Stone Fountain, Park Estate

“are you my father’s agent?” leeteuk asked taeyeon.

Taeyeon closed her eyes. this is it, she thought. she didn’t expect that leeteuk will find about the secret so quickly. Her fists formed into a ball as she thought hard how to answer him. She couldn’t think of words, and heck the cold air that seeped through their bodies even made her thinking worse.

“i—I’m really sorry.” She said, opening her eyes. it must have been her first time to be scared, all alone by facing just one man, because of an incident that can quickly change their future.

Leeteuk sighed and ran a palm through his hair.

“just answer me.” he said, composing himself. If there is one thing that he learned from his mother, it is to listen to an explanation before making judgements. Taeyeon heaved out a huge deal of breath as a signal to respond to his question.

“yes, I was your father’s agent.” She said, emphasizing the word ‘was’. “I already am since I stepped to your place.”

“and what did you and father agreed about?” leeteuk asked. He wasn’t facing her. he was so disappointed that he couldn’t even bear to hold a sight of her face.

“he said, that I watch you to school, be in the same course as you and be friends with you so that he will see you transparently.” Taeyeon confessed.

“so you obeyed that?” leeteuk asked.

Taeyeon sighed.

“yes.”

“but your father just wants to watch over you because everyone knows that you’re sick and you’re in need of protection.” She defensed on him, as the latter kept ignoring her gazes.

“what’s the catch?”

“leeteuk, I think there’s nothing wrong with observing you because---“

“what’s the catch?” he asked, almost shouting. Taeyeon almost wished that she didn’t accept the job because she didn’t expect the consequences to be this bad later on.

“I was paid in cash.” Taeyeon stammered.

Leeteuk bit his lip and closed his eyes.

“leeteuk.” Taeyeon muttered. “truthfully I accepted the job because of the cash so I tried every way to know everything about you. And now I really know almost everything and you have nothing to hide. But I don’t regret being paid in cash because its for the future of my family. The only thing I regretted was being paid in exchange of your friendship. So I returned all the salaries I earned. I promise you, I didn’t use any single of it just for my own pleasures.”

“you think this will change a thing?” leeteuk said back.

“I am not your father’s agent anymore.” Taeyeon said. “yesterday I saw the chance of befriending you but its not because of money.”

Leeteuk stood up and brushed small dirt off his pants from sitting down the fountain.

“I’m sorry, please!” taeyeon stood up too.

“miss kim.” Leeteuk faced her direction. “I listened to your explanation and I understand what you’ve been through. But you cannot force me to accept things so quickly as if things are just easy to forgive.”

Taeyeon’s face lit up in a ray of tiny hopes.

“does that mean that you’ll forgive me soon?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” Leeteuk broke off his gaze. “I just don’t know.”

----------------------------

Leeteuk’s room, Park Manor

“oi, hyung!” donghae sat up from his lying position at the foot of leeteuk’s bed. “just where did you go? I was waiting for you the whole time!”

“hyung?” donghae looked at leeteuk with eyes full of concern.

“did you say something?” leeteuk asked.

Donghae groaned and poked his sitting cousin at the head.

“you’re not listening to me.” he pouted as leeteuk lay on the bed, staring at a space.

“yah, hyung.” Donghae poked again.

“what?”

“I told you earlier that were supposed to drink milkshake today at the diner.” He said.

“what?” leeteuk sat up straight.

“aigoo.” Donghae scratched his head. “you really aren’t listening to me.”

Leeteuk sighed and pulled out a wad of paper money from his pocket.

“buy yourself dinner, I’m not going out.” He said.

“but you’re supposed to go out with me!” donghae tugged his cousin’s sleeves.

“donghae, stop being childish.” Leeteuk said, pulling his sleeve back to its original position.

“aish, what’s wrong with you?” donghae bit his lip. “if this is all about a girl, let me talk to her.”

Leeteuk suddenly smiled. His cousin really knows when he’s in a clash with a girl.

“let’s go to the diner.” He said, ushering him.

--------------------------

Kitchen area, Park Villa

“doom’s day?” ryeowook noticed kim taeyeon slumping herself on the stool next to sunny who was busy slicing vegetables.

Taeyeon glared at ryeowook and continued pouting at the nook.

“unni, what’s wrong?” sunny asked.

“he found out.” Taeyeon answered, referring to her previous job as an agent.

“my gosh.” Sunny pouted too.

“I know right.” Taeyeon sighed. She didn’t like what she was feeling today. She felt lost and angry at herself.

“I really don’t like this feeling you know.” Taeyeon continued. “this is a lot worse than breakup.”

“wae?” ryeowook gasped. “there’s something worse than breakup?”

“wookie!” sunny hissed.

“he told me that he didn’t know what time it will take to forgive me.” taeyeon cupped her chin. “he listened to my explanation and he understood that well but he was really disappointed.”

Ryeowook pointed a spatula at her face.

“then what are you slumping here for if you told us that there’ll be hope anyways?” he asked.

“don’t you see.” Sunny explained. “it’ll take time for him to forgive her.”

“come to think of it, he’s my partner at the school project.” Taeyeon kept hitting her head with her own fist.

“aigoo, don’t do that.” sunny stopped her.

“what do I do, guys? Ottokhae..” taeyeon bit her lip in dismay. It was a first for her to be lost in her own self. “I don’t want to lose him.”

“why don’t you write a letter?” sunny suggested. “or give him something he will like?”

“like?” ryeowook butted in.

“well, since taeyeon unni knows a lot about him, she should be the one to think.” Sunny smiled.

“wow, thank you.” Ryeowook muttered sarcastically.

Taeyeon stood up and stole a slice of radish from ryeowook’s plate.

“thanks guys.” She said, taking a bite. “I know what to do.”

And she left the room.

Ryeowook and sunny looked at each other.

“I didn’t say anything did i?” sunny scratched her head.

--------------------------

Leeteuk’s room Park Manor

Taeyeon heaved out a deep breath and knocked at leeteuk’s room thrice.

“leeteuk?” she asked. “leeteuk, please let me just talk to you.”

Taeyeon knew that knocking over someone’s room impulsively will send the latter furious but she felt that it was the right her for thing to do.

“leeteuk, I’m telling you everything, please open the door.” Taeyeon said.

“tell him what?” said a voice.

Taeyeon turned around and saw hyoyeon crossing her arms.

“he went out with my cousin.” Hyoyeon said. “so basically, no one’s in that room.”

“ah, I see.”

Taeyeon sighed and felt a surge of heat flowing through her heart.

“thanks anyways.” She muttered, heading for the exit.

“something wrong?” hyoyeon pointed out.

“its really hard to tell.” Taeyeon managed to smile. “maybe if you found out, you’ll be disappointed too.”

“that you’re father’s agent?” hyoyeon answered for her.

Taeyeon cringed her brows for such revelation.

“why did you know?”

“inyoung unni searched for you.” Hyoyeon said. “that’s why she didn’t stop you from asking about our brother. It benefited us you see, everything was transparent with oppa when you came around.”

“should I take that as a compliment?” taeyeon smiled weakly.

Hyoyeon smiled and cautiously held taeyeon’s hand.

“let’s go to my unni’s room, she’ll know what to do.”

--------------------------

Park Inyoung’s room, Park Manor

“how about you write a letter?” leeteuk’s elder sister, Park Inyoung suggested to a weary taeyeon.

“you think he’ll read it?” taeyeon asked back.

“oppa’s got a huge brain for understanding things.” Hyoyeon butted in. “so I think he’ll read it.”

“I hope so.” Taeyeon sat at the foot of Inyoung’s bed and sighed.

“you really look troubled.” Hyoyeon noticed.

“we were okay last night and earlier, we started being friends officially.” Taeyeon explained. “but it was a fool of me to leave a map inside his closet the time I was observing him. I really didn’t mean to hide the fact in purpose, I’m just waiting for the right time to tell him.”

“and so he found out first that’s why he was mad at you.” Inyoung said.

“ne.” taeyeon sighed again.

Hyoyeon looked sad too.

“you know, everyone in oppa’s stand will be disappointed too because its an invasion of privacy.” She said. “but you were just doing your job, and it benefited everyone. At first I really thought you were just after the money but when Inyoung unni told me how leeteuk progressed everyday because you were watching him, I was glad that you came along too.”

“so lets start over, you’re winning yourself a new friend.” Hyoyeon held taeyeon’s hand.

“thanks.” Taeyeon said.

“hmm…” hyoyeon thought aloud. “you know what when ga-in unni makes oppa mad, she confronts him with a food.”

“with a food?” taeyeon blurted.

“ne.” hyoyeon laughed. “oppa, loves sweet stuff so much. He’ll eat in bites because he wasn’t really allowed to have many. So Ga-in unni, the brave she was, will bring food that oppa never tasted before, so oppa will quickly forget his disappointment or anger with her.”

“that is so childish.” Taeyeon commented. But deep inside, she’s grateful for leeteuk’s appreciation to all things.

“I actually have a chocolate cake that I bought for him earlier.” Taeyeon continued.

Inyoung stood up and pulled taeyeon with her.

“you should get it.”

--------------------------

Leeteuk’s room, Park Manor

“what should I write.” Taeyeon bit her lip as she sat at the floor of leeteuk’s closet, thinking of words. She had already scribbled words on ten crumpled papers that seemed inappropriate as an apology letter. and how she wished the food she brought didn’t melt up.

“cousin likes taking time outside so I think they’ll go home late.” Hyoyeon reminded her of leeteuk and his cousin’s usual habit of spending time together. Taeyeon took this as an opportunity to invade leeteuk’s closet so the latter will immediately see her apology letter plus the food she brought next to it.

Taeyeon scribbled more words and chewed the tip of her pencil as new ideas popped into her mind.

---------------------------

Leeteuk’s room, Park Manor

“thanks hyung, that milkshake was the best.” Donghae felt his stomach and was satisfied of the dinner he and leeteuk had outside. “I was sad that you didn’t eat much though.”

He knew leeteuk was having his own deep thoughts although he wouldn’t divulge some information to him.

Leeteuk rubbed the temples of his forehead and headed towards the closet.

“hyung.” Donghae called out from the bathroom. “do you have bath towels there? I’m taking a bath, I stink.”

“wait.” Leeteuk opened the door to his closet and immediately closed it upon the sight that he caught between his eyes.

“hyung?” donghae called out again.

“use my bathrobe, there near the sink.” Leeteuk replied back.

“araso.” Donghae scratched his head upon his cousin’s unusual permission to share his own items but he didn’t dare to ask back.

“hae?”

“ne, hyung?” donghae asked.

“whatever you do, don’t come here inside my closet.” Leeteuk said.

“why?”

“just do what I said.”

“araso, araso.” Donghae closed the bathroom door.

Leeteuk can hear the shower being and he opted to open the door to his closet.

He was surprised to see taeyeon asleep in a sitting position at the carpeted floor with a paper in her left hand and a pencil at the other.

“hey.” Leeteuk poked her head but taeyeon didn’t budge a single bit.

“wake up.” Leeteuk poked her again.

Taeyeon’s head moved upright but she resumed sleeping.

“aigoo.” Leeteuk whispered and retrieved the paper she was holding.

Dear leeteuk ssi,

Leeteuk ssi, huh? I thought I suppose to be formal with you again after what happened. I’m really sorry about what I did. I know that it really disappointed you and I know that it’ll be hard to you to accept who I really am. But I am kim taeyeon, a person who once lived in a slums that you dislike, a person who was lucky to save your father who in turn gave me the opportunity to experience having a good lifestyle in exchange of saving him. And I even had the opportunity to be an agent. it was an easy job for me, observing you, knowing your past, because I knew you wouldn’t have the idea of who I am. But seeing that you caught me snooping around and even understanding the thought, I came to myself and ask, is this job really worth it? and the times we would spend together, even if all you do is to put me in shame by leaving me clueless to every school discussions, in the end you would always understand. I was early to leave the job, so that you’ll think that befriending you was not because of money but I think I was too late to tell you because you were so quick to find it out. And I’m really sorry. I’ll wait for the right time that you’ll forgive me, so we could start all over, and be friends for real, 1oo percent.

 

PS.

I brought a chocolate cake, that I know you’ll love. You ignored this earlier but I think you’ll eat it the same, right? Its good for your heart.

 

Kim taeyeon

 

Leeteuk folded the paper neatly between his hands and stared at the styro to taeyeon’s side.

“chocolate cake, huh?” he opened the sytro and found a melted chocolate cake oozing with flavor and sweetness.

Leeteuk took the fork from taeyeon’s plastic and tried on the food.

“I hate you, you know my weakness.” He said in between bites.

Leeteuk leaned on the drawer beside taeyeon and resumed eating as silence enveloped the area---- he eating while taeyeon drifts to her own dreamland.  He finished everything in a matter of minutes.

 

When he was finished, he looked at taeyeon and decided to dial up the maid quarters .

“yes, please tell ryeowook, the villa cook to pick up his friend here.” He said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Front Porch, Park Manor

Taeyeon’s POV

I didn’t know what happened last night. I remembered myself sitting at the closet of leeteuk’s but I woke up finding myself inside my own room. wah, what happened to my letter? And to the chocolate cake? What did leeteuk do when he found out that I was at his closet? Maybe he was so furious that he sent someone to fetch me there. But no one in the villa ever wanted to tell me what happened.

Realizing that I will be riding with leeteuk again to school made me think of how to be silent just as so his level of disappointment with me wouldn’t increase. I heave out a huge deal amount of breath as I step inside the car.

I know he’ll be there. He’s always in time.

“taeyeonnie!” I heard someone calling from inside.

“oppa?” I glanced inside the car and I saw donghae waving at me. I also saw leeteuk at the far edge of the seat, reading his usual newspaper. He seemed taken aback, for he made a glimpse after donghae called out my name.

“taeyeonnie, its really you!” donghae immediately pulled me over and gave me a powerful bearhug.

“ah, cant breathe.” I said, poking him. But the gesture definitely made me smile.

“taeyeonnie, what are you doing here?” donghae asked me.

I blushed.

“didn’t he tell you?” I asked, referring to leeteuk, but the guy was just staring at us, as if watching in his own personal television.

“um, it’s a long story, maybe we could chat later and I’ll tell you why.” I said back.

Donghae nodded and smiled.

“whatever it is, you definitely made me happy today.” He said, holding my hand. the typical touchy-feely donghae.

Leeteuk stared at our hands and I quickly pulled it away.

“um, are you friends?” I asked donghae, diverting the attention.

“not just friends.” Donghae grinned. “were cousins.”

Cousins? As in blood related type A cousins?

“I definitely didn’t know that one.” I smiled weakly. The Park family notebook that I had never mentioned donghae. Maybe there are really more truths sealed behind this sturdy looking kin.

“ne, teukie hyung, is not the kind of person who would tell about his cousins unless someone asks.” Donghae patted leeteuk’s shoulder.

Leeteuk never seemed to mind and continued reading his newspaper.

Aww, looks like he was still not in the mood to forgive me.

“anyways.” Donghae continued on, as the car sped up the road. “I am enrolling to your school.”

“cheongmal?” I asked, stunned.

“ne.” donghae smiled again. “I’ll be enrolling for dancing arts, teukie hyung will support my studies because uncle doesn’t want me to have that course.”

I wanted to look at leeteuk’s reaction but his face his entirely covered by the newspaper.

It was very nice of him to support his cousin’s decision though.

“so there will be some exchange for that?” I asked. Of course there will be, leeteuk would always want someone to work hard to achieve something.

“he says I should obtain good grades.” Donghae said. “and obviously I will because dancing is a part of me.”

“ne, you always have.” I smiled. and leeteuk removed the newspaper from his face and looked again at me.

“hyung.” Donghae noticed leeteuk’s certain attention to our topic. “you might be asking why me and taeyeon knew each other.”

“do I look like I’m asking?” leeteuk shrugged.

Aigoo…

“just to set the record straight.” Donghae beamed. “taeyeon and I knew each other back at  the musicals where I worked for years. She worked there too as a production assistant so we became really close.”

“yah, oppa, I think that’s too much for information.” I said, waving a hand and bowing.

“we actually became a couple.” Donghae continued.

Aigoo, I’m blushing to death….

“a couple?” leeteuk stared at him calmly.

“ne.” donghae agreed. “ex-lovers if you want to put it that way.”

“for only one month.” I butted, raising a finger. I didn’t know why I had the instinct to do this but I felt this was just the right thing to do.

Leeteuk looked at me for a moment and resumed again to his habit of reading.

I sighed. This is going to be a long ride.

-----------------------------

Business and Politics Class

taeyeon’s POV

leeteuk resumed reading his newspaper while donghae continued chatting away. it wasn’t really a nice feeling, knowing that leeteuk would ignore us completely as the car headed down for school. I didn’t even know why I was feeling this way, all I wanted was for him to pay attention but he returned to his usual habit of thinking as If I never existed at the first place.

So leeteuk immediately broke away from our distance as he headed towards the entrance of the school while donghae motioned me to stop for a while to inquire for certain things, such as bill payments, where to go to the registrar and others. I watched leeteuk moving towards the entrance and I really wanted to follow him but donghae was in much attention for being so innocent at things.

So I was a little late for class and everything went like an everyday habit. Sungmin was there in his sitting position at the middle row, waiting for me. I looked like a celebrity when everyone was staring at my forearm and everyone too knew what went on. That I had saved leeteuk’s life by going under the knife. Even eunhyuk and siwon, who were leeteuk’s close friends approached my table and asked if I was okay.

And leeteuk would just sit at the usual left side portion of the room, wearing his glasses and a stare at the teacher’s table that you wouldn’t want to read.

I tried following leeteuk wherever he went during breaks, hauling sungmin with me, to observe if he’s still doing the same routines--- smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages. But he wasn’t. instead, he just sat at the stairs reading his notes. I remembered that we have scheduled exams for the week and I must have done the same too.

So the whole day went on, and lunch came through with leeteuk still ignoring me as I sat to a table next to him and his pals at the cafeteria. I tried talking loud so he would hear me, even coaxing him to the oreo cheesecake I brought at the library, because he was interested on it before but to no help, he was just staring at his notes.

“aigoo, he’s still not talking to me.” I pouted to sungmin, when we headed back to the classroom.

“as if he talks to you before.” Sungmin interjected. “but yeah, I haven’t heard him talking to the class yet. That is unusual. You must have angered him a lot.”

“wah..” I said. “its my fault.”

“don’t think that way.” Sungmin gently slapped my arm. “he’s just a little disappointed that’s all.”

“do you know the time it takes before he cools down?” I asked as sungmin compressed his pink folder towards his chest.

“let me see.” Sungmin thought aloud. “usually when he dislikes a person,it goes throughout the person’s whole life.”

“wah.”

“aigoo, taengoo.” Sungmin laughed. “you’re not a bad person, and you’re a girl. Hyung is different when it comes to a girl.”

I sighed and watched as Professor Jung, the social science teacher, entered the room.

“annyeong.” He said. “due to the schedule of exams, we’ll just be doing an activity today. Please meet your partners in your upcoming school project.”

I looked at sungmin and pouted.

“there’s your chance.” Sungmin said. “go go!”

Leeteuk stood up and headed outside.

“looks like I have to follow him.” I grumbled.

-----------------------------

School grounds, University

Leeteuk went to the park area of the school grounds where a row of picnic tables and benches lay in queue. He sat on one and opened his velvet notebook, undmindful of taeyeon approaching near.

“oh, good, this is a nice place.” Taeyeon said, making a conversation. leeteuk cleared his throat and ignored her taking a seat opposite him.

“so where should we start?” taeyeon clasped her hands. “oh, wait. I have an idea, we don’t have to go to that place where I got a cut, since its really dangerous there. I’m thinking of visiting my old apartment. How’s that? I was told that it wasn’t occupied yet, I just have to tell the landlady that we’re spending overnight.”

Taeyeon watched as leeteuk continued flipping the notebook to its next page.

“um, professor jung, wanted a summary of what we’ll discuss today.” She said gently.

Leeteuk sighed and placed a long blank paper to the table.

“ah, so I guess you want me to write about it, okay then.” Taeyeon said, embarrassed.

She didn’t like the idea of her and leeteuk not talking about the progress of their project but it seemed that her own stand will not help since leeteuk was still disappointed from last night. Deep inside, she wanted to ask if he read about her apology letter or ate her chocolate cake that she searched for him, but the time wasn’t right.

Taeyeon silently wrote what she thought about the project, starting from renting her old apartment and the things that they’ll do for the day, which involves shopping with a budget, making their own living by helping sell vegetables in the market. She was worried though, for leeteuk’s own independecy, it looked like he won’t last carrying a basket of vegetables to sell.

“its finished.” She said, giving the paper to leeteuk who resumed reading his notes.

Taeyeon pouted as he watched leeteuk constantly ignoring her remarks and comments. she almost tried every conversation but to no help.

She couldn’t help it, there must have been little dusts or foreign objects that irritated her eyes, making it moist and tearful. Taeyeon’s tears fell instantly to the table like raindrops signaling a heavy rain.

“yah.” Leeteuk said, when taeyeon bit her lip in utmost disappointment.

Leeteuk looked up and was surprised that she was not really kidding.

Taeyeon submerged herself in silent sobs, turning her body and face away from leeteuk’s direction.

“I’m sorry, it just won’t stop.” She said, wiping her eyes. leeteuk couldn’t see what’s going on with her eyes but he can tell that she’s really was hurt.

“don’t worry, it’ll stop soon.” Taeyeon said. she didn’t have the idea why she cried, she was such a strong person afterall. But the emotion she felt, after being rejected, really set the deal. Like a knife cutting through the heart.

Leeteuk closed his eyes, left the table and sat beside taeyeon.

“I’m so disappointed in you.” He muttered, as taeyeon’s body shook from her silent sobs. “but I cant stand it when you cry.”

He unconsciously took out his handkerchief and gently patted the cloth towards taeyeon’s face.

“I can’t stand when you’re mad too.” Taeyeon said.

“I didn’t say that I was mad at you, I was mad at your job.” He said, patting her face. “I’m personally threatened. And people get angry when they’re threatened. And I assume that you know that because you’re smart.”

Taeyeon flashed a weak smile. It’s a first compliment she received from him.

“I’m really sorry.” She said.

Leeteuk nodded and continued blotting her face dry.

“are you still disappointed?” she asked gently.

“no.”

“so I’m forgiven?”

Leeteuk placed the handkerchief on taeyeon’s palm.

“that depends.” He said.

Taeyeon sighed, puffing her cheeks.

“okay…”

“depends if you buy me another batch of that chocolate cake that I ate last night.” Leeteuk said, crossing his legs.

He looked at a distance and smiled.

Taeyeon smiled too and threw her arms around his waist.

“hey, what the---“

“kamsamnida!” she said, tightening her hug. “I’ll be the best friend you’ll ever have! You don’t know what this means to me.”

Leeteuk straightened his back and sat stiff from the dainty arms circling around his waist.

“miss kim taeyeon.”

“ne.” taeyeon replied.

“I can’t breathe.”

“oh.” Taeyeon removed her hands and brushed stray hairs from her face. “sorry.”

But she couldn’t care less. She was really happy for leeteuk’s quick decision to forgive.

“you owe me a lot of sweets.” Leeteuk stared at her. “from now on.”