19 – THE 7TH HIDER
She loves him but he disappears.
He loves her but he needs to leave.
He loves her too but hurts her instead.
She loves him but he denies to love her.
She loves her but she is afraid to confess.
He loves her but he thinks she won't love him.
She loves nobody now but she needs to choose.
He loves her but he knows he can't make her happy.
She loves him but she knows he loves someone else.

Writer’s POV

Without even introduction, it’s now obvious why Siwon doesn’t remember about Tiffany even though Tiffany technically lives in the place where Siwon lives before. Both completely forget about this possibility. To some extent, Tiffany even uses Siwon’s bedroom as hers.

The girl is sweating like hell now. Her eyes are closed. Her blanket is fully covering her body. The air conditioner in her bedroom is working yet Tiffany is sweating. She shakes her head quite a lot now. Indeed, she has a somewhat called nightmare.

“Sorry dad… sorry…” She mumbles… sleep-talking of course.

Her face is looking very pale now and all of the sudden she gets up, sitting up on her bed, feeling relieved. She catches more breathes. She is panting. She’s panic for sure and as she can’t hold it anymore… she starts crying. 

She has a class today and it’s the Reverse Psychology. However, she’s not feeling really well after dreaming the nightmare. She decides to skip the class and rests again on her bedroom, thinking about the nightmare which is actually a part of her past that has been always hunting her until now.

Tiffany smiles after remembering the first time she met Kyuhyun. Her dream before stopped at the scene where she ran outside the house of course. However, when she tries to recall the dream just right now, she can’t help but to continue to the part where she was introduced to Kyuhyun.

And as for her father, ever since his wife died, he found himself to lose hope of living his life. He loves his wife too much that losing her is really painful and tormenting. The agony leaded him to raise Tiffany as a burden. Not that kind of burden though but more like because he didn’t want to disappoint his late wife.

He wanted to liven up his wife’s expectation so that Tiffany can grow as a flawless girl. The more he tried and thought about it, the more it became a burden for him. He was afraid of failing to raise Tiffany. He was afraid of being a bad father but then this horror was the thing strengthening his status as a bad father.

Because he wanted to be a good father, he never ever wished to see Tiffany making mistakes. However, one day he went too far. It was Tiffany’s performance day when they were still in the U.S. Tiffany represented her class to play the flute in the school’s music festival when she messed up everything and failed to impress her father. Because her father feared to be stamped as the father of embarrassing daughter, her father wreaked everything on Tiffany instead. Once they arrived at their home, he started yelling at Tiffany and slapped her.

And that’s when everything began. Tiffany and her dad, both still don’t realize that Tiffany’s dad is suffering a psychological sick, some kind of personal disorder. The grief of losing his wife and the fear of failing to raise Tiffany well slowly frustrate him and take over his emotion.

Every time Tiffany makes mistakes… he’ll slap her, even hit her several times. That’s why there were some plasters on Tiffany’s face sometimes. Both are still not realizing that it is categorized as a DV aka domestic violence.

On Tiffany’s side, this is the reason why she was angry at Kyuhyun when she found out that Kyuhyun sent in her application to the musical’s committee. However, she was the one who wanted to apply before. She thought that she should show her father that she could pull off a great performance and she wanted to show it to her father. However, she was so afraid of messing up again and thus she hesitated. In the end, she decided to take a risk and took the challenge. Of course, she didn’t let her father to know because she wanted it to be a surprise.

So far, she lies to everyone by hiding the truth behind every scratch, wound, and scar she has. Even Kyuhyun doesn’t know about it. 

Talking about him, he’s already in the campus right now, waiting in the classroom.

“Why isn’t she here? It’s already 8.50 am.”

Kyuhyun thinks after realizing that Tiffany doesn’t come yet to the classroom. It’s rare to have Tiffany being late. He actually wants to talk properly with Tiffany before the class starts this morning. He wants to end the bad term between them but then the other object is not there.

He decides to leave the class at 8.55 am because he doesn’t have the mood to study for now after waiting for nothing. It was right before professor Song enters the class.

Apparently, Yoona doesn’t show up as well. Reason is, she is escorting her parents to the airport. Both, her father and her mother need to travel to Japan, then France, and then Italy to take care some of their business.

Not only Yoona though, Siwon has a shooting while Jessica decides to prolong her sleep and later it is planned for her to do an interview with an IT company. Jessica wants to have an internship for her winter break after this fall semester. Thing is, she doesn’t know that she applied to Donghae’s company. Taeyeon also doesn’t go to the class as she’s still in the hospital, taking care of her father whose condition was getting worse last night. Taeyeon didn’t sleep at all last night because her father’s stable condition suddenly dropped. Hence, she decides to rest at the hospital instead while accompanying her father. Luckily, her father is stable again right now.

As for Yuri, she needs to represent the swimming club of SNU to attend the annual technical meeting of a national swimming competition between universities’ students in South Korea.

“So, I want to congratulate Yoona-sshi, Donghae-sshi, Hyukjae-sshi, Tiffany-sshi, Siwon-sshi, Kyuhyun-sshi, Yuri-sshi, Taeyeon-sshi, and Jessica-sshi for getting a better mark this time.”

Professor Song starts the class but then she finds out that there’s no single student that she mentioned before there. Yoona and Donghae still put Hyukjae’s name in their report despite the latter has been gone.

“Ehhh, there’s no one among them in here? Aigooo.” Professor Song murmurs then continues the class.

Soon after she starts teaching, the door is knocked.

“Good morning. Sorry I’m late. May I come in professor?” Donghae asks after opening the door.

“You know my answer Donghae-sshi.” Professor Song replies, giving a close-the-door-and-get-out look.

“Ahhh… I see. Sorry for disturbing.” Donghae does what he is told by professor Song.

Even though it’s only a short period of time he’s in front of the class, he can be sure that both Yoona and Jessica aren’t there. He doesn’t think about the possibility of Hyukjae being there of course. He then goes straightly to his company after concluding that he has nothing to do in the campus anymore. He doesn’t have any idea that he’ll meet Jessica in a very unexpected way later this afternoon.

Hours later, Donghae just finished his lunch and he is walking towards his room, the CEO room.

“Donghae-ah…”

“Ye… what is it noona?” Donghae stops himself from walking and waits for Lee Hyori, the Executive Vice President for Human Resource, who just called him.

“You remember that you’ll be interviewing someone today right?” Hyori asks Donghae to make sure that Donghae remembers. They are walking together now.

“Ahhh, right. For my personal assistant position, isn’t it? Of course I remember noona.” To tell you the truth, he completely forgets about it but he sounds like he still remembers. They enter Donghae’s spacious room now.

“Good then. Here’s her resume. Would you like to learn about the resume before I call her in or…” Hyori hands over the folder, containing Jessica’s resume.

“Just call her in if she’s already here. I’ll just have several questions to ask to her. She must be very good if she passed your test. Keke.” Donghae takes the folder, not bothering to open it but throwing it on the table instead.

“She’s indeed very good. She’s studying International Affair in SNU. Her English is outstanding, even better than myself I guess. She also understands about the IT industry. She’ll be very suitable as your personal assistance to help you with our expansion project to global market Donghae-ah.” Hyori explains while walking towards the door.

“Noona, I also request something… don’t you remember?” Donghae teases Hyori.

“Of course I do remember and that’s why I choose her. She’s undeniably beautiful and hot as you requested. Aigooo, I think your dating-habit has come to an end but guess I’m wrong then.” Then Hyori closes the door, going outside to leave the now smirking Donghae.

Donghae continues working by signing some files, still he’s not curious enough to open the folder. He thinks that he’ll just meet the girl directly to judge.

Minutes later, he hears a knock and Hyori opens the door.

“She’s here, I’ll leave her to you now.”

“Neh, thanks noona.” Donghae replies to Hyori. He fails to recognize the girl who is standing behind Hyori.

At the time Hyori leaves and Jessica enters the room, Donghae takes the folder and opens it only to be surprised.

“Annyeonghaseyo.” Jessica says, bowing and also fails to recognize the guy in front of her as well because she is facing down the floor all the time. When the door automatically closed, Jessica lifts her head and her eyes quickly meet with a pair of familiar eyes.

She is so speechless until Donghae breaks the silence.

“Sit down please.”

Jessica knows that Donghae’s grandparents and hers are running IT companies but she doesn’t have any clue about which company Donghae’s grandparents run and what the name is. Besides, she can’t believe and never expect to see Donghae as the CEO. It’s obvious that Donghae is still too young to receive the baton.

She’s still frozen there, standing with unbelievable look.

“Jung Sooyeon-sshi. Are you ok?” Donghae asks again. He is surprised for sure when he opened the folder but then he should be professional. He won’t let his personal feelings disturb his job.

Hearing the question, Jessica snaps herself before answering.

“Neh, I’m ok.”

“Great then, sit down please.” Donghae invites her again.

“Sorry Mr. Lee, actually I’m not that ok. I’m sorry to disturb you.” Then she makes her move. She decides to give up. She can’t handle it. She’s about to leave the room when Donghae says something again.

“Just one question from me Jessica Jung Sooyeon-sshi.”

Jessica stops in front of the door.

“Do you want the job or not?” Donghae continues. He makes it short.

Jessica ponders about it but Donghae intrigues her more.

“Do you want to give up just because it’s me, because I’m going to be your boss? Put aside our personal feelings Jessica-sshi. I’m shocked as well to see you here but… I think you’ll do well with the position.”

She thinks about it deeply before making her decision. She turns around and faces Donghae. She clearly makes her statement.

“Fine, I’ll do it. I want the job. That’s my answer.” She is so damn nervous actually but she manages to answer convincingly. There are so many things that she wants to ask right now about how Donghae becomes the CEO and what really happens. Unfortunately, she knows that it won’t work now so she’ll just wait.

“Great then. We’re done now. Our interview is done. You may leave. Just wait for the result. Lee Hyori-sshi will inform you again. She’ll contact you soon after the decision made. I wish you all the best. Thank you for coming today.” Donghae concludes his statement. He actually doesn’t regret to break his own promise of having no more connection with Jessica.

Strangely, Jessica shows no sign of going out from the room. It’s strange because she’s the one who wanted to leave before but she is still there now even after Donghae finishes the interview.

“Eh, do you need something else? Do you have any question?” Donghae observes her.

“Nothing. Just… I’m going to wait for sure.” Jessica replies but what she really means is about waiting for another thing, not the call to fill the position.

“I’ll wait until you are ready to tell me everything.” Jessica pauses for a moment and continues again. “Frankly, I don’t know how can you manage yourself to be this calm? Guess that you’re really a professional, but for me… I just can’t oppa. Thus, I’ll wait. Goodb…”

“What if it takes forever for me to be ready? Are you still going to wait?” Donghae cuts Jessica before the girl says her goodbye.

“Then I’ll wait forever. I’ve been waiting for years and it will not be a problem for me to wait for some more years. I’m used to wait right now. Bye.”

This time, Donghae doesn’t stop Jessica anymore. He just let her go. He knows it’s so hard for him too but he’ll endure it. It feels like he is testing Jessica’s patience but then it can be the truth. He may take forever to finally be able to forgive Jessica’s family. However, he in fact, periodically forgets about the revenge to Jessica’s family. Many things are asking his concerns including Hyukjae’s disappearance that he forgets about his grudge.

The time doesn’t stop and it’s already dinner time in Tiffany’s house. She’s having her dessert right now when her father brings out a difficult subject to talk to.

“You’re practicing flute again lately Fany-ah?”

“N-n-neh. I a-am dad.” She is scared if her dad finds out. She’s stuttering again.

“What for?” Her dad asks in curiousity while eating his dinner.

“Mmphhh… just for… k-killing time d-dad.” Fany relieves because her dad doesn’t find out yet. By the time she ends her sentence she finishes eating her dessert and decides to leave the table. She stands up, bringing up her plate with her to the washbowl, planning to wash it.

“Are you sure it’s not related with your campus’ musical performance?!”

“PRANGGG!!!”

Her father’s last question really hits her heart that she is so shocked and unconsciously drops the plate. She steps back carefully so she won’t walk on the broken pieces of the plate while apologizing to her dad.

“I’m sorry dad. I’m sorry… I… I…”

“PLAKKK!!!” She can’t even properly apologize when her father quickly stands up and walks to her to slap her.

“YAHHH! What’s wrong with you? Why are you so clumsy?! I don’t raise you to be this indecency Stephanie!!!” Her dad yells at her. Every single mistake from Tiffany will make him angry.

“Sorry dad…” The poor girl starts crying.

“You also lied to me right? You join the musical performance, don’t you?! How dare you lie to your father Fany-ah?! I saw the invitation in your bedroom!”

“PLAKKK!!!”

Another slap landed on Tiffany’s cheek.

“Who teach you to lie huh?!!!” Her father now grabs Tiffany’s hair.

“Dad… please, forgive me. I’ll explain to you.” She begs.

“Explain? Explain me what?!!! You really disappoint me Fany-ah!!!”

“It hurts dad… please…” Tiffany continuously cries.

Her father drags her to the living room.

“PLAKKK!!!” The third slap just happened. Tiffany is crying badly. She can’t hold it anymore. She never rebels but she decides to this time.

“I’M YOUR FREAKING DAUGHTER DAD!!! WHY DON’T YOU LOVE ME?! WHY?”

She’s saying that while pushing her father away. She succeeds at her first attempt. Her father falls back on the couch and Tiffany uses this chance to run to her bedroom. Her father is chasing her but luckily, Tiffany has enough time to lock the door.

“YAHHH! OPEN THE DOOR!” Her father screams from the other side.

Between the fear and nervousness, she takes her cell phone. She knows she needs someone’s help and Kyuhyun appears on her mind. She knows her dad will smash down the door in no time and she was right.

“BAMMM!!!”

Her dad enters the room and Tiffany hastily sends the message. But then, for her being frightened plus her overflowing clumsiness, she sends the text message to Siwon once again and she’s completely oblivious about that.

Cho Siwon:
Kyuhyun-ah! Help me please.
Save me from my home!
Right now. I’m so scared.

Siwon receives the text message in the middle of a shooting. Suddenly, he feels the urge to help Tiffany instead. He escapes from the shooting location. He finds himself contacting every classmate he knows to ask where Tiffany’s address is. He’s in his car right now. He texts his manager as well to apologize. Later on, he eventually gets Tiffany’s address but one thing catches his attention. It’s the fact that Tiffany is living in his previous house. He thinks about how coincident it is.

He finds it amusing but then the imagination of what can actually happen right now scares him to death. He calls Tiffany’s cell phone but there’s no answer. He rushes in driving to that house.

He doesn’t even answer his manager’s calls. All that he thinks right now is rescuing Tiffany whatever it takes.

Upon arriving at the house, he still can’t believe that Tiffany is really living in his old house. He starts yelling from the front door.

“Tiffany-sshi!!!”

“Hello!!!”

“Anybody there!!!”

“Tiffany-sshi!”

As there’s no reply, he decides to break down the door and he makes it in first trial for he has such a horse power. He’s strong for sure. He doesn’t care whether it’s the right thing to do or not.

He enters the familiar living room with some different decorations. He’s more anxious than ever right now. He takes a peek at the dinning room to see the broken plate is still there. He suddenly hears a loud voice coming from the second floor. He doesn’t waste any time and quickly goes upstairs.

He’s getting closer to the source of commotion. It’s coming from his old bedroom which is currently Tiffany’s bedroom.

“Useless!!!”

He hears a voice of a yelling man.

“Ahhhh…!”

Now he’s assured that it’s Tiffany’s voice and that’s when he enters the room. He can’t believe what he sees. There’s a man in the corner of the room. He’s not sure but this man may be strangling someone there. Once he discovers that Tiffany is the one who is being strangled, he quickly pulls back the man and beats him blindly.

“YAHHH!!! YOU STOP IT, CRAZY!!!”

Siwon rages him with no mercy.

Tiffany’s dad collapses and goes unconscious on the floor after the last punch from Siwon.

Siwon walks to where Tiffany is. The girl is still in the corner. She is sitting on the floor, hugging both of her legs. Her knees are covering her lips. She’s crying in silent. Tears keep coming from her eyes. Siwon squats down beside her.

“It’s alright now Tiffany-sshi. I’m here. It’s alright…” Said Siwon, trying to comfort the frightened-girl.

Siwon slowly pulls Tiffany’s head to his embrace. Tiffany doesn’t refuse the offer as she leans her head on Siwon’s chest. She is still crying though.

“I’m sorry if I’m late but now I’m here so you’re safe right now.” Siwon says again. His heart is aching to see Tiffany like this. He now knows how it feels to be hurt because someone that he loves is hurting.

On the other hand and later at midnight, Donghae is currently having a hanging out session by himself. He is in the night club again, trying to have fun but it has no significant effect. He hardly enjoys the night. So he is exploring the night club building to see if there’s something fun left for him there. And indeed, in such a ridiculous way, he meets Yoona again. Yoona is currently standing in the balcony of the second floor of this night club building. She’s alone there and she’s holding a glass of… well… Donghae isn’t sure himself.

“Aren’t you afraid of meeting someone like me again in this kind of place, kekeke?!” Donghae comes from Yoona’s back to surprise the girl.

After seeing the visitor, Yoona decides not to spill a word.

“You may drop your fake ID card again Yoongie-ah…”

“I don’t care Donghae-sunbae.” Yoona bitterly smiles to him.

“Really? You don’t?!” Donghae sounds so sarcastic this time.

“Are you really happy with playing around like this sunbae?” Yoona brings another topic to the surface.

“What do you mean?” Donghae says, taking Yoona’s glass and drinks from it and it is martini judged from its taste on Donghae’s tongue.

“You really want to hear?” Yoona challenges him.

“Now I don’t really get you miss genius…”

“I’m talking about your life sunbae and somehow I pity you for the fact that you’re trying so hard to survive, aren’t you?!” Yoona takes back her crystal glass.

“Hahahaha, now look who’s talking here. Do you think you really know me?!” Donghae challenges back.

“Well, after doing some analysis, I think I have a conclusion about your life and seeing you are here right now… I think we’re at the same level.” Yoona starts explaining but Donghae still can’t understand about it.

“Well, try me then Yoongie-ah… let’s hear the conclusion.” Donghae smiles handsomely to attract Yoona’s eyes as if the two undone buttons of his shirt is not enough to attract the girl.

“You know what sunbae? Sometimes, I really wanted to move on… I wanted to forget everything about Lee Hyukjae. I wanted to… to kick him out from my life…” Yoona pauses and takes a gulp of the martini. “That’s why… sometimes I found myself coming here again and again… trying to do something else and have some fun…” She pauses again. “Because I thought that deep inside my heart and my mind, I actually wanted all of these problems to be over as soon as possible. Sometimes… I just wanted to forget about it so I could relax… keke, it’s funny right?!”

Yoona knows she just complicated the things as Donghae begs for another elaboration.

“Well… nice try Yoongie-ah… but which part of your last paragraph that is related to me?”

“All of them sunbae-ah. All of the sentences in that paragraph also belong to you.” Yoona quickly answers.

“Ehhh? Haha.” Donghae chuckles, unable to show any other expression.

“You are just the same right?! I’ve been thinking about it before concluding. We’re just the same sunbae.” Yoona moves her eys to face Donghae now while saying this sentence.

“You are… always coming here, growing a dating-habit, playing around with every possible girl that attracts you, breaking up with them… and may I add… sleeping with them… I think about it and now I finally understand why you are being like this. You’re just actually trying to forget someone right?!”

Yoona drinks another gulp and then continues again.

“After experiencing how it feels to try to forget someone when you know you can’t… I think I understand you more right now…”

Yoona is then cut by Donghae.

“Are you sure you have made a proper conclus…”

Yoona is faster to cut Donghae this time.

“And I’m talking about Jessica-sshi sunbae.”

This last sentence from Yoona succeeds in shutting up Donghae.

Yoona inhales some air, knowing that she is right and wins over Donghae tonight.

“It seems like I was right sunbae… neh? If you wonder how I can come to this conclusion… I’ll just tell you that… I have a quite good friendship with Jessica-sshi. Not that good though and I must admit… I don’t know what really happens between the two of you.”

Yoona proceeds to leave the speechless Donghae in the balcony before going on another statement.

“What makes us different… she’s there waiting for you as well sunbae while I don’t even know where Hyukjae-oppa is. You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone so better don’t waste your time anymore.”

Yoona is about to go inside the bar again when Donghae grabs her hand.

“Will you?” Yoona stops after hearing Donghae’s voice and she faces Donghae again.

“Will you at least give me your martini to accompany me here?” Donghae releases his hand from Yoona’s and asks for the glass of martini. Yoona can feel the sad atmosphere as she sees the hopeless eyes of Donghae. She decides to give the glass to Donghae before leaving him there in the balcony.

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