Chapter Ten

HYOYEON

Where is she?

Hyoyeon glanced over at the clock above. Tae had walked out that front door over an hour ago.

Where could she have possibly gone so early in the morning?

Hyoyeon sat there on the couch fidgeting and agitating so much that it was impossible for him to be comfortable. Seconds ticked by and Taeyeon was still not home, he should be happy because it gave her the space she needed. But he needed to beg for her forgiveness and explain. if only he knew where she was. Then the image of her downstairs in the lobby broke through his thoughts.

!

He went down to chase her, stop her so he could explain. But when the elevator doors opened his heart literally felt like it had been stabbed by a thousands knives, it shouldn’t have but it did. There standing by the desk was Taeyeon and Wooyoung. If he had never met either one of them then he’d have witnessed a couple in a public display of affection. If he didn’t know better they looked perfect for each other, Taeyeon in the arms of Wooyoung. It killed him to see Taeyeon with him. The look in his eyes for her was nothing but adoration.

He had driven her straight to the arms of Wooyoung, if he ever thought he could have Taeyeon for himself then he was wrong. The idea of him and Taeyeon was wrong. She belonged to Wooyoung even if she didn’t know it yet. If he had any sense of being a man then he would let her be with him. But Hyoyeon knew he wanted to be with Taeyeon.

The last few days strengthened that thought. What he did last night was purely to protect her from him and any other guy. If she hadn’t worn that dress then maybe he wouldn’t have lashed out at her. The embrace between the two of them was one he’d have to forget, she didn’t see him and he would pretend he saw nothing. It killed him knowing that there was a chance that Taeyeon  could fall in love with Wooyoung. Hyoyeon would have to ignore the lingering thought, push it deep down where it could never resurface again.

He was comforting her that was it, Taeyeon  looked like she was about to break

down. She was letting him comfort her.

“Urghh!” he groaned out loud, Hyoyeon couldn’t sit here any longer. He stood up. He was upset with himself for everything that had happened. Hyoyeon wanted to punch something, anything. The feeling inside of him was eating him alive. The guilt was unbelievably painful. How he hurt someone like Taeyeon he didn’t know.

I should have been there!

He looked around the apartment for something to break but everything looked too much of value. Everything that Taeyeon owned looked like of sentimental value and he couldn’t bring himself to break a frame or a vase. He paced around the lounge room, he could go for a run but Taeyeon could come home and that meant he wouldn’t be able to speak to her. She would lock herself in her room with no chance and reconciliation.

The sound of Taeyeon’s home phone brighten him up, it could be her checking in on him. But Hyoyeon doubted it, why would Taeyeon want to speak to an arrogant like him? He paced over to the small French styled table in the corner near the window and picked up the phone.

 “Hello?” he asked not sure how to greet the person on the other side of the phone.

 “Oh... umm, hello!” the sounds of a bubbly yet uncertain female voice was on the other side.

“Is, umm, Taeyeon  there?” her name drawing him like a beacon breaking through thick sea fog.

 “No, I’m sorry she isn’t here at the moment,” Hyoyeon replied. The female voice sounded like one of Taeyeon’s friends.

Taeyeon’s friends? She never mentioned friends but I didn’t ask. Why the hell didn’t I ask? I should have paid more attention to her.

“Oh,” was all he heard, the girl on the other end seemed disappointed at his reply.

“Do you mind telling her I called?” she asked sweetly, she seemed nice. He looked out the window to see that it was still raining, typical.

“Of course, umm, who is this by the way?” Hyoyeon asked curiously.

“Tiffany.”

Her friend’s name is Tiffany. Okay, at least I know a little more about Taeyeon then I did this morning.

“Wait, who are you? You aren’t a robber or anything?” Tiffany asked cautiously causing Hyoyeon to laugh

“Tiffany, do you seriously think a robber would be answering the phone owned by the person he is robbing?” Hyoyeon asked humorously.

“Oh, you’re right, stupid question. Uhh, who are you?”

“Hyoyeon,” he answered.

“Right, Hyoyeon. Just Hyoyeon, who are you exactly? Oh, not to be rude of course.”

“I’m Sooyoung’s best friend. I’m staying at Taeyeon’s till he comes back.” There was silence, Tiffany not saying a word.

“Oh, I get it now!”

Get what?

“Ahh?” Hyoyeon asked unsurely.

“Oh, I’m sorry, just thinking. Now, I understand why she flaked out on us yesterday. She’s been busy with you!”

Me? Oh, she didn’t think? Could she?

“We aren’t sleeping together!” Hyoyeon blurted out.

“Oh, no sorry, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to insinuate that. It’s just Taeyeon texted us to cancel her appearance at the party she organised and well if she wasn’t with you then what happened?” Tiffany sighed.

Hell, time to come clean. At least I’d come clean to one of her friends. Maybe she could give me some advice.

“Wait! It’s Wednesday!”

“Wednesday?”

“Gees, how did we both forget? It’s Wednesday, Taeyeon works at the bakery all day on Wednesdays!”

She was at work, how could I forget? She told me. Maybe she wasn’t avoiding

me? Well, she could still be avoiding me she just had to work.

“Tiffany, last night with Taeyeon that was all my fault. I said some things to Taeyeon  and I made her cry and she well yeah...” Hyoyeon breathed out, feeling like a weight had been lifted from off his shoulders. Tiffany’s phone call was like an answer from God.

“Wait a minute! Taeyeon ... cried?” concern was obvious in Tiffany’s tone.

“Uh-huh. I didn’t mean to, I just let loose and well I, uhh, messed up big time!”

Hyoyeon confessed.

“Oh, I see” Tiffany responded with understanding.

“You do?” Hyoyeon asked surprisingly

Why would Tiffany understand? Shouldn’t she be out to kill me for making Taeyeon cry? Isn’t that girl code? I should have a mob outside the door right now with Tiffany as their leader? But Tiffany doesn’t seem the type.

“Of course, I do. I like Taeyeon she’s my friend, she may not believe me but I owe Taeyeon  a whole lot. The fact that you made Taeyeon cry is surprising.”

Surprising? What is Tiffany on about?

“I, uhh, don’t follow Tiffany.”

“Taeyeon is a strong person, of course you may or may not know Taeyeon’s last boyfriend cheated on her …”

I do know and I want to find the bastard!

“Yeah, I heard about that. Actually, I only know the need to know.”

“Oh, well I won’t go into detail, that’s for Taeyeon to tell you when she’s ready. And by the sounds of it she will tell you.”

“She will? I don’t think she will, Tiffany. You weren’t there, I was bloody brutal!”

Hyoyeon exasperated as he sat on the couch and ran a hand through his short blond hair.

“Trust me, Hyoyeon, if you made Taeyeon cry than it means she cares about you. She’ll come around,” Tiffany said reassuringly with a glee in her voice.

Taeyeon caring about me? Don’t get my ing hopes up Tiffany!

“Thank you, Tiffany, you have no idea how much I needed someone to say that. I’ve had one hell of a morning,” Hyoyeon said with half a smile. He was really happy to have found someone to talk to about Taeyeon.

“Listen Hyoyeon, you sound like you need a friend. Did you want to meet up for a quick coffee to talk? It might help you with things with Taeyeon. What do you say?”

Tiffany could be the help that I needed. She could shine light on Taeyeon and help me find a way to apologise. Yes, I needed someone like Tiffany.

“Tiffany, when and where?”

TAEYEON

"You need to wear this, Wooyoung," Taeyeon instructed as she placed a hair net in his soft hand.

"I don't want to," he complained as he bent over the stainless steel bench of The Little Bakery on Little Quaint  Street. It had been a typical Seoul day, bright and sunny one moment, and then furious and miserable rain the next.

Taeyeon watched as Liam placed his elbow