Chapter 24

[As Red as Blood]

“Tiffany was attacked last night.”

Ever since Heechul became a part of Der Märchenclub, news of someone being attacked did not surprise him much. It always sent tingle of discomfort and pity, but he had learned not to be overly too sentimental about it. He only took a deep breath upon digesting the information Ryeowook had just provided him. A slurred reply finally made it through Heechul’s dry throat. “How?”

“A hit-and-run accident. She does not suffer any major damages, fortunately.”

“Hmm,” was Heechul’s only response.

Silence emitted between the two cousins. Heechul fixed the position of his reading glasses and continued to focus his attention back to the investigation files compiled by Kibum. He was re-reading Choi Siwon’s file for the umpteenth time when Ryeowook spoke again.

“Hyung… I think Kibum Hyung is right. It was probably the Kim who –“

“Whatever you’re thinking right now about the Kim, Ryeowook… throw that thought away. You should have more faith in your own family,” Heechul interrupted, fixing his glasses again –not because they were misplaced, but more because his fingers were suddenly itched to do something. Though a sense of annoyance started to sneak into his heart, he tried to maintain his regal gesture..

Ryeowook pursed his lips together. “Hyung… everyone can make a mistake –“

“But not the Kim,” insisted Heechul. “Never the Kim. And if your purpose in staying here is to brainwash me on how I should turn against my own family, then get lost.”

The youngest Kim forced whatever argument he had back into his mind. He did not want to betray Heechul –the brother Ryewook admired the most. But on the other hand, he knew that his other brother, Kibum, could be more rational at times like this. It was hard for Ryeowook to accept at first, because Heechul was not the only Kim wanting to have a faith on his own family. But then again…

“You’re still doubting your own family,” Heechul murmured to himself, dissatisfied with the anxious look on Ryeowook’s eyes. Heechul had known Ryeowook long enough to know that the younger one was not giving him the benefit of the doubt. He then groaned in frustration. “Where is Kangin when you need him? How could that man be lying asleep when we are put in such trouble?”

“Kangin Hyung is in comatose, Hyung,” Ryeowook reminded.

“Yeah, I know that,” Heechul retorted to Ryeowook’s response on his earlier rhetorical question. “But Kangin would certainly be on my side and he would talk the same thing to knock some sense in your and Kibum’s mind.” 

“Kibum Hyung and I need your help in protecting Hwang Tiffany.”

Heechul sighed. He knew that he could never force someone to think the way he was. He was still eager to bend Ryeowook’s conviction back to the Kim, but Heechul chose to deal with that issue later. As for now, Ryeowook had a point.

Tiffany.

Their priority should be focused on her.

“Don’t worry. Kibum and I are on the same page in that matter,” Heechul mumbled lazily as he clicked on the next page on Choi Siwon file.

Ryeowook sighed in relief. “Thank you, Hyung.”

“You’re very quiet these past few days,” Im Yoona pointed out.

Blinking, Heechul was drawn back to the reality world. The affairs in Der Märchenclub had left him with little peace of mind. He knew that even the rather talkative side of him was affected. Taking a deep breath, he slowly looked at his companion.

Despite whatever cruelty that surrounded their life, life went on. Heechul and Yoona were determined to take modeling as their career paths (at least in Heechul’s case, until he reached the age of 30, he was not obliged to be involved in the Kim’s business matter) and they were paired up together again for another photo shoot. They were waiting their turn as Donghae was being photographed at that moment.

“Oppa?” Yoona questioned again when Heechul gave no reply.

“Just tired,” he quickly muttered, before he shifted his attention to the flashing lights that illuminated Donghae’s figure.

“Do you want to talk it out to me?”

The sincerity in Yoona’s eyes and words was never doubted by Heechul. But then again, he was used in living his whole life being a proud man. Not even Yoona (especially Yoona) could know of the whole insecurities he actually possessed inside. He was not oblivious to realize that his pride was getting ridiculous as times got by. But then again… he didn’t want Yoona to see him as someone that a girl needed to protect.

Hiding the insecurities that he had within, Heechul just grinned and said, “Cheeky Brat, don’t play counselor with me.”

“Why are you always like this, Oppa?” Yoona huffed a sigh. The first time she met Heechul was when she was still in high school. She had joined the drama club there and Heechul, being an alumnus of the club, often visited his old high school back. He hung around in the drama club mostly to trash around, or to act like a snobbish senior, or to mock unreliable juniors. Yoona remembered how much she had disliked him in the past.

But she had been the only girl daring to face the problematic Heechul.

Friendship was formed effortlessly, and before anything, despite their bad start, Yoona considered Heechul to be one of her closest friend.

Sometimes it hurt her to know how Heechul had never really trusted her.

The skeptic remained, even after all those years, even after all the things that they had gone through forever. Heechul would never truly allow her to peek inside of him.

“You’re just a kid, Yoong.”

She nearly rolled her eyes dramatically. “There you go again, arguing on our age difference. It’s never a valid argument and you always use the same boring excuse.”

Heechul snickered. “Choding Yoong, your stubbornness only emphasizes your childishness.”

“Oh, look who’s talking? Who’s being stubborn here, huh?” she challenged back. “Oppa, I’m serious. I might be younger than you, but I want to help you if I can!”

He only chuckled sinisterly. “What, are you worried about me now?”

She frowned, because that part of him did wound her a bit. She did not like the way Heechul seemed to doubt the honest friendship Yoona was offering him. “Silly. Of course I’m worried about you! I care about you Oppa. Although you’re rude, weird, arrogant, and annoying, I care a lot about you and –“

Her response, through its honesty, allowed him to pull the first honest smile for the past dreadful weeks. Yoona always had that effect on her. To him, Yoona was the perfect metaphor of a cool breeze on a hot summer day. One that effortlessly, with her own way, brought peace to his troubled self; one that he would always look forward seeing; one that he hoped would always accompany him…

Her perfume, the fresh freesia that she always wore, calmed her mind. And Heechul chose that very instance to let his defense loose to mutter the word he was always afraid to say.

“Just stay by my side, Yoong.”

Yoona was silenced. Her eyes blinked. This part of Heechul was not something she could see on a daily basis. Heechul was always the foul mouthed one. He was not one born to deliver sweet nonsense. In her attempt to deny it, Yoona casually slapped Heechul’s back. “Idiot. I’m sitting by your side now, am I not?”

The sweet freesia still numbed his tired brain. In his defense, it was her perfume –her very own magical poison – that allured him to her and made him do things he would not do to anyone: letting himself defenseless.

In a spur of moment, in a moment of mistake, he pulled her arm and carefully embraced her. In a nearly pleading tone, he repeated the words and took it to the next context.  “No. Stay by my side, Yoong. Continue to be there and –“

“I will always be there for you, Heechul Oppa,” Yoona assured as she returned the hug and caressed his back.

A nice sensation filled his heart. Like a field of freesia. Like a cool breeze on a hot summer day…

And Heechul was lulled into it, in its fantasy, in its promises…

Before he could stop himself, the word rolled out of his lips. “Canikissyou?”

Yoona’s hand stopped caressing his back, and that was when he knew he did a mistake.

That’s too far, Lover Boy… Too far…

In embarrassment, he pulled himself away from her. It was still fresh in his mind how Yoona had slapped him when he had forcefully kissed her. His lips were ready to mouth another series of retort, but for the rarest time, Yoona beat him into it.

“That, I’m sorry, you can’t,” she said with a sad smile. “I wish I can, though. But my heart…” she gazed sadly to look at her half-brother who was being photographed at the moment.

Yoona did not need to elaborate more. Heechul already understood.

Masking the ache in his heart by playfully messing up with her hairdo (the hair stylist would be furious at him later), Heechul then muttered, “I was kidding. But you still need to be ten times prettier than me if you think you deserve Donghae. For now, Donghae is still mine.”

Yoona protested him for her ruffled hair and kicked him in the shin painfully.

He pretended as if the kick itself felt more painful than the real heartache.

After all, you can never own the breeze, Lover Boy.

“Heechul is a nice guy, Yoona.”

Yoona blinked. She was pulled out from her trance, and she used that second to gaze at the man beside her –her own half brother.

The photo shoot had ended an hour prior and like their usual routine, Donghae was entrusted with the task to bring Yoona back to her house. Yoona’s parents had never truly been that paranoid, but ever since Yoona’s runaway scheme, the Im household began to protect their sole heiress more. And although without real blood ties, Donghae was already considered as a real big brother in the Im household. Picking up and delivering Yoona back safely to her house had been her routine chores.