The Last (TaeNy)

Part IV

"Quick! Hide me!"

Taeyeon burst through the door and crouched behind Sunny's desk. "What the-­‐..."

"Excuse me, Unnie."

Sunny looked up to see one of the trainees peeking through her open door. "Yes, Soobin?"

"Did you happen to see Taeyeon unnie rush past?"

"Ah. As a matter of fact, I did. I think she went downstairs."

"Oh thank you." The young lady bowed then closed the door before running towards the stairs.

"Is she gone?" Taeyeon asked as she took a peek from behind the desk. 

"Are you a pedophile?"

"What?!" Taeyeon immediately stood up, dusting off her jeans. 

"She's 19, Taeng! Almost half your age!"

"Hey! I'm not that old yet!"

 "You're turning 30."

"And so are you."

"You don't see me going around approaching young girls, do you? Since when do you even date girls?"

"I'm not dating her!"

"Then why is she after you like that? Do you think I don't know the gossip? You took her out to dinner once then never contacted her again. She's been looking for you ever since."

"I won't deny that but I swear, I didn't mean to do anything bad. She just turns out to be creepy clingy."

"Then what were you doing with her in the first place?"

Taeyeon shrugged. "Trying new stuff? Crossing things off my list?"

 "Your 'things to do before turning 30' list?"

"Yep," answered Taeyeon casually as she sat down on the chair across from Sunny.

"Dating a girl half your age is on that list?"

"She's not half my age! And I just thought dating girls could be part of my 'do something new every year' goal for this year."

Sunny shook her head. "Stop doing this, Taeng. You're turning into one cheap pathetic player."

"Hey!" protested Taeyeon. "Watch your mouth."

"I'm serious. Do you honestly think that dating a girl, any random girl, would be able to take your mind off Fany? Replacing her?"

"Why are you dragging Fany into this?"

"Because she's the reason you're doing this. Don't try to deny it, Taeng. I know you."

Taeyeon scoffed. "And here I was, kindly making time to visit my friend to take her out to dinner. I should've just gone straight home if I knew that this was how she'd treat me."

"Taeng-­‐..."

"Cut the pitiful tone and the know-­‐it-­‐all advises. You have no idea how things are between Fany and me so stop acting like you know better. Do you think I like this? You think I don't know what I'm doing?" Taeyeon suddenly reached inside her sweater, taking out the gold ring hanging from the chain around her neck. "I wake up every morning wishing that we were married for real. That she was mine. That this ring was around my finger instead. But hey, life doesn't work that way. She's not mine and she'll never be mine no matter how much I love her."

Taeyeon's bitter tone and hurt expression shut Sunny up. "I'm sorry," apologized Sunny.

"You should be," Taeyeon said as she stood up and left the office, changing her mind about dinner.