Park leeteuk found himself standing between two white doors.

The first door to the left, where Han Ga-in and his mother stood, was right enough to coax him to follow. Their warm mystical eyes, inviting hand gestures, especially his mother’s smile immediately made him to step further beyond their reach. His mother, immortalized in her late thirties could almost reach his hand. those warm hands, the embrace he just felt, the soothing sound her voice would do to calm his senses.

But leeteuk stopped when a silver butterfly charm bracelet appeared in his hand.

One thought suddenly raced in his mind. One thought that made him stood firmly to the ground and escape the coax he was entangling himself into.

Taeyeon.

The girl who captivated him since the first time he saw her, although he didn’t know which feelings were exactly to convey. The girl who made him test his heart if it was still sane. The girl who made his heart skip beats as if he was having his own arrhythmia.

His first innocent love when he was young.

The girl was definitely taeyeon.

Leeteuk looked at his mother with tears in his eyes.

“eomma.”

“jungsu.”

He shook his head, and more tears sprang simultaneously from his eyes, making his body wither in frail.

“eomma.” Leeteuk tried to hold back his tears. “I’m sorry eomma, I love you.”

He thought that his mother would be disappointed, or show any signs of anger.

But she just smiled.

“you always have a choice, jungsu.” she said, edging him to the right door. The door immediately opened, sending out a brilliant light and a surge of energy that pulls him onto it.

“eomma?” leeteuk blinked. His mother’s image and ga-in, appear to fade.

“its time, jungsu.” his mother said as her image slowly turn translucent. “for your new life.”

A bright light immediately made him turn away from the source, hiding his eyes.

And when he opened them, he found himself in a new place.

He can hear the sound of a life wave flashing on his peripheral vision. A monitor. Does it belong to him? And a girl, a girl who was looking onto it, and immediately on him. He squinted.

Taeyeon.

He cannot believe that he can see taeyeon. Was it really taeyeon? Was he hallucinating? It cant be. Just seconds ago, he could see his mother and ga-in.

But now, taeyeon?

Leeteuk could feel his cheeks stained with tears and he knew immediately what the physicality meant.

He is alive.

“teuk?” taeyeon was still looking at him, and he could tell that she was crying too. she cupped his face with her hand, sending him a slight electric shock that tingled his jaw.

And for the first time in his life. the first action he could gesture was to make a slight smile.

“just wait here, okay? I’ll tell the others that you woke up.” She said forcefully wiping his tears. He just nodded and watched in his peripheral view, his girlfriend calling the medical staff and his family.

“are you, are you okay?” taeyeon asked him when she returned. She was crying again, paining his heart. but it must be from tears of happiness, he believed that it is. “we already have the heart, we can have your surgery. We will choose that option, okay?”

He would gladly choose that option. Anything that could make him be with her.

Just when the medical staff tried to observe any miraculous momentum that had happened, leeteuk made a gentle grip on taeyeon’s hand.

“yes?” taeyeon turned to look at him. She was smiling at his family, mister park kneeling to the floor with happiness, only to be shouldered to stand by heechul and his elder sister inyoung and hyoyeon weeping but smiling.

“forever.” He whispered, trying his best to say the word with all his strength.

“of course forever, silly guy.” Taeyeon said, looking like she would have slapped his arm.

Leeteuk smiled again.

He just cheated his death.

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

Summer of 2014

Kim taeyeon huffed deep breaths while maintaining a calm face in front of leeteuk.

 

She was just told by her secretary that leeteuk just had a secret talk with her clients, opting her to suspect that he was the main reason why the clients, instead of refusing her proposal, suddenly appeared like puppies in want of food.

“you talked to them.”

“are you sure with that.”

“you talked to them!” taeyeon said, feeling her voice rising in an instant. She was so furious that she cannot help crossing her arms in dismay. She really didn’t like it everytime leeteuk would interfere with her business. Her business, though new in comparison with him was ideally competitive in a way.

“I don’t like my business being overshadowed by yours, you know that!” taeyeon said, trying to be calm. After graduating the university, taeyeon stood up her own business firm—an agriculture business involving the vegetable industry. She was really keen on promoting Korean products overseas.

“I am not overshadowing you, I’m just helping you.” Leeteuk explained, reaching out for her hand which she shook away. “hey.”

“you already helped me twice, stop helping me now.” Taeyeon said, diverting her attention to the monitor on her exercise pad. She was almost finished doing her pilates routine when a phone call from her secretary made her call furiously for leeteuk. “its not that I hate you interfering but I have to stand on my own.”

“but I am letting you stand on your own.”

“gosh, you just let me think that the only way that those clients approve of my partnership was because of your influence!” taeyeon said. “you’re making others know that we are a sister company which is supposed to be a secret!”

Leeteuk bit his lip.

“I cant help it, taeng.” He said as taeyeon stopped staring at the monitor. “those clients can make you prosper. Their business is really good in the market. I read their stocks, it was really good. Stop making that face infront of me.”

He couldn’t help but to laugh at taeyeon’s way of pouting her lips like duck.

“I so hate you, that will be the last help.” Taeyeon lightly poked his chest with her fist. “the next time you tell them that park jungsu is my husband, you are going to sleep outside the room.”

“but—“

“no buts. Only yes.” Taeyeon said.

Leeteuk sighed.

“yes maam.” He said, wrinkling his nose. Taeyeon held her chin up until seeing the situation was completely harmless.

She suddenly laughed.

“I’m sorry babe.” She said. “I’m just too tired calling up prospects and inviting. Its just, argh.. its really tough.”

“I know.” Leeteuk said, reaching out for a towel. “come closer, let me wipe your face.”

“yah, I can do that.”

“but I have the towel.” Leeteuk said in triumph. Taeyeon rolled her eyes and insisted.

“ I cant believe a steel and oil heir would do this.” She mumbled as leeteuk carefully patted her sweat dry.

“I’m a husband, my dearest.” he said. “there.”

Taeyeon pouted again upon seeing the satisfied look on leeteuk’s face. she looked at him up and down and noticed him in a light blue polo and dark slacks, his fringy dark chocolate brown hair and bangs swept slightly to the side. The rectangular frame less glasses he wore, was the only thing that reminded taeyeon that her husband is nearing his thirties.

“hey, aren’t you supposed to be in a meeting?” she asked.

“yeah, supposed to be.” Leeteuk said, throwing the towel on a bench. “but when you called, I had an instinct that I should come home immediately. Am I correct?”

Taeyeon cringe her brows.

“you dropped a meeting because of me?” she said in alarm.

“you’re raising your voice again.” leeteuk laughed. “relax. It’s a harmless meeting. I can reschedule.”

“you just cant cancel your meeting!”

“oh, but I can.” Leeteuk winked. he stared at the indoor pool and turned to taeyeon.

“about your business, are you really sure you want to continue that?” he asked seriously.

Taeyeon rolled her eyes again.

“of course, why would I think otherwise?” she pinched leeteuk’s arm.

He blinked.

“because I can hire you under my company.” He explained, leading her to the exit. “that way we can easily see each other. So I don’t have to call you or you don’t have to call me back.”

“aigoo, are you becoming possessive?”

“maybe.” Leeteuk said as taeyeon laughed in a manly way. “dear, that agriculture thing of yours. If it doesn’t prosper, I’ll kidnap you to be my general manager.”

Taeyeon narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.

“I’m just saying that I’m not closing my doors.” He raised a palm. “I’m just hoping that we could work together.”

“yes and work like hell under you.” Taeyeon nodded.

“aigoo.” Leeteuk laughed. Taeyeon must have still remembered his way of controlling the business. The strict obsessive compulsive park jungsu was a real threat to employees.

“I’ll have to think about that.” taeyeon said. “but for now, you have to help me.”

“help you to?”

“convince my other clients to work with me.” taeyeon beamed, hauling his arm. “I’ll just use you for once.”

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

Kim Taeyeon’s meeting room, Agriculture enterprises

Leeteuk didn’t know if it was a real meeting or not.

Indeed it was a meeting. He was inside taeyeon’s meeting room, holding a cup of warm coffee on his right hand, while staring at the logistics that his wife had made, he had a file folder with him, and he was wearing business clothes.

But the atmosphere really looked somewhat different. Leeteuk found himself facing couples that he and taeyeon really knew--- heechul and Jessica, siwon and tiffany, eunhyuk and hyoyeon, donghae and yoona, sooyoung and ryeowook, and sungmin and sunny. He didn’t know if this was a joke, or taeyeon purposely called their friends’ attention for business.

“I don’t see how you would want to work with me in the fashion industry if your business is all about vegetables.” Heechul confessed, making Jessica laugh. Taeyeon had just finished an introduction about her company, and the advantages of working with her.

The words didn’t even seem to offend taeyeon at all.

“well, its not just a vegetable company, its agriculture.” Taeyeon said. “we were currently making a deal with raw materials that we can supply. you could actually make us a supplier. Right ‘sica?”

“ne.” Jessica placed a hand on heechul’s. “I already saw her fabrics. The pineapple one, its really good for making a formal wear.”

“but how about in a dancing school?” donghae blurted. Donghae and yoona owned a dancing school after recently graduating from the university.

“I think, unni wants us to work with heechul oppa and Jessica unni too.” yoona said, as if she rehearsed the lines. “since they will supply, maybe she was thinking that we advertise the clothes.”

“exactly.” Taeyeon said. leeteuk tried to hide his laugh by busily staring at taeyeon’s logistics.

Taeyeon had really planned this business strategy with her girls. All she just had to do was to convince the husbands.

With his help.

“the vegetable part is easy since sooyoung and I own a restaurant.” Ryeowook interjected. “I think I could agree being your business partner.”

“but I’m not sure about the vegetables. You grow these in a farm somewhere?” siwon asked. Choi siwon was the manager of a hotel his parents owned and he was really keen with the suppliers.

“unni recently bought a farm at our province.” Tiffany answered for him which made leeteuk raise his eyebrow in surprise.

“how about the oil and steel industries?” sungmin asked. “sunny, eunhyuk, hyoyeon and I both worked there but I don’t see why you want to get us?”

“well, since were sister companies maybe you want to be stock holders?” taeyeon asked nicely.

Leeteuk swore he could see eunhyuk controlling his laughter too.

“I don’t know, this is tricky, your business is new.” Sungmin said. he was taeyeon’s friend, but he was really focused on the surviving aspect.

For the moment, taeyeon didn’t know how to react.

“that’s a good thing right? New business.” Leeteuk suddenly spoke up, making everyone turn their attention towards the man at the center of the table. “it’s a really small business to the start, but with all your help, it could really prosper. Expect not a good response in the first year, but all aspects of businesses start from scratch. I think it will just have to depend how the company is being promoted. I think my wife could do it.”

All the girls looked at him as if he was the brightest material in the room and a god just answered their prayers.

Leeteuk winked at taeyeon.

“well, gentlemen?” he asked. “all in favor of supporting taeyeon’s company?”

He stared at them in a composed manner, smiling.

“I approve.” Heechul said.

“I approve too.” eunhyuk and donghae supported in unison. Yoona and hyoyeon exchanged relieved glances.

“I’m okay with it I guess.” Siwon said, smiling at tiffany.

“second that.” ryeowook said. “always in support of taeyeon.”

Leeteuk looked at sungmin with concern.

“sungminssi?”

Sungmin stared at sunny.

“jagiya, please?” she pleaded.

Sungmin sighed and nodded.

“yes!” sunny balled her fists in the air.

“I’d like to show my interest in this industry but I guess taeyeon wouldn’t want me interfering with her business.” Leeteuk beamed. “for now, I’ll just give her a moral support.”

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

Cho House, Seoul

Taeyeon’s POV

I was grateful that leeteuk gave me the support I was wishing he would give, more powerful than a financial support which I don’t really need. It was really something, something that I would only ask of him since I know how successful he is. my husband inherited Park Kyuwon’s company right after graduating the university with me and heechul. Mister Park never hesitated to offer him the best spot, so the old man can finally rest and enjoy travelling to the other parts of the globe. Mister park also gave heechul a nice position in the company next to leeteuk, but the ever proud oppa just turned the proposal down and instead started his own fashion designing line with Jessica Jung.

When leeteuk had his surgery three years ago, he was able to continue his life normally like other people. The twelve hour long operation was successful and he truly made his promise that he will stay with me. post operation, we continued our studies at the university, and we graduated with flying colors. Leeteuk’s graduation gift to me involved a twenty four carat sapphire blue ring. It was then that I realized that he wanted to marry me.

Two years of business and family life after that, he emerged as one of the successful businessmen the country has ever known. I started my own business too, which he declined at the start, because he was wishing I could work with him. But I told him I wanted to start from scratch, building an empire of my own. It was pretty ambitious for a woman like me, and unique because most women prefer being a house wife after marriage. But I guess its my characteristic that made leeteuk fell for me—always taking risks.

 

I told leeteuk one Sunday morning to visit Kyuhyun and Seohyun to their house. Dating back to its history, the couple house was given by leeteuk to the maknaes as a form of present. Kyuhyun and Seohyun after all, had a large family to start. This year will be their twins’ third birthday. Leeteuk didn’t have any idea why despite of his busy schedule and his option to rest, I managed to drag him to the Cho house.

“how can you distinguish the difference if Jookyu and Seokyu shape very much alike?” I told seohyun when were busy folding newly ironed clothes of the twins. Kyuhyun had just sent the twins to a day care center while leeteuk sat cross legged on the other table, folding clothes too.

“seokyu is much thinner, you cant see the difference at the start but she’s a lot lighter.” Seohyun told me as I stared at the shirts in awe. “and seokyu preferred the pink color while jookyu likes blue.”

“it could have been better if jookyu is a boy, huh?” I told seohyun.

“nah, girls are better.” Seohyun said. this woman didn’t look like a mother at all. She had maintained a slim figure despite of a caeasarian delivery. I always told leeteuk the what ifs when I become a mother myself, if I can still regain my old figure or I would look like a hag. He always told me that he would accept every figure I could muster out of myself.

“oppais quiet.” Seohyun noticed. Leeteuk had just finished segregating the twins’ clothes and was now focusing on the tons of blankets at his right.

“do you provide diapers?” he asked curiously.

Oh great, his environmental consciousness again.

“we did potty training so they only wear diapers during night time.” Seohyun said. “and within months they will be three years old so the diaper thing will be called off.”

“I see.” Leeteuk found the sentences satisfying.

“you should know how to put diapers too.” I blurted.

Leeteuk stared at me somewhat surprisingly.

“I changed hyo’s diapers when I was four.” He admitted. “but I don’t know if I can still remember.”

“you should be.” I said. I smiled at seohyun and she winked.

Leeteuk stared again at us as if we made something wrong.

“am I suppose to know something?” he asked.

“I will be transferring clothes to the twins’ room, may I excuse myself for a while.” Seohyun said, taking up the basket. She squeezed my arm before she left.

Leeteuk busied himself by folding the pink blanket while I compose my words in silence. When I think I was ready enough, I sat beside him on the carpet, clearing my throat.

“yes dear?” leeteuk asked, his eyes focused on the engravings of the twins’ name on the blanket. I cleared my throat again and placed my hand on his arm.

The gesture made him stop.

“you want to tell me something?” he asked gently.

I made a firm grip, inhaling deep breaths.

“did you notice that I haven’t got my monthly period yet?” I asked.

Leeteuk frowned, probably calculating my schedule.

“oh.” He said, turning towards me. “yes, I think you missed your schedule.”

“ne.” I said, nodding. His stare was so piercing, wanting to digest every answer I would make. “and I just visited a doctor yesterday because I was so dizzy.”

“yes, I really thought you had a fever last night.” Leeteuk bit his lip.

I was silent for a while, until leeteuk unconsciously placed his hand on my lap.

“taeng.” He whispered. He didn’t know if he could bravely say the right sentence but he did. “you’re pregnant?”

I nodded, with tears forming in my eyes. I didn’t know what kind of emotions were these; happiness, worry about the future, scared. I didn’t have a clue.

“three weeks. I’m already carrying a baby for three weeks.” I said, shedding a tear. i would gladly blame my hormones for these emotions, but the doctor said that it was normal.

Leeteuk smiled and wiped a tear from my cheek.

“why are you crying, you’re supposed to be happy.” He said gently. “right?”

“I cant stop crying.” I laughed. I leaned my head on his chest as leeteuk wrapped his arms around me, rubbing my shoulder. “it was just so unexpected. I was so focused on my career, the developing business—“

“it’ll be fine.” Leeteuk shushed me.

“is that the reason why you’re telling me to stop my business?”

“mostly.” He sighed. “you know how much I was keen on starting a family. I was just waiting for you.”

He kissed the side of my head, while he put some blanket on my lap.

“we will have an engraving like this too, huh?” he smiled, staring at jookyu’s blanket. I nodded, really relieved that he took the moment as big news.

“are you happy?” I suddenly asked. It was foolish. I know he was really grateful.

“more than happy, I don’t even know how to describe it.” he said. everytime leeteuk is happy, he would really smile. But he was so good at containing his emotions that it was hard for me to tell what.

But he really wanted to start a family of his own, even before we married.

Seohyun entered the living room and heaved out a big sigh when I told her in a signal that leeteuk already knew. She was smiling til the corners of her lips almost seemed to touch her ears.

“congratulations.” She said. “hoping that my twins will have playmates soon.”

“be ready after nine months.” I pointed a finger to her, sending leeteuk in a fit of giggles.

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

Park Manor

Taeyeon brushed some stray hairs out of her face upon making her way up the second floor of the Park Manor. The Park Manor, with its night time setting, appeared so much like a European museum, with paintings embellished at the walls and the Victorian set up of the chairs and tables at the hallway.

She was hurrying herself up. Just fresh from the meeting she had with her staff, taeyeon found herself rushing over the second floor to where the eldest Son of the chairman resides--- Park Jungsu. she was informed that he was unable to go to a late night meeting, which worried her so much she was unable to catch her dinner.

He was okay, right? Taeyeon mustered to herself. Three years ago, Leeteuk underwent a major surgery involving his heart. it was a successful operation to be exact--- almost twelve hours waiting outside the operation room that moment was worth it, seeing that his doctor really performed the heart transplant well. Some manifestations like heart incompatibility didn’t even show up weeks after that. he was a complete healthy person, with a mind set on the future. Taeyeon didn’t know what to do if she will find him unconscious again. no, not that thing again.

Taeyeon opened leeteuk’s door and headed briskly inside their couple room. no one there. Taeyeon scratched her head.  She was told by the securities that leeteuk just went home five hours ago. Where is he? She turned her attention towards an open door leading to the bathroom. She saw a light radiating through the slit. Taeyeon didn’t hesitate to enter the room.

Three years ago, she found him coughing up blood just near to the toilet bowl but she didn’t find him there now. Where was leeteuk? Taeyeon looked around the big area and found a man on the side lying inside the bubbling foamy bath tub covered partially by a semi-transparent sliding door--- eyes closed with a craned neck to the side.

 

Leeteuk

 

She walked as fast as she could towards his area and knelt to the carpeted floor beside the large tub. With a heart beating so loud against her chest, taeyeon’s hand ran through leeteuk’s bare shoulder, waking him up.

“teuk.”

“teuk are you okay?” taeyeon asked again. he was not replying.

“yah, park jungsu!”

Just then, his eyes had opened, and with a look of confusion, he stared at her.

“w-what?” he made a gentle yawn.

“what are you, I thought something happened!” taeyeon could feel her voice rising.

Leeteuk innocently looked at her again.

“what time is it?” he asked, sitting up.

“its five to ten.” She said, looking at her watch too. taeyeon’s eyes wandered around the bubbles and soap covering leeteuk’s body.

“oh dear.” Leeteuk placed a hand on his head. “I must have slept.”

“you slept?” taeyeon repeated his words. Upon realizing that he indeed slept while taking a bath, taeyeon found herself laughing at such statement.

“what?”

“you must be so tired!” she laughed, running a hand to his hair. “you missed your meeting!”

Leeteuk looked at her again and chuckled.

“I’m really sorry.” He said, trying to control his laughter. “I was just really so tired. i played thirty six holes with the investors the whole day.”

Taeyeon nodded.

“I’ll just contact them again.” He said gently. “how are you? How was the meeting?”

“its okay.” Taeyeon said, referring to the talk she just had with the managers. “we finished early. Luckily, you know. Or else I wont find out that you were sleeping and missing the meeting!”

“tell me all about it.” leeteuk bit his lip. He sighed and reached for a soap, baring his tattooed back.

“you didn’t have your dinner?” taeyeon asked, looking at the tribal tattoos too. she still didn’t know why leeteuk never even made a single move to remove the permanent mark.

“not yet.” He said. he was thinking of going out today with her. “you’re free?”

“let me see my schedule.” Taeyeon kidded, staring through her invisible journal. Leeteuk chuckled and waited until she could compose herself.

“free today. All yours.” She said, smiling.

“what do you want? Dine out?” leeteuk asked as taeyeon played with the bubbles on her hand. “or dine in? we could ask the chef downstairs to cook for us.”
“how about dine out? I’ll drive.” Taeyeon said.

Leeteuk nodded and playfully sprinkled water to taeyeon’s face.

“yah!”

“oops, sorry.” Leeteuk said as taeyeon wiped away the water that reached her face.

When she was finished, leeteuk splashed her with water again.

“park jungsu!”

“what, you just see me being playful once.” He laughed. “right?”

“aigoo.”

taeyeon’s lips curved into an evil grin and with a muster of her hands pushed a handful of soap bubbles towards his face.

“I cant see!”

“hah!” taeyeon said. then she scooped water from the tub and started hitting his eyes.

“taeyeon!”

“see who’s the most playful.” Taeyeon said, making a firm grip to his hands so leeteuk wouldn’t fight back.

Three years ago, leeteuk couldn’t have counteract such force. But since he was too healthy and strong, the eldest son of mister park easily pulled taeyeon inside the bath tub.

“park jungsu!”

“sorry.” Leeteuk chuckled as taeyeon frowned at him for soaking her clothes. “how are you? Any morning sickness today?”

“just one.” Taeyeon said, looking for the soap. When she found what she was looking for, she smiled.

“too much soap.” Leeteuk noticed, trying to shield himself. He thought that taeyeon would hit his eyes with the foam, but instead of doing so, she just placed both arms on his shoulders and smashed her lips on to his.

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

Ten years ago…

Seoul Plaza

Eighteen year old Leeteuk closed his phone for the third time and stared blankly at a long alley of people passing by the plaza.

He was already waiting for Ga-in for one hour, which made him worry because they were supposed to go out early to avoid going home late.

Leeteuk checked again his watch and walked a few more steps around the pole until he saw a girl crouched at the ground, her face entirely covered with waves of her hair. It seemed that she was crying as she talked to her phone. didn’t know what to do.

Leeteuk, who had been eavesdropping, curiously neared the girl.

“ne, ne, I was robbed, I don’t know how to go home, I don’t have money.” She sobbed, forcefully wiping the tears on her eyes. “if you can just fetch me here at the plaza. i’ll just return you the favor. Please.”

“what? No, this is urgent, I have to fetch fany to school.” she continued.

Leeteuk watched as the girl gruntingly hit her fist to the ground. Suddenly small drops of what appeared like rain surrounded his view of her.

 

It was starting to rain.

“oh my gosh, now its raining and I don’t have my umbrella, ottoke.” He heard the girl grunt. Leeteuk was about to say how bad will be her condition if she stays out the plaza whole day.

What am I thinking, she can go home by herself, leeteuk thought. he reached out for his wallet, carefully took out a wad of bills and placed it on the ground in front of the girl.  The girl, who appeared busy talking to the phone immediately stopped talking and stared at the money in silence.

“I hope its more than enough to reach your home.” he said, quickly diverting his attention to his phone suddenly ringing amidst the awkward silence. “yes, hello? You’re already here? goodness, where do I get you?”

Leeteuk’s eyes roam around the passersby blocking his view on the girl she just helped.

“okay, stay there, I’ll fetch you.” He closed his phone, making a quick glance on the girl in side view looking out for him. “miss, its raining already, it will be nice for you to go home. miss um---”

“kim t—“ the girl said but she was cut off when leeteuk immediately run with the passersby crossing the other road.

“taeyeon.” The girl said, wishing she could have thanked the man who helped her. “my name is kim taeyeon.”