Halloween Special

 

Tiffany’s mind went into a momentary dysfunction. It was one of those moments when you could neither laugh nor cry and you did not know if you ought to be happy or sad. Taeng’s heartfelt words touched her heart in places that no one had ever reached before. And in a startling moment of clarity, she knew that her search had definitely ended. She had found the one person that she could not live without. That person was Taeng.

 

She launched herself at him. He caught her in his arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and passionately meshed her lips with his. She on his lips hard and heard him squeak from the delicious pressure that she had put on him. Her fingers ran through his hair, ruffling it into a mess. Every inch of her body melded to his. Yet behind this series of physical actions, was an overwhelmed heart. She could not find the words to express how she felt about him so she had opted for the physical expression of her feelings. However, no matter how hard she kissed him and how tightly she hugged him, it still felt as though the depth of her love for him had not been expressed fully.

 

After kissing for the longest time, she had to come up for breath. As she panted for breath, she fumbled with his apron’s strings and got rid of it. Then she tugged up his t-shirt and removed it as well. She slid her hands from his shoulders down to his chest, over his sensitive tips and down to his tummy. Then she looked deep into his bewildered eyes and said huskily, “Taetae, I love you. But do you know why I said no last night?”

 

Taeng blinked a few times before shaking his head. Tiffany planted her lips right in the middle of his bare chest and kissed the area where his heart was. Then she smiled and placed her palm over the spot she kissed. Taeng blinked and tensed. She looked deep into his eyes and leaned closer before speaking again.

 

“Taetae, please believe in us. It did not come out right, what I said last night. You caught me by surprise and I was still… feeling good. When I said that I don’t want to marry you, I didn’t mean it that way. I just don’t want to marry you now.”

 

Taeng’s face was frozen. He did not even blink as he looked at her. But just as she was getting worried about his reaction, he smiled a dazzling smile.

 

“Does that mean you want to marry me in future?” he asked hopefully.

 

Tiffany’s eyes smiled as did her lips and she nodded her head. Her heart was bursting with happiness as she looked into his happy eyes. But just then, a tiny detail bothered her.

 

“Taetae, do you want to explain what you were doing running off with another woman while I was out searching for you like a madwoman after you ran away?”

 

“I did not run away! I just didn’t want you to see me crying. I didn’t want you to pity me or feel sorry for me.”

 

“Okay, fine. You didn’t run away. But what were you doing with another woman?”

 

“I ran into her and her papers got messed up. She asked me to follow her so I followed her. Then she wanted me to help her to put her papers back in order so I helped her. Then—”

 

Tiffany placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. She could not help but smile at his flustered expression. She did not suspect him of anything but it was fun to see him getting all worked up while trying to explain himself.

 

“Then you smiled at her and she smiled at you. Then she said ‘I love you’. Then you two hugged. Am I right?” Tiffany pretended to look angry. She had the intention of teasing him a little bit more but she felt the tables turning on her when he stared at her, looking extremely horrified.

 

“H-How did you know?” he gasped.

 

“WHAT? ALL THOSE THINGS ACTUALLY HAPPENED?!” exclaimed Tiffany in shock. She did not see this coming at all.

 

“F-Fany ah… please don’t be angry with me…” whimpered Taeng as his lips trembled.

 

“DON’T TELL ME THE TWO OF YOU KISSED AS WELL?!” Tiffany was on the verge of breathing fire at this point.

 

“NO!!! WE DID NOT!!!” denied Taeng with wide open eyes.

 

“HOW WOULD I KNOW YOU AREN’T LYING?”

 

“I’M NOT LYING!!!”

 

“YOU !!! YOU WERE ENJOYING YOURSELF WITH SOME STUPID GIRL WHILE I RAN UP AND DOWN THE STREET LOOKING LIKE A MADWOMAN?!”

 

“I—” Taeng paused and softened his voice immediately as he quivered in front of Tiffany’s menacing stance. “I’m sorry… I’m really sorry… She said she loves me and my radio show and hugged me really tight when she found out that I am Taeng DJ…” Then he raised his voice all of a sudden. “BUT I TOLD HER THAT IT WAS WRONG!!! I TOLD HER THAT I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND!!! Then she asked me if it was okay to do a friendship hug and I told her that a friendship hug was okay.” He sounded increasingly deflated as he continued to explain himself.

 

Tiffany began to laugh. It turned out to be such an innocent encounter and the entire situation seemed so ludicrous that she could not stop laughing. Taeng stood by her as she clapped her hands together and threw her head back while laughing. Eventually, she came to a point where it hurt too much to laugh and stopped.

 

Feeling rather exhausted after the emotional rollercoaster ride, she leaned against Taeng and rested her cheek on his shoulder while her arms locked themselves around his waist. Taeng did not say a single word as she hugged him but his body relaxed after a while. She placed a palm on his chest and her fingers fiddled with his little nub rather mindlessly until she felt something down below. It was only then that she realized what she had been doing to him. She did not stop what she was doing, however. In fact, she lifted her other hand from his waist and used both hands on his nubs. She ducked her head and grinned when she felt him growing against her.

 

“Taetae…?” she whispered in his ear huskily.

 

“Y-Yes Fany?” he replied hoarsely.

 

“The breakfast you are cooking is totally ruined so let’s go out for breakfast instead. And the next time you go around hugging girls when I’m not around, I’m cooking you for breakfast.”

 

Upon saying that, Tiffany turned away from his flustered expression and hid her wide grin as she headed into the washroom to freshen up, leaving him behind in the kitchen to deal with his not-so-little tent and the burnt toast and eggs.

 

That’ll teach him not to hug random girls he meets!

 

~~~~~
 

Taeng and Tiffany were having their breakfast when his phone rang. It was Yul’s number but Taeng heard Jessica’s voice instead.

 

“Is Tif with you? I want to talk to her.”

 

“She’s next to me.” Taeng passed his phone to Tiffany and said, “It’s Jessica.”

 

Tiffany smiled and took the phone. Taeng looked at her curiously as she conversed with Jessica.

 

“Hey Jessi, what’s up?”

 

“…”

 

“Really? The battery must have been flat. And I haven’t even had the chance to look at my phone since last night … anyway, what did you want to tell me?”

 

“…”

 

“Really? That’s great!”

 

“…”

 

“I’m having breakfast with Taeng but you can join us here. I’ll text you the address.”

 

“…”

 

“Okay! I’ll see you in a while.” Tiffany smiled as she passed the phone back to Taeng. “Jessi and Yul are coming here to join us. Text them the address now.”

 

~~~~~
 

Jessica was all smiles when she entered the breakfast restaurant. Her hand was securely held by Yul and they sat down opposite Taeng and Tiffany.

 

“Welcome to Make It Big!” chirped Tiffany as soon as they sat down.

 

Jessica giggled. “I can’t believe I’m partner in a company with such a cheesy name. Couldn’t you come up with a better one?”

 

Tiffany scoffed at her. “Bet you don’t have any better ideas either.”

 

“I happen to think JT Public Relations sounds way better than Make It Big.”

 

“JT?”

 

“Jessica and Tiffany!”

 

“What about Taeng?”

 

“Taeng begins with a T too. He can share your T.” Jessica sniggered.

 

“And why does your name come first? My name should come first since I’m the one starting this company.”

 

“I’m older than you, Tif. That’s why.”

 

Tiffany rolled her eyes at Jessica. “You’re only older than me by a few months.”

 

“Still… you can’t deny it!”

 

“No, we’re not calling ourselves JT Public Relations. The name stays. I want us to make it big, whether it’s the company or event. There’s no better name for it.”

 

Jessica grinned and shrugged. “Whatever you say Tif. You’re the boss.”

 

“You’re darn right I am.”

 

And the girls giggled.

 

“Do you know why they’re giggling?” whispered Taeng to Yul who shrugged in response.

 

Jessica heard him and her giggles turned into laughter. She collapsed onto Yul’s shoulder and laughed to her heart’s content.

 

“Quit laughing at my boyfriend,” said Tiffany with a smile and a shake of her head.

 

“But he’s so funny.” Jessica shook with laughter.

 

“Since you’re officially joining us, we can work out your duties within the company,” said Tiffany with an evil smirk.

 

Jessica stopped laughing immediately and gave Tiffany a pleading look. “Not now,” she mouthed.

 

But to her horror, Tiffany turned to Yul and said, “Don’t worry, Yul. I’ll make sure Jessi works hard. I may be her best friend but I won’t give her any less to do.”

 

Jessica groaned inwardly as she saw Yul smiling and nodding.

 

“That’s good to hear,” said Yul.

 

Jessica, on the other hand, did not think that it was good to hear at all. She had bought into the company half hoping that she could get away with doing a little less work but she had forgotten that Tiffany could be the world’s worst slave driver if she wanted to. Just the thought of working hard made her cringe but she kept her smile plastered on her face.

 

“Oh yes. It’s really good to hear.” She glared at Tiffany who looked as though she was about to burst out into laughter.

 

~~~~~
 

“I’ll call you when I’m done.”

 

Jessica and Tiffany chorused as they waved goodbye to their boyfriends. They looked at each other and giggled. Once upon a time, they had said the exact same words at the exact same time but to different men. It was back in early days when they first became friends. They enjoyed going on double dates back then and sometimes, they would get rid of their boyfriends to have some girl talk. Just like today. The moment the men were gone, Tiffany turned to Jessica with her eyes narrowed into slits.

 

“Spill it girl. What is that power that Yul has over you to get you to agree to work?”

 

Jessica looked at Tiffany and giggled. She beckoned the raven-haired girl to lean forward. Then she whispered in her ear.

 

Tiffany gasped. “ARE YOU SERIOUS?”

 

“SHH!!! Not so loud!” whispered Jessica loudly.

 

“Oh, sorry.” Tiffany giggled. “You’re such a naughty girl. I can’t believe you have this kind of wishes. And there’s seven of them?!” She shook her head slowly and waggled her finger at Jessica. “You’re way too for your own good.”

 

Jessica shrugged nonchalantly. “There’s nothing wrong with dreaming about these things.”

 

“So, which ones did you guys do in San Fran?”

 

“Indigo sky and green meadow.”

 

“And indigo sky’s location…” Tiffany gasped again. “No way…”

 

Jessica smirked. ”Yes way.”

 

“Yul actually did it for you on the plane?” Tiffany’s eyes were wide open in surprise, shock and amazement.

 

“He didn’t just do it for me. He did it to me.”

 

“What was it like?” Tiffany leaned forward eagerly.

 

Jessica grinned like an idiot and said, “It was totally hot.”

 

“Details, details.”

 

“Well, he got angry with me for changing the seats without telling him but I think that only made it better. He was rougher, more aggressive and that made him so much hotter than usual. The shower was freaking small and cramped but you don’t need that much space when you’re… you know…”

 

“You lucky girl.”

 

“I can buy you and Taeng an A380 first class ticket for your next birthday.” Jessica winked at Tiffany conspiratorially and they giggled.

 

“I’ll hold you up to it when the time comes,” warned Tiffany.

 

Jessica grinned. “You can count on me.” Then her grin turned sly and she eyed Tiffany.

 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” asked Tiffany.

 

“Don’t act like you don’t know what you’re supposed to do. I’ve shared one of mine. It’s your turn to share one of yours.”

 

“Last night, Taeng went down on me and asked me if I want to marry him after I came,” said Tiffany matter-of-factly.

 

“WHAT??? ARE YOU SERIOUS???” Jessica was in deep shock.

 

“SHH!!!”

 

“Oh my gawd… did you say yes?”

 

“I said no.”

 

Jessica clamped her hands over in horror. “But… the two of you…”

 

Tiffany waved her hand in the air dismissively. “We’re good. There was some drama last night but we worked it out this morning and we’re good now.”

 

“But don’t you want to marry him?”

 

“I do.”

 

“But you said no.”

 

“I don’t want to marry him right now but he’s the one for me, Jessi. I want to marry him one day.”

 

Jessica was glad. She was glad that Tiffany had found someone whom she wanted to marry. She could still remember vividly how broken Tiffany was back then in the days with Siwon in the picture. It had not been easy but Tiffany made it out alive and even found another man whom she loved.

 

“I’m happy for you,” said Jessica as she held Tiffany’s hand in hers.

 

Tiffany smiled warmly and squeezed Jessica’s hand. “I’m happy for you too.

 

~~~~~
 

Jessica looked on as Tiffany talked to her client on her business phone.

 

“I appreciate it but you really don’t have to.”

 

“Tiffany ssi, you must come! It’s thanks to you that our amusement park is so successful today. All the events you have organized for us were big hits!”

 

“I’ll be glad to go.” Tiffany forced herself to accept the invite but she was really dreading it. She was afraid to go but it looked like she did not have much of a choice. Offending a loyal client was not an option. She had to go but she definitely was not going alone. “But can I bring some friends with me?”

 

“Of course! You’re more than welcome to bring your friends with you. Let me know how many tickets you need and I will courier them to your new office.”

 

“I shall thank you for them in advance then.”

 

“Great! I look forward to seeing you there!”

 

Tiffany heaved a sigh as she ended the call and put her phone back in her bag.

 

“Sorry about that Jessi. Duty calls.”

 

“Don’t worry about it. Besides, your business is my business now.” Jessica grinned. “What was that about anyway? Who are your friends and where are you bringing them to?”

 

“You are my friend and you going to the event with me.”

 

“What?”

 

“Think of it as networking, Jessi. Now that you’re part of the team, you need to meet our clients and get to know them well.”

 

“I have to start work already?!” Jessica looked horrified.

 

Tiffany grinned and nodded. “You’ve officially begun, Jessi.”

 

“No…” groaned Jessica dismally.

 

Tiffany smiled and shook her head at her best friend. It was going to be an uphill task to turn Jessica into a real worker but she was confident that once the older girl set her mind to do it, she would do well. Then it struck her that she could invite Yoong and Sunny too. It would be a good chance to get Sunny to talk to Yoong if she had not done so yet.

 

“You can bring Yul along if you want.”

 

Tiffany watched in amusement as Jessica perked up at once.

 

“Really? What is this thing that we’re going to anyway.”

 

“It’s Halloween night at my client’s amusement park. There’s going to be haunted houses and scary trails and all that.”

 

“No way. I’m not going.” Jessica shook her head vigorously. “Over my priceless untouchable body.”

 

“I’m scared too, that’s why I’m asking you to bring Yul with you to hug and hold on to when you’re scared.”

 

“Mmm… hugging Yul… maybe…”

 

Tiffany shook her head at the lusty glint in Jessica’s eyes. What was it about Yul that Jessica loved so much?! She knew that Jessica had always had a thing for good looks in men but this was bordering on some kind of addiction. She giggled at the thought.

 

“What are you giggling about?” Jessica eyed her suspiciously.

 

“You. You and your addiction to getting your hands on Yul.”

 

“What addiction? He’s my fiancé. We’re in love. Isn’t it totally natural to want to touch him? Besides, you haven’t seen his abs. Oh my gawd. And his body… I love his tanned skin… mmm…”

 

Tiffany laughed at Jessica’s dreamy look and decided that her best friend had officially lost her mind, heart and soul to Yul.

 

~~~~~
 

Time flew by and before anyone knew it, Halloween had come.

 

The three couples gathered at the amusement park as agreed upon. Taeng and Tiffany were the earliest, since Tiffany had to meet her client for a business chat in his office prior to the event. He was an important client to her. She had been working with him and his marketing department for the past couple of years and his was among the biggest events that she ever organized. He was a big fish and she was fishing. By the time she walked out of the office, she had him, hook, line and sinker, and an agreement to maintain their working relationship. She was pleased by the results of the chat, to say the least. She also managed to introduce Taeng and Jessica to him. Taeng was his usual polite self and Jessica was her usual charming self and he seemed to like them too. It was all good.

 

Yoong and Sunny turned up on time. Tiffany knew that Yoong was antsy because she had refused to tell him what the matter was with Sunny when she called him to invite him to the event. All she had said was, “We’ll talk after. I’ll find a way to get rid of the rest of them and we’ll talk.” Now, as she looked at Yoong and Sunny, she thought that Sunny looked deceptively normal. No one would have suspected that she had undergone any traumatic experience of any sort so recently. However, she knew better. Yoong had told her about Sunny’s reaction to his intimate advances and her heart twisted painfully as she listened. That knowledge made her even more determined to help Sunny out. Sunny had to talk. Or she was telling.

 

~~~~~
 

The gates of the attraction opened and the couples entered together via the VIP entrance with the guide assigned to them by Tiffany’s client. Jessica was already clinging on to Yul’s arm as though her life depended on it. Tiffany would have laughed at her best friend if not for the fear that was seeping into her veins slowly but surely as they walked towards the first horror zone.

 

The amusement park had put in place a few different zones within the park. The open walkway had been meticulously decorated with horror themed decorations and each zone had its own theme. Eerie tunes and random screams were amplified throughout the park, making the park’s visitors feel as though they were right in the middle of a horror movie. Actors donning horrifying make up and costumes were stations all along the walkway. Some were wandering around, frightening people, while some were stationed at a spot with props to act with.

 

Jessica was the first to scream. A bloody, gory ‘doll’ had walked up to her and stuck its face in hers. It was hard to tell who was more scared, Jessica or the ‘doll’ actor for her high pitched, shrill, dolphin-like scream pierced the ears of everyone around her and made them clamp their hands on her ears. It did not help that her natural reaction to shock was to kick the object that was scaring her and so Tiffany did not know whether to laugh or scream when she saw the ‘doll’ making a hasty getaway after being kicked in the shin, and deafened by Jessica. For a split second, she sincerely pitied the scare actors who had the misfortune to get close enough to Jessica. She wished them luck.

 

However, her thoughts were rudely interrupted by another horrifyingly deformed ‘doll’ that had walked towards her. She screamed and hid behind Taeng who simply put his hand out and stopped the ‘doll’ from coming any nearer to Tiffany. She felt his arm slipping around her waist, pulling her close to him. Then she heard him saying, “It’s okay, Fany ah. He’s gone. You can open your eyes now.”

 

With her heard beating significantly faster than before, she opened her eyes and saw Taeng’s calm expression in her face. She felt calmer then and managed a tiny smile. “I’m scared,” she whispered.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. I’m not afraid of these things.”

 

Tiffany smiled a little wider and nodded her head. She looked at Sunny and was surprised to see that she was not cowering behind Yoong. In fact, she looked rather calm and composed. She had her hand in Yoong’s and they were looking at some of the gruesome looking props that were on display. Her admiration for Sunny shot up a notch. How could that girl stay so calm in this place?!

 

Soon, they arrived at one of the haunted houses. There was a long snaking line of visitors, eager to get in to be frightened out of their wits but their guide brought them down the VIP line and bypassed everybody else. The guide stopped at the entrance and turned to them.

 

“You can enter now. I’ll see you at the exit.”

 

They stood at the entrance, feeling hesitant to enter, until Sunny and Yoong said, “Let’s go.”

 

Tiffany should only shrug when Jessica turned around and asked her, “Is Sunny for real? Why isn’t she scared at all?”

 

“I don’t know. She’s pretty tough although she doesn’t look the part. I’m surprised myself,” she replied.

 

And in they went.

 

~~~~~
 

Tiffany was certain that she was deaf after entering the haunted house with Jessica behind her. That girl’s shrill, dolphin-like screams were no joke. And with the constant shocks and frights they were subjected to while walking through the haunted house, it was a wonder that Jessica had not lost her voice from screaming too much. In contrast, Sunny had screamed a lot lesser than Jessica and herself. She was by far the calmest girl in the group and Yoong did not have to stop to calm her down as many times as Yul had to. And as she had predicted at the beginning, Jessica kicked at everything that frightened her. Props that moved suddenly, hands that shot out from nowhere to grab her ankles, scare actors who pretended to be zombies and mummies, basically anything and everything was treated to a classic violent kick from Jessica. One particular actor who popped out from a table had the misfortune to be severely wacked on the head by Jessica and it was so painful that he slipped out of character and clutched his head, groaning in pain.

 

As for herself, she was really glad to have Taeng by her side. He was so calm and composed during the entire walk through the house, making her feel much safer and calmer than she would have been had she been by herself. She had screamed a fair bit but each time she was scared, he would hug her tightly and whisper comforting words in her ear.

 

However, the night was far from over, as far as she was concerned. She had a mission to accomplish after the trip to the amusement park. It was time to get rid of the others.

 

~~~~~

 

Jessica and Yul left hand in hand after they exited the amusement park.

 

“We have to go now. Thanks for inviting us to this. It was really fun,” said Yul with a wicked smile.

 

Tiffany giggled. Yul had been thoroughly amused by Jessica’s fear. And with all the hugging and caressing going on between the two, she had no doubt that Jessica was in for a good time as soon as they got home. Turning to Yoong and Sunny, she smiled widely and said, “Let’s go somewhere for supper, shall we?”

 

~~~~~

 

With the last bit of chitterlings disappearing, Tiffany needed to get rid of Taeng as well, so she sent him a text message.

 

Boss 22:45

I have to discuss that incident with Yoong and Sunny. Would you be a dear and make up some excuse to leave?

 

Tiffany looked at Taeng as his eyes met hers, surprised. She subtly mouthed, “Now.”

 

Immediately, Taeng cleared his throat and said, “May I be excused? I need to get home to tuck my peas into bed.”

 

Tiffany giggled and said, “Go ahead, Taetae. Tell your peas I said ‘I love you’.”

 

“Why don’t we all go home? It’s getting late,” said Sunny.

 

Tiffany shook her head and smiled. “I have some details to discuss with you and Yoong regarding the resort.” She then turned to Taeng and said, “Goodnight, Taetae.”

 

“Goodnight everyone.” And with that, Taeng left.

 

Tiffany turned to Sunny and looked at her kindly.

 

“Sunny, how have you been lately?”

 

“I’ve been busy.”

 

“Sunny, I guess there’s no way of putting this across easily, but if you aren’t going to tell him, I will.”

 

Tiffany steeled her will as Sunny’s panicked eyes made her flinch inwardly. As painful as it was going to be, Sunny had to talk.

 

“Tiffany… please… don’t.” Sunny’s eyes had already welled up with tears and her lips which were usually luscious and pouty, were pressed into a thin line.

 

“Sunny… will you please tell me what happened to you? It really hurts to see you like this,” Yoong spoke at last, with the look of pain plainly visible on his face. “It’s been killing me, not knowing what’s wrong and you, refusing to say a word.”

 

“You won’t want me anymore if you knew.” Sunny’s lips trembled and her hands shook. “You are going to get so angry with me and get yourself into trouble.”

 

Tiffany’s heart went out to Sunny in that instant. Seeing her crying and trembling was so heart wrenching but she had to do this. It would not do to run from it. She held Sunny’s hands firmly and squeezed them to comfort her.

 

“Sunny, I’ll be here for you, no matter what. Don’t be afraid. Tell him.”

 

“Sunny, I promise that I won’t get mad at you. I promise. And I will always love you, no matter what happens. I promise.”

 

Sunny looked from Tiffany to Yoong and back to Tiffany. Tiffany smiled warmly and nodded. “Go on… tell him…”

 

And at last, Tiffany felt a heavy load roll off her shoulders when Sunny sniffed and said in a trembling voice, “J-Joongki t-tried t-to r-r m-me.”

 

The petite girl bowed her head low and sniffed even harder after confessing while Tiffany grabbed Yoong’s hand put it on Sunny’s trembling ones. She saw his eyes widen in shock, horror and disbelief. She saw the myriad of emotions that was, no doubt, wreaking havoc inside him. She saw rage flickering in his eyes and patted his hand to comfort him.

 

“Yoong, you need to stay calm for Sunny. She needs your love right now.”

 

She watched as Yoong closed his eyes and breathed deeply and jerkily. It was almost a whole minute before he opened his eyes again but the rage was gone. In place of it, were tears, much to Tiffany’s surprise and she knew that it was time for her to leave. She stood up and smiled at Yoong.

 

“Take care of Sunny. She needs you very badly.”

 

And with that, she left.

 

~~~~~
 

Tiffany stepped out of the restaurant and was surprised to see Taeng waiting for her by her car.

 

“Why haven’t you gone home?”

 

“I was waiting for you.”

 

“But I didn’t ask you to wait for me. I wasn’t sure how long it was going to take.”

 

“I don’t mind waiting for you. Is Sunny okay?”

 

“She will be.”

 

“Do you want to go home now?”

 

“Yes, I’m tired.”

 

“I’ll drive you home.”

 

Tiffany smiled gratefully at Taeng and passed him the car keys. He opened the passenger door for her and waited for her to get in before closing the door for her. Then he went round to the driver’s seat and started up the car. She smiled as she looked at him, thinking about how wonderful he had been all night. As fearless as he had been in the haunted house, she knew that there were moments when he had been frightened as well, but he held on and stayed calm for her. She was touched by how devoted he was to her. And in thinking that, she leaned towards him and pressed her lips against his cheek. He looked at her in surprise, as his hand automatically touched the spot she kissed. She then smiled and said, “Thank you for protecting me all night, Taetae.”

 

Taeng grinned shyly. “That’s what a man should do for his girlfriend.”

 

She giggled and nodded. “You’re the man. You’re my man.”

 

His grin grew wider, making her giggle even more and off they went, heading back home happily.

 

~~~~~
 

Still inside the restaurant, were Yoong and Sunny. Sunny was sniffling and Yoong was trying his best not to cry. He was not going to cry.

 

“Bunny, let’s go back to the car.”

 

Sunny nodded and stood up with Yoong. He kept his hand at the small of her back, guiding her back to his car. Once they were inside, silence overwhelmed them. Sunny had stopped sniffling and Yoong did not know what to say. He was afraid to speak.

 

It was a long time before Yoong found the courage to speak.

 

“Was it at that dinner?” he asked softly.

 

“Yes.” Sunny’s answer was a near whisper; it was so soft.

 

Upon hearing her answer, Yoong clenched his teeth and fists so hard that they hurt. He regretted not following her there. How could he have let this happen to her? She was his girlfriend. He was supposed to keep her safe from harm. But he had obviously failed to do so. He felt her soft hands on his clenched fists and looked into her eyes.

 

“Please don’t be mad at me…” Sunny’s eyes brimmed with tears again and his heart thumped painfully at the sight.

 

“Bunny, I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at myself for failing to protect you. It’s my fault. I knew that he was nothing but trouble, yet I allowed you to see him by yourself. I have failed to protect you.”

 

Tears began to fall from Yoong’s eyes. He closed them and turned away, ashamed to be crying in front of the woman he was supposed to be comforting. Then he felt her hands cupping his cheeks and her thumbs wiping his tears away. For reasons he could not explain, Sunny’s gentle touch dissolved his restraint and his tears gushed out like there was no tomorrow. He threw his arms around her and cried on her shoulder like a baby.

 

“I-I s-should n-n-n-never have let y-y-you go a-a-alone!” wailed Yoong.

 

“It’s not your fault.” Yoong heard Sunny’s voice by his ear as her hands patted his back gently.

 

“NO! It’s my fault! It’s my fault!”

 

“Yoongie…” Sunny patted his head. “Don’t cry…”

 

“OH MY GAWD WHY AM I CRYING?!” Yoong was appalled by himself. He sniffed and wiped away his tears quickly. “I can’t believe I cried. Oh my gawd, what am I doing?!”

 

Sunny giggled all of a sudden. Her giggle turned into more giggles and she ended up laughing loudly with her hands clutching her stomach.

 

“Why are you laughing?” Yoong was clueless.

 

“Y-You… are so… f-funny…” laughed Sunny.

 

“Funny? I don’t think that there’s anything funny happening here.” Yoong frowned as he wiped the last traces of tears from his face. He clenched his jaws and took a deep breath. “Sunny, we have to report him to the police.”

 

Sunny looked at him in alarm. “No! No, no, no… please… no.”

 

“How can we let him get away scot-free after… after…” Yoong swallowed hard. He could not say the words.

 

Sunny shook her head violently. “Please… don’t make me do that. Please…”

 

Yoong sighed. He did not want to agitate Sunny any further. “Alright, I won’t force you. But tell me… where were you when… he…” he could not complete the question.

 

“We were in his home.”

 

“How did you end up going to his home?”

 

“He told me that dinner was to be at his home.”

 

Yoong remained silent. He did not want to scold Sunny for agreeing to Joongki’s choice of location. He did not want her to feel any worse than she was already feeling.

 

“What… did… he do… to you?” he asked with great difficulty.

 

“He tried to kiss me but I kneed him in the groin and ran away. The problem was that I ended up running into a room and that’s where… he…” Sunny swallowed hard and fell silent.

 

“He…?” Yoong asked gently. He had to know the details. He just had to. Even if it hurt as bad as the time he fell off a tree and broke his arm.

 

Sunny took a deep breath before continuing. “He managed to open the door. I tried to run away but… but… he caught m-me and… threw me on the… bed…”

 

“And…?” Yoong could hardly breathe but he forced himself to stay calm.

 

Sunny squeezed her eyes shut tightly and bowed her head. “He ripped my blouse open.”

 

Yoong slammed his fist against the dashboard angrily, making Sunny look up in alarm.

 

“Yoong…” her worried eyes and voice made him suppress his emotions.

 

“Go on… what did he do next?” Yoong struggled to stay calm.

 

“He g-d my… b-b-r-e—” Sunny had begun to tremble again so Yoong held her close and rubbed her back to comfort her.

 

“Did he do anything else?” He sincerely hoped that Joongki did not get any further than that. He could not bear the thought of Sunny being violated any more than that.

 

Sunny shook her head. “A lady screamed. I think she’s his sister. He told me that he lives with his sister. She screamed and fainted. So I ran away. Tiffany and Taeng were outside when I ran out. They saved me from him.”

 

“Tiffany and Taeng? How did they know?”

 

“I managed to call Tiffany before he opened the door.”

 

“Why didn’t you call me?” Yoong felt hurt that he was not the first person she had thought of calling.

 

“You were the first person I thought of… but… I was afraid of your reaction… so I tried calling other people but only Tiffany answered.”

 

“You were afraid of my reaction...am I that unreliable to you?” Yoong was feeling more and more hurt with every answer Sunny gave him.

 

“We had just made up after that big fight… I didn’t want you to be angry again… I’m sorry… Yoongie… please understand…” pleaded Sunny.

 

Yoong sighed deeply. “I want to be the one you rely on when you’re in trouble, Sunny. Like how you clung on to my arm in the haunted house. I want you to run to me when you’re scared. I’m your boyfriend and perhaps, one day, your husband, and I can’t be that person you hide things from.”

 

Sunny looked at him sadly. “I’m sorry… I just didn’t want you to be angry… I wanted us to be good again…”

 

“You do realize that by hiding things from me, you’ve actually made it much worse? I was so worried that night when you rejected me in bed. I had no idea what had happened to you. I even called Hyoyeon but she asked me to call Tiffany and Tiffany’s phone wasn’t answered so I went nuts that night. I was so sick with worry that I couldn’t sleep at all. Do you know that?”

 

“I’m sorry…” Sunny’s voice was becoming smaller and smaller.

 

Yoong stopped himself. What was he doing, chiding Sunny like that? She was the victim. He should be comforting her, not making her feel worse! He planted his lips on her forehead tenderly and held her in his arms.

 

“I love you,” Yoong murmured.

 

Sunny began to sob again and Yoong felt flustered.

 

“Why are you crying again? Did I do something wrong?”

 

Sunny shook her head. “N-No… I just feel so sorry for everything that has happened. It’s all my fault that this happened.”

 

Yoong held her arms and gazed steadily into her teary eyes. “Listen to me. It’s not your fault. Joongki is the lowest piece of crap and what he did to you is not your fault.”

 

“But I flirted with him… I led him on…” said Sunny miserably.

 

Yoong scoffed. “He’s a freaking player. He can handle flirting and leading. I can’t believe he has the gall to do such a thing. Sunny, it’s not your fault. You hear me?”

 

Sunny looked into Yoong’s eyes and nodded.

 

“Good. Now, repeat after me. It’s not my fault.”

 

“It’s not my fault.”

 

“Good girl.”

 

Yoong smiled lovingly at Sunny and kissed her forehead again.

 

“Now, let’s go home, shall we?”

 

Sunny nodded and smiled.

 

~~~~~
 

Yoong stepped into Sunny’s apartment without asking her for permission. She turned to him with a questioning look.

 

“Now that I know what happened to you, I’m not leaving you alone at night. I’m staying here to take care of you.”

 

“But… I feel more nervous with you around in here. I’m sorry but I’m reminded of… it.”

 

“All the more you need to fight it then. You can’t be afraid of me forever, right? Don’t you miss making out with me? Don’t you miss the feeling of my lips on your body?”

 

“Yoong!!!” squealed Sunny and she smacked his arm hard.

 

“I’m just kidding.” Yoong grinned impishly. “But I’m serious about you fighting that fear. I want my naughty bunny back.”

 

“But… but what if I’m scared forever… will you leave me?” Sunny looked anxious suddenly.

 

Yoong wrapped his arms around her, perfectly aware of her tensing up and said, “I’m not leaving. You won’t be scared forever. You will be back to your naughty bunny self, naughtier and cheekier than ever. And trust me. You’re going to be practically begging me to make love to you once you get over it.”

 

Sunny giggled. “Don’t be too sure. It might be the other way round.”

 

Yoong grinned. “Oh… I’m sure you are going to be the one doing the begging but right now, let’s get you ready for bed. You are going to take a long, hot shower while I make you a warm glass of milk.”

 

Sunny smiled at Yoong before entering the bathroom and that was the sunniest smile he had seen on her since that night.

 

~~~~~
 

Yul was feeling it. After having Jessica climb all over him in the haunted house all night, it was quite impossible not to feel it. He drove her back to his apartment instead of her home and she was none the wiser for she was fast asleep.

 

“Why are we at your place?” she asked in surprise after Yul woke her up.

 

“I called your home and told them that you’ll be sleeping over at my place tonight.”

 

“Okay, but why?”

 

“Because you were all over me all night and now it’s my turn.” Yul shot her a smouldering gaze as he answered.

 

Jessica sat frozen on her car seat, looking completely stunned as Yul got out of his car and opened the door for her. He held her hand and helped her out before locking his car. He noticed that she kept stealing glances at him while they were in the elevator and once they were in the privacy of his apartment, he asked her about it.

 

“Why were you sneaking peeks at me in the elevator?”

 

Jessica blushed and bit her lip.

 

“Hmm?” Yul looked at her steadily, waiting patiently for her answer.

 

“That’s the first time you’ve ever asked for it…” Jessica smiled shyly at Yul. “And you looked so hot when you said that it’s your turn.”

 

Yul grinned. “I didn’t realize that asking you for it would make you this happy.”

 

“That’s because you’ve never initiated it. Well, at least not under normal circumstances.”

 

“And have you ever thought about why I’ve never initiated it between us?”

 

Jessica shook her head.

 

“It’s because you always beat me to it.” Yul grinned cheekily.

 

“Yul! You’re making me sound like I’m desperate to get you in bed,” whined Jessica.

 

Yul cocked an eyebrow and grinned lopsidedly. “Aren’t you?”

 

“No! I’m not!” Jessica huffed and folded her arms.

 

“Don’t lie.”

 

“I’m not lying. I’m not desperate. I just like your body a lot, that’s all.” Jessica pouted.

 

Yul laughed out loud at her frank answer and cute pout. It was really too much to bear.

 

“Which part of my body is the one you like the most?” he asked with a cheeky grin as he continued to .

 

Jessica turned red and pointed at him quickly. Yul grinned wider than ever. Shy Jessica was fun to tease. He pushed her backwards gently and backed her up against a wall. He then stood close to her and caged her between his arms.

 

“You pointed too quickly so I didn’t get to see where you pointed to. Why don’t you touch your favourite part of me instead? That way, I can be sure.”

 

Jessica bit her lip and placed her hand on his abs. Yul was amused and decided to see how far he could go with this so he held her hand and moved it to his chest.

 

“Are you sure this isn’t your favourite part?”

 

“I like it too… but… your chocolate abs…” Jessica looked down shyly and smiled.

 

Yul then moved her hand behind him and down south.

 

“What about my ? Don’t you like it?” he asked huskily.

 

“Your gets third place on my list,” quipped Jessica who was beginning to catch on to the game.

 

“Oh? Care to enlighten me about the second place part then?”

 

Jessica grinned salaciously and raised her leg ever so slightly, just enough to give him a nudge. “Second place.”

 

“Hmm… he isn’t too happy about being in second place. I think he’s jealous of my abs now.”

 

Jessica giggled.

 

“Is there anything he can do to rise up to the top?” continued Yul in a serious manner.

 

Jessica bit her lip but it was no good. She began to laugh. Hard. She leaned on Yul’s chest and laughed to her heart’s content but when she finally stopped, Yul was pouting.

 

“You have seriously hurt his feelings by laughing, Sica. And do you know what happens when he’s feeling down?”

 

Jessica shook her head.

 

“You have to cheer him up.”

 

Jessica flashed a come-hither look and bit on her finger seductively. Then she dragged her finger over his chest, abs and stopped at his belt buckle. It came undone within seconds, with her deft fingers working on it and before he knew what had happened, his pants were halfway down his legs. As he kicked his pants off, the warmth of her hand engulfed him and he moaned pleasurably. The feeling of her hand on him was absolutely mind blowing, even though he was still wearing his boxers.

 

“Are you sure he needs to be cheered up? He seems to be in a pretty good mood, Yul.”

 

Yul felt the heat rising fast and he could not wait to get into bed with her. He growled, bent down and swept her into his arms, bridal style. Then he walked into his bedroom and laid her on his bed before pulling his shirt off and lying on top of her.

 

“Raise your hands,” he whispered in her ear.

 

He felt her body shiver as he pulled her top over her head and grinned.

 

“Now it’s time to show you how excited you’ve made him become.”

 

Jessica averted her eyes from his but he held her chin and made her keep her eyes on him as he fumbled with her jeans and tugged it down. He released her chin to pull her jeans off with two hands and was amused to see that she had averted her eyes again.

 

“Why so shy, hmm?”

 

Jessica blushed and Yul chuckled. A pink Jessica in bed was even more alluring and he was not sure if she knew of the effect her blush had on him. He got rid of his boxers quickly and moaned when he inadvertently brushed against her thigh. Every little touch sent a sensation zipping through his veins so fast that it jolted him to the core.

 

“Are you ready?” He looked lovingly into her eyes and swept her fringe out of them gently.

 

She nodded ever so slightly but her answer was crystal clear to him.

 

“Let’s start from the top,” murmured Yul as he lowered his lips onto her seductively parted lips.

 

And that was the last coherent sentence uttered in the room that night.

 

~~~~~
 

“Fany, can I stay with you tonight?” Taeng asked hopefully when they got to Tiffany’s apartment.

 

“But you don’t have your peas with you.”

 

Taeng’s eyes widened momentarily. Then he frowned and said, “But I really want to stay with you tonight.”

 

“Even without your peas?”

 

He nodded firmly. “Even without my peas.”

 

“Oh Taetae, I know that you want to become a man whom I want to marry and all that but I like you just the way you are. You don’t have to change anything. And I really like your peas too. You don’t have to abandon them for me.”

 

“It’s not about that.” Taeng cleared his throat uncomfortably.

 

“Hmm? Then what is it about?”

 

“I…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I just want to sleep with you tonight.” Taeng squeezed his eyes shut and hoped for the best.

 

His spirits lifted when he heard her giggles. He stood a chance!

 

“My dear Taetae, are you actually asking me for tonight?” Tiffany had her hand over and her eyes were twinkling like the stars up in the sky.

 

Taeng’s eyes widened at the thought of having with Tiffany. He had not thought that far ahead.

 

“No, no, no! I’m only asking to sleep with you… but… if you would like to have before we sleep… I can oblige,” Taeng said with a shy smile.

 

“Hmm… why do you want to sleep with me so badly?”

 

“I…”

 

“You…?”

 

“I want to wake up beside you.”

 

“What about your peas? I think your peas are going to feel hurt, Taetae,” Tiffany playfully.

 

Taeng shook his head vigorously. “My peas agree with me. I asked them and they chose you too.”

 

Tiffany giggled. “They chose me? What did you ask your peas?”

 

“I asked them who they thought I should sleep with.”

 

“And they chose me?”

 

Taeng nodded happily.

 

“And what choices did they have?”

 

“It was you or them.”

 

Tiffany grinned from ear to ear and Taeng could see her pearly whites. He thought that she had the most beautiful teeth in the word.

 

“You have beautiful teeth, Fany ah. They’re so white, and so neat.”

 

“Taetae… oh my goodness… what are I going to do with you?”

 

“Sleep with me? Please?” asked Taeng most hopefully.

 

He had been thinking about it ever since the night he found her sleeping outside his apartment. He had carried her in and laid her on his bed before going back to his living room to figure things out on the couch. What he had not told Tiffany the morning after was that he had returned to her subsequently to check on her and he could not tear his eyes away from her after that. Her beauty had mesmerized him as usual. Her flawless skin, beautiful features and lovely raven-black hair painted a beautiful picture of a beautiful woman and he could not look away. He sat by the bed and watched her as she slept and eventually fell asleep as well.

 

When he woke up in the morning, the first thing he saw was Tiffany’s peaceful, serene face and he swooned again. It was the very first time he had woken up with her sleeping beside him and from that moment on, he could not stop thinking about sleeping with her. He wanted to sleep with her because he wanted her to be the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes in the morning. He did not know why, but he simply could not get the thought out of his head. Even his peas had agreed with him!

 

Now, all he could do was hope. Hope that Tiffany would let him sleep with her. He wanted to wake up beside her in the morning. It was the greatest feeling in the world and he liked it very much.

 

“I guess… I’ll be sleeping with you tonight then.” Tiffany’s smile was warm and inviting and Taeng was elated.

 

“HURRAY!!!” he cheered.

 

He felt so happy that he wrapped his arms around Tiffany, lifted her and spun her around, making her squeal in surprise.

 

~~~~~
 

Hyoyeon was not happy. It was Halloween and Hyun was busy working. Working! On Halloween night! And all she could do was sigh. Sunny was out with Yoong, Nicole was out with the other dancers and she was alone at home. The entire world was out scaring and being scared but she was alone at home. And it was all because Hyun had cancelled their date at the very last minute. To be more precise, he had cancelled their date exactly a minute ago, leaving her feeling very disappointed. He had apologised profusely but it did not change the fact that she was alone at home on a night when she was supposed to be in the thick of the celebrations. They had planned to join the Halloween party at Seventh Heaven and she was already in her costume, made up and ready to go but the plan was dashed now.

 

Just then, the doorbell rang. She got off her couch and trudged to the door dejectedly. She opened it and was frightened out of her wits when the scariest, bloodiest face popped out and roared at her. She screamed, stumbled backwards and fell onto the floor. And that was when she heard a concerned voice asking her if she was alright.

 

“Hyoyeonie! Are you okay?” said the horrendous looking face.

 

Hyoyeon recognized the voice immediately and slapped the monster’s arm as hard as she could.

 

“Hyun! You scared me!”

 

“YAY! I pranked you! YAY!” cheered Hyun before he groaned and rubbed the spot that Hyoyeon slapped. “Oww… it hurts, Hyoyeonie.”

 

Hyoyeon waggled her finger and shook her head. “No, it doesn’t count as a prank.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“It’s Halloween, not April Fools’.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Scaring people with costumes on Halloween is a tradition. It’s not a prank.”

 

“I didn’t know that there’s such a rule…”

 

“Uh huh. Pranking isn’t as easy as you think. There’s a protocol to follow, Hyun.”

 

Hyun scratched his head and looked deflated and Hyoyeon bit her tongue to keep from laughing at his naivety.

 

“Better luck next time, Hyun. It doesn’t count this time so you haven’t successfully pranked me yet.”

 

“But it took me so long to think of this…” Hyun whined dolefully.

 

“Too bad… but you can always try again.” Hyoyeon allowed herself a tiny grin as she shifted herself beside him to pat his back.

 

Hyun emitted a huge sigh slumped his shoulders. “I guess so…”

 

“Don’t be sad, Hyun. Cheer up,” said Hyoyeon. “We’ve got a party to go to.”

 

~~~~~
 

Hyoyeon and Hyun arrived at Seventh Heaven in their impressive Halloween outfits. Hyoyeon was decked out as a zombified Rapunzel and Hyun looked very scary in his hideous bloody Two-Face costume. They entered the dance floor after Hyoyeon managed to convince Hyun to go with her.

 

“I don’t know what to do on the dance floor!” he protested, but she refused to take no for an answer.

 

“Don’t worry. You’re with the best dancer in this place. You just have to shake your body to the beat and I’ll do the rest.”

 

Hyoyeon took his hand in hers and led him onto the dance floor, ignoring his little attempts to pull back. She found a nice spot on the dance floor and stopped. She pulled Hyun close to her and started to move her hips. Hyun stood stiffly, acting more like Frankenstein than anything and Hyoyeon could not resist laughing at his discomfort.

 

“Hyun!” a voice rang out from the side of the dance floor and both Hyun and Hyoyeon looked to see who it was.

 

A tall, lanky vampire walked towards them with a creepy grin. “What a surprise to see you on the dance floor! It must be Hyoyeon who got you to come, am I right?”

 

“Hyung? Is that you? And how did you know that it’s me?” asked Hyun uncertainly.

 

“Of course it’s me. Who else could it be? And who else but you would use a goguma cover for your phone?” Young chuckled and pointed to the phone that was in Hyun’s hand. “Hi Hyoyeon! How are things between the two of you? Is Hyun treating you right?”

 

“He’s really nice to me,” Hyoyeon said a little shyly. “And who is this pretty vampiress beside you?”

 

“Let me introduce you to Krystal. She’s a good friend of mine.”

 

“Girlfriend?” asked Hyoyeon cheekily.

 

Young smiled charmingly and shook his head. “No, we aren’t together like that. She’s really just a good friend. And she’s Jessica’s younger sis.”

 

“Jessica has a sister?” Hyun frowned. He did not remember hearing anything about Jessica having a sister before.

 

“She came back from America not so long ago. Not many people know about her and she prefers it that way.”

 

“I see.” Hyun smiled and offered his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Krystal.”

 

Krystal smiled and shook his hand politely before shaking Hyoyeon’s too.

 

“Are you all friends of my sister?” she asked curiously.

 

“We’re more like acquaintances actually,” replied Hyoyeon honestly.

 

“Hey, we’ll leave you two alone to have a good time. I want to say hi to some other people.” Young pointed to the other side of the club.

 

“See you, hyung!” said Hyun with a smile as Hyoyeon waved goodbye to them.

 

Hyoyeon turned to Hyun as soon as Young and Krystal left the dance floor. “Do you think they’re together?”

 

Hyun shook his head and said firmly, “No.”

 

“How can you be so sure?”

 

“Hyung has no reason to lie about such things. He has no qualms admitting that he’s with someone so he wouldn’t lie about it.”

 

“Oh. Well. They looked pretty close.”

 

“That’s true. But maybe it’s because it’s crowded here and she’s staying close to him so that she won’t get lost.”

 

To which Hyoyeon suddenly wrapped her arms around Hyun and hugged him close to her, causing him to stiffen like Frankenstein again. She laughed inwardly at his stunned expression and said, “I’m afraid of getting lost too!”

~~~~~