Chapter 32

Tiffany settled herself down on the leather sofa, folding her hands on her lap for the first time in years with an innocent expression. She played with her bottom glossy pale pink lips, her eyes on her father. His pose had suddenly became stiff as if he had never known her in his whole life before. As he wrote, his hands seemed to make a tough move on the pen & the paper below it.

She closed her eyes briefly, took in a deep breath & broke the silence, “Dad, I’m sorry. It’s been a week now & since then, I had been conflicting with myself. You were right; I should have told you earlier. I guess I was just scared. It’s not a normal feeling for me after you were sent to jail & after Stephanie got married. I didn’t have anyone to talk to. I couldn’t tell mom & I couldn’t tell you. Even though you were never home that much back then, it would have been better than this silence coming from you.”

She waited patiently for his responses. Though it was apparently clear that he wasn’t going to answer her, her chance wasn’t going to be wasted. She needed to go back & finish her assignment, “I’m going back to Seoul.” It came out as a low whisper. Slowly, Mr. Hwang slowed down his writing & looked up. The corner of tilted up a bit, “I have something important to do & it can’t wait.”

His eyebrows sank together. He seemed to grit his teeth together gently & his eyes look thoughtful for the first time since a week ago. Shaking his head lightly, Mr. Hwang looked back down at his work, pen moving again. Tiffany signed. She bit her bottom lips, looking down at her hands.

“& you’re not going to spend time with your mother & I?” Her fingers stopped moving. She peered up slowly, eyes shimmering. Her father smiled, causing his cheeks to wrinkle up, “I’m the one who’s wrong. Your mother had been trying to talk me out of this stubbornness of mine & she finally succeeded last night. I apologized for blaming the fault upon her. I was just shock, darling, but I overreacted. Stephanie had already disappeared from us & all we have left are her pictures & memories. I don’t want to give you away so I’m the one who should apologize.” He raised a brow & took in a deep breath with a teasing expression, “Here it goes.” He paused, then blew it out, “I’m sorry.”

Tiffany smiled, “I’m not a person who accepts apologies so quickly but heck, it’s you who’s apologizing. I can’t miss out on this.”

He gave her a small, scolding look, “It’s a good thing you accepted my apologies or your mother won't let me go to the bill graham civic auditorium theatre with her tonight.” Mr. Hwang stood up, followed by Tiffany. With a hectic smile on, he lightly pulled her into a small hug, “I’m really sorry, dear.” He kissed her hair, “Thank you.” He pulled back with a sigh, “Now, about that trip back to Seoul. I don’t think I can let you out of my sight for a second, dear.”

Tiffany furrowed her eyebrows, “But, dad, I have to go back. I’m needed there. My friend called back today with a broken leg. She can’t get around the house with just two crutches at hands.”

“But you’re more important to us.”

“& my friend needs me. Look, dad, I’ll come back as soon as I can after she heals. I promise.”

Giving her an uncertain look, Mr. Hwang scratched his head. He bit his lips & then huffed out a breath as she pouted, “Fine, if it’s to make you happy.”

Tiffany smiled, leaning over & giving her father a kiss on the cheek, “Thanks. I know you’d understand me.” She stretched out, taking a peek at her fossil cecile multifunction stainless steel rose watch. Her eyes opened wide as if she had forgotten something, “Sit down, dad.” He raised a brow, “Just sit.” She sat down on the sofa, waiting for him to relax himself, “I know I’ve been wanting to work in our new corporation but I’ve found somebody better to take my place.”

“What…”

Tiffany held up her hands, “Just let me finish first, dad. We all know that I’m going to leave the world sooner or later. I had waited for more than eight years to be a partner of your company again. This friend I was talking about, she always reminded me of a watch. Her name is Yuri, Kwon Yuri but I call her Yul. Her father’s a businessman. He owns that huge glass corporation on main street. He wants her to take over the business after he retires but she she’s not into those stuffs. Her mind is fully on computers. So, I promised her she would be a partner when we rebuild another corporation.”

“How well do you know this Yul girl?” Mr. Hwang asked, eyes narrowing in a quizzical look.

“Dad, I’ve known her for eight years now. She’s the greatest friend a person can have.” Tiffany swallowed, waiting for her father to respond. Sighing, her eyes moved down to his work on the table, “Don’t worry, dad, you can trust her. This will never go wrong again. Yul can protect your company better than I can. Right now, she’s working on this crazy project called virus lover.” Tiffany laughed, “It’s supposed to mean the opposite but she says that the name will attract people’s ears. So, dad, how about it?”

Mr. Hwang lightly placed on a smile, “Why not but I would like to know her first, though you make her sound like a little girl.”

She laughed, “Thanks, dad. Although she does act like a little girl sometimes, she’s pretty organized. That’s the only good thing about her.” She stood up quickly, “It’s getting cold. I’ll go bring in some firewood.”

“Alright but put on a jacket before you go outside. I’m almost finish with today’s schedule.”

Walking out of the living room, Tiffany grabbed her pure jill crossover hoodie by the hanger, walked to the kitchen & exit by the back door. Her body shivered. She took out a pair of smartwool cozy gloves from her hoodie & placed them on quickly. A light, cold wind blew east. She shivered again, looking up, “Stupid weather! Just bring the damn snow down, will you?!” Hugging herself while walking to the pack of firewood, she grabbed three fat ones & placed them over her arms. Winter & snow aren’t her best friends.

She entered the house, closing the door with her feet. The warmness surrounded her body once again. She sighed with a light mood, walking back to the living room. Mr. Hwang was leaning over his work. His attention didn’t stir as she placed the firewood into the hearth. Just as the fire started, the doorbell rang. Tiffany turned her head back. Still, her father didn’t stir. She smiled secretly.

“I’ll get it, dad.” Mr. Hwang looked up, raising a brow. Tiffany laughed, stood up & walked over to the entrance. She opened the door, parted her lips to give a greeting but slowly paused.

“Hi.” Jaejoong gave a little nod as a greeting. He looked her up & down & then smiled, “You look different.” Tiffany narrowed her eyes at him, “I didn’t ask you to give me a critique.”

He shrugged, “It’s a compliment, Fany.”

“& you’re not being funny.” She stepped out & partly closed the door before he stuck his foot out, holding the door from closing.

“It’s really cold out here. Let’s go inside.”

Tiffany shook her head, “You’re the one who wants to talk to me but I’m setting the place. We’re talking out here.”

“Who says I want to talk to you?” Jaejoong asked, with an arrogant smile! Tiffany grimaced, looking him up & down as he had to her earlier. She then shook her head slowly. He tilted his head in an impatient way, “Okay, I’ll admit; I want to talk to you.”

“Then talk.”

“I want inside.”

“I want outside.”

“Be concern for me, Fany.” He wiped his nose with a kleenex tissue, “Because I’m sick with this stupid cold!” Tiffany snorted, “Sorry, Jae Oppa, I didn’t ask you to stalk me all the way from Seoul to San Francisco.” She brought up her arm, peered at her watch & shook her head, “You have five minutes. Don’t waste your time.” Jaejoong growled, turned his head sideways as if lost & quickly pushed the door open with his feet. Tiffany gasped, grabbing the doorknob & tried to close the entry. He kicked the door open again, before she can shut it. Sneering with absolution irritation, Tiffany brought her leg up & kicked his stomach. He crouched halfway down with a groan & hugged himself tightly. Satisfied, Tiffany stepped out again, & slammed the door shut. He peered up with a hurt expression.

“Talk!” She snapped.

“How can I when you...you kicked my stomach?” Jaejoong looked down again, still crouching like a little kid. Tiffany brushed her hair back with an irritation itch to be let out. The door was heard opening. Frowning, she turned around.

“I heard the door slamming but nobody was visible.” Mr. Hwang said, giving her a weird look.

“There…”

“Hello, Mr. Hwang. How are you?” Tiffany turned abruptly. The brute gave her another arrogant smile!

“I’m sorry for the interruption but since I was in town, I decided to give you & your family a visit.”

The brute is being respectable? She wanted to laugh & then a slap on his cheek would follow from behind, “You’re giving us a visit? Seems like you had never given my wife & daughter a visit when you were present in town back then. Why now?”

Tiffany looked up at her father, brows furrowed. She gulped.

“Business keeps me away, sir.”

“Is that so?” Mr. Hwang questioned, raising a brow seriously.

“Yes. My life was as busy as yours was when you still had your business going on.” Jaejoong looked down at Tiffany, “You were never home much as I was told. Stephanie talked about you very much & how much you loved your work, choosing it over your family but I was never like that, Mr. Hwang; I was home when she needed me.”

Mr. Hwang gave him a conservative look. He tilted his chin up as if looking down on Jaejoong. Lips twisted, he threw the door open wider, “Come in, Mr. Kim. My wife would be making dinner soon.”

A corner of his lips tilted up, Jaejoong shook his head, “Thank you, Mr. Hwang, but I came here to ask Tiffany out for dinner.”