A/N

Hi guys, sorry for the late update. I've been busy with college stuffs. Guess my april joke backfired, huh? lol.

Anyway, here's a very lonnnggggg chapter. Read at your own risk.

Tiffany had done packing up her things for 3 times in her whole life. Once, when she was leaving the house she grew up in, second time when she was leaving the house she grew to love, and now, she was all packed up again, bringing everything that she has, leaving the house that held nothing more for her but memories and sad memoirs.

She felt her tears wetting her cheeks, but she did nothing to stop them. She just felt so clueless right now as to where she was supposed to go or do. A hand came into the picture and helped her wiped them out.

“Don’t cry, okay? I hate to see you cry.” Taeng’s voice was soft and soothed her aching heart. He proceeded to the bags that were on the floor and picked it up. “We have to get going now.”

Tiffany nodded but her feet were not moving from the spot she stood at.

Taeng stared at the dumbfounded girl and felt his heart hurt seeing her like that. He knows how much this house meant to her, but he didn’t want her to stay here any longer. He didn’t want to be apart from her ever again. That he was selfish for her.

Huihoon walked in and saw the two people who were just standing still in the room. “Hyung, Noona?”

Taeng walked over to the boy and gave him the last bags for him to take to the car. “Get the engine running, we’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Huihoon nodded and went down the stairs with Tiffany’s luggage, putting them in Taeng’s car and starting the engine like Taeng has told him to do.

Taeng walked towards Tiffany and touched her arm, gently. “What’s wrong, Fany-ah?”

She gulped her tears back.

“Do you want to wait for your father?”

She shook her head.

“What are you thinking of?”

Tiffany breathed out and raised her head to look at Taeng. “I’m scared.”

“What are you scared of?”

Taeng has to wait for a couple of seconds before she began to speak again.

“I don’t have a home anymore.” She confessed. “I don’t have anywhere to go home to now.”

Taeng was surprised at the girl’s thoughts. “Oh, Fany.” He wrapped his arms around her and her back.

“I’m really scared, Taeng. I got no home. I’m just a homeless girl now.”

“You’re not, Fany-ah. You can stay at my house.”

“It’s not the same Taeng, it’s just…” She sighed. “The thought of having no home anymore scares me.”

They grew quiet then, with many thoughts in their mind. He waited until he felt Tiffany relaxed into his embrace before he begin speaking.

“You want to know a secret?”

“W-what?” She sniffed as she had been crying silently in his arms.

“I was scared too.”

“Scared of what?”

“That my heart was never going to be whole again.”

“Hurmm?” She blinked.

“Someone stole a part of my heart, and went far away with it.”

Tiffany  stared at his eyes, as he fully has her attention now.

“I was so scared that she wouldn’t return it back to me, ever.” He explained. “You wouldn’t believe how scary it was for me to live a day without her.”

Tiffany felt confused, was Taeng talking about her mother, or her?

“But I’m glad though. That I was able to feel that scared. What I felt at that moment actually led the way for me to her, and I’ve found my heart whole again now. Better than ever.” His eyes were shining brightly, as if he found the light of his life again.

She blinked her eyes, still not getting what Taeng was trying to say to her.

“You see, if I hadn’t felt that scared in my life, I don’t think I can even have the courage to come all the way here, looking for it. Looking for you.” Taeng smiled, and kissed her forehead lovingly. She was the light and the dark of his life. Everything he is, was and will be would always revolve around her.

“Taeng..”

“So, you have nothing to worry about, Fany. If you scared of something, that means you will have a bigger courage to do something about it.”

She sniffed again, but nodded her head, now understood what he was trying to say to her.

“Besides, what are you scared of? You got me now.” He smiled warmly. “Come now.” Taeng offered his hand to her, smiling widely at the girl.

Tiffany didn’t move and just stared at Taeng, surprised by what he had said to her.

“Don’t you trust me?” Taeng’s face fell.

She shook her head quickly, afraid that he’ll misunderstand her.

“If you do, take my hand now.”

Tiffany looked at the hand hesitatingly, but she decided to follow her heart and took Taeng’s hand.

His smiles got bigger feeling the familiar hand in his again. He squeezed the hand once to make sure that this was real. Once he was convinced that the girl was really holding his hand, entrusting him with her fears, he didn’t look back from that point on. He would take care of this girl from now on. This was his promise to the world.

 “Let’s go home, Fany-ah.”

All three people sitting quietly in the car, one driving while sometimes stealing glances at the girl next to him who was fiddling with her hands on her lap. Another one was sprawled out in the back seat, catching up with his sleep.

Taeng glanced at the girl again and saw her holding to her sides, her face was frowning.

“What’s wrong? It hurts?”

Tiffany nodded weakly, biting her lips as the pain was unbearable for her to hold it in.

Taeng immediately pulled over the sides of the road.

“W-what are you d-doing?” Tiffany asked when she saw Taeng exiting the car and coming to her side of the door.

Taeng opened the door and crouched down in front of the girl, he looked up and saw the girl looking confusedly at him. “Can I see it?”

Tiffany blinked. “It’s fine. Let’s just go.”

“I want to see it. How bad it is.”

“You already saw..”

“Please?” Taeng begged with his eyes.

Tiffanys sighed and nodded as an approval for him.

Taeng smiled and lifted up Tiffany’s shirt a little, exposing the bruise. He frowned and caressed it gently with his hands. “We have to go to hospital for this.”

Tiffany shook her head. “No, it’s okay.”

“How is it okay when it’s badly swollen like this?”

“I’ll put an ice on it tonight. It’s reduce the swelling.”

Taeng narrowed his eyes at the stubborn girl. “Why are you refusing to go to a hospital? We can get it checked too. What if there’s a fracture or something at your ribs?”

“There isn’t any. I’m fine.”

“Fany…”

“Please, Taeng? Can we not? I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“I just don’t want to. Besides, I know how much you hate the hospital smell. You don’t have to bring me there.”

“I hate the smell, but I can bear it. You can’t bear this pain.” He said seriously. “We’re going okay?”

“I don’t want to.”

“It wasn’t a suggestion. It was a statement.” Taeng said with a very stern voice.

Tiffany stared at Taeng, thinking that the boy hasn’t changed much. Still the persistent guy she knows. “You haven’t changed at all.”

Taeng took the words the wrong way. He thought that she was upset and disappointed at him for forcing her into doing things that she doesn’t want to again. He gulped. “Or you can not go.” He stood up and closed the car door before coming back to the driver’s side.

“I can?” Tiffany asked again, as Taeng got into the car.

Taeng glanced at the girl and nodded stiffly. “Yeah. It’s up to you. Besides, I can’t force you into anything anymore right?” He said.

“And why is that?”

“Because you’re not mine anymore.” He said bitterly. The atmosphere in the car grew quiet at that moment. Taeng heaved a loud sigh and drove off with so many unpleasant thoughts in his mind. It irked him that he can’t do the things that he’d do for the girl anymore. Now that she wasn’t his anymore. It makes a hell lot of differences.

Tiffany noticed the sudden drop of Taeng’s mood and it was most probably because of her words earlier. She didn’t know why they would upset him, but she didn’t like how Taeng was looking right now. He was really quiet now. Even if Huihoon had woken up from his nap and now was talking animatedly to them, Taeng remained his quiet self, only replying with short answers.

“Hyung said that he’ll only be Yul’s best man if he won’t have to wear a tuxedo to the wedding. And guess what, Yul Hyung agreed to it.” Huihoon laughed. “I bet you regret your deal, aren’t you, Hyung?”

“Yeah.” Taeng answered plainly.

Tiffany glanced at Taeng and saw him pretending to focus on the road. Like driving in a straight line would need that much focus. “So what are you going to wear to the wedding?”

Taeng was taken aback by Tiffany’s sudden question. He looked at her briefly before returning his eyes back on the road. “Just my other clothes.”

“What kind of clothes?”

“Jeans and T-shirt?”

Tiffany smiled at him. “That would really be a one heck of a wedding. I bet Jessi would throw a tantrum at Yul for letting you do that.”

Taeng gulped, he was kind of thrown off from seeing that smile again. It brought memories to him. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Who’s the maid of honor?”

“Sunny.” Taeng answered quickly. “She would’ve asked you if you didn’t go away.”

“Isn’t Sunny an obvious choice? I have only been her friend for a couple of months.”

“9 months. That’s almost a year. You are her best friend. Is either you, or Sunny. She doesn’t really make much friends.”

Tiffany laughed at Taeng’s casual statement. If Jessica was there, she would beat Taeng for saying that. “I’m glad you’re talking again.”

“Huh?” Taeng looked at her confusedly.

“I’m sorry for earlier. I didn’t mean it in the way you were thinking.”

Taeng understood what Tiffany was referring to. And he was really glad for her attempt to clear the misunderstandings. ‘See, we are improving as we speak’. He smiled. “That’s okay. I guess I was a little bit sensitive.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Huihoon asked, interrupting the warming moment between Taeng and Tiffany. “Did I miss anything while I was sleeping?”

Taeng huffed. “You want to know what?”

“What, Hyung?”

“Come a little bit closer.”

Huihoon moved closer to the front seat and tilted his head towards Taeng.

“OUCH!” Huihoon held his head in pain. “Why did you do that, Hyung?”

“Stop interrupting, your elders are speaking.”

“But, Hyung….”

“Do you want another bump in your head?”

“No, Hyung.” Huihoon leaned back and crossed his arms, pouting.

“OUCH!” Taeng yelled and held his left shoulder. “Why did you do that, Fany?”

“Stop picking on the maknae.”

“I was disciplining him.” He protested.

“You were bullying him.”

“I was not.”

“Was too.”

“Was not.”

“You were, Hyung.” Huihoon interrupted again.

“Yah, what did I say about interrupting again?” He glared at the boy through the rearview mirror.

The boy immediately shut his mouth with his hands, trying to look innocent for his Hyung.

“And what did I say about bullying him?” Tiffany interjected.

Taeng looked at Tiffany and saw her giving him a disapproving look. He sighed in defeat. “Why are you defending him?”

“Because you’re being mean to him.”

“And you are spoiling the kid.” Taeng quickly replied.

“No, I’m not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

Huihoon looked back and forth between the two people who were quarrelling in the front seats. He smiled a little at the scene, happy that the two important people in his life are finally on good terms again. He prayed that this will only get better and there would be no more miserable looks on their faces ever again.

***

“Tiffany!”

Before she knows it, she was suffocated by a hug. She didn’t even recognize who it was.

“I’m glad that you are finally back.”

When she was released from the hug, she can finally see who the person was. “Mrs. Kim.”

“What happened to your face?” Mrs. Kim was shocked to see Tiffany’s slightly swollen lips and cheek.

“I…”

“We’re hungry, do we have anything to eat?” Taeng interrupted, to Tiffany’s relief.

“Oh, you are? What do you want to eat dear?” Her attention was quickly averted to her stepson.

“I want to eat your cooking, Umma.”

“You don’t have to, Mrs. Kim.” Tiffany said while glaring at the insensitive boy, she didn’t want to cause inconvenience to the mother. “I’m not really hu…”

“I want Spaghetti Meatballs.” Taeng said excitedly. “Extra meatballs for me, please.”

Mrs. Kim laughed and patted Taeng’s head softly. “Sure, Tae. But you have to wait for a while.”

“We can wait.” Taeng beamed with a smile.

Taeng and Tiffany walked towards the living room because Taeng’s stepmother asked them to wait there.

“I have a question.”

“What is it?” Taeng asked.

“Do..Ermm.. Are you in good terms with your stepmother now?”

Taeng smiled. “Why are you asking that?”

“Well, you called her Umma just now. And I never heard you call her that before.”

“Well, it’s what I should have done earlier, right? She has been a great mother to me. I was the one who realized it too late.”

“I know she is.” Tiffany smiled. “You’re really lucky to have her.”

“Of course. I am lucky and blessed.” Taeng grinned. “You know she’s very fond of you too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She kept on asking about you when we..” Taeng cleared his throat. “…were still together.” He still finished his words.

Tiffany showed him a weak smile. “I guess so. She must have not liked me that much now right?”

“Are you kidding me? Have you seen how she greeted you?”

“Yeah but..”

“Fany-ah, my stepmother loves you.”

“How do you know that?”

“How can one not l