CHAPTER 4

 THE REMORSE 

       Morning sunlight was glanced off the beautiful angelic face that was still drifting into her slumber through the trellis of windows, indicating the morning was just coming, the new day had already came. Still with her closing eyes, she stretched her both arms lazily and made crack sound from the joint that faintly heard, then she yawned for the last time before finally she succeed to beat her drowsiness and opened her eyes. As the consciousness took over her heavy-eyed, she suddenly realized that… she was alone in the room now. There wasn’t anyone else there unless herself.

Where is the guy?

As I remembered, last night, I was cuddling into… him?

        Tiffany suddenly got blushed remembering last night scene. She felt so shame finding herself asked that kind of request to a guy, that even she didn’t know well though she didn’t did it in any purpose, unless just to soothe her fear.

        She put a looked face when she couldn’t find her savior there.

He just disappeared without any… goodbye?

         And then, a strong scent that raising her appetite just emerged. She was tilting her head and finding a cup of coffee, a sandwich, and a memo on the small round table beside the bad post. She was frowning for a moment before grabbing the memo.

Tiffany,

Grab your breakfast.

Don’t be afraid anymore. Nobody’s gonna hurt you.

I have to leave early.

Have a nice day.

Taeyeon’s Point of View

            I saw my stupid mates were gathering at the corner of college canteen and I spontaneously increased my pace in hurry as I couldn’t hold my patience any longer to scold Kwon Yuri – the troublemaker. Both of other guys ~ Jiwoong and Hyuk Jun were standing with their back facing me and seemed they didn’t catch my presence. I observed Yuri, who was talking on his phone; I traced his face and found an odd expression on it as he furrowed his eyebrows. He seemed quite serious with whoever he was speaking to. I – with my smoldering eyes – was chuckling to make them realized about my presence and it made both Jiwoong and Hyun Juk tilted their head and beamed a weird smile that I suddenly made me comprehended that something unusual was happening. Knowing them for a long time – even since we still didn’t mind to take bath together and revealed our pity assets each other – was an ad for me in order to not buying their “fake-nothing’s happened-faced” in this kind of circumstance.

            Yuri rang off the phone in time when I emerged in front of him. I stole a glimpse to both of my friends and I caught they were exchanged worry looked. I could felt they were starting to be seriously freaked out now and I just stared at Kwon Yuri as a gloom was dawning in his both eyes.

            “Tae,” he tried to keep his sound calm; but I was sure actually he must be know that he wouldn’t able to hide every single thing to me.

            I raised my chin a little, pointed it to his face, and questioned him just by my eyes and the good news was he didn’t spin out the time as he knew it would kill my patience toward him.

            “I’m sorry, Tae. It-it’s Frank – he just called me and...,” he was stuttering but I just didn’t give him any chance to explain as I abruptly landed a punch to his face. He hung his head low, looked down and avoided my gaze; his nose was bleeding, but he remained silent, and even didn’t release any squeal of complaint; however I knew, it was hard enough to make him struggle to bear the pain, and he obviously was – as I witnessed he bit his bottom lips to endure the pain.

By the next moment, I felt my both hand was restricted and without even tilted my head, I knew that both Jiwoong and Hyuk Jun were linking their arms separately to prevent me released another punch.

“Get your hand off me!” I ordered them.

“No!” Hyuk Jun insisted. “Until you cool down,” he added.

“I already cooled down,” I said and stopped my struggle to lose, convincing them. Slowly, I felt they began to lose their grips around me, and I was remaining calm, proving them that I didn’t lie.

“Now you tell me, Kwon Yuri!” I demanded in my keen voice. He shifted his look, from the ground toward me.

“I swear, I also don’t know this would be happened, Tae,” Yuri began to explain.

“Few days ago I met Frank and booked a woman named Cassandra, and the whole thing on my mind just I want to make something different for your birthday ~ something surprise ~ something that will catch you off guard – but I never, never planned something bad for you,” he stated.

“Yeah, I you’re really harvest a huge succeed with your plan,” I replied sarcastically. “You indeed caught me off guard,” I added with the same tone.

“Listen, Tae,” he said. “It’s very ok if you’re getting mad at me. It’s all my fault,” he continued again.

“No, Yul. It’s all our fault,” Jiwoong quickly interrupted, then he looked at me,”Don’t put all the blame on him. We’re all involved,” he said, full of guilty feeling.

“No, guys. I should’ve listen to you from early,” Yuri shook his head. “I should’ve known Tae won’t be like this.”

“If you wanna make drama, go on; I’m not interested to be in scene,” I cut off their conversation in my annoyance.

“No, okay. Don’t go,” Yuri quickly said when he caught the indication. “So I also didn’t have any idea why it’s not Cassandra who came to your room! You know I was freaked out and almost going crazy when lately Frank called me and told me, there’s a little mistake,” Yuri explained again. My eyes was bugging out listen the word “listen” and Yuri quickly continued,”It’s not me who say ‘little’; I just imitated what was Frank saying. And of course I already exclaimed him all of bitter words vocabulary I knew.”

“Do you think it would help?” I stared at him.

“No,” he answered me. “I know it wouldn’t change anything. You don’t have any idea how I was terribly sorry about it, Tae. But I really, really sorry,” he said – and for the first time, I captured the other side of Kwon Yuri – my player friend, my immature pal, and honestly, I appreciated it.

“I’m not hyperbolic; but at that time – when Frank told me that Cassandra couldn’t come because she’s getting sick and he just substitute it with a ‘’ young girl, my head seemed couldn’t stop spinning around; I thought earthquake will never be worse than it!”

“I felt even worse when Frank told me honestly, that the girl was at the same age with us; she’s entering college – same with us, but she just didn’t granted luck. Frank told me everything, about how her brother…”

“I already known that part,” I cut off, as I didn’t want my heart was getting ache again – somehow – when I relive how the vulnerable girl told me in her fear – yet her…glimmer hope on me, it’s like my heart was on the same rhythm with hers too? I snapped my muse and back to Yuri again.

“She told me,” I explained briefly.

“He told you that part?” Yuri, Jiwoong, and Hyuk Jun were unison in their shock while looking at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s unintentionally I guess,” I tried to make a sense-explanation. “She’s dreadfully freak out as she thought I was ert. She thought, she would last ‘it’ that night; forcefully yanked by whomever the guy who already paid a lot for it,” I said.

“I told her, I wasn’t and I won’t hurt to her. Of course, initially she didn’t believe it. So, as I was very exhausted and didn’t have any idea to convince her anymore, I just landed myself into the sofa and rest,” I relived the scene. “Not long after that, I just realized, she was sobbing. On her bed. And…,” I paused for a moment as I remember every detail in that night well; how I sat beside her, how I hugged her, how I wiped her tears off, how I cuddled her, and how she asked me not to leave her… and how it ended up…, but I thought it’s unnecessary to share the parts to them, so I decided to skip those scene and just ended my explanation with,”Yeah and then she told me about how could she was at the room.”

My friends were nodding their head with concern expression.

“Tae, I’m really sorry. I hope you… forgive me,” Yuri said sincerely.

“Me too. We’re very sorry,” Jiwoong and Hyuk Jun said.

I released a deep sigh before finally getting rid of my gloom expression; I never could be mad with them too long, for any reasons. They are my best friend, best brother, forever.

I caught their expression were also turning brighter.

“Yul,” I called. “Take me to Frank,” I said.

“What will you do?” Yuri asked wonderingly.

“What do you think I’m gonna do?” I questioned back and turning around, as I wasn’t patient to just stay there. Yuri rushed and followed me behind.

“You’re gonna… set her free?” he guessed. I didn’t release any words, but I beckoned him with my “yes” eyes.

We got in my Porsche. He was still looking nonplussed with my plan. I just acted nonchalant.

“Dude,” he said carefully. “I don’t impede or else; I just wonder, why do you do that?”

I glanced at him then back to road. “Tell me, why don’t I do that?”

He released a deep breath while shaking his head. I know he hate when I just questioned back instead of answering his question. He knew he would never beat me for this.

I flashed a little smile. “She’s poor,” I said briefly without looking back at him again. But I know, he was staring at me now.

“Bad excuse,” he said. “Must be another strong reason behind it.”

“Don’t believe me, then,” I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. “You don’t have to believe me if you don’t want,” I smirked.

“Will you do the same if it’s not her?” he suddenly asked. My heart was stopping pump for a moment as I didn’t expect he would ask that kind of question.

“Whaddaya mean?” I tried to keep my voice calm; yet put impassive expression in my face so he couldn’t read anything from me.

“If it’s not her – simply said – it’s Cassandra or whoever the hell is it, will you redeem to set her free too?” he asked bluntly.

“No idea,” I released a hanging answer. “Don’t question me with “if” question,” I said. “You knew I’m typical of person who don’t like to imagine something that wouldn’t surely happened,” I smirked again as I released a diplomatic answer.

Yuri seemed give up against me. I smiled in my victory. But he just threw me another question – still about the girl, but not about the reason to redeem her.

“Is she beautiful?”

            “Do you think Frank will substitute high-fare with another ugly girl?” I glanced at him. He just laughed with his absurd question, but still trying to plead himself.

            “Yeah, dude… But she’s . ity was…”

            “Highly precious and uncountable,” I interrupted him then my mind just suddenly back to Tiffany again.

            “What if – in the night it’s not me?” I mumbled, but clear enough to be caught by Yuri.

            “Maybe now she already had lost everything,” Yuri said.

            “Hey, but, guys, at least, if it wasn’t because of me – my crazy plan, she must be…,” Yuri added with cheerful voice and just hushed once I glared at him.

My crazy friend! How could he think it was a blessing? But, if it was keenly thought, yeah, the girl was really luck. If it wasn’t me, I really couldn’t imagine what was happening to her now… I felt terribly sorry for Tiffany; and while I further mused, I realized that I… I didn’t want this just end up here; I still wanted to know more and more about her. I’m craving anything about her – of course excluding the session – no, I didn’t talk about it right now – or not yet.

Geun Suk just poured the beer into the dirty glass when he caught the footsteps sounds emerged into the house. His gross smirk just disappeared when the girl popped in front of her.

“Oppa,” the girl said with her watery eyes.

“Ugh-uh… You’re already home?” Geun Suk tried to suppress his surprise feeling.

Geun Suk eyed at what the girl was holding now. It’s a suitcase. Immediately Geun Suk stood up, shoved the chair away, and approached the girl. He was kneeling in front of girl and put very sorry expression on his face.

“Tiffany,” he said. “Mianhae… Mianhae, Tiffany,” he continued sincerely. “Oppa was very bad for you; but Oppa really didn’t have any choice,” he said again – the last clause was barely heard.

 “How could you do that to me, Oppa???” Tiffany asked.

“Mianhae, Tiffany,” it was only the words he could release since he knew any excuse would never be right. “Please don’t go, please don’t live… Oppa can’t live without you… I promise will take care of you,” Geun Suk was crying and hugging Tiffany’s leg. Tiffany was remaining silent; however she felt her heart was melted again.

“Please… don’t go away…,” he begged again and finally Tiffany let the suitcase fall down and her hands held Geun Suk’s hand, invited him to stand up.

“G-gomawo Fani~aaa,” Geun Suk said and pressed his body toward the girl, hugged her tightly. Tiffany leaned her head on Geun’s Suk shoulder and vice versa. They were sobbing in the silence for a few moments.

“Mianhae, Fani~aaa,” Geun Suk said again. “I shouldn’t let anybody take ‘it’ away from you…”

Geun Suk could felt Tiffany shook her head from his back. His eyes was popping up, as he didn’t expect Tiffany would reacted that way.

“W-what…”

“I-I didn’t lose anything, Oppa,” she said innocently.

Geun Suk still couldn’t believe what he just heard. He needed some time to recover from the situation; but by the next time after he could manage himself again, he released a smirk ~ in his victory.