8:30

Tiffany had just come down from the plane, the jet lag had hit her head hard and she was in no condition whatsoever to use her human navigation system. The girl even messed up whilst trying to get into a bathroom (talking about her sense of direction), as to say, she went into the opposite gender's and found being stared at by a very bulk looking guy holding his tiny weenie.

Come to think, Tiffany chuckled in delight for seeing the first porn ever in her life - but the stupidity side that lies in her embarrassment didn't vaporize in midair, it was showed upon her flushed cheeks and slightly curved eyes when she rushed out of the room in hurry before getting hit by a soap bottle - her head had messed up real bad.

Tiffany was scheduled for an interview at a very well high-en company - it was about 30 minutes drive from the airport. But somehow Tiffany got lost in the midst of the airport turmoil and ended up sitting like an odd ball in a Korean park; with nothing but herself and a luggage - considering her Korean as a superfluous equipment to her survival in the country where people seemed utmost, not friendly.

As time was running out and she was going to be late, Tiffany panicked. She tried conversing with the majority of people passing by but they seemed to ignore her and rushed passed the poor helpless girl. In a way, Tiffany cursed herself for not paying much attention in her Korean classes. If she did, she would now be sitting on a comfy chair inside an AC ventilated room with servants running around; serving drinks she wanted.

However, sitting on the park bench, she let out a long frustrated sigh - why oh why is this world so cruel, she thought. If there was one person, or half a person, Tiffany didn't care if a zombie approached her, who would have the decency to tell this American girl where her company was...

9:00

And like god had come down himself, Tiffany spotted that person. It wasn't what she had in mind, but nonetheless it's better than not getting back into the AC room. That person was sitting on the other side of the park, her hair was just about, blonde - yes blonde - considering the mere fact that not much Korean people dye their hair that colour this person must know some language.

Stereotypically saying

Tiffany stood up grabbed her luggage and began to walk. Each step she took towards the girl made her heart thump, it was like going for a new adventure - more like desperation - and as closer she came, it was clear to her that this person was a girl. Guessing from the size, she was not much taller than Tiffany, the girl had nice curved lips - she had observed. The girl sat legs crossed with a book placed on her laps, her eyes were immersed into the writings that Tiffany considered as...

Hell yeah! She can read English!

A smile spread across the girl's face, Air Con baby, here I come.

"Um excuse me" Tiffany said with her fobby Korean. "Can I ask you something?"

The girl remained still as if she hadn't heard Tiffany talking.

9:10

She grumbled and inhaled slowly, "Excuse me..." Tiffany stepped closer, herself now towering over the blonde hair girl. "Excuse me?"

As when there was no response, Tiffany bit her lower lips, she leaned towards the girl's ear.

If this person doesn't hear me this close, I'll just assume she'd been murdered...

"Excuse me-"

"What?"

Tiffany froze.

"What," The blonde hair girl repeated icily, her eye fixated on Tiffany's startled face which was about - 2 centimeters away. "I said what..."

Tiffany felt her muscles became tensed, sweat began dripping from her temples, there was like a lump of nervous stuck in her throat. The girl's face was just about an inch close to her; Tiffany felt her lips parch slowly as her eyes speculate the features of the latter.

The girl's face about, doll size, her eyes were candy like, despite the fact that it was sending deathly glares. Her eyebrows were slightly curve and coloured brown. A very distinctive thing to see in Korea, Tiffany thought as she carried on her expedition on this creature in front of her, her eyes met the nose. It was straight, nice bridge not like other Korean friends she knew who happens to go for plastic surgery every month just to insert a fake nose. Then her eyes bounced upon the glossy lips, it was pinkish colour, and thin not like Tiffany's - which for herself she thought it was thick and oversized.

Tiffany wondered on to how many lucky b*stards had savored those lips, she thought that it was one of the most beautiful things she have ever seen on earth- especially it was pink in colour - it was like strawberries.

What does her lips taste like-

"Please stop staring at my face"

Her chain of thoughts broke like a car going for a wrong turn and crashing into some street pole, Tiffany fell backwards.

"Oh my god! "

The girl landed on her butt.

"Are you okay?" The blonde hair girl approached Tiffany.

"Uh... yes" The girl bolted up. "I'm okay...haha" Tiffany laughed dryly, brushing dust from her bum. "I... am... um ... yes okay"

"Right..."

The blonde hair girl nodded slowly and sat back on the park bench resuming the novel she was reading.

Tiffany pressed her lips together and contemplated, this is harder than I thought.

"Excuse me..."

"Excuse me..."

Shrugs

Both of them paused.

Tiffany felt her cheeks burning up, she stared down at her feet. Did she choose the wrong time to speak? And why did that girl talked the same time as her? It was so wrong, she wanted to dig her head underground right at that instance.

"America" the girl blurted.

"huh?" Tiffany looked up surprised.

"You're from the US right?" The girl on the park bench asked with her hands ontop of her book, she was sitting in a very traditional manner.

"Y...Ye...Yes" Tiffany managed to say, it was odd finding herself stuttering over such a blonde girl. It's not like all her life she hadn't seen one before.

"I'm from the states too"

The girl's eyes lit up bright. "Re..really?"

"I guess this is your first time in Korea"

Tiffany nodded vigorously.

"Do you have a guide?"

Tiffany shook her head.

"What's your name?" The blonde hair girl asked Tiffany, though for herself it was too abrupt.

"I'm... Tiffany"

"I'm Jessica... I'll be your guide then"

...

9:30

"I guess you are hungry"

"Am...I?" Tiffany cocked her eyebrow amusingly, "Uh... yes I am"

"Do you like noodles?" Jessica sternly asked the girl who seemed to be fiddling on her key chain for the past 15 minutes they've been sitting on the bench.

"I guess I can eat them" Tiffany smiled shyly.

Jessica picked up Tiffany's luggage. "Then let's go"

"Eh?" Tiffany looked up at the girl, startled. "... go?"

By the time Tiffany knew regained her mind, her hands had been occupied by another, dragging her away without her even knowing when or how or why was that hand holding on to hers.

But Tiffany actually knows one thing.

It was so soft that the girl didn't want to let go.

...

10:00

"You don't know how to hold a chopstick..." Tiffany promptly said when the noodles arrived at their table.

Jessica seemed dazed but remained her composure and stared at her hands.

"You can't pick up noodles with... that... yoga... type... holding style" The girl explained, "Noodles would fall off first"

"It wouldn't"

Jessica replied curtly and dipped the chopsticks into the bowl, spinning it around so the noodle got caught in a bundle. She lifted it up and showed her results to Tiffany.

"See?"

"Oh..." The girl's mouth gaped open.

Tiffany was surprised. She didn't know that one could twirl noodles around with chopsticks like using a fork with spaghetti.

"That was... Italian like" She commented, her chin on her hand - propped on the table.

"I suppose." Jessica replied softly, stuffing her mouth with the chopsticks. "Why don't you try?"

"Me?"

"Yes," Jessica pointing her chopstick at Tiffany she continued. "It saves eating time"

The girl bobbed her head forward and stared at the noodle bowl. She picked the chopsticks beside her up and made an attempt to hold, she never knew holding chopsticks could be this hard.

Last time she remembered using it was when she was 5 years old and was eating pudding.

With her trembling hands Tiffany twirled the noodles around, just like in an Italian restaurant where she ate spaghetti. But the more twirling she did, the more noodles slide off the end of the chopstick. It was like trying to pick up a single microscopic bacterium from an ajar plate.

Utterly impossible

Jessica chuckled.

"What?" Tiffany shot up, her mouth forming a small pout as she watched the latter giggled in joy.

"You don't know how to hold a chopstick either"

"I know how..." Tiffany argued, mumbling.

"Then why aren't you eating?" Jessica smiled stuffing another chopstick full of noodles into her mouth. "Cold stuff ain't good you know?"

"It's just that," Tiffany didn't want to be embarrassed, "I... forgot how to hold it"

Jessica stared at Tiffany quizzically. "You forgot how to hold a chopstick?"

"Yes" The girl said with a firm tone.

"I see then" Jessica piped. "Open up"

"What?"

Jessica held her chopsticks bundle with noodles in front of Tiffany's face. "Open up"

"What?!"

"I'm going to feed you"

"Eh?!"

...

13:00

"Jessica you like noodles that much?"

"I love them" Jessica said cheerfully - contrary to her exterior when they first met, in her hands were Tiffany's bag and a box full of dry noodles. "It's the easiest thing I can make without burning the kitchen down"

Tiffany stared at the blonde girl holding the things in her hand, she wondered if Jessica's fingers were aching or not. She then stared back at her hands, which were empty, holding nothing but air.

She held her hands together.

Why isn't this soft?

"Tiffany what are you doing?"

"Huh?" The girl looked at Jessica, who was once again staring at her like some sort of circus decoration.

God I think I look so odd

"I was uh..." Tiffany contemplated.

Damn she must thought that I'm some kind of freak

"You look kinda cute"

Tiffany's eyes sport a quake look, her cheeks flushed at the compliment. It wasn't rare for the girl to be complimented by another human being (mostly male) but by this one particular blonde girl, she felt her heart thumping loud.

Jessica averted her gaze away from the girl and gestured her head at a photo booth.

"Let's go there"

...

14:00

Tiffany and Jessica were scrunched up in a very small cubicle, their bags were placed next to their feet as Tiffany cycled through the photo frame options.

"Ugly,Ugly, Ugly... ew ... wait... is that BLOOD?!" Tiffany wailed and jerked back like her hands were hit by a whipped.

Jessica stared at the option presented on the screen, "No its vampy theme"

"V...V..Vampires?" Tiffany stuttered.

"Yeah, those pale white things with wings"

Tiffany swallowed a lump in her throat.

She felt something crawl up her thighs, luring yet dangerous.

Something that sends her both shivers, and sparks.

"And claws" Jessica whispered into the girls ears. "And..."

The something was now making its way up to Tiffany's neck, that something felt cold.

"Fangs"

Tiffany felt something damp on her neck, slowly sucking onto her skin. At first she found it very, very, pleasant but as she realized that there was thing sharp feeling...

"AH!!"

Tiffany screamed and shut her eyes, she curled up into a small ball on the photo booth seat. "GO AWAY I HAVE A CRUCIFIC!"

Jessica guffawed.

The latter whose eyes were tightly close lifted one eyelid, she gazed at Jessica who's laughing madly clutching her stomach.

"That.was.not.funny.at.all" Tiffany stammered and wiped of the saliva on her neck. "Are you trying to kill me?!"

Jessica settled down and smoothen her shirt. "No, there was a bug"

Shrugs

"Bug?"

"On your neck" She explained.

Pause

"MY NECK?!" Tiffany squealed and started to kick her legs in all directions. "BUG!"

"Hey calm down" Jessica tried to hold the girl still, but Tiffany kept moving like there was ants inside her pants. "Tiffany..."

"BUG! BUG! BUG! BUG! BUG! BUG! BUG! BUG! BUG! BUG!"

"Oi!" Jessica clasped her arms on to Tiffany's body, stopping the girl from moving. Her chest was against Tiffany's back; her head placed across Tiffany's shoulders their cheeks touching.

"Just stop moving will ya" The girl hissed her breath tingling down the latter's neck.

"Buh..bu...But!"

Tiffany was about to cry.

"I already suck it dead, no worries" She whispered into the girl's ears. "It... tasted sweet..."

"You.ate.bug"

Was all Tiffany could utter.

Jessica ignored and hissed, "...just like chicken"

...

17:50

Tiffany felt dazed as they left the photo booth, even though she was not sucked dry by a vampire or zombie she felt that her mind had reached its status of blank out. What happened earlier seemed to appear like series of image in her brain cells, one completely not connect to the other.

Jessica, helping her for the day was considerably thankful, but right now she felt being pushed to some edge next to a cliff, roaring with waves. She felt that if she fell down the cliff she wouldn't be able to go up, and like right now her position here felt uncomfortable.

"Time sure pass by fast" Jessica lifted her watch. "Do you want to go anywhere else?"

Tiffany turned around to look at a perfectly fine Jessica - how could that girl be so, calm, at this time?

"No."

Tiffany shifted uncomfortably on the park bench.

"You look tired" Jessica judged, "do you have a place to stay at yet?"

"No."

"Really? Do you want me to recommend-"

"Please stop"

The girl interrupted.

"Huh?" Jessica looked surprised.

"I mean... look" Tiffany managed to lift her eyes to match at Jessica's level. "It's... been a long day and I think you should go home you know."

"Home?" Jessica questioned.

"Jessica, you have helped me a lot here" Tiffany scratched her necks as reached her hands over to her bag, removing it from Jessica's grip.

"And I... really, really, really appreciate what you did for me"

Jessica nodded slowly, but there were no words from her mouth.

"You don't..."

She didn't let go off the bag.

"Jessica, I'll carry it"

Jessica shriveled an almost hurtful expression when Tiffany was taking her bag back. They sat in that position of holding bags for the silence that occurred between them. Tiffany couldn't understand what Jessica wanted from her, okay, Tiffany understood - Jessica help her touring around the park - Jessica fed her - Jessica killed a bug for her.

But this couldn't carry on, Jessica should understand - Tiffany didn't want to pull that girl back from her job. Or whatever she was working for - Tiffany was pretty sure that this blonde girl wasn't a guide. And for the sake of herself, Tiffany didn't know Jessica at all. And keeping the girl here would somehow - effect her in some way - Tiffany thought. She hope Jessica understood what she was trying to say.

"I understand" Jessica sighed loudly, at last she let go.

Tiffany shrugged.

"You do?" Tiffany was relieved.

"You don't like me."

What?!

"I..."

Tiffany's mouth seemed to open but only one word escaped, she felt like someone had shot a bullet into her throat, suffocating her, unable for her to breath out what she was going to say next. She looked straight at Jessica who wore a grimace expression.

"I shouldn't really push you." Jessica said weakly. "I'm sorry"

"But..."

Tiffany didn't mean that at all.

"You don't have to say anything Tiffany" The blonde girl covered her crestfallen face with a smile. "You really don't need to"

"Jessica-"

Tiffany was cut.

"Have a nice day in Korea"

17:59

Jessica left Tiffany.

Just before the girl could mutter

"I didn't meant that"

...

"Hello Boa unni... its Tiffany..."

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"

Tiffany jolted at the response from the end of the line. "I'm... at the Korean national park..."

"WHY DID YOU JUST CALLED ME?!"

"I lost track of time unni" Tiffany said softly.

"LOST TRACK OF TIME?! YOU ARRIVE AT SEOUL EIGHT THIRTY I TOLD YOU TO CALL ME RIGHT AWAY"

"I thought I was suppose to go to the company first-"

"I AM THE COMPANY"

"Unni..."

"SHUT UP AND LISTEN."

"Yes."

"YOU.PICK A CAB NOW AND GO TO THE HWANG'S HOTEL."

"But how... could I..."

"I SAID SHUT UP. ARE YOU DEAF?!"

Would be if you still continue to shout like this...

"GO THERE AND TELL YOU ARE HWANG TIFFANY. TOMORROW AT NINE I'M GOING TO PICK YOU UP, JOB INTERVIEW. UNDERSTAND?"

"Unni wait..." Tiffany was about to ask something but before she could say Boa had hung up. The girl slumped onto the pavement and stared blankly at her phone.

18:00

She sighed and stood up, looking left and right watching the people who were engross in walking around Seoul.

"Now how am I going to call a cab-"

Something blonde met her eye.

That moment her feet started shuffling against the crowd, she didn't care if there was going to be a person who would stomp her like a bug because of her rudeness. But that blonde girl, she knew the colour...

"Excuse me!"

Tiffany placed her hand on to the latter's shoulder. "Jessica?"

"I'm not Jessica" The girl jolted her hand back, shocked.

"Hey Hyominnie let's go, we're going to be late for the movies" A short person said from behind the blonde girl.

"Okay Sunny unni" The blonde move away from Tiffany, giving an apologetic bow the girl disappeared into the midst of Korean commotion.

18:01

Tiffany felt shattered.

"I need my guide..."

...

"Here are your keys, please enjoy your stay at Hwang's hotel."

The employee offered Tiffany a key card.

"Do you want your luggage to be deliver?"

Tiffany shook her head tentatively. "No."

"No?"

"I'll carry it" Tiffany held the bag up. "There's only one piece"

Tiffany turned away from the counter, gripping onto her bag tightly as she walked to the elevator. The only piece of personal belonging she took from the states, a single bag that contained nothing but 2 or 3 set of clothes.

Why was it feeling so heavy, just only one piece?

One piece of souvenir that - made her felt the blonde girl's touch.

So soft...

"Excuse me miss!"

She felt another grip on the bag, tugging from behind.

The words, so familiar, Tiffany turned around a smile making its way across her face.

But soon her look was absorbed by the person assisting her.

"Sorry but our hotel policy is to-"

Tiffany was lost with the sentence and snatched the bag away.

"Please no..."

...

Tiffany threw herself onto the bed, the bag swung over her shoulder hitting the nice stand as it land. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, her head felt numb her heart felt like it was about to fail a beat.

She lifted her hands so the palms were facing her eyes. Then moved the ten fingers about, wiggling it.

The girl shrugged.

She held her hand together.

Not soft

It's not the softness that she wanted to hold.

19:01

That night she couldn't sleep.

...

8:58

Tiffany sat at the hotel lounge, her hands placed on her laps with her bag sitting next to her seat. She watched people move in and out of the hotel, one in one out, just like that.

She glanced at her watch again.

It was now relatively strange; she was glancing at her watch every minute.

Each second seems to move slower every time she checked.

"Oh Tiffany!"

The girl looked up, she placed her hands next to her body as a familiar figure approach her.

"My sister!" Boa pulled Tiffany into a hug.

"Unni" Tiffany squirmed, she felt like being squashed by a tractor. "My ribs"

"Oh..." Boa smiled cheekily. "Sorry, are you ready to go now?"

"Is it time?"

"Yes, I've scheduled a new interview with the managers at ten thirty"

"It's just nine" Tiffany tapped at the watch.

Boa flung her arms over the girl's shoulder.

"Time will pass fast kiddo"

8:59

...

10:30

"Now its going to be easy... no worries okay?" Boa supported her sister with a light pat on the back before she enters the meeting room. Tiffany inhaled softly, and placed her hand on the knob. She glanced over her shoulder.

"Good luck kiddo!"

10:31

...

10:32

"Hi, My name is Tiffany Hwang"

Tiffany bowed at the people who were going to interview her.

"I'm Kim Taeyeon marketing department manager"

Tiffany shook hands with the short girl wearing circular glasses which reminded her off Harry Potter.

"I'm Choi Sooyoung, catering manager"

She shook hand with the tall skinny one.

"I'm Yuri, financial manager"

And then the tanned one.

"Now Miss Tiffany, please down and tell us a little bit about yourself..."

...

10:45

"How did it go?" Boa eagerly ask as Tiffany came out of the room, the girl wore a placate smile as she hugged sister.

"I think, I'll get in"

"Bravo" she gave Tiffany another hug.

"But..."

Boa released the hug and look at the girl. "What is it Tiffany?"

"Where's the CEO?"

Boa laughed, "Oh that cold hearted person?" She turned around and pointed at the end of the hallway

There was a figure with blonde head moving towards Tiffany, she felt her heart thump louder.

The body moved closer, her eyes were welling up. Tiffany couldn't see anything clearly now, except voice inside her head saying, check the time.

She looked at her watch.

10:46

She took a deep breath, it had been, 16 hours and 17 minutes that she last seen the blonde. It had been, the time where she felt there was a void in the universe, sucking her in slowly, it had been, what, long enough for her to feel the softness once again.

The one that she didn't want to let go, she felt that she hadn't been sane after the girl left.

They didn't even know each other for more than a day.

Now what? This feeling?

Am I in-

"Hi I'm Jaejoong the CEO."

Tiffany cried.

...

A week later

Tiffany slouched in her office cubicle; she stared blankly at her computer screen. Numbers were scrolling down like it was the matrix reloaded on her computer. The cup of coffee in her hand was stained with numerous number of pouring by her manager Taeyeon, who seemed to be overly nice to her. She had been working at the office for several consecutive nights.

"Tiffany you could rest you know-"

"It's okay Taeyeon" Tiffany cut the worrisome manager off.

She bit her lips. "You shouldn't work yourself this hard okay?"

"I know" She shortly said.

The small girl sighed and move her way towards Tiffany, she placed her hands on the girl's shoulder.

"Is there something bothering you?"

"N..No" Tiffany denied, but it was completely obvious not to know she was having a problem preoccupying her head.

"I see" Taeyeon sighed. "I'm not going to push you, if you don't want to talk about it"

"Taeyeon..." Tiffany looked at her manager, half hurt.

"I'll get you some more coffee" The girl quickly said as she grabbed onto the mug, leaving Tiffany nothing to drown over her sorrow with.

You've got one new e-mail

Tiffany jumped on her seat as she saw an email popped up into her inbox.

Click

<To: Hwang Miyoung

From: Human Resources Department

Subject: Employee Concern>

Tiffany sighed, another stupid email from that employee concerned department. But to her it was more of a, nosey department. She had this email sent to her about 8 times a day, and she was not in the mood for reading some rules crap about the company; despite other stuff. She didn't come to work late, nor have any problem with the co-workers. There's simply no reason for this department to be concern about her, but yet why did they send an email.

Another sigh came out of the girl's mouth.

If I sent an email back to them, they might stop bugging me

Tiffany clicked open the email.

After skimming

She felt tears

Dropping, staining her eye shadows and mascara..

Employee concerned department...

< Sincerely, Human Resources Department

Jessica Jung >

There was a knock at her cubicle, she quickly wiped away the tears and look up.

"Not now Taeyeon, go away, I don't need any more coffee-"

"Excuse me..."

It was the familiar soft voice.

A smile split across Tiffany's face as she heard the words.

"I'm you guide for today"

And for tomorrow

And forever...

....

''''''''''''''''''''''''