a little over after noon, but her classes were all done for the day. Noticing that she had been talking to her dad like a fool on her idle moped, she had decided to continue the chat in a nearby café.

On her way, she had told him of her adventures in the kitchen, how she looked at food differently now and how she had almost cut a whole finger yesterday.

“Oh, dad, that reminds me,” Taeyeon suddenly said, plopping on a vacant table outside the café near her school, “I bumped into Madam Cosette. She says hi.”

‘Ah, that crazy lady. How is she?’

“Same old, same old. Always busy, always has a party to attend.”

Taeyeon suddenly remembered Tiffany. She swallowed audibly. If her crazy father knew about it, she was sure that—

‘Oh, oh, wait! I almost forgot! Speaking of bumping into people…’

She almost jumped from her seat at her father’s excited squealing.

‘I called you because I bumped into my best friend’s wife and she said Tiffany is in Paris too! You should meet up with her!’

Taeyeon exhaled through her nose, slumping back on the chair dejectedly. She called for a waiter and ordered something cold to drink; this was going to be a long chat.

“Uh, well, uhm… About that…”

A few months ago…

“So, where are you planning to stay? Don’t say hotel. I know you’re rich but that would still be ridiculous.”

Taeyeon was still lying on the grass, her back flat on the soft ground. She had one arm under her head acting as a pillow, and the other draped across Tiffany’s collarbone while other girl’s head was resting on her tummy, playing with her fingers.

“Well,” she heard Tiffany say, “Cosette asked me to stay with her but, I don’t know. Staying with her wouldn’t feel right.”

She hummed, enjoying the feel of Tiffany’s fingers playing with her own. The night had started to get colder but Taeyeon was still comfortable. She was feeling rather warm, actually, and she definitely knew why. She smiled, because she felt the same way that time they spent the night at the back of her mother’s truck.

“Why don’t you just live with me?” Taeyeon suddenly said, not really thinking. The warmth that Tiffany was making her feel had reached her head, affecting her brain.

But then it disappeared as soon as she closed her mouth, and she blinked, finally realizing what she had blurted out. Lifting her head up, she looked at Tiffany and found her looking back at her with a straight face.

“Are you asking me to move in with you, Kim Taeyeon?”

“I, uh, well—Uhm…”

“Don’t you think we’re going too fast? I never thought you’re like that, Taeyeon…”

Tiffany rolled off her stomach and sat up, still eyeing her. She couldn’t gauge what her look meant but Taeyeon felt really nervous, thinking if she had offended her.

Taeyeon sat up too, but she kept her gaze down towards her lap, towards her fidgeting hands.

“I didn’t—Well, I was just—I think—” She sighed. “I’m sorry…”

Taeyeon kept her voice low, feeling guilty, embarrassed. It was true that they had already kissed not too long ago, so she thought, maybe, also for Tiffany’s convenience, that—

A snicker reached her ears and when she lifted her head, she found Tiffany biting on her knuckles, suppressing her laughs.

“Wow, I hate you,” she said with a straight face, finally catching up.

“No, you don’t,” Tiffany said in between her silent laughs, overly confident and teasing.

Taeyeon scoffed, but she was smiling especially when Tiffany started to crawl towards her, parting her legs before settling in between, her front against the other’s back. Her arms went around her waist in reflex, pulling the other girl closer towards her body.

She pressed her lips on Tiffany’s temple and nuzzled her.

“That was mean; I thought you were really mad.”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. You should’ve seen your face though, so cute!”

Taeyeon only chuckled, opting not to say anything anymore. Instead, she drew the girl sitting in front of her closer, resting her chin on the other’s shoulder. She could feel her body buzzing against Tiffany’s and it was really pleasant, the type were you could just fall asleep because you felt so comfortable, so safe, and that there was nowhere else in the world you’d rather be in than there.

It didn’t matter if the neatly cut grass were poking and irritating her skin through her pants, because inconveniences like those were just superficial compared to what she has in her arms. Taeyeon could be anywhere, as long as Tiffany was with her too.

“So…? How about it? I—” she cleared her throat before continuing, “I’ll cook for you. Every day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner—whatever you like. I’ll make it for you.”

Tiffany only giggled in response but the way she snuggled closer to her body was a clear sign that she won’t be alone at home anymore.

“Add in a midnight snack and I’ll think about it.”

Taeyeon let out a hearty laugh this time.

—–

Back to the present…

“So we’re kinda, uhm… Together now…”

Her dad became quiet after that, and Taeyeon was so sure that it was only the calm before the storm. She sipped her coffee slowly, carefully, waiting for her father’s impending outburst.

But instead, she heard a cough, followed by a very calm voice.

‘Okay, Taetae. I’m glad you have someone to take care of you there.’

Taeyeon blinked her eyes, once, twice, until her brain had absorbed what happened. She scoffed.

“Wha—That’s it?”

‘Of course. Should I say something else?’

“N-Not really, but—”

‘Okay, good. Now I need to go, I have a very important matter to attend to. Give me a call every once in a while, okay Taengoo? I love you, kid. Bye.’

She hadn’t even replied yet when the line went dead.

Taeyeon was about to keep her phone when it rang again, displaying the name of her father’s trusty secretary. “Hello?”

‘Miss Kim…’

“Yes? Is there something wrong?”

‘Uhm, I just wanted to ask, Miss Kim… Did something happen?’

“Why, what do you mean?” Taeyeon asked, suddenly sitting up.

‘Well, Chairman Kim just ran out of his office screaming, giving everyone a week off and a raise…’

Taeyeon slumped back and dropped her head on the table with a thud, making her cup of coffee jump a little.

“Ugh, I knew it.”

—–

When she arrived home, she was surprised to hear shuffling coming from Tiffany’s room, and though she wasn’t sure why the other girl was there, she smiled at the thought of seeing her before she accompanied Cosette for the evening.

“Fany? I’m home!”

“Hi, hi!”

She heard the loud voice from across the apartment as she made her way towards the kitchen for a drink.

“I just left something, I’m heading back now! Where are you?”

“Kitchen!”

The sound of heels clacking on the wooden floorboards stopped and Taeyeon knew that Tiffany was already behind her. She could smell the faint fragrance that the other girl always wore, the one that she really liked.

“Hey, sorry I couldn’t fetch you today.”

“Don’t worry, it’s fi—”

The words died on her tongue and the sound she made came out as garbled mess, because as soon as Taeyeon turned around, she was met by a sight so beautiful, she had to stop breathing. Tiffany was standing right in front of the biggest window by the living room, and the light seeping in from outside was doing wonders to her already glowing skin. Her white strapless, form fitting mini dress only accentuated what beautiful features she already had, and Taeyeon had to pinch her arm to stop herself from gawking.

“So… How do I look?”

“You—You, uh… You l-look—“

The sound of Tiffany’s ringtone cut her off, and she was gone as soon as she came.

She did, however, left the dazed Taeyeon a peck on her lips, a quick apology and a ‘Don’t wait up for me’ before she had gone through the door with her phone still pressed to her ear.

———

———

Tiffany was quite sure that no one had ever looked at her that way before. It was a little unexplainable; she didn’t know how to put it in words, but when Taeyeon’s eyes lit up like a bunch of fireworks at the sight of her this afternoon, she felt something magical.

It had kept her thinking the whole night while she socialized with Cosette’s friends and acquaintances, while she sipped on her wineglass and while she did practically everything.

The party was pretty enjoyable, though, especially with her new found contacts. They had all complimented her work including her current outfit, some even gave her their business cards, but none of them gave the same feeling that Taeyeon’s wordless admiration had evoked on her.

Some time between the party, Tiffany was surprised to see Cosette smirking at her from across the ballroom, beckoning for her to come to her end.

“Tiffany, zear,” Cosette said when she was near enough, “look who came for you.”

Tiffany followed the direction to where the older lady was pointing at and almost gasped when she saw Taeyeon parking her moped right across the street, still on her chef’s uniform with a backpack slung on her shoulder. She looked even smaller from where Tiffany was watching her and it made her giggle.

“She looks so cute in her uniform!” Cosette gushed beside her.

“She really does.”

They continued to watch Taeyeon from the fifth floor of the hotel, through the ceiling high windows, peeking from the long curtains. She and Madame Dupont giggled continuously, especially when they saw the short girl walking restlessly to and fro her parked scooter while she clutched her phone, as if contemplating whether to call someone or not.

And soon enough, Tiffany heard her phone ringing inside her clutch.

She took it out and saw Taeyeon’s name flashing on the screen, beneath the cute caller’s picture she had snapped of her months ago.

“Excusez-moi, Cosette, I’ll just take this—“

“Non, non, ma chérie, just go. You’ve been more zhan wonzerful zonight. Ze least I can zo is to let you off early. Go, go! Ze night is still young; have fun wiz your petite chef!”

Madame Dupont shooed her off after that, and she left the ballroom happily, almost bouncing inside the elevator as it made its way down.

Her phone rang again when she stepped out of the lobby, and with a spring in her steps she made her way to Taeyeon who immediately ended the call at the sight of her.

“Hi, what are you doing here?”

“Hi. I’m sorry, I just… I wanted to see you, and I—I forgot to tell you something…”

Taeyeon kept on fidgeting on her spot and Tiffany thought she was most adorable when she’s shy and nervous like that. Though she didn’t exactly know why Taeyeon was acting that way, it was still a nice thing to see every once in a while.

“You left so abruptly, I didn’t get to answer your question, uhm—” Taeyeon paused and breathed, “Y-You look great—You look really beautiful.”

It was silly, but Tiffany couldn’t wipe the smile off of her face.

“You came all the way here just to tell me that?”

“Uhm… Yes.”

Tiffany chuckled, blissful.

She loved everything that Taeyeon did, but it was still the small things that made her heart swell more.

“You look good in your uniform too, by the way, really cute. What’s in the bag, though?”

“Oh, I brought you clothes. I figured it wouldn’t be comfortable for you to ride the moped in that dress. You can leave now, right?” Taeyeon passed her the bag and she held it in her hands, felt the weight of the simple act. She looked at the shorter girl then at the backpack, and felt her face suddenly go warm.

“Thank you. That’s,” Tiffany paused, smiling to herself, “That’s really sweet of you.”

“It’s nothing. Go change, I’ll wait for you here.”

“I’ll be real quick, don’t move,” she warned her with a playful glare before running back to the lobby.

“Okay. I’ll be right here.” Part 8

Somehow it never felt right anymore when they didn’t end the day at their favourite spot by the Eiffel Tower, and it was a delight for Tiffany to know that Taeyeon felt the same way.

As soon as she hopped on the moped, right after she had wrapped her arms around the other girl’s waist, Taeyeon had took off towards the familiar direction, making her smile instantly.

And the whole time they were cruising smoothly on the streets, Taeyeon’s hand never left hers.

“Hold on tight, okay?” The other girl had told her while she drove with one hand. “Don’t let go.”

“I won’t.”

—–

“This sandwich is really good… and tastes awfully familiar.”

She ignored Taeyeon’s soft chuckle and continued munching on her dinner, relishing on the familiar taste. Tiffany was sure she had tasted it before, but going back to all the times she had eaten Taeyeon’s exceptional cooking, she was at a lost.

“Of course. It’s the one we ate on the truck.”

That’s right, she thought, nodding. Now she remembered.

“How come you never make this often? I really like it.”

“You do?”

Tiffany nodded, finally looking at Taeyeon with a happy smile.

“Then I’ll make it more often from now on.”

Both finished almost at the same time, with Taeyeon keeping the empty containers in the backpack she was hauling around as soon as she had taken her last bite. They drank from the same bottle, which the shorter girl also threw away when they were done.

When she got back from the trash bin, Tiffany watched her offer her hand with a smile.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

—–

Somewhere in between the comfortable chatter and the relaxing walk, Tiffany had found herself taking refuge on a park bench while she rubbed her calf muscles. She blamed the countless hours of standing on heels while she was at the party, and she couldn’t be grateful enough that Taeyeon had brought her some sneakers to change into.

“You okay?”

Tiffany heard Taeyeon’s chuckle and the next thing she knew, the shorter girl was already squatted in front of her, giving her legs a soft massage.

There were times when Tiffany would just look at Taeyeon (just like now) and she wouldn’t think of anything else, other than how lucky she was.

Here she was, sitting like a princess on a bench, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, getting a massage from the most amazing girl she had ever met in her entire life. It was funny how she almost didn’t meet her because of her stubbornness.

But sure enough, the few months they’ve spent together had been her happiest, and she was more than adamant on prolonging that.

If she could have forever, then she’d take it without a second thought.

“Feeling okay now?”

Tiffany nodded, her eyes smiling as Taeyeon looked up at her with a grin that made her chin dimple look more prominent.

“Good. You should rest a bit more before we head back home.”

The short girl plopped beside her and Tiffany’s head automatically took rest on her shoulder as her hand instinctively went to interlace with the other.

They were breathing in sync and it was enough to make her heart soar.

—–

Tiffany felt Taeyeon shift a bit, sitting a bit higher for her to lean more comfortably. She snuggled further when the other stopped moving and nuzzled her nose on the pale neck, breathing in before giving the smooth skin a soft peck.

“Are you cold?”

She furrowed her eyebrows at the sudden question and shook her head. “No, not really. Why?”

“Your lips are cold. Come here.” Tiffany wasn’t cold, really, but Taeyeon still drew her in, pressed their sides even closer like they weren’t close enough before drawing her lips in between her own, kissing her chastely. She could feel Taeyeon smiling against her lips and it made her smile too.

“Your nose is cold too,” the other girl said, their lips still pressed.

Before she could respond, the short girl kissed her again, deeper this time, nibbling on her lips, tasting her lip gloss.

Their foreheads met when they broke apart for some air.

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” The other girl suddenly asked and it made Tiffany smile.

“I have a slight idea,” she even teased, but her teasing couldn’t hide the growing blush on her cheeks.

She opened her eyes and found Taeyeon looking at her just as intensely.

“You make me feel like I’m the happiest person in the world.”

Tiffany shifted when Taeyeon moved to stand, giggling when the latter gave her a peck on the forehead before walking away. She watched her walk backwards, stopping a few feet away from her.

The little chef was now facing the bright tower, wearing a smile Tiffany hadn’t seen before.

“What are you doing—”

“I’m here in this beautiful city, standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, but you make me feel like everything wouldn’t be as wonderful without you.”

And then Taeyeon yelled.

“Paris is nothing without Tiffany Hwang!” She said, cupping her hands around her mouth as she screamed at the top of her lungs, as if shouting at the sky. “Hear that?! Vous n’êtes rien!”

The unexpected act threw Tiffany off, made her laugh and made her feel embarrassed all at the same time. She wanted to hurl something at the smaller girl to make her stop, but she was too busy laughing and clapping.

Thankfully, the other stopped just in time before she could throw a shoe on her head.

Taeyeon chuckled as she looked back at her, her gaze softening instantly when their eyes met. Tiffany shook her head, amused. “Why are you standing all the way over there?” She called out, finally feeling weird about the distance.

The short girl kept her eyes at her, her gaze looking more and more intense.

And then Taeyeon opened her mouth.

“Because I love you.”

Tiffany was speechless. And she wasn’t sure if it was because of the sudden confession or because it didn’t really answer her question. It didn’t make any sense.

“I love you, Tiffany Hwang,” Taeyeon repeated, louder than the first.

But somehow Tiffany knew that already.

She felt it every day whenever she wakes up and finds breakfast already set on the table, or when Taeyeon would look at her like she was the only one she was seeing. She knew it because Tiffany loved her too, and though she couldn’t cook to save her life, there was no one else in the world she’d want to look at other than Taeyeon, too.

She wanted to say something but she ended up just opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water, and it might have looked really comical because the shorter girl suddenly chuckled. So she just shut her mouth and looked at her, waited for her to continue.

“I need to be far from you because… Whenever you’re near me, I,” Taeyeon continued then, sighing, “I can’t seem to think properly… You confuse me. You make me feel things—good things, wonderful things, weir d things, everything! But… I don’t want this to be just that. I want to be sure about this.”

Tiffany was still but deep inside she was anything but. Her heart was raging and she was feeling everything from the ends of her hair to the tips of her toes.

Suddenly, she felt so open and vulnerable, immobile while Taeyeon pulled and yanked at her heart strings.

———

———

Taeyeon breathed in and held the air in her lungs for a second before breathing out, easing out the tension that had been gnawing at her ever since she started to speak.

She hadn’t plan on confessing tonight, but she was glad that she did. Everything felt so much lighter as soon as she told Tiffany that she loved her. All those months they’ve spent together had suddenly made sense, even more than ever, and Taeyeon knew exactly why.

“I know this is love,” she said, still standing a considerable distance away, “And I want this to be love. Because what else could it be, right? I miss you when we’re not together, and it’s silly cause we live in the same apartment. And then when you’re actually with me, you drive me insane because I always had to restrain myself from wanting you too much. These past few months have been the best, and I don’t think I’d survive this night without telling you how much I love you and how much I still want to be with you for many more months to come.”

Taeyeon’s shoulder sagged as she breathed out, again, her heart not only light, but soaring.

She looked at Tiffany and saw her smiling widely despite the tears that were trickling down her reddening cheeks.

“So just stay there and let me—”

“How do you expect me to stay here when you’re being like that?”

Taeyeon blinked and the next thing she knew, Tiffany was already in front of her, wiping her tears with the back of hand, panting as she took long hurried strides to reach her.

“I love you too,” Tiffany suddenly said, “and I’d prefer it more if you’re here in my arms when I say that because then I could kiss you as soon as I—”

Tiffany was too close and was talking too much, and Taeyeon didn’t wait for her to say anything anymore. The other girl had already said the words and they were enough to set Taeyeon’s heart on fire, enough to send her flying towards the latter.

She heard Tiffany half giggled and half sighed when she pressed her lips against hers, and she thought, while she welcomed the eager girl’s warm kisses, that this was only the beginning of another journey.

—–

*Vous n’êtes rien! – You are nothing! Part 9

Two years and seven months later…

“Oh, come on!”

Taeyeon screamed at the sky after slamming the door of her new truck.

“You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me!”

The short girl threw a dirty look at her car before screaming at it, finger pointed at the sleek and shiny hood.

“I had you checked the whole day yesterday, made sure that everything’s fine, but—Ugh!”

As soon as she had arrived from Paris, her crazy father, who never had the chance to visit her in France because of the company, half-dragged her back to their family home and proudly shoved her inside the new truck—his graduation gift to her.

It was a newer, more modern version of her mom’s old beat up truck, complete with a GPS system, wireless internet connection and everything else a person would want inside a car (including a small refrigerator).

She fell in love with it at first sight—the very first time she ever loved a car that wasn’t a coupe.

But right now, there was nothing Taeyeon would want than to beat the stalled car with a bat.

Fishing her phone from her pocket, she let out a sigh of relief when she saw a few signal bars at the top. At least, unlike the last time, she could actually call for help.

A few taps and the call connected immediately.

‘Hey, baby.’

“Help me. I’m stuck.”

The hearty laugh coming from the other line made Taeyeon smile despite of her predicament, and it was only then that she realized how much she missed Tiffany.

‘Wow, Taetae. I just left you for two days and now you’ve managed to get yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere again, for the second time! What would you do without me?’

“Nothing,” she said, faking insult, “That’s why I’m just gonna wait here until a hot chick in a pink chopper stop by and offer me a ride.” Taeyeon leaned on the side of her truck and checked her watch. There was no way she’d reach in time for the party at the Hwang Estate.

She couldn’t believe she was going to miss her own engagement party.

Tiffany was still laughing on the other line and as much as she loved the sound of that, there were more pressing issues to discuss.

“Fany,” she whined, “Stop laughing and fetch meeeeeee—”

‘Oh my God, you’re starting to sound like your dad!’

Taeyeon faked gasp and even pressed a hand over her chest for full effect, though no one could see her at the moment. “No, I don’t!”

‘Yes, you do.’

She could hear a few muffled chatters coming from Tiffany’s line, and the sound of her fiancee’s mother’s voice yelling at the background. Taeyeon sighed and pouted when she realized what she was about to miss because of her stupid truck.

‘Stop sighing, Taetae. I’ll come and get you.’

“You would?”

‘Of course, Miss Kim. If I wouldn’t, then who else will?’

“Well if it’s any consolation, I packed those sandwiches that you love.”

She heard a gasp from the other line and it made her grin.

‘Why didn’t you say so?! Now tell me where you are so I could fetch you!’

Taeyeon chuckled as she went back inside her car, checking her GPS system so she could tell Tiffany her rough location. There was no way her fiancée wouldn’t pass by her though, since there was only a single highway to drive on.

“Drive carefully, okay? And take a car, it’s a lot safer.”

The other girl just hummed. ‘I’ll see you in a few hours, Taetae. And don’t worry about the party, I’ll tell everyone what happened. Love you.’

“Okay. Love you too.”

A smile blossomed from her lips as soon as she removed the phone from her ear to end the call, seeing the precious wallpaper on her screen that she didn’t have the heart to change. It was a cramped picture of her and Tiffany in front of the Eiffel Tower, with the other girl boasting a shiny ring snugly fitted on her finger towards the camera, taken the night she had proposed to her.

The best day of her life, Taeyeon thought, because not only did she finish her culinary studies the same day, but also because Tiffany had been more than happy to accept the proposal.

But she was sure it would no longer be the best—oh, she knew it for a fact.

Though they didn’t have the perfect love story, it was theirs so it was supposed to be more than perfect. Taeyeon loved Tiffany and Tiffany loved her too, and now that they were going to get married, nothing had ever felt more right than that.

A chuckle escaped her lips as she looked towards the sky, smiling softly as she let her eyes trail after a lazy cloud drifting off to somewhere. In spite of the truck mishap, it was actually a fine day, and Taeyeon knew that it would only get better from there.

“I wish you could see how happy I am right now, mom,” Taeyeon whispered to the sky. “I’m getting married to the most wonderful woman in the world and I’m very, very happy.”

Pushing herself off the side of the car, Taeyeon decided to just take a nap inside the vehicle while she waited for her soon-to-be wife.

———

———

“Honey, everything’s set and the guests will be arrivi—Are you going to wear that on your party?”

Tiffany chuckled while she tucked her jeans inside her leather boots, zipping up the pair before standing up to check how comfortable they were. She can see the confused look that her mom was giving her choice of outfit from the full body mirror, and she grinned at her when their eyes met.

“Uh, no,” she said, still wearing that wide grin, “my fiancée is stuck in the middle of nowhere and I have to get her.”

“Taeyeon? Her car broke down?”

“Of course it’s Taeyeon, mom. Who else?” She chuckled. “And yes, it broke down.”

“Again?!”

“I know, right?! I really can’t believe her luck sometimes. This is why I need to fetch her before she changes her mind about marrying me and runs away.” Walking up to her vanity, she started reapplying her makeup, glancing at her mother through the mirror every now and then while the old lady moved from her door to her bed.

“Oh, honey,” her mom said, taking a seat on the mattress with a smile. “She loves you too much; she would never.”

The soft tone of her mother’s voice made Tiffany stopped what she was doing. She turned away from the mirror and met her mom’s soft, loving gaze.

“I know, mom, I was just kidding,” she told the older lady with a wide smile she couldn’t hold in. “And I love her too, that’s why I’m going out there to get her.”

“How far is she anyway?”

“Not really sure but from what she told me, probably a good two hours away, three tops.”

“But honey!” Her mom gasped. “That would mean you’re gonna miss the whole party!”

Tiffany shrugged at the mirror as she continued to fix her makeup before playfully rolling her eyes at the look her mom was giving her.

“Can’t we just send the guys to get her?”

“No,” Tiffany answered back almost immediately. “I don’t want to be in my engagement party without my fiancée. I’d rather be on the road with her than to be stuck in the company of dad’s and Uncle Kim’s business partners. Our friends aren’t even here!”

“Hmm, you have a point there…”

Tiffany’s mother trailed on, looking as if she was in deep thought. She saw no arguments about this; there was no way she was going to stay knowing that Taeyeon was still stuck on the highway.

After finishing her makeup, she gathered her wallet and phone and shoved them inside a small clutch, turning to her mother while she waited for the latter to snap from her thinking.

“I’m going,” she said, getting her mom’s attention.

“Okay, you may go. I’ll just tell the guests that you eloped or something.”

“Moooooom,” Tiffany whined.

The old lady chuckled as she kissed her daughter’s cheek, patting her butt lightly before pushing her out the door and towards the direction of the garage.

“Drive safely, okay?” “Okay. Bye mom!”

—–

Taeyeon had told her to bring a car but the sight of the surprise gift she had spontaneously bought her little chef gave her ideas.

Tearing the ribbon sitting on the gas tank of the new light blue chopper, Tiffany rode the bike out the garage and into the open highway, lips split into a wide excited grin. She wouldn’t be reaching Taeyeon for a good two hours but she couldn’t hold in the excitement of both seeing her and showing her the chopper.

Her little fiancée had been relentless about getting something bigger than her moped, especially while they were still in Paris.

It happened when they went out one night, while they were on their way to the parking lot after a nice dinner. She was trailing behind Taeyeon who suddenly stopped before turning to look at her with round eyes and a pout, resembling a puppy who was about to cry. Turned out, a big bike was parked beside her small moped and Taeyeon wanted to have one.

She giggled at the memory because the other girl wouldn’t stop talking about it even until they were on the plane that was to fly them back home, and she had promised then that she would just let Taeyeon drive her chopper when they get back.

And now she couldn’t wait to see Taeyeon’s face when she sees her own big bike.

—–

It didn’t take long for Tiffany to reach Taeyeon’s location. She had only been cruising for an hour and a half when she caught sight of a pair of hazard lights blinking not far away, and when she got near enough, she finally saw Taeyeon perched at the roof of the truck, swinging her legs back and forth like a kid.

Taeyeon’s eyebrows were furrowed when she parked near her truck, and it made Tiffany chuckle, shaking her head at the short girl who was giving her an accusing gaze.

“What?” She asked, turning the engine off as she kicked the bike stand in place.

Her fiancée was still pouting even after she had looped her arms around the latter’s neck, pulling her in for a short kiss and a tight hug.

“I told you to bring a car.”

“We haven’t seen each other for two days and that’s the first thing you’re going to say to me?” She squeezed her tighter before pressing her lips on Taeyeon’s cheek. “I missed you.” Taeyeon turned her head and captured her lips in a slow, sweet kiss, something Tiffany had missed in those two days they were apart.

When their parents suggested a formal engagement party, Tiffany had to go to the Hwang Estate earlier to watch over the preparations with her mother, leaving Taeyeon behind who was also busy setting up her own restaurant business in the city.

“I missed you too. Thank you for coming.”

Tiffany gave her one last peck before pulling back, smiling that smile that she knew Taeyeon loved. “I have a surprise for you.”

The inquisitive look that her fiancée gave her made her smile wider. She pulled her closer towards the chopper that Taeyeon failed to give notice to and gestured at it.

“No way…”

“I love you too, and you’re welcome.”

“No. Freaking. Way!”

The once quiet highway was now filled with her husky chuckles and clapping, mixed with Taeyeon’s excited squeals and nonstop chatter.

Seeing the short girl happy made Tiffany happy too, even more so because she was the one who made her feel that way.

—–

It surprised Tiffany when Taeyeon suddenly emerged from inside the truck with several blankets in tow, like she knew she was going to be stranded again. There was even a mat neatly rolled at the back of the truck, along with some extra car tools.

“I’m starting to think that this was planned.”

She heard Taeyeon chuckling while the latter unrolled the mat, unfolding the blankets before plopping down on the neat pile as soon she was finished. The girl beckoned for Tiffany to hop on the back with her, lured her in with a container of her favourite sandwiches.

“No,” the short girl said before taking a bite out of her meal, “I just came prepared.”

Tiffany crawled and sat beside her fiancée, scooting closer for Taeyeon’s warmth as the shorter girl fed her. It felt almost exactly like the first time, except now she knew a hundred percent that she was in love. She was also so much happier compared to the past—so much satisfied with her life now that she had found her other half.

She didn’t think it was possible—for the umpteenth time since she had officially dated Taeyeon, Tiffany still couldn’t believe it. Her life before meeting her was practically already complete, but having Taeyeon in her life made everything better, made the sun shine a little brighter, made the cold nights a lot warmer.

Just like now.

“Do you mind if we stay here for a while? I kinda missed this.”

“It’s okay, mom knows we’re ditching the party anyway.”

Tiffany smiled when Taeyeon pulled her closer towards her, the sandwiches long forgotten at the side. Instinctively, she rested her head and snuggled close under her fiancée’s chin, her most favourite spot in the world.

“I missed being alone with you,” Taeyeon said, pressing a soft kiss on her temple while hugging her tighter.

“We’ve been too busy since we got back. How’s your restaurant coming along?”

“It’s getting there. You? Have you told your parents about your plans to study again?”

“I did. And they were more than happy for it,” she said, nodding against Taeyeon’s neck before leaving a soft peck under her pulse point, smiling when she felt the latter shudder a bit.

“That’s good to hear.”

And it really was, Tiffany thought, because now she had finally found something she’d really want to do with her life.

———

———

Taeyeon felt like she had the whole world wrapped comfortably in her arms—breathing, living, and emitting warmth that had her heart humming a soft melody.

She wished Tiffany could hear it, because her words would never be enough—even her actions felt a little short. All she wanted was to give her everything, because compared to the heart that Tiffany had willingly given her, the universe and everything in it, still, all seemed too small. Cold palms pressed on her cheeks and she felt her head being tilted down, pulling her from her thoughts. She smiled when Tiffany’s warm lips pressed on the corner of her own, the cold tip of her fiancée’s nose nuzzling her cheek right after.

“What are you thinking?” Taeyeon heard her whisper.

“Nothing, it’s just that… You,” she tapped on Tiffany’s nose, “You’re the definition of everything I could ever want in my life.”

Tiffany laughed and pulled away from her instantly, looked at her incredulously like she grew another head.

“Wow,” her fiancée said, amused, “That was so cheesy!”

Smiling, she took Tiffany’s hand in her own, caressed the finger were her engagement ring sat. “You know… Choosing you was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my entire life.”

The laughter died down into a soft chuckle, and when Taeyeon looked up, Tiffany’s eye smile greeted her, with that playful glint still evident in her eyes. “You chose me?”

She nodded at that. “Do you remember the first night I’ve spent in the villa? When you told me that this was fate?”

“Yeah. Do you believe it now?”

“I think I did, started to at least, because everything that happened after that had been all too crazy to be coincidental. But thinking back… I just realized that everything had been a choice, too.”

The other girl continued to look at her incredulously, one eyebrow raised and lips pursed into a playful smirk. Taeyeon could only grin at her, throwing a pleading look that clearly said ‘let me explain first’.

“Okay, fine. Continue, Miss Kim.”

“It’s just that… Right from the start, it had all been my decisions. I chose to go on that trip to meet you. I could’ve said no to my dad, but I still pushed through with it because I wanted to go to Paris. Driving that old truck was my choice, too. There were far more better cars to bring but I chose that one, and it was my fault that got me stuck in the middle of nowhere.”

She paused, smiled softly and pulled on Tiffany until she was back in her hold, wrapped in her arms snugly as Taeyeon laid down on the mat and blankets with her in tow.

“And then you came,” she whispered, hugging her tighter for emphasis.

“Now that one was fate,” Tiffany replied with so much pride that the shorter girl almost laughed. Taeyeon looked at her with her lopsided smile, her eyebrows quirked upwards. “I’m sure running away was a decision too.”

Tiffany rolled her eyes then, but she was still smiling, humouring what Taeyeon was trying to point out.

“You came rumbling in on your pink chopper and even though you practically didn’t do anything, I honestly think you saved me that day. You could’ve ignored me and my stupid truck, you know. But you still stopped by and tried to help me.”

“And your point is, Miss Kim?”

“I’m just saying that fate shouldn’t take all the credit. It might have paved the way, but it’s not the one making the decisions.”

Taeyeon blindly reached for Tiffany’s hand and interlaced their fingers together, bringing their hands to rest on her tummy. It almost hurt her to think that a mere wrong decision could have taken away everything she had now, could have taken Tiffany away even before they could meet.

And with a sigh, she drew the other girl closer to her until Tiffany was practically lying on top of her.

“Imagine if you didn’t choose to stay with me that day,” she whispered, “It would have been a very horrible domino effect. Worse, I don’t think I’d be with you right now.”

“I’d like to think that I made the right choice of choosing you,” Taeyeon said softly as she nuzzled her nose on Tiffany’s hair. “And if I had to do it all over again, I’d still choose to meet you, still use my mom’s truck, still ask you to come to Paris with me—”

“Let’s elope.”

All of a sudden, Tiffany was out her hold and was now sitting down beside her, pulling her up.

“Wh-What?”

“I want to marry you. Now. As soon as possible. I can’t wait anymore—”

“But—”

“Come on! It’ll be like another road trip since, you know… You kinda owe me one.”

The short girl finally sat up, confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Well, I didn’t get to travel around!” Tiffany exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, “I stayed with you in Paris the whole time! The least you can do is to elope with me.” Taeyeon looked like she was in deep thought, and even before Tiffany could say more things to convince her, she shrugged and grinned.

“Wanna get married in Vegas?”

Tiffany’s smile was so wide that Taeyeon felt like her face would split in two, but she still looked very beautiful then, because she looked so happy—more than happy actually, and that’s what’s important.

They looked at each other for a second, grinned at each other like fools before they rushed to get off the back of the truck, with Tiffany running over to the blue chopper to start the engine, and Taeyeon going back inside the vehicle to get her bag.

“Hey wait, I wanna drive!” Taeyeon yelled as she locked the doors, jogging over to where Tiffany was.

“No. I’d like to marry you first before I die. You’re still not used to driving big ones, Taetae!”

“But this is mine! You gave it to me already!”

“Don’t be such a kid! After the wedding, I promise.”

Knowing that she’d never win, Taeyeon pouted and grumpily hopped on the back before wrapping her arms tightly around the other girl who was grinning victoriously.

“You’re lucky I love you,” she grumbled.

“I love you too, that’s why I’m not letting you drive. Now hold on tight!”

With a rev of the engine, the two zoomed away with an excited scream.

“Vegas, here we come!”

The End