CHAPTER 9

       The both of man in black coat was standing up side by side, just keeping their gaze straight at nothing but bold fog which was overwhelmed all around them, seemed didn’t bother with cold temperature at all. They were silent for a moment before finally one of them spoke up.

       “Lee Jae Suk,” he beamed a smile and tilted his head to face the man next to him.

       “You should’ve told me that you’re coming,” he continued.

       “I don’t wanna bother you, my friend,” he released a smile as well and looked back at his friend.

       “How could you say you’d bother me?” he shook his head in disbelief. “We’re an old friend and a good old friend shouldn’t bother each other,” he giggled and patted his friend’s shoulder. Finally, the man who was called as Lee Jae Suk widened his smile and giggled along with his friend.

       “Yes we’re,” he nodded assent. “How’re you doing anyway?”

       “I’m doing fine. Just… little matter with my casino business,” he said nonchalantly.

       “What’s the matter with your casino?” Lee Jae Suk asked in concern.

       “You knew, since some casinos had already run at Singapore, we got the impact as well,” he snorted. “It’s inevitable that our casinos business here were really influenced by the emerging of some new casinos either at Sentosa or Marina,” he explained. “They attracted our customers, frankly,” he continued weakly.

       Lee Jae Suk nodded his head but quickly replied while patting his friend, giving an encouragement.

       “I see,” he said. “But don’t worry. Casino business will never die. People come and go and will always be like that,” he assured.

       His friend flashed a smile again. “So, put it aside. I believe that you won’t come without any reason, rite?”

       “You know me well,” Lee Jae Suk answered.

      “Kim Jong San,” Lee Jae Suk said again. “How’s your son?”

       “Kim Tae Yeon?” he mentioned his son’s name. “He’s fine as well. He recently back in Korea,” he said with no idea where this conversation would end up.

       “I’d already known about that. To tell the truth, he was amazing. He had brain, he had looking, he had attitude, and he had bravery as well. You must be proud of him.”

       “Yes, I’m,” Kim Jong San nodded his head. “But… I couldn’t figure it out where you would bring this conversation to, Jae Suk,” he continued dubiously.

       “To the point, I concerned to his relationship with my daughter,” he said calmly but in his flat tone.

       Kim Jong San looked get surprise a little but he tried to manage it.

       “You know how much I love my daughter. And you also know a good father will never let her daughter get disappointed, rite?”

       Kim Jong San couldn’t say anything unless nodded his head confusingly.

       “Did my son bother you or Gyuri?” he asked dubiously again.

       “I hope not,” Lee Jae Suk replied briefly.

       “But there’s some rumor that was bothering me,” he continued seriously. “I haven’t checked it yet but I really don’t hope it’s true.”

       “What’s that?” Kim Jong San asked curiously.

       “You should’ve asked your son about a girl named Tiffany Hwang,” he said.

       “Because I want you to know, I mind to waste my time by taking care kind of small things like that. And I’m sure as well, you won’t let me down by letting your son hurt my daughter,” he said calmly with a smile, but in Jong San’s ears, it sounded like a threatening.

       Kim Jong San was a man with high pride and dignity, and for sure, he also didn’t like to be threatened; however in this kind of condition, he didn’t have another choice unless compromising with his friend.

       “I’m sure my son won’t disappoint either you or your daughter,” he finally replied.

       “I hope you’re right,” Lee Jae Suk said and patted Kim Jong San’s back few times, then turning around and leaving.

       “Taeng!” Tiffany waved her hand and greeted cheerfully as Taeyeon came into the class and stepped toward the empty seat beside her. Taeyeon flashed his bright smile as well to the girl and jumped into his chair.

       “Try this!” Suddenly Tiffany proffered a mealbox. Taeyeon frowned in bemusement.

       “What’s that?” he asked and pointed it with his chin.

       “I made tuna sandwich this morning. Try this, please?” Tiffany asked with a little aegyeo and it was really morning killer for Taeyeon’s heart as he felt his heart suddenly fluttered.

       He widened his smile and received that. He opened it and sniffed it for a moment.

       “It seems delicious. You made this specially for me?” he tried to sound casual, however the amusement tone in his voice was too obvious.

       “Thank you, Fani,” he said cheerfully.

       “Unfortunately, she didn’t make it for you only,” suddenly Yuri chimed in. Taeyeon tilted his head and saw both Yuri and Jessica were standing behind him. He saw Yuri smirked at him.

       Jessica was also smirking. “She offered to us as well,” she showed a part of sandwich with bite mark.

       Abruptly Taeyeon felt so humiliated. He could feel his face was blushing. Tiffany giggled witnessed that.

       “You really know the best way to ruin someone’s happiness, aren’t you?” he pretended to glare to both of Yuri and Jessica. The both of them couldn’t help but giggle loud.

      “Taeng,” Tiffany called out his name sweetly and stared to him.

       “It’s just a tester,” she said. “I made a big portion and offered them to know how the taste because I wasn’t sure about it. I rarely cooked and if you like it, I’d be glad to bring you another next day or anytime you want it,” she explained gently. Her eyes were holding on Taeyeon’s eyes. It really drove him crazy, actually. If he was an igloo, he’s pretty sure he’d already melt down few seconds ago. Blending with the snow.

       “You didn’t rarely cook, Tiffany, if I may correct,” Jessica chimed in and smirked.

       “You never cooked before, you never fond with cook as well, and this is your first time cooking,” she stated every necessary words firmly and pretended to whisper but clearly enough to be heard by Taeyeon.

       “I-is it right, Tiffany?” Taeyeon looked puzzled. But deep inside his heart, he felt so joyful.

       “So this is your first time? And you did that for…?”

       Taeyeon didn’t continue his sentence as he felt awkward to mention himself. And similar with him, Tiffany felt like got tongue-tie.

       She gulped and shot a killing glared to her best friend as she was burnt by humiliated now. It’s her turn to be embarrassing, actually, since Jessica spilled out the truth in front of the boy. Jessica was only sticking out her tongue. And fortunately, the bell which indicating the class would be started rung. Tiffany was deep-sighing. She was saved by the bell for this time.

         Taeyeon was frowning when he saw the caller name on the display screen of his cell-phone. Quickly he pressed his Bluetooth hands-free tool that already attached on his ear and greeted the man.

       “Yes, Dad?” he greeted.

       “How’re you?”

       “I’m fine, Dad. Everything’s ok here. How are you?”

       “I’m fine as well,” his father replied and paused for a moment.

       “How’s Gyuri?” finally his father asked.

       Taeyeon snorted. “Dad, I’m sorry, I…”

       “Taeng, I think we’d already made a deal about this,” his father’s sound start to be firm. Taeyeon shook his head in his frustration while his eyes were still concentrating at the road. His hand was on steer wheeling, while the other was rubbing his temple as though he suddenly got headache.

       “I want to make it clear that I gave you a command, not an offer,” he demanded.

       “Yes, Dad,” Taeyeon managed to answer.

       “And I want to make sure that you’re still following my plan,” he continued.

       “Dad, don’t worry about it,” Taeyeon pleaded. “You can count on me about your plan. You know, I never let you down,” he struggled to marshal some assuring words.

       “But I really didn’t love her,” he said desperately.

       “Who was talking about loving her?” his father snapped. “I didn’t ask you too,” he said.

       “Moreover, it’s better if you don’t fall in love with anybody. Ever.”

       “Yes, Dad,” he said calmly.

       “So I think I don’t need to explain you the whole thing again, rite?” his father demanded again, but his voice was soften than before.

       “I believe you’d already known the consequences as well. Rite?”

       “Rite, Dad,” he replied halfheartedly.

       “Good, then. Don’t hurt Gyuri then. Bye and take care, Son!” his father’s voice became soft again as he ended the conversation.

       “Bye and you too, Dad,” he replied and rang off the phone. Again, shaking his head in his disbelief and frustration.

I was about to start my relationship…

I just began to fall in love…

I just began to fall hard into her…

But why things seem so complicated at the beginning?

       Taeyeon snorted again then leaned backward, against the seat.

       “Tiffany, I’m falling so hard with you,” he mumbled. “I promise you, I will take care of you and won’t let anybody hurt you,” he mumbled again.

       Taeyeon was speeding for some minutes and finally stopped his car at the sidewalk. He took his cell-phone and dialed Tiffany’s number. At the second ring, Tiffany hung up the phone. Her voice was bright as usual. Not. Not as usual. As she knew it was Taeyeon who called her.

       “Taeng? Where are you? I’ve been waiting for you.” Tiffany asked cheerfully.

       Taeyeon didn’t answer directly.

       “Taeng?” Tiffany called out again.

       “I’m sorry, Tiffany,” finally he said, weakly.

       “What happens, Taeng?” she asked confusingly. Her voice wasn’t as bright as before.

       “I wasn’t able to tutor you tonight,” he replied.

       “Owh,” Tiffany felt was tight. After taking some effort, she could release some words.

       “It’s okay,” she replied but it obvious that she wasn’t. “I know you must be getting tired to give me some tutor twice a week. What if we make it once a week only?”

       Taeyeon released a fake cough.

       “Or, what if… twice a month? I… I don’t mind if you don’t mind as well,” she stuttered.

       “It isn’t like that, Tiffany. I don’t bother to give you some tutor,” he said and massaged his temple again.

       “Then what… I mean why?” Tiffany asked dubiously, in hope Taeyeon doesn’t plan something she’s really afraid of, like staying away from her again or else. She really couldn’t imagine what would happen to her if he did it again. She knew he’d already captured her heart and vice versa. She believed they would be official; it was only the matter of time. It wasn’t an overconfident thought, but more than that, Tiffany just followed her heart. And now, the boy seemed like confusing, about to spill out something hard.

God, please, doesn’t let him tell something that will break my heart…
Coz I’m sure I can’t bear it…

       “Tiffany, I have some business.”

       “What’s business?” Tiffany sounded uncomfortable. She knew she didn’t have a right to ask in detail but she didn’t care. Her curiosity yet her concern already took over the manner this time.

       “I have a date,” Taeyeon replied, almost above a whisper.

       “With a girl???” Tiffany asked, couldn’t suppress her shocking tone. And by the next time, she realized, it was really a fool question she ever thrown.

       “Ne,” Taeyeon replied briefly. And by the next second, Tiffany found herself had already ended the call and all of her body was shaking. She was sniffling. And the pain began to creep over all of her body.

to be continued...

Poor Tiffany!

Believe me, I'm also very sad to write this story...

But what could I do?

Taeyeon's supposed to obey his father right?

Or is there any wayout for them?

Drop some comments and I will update fast :)