Chapter 25

Tiffany jerked, groaning. Her eyelids twitched. Her palms balled up into a tight fist. Lips suddenly opening, she gasped for air through the oxygen mask. Her legs stretched out. She doubled her groan, turning on the bed, “Ti.”

Her eyes flashed open, staring up at the ceiling.

“Hold on. I’ll go get the doctor.”

She grasped onto Yuri’s wrist tightly, using all of her strength. A sudden dizziness flowed past her head. Her eyelids closed & then reopen. Her lips parted slowly as she removed the oxygen mask. She blinked, still gazing up at the ceiling. Those eyes, looking so lost, “Where am I?” She clasps both hands around Yuri’s wrist, turning to meet her concern eyes, “It’s so dark in here.”

Yuri pressed on a thin smile. She sat back down, soothing her friend’s hands, “I know. You’re in the hospital. Do you remember anything?”

Tiffany gulped. She pressed her lips together, looking around the room. All was so dark. She remembered everything. Looking up at the empty sky. Seeing him. Walking on the beach with him. Almost receiving a kiss from him. Raindrops falling down. Running towards the house with him holding tightly onto her hand. Being breathlessness. Calling her & the blackness falling over her.

She swallowed tightly again, “What happened to me?” She turned to meet Yuri, “Tell me.”

Yuri shook her head, “No, Ti. You’re the one who should tell me what happened. Why were you drugged? Why did you run out of breath?” Her voice trembled, “& why you...you have lung cancer?” Yuri quickly wiped her tears away, “Why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped you. Why do you always keep everything away from me? Am I not your best friend? Did I not help you throughout the troubles you had? To me, you’re like a sister. You were the closest friend that I have ever had. People had always called me a weirdo back in school & now, here we are. You, keeping everything from me that concerns me the most & I, being a concern friend to you but you never cared much. Is this not enough? Is it not?”

Tiffany looked away, lips trembling in devastation. Her eyes narrowed, keeping away the threatening tears from coming down. She bit her lips together & shook her head, “I...I was never sure. I had always thought that the feeling was because of the cigarette smoke. The last time I experienced it was eight months ago. It only happened eight times & then it left. I...I thought that I didn’t have to worry about it. I never went to the doctor. I never told you or my mom. I thought it was nothing. The feeling only left me breathless.” She turned her head to look at Yuri, “The thought of having lung cancer never occurred to me.”

“Oh, Ti. How can you be so stupid?!”

Her eyes closed, “I’m so sorry, Yul. I really am.” She bit down on her bottom lips hard & then let it go to take in a deep breath, “It doesn’t matter now. I’m not surprise anyway. I know my health stuff. Being a second hand smoker can be worst than a smoker.”

Yuri wrapped her hands around Tiffany’s, pressing it to her heart, “What the hell are you talking about?! You’re going to live your life to the fullest, girl. You haven’t even gotten a lover yet.”

Tiffany chuckled, “What are you talking about? Being with my sister had always been on my goal list. This is my only chance to meet her again. I miss her so much.” She swallowed, matching her eyes with Yuri’s, “I know I can’t have a lung implant since this cancer has been in me for so long now but how many weeks or months did the doctor say I have left? I need a complete estimation.”

A small sigh came out between her baby pink lips, “Three months, Yul. Does that help?”

Tiffany nodded, hesitation growing inside of her. She frowned & then her dry lips. In a small voice, she asked, “Have you called my parents yet?”

“I tried but they never answered & I couldn’t leave a massage. I’ll go call them now.” She stood up.

“Yul, sit down.” Tiffany pulled on her arm. Yuri frowned, obeying “I’m asking for a last favor from you not to tell my parents about this. No, let me finish talking.” She took in a deep breath, getting up into a sitting position. Yuri stretched out to help her, only to get pushed away. Grimacing at the lying friend on the bed, she leaned down & pushed the button into a higher position, “The reason is, Yul, I don’t want my parents to worry about me. My dad had just gotten back home & he’s spending his wonderful time with my mom. I don’t want to ruin their times together. If they know, they would only make this harder on me. Remember what my mission in Seoul is, Yul. I’m here to find my sister’s reason. It’s important to me. If my parents drive me back home, than I fail the mission. I fail my sister. You, as my partner, knows how much this means to me. I can’t let anything get in the way, even this sickness that I have right now. It doesn’t matter that I have lung cancer. What only matter is that I find my way through this mission before it’s too late. It’s important to me, Yul, that you understand. I promise I will tell my parents about this some time later or sooner when we’re both done with the mission. Just do this for me please?”

Yuri bit her bottom lips, looking up at the ceiling to lower the tears in her eyes, “Why do you never care about yourself, Ti?” She said in a low tone, “Why others when you know that your life is going to end? That’s why I love you so much, you dork.” She burst out into a small laugh, crying at the same time. Tiffany smiled, holding onto Yuri’s hands tightly, “Okay, I promise you not to tell your parents. I’ll let you do it but don’t wait until it’s too late, do you hear me?”

“I hear you fine enough. Thank you.” She took in a deep breath, reached over to her other arm & pulled out the tubes as she exhaled.

“Ti.”

“I can’t stay here.” She pulled out the others with a small gasps & unplugged the core of the machine as it went off, “It’s no use. Where are my clothes?”

“They’re in the closet but Ti, you can’t leave now. You’re still weak. You don’t have any strength.”

Tiffany opened the closet, looked around & snatched her clothes, “I can take care of myself.” She took in another deep breath, “He probably doesn’t care about me but I need to go back fast. He’ll probably get curious & I can’t let him know about this sickness.” She pulled on her shirt, “Can you please take care of my hospital bills? I promise I’ll pay you back.”

“Of course I will.” Yuri circled her palm around her wrist. Tiffany stopped her dressing & looked back over her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed in concern, “Who drugged you?” Yuri sighed as Tiffany pushed her hands away. She brushed her hair back & averted. A small grimace appeared on her face, “Jae Oppa did, didn’t he? He drugged you on that night at the club. It was no wonder you took off the gadgets.”

“I didn’t know that he was going to drug me. It never occurred to me before, Yul. He wanted a drink & he gave me one with drugs in it. Besides, he didn’t do anything bad to me. If he had, I would have killed him long ago.”

A sight unseen smile crossed Yuri’s lips, “I think he wanted you to be safe.”

Tiffany grunt, putting up her hair, “If you call almost killing me, than it’s not keeping me safe. He was smoking in my bedroom, Yul, & he knew that I was allergic to them.” She took a light grip on Yuri’s arm & turned her around, “Never in my life had I ever seen since a careless man.” She frowned, “He probably drugged me to keep me away from going up into that room. I don’t know why. I mean, he said he didn’t see Yoona going up there. He probably just wants to keep everything he knows to himself.”

“I think he’s protecting you from Kyu Oppa, too.”

She sighed in exhaustion, “He threatened me. That’s not protecting me. Look, Yul, he’s an arrogant, rich bastard! You & I know that. He never loved my sister, even though she cheated on him. I was expecting to be an aunt but...but that chance is gone.” She looked down at her clothes, “Damn, I’m still wearing my pajamas! Never mind.” She walked towards the door barefooted, “I hope we can get out of here without being suspicious.”

“I’m not making you stay in this hospital since I hate it too, but you’ll have to get your drug prescription. Maybe an inhaler & some pills?”

Tiffany opened the door, taking a peek out. She turned back to Yuri with a thin smile, “I don’t think so. Being stuck with those tubes almost killed me than being breathless. I don’t need an inhaler; I don’t need anything. Why would I when I know that I’m going to die?” She took in a deep breath, “It’s not as if I can’t survive by myself. I can control my breathing. Come on, we need to get out of here.”

She stood still, waiting for Yuri to move her feet. Instead of growing impatient, a heavy feeling laid upon her heart. She looked down at the floor, “I’m serious, Yul, I don’t care about this lung cancer. I’m sorry to worry you so much & I’m starting to regret that I had ever called you. You have always been sensitive. It really is no use when people know that they’re going to died. I’m really sorry.” She looked up into a pair of apprehension eyes. Nobody can ever understand her heart & she couldn’t understand others either. Sniffing, Tiffany looked away, saying “Just get me an inhaler & some pills. Nothing more alright? But now, we have to leave. You can get it later.”

A tiny smile crawled up her lips, “Thanks, Ti.”

Tiffany rolled her eyes, “Now come on. I need to get back to work.”

“& what’s that?”

Jaejoong balled his hand into a fist, taking a sharp glance at Yoona. He pushed back his chair & stood up. Her eyes followed him curiously. He walked over to the counter, poured himself a glass of water & drank it all in one gulp. Refreshing. He wiped his mouth & looked back at her, “I have a job to do, Yoona, & you’re disturbing me.”

She rose up, “Come on, Oppa, I just want to know how this company goes about. I had been my father’s daughter for twenty-eight years & never had I cared much about it until now. I want to know about business stuff. Like selling & buying stock.” She shrugged; capturing whatever that comes to her mind, “I want to see how the capital raises every year & what you do at meetings.”

He shook his head, “This isn’t you at all. If you’re trying to convince me into letting you help me then you’re doing an awful job at it. There’s no way that I trust you, Yoona. You’re in my hands now & I can turn you in whenever I want, too.” He sighed, turning around to pour another cup of water. The only exception is that he had no evidence.

“But you can trust me on this one. I’m not here to do anything else. I just want to learn about.” She fanned her hands around his office, “How you go around things in this company. If I’m going to prison, I rather get a divorce with you first. Don’t you think? Besides, I’m inheriting my father’s company. I need to learn about everything as much as I can. I need your help in this, Oppa. Just show me around this building or maybe you can let your assistant assists me but on how this company works, I want you to teach me.”

Jaejoong scratched his head, irritation growing inside of him, “Look here.”

“I have a good reason here, Oppa. If my father’s company fails in the future then it’s your fault.”

“You forgot, Yoona, by then you’ll be in prison.”

Her cheeks flushed red. She swallowed & pleaded, “Please, Oppa. Just help me once with this. I swear that I won’t mess this up for you. Maybe I can even invent something.” She shrugged, “I had already learnt much from you today, Oppa. I can learn more.”

“Yoon…”

“Please, Oppa.” She walked slowly over, “Just this once. It’s going to be fun. Besides, I do really want to experience something new before going to prison.”

He growled lowly under his breath & gulped down the glass of water. Refreshing again. He took a small glare at her annoying, pouting face! To make her leave him alone, “Fine, I’ll help you but don’t bother me so much & don’t get on my nerves, too.” He brushed his hair back & walked back to the desk just as Kyungmi’s voice broke out from the speaker.

“Mr. Kim, Ms. Hwang is back.”

“Send her in!” Jaejoong snapped, picking up the phone. He caught Yoona’s curious eyes before she turned around to pour herself a drink. Dammit. How could he forget that she knows damn well that he cared about Tiffany?! “She said that she had work to do.”

“Well then.” Jaejoong closed his eyes, rubbing his temple, “Tell her I said damn her work! Either she comes in here within three minutes or I’ll go into her little office & do what I have to do.” Jaejoong slammed the phone down back onto the receiver. He wiped his mouth with his palm & looked towards Yoona. She smiled, “Wipe that nasty smile off your face.” She raised a cute brows in annoyance! He exhaled in irritation & jerked as the sound of a slamming door rung in his ear. He turned.

“You wanted to see me?”

That bothersome but sweet voice hadn’t but sang in his ears just five days ago on the beach. Where the hell had she been, he had no idea but the pale face he was staring at now burned his temper alive! He couldn’t admit to himself that he missed her, that he was concern, that he missed those lips of hers but she looked so different. She still looked sick, though he can tell she was trying to hide it. He can sense the room temperature warming up as she lifted her chin up. Before he can make a move, she walked forward, hands on her hips.