The sun rise. It was morning. On a long couch in an apartment is a couple cuddling and sleeping peacefully. The sound of bird chiming wake Taecyeon from his sleep. Lowing his head, he sees the innocent and loving Yoona sleeping in his arms. He lift his right hand and gently glides his finger down her cheek. He peck her cheek before he carefully withdraw his arms and get off the couch without waking her up.

             He walks to the bathroom, wash-up, and get himself ready for work. Yoona awake by the bright light of the sun shining through the long window. The absent of Taecyeon frighten her. She immediately jolt up to a sitting position and looks around the studio apartment. Taecyeon was nowhere in the room. She pull the blanket off her and stand on her feet. She takes the first step, but immediately stop when the door to the bathroom open. Taecyeon walks out and see Yoona standing a couple feet away from the couch, looking at him. Seeing him ease her heart. She quickly walks to him and embraces him tightly. Taecyeon was just speechless as he froze still in her embrace.

             “I thought you left me again.” Her voices shook as she speak to him.

Taecyeon calmly wraps him arms around her and peck her head. “I’m here…. I’m still here.” He spoke in a soft tone as he her hair.

             Yoona weakly smiles against his chest. “Why did you wake me up?” she asked.

             “You need your rest.” He said. “You were so peaceful, I didn’t want to wake you up. Beside, I’m just getting ready to work.”

             Yoona break the embrace and looks up at him. “Work? How can you still work when your condition is not stable?”

             “I’ll be fine.”

             “No you won’t.”

             Taecyeon sigh and cup her cheeks. “Trust me…this ones.”

             Through his soft and tender tones, Yoona feels her heart weaken as she looks into his pleading eyes.

             “I’ll drop you off at home.” Said Taecyeon.

             “Are you going to come with me?” Yoona asked.

             Taecyeon paused as he looks away.

             “Then I’m not going home.”

             “I can’t let you stay here alone.”

             “Don’t worry about me, I’m meeting up with Sooyoung later at The Street café.” Said Yoona.  

             “Okay, I’ll take you there.” Said Taecyeon. Yoona lightly nodded.

* * * *

             Entering the café, Yoona looks around the shop and sees Sooyoung waving her hand at her. Yoona happily smiles and walks with Taecyeon hand-in-hand to Sooyoung.

             “Hello there!” Sooyoung happily greeted them. “I’m guessing you two are back together.” She tease them. Yoona shyly smiles.

             “Please take care of her for me. I have to leave.” Taecyeon said with a straight face.

             His facial expression wash away the smiles around him, leaving Sooyoung confusedly looks at him. The sound of his tone and words was like a last goodbye that frighten Yoona heart once again. She hold his hand tightly as she looks at him will full of unanswered question inside her head. Taecyeon let go of her hand—turn around, and walks to the exit. Yoona immediately grab his hand again—stop him.

             “I’ll meet you here at 9. You will come get me, right?” Yoona voice trembles a little as she spoke. “I’ll wait for you here.”

             Taecyeon hesitate for a moment before he turns around and lightly nodded his head. “I promise.” He said a soft tone almost like a whispered.

             Taecyeon resumes his walk, their hand gently slid apart as he head for the exit of the café.

             “Is there something?” Sooyoung asked. “Taecyeon seem very….he seem different now… weaker than his normal self.”

             Yoona sighed, turn around, and take a seat across the table. “Sometime I wish he wasn’t so secretive about everything.”

             “What secret?” Sooyoung continues to ask.

             “Taecyeon is struck with leukemia. He need a bone narrow transplant as soon as possible.”

             This new shock Sooyoung as she speechless listens.

             “From now on, he won’t be able to hear us…anyone voice on the right side of his ear anymore.” Yoona continues in a sad tone.

             “What!”

             “He can’t hear anymore. He only have his left ear now.”

             “How did this happen?”

             “It was the day he and Siwon got in a fight in the cafeteria. In order to protect me, he lost his right hearing.” Yoona guiltily. “If only back then…If only I opened myself and listened….”

             “At least now, you two have grown stronger. Now, you know how much he meant to you.” Sooyoung said with confident.

             Yoona signed as she looks out the window to the white ground.

             “How is the baby? Are you taking good care of yourself now that you’re pregnant?” Sooyoung asked.

             “Yes.” Yoona replied in a soft tone. “The baby is doing well.”

             Sooyoung smiles, “Cheer up. Everything will be find. By the way, Siwon oppa called me the other day and ask if you are doing okay since you have replied to him at all.”

             Yoona looked at her confusedly before she looks through her purse for her cellphone. Pressing home button, the red blink indicating no battery.

             “No wonder you haven’t answer any call from me.” Sooyoung continues.

             “Sorry, this past couple days I’ve so busy I don’t even charge my phone. No wonder I haven’t heard anything from my parent.” Said Yoona.

             Sooyoung takes out a charger from her bag and hand it to her. Yoona plug one end to the outlet and the other end into her phone. The screen turn on. Yoona and Sooyoung continues to talk again, catching up what both had miss this past couple days.

* * * *

Kim Construction Corporation at Gangnam…………….

             Dozens of employees carrying and lifting having object from one place to another. Among the dozens Taecyeon climbs up to the fifth level with belts secure around him and tools hanging around his hip. N midst way, he stop and breaths heavily as his hips aches painfully. Gritting his teeth, he continues to climb to the fift floor and screws the nail into the wood. Thunder with his farther arrive at the in-progress future building of the Park Inc. The leader of the team them around the place. Thunder spotted Taecyeon up in the fifth level and smirks as he make his way to him.

             Standing in front of Taecyeon, who just finish nailing all the nail, faced Thunder.

             “Well, guess who I bump into right now. Is it really Ok Taecyeon?” Thunder mocking him. “Ok Taecyeon building my father company? Working hard labor? You better double check everything. Oh by the way, when did you turn into a slave?”

             Taecyeon ignore him and walks pass him. Thunder reach his hand out and stop Taecyeon.

             “I’m not done talking to you.” Thunder raised his voice a little causing other employee to stop and looks over at the two of them.

             “What do you want?” Taecyeon said in a cold tone.

             “Hmm… that is a good question. I don’t know. Maybe you should work more on this spot.” Thunder grab a metal stick and swing it with full force at the wood that Taecyeon just nailed. Taecyeon grip his fists tightly as he embrace the insult. “So this is how you construct things, especially my father building. Very poor material.” He continues to break things in front of him.

             An employee walks up to him angrily, “Yah! You spoil brat! Stop it!” The male employee shouted.

             Thunder stop, turn around, and look at him rudely. “What are you going to do about it? I’m just checking if you all are doing your job properly and not pocketing my dad money.” He said immaturely.

             “You!!” The man angrily storm to him with his fist ready to punch Thunder.

             Taecyeon stop him, “It’s useless to talk to him. Just walk away.” Taecyeon warned his coworker. “Remember, you have a family.”

             Taecyeon’s words was able to calm the employee a little.  He turns and looks at Thunder with a calm yet cold face. “Are you done?” He asked.

             Thunder hissed as he walks up to Taecyeon, “No.” He replied. “Right now, I suspect you pocketing my father money.”

             Taecyeon knew he was humiliating him out of hatred, and so, he obey and spread his arms wide to let Thunder check him. Searching from pocket to pocket, Thunder found a small yellow bottom in a pocket inside his jacket. He takes it out, looks at it, and shakes it a couple time. It was Taecyeon medicine that he found; the last batch he has left with him to help him fight the pain for a week.

             “What is this Ok Taecyeon? Drug? Using money for drugs now?” Said Thunder as he hold it in front of Taecyeon.

             “Give it back.” Taecyeon demanded.

             “What if I don’t want too?” Said Thunder as he walks to the edges of the level.

             “Give it back!” Taecyeon raised his voice.

             Taecyeon grip his fists tightly as he glared at Thunder.

             “You want it? Come get it!” Thunder throw it up in the air.

“NO!” Taecyeon shouted as he run to him.

Thunder hold the metal stick up and swing at it. The yellow container flies like lightning in the sky.

             “You!” Taecyeon glared at Thunder.

             Thunder swing the metal stick across Taecyeon face, in the stomach, and on his back. Taecyeon falls to the ground in pain.

             “What happen to the all mighty Taecyeon? Did he die?” Thunder said as he kick Taecyeon in the stomach. “I should have gotten rid of you when I had the chance at the bar! Or maybe I should take what you love the most away from you?”

             Taecyeon tries to get up on his feet again but only to get hit back down to the ground again. A couple employee runs up to Thunder and hold him back away from Taecyeon.

             “What the are you doing!” Thunder yelled as he tries to break free from the employees grip. “Let go of me now!”

             “You are going way to far mister!” Said an angry employee.

             A couple other employee rush to Taecyeon and tries to help him up.

             “What’s is going on here?” Said a man with deep voice.

             The employees let go of Thunder, and everybody immediately bow to him.

             “Appa, this guys are rebellious. They were going to throw me off the edge if you did come in time.” Said the sly Thunder.

             “Anniyo Mr. Park, that is not true.” Said an employee.

             Mr. Park notice Taecyeon with bruise on his face, blood at the corner of his lips, and arms across his stomach. He looks at Thunder who is holding a metal stick in his hand.

             “Are you causing trouble again?” Mr. Park asked his son.

             “No appa.”

             “Then why is there a stick in your hand?”

             Thunder look at the metal stick in his hand and then throw it aside. He bow 45 degree to his father.

             “Mianhe Mr. Park for this inconvenience. I will send him home now.” Said the leader of the construction.

“No, he did nothing wrong.” Said Mr. Park understandably. “When will this construction be finish?” he asked.  

             “By the end of this year.” The leader replied. “But there is a chance that it will be done by Fall.”

             “Then get start. I want this done by Fall.” Said Mr. Park before he glare at Thunder and then walk away. Thunder glares at Taecyeon before he follow Mr. Park.

             Everybody resume work. “Gwaenchanayo?” A man asked.

             “I’m fine.” He looked at the over the edge. His last batch is gone now. He doesn’t have any left. He doesn’t even have enough money to go buy more.

             “Was that your medicine?” The employee asked again. Taecyeon did not replied. “It’s okay, you can get another batch at the pharmacy.”

             “I know.” Taecyeon said in almost a whisper.

             The employee walks back to his station and continues working. Taecyeon place his hand at his hip as he feel a little pain burning around that area, tormenting him slowly. He grit his teeth as he withheld the pain and repair the damage that Thunder have caused. The sun have finally set. The shift is finally over. Everybody clock themselves out and head home to their warming family. Taecyeon, the last to leave, is fill with seat as he press his right hand against the pain at his hip. In haling and exhaling heavily as he looks at the white ground. The night is getting, and snow falling endless. Taecyeon grab onto something to hold himself up, “Yoona…” he whispered as he make an effort to walk.

* * * *

At The Street Café…..

             Yoona waits with Sooyoung for Taecyeon to come get her like he promised her. Her mind begins to fill with worries and frightful thought as she look outside the windows, watching the snow falls and people walking in and out of the café shop. She hold onto her phone tightly after dialing Taecyeon numbers a couple times.

             “How about I take you home?” Said Sooyoung.

             “No, I’ll wait here for him. I know he will come.” Said Yoona with hope.

             Sooyoung sighed as she go through the number in her phone and click on Siwon number. Secretly, she write a short message to him before sending it.

             “Oppa, where are you?.....you promise you will come.” Yoona silently whispered inside her head as she silently shed tears.

To be continue…………………………………