Chapter

1

Looks like they finally sold the house.
Tiffany turns her head when she hears his voice. Who did?
The Franks. He looks at her and points out the window.
Tiffany wipes her hands on her apron and rushes to his side, peeking through the
window to see their next-door neighbor shaking hands with another couple. Its
about time, she says as she takes note of their soon-to-be new neighbors.
The man is not very tall but looks well groomed and his overall appearance
suggests that hes made himself quite a nice fortune. His wife is of short stature
with long blond hair, pale skin and very slim waist.
They watch until their neighbors walk the unknown couple to their car, smiles all
around. Then he returns to his chair to resume reading his newspaper, leaving
his wife whos still lurking, gathering information to relay to the other
housewives.
The couple outside gets into their car and is about to drive away when the
woman suddenly turns her head towards the house next door, eyes meeting
Tiffanys through the window, surprising the latter.
Normally, Tiffany would take a step back and retreat from view but what the
blond woman does next catches her so off guard that she is unable to move a
muscle.
The blonde smirks at her while they lock gaze.
Its not a friendly smile or a grin. Its a solid smirk, complete with one raised
eyebrow.
Dont burn your pie.
Her husbands voice snaps her out of it and she quickly returns to the kitchen to
check on her cooking.
As she goes about preparing dinner, her mind cant stop thinking about the
woman she just saw.
Shes very pretty. Petite. Cute, she thinks to herself. But that smirk. Why did she
smirk at me like that? Was she sizing me up? Does she think that shes better than
me?
Unconsciously, she starts fixing her hair while briefly checking her reflection on
one of the new pie tins she just bought.
But I look presentable, even if I do say so myself.
A small frown appears on her face as the train of thought about the blond woman
continues, increasing her curiosity.
By the time she sits down across from her husband to eat, Tiffany has made up
her mind to get to know more about that woman as soon as she moves in next
door and set her straight because no one can look at Mrs. Tiffany Choi that way
and gets away with it.
 ----
I think Im going to like living here, she says as she checks her reflection on the
small mirror in her powder compact and fixes her make-up.
Hm? Why is that? asks the man sitting next to her, driving the car.
Did you see our soon-to-be neighbor?
No. Why? He glances at her, sees her smirk and knows. You saw something
you liked, didnt you?
Maybe, she replies enigmatically.
Be careful, Taeyeon. This is a suburb. Im pretty sure most people here are
married.
So? Never stopped you before.
Touch, he replies with a chuckle. But do be careful. Lets not get kicked out of
here too soon, okay?
Yes, husband dearest, she says cutely and laughs when she sees him
shuddering.
Chapter 2

Tiffany has just finished applying her lipstick when her husband appears at their
bedroom doorway, slightly frowning at her.
Its just a courtesy visit. No more than ten minutes, he says, tired of waiting.
Why are you taking forever to get ready?
She shifts her gaze, looking at him through the mirrors reflection. Im doing this
for your benefit too. When I look good, you look good, she tells him.
He shakes his head and leaves after mumbling that if shes not ready in five
minutes, hell go on without her.
Tiffany ignores him and does one final check on her appearance. She doesnt
normally take this long to get ready to visit a new neighbor but the memory of
their first encounter and the smirk that blonde gave her is still fresh in her
mind and she is determined to look perfect for their first official meeting.
She stands up, fixes her dress and goes down to the kitchen, taking a warm tin of
apple pie she baked right before she changed and got ready. Her apple pie is the
best in the neighborhood and shes darn proud of that fact.
Lets go then, she says as she carefully holds the tin and walks towards her
husband whos already waiting at the door.
They walk down the driveway to the pavement, crossing the small distance to
the house next door.
He rings the doorbell and straightens up, inching closer to his wife as he waits for
the door to be opened.
Seconds later, theyre faced with a smiling young man who greets them with a
friendly, Hello.
Hello, were the Chois from next door, says Tiffanys husband. Im Andrew and
this is my wife Tiffany.
Tiffany flashes her trademark smile and shows her new neighbor the pie in her
hands. Welcome to the neighborhood, she cheerfully says as she hands over the
tin.
Why, thank you! replies the man who shakes his neighbors hand and
introduces himself as Key Kim, explaining immediately how he is the victim of
his parents effort to be different and that its okay to laugh at his name. Then he
turns his head and calls out, Honey! The Chois from next door are here! And
they brought pie!
Tiffany cant help but crane her neck, trying to take a peek inside the house.
Come on in! The man of the house opens the door wider, stepping aside to let
his guests in. My wife should be here soon. Shes preparing dinner. Would you
like to join us? he asks politely.
Thats very kind of you but we cant stay long, unfortunately. Were meeting
some friends for dinner later, declines Tiffanys husband as he takes a seat on
the sofa after his neighbor has gestured at him to do so. His wife follows suit,
sitting next to him.
Ill go put this pie in the kitchen, says Key. Please make yourselves at home.
What would you like to drink? We have tea, coffee, soda pops and beer. I think
we even have ginger ale, if Im not mistaken. Will check with the missus.
Tiffanys husband chooses the beer while she goes for the ginger ale.
Be right back.
Once Key has disappeared to the back of the house, Tiffany freely takes a look
around the residence for as much as she can from where shes sitting. The house
is bigger than theirs though not by much and it appears that the new owners
havent done much redecorating. The layout of the room looks almost exactly the
same as when it was inhabited by the previous owners save for a change in
furniture and the framed photographs over the fireplace.
Shes about to comment on this when the other couple enters the living room.
Both she and her husband stand up and put on their bright smiles once again to
greet the short blond woman standing next to the man called Key.
Hello, thank you for coming to welcome us, she says as she shakes their hands
first the husbands then Tiffanys and introduces herself as Taeyeon.
Nothing eventful happens when she shakes the husbands hand. Its all polite and
courteous so Tiffany is surprised when she catches another smirk, albeit a faint
one, right before the blonde lets go of her hand. It came and went so fast that
shes not entirely sure she saw it but there was indeed something, something
that piqued her interest.
Did she just was that did she really smirk at me again or did I imagine the
whole thing? What is she doing, exactly? Is she still sizing me up? Does she think
that shes better than me?
Tiff?
She hears her husbands voice and turns her head to see him raising his eyebrows
at her from his seat. Thats when she realizes that shes been staring at Taeyeon
for much longer than she should and quickly sits down.
Key has set two beers on the coffee table and two soda pops.
We ran out of ginger ale, Taeyeon suddenly says, before Tiffany can say or ask
about her drink. So I thought youd prefer a soda pop instead.
Tiffany nods and thanks the host.
The four people start with small talk but soon, their conversation becomes
dominated by sports talk from the two men.
Taeyeon and Tiffany grow quiet as they listen and sip their drinks, both playing
the roles of obedient wives.
Thank you for the apple pie, Taeyeon ends their silence.
Youre welcome. My apple pie is famous for being the best in this
neighborhood, boasts Tiffany.
Taeyeon smiles. Really? Then I should thank you once again for letting us have a
whole tin of it. Ill be sure to enjoy every bite, she says.
What were you cooking? Tiffany asks.
Oh nothing much. Im not a very good cook, unfortunately, so I try to make due
with whatever skills I have. Hes actually better than me in the kitchen, she
points at her husband whos still deep in discussion with Tiffanys husband over
baseball.
I see.
I welcome tips and recipes, adds Taeyeon. Especially from talented cooks like
you.
Ill gladly share my recipes.
Thank you. Im looking forward to it.
Dont mention it.
Tiffany then takes another sip from her soda, looking away for a moment. She
can feel Taeyeons eyes never leaving her so she turns her head again and their
eyes meet.
Taeyeon still has that small smile on her face and the look in her eyes is
surprisingly soft. Its a huge contrast to the smirk Tiffany saw earlier that night
and when they first laid eyes on each other weeks ago.
Faintly, she hears her husband apologizing and excusing them so she looks at
him and automatically nods along. They do have an appointment to keep so they
should get going.
Their neighbors walk them to the door, exchange more pleasantries and Taeyeon
promises to return the pie tin once they have finished the apple pie.
As she walks back to her house with her husband moments later, Tiffany finds
herself frowning, unsure of what to make of the blonde she just met.
What was that look? Why was it so different than those arrogant smirks she threw
at me? That Taeyeon Kim is a real puzzle. I should do more snooping from now on.
She can be a criminal or a fraud for all I know so I must be on high alert until I can
know more about her.
----
Pie? offers Taeyeon as she grabs a knife to slice the pie.
Sure. By the way, hes a no go, says Key who then finishes his beer. Too much
baseball talk. Straight as a pole.
I thought you had the ability to bend even the straightest pole in the world,
remarks Taeyeon, chuckling while taking out two plates and small forks for the
pie slices.
I can but only if theyre worth it. That one isnt interesting at all though so Im
not going to waste my time and effort on him no matter how good looking he is.
He pulls one of the plates closer. Wow. This is good, he says after his first bite.
She claimed that she baked the best apple pie in this neighborhood. I guess she
wasnt lying. Taeyeon also takes a bite from her slice and nods in satisfaction.
She kept staring at you.
I know. The blonde grins proudly.
Maybe its because you were eyeballing her in front of her husband.
I did not do that.
You definitely did. Dont think that I missed that smirk and that adoring-gentle-
look trick. Youve really set your eyes on her, havent you?
What smirk? What look? asks Taeyeon innocently.
He rolls his eyes and takes another bite from his pie. Just take it easy, okay? Not
in front of the husband.
I know. It was a small mistake on my part. Shes such a fox that I couldnt help
myself. I promise that Ill behave from now on. When her husbands around, that
is, she says, winking at the young man before chuckling.
And they say men are the lustful ones, he mutters to himself as he leaves the
kitchen with his beer and pie.
Taeyeon is still grinning when she cuts herself another tiny piece of pie with the
fork and eats it.
I wonder do you taste as good as your pie, Tiffany Choi?
Her grin widens at the thought of what shed do to find the answer to her
question and suddenly, she cant wait to return the pie tin to her neighbor.
She knows just the perfect time for it too: whenever Tiffanys husband is not
around.

Chapter 3

Taeyeon has been lingering around her window all day, waiting for the return of
the red Volvo 122S thats usually parked inside the garage next door.
She has heard its engine a couple of hours ago and peeked out the window to see
Tiffany reversing out of the garage to then leave the house. Her husband has left
for work earlier that morning as per usual.
Its only been a week since Taeyeon moved in so shes not entirely sure of her
neighbors daily routine.
Her wait finally comes to an end when the shiny red Volvo appears, passing her
house to park neatly at the driveway next door. She quickly grabs the clean pie
tin shes prepared and walks out of her house calmly towards the raven-haired
woman whos now taking bags of groceries out of her car.
Grocery shopping, huh? she says as she approaches Tiffany, wearing a cute
innocent smile on her face.
Tiffany turns her head and raises her eyebrows at Taeyeon.
Ive been meaning to ask about the nearest, most recommended grocery store in
the neighborhood. Taeyeon stops in front of the surprised Tiffany, notices the
slight nervous twitch and tells herself to stay calm and play it cool. Were
running out of food.
Where did you buy your grocery before? asks Tiffany once she has cleared her
throat.
Not sure. Key bought them using the list I gave him and it was too overpriced.
He probably went to the Johnsons store, replies Tiffany as she takes another
paper bag out of the backseat of her car. Dont shop there. He only gives
reasonable prices to people he knows or likes.
Thats strange, says Taeyeon who then tucks the pie tin under her right arm to
free both hands in order to help Tiffany. Here. Let me help.
Its okay. I got it, Tiffany says as she tightly hugs the three paper bags in
between her arms, barely able to see over them. Go to the old Mr. Wilkins store.
He has better quality produce and lower price although I admit that the
Johnsons store has more variety.
Ill keep that in mind. Now Ill just take one bag before you break something.
Without waiting for Tiffanys response, Taeyeon grabs the middle bag thats
dangerously slipping down and safely holds it in her hands. She then flashes
Tiffany another smile. Better, right?
Tiffany stares at Taeyeon for a second before mumbling a quick thank you and
turning around to go inside the house. She doesnt forget to get her purse and
nudge the car door close with her hip, causing Taeyeon to smirk and grin behind
her.
Man, I cant wait to get my hands on that hot piece of-
Arent you coming?
Taeyeon looks up to see Tiffany frowning at her. Its obvious that shes been
caught staring at the womans butt and said woman is not happy about it.
Do you sew your own dresses? asks Taeyeon in a tone thats still very calm.
Even her expression hasnt changed. Shes trying to appear as if shes not staring
at Tiffanys butt but at the womans dress instead.
Raising one eyebrow, Tiffany flatly replies. No.
Ah alright. I love your dresses. If you sew them yourself then Id like to have one
made. Really love the cut.
Theres a pause as Tiffany seemingly try to make up her mind about Taeyeons
words and their sincerity but at the end of it, all she can say is, I can introduce
you to the dress maker, if you want. Shes a friend of mine and she lives
downtown.
That would be great. Thank you, replies Taeyeon.
When Tiffany resumes walking, Taeyeon makes sure that she matches her pace
and walks next to her, no longer lingering behind.
I actually just wanted to return your pie tin, Taeyeon says as she waits while
Tiffany unlocks the door. Sorry it took so long. Unpacking everything felt
endless. She then follows the lady of the house inside.
No problem. Have you finished unpacking now?
Taeyeon nods, places the bag of groceries next to the other two Tiffanys placed
on the kitchen counter and sets the pie tin down as well. She takes a look around
the house and nods to herself. I love your house. Its so neat and cozy too. Im
not much of a homemaker myself so I admire people who can do what you do
well.
What exactly do I do well? asks Tiffany as she goes to the fridge to see what
drink she can offer to Taeyeon.
Youre a great cook, you take good care of yourself and your home She turns
around, facing the surprised Tiffany, and puts on her most sincere smile. And
youre beautiful too. A perfect package. Your husband is one lucky man, she
gently says, her eyes not hiding their adoration even for a little bit.
Tiffany blushes by reflex and has to quickly pull the fridge open to hide her warm
face. Thank you, she says without looking at Taeyeon. But its nothing special,
really. Im sure every woman in this neighborhood does the same or even better.
Present company included.
Taeyeon shakes her head and approaches Tiffany. I dont know about other
women but I definitely cant do what you do. Its tough, being a wife, isnt it? We
have to look great but at the same time, we have to do so much for our husbands
and families. We have to clean the house, wash and mend their clothes, cook for
them basically do everything they never do for themselves so they can boast
about what a catch we are, she says, still with that charming smile on her face.
Im glad Key helps me every now and then, especially with cooking. Wouldnt
know how to survive otherwise. She chuckles, noticing the slight tensing of
Tiffanys jaws as the womans face appears from behind the open fridge door.
Its just not in my genes.
Unknown to Tiffany, Taeyeon has been listening to every gossip she and Key
could find about her and her husband. The man is a very ambitious car salesman
who has a pride thats bigger than his house, people say. He likes to compare
himself to other people and the one thing he boasts most about besides his job is
his beautiful wife. Rumor has it that he drilled his wife into being the perfect
homemaker that she is and that he only lets down his guard and boasts less in
front of people he considers much below him, those who pose no threat to him.
Now his wife has surpassed his perfectionism and self-comparison, becoming
one of the most respected yet feared housewives in the neighborhood, and also
one of the biggest gossipers.
Key was not happy when he heard about this because during the short courtesy
visit by his neighbor, the man didnt boast at all. He concluded that the man must
consider him below him, much less than him.
But Taeyeon couldnt care less about that man. All she cares about is Tiffany and
hearing about the womans change and image makes her even more determined
to get to know her neighbor better because shes convinced that behind the
uptight perfectionist image is a wild woman whom shed love to tame.
Hes learned to live with my lack of skills, I think, continues Taeyeon casually,
and its definitely more relaxing for the both of us. Less arguing too.
Tiffany takes out a bottle of soda pop from the fridge without responding. Soda
pop?
Thats alright. I best be on my way and not trouble you anymore, replies
Taeyeon. Thank you again for the pie. It was delicious. Easily the best apple pie
Ive ever had, she says as she takes a step back, away from the kitchen. Have a
nice day, Tiffany. Thank you for allowing me inside your beautiful home. I think
Ill go clean up my house now. Wouldnt want to bring down the neighborhood,
would we? she says then laughs. Bye then.
Taeyeon turns around to leave but before she can reach the front door, she hears
Tiffany say, If you want, I can teach you how to bake or cook.
The blonde turns around. Really?
Tiffany nods. I said Id gladly share my recipes, didnt I? I mean it.
Thank you. Well set a date later then.
Sure. Just give me a call or a knock on the door, Tiffany says.
Ill do that. Taeyeon then waves goodbye before she walks out of the house,
leaving Tiffany frowning to herself.
----
The door closes softly behind the blond woman and Tiffany exhales, her brows
knitted into a frown.
Even though she now feels less threatened by Taeyeon, what her neighbor said
hit home a bit too hard and suddenly, for the first time since she moved into that
house, she finds her tidy and spotless home suffocating.
So instead of going into her usual daily cleaning routing, she grabs the keys to the
red car her husband had given her only months ago a bonus from the new
company he now works at and decides to head downtown for a quick round of
shopping.
As she drives, she cant help but replay the moments when she caught Taeyeon
staring at her backside and what the blonde said about her. She didnt know why
she felt offended during the staring then shy and flattered when Taeyeon
complimented her. It wasnt the first or the best compliment shes received, plus
it came from a woman. It also wasnt the first time other women stared at her
although they usually did it with envy or admiration in their eyes, not with the
look Taeyeon gave her earlier.
Youre interesting, Taeyeon Kim. Mark my words, I will definitely find out more
about you before this week ends.
Chapter 4

Taeyeon stops her typing when the telephone rings and moves to answer the
call. Hello?
Hello. Is this Taeyeon Kims residence?
Yes. This is her speaking.
Ah, hello, Taeyeon. Its Tiffany. Tiffany Choi.
Taeyeon instantly grins at the sound of the name.
From next door, adds Tiffany.
Hi.
Hi. Are you busy? Did I catch you at a bad time?
No, you didnt, Taeyeon says. And Ill never be too busy for such a nice
neighbor, she adds daringly, wondering how Tiffany would react. She almost
said pretty instead of nice but she knew it was too soon for such blatant
flirting.
Theres an unmistaken second of silence as Tiffany whos completely taken
aback by the random comment tries to figure out what to say in reply.
In the end, she decides to just ignore the comment and get straight to the point.
Were having our annual neighborhood barbecue party next weekend and its
my turn to host it this year. Would you and your husband like to come? Its a
good chance for you to meet the other neighbors as well. You can even consider
it a welcome event for you from us.
That sounds festive, Taeyeon says. What must I bring or do?
Oh you dont have to do or bring anything. Youre our guest of honor, after all.
But that will make me feel bad. At least let me bring drinks? Beer or wine?
You dont have to but I wont stop you if you want to bring something.
Okay. Excuse me for asking this but will your delicious apple pies be at the party
too?
Definitely! There will be a neighborhood riot if my apple pies are missing,
Tiffany says proudly.
Then Ill be there for sure! Your apple pies are to die for and I wouldnt miss the
chance of getting a slice for anything!
Tiffany cant help but break into a huge, proud smile. Thank you. Thats very
kind of you. So see you Sunday then? Just come over around noon. You can see
the party from your house anyway.
Will do. Thank you for inviting us.
My pleasure.
----
Tiffany spends the whole week leading up to the annual barbecue going about
her chores with extra speed so she can have more time to chat with her
neighbors and go around the shops, talking to as many people as she can to find
out whether theyve met Taeyeon. Shed try to fish as much information as she
could from them and spend the rest of her time watching over the house next
door, spying on Taeyeon.
The blonde rarely leaves the house though so Tiffany would be very bored, most
of the time, but she persists. The one thing she prides herself of, other than her
pie or her clean home, is her persistence.
Thus she sits or stands by her window, day after day, waiting for the moment
when shed get a glimpse of the golden hair moving around in the kitchen next
door or walking out the door.
When the day of the barbecue finally comes, she and her group of friends start
getting ready early in the morning, laying out the food, wearing their best
Sunday clothes and making sure their husbands look their best.
They try to act normal but theyd steal glances at the driveway and the house
next door every now and then, waiting anxiously.
Her friends keep asking her where the new neighbor is, adding to her already
mounting impatience.
She almost gives up hope when the sound of a roaring engine catches her
attention. Every head turns towards the street, some even go as far as to walk
out of the backyard to take a look.
A shiny arctic blue Chevrolet Corvette comes speeding down the street, making a
swift turn, straight into the driveway next door, parked perfectly right then and
there.
Their shock doubles when they see a woman stepping out of the drivers side of
the convertible while fixing her long golden tresses.
No one pays attention to the young man who rushes towards the trunk of the car
to take out a wooden crate of beer. Their eyes are all glued to the woman who
nonchalantly opens her compact and starts reapplying her make-up as if she just
steps out of her neat kitchen instead of a speeding car.
She drives like that? whispers one of the women behind Tiffany.
How strange, replies another woman.
Unbecoming, hisses someone else who then clucks her tongue in disapproval.
Improper, adds another one. Her husband should learn to keep his wife in
check. Teach her proper manners.
Tiffany nods, agreeing with every comment. Deep down though, theres a tiny
sense of admiration to see a woman be able to handle a car like that. And its not
just any convertible. Its a roadster, a two-seated car she recognizes from a
brochure her husband brought home. He told her that it was a very good car with
a new system or something she wasnt paying attention to what he said
because cars are just not her thing. Nevertheless, it adds another piece to the
complicated puzzle that is Taeyeon Kim that shes assembling in her head.
When the couple seems ready to go, they turn towards their neighbors house
and simultaneously raise their eyebrows when they see the crowd staring at
them some are still holding beer bottles or plates of food in their hands.
After a split-second hesitation, Taeyeon slips her hand under Keys arm, placing
it elegantly on the mans forearm and both start walking towards the group of
people with polite yet anxious smiles on their faces.
Tiffany steps out to greet Taeyeon and Key with a smile.
Sorry were so late, Key apologizes. Its my fault. I forgot that I was assigned
the task to get the beers so we had to rush out and get them. But rest assured, it
would be worth the wait. Its a special brew.
I hope we havent missed much, adds Taeyeon.
Oh no worries. The girls just started on dessert but the men are still grilling so
plenty of food left. You must be hungry, replies Tiffany politely. Come on in and
eat.
Taeyeon withdraws her hand from Keys arm and walks ahead of him, alongside
Tiffany as the woman starts introducing her to the people there.
The men approaches Key and helps him with the beer before they start talking
about the usual men stuff: cars, sports etcetera.
The women crowd around Taeyeon, observing her from top to toe while asking
her endless questions about herself and her husband, all the while wearing fake
smiles on their faces.
She answers every question calmly and diplomatically even though she knows
exactly what these women are really after behind their seemingly friendly
exterior. At the same time, she inconspicuously keeps an eye on Tiffany, always
aware of where the woman is at all times. Shes done this many times before and
therefore knows how to carry herself well.
Being the host, Tiffany is busy keeping everyone happy and entertained. She
moves from group to group, chatting them up, laughing and distributing food.
Taeyeon has finally succeeded in excusing herself to grab a drink when she sees
Tiffany approaching with a plate of food in her hands. I hope you havent run
out of your amazing apple pie, Taeyeon remarks when Tiffany comes near.
Dont worry. I baked an extra tin today, just for you and Key, replies Tiffany.
Here. You havent eaten anything.
Taeyeon takes the plate Tiffany offers her and smiles. Thank you. Youre so
caring, she says, keeping her hand touching Tiffanys a bit longer than it should.
Your husband is seriously one very lucky guy. She gestures with her head
towards the group of loud men as her eyes soften. To have such a beautiful, kind
and capable woman by his side I cant help but envy his luck, she adds,
brushing her fingers ever so lightly against the back of Tiffanys hand as she
gently pulls the plate from the latters hold.
Then she turns around and sits down at an empty table to start eating,
pretending not to see Tiffanys stunned reaction and the slight blush on her
cheeks.
It takes Tiffany a moment to snap out of it. She inhales after she realizes that she
has unconsciously held her breath when Taeyeons soft finger pads grazed her
skin, shakes her head and quickly puts on her usual bright though not really
sincere smile and rejoins her group of friends.
----
I saw what you did, Key says as soon as hes closed the door behind him.
What did I do? asks Taeyeon nonchalantly while taking off her shoes. She sighs
in relief when her bare feet touch the ground and goes to the kitchen to put away
the pie slices Tiffany gave them.
Key follows the woman. You flirted with her endlessly.
I did not.
You did. I saw the smiles and the touches. You were like a bee circling a flower
all day. How many compliments did you throw at her?
I lost count, replies Taeyeon with a cheeky grin before she bursts out laughing.
Alright. I did do all that. But come on, did you see how fine she is? I love that red
ribbon she wore in her hair. What I would do to pull it loose, she gestures with
her fingers as if pinching the non-existent fabric, then tear her dress right off.
She laughs again louder, this time.
Key rolls his eyes. You never learn, do you? Her husband was eyeing you, you
know.
I know. I know very well. Taeyeon walks past Key to head on upstairs and take
a shower.
Then be careful, says the man, eyes still on his friend.
Taeyeon turns around, sees the sincerely worried look and smiles at him. I will.
Dont worry. Im sorry for being too obvious today but Im sure youre the only
one who noticed.
Me and her husband.
Nah. He wont suspect a thing. The only reason he kept eyeing me is because of
the car. I am expecting him to come by any day and chastise me about it, treating
me like Im some typical dumb blonde of a housewife who knows nothing about
cars.
He did kinda reprimand me about getting that car and letting you drive it. When
I told him that it was your car, his eyes nearly fell out of their sockets, replies
Key with a grin.
See? Let him be. I know how to handle pompous jerks like that. Though my
handling knowledge would be best applied to his wife. Taeyeon winks then
goes on her way while laughing to herself.
Key shakes his head and goes to the living room to listen to the afternoon radio
show.


Chapter 5

Taeyeon walks out of her house with a clean plate in her hands. Its the plate
Tiffany lent her yesterday, to bring home the pie slices from the barbecue.
Just when she reaches her neighbors driveway, the door opens to reveal
Tiffanys husband coming out of the house, ready to go to work. She greets him
politely when their eyes meet, Good morning.
Morning. What brings you here?
Im returning the plate your wife kindly let me borrow yesterday, replies
Taeyeon.
I see. Go on inside then. Hes about to walk past the blonde when he suddenly
remembers something and stops in his tracks. By the way, that car you were
driving yesterday
Taeyeon looks at him calmly. Yes?
Key told me that its yours.
Thats right. Bought it with my own money just weeks before we moved here.
Why would you need your own car? he asks.
Why not? replies Taeyeon nonchalantly.
Is it because its blue and you happen to like blue? He grins at her
condescendingly because thats the reason he hears from his female customers
all the time.
I admit, I do like the color but thats not really why I chose it, answers Taeyeon,
still in her calm, not-offended tone. Its the fuel injection, the power assist and
the Borg-Warner 4-speed manual transmission option they finally offered.
His grin disappears, replaced with a surprised expression thats followed by a
frown. Do you even know what fuel injection is?
In general or the one used in my car?
His eyes widen even more due to the unexpected reply. Both.
Well, generally speaking, it is a system for admitting fuel into an internal
combustion engine. I will not start on the history of modern fuel injection or its
use on diesel engine since were talking about cars or gasoline-fueled engines so
Ill just skip to the one in my car, and why it spurred me to buy it. I love it
because its not just a pulse injection but a constant flow system, metering fuel to
all cylinders simultaneously from a central spider of injection lines. Its not like
the diesel style nozzle metering system Mercedes uses in their racing cars. In my
car, the fuel meter adjusts the amount of flow according to engine speed and
load, and includes a fuel reservoir, which is similar to a carburetors float
chamber. It has its own high-pressure fuel pump driven by a cable from the
distributor to the fuel meter that supplies the necessary pressure for injection.
The injectors are located in the intake manifold, very near the intake valve. Its
really cool. You want to take a look? I went for the Ramjet fuel injection option. It
cost me a pretty penny but I love the extra brake-horse power it produces,
explains Taeyeon smoothly, without the slightest bit of hesitation. Key wouldnt
let me get the 579E racing version, she says, sighing. Too bad. I really wanted to
have the heavy duty racing suspension on it though I probably cant race it
anywhere.
She finishes with a smile as she watches his expression his mouth open and his
eyes bulging.
Gotcha. I aint no dumb blond, Mister.
Anyway, as much as I like chatting about cars, I best return this to your wife so I
can get started on my chores, she says. Have a good day, Andrew.
She side steps him and walks towards the porch, not sparing him another glance.
As her finger touches the doorbell, she can hear the mans car reversing then
driving away with an extra loud roar as if hes stepping on the gas pedal
angrily.
She almost laughs but she hears Tiffanys footsteps from inside the house so she
keeps herself composed and settles with a smile.
Good morning, she greets Tiffany who appears a second later. Im here to
return your plate. Thank you very much for lending it to me yesterday.
Hello. Youre welcome. Tiffany takes the plate from Taeyeon.
I also wanted to ask about that cooking lesson you mentioned, continues
Taeyeon. Are you still willing to teach me?
Of course. When would you like to start?
Whenever youre available.
Im free every day except on Thursdays because we sometimes play bridge at
the Tanners house.
Then how bout we start today? It would be fun to surprise Key with something
different and delicious for once, says Taeyeon with a chuckle.
Today? Tiffany pauses to think, listing her to-dos for the day. Sure. Why not?
But what do you want to make?
Anything youve planned to make for dinner. Ill get the ingredients and just
copy you, if thats okay.
That sounds good. Im thinking of making stuffed roast chicken for dinner
tonight. With a side of mash potatoes and boiled vegetables.
Ooh! Sounds mouth watering already! exclaims Taeyeon. Would you have
extra space in your oven for another chicken?
Tiffany nods, eyes beaming with pride. We have a large oven because of my
famous apple pie so yes.
Great. If you dont mind, kindly list the ingredients and I will check my
refrigerator or go down to the grocery store to get them.
I have my ingredients. You just need yours. Tiffany goes inside the house and
gestures for Taeyeon to follow her. Ill list them down for you. Do you want me
to go to the store with you?
Thats alright. I dont want to trouble you more than I already have.
Its no trouble. In fact, it might be easier and better because you can take notes
about choosing fresh ingredients as well. Or where to get cheaper produce.
That would be wonderful, says Taeyeon with a smile.
Alright then. Tiffany checks the clock on her wall. We have about an hour
before the Wilkins store is open for business. They open late on Mondays.
Then Ill see you in an hour. We can take my car. Ill drive.
Tiffany nods. See you in an hour then.
Taeyeon quickly takes her leave and tries hard not to grin or laugh happily as she
walks back to her house.
----
Taeyeon exhales and leans back against the kitchen counter after she has closed
the oven door. Wow that chicken is going to last me at least 3 days, she says.
I told you to get a smaller one, remarks Tiffany whos already starting to prep
the potatoes and vegetables.
Its okay. Old Mr. Wilkins is so nice, I cant resist his offer for that bird. Taeyeon
turns her head when she hears the sound of a knife hitting the chopping board.
You should rest for a bit. We have two hours until those birds are cooked,
right?
Yes but the vegetables and potatoes must be boiled and mashed soon.
How soon?
Well, after the birds are cooked so they wont get cold.
Then you can go rest until then. Taeyeon reaches out, placing her hand over
Tiffanys, right on the handle of the knife, surprising the woman. You practically
prepared two stuffed chicken just now because I was slow and incapable so rest.
Ill prepare the vegetables. I might be terrible at cleaning chicken but I can chop
veggies like no other and dont get me started on my potato peeling skills, she
says with a grin.
Tiffany looks at Taeyeons hand, then at the woman, and back at the hand again.
It feels strange but in a good way, surprisingly. No one ever offered her a hand in
the kitchen and she kinda likes the feeling of Taeyeons soft hands on her skin
now that shes felt it for the second time.
Or if you prefer doing something then you can finish your chores. Ill handle
things here. Taeyeon gently pries Tiffanys hand off of the knife handle. Go.
Rest. And dont step foot into this kitchen until you really have to or I will mince
your veggies instead. She pretends to frown at her while pointing to the living
room with her free hand, ordering her to leave.
Its my kitchen, you know, replies Tiffany with an amused smile.
But Im holding the knife, Taeyeon says as she smirks and waves the sharp
utensil in her hand. And the potato peeler too, she grabs the smaller utensil
then breaks into a comical evil villain laugh, causing Tiffany to laugh.
Youre crazy, Tiffany says as she steps away from the cutting board. Alright. I
still need to do the laundry anyway. Just dont destroy my kitchen, please.
I wouldnt dream of it.
Right before Tiffany turns to leave, she feels a hand on her arm and involuntarily
jerks a bit in surprise. She stops and turns her head just in time to see Taeyeons
hand reaching out towards the side of her face.
You have a piece of potato peel on your hair, Taeyeon says as she plucks said
piece of potato and smiles at the woman.
Tiffany holds her breath and finds herself unable to look away from Taeyeons
gentle eyes. There is something there that draws her in, just like that day when
they first locked eyes through the window. Only this time, theres only a couple
of inches separating them and the pull is so much stronger, causing her mind to
go blank instantly.
A little mess looks good on you though, adds Taeyeon, her voice softening.
There is no need to look perfect all the time because youre already that. Perfect.
Just by being you.
Tiffany swallows and takes a clumsy step backwards. T-thanks. I I gotta
laundry, she stutters cutely, pointing to the living room before she rushes
towards the basement, to the laundry room, leaving Taeyeon silently chuckling
to herself.
The woman of the house has to stop and lean against the laundry machine with
one hand on her rapidly beating heart and her other hand on her warm cheek.
W-what what just happened? What is this?






Chapter 6

Tiffany stands to the side, watching Taeyeon wash every dirty bowl theyve used
in the kitchen. At first, she objected to having Taeyeon touch anything because
her perfectionism dictates that no one can wash those dirty dishes as clean as
she can. Taeyeon compromised by splitting the workload. She let Tiffany wash
the smaller items like the utensils and knives and insisted that shed wash the
pans, bowls, plates and cutting board.
The dark-haired woman didnt want to move from the sink after she was done
but Taeyeon playfully nudged her aside and assured her that shed only put the
washed dishes on the drying rack after they have passed Tiffanys inspection.
And the blonde kept her word. She told Tiffany to check everything and to put
those that didnt pass her inspection back in the sink for her to redo.
After a few minutes, Tiffany started to feel more relaxed and, out of respect to
Taeyeons effort, she decided to stop her inspection and let Taeyeon do her
thing. If theres anything she needs to redo, shed do it after Taeyeon has left.
Done! exclaims Taeyeon as she turns off the tap and takes the hand towel
Tiffany offers her.
Thanks for the help.
Dont mention it. Its the least I could do after your hospitality and the cooking
lesson. Im sorry Im such a bad student, apologizes Taeyeon while hanging the
towel in its place neatly.
You did okay, Tiffany says. I hope Key likes it.
You and me both, replies Taeyeon. I should get going. Wouldnt want to
trouble you more than I have. She moves to take the roast chicken, only to
realize a second later that her hands are full and she cant carry the mash
potatoes and vegetables at the same time.
Tiffany smiles when she sees Taeyeons confused expression and picks up the
plate of vegetables and the bowl of mash potatoes. Lead the way, she says.
What are you doing?
Helping. Now move before everything gets cold.
Taeyeon smiles gratefully at Tiffany and starts to walk.
They go to her house, place everything in the kitchen and Tiffany excuses herself
to get ready for her husband to come home.
Thanks again, Taeyeon says as she walks Tiffany to the door.
Youre welcome.
I hope this experience doesnt traumatize you.
Tiffany stops at the doorway and turns towards Taeyeon, her lips pulled into an
unexpectedly sincere smile. Its been fun, actually. Its nice to have someone
accompany me during the day and while I cook.
Youre going to redo all the dishes I washed, arent you?
Tiffany laughs. Nah. I think you did a great job. Thank you for understanding.
Thank you for letting me help even though I lack so much. Taeyeon then takes a
step forward. I mean what I said though. Youre already perfect so its okay to
relax every once in a while. She reaches out and lightly brushes Tiffanys cheek
with her thumb. You look so much more beautiful when you smile or laugh, not
serious or tense. So smile more often, okay, Tiffany?
Tiffany freezes for a moment, shivering when Taeyeons skin meets hers.
R-right. Ye-yes. Thank y-you, she stutters and steps away, nearly stumbling out
into Taeyeons porch. Goodbye then.
Bye, replies Taeyeon calmly with a smile and a wave of her hand. She watches
Tiffany half running towards her house, rushing inside and slamming the door
behind her. She laughs and goes inside her own house while whistling to herself.
Well now, I think Ive caught her attention for sure.
----
Tiff?

Tiffany?
H-huh? Tiffany looks up in surprise only to see her husband staring at her.
What?
Are you okay? Youre so quiet tonight.
Im fine. Just tired, she lies and quickly puts a piece of meat inside her mouth so
she doesnt have to answer him.
He raises his eyebrows but says nothing more, turning his attention to the
newspaper in his hands.
The night ends uneventfully like most of her nights but unlike her quiet home,
Tiffanys mind is busy replaying everything that has happened today. How
attentive Taeyeon was, how the blonde made her laugh every now and then with
random stories about her friends or Key and her funny remarks, how she
grabbed her arm and plucked that potato peel from her hair and lastly, the one
thing she cant seem to shake off, is the feeling of Taeyeons warm and soft
fingers against her face and the tenderness of her touch.
The skin on her cheek tingles every time that memory crosses her mind and
when she lies down next to him that night and feels his rough, cold hand on her
back, she cant help but wish that it were as warm and gentle as Taeyeons hand.
----
Key drinks his water and looks at the woman sitting next to him on the couch.
So how many of this so-called cooking lesson are you going to take?
Why? You like the result so much?
I admit, its a very big improvement, taste-wise, but Im more curious to what
your plan is.
You know my plans.
Yes but are you going to use your old tricks on her?
I dont know. Theyre working so far.
He shakes his head and places his glass on the coffee table. Careful. Youve
shattered many hearts. Wouldnt want karma to catch up with you, would you?
There is no such thing.
Karma? Oh you bet there is.
Then why are you still so happy? Youve broken way more hearts than I ever
did!
Hey, they broke my heart.
Taeyeon scoffs. Yeah right.
Its different with men! argues Key.
Stop right there. Lets not have this same old discussion again, shall we? Im too
tired to argue.
But its true!

Fine. Ignore me but I will be proven right. Be careful, Taeyeon. I dont like her
husband. Theres something scarily crazy about that guy.
Besides his inflated ego, you mean?
Yes.
Ill be fine. Now go finish your dinner so I can put the rest in the refrigerator for
tomorrow.
----
Weeks have passed since that first cooking lesson and Taeyeon and Tiffany have
spent more and more time together not only during the other cooking lessons
that followed but also whenever they happened to meet.
Taeyeon would be the one who created those coincidences by walking out of
her house when Tiffanys about to go grocery shopping or whenever the woman
happened to be outside. Shed greet her, theyd talk and Tiffany would often
invite her in to accompany her.
By now, Tiffany has half forgotten about her true intentions of getting to know
everything about Taeyeon and proving that shes better than her. She still
gossips about her behind her back to justify the amount of time she spends with
her but she forgets everything about her group of judgmental housewives friends
or her boring-though-seemingly-perfect life with her husband whenever shes
with Taeyeon.
The blonde has an unexplainable way of making her feel comfortable in her skin.
There is no judgment, no expectations and Taeyeon doesnt hang out with the
other housewives so Tiffany knows that her neighbor isnt gossiping about her
behind her back.
Slowly but surely, Tiffany begins to let down her guard and starts to really enjoy
the time she spends with her newfound friend.
Taeyeon never stops her physical attentiveness though. Shed lightly brush
Tiffanys arm or squeezes her hand briefly and even tucks her long dark tresses
behind her ear to tidy her hair when theres a sudden gust of wind.
Although these gestures confused Tiffany at first, she has grown to like them and
even look forward to be the receiving end of them. When Taeyeon seemed
distracted one day, because she said she just got a letter from home, and didnt
touch her at all, she was the one who reached out for her hand and warmly
squeezed it to cheer her up a bit.
She doesnt understand why Taeyeons touches never fail to make her blush or
shiver or why she starts to crave them. In her mind, she justifies it as
companionship and platonic friendship although a tiny nagging voice in the back
of her mind keeps telling her that thats not just it.
One morning, she comes out of her house to go grocery shopping and is
expecting Taeyeon to appear and come with her but the house next door is quiet.
No one seems to be home so Tiffany gets inside her car and drives to the store
alone, feeling disappointed.
After she has finished shopping, she drives home and is halfway there when her
car starts making weird noises.
The red car finally stalls just when shes about to turn into the street she lives in.
She tries to restart the car again and again and when it wont work, she panics,
jumping out of the vehicle without knowing what to do.
Tiffany wants to scream for help but her pride wont allow her to do so. The last
thing she wants is to become the laughing stock of the neighborhood, especially
since shes bragged about the brand new car her husband got her just months
ago.
So in the end, she decides to walk the short distance home to call her husbands
office and tell him what happened.
She takes the bags of groceries from the backseat and starts walking.
To arrive home she has to pass Taeyeons house and thats when she notices the
open garage door and Taeyeons car inside.
Her curiosity wins over her panic and she walks up Taeyeons driveway, eager to
take a peek.
Um Taeyeon? Are you here? she asks hesitantly from right outside the garage.
A head of blond hair tied up with a blue bandana pops out from under the hood.
Tiffany?
Taeyeon? Is that you?
Taeyeon steps out into view and Tiffanys eyes widen with shock.
Women have started wearing pants these days and Tiffany has seen posters or
ads with women mechanics but never in her life has she met a real life woman
wearing mechanic overalls, especially not in this neighborhood. She used to
think that such manly look for women is unbecoming. Plus, its a dirty job thats
unfit for a lady so why cant she take her eyes off of Taeyeon despite the oil
smudges on the latters face and hair? And that loose navy blue overalls with a
few buttons popped open looks unbelievably good on Taeyeon that instead of
looking at the blondes eyes, she finds herself shifting her gaze lower and
lower
Are you okay? Taeyeon asks while wiping her hands on a dirty rag,
interrupting Tiffanys thoughts.
Y-ye-yes! Tiffany clears her throat and looks up only to see the intense gaze
and the smirk she recognizes well. What are you doing? she asks nonchalantly,
ignoring her warm cheeks.
Tuning up my car. You went grocery shopping?
Yeah.
You walked to the shop?
Not really. My car broke down just around the corner so I had to walk the rest of
the way.
Oh? What happened?
Not sure. It made noises, died and just wouldnt start.
Hm Where is it? Ill go take a look.
Its down the street but are you sure?
Yeah. Im in this thing already anyway. Taeyeon gestures at her dirty overalls
and smiles. Give me the keys and Ill check it out. You go put your groceries
inside and meet me there. She opens her hand, asking for the keys.
Tiffany balances the grocery bags to be able to give Taeyeon the keys. Ill be
right with you.
Take your time.
Taeyeon takes her red toolbox and calmly strolls out of her garage to where
Tiffanys car is parked while the car owner rushes towards her house to dispose
of her groceries.
When Tiffany arrives at the scene moments later, the hood of her car is propped
open and Taeyeons small body is bent over the machine as she carefully checks
the hot engine.
She watches half in awe and half in pessimism when, many minutes later,
Taeyeon tells her to wait there because she needs to go to her house to get
something.
When Taeyeons finished, she wipes her sweaty forehead and tells her to start
the engine.
Tiffany does as shes told and is expecting to get no result when the engine starts
to purr as if it never broke down in the first place.
Oh my goodness! What did you do?
You got lucky, Missy, Taeyeon says. A guy I know owns the same brand of car
you have and he used to come over and work on his car together with me. I still
have some of the parts he left and luckily, one of them fit your car. I thought your
car was new?
It is. Andrews company gave it to him when he got the job.
Then you should tell him to speak to his boss. A new car shouldnt break down
like this. Taeyeon shows Tiffany the thing shes holding in her hand. This is
your cars spark plug. Its supposed to be replaced after a while but not this soon.
Its broken so your engine couldnt run properly. Tell your husband to get it
replaced and get your car checked by a mechanic. She places the object in
Tiffanys palm, closes the hood of the red car and tidies up her toolbox. I should
get back to my own car, she says with a smile before giving Tiffany a small wave
of her hand.
Tiffany just stares at Taeyeon in disbelief. She hasnt even had the chance to say
thank you when the woman walks away.
There are so many surprising sides to this Taeyeon Kim and the more she knows
about her, the more curious she gets like a moth drawn to flame.

Chapter 7

Taeyeon sips her soda pop and looks at the clock. Its almost noon which means
that her favorite housewife is either halfway through her chores or almost done
with them, and that her phone will be ringing soon.
Ever since she helped Tiffany with her car, the woman has been making more
effort in approaching her or talking to her. She no longer has to create
coincidences because Tiffany would call her and ask her to go with her to the
store directly. The woman has even set up a teaching plan to make sure that
Taeyeon keeps learning and improving her cooking skills.
Taeyeon has had four more cooking lessons under her belt so far and the two
women have grown much closer, talking and interacting like two old friends.
As planned, she has stealthily increased the amount of warm gestures and
physical touches every time they meet. The big milestone is the hug they shared
just a few days ago after a sad Tiffany told her about the sad news she heard
from her parents. The dog that she had raised up until she had to leave her
parents home to marry her husband passed away that morning. She was
embarrassed to be crying, at first, so she kept looking down or away, avoiding
Taeyeons eyes. But when Taeyeon opened her arms and hugged her warmly, she
suddenly let it all out, her tears wetting the blondes shoulder.
Taeyeon rubbed Tiffanys back soothingly and whispered calming, comforting
words. She said she understood because she, too, lost a pet many years ago and
had cried all day about it.
When Tiffany was done crying, she shyly apologized and tried to fix her messy
hair and make-up. This Taeyeon found so adorable that she could barely stop
herself from kissing Tiffanys cheek. But, luckily, her tremendous self-control
didnt fail her.
She places her glass on the kitchen counter when the phone rings and calmly lifts
the receiver. Hello?
Hi! greets Tiffany cheerfully. Their constant phone conversations have erased
the need for them to introduce themselves. They know each others voice well
enough by now.
Hi.
Busy?
Not really. You? Done with everything?
Yeah. Wanna come over and have lunch with me? I made sandwiches.
How can I refuse such a kind offer from such a great cook? asks Taeyeon,
grinning when she hears a faint chuckle from the other side of the line. Ill be
there in a jiffy.
Alright. Just come on inside. I left the door open.
Okay. Taeyeon hangs up and checks herself in the mirror before she leaves her
house, whistling happily all the way next door.
She lets herself in and finds Tiffany setting two plates of sandwiches on the
dining table along with two bottles of soda pop she recognizes to be her favorite.
You got my favorite pop! she exclaims.
Tiffany looks up and smiles. Consider it a reward for your constant cooking
improvement.
Thank you.
Have a seat and lets eat!
Taeyeon insists on washing the dishes after lunch and Tiffany lets her.
Their conversations keep flowing with Tiffany never leaving Taeyeons side.
I wanna show you something, Tiffany says after Taeyeons finished drying her
hands. She grabs Taeyeons hand, surprising the latter, and pulls her towards the
living room.
She tells Taeyeon to sit on the couch while she rushes upstairs to get something.
Taeyeon doesnt know what to expect so she just sits there calmly, waiting for
the very excited Tiffany to return.
A minute later, Tiffany comes back with one hand behind her back and a huge
smile on her face. She sits down next to Taeyeon, faces her then tells her to show
her her hand.
Taeyeon does as shes told, gesturing her hand forward with her palm facing up,
and raises her eyebrows when Tiffany places a small box on it. What is this?
she asks.
Take a look.
A tin car! Taeyeon sees the picture and letters printed on the box and her eyes
instantly light up. Can I open it?
Of course. Its yours.
Taeyeon looks at Tiffany in surprise. Its mine?
Yes. I got it for you. My cousin is in the army and hes stationed in Japan. They
make a lot of tin cars over there so I asked him whether he could find one
modeled after your car. Too bad its not the same color though. He said he
couldnt find any blue corvettes, explains Tiffany. Its also a token of my
gratitude for helping me with my car.
Taeyeon doesnt know how to respond. Shes touched and very happy so after
her trembling hands have managed to open the box carefully to take out the tin
car, all she can do is gawk at it while gingerly holding it as if its made of gold.
Do you like it?
She hears Tiffanys hesitant voice and looks up to see the woman watching her
anxiously, waiting for her reaction.
Like it? I love it! she says in all sincerity. This is the best gift anyone has ever
given me!
Its just a tin car, Taeyeon, replies Tiffany while trying to hide her happy smile.
Taeyeon shakes her head. It means so much more than that, she says. Thank
you. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart.
Its nothing, really. I just thought since you like cars-
Tiffany doesnt get the chance to finish her sentence thanks to the kiss that lands
on her cheek. She freezes, turning red in the face as her eyes widen with shock.
Her skin tingles and there are goose bumps on her arms, especially when she
realizes that Taeyeons lips still linger close to her cheek, the blondes warm
breath hitting the side of her face.
Taeyeon cant stop herself this time. Not when Tiffany has put so much effort
into her small surprise present.
Thank you. Ill take very good care of it, she whispers, her nose brushing
against the dark hair as she closes her eyes for a second and silently inhales,
letting the smell of Tiffanys hair seep into her mind so it can stay there for a very
long time.
Then she moves back and their eyes meet.
Tiffany doesnt know what to do or say. Her mind isnt sure what to make of
what just happened and her heart is beating out of her chest so all she does is
look blankly at Taeyeon.
Im sorry, apologizes Taeyeon, secretly hoping that what she did wouldnt push
Tiffany away. I should I think I better go. Thanks, again. For the gift and lunch.
Her hold around the tiny car tightens as she excuses herself and leaves the
house.
It takes a moment until Tiffany blinks, slowly getting her thoughts back in order.
She touches her cheek, the skin still tingling, and looks at the window, towards
the house next door.
Taeyeon
----
Taeyeon sighs and pokes her TV dinner with her fork unenthusiastically.
She hasnt called? asks Key who has noticed the unusually gloomy behavior.
Taeyeon shakes her head.
Its been days since that kiss-on-the-cheek incident and she hasnt seen Tiffany
around or heard from her. Either her neighbor has gone into hiding or she has
found ways to avoid her like a plague.
Its not like you to be this mellow over a chick, continues Key. Dont tell me
you have feelings for her? Like real feelings?
I dont. Im just worried that all my effort is in vain. Havent exactly enjoyed the
fruit of my labor, have I?
Then you shouldnt have made such a bold move so soon.
I couldnt help it! She was so adorable!
Key calmly sips his beer and says, Then call her. If she hates you, move on. If she
doesnt hate you, go find a way to enjoy whatever fruit your labor has produced.
At least you get to kiss her cheek and keep that tin car. Either way, stop brooding.
Its so weird to see you like this.
Taeyeon puts her fork down and exhales. Youre right. This isnt like me. Im a
woman of action! She stands up and goes to the phone. Ill give her a call right
now.
She dials Tiffanys number and waits.
Hello? comes Tiffanys familiar voice a moment later.
Hello. Tiffany? Its Taeyeon.
Oh hi. How can I help you?
Taeyeon raises her eyebrows at the emotionless and formal tone. Its so different
from the cheerful voice shes used to hearing over the phone. Um Im just
wondering whether you have some free time tomorrow.
That depends. Why did you ask?
Well Taeyeon quickly racks her brain to come up with a solid excuse. Keys
birthday is coming up and I want to do something special. Since hes been
complimenting my improving cooking skills, I wonder whether its possible to go
to the next level and have you teach me to bake your amazing apple pie, she lies.
The young man who overheard the entire thing from where hes sitting can only
shake his head. Its not the first time hes been utilized as Taeyeons excuse to get
women so it came as no surprise. Besides, he has returned the favor many times,
using Taeyeon to get his share of men.
Oh. Tiffany pauses for a second to think. I suppose we can give it a try.
Really?
Yes. When is his birthday?
Saturday.
Then we better start tomorrow. It might take you a few tries to get it right.
Im not aiming for perfection because I know its impossible to copy your
heavenly apple pie, compliments Taeyeon, Im already happy if my pie is half as
good as yours.
Thank you for the compliment. Come over tomorrow morning so we can get the
ingredients.
Will do that. Thank you, Tiffany.
Youre welcome. Have a good night.
You too. Bye.
Goodbye. Taeyeon hangs up and grins. Great advice, my friend, she tells Key
as she pats his shoulder on her way back to her seat.
What a liar, this Taeyeon Kim.
Takes one to know one, retorts Taeyeon with a smirk as she eats her dinner
with gusto, excited for tomorrow.
Dont get your hopes up. Shes probably just being nice because she thought you
were doing it for me, he says after seeing his friends happy reaction.
I know. Dont worry about me. You should worry about yourself. How far did
you get with the laundry guy? Taeyeon asks, steering the conversation away
from herself.
----
Oomph. Taeyeon places the two heavy bags of apples on the kitchen counter
and sighs. We bought too many apples, didnt we? she asks the woman whos
come to stand next to her, neatly setting the other grocery bags on the counter as
well.
No we didnt. You need to practice, remember? Youll use up all these apples
before Saturday comes along, replies Tiffany.
And who will be eating all those failed apple pies I bake?
You, yourself and you, teases Tiffany while pointing her finger at Taeyeon,
causing the blonde to grin.
Their meeting earlier that day started out a bit awkward but they soon found
their old rhythm back, both choosing to forget what had happened days ago at
Tiffanys house.
Now start washing and cutting them. We need about 5 apples per pie so cut 10
of them, orders Tiffany.
Yes, Maam. Arent you going to change first? That dress is new, right? asks
Taeyeon as she goes to the sink to wash her hands.
When shes finished, she turns around to see Tiffany holding a pink apron in one
hand and a yellow one in the other.
Im surprised you noticed but dont worry, this will protect my dress, Tiffany
says. She hands the yellow apron to Taeyeon who takes it, puts the strap over her
head and waits for the right moment when Tiffanys tying her own apron so that
she can swoop in, taking over the task to tie the string behind the womans back.
Tiffanys surprised when Taeyeon takes over but lets her, swiping her long dark
hair to the side so Taeyeon can finish the task more easily.
As Tiffany gathers her hair to one side, Taeyeon can barely stop herself from
leaning forward and kissing the smooth skin being exposed so gloriously right
before her eyes. But she doesnt want to have Tiffany avoid her again so she
quickly finishes her task and takes a big step back to give herself some space. She
then proceeds to cut the apples while Tiffany takes out the rest of the
ingredients, lining them up neatly on the counter as she waits for Taeyeon.
Baking isnt easy, as Taeyeon has expected, so she makes a few mistakes every
now and then, causing Tiffany to tease her and laugh at her.
I dont think your dough will be digestible, teases Tiffany while poking at the
soft pile of dough Taeyeons been rolling diligently.
Hey! Dont poke at my dough! Youll make holes in my pie!
Your pie will have holes regardless of what I do to the dough.
How is that even possible? retorts Taeyeon. It looks good.
I know the makings of an ugly pie when I see it. Mine, however, is going to be
perfect. Tiffany points at the rolled out dough thats sitting neatly in her pie tin,
ready to be filled and baked.
Isnt that expected? But my pies going to be edible and thats what matters
most, states Taeyeon as she sprinkles more flour on the counter so she can roll
her dough better.
They joke around a few more times, stealing apple pieces from each others pie,
tasting each others filling Taeyeon almost drools and moans when she sees
Tiffany innocently dipping her finger in her pie filling, coating it with molasses
and sugar, then putting that finger in her mouth, sucking it clean until both tins
are filled, covered with another layer of dough and ready to bake.
Once the pies are in the oven, its time to clean up the mess and wait.
So much for being a neat expert pie baker. You even have flour on your hair,
remarks Taeyeon before they even start. Shes lying through her teeth to create
an opportunity to touch Tiffany since she feels like she hasnt done that all day.
I do not! argues Tiffany who starts patting and brushing her hair clean with her
hand.
You do. And not just on your hair Taeyeon reaches up to gently flick the
imaginary flour from Tiffanys hair then carefully brushes Tiffanys cheek with
her fingers as if cleaning it, going down to her neck and shoulder. She notices
Tiffany tensing and the womans reddening face but keeps her cool, acting as if
theres nothing unusual with her attentive touches or the effect they have.
As a final act, she uses both hands to pretend to fix the apron strap around
Tiffanys neck, using the opportunity to brush her fingers against the womans
collarbone.
Much better, she says with a smile once shes done. Now please clean up your
kitchen.
E-excuse me? Youre the one who made a mess in my kitchen. You clean it up,
replies Tiffany while trying to appear calm. In reality, her heart has been
pounding like crazy since Taeyeon touched her hair and there are invisible yet
burning trails on her skin left by Taeyeons fingers.
Taeyeon goes to pick up the remaining dough bits from her side of the counter
and places them on Tiffanys much neater baking area. She smirks mischievously
at the other woman and says, You have more leftovers on your side. Its so
messy!
What?! Tiffany quickly stomps towards the counter, grabs a handful of apple
slices and dumps them right in front of Taeyeon. Now whos messier?
Oh so you like to play rough, huh? Taeyeon starts scooping the flour from the
counter to then sprinkle it on Tiffanys side.
HEY! Stop it!
Before they know it, theyve gotten into a very childish fight, throwing leftover
ingredients from one side to another while laughing and yelling at each other.
Tiffany pokes Taeyeons side when the blonde is preoccupied with taking off her
apron and watches in amusement as the woman jumps.
Oh so youre ticklish? she asks, grinning devilishly.
No. H-hey! Stop! Taeyeon squirms, twists and turns, trying to avoid Tiffanys
poking. Dont!
Tiffany laughs and speeds up her attack, moving closer and closer to Taeyeon
until a pair of hands grabs her arms, causing her to gasp in shock.
Once Taeyeon has had a firm hold on Tiffanys arms, she turns the woman,
pushing her against the counter from behind and trapping her there.
Hey! What are you- Tiffanys protest is cut short when she senses Taeyeon
moving closer.
Taeyeon leans in, her body pressing against Tiffanys and her lips now less than
an inch away from Tiffanys ear. Then she whispers, I told you to stop, only to
feel Tiffany shiver in her hold. She smirks, feeling her confidence growing thanks
to the other womans reaction, and nuzzles the area below Tiffanys ear. I really
like your new perfume, by the way, she says in a low voice before she boldly
starts to press kisses on Tiffanys neck.
At first, Tiffany is too shocked to do anything after Taeyeon has cornered her but
when she hears her voice and feels her breath on her ear, she cant stop herself
from shivering, feeling the hair on her arms stand thanks to the sultry voice.
From the moment Taeyeons lips touch her skin, she can feel something burning
inside her as she closes her eyes and unconsciously tilts her head, giving Taeyeon
indirect consent to keep trailing kisses down her neck.
When Taeyeon gently turns her around and kisses her on the lips, she responds
albeit timidly at first.
She lifts her hand when Taeyeon releases her arm, resting it lightly on the
blondes shoulder and as their kisses grow intense, she cant control the desire
anymore and ends up wrapping both her arms around Taeyeons neck, her
fingers tangled in the blond locks while she pulls her close, wanting to feel more
of her.
Her eyes flutter open when Taeyeon breaks their kiss, meeting the pair of brown
eyes staring back at her with an intense and passionate look that makes the fire
within her burn even harder.
Taeyeon kisses her again and she feels the blondes hands slowly making their
way down her body, causing her to gasp and tense, clawing at the back of
Taeyeons neck.
Tae
Sshh its okay. Ill be gentle. I promise, whispers Taeyeon against her lips
before pulling back to look her in the eyes. Just relax. Ill take good care of you.
As if shes under Taeyeons spell, Tiffany nods and relaxes, letting the other
woman reassure her through more kisses and touches.
She holds her breath when Taeyeons palm travels lower, suppressing the urge
to moan. Never in her life has she been treated so carefully or tenderly. Her
husbands the first and only person shes ever done anything more than kissing
with and hes far from tender. He doesnt exactly know how to pleasure her and
she never thought that it was possible to enjoy making out for more than a
minute until today.
Even Taeyeons tongue tastes and feels very different from his. Usually shes not
really fond of French kissing him so she wasnt sure how it would feel when
Taeyeons tongue entered her mouth, but now she cant seem to get enough of it.
Suddenly, she feels Taeyeons hand reaching below her waist and stops it by
reflex, grabbing Taeyeons wrist, causing the blonde to pull back and break their
kiss.
What what are you doing? she asks.
Nothing you wouldnt like, replies Taeyeon with a smirk and a confident gaze.
Trust me. I wont hurt you.
But but what are you I mean, how are you going to
Taeyeon cant help but chuckle when she sees the confused woman. There are
ways, you know. But if you dont want me to touch you, I wont use my hand.
Then how Tiffanys clearly inexperienced in the matter.
She watches in surprise when Taeyeon suddenly kneels down in front of her,
their eyes never breaking contact.
May I? asks Taeyeon as she gently tugs her arm free from Tiffanys hold. I will
not hurt you. I promise. Trust me? Please? She takes Tiffanys hand and places it
against her cheek after kissing the palm.
Tiffany exhales and nods shakily. Despite everything her confusion, her
uncertainty and her situation the burning fire within needs to be extinguished
and she knows that only Taeyeon is able to do so; that Taeyeon is the only one
she wants right now.
Taeyeon slowly lifts Tiffanys dress, running her hand against the womans
smooth legs and thighs while trying hard not to drool at the sight and sensation
that greet her. She finally gives in to temptation by inching forward and planting
a kiss on Tiffanys right thigh, hearing the woman gasp and flinch when her lips
meet the warm skin.
The blonde looks up and smiles. Do you mind? she asks as she reaches up for
the waistband of Tiffanys underwear, the dress now bunched up around
Tiffanys waist.
Tiffany shakes her head and turns red in the face when Taeyeon pulls the white
fabric down to her ankles, shivering when the air hits her skin, feeling shy and
vulnerable. She almost covers herself with her hands if not for Taeyeon stopping
her.
No hands, remember? says Taeyeon. And please dont feel embarrassed or
shy. Youre the most perfect woman Ive ever seen. She places another kiss on
Tiffanys thigh, slowly inching higher, towards the center. The most beautiful
woman Ive ever seen, she says, looking at her again.
A second later and Tiffany almost loses her balance when the most wonderful
sensation hits her, courtesy of Taeyeons tongue. She quickly grabs the edge of
the counter as she lets out a loud moan and looks down to see Taeyeon still
looking up at her. The view arouses her so much that she cant stop herself from
reaching out, running her hand through Taeyeons hair.
That day is the first time Tiffany has felt such intense pleasure and when she
comes undone, holding onto the counter with whatever remaining strength she
has her breathing shallow and her brows damp with sweat she knows that
her life will never be the same again.
Chapter 8

Taeyeon neatly seals the large envelope, sets it safely aside then goes to the
kitchen to get another drink.
She sips her soda pop and goes to the living room to listen to the afternoon show,
sitting near the telephone.
A short while later, Key appears, walking down the stairs while fixing his denim
jacket.
Going somewhere? asks Taeyeon.
I have a date, remember? replies Key as he takes out his comb and stands in
front of the mirror to fix his hair. Dont wait up. I think tonights the night.
Well good luck to you.
After hes satisfied with his looks, he turns around and notices Taeyeons sitting
position. Youre still confident that shell call?
Taeyeon nods. They always do.
How bad did she freak out anyway?
Pretty bad. She basically ran upstairs to her room in tears.
Tears? Thats bad.
I know.
No one ever cried before, right?
Thats right.
Then how can you be sure that shell call?
I saw her eyes, says Taeyeon. Plus, shes the loudest so far. Her switch has
been flipped on in a big way and theres no way she can turn it off again, she
adds with a smirk. You shouldve seen her. No woman can compare to her. Shes
so sexy and she tastes better than her apple pie. Her honey thighs-
Stop right there. Ive just managed to forget the images from the first time you
told me so dont say another word. He sighs, shakes his head at the laughing
Taeyeon and heads out the door. Karma, Taeyeon. Be careful, he says before
leaving the house.
Sure, mumbles Taeyeon as she sips her drink and continues listening to the
radio.
Shes about to put the empty soda pop bottle in the kitchen when her phone
rings.
Unexpectedly, her heart starts to beat faster in excitement as she coolly
approaches the ringing phone and lifts the receiver. Hello? she says in a calm
tone.
Theres no reply so she speaks again, Hello?
Taeyeon can hear the sound of someone breathing on the other end but that
person is not saying a word. Barely anyone out there knows her phone number
and those who do her family and acquaintances wouldnt be pulling pranks so
theres only one person she can think of who could possibly be the caller.
Hello? Tiffany?
Theres a cute tiny gasp from the other end before the call ends abruptly.
Taeyeon cant help but laugh while placing the receiver back in its place.
Adorable Tiffany. Youre making me crave apple pie. She goes to the kitchen,
sees that she still has some ingredients left from when Tiffany taught her and
decides to try to bake the pie.
----
Tiffany looks up the stairs and quietly tiptoes up a few steps, listening to the
sounds coming from the person upstairs.
She hears the sound of water running a sign that her husband is taking a
shower and sprints towards the phone.
That day, after her first physical encounter with Taeyeon, she felt guilty towards
her husband and worried and scared that he would notice that shed been crying
and find out what shed done. But when he came home and saw Taeyeons ugly
pie, he thought that his wifes red swollen eyes were from the trivial baking
failure so he dismissed it without even asking her what was really wrong.
When the disappointment from her husbands ignorance hit her, all Tiffany could
think about was Taeyeons tender touches and warm hug.
The struggle to get Taeyeon out of her mind continued on and when her husband
made a move on her last night, she imagined it was Taeyeon touching her and
kissing her the entire time to make the experience less annoying.
Her husband was at his weekly baseball game for the most part of today and she
wanted to use the opportunity to call Taeyeon but didnt have enough courage to
do so until he came home and she almost lost her chance.
Its now or never, she tells herself as she takes a deep breath, grabs the receiver
and dials Taeyeons number. Her eyes never leave the stairs, in case the man
appears.
Hello?
At the sound of Taeyeons calm voice, Tiffanys heart skips a beat and she holds
her breath by reflex. Her finger starts to twist the phone cord nervously as she
opens her mouth to say something but nothing comes out.
Hello? comes Taeyeons voice again.
Tiffany wants to reply but she just cant bring herself to say anything.
Hello? Tiffany?
She gasps then practically slams the receiver down, ending the call abruptly.
Stepping away from the phone, she puts a hand on her beating heart and tries to
calm down. Thats when she realizes that there are goose bumps on her arms just
from hearing Taeyeons voice and she wonders how much longer it will take
before she gets overwhelmed by her desires and loses control.
----
A couple of days after that phone call, Taeyeon is at the grocery store doing her
weekly shopping when she catches a glimpse of the head of dark hair she knows
so well moving about in the next aisle.
So she goes to look and smiles when she sees Tiffany checking the shelf of
canned goods.
She decides to pretend not to see her and play it cool, going back to her shopping
while slowly, inconspicuously, making her way to the aisle where Tiffany is.
Tiffany doesnt even realize whats going on, too focused on her shopping items
and the prices so after she puts the canned ham in her shopping basket, she
turns and freezes when she sees the person standing two steps away,
scrutinizing the shelves.
Taeyeon senses Tiffanys eyes on her but continues acting for a few more
seconds, choosing a can of baked beans and placing it in her basket. Then she
looks up, pretends to be slightly surprised to see Tiffany there before smiling at
her. Oh hey, she greets her.
H-hi, replies Tiffany timidly, looking away as her cheeks turn pink.
Unconsciously, she starts to fix her dress a bit here and there, wanting to look
pretty in front of Taeyeon.
How have you been? asks Taeyeon.
Im fine, mumbles Tiffany. You?
Im good. I tried baking your apple pie the day before yesterday. It didnt turn
out so bad. Key said it was edible.
Thats good. Tiffany nervously tucks her hair behind her ear, briefly takes one
last look at Taeyeon and excuses herself, walking past the blonde to go to the
other side of the aisle.
Taeyeon smiles to herself and continues her shopping. She recognizes the telltale
signs of shy awkwardness, the unconscious fixing of her appearance and the
glances Tiffany keep stealing at her even now, from the other side of the store.
She finishes her shopping and goes to the cashier without looking at Tiffany or
saying anything to her.
As she takes the bags, she gets a whiff of the perfume worn by woman next in
line and suppresses a smile. She knows that scent well, having inhaled it right off
the wearers skin last week.
Taeyeon turns around and politely bids goodbye to Tiffany before going to her
car.
She drives home a bit slower than usual because she has a feeling that Tiffanys
going to do something and she wants to give her the opportunity for whatever
she has in mind.
Its the fastest grocery shopping Tiffany has ever done and she doesnt even
count her change. The only thing in her mind is Taeyeon because seeing the
woman again has rekindled that fire inside her and she cant think straight
because of it.
She sees Taeyeons car driving away the moment she steps out of the store and
runs towards her own car, shoves her groceries onto the back seat and gets into
the drivers seat.
Tiffany isnt normally a reckless driver but this is an emergency so she steps on
it, catching up to Taeyeons car right when the blue corvette enters their
neighborhood.
Taeyeon glances at the rearview mirror and smiles at the sight of the red car
behind her, turning the corner. She pushes her foot down on the gas pedal a bit
more, increasing her speed, curious to see what Tiffany would do.
Less than a minute later, she reaches her driveway, stops her car and steps out to
open her garage door.
Taeyeon has just parked her corvette in the garage when she hears the sound of
a car door being slammed followed by heels rapidly hitting concrete. She turns
her head while getting out of her car to see Tiffany running towards her, leaving
her red car parked haphazardly in front of the house.
This is a scene that she has never seen before and she hasnt thought of what to
say or do when Tiffany rushes inside the garage, grabs her by the sides of her
face and passionately kisses her on the lips.
Taeyeons eyes widen for a second before she closes them and relaxes, wrapping
her arms around Tiffanys waist while kissing her back. Then Tiffany breaks the
kiss and pushes her until her back hits her car door. She raises her eyebrows at
her, slightly confused by the abrupt change but smirks the next second when she
sees Tiffanys dark eyes, flushed face and ragged breathing.
Despite the relief and satisfaction of finally getting to taste and feel Taeyeons
lips again, Tiffany is embarrassed by her action and is about to leave when a
hand grabs her arm.
My door is always open for you, Taeyeon says. And Im always just a phone
call away anytime you need me.
Tiffany nods, her eyes looking out the open garage door because now that she
has gotten that urge out of her system, she realizes that their neighbors couldve
seen them and starts to feel anxious. She tugs her hand free and leaves without
sparing Taeyeon another glance.


Chapter 9

Key turns his head when he hears whistling to see his friend skipping inside the
living room with a tray that holds two slices of apple pie and two bottles of beer.
Someones happy, he remarks. Then he sees the slices, Apple pie? So she was
here again today?
Hes referring to Taeyeon and Tiffanys increasingly regular encounters this past
couple of weeks, ever since Taeyeon told her about the sudden kiss in the garage.
He tries not to listen to any of his friends adventure stories but he cant deny
the curiosity so hed ask for summaries instead.
The two would meet at Taeyeons house around lunchtime, under the pretense of
more cooking lessons. The official excuse, should any of their nosy neighbors ask,
is Taeyeons relentless determination to be able to cook and bake as well as
Tiffany.
No. I went there this time, replies Taeyeon casually. Try it. Im improving.
Im surprised she let you do it at her house. Wont her husband grow suspicious
if he smells your perfume on his sheets or finds a strand of long blond hair? He
takes one plate and starts eating, mumbling a compliment through his full mouth
that the taste has indeed improved.
We didnt do it in the bedroom, Taeyeon says as she cuts a small piece of her
pie.
Kitchen again?
Taeyeon nods and grins. But dont worry, I made sure that the pies were safely
in the oven before I did her on the counter so you dont have to worry about
hygiene. She then laughs, slapping her own thigh in amusement as Key chokes
on his pie.
Ew! There goes my appetite, says Key after clearing his throat. He sets his plate
on the table. At least youre happy.
That I am.
Even though she cant be yours?
Taeyeons about to put another piece of pie into her mouth when she hears Keys
question. She stops, looks at him and raises her eyebrows. Excuse me? When did
I ever say anything about making her mine?
Key shrugs. Its bound to happen sooner or later. You cant just keep playing
with peoples hearts without consequences. One of these days, youll fall head
over heels in love with someone and if youre not careful, its going to end in pain
because of your own games.
Here we go again, says Taeyeon while rolling her eyes. Save the lecture, Pops.
It aint gonna happen. Not with her, at least.
Suit yourself. Just dont say I didnt warn you.
 ----
The doorbell rings and Taeyeon rushes to get the door, greeting her guest with
the biggest smile on her face. Hi, she says as she steps aside to let the woman
through.
Hey. Tiffany grins when Taeyeon kisses her cheek. Something smells nice. Are
you cooking?
I was but Im done now. I made us lunch. Taeyeon goes to the kitchen, followed
closely by Tiffany.
Oh? Thats very nice of you. Tiffany sees the dining table where a large plate of
toasted three decker sandwich sits, waiting for her. I never taught you how to
make this, she comments.
I wasnt totally helpless before I met you, you know, replies Taeyeon as she
returns to the table with two bottles of cold soda pop. Keys mom taught me
how to make this.
Oh. At the mention of Taeyeons husband, Tiffany grows quiet and Taeyeon
notices it.
The blonde puts the bottles on the table then approaches Tiffany, pulling her into
a hug with her arms around her waist. Wanna know a little secret? she
whispers in Tiffanys ear, grinning when the latter trembles a bit before placing
her arms around her neck.
What secret? asks Tiffany, moving her head back to look into Taeyeons eyes.
Key is not my husband. Well, we do have a marriage certificate but its more like
a business deal than a love commitment.
What?
I like women and he likes men, says Taeyeon, straight to the point.
Tiffanys eyes widen and her jaw drops after hearing the direct statement.
But our parents cant find out and they keep nagging for us to get married so we
made a deal to marry each other and shush the parents. Wed pretend to be a
couple when our family comes to visit but thats about it. He has his own life and
so do I. Were more like roommates, best friends, siblings even, explains
Taeyeon.
Tiffany observes Taeyeon for a moment then asks, Thanks for telling me but
why did you do it? Wont it be better if no one else but you two know about it?
True but I Taeyeon pauses and frowns. Shes right. I never told a soul about
this so why her? Why did I tell her? Was it her sad and jealous face when I
mentioned Keys mom? But why should I care if shes jealous or sad?
Tae? Tiffany brushes Taeyeons bangs aside when the woman seems to be
spacing out. You okay?
Taeyeon snaps out of it and quickly puts on a smile. Yeah. Sorry. I told you
because I trust you, she says. I know you wont hurt me or Key. She cups
Tiffanys face with her hand and kisses her softly on the lips.
At least that explains your separate bedrooms. I thought you two were in a huge
fight or something, remarks Tiffany.
Nah. We love each other. Just not in that way, Taeyeon says with a grin. Now
lets eat. I want to know what the best cook in the neighborhood thinks about my
sandwich.
A little over one hour later once lunch is done and over with they find
themselves on the couch, Taeyeons hands under Tiffanys dress while the
woman straddles her, their lips locked in endless passionate kisses.
Wanna go upstairs? asks Taeyeon through her ragged breathing. Her hands
squeeze Tiffanys butt, causing the woman to let out a short suppressed moan.
Sure but under one condition, replies Tiffany.
Taeyeon opens her eyes and moves her head back to look at the other woman.
What condition?
Tiffany looks down, her cheeks turning red while her finger twirls Taeyeons
hair. I Ive been thinking. I mean when people get together, its usually both
ways, right? I mean, both enjoy it.
Taeyeon nods.
Then why havent you been enjoying it?
Huh? Tiffanys question catches Taeyeon off guard. Would I be doing this if I
dont enjoy it?
But you never I mean, I never you know Tiffany withdraws her arms
from around Taeyeon as she moves to sit on the couch next to her. Ive never
exactly done anything to you, she says in a small voice. When we you know
Oh. Taeyeon now understands what Tiffany means. She chuckles and takes
hold of Tiffanys hand. I enjoy our little meetings just as much as you do so
theres no need for you to worry.
How is that possible?
Taeyeon shrugs. It just is. I can take care of myself later anyway, she says with a
wink before laughing at Tiffanys shocked expression and even redder face.
Wow. Youre turning into a tomato.

Dont worry about it, okay? Im fine. Im good. Great even! she exclaims as she
kisses Tiffanys hand. Now where were we? She pats her lap while pulling at
Tiffanys hand, urging her to get back into position.
But I dont think its fair. Tiffany refuses to move.
Okay then what do you suggest we do about it? asks Taeyeon. Shell do
anything Tiffany wants to get her to stop talking and start undressing.
I want to Tiffany clears her throat awkwardly. I want to t-try like you
know d-do to you what you do to me, she mumbles.
Aw youre so adorable and sweet. Taeyeon leans in for another peck. I dont
mind but are you sure? I dont want you to feel uncomfortable.
Tiffany nods as she gathers her courage and lifts her head to meet Taeyeons
amused yet adoring gaze. Im sure.
Then who am I to stop you? Go ahead and do whatever you want to me.
But Im not sure how. I dont want to hurt you.
Ill be sure to tell you if it hurts.
Promise?
Promise, Taeyeon says. Just do whatever feels natural and I can guide you
through the rest of it. Im pretty sure you dont even need my guidance though.
I might, replies Tiffany.
In that case, just ask. You taught me to cook so now I will teach you to have
more fun in the bedroom. Taeyeon smirks. Enough talking, please. I want you.
Now.
Tiffany cant help but smile when Taeyeon pulls her to stand then leads her
upstairs to her bedroom.
----
He looks at his shirt and frowns at the creases. Its not like his meticulous wife to
accidentally prepare an unironed shirt for him to wear to work.
Honey? he calls out.
Yes? replies Tiffany from downstairs where shes preparing his lunch.
Are you sure you got me the right shirt?
Yes. Why?
He walks out of the room and goes downstairs while holding the shirt. Take a
look, he tells his wife, gesturing the white fabric forward.
Whats wrong with it? asks Tiffany while wiping her hands on her apron.
You tell me.
Tiffany takes the shirt and raises her eyebrows in surprise when she sees the
creases. Oh my. Im sorry. Im sure I ironed it yesterday. Ill do it now. She
rushes down to the basement, all the while scolding herself for being
uncharacteristically careless.
Because she spent more time at Taeyeons yesterday she got carried away
she had to rush through the rest of her chores including ironing the laundry. She
thought she had paid extra attention to his clothes to make sure nothing was
different but apparently, she had made a mistake.
Tiffany could only pray that her husband didnt suspect her of doing anything
while he wasnt around as she plugs the electric iron in and impatiently waits for
it to heat up.
Thats when she notices another white shirt hanging near the laundry machine.
She grabs it and realizes that its the one she had ironed and prepared yesterday.
In her haste, she had given him the wrong shirt.
Relieved, Tiffany rushes back upstairs and gives the neat shirt to her husband. I
did iron your shirt. Just not that one, she says. Sorry. Wont happen again.
Good. Wouldnt wanna be late just because my wife forgot to iron my shirt now,
would I? he says as he puts the shirt on and continues getting ready for work.
And while youre at it, I think you need to buy a new duster. The house has been
a bit dusty lately. Must not slack off now. What if the neighbors drop by
unannounced and see a messy home?
Tiffany nods, mumbles a quick apology and goes back to the basement to iron the
other shirt. She is almost done with her task when she hears the front door
closing without a single thank you or bye.
She inhales, feeling tired and weary of playing the perfect wife, and suddenly
cant wait until she sees Taeyeon again because the only time she feels relaxed
and free to be herself is when shes with her.
Chapter 10

The room is unusually silent and a bit stuffy but Taeyeon hasnt moved or taken
her eyes off of the woman lying beside her with her back towards her.
Tiffanys been extra quiet today, ever since she burst through the door, grabbed
Taeyeon and practically dragged her upstairs to the bedroom.
The blonde thoroughly enjoyed their short yet most wild and intense session so
far but she cant help but worry when she sees how mellow Tiffany is.
Normally, she wont pay much attention aside from giving the standard polite,
non-committal words of sympathy to the other person in all her previous affairs,
so this is quite new to her and shes not sure what to do.
In the end, she decides to just follow her heart as she inches closer to Tiffany,
wraps her arm around her waist from behind and presses a gentle kiss onto her
shoulder. Is everything okay? she asks as she lays her head against Tiffanys.

You know you can talk to me, right?
Tiffany turns around to see the worry and confusion in Taeyeons eyes. Im
okay, she tells her as she snuggles close, fitting her head under Taeyeons chin.
Do you mind holding me for a bit?
Taeyeons surprised but does as requested. She firmly wraps both arms around
Tiffanys body and holds her tightly after giving her a kiss on the head. Her hand
slowly strokes Tiffanys back, gliding over the smooth and damp skin.
She can hear Tiffany sighing, feeling her warm breath against her skin. You sure
you dont want to talk about it?
Tiffany nods slightly, her eyes already closed. She wishes to enjoy this peaceful
moment, soaking up the feeling of safety and comfort no matter how temporary
it is.
Taeyeon knows that something must have happened at Tiffanys home but she
cant bring herself to pry. She doesnt feel like its her place to do so and that its
none of her business even though theres this faint unfamiliar sensation inside
that is causing her to resent Tiffanys husband a bit.
Now why should I resent him? I dont even know him and their marital problems
are none of my concern, she muses as she keeps running her hand along the
length of Tiffanys back.
Just when she thought that Tiffanys fallen asleep, the woman moves, looking up
at her with an unreadable expression on her face.
Are you really okay? Taeyeon asks, brushing Tiffanys cheek with her thumb.
Talk to me.
Tiffany shakes her head and kisses Taeyeon on the lips. I should go, she says.
Why? Its barely two, Taeyeon says after glancing at the clock on the wall.
I have a lot to do at home, Tiffany says, rolling away. She gets dressed then
turns around to see Taeyeon still lying in the same position, her eyes on her.
Thanks for lunch.
Taeyeon sits up. No problem. Let me walk you out. She takes a pair of pajamas,
slips them on and notices Tiffany staring at her. What? This is faster than
putting on a dress.
Are those Keys? Tiffany asks.
These? Taeyeon looks down at her blue pajamas. No. Theyre mine but yes,
theyre mens pajamas. I just find the cut more comfortable, somehow. Do they
turn you off? she teases, earning herself a chuckle.
On the contrary, you look surprisingly good in them, Tiffany says as she
approaches Taeyeon and slips her arms around the blondes neck to give her one
more kiss. Though the overalls are still my favorite.
Ill wear them for you tomorrow if you want.
Tiffanys smile disappears as she looks away, I I dont think Ill be coming over
tomorrow.
Huh? Why not? Its not weekend yet, replies Taeyeon. Is he going to be home
all day?
Tiffany shakes her head.
Are you two going somewhere?
Tiffany shakes her head yet again.
Taeyeon tenderly tilts Tiffanys head up by the chin. Then why wont you be
coming over? Do you want me to go to your house instead?
N-no. I Im thinking that we shouldnt see each other too often from now on.
Maybe just once a week?
Taeyeon raises her eyebrows. Why? Did something happen? Did he find out?
No but Tiffany sighs. Im sure you know that I like being with you but its
making me do uncharacteristic things, mistakes. Im afraid hell notice and I
simply cant let him find out about this, us. She fixes Taeyeons hair. Not just for
my own sake but for you. I dont want him to hurt you.
Now thats a statement that Taeyeon never expected to hear. She looks at Tiffany
in utter bewilderment, as if the woman has gone crazy.
Tiffany seems to understand because she chuckles, despite her sad eyes, and
kisses Taeyeons nose. Yes I do care about you, you little pervert. She then pats
her cheek. You make me feel special, cared for and I can be me whenever Im
with you. Like you once said, theres no need for perfection when Im around you
and I like that, she says. I dont know whether you really mean it or whether
you just said it to seduce me but regardless of your intentions, I now realize that
theres truth to your words. Life is much more enjoyable when you dont have to
be perfect all the time and I thank you for reminding me of that.
She releases the stunned blonde, tells her goodbye and leaves the house feeling
emptier inside.
 ----
Taeyeon shakes her head, yanks the paper out of the type machine, crunches it
into a ball and tosses it to the nearby wastebasket. She then groans and cradles
her head in her hands as she tries hard to find inspiration.
The blonde works as an advice columnist for a womens-only magazine. Its a
comfy job that doesnt demand too much of her time. Shed get the questions in
the mail every week, sort through them and write replies for the best ones. Then
shed send her typed answers back to the magazine publisher and waits for her
pay.
Usually, shed whizz through the questions, her witty, logical though mostly
fake advices flowing without much effort. She never once missed her deadline
during her entire career but now shes dangerously close to doing so for the first
time ever.
When Key comes home later that night after his Saturday baseball game, he finds
her sitting at the dining table, in front of the idle type machine, with paper balls
all over the floor.
What are you doing? he asks.
Working. Or at least trying to, replies Taeyeon. Sorry I didnt have time to cook
dinner.
Thats okay. Im in the mood for some quick TV dinner anyway, he says as he
goes to the kitchen to prepare his meal. The guys at work said that theres this
good new western show on TV so Im going to watch it. Have you eaten?
Not yet.
Then Ill warm one up for you too.
Once the two aluminum frozen dinner trays are in the oven, Key grabs himself a
beer and pulls out the chair beside Taeyeon. Let me help, he says. Which
question are you struggling with?
When Taeyeons stuck, shed usually ask Key for help or for his opinion on her
advices.
All of them, Taeyeon says, showing him the questions she has picked as the
best.
Key raises her eyebrows in surprise. All of them? Thats very unlike you. He
scans the questions then sets them aside. Theyre not even that hard. Whats
bothering you?
Nothing. Taeyeon inserts a new piece of paper into her type machine.
Dont lie. I know you. What happened? Is it Tiffany?
Taeyeon pauses then takes the questions back. If you dont want to help then
please leave me alone. I need to focus.
Key observes her friend for a moment before going to the kitchen to check on
their meals. Shes different, isnt she?
Taeyeon pretends not to hear her friends question as she attempts to write,
hoping that the sound of her typing would drown whatever question Key is going
to ask next.
Just so you know, Key loudly says to make himself heard, I ran into her today
and she asked how you were doing.
The noisy typing stops and Taeyeon looks at Key in disbelief. What?
She asked how you were doing and told me to give you her regards, answers
Key. Met her after the game. Her husband had too much to drink and started to
pick fights so someone ran to the corner phone booth and called her to pick him
up.
Taeyeon scoffs. So much for his perfect image then, she mutters under her
breath as she resumes working.
Youre not seeing each other anymore? He goes back to his previous seat,
beside his friend.
Can you stop being nosy?
You know the answer to that question, he replies. So what happened?
Nothing happened, Taeyeon says then grunts, Literally nothing since
Tuesday.
Nothing since Tuesday?!
Taeyeon shakes her head.
No wonder I havent seen you cook anything new or bake a pie. I thought you
were too preoccupied with her. He stands up and pats her shoulder, trying hard
not to say I told you so since he knows it wont help her friends situation.
Key leaves Taeyeon to her work as he takes his dinner and goes to the living
room to watch the TV show.
When the sounds of the type machine stop, he turns his head to see Taeyeon
walking towards him. Done? he asks.
Taeyeon nods. I dont care about those dumb questions anymore. They can fire
me if they dont like my answers. You said Tiffanys husband was drunk, right?
Yes.
Then hes probably asleep now. Taeyeon goes to the phone and dials Tiffanys
number.
Hello? comes the voice shes been yearning to hear all week, making her heart
beat faster.
Hi. Its me.
Oh hey. How are you? asks Tiffany.
Not that good.
Tiffany knows why. I met Key today, she says.
I know. He told me.
Hows your apple pie coming along? Has it improved? asks Tiffany after a brief
pause.
Not really.
Then how bout you take a break from baking pies and learn to bake cakes
instead? My cheesecake is also famous around here, even if I do say so myself.
Taeyeon exhales, relieved that shed get to see Tiffany again. Id like that.
Okay. I should be free on Monday. Lets go shopping first.
Sure. Well take my car. Come over?
I will. See you then.
See you.
Key overheard everything and when he sees the return of Taeyeons smile after
that short call, he cant help but comment, Happy now?
Im always happy, retorts Taeyeon as she goes back to the dining table to safely
put her work inside an envelope, ready to be mailed first thing Monday morning.
Key walks past to put his empty meal tray in the trash and wash his hands. So
whats the deal anyway? You two only see each other every other week now?

Can you even do that after spending almost every day together for nearly a
month? he presses on.
Taeyeon harshly put the envelope down on the table, losing her patience. No.
Its tough. Its killing me. I hate the fact that I cant see her every day anymore,
she tells him. Is that what you want to hear, Mister Nosy Pants?
He turns around and calmly meets Taeyeons eyes.
And if youre going to say that its unlike me to act this way then Ill save you the
effort. Yes, its unlike me to just accept this kind of situation but I had no choice.
She wanted it and I think something happened between her and her husband
which led her to this decision. I dont know what it is, she wouldnt tell me. I
wanted to keep pushing but she said this was for my own good too, because she
cares about me. Taeyeon inhales at the end of her ranting and sits down,
cradling her head in her hands. She cares about me, she mumbles. Shes not
the first who told me that so why
Key exhales and approaches her friend, patting her shoulder. Because this time,
you care about her too, dont you? This isnt just about getting her to sleep with
you anymore, is it?

He knows that its something that Taeyeon has to admit and accept on her own
before the woman can decide on what to do next so he pats her shoulder again,
tells her that hes there whenever she needs to talk and excuses himself to go
take a shower.
Taeyeon takes a moment to calm down before rising to her feet to tidy up the
dining area. She puts away the type machine, puts all the paper balls in the
wastebasket and checks the frozen dinner that Key had warmed up for her
earlier. The trays cold now and she has lost her appetite so she goes straight to
bed, hoping that sleep can get Tiffany out of her mind.
Chapter 11

Taeyeon is already standing at the doorway of her front door that Monday
morning when Tiffany walks out of her house. Its obvious how eager the blonde
is to see her neighbor again and Tiffany cant help but suppress a smile at that.
Despite being wary of her surroundings and the other neighbors, Tiffanys pace
is steady, unrushed and unsuspicious.
When she reaches Taeyeon, she smiles at her and steps through the door calmly,
only to be grabbed and pushed a second later, backed up against the now closed
door with Taeyeons lips on her own and the blondes arms around her, hugging
her so tight that she finds it hard to breathe.
T-tae Tiffany tries to talk and pushes Taeyeon back a bit. Taeyeon-
I miss you.
Taeyeons sincere reply stops Tiffany from saying what she wanted to say.
She sighs, brushes Taeyeons bangs aside and smiles as she looks into the puppy
eyes, finding it unusual yet adorable to see Taeyeon so meek and vulnerable,
pouting like a kid. Im sorry, she tells her. But it cant be helped. I dont want
him to suspect anything.
But seeing you once a week is far from enough, argues Taeyeon before she
leans in to recapture Tiffanys lips. Her hand tries to lift Tiffanys dress but the
woman grabs it, stopping it in its tracks.
I cant. Its that time of the month, says Tiffany apologetically.
Oh.
Tiffany expects the blonde to be disappointed, maybe even telling her to come
back again another day, but Taeyeon doesnt move an inch and her soft, longing
eyes dont change.
Doesnt matter, Taeyeon says. As long as youre here. She traces the contour
of Tiffanys face delicately with her finger, all the way down to her neck and
collarbone, then meets her gaze and tilts her head, leaning in for another, more
gentle kiss.
Tiffanys surprised by Taeyeons reaction. She thought that this was just about
the sex, the thrilling affair with a married woman that keeps Taeyeon craving for
more.
Youre not disappointed? she asks after breaking their kiss once more.
Taeyeon shakes her head. Of course I wouldve preferred having you naked on
my bed right now while I eat you until you scream my name over and over
again, she jokes, chuckling when Tiffany slaps her arm. But Im just glad that I
can see you again and touch you. She reaches up, cups Tiffanys face and
caresses Tiffanys cheek with her thumb. And kiss you
Tiffany closes her eyes as they kiss tenderly, feeling like shes floating on clouds.
They take their time, standing against that door with their foreheads touching
and noses playfully nudging each other, smiling and occasionally pressing light,
soft kisses on each others face or neck until Taeyeon takes a step back.
So do you really want to bake that cheesecake? she asks, her fingers still
loosely intertwined with Tiffanys.
Well, we cant exactly do that other thing we usually do, replies Tiffany
cheekily.
Then lets do other, new, more fun things.
Such as?
Go out to brunch?
Tiffany raises her eyebrows. Eating out? Just the two of us? In broad daylight?
Is that a crime?
No but people will see us.
So? Were just two neighbors having brunch together, Taeyeon says. I promise
that I wont kiss you or hold your hand or hug you. Well act like normal friends.
Lets just have brunch here. Ill cook, suggests Tiffany as she starts to walk
towards the kitchen.
A hug from behind and a kiss on her shoulder halt her steps and she cant help
but smile as she turns her head towards the other woman. Whats with you
today?
Taeyeon nuzzles Tiffanys hair, inhales and sighs. She has missed this scent and
the feeling of Tiffanys warm body against her, of having her in her arms, and she
just cant seem to get enough of her.
Let me go so I can cook, Tae. Tiffany pats Taeyeons hand. I promise that you
can have fun after we eat. You can choose where and how you want me to please
you.
Taeyeon withdraws her arms and turns Tiffany around. You dont have to. Its
not about that, she says with a slight frown.
Tiffany reaches out and pats Taeyeons cheek while smiling at her sadly. But
what else is there?
Its obvious that Taeyeons quite shocked by Tiffanys reply judging from her
wide eyes and sudden sharp intake of breath.
To see her words stabbing the person shes grown to care a lot about hurts
Tiffany too but shes just telling it like it is. They cant be more than what they are
thus far. They cant be together. She belongs to someone else and Taeyeons life
is already too complicated as it is. Adding her into it permanently will not be
good for either of them.
Ill go cook us brunch, Tiffany says as she escapes to the kitchen, the
disappointment on Taeyeons face becoming too much for her to see.
After she has managed to recover from her shock, Taeyeon slowly approaches
the kitchen and stands near the counter, watching the woman she has
unintentionally started to fall for.
Tiffany can feel Taeyeons eyes on her but she sticks to her task, focusing on
cooking without throwing Taeyeon a single glance until shes done.
She tries her best to lighten the mood by telling stories and gossips about their
neighbors during the meal.
While she helps Taeyeon with the dishes, she says, You know, now that I think
of it, you never really told me about yourself.
Thats not true. You know where my family lives, what I do, my fake marriage
But I dont really know what you like or dislike, what your hobby is, how you
know so much about cars
Taeyeon dries her hands and looks at Tiffany. Im not really fond of talking
about myself. I prefer listening. Besides, those things you mentioned are usually
learned by spending time and getting to know the person, right? she says, taking
a step closer towards Tiffany. So you cant just see me once a week if you want
to know all that. She smirks at her, unwilling to give up.
Twice a week then? bargains Tiffany.
Taeyeon shakes her head. At least every other day. Preferably every day. She
playfully pounces the now laughing woman and kisses her cheek. I want to see
you every day, Mrs. Choi.
I want to see you every day too, Mrs. Kim.
Then whats stopping you?
Tiffany looks at Taeyeon and sighs. I started to make mistakes. Silly,
uncharacteristic mistakes that could cause him to suspect this, us.
Okay so make less mistakes.
To do that, I must not be distracted too much. Thats why I want to reduce our
meetings to just once a week.
I distract you? asks Taeyeon, raising her eyebrows.
Tiffany nods. Very much so. Its not just because of your amazing bedroom skills
but
But what?
Theres a glimmer of hope in Taeyeons eyes that Tiffany can clearly see. As much
as she wants to admit that she, too, had missed Taeyeon on days when she
couldnt see her and that she couldnt stop thinking about her, she decides that
its best to just leave things the way they are now.
So she ends the conversation with a shake of the head and mumbles, Nothing
before she goes to the living room, turns on the TV and sits on the couch to watch
it.
Taeyeon follows, taking a seat next to Tiffany, and quietly watches along.
Minutes later, a touch on Tiffanys hand startles her and she turns her head to
see an unreadable expression on Taeyeons face.
Im bored. Please me, Taeyeon says.
What?
You said youd please me so lets go.
Now?
Taeyeon nods.
Here?
No. Upstairs. Taeyeon stands up, turns the TV off and pulls Tiffany by the hand,
leading her up the stairs and into her room.
She then tells her to sit down on the bed and Tiffany hesitantly does as shes
asked.
The dark-haired woman watches as Taeyeon opens her wardrobe and takes out
what looks like a photo album and a stack of brochures and magazines.
What are you doing? she asks. I thought you wanted me to please you.
I do so youre going to sit here and listen to my car story. Taeyeon sits down
next to Tiffany and opens the photo album.
Your car story? Tiffany looks at the black and white image of a young Taeyeon
and an older man standing in front of a car. Is that your father?
Yes and the very first car I fell in love with.
Ah. Tiffany smiles. So this is a car love story?
Sort of. You said you wanted to know why I love cars so
Tiffany cant help but kiss Taeyeon on the cheek, finding the woman very
endearing. Never had she imagined that Taeyeons idea of being pleased is to be
listened to or to comply with her wish.
Later that day, she goes home feeling happy but in a different way than after her
previous encounters with Taeyeon.
The flutters in her heart are no longer caused by mere physical satisfaction and
the sense of attachment to the blonde has deepened considerably. She wishes
she didnt have to go home but if she doesnt do her chores properly, her
husband might start commenting and scolding her again so she had no choice
but to leave.
She goes about her tasks with light steps and an ever-present smile on her face,
humming a song or two every now and then.
And when shes done, she checks the clock, sees that she still has time before he
comes home and goes to the phone to make one short call.
Hello? answers Taeyeon from the other end.
Hi. Its me.
Hey. Is everything okay?
Yes. I just want to hear your voice again, she says a bit shyly.
I thought the car talk bored you, replies Taeyeon.
The engine part was hard to digest but I like hearing your voice and seeing your
enthusiasm when you talked about cars. Besides, I probably sound the same
when I talk about my pies or laundry tips.
Im glad you realize that.
Funny.
That I am. Come over again tomorrow? Well bake that cake for real or I can
come over to your house and help you with your chores.
Ill think about it.
Please? I thought we agreed on more than once a week?
We didnt reach an agreement on the frequency, remember?
Taeyeon sighs and the line goes quiet for a moment.
Tae?
Hm?
When this time of the month is over, I want you in your overalls, on the backseat
of your car, Tiffany whispers into the receiver in a low voice, biting her lip in
excitement at the thought of stripping Taeyeon out of those overalls.
Your wish is my command.
Until then, thank you for today.
Huh? I didnt do anything worth thanking for, Taeyeon says.
Youve done a lot more than you realize, thinks Tiffany but she doesnt say it out
loud. Instead, she pretends that she still has something to do and ends the call
before her heart beats even faster and the longing for the person next door
becomes uncontainable.
Chapter 12

Taeyeon watches from behind the curtains as the black car drives out of the
driveway next door and down the street before it turns the corner and
disappears.
She walks over to the phone and waits anxiously, biting her thumb.
Thats when Key sees her, on his way down the stairs while fixing his tie. Wow.
Youre really horny, arent you?
Shush! retorts Taeyeon without taking her eyes off of the phone.
Take it easy. Shes probably not done with her time of the month yet, he says.
She better be or else itll be my time soon.
Aha. I was right. Youre horny. The man points at his friend and laughs at the
glaring woman. Even if shes done, her husband just left. Wait another hour, at
least, before you do anything. Wouldnt want to be caught red-handed, would
you?
He wont come home.
Youll never know. He couldve forgotten his wallet or lunch or something.
Taeyeon dismisses her friend with a wave of the hand and the latter bids her
goodbye as he goes to work.
She keeps checking the clock, knowing that Tiffany would call soon, because
despite wanting to reduce their meeting frequency, the woman still calls every
day to talk.
Minutes later, when the phone remains silent, the blonde decides to follow her
friends advice and goes about her chores to keep herself distracted while she
waits.
She has just finished eating breakfast and is washing her cereal bowl when the
phone rings.
Like a cheetah, she dashes to the ringing device and grabs the receiver hastily.
Hello?
Hi. Busy?
Taeyeon instantly smiles at the sound of Tiffanys voice. Not at all. You?
Ive finished my chores for the day, says Tiffany proudly.
Really? Taeyeon looks at the clock. But its only 10.
I woke up extra early to get started on the laundry and cleaning.
Why?
Well, I was thinking of spending time outside the house today.
Oh? Where are you going? asks Taeyeon.
Wherever that sexy blond mechanic in blue overalls is.
A huge grin starts to spread on Taeyeons face. Ah. I think I know where that
mechanic is.
Then kindly tell her to get ready because I will go find her soon. Very soon,
replies Tiffany in a low voice.
Is ten minutes soon enough? The mechanic wants to take a quick shower to
make sure shes clean and smells nice.
Ten minutes is fine.
Okay. Youll probably see her in her garage in ten minutes.
Got it. Now go!
Taeyeon slams the receiver and runs upstairs to her room. She takes a quick
shower, brushes her teeth, changes into her overalls and only her overalls, ties
her hair up with her blue bandana, puts on make-up, sprays on a little perfume
and goes downstairs.
----
Tiffany chuckles as she places the receiver neatly in its place and strolls leisurely
upstairs to her room, humming a tune while she pulls open her wardrobe.
She already knew what to wear since the day she imagined being with Taeyeon
on the backseat of her car so it doesnt take long for her to get ready.
As she checks her black polka dot skirt and tight pink shirt with a very low and
revealing neck cut that shows her cleavage she had bought it thinking that her
husband would appreciate the trending sexy rock n roll look only to have him
frown at her before telling her that she should never wear it again she gets a
wild idea and quickly takes off the top.
Her cheeks turn pink once she has discarded her bra and shakes her head as she
neatly buttons the tight shirt once more, feeling shy yet excited at the same time.
She ties a matching black scarf around her neck, fixes her hair and make-up, and
sprays the perfume Taeyeon likes before skipping down the stairs, ready to go.
Tiffany waits by the window that faces her neighbors driveway and grins when
she sees the garage door opening minutes later.
Taeyeon steps out of the garage in her blue overalls while holding a wrench.
The blonde stretches casually, as if getting a breath of fresh air before she goes
back to tinkering with her car, then turns around to go back inside the garage.
Right before she disappears from Tiffanys view, she turns her head, meets
Tiffanys gaze through the window and smirks at her, just like on that day they
first met.
Tiffany smirks back, this time, and walks out of her house.
Her steps are brisk and she has to fold her hands across her chest because she
feels self-conscious thanks to the lack of underwear. While praying that no one
sees her or, worse, calls out to her, she quickens her pace and stands at the open
door of the small garage to see her favorite mechanic tidying up her toolbox.
Hello, she greets her.
Taeyeon turns her head and scans Tiffany from top to toe, her eyes darkening
when they go back up Tiffanys body to stop at her chest, blatantly gawking at
the cleavage.
Its not polite to stare, teases Tiffany as she calmly steps inside the garage and
uncrosses her arms.
She cant stop herself from grinning when she sees Taeyeons eyes widening and
her jaw dropping, but her grin soon disappears when the blonde literally
pounces, grabbing her and kissing her practically devouring her lips.
It almost knocks Tiffany off balance but she holds on to the other woman then
pushes her away to close the garage door. Someone might see us! she hisses,
scolding Taeyeon who doesnt look like she cares.
The large wooden door closes much too slowly for their liking but Tiffany keeps
Taeyeon at bay by telling her to turn on the light.
As soon as Tiffany hears the clunk that signals the final closing of the door, she
feels hands around her waist, pulling her further inside the dim garage, and a
warm body pressed against hers.
Her eyes close when Taeyeons lips touch her neck and she tilts her head while
grabbing the back of Taeyeons head, fingers tangled in the blond hair. She wants
her just as bad after having to be without her for a week.
The black scarf is pulled loose from around her neck, replaced by Taeyeons
tongue which elicits a tiny moan from Tiffany.
Taeyeons lips keep traveling lower, towards the middle of Tiffanys chest, but
before Tiffany can say anything about it, the blonde has grabbed hold of her shirt
and rips it open, sending pink buttons flying to the ground.
H-hey! Tiffany opens her eyes and looks at Taeyeon in utter shock.
But the other woman is too busy to reply, her mouth and hands pre-occupied
with claiming what she considers hers, and soon, Tiffany is left powerless as she
gives in to the pleasure her secret lovers giving her.
----
He peeks from the top of his newspaper at his wife whos preparing dinner while
humming and even doing little twists and steps in the kitchen. Curious, he lowers
the paper entirely and clears his throat. You look happy, he remarks.
Tiffany halts her steps and stops the humming, telling herself to act cool. Oh? Do
I? she replies casually. Inside, shes grateful that she has her back to him so he
cant see her anxious expression.
Did something special happen today?
Not really, says Tiffany. I got a nice bag of apples for half the price though. So
lucky, she lies. In truth, her happy mood is caused by none other than Taeyeon
and their garage encounter today.
Ah. You housewives and your bargains.
Satisfied with the answer, he goes back to reading his newspaper, not noticing
his tense wife quietly exhaling in relief.
Chapter 13

The man happily receives the check, grinning when he sees the amount written
on it. Its his bonus for being the salesman with the most sales this quarter.
And also, his boss continues talking, Im giving you the rest of the day off.
He looks at the chubby man in shock. But its not even lunch time yet!
Consider it a reward for all your hard work. Youve been working here for
nearly a year and you never once took a day off. The large, older man pats the
young salesman shoulder. Now go home to your wife. Im sure shes happy to
hear the news and who knows He winks greasily with a sneaky smirk as he
elbows his employee, you might even get a very nice reward from her too.
The younger man laughs. Lets hope so. Thank you again, Mr. Jones.
Youre welcome, Andrew. Go home and enjoy. And keep it up. If you can beat
these numbers next quarter, I might just give you an even bigger reward.
Yes, Sir. You can count on me, Sir.
----
He slowly pulls up the driveway and gets out of the car, closing the door behind
him as quietly as possible. Theres a grin on his face as he thinks of his wifes
surprised expression when she sees him come home early and bringing such a
huge bonus.
Tiptoeing across the porch, he unlocks the front door and goes inside, listening to
the sounds that will indicate where his wife is.
To his surprise, the house is quiet, as if no one is home.
Tiff? he calls out on his way to the kitchen. When he sees no one there, he goes
to the basement and calls his wifes name again. Tiff?
Theres no reply and the basement is also empty so he goes upstairs and raises
his volume. Tiff?!
The bedroom is in the same state empty and so is the bathroom.
Is she out grocery shopping?
He walks down the stairs to check the garage and frowns when he sees the red
car parked there.
Where could she be?
As he goes back inside the house, standing in the middle of the living room while
thinking about how to find his wife, he incidentally turns his head and looks out
the window, towards the house next door.
Aha! He snaps his fingers, flips open the notepad next to the phone where they
write down peoples phone numbers and picks up the receiver to dial his
neighbors number.
At first, his call goes unanswered but he tries again and again, knowing that its
unlikely for any housewife to be away from home at this time of day. He nearly
decides to just go over to the house to check whether his wife is there but his call
is answered on his fifth try by a woman whos short of breath as if she just ran
down the stairs.
Hello?
Hello. Is this Mrs. Kim?
Yes?
Its Andrew Choi. From next door?
Theres a split second pause before Taeyeon replies, Oh. Hi. How are you?
Im fine. Was wondering whether my wifes there.
Yes, yes she is, says Taeyeon. Shes teaching me to cook again.
I thought so. Can I speak to her?
Of course. One moment please.
He waits a couple of seconds until he hears his wifes voice.
Hello?
Hey, its me. Guess where I am?
Err at work?
Nope. Im at home. They gave me the rest of the day off.
O-oh? Why?
Because your wonderful husband is the best salesman in the world, he says
proudly.
Huh?
I made the most sales this quarter so they gave me the rest of the day off, he
says. I also have another surprise for you. Can you come home now?
Now? Sure but Tiffany hesitates.
But what? Youre still cooking?
Yes. Can you give me ten, fifteen minutes? Ill hurry home as soon as I can but I
cant leave until the cake goes in the oven.
He frowns, unhappy that his surprise isnt going as planned and that his wife
doesnt sound excited after hearing the good news. Fine. Fifteen minutes. No
more.
Okay. Ill be right there.
The call ends and he puts the receiver back, still with a frown on his face.
----
Damn. I have to go home, says Tiffany as she runs to the kitchen to pick up her
clothes from the floor and put them on.
Why? asks Taeyeon whos gotten dressed while Tiffany was on the phone.
Hes home.
What? Now?
Yes.
Why is he home? asks Taeyeon, eyes still on the panicking woman.
He said they gave him the rest of the day off because he sold the most cars or
something. Tiffany frantically wipes her smudged lipstick and mumbles about
needing a hairbrush before she breaks into another run, going upstairs to
Taeyeons room.
The blonde follows Tiffany calmly, observing her with knitted brows and
clenched jaws. She hates seeing Tiffany running around trying to look pretty for
him. Its a harsh reminder that the woman she adores isnt hers, that what they
have is just a fling a temporary, meaningless affair.
Jealousy flares up within her and Taeyeon unconsciously balls her fist at the
thought of Tiffany and him, doing what she and her were doing just minutes ago.
If he asks, tell him that I couldnt leave immediately because we were still
making the dough, says Tiffany while brushing her hair and reapplying make-up
using Taeyeons cosmetic products.

The dark-haired woman turns her head when she gets no response only to see a
very grim and unhappy Taeyeon watching her from the doorway. She sighs,
knowing what that look means, puts the compact down and approaches her. Im
sorry, she whispers as she hugs her, wrapping her arms around Taeyeons
unresponsive and tense body. It cant be helped. She withdraws her arms, tries
to smile though it comes out looking very fake and forced and gently kisses
Taeyeons cheek. Ill see you tomorrow.
She has just stepped out of Taeyeons bedroom when she hears the blonde say,
Go clean yourself in the bathroom first. Wouldnt want him to misunderstand
the result of my hard work as you being turned on just at the sight of him, in a
harsh tone.
Tiffany turns around in surprise, not used to hearing Taeyeon talk to her like
that. She cant help but feel offended. Excuse me? What do you take me for?
Taeyeon doesnt reply but she moves to meet Tiffanys puzzled yet angry glare.
What if he decides to be spontaneous and frisky and see you in this state? Hed
either think that he can turn you on just by standing there or hed instantly find
out what weve done. Id rather have him do the latter, to be honest, because
there is no way in hell Im letting his ego take the credit for what Ive done.
So this is just a competition for you? Am I just a tool for you to please yourself
and boost your ego or something? To prove that youre better than him?
Taeyeon wants to say no but since she cant even name all the emotions shes
feeling let alone control them or tell Tiffany the truth about them, all she does is
shrug and avert her eyes.
Never in her life has Tiffany felt so hurt and disappointed. She thought that
despite their situation, during the course of their secret meetings these past few
months, Taeyeon has grown to genuinely care for her that its not just about the
sex anymore.
She can feel tears brimming in her eyes but she holds them in. This is not the
time to cry or argue because she has to be home in a matter of minutes.
So Tiffany rushes to the bathroom to clean up because no matter how hurtful
the words were, Taeyeon had a point then leaves without sparing the blonde
even the smallest, quickest glance.

Chapter 14

Theres another knock on Taeyeons bedroom door but she ignores it as she lies
still on her bed, eyes on the ceiling.
Im going to come in, comes the male voice from behind the door. I hope
youre decent.
The door cracks open and Key carefully takes a peek before entering the room.
He shakes his head at the sight of his friend lying motionlessly on the bed, goes to
the window and opens the curtains to let some sunshine in. Then, to Taeyeons
groaning protest, he opens the window. Its so hot and stuffy in here. At least get
some fresh air, he tells her.
Taeyeon turns her head when the man climbs onto the bed and lies down next to
her, propping his head on his hand. Do not say you told me so, she warns him.
You were right. There. Happy? Dont rub it in.
Im not going to say anything, replies Key. Im worried about you though.
Im fine. Taeyeon returns her eyes to the ceiling.
Youre not. You love her, dont you?

Shes not yours, Tae. And I dont think she can ever be yours.
Taeyeon closes her eyes as her aching heart crumbles yet again. I know that.
Apologize to her and tell her the truth. Then if you want to move out of this
place, Im okay with it.
She quickly opens her eyes and looks at him. What?
If you want to move back to the city or to another suburb, Im okay with it.
It hasnt been a year since we moved here.
Key shrugs. Its boring here anyway. I miss the crowded and busy city. Its so
alive.
Youre the one who needed some peace and quiet.
I was wrong.
Taeyeon knows that Key actually likes it there and has even started his own
secret affair with none other than the son of the grocery shop owner. She reaches
out for his hand and squeezes it, thanking him silently. We dont have to move.
I think its safer if we do. Old Mr. Wilkins has been eyeing me suspiciously and
even questioned me about you when he saw me yesterday.
Be careful.
Im trying to but its the suburb. Its hard to keep things a secret for a long time.
Might be easier if I live downtown. He can visit me and well be more free, he
says before pushing himself up. Take a shower, go downstairs and eat
something. Youve been locked in here for days. You look like a shriveling
unwashed fruit now and you smell like dirty socks.
Thanks, replies Taeyeon sarcastically.
Youre most welcome. He grins and pats her hand before scooting off the bed.
And go talk to her.
----
Coming! shouts Tiffany when she hears the doorbell. She wipes her hands on
her apron and fixes her hair on the way to the front door.
When she pulls the door open and sees the visitor, the polite smile she has on her
face disappears, replaced by an angry frown and a hurt look.
Taeyeon nervously clears her throat, looking down at her feet. Hi, she greets
her meekly. Can we talk?
No.
Tiffanys about to slam the door when Taeyeons palm hits the wooden surface,
holding it open.
Please? Im so sorry, says the blonde, finally meeting Tiffanys gaze.
Tiffany can see the sad remorse and despite herself, her anger melts at the sight
of an uncharacteristically timid and adorably guilty Taeyeon. If youre looking
for sex with some pitiful housewife then sorry, you got the wrong address, she
says curtly.
Im not here for that. Im sorry, Fany. I really am, Taeyeon says. It was stupid
and mean of me but can you please let me explain? Please? Ill beg if I have to.
Since she doesnt want the other neighbors to see them arguing and because
deep down, her heart still pounds and twitch with so much affection when she
looks at Taeyeon Tiffany finally steps aside to let the woman in. Make it fast,
she tells her. Im in the middle of baking.
Taeyeon stands right inside the closed door, takes a deep breath and says, I was
angry. Im still angry, to be honest.
Tiffany crosses her arms and raises one of her eyebrows in question.
I dont like seeing you run around trying to look good for him. I hate the thought
of you and him. Im angry because Taeyeon pauses, clenches her jaws and
mumbles, Because youre not mine, while looking away.
Tiffanys surprised by the confession but remains silent, letting Taeyeon finish.
I never felt this way before so I wasnt sure what to say or do Im still not sure
now, actually. This isnt supposed to happen. I mean, I knew from the start that
you belong to someone else so I The blonde lets out a defeated sigh, running
out of words to say. I do care about you, she tells her as she lifts her head to
look her in the eyes. And youre not some tool or toy to boost my ego or
pleasure me. What we have its not just some random casual affair and I want
you to know that. Hurting you is the last thing I want to do. Im terribly, sincerely
sorry I did that.
Taeyeon awkwardly shifts her weight and looks down again. Thats all I wanted
to tell you. I hope you could forgive me. I understand if you dont want to speak
to me again or even see me but just so you know, I loved every moment we
shared, with or without the sex.
She then turns around to leave. Her hand is already on the door handle when she
hears a sigh and light shuffling behind her.
Stupid little pervert, mumbles Tiffany, right before she hugs Taeyeon, shocking
the latter.
Taeyeon tenses, unsure what to make of the warm gesture. She cant deny how
good it feels to have Tiffany that close to her again though, with her arms around
her and the scent of her perfume enveloping her.
A-am I forgiven? she asks cautiously after a moment of silence.
Instead of answering, Tiffany withdraws her arms and turns Taeyeon around.
She cups her face, gently tracing the dark circles under Taeyeons eyes with her
thumbs, and leans in to kiss her tenderly.
I, too, am sorry I cant be yours but I hope you know how precious you are to me. I
think I love you, Taeyeon. I dont care if this is wrong or if you cant love me back or
if we cant be together but just stay.
----
He checks his watch and presses his foot onto the gas pedal to increase speed.
Ever since he came home early unannounced last week to see his wife rushing
out of the house next door looking frazzled, theres this nagging feeling inside
that just wouldnt go away.
When asked why Taeyeon sounded out of breath over the phone and why she
looked like shed run miles instead of just crossing two driveways, Tiffany told
him that she had had a huge baking disaster because Taeyeon was simply a
terrible cook. They had to redo the dough and clean up the kitchen so both of
them were frantic when he called.
Although his wife looked happy and excited when he showed her the check, the
woman didnt respond much when he kissed her and pulled her to the bedroom.
And then he noticed something thats been haunting him ever since. There was a
faint red lipstick smudge on his wifes bra. He thought that it was his wifes and
that it got there when the woman was putting on the garment. But Tiffany is
meticulous and her daily ritual consists of getting dressed first before applying
any make-up.
He tried to confirm it by watching her get ready in the mornings and yes, the
woman always made sure shes dressed before sitting in front of her vanity to
style her hair and put on make-up.
His fist tightens around the steering wheel as he tries to push the other possible
explanation out of his head.
No, thats impossible. How could that womans lipstick get on my wifes underwear?
Tiff must have changed her dressing ritual that morning because she was up early
to prepare my clothes and lunch. Yeah. Thats it.
 ----
Taeyeon carefully puts the last tin inside the hot oven, closes the oven door and
steps back. Thats the last of it, she says to the woman whos cleaning up the
counter. I cant believe you made so many pies.
I had to let the frustration and anger out, replies Tiffany, smiling when Taeyeon
kisses her cheek and mumbles another apology. She pushes her back and
pretends to glare at her. Youre still on probation so no funny business. Go do
the dishes.
But I rather do you! Taeyeon says cheekily. She grins then pouts her lips, asking
for a kiss, only to be pushed away by Tiffanys palm on her face.
Dont push your luck, blondie, retorts Tiffany.
I wont, Maam. Taeyeon lifts both hands in surrender and takes a step back. I
will do the dishes and then Ill do you.
Tiffany sighs and shakes her head at the woman who goes about her task
happily. Youre so confusing sometimes, Taeyeon Kim.
Taeyeon just smiles as she scrubs the dirty bowls diligently.
After the kitchen has been restored to its pristine condition, Tiffany invites
Taeyeon to stay for lunch and is about to let the blonde make her the toasted
three decker sandwich she likes when she hears the familiar sound of the car
entering her driveway.
Shit, she curses under her breath as she runs to the window to check. Damn it!
Hes home! she exclaims as she rushes back into the kitchen, anxiously skipping
in place.
Taeyeons also surprised but she knows how to handle such situations better
than Tiffany. She grabs her by the arms to stop her from acting crazy. Calm
down. Were not doing anything, are we? I will prepare lunch so he can eat with
us and see that theres nothing going on. She quickly lets her go and opens the
fridge to take out the ingredients for the sandwich. Go toast the bread. Act
normal.
Tiffany raises her eyebrows but does as shes told. Youre okay with having
lunch with him? she asks in a hushed voice while glancing towards the front of
the house.
But before she can get a reply, the front door opens and the man walks in. Tiff!
In the kitchen! replies Tiffany who drops the slices of bread into the toaster,
turns around and goes to greet him, pretending to look surprised. Youre home
early. Did he give you another bonus? she asks.
He shakes his head. Just feel like eating lunch at home. Then he notices the
other person in the house. Ah. Mrs. Kim. Youre here?
Taeyeon looks up and nods at him with a polite smile. After my kitchen disaster
last week, I decided to give baking another try, she says. Tiffany has told her the
excuse she gave him so Taeyeon has no problem making up stories to back
Tiffanys. But this time, Im settling with being your wifes kitchen assistant. I
dont think Key would forgive me if he sees another burnt stain in his kitchen.
Taeyeons making a sandwich. Its her mother-in-laws recipe, Tiffany tells her
husband.
And it doesnt involve an oven or stove so your kitchen and your stomach are
safe, jokes Taeyeon as she continues slicing tomatoes and cutting the lettuce.
Im always game for mothers recipes, he says, taking a seat at the dining table.
Just kindly do it fast because I need to be back at the office soon.
Taeyeon nods. Okay.
Tiffany goes to the kitchen to help Taeyeon and they keep their distance from
each other while talking about other neighbors, sharing gossips like two normal
housewives.
It feels awkward for Tiffany to be sitting at the same table with both her husband
and her secret lover but she tries her best to act natural no matter how sorry she
feels for Taeyeon each time he holds her hand or playfully nudges her cheek with
the back of his finger.
Its not like him to be this expressive so its hard for Tiffany not to look surprised
every time he does something sweet and attentive. She keeps stealing glances at
Taeyeon who luckily doesnt seem to have seen or even be bothered by whats
going on.
The blonde knowingly leaves the table first under the pretense of cleaning up in
the kitchen and checking the pies.
I better get back to work, he tells his wife as he wipes his mouth and finishes
his drink.
Tiffany stands up along with him and gets another surprise when he kisses her
cheek.
Thanks for making lunch, Mrs. Kim, he says to the blonde whos washing the
dishes.
Please call me Taeyeon and youre welcome. Thank you for letting your wife
teach me to cook. Key is very grateful, replies Taeyeon. Despite the occasional
accidents.
Youre welcome. Im glad someones keeping my wife company while Im at
work, he says as he goes to the fridge to take an apple to bring with him. The
distance between him and Taeyeon now reduced to an arms length. Shes very
attractive, isnt she?
Hm? Taeyeon keeps her focus on the dishwashing, acting as if nothings wrong
and he hadnt asked her a random surprising question. She turns her head to
look at him. What did you say?
My wife is very attractive, isnt she? He gestures with his head to his equally
surprised wife.
What are you talking about? Tiffany asks him, carrying the last batch of dirty
dishes to the sink.
Youre the prettiest gal in the neighborhood, he says to her. Right, Mrs. Kim?
Please just call me Taeyeon and yes, your wife is pretty, replies Taeyeon
without a change in tone although she makes sure she looks a bit unsure why he
asked. But if you ask Key, Im sure hell say that his wife is the prettiest, she
adds with a smile.
I guess so, he replies before kissing his wife goodbye and leaves the house.
The two women wait until they hear the car engine starting before they even
dare move from their spots.
Tae, I-
Ssh, Taeyeon cuts Tiffany off, gesturing for her to stay put and not come any
closer. He hasnt left, she tells her in a hushed voice. She can tell by the sound of
the running engine that he hasnt shifted the gear to drive.
Tiffany raises her eyebrows but before she can ask what Taeyeon meant, she
hears the front door opening and turns her head to see him walking back inside
the house. Youre back? Did you forget something? she asks him.
Deep down, shes thankful that Taeyeon has warned her about him or shed be
caught hugging the blonde to comfort her.
He takes a moment just standing near the kitchen, observing the two women
before he mumbles something about a document for his boss and goes upstairs.
When he comes down, he sees Taeyeon carefully taking out the pies from the
oven while his wife is nowhere to be seen.
He doesnt say a word to the blonde and goes out the door, much to Taeyeons
relief, driving away moments later.
Tiffany comes out of the toilet and warily looks around, searching for him.
Hes gone, Taeyeon says. For real, this time.
Tiffany exhales in relief and plops down onto a chair. That was so nerve-
wracking. Hes acting very weird today.
Hes suspicious of me, replies Taeyeon.
How is that possible? Theres nothing that could point him to you. Our story is
solid and I wiped everything clean.
Maybe there was. We were in too much of a hurry to be completely sure that
weve covered our tracks well. Taeyeon leans against the counter, her eyes on
the tins of freshly baked apple pie. Usually Id back away when the husband
starts to suspect me, she says.
Tiffany hears it and stands up, coming to stand next to the blonde. Usually?
Taeyeon turns her head and smiles weakly. Yes, but not this time. I cant be
without you. This past week has been torture enough.
Tiffany tucks Taeyeons hair behind her ear. But it would be better to stop
seeing each other for a while. Just a month or so, until hes convinced that theres
nothing going on between us.
Taeyeon shakes her head, pulls Tiffany closer by the waist and hugs her, nuzzling
her nose in the long black hair. We dont have to do anything but I have to see
you. I need to see you.
With a sigh, Tiffany wraps her arms around Taeyeon and strokes her back. I
cant convince you otherwise, can I?
No. Taeyeon tightens her hold and kisses Tiffanys temple. I love you and I will
not let you go unless I really have to.

Chapter 15

Its been two weeks since Tiffanys husbands sudden appearance during
lunchtime and both women have gotten better at pretending and acting like
theyre just normal, platonic friends and neighbors to the outside world.
Though the man has come home a few more times in the week that followed all
during different times he hasnt done so this week so Taeyeon and Tiffany
slowly start to let their guard down a bit.
Besides, its now almost a month since they last laid hands on each other and the
want is barely containable.
So that morning, a couple hours before lunchtime, Tiffany leaves her house and
makes her way next door.
Taeyeon has left her front door unlocked so Tiffany can quickly get inside before
anyone notices.
The house is quiet but the woman already knows where the owner would be so
she locks the front door and goes upstairs, heading to Taeyeons bedroom.
She gently knocks on the door, pushes it open and covers her mouth to stifle her
laughter at the sight that greets her.
On the bed lies Taeyeon, naked and asleep like a baby complete with her mouth
open and light snoring.
Tiffany shakes her head, closes the bedroom door behind her and quietly tiptoes
to the bed.
She climbs onto the mattress, crawling delicately over the sleeping woman like a
cat approaching an unsuspecting mouse, then starts trailing kisses on the fair
skin from her abdomen upwards.
Taeyeon wakes up with a jerk at the feeling of being touched and blinks at the
woman smirking at her.
I cant believe you fell asleep with your front door unlocked, Tiffany says, lifting
her lips from Taeyeons torso to hover over the blonde, their eyes meeting.
You took too long, is all Taeyeon says before she wraps her arms around
Tiffany and pulls her down to lie on top of her. She kisses her temple and sighs
contentedly, happy to have her in her arms again after weeks of just talking to
each other or cooking together. They didnt even dare steal kisses, afraid that
Tiffanys husband would be lurking somewhere.
Her right hand slides down, grabbing and squeezing Tiffanys butt. Take off your
dress.
Tiffany pushes herself up, creating some distance between them. You take it off
for me, she retorts with a smirk.
Id be glad to.
An hour later, as they snuggle close to one another, drenched in sweat while
breathing heavily, Tiffany tells Taeyeon that although her husbands acting
normal again, shes not sure whether they should go back to seeing each other as
often as they used to.
Thats okay, replies Taeyeon. We can continue what weve been doing this
past couple of weeks but Id like to request more sex. Once a week is all I need.
Tiffany chuckles and looks up to see Taeyeons cheeky grin. Really? Once a week
is enough?
No but Ill survive. I can always imagine you doing me instead, she says before
laughing loudly when Tiffany slaps her arm over and over again. H-hey! Stop it!
You dirty pervert. Tiffany sits up and throws a pillow at Taeyeon.
You know, you have no right to call me that anymore because youre just as bad
now. The things you say and do tsk tsk Taeyeon shakes her head and wags a
finger. Bad Tiffany.
I learned from the best, retorts Tiffany, leaning in for a kiss before she gets off
the bed to get dressed.
Must you go? asks Taeyeon. Her eyes never leave the body she deems perfect.
Lets have lunch.
Im fine with lunch but I should go home and shower first. Just in case.
Just in case what? You said he has returned to normal.
Yes but I cant help but worry that hell reappear when its noon. Tiffany puts
on her dress then turns, showing her back to Taeyeon. Zip me up please.
Taeyeon quickly does as shes told, placing soft pecks along Tiffanys spine while
pulling the zipper upwards. When shes done, she hugs Tiffany from behind and
kisses her temple. Ill let you go home and shower before lunch but dont take
too long. I might miss you.
Tiffany smiles and turns around to be met with a passionate kiss. Dont worry. I
havent had enough of you either, she tells the blonde, kisses her again and takes
a step back. Be back soon.
----
A couple more weeks come and go with nothing out of the ordinary happening.
Taeyeon and Tiffany have slowly regained their confidence and their meeting
frequency has therefore gone back to seeing each other every day.
Tiffanys been looking forward to see Taeyeon today because her period has just
ended and the only thing shes been thinking about for the past five days is being
with the blonde. It felt like torture to not be able to do anything but kiss
especially since Taeyeons cycle has somehow synced with hers, leaving them
powerless and frustrated.
So that morning, she wakes up early and cooks her husband an extra special and
elaborate meal to bring to work. Its her strategy to make sure he stays there for
lunch, showing his lunch off to his colleagues while boasting about his perfect
wife.
When he raises his eyebrows at the unusually large lunchbox, she tells him that
she just felt like rewarding her hardworking husband for all the effort he has put
into supporting their household and sends him off with a kiss on his cheek.
She speedily finishes most of her chores and by lunchtime, shes already standing
by the window that looks out to the house next door, impatiently waiting for her
lover.
Taeyeon soon appears, carrying what looks like a bowl covered with a checkered
tea towel.
She smiles when she sees Tiffany watching her from the window, their eyes
locking for a second.
Tiffany lets Taeyeon in and chuckles when the blonde proudly shows her the
salad she made.
Anyone can make salad, Tae, she tells her as she follows her into the kitchen.
Its just tossing a bunch of cut vegetables in a bowl. I bet the Lyndons five-year-
old son can make it too.
But I made a special dressing for it as well. Taeyeon takes out a fork and tries to
feed Tiffany the salad. Its my own secret recipe.
Tiffany opens her mouth, lets Taeyeon feed her and chews. Not bad, she says.
See? Good, right? Taeyeon also puts a forkful of greens inside her own mouth.
Tiffany nods and pours herself a glass of water. Is that all youre eating for
lunch? she asks.
Of course not. Ill also eat whatever you cook for me.
I havent prepared anything.
Taeyeon puts her fork down and takes a sip from Tiffanys glass. Thats okay.
We can start cooking now. What menu do you have in mind? She goes to the
fridge to check the available ingredients. Do you want me to make you a
sandwich?
Tiffany walks to the kitchen counter, sets the salad bowl and the glass safely
aside, and jumps to sit on the pink laminate countertop. No, she says. I want
you to have something else for lunch today.
Which is?
Me.
Taeyeons head moves back, out of the fridge, as she turns to see the woman
sitting on the countertop, smirking at her.
She smirks back and closes the fridge, happy to oblige. I assume youre done
with your time of the month?
Tiffany nods and parts her legs so Taeyeon can stand between them. She hooks
her ankles behind Taeyeon, locking the blonde in place as she cups her face, tilts
it up and kisses her.
Taeyeon sets about her task, lifting Tiffanys dress and pushing her legs apart.
No underwear. Great! she exclaims happily after seeing whats under the dress,
licking her bottom lip as her eyes start to darken. Are you ready? she asks,
looking into Tiffanys equally lustful eyes.
For you? Always.
----
He parks his black car a few houses away and steps out of the vehicle.
Theres a frown on his face as he walks quickly yet quietly towards his house.
His suspicions had subsided weeks ago after not being able to prove that his wife
was doing anything wrong or inappropriate with anyone.
But last Sunday, on a casual barbecue party organized by another neighbor, he
accidentally overheard the women gossiping about how much Tiffany had
changed since Taeyeon moved to their neighborhood. According to them, Tiffany
had practically disappeared from the face of the earth, choosing to spend all her
free time with the blonde next door, and they only got to see her during
neighborhood gatherings like the one that took place that day.
And when he saw the lunch his wife had prepared for him this morning, the
nagging feeling returned with a force because he knew Tiffany wasnt the type to
be this elaborate unless its his birthday or their anniversary.
He slows down when he reaches the driveway, carefully making his way to the
porch without being seen or heard.
He tiptoes towards the front door, slowly unlocks it and slips inside the house
only to hear something that he has never heard before. Its his wifes voice but
the sounds shes making are unrecognizable.
Anger consumes him as he hurries to the kitchen only to get the shock of his life.
On the kitchen counter is his wife, leaning back with her eyes closed while being
pleasured by their blond neighbor.
THE HELL
His voice shocks the two women who instantly panic.
Tiffany gasps, pushes her dress down frantically, and jumps off the counter.
Taeyeon quickly backs away from the other woman, letting go of her as she tries
to fix herself.
He charges ahead, shouting curses at his wife with his right hand up in the air,
ready to slap the pale and terrified woman.
Its my fault! Taeyeon screams, running to step in between the couple.
He swings his hand, hitting the blondes cheek with a loud smack that sends her
tumbling down to the floor. YOU DIRTY BITCH! he swears at her before shifting
his furious eyes back to his cowering wife. YOU He points a finger at her.
YOU UNFAITHFUL FILTHY He spits and lifts his hand again, ready to deliver a
second blow, when something grabs his leg, stopping him in his tracks.
He looks down to see Taeyeon hugging his left leg.
Dont. Please. I beg you. Its my fault. Its all my fault, pleads Taeyeon, tears
streaming down her face from the pain of the slap that leaves a stinging red mark
on her cheek. I seduced her. I threatened her. Its my fault. Dont hurt her.
He kicks her to free his leg, eliciting another gasp from Tiffany who rushes to
Taeyeons side, holding and shielding her from her mad husband.
Stop it! she tells him. You can punish me all you want but dont treat her like
this!
He pulls at his hair and kicks a chair instead, shocking the two women.
DONT TREAT HER LIKE THIS? YOU CARE MORE ABOUT HER THAN ME?! HOW
COULD YOU? he screams at his wife. AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?!
Keep your voice down, Tiffany says. Do you want the whole neighborhood to
hear you?
YOU SHUT UP! he barks at her, pointing his finger at her.
It was a mistake, okay? Now calm down and lets talk this out like adults. Or
would you rather have everyone know that your wifes been cheating on you
with another woman?
Tiffany doesnt know where her courage comes from but she knows she has to
do something or Taeyeon would not be spared. The only thing her panicked
brain can come up with is to appeal to the thing thats most precious to him: his
ego.
Hes still breathing heavily like a raging bull but at least hes no longer shouting.
This is between us so leave her out of this, okay? Tiffany says as she slowly
tries to help Taeyeon get up.
Taeyeon wants to stay but before she can say anything, Tiffany is already
pushing her towards the door.
Go, hisses Tiffany under her breath, only for Taeyeon to hear. Ill be fine.
But-
Just go.
Tiffany opens the front door, shoves Taeyeon out and closes the door behind the
blonde.
Taeyeon is very worried for Tiffanys safety but theres nothing she can do right
now.
She notices a few of the neighbors peeking from their doors and windows so she
pretends to look fine, taking her hand off of her throbbing cheek, and goes to her
house, silently praying that Tiffanys okay.
----
Key jumps out of his car and approaches his worried wife whos waiting for him
out on the porch. Are you okay? he asks, checking her from top to toe.
Taeyeon has called him as soon as she got inside her house and he sped home
after telling his boss that his wife had suddenly fallen extremely ill.
Taeyeon nods. Im worried about Fany. That house has been too quiet, she says,
eyes brimming with tears at the thought of what might happen to her lover.
Has he left?
I dont know. I didnt see or hear his car.
Did you see him walk out then?
Taeyeon shakes her head. After I called you, I kept an eye out for him but he
never showed.
Key heaves a sigh and leads Taeyeon inside the house. He then picks up the
phone and dials his neighbors number.
Hello?
He hears Tiffanys voice and knows that the womans been crying although she
tries to sound calm and normal.
Good afternoon. Can I speak to Mr. Andrew Choi?
Hes not here at the moment. Can I take a message?
Key exhales in relief. Tiffany, its me, Key. Are you alright?
The only reply Key gets is the sound of Tiffany bursting into tears, sobbing on the
other side of the line.
Were coming over, he briefly tells the woman before hanging up and pulling
Taeyeon by the arm.
The couple runs next door and Key steps in front of Taeyeon to ring the doorbell,
just in case his neighbor reappears.
Theyre greeted by a weeping Tiffany who throws herself at Taeyeon the
moment she catches sight of her.
Key gently yet swiftly pushes the two women inside, away from the prying eyes
of their other neighbors.
Are you okay? asks Taeyeon as she hugs Tiffany tightly. Im so sorry. Im
sorry, she repeats over and over again.
When Tiffany has calmed down, Taeyeon loosens her hold and tries to look at the
woman. She gasps when she sees traces of dried blood under Tiffanys nose and
her red cheek. What did he do to you? she hisses, anger surging up inside her.
Did he hit you? Key steps forward to also take a look. Do you want to go to the
doctor? Or the hospital? Ill take you.
Tiffany shakes her head. Im f-f-fine, she says through her hiccups, patting
Taeyeons cheek. Im ok-kay, Tae. Are y-you oka-ay?
Im okay. Taeyeon can feel her heart breaking as the woman clings to her once
more. Im so sorry. This is all my fault.
Key steps away from the two after ushering them to sit on the couch. Its a
private matter so he feels that he shouldnt be there. He lingers by the front door
and window instead, keeping guard in case the man of the house comes home.
Im okay, says Tiffany, wiping her face with the tissues Taeyeon handed her.
Im more worried about you. Where did he kick you? She starts checking
Taeyeons midriff. Does it hurt?
Taeyeon shakes her head. He didnt kick me that hard. She gently cups Tiffanys
face and fresh tears stream down her face when she sees what the man has done.
Im so sorry, she whispers as she presses her lips carefully against Tiffanys red
cheek, hoping that she could somehow alleviate the pain.
Its my fault too. Im just as guilty as you are, replies Tiffany.
Where is he now?
I dont know. He left angry but hell be back. He cares too much about his image
and appearance that a failed marriage is not an option.
But that means he can hurt you again.
Tiffany smiles weakly but says nothing. She, too, knows that it could happen but
she has no other choice. They made a deal that Tiffany would stop seeing
Taeyeon and continue her duties as the perfect housewife to support her
husbands image and work, in exchange for Taeyeons safety. She basically
agreed to let him do whatever he wanted to her as long as he swore to leave
Taeyeon alone.
He tested the deal by slapping her so hard that her nose bled.
She didnt say a word nor did she fight back.
Then he left her, crying alone in the kitchen.
Lets get out of here. Come with me, Fany. Leave him. Hes no good, Taeyeon
says. Lets move to the city or to another city. Get as far away from him as
possible. Divorce him. Ill support you. I have a job and my great grandaunts
inheritance which is more than enough for the both of us to live off of until were
old and wrinkly.
Key turns his head when he hears what Taeyeon says, surprised by his friends
invitation. Not that he opposes it, he just never expected to hear Taeyeon
wanting to be with someone that badly or that permanently. Youre practically
proposing to her, you know that right, Taeyeon?
Tiffany shakes her head. I do not wish to be a burden to anyone else.
What burden? Youre no burden to me. Taeyeon gently brushes Tiffanys face
with her thumb. I love you, she tells her.
Its the first time she has ever said those words to anyone but her family and pet
so she cant help but feel a bit shy.
Tiffanys smile widens. She wishes that those words were said under different
circumstances but shes grateful to hear them nonetheless to know that her
feelings are at least reciprocated. Thank you but lets not make this any worse
than it is, shall we? She pats Taeyeons cheek and kisses her. For what its
worth, Ive never been happier than when Im with you, she says as she hugs the
blonde, eyes tearing up at the thought of having to go back to her mundane life
with a man who no longer trusts her or loves her, to be without Taeyeon.
Dont say goodbye, please, begs Taeyeon, her voice quivering and her hands
clutching the back of Tiffanys dress, unwilling to let go. I dont want to lose
you.
Err I hate to break this to you but hes coming back, Key suddenly speaks up
after watching the black car coming down the street. Tae, we better get out of
here before he kicks up another storm. I dont want Tiffany to get hurt again.
B-but-
Keys right, Tiffany interjects. You better go. Get out the back door, wait until
hes inside then go round the house carefully. Dont let him see you.
Taeyeon hasnt had a chance to say anything when Key grabs her by the arm and
forcefully pulls her to the kitchen, exiting the house through the back door just as
the black car stops to park on the driveway.
That day would be the last time she gets to hold Tiffany or kiss her.
The husband rarely lets his wife out of his sight and he always answers the
phone, not giving Taeyeon a chance to even talk to Tiffany. He has even invited
his jobless cousin to stay with them to keep an eye on his wife while hes at work.
So when Taeyeon keeps getting more depressed by the day, always sitting by the
window that looks out to the house next door, hoping to get a glimpse of Tiffany,
Key decides that they should move. He hates seeing his friends spirit broken like
this.
As Taeyeon stands on the pavement, watching the moving truck drive away, she
suddenly feels eyes on her and turns her head to see Tiffany at her window,
looking at her.
She cant help but remember their first meeting and her tears start to flow, her
heart on the verge of exploding with so much longing and love for the person she
cant have.
Lets go, Tae. Key gently ushers her friend inside the car, temporarily breaking
the two womens eye contact.
The blonde never takes her eyes off of Tiffany even as she sits inside the car and
waits for Key.
Soon, the vehicle starts to move, disappearing down the street, leaving a crying
Tiffany by the window, on the exact same spot where she first saw the person
who would unexpectedly become the love of her life.


Epilogue

Taeyeon closes the door behind her, places the stack of mail on the small table
and pauses when she hears noises from somewhere inside the apartment. Key?
Youre home? she calls out as she carefully goes to his room. What are you
doing?
Key looks up to see Taeyeon standing at his bedroom doorway and stands up.
Packing, he says as he steps over the boxes.
Why?
The apartment across the halls been vacated and I thought that it would be
better for us to try to live apart.
Youre leaving me? asks Taeyeon, her tone rising involuntarily. Its been almost
a year since they left the suburb but the traumas still there and the last thing she
needs is losing another person she holds dear.
No. Ill just be across the hall. Key places his hands on Taeyeons shoulders to
comfort her. We can still see each other every day, have meals together and
spend time together. Its just at the end of the day, Ill be sleeping in another
apartment, he explains. With George.
So I guess youre getting serious, huh? she asks at the mention of her friends
boyfriend whos none other than the grocers son.
Well, its been a year and his father finally lets him move out so
I see. Taeyeon smiles a little despite the envy in her heart. Im happy for you.
Thank you. Im not leaving you, Tae. Ill never leave you. We cant get divorced,
remember? What will our families say? he jokes.
She chuckles. Thats true. Thanks for that.
Youre most welcome. Now lets have dinner.
----
Tiffany does one final meticulous check on her things then closes her suitcase
and takes a deep breath as she lifts it off the bed.
She goes downstairs, sets her luggage down near the door and takes a quick look
around the house; at the kitchen where she had experienced so much pain and
happiness, at the living room where she used to keep the man company and at
the dark basement where she spent many hours laboring to make sure he lives a
perfect life.
It feels bittersweet to be leaving the house she thought shed grow old in but
ever since she let a certain short blond-haired woman into her life, she knew that
things would never be the same again and this change is just one of those things
she had to accept and live with.
Divorce is not that common in that era and women who go through it would have
to live a harsher life, scrutinized by others. It is even more uncommon for the
woman to be the one asking for the divorce because they need their husbands to
survive.
Tiffany knows all that yet as she sat down across from her husband and asked
him to divorce her, her conviction and determination were never stronger.
She thought she could live without Taeyeon but the emptiness inside couldnt be
filled despite her greatest efforts.
Then one day, a letter came with a detailed yet crazy plan which took her days to
think through.
At the end of her long contemplation, she decided to go ahead with it.
Thus the request for a divorce and the promise that she would disappear from
his life while carrying all the fault and shame. He is free to tell the world of her
infidelity and he can choose to edit the details to make him look like the
unknowing, innocent victim so that he can easily remarry. She doesnt care. She
just wants out.
He refused, at first, but he, too, was growing tired of having to live with a woman
who didnt do anything but clean the house and cook like a silent machine. Even
in the bedroom, he said it felt like making love to a rock. A maid wouldve been
better, he had told her one day. At least she could still talk.
Tiffany didnt even feel hurt by the comment. She was numb. The only thing she
wanted was gone so life didnt mean much to her anymore at that time.
However, a few weeks later, he changed his mind and decided to do as Tiffany
had requested.
He kept the house and both cars, and told her that hed give her the current
months allowance but that was it. He wasnt going to support someone who
wasnt his wife.
Tiffany agreed. There was nothing she wanted from him anyway. Her freedom
was all she needed.
With one last deep breath, the woman lifts her luggage and goes out the door, to
the car where two young men have been sitting, waiting patiently for her. She
gets in after one of them helped her put the luggage in the trunk and never looks
back.
----
Its Sunday and the sun is high in the sky but Taeyeon is still in bed, lazing
around in her quiet and empty apartment simply because she doesnt know what
to do.
Keys boyfriend has moved into the apartment across the hall days ago and she
hasnt seen her friend since.
It feels lonely but she understands Keys need for privacy and how happy and
thrilled he must be to have his boyfriend with him so its only natural for the man
to want to spend all his time with him.
At a time like this, Taeyeon cant help but think of Tiffany.
She has accepted her karma, to quote Key, the price that she has to pay for
breaking and playing with so many womens hearts. Nevertheless, to her, Tiffany
is not a punishment but rather a precious jewel she accidentally discovered.
Shes the love of her life, the person that caused her to change her ways and
dream of a quiet life with her other half a lifestyle she once considered silly,
boring and impossible.
The clock in the living room chimes, telling her that its noon, and she sighs,
turning around to bury her face in her pillow, ignoring her growling stomach.
She closes her eyes and tries to go back to sleep so she can dream of Tiffany but
her doorbell suddenly rings, surprising her.
Taeyeon groans and slowly moves off the bed when the ringing doesnt stop.
Coming! she shouts in annoyance and peeks through the peephole to see her
smiling friend.
Sheesh, why are you so impatient? she scolds him the moment she opens the
door.
Youre still in your pajamas? Key asks, observing the blonde from head to toe.
Its noon, Tae.
Its Sunday, Key, retorts Taeyeon. Wheres George?
Preparing lunch. I have a surprise for you, Key says. But I want you to brush
your teeth and wash your face first then meet me back here. He closes the door
without waiting for Taeyeons response.
The blonde rolls her eyes and lazily drags her feet to the bathroom. She brushes
her teeth and washes her face then returns to the front door, curious to see what
her friend is up to.
Without looking through the peephole, she pulls the door open, expecting to see
her cheeky friend. Okay so what-
Her jaw drops when instead of Key, she sees the person shes been constantly
thinking about standing there, smiling shyly while holding a suitcase in her
hands.
Hi, greets Tiffany.

Chuckling, Tiffany reaches out and pushes Taeyeons jaw up to close her mouth.
At the touch, Taeyeon finally snaps out of it and inhales. Y-y-you she stutters,
still in shock. Am I dreaming? Is this a dream?
Tiffany shakes her head then leans in for a kiss, lightly pressing her lips against
Taeyeons. She shivers when their lips meet, her whole body reacting to the
touch shes been craving for so long.
The suitcase is dropped to the floor when Taeyeon sweeps her into her arms,
hugging her tightly as she deepens the kiss.
Unknowingly, both of them start to tear up so when their kiss ends and they see
each others wet eyes, they start grinning and chuckling at their silly reactions.
I dont know how you got here but Im so glad youre here, says Taeyeon as she
leans her forehead against Tiffanys and nudges her nose with her own.
Ill tell you all about it later. Right now, theres something else that Id rather
do, replies Tiffany with a smirk. You know how much I like these blue
pajamas. She traces the collars of Taeyeons pajamas with both hands then stops
when she reaches the top button. But I like them better when theyre off you,
she says as she twists the button open.
Taeyeon breaks into another grin and starts pulling Tiffany inside the apartment.
----
Tiffany smiles as she runs her fingers through the long blond strands, stroking
Taeyeons head tenderly while the woman peppers her body with kisses. Ive
missed you very much.
Taeyeon stops and lifts her head. Ive missed you very much too. She moves up
to kiss Tiffany on the lips and lies down next to her while snuggling close,
exhaling when she feels Tiffanys arms around her. So how did you get here?
she asks as she nuzzles her neck.
I got a letter from Key.
Taeyeon raises her eyebrows and looks at Tiffany. Key sent you a letter?
Tiffany nods. He told me how miserable you were and proposed a plan for us to
be together.
How?
He told me to divorce my husband and come live with you. He said hed get his
own place but stay married to you to keep up the pretense in case your families
come to visit. He convinced me that I didnt have to worry about living costs
because you apparently inherited nearly all of your great grandaunts money and
she made a fortune during the war.
That she did, replies Taeyeon. How did you think I manage to have that cool
car if I only rely on my weekly pay?
I dont know. I never cared about your money.
And that is one of the things I love about you, says Taeyeon as she starts
leaving kisses on Tiffanys skin again.
To cut the long story short, I decided to follow his advice and took the leap
because life is just not worth living without you. Tiffany strokes Taeyeons hair.
I tried but I just couldnt forget you and the happiness I felt when I was with
you.
The blonde looks up and smiles. Neither could I. So youre divorced?
Tiffany nods.
And youre here to stay?
Well, someone said shed support me till were old and wrinkly She giggles
when Taeyeon kisses her on the lips. In return, I promise to cook for her, clean
her apartment and make sure shes well taken care of.
Id love that.
Tae?
Hm?
Tiffany cups Taeyeons face and looks straight into her eyes. I love you.
A huge grin starts to spread on Taeyeons face. I never thought hearing those
words would be this this wonderful, she says, unable to come up with the
perfect word to describe her feelings.
Dont tell me you never heard them before?
I have but not from people I love so they didnt mean anything to me, says
Taeyeon. Just to be sure, youre mine now, right?
Im no ones at the moment but if youre willing to claim me
Im supporting you until we run out of money! Doesnt that make you mine?
retorts Taeyeon jokingly.
Then claim me. Properly, this time.
Taeyeon scoots up until shes comfortably at Tiffanys eye level. Miss Hwang,
she says, using Tiffanys maiden name, Do you want to be mine and stay with
me until I run out of money and we have to be two grandmas who need to
depend on Keys retirement money?
Tiffany laughs and kisses Taeyeon. Id love to.
Then from today onwards, youre mine and only mine.
----
Key opens the door and bursts out laughing when he sees the tin of apple pie in
Taeyeons hands. Now this brings back memories, he says as he steps aside to
let his friend through. Wheres Tiffany?
Unpacking and cleaning up a storm. Taeyeon walks inside Keys apartment to
put the warm pie in the kitchen.
Why arent you helping her then? asks Key as he closes the door.
Because I want to personally deliver my token of appreciation to my best
friend.
Key sits down on the couch. Liar. You just dont want to hear her nag you about
the condition of that apartment.
Taeyeon grins and sits down next to Key. You know me well. Wheres George?
Out on his evening run.
Tiffany told me everything, says Taeyeon as her smile turns soft. Thank you.
She reaches out for her friends hand and squeezes it.
Its the least I could do. Your depression was getting to me and I missed the
happy you, he says. Dont screw this up, okay?
I wont. Shes the only one I need and want.
It might not be as exciting as when she was still married to someone else,
warns Key.
I know but I want this. A quiet normal life with someone I love. No more moving
around-
No more going after peoples wives?
Taeyeon laughs. You talk as if youre a saint, Mr. Kim. You just never got into
trouble because wives cant do anything about their husbands affairs even if
they know about it.
Hey, Ive changed! I have George now.
And I have Tiffany.
They grin at each other when they realize the drastic turn their lives have taken.
Who wouldve thought? he asks.
Not me, thats for sure.
The phone suddenly rings and Key moves to answer it. Hello?
Hello? Key?
Yes?
Its Tiffany. Is Taeyeon there?
Hi. Yes, shes here. Why?
Tell her to come home and help me or Ill kick her short butt out to the street.
Key laughs so loud that Taeyeon gets curious and tugs at his sleeve, wanting in
on the joke.
Ill do that, he says into the phone.
Thank you.
Youre welcome. Key ends the call and turns towards her friend. Your other
half wants you home now or she said shed kick your short butt out to the street.
Taeyeon grimaces then smiles. Then I guess I should be going home. She stands
up and pats her friends shoulder on her way to the door. Thanks again. For
everything.