CHAPTER 17

Taeyeon Point of View

            “Tiffany…,” I called out her carefully.

            “Yes, Tae?” She tilted her head and looked at me.

            “Would you like to do something for me?”

            “Certainly. Anything for you, Tae.”

            I smiled heard her answer and couldn’t help but kiss her cheek. I caught her eyes brightened afterward. I knew she loved me a lot as well.

            “Since you’d already everything about me, I wouldn’t be hesitated to give you this,” I said and hauled up a handgun from inside my leather jacket. I proffered it to her and saw she was dumbfounded. When I found she didn’t move even for an inch, I gently took her hand and opened her palm, then put the gun on her hand and guided her to grip it.

            “W-what does it mean, Tae?” she asked, stammering.

            “You need this, Babygirl,” I replied. “To protect yourself.”

            “Won’t you do it for me?” she asked dubiously and I giggled at her innocence. I pulled her closer and wrapped my hand around her waist.

            “Look, Fani,” I said. “I won’t let anybody hurt you as long as I’m alive,” I trailed off before continuing. “But we’d never know how long I would live.”

            “I’d teach you how to use it. You have to spare your time to practice. I’m serious about it, Fani,” I demanded.

            I saw her expression turned into dark one. She pulled away from my hug and parted her lips, then stepping back and leaned her back against the wall. She crossed her arms and I knew she was upset at me because of my remarks.

            “You know I hate when you talked like that. I sounded like you would leave me.”

            I stepped forward and gently touched her cheek.

            “Hey, don’t be mad at me. And don’t get me wrong, please,” I uttered genuinely.

            She turned down her corner of lips, made a face. But for me, she just looked even cuter when she put an expression like this. I carefully unfolded her arms and she didn’t persist, then I reached her into my hug again. I caressed her head while talking.

            “You know as well… I would never leave you, my love,” I whispered. “But we have to think about all the possibilities. You knew who I am. You knew the risk as well. I have so many enemies, including…,” I paused momentarily and she used the chance to peer up at me.

            “My father,” I said feebly.

            “Y-you count him as your enemy as well?” she asked wonderingly.

            “You know I’d already disobeyed him. He wouldn’t like it.”

            “Have you two… officially been an enemy?” she asked dubiously.

            “Not really, Sweets,” I shook my head. “But I knew him well. I didn’t think he would let me off just like this. He could really catch you off guard… You had no idea about him…”

            “Mianhae, Taeng,” she said solemnly. “I’d already messed your relationship with your father…”

            “Sssshhh,” I shook my head and put my finger on her lips to hush her.

            “I was being thankful you came into my life, Tiffany. You taught me how to love, you fixed my heart, you made me feel alive, you made me feel the way I never felt before… and you’re the one who made me as I am today…”

            She looked taken aback with my sincere remarks and I saw her eyes began to be watery. I used my thumb to wipe the tears away then pulling her into my hug again.

            “You made me felt so precious… and made me more than I can be…,” I whispered solemnly.

            “I owed you, Tiffany Hwang.”

            “Don’t say it, Taeng… If you said so, I also could tell you the same thing. I owed you as well…”

            “For what?”

            “You made it real for me, Taeng. You gave your love away… and despite of my flaw, I felt already been complete… with you’re in my life.”

            “I love you, Tiffany.”

            “I love you more, Taeng.”

Jessica Point of View

            I barely talked to Yuri lately. It’d already four months and hell, he still didn’t declare anything about our relationship. I meant, I was a girl and I needed a certainty. It wasn’t I was envy and jealous with a sweet-romantic couple Taeny, but… Hmmmh, let me rephrase it. Yes, I was envy and jealous… a bit. Taeyeon was so sweet to Tiffany… And from the way she talked and looked at Taeng, I also knew she was deeply in love with him as well.

But look at me now!

            It wasn’t Yuri didn’t care about me. I knew he care enough about me. I liked him and I knew he liked me too. But… as my feeling grew up, I couldn’t help but need to assure his feeling toward me as well. He texted me good morning everyday and called me a goodnight every night. But… he never spilled out what I expected him to say… And it began to bother me frankly.

            And now, when I sat on my porch, mused it alone, suddenly he popped up in front of my house and got approach me. I made a deadpan expression when saw him.

            “Sica,” he called out my name. “We need to talk.”

            “What about? I’m not in the mood,” I replied.

            He took a seat beside me and I didn’t look at him. I just stared away.

            “About us,” he said.

            “There’s nothing wrong about us.”

            “Of course there’s,” he persisted. “You’d already changed. You acted so cold to me. I’m not that stupid to not notice it.”

            “And?”

            “And?” he repeated confusingly.

            “And what did you expect from me?” I asked nonchalantly.

            “I missed you,” he blurted out. “I miss your warmth…”

            “If you don’t like the way I am, just stay away from me,” I replied sarcastically.

            Out of my expectation, he didn’t seem upset or angry; otherwise he seemed so patient and poise. It made me guilty for a moment and arouse sudden urge to rephrase my words, but the next moment I could manage myself to keep being cold.

            He heaved a huge sigh. “You know it didn’t what I mean. Why you always get me wrong?”

            “Because…,” I opened up , almost spill everything in my mind out, but then I could hold it again. No. I supposed not to spill it out. He had to find it himself.

Because I love you… and I need to know how you feel about me as well…

            “Because in my eyes, you seemed so,” I improvised.

            He shook his head desperately.

            “Sica,” he called me again. “I think…,” he trailed off. “I think… you began to feel uncomfortable with me. I think you began to dislike me…”

            His words caught me off guard. No. No. He’s mistaken! This was absolutely not what I want!

            “I’m sorry for making you feel so…,” he said desperately and sudden twinge of pain and regret emerged in my heart. It’s too late to rephrase my remarks.

            “If you want me to stay away from you, I’ll do it,” he said sincerely and I began to feel tears on my eyelids. I struggled hard to fight it back. I didn’t want he caught me cried.

            “I… I…,” I couldn’t say anything.

            “But before it, may I ask you something?”

            “W-what is it?” I asked stutteringly.

            “I want to go out with you. For the last time…,” he said and I supposed not to hurt him more. I nodded feebly and he smiled wryly.

            “Let’s go then,” he invited me and I trailed him to his car.

            During the way, we barely talked again. It’s really awkward and I hated it. Suddenly I regretted and blamed myself for it. I supposed not to act so cold to him. I supposed to be little bit patient. He may need time or else… He probably not ready for any kind of relationship… Why I had to act so childish? I stole a glimpse at him I noticed his face was sad. And I knew I would never like to see him sad.

            After 30 minutes drifted into awkward silence, finally he parked his car at the side of Han Gang. He didn’t say any single words and just got out from the car. I didn’t have any choice unless following him. We walked side by side, still remained silence.

            Finally I couldn’t help but pipe up.

            “Why we’re here?”

            “I always dream of it,” he said enigmatically.

            “What?” I looked baffled.

            He was silent again and just stared out at the river. I shifted my gaze to some boats across the river as well. Above us, the sky began to turn into dark one as the sun already hided itself behind the horizon. An evening breeze blew up our hairs and I still couldn’t figure out anything.

            “Dream of what, Yul?” I asked him again.

            “Sssh…,” he gave me a cue to be silent. “Don’t you like this?” he asked.

            “It’s very beautiful here,” I replied.

            “That’s why I brought you here,” finally he tilted his head to me.

            “What?” I asked confusingly again.

            He nodded and smiled.

            “I’d been dreaming about this, Sica,” he said. I threw a baffled look at him again and suddenly, just suddenly, he held my hand and intertwined our fingers. I instinctively let it flowed and didn’t pull away. My heart began to thump faster and I felt butterflies on my stomach for all of the sudden.

            “Don’t stare at me,” he whispered and suddenly I felt so embarrass as he caught me.

            I quickly shifted my gaze to the river again and…

            Oh my God…

            There’s one boat with a big billboard and a word consisting of a lamp on it…

            It’s written:

            JESSICA

            And the next boat was trailing behind…

            WOULD

            The next boats just kept coming… and I spelled it one by one…

            YOU

            BE

            MY

            GIRLFRIEND?

            It was total six boats and I jolted in surprise. I gasped and clutched my mouth, for a second I couldn’t take a breath. I tilted my head to him and he smiled complacently.

            “Y-Yul?” I was still in shock mode and just able to call out his name.

            “Yes?” he replied playfully.

            “Yul…,” I called out his name again and now I didn’t fight back my tears. I let it run down my cheeks and I felt the gentle touch of his fingers rub it away.

            “Give me an answer, would you?” he asked gently.

            “Yul…,” I suddenly snuggled into his chest and he curled his arms around my back. He hugged me tight and I cried into his hug.

            “I would, Yul… I would…,” I whispered.

            “I always been dreaming about today, Sica,” I heard him say while my back.

            “Mianhae, Yul…”

            He touched my chin and lifted my head by it so that I could look at him.

            “Don’t say it, Sica. I’m sorry I’ve let you wait too long,” he smiled. “I wanted it to be special and I just needed some time to prepare it all… I wanted us to relish this moment forever…,” he said and I felt so terribly guilty hearing it. I smiled… smiled complacently… and cried felt so touch by his action and his words… God… How could on earth I felt jealous and envy to Taeny? I thought when they knew what had he done to me they would feel slightly jealous to me as well now…

            “Y-you had already reason it out, Yul?”

            He nodded again.

            “Of course, Sica. I wasn’t that fool. I knew the reason you acted like that. Believe me when I said… I hurt when saw you’d changed but… I struggled to stay poise… and wait for today…”

            And then… the three words I’ve anticipating for were released from his mouth.

            “I love you, Sica…”

            “I… love you too, Yul… Thank you… Thank you for everything…,” with that I felt he brushed my lips. I closed my eyes, felt his gentle kiss… and when I knew it’s real, I smiled broadly… I couldn’t believe… He’s mine.

Taeyeon Point of View

            My cell-phone was buzzing when I was having dinner with Tiffany. I glimpsed on it and discovered it was him who’s calling. My father.

            “Who’s that, Taeng? Why don’t you pick up?” she asked curiously.

            “It’s him,” I replied briefly, slightly tense.

            “Aren’t you going to pick it up?” she asked.

            I released a deep sigh before finally picking it up.

            “Yes, Dad?” I answered halfheartedly.

            “Hey, Son, how’re you doing?”

            “Fine, Dad. Just to the point, would you? We knew it wasn’t necessary to goof off some time.”

            He laughed out of loud and I felt irritated.

            “I’d like you to do me a favor.”

            “Look, Dad. If you’re going to ask me to stay away from her, I won’t…”

            “Hey, easy, Son,” he cut off.

            “I knew you wouldn’t do that, so I wouldn’t ask you to do it as well.”

            “Then what do you want me to do?”

            “I think I’d found win-win solution for us. You know, Taeng, I was concern with our bad relationship lately.”

            I felt almost threw up listening to his words.

            “Are you trying to offer something?”

            “Yes,” he said.

            “What’s that?”

            “Kill someone and I wouldn’t disturb your relationship with her again.”

            I jolted in surprise hearing his words.

            “Can I have your words?”

            “Of course.”

            “Who?” I asked him curiously.

            “A girl named Jessica Jung,” he stated and I was frozen hearing it.

to be continued...