CHAPTER 10

FLASHBACK

A DAY BEFORE VALENTINE DAY

       “Fani~aaaa, what are you doing?” Jessica asked curiously to her best friend as she caught Tiffany wore apron and held spatula. It was something unusual, actually.

       “Trying to make some chocolate. Wanna join?” Tiffany turned her head and flashed a smile. Jessica was dumbfounded.

       “What? What for?” Jessica looked bemused.

       “Tomorrow is valentine day, rite?” Tiffany reminded her. Her hand was still shaking the mixing of ingredients.

       “Rite,” Jessica said absently. “And I’m still unable to figure out the sense,” she rolled her eyes.

       “I’m gonna give it to someone,” she said and smiled again.

       “You can’t be serious,” Jessica replied dubiously. Tiffany shrugged her shoulders.

       “Why not? I’m so serious,” she said.

       “Don’t say you’re planning to give it to the cold freaking boy,” Jessica unconsciously raised her tone.

       Tiffany widened her smile while looking at her friend. “You’d already said that.”

       Jessica gasped in shock but Tiffany kept smiling nonchalantly and pecked her cheeks playfully.

       “Why him?” Jessica shook his head in disbelief. “You have many fanatic fans, but why him amongst of them. And even he’s not your fans at all. He always acted cold to you. I eventually thought he’s numb,” Jessica kept complaining. Tiffany was still being poised.

       “I don’t need any fans actually,” Tiffany replied. “And you probably wouldn’t make any sense of it, Sica, because it’s me – it’s my experience, not yours. And I myself hard to find a reason why I’m gonna do that,” Tiffany said calmly.

       “I just follow my heart. I know I have no idea about him; but I’m pretty sure he was hiding something. Must be a good reason behind his behavior.”

       Jessica rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she mumbled when she knew it was useless to continue the arguing.

       “Ahhhh, it’s him!” Suddenly Tiffany said. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

       “Taeng!” she shouted and waved her hand. Taeyeon stopped at his track and saw Tiffany was getting approach to him.

       “Taeng, I… I make this for you,” Tiffany managed to say and handed a box of hand-made chocolate to him. Taeyeon glanced for a moment to the gift then he shifted his gaze to Tiffany again.

       He waved his hand nonchalantly.

       “I don’t eat chocolate and you’re not supposed to make it for me,” he said.

       Tiffany looked shock and felt disappointed but she still struggled to stay poised. She displayed her smile and looked at the boy.

       “Uhmm… Sorry, Taeng… I don’t know if you don’t eat chocolate…,” Tiffany said.

       “But would you like to receive it? You can save it or give it to another person if you want. I don’t mind,” Tiffany managed to say again. But Taeyeon’s expression was nonchalant. It was unable to read.

       “Tiffany,” Taeyeon called her name with a flat tone. “I have no idea about what’re you doing to me and to tell the truth, I don’t wanna know yet I don’t’ care as well. It isn’t my business actually. But if I haven’t told you yet, I’ll tell you now, stop being so nice to me because in some way, it really bothered me. Get it?”

       A sudden pang was creeping over her heart. Tiffany bit her bottom lips in her effort to not cry in front of him; but she could felt her legs were trembling now.

       “I… I see, Taeng,” Tiffany struggled to answer. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to bother you…,” she continued. Taeyeon glanced again then he turned away.

       “Happy valentine day, Taeng…,” she mumbled and let her tears overflowed as she knew Taeyeon didn’t look at her again.

       Then she threw the gift on the trash can absently.

ONE DAY…

       “Class, as we know, next week we have to send a representative from our school to join pageant contest,” Mr. Choi announced. “I will hold some poll and you have to vote to decide who’s supposed to be our representative since our school committee already decided two names,” Mr. Choi continued.

       The pupils were beginning to be noisy in their excitement. Taeyeon, as usual, seemed nonchalant and preferred to lean his head on his desk. Actually, he was only the one who wasn’t affected with the atmosphere.

       “The lucky one was Gyuri from XII A and Tiffany from this class, XII B!”

       Suddenly Taeyeon jerked when he heard the latter was mentioned. He stole a glimpse to Tiffany, who seemed taken aback as well. He also saw Jessica patted her shoulder and showed her excitement.

       “Since I’m pretty sure that most of you or probably everybody in this class would support and choose Tiffany as well, I’m supposed to make it simpler. Is there any of you who disagree if our committee send Tiffany?”

       It was a silence for a moment. Pupils were looking each other and seemed everybody didn’t mind if the committee send Tiffany as the representative from their school. But abruptly one student got up and it was no other than Taeyeon. Almost all of the students looked taken aback, even including Mr. Choi. Jessica glared to Taeyeon but Taeyeon pretended to ignore.

       “Kim Taeyeon? You don’t agree?” Mr. Choi managed to ask.

       “Yes, Sir. I mind,” he stated firmly.

       “What the hell he’s doing?” Jessica mumbled beside Tiffany. “I’ll surely kill him afterward!” she mumbled again but Tiffany beckoned her to hush.

       “Calm down, Sica… It’s normal. We couldn’t force everybody to like us or choose us, rite?” Tiffany said. Jessica shook in disagreement.

       “Are you losing your mind? Don’t you feel offended? It’s insulting, Fani~aaaa,” Jessica couldn’t bear her anger again and she really had no idea about the way Tiffany was thinking.

       “Sica… Mr. Choi just asked our preference, right?” Tiffany asked.

       Jessica nodded her head absently.

       “So we should be okay if there’s one or two or perhaps more people that didn’t agree if committee send me to the contest,” Tiffany said again. “They’d think that Gyuri probably has greater chance to win.”

       “Oh man! On which earth they had stupid thought like that?” Jessica gasped.

       “Only idiot who would think Gyuri would win. And only moron that preferred to vote her than you!”

       “Kim Taeyeon,” Mr. Choi said. “Do you have any reason behind your preference?”

       “With all of my respect, Sir, should I spill it out here?” Taeyeon asked politely.

       “I guess yes since I found you’re only one in this class who refused to choose Tiffany,” Mr. Choi replied patiently. “I just wonder why or perhaps you’ve a good reason behind it.”

       Taeyeon glanced at Tiffany again and this time, Tiffany was looking at him as well, so they accidentally exchanged a glimpse.

       Taeyeon shrugged his shoulder.

       “If I have to say, I’ll surely vote for Gyuri for sure. In my eyes, Gyuri is more beautiful, more talented, and yet, she is also a model. I’m quite sure she’s very capable to manage her stage act as well. It obviously would be an ad for our school. So I don’t see why I suppose to vote Tiffany rather than Gyuri,” Taeyeon said.

        “Well, sorry Tiffany if my words perhaps hurt you,” Taeyeon said to her but everybody knew he seemed no sorry as he said it with nonchalant tone.

       Suddenly, the class was overwhelmed with an awkward silence. Everybody seemed shock with Taeyeon statement, including Mr. Choi.

       “Kim Taeyeon!” Finally Jessica couldn’t hold her anger anymore.

       “What the hell were you talking about?” she snapped and glared to him.

       “Sica… we’re at the class now,” Tiffany gave a cue to her but Jessica seemed ignored it.

       “Don’t stop me, Tiffany,” Jessica said to her. “This person was very rude and had no attitude. If you’re okay with that, I’m not!” Jessica stated.

       And still, everybody just witnessed the scene in shock mode.

       “Excuse me?” Taeyeon asked. “Did I make a mistake?”

       “Why you shouted at me?” Taeyeon asked again. “Mr. Choi asked me to tell the truth and I just being honest, actually. You’re supposed not to be angry with me or else.”

       “But you…”

       “Sica… Sica… please, don’t continue this,” Tiffany begged. She was on the edge of crying. Jessica paused for a moment when she saw her friend was begging on her. Tiffany used the moment to get up.

       “Mr. Choi and class,” she struggled to bear the tears and managed to say.

       “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I… I’m very flattered because you’re all put your trust on me.”

       “Oh no no no, please don’t say this…,” Jessica shook her head in panic.

       “But I don’t think I’m ready enough to join the contest,” Tiffany continued.

       “It’s indeed a great chance and perhaps every girl was dreaming of it. I really being thankful of it but… but…,” Tiffany began to stutter.

       “But… as I said, I… I’m not ready and… and… probably… what was Taeyeon saying… was… more than enough to… to… not involving me… to the contest…,” she finally could finished her explanation.

       Mr. Choi looked like absent minded. The atmosphere was so awkward.

       Mr. Choi released a fake cough to clear his throat.

       “Are you sure, Tiffany?” he asked. Tiffany nodded surely.

       “Yes, Mr. Choi. Just send Gyuri for joining the contest. And once again… I’m sorry if I disappointed you all,” Tiffany said again. And when she realized her tears began to run down her cheeks she hastily stepped out the class.

       “Excuse me, I’ve to go to toilet,” she made an excuse then rushing over to the toilet.

       Taeyeon squinted him eyes up at his place.

       “If only you know, Tiffany…,” he talked to himself.

       Taeyeon snapped away his cogitatION then getting out from the car. He walked toward a house and was welcomed by the security officer.

       “Good afternoon, Mr. Kim Taeyeon,” the man greeted. Taeyeon nodded his head and smiled.

       “I come here for your boss,” he said.

       The security officer opened the gate for him.

       “Would you like me to park your car inside, Mr. Kim Taeyeon?”

       “No, thanks,” Taeyeon smiled politely. “I’ll wait here. Just give this to your boss and tell her, I’m waiting here,” he said and proffered a wrapped stuff to the man.

       “Ah, I see. Please wait then,” the man bowed a little before he left and stepped into the house.

to be continued...