“I took a picture of my boyfriend.”

These were taeyeon’s words that sent the whole room into a fit of chaos.

People started questioning about the real score between the picture and hers, questions such as how come they were able to come up with such thing and if its really true that they were a recent item. Even so, they still couldn’t believe that taeyeon would take a picture of a sleeping man scandalous enough to be publicized. That taeyeon and leeteuk were both reckless of their doings and supposed that it would leak, they would have a problem to go back to their normal status again knowing that they were both a public figure at their school, she, the only daughter of the owner, and he the most powerful student of their generation.

 

That leeteuk should be, because having the highest position among the students in school, must undergo a severe punishment for not being too careful.

 

Leeteuk’s head was filled of chaos too. though he tried to rewind what happened, whether the incident he’s experiencing right now is real or not, he couldn’t think ahead. He was too shocked of taeyeon’s revelation of owning him. Taeyeon recklessly proclaiming that he is a property. He could have reacted right away, but he didn’t know what to do. in his mind he was trying to think of taeyeon coming up with such a risk.

 

Kim Daesung’s face was remarkable. His only daughter had made another scorching hot scandal, publicly owning something she should have kept as a secret for family purposes.  it was then that he realized that taeyeon is indeed out of control. something must be done immediately with her attitude.

 

his voice became dominant,  like a roaring lion, sending the officers to calm down and be silent.

“you two.” He said, referring to taeyeon and to the president who appeared still like an instant statue. “my office.”

 

taeyeon quickly dart off, not minding the scene she just abandoned and the victim behind her muttering words she couldn’t understand.

 

Then again…

----------------------

Kim Daesung’s office

 

“first of all firsts.” Taeyeon said, when the door closed in a click, leaving with her leeteuk who just came in. “that picture was stolen from me. i totally forgot about the phone, I left it on the chair, went into the washroom and then when I returned it was gone. I know I should have b---“

She closed when leeteuk raised a hand, reminding her to stop.

“i---I” why was she at loss for explanation? It was definitely a first. Taeyeon’s hand curled into a ball, staring at leeteuk sitting opposite her with a very shocked expression on the face.  he wasn’t even blinking. His face had entirely turned motionless, staring only at the windowsill at his front.

“that boyfriend thing.” he then mumbled.

“it’s the only way to do it.” taeyeon said. of course it’s the only way, she thought. if she didn’t stand there talking about her possession of a picture she just lost, leeteuk wouldn’t be escaping the situation. He would be fired. But somewhere deep inside taeyeon, tells her of the mistake she just did and it was the only moment that she realized that she was very impulsive enough, starting by misplacing her things anywhere.

Why would she leave a phone with a wallpaper scandalous enough to be publicized? Why would she expose a picture of the university wide president with nothing but a blanket on his lower body?

Though taeyeon cannot deny that she chose the picture for purposes even she herself couldn’t understand, she knew she had made a very visible mistake.

Leeteuk opened his mouth wanting himself to speak but the only thing he can do was to shut it tight again and close his eyes forcefully, unable to control the situation.

“you’re not okay with it.” taeyeon finalized.

“how could I be okay with it?” leeteuk asked. He opened his eyes and inhaled deep breaths, maintaining his composure but at the same time, felt so heated as if the sweat on his body could just evaporate in no time. “I persevered getting into this council position, and here I am in the verge of losing it just because of a picture I didn’t even take with privacy being stolen away from me. tell me, how could I be okay with it?”

“you’re not going to be removed from your spot, I just told them that I own the picture, I claimed it.” Taeyeon said.

“it just doesn’t change a thing.”

“I don’t know why you just couldn’t say thank you.” Taeyeon said. “for your information, my pride just got crushed too. and I know it was my mistake on the first place so I quickly redeemed you to pay back.”

“for owning me? do you think that will benefit something?” leeteuk said. he shook his head, couldn’t believe that he was entangled in such situation.

Taeyeon could feel the hair on the back of her neck stood up.

“this wouldn’t start if you weren’t out on an early night drinking at some sort of a bar not knowing where to go home afterwards, how do you think you can even go home safe, huh? Tell me.”

“you don’t know me.” leeteuk said. “you don’t know what I’ve been through.  You just don’t know, so please just don’t talk in front of me like that when you really don’t know what caused me to do that in the first place.”

His eyes appeared darker with his intense anger seeping up and taeyeon cannot take it. it was the first time he looked at her like that, an anger mixed with a pain expression. He looked like he was about to cry except that he was trying to hold it up by diverting his attention away from her.

Taeyeon bit her lip and looked away too until the door from the office opened, with Kim Daesung entering inside.

“okay kids, speak up.” Taeyeon’s father  sat on the chair as leeteuk and taeyeon both composed themselves from the argument. Leeteuk pretended nothing happened by looking uncertainly at his watch.  

Mr. kim cleared his throat from the awkward silence. “you two are causing me a big headache, did you know that I have to call the security just to maintain silence on the corridors since both of my officers and the students want to hear something from your situation?” he huffed. “you two are in need of explanation. I have to clear some things from you since the board keeps on bugging me what to do with this.”

“can I help it if someone loves me enough than even my things get to be stolen? ” taeyeon asked. “because apparently that was the case.”

 “that wouldn’t happen if you didn’t leave your phone. so this explains why you came home early in at the dawn.” Mr. kim sighed, reaching out for his papers. “of course I know it, you’re my only daughter how couldn’t I know your footsteps. Jungsu.”

Leeteuk looked up and stared at the middle aged man.

“I know its out of impulse.” Mr. kim said. “that you and my daughter take pictures. You’re old enough to be responsible on your own. But I need to ask you one thing. Are you really taeyeon’s boyfriend?”

Taeyeon crossed her arms and did little sounds unpleasantly enough for the males to hear.

 “because apparently.” Mr. kim pointed to a towering file cabinet next to him. “just the other day, someone’s trying to intrude to your files.”

Leeteuk looked at taeyeon like a police finding a new thief.

“you saw my files? That’s prohibited.” He said.

“well? Jungsu?” mr. kim asked. Taeyeon pretended that he wasn’t looking at him right now. Leeteuk’s stare was so intense it appeared like he could eat her.  “just yes or no. I’m easy to communicate with. Just tell me. I’m also sensing that this is taeyeon’s doing. She might be covering up for you because of a fault she created at the first place. Just putting some puzzles into their right pieces.”

Taeyeon slammed a fist on the table. “what are you talking about, you didn’t even hear him talking!” she told him. Truth to be told, she was feeling nervous right now. Her father really knew that she was into something. Was her scheme too visible enough?

and could leeteuk stand up for it?

“taeyeon could you please just stop talki---“

“yes.” Leeteuk said as taeyeon hesitated upon hearing him speak up. “kim t… taeyeon and i… are dating.”
taeyeon heave out a sigh of relief and looked at mr. kim. Out of her impulse she started smirking.

“I told you.” She referred to the old man. “you weren’t listening to me.”

“okay.” Mr. kim said. “okay. “

Leeteuk closed his eyes, thinking of how in the earth he could have ever chose that option.

“So you and my daughter are an item and the picture of you taken like that is because?”

“because…” leeteuk’s foot nudged taeyeon’s, urging her to speak up.

“aigoo, appa, he cannot tell you that, it’s a private matter!” taeyeon said.

“but I’m just asking---“

“things just got intimate.” Leeteuk said, thinking why on earth he just said it.

Mr. kim looked at taeyeon as if she needed a more profound explanation.

“appa, if you have nothing to ask, we should leave.” Taeyeon said. she couldn’t take it anymore, she wanted to laugh. Leeteuk was trying to make stories of his own and it involved her! it was definitely something worth hearing, coming from the lips of the student body president. And her father, mr. kim was so speechless that he was silent for a couple of minutes.

 

When leeteuk and taeyeon were already outside, the president hurriedly went for the stairs with the latter stopping him in a flash. She was holding his arm, and he briskly shook it away, avoiding any interaction. He already had too much.

“I told you its better this way.” She told leeteuk. She was smiling, irritatingly enough for leeteuk to see. He didn’t know whether it was a smile which meant that he cannot escape or a smile of relief or was it just a pure smile? He cannot read taeyeon’s mind right now.  “if you want this to continue you shouldn’t tell this to anyone. Not unless you want to tell it to your closest friends.”

“get out.”

“what?” taeyeon didn’t know whether she was hearing the words properly.

“you could have saved me but it still doesn’t change a thing that you ruined my life, my reputation and my standing in this school.” leeteuk said, maintaining his cool. “get out of my sight.”

---------------------------

Communication Arts Building

 

“seo.” kyuhyun said. “are you okay?”

Cho kyuhyun  knelt on the stair and placed a hand on seohyun’s lap, urging her  to face him up. She was at the corner on the fire exit, hiding from the students looking out for her, her face buried on her thighs.

When news spread about taeyeon owning a picture of leeteuk, and she proclaiming that they were an item, seohyun was too shocked. Out of her mind she wanted to go to her brother right away. she knew that leeteuk was too naïve from the happenings knowing his past.

“do you know about this?” seohyun asked, referring to her brother leeteuk’s current scandal that rave like fire on the university. The picture of leeteuk was really everywhere, creating a loud buzz to people.

“I didn’t know too.” kyuhyun said. of course he would tell her if he knew but he himself didn’t anticipate that there could be such picture. “heechul hyung wouldn’t tell me.”

Kim heechul was nowhere to be found and he presumed that he went to leeteuk immediately.

“my brother, he doesn’t deserve this.” Seohyun said. she knew what happened at the meeting, everyone was talking about how leeteuk was confronted and how taeyeon claimed that she owned the picture. She was so furious with taeyeon now that she could just slap her.

“don’t think of doing anything.” Kyuhyun warned her. he could see seohyun’s determination to confront someone. She was never alarmed like this.

“she doesn’t know what happened to leeteuk. She just couldn’t claim like that.” seohyun said.

“apparently there was a reason why she did that.” kyuhyun said. “if leeteuk hyung could buy me time to explain it, but he himself confirmed that he was in a relationship during his public apology. I didn’t even know how that got to be at the first place. There must be something that they have agreed upon that even you must need to oblige.”

“I think he needs me.” seohyun stood up. Kyuhyun placed both of her hands on her shoulders.

“no.” he said. “you sit here and we wait. I don’t think your brother could afford to talk to you right now since he has many things to do.”

“oppa…”

“if he needs you, he will go directly to you.” He said sympathetically. “ Your brother is old enough to handle his problems on his own, and I think this is one of the times that he needs to straighten things by himself.” Kyuhyun said.

Seohyun sighed embraced her knees.“why are you here, you should go back to your room.” she said.

“me going back while you sulk there?” kyuhyun said. “don’t take the problems all by yourself, seo. You need someone to lean on.”

---------------------------

Social welfare community building

“great, I just know where to find you.”

Heechul sat on a bench next to leeteuk who was staring intently at the cracked walls of the  social welfare community building, a place he would frequently visit every month. He placed an arm around leeteuk’s shoulder and was eternally silent for a while, deep inside of him, knew that leeteuk is in need of silence more than anything especially when going to such place where he knew held memories for his bestfriend. Leeteuk would always go to those type of communities whenever he felt alone.

Leeteuk stared at the sky, aware of the clouds moving in unison.

“life was never fair, huh?” he suddenly blurted.  “I can’t imagine otherwise.”

“it never was.” Heechul said. his vision became almost blurry by the water welling in his eyes.

Even leeteuk noticed it too.

“I’m the one supposed to do that right?” he asked, gently nudging heechul’s stomach. heechul as always, had a heart in sync with him.

“how can I not, you just had the most difficult challenge.” Heechul said. he wiped a tear emerging from his right eye and sniffed. “I don’t know what to do if that happens to me. you are so strong, I don’t know how do you have that courage in you. You got mobbed, you got judged, you made a public apology. You knew that there will be some consequences but you took it all by yourself.”

“I have to move on in some way.” Leeteuk said. “or else I’ll fall back again. I cannot be like that anymore.”

Heechul and leeteuk stared at each other in silence with the latter suddenly smiling.

“dork.” Heechul said.he wiped another tear from his eye and smiled too. “what will you do when you return? You will still get along with the idea of you and taeyeon being together?”

“I have no choice.” Leeteuk said. “ I have to play my part, being responsible for that girl and for my mistake.”

“that’ll be hard.” Heechul said. “people will be eyeing you a lot more.”

“I know.”

Heechul couldn’t imagine days coming up with leeteuk being followed more frequently by taeyeon.

“you just gave that kim taeyeon her benefit.” Heechul said. “she just got what she wants. Do you know how much that girl likes you? Sica told me a lot. Gave me goosebumps, that woman is a saesang. Sorry she’s my girl’s friend but that Kim is really something. ”

Leeteuk thought about taeyeon too and the notion of them having to play along with the set up they just made.

“I know my boundaries.” Leeteuk said. “I will let her know the limits too.”

“you should be. She can just take advantage of you. She can just tell that the happenings are all lies.”

Leeteuk shook his head. “I don’t think she’ll want to embarrass herself again by doing that.” he was silent for a while, thinking if he had the words properly said.

“she really stood up for you?” heechul asked. “that’s a first by the way.”

“something told her that she needs to clean up what she just left too.”

“you can set a break up afterwards, until the rumor dies down.” Heechul said. “now that I think of it, that must be impossible too. you two are too well known. And I don’t think that she’ll accept the idea.”

Leeteuk bit his lip.

“why will there be a break up when there’s no relationship at the first place?” he asked.

 

---

 

day of the sportsfest

 “seo!” kyuhyun said. seohyun’s eyes opened wide when her shoe hit  a rock.

“sorry.” She said, continuing to walk. She had only slept for two hours because of the preparations and kyuhyun was the reason for it. he had made her finish doing some decorating parts on the stage which partially irked her.

“too cute.” Kyuhyun said. “I’ll get you a coffee when we reach the stadium.”

Students from the other departments joined seohyun to her side, aiming to go for the stadium to which the events will be held. They will be having many activities for the day and it was a very smart move for the school to cancel classes. The sportsfest is indeed an annual anticipated activity of the school. it was definitely one of the biggest to be exact. Seohyun had been looking forward for it too since its leeteuk’s first project.

“leeteuk hyung’s okay?” kyuhyun asked. Leeteuk, ever since the scandal remained calm and resumed working even with the gossips circulating.

“uh huh.” Seohyun nodded and pushed the banner in front of her as they walked. More students joined in.  “told me everything when we talked. I understood everything now, I have nothing more to ask.”

“same here.” kyuhyun said.

A rocket just flew past seohyun’s head with the latter making a loud squeak.

“are you awake now?” kyuhyun laughed. Seohyun made a face and started laughing too.

“that’s good.” Kyuhyun said, upon noticing her gesture. “you need to smile too.”

---------------------------

taeyeon’s POV

 

the sportsfest was a blast.

 

The good thing about managing something is looking at the outcome or the result and I guess our preparations never failed to do its magic. My members were a lot of help to the superiors and even the group acknowledged it too.

 

The scandal between leeteuk and I seem to die down a bit, except for continuous glances from the students every time leeteuk will go to me and explain some technicalities of the games. To everyone it must have looked like he was always watching on me but its actually not the case. After these sports activity finishes, I doubt that he will be looking out for me except when he’s going to play his part for acting as my boyfriend. He discussed me the limits of the fake relationship and I don’t have the choice but to oblige. The plan seems to benefit me more in some ways. It was the complete opposite for him, having the notion that I ruined his life.

 

Maybe I just did. Getting what I want really is a hard job to fill.

 

After the basketball games, there were cheering competitions and volleyball games. A tennis match was also into progress. I was supposed to be one of the judges but I skipped my responsibility and decided to laze around the food area.

 

I guess karma again. Unfortunately, I got injured. A minor bruise and not because of the event but from accidentally hitting my arm from one of the stalls with a stuck out nail. I didn’t even participate at the games, I was not much into physical activity except for having yoga classes at home. it was  just what they call  a minor accident. Maybe because little accident likes tagging along with me.

 

The university nurse, Nurse Cha assisted me from cleaning the minor bruise on arm.

“why was your boyfriend not with you?”

“huh?” I looked up, and realized he was talking about leeteuk. I quickly forgot that leeteuk and I had a frame up of some sort. Because of a scandal that was made partly from my mistake, I had the urge to stand up to the people to claim him as my own. Leeteuk of course, didn’t like it. but he had no choice since the incident started to rave like fire.

 

Only leeteuk and I know the real score. outside we are an item, but deep inside is just a lie waiting to explode.

 

I just shrugged and the nurse started applying some peroxide on the area.

“he could have treated you, he must have been busy.” Nurse cha said. she sighed at the wound on my arm. she was used to my accidents, sometimes she would act like my personal nurse. This person had known me ever since my child hood.

“yep, I guess he’s busy.” I just said.

“that boy. Really into his work.” Nurse cha beamed. “its only the first semester of his service and yet he’s gaining too much popularity.”

Ever since leeteuk became the president, yes he became popular.

“you know him really that much.” I just said.

Nurse cha applied some cotton to my wound. “you may say that.” she said. “but I guess you also knew something from him considering you two are together now. That picture you have, that is real?”

“of course its real, it didn’t even look like its adjusted.”

“wow.” Nurse cha said. “I really didn’t expect that leeteuk will get a girlfriend really that quick.”

I pursed my lips, wondering if it was really right to share some of my thoughts with these woman anyways.

“not that I’m doubting you.” Nurse cha can tell that I was partly pissed off. “but you are leeteuk’s first girlfriend. Did he tell that to you?”

“yes.” I lied. I really didn’t know. But something in this nurse tells me that there is something with leeteuk that I have to proceed like this.

She finished tending to my arm and she sat next to me on the hospital bed, her eyes contemplating on the frame hanging to the wall.

“that boy had a lot to experience.” She continued. “some experience he shouldn’t even have.”

I frowned, not knowing what she’s talking about. “some experience.”

“yes, he may have told you about his childhood. He wouldn’t accept you if he didn’t openly talk to you about it.”

“his childhood…”

“did he tell you how much he was in pain?” nurse cha asked.

I thought about leeteuk’s drunk incident and I just nodded.

“good thing I am able to share this with you since both of us know, I am deeply relieved.” Nurse cha said.

“that childhood experience of him was really a turn over right?” I asked, trying to extract information. I will be at fault for lying again. but I am now known as leeteuk’s girlfriend. Principle of beneficence, I should know everything.

“yes, I really thought that he wouldn’t be having a girlfriend after he was maltreated by his babysitter.” Nurse cha said.

I almost dropped the phone I was holding. But I pretended not to act out anything.

“its really good thing that you were able to change his perspective.” Nurse cha said. “you are the first step to make him realize that not all women in this world could be like that woman.”

“I did make leeteuk feel that he’s a man, huh.” I said. sweat already trickled on the side of my head and my heart was starting to beat irregularly. I really should stop this right now. I could be knowing something that I shouldn’t.

Nurse cha looked at me with a pure smile that I didn’t even know whether to feel guilty or not. “how did you do it?” she asked. “how were you able to convince someone who has a deep phobia with women? I really didn’t think after all this years that he will change his mind.”

“true love?” I asked, trying to hide my nervousness.

“miss taeyeon.” Nurse cha said. she looked at me in the eyes and out of the moment she held my hand.  could she feel me sweating? “can you make me a promise?”

“a promise?” I asked. I didn’t know what she’s talking about but I just nodded afterwards.

“just promise me that you will take care of leeteuk from now on and accept his flaws.” She said. “and you should also promise me, not to tell anyone of leeteuk’s secret. No one should know that he was  physically abused during his childhood, okay?”

Something had struck me. this is it. this is the reason why leeteuk had been avoiding me.

 

I didn’t realize that someone was just outside the door watching the scene all this time.

“taeyeon.” Leeteuk said. I froze, not knowing what to do. did he just hear what the nurse and I were talking about?

“oh, jungsu. your girlfriend had a minor injury, she told me you were busy so she went to me instead.” Nurse cha said as leeteuk approached our area to place a pile of bandages to the bed where I was sitting. Leeteuk just looked at my open bruise without any emotion. And without wasting any seconds, he took my other arm and pulled me out of the clinic, leaving a surprised nurse cha behind.

“hey.” I said, as leeteuk tagged me along.  I couldn’t see his face because he was in front of me and I was silent. I felt as if the world started to spin around me, my head filled with questions of leeteuk and his childhood. He was abused. But why? And a baby sitter? An abusing baby sitter? I didn’t know that there could be such. But it was the reality and another thing that I involved myself into. I should be training myself to handle my curiosity.

We reached an empty classroom and leeteuk pushed me inside, closing the door. He was inhaling simultaneous deep breaths, made by him running. Though I couldn’t see his entire face because of the darkness, I could feel that he was staring at me intently.

“did you hear what we were…” I trailed off.

“now you know why I didn’t have any relationship after all these years. Now you know why I was being like this and I don’t think I have to hide this secret from you anymore. ” Leeteuk mumbled. He sighed and went on. “what you heard from the nurse is true.  Sixteen years ago my babysitter and some of her friends got me in a situation… I was gang .