“Please Tiffany, just come with me,”

“You know I won’t change my mind, unnie,”

“Even if it’s an order from me?”

I hesitantly nodded at her as a reply and soon she started begging me to follow her again. She even got on her knees and pleading in front of me so I can go along with her... on her date.

I don’t actually get it, it’s not her first date with Leeteuk. They’ve been together for almost two years and yet, this is the first time she ever asked me to follow her. I can tell there’s something fishy going on here, maybe she’s planning on something with Leeteuk. I sighed at the thought of it.

“Unnie, what is wrong with you? You went to hundreds of dates with him, why are you forcing me to follow you today?”

“Because I just feel like spending my time with both of you!”

Lie. That’s just not a concrete answer, that just made me believe more on my instinct. She’s really planning on something. I gave up on refusing to her because in any way, I know she won’t stop forcing me. Maybe I’ll just play along with her plan. I walked into my room to wash up and get dressed. When I’m ready, I walked out from the room and I saw her waiting for me outside of my room excitedly.

She quickly took my hand and both of us walked out of the apartment together. We took a taxi to the mall even though it’s not even far from our apartment. Taeyeon told me that we’re going to watch a movie today. I wonder what movie it is. Must be something romantic and cheesy. Fany, fighting! You can go through this! As we arrived at the mall, Taeyeon took my hand and pulled me to the cinema. I can see Leeteuk waving at both of us.

Leeteuk is Taeyeon’s boyfriend for almost two years, but we’ve known each other for more than five years. He is Taeyeon’s best friend and it took him years to finally confess to Taeyeon about his feelings. He seems to be the only guy who is close to me, and I treated him just like my own brother. A brother that I always wish I have.

As we got nearer, I smiled at him before he pulled me in for a quick hug, just the way we would usually do. He then pulled Taeyeon for a longer hug and planted a kiss on her cheeks. Both of them started to chat together and completely lave me alone. I stood straight next to them, lost in my own thoughts.

“Unnie, oppa, when are we going to enter the cinema?” I finally asked the couple who looks like they’ve already forgotten about their main plan, which is to watch a movie.

I heard him sighed to himself before pulling out his phone and dialed a number. I heard him talking to someone, asking that person to come faster. He’s talking to a guy, and I can now figure everything out.

Bingo, I was right. They are planning for something and I can tell it now it’s another blind date for me. It’s not the first time this happened, he always tried to set me up with some guy, even though he knows how much I hated it. As soon as he hung up the call, I shot him with a cold stare.

“Oppa, are you planning what I’m thinking?” I asked Leeteuk coldly. He was about to answer when we were interrupted by a voice from behind of me.

“Hyung, sorry I’m late. I had to go to college to sort things out first,”

I spun around just to see a good looking guy approaching us. He bowed repeatedly at us until Leeteuk stopped him. He looked up at me and gave me a sweet smile that showed his gums. I can feel my heart beating crazily the moment I saw that guy, but I forced myself to ignore that weird feeling.

“Fany-ah, this is Hyukjae. He’s my cousin, he just moved in to live with me last few days and he’ll be going to the same college as you. I thought it’ll be okay so that both of you can be friends,” Leeteuk explained carefully.

I can tell that he’s actually lying about being friends part. I can tell what’s his main plan is. I know him so well. He’s been doing this blind date for me for so many times, but it just never worked out. Well, I know it won’t because I promised myself not to fall in love after what Taeyeon and I have gone through before.

“You’re useless! How can I be a fool to even marry you?” dad said as he hit mom for God knows how many times. Mom was lying lifelessly on the floor, as always.

“Appa, stop it!” I heard Taeyeon shouted as she tried to shield mom from getting hit again with her own small body.  

But dad being himself, he ignored all of that. Instead, he pushed Taeyeon aside and started hitting mom again. I just stood there, in the corner, crying alone since Taeyeon told me to stay away from dad.

“Please, stop it, you’re hurting me,” I heard mom begged but he never stopped.

We’ve been living like this for almost three years, since dad was fired from his job due to the financial crisis. Mom had to find a job, but dad will always come home, asking for money from her. If mom told him she ran out of cash, she’ll be beaten up, just like now.

Taeyeon told mom, that we should just run away from dad. We can live alone, the three of us, without having to see mom suffering every single day. Mom always refused, she would tell us that she loves dad so much that she won’t leave him.

In my life, I was never scared of anyone as much as I’m scared of my dad. The way he changed into a different guy. The way he would abuse mom every single day. That was the worst nightmare for me. Every single day, I only hope for one thing. I hope for him to stop hitting mom, to stop appearing in front of us again. My wish was granted one day, he died after he was involved in an accident.

I thought things will be fine then, unfortunately, mom fell sick upon the news of dad’s death. She suffered so much, she completely changed. She would cry every day, calling for dad despite all of those things dad done to her before. She passed away, few years ago after the never ending suffering she had to go through.

Since that day, I promised myself that I will never believe in love and I’ve been holding on to that promise for years. I won’t let that feeling to take advantage on me. I won’t let love makes me suffer just like what mom had to go through before. I became someone who push people away from my life, and took a really long time to really accept someone in my life.

Leeteuk was no different, he had to go through a lot before. He knew I won’t accept him easily, so he tried so hard until I finally accepted him. He’s indeed a good person, he takes good care of me and Taeyeon and he protects both of us well.

I was pulled away from the thought when I heard the guy introduced himself to me.

“I’m Lee Hyukjae. Call me Hyukjae,” he said before he held out his hand.

“I’m Hwang Miyoung, but just call me Tiffany,” I shook his hand and I can feel the electricity flows from our touch but I quickly shove that feeling away.

I tried to act cold towards Hyukjae, just the way I usually do with every person I just met, but it’s harder than I thought. He’s just too nice that I ended up talking to him, just the way I usually talk to someone I’m close to.