Chapter 8
Love story of a foreigner
Chapter 8
“Do you have any enemies?”
“Not that I know of”
“Did you get into a spat with anyone recently?”
“I’ve been in Korea for the past couple of months and before that I don’t think I fought with anyone.”
The police officer nodded as he took down the notes.
“I would suggest that you make living arrangements elsewhere and we would let you know what we find.”
“Thank you officer”
Tiffany shook hands with the police officer.
“Thank you for your cooperation Ms. Hwang”
Tiffany nodded as the police officer left. She sighed as she let her tired body fall on the couch.
Tiffany felt the couch dip on the space beside her.
“I know daddy, I know I should’ve been more careful and I should choose who I hang out with.”
Tiffany furrowed her eyebrows her eyes still close when she heard the giggling noice that was highly uncharacteristic of her dad.
“Fany-ah why don’t you go upstairs in your room and rest a bit; I will bring some tea and snacks for you”
Tiffany nodded her head weakly.
“I am sure the police will quickly find out who did this to your apartment. Don’t worry too much. Okay?”
Tiffany nodded again, if felt nice to hear those reassuring words.
Somehow Taeyoen’s voice calmed her down.
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She leaned into the touch when she felt Taeyeon soothingly rubbing her shoulder, and then engulfed her in a hug. Tiffany let herself be hugged by Taeyeon, she felt so safe and protected.
Tiffany couldn’t remember the last time she felt like this. She didn’t even realize when exhaustion overcome her and she fell asleep on Taeyeon’s arm.
“Daddy I don’t need a babysitter or a bodyguard”
“But dear you saw what happened to your apartment”
“Yes daddy I saw. I was the first one to be there”
Mr. Hwang rolled his eyes at his daughter's stubbornness.
“What if you were inside when this happened? After what happened I can’t let you out alone”
“I can go with Tiffany-sshi if that’s okay” Taeyeon offered after witnessing the incessant father-daughter argument.
Taeyeon’s eyes went from Mr. Hwang to Tiffany.
While Mr. Hwang seemed pleased with the proposal, Tiffany’s face showed distinct displeasure.
Taeyeon has started noticing Tiffany’s increasingly distant and hostile behavior toward herself. Its not like Tiffany was extremely friendly toward her at any point, but after Tiffany had agreed to the engagement, Taeyeon thought that Tiffany was being nicer and friendlier toward her.
But a week after landing here Tiffany has started being cold toward Taeyeon.
Taeyeon’s attention came back to the current situation at hand, when she heard the stomping noise of tiffany’s feet asnd the slamming of the door.
Its not like Taeyeon didn’t try.
Actually Taeyeon is still trying, she would try to initiate conversations that would be answered by single monosyllable words sometimes she would cook for Tiffany, but Tiffany barely acknowledged her presence.
“I am sorry for her behavior”
“Its okay Uncle Hwang, she is just upset that the whole situation.”
MR. Hwang nodded in agreement.
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“So who’s that cutie that walked in behind you?” Jessica asked motioning toward the quiet girl sitting on the counter seat in the café.
Tiffany didn’t need to look back to understand who Jessica was referring to. She smiled seeing Yuri pout at Jessica’s comment.
“You might want to tend your sulking girlfriend first” Tiffany referred to the dark haired beside Jessica that was pouting.
“Kwon Yuri you know you are the only one that I have my eyes on” Jessica cooed on Yuri’s ears, causing the younger girl to grin from ear to ear.
Tiffany smiled at the couple in love.
“You still didn’t answer my question missy”
“She is Taeyeon.”
“That girl from Korea that you are engaged to?”
“Tiffany got engaged?” Yuri asked curiously.
Tiffany felt guilty when she noticed Yuri looking at that ring finger for the engagement ring. She took if off after coming here.
She prepared an elaborate excuse filled with lies if Taeyeon asked why she wasn’t wearing the ring.
Taeyeon never asked, only one day she caught Taeyeon looking at her ring finger and felt compelled to explain, but the only thing that she could come up with under Taeyeon’s unquestioning gaze was an incoherent ‘It didn’t fit well’.
Tiffany tried to think why she tended to get so nervous under Taeyeon’s gaze, and the explanation that she came up with was not something that she was ready to even admit to herself.
She looked at Taeyeon who was looking at her drink with great concentration, reading the list of ingredients. For the short time that Tiffany had known the girl, she figured that Taeyeon has this inclination toward trying to recreate any food item that she comes across. Tiffany smiled to herself seeing Taeyeon’s cute yet serious expression.
It has been a week since Taeyeon has been following her around according to her father’s strict orders and Tiffany has taken up this opportunity to torture Taeyeon for volunteering to be her temporary body guard.
'Stupid Taeyeon. She dug her own little well, by giving Daddy ideas'.
Although Tiffany was grateful that it was Taeyeon and not some buff guy in a black suit, but that didn’t stop her from making Taeyeon suffer.
Long ago Tiffany figured out that Taeyeon was a morning person, therefore trying to torture Taeyeon with excruciating hot yoga at five in the morning wouldn’t really make Taeyeon suffer.
After coming back from one of her friends’ parties Tiffany figured that Taeyeon can’t function if she doesn’t hit the sack by midnight, therefore the actions that followed weren’t hard for Tiffany.
The easy solution was late night clubbing, that was Tiffany's forte.
A couple of late nights of partying in the club and Taeyeon is sulking like a little puppy staring at her coffee.
“Tiff! You are zoning out again. I thought that was my job.”
“Sorry didn’t get much sleep last night.”
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“Miyoung come here” Mr. Hwang called in his daughter who seemed to be in a rush to go to her room.
“Dad I told you not to call me that”
“Okay sorry! But Mr. and Mrs. Kim has agreed for us to use their winery for the wedding reception.”
“Yeah. You can invite up to eight hundred people. We would allow catering and decorations, so it won’t be any problem. You just need to fix the date with Taeyeon” Mr. Kim added.
What wedding are they talking about, where one of the brides can’t appear any less interested.
Taeyeon thought to herself.
Within these few weeks she has gotten used to Tiffany’s distant and cold behavior. She brushed it off as a PMS thing. She believed that in her heart Tiffany loves her.
“What wedding?” Taeyeon’s heart stopped for a moment hearing the cold tone of the harsh inquiry.
“Your wedding with Taeyeon! So I see you are joking around too much nowadays”
“Daddy I am not joking. I don’t want to marry Taeyeon. I told you this before, and my decision never changed.”
“Wha-“
“Yes. Daddy you are hearing it right. You tricked me into coming to Korea and marrying Taeyeon. I also tricked you into something. Our little ring exchange ceremony doesn’t mean anything here legally. So if you were going to call your lawyers, please do so. I don’t think they even have a chance against my case.”
“Stephanie how could you say this?”
“What do you mean how could I? I always did what you told me Daddy. But I am sorry this time. I really can’t commit to Taeyeon like that.”
Tiffany turned toward the awestruck girl and spoke, “Look Taeyeon I am sorry I really don’t have anything against you personally.”
It took Taeyeon a while to register what was going on. She knew that she wasn’t exactly Tiffany’s favorite person, but she never imagined things to turn out this way.
I am so stupid.
----------------------------------------------
“Noona?”
“Yes Sir” Taeyeon held the receiver tightly as to control herself from bawling.
“I miss you Noona”
“I miss you too little one”
Tiffany was heading toward the kitchen to get some midnight snacks and stopped when she heard a very familiar voice.
She quietly walked toward Tayeon’s room and heard her talking on the phone with who she assumed was Taemin.
“Don’t worry Taeminie! Your Noona is doing very well. Things are very different here so many new things to learn.”
There was silence for a moment and Tiffany assumed that it was Taemin talking on the other side of the line.
“Nah your Tiffany Noona is sleeping right now. Its past midnight.”
Again there was a pause.
“Nothing is wrong Sonkyu-ah….she is a bit shot lawyer she gets very tired after work. Yeah she is always showing me around.”
Tiffany assumed that the phone was now passed to Taeyeon’s best friend Sonkyu and she felt terrible hearing Taeyeon lying for her.
“Aish! Tell my Seohyun-ah to not worry too much. I am doing just fine. Tell her to study a little less and give her brain some rest. Yeah I am still getting used to the American food. I am looking for a job, maybe in a restaurant or something.”
Now Tiffany realized why Taeyeon would just stare at her plate in the dinner table and sit there out of courtesy until Tiffany and Mr. Hwang was done. She never thought that Taeyeon might not be used to American food. Back in Korea during Tiffany's visit they only ate Korean food.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll adapt fast. Fany is helping me as much as she can with her work and everything. I am doing fine! Really! Anyways Sonkyu-ahI have to go now my balance is running out. Okay. Bye! Take care of Taemin for me, stay well and I will call you again next week. Don’t miss me too much.”
Tiffany could feel Taeyoen’s voice getting hoarse trying to keep her emotions in check. She felt this urge to be at Taeyeon’s side, comforting the girl.
She was about to make her way toward Taeyeon’s door but stopped when Taeyeon came out of the room and came face to face with Tiffany.
Tiffany opened to say something but closed when Taeyeon just left without even taking a second glance at Tiffany.
Tiffany was not used to being ignored like this.
Tiffany couldn’t decide if she was more angry or hurt by Taeyeon’s behavior.
She has been noticing Taeyeon’s retreated behavior toward her but she thought nothing of it.
Tiffany went back to her room and lied on her bed unable to sleep.
She got up and went to the small balcony with her room.
The cool breeze hit her face.
Tiffany closed her eyes.
The police was yet to figure out who vandalized her apartment, so she was still in her father’s house.
She broke the news of her revenge toward her dad a week ago. Taeyeon wanted to move out then but Mr. Hwang requested her to at least stay in the guest room like she was doing before for a few more days and get accustomed to the neighborhood and everything.
Mr. Hwang was out of town for a business trip leaving the couple in the house.
Tiffany looked down from the balcony and noticed a figure crouched in front of the lake.
It took Tiffany a moment to realize who it was.
For a second she contemplated whether she should go and talk to Taeyeon and reassure her that it was not about her.
But then again she didn’t know what to say to Taeyeon.
She didn’t have the courage to talk to TAeyeon.
Tiffany hated herself for that.
She hated how she was such a coward to even approach Taeyeon, somehow the older girl made her nervous.
It was Tiffany’s first time not seeing Taeyeon’s dorky grin for more than a day and no matter how much she tried to make herself believe that Taeyeon was also benefiting from her decision it went down the drain when she was that Taeyeon even refused to look at her in the eye.
‘Does she really hate me that much now?’
Tonight Tiffany made up her mind to approach the crouched figure on the lakeside.
By the time she reached outside and near the lake she was that Taeyeon was gone.
‘Where did she go? Did something happen to her? Where did she go? She was right here a few minutes ago’
Tiffany looked around for Taeyeon but there was no sign of the girl.
She saw a handkerchief on the ground where Taeyeon was before.
Tiffany picked up the blue cloth; it was covered with wet patches that Tifany realized was due to Taeyeon’s tears.
Her heart broke at the realization.
She panicked and ran inside the house to see if Taeyeon was there. She ran upstairs and at the end of the hall way to the guest room where Taeyeon was staying.
The door was left ajar, Tiffany opened the door softly and sighed in relief find the subject of her worry fast asleep on the bed.
Instantly all the distress washed away. Tiffany giggled softly at the sight of an open mouthed Taeyeon sleeping.
'How can you fall asleep so fast?'
Tiffany furrowed her eyebrows when she heard Taeyeon mumble something incoherently in her sleep, something that sounded a lot like Tiffany’s name.
Tiffany brushed it off as her hearing senses playing games with her. She went inside the room and picked up the blanket that Taeyeon probably kiched out of the bed in her sleep.
She observed Taeyeon’s child-like sleping face and smiled unconsciously.
She then left the room.
Tiffany came back to her own room and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.
‘why am I feeling like this anyway?’
she looked at the blue handkerchief and saw ‘Tae-unnie’ embedded on the corner in neat hand-made stitches.
‘Probably Seohyun’s gift to Taeyeon’
Tiffany fell asleep that night clutching Taeyeon’s handkerchief in her hand.
-------------------------------
Tiffany woke up a bit late next morning.
Upon entering the kitchen she was surprised to see her father sitting in front of the TV eating bread and butter. It wasn’t the choice of food item that surprised her, it was the presence of the man that surprised her.
“I thought you weren’t coming back until next month. When did you get back?”
“Oh you are awake. I just got back earlier this morning. It didn’t take as much time as I thought it would, to seal the deal.” Mr. Hwang replied while looking at the news.
Tiffany nodded and made her way toward the fridge to grab the cereal box of her choice from the top of the fridge.
“Taeyeon are you sure you don’t need any help?”
“No. I am almost done. This is the last box.”
Tiffany turned to see Taeyeon carryng a packing box outside. She frowned a bit wondering what was going on.
‘she’s not moving out is she?’
“Daddy where is Taeyeon going” Tiffany asked her father as she saw Taeyeon's retreating figure in a distance.
“She is moving out” Mr. Hwang replied as he got off the couch and went out the door to help out the other girl.
Tifffany didn’t know what she was feeling at that moment.
She just felt hollow in the inside.
‘Does that mean that I won’t be seeing Tayeon anymore? Why does this thought bother me so much?’
she quickly made her way to the driveway where a Red Top Cab was parked.
Taeyeon was stooping down to reach up the packing box and put it in the trunk, but stopped hearing the familiar voice.
“Are you moving out?” Tiffany knew that she wouldn’t be too pleased with the answer. The reason behind her strong displeasure was still unknown to her. All she knew was that she needed to hear it from Taeyeon that she was really leaving.
Taeyeon stood up straight to come face to face with Tiffany. She nodded her head.
“Where are you going?”
“The barista in that café that you frequent is looking for a roommate so I’m moving in with her.”
“But you can just stay here, Daddy wouldn’t mind”
“Yeah I know he wouldn’t. But I don’t feel that it is okay for just stay here without paying any rent. I would feel bad. Mr. Hwang has already done a lot for me.”
“There is nothing to feel bad about. Plus you can pay some rent too if you want. I will talk to Daddy” Tiffany turned to leave but was called back.
“Tiffany-sshi I appreciate your concern, but it just doesn’t feel right to me, given the situation. ”
Tiffany felt something hit her heart, hearing Taeyeon’s cold tone. It was not something that she was used to.
Tiffany sighed realizing that her efforts are futile.Taeyeon has really made up her mind to move out.
“Can you afford the rent?” Tiffany regretted the question immediately as it came out of . She didn’t mean to sound like that.
She saw Taeyeon’s clenched jaws and knew that Taeyeon didn’t like her question.
During her short acquaintance with Taeyeon she had come to know that the girl was a bit sensitive on financial issues as this.
“Uh…Yeah” came the curt answer.
Tiffany didn’t like this cold behavior from Taeyeon but then she reminded herself that all this is her own doing and she of all people shouldn’t be the one to complain.
“Is that all ma’am?” Tiffany heard the cab driver ask Taeyeon, and Taeyeon nodded.
Taeyeon then turned to leave when Tiffany’s voice stopped her.
“Wait”
“What is it?”
“Where are you living now?”
“Its an apartment complex on the other side of the town”
Tiffany slowly nodded. She pondered whether she could ask Taeyeon if she could visit her.
‘But Taeyeon wouldn’t want anything to do with me after what I did’
“If you need anything at anytime let me know okay?” Tiffany said trying hard to not let her voice crack.
“Thank you for the offer”
Tiffany sighed yet again watching the retreating cab disappear in the busy street.
“I’m sorry” she whispered under her breath.
Hello everyone! I am back again. Actually this was written a while ago, but I kind of lost the feel of the story. For some reason, I re-read my own story and I got the feeling back again, so I brushed up this chapter, added a bit to it.
Let me know how you guys like it.
Also, I noticed that even if I was not updating for a while, people still asked me about the fic, and subscribed to my fic. That GREATLY GREATLY encouraged me into finishing this chapter and deciding to continue. You guys are really very awesome! THANK YOU SOO SOO MUCH!
*90 degrees bow*
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