Collection of TaeNy Oneshots (TheDonkatsu Collection)

I Love You

  Posted on May 21, 2017 by thedonkatsu

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She knew it would happen sooner or later but it's been 12 years since they met and lived together so somehow, unconsciously, she thought that it would take at least another 12 years before this happened.

Yet here she is, staring at her mug with glistening eyes and a broken heart, sitting across from the person who's looking at her cautiously with a mix of apprehension and pity. That last one is the look she hates most.

"You okay, Tae?"

She hears her ask softly but refuses to answer or react to it.

Sadness and disappointment aside, it's the thought of separation that hurts most and renders her immobile.

Yes, Tiffany has mentioned about wanting to have her own place for quite some time but Taeyeon thought that it was just a casual remark. Never had she expected her to actually go through with it.

Tiffany's reasons are valid, that much she is willing to acknowledge. They've grown up, they pretty much have their own lives because of work, family and other responsibilities they inevitably have to shoulder as they mature. They're no longer those two teens put into the same room at the boarding school. Nor are they the two young and ambitious college students sharing a tiny apartment near campus.

It's that time in life where their peers are settling down, starting a family or getting into a serious relationship.

But they once promised to always be together. Granted, they were 15 and it's very naïve to think that they'll actually do that now that they're 27... Taeyeon knows it too but she honestly can't imagine life without coming home to Tiffany, talking to her or hanging out with her after work or during weekends. Simply having her there means everything to her.

That childhood promise aside, this situation feels extra unfair to Taeyeon because Tiffany hasn't given her a proper answer when she blatantly hinted about considering going beyond friendship, about her feelings towards her best friend.

Tiffany laughed when she heard the idea and the indirect confession, then shook her head at her before placing an arm around her, all the while still having that smile on her face and that look in her eyes that always made Taeyeon want to kiss her and tell her that she meant the world to her.

They were out drinking and were walking back to their apartment, arms linked, when she blurted out that she could see them together, dating, so Tiffany probably thought that she was drunk and talking nonsense. Regardless, she had expected some kind of response. A harsh, direct rejection would be better than nothing. It would save her the current limbo and probably would've reduced the shock.

"I'm sorry," she hears her voice and feels a hand on her own. "I thought you've expected this since I had told you about it many times."

She takes a deep breath, regains her composure and lifts her head to meet the worried gaze.

"Do you hate me?" she can't help but ask.

"What? Of course not!" exclaims Tiffany who quickly moves, walking around the dining table to sit next to her. She pulls her into her arms and it takes everything in Taeyeon to stop herself from crying. "You know I love you. I just... I need my own space. I've never lived alone and now that I can afford it, I want to try and I thought that the timing was right. I wanna be independent," says Tiffany.

"You've been independent just fine," retorts Taeyeon.

Instead of replying, Tiffany merely smiles as she loosens her hold and pats her best friend's cheek.