"Hey..."
"W- What?"
"You know, the only reason I'm doing this is because you asked for my help."
"Y- Yeah. That's true."
"So..."
Red-faced Tiffany glanced at the girl beside her.
"Could you concentrate?"
No, I can't!
"I'm- I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I don't mind, but your formulas are completely messed up."
"Huh? Oh" Tiffany erased the mistake that Taeyeon pointed out and started again with the correct formula.
I can't believe I made such a stupid mistake.
But how does she expect me to concentrate when she's so close?
After all...I lost my virginity to her the day before yesterday, and this is the first time we have met since then.
Another glance at Taeyeon, just to check if she's still reading her book.
What the hell?
I almost died from embarrassment both before and during the whole thing, but now I feel really embarrassed for a whole different reason. I don't know how to face her after what we did
"...Is your body...okay?" Taeyeon asked hesitantly.
"What?! It's fine!" Tiffany was so startled by hearing Taeyeon question that she ended up yelling and then getting embarrassed after realizing it, "Uh...um...I'm f- fine."
"You sure? 'cause it looked like it hurt a lot."
"Y- Yeah, but, um, I'm okay..." Tiffany believed that she was about to die because the caring tone Taeyeon used set her heart pounding way too fast for her to even breath probably.
Ugh
I wish she wouldn't look at me. It makes me so nervous.
"Okay then, let's continue. Do this one next."
Tiffany's whole body shivered when Taeyeon got closer to her to point at a formula in her textbook. Taeyeon raised an eyebrow when Tiffany jumped up from her chair and had her fists clenched so tight they turned white.
"I- I'm...gonna go get a dictionary."
Taeyeon watched Tiffany's back as she disappeared between the library's long shelves.
They were certainly in the school library. Taeyeon helping Tiffany study at her request. And now Tiffany regrets asking Taeyeon for help because she just turns stupid when Taeyeon is next to her and now she will think that Tiffany is actually stupid.
Walking between the shelves, Tiffany searched for a dictionary.
Shit, I'm acting like a complete weirdo. All I need to do is talk to her like I always do. After all, she did make time for teaching me and everything.
Ugh, I can't do this. I'm too nervous. I need to come up with an excuse and leave early.
I wonder if I will ever get used to being around her.?
"We're doing math, so why do you need a dictionary?"
Tiffany got the shock of her life when she heard Taeyeon's voice right behind her.
"O- Oh! Ahaha! You're right!"
"Why are you so jumpy?" Taeyeon asked while returning the book she had just finished reading to its place.
"Um...uh...I'm just..." Tiffany couldn't take it anymore and covered her red face, "...I'm sorry. When I get this close to you, it kinda makes my heart race."
"..."
"..."
"I see" Taeyeon who had an understanding tone took out another book and flipped through it.
Oh...I wonder if that surprised her.
"Um, I have to get going soon. What about you, Sunbae?"
"I'm going to stay until closing time."
Tiffany stared at Taeyeon for a while, flipping through different books one at a time, "You're always here until really late, aren't you?"
"I don't really wanna go home, so..."
"Why is that?"
"I don't know...'cause my family is falling apart?" Taeyeon said nonchalantly.
Tiffany frowned sadly at hearing her Sunbae say that so casually, "I'm- I'm really sorry for bringing that up."
"Nah, it's fine. I have got a cat now, so things are looking up."
Oh right. She did say that she's pretty much living alone.
"...So why don't you stay over at my place tonight?"
"Huh?! That was kinda sudden! Oh, but you should ask your parents for permission first, so I will come some other time! No. Actually. Today is fine!"
Taeyeon raised a confused eyebrow, "Which is it?"
"Uh, I will come! If it means that you wont be as lonely, I will come! I- I want to be there for you!"
Tiffany watched as Taeyeon's mouth opened slightly then closed again. The silence that ate up the atmosphere killed her on the inside.
Oh crap, is she angry?
Tiffany looked down and smiled bitterly, "I'm, uh, I'm sorry."
"Being with me wont really change anything, right?" Taeyeon finally spoke up.
"Um...I just...I just thought that it would be great if there was anything I could do to...help you..."
But I...I would do anything for her...simply because it's her.
And I...love her so much.
"Sorry...haha, that was pretty lame, right?" Tiffany laughed at herself and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.
"Uh, I guess I will just go home for today. Thanks for helping me s-"
"That's not what I meant."
When Tiffany looked up, she saw her Sunbae walking towards her, grabbed her arm gently and pinned her to the book shelve. Next thing she knew, her Sunbae was kissing her sweetly. Tiffany felt all of her senses suddenly get extremely sensitive
She could hear the sound of the wind coming in from the windows. She could feel the air around them move. She could hear her heartbeat pound dangerously fast. And she could definitely feel her Sunbae's lips moving against her's.
The moment Taeyeon pulled away, Tiffany covered her lips and blushed like she never did.
On the other hand, Taeyeon walked at a fast pace to the library's door and locked it, turned off the lights and closed the curtains, leaving the window wide open behind it.
"Um, Sunbae...?"
Tiffany mindlessly walked towards Taeyeon who was standing in front of the windows. She got embraced by Taeyeon in a tight hug that set her heart racing more than it already was, "Uh...um, Sunbae?" She hesitated on whether to hug back or not and slightly jumped when she felt Taeyeon's hand slide from her back to her waist.
"Hey, wait...we're at school. W- We should do this at home."
Tiffany's ears turned red when Taeyeon whispered,
"I can't hold it anymore"
Anticipating the upcoming kiss, Tiffany shut her eyes and lips tightly.
"I keep telling you...open your mouth when we're kissing."
Tiffany blushed furiously, "Oh! O- Okay! Sorry!"
"And could you stop apologizing for every little thing?"
At this point, Tiffany was clenching to Taeyeon's uniform with her head down, "I'm sorry! No, I mean...um...sorry! You know, I'm not usually like this. It's just you, Sunbae. Whenever I'm with you, I completely fall apart. I don't know which side is up anymore!"
There was a lot of explanation to do to Taeyeon, but Tiffany couldn't continue any further as she was shut up with yet another kiss.
"That was...one big love confession." Taeyeon chuckled.
"Yeah..." And Tiffany just stared at her dear Sunbae's beautiful face.
Outside of the school building, the soccer team was practicing in the field, friends were chatting by the school gate and some were saying goodbye to each other. Unknown to all of those people, inside the school building, behind closed doors, under the big window. Tiffany was standing on her knees, getting hugged tightly by her favorite person in the world at the moment.
"Say...why do you love me so much?" Taeyeon asked, looking up at the white curtains ruffling because of the strong wind.
"W- Why?...B- Because you're...you." Tiffany said to Taeyeon who had a mysterious look in her eyes that Tiffany couldn't tell what it was.
"What the hell?"
Tiffany's eyes twinkled when she heard Taeyeon say that because her voice had a hint of a smile in it.
"That's not an answer. Heh"
Even though she didn't see it, Tiffany likes to believe that the little cute sound she heard Taeyeon let out was a laugh.
I wonder why all she has to do is talk to me...or touch me...or just laugh...and my heart squeezes painfully in my chest.
"Are you crying?" Taeyeon chuckled again when she felt her shoulder get a little damp
"No!" Tiffany denied despite it being true.
...
...
"Where the hell is Tiffany?!"
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
When Tiffany opened her eyes, she was faced by painful lights in her eyes and Taeyeon's stressed face.
"Oh. There you are."
Am I...dreaming?
No, this is the real world.
"Why are you stepping on people, Taeyeon?!" Tiffany grimaced and removed Taeyeon's foot that was resting on her stomach with no pressure whatsoever.
"Sorry, I thought you were a piece of trash." Taeyeon scratched the back of her neck and looked away as Tiffany got up.
"Um, Tiff...I don't mind if you faint every once in a while, but could you copy this...?" Sunny said on the verge of death as she gave Tiffany a paper.
"I'm sorry, I will get right to it!"
Ugh, I have got to get myself together.
"Hey, Tiffany?" Taeyeon called.
"What?!"
"..."
"No, never mind." And again, Taeyeon still has the same mysterious look in her eyes that Tiffany just can't explain what it is.
Seriously, I wish I would have good dreams at least when I'm passed out!
Why the hell did I have to dream about my past with Taeyeon again?!
Tiffany let out a deep sigh and proceeded to copy the papers Sunny asked for.
"Oh, Tiffany-ssi! What's that on your back?" A female co-worker giggled as she pointed at Tiffany's back.
"Huh?" Tiffany raised an eyebrow, confused.
"That!"
Tiffany's eyes widened in shock when she saw her back reflection on a tinted window.
An extra large typesetting sheet was stuck on her back that says, "Idiot!"
"Could you please take it off?!" Tiffany grimaced and struggled to reach for the sheet stuck on her back, "Taeyeon! You saw that I had something stuck on my back just now, right?!"
Taeyeon looked up at Tiffany who's just back from copying the papers for Sunny, "Why should I? It's not part of my job."
"What?!"
"Why don't you glue this to your back instead?" Taeyeon who was doing typesetting to a manuscript held a little sheet that says "I love you." in big bold letters.
Tiffany's eyes widened and she immediately turned away
Shit
I'm actually pissed
She's such an asshole
She's completely unsympathetic, uncooperative tyrant and all she ever does is complain!
"Oh, that reminds me."
With a groan, Tiffany turned back to Taeyeon.
"What do you always dream about? You sleep so soundly and you look so happy every time, I'm curious."
...
...
"LIKE HELL I WOULD TELL YOU!"
And so, the third all-nighter in a row wore on in Im's publishing's Emerald's editing department.