Summer of 2006

“oppa!”

Leeteuk turned around and smiled as Ga-in approached him in a park that settled as their meeting place. He stood up and placed his compass watch on his vest pocket.

“you let me wait for thirty minutes, how could you?” twenty year old leeteuk pouted, pinching her cheek. Ga-in smiled. She always had the charms that calm leeteuk in every single way. And she always loved how leeteuk would blow up his cheeks everytime he pouts.

“I just commuted, mianhe.” Ga-in said, ushering him to move.

“aww…you should have told me to fetch you.” Leeteuk held her hand as they made their way to walk.

“its nothing, and besides, it’s a good thing I’ve rode the bus for the first time.”

Leeteuk nodded.

“was it nice?” he asked curiously. He smiled at the way Ga-in’s shoulder length hair bounce as they move. The blue striped sweet heart dress that she wore for the date even made it more pleasant to look at.

“ne, more like riding a car.” Ga-in said. “you should try commuting sometime.”

Leeteuk shrugged.

“you know I can’t.”

“how would you appreciate the world around you if you don’t know any single thing about living normally?” ga-in stopped infront of leeteuk, and held both of his hands.

“you should tell that to my father.” Leeteuk winked.

“aigoo.”

“I’m okay, besides, being with you makes me closer to normal.” Leeteuk said, putting an arm around her shoulder. “ne, shall we go?”

“wait.”

“hmm?”

“did you bring your medicines with you? Pain relievers, some water, beta----“

Leeteuk put a finger on .

“relax, I have everything in the car.”

“just checking, I just don’t want you collapsing again.” ga-in said, imitating a lifeless leeteuk. Both of them laughed.

“its so funny how you make my sickness seem so normal.” Leeteuk said, kissing her hand. “ne, we go, I don’t want to waste time.”

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

KIM APARTMENT

“unni.”

Taeyeon opened one of her eyes to find tiffany peeking atop of her, batting her eyelashes.

“unni, they’re here.” She said.

“already??” taeyeon got up and went to the living room.

“I didn’t know that they’d be this quick.” Taeyeon pulled the curtains aside and was surprised to see a shiny white limousine parked in their cluttered and dusty little garage, on which to her embarrassment, Kangin forgot to clean up. Two men clad in white and black suit stood side by side the passenger door, guarding its entrance.

“whoa.” Tiffany gaped. She opened her phone to take pictures of the scene.

“yah, don’t tell siwon anything yet. Anyways, I was expecting a truck.” Taeyeon laughed, scratching her head. Mister Park told her yesterday about the service, but she didn’t dare expect a nice car waiting for them--- a limousine to be exact.

“hmm.., what to do, I guess we have to go already.” Taeyeon said, pulling her sister’s hand.

“but I’m not properly dressed yet.” Tiffany pouted.

“aish, are you still thinking about that right now?” taeyeon poked her head. She looked again outside their dusty old window. She didn’t know that mister park would be so early to fetch them up. He must have been really grateful of her saving his life.

And to think that she only used her brains to luckily outwit the robbers. If the robbers were intelligent enough she would have been in trouble just like the victim too.

“yah, what’s the commotion?”

Kangin lazily rubbed his eyes as he joined his sisters looking out the window pane.

“mwo? I think I’m dreaming, I’ll return to bed.” Kangin said, turning back.

“yah, kangin.” Taeyeon tugged his hand and led him towards the door. “you tell them to wait here because we’re not yet done packing some stuff.”

The middle child of the Kim family suddenly pushed his brother out the door.

“I haven’t washed my face yet!” kangin hissed, holding the door knob.

Taeyeon shook her head.

“well, so do i.” she said airily, pushing him again. “now go before they change their mind!”

“aish…”

Taeyeon and tiffany giggled as kangin in his pink pajamas, opted the two men to come inside their apartment.

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

CEMETERY

Leeteuk squinted around his surroundings before placing a basket of long stemmed white roses to his mother’s grave.

“happy anniversary.” He mumbled.

He lay lazily on the grass and lighted two white candles he personally picked from the candle seller outside the cemetery. Leeteuk watched as the flames ablaze from the blinding sun rays, fighting to survive against the unpredictable wind.

It had been a habit of him to visit his mother twice a month. The silence between them had always been his comfort, getting away from the troubles he usually receive everytime he’s out on the busy city of Seoul. he had always liked the eerie ambiance of the cemetery, believing it as a soothing place to be.

Leeteuk put on his sunglasses so he can watch the clouds dancing on the sky. His late mother used to watch the clouds with him every morning when he was young, and she would tell her stories about how the clouds would go in various shapes so the observers would enjoy glancing at them. Leeteuk silently chuckled at the idea his mother had in the head, funny how every children would believe at such stories. If only he could still believe it now inspite of the maturity he has nowadays.

But he is already twenty five. And yet with limits. Leeteuk had always disliked the thought of limits. Ever since he could stand on his own feet, he had been limited by his father to do normal things----- playing outside the house, dealing with pets, going to amusement parks, etc. His father would always tell him about the conditions it would play in his fragile heart. he was glad that at the present, his father could not keep up with his scheming lifestyles. It would keep his mind off him for awhile.

Leeteuk glanced at his left and noticed two men dressed in white and black suits. White and black suits… it was his entire father’s idea, that everywhere he goes, there must be guards. Sometimes he would let it pass, sometimes he won’t. Anyhow, he had mastered escaping off their midst by being quick-witted.

Leeteuk’s thoughts evaporated upon the sound delivered by his phone. He flipped open his gadget to read the message from Doctor Song.

“tests revealed you have a longer delay in your cardiac impulse, slowing down your oxygen supply. Please come here asap for check up.” It read.

Leeteuk rolled his eyes and turned off his phone. He does not want to deal with these things right now.

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

KIM APARTMENT

“please drink this tea for a while.” Taeyeon placed a hot cup of tea to the table as mister park invaded the seat with his guards.

“you have many things to pack?” mister park laughed, looking around the apartment. Taeyeon bit her lip and nodded.

“my brother kangin, forgot to pack some kitchen appliances.” She explained. She couldn’t tell that she had a fight with her brother on whether to bring or not the appliances. Kangin disliked the idea of bringing more things.

“actually you won’t be needing your appliances, the villa has a complete set of the things you needed.” Mister park mentioned.

“ah, yes, I know that.” taeyeon smiled as she poured herself some tea. “I will be selling the appliances though.”

She had imagined herself outside the Park Estate, servicing a garage sale.

“for money again?” mister park chuckled, interrupting her thoughts.

Taeyeon nodded.

“ne.” she said, embarrassed. All her life, she was obsessed with practicality and money. Money after all, makes the world go round.

“I just want to have a lot of reserves.” Taeyeon continued as mister park drank his tea.

“well, that’s really nice, just like my son.”

“your son?” taeyeon scratched her head.

“yes, he’s a bit careful when it comes to money.”

“speaking about your son.” taeyeon looked at mister park straight in the eyes. “ it looks like he’s a bit wasted, isn’t he? Because you want me to observe his daily routines. “

Mister Park shrugged and placed his tea to the table.

“I wouldn’t say completely wasted.” He said, as he glanced at Tiffany and Kangin hauling their materials outside. “he’s just some into things that I don’t like and sometimes I wasn’t able to prevent it. but he manages things well, except for his lifestyle.”

“what kind of lifestyle?” taeyeon asked, imitating an Indian sit.

Mister Park stared at his drink.

“drinking, smoking, clubbing, every thing you can think of, really.”

“you’re a bit of a strict parent then to have him observed 24/7.” Taeyeon concluded.

“am i?” mister park smiled. “well, maybe I am. But I’m just doing this for his health.”

He couldn’t tell her anything about his son’s health condition yet. Not with a setting that doesn’t involve him.

“I guess the elite would do that.” taeyeon said. she had seen this in a movie before, only that she forgot the title and she couldn’t care less.

“I’m up for the challenge, my job looks easy .” She blurted.

“it won’t be.” Mister park assured her. “my son is hard headed.”

“just like me, we’ll get along really well.” Taeyeon beamed as she began to imagine how the son looked like if he’s dealing with her.

“I like your positivity.” Mister park smiled at her. “I just hope that you don’t quit on your job. And retain the confidentiality to your siblings.”

“it’s the best job in the world, why would I quit?” taeyeon laughed.

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

SEOUL RESTAURANT

“here comes the steel heir.” Eunhyuk clapped his hands as leeteuk joined him, siwon and kyuhyun at the table.

Siwon smiled at leeteuk who was getting paler than usual.

“how was the visit?” he asked, talking about leeteuk’s visit to his mother’s grave.

Leeteuk placed a napkin on his lap before taking his time to look at the questioner.

“um, very quiet?” he said sarcastically.

Eunhyuk laughed.

“you never fail to amuse me.” He blurted, tapping his shoulder.

“I was being honest.” Leeteuk said.

He sliced open his bread and placed a heap of butter to both sides, amazed that he was given two butters to enjoy. Normally he would eat anything without fatty food but his friends would tolerate him to indulge once in a while.

“hey, not too much.” Kyuhyun touched leeteuk’s hand to put the excess butter away from his palm.

“you’re not going to kill yourself, are you?” siwon noticed.

 “yah, someone like him won’t die easily.” Eunhyuk joked. Leeteuk stopped flattening the butter and looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

“um.. just kidding.” Eunhyuk flashed his gummy smile.

“hey I saw the news about your father, is he alright?” siwon asked, changing the topic.

Leeteuk was informed by his sister Inyoung about the news of the robbery incident with his father and the unknown girl who saved him. His sister took a deal amount of time in his room in nuisance, discussing about the incident.

“yes.”  He replied, staring at his soup.

“that’s it? no details?” kyuhyun smiled.

“you aren’t telling us about your reaction to the girl who saved your father?” siwon questioned.

Leeteuk shrugged his shoulders.

“there’s no chivalry nowadays, people are just after money.” He said frankly, as he play with his spoon.

“but really that girl is something, if she was able to shoo away those two gangsters.” Siwon’s eyes goggled in amazement.

 “how about meeting her?” eunhyuk asked.

“what are you talking about.” Leeteuk mumbled. He was accustomed to his father being entangled with danger, and there were always people involved who saved him. His father would of course, be forever indebted to them.

But he cannot deny his worry and relief when his father was saved.

“I’ll meet her later, noona told me that we have to pay respects.” Leeteuk blurted.

Eunhyuk clapped his hands again.

“well, that’s great then!” he beamed. “should we meet her?”

“no.” leeteuk said.

“aish, so possessive.” Eunhyuk pouted.

“say that again and you’ll hear something from my sister.” Leeteuk smiled as he took a spoonful of his appetizer. Eunhyuk bowed his head and did a peace sign.

“I told you, I was kidding.” He flashed his teeth.

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

PARK ESTATE

“whoa.” Kangin, taeyeon and tiffany’s eyes darted around the villa via the balcony, a part of the park estate closest to the Park manor.

“am I dreaming again?pinch me!” Kangin exclaimed, looking at his surroundings.

It was a beautiful sight. The villa was a three story white Spanish style building with a red bricked roof and black and gold grills. outside the building was an old baroque stone fountain with cherubim gargoyles, surrounded by a circular bush of red and white roses. The villa overlooked the Park Manor, a cream colored mansion whose styling resembled an English lord’s house.

“they said that you need to ride a golf cart to get to the other buildings.” Taeyeon said.

“I’d love to get on that pool!” tiffany pointed to a guitar shaped pool behind the fountain, embellished by white and green tiles.

Kangin, taeyeon and tiffany visited their rooms to drop their luggages.

“I wonder who lives here.” Tiffany blurted when taeyeon and kangin entered their own rooms.

Taeyeon didn’t answer but instead feasted her eyes on her room. she cannot believe her eyes that she has her own room. the room resembled the Spanish style villa, with a balcony that overlooks other structures in the estate. She glanced at her bed and giggled at the soft feeling it conveyed upon touch. Her toes touched the bear faux-fur carpet that lay helplessly on the floor.

“wow, your room looks mature.” Tifanny joined taeyeon in admiring the other structures of her place.

“how was yours?” taeyeon asked.

“its all pink.”

“mwo, how come you have a room like that?” taeyeon pursed her lips. It seemed that mister Park already knew something about the personality of the siblings.

“we should have a sleep over sometime, ne unni?” tiffany put her arm around her sister. “I will be lonely back there, it’s the first time that we won’t be sharing rooms.”

“aish, at least you’ll know how messy you are when it comes to your stuff.” Taeyeon snapped. Deep inside she’ll miss their bondings too.

“are you all settled?”

Mister park entered taeyeon’s room to catch the reaction of the siblings.

“its very beautiful here, sunbaenim.” Taeyeon smiled, going towards him.

“I like that you love this place, my late wife had it structured for a purpose.” Mister park smiled too.

Taeyeon opened to speak but quickly shut it down for some reason. The word late wife seemed to bother her so much.

“are you okay, taeyeon ssi?” mister park looked at her in concern.

“ne, sunbaenim. Just thinking about things.” Taeyeon scratched her head.

“by the way, I’m inviting you three to have a dinner at the manor if you don’t mind.” Mister park suggested.

Taeyeon and tiffany looked at each other and nodded.

“we’ll go there later.” Tiffany replied.

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

SEOUL DEPARTMENT STORE

“looks good on me? No?” siwon asked, looking at the boys as he try on a new set of clothes.

Eunhyuk cringed his eyebrows.

“what do you think?” he poked leeteuk who was busy playing with his phone.

Leeteuk looked up and observed siwon from head to toe.

“too dark.” He said.

“aish, I’ve been trying too many already.” Siwon pouted. “kyu, what do you think?”

“I agree with teukie, everything’s dark.” Kyuhyun agreed. “you try the mocha trench coat, maybe it’ll look better.”

“araso.”

Siwon headed back to the fitting room.

“why is he obsessed with clothes anyways.” Eunhyuk shook his head.

“look who’s talking.” Kyuhyun smiled. “teukie, have you received any message or notifications from doctor song?”

“annyeo.” Leeteuk lied. He knew that kyuhyun would immerse himself again to another experimental trial if he finds out about his present condition.

“ah, I see.” Kyuhyun slumped himself to the couch and continued reading some fashion magazines.

“where’s your wife, anyways?” leeteuk asked, diverting the attention.

“at the pharmacy, you need something there?”

“I still have my stocks.” Leeteuk replied.

“okay then.”

“aish, how come I haven’t received any calls from Hyo.” Eunhyuk pouted.

RRING!

Eunhyuk immediately brought out his phone.

“mine.” Leeteuk smiled sardonically, taking out his gadget. “yobuseyo?”

“oppa.”

“sister.” Leeteuk emphasized the title to tease out his friend.

“have you received the news from inyoung unni?”

“no. your  point?” leeteuk looked at eunhyuk who was making strange faces at him.

He can hear Hyoyeon chuckling through the receiver.

“you wouldn’t believe if I tell you who’s the girl who saved our father.”

Leeteuk composed himself before letting his sister deliver the information.

“okay.” leeteuk nodded when he received the news. “araso, I’ll be there.”

“where are you going?” eunhyuk asked upon noticing leeteuk straightening the creases of his outfit.

“I’m going to dinner.” he said.

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

PARK MANOR

“this is a really fine house.” Taeyeon said, looking around the long table. She, tiffany and Kangin were joining Mister Park at the dining hall, where the latter invited them for a feast.

Taeyeon was still daze from the opportunites that she and her siblings received. All for saving just one life, had turned everything upside.

“I’m paying for your unpaid loans you told me earlier.” Mister park told taeyeon.

“that’s too much, no need.” Taeyeon smiled, shaking her head. “with my job and my allowance, I think I would be able to support my family.”

“unni, you should accept.” Tiffany mouthed. Taeyeon kicked her in the shin. “ouch.”

“by the way, you will start schooling immediately.” Mister park said. “with the exception of taeyeon-ssi, kangin, tiffany, you’ll be resuming your previous course in college.”

“sunbaenim, can I change mine? I don’t like engineering nowadays.” Kangin blurted.

“what do you like then?”

“I want to pursue music.” Kangin said, hurt by the endless kicking of taeyeon under the table.

“he will pursue engineering.” Taeyeon said, eyeing kangin. “right brother?”

“you shouldn’t force someone who doesn’t like it.” mister park smiled at her. “ne, I will tell the school registrar to change your course.”

Kangin threw his fist in the air.

“yes!”

“aish” taeyeon groaned.

“taeyeon ssi.” Mister park looked at her. “will it be okay for you to study Business and Politics as a course?”

“ne, same class as your son, right?” taeyeon nodded. “any course is fine with me.”

“where is he by the way?” tiffany asked mister park, referring to his son.

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

Taeyeon’s POV

“he went out with his friends after visiting his mother’s grave.” Mister park answered.

Mother’s grave. Without the father, the son would have been an orphan. That’s too harsh for a reality.

“anyways, did I tell you, I don’t only have a son, I have two daughters too.” Mister park said, lighting up the topic.

“ah, ne.” I responded. “won’t they be joining dinner too?”

Dining with the other members of the Park Family would have been really flattering.

“they have their own businesses, we rarely dine together, unfortunately.” Mister park laughed. “by the way, they’ll be meeting you later to pay respect.”

“that’s a very good breeding.” Kangin said through spoonful of pasta. I should be teaching him some proper dining etiquette from now on.

I didn’t come to notice that the door of the dining hall at the back of my seat opened instantly as I swallowed down my dinner food. Tiffany mouthed something to me that I didn’t quite understand.

“what?” I mouthed to her back as Mister Park looked up to see who the person is.

“jungsu, you’ve come.”

Jungsu? He didn’t mean…

I didn’t realize the situation I’ve entangled myself into. Not until I saw the person whom I am tasked to observe. The same pale face…

“goodevening father.” Leeteuk gracefully took his seat beside me.

Kim taeyeon, kim taeyeon, blink hard. Maybe you’re hallucinating.

“its good that you’ll join dinner. Meet my guests.” Mister park told leeteuk.

Leeteuk bowed to tiffany and kangin and immediately turned towards me.

“I was told that you saved my father, thank you so much.” He said, bowing.

“yah, are you playing games with me?” I hissed. He only gave me a smile as he gently placed the napkin on his lap.

“they will be living with us from now on.” Mister park told leeteuk. “and will be going to the same university as yours, in payment for saving my life.”

I was shocked that he was expressionless toward his father’s offer.

“that’s very good.” Leeteuk nodded, drinking his water.

This guy,aish.

“taeyeon ssi, right here, will also be enrolled to your class in Business and Politics.” Mister park blurted. I looked down on my lap and blushed.

“that’s good, we will be very good friends, miss kim.” Leeteuk leaned upon my face to observe my reaction. If not only for his father.

“aren’t you going to say something, taeyeon ssi?” mister park was looking at me too.

“um.” I really didn’t know how to react right now. I inched leeteuk away and stood up from my seat.

“I’m sorry, I forgot my phone at the villa.” I lied. “I’ll be back.”

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

STONE FOUNTAIN, Park estate

Taeyeon’s POV

Aish, kim taeyeon, what’s wrong with you? You should have inquired the person you’ll be working with.

Out of many Parks out there, why getting caught with Park Jungsu? Park Jungsu whom you’ve tricked on getting a huge deal amount of money upon the simple torn dress of tiffany, Park Jungsu who told his friends about the one million you got from him but didn’t hesitate to help you get the first aid kit? And what’s wrong with him being prim and proper at the dining hall the moment he found out that it was me who saved his father?

He’s definitely playing games with me. and obviously, I was blinded by the opportunities of his father that I didn’t dare ask any information about his son. I groaned as I took the space at the rim of the stone fountain, taking my seat.

“I’m wearing a nice dress and yet I’m spending time in the fountain.” I mumbled, looking at my black tube dress that glittered upon the reflection in the water. I stomped my feet, pained by the wringing sensation it caused. Must be because of the heels.

If only I knew that it was leeteuk. But then again, should I be hesitant about the deal? I saved his father anyway.

“your reaction was priceless.” I looked up from above ground and saw leeteuk walking towards me.

“wow, stalker?” I snapped back.

“do I look like one?”

“surprised to see me, huh?” I said, trying to suppress a smile. “I’m living here from now on so you should get along with me.”

I straightened up my back as he joined me at the stone fountain.

“I should get along with you?” leeteuk laughed, crossing his legs. I watched as he stared at the moon above us, noticing that he was paler than usual.

“okay fine. you knew all along that it was me and yet you didn’t react.” I told him, referring to his gracious attitude at the dining hall.

Leeteuk shrugged.

“I don’t see why I shouldn’t be like that.”

“you should have told me immediately that you don’t like us staying here.” I blurted, putting my hands at my hips. Even if I don’t really know him well, I knew what someone like him would do when finding out that a family like mine dwells at their place.

“since you know what my reaction would be, then what’s holding you here?” he smiled at me.

Aish, this rascal. I knew it. he’s just pretending to be proper so that I would feel defeated. He was definitely getting back at me for the one million incident.

“I have a good opportunity here, so you can’t hold me back.” I said airily.

“hmm.. about money again.” leeteuk nodded, facing  my direction. “how much should I give you so you would evacuate?”

“let me see, five hundred million?” he asked, thinking aloud. “one billion?five billion?tell me.”

Oh… that’s a lot of money, enough for me and my siblings to buy a new house. Aish, kim taeyeon, focus!

I stole his checkbook that he was holding and threw all of the contents at the fountain.

“even if it takes all your millions, you can’t move me or my siblings.” I concluded. Hah, that’s it.

Leeteuk was shocked to find his checkbook being splashed away by the waters but managed to place his ballpen gently on his pocket.

“fine.” He smiled, leaning at me again. aigoo, I really don’t like this habit of him inching his face closer.  “live here all you want, but don’t expect everything to go smoothly.” He whispered.

“ne, I don’t need a nice treatment from you anyway.” I said as he stood up and took his leave. “I’m living here and you can’t stop me.”

“you hear that? you can’t stop me!” I shouted.

Park jungsu only nodded his head and waved from his back.

omo… I can’t believe that I will be stalking him for a job.