I awoke with a yawn and a smile as my mind adjusted to real life and I remembered Tiffany was sleeping in my room. I stretched and groaned before getting up and fixing us a nice breakfast.
I hummed while I made it, happier than I had been in a while...it's amazing what a good deed can do. Once the kimchi fried rice was cooked and put into two bowls, I placed them opposite eachother on the kitchen table and went to my bedroom.
I knocked gently on the door but there was no answer. Thinking she must've been sleeping, I opened the door carefully and allowed the morning light to penetrate the room a little at a time until I saw something I wasn't prepared to see...an empty bed with a note on top of it.
I frowned and approached the note, calling out Tiffany's name but there was no reply. The bathroom was wide open so I knew she wasn't in there, I shifted uncomfortably as I started to read the letter.
Dear Taeyeon,
I hope you don't mind me using a piece of your paper and a pen, I just needed to thank you for all you have done for me. I would have given you all of my money if I had any in gratitude and I want you to know how much I appreciate your generosity and hospitality.
You were the first person to show me kindness and for that I'm eternally grateful. I've made your bed and cleaned everything away. I put your clothes in the laundry basket and grabbed my own clothes back.
Thank you for allowing me to stay but I can't take up anymore of your time and effort. You've already done enough for me and I'm sure your kindness will stay with me forever.
Tiffany
Well that certainly ruined my mood. She left? God that girl...why couldn't she just accept the things I gave her and not question them? She could've stayed with me for so much longer yet here I was...looking at her goodbye letter. I had the strongest urge to crumple it in frustration but I couldn't bring myself to do it, it was from Tiffany and I couldn't ruin it.
I got dressed quickly and made my way out into the freezing outdoors, a light covering of snow on the ground. I gritted my teeth but not because of the temperature, it was because I knew that Tiffany was in a fucking t-shirt and ripped jeans in this weather.
I made my way over to the park, narrowly avoiding falling down on my butt as I slid around on the ice that covered the pathway and trod carefully from then on, finally seeing the bench I had been longing for yet it was empty. I simply plopped myself down and waited. Luckily it was Sunday so I didn't have a shift at the bar until Monday evening. I'd wait here all day to get her back in the warmth if I had to, and that I did.
I had left my apartment at 11:45am...it was now 5pm. Yes, I had waited all that time for Tiffany but she still hadn't come. By this time I was dying for a pee and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold it any longer. So I got up, and went into a nearby cafe to use their toilet. I felt stupid when I came back out as I could've waited in the warmth of the coffee shop...it had the perfect view from the windows of the little bench. I groaned and ordered myself a coffee and some lunch as I had forgotten to eat my breakfast.
I waited, and waited and waited until it was closing time. I sadly got up and trudged my way through the snow, stopping to button my coat up and tighten the scarf around my neck in the reflection of the cafés window, when in the reflection I saw movement.
I spun around and finally lay my eyes upon Tiffany. She was walking slowly, a distressed look on her face and she was shivering like hell.
I stormed up to her and wasn't surprised to see her jump back in shock seeing me there.
"Taeyeon" she whispered and bowed that same ninety degree bow.
"Why did you leave?" I asked
"I explained on the letter" she replied, her head hanging low...her skin covered in goose pimples.
"Tiffany...I thought you understood. I don't want you suffering out here, I don't want you to get sick and I don't want you to get hurt which could happen due to the weather or even some psycho who's looking for a quick fuck." She winced as I said those words but they were true.
"Please, I feel responsible for you and if I saw you hurt I'd never forgive myself. You can stay with me for the time being" I said and nodded my head in a way that said to come with me. She sighed but started to shuffle slowly through the snow, her head down once again while I led her to the supermarket.
"Why are we here?" She asked as we entered, looking around as if she was in heaven.
"I need to get some shopping and we need to get you a toothbrush. I just got paid so we can get a few things for you"
She walked in front of the shopping cart causing me to stop. I looked at her confused but she showed a weird expression, almost angry.
"I'm not a charity case Taeyeon. I don't need your money"
I frowned, that's what she thought? "I haven't given you money Tiffany, I'm buying a toothbrush..."
She sighed "I'm sorry, that was rude of me, I didn't mean that. I just hate people feeling sorry for me, when people used to throw coins at me like I was begging on the street...I wasn't I was just minding my own business"
"It's okay, I won't throw coins at you...I'll throw a toothbrush at you but that's about it"
She smiled a little, finding what I had said funny and then she started to laugh. It was husky and addictive and I found I had to laugh along with her. When she heard my awful ahjumma laughter she laughed more, clapping her hands. I wiped a tear from my eye and watched as her eyes disappeared and the pure joy on her face...that, I wanted to see more often.
"You're funny" she grinned and walked back to my side, her fingers wrapping around the steel bars of the shopping cart.
"Thanks" I chuckled. "Anyway, have you eaten today?" Her smile disappeared and she shook her head. "Do you have a favourite meal? A favourite snack? You can choose whatever you like here" I said, making her face light up again.
"I like food full stop." Bless her...
I walked down each aisle and everything she looked interested in I put inside the cart, it was more than I usually got but I more or less lived alone before she arrived, Jess only came at night remember?
Once we got to the checkout, some snobby old woman who was bagging our shopping looked Tiffany up and down and began to laugh to herself. I looked at Tiffany and saw how she had seen it and lowered her head. The woman then began to chat with her co-worker, whispering before looking back at Tiffany.
"Something to share?" I asked, pissed at the treatment Tiffany was receiving. I held back a smile when the woman looked a little taken aback as if she thought she had been discreet and hidden her sniggering well. "You're whispering... I'm sure my friend and I would love to know what it is that makes us so interesting to you."
"N-nothing" she stuttered.
"Oh? Then try to keep your thoughts to yourself from now on, I'm not fond of bitches you see."
This time I did crack a smile as her face turned white in shock at what I had just said to her. Tiffany was looking at me in awe and I loved it, I paid the bill then nodded my head towards the door and we both pushed the cart out and then took out the bags from inside. As we were walking back to my place, she looked at me again and smiled.
"You didn't have to do that you know" she said
"I won't have people like that talk about us. It's none of their business."
"She wasn't laughing at you Taeyeon" Tiffany replied
"If she laughs at you, she's laughing at me too. I won't stand for it." I said sternly, hating the way a woman like that could mock someone so sweet just because of her clothes.
I heard Tiffany mutter something but I didn't quite catch it. I asked what she said and she turned to me, her cheeks pink.
"Angel"
