When Tiffany first opened her eyes, she realized the harsh reality. She had fallen asleep in the doorway. She immediately got up after the realization sunk in and ran around and about in her apartment. She's late to work.
Shit.
I'm supposed to be observing a departmental meeting first thing in the morning.
Looking at the time on her phone, she knew that she would be only cutting it close. So instead of having breakfast, she grabbed a jello from her fridge and out from the apartment she was.
In the end, I'm wearing yesterday's clothes.
What's more, I'm basically living on nutritional supplements and junk food.
I have had enough of this!
It's been like this ever since I started working as a comic editor.
"You're late, Tiffany!"
This is Emerald's head editor, Kim Taeyeon
"I'm sorry!" Tiffany Immediately apologized and bowed 90 degrees the moment Taeyeon came in sight.
"I told you to be on time. You should always be here before your superiors." Taeyeon scolded.
"I'm really sorry!" Tiffany bowed once more. Mad at herself for having disappointed Taeyeon
A sarcastic chuckle was heard from behind Taeyeon.
"I don't think she cares since she's not actually participating in the meeting"
And this is Kim Kangin. He works in the financial department.
His words never fail to piss Tiffany off or/and put her down.
"Sorry guys, I totally overslept!"
And this smiley laid back beauty is Im Yoona. The senior managing director and the only daughter of the owner of this company.
"Oh wow, I wonder if I'm getting old. It's really hard to get up in the morning." Yoona yawned, not looking like her position at all.
"It's just you." Taeyeon frowned at her.
My boss, Taeyeon...told me to sit in on a departmental meeting at least once, and she specifically suggested I attend this one.
So why a meeting?
They're held to determine how many copies of a new book will be printed. Every department sends their head to participate and discusses the matter. In the case of Im's publishing, I only know three of the heads.
First of all, the editorial department that makes the book (Which I'm working in) and the head is Taeyeon. The Financial department that sells the book, Kangin is the head. And a top dog of course, in today's meeting case there is Yoona, the senior manager and the daughter of the CEO. Some little things are different but for the most part, things are almost the same as my previous workplace.
"Well, let's start the meeting." Someone announced as everyone took a seat around the long big ass table.
"Oh hey. Yeah sorry. I have been so busy that I didn't have time to read the materials, so I'm gonna read them now. Just start talking." Yoona who's at the head of the table smiled awkwardly and flipped open the materials for the first time.
"Ugh, not again." Kangin face palmed.
"Oh shut up, I have been busy with managing things. You know, my actual job?" As laid back as ever.
"Well then, let's start." An unknown woman to Tiffany announced, "Sales department thinks that a first run of 200K copies is sufficient." She said.
"Not enough." Kangin butted in.
And just like that, world war 3 started around the meeting table.
"The author has sold pretty well previously, so I say we start with 240K or 250K copies"
Kangin was shot with a glare from the head of the sales department but he didn't seem to be affected by it at all.
"Hah, don't be stupid. This is the first volume of a new serious. There is no reason to take that kind of risk."
"As usual, I see you have no sense of adventure." Kangin retorted with a straight face.
"What did you sa- "
"300,000 copies"
Everyone was in utter shock at what Taeyeon just said.
"Hahahahahahaha wake up and smell the roses, Taeyeon." The woman laughed while pointing at Taeyeon.
"What the hell have you been smoking? Stop joking." Kangin crossed his arms with a grimace.
"You're the one who's joking here!" Taeyeon slammed the table.
I...I don't get it...
Why are they all being so belligerent?
Tiffany stayed quite and watched her boss have a heated fight argument with the sales department's head and Kangin while the others were just like Tiffany, scared to even participate.
"Hah! You guys obviously lack intuition, so I'm not going to waste my time explaining things to you." Taeyeon chuckled making the two across the table get even more furious than they already were, "300K copies! Take it or leave it." Taeyeon said.
"260K copies!" Kangin said back.
"230K copies! But even that's just barely." The sales women face palmed.
"Oh, I see. Well then, why don't we go for the middle ground here and print 270K?" Yoona grinned with the material still in hand.
"Don't you half-ass this!" All three of them yelled at the same time.
Yoona just continued grinning, "Thought you would say that." She then glanced at Tiffany who was staring back at her, "Don't you have anything to say?" She asked calmly.
Tiffany's heart dropped to her stomach when she realized that Yoona's question was directed at her, "Huh? Uh, no, not really." She looked around the room and found that everyone was waiting for an answer from her.
"But...I do think that the book will sell..."
"What?! Of course, it's going to sell!" The three demons yelled simultaneously.
They were all just arguing among each other but all of them agree that the book will sell. Tiffany ended up with a headache after that meeting.
No, but seriously, why is everyone so belligerent?
Why do I feel so tired even though all I did was observe?
When I think that it will be one of my books up there sooner or later, my stomach...
"Well, if it isn't Tiffany!"
Tiffany looked up at the person who just exited the elevator she was waiting for.
A smile painted itself across her face the moment she saw the familiar face, "It's been a while Soomi-Ahjussi" She bowed 90-degrees to the old man.
"I could say the same to you. What happened? I thought you quit being an editor." It was visible on the old man's face that he was confused at seeing Tiffany in a publishing company again.
"No, I wound up working as an editor here." Tiffany let out an awkward chuckle.
"Well, if you are working here as a literary editor, why didn't you tell me?" The old man frowned.
"I do apologize. I'm actually working as a comic editor at the moment..." Tiffany smiled awkwardly.
The old man's face changed to a more confused one, "Comics? Why on earth? I had the impression that you're only interested in literature."
"Oh, um, that is...there were extenuating circumstances."
"I see, well why don't I introduce you?" Old man Soomi finally got rid of the frown and smiled gently while signaling to the beautiful woman standing near him, "This is Bora, my editor here at Im's publishing."
The woman named Bora bowed at Tiffany's direction and smiled politely.
"Tiffany here is the daughter of the owner of Hwang's publishing" Old man Soomi explained.
Yeah, the girl was shocked.
"Ahjussi! Please stop!" Tiffany covered her face in embarrassment. The last thing she needed right now is the word of who she really is spreading around even more.
To Tiffany's relief, the elevator opened once more and from there came out Taeyeon. She stood there for a second staring at the three of them, waiting for them to get out of her way.
"Taeyeon!" Tiffany was by Taeyeon's side in a second, "This is the novelist Han Soomi. I used to be his editor." A nice way to change the topic, "Ahjussi, this is Kim Taeyeon, my boss and the chief of the editing department."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Taeyeon bowed politely.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too. No doubt that comics are also interesting, but Tiffany here used to live and breath literature. So don't shut her away from that world completely, okay?" Old man Soomi smiled at the two.
Taeyeon had absolutely no reaction to that whatsoever.
"Oh. Seonsaeng-nim, your taxi has arrived." Bora looked over at the front door across the lobby where a taxi could be seen through the glass doors.
"Seonsaeng-nim, I will be in touch." Tiffany bowed happily.
"Very well. Well then, I will see you later, Tiffany." The old man smiled affectionately at Tiffany as the three editors escorted him to the taxi.
"I'm going on ahead." Taeyeon left as soon as the taxi was out of sight
"Okay..." Tiffany watched Taeyeon's back as she walked back inside until she too was out of sight.
All who's left are Tiffany and this Bora girl alone seemingly going to the same floor when both of them walked into the elevator.
"I'm really sorry for butting in like that." Tiffany apologized with an awkward smile.
"Oh, it's fine." Bora smiled back and shook her hand in the air, "But hey, is it true that you're the only daughter of the president of Hwang's publishing?" She asked seemingly interested in Tiffany.
"Uh, yeah...it's true but, um, sorry...could you please keep it a secret?" Tiffany sighed tiredly.
"Sure, but why? I mean, isn't that something you should brag about?"
"Um, well..." Tiffany looked down as they walked out of the elevator, "I do appreciate that you value my father's company so highly, but..."
On the contrary, this whole thing had become a heavy burden.
It's why I quit working there, but still...
"It doesn't really have anything to do with me as a person."
Bora smiled after hearing that, "You're being very modest."
Silent was awkwardly crawling in between them once more.
"Did you come to work here because you like comics?" Bora asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Not really, I actually wanted to work in the literature department, but I somehow ended up with comics instead." Tiffany chuckled awkwardly.
"Ouch! That must have stung quite a bit."
Tiffany nodded as an answer.
"Taeyeon-ssi...is pretty strict isn't she?" Bora said bitterly.
"Huh?" Tiffany looked back at her in confusion.
"Everybody agrees that she's the kind that gets things done. However, she wants to surround herself with people just like her, and that's not going to happen. It's what got her in trouble at her last job, or so the rumor goes."
"What?" Tiffany grimaced after hearing that ridiculous thing, "But it's so simple! As long as you do exactly as she says, you will do just fine!"
Bora looked at Tiffany in amusement making Tiffany realize that she just raised her voice.
"Um...uh, sorry." She blushed and looked down
What that hell? Why am I standing up for Taeyeon?
"That reminds me." Bora smiled once more in an attempt to break the awkwardness, "Would you like a copy of Soomi Seonsaeng-nim's newest book?"
The Lid of the Pot
Tiffany sighed in bliss while examining the book between her hands.
Oh, wow.
This is definitely one of Soomi Ahjussi's books
They spared no costs in putting it together
Her finger slid down the hardcover of the book and Tiffany was enraptured by it
in a sense, hardcover books are definitely an art form
I really do love proper literature.
*Whack*
"What the hell are you doing?!" Tiffany stood up, angry at Taeyeon who passed by her as if she didn't just whack her on the head with a roll of papers.
"If you have got the time to daydream, you might as well do your actual job."
"I'm all done!" Tiffany said angrily and tapped her finished paperwork on the table.
"Well then, let me give you some more." Taeyeon took a seat on her president chair.
"I always do my work! There is really no reason at all for you to constantly nag me, Taeyeon!"
"What did you just say?" Taeyeon looked up with a not so pleased expression.
"Oh, there she is. Tiffany-ssi!"
Both of them looked at the person who just walked in their office with a stack of books in their hands.
"Bora-ssi." Tiffany turned around in her chair and smiled.
"I thought you might like to look at Soomi-Seonsaengnim's work, so I brought some over. If you find something you like, please feel free to take it." Bora smiled and placed the books over Tiffany's desk
"Really?! Oh wow, thank you! I will take them all! Sorry, you had to carry them all the way over here."
"Hahaha. that's what I thought." Bora smiled back at Tiffany
"Oh, but you don't have to give them to me to keep! I can give them back later."
Bora smiled and stared at Tiffany for a while. Taeyeon caught up on the atmosphere and looked up at the two.
"Hey...would you like to go out for a drink tonight?" Bora asked with a smile.
"Tonight?"
"No can do."
Just when Tiffany was about to answer Taeyeon interrupted them
"Sorry, but could you leave the newbie alone? She can't even do her job, so I can't really let her out for drinks." Taeyeon crossed her arms and grumpiness was visible on her face.
"Wha- ?!" Tiffany raised an eyebrow.
Bora chuckled, "You haven't changed, Taeyeon-ssi. You're still strict on both yourself and your employees."
Taeyeon didn't say anything and settled with giving the poor look a dirty look.
"I'm really sorry about this!" Tiffany face palmed.
"Oh, it's fine. Maybe some other time. I will ask you again when your demon of a chief editor isn't around to hear." Bora smiled and tapped the books on the desk, "If she ever becomes too much for you to handle, just come over to the literature department. If you want to transfer, pretty much all you need to do is ask."
Tiffany waved back at Bora who was leaving their department.
"Tiffany, could you copy the materials we need for the next meeting?"
"Yeah sure" Tiffany nodded slowly at Yuri and continued doing her work.
Wait...
That's right. Ever since I got here, I have just been focusing on doing the work in front of me. I forgot that I can request a transfer to another department
"Thank you for your business!"
Tiffany smiled at the cashier of the convenient store and made her way out the street, barely able to carry her heavy body
Ugh, I got my dinner at a convenience store again. I'm just going to swing by the library to return some books, and then I'm going straight home. Who would give someone more work to do when they are just about to go home? Oh yeah, Kim Taeyeon.
Why does she have such an overpowering desire to rail up people? If it were just me, I would understand, but she does her best to piss off people from other departments too.
Tiffany sighed as she finally reached the library. She put the book inside the returning box and turned around to make her way back to her apartment. She looked up at the beautiful night sky and sighed again. The wind moved her hair, tickling her face and making her smile.
Fall is nice.At night, this neighborhood's library falls so silent and still
I love it.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"ARRRRRRRGH" Tiffany almost jumped in her place when she heard a voice behind her, "What?! Huh? Taeyeon?!"
Taeyeon just stood there and looked at Tiffany gloomily.
"We- Were you following me?!"
"What?! Why would I do something like that? I'm here to return some books, so sue me." With a glare, Taeyeon walked past Tiffany and put her own books that she borrowed inside the metal box.
"Do you come here often?" Tiffany looked away from Taeyeon to avoid the awkwardness.
"Yeah, they have got books I can't seem to find at bookstores,"
Yikes
We go to the same library
"Well then, I will be on my way" Tiffany turned around to leave.
"Don't be so buddy-buddy with people from other departments," Taeyeon said, making Tiffany stop in her tracks and look back at her.
"What? Why?" Tiffany raised an eyebrow.
"Because it's annoying."
"But we were pretty much discussing work-related stuff..."
"No, you weren't."
And that ticked Tiffany off, "A- Anyway, it's got nothing to do with you, right? Bora-ssi went out of her way to ask me for a drink, and you just had to butt in."
Taeyeon didn't say anything and just stared at Tiffany with a straight face.
"Oh! You weren't by any chance jealous, were you, Taeyeon? Hahaha, and that's why you got so angry."
What shut Tiffany up was Taeyeon's face. She was looking at her with all seriousness that made Tiffany blush at the realization. Taeyeon was actually really jealous.
"Excuse me!"
Tiffany immediately turned around and ran away. Away from Taeyeon.
What the hell?!
You were supposed to deny it and laugh at me!
How can Taeyeon...make me lose it so...comp-...
Tiffany let out a loud yelp as her vision turned upside down and she lost control of her body the moment she stepped on some fallen autumn leafs and slipped on the stairs that were supposed to lead her away from the library.
*thud*
*thud*
*thud*
*thud*
A minute later Tiffany was laying in the middle of the stairs, with wide eyes and a pounding heart, clenching on Taeyeon's jacket who's laying on top of her. If Taeyeon wasn't there Tiffany would have probably fallen on her head and died and no one would have noticed until morning she was, Between Taeyeon's arms.
It took Tiffany another minute to register how tight Taeyeon is was holding her. One arm around her waist and the other shaking slightly behind her head. Taeyeon was literally hugging her in the middle of the stairs.
"You idiot! You could have hurt yourself!" Taeyeon pulled back and looked at Tiffany's terrified face, "Be more careful!"
"Uh...I - I'm sorry...I, um, slipped on the leafs, and...wow, that scared me." By now Tiffany was huffing, her hands that are clenching on Taeyeon's jacket were shaking and she settled with not looking at Taeyeon's face at the moment as she sat up on the step.
Next thing she knew was Taeyeon hugging her tightly, standing on her knee's on both sides of her.
"Oh...um...Taeyeon...I- I'm fine now, so please let me..." Tiffany tried to pull Taeyeon off her but she stopped her obviously failed attempt when Taeyeon hugged her even tighter
"...Um..."
"You used to pretty much live at the library back then, didn't you?"
Tiffany was immediately triggered by Taeyeon mentioning the past, "Please let me go!" She regained her resistance power and attempted to pull Taeyeon off her once more.
"Something you said doesn't make sense, though. How much do you remember about what happened 10 years ago?" Taeyeon said all the while holding Tiffany, refusing to let her go even a little.
"Um, Taeyeon..."
"You haven't forgotten that you have confessed your feelings for me, right?"
"Hey..."
"Or how you lost your virginity in my room?"
"Just let me go already!" Tiffany covered her face with her hand to hide the embarrassed blush because of the memory.
"But well...did you know that even before you confessed to me, I knew exactly who you were?"
What?
"..." Tiffany's movement were halted to a stop when Taeyeon's words sank in. She looked up at Taeyeon's eyes only to see them at an awkward close distant and she could sense Taeyeon's lips on hers.
This isn't right.
*cough*
"Wait! stop!" Tiffany moved right and left but was stopped by Taeyeon's hands that pinned her down completely on the steps and proceeded to kiss her again.
*slap*
"Oww..."
Tiffany took the chance of Taeyeon's distraction with the pain on her cheek due to her slap and immediately got up, trying to run away again. And she just had to slip one more time but this time Taeyeon was not there to catch her. The things her bag contained were scattered around the floor
She looked back at Taeyeon who had her stoic face back as she caressed her now red cheek all the while watching her, "What are you doing?" She asked.
"Don't mind me!" After gathering her stuff back in her bag, Tiffany ran away again. Leaving Taeyeon staring at her descending back.
What did she just say?
That even before I confessed to her ten years ago, she knew who I was?
It's easy for her to talk about 10 years ago, but the truth is that it was a long time ago and memories fade. Besides, we only dated for a short time and I did my very best to forget everything after we broke up.
"..."
Just what did Taeyeon get up to during the 10 years we were apart?
Tiffany sighed. All this was too much to handle for her brain. She just needs a nice rest on the bed and a good night sleep. When the elevator opened to her apartment floor Tiffany was about to pass by Taeyeon's door to reach hers.
*click*
Taeyeon's door opened on its own and a black cat with whites walked out meowing around. Tiffany immediately stopped and looked at it with her mouth slightly open.
Huh? Taeyeon doesn't own a cat. Shit, did it sneak in through the window?
"Hey, get back here!"
Tiffany was left stunned. Because the next person who walked out of Taeyeon's apartment was Kangin. He picked up the cat from the floor and stared at Tiffany, confused at to why she is standing outside Taeyeon's apartment.
"Huh? Um...good evening." Tiffany bowed in a hurry to Kangin who just looked at her with an angry expression that definitely scared her.
"What are you doing here?"
"What?"
"If it's something work-related, call or send an email."
"Oh!" Tiffany smiled nervously, "You have got it all wrong. I live here, right next door to Taeyeon." Tiffany pointed at her apartment door, right next to Taeyeon's.
"You're such a stalker" He glared at her. Absolutely despising the fact that she lives somewhere against Taeyeon.
"Huh? No, it was just a coincidence. Besides, I have been living here for more than a year. I found out that Taeyeon lives next door only after I started working at Im's Publishing." Tiffany explained with a clearly annoyed expression, though she still kept her tone respectful. After all, Kangin is superior to her at work.
"I thought I told you to stop sniffing around Taeyeon. Stop playing with her head!" He yelled.
"You know, I have told you that you got it all wrong! Taeyeon and I are just boss and subordinate, nothing more! Besides, I would appreciate it if you stopped accusing me of...messing with Taeyeon's head." Tiffany had lost it. She sick of all the things Kangin says to her. She's sick of all the glares and nasty looks he gives her. She must set things straight.
Kangin looked at Tiffany as if she had just committed a crime, "You-...are you seriously saying that?"
"I would never joke about something like this!"
"Really now? You reduce someone to a complete wreck and then just forget all about it? How convenient."
"But I didn't do anything!"
Kangin took a deep breath, the nasty look not leaving his face, "I met Taengoo when we both went to the same university. At first she was one of those very reliable people, never fazed no matter what problems popped up."
Tiffany relaxed a little bit and listened to Kangin patiently.
"One day she changed completely. She started skipping lectures and drinking heavily. She would go out with whomever, not caring who it was. she was completely out of control. What do you think drove her to that?"
Tiffany looked down. She can't imaging Taeyeon doing all that, "Um...no idea."
"When she was in high school, she suddenly got dumped by the girl she was dating. Taengoo had no idea what pissed the girl off and then lost contact with her. A few years later, Taengoo figured out where the girl was, and not only did the girl had the nerve to have a fiance...but Taengoo also found out that the girl had was engaged even while dating her."
Oh...
Upon hearing that, Tiffany looked down slowly, her eyes widened and her heart dropped to her stomach.
"Although she was the one to ask Taengoo out, the bitch was two timing her. Does any of this ring a bell?"
"No!" Tiffany immediately looked up in shock, "You have got it all wrong! The whole thing about two-timing is a misunders- "
"I don't give a shit if it's a misunderstanding!" He walked to Tiffany's face, "It doesn't change the fact that you hurt her!"
"..."
"I just got her back on her feet! Don't you dare steal her from me!"
*Ding*
The elevator door opened, Taeyeon stepped out into the hallway and stopped, she stared back and forth between Tiffany and Kangin, trying to figure out what the hell is going on and why are these two together.
"Kangin? What are you doing here?"
Kangin backed away from Tiffany upon seeing Taeyeon approach them, "I sent you an email that I would be bringing this guy over." Kangin smiled at Taeyeon and raised the cat between his arms.
"Yeah.." Taeyeon looked at Tiffany from the side of her eye as she ran to her apartment door in a hurry.
"I left his food and stuff in the usual place." Kangin said.
"Yeah okay." Taeyeon smiled at the cat as she took him from Kangin, "Oh, hey. You got kinda fat, haven't you?"
"He's not fat! It's winter, so it's just insulation." Kangin made an excuse.
Taeyeon chuckled, "Is that so? Huh, Ginger?"
Tiffany dropped her keys when she heard the cat's name.
Taeyeon noticed that and looked at Tiffany, "Oh, Tiffany. Weren't you just..."
The moment Tiffany realized that Taeyeon was talking to her she immediately picked up her keys and managed to unlock her door this time, "Excuse me! Good night!"
"Hey!" Taeyeon raised a confused eyebrow and stared at Tiffany's door in wonder.
"Taengoo, hurry up and get in." Kangin said as he was already making his way back inside Taeyeon's apartment.
On the other side, Tiffany was leaning on her door, clenching the hair on her head in frustration.
Ginger
I remember him
That cat...it's the same cat Sunbae picked up back then.
But why? Why is it staying with Kangin?
"..."
I hurt Taeyeon?
She knew who I was before we started dating?
And all the misunderstanding that make no sense?
I hate this!
My head is...always spinning. Filled with thoughts of her.
With a sigh, Tiffany walked inside and proceeded to take her coat off and check her phone.
I wonder why everything seems to go haywire whenever Taeyeon is near me. She always...leaves me shaken. It's not like I'm in love with her anymore. Our relationship might have worked when we were both young and stupid, but I'm an adult now. She's my boss, and we're both women. Besides, they always say that first love...never lasts.
All the more reason for me to sever all other ties to her and focus on doing my work, but I wonder if I can do that when we're working in the same department.
"If you want to transfer, pretty much all you need to do is ask." - Bora
I wonder if I should...ask to be transferred to the literature department? After all, that's where I wanted to work when I changed jobs, and I'm actually better suited to that field of work. I used to edit for big name authors and do better than other companies, but that's not the case anymore. I know it's impossible to learn everything in just 3 months, but I keep making stupid mistakes and then Taeyeon always yells at me.
Tiffany sighed yet again and looked around her messy living room.
What's more, I don't remember being this busy and fatigued before. Even if this is a bachelor's pad, it's way too messy in here. I wonder when I last slept in my bed.
"..."
Why?
Why am I working as a comic editor?
"..."
*Ding* *Dong*
Tiffany tiredly dragged herself to her door and opened it, not forget to lock the chain first.
"You dropped some of your files when you did a face plant earlier. Be more careful!" It was none other than Taeyeon of course, yelling at her face and Tiffany was as expected, not happy to see her.
"Oh, sorry about that. Please leave them in my mail box."
"What?!" Taeyeon grimaced, "Stop being so rude!"
Tiffany sighed for the nth time that night and closed the door, unlocked the chain and opened it once more to fully face Taeyeon who just handed her her files with her everyday resting bitch face.
"Thank you very much. Bye." Tiffany was about to close the door.
"Wait." Taeyeon quickly held the door open before Tiffany managed to close it.
"What is it now?" Tiffany stressfully opened the door once more.
"There is something I want to ask you."
"What?"
"You really want to transfer to the literature department, don't you?"
Tiffany immediately looked away, faltering with what to say and what to do, "Uh...um, well...that's..."
*Ring* *Ring*
Thankfully, the ringing of Tiffany's phone interrupted their conversation and saving Tiffany from having to face Taeyeon at the moment.
"Oh sorry, it's probably work-related," Tiffany looked at the phone in her hand and as she thought, it was work related.
"Yeah, go ahead and see that." Taeyeon crossed her arms and waited patiently.
"Okay." Tiffany stepped inside her hallway allowing Taeyeon to come in her door way. "It's from somebody in production department. Apparently, they sent Ranmi-ssi her manuscript." Tiffany looked at the text she received.
"You should call her and let her know."
"Uh, yes, but..."
"I will wait right here. Go ahead."
Please, just go home already.
Tiffany sighed as she walked further into her apartment dreading the conversation she was going to have with Taeyeon after the phone call is over, "Oh, hello. Sorry for calling you this late. This is Tiffany." As the conversation escalated from work to be more personal, Tiffany laughed when the author she's in charge of told her that she found little pieces of papers stuck on her body when she bathed their emergency meeting in Jeju Island.
"Oh, that reminds me, Tiffany-ssi."
Tiffany waited patiently for the author to continue
"Thank you so much."
"Huh? Why are you thanking me?"
"I couldn't tell you this earlier, but at first I was kind of horrified when I heard that this was your first time editing a comic, haha."
Tiffany blinked, a bit offended, honestly.
"But you were actually very committed and kind and helped me out. You were also very clear on what you wanted to do with the plot. For an author, the editor is the first hurdle their book will have to surpass to make it in the world. You know, I'm really glad you became my editor, Tiffany-ssi."
"..."
Oh...
"Um, thank you very much! Let's go and sell even more of your book!" Tiffany said cheerfully.
"Oh, yes. Definitely!"
After bidding their goodbyes Tiffany was still in a daze. She stared at her phone in wonder.
Oh, wow. She complimented me.
Tiffany blushed.
She was probably just saying it to be nice. It's not like I did anything that special. She was just trying to encourage a newbie editor. And yet...because I'm kind of simple, whenever some little thing I do is acknowledged, or prised the tiniest bit, all my troubles fly out the window. Just like that. All I can think about is how happy I am.
"Taeyeon!"
Taeyeon who was still waiting in the doorway looked up as Tiffany was approaching.
"Can I...actually become a comic editor?"
Taeyeon raised an eyebrow and stared at Tiffany who was looking down with a pretty relaxed expression compared to earlier, "What's with you all of a sudden?"
"No, I have just been doing a lot of thinking..."
"Did Ranmi-ssi say something to you?"
She's sharp.
"It's not that." Tiffany smiled a little and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, "She just gave me a little bit of encouragement over the phone."
"What did she say?"
"Huh? Um, well...that she's glad I'm her editor..." Tiffany's cheeks turned a little bit pink over remembering Ranmi's compliment.
"That's what I thought." Taeyeon nodded. Her suspicions were spot on.
"Oh, I do know that she was...being nice. I think it would be awful if she felt like she had to assure me." Tiffany grimaced at t he thought.
"Why?"
Tiffany looked up at Taeyeon a little confused
"That's the highest prise an editor can get, right ?"
It was Taeyeon's turn to sigh and look down, "To be honest, I don't think you're a complete disaster when it comes to comics. If I thought you weren't really cut out for this, I wouldn't give you the work I have been giving you." Taeyeon opened her eyes and looked straight at Tiffany.
Tiffany looked right back at her, not realizing that her face was slowly heating up.
"And finally, you actually look me in the eye."
Tiffany gasped softly and looked away again.
"As long as you get what I'm trying to say, it's fine. Bye." Taeyeon turned around and opened the door she has been leaning on all this time, ready to go back to her own apartment.
"Ta- Taeyeon!" Tiffany followed Taeyeon out, "Thank you so much!"
Taeyeon just stood there in the middle of the hallway, staring at Tiffany, "You're bleeding."
"Huh?" Tiffany leaned her neck to the side in confusion.
"I said that you're bleeding," Taeyeon repeated and pointed at Tiffany's leg.
A gasp escaped Tiffany's lips when she looked down at her leg and blood was indeed seeping out from her scraped knee to her slipper, and finally to the floor.
"You must have gotten that back when you fell. So lame." Taeyeon crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"But my pants aren't torn at all!" Tiffany said in panic and raised her foot off the floor to avoid dirtying it with her blood even more.
"The friction probably abraded your skin when you fell. Do you have anything to disinfect that with?"
"N- No I don't."
"You have got to be kidding me! Come on, I will disinfect that for you." Taeyeon grabbed Tiffany's arm and pulled her towards her own apartment.
"Huh?! No, I'm fine! I will just wash it with some water..." Tiffany tried to resist.
"Don't be stupid. It will get infected."
"No, really, it's okay." Tiffany slapped Taeyeon's hand off her.
"Why?"
"Because..."
Right there in Taeyeon's apartment...
"Kangin is still..."
Taeyeon's eyes widened and Tiffany gasped a little at what she said. She did not intend to say that out loud.
"He already left a long time ago. He's leaving on a business trip to Thailand first thing tomorrow morning."
Taeyeon sighed as she saw no reaction from Tiffany other than the blush spreading all over her face.
"Wait here."
Tiffany watched Taeyeon enter her apartment. It was her chance to escape to her's. And so she did. She walked back to her apartment and closed the door.
Did she get the wrong idea?
I have to lock the door.
If I do that, we will go back to being just boss and subordinate.
Hurry up and lock the door, Tiffany!
I have to...
Tiffany's heart pounded loudly as she reached out to the key...
What the hell am I doing?
Tiffany buried her face in her arms as Taeyeon sprayed disinfectant on her scraped knee.
"Sorry, I'm all out of big band-aids, so all I have got is a bandage."
"No, that's fine. This is already too much. I can take it from here."
"Just shut it. It was half my fault that you stumbled."
"No, that wasn't really..."
Tiffany looked up at Taeyeon's concentrated face as she gently wrapped her knee with the bandage and blushed remembering what they did in the park in front of the library building earlier.
"Did Kangin say something to you?" Taeyeon was the first to break the silence, still working on Tiffany's knee.
"Not really." Tiffany looked down bitterly.
"We've known each other since university, and he's the one who got me my job at Im's Publishing. He's always been a grump, but he's actually someone you can relay on. He was a diligent student and now he's a hard worker. So don't hesitate to ask him if you need help with something work-related. He's an excellent business man. As long as you cross your T's and dot your your I's, he will do his best to help you."
Sorry, but right now...that's not what I'm interested in hearing.
Did you really used to date him?
Why does Kangin have your key?
Were you really hurt because of what I did?
There are so many things that I want to ask you, but I can't really ask you any of them.
"Tiffany?" The sensation of Taeyeon's cold hand pulled Tiffany out of her thoughts, "What's wrong?" She asked with such an intense stare and a warm and caring voice, "Tiffany..."
If I asked her...what do I want her to answer?
"Oh...stop..."
Just when Taeyeon was about to lean in for her lips, Tiffany pushed her away with her arm, not much resistance really put into it. Next thing she knew, she was laying on the floor with Taeyeon on top of her, caressing her face gently.
"Stop running, Fany-ah."
No...
We can't...
If I let myself get carried away, I will...I will lose myself.
A gentle kiss on the lips from Taeyeon made all of those thoughts fly out the window. Everything is in a daze. When Taeyeon leaned away, Tiffany was shaking, her heart pounding in her ears so hard and submission to Taeyeon's touch was all there is. The cold hand on her cheek and the warm lips on her own made her body tremble.
Shit!
What should I do?
It feels...so good...
Leaning out of the kiss, the two had such a longing eye contact before Taeyeon leaned in again and proceeded to plant pleasurable kisses on the side of Tiffany's neck.
"Tiffany...let's continue..."
Upon hearing that whisper in her ear, Tiffany felt that her heart was jumping inside of her chest. All the intense kisses and gentle touches reduced Tiffany into a puddle of mess.
Please tell me...what should I do? I have to stop. I have to push her off, but...my thoughts are a mess.
"Tiffany..."
With her body twitching, Tiffany opened her eyes only to be met with the most painful expression she had seen Taeyeon ever make.
"I love you."
Her eyes widened. Tears brimmed on the corners. Her heart beat completely out of the ordinary range.
I...
I can't believe I...
But because it's her...
"I..."
Tiffany's hands shakily held on to Taeyeon's arms, "I lo- " Tiffany could not continue those three words. As to why. Because her asshole of a phone rang, interrupting anything she was about to say.
Both of them looked at the ringing phone, resting on the floor next to them.
"Who is it?" Taeyeon asked coldly as she got off of Tiffany.
"Sorry, it's Ranmi-ssi...I set a specific ring tone for her calls." Tiffany sat up. Feeling anxious and a bit scared of Taeyeon who's face palming right now.
"Answer it!"
"Uh, okay..."
"Now!"
"Yes!"
Tiffany hurried and grabbed her phone from the ground, "Yes, this is Tiffany...Huh? No, not at all. I will go get it right now." Tiffany kept talking to her author who seemed to have business with her.
Quickly running to the living room, Tiffany grabbed the storyboard and sat on the floor in front of her coffee table. Appearance still disheveled because of what she did with Taeyeon only a minute ago.
Ugh, I'm so glad for the interruption!
What the hell was I doing?!
I let her sweep me off my feet just now!
"Sorry to have kept you waiting, I have got the pages right here so please go ahead and tell me which changes you wanted to discuss!" Glancing to her side, Taeyeon was standing near the door post, looking at her. Tiffany scribbled on a paper quickly and showed it to Taeyeon, not taking her eyes off the storyboard pages in front of her.
The paper Tiffany held up said;
Go away
Please
Tiffany paid no mind to Taeyeon and continued her discussion with Ranmi on the other side of the phone. She stopped talking and blinked several times when she felt a warm sensation on her cheek. A warm kiss was what Taeyeon gave her. And then she was gone. Just like that.
"Hello? Tiffany-ssi? You okay?" Ranmi on the other side got worried when she didn't hear any response from Tiffany other than the sound of her breath hitching.
"Yes...I'm fine...I think..."
Unknown to Ranmi, Tiffany had her forehead laid on the coffee table and a hand clenching her hair in frustration
Oh, yes. There is no doubt that I...hate Taeyeon's guts.
"What I have got here are the materials for the next meeting. A progress report for next month's issue. And lots of other things too." Tiffany said with determination to the whole department.
Everyone stared at her with a look Tiffany couldn't quite make what it was.
"What happened? You're practically bursting with energy." Sunny said.
"I just figured that I needed an attitude adjustment when it comes to work." Tiffany shrugged.
"Huh? But you have always been a really diligent worker, Tiff."
"Well, I thought that getting my personal life in order would have an effect on my work morale as well. You know, like eating three meals a day and keeping my place clean. As long as I do that, I can tell people that I'm a comic editor with pride." Tiffany shined with determination and smiled proudly.
"Oh, I see...we stopped thinking like that ages ago." Sunny, Yuri and Hyoyeon replied in sync. A traumatized look on their faces.
What's with the looks of pity?!
*whack*
"Don't be stupid. If you have got the time for completely useless stuff like that, you have got time to take on an extra project." Taeyeon said after hitting her with a roll of papers as she passed by.
"Taeyeon!" Tiffany glared at Taeyeon who seemed to have come to love whacking her on the head with rolled papers.
"What is it now?" Taeyeon stopped and looked back.
"I'm going to become the best comic editor anyone has ever seen! And then you can kiss your job goodbye!"
Taeyeon's eyes widened at the finger Tiffany pointed at her. She started between Tiffany's face and her finger back and forth, "There you have it, Yoona."
Tiffany turned around in shock only to be faced by a grinning Yoona who heard everything she just said to Taeyeon.
"Oh really? Wow, I'm looking forward to it!" Yoona nodded in anticipation.
"Uh, um..."
"Good luck Taeyeon. You're in trouble now!" Yoona cheered.
"No, I just...um..."
"Yeah, whatever shall I do?" Taeyeon laughed along with Yoona.
No seriously, I'm going to quit!
This is not love!
It's not!
It's nowhere near love .
And no matter what happens, I will never believe this is love!
270 Days until Tiffany falls in love