Talking to Tiffany was harder than expected.
At least, that's what Winter realized upon seeing her mother's face earlier.
"You look stupid, Mom."
"I'm not! I'm just nervous!"
"Well then be brave! You can't earn her forgiveness if you're just gonna sit around here."
"I'm taking my time, okay?"
"Which took too long." Winter retorted back. "Mom, we literally go here in front of their house everyday and you can't even get out of your car. It's been one week, I miss Karina already."
"Tiffany is scary, you can't blame me." Taeyeon muttered while tapping the steering wheel nervously. She soon stopped, sitting up straight with determined eyes. "You know what? Let's just get this done."
Winter shook her head.
'That's what I've been saying.'
Winter took an hour staying inside the car while waiting for her Mom—who surprisingly, got the chance to step inside Yu's home after pleading to Tiffany who pushed her away in her first try.
Karina is not inside the house, she is sure of it.
Winter has been absent in class for the past week because she's trying to heal, but of course she knows what's going on.
Karina has been hanging out with Sunghoon lately.
How did Winter know? Well, she may or may have not told her guy friends to look after her girl.
Screw the guys who want to try their luck on Karina while she's away.
But she can't stop Sunghoon, unfortunately. That man is Karina's friend. And even though Winter feels really jealous whenever she hears from the boys that the two are together, she can't do anything.
She needs to wait.
Winter sat straight up when she saw her Mom going out of the Yu's house. Her eyebrows furrowed when she saw her Mom's gloomy face.
She watched as Taeyeon went to the driver's seat, frowning in front of her.
Winter bit her lip. "I'm assuming it didn't go well…"
Taeyeon sighed.
"…It did."
"Huh?"
Taeyeon suddenly smiled. "It did go well."
Winter stared at Taeyeon for a few seconds, before smacking her shoulder.
"Ouch! What was that for?!"
"Why did you have to look depressed when you came back?!"
"I was trying to scare you!" Taeyeon laughed, and her daughter could only smack her shoulder again.
If Winter likes teasing, Taeyeon likes it more.
The singer is truly a carbon copy of her mother.
"Tell me what happened." Winter said after Taeyeon's laugh died down.
"I pleaded, she let me in, I talked to her, she wasn't listening, I pleaded again, tried to knock some sense…then I'm here." Taeyeon shrugged.
"Mom…"
"What?"
"I'm gonna tell Mommy you smiled at some random girl earli—"
"Okay, okay! I'll explain it properly!" Winter was shushed by her mother. "And that was a friendly smile, okay?"
"How can you even make a friendly smile?"
Taeyeon sighed, deciding not to push the topic further. "Do you wanna hear it or what?"
Winter only rolled her eyes.
Taeyeon took a deep breath.
"So this is what happened…"
____
"My cousin will have a party tonight." Giselle said as she turned to look at her friends. "Are you all in?"
Classes for the day are done once again.
"Party again?" Ningning asked, wrapping her arms around Giselle's. "Didn't you just attend one last week?"
"I was alone that time, babe." The Japanese answered, whispering the last word. "This time, I'll bring you all in! Especially Karina!"
"What about me?" The said girl asked as soon as she heard her name.
Giselle rolled her eyes on her. "Duh, you've been so uptight lately, and your mood is always sour. It's time for you to have fun and relax!"
"Yeah, I think that's a great idea." Minju butted in. "You should go, Karina. You can bring Sunghoon, if you want."
Karina, who doesn't really have anything to do after class, nodded her head.
It's true, she has been really feeling down these days.
Maybe, a usual party would get her mind off a certain singer.
"Sure, I guess."
Meanwhile, their other friend who's just silent at the side, is secretly texting someone.
Ryujin: She's going to a party. All of us.
Yeji: Okay, I'll send Lucas there.
Ryujin: I'm still not sure why we're doing this…
Yeji: You don't need to know for now. Just do what I say and you'll get a date with me.
Ryujin shrugged before putting her phone inside her pocket.
A date with a famous dancer isn't that bad.
____
"What do you want?"
Taeyeon winced upon hearing Tiffany's cold voice.
"I came here…" Taeyeon trailed off, trying not to stutter in front of the woman. "I came here to say something."
"As far as I know, we've already cut ties with each other years ago." Tiffany said, sitting down on the couch. "What's there to say?"
Taeyeon stood still. "I want to apologize."
Tiffany didn't say anything, and that made Taeyeon even more nervous.
The silence is deafening.
Taeyeon decided to continue. "I know it's been years, yet I'm only saying this just now. But it's better late than never, right?" She muttered. "That's why…I want to say sorry. For everything."
"Sorry?"
Tiffany chuckled, a hint of bitterness was laced on her tone.
"You're saying sorry?" She spat out. "You fucking cheated, Taeyeon Kim."
The said girl felt a pang in her heart.
There it goes.
Her biggest mistake.
"I know." She mumbled. "I know that."
"Then why are you saying sorry?" Tiffany scoffed. "You think saying sorry will erase the trauma you have caused me? Does that sound easy for you?"
"I know I can't change the past." Taeyeon spoke. "I know I can't take back the things that I've done to you."
She sighed deeply, "You don't need to forgive me now—I won't even force you to forgive me. You can hate me forever, and it's fine. It's okay. I deserve that…"
"But I still want to apologize. I was horrible, I was a bad person, no one deserves the awful things that I've done, especially not you. I was too late to realize how bad and inconsiderate I was before. I am really, deeply sorry, Tiffany."
Tiffany stared at her with no hint of emotion. "Why are you doing this now?"
"…"
"You had your chances before. It's been years, but you're only doing this now." She muttered. "Why?"
"I…" Taeyeon trailed off. "I'm doing this for two reasons…"
"As I said, I came here to apologize. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, because I know it's not easy. I just want to let you know that I'm truly sorry for what I've done." Taeyeon sighed. "Second…"
"Because of Winter." Tiffany spoke, looking away from her.
"H-huh?"
"Winter Kim, your daughter. You came here for her, am I right?"
"Well…yes." Taeyeon took a step closer. "I know you're very much aware about my daughter and your daughter's relationship. I am, too. But…unfortunately, they got dragged into this mess. To my mess."
"Your daughter could do what you've done before, Taeyeon."
"She won't." Tayeon's tone became firm. "If there's one thing that I'm very sure of—that I would even bet my life on…is the fact that my daughter is not me."
Taeyeon took a deep breath. "People say she's like me. We have so many similarities, and I'm sure you've noticed that. But the thing is, I raised her differently. Very different from the Taeyeon Kim that I was before…"
"The Taeyeon Kim in college, and my daughter Winter Kim have so many things in common…except that my daughter is a good person. She's very considerate, she knows what's good and what's bad, and she knows how to treat someone right…even better than me."
Taeyeon couldn't help but to let out a small smile. "She was actually the reason why I got the courage to talk to you and apologize for everything. She respects you, Tiffany. She knows that you're only doing this for the sake of your daughter, and she understands that. She wants me, us, to settle everything first before she can completely pursue Karina. She's doing the thing that I didn't get to do before…which is respecting you and your feelings."
"Tiffany…" Taeyeon's voice became gentle. "You don't need to forgive me or accept my apology. But please, the burden that I've caused…don't push it to her. It's just on me. Winter is not who you think she is, who people think she is."
Tiffany, for the first time after several years, finally looked straight at Taeyeon's eyes. The woman she once loved,
And the woman who has a daughter named Winter Kim.
"Please, let her be with Karina."
The one who would recreate the fate that they once had.
"…Fine."
This time, correctly.