Everything Has Changed... Well, Maybe Not

Everything

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A decade wasn't enough for both Taeyeon and Tiffany to forget.

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"Some things just. Don't. Change."

0.0

Everything had all been a bet.

She knew it, right from the start, but only because she had accidentally

eavesdropped on the whole planning while she was peacefully doing her business

in the toilet. Because really, why would you plan someone else’s demise in the

ladies room without checking the stalls first? In the same school where said person

was studying too?

A bunch of idiots, she thought.

But you see, Taeyeon really liked Tiffany since the dawn of time, so she went with

it. Who knows? Maybe she could get something from it at the end.

Tiffany Hwang was the typical popular high school girl—smart, beautiful, rich,

really beautiful—practically everything she’s not.

Because our Kim Taeyeon only came from humble beginnings, was never a social

butterfly, and a little average on the height department. She was pretty though; too

charming for a girl, but that fact alone couldn’t save her from the bullies’ list.

So when that day came, the day where the bet would start, she had put on her best

shocked face when Tiffany Hwang suddenly approached her in the middle of her

lunch, asking if she could join her.

Taeyeon resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Tiffany’s idiot friends who were more

than obviously snickering at their table, and just concentrated on the girl who had

joined her, offering half of the sandwich her mom had made her this morning.

And so they ate, peacefully, ignoring the rest of the student body, ignoring the

butterflies in her tummy whenever she would get a smile from her.

Needless to say, those times with Tiffany had been her best, because even though

Taeyeon knew that the other girl had a heart of gold unlike most of the popular

people in her school, seeing it herself had been a much more divine experience.

But that night, before the day said bet were to come to its culmination, Tiffany had

come to her house unannounced, wearing the guiltiest and the most remorseful

expression she had ever seen on the girl’s face. And as soon as she had let her in,

she was tackled in a hug and her ears had been filled with hushed yet sincere

apologies. They had come clean about the whole thing, both of them, of how the

other girl agreed on the stupid bet and of how Taeyeon knew about everything.

Tiffany slept over that evening, and they spent the whole time on the roof of her

house stargazing, holding each other’s hands, fingers interlaced. Underneath the

night sky, Taeyeon had confessed her feelings and there in the cold of the night,

they had shared their first kiss, a kiss devoid of bets or lies or forced admiration. It

was real, and it was Taeyeon’s first ever.

But, reality was a cruel bitch.

The day came and just as planned, Taeyeon was dumped at lunchtime, in front of

everyone and their lunches. She had run away from the scene, let a few tears slip

from her eyes for full effect, and since then, Kim Taeyeon had been known as the

stupid girl who fell in love in a bet.

Time flew and high school was done, and even then no one knew of how the

popular girl really fell in love with a nobody, but Taeyeon wouldn’t have it any

other way, because Tiffany’s subtle smiles and soft gazes from afar had all been

enough for her to survive until graduation.

Tiffany Hwang moved back to the States after that, but the night before she left,

Taeyeon had stayed over, and there at the foot of her pink bed, they had shared

their last kiss.

But this story isn’t about how too short Taeyeon and Tiffany’s love story was, or

the bet that forced them to separate.

It’s about a different bet entirely; the one that brought them back together.

Cue coming of age music.

Years later…

Friday night.

The bar was filled up to the brim with more people lining up outside, but Kim

Taeyeon couldn’t be bothered.

Because she and her small team of awesome colleagues slash super friends had just

successfully finished a multi-million dollar project and earned themselves a hefty

bonus and a few days off.

So what better way to end the wonderful work week than to drown in booze, loud

music and more than good company?

Right. There’s nothing better than that.

“Here’s to a wonderful week of sleeping in until the sun is about to set! Cheers!”

Glasses clinked and shots were downed almost instantly, and the alcohol just kept

on flowing until everyone was laughing at practically everything.

But in the middle of the celebration, Sooyoung, Taeyeon’s best buddy from way

back business college, blurted out something that would later on bring a huge

change in her life.

“Bet you couldn’t get that girl’s number?”

“What girl?”

“Bar,” Sooyoung pointed and Taeyeon turned, flipping her blonde hair at the same

time. “The one who looks waaaay out of your league.”

Yes, our Kim Taeyeon was now blonde, because there’s always a point in our lives

that we do something crazy, and dyeing her hair in said color was hers.

Aside from her hair, she had changed a lot, in several aspects too. The years had

been kinder to her and she matured rather wonderfully. Gone were her awkward

moments, and cringe-worthy antics, and in place stood confidence and overflowing

charisma.

But enough about Taeyeon and her awesomeness, because there’s still a bet

waiting to happen.

Going back to the present predicament, Taeyeon suddenly found herself gawking,

because leaning by the bar was the prettiest woman she had ever seen in her entire

life, her back at least.

The girl’s back was facing their table but her perfect curves were enough to draw

attention. And that red hair looked really sexy.

“So…? You game? If you win, I’ll pay for everything tonight and it would be my

treat instead of yours.”

“And if I lose?”

“Well, you pay for all my meals for a month.”

Tempting, Taeyeon thought as she looked at their table filled with bottles and shot

glasses and empty plates. Money was not an issue to her but seeing Sooyoung lose

would be really lovely.

“Just the number?”

“Yep.”

“Okay.”

But even before Taeyeon could make a move out from their booth, Sooyoung had

decided to make the bet a lot more interesting.

“Add in a kiss and I’ll pay for the next two get-togethers.”

Taeyeon laughed at that, shook her head before heading out.

She zeroed in on the girl, took a deep breath before tapping her on the shoulder.

“Excuse me, miss?”

“Yes—Oh my God…”

And in an instant, Taeyeon felt like she was in high school again—awkward, shy,

not as pretty, but most of all, in love.

Cue cheesy love song.

Taeyeon suddenly found herself in a hug but she was too shocked to reciprocate.

And back at their booth, Sooyoung’s face had resembled her own.

Tiffany Hwang—her high school sweetheart, first love, and first kiss taker—pulled

back and chuckled at her face. She smiled that smile that Taeyeon loved, that smile

that never failed to make her feel all warm and tingly inside.

“Oh my God, it’s been so long! How are you?”

Just like her, Tiffany had grown to be such a beauty, even more beautiful than she

could remember, if that was even possible. Her eyes still curved upwards whenever

she smiled that huge face-splitting grin and she still exuded that soothing aura that

solely belonged to her.

Taeyeon was speechless.

By the time she recovered, the other girl had already finished her cocktail. And the

first thing that came out of her mouth was—

“Can I get your number?”

The next thing she knew, Tiffany already had her phone in her hands, punching in

her number. She was still feeling a little disoriented but Taeyeon didn’t miss the

small smile that was playing on the other girl’s lips while she tapped in her details.

“Can I get a kiss too?”

The other girl suddenly lifted her head from her phone, raised her eyebrow and

looked at her suspiciously.

“Excuse me?”

“Err… My friend and I had a bet—”

“Oh, so you’re betting on me now, Kim Taeyeon?”

“No, no! I didn’t know it was you so I said yes, I swear—”

It was only when Tiffany pulled back from her lips, brushed her thumb on the skin

of her cheek, that she realized she had gotten her kiss.

“I’m glad that it was me, though,” Tiffany said with a soft smile. “Call me, Taetae.

We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Taeyeon won the bet that night, but she knew deep inside that it wasn’t the only

thing she won.

0.5

Taeyeon’s hangover knocked on her head the morning after, pounding

against her temples until it woke her up. She groaned and rolled over on

her back, sighing as her splitting headache eased up a bit.

Sooyoung.

It was all Sooyoung’s fault, she recalled begrudgingly, grimacing at the

amount of alcohol her friend had forced her to drink while she interrogated

her about the mysterious redhead that made her lose the bet. But she did

drink it all, too happy and too giddy to realize that she was way past her

limit.

Because it was all worth it, she finally remembered.

She could smell like a barrel of rotten beer for all she cared, but it wouldn’t

change the fact that she met Tiffany Hwang again, and no amount of

hangover or earth-shattering headaches could erase that.

Taeyeon giggled in spite of herself.

She rolled again and lied on her stomach, sighing contentedly. She found

herself grinning as she reached for her phone, but ended up dropping the

device when it suddenly rang in her hand.

“Shit—”

The device continued to ring while it tumbled a few more times before

hitting the foot of her nightstand. Taeyeon had managed to tap the answer

button before it stopped.

“H-Hello?” She croaked, turning the loudspeaker on.

“Hi, uhm, is this Taeyeon?”

“Yeah, who’s calling…?”

“Tae, it’s Tiffany.”

“Wha—Ow!”

Taeyeon groaned, her face greeting the floor as she eagerly flew from her

bed to get her phone. She curled up on her side while she rubbed her

forehead, grimacing when she touched a sore spot.

She heard Tiffany’s voice blaring from the phone beside her head.

“What was that? Taeyeon? Hey, what’s going on—”

She snatched the phone and turned off the loudspeaker, pressing the

device on her ear. “Sorry, it was just—” Taeyeon breathed, calming her

heart. “It was nothing. Hi.” She smiled to no one.

Tiffany giggled, probably from her dreamy greeting, and Taeyeon felt all the

pains in her body disappear. She didn’t mind that she was on the floor, or

that there was a growing lump on her forehead.

All she cared about was the sound of Tiffany’s voice, which didn’t seem to

change throughout the years—that voice that she didn’t realize how much

she missed.

Taeyeon’s heart suddenly felt full.

“Where are you? Are you on your way?” She heard Tiffany ask, making her

frown.

“What? On my way to where?”

“I’m already here at the cafe you told me about.”

Taeyeon’s eyebrows furrowed. “What cafe?”

“I—” Tiffany paused and an uncomfortable silence filled the other line. “You

texted me last night and asked to meet up for brunch…”

Taeyeon sat up in a flash. “I did?”

“Uh, yes Taeyeon, you did,” Tiffany huffed. “Do you want me to forward it to

you?”

“I… W-Wait, hold on.”

Taeyeon hurriedly checked her messages and saw what Tiffany was

talking about. Despite the number of typos and unnecessary characters in

between the words, it clearly showed an invitation for brunch in one of her

favorite cafes.

She groaned, slapping her palm on her face, barely missing the lump on

her forehead. She brought the phone back to her ear. “I am so sorry,

Tiffany,” she said, sighing. “I think I drunk texted you last night.”

“What…?”

“M-My friend… She kept on buying me drinks last night and I got really

drunk, and I think at some point, I texted you…”

The line went quiet and Taeyeon slapped herself again, whimpering as the

edge of her fingers hit the sore spot on her forehead.

She was about to mourn over her drunken stupidity when she heard Tiffany

laugh.

“You’re still as silly as ever, Taetae.”

And that was all it took for Taeyeon to turn completely sober, smiling wider

than any smile she had ever smiled for the past ten years.

—–

It was funny how Taeyeon felt even more nervous standing on her own

foyer than when she stood in front of several foreign business partners,

vying for their attention and interest.

Somehow, she couldn’t understand why it was so easy to be in a situation

that was so crucial to not only her future but the whole company’s, yet

found it so difficult to grab and twist the damn doorknob open, just so the

person ringing the bell outside could finally be let in.

Moreover, she couldn’t, for the life of her, understand why she agreed for

Tiffany to just head on to her apartment to have brunch, when she was still

feeling, looking, and probably smelling, like shit.

1.0

Kim Taeyeon loved hot chocolate.

It was one of the things that Tiffany would never forget about the girl— that, and

that she’s one of the kindest, most genuine people she had ever met.

Years ago…

Tiffany hated herself.

She knew she had mean friends who loved doing stupid things, but she hated

herself more for tolerating them and their idiocy. They were in highschool, and yes

it was the perfect time to be an idiot in life, but Tiffany wasn’t like that. She was

raised to live in kindness and honesty, and that was the reason why she was

standing outside Kim Taeyeon’s front door, hand raised into a fist, preparing to

knock.

Tiffany knocked softly, biting her lip in anxiety. It was a Sunday night, and she

knew Taeyeon would be alone in the living room, watching her cartoons.

She knocked again after a few seconds and she finally heard the other girl’s voice

from behind the door.

The sound of muffled footsteps got closer and her eyes started to sting, and she

didn’t know how long she could hold in her tears anymore, but when the door

finally opened and Taeyeon’s surprised face came into view, she finally lost it.

Tiffany threw herself at her and sobbed on the girl’s shoulder.

“I-I’m so s-sorry, Tae, I’m sorry,” she cried, tightening her arms around the girl’s

neck.

When she felt Taeyeon’s arms wrap around her waist, she sobbed harder, hating

herself even more.

She let the girl hug her while she cried and admitted everything—the bet, how she

agreed on it, and how the worst part of the plan was to take place tomorrow. The

whole time, Taeyeon just held her tight, rubbed her back soothingly while she

choked on her words and tears.

When she finally calmed down, Taeyeon pulled back to wipe her tears, told her

that it was okay and that she was already forgiven.

And as it turned out, Taeyeon actually had a secret of her own.

—–

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m not going to fall off, okay?”

Taeyeon sat beside Tiffany with a grin, both hands occupied by two steaming

mugs. They were on the roof of Taeyeon’s house, huddled under a blanket, sitting

on the mat-covered roof tiles.

“Sorry, it’s just…” Tiffany trailed off, drawing the blanket closer to her body. She

was eyeing the ledge that Taeyeon had just effortlessly climbed on.

The girl handed her the mug carefully, scooting closer until their thighs touched.

The roof tiles were a bit cold but the body beside her made her warm.

“I grew up in this house, Tiffany. This is practically an extension of my room.”

“I-I know,” Tiffany whispered as she cradled the warm drink in her hands, leaning

her head on Taeyeon’s shoulder after taking a sip. “Just be careful, okay?”

She felt Taeyeon nod. “I will,” the girl whispered back.

At that point in time, Tiffany had never felt so free. It was as if she could drift with

the night breeze as it passed, fly with the dried autumn leaves to anywhere the

wind took them. Her heart was light, and she was happy.

When Taeyeon admitted that she knew about the bet beforehand, Tiffany was

gobsmacked. She wondered why the hell did the other girl still went along with it,

but the way Taeyeon shrugged as she smiled that dimpled smile that she liked, she

realized she didn’t have to know.

Kim Taeyeon was a simple girl. She did what she like, and sometimes Tiffany was

like that too, even did things without apparent reason.

But somehow she was glad that the girl went along with it, because if she didn’t

then Tiffany would have missed the chance of knowing her.

Just the thought of it made her anxious.

She felt a slight nudge on her thighs, and she hummed in question, pushing her

thoughts at the back of her mind.

“Do you want more marshmallows? I think I have too much,” Taeyeon asked

suddenly.

She giggled when she finally noticed the other mug overflowing with the white

stuff, the hot drink practically covered. She lifted her head and rested her chin on

the girl’s shoulder, shaking her head cutely.

“Are you sure?”

Tiffany nodded, smiling, playfully nudging her nose on Taeyeon’s cheek.

“Okay.” The girl answered back, chuckling.

And she couldn’t help it. The distance was too non-existent for her to ignore, and

Taeyeon was being so adorable that it was getting too hard for her to resist.

So she pressed her warm, sticky lips on the girl’s cheek, turning the chuckles into a

quiet, breathy laugh.

She leaned back a bit when the girl turned to look at her, the tip of their noses

bumping gently.

And then Taeyeon just kissed her.

Warm, sticky lips on warm, sticky lips.

It happened so fast yet so slow at the same time, because Tiffany actually saw her

lean in, felt the air that Taeyeon breathed in before pressing their lips together.

But she didn’t move, because somewhere in that millisecond before their lips

touched, Tiffany realized she wanted it too.

It was the start of something really beautiful, Tiffany recalled. It was short, but the

length itself made it more memorable.

The stolen glances, the smiles, the many nights spent on Taeyeon’s roof drinking

hot chocolate—it made the last year of her highschool unforgettable.

—–

“I…”

The smile on Tiffany’s lips widened, eyes curving. She looked at Taeyeon who

looked back at her with shock, holding onto the huge cup of hot chocolate with two

hands.

“I can’t believe you still remembered…” The girl said, looking down at the cup

with a small smile.

It made Tiffany’s grin even wider.

“You really love hot chocolate,” she said, teasing, remembering all those times

Taeyeon finished Tiffany’s cup even after downing her own.

The girl could only chuckle as she gestured for her to sit by the kitchen counter

while she went to get some plates, sipping her hot chocolate while she juggled the

utensils with one hand.

She looked different, Tiffany thought. Different, yet it didn’t seem like she

changed at all. The girl was still a few inches shorter than her, still looking like the

kid she remembered her to be. But the way she moved and carried herself right

now exuded maturity and Tiffany just couldn’t help but stare while she moved

around the kitchen.

Seeing her again at the bar last night had been all too surreal, and for a second she

was scared that being at the girl’s apartment right now was a dream too.

Because really, who would’ve thought that they’d meet again after a decade?

Through a bet, nonetheless?

1.5

Years ago, Tiffany’s last night in Jeonju…

Boxes and luggages littered Tiffany’s room, to the point that the only space where

they could sit on was at the foot of the bed.

The more things they packed, the emptier Taeyeon felt, like she was leaving a small

part of her in every box they taped close, in every luggage they zipped up. They’ve

finally graduated, and when it was normally something to rejoice about, Taeyeon

found herself even more saddened by the fact.

Because graduation meant Tiffany leaving.

“That’s the last of it.”

Taeyeon looked at Tiffany with a pout. “Are you sure?” She asked, not wanting to

stop packing. She would pack the whole house if it meant having Tiffany a little

longer.

The girl snickered at her pouty face, and it made her smile, slightly. She watched

as she crawled towards her on the floor.

“Don’t look so sad.” Tiffany said as she held her cheek. “Smile.”

She chuckled but it sounded empty even to her own ears, and maybe to Tiffany too

because the smile she had on didn’t reach her eyes.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Taeyeon said as she pulled the girl closer to her, burying

her nose in her hair. “So much, you have no idea.”

“Maybe I do,” Tiffany whispered back, “because I’m going to miss you just as

much.”

Taeyeon felt a soft kiss on her neck, making her smile. She pulled back and held

Tiffany’s face in her hands, pressing their foreheads together.

“Don’t forget me, Tiffany Hwang,” she whispered, her thumbs caressing the other

girl’s cheeks.

Tiffany giggled before leaning in, molding their lips together, and Taeyeon kissed

her, breathed her in for the last time.

“I will never, Kim Taeyeon,” she heard Tiffany say against her lips. “Never.”

“And she didn’t. She—" Taeyeon paused to look at Sooyoung, her face a mix of a

million emotions. “We haven’t seen each other for ten years, yet… She didn’t

forget me.”

Sooyoung kept mum and just continued to stare at her.

“I honestly don’t know what to say,” the girl said after a while, shaking her head as

she leaned back on her chair. “When you told me about her last week, I didn’t

believe you. You were too drunk, I thought you’re just making things up.”

Taeyeon laughed, throwing her pen at Sooyoung.

“And whose fault is that?”

“Mine. But still.”

She shook her head, still chuckling.

They were in her office enjoying the quiet Monday morning, the first day of work

after their bonus week off. She had been a mess of feelings for the past week, but it

was a good mess—a lovely mess, to be exact—and Taeyeon figured she needed to

slow down for a while.

The initial shock had worn off, and now she was just… nostalgic.

Meeting up with Tiffany for the past few days brought back so many things—an

old friend, old memories, old feelings—and Taeyeon found it to be such a wonder

how easily they fell back into place.

Tiffany’s presence had always brought her a sense of comfort before, and now,

even with ten years worth of life separating them, she realized that the feeling

never did went away.

———

———

2.0

Years ago…

She knew it was all for show but Tiffany couldn’t help but feel guilty. She saw how

Taeyeon ran away with tears in her eyes, and her heart broke at the sight while her

friends howled in laughter.

For the whole day, all she did was keep to herself until the very last period,

rushing and leaving her friends as soon as the bell rang.

Tiffany soon found herself in front of Taeyeon’s house, sweating and out of breath

as she rang the doorbell.

The door opened and Tiffany grinned at how Taeyeon’s mother pulled her in

towards the house, scolding her about running on the streets. The sweet old lady

sat her by the kitchen counter before yelling for Taeyeon, fixing two mugs of hot

chocolate by the kitchen sink.

Soon enough, she heard the sound of hurried footsteps running down the stairs.

“Slow down, Taetae!” Tiffany heard the lady yell, exasperated.

She smiled as the lady looked at her while shaking her head, rolling her eyes at her

silly daughter who appeared a second later, wearing a guilty grin.

“Sorry, mom.”

“Sooner or later you’re going to trip down the stairs,” the lady said matter of

factly, placing the mugs in front of them, “When that happens, I am not taking you

to the hospital.”

Tiffany laughed when the lady flicked Taeyeon’s forehead, and smiled sweetly

when she patted her head. Taeyeon’s mom left the kitchen right after, leaving her

with a pouting kid.

The solemn look on Taeyeon’s face made her remember why she was there, making

her frown.

“How are you?” She asked, softly, lifting her hand to touch that spot on Taeyeon’s

cheek, the place where her tears flowed hours before.

Taeyeon took her hand, smiling as she intertwined their fingers. “I’m fine. Don’t

worry about me,” the girl grinned.

Tiffany searched her eyes, eyebrows furrowing when she saw no remorse. Taeyeon

looked genuinely happy and it baffled her.

The girl chuckled, probably because she looked so disbelieving.

“I’m not lying, Fany. I’m really okay.”

“B-But… You cried…”

“Oh, did you see it? I’m a good actress, right?”

Tiffany’s eyes narrowed. “You mean that wasn’t real…?”

Taeyeon shook her head, turning somber all of a sudden. “I will never shed tears

for them,” she said.

Tiffany understood then.

Taeyeon might never show it, but she was sure she got hurt by the bullying too.

She wanted to do something for her, to ease the bad experience even for a little bit,

but she wasn’t sure what…

Tiffany grinned to herself, pressing the phone to her ear.

She waited until the ringing stopped, her smile widening at the sound of Taeyeon’s

voice.

“Hey. What’s up?” The girl said, sounding obviously cheery.

“Guess what came in the mail today,” Tiffany said in a singsong voice.

“Hmm… Okay, I have nothing. What is it?”

Tiffany eyed the unopened envelope lying on her desk, her smile turning

mischievous and playful.

—–

“You’re evil—Hey!”

Tiffany shoved Taeyeon’s shoulder playfully, smiling apologetically when the

shorter girl almost lost her balance. She pulled her towards her and looped their

arms together.

“I was just saying,” Tiffany started, “that it’s a great idea to—”

“Get revenge?”

“No! Stop interrupting me!”

Taeyeon threw her head back as she laughed, ignoring the weird stares she was

getting. Tiffany chuckled beside her as they continued to walk around the outdoor

mall, enjoying the cool breeze that the autumn brought.

“I just think it’s nice to see everyone again. I’ve never visited ever since I left,”

Tiffany said, eyeing the early Christmas decorations scattered around the

establishment.

Jeonju had been a huge part of her childhood. She moved a lot because of her

father’s work, but out of all the places that she had lived in, she stayed in

Taeyeon’s hometown the longest.

Tiffany heard the girl hum beside her. “I guess you’re right…” Taeyeon said, voice

still unsure. “And it’s been a while since I last visited too. I think my family’s

gonna be happy when they see you.”

Her face brightened up considerably, letting go of Taeyeon’s arm as she walked

ahead to stand in front of her.

“So it’s a yes? You’ll come with me?” Tiffany asked, already excited.

“Yeah. But you need to help me pick out a dress—”

“Let’s go find one now!” She grabbed Taeyeon’s wrist and started pulling her to

the nearest boutique.

“H-Hey, stop! It’s still a month away! Fany!”

———

———

A month later…

Taeyeon had her eyebrows furrowed, phone trapped between her shoulder and her

ear, hands busy tweaking her car’s heater. It has become colder especially in the

mornings, and she didn’t want Tiffany to feel uncomfortable while they were on

their drive to Jeonju.

“I’ll be back in four days,” she spoke, finding the right setting on the heater before

finally leaning back on her chair with a satisfied sigh. Sooyoung was on the other

line, chatting her up while she waited for Tiffany outside her apartment building.

“Hold the fort while I’m away,” Taeyeon said next, chuckling when she heard

Sooyoung’s arrogant tone.

“I always do.”

“Yeah,” she drawled, grinning, “you’re awesome like that.”

Chuckles filled Taeyeon’s car as Sooyoung bombarded her with office gossips like

she’s been gone for months, when in reality she was there an hour ago, giving last

minute instructions to her secretary.

Her friend was in the middle of a juicy gossip from the other department when

Taeyeon heard a soft knock on the window. She couldn’t hold in her grin when she

saw Tiffany smiling and waving at her from the other side.

“Buddy, I have to go,” Taeyeon said immediately, sitting upright. She left

Sooyoung one last reminder before saying goodbye, chucking the phone on the

dashboard before getting off the car where Tiffany’s loud voice greeted her almost

instantly.

“Hi!”

Taeyeon chuckled as she rounded the corner towards the other side, taking

Tiffany’s small duffel bag before putting it inside the trunk. She saw the girl

rubbing her arms so she gestured for her to go inside the car while she piled their

stuff properly.

She smiled, seeing her bag beside Tiffany’s as she closed the trunk shut.

—–

Years ago…

The radio inside the kitchen was playing a cheesy ballad when Taeyeon entered,

sparing her mom a brief glance before heading over to the cupboard that held her

favorite chocolate mix. She stood on the tip of her toes as she reached for the jar,

smiling at the thought of the hot chocolate she could already taste on her tongue.

It was Monday but she was at home, skipped class because of a fever she had been

nursing since the weekend. She was getting better but Taeyeon begged her mom to

let her stay for the day.

“I don’t think you’re allowed to drink that.”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes.

“Mom, hot chocolate makes everything better,” she said as she stirred her mug,

facing the stove where the old lady was. “Even fevers,” she added.

Her mother was about to scold her when the doorbell rang.

“Saved by the bell,” the lady said, throwing her a playful scowl before heading

over towards the front door. She was left alone in the kitchen with her steaming

mug of hot chocolate.

It wasn’t as tasty as Taeyeon was used to, but she had expected it that much. The

fever had left her tasteless for days, and everything she ate and drank just turned

bland as soon as they touched her tongue. Nevertheless, she tried to enjoy the

drink as much as she could, revelling in the little chocolatey taste she could pick

up.

But when her mother returned to the kitchen with a shy Tiffany standing behind

her, Taeyeon felt all of her senses go numb, not just her tongue.

Taeyeon smiled, nostalgic.

She remembered Tiffany’s very first visit at her house, how she brought over some

fruits because she learned from a classmate that she was sick. Her mother was so

amused then because of how she obviously fidgeted, especially when Tiffany came

up her space to feel her temperature.

It was also the first time Taeyeon had a glimpse of Tiffany’s heart of gold; the first

of many.

“Do you think they’ll remember me?”

Taeyeon blinked, shifting her grip on the steering wheel as her memories crawled

back inside her head.

She looked over to the passenger’s seat and saw Tiffany looking at her with a

worried expression.

“You know,” she said, chuckling, “My mom still asks about you every once in a

while.”

“She does?”

“Yeah,” Taeyeon said, smiling to herself. “She really likes you.”

Tiffany smiled as she spoke. “I like her too!”

“I’m sure she’s gonna cry when she sees you.”

The girl beside her gasped and Taeyeon laughed.

“Don’t exaggerate!” Tiffany said, hitting her arm playfully.

Taeyeon looked at her and smirked, “Wanna bet?”

———

———

2.5Taeyeon wasn’t kidding

As soon as the old lady recognized Tiffany, she burst into tears, pulled her

in for a tight hug while Taeyeon laughed at the side as she took her bags

inside the house.

Tiffany giggled while the old woman continued to shower her with motherly

affection, pulling her towards the foyer before alerting everyone of her

presence. Soon enough, she found herself in the Kim family living room,

seated in between Taeyeon’s mother and a very curious younger sister.

“Hayeon,” she heard Taeyeon call as she stepped out of the kitchen, sitting

beside the quiet kid with a grin, “Remember Tiffany-unnie?”

Taeyeon pointed at her and Tiffany anxiously waited for an answer.

The girl looked at her again, eyebrows furrowed and lips pulled into a pout.

She watched as she turned towards her sister with an unsure hum, shaking

her head a little.

Hayeon was so young back then, Tiffany recalled. She couldn’t blame the

kid for not remembering her.

She smiled sadly at Taeyeon who was whispering something in her sister’s

ear.

Just then, a gasp came out of Hayeon’s mouth, startling Tiffany a bit.

Before she could say anything, the younger girl was already on her feet,

scampering away towards the stairs. Taeyeon’s chuckles reverberated in

her ears while they listened to Hayeon’s hurried footsteps that could be

heard from the ceiling.

Taeyeon’s mother could only shake her head when Hayeon got back while

clutching a worn out teddy bear in her hands, her lips pulled into a wide grin

that resembled Taeyeon’s.

Tiffany’s excitement was instantly wiped out at the sight of a very

apologetic Taeyeon, holding a crying kid in her arms. Her shirt was wet

around the shoulder area, and the damped spot was getting bigger by the

second.

Wordlessly, she was let in, following the two towards the living room where

they sat quietly, with only the sound of Taeyeon’s cooing could be heard.

It was the weekend and they were supposed to hangout, just the two of

them, but now Tiffany wasn’t sure anymore. She kept her eyes on

Taeyeon’s younger sister who was clinging to her for dear life, half worried

and half jealous.

“What happened?” She asked softly, afraid of startling the crying kid. Her

hand was on its way to stroke the girl’s back but she hesitated.

She knew Taeyeon had seen the gesture, judging by the gentle smile she

had on her lips.

“Her favorite toy broke,” Taeyeon said, almost whispered, but her words

had made the sniffing little girl cry again.

Tiffany’s heart soften at the sobbing, and before she could even realize

what she was doing, her hands had already stretched out towards

Taeyeon, taking the girl into her own arms.

“Hayeonie,” she cooed, “don’t cry anymore, okay? Unnie is going to buy

you a new toy.”

She looked up at Taeyeon with a smile when the girl’s sobs reduced to

sniffs, feeling the tiny arms tightening against her neck as she nodded.

“Unnie gave this to me!” The now grown up Hayeon exclaimed, shoving the

old plushie towards her with a proud grin.

Tiffany’s smile couldn’t get any wider.

—–

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay here? You can bunk with me in my

room, just like old times.”

Tiffany had to laugh, grinning so widely her cheeks started to hurt. Taeyeon

was looking at her with a smile as wide as hers, gaze soft and playful.

“We couldn’t even fit in your bed even when we were sixteen, Taeyeon.”

She said, making the latter laugh.

“True,” Taeyeon agreed, hopping off from the kitchen counter before

heading over to the sink to deposit her empty mug. “Let me drive you to the

hotel then. You need to rest.”

Tiffany nodded as she drank what’s left of the hot chocolate that Taeyeon’s

mother made them, smiling as the taste she missed so much never

changed even a bit.

The Kim family had always shown great hospitality towards her ever since,

and she was so grateful that it didn’t change even after ten years. It was a

little baffling for her to still be remembered, but then again she wouldn’t

have it any other way.

———

———

3.0

It’s been a decade and a lot has definitely changed.

The last time Taeyeon was here was when her sister graduated, and it was

a good handful of years ago too.

It wasn’t like the place she remembered it to be, but she couldn’t deny the

sense of familiarity that hit her as soon as she stepped foot inside the old

hall, decorated from floor to ceiling with drapes of cloth and linen, all in the

school’s colors.

At that moment, Taeyeon felt like she was in high school again—young,

naive, awkward—everything she wasn’t anymore.

Her senior year might have been a nightmare at some point, but it was

most memorable to her for a number of reasons too. And if someone were

to ask her if she wanted to go back so she could relive it again—properly,

this time—she was sure she wouldn’t change anything.

“Oh. My. God.”

Taeyeon grinned. She’d recognize that voice anywhere.

“Kim-fucking-Taeyeon!”

She turned around and smirked at the equally blonde woman she hasn’t

seen in ages, looking like she got caught in a rainbow hurricane judging by

what she was wearing.

“Hyo—Oooff!”

Taeyeon found herself in a bone crushing hug, chortling as the shorter girl

tried to lift her off the ground.

“God, look at you!” The excited woman exclaimed as she held her at arm’s

length, shaking her by the shoulders. “You didn’t even age! And how dare

you look hotter than me!”

“I’ve always been hotter than you!”

Hyoyeon gasped dramatically. “Look at you talking back at me now, you

little punk!” She yelled, putting her in a playful headlock.

Before Taeyeon could even say anything, Hyoyeon had already started

dragging her across the hall. “The others will flip when they see you,” the

woman said, pulling her closer. “Let’s go!”

—–

“Holy shit.”

“Is that really—”

“Taeyeon?!”

Everyone seated at the small circular table made such a fuss that Taeyeon

had to cover her face in embarrassment, suddenly flustered at the attention

she was getting. Hyoyeon kept her arm around her shoulder, a proud grin

pulling at her lips.

One by one they approached her, their faces a mix of excitement and

disbelief.

“It’s so good to see you!” One exclaimed, giving her a brief hug. “I saw your

mom the other day, she said you weren’t coming to the class reunion!”

Taeyeon grinned as she rubbed the back of her neck. “Ah well, I wasn’t

really planning to, but Tif—”

A distant shriek caught everyone’s attention.

“Oh my God, is that Tiffany Hwang?!”

Indeed, it was.

It was cheesy and a little cliche, but Taeyeon felt like she was in a movie

the moment Tiffany Hwang walked inside the hall, wearing a black dress

that ended mid thigh and heels that made her legs looked incredibly

amazing. Her hair was no longer red but a dark shade of brown, while her

bangs were swept to the side and her tips ended in soft curls. The hall

literally quieted down when she gave a polite smile, turning her head as if

looking for someone. Their gazes met briefly then, and Tiffany smiled

subtlely towards her direction before heading over to where her high school

friends were.

“She looks even more incredible now,” Hyoyeon said, mesmerized as their

whole table followed Tiffany with their eyes until she reached the table at

the end of the hall.

Taeyeon looked over and saw the people who made her senior year a

pretty bad experience. Yet amidst the awful memories, Tiffany shone

brightly in the middle of it all, and Taeyeon couldn’t help but chuckle when

she got herself a subtle wink.

———

———

Tiffany didn’t know why she was nervous; it was her idea afterall. And now

she was half regretting not going with Taeyeon, because now she had to

walk through the corridors alone while people eyed her with unveiled

interest and curiosity. She was sure a lot of them had finally recognized

her, judging by the whispers that ensued even before she could register her

name at the table.

She kept on tugging at the hem of her dress until she reached the last turn

that would take her to the old hall’s entrance, feeling uncharacteristically

anxious.

Sighing deeply, Tiffany finally decided to go in.

—–

Last night, when Taeyeon drove her to the hotel, she insisted that they go

to the venue separately, and as much as the latter wanted to pick her up,

Tiffany declined immensely. She wanted to surprise her of the change she

had been planning since even before they left Seoul, and she was glad of

the results, judging from the way Taeyeon had looked at her intensely

when she entered the hall.

Everyone gawked, but Tiffany only cared for that one intense stare coming

from the corner table, discreetly following her every move.

All night she stuck with her old clique, catching up with their current lives

and successes, but she would, every once in a while, steal a glance to

wherever Taeyeon was.

“Is that Kim Taeyeon?”

Tiffany turned her head to the side to face her friend, realizing how she had

been staring too much.

“Yes,” she answered with a nod before looking back at the other girl

standing across the hall, charming everyone with her confidence.

“She looks really good, doesn’t she?”

“She does.” Tiffany smiled, a little too widely.

Taeyeon was wearing the outfit she picked for her a month ago—a two

piece white dress ensemble with a white blazer that brought out her

inexplicable androgynous charms. And while her blonde hair was up in a

simple ponytail, she still looked incredible.

They watched her interact with her own group of friends by the cocktail

table, greeting everyone who passed them by politely. Taeyeon surely gave

them a shock with her transformation, and Tiffany felt so proud of that.

—–

The festivities were finally dwindling down after a good three hours of

socializing and reminiscing, and Tiffany felt extremely satisfied with the

night’s happenings. She almost forgot how good it was to be in the

company of people she spent considerable time with, in spite of the fact

that unlike most of the people in the hall, she only got to be a part of them

for a few years.

She felt so welcomed and loved, especially when a lot of her peers

remembered her, along with most of the old faculty and staff. For the first

time in a long time, Tiffany finally felt she was home.

After a round of farewell embraces and promises to meet again, they were

all ready to leave.

“It was really good to see you, Tiffany,” one said, cheery. “Though I was

half expecting you to bring a spouse, or a date at least.”

She could only smile as she discreetly let her eyes roam around the hall,

looking for a certain someone whom she hadn’t seen for an hour now.

“I do have one, I’m just not sure where sh—”

“Hey.”

Tiffany felt a soft touch on her lower back, and her lips instantly pulled up

into a smile.

“Everyone’s leaving. Are you ready to go?”

If she could freeze the moment, she would, just so she could take a picture

of all the stunned faces in front of her. Her smile blossomed when she felt

Taeyeon’s hand slide towards the curve of her hip, lips tugging upwards

even more when she heard an audible gasp from one of her female friends.

She watched with an amused smile as her former clique stayed frozen,

especially when she leaned in towards Taeyeon’s ear.

“Hello, Miss Popular,” Tiffany whispered, snickering. She giggled when she

felt the hand on her hip pinching her softly.

“Stop it, you’re gonna give them a heart attack,” Taeyeon whispered back

before they separated.

Everyone was staring at them, including Taeyeon’s friends from the other

table, who were now openly gawking at them.

“Guys, you remember Kim Taeyeon?” asked Tiffany, lacing their fingers

together before pulling the girl closer to her.

Taeyeon smiled as she nodded at her friends. “Hello,” she greeted, earning

her incohorent, garbled responses.

“Well it was nice seeing everyone,” Tiffany then said, looking over at the

smiling girl beside her, “but Taeyeon and I need to head home.” She

looped her arm with hers and leaned her head on the latter’s.

“Let’s meet again next time, okay? Bye guys!”

And with that Tiffany dragged the chuckling girl across the hall, grinning

from ear to ear as they left everyone with their jaws on the floor.

———

———

3.5 - End

Taeyeon grunted, and Tiffany could only giggle behind the thick scarf

wrapped around her neck.

“I don’t remember that being that hard before,” the short girl said, hoisting

herself up from the ledge and onto the roof. She crawled towards the

blanket where Tiffany sat comfortably, joining her under the stars.

“You’re just getting old, Taeyeon. Admit it,” Tiffany teased, shoving the girl

gently by the shoulder.

“Oh please,” Taeyeon retorted almost immediately, “I wasn’t the only one

grunting when I climbed up.”

Tiffany shoved her again, but this time she didn’t pull back. She leaned her

whole weight on Taeyeon and she smiled when she felt the latter’s arm

pulling her closer.

Just like old times, she thought, burrowing her face on Taeyeon’s neck.

They were so young back then, and Tiffany had been so sure that she’ll

never see Taeyeon again. Yet here she was, warm in her arms, bathing in

the scent she missed so much.

She breathed in and sighed, and Taeyeon held her closer.

“Everyone’s eyes were on you tonight,” Tiffany said, suddenly remembering

the events that happened. She looked up at the girl and found her smirking.

“Only because I had Tiffany Hwang draped all over me,” Taeyeon teased.

A laugh escaped Tiffany’s lips. She shoved Taeyeon before pinching her

cheeks. “We were only together for like three minutes before we literally

flew out of there,” she retorted, “No draping happened, Taetae.”

Taeyeon wrinkled her nose and Tiffany laughed harder.

“It was so hard to move though,” the girl continued, sighing. “I mean, I could

barely walk three steps before someone approaches me, congratulating me

about something I don’t even know what. And then as soon as that person

leaves, another one comes!” Taeyeon threw her hands up, exasperated. “Is

that how being popular is?”

“Yeah, kinda. But you get used to it, I guess.”

“Thank God I wasn’t popular.”

“Well, you are now.”

“Pfft yeah, right.” Taeyeon scoffed. She shifted a bit and Tiffany moved with

her, feeling herself being embraced tighter when a cold breeze blew by.

“It was nice seeing everyone though,” the girl suddenly said. “I didn’t know

how much I missed my friends until I saw them earlier.”

Tiffany hummed, agreeing. “Can you believe how long it’s been?”

She chuckled when Taeyeon looked at her in a funny way, eyes round and

lips jutting out. “It’s been a decade!” She exclaimed. “But I feel like I just

graduated high school yesterday. It’s like I didn’t grow at all.”

“Well—”

“Don’t.”

Tiffany laughed at the deadpanned stare. “You’re no fun.”

She saw Taeyeon roll her eyes.

“It’s just that… I still feel the same, you know?” The girl continued, voice

suddenly turning soft. “Ten years… I feel like I didn’t even change at all.”

For a second, Tiffany saw a glimpse of Taeyeon from ten years ago—the

shy, unsure, and self doubting teenager. Surely, she had lost a lot of weight

and all her features were well defined now, but she was still Kim

Taeyeon—the kindest, most amazing girl she had ever met.

It made Tiffany a bit happy, knowing that under all that new found

confidence and that oozing charm, the simple girl she had come to know

and fall in love with was still there.

“Everyone changes, Taetae.” Tiffany said when Taeyeon stayed mum.

“And you,” she paused to reach out and hold the girl’s cheek, “you definitely

changed for the better.”

She brushed her skin softly with her thumb, giggling when Taeyeon finally

smiled that crooked smile that she loved.

They went quiet after that, leaning on each other while enjoying the late

night breeze. Tiffany felt Taeyeon shift, saw her looking at the sky before

looking down at her.

“Do you remember the last time we’re here?” Taeyeon asked, nudging the

side of her head with her nose.

“We’ve been here so many times, I think it’s impossible for me to

remember.” Tiffany answered, nudging the girl back. She almost laughed

when Taeyeon looked a bit disappointed. “But I’ll never forget the first

time,” she followed immediately, earning herself a wide smile.

“Me neither,” Taeyeon agreed. “You kissed me for the first time back then.”

The girl grinned cheekily, and Tiffany gasped.

“Kissed you?!” She suddenly yelled, ignoring the fact that it was already

late into the night and everyone was already asleep.

“You did!” Taeyeon yelled back.

“On the cheek!”

“It was still a kiss!”

“It wasn’t a real kiss! You’re the one who kissed me right after you asked if I

wanted marshmallows!”

And Taeyeon laughed at that, throwing her head back without abandon. “I

did, didn’t I?” She said in between her chuckles.

Tiffany shook her head as she laughed along, pinching Taeyeon’s thigh

under the blanket.

When their laughter died down it was quiet again, save for the sound of

their breathing. Tiffany’s head was back on Taeyeon’s shoulder, while the

latter went back to watching the stars.

It was crazy, she thought. Who would’ve thought they’d be on that roof

again, under the same sky, sharing the same blanket while breathing the

same air. Up until that moment, Tiffany still felt like everything had been a

dream, and if it weren’t for the feeling of Taeyeon’s arms keeping her

warm, she wouldn’t have believed anything.

“So…”

Tiffany snapped out from her thoughts and looked up when she thought

she heard Taeyeon’s voice, seeing the latter with a playful glint in her eyes.

“Hmm?” She hummed in question.

“Do you want marshmallows?”

“Wha—”

And Taeyeon just swooped in, capturing her lips and stealing the words

from her mouth.

Tiffany slapped the silly girl’s cheeks playfully before holding onto them,

eyes fluttering close as she kissed her back. Taeyeon’s lips were sweet,

warm and soft against her own.

They stayed like that for a while, breathing each other in every time their

lips parted, reacquainting curves and textures, remembering tastes and

feelings. There was confidence in the way Taeyeon moved now, but just

like how it was ten years ago, she made it feel like it was Tiffany’s first kiss.

Their lips parted and Tiffany couldn’t help but giggle, squeezing Taeyeon’s

cheeks in between her hands while their foreheads met.

“I admit,” she said, hands caressing Taeyeon’s flustered cheeks, “that was

cute.”

The other girl could only chuckle, giving her a lingering peck on the cheek

before pulling back to hold her hands.

“Okay, I know we’ve already been hanging out quite often these past few

months,” Taeyeon said, grinning shyly, “but I just want to ask—properly and

officially, this time. Would you like to go on a date with m—”

“Yes,” Tiffany answered simply, breathing in before grabbing and pulling on

Taeyeon’s head so she could kiss her again.

Properly and officially this time.

———

———

They say time changes everything, but just like Taeyeon’s love for hot

chocolate, or Tiffany’s excellent memory, some things just. Don’t. Change.”

The End