"You guys should be happy," Taeyeon said, holding up a piece of paper for everyone to see.
Sunny, Hyoyeon, Yuri, and Tiffany who were on lunch break stared at Taeyeon.
"It's been decided that we, the Emerald editing department, will receive this from the president."
Tiffany squinted to have a better look at the paper.
Certificate of Thanks and Appreciation
"Wow! Really? That's amazing!" Tiffany stood up and held the paper between her hands.
"It's because we got Jung Sooyeon popular in the media and other good things." Taeyeon crossed her arms and nodded.
"Way to go. I'm glad to be recognized for this." Hyoyeon smiled.
"Wait a minute. If it's the president, then..." Sunny got up and got closer to Tiffany with an evil grin, "It means there's money involved."
Tiffany chuckled awkwardly.
"What should we use it for? Probably drinking again." Sunny said.
"No, let's share it this time," Taeyeon said.
"It's kind of thinner than I thought it would be, but for now, let's see what it is." Sunny grinned devilishly and took the envelope that they received along with the certificate.
Upon opening up the envelope, another piece of paper and five tickets fell on the desk that each of them picked one up.
"Plane tickets?" Taeyeon raised an eyebrow.
"Umm, sorry. I kind of have a bad feeling." Sunny grimaced.
"Hey there! Ladies of the Emerald editing department!"
All five of them gulped and turned to the entrance of their office. As they thought, the noisy voice belongs to none other than their president, Yoona.
"Congrats from the president this time!" Yoona walked over to them with a big smile.
"Umm, Yoona, what is this?" Taeyeon waved her ticket for Yoona to see.
"Plane tickets and a map to a hotel," Yoona replied nonchalantly.
"I see that from looking, but- "
"Rather than using the money on booze, everyone in the editing department should go on a trip!" Yoona smiled widely completely missing the pissed off look on her subordinates' faces "That's why I arranged for the flight and hotel!"
It got silence for a moment before Sunny took a step ahead, "...Umm, I'm grateful for your kind thoughts, but..."
"The date and time for these tickets are set, right? It's before the proofread deadline, we won't be able to go." Hyoyeon said with a frown.
"Well, I guess that's true." Yoona shrugged, "But if it's you guys, you can just finish your work quicker, right?" She laughed, earning her more death stares, "It will be fine if you hurry up and finish soon." Yoona started walking out of the office but stopped one more time, "Ah, bring me back a souvenir." And she was gone, just like that.
The five of them stared at each other not knowing what to do.
"You know...could this be a new method of power harassment?" Sunny asked.
"I can't say I disagree." Taeyeon took a seat on her president chair and face palmed tiredly.
"I do like vacations and stuff but this really isn't the time for it." Sunny clenched her brown hair in frustration still staring at the date of the tickets.
"It's almost like the president is ordering us to go." Hyoyeon grimaced.
Tiffany's eyes sparkled as she stared at the ticket and saw where it was headed to.
Jeonju...that's where Taeyeon used to live.
I have never been there...I'm a little interested, but it's not like I...
"Okay, if it's like this, let's definitely go on the trip!" Sunny yelled.
"Yeah..." Yuri who had been silent all this time nodded.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO.
Tiffany clenched her teeth and fists, feeling tears brimming on the corners of her eyes. She raised her head from her desk and stared around the office. Everyone was on the verge of dying as if they were on the deadline week even though they aren't.
Even though we're working at our max to move everything forward, 3 days basically means death.
"You guys, don't die!" Taeyeon yelled smacking her desk with a deathly face, "If you're going to die, then die after you proofread!"
Tiffany looked at Sunny beside her who was mumbling incoherent words to herself, probably cursing everyone. Hyoyeon was leaning back on her chair with her head leaning down, already dead. And Yuri had gone missing since morning and Taeyeon who could barely open her eyes was basically punching the laptop with the speed she's typing with. Tiffany swears she see's a hint of smoke coming out of it.
Now that I think about it. Wouldn't going on vacation with people you work with also be tiring?
That's right! I can make an excuse so I can sleep normally at home.
"Tiffany, check this," Taeyeon put a paper on Tiffany's desk as she passed by.
"Okay..." Tiffany gulped nervously, "Um, Taeyeon?"
"What?" Taeyeon turned around and looked at her, seemingly a bit more relaxed than earlier.
"Ah, umm..."
But just saying (I don't want to go, so I will pass) is bad.
"What is it?" Taeyeon raised an eyebrow, waiting patiently for Tiffany to speak up.
"I'm going to the restroom."
"Okay?" Taeyeon frowned and watched Tiffany exit the office wondering what she really wanted to say.
*Sigh*
Tiffany let out a deep sigh and picked up a can coffee from the vending machine.
Lately, my stomach hurts when I drink coffee.
I should have switched to tea.
Wait, doesn't tea have more caffeine than coffee?
She shook her head and took a sip of the can to get rid of the dizziness.
"Hey."
Looking up, Tiffany saw Taeyeon in front of her crossing her arms.
"Ta- Taeyeon. I wasn't skipping work!" She explained nervously.
"I see, so you came here to skip work." Taeyeon nodded, catching Tiffany red handed.
"I didn't! I came here after I used the restroom! I'm checking the documents carefully." Tiffany tried to deny even though she knew that it's no use.
"Hey."
Tiffany's breath hitched when Taeyeon took a step forward and put her warm hand on the side of her face. Tiffany gulped and looked around, careful not to get seen by anyone in that situation with Taeyeon.
"Your eyes have serious bags underneath them," Taeyeon said, stroking Tiffany's cheek with her thumb, "Are you sleeping okay?"
Tiffany averted her eyes but did not make a move to remove Taeyeon's hand, "I can't tell you I'm getting enough sleep with this job's conditions," She admitted.
Taeyeon looked at her with sympathy.
Even though Tiffany is feeling exhausted, she knew that Taeyeon had it harder than her, being in charge of everything.
"You're going to end up not eating probably again. After this is over, there's a meeting, but at night, I will make you some food, so wait for me and we will go home together." Taeyeon said, letting go of Tiffany and giving her her personal space back when she heard some people chatting and entering the lounge room.
"What? It's-...It's fine. Thanks for the offer, though." Tiffany shook her head, switching to her grumpy self again.
"We can stop by a supermarket along the way, so think about what you want to eat." Taeyeon ignored Tiffany's protest.
"Listen to me when I'm talking! Are you my mother?" Tiffany glared.
Taeyeon smiled softly, "No. I'm just someone who loves you."
Tiffany's expression immediately relaxed and a certain blush was visible on her face. Her mouth opened agape when she saw Taeyeon turn around and walk away, "What are you saying? Is there something wrong with your head?!" Tiffany yelled out of embarrassment.
"Shut up, idiot." Taeyeon stopped and looked at Tiffany grumpily.
"What?!"
"Don't try to escape either."
"Just go to your meeting already!" Tiffany yelled at Taeyeon who continued walking and waved at her without looking back.
Seriously!
Can she at least think about where we are!
*Sigh*
Wh- What should I do?
Should I just wait for her?
I'm just going to go home!
I don't want to see my boss's face all day anyway!
Tiffany was already walking on the sidewalk. Completely ditching Taeyeon.
I need to think of a reason to refuse the trip too. I wonder what Hyoyeon said...
"Stop it already!"
What? That voice...
"If you don't tell me, I won't understand."
Hyoyeon?
Tiffany scanned the place and spotted Hyoyeon, indeed, speaking to a kid in front of her.
"If you have something to say, then say it already!"
The kid in front of her was crying none stop and not saying anything to Hyoyeon who was apparently not pleased by the situation.
"H- Hyoyeon!" Tiffany called, approaching the two.
"Tiffany?" Hyoyeon visibly relaxed when she saw Tiffany's face.
"Sorry I made you see something weird," Hyoyeon said with an apologetic look on her face. The two are currently walking side by side to the station with the kid sleeping in Hyoyeon's arms.
"It's alright. Seeing you with a kid is kind of a strange sight. Is he a relative?"
"Nah, he's my son."
"Ahh, your son..." Tiffany nodded with a smile.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Hah?" Tiffany's yelled.
"Yup, my son." Hyoyeon chuckled,
"You have a child?!"
"Yeah, surprised?"
"A little...yeah."
"Actually, he's my brother's child, but he got sick and passed away." Hyoyeon explained, "Before that, he got divorced, we didn't know who the mother is or her whereabouts, so I took him."
"Ah, so it's like that..." Tiffany nodded slowly in astonishment, "How does your boyfriend feel about this?" She asked.
"Ah, I'm single. A couple years ago I was married but we ended up getting divorced." Hyoyeon chuckled awkwardly and stroked the kid's hair.
Hmmm?
Wait a minute...
Doesn't that mean...
That means Hyoyeon is divorced, single and with a child who isn't her own...?
"Wow...I'm surprised...oh sorry, what I mean is- "
"Did you think it's hard to raise a kid while as a single parent?" Hyoyeon asked with a little smile.
"Well, with this kind of job." Tiffany shrugged.
Hyoyeon looked straight ahead, "It's chaotic, but the difference in my lifestyle started when I got divorced. This kid is also in a rebellious age. Well, it's certainly not a quiet life."
So that's it.
The reason she put the vacation on hold is...because of her son then.
That has to be it.
She can't just leave a child alone.
"But still, I think you're amazing," Tiffany said with a look of admiration on her face, "I have my hands full with just myself and my job and I'm barely breathing."
"No, no, Tiffany, you always work hard," Hyoyeon said with a smile.
Tiffany took a moment staring at Hyoyeon who noticed.
"Tiffany, it's bad when you don't tell people what you're thinking."
"What?" Tiffany was surprised that she was caught.
"If you don't say it, but other people can still understand you is not normal, right?"
That sentence made something finally sink in Tiffany. Flashbacks of her last talk with Taeyeon came to mind.
Hyoyeon smirked, "You don't want to go on the trip, right?"
"What?!" Tiffany scooted a bit further from Hyoyeon, scared that she was reading her mind.
"It looked like you wanted to say something to Taeng."
I-...I'm a little shocked.
"Ac- Actually, you're right." Tiffany chuckled awkwardly.
"Well, she is a demon with losing these 3 days." Hyoyeon sighed, remembering how Taeyeon drove them to the edge earlier that day.
Taeyeon...
It's bad if I don't tell her properly...right?
When Donghae confessed to me, I didn't properly turn him down.
On top of that, Taeyeon is the same as always...
I understand that I need to tell Taeyeon clearly, but...but...when I try to say something, words that I don't know how to express end up coming out.
That is really scary.
"Yah!"
"Ha?!" Tiffany almost jumped in her place upon hearing the voice of the person she's thinking about approaching.
"I told you not to escape!" Taeyeon glared but then relaxed when she saw Hyoyeon with her kid sleeping on her shoulder, "Oh, Hi Hyo."
"Sorry about earlier," Hyoyeon apologize.
"Don't worry about it, just spend time with him." Taeyeon smiled.
"It doesn't look like I can go on the trip after all." Hyoyeon sighed.
"Got it." Taeyeon nodded and held on to Tiffany's arm as Tiffany tried to escape, "But it's okay if you want to take your kid too."
"Thanks, I will think about it." Hyoyeon smiled and entered her train, a different one from the one Taeyeon and Tiffany take, "Tiff, if you don't say it, she won't understand." She waved at the two before the train's doors closed and departed, leaving Taeyeon and Tiffany standing in awkward silence waiting for their own train.
"H- Hyoyeon had a kid all this time...I didn't know..."
"So..." Taeyeon ignored what Tiffany said, "Let's hear why you tried to escape."
Tiffany flinched and averted her gaze.
"Also, what's with what Hyoyeon said? If you don't say it she won't understand..."
"It...It's just that I don't want to see your face all day." Tiffany said nervously.
"You have got some nerve you know" Taeyeon smiled sarcastically, "Then I will answer your request by staying with you all night."
"What?! No one said anything like that!"
Tiffany was surprised when Taeyeon got a hold of her hand and quickly pulled her inside of their train that she didn't realize had already arrived. She sighed and glanced at Taeyeon subtly who was looking at empty space while crossing her arms.
Will this awkward atmosphere last until we get home...?
Is this some kind of test?
"I have something to ask." Taeyeon broke the silence.
"What?" Tiffany looked at Taeyeon grumpily.
"Were you serious?" Taeyeon asked, looking back at Tiffany.
"About what?" Tiffany raised an eyebrow.
"That you don't like being around me?"
Tiffany's heart clenched when she saw the look Taeyeon was giving her, she probably didn't know she was looking at her like that. Adorable.
"No, it's just...it's not like I was serious..." Tiffany was forced to look away upon getting scared that she's the one who's going to do something this time.
"If you weren't serious then don't say it." Taeyeon looked ahead "Saying that...hurts a little."
"S-...Sorry."
See?
When I try to put it in words, it comes out like this.
"How much do you know about Hyoyeon?" Taeyeon asked, breaking the tense atmosphere.
"I only heard a little bit," Tiffany said, finally looking at Taeyeon again.
"I see."
"It looks rough since her kid is still young."
"Yeah," Taeyeon nodded, "I have been taking her workload into consideration in order for her to spend as much time as possible with her kid, but, this job is different from a normal one. That's why I thought if they both went on the trip, her kid would ease out of his rebellious stage a little bit. She said that the two of them never went on a trip together."
Ah...
So that's why she wanted to go.
"By the way, the place where we would be going to is where you used to live, right?" Tiffany asked, remembering that they would be going to Jeonju.
"You remembered..."
"Do you know a lot of places?"
"Some things have changed, but there are places for sightseeing." Taeyeon nodded.
"I see."
"...If you want, I can guide you around?" Taeyeon asked, unsure if Tiffany would accept or completely reject the idea.
"What?" Tiffany looked at Taeyeon with surprise visible on her face, "Ah...okay. Thank you."
"Okay then." Taeyeon looked ahead, "I can look forward to it now."
Tiffany looked at Taeyeon sideways feeling herself getting more nervous than she already was, so she resorted to averting her gaze.
I'm glad.
I feel like I was able to tell her just a little bit.
I'm so glad.
Taeyeon looked to her side when she felt a weight on her shoulder, apparently, Tiffany had fallen asleep and slumped on her shoulder, "Hey, Tiffany..." Taeyeon called softly. She wanted to kiss her cute face so badly right now. But of course, she couldn't. They're in public. She herself is very sleepy at the moment. So with a soft smile, she leaned on Tiffany and closed her eyes.
They both fell asleep peacefully just like that.
"...This-...This is..." Tiffany looked at the unfamiliar buildings with wide eyes, "WHERE IS THIS!"
"It's the last stop," Taeyeon said dryly.
"LAST STOP?!"
"IT WAS THE LAST TRAIN TOO!"
"HA?! AT LEAST WAKE ME UP!"
"YOU COULD HAVE WOKEN ME UP!"
They glared at each other and panted, turning away from each other in attempt to calm down.
"Ugh, I don't have any taxi numbers..." Tiffany groaned as she scrolled down her contacts, knowing that she won't find any taxi numbers anyway, "There is a meeting in the morning too..."
"At this point, sleeping at a hotel and then going to work is faster." Taeyeon rubbed her hair and sighed.
With a sigh of her own, Tiffany followed Taeyeon into a hotel near the train station and asked for two single bedrooms.
"I'm terribly sorry." The receptionist lady bowed to them, "We only have one double bedroom available right now..."
Taeyeon's eyes widened while Tiffany glared at the poor woman.
Seriously? Like...seriously?!
The dark history occurs again...
Tiffany grimaced remembering the last time they were in this situation in that business trip. She heard the door to the bathroom open, and Taeyeon came out with a bathrobe and a towel drying her hair.
"You can use the bath now," Taeyeon said.
"Th- Thanks. I'm really tired, so sleep on the floor, I will use the bed."
"I will increase your workload," Taeyeon said stoically as she walked to the bed.
"Wha- "
"Don't be so scared. I'm too tired to get turned on anyway." Taeyeon stated and got on the bed, "I'm going to sleep first."
"Good night!" Tiffany yelled before running to the bath.
Damn...how did it turn out like this?
I should have asked for a taxi number from the hotel staff.
Tiffany sighed and proceeded to take her clothes off and hopped in the shower. When she was out, she saw that the room's lights were dimmed very low and only Taeyeon's black hair could be seen from under the blanket.
Oh god, she's really sleeping in the bed. Well, I didn't think she would actually sleep on the floor.
I guess I will...
"..."
Ugh, I really don't want to.
She's asleep, so it's okay, right...?
Anyways, sleeping separately would just inconvenience me, right?
I really don't want to sleep on the floor.
With a sigh, Tiffany raised the blanket and got under it on the opposite side of Taeyeon quietly, careful not to wake up Taeyeon.
"...Tiffany." Taeyeon called without any movement.
Just sleep! Ignore her!
Tiffany clenched her eyes shut and tried to sleep. Hoping that sleep will come to her eyes soon. Preferably fast.
"You know," Taeyeon sighed "Really, just tell me."
Upon hearing Taeyeon say that, Tiffany slowly opened her eyes.
"Good things and even bad things. I really want to know what you're thinking."
After a while of silence, Tiffany decided to respond, "...If I actually do that, then won't you just say it hurts?"
"Of course, I will. I'm a delicate person."
"Ha?"
Who's the delicate one here?!
"But still, I want to know even the good things and the bad things. Even the things you're thinking about, I want to know everything."
Tiffany's breath hitched. She had the urge to just turn around and tell Taeyeon everything.
"So just say it already."
Tiffany heard the bed sheets rustling and Taeyeon's movement. Next thing she knew, Taeyeon was hovering over her.
"Tiffany..."
"Wai- Taeyeon!" Tiffany struggled, trying to get out of Taeyeon's hold but immediately lost and had her arms pinned on either side of her, "Di- Didn't you say you were tired?"
"Yeah, that's true, but- "
"Then- "
"You. When you sleep next to someone you love, don't you want to touch them?"
Tiffany gulped and narrowed her gaze anywhere else but Taeyeon's face, because as much as she hated it, she felt exactly like what Taeyeon just said.
"If you don't think that, then it's weird, right?" Taeyeon said and looked at Tiffany with a gaze that's screaming how much she wants to just eat her up.
Tiffany saw Taeyeon licking her lower lip and leaning down. She knew it's coming. So instead of struggling again, she closed her eyes, locking their lips in an intense kiss, "Wai- Wait, Ta- Taeyeon"
Taeyeon leaned out of the kiss and looked Tiffany deep in the eye before locking their lips again, "If you don't like it, then tell me," Taeyeon said between the kisses.
"Ahh...we have a meeting tomorrow morning..." Tiffany struggled to speak properly when Taeyeon's lips sucked on a sensitive spot on her neck not to mention Taeyeon's hands that were roaming around her body. She has turned her on to no end.
"What else? If you don't tell me, I won't understand." Taeyeon sat up on Tiffany's thighs and looked down at her with eyes full of love, care, and lust.
Tiffany felt her chest rising and falling in uneven breaths, her eyes widened when she saw Taeyeon untying the sash that held her robe together.
"Taeye- " Tiffany couldn't even finish her sentence because Taeyeon's lips came crashing on her own and she felt her rope slipping off her body.
Even if I say it, I don't know how exactly I should tell her and what to tell her for her to understand. I can never find the words that I want to tell her. Even if I only said the wrong things, even then, this person still absurdly wants to understand everything about me. Good things, bad things, everything.
What should I do to make her understand?
How exactly should I convey my feelings?
"...It's kind of like...it's really impossible after all..." Tiffany muttered to herself.
"We should just give up on going on the trip," Yuri said, her body twitching with every move she made.
"Are we even going to be able to get the magazine out?...uh...hu...huhu" Sunny started crying.
"Shut up! If you have time to cry, then move your hands!" Taeyeon yelled.
Days until the Emerald editing department goes on a trip: 8 Days