(Bonus Side Chapter)
Taeyeon didn't stop running until she reached the elevator.
She prayed that no one was in it because her face was wet from the tears that hadn't stopped rolling down her cheeks.
She kept her head down all the way to her car.
Not exactly knowing what to do, she decided to just go home and drown her sorrows in ice cream.
She stopped at the nearby convenient store, put on a cap she found in her car and checked her face in the mirror one last time to make sure that it didn't look too obvious that she had been crying.
Taeyeon grabbed a pint of vanilla ice cream and a bottle of chocolate syrup then stood in line to pay.
There were two girls in front of her – one brunette and one blonde. They were arguing and she overheard them.
"Good riddance!" The blonde said loudly as she put the shopping basket on the counter.
"Don't say that!" The brunette hit her friend. "And keep your voice down! I don't want the whole world to know I've just been dumped." She pouted cutely.
Taeyeon was surprised to hear the cute voice and see the pout. She quickly averted her eyes before she was caught staring.
"You should've dumped her first! I've told you to do that at least fifty times! That unnie is trouble. She's been playing you right from the start."
Taeyeon's eyes inadvertently widened at the word 'unnie'.
The brunette sighed as she put her shopping basket on the counter after her friend had paid for her stuff.
"You're too gullible. You fall in love too easily." The blonde was still scolding her friend.
"Just stop it, okay?" The brunette retorted. "It's done. The end. I will not have anything to do with her anymore." She paid for her stuff.
"Even if she suddenly begs for your forgiveness all crying and puppy-eyed and asks you to come back to her? Again?"
"Not this time. I swear." The brunette grabbed her plastic bag and walked out with her friend.
Taeyeon quietly digested everything she had overheard while paying for her food.
She took the plastic bag and was about to leave the store when the same brunette rushed through the door – bowing apologetically to her for almost bumping into her.
"Excuse me," the brunette approached the lady behind the counter. "I just noticed that this package is torn." She showed the pack of jelly in her hands. "Can I exchange it for a new one?" She also showed the receipt.
"I'm sorry but we can't exchange food items. It's the store policy." The lady pointed at the large plastic sign stuck to the bottom front side of the counter.
"But I was just here and I didn't open this!"
"I'm sorry, Miss."
The girl threw her hands up. "I can't believe this! I'm not even asking for my money back. I just want a new bag of jelly! I was just here! Don't tell me you've already forgotten my face?" It was just a bag of jelly but she was just dumped so it felt like a big deal to her.
Taeyeon quietly went to the candy display near the cashier and took a new bag from it. She set it on the counter along with the money to pay for it.
The cashier stopped arguing for a second to scan the item. She took the money and was about to put the jelly into a plastic bag when Taeyeon stopped her. "No need for a bag." She held out her hand.
Taeyeon took the jelly from the lady and smiled as she handed it over to the brunette. "Here you go. There's no use arguing with her. She has no choice because it's the store's policy and her supervisor might hold her responsible for it."
The brunette stared at the jelly and then at Taeyeon.
"Go on." Taeyeon gestured the bag forward. "Your friend is waiting, right?"
She smiled when the girl was still too shocked to react. "I mean no harm. I just happen to like jelly very much too." She placed the bag on the counter. "Please take it. It's yours." She nodded politely before leaving the store.
Taeyeon walked to her car, unlocked the doors and put the shopping bag in the passenger seat.
She closed the door, walked around to the driver side and pulled the door open.
"EXCUSE ME!"
Taeyeon heard the loud voice and turned her head. She saw the brunette running towards her. She raised her eyebrows. "Yes?"
The girl bowed. "Thank you for your kindness." Her hands were cutely holding on to the bag of jelly.
Taeyeon chuckled. "You're most welcome. Enjoy it."
"I will. Thanks again."
"No problem." She hesitated. "I don't mean to pry or be impolite but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. I know how it feels to not be able to have what you want – who you want." She smiled sadly. "But life goes on. You're young, pretty and you seem like a nice person. I'm sure you'll find someone else. Someone better." She saw the astonished look and chuckled. "Until then, there are ice cream and jellies so we're good."
The girl kept staring at Taeyeon with wide eyes. "I-I guess so." She looked down and blushed a bit. "Thank you for your kind words."
"Stop thanking me. It's fine." Taeyeon found herself staring at the cute embarrassed young lady and couldn't help herself. "Can I ask you something? But please don't think of me as a creepy psycho woman or something..."
The girl looked up. "Uhm... sure?"
"How old are you?"
She raised her eyebrows. "W-what?!"
"N-no no! I'm not a creepy psycho, remember?" Taeyeon waved her hands frantically. "I'm just curious. People always say I look a lot younger than my age and I think you do too."
"How old are you then?"
Taeyeon smiled. "Believe it or not, I've passed the big three-oh."
The girl gasped. "What?!"
She chuckled. "See? And you?"
A bow. "I'm 27, Unnie."
"W-what?! I could've sworn that you're still a college student!" Taeyeon blurted out.
The girl giggled. "I get that a lot."
The giggle was like music to Taeyeon's ears. She forgot about the pain of losing the love of her life. It was like discovering a drop of fresh water after being left in the desert for years. She didn't even realize that she was smiling widely.
"Anyway..." The brunette cleared her throat awkwardly. "I better get going. Thank you again for the jelly, Unnie."
"My pleasure."
She started to walk away.
"WAIT!"
She stopped and saw Taeyeon running towards her.
"Uhm..." Taeyeon stopped a few steps in front of the confused looking girl. "I-I'm really sorry. I know you must think that I'm a creep but..." She gulped as she took out her phone. "C-can I have your number?"
"W-wha-what?!"
Taeyeon blushed. She bowed. "I-I'm sorry." She didn't know what came over her. No one had ever intrigued her this much on a first meeting, not even Tiffany. Maybe it was the talk about that unnie she had overheard – indicating a safer bet than her last failed attempt at love. It made her irrational and reckless and now she was starting to regret it. "I'm sorry. Never mind." Taeyeon took a step back.
"You don't even know my name, Unnie." The girl smiled – amused.
"O-oh! Right! Sorry!" She extended her hand. "I'm Taeyeon. What's your name?"
She politely shook the hand. "Miyoung."
"W-WHAT?!"
The girl was clearly surprised by Taeyeon's reaction – borderline scared, judging from the look on her face.
Taeyeon sighed. "I'm sorry." She face-palmed. The love of my life is getting married to someone else and here I am, still too stupid to even go through a proper introduction.
"Are you okay, Unnie?"
"Yeah." She straightened up – trying to save whatever was left of her dignity. "Sorry. It's been a rough day." A rough year is more like it. She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Your name is Miyoung?"
The brunette nodded.
This must be some kind of sick joke, Taeyeon thought. But what's in a name, right? "I'm sorry for being so weird, Miyoung, and for wasting your time." She kept her head down. "Goodbye." She turned around to leave.
"So you don't want my number?!"
Taeyeon heard the loud voice and stopped in her tracks. She turned around to see the brunette's face as red as a tomato. She had to smile. "Depends. Do you still want to give me your number?"
"Only if you give me yours." The eyes looked down as one hand fumbled with taking a phone out of a pocket.
Taeyeon retraced her steps. She handed her phone to the girl and took the latter's phone.
They quietly exchanged numbers, shyly mumbled thank-yous and goodbyes and went on their separate way.
Taeyeon got home and discovered that her ice cream had melted. She didn't mind though. She suddenly didn't feel the need for it anymore.
—-
"Err... Popcorn?" She offered whatever was left of the snack.
A chuckle. "I'm good, thanks." Taeyeon quietly observed the girl walking beside her. "You'll ruin your appetite if you insist on finishing that."
"My mother always taught me to finish my food." She kept chewing the popcorn.
"Even though you might explode?"
"Why would I explode?"
"Because you ate too much."
"I would not eat if I feel full, Unnie." She frowned. "You're weird."
Taeyeon laughed. "Thanks." It feels good to laugh again. "So what did you think of the movie?"
"Too cliché."
"I know right?"
"But I wouldn't mind doing that one scene." She started to blush a little.
"Doing what? Which scene?"
"The one where they strolled through the market and had fun – eating food, looking at stuff..."
Taeyeon raised her eyebrows. "That's... not really special."
She shrugged. "I've never done that so I wouldn't know."
"You've never been to the market?"
"Of course I have! But not with someone I love." She blushed harder. "I think I've had enough." She tried to change the subject and walked faster – towards a nearby trashcan to dispose of the paper bucket. She took out a tissue and wiped her hands while waiting for Taeyeon to catch up.
Taeyeon stopped when she had reached her. "Can you still eat dinner?"
"I think I can fit a salad or something light."
Taeyeon smiled. "How about street food? Snacks?"
"Uhm... Sure. But aren't you hungry, Unnie?"
"I think I'm in the mood for some market food." Taeyeon smiled as she took hold of her hand.
The girl blushed when she felt Taeyeon's hand warmly wrapping her own. It was their third date and Taeyeon had always been careful, always keeping her distance, so she was a bit surprised by Taeyeon's sudden move.
"Come on. It's not that cold so let's just walk." Taeyeon pulled her and they started to walk out of the mall.
—-
"Unnie! Can I have that?" She pulled Taeyeon towards one of the stalls.
"Yah! Easy! I thought you weren't that hungry!"
"Sorry." She grinned sheepishly. "Everything looks so delicious."
Taeyeon chuckled. "Fine. Buy whatever you want."
"Yay!" She clapped her hands happily and started to point at the items she wanted while the ahjussi put them in a bag.
"Thank you!" She smiled widely as she took the paper bag from the man.
Taeyeon paid for the food.
"Are you sure you're 27?"
"Hm? Why?" She was taking a bite from her snack – trying to yank it off the wooden skewer with her teeth.
Taeyeon chuckled. "You're such a kid. Here." She reached out and held the skewer then pulled.
The girl chewed happily.
"Good?" Taeyeon asked.
She nodded.
Taeyeon also took a bite. "Mm!"
"See?" She then caught sight of something else. "Ooh! Dumplings!" She grabbed Taeyeon's hand and pulled.
"Y-yah! Hold on!" Taeyeon stopped and held the hand firmly. "You haven't even finished this!"
"But..." She pouted sadly. "Dumplings..."
Taeyeon had to laugh. "Finish this first then we can get dumplings." She started walking again – placing the skewer in her hand close to the girl's mouth and watched her take a cute bite.
They kept feeding each other while they browsed the market.
Taeyeon hadn't felt that happy in years. Her heart had found new hope. Although she knew she could never love anyone as much as she loved Tiffany, at least she still could love and be loved.
She laughed when she saw her struggling to bite the fish cake and fought the urge to kiss the cute pink cheek.
Taeyeon was about to search for a tissue to help wipe the girl's mouth when she thought she saw Tiffany. She turned her head but there were too many people around.
"What is it, Unnie?"
"Oh nothing. I thought I saw someone I knew."
"A friend?"
She hesitated but decided to save the story for another time. "Yeah. An old friend."
"Wanna go back and take a better look?"
She looked at the innocent eyes and smiled. "Forgive me for doing this."
"For doing w-..." The girl's eyes widened when she felt Taeyeon's lips touch her own.
It was just a quick peck but she couldn't resist. Taeyeon wanted to know whether she could do it even after thinking about Tiffany. She smiled when she saw her blush and look down shyly. It didn't feel weird. It felt... new.
They walked on. Taeyeon tightened her hold on the girl's hand and felt her doing the same.
"You don't mind?" She asked after they had been silently walking for a while.
"Mind what, Unnie?"
"What I did?"
"No," she answered meekly. "Why would I mind? I think it's fine. It's our third date after all."
Taeyeon shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you're uncomfortable with public display of affection?"
"I am if it's too much but you didn't do anything crazy so it's fine."
Taeyeon turned her head. "Really?"
She nodded. "I-I l-liked it," she stuttered then looked away – hiding her endlessly blushing face.
Taeyeon smiled. I think this might just work. "Come on. You still want dumplings?"
"Yes, please!" She looked at Taeyeon and the latter laughed.
"You have a very weird appetite."
The girl only smiled.
They got the dumplings and decided to go back because it was getting late and Taeyeon still had work to finish.
"Unnie?" She suddenly broke the silence as they walked back towards the parking lot. She was swinging Taeyeon's hand happily.
"Hm?"
"Thank you for tonight."
Taeyeon smiled. "You're welcome. I had fun too." She didn't even remember the fact that she might have seen Tiffany. It had slipped her mind. Someone else required her attention and she was more than happy to give it her all.
"Good to know."
Taeyeon drove her to her apartment and walked her up. Their hands never let go.
"Thanks for the ride, Unnie."
"My pleasure." Taeyeon smiled. "Are you free tomorrow night?"
She nodded.
"Dinner? A proper one this time."
She grinned. "Sure." She hesitated for a second before she leaned forward and kissed Taeyeon on the lips.
Taeyeon closed her eyes and kissed back.
Their kisses were light, careful, and Taeyeon didn't mind. She had no problem with taking it slow. She wanted this one to turn out better than the last. She wanted to be able to forget Tiffany and love again.
"I'll see you tomorrow then," Taeyeon whispered against the girl's lips after she broke their kiss.
The girl merely nodded – her breaths were shallow. "I'll be waiting."
Taeyeon smiled, kissed her one last time and took a step back. She slowly let go of her hand. "Goodnight. Sleep tight."
"I will. Drive carefully, Unnie."
She nodded and waved – slowly making her way to the elevator. "Bye."
"Bye."
Taeyeon turned around and bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing. She was that happy.
She pressed the elevator button and whistled while she waited.
The doors opened and she stepped in – pressing the button for the lobby.
She took a deep breath and leaned back. She felt relieved. I'll be fine. I can be happy even without you, Fany. I will be happy.