Sober
“Taetae…”
The last person she expected to be there stood before her very eyes. In the background, figures that walked past blurred in slow motion sans the lone individual drawing closer.
“Pany-ah…”
A whiff of breath escaped Taeyeon's lips and the name she uttered felt so foreign to her ears yet even more on her tongue. Watching her best friend walk towards her felt so surreal but she knew she was not imagining it. What caught her immediately was the stark differences in their appearances. Tiffany was at least slightly looking better, though blatant changes were evident; dark shades beneath the once vibrant crescents dimmed her eye smiles and the jutting collars peeked through her neckline showing her rapid weight loss. They both looked miserable but unlike Taeyeon, Tiffany still had that hint of warm sunshine glow emanating from deep within her. She was still beautiful no matter how she looked to her.
“Hey…” Tiffany stepped forward again, cautious and timid. “H-how are you?”
“I'm... okay,” said Taeyeon in disbelief and while still controlling her nerves, “What… what are you doing here?”
Tiffany's mouth slowly opened but it swiftly closed as Taeyeon's expectant eyes pined, making Tiffany parry her gaze on her arm and lamely check for the time. The behavior Tiffany showed was disconcerting to Taeyeon. She couldn't believe how the person she longed for weeks finally stood before her. The countless times she sought pardon came rushing through her brain and despite her numerous attempts, Tiffany remained unreachable. Taeyeon realized by then how much agony she had caused and the hurt she had inflicted was probably more than enough to close their communication for life. Truth be told, she herself thought she wasn’t worthy to be forgiven. The fact that she had lied and betrayed her trust would make anyone a fool if she was taken back in their arms.
"Yeah? You were saying?" Taeyeon's voice then broke Tiffany's gaze on her wrist and looked back up. With a slightly hesitant murmur, she reached out, only to realize that the hand she wanted to hold was tucked inside the jacket’s pocket. She quickly withdrew her arm into her chest and spoke gingerly, “Sorry. Do you have enough time to talk? Maybe we could do it over a cup of coffee or something. If that’s alright with you. I mean, I'd understand if you would just go."
"No..."
It was the opportunity Taeyeon was waiting for but mice ran wildly inside her chest, making her step back. She knew in her head she wanted forgiveness and maybe a penny of understanding but she also feared whether it was also a sign of goodbye, a closure for them both which she was unwilling to accept.
“No?” Tiffany asked, looking disappointed.
