Chapter 5

“I’m planning to stay here for a while, mom.” Tiffany neatly folded her mother’s black shift dress with the belt into the blue yonder ebags TLS 25” expandable upright suitcase & turned around, “I can’t change the planned.” She took a quick look at her fossil decker chronograph stainless steel watch, “The plane is going to leave in an hour if we don’t hurry up.”

“But, honey, you haven’t told me why you’re staying. I can’t go back alone. Besides, the funeral had just ended yesterday. I have to take care of other stuff here.”

Tiffany smiled thinly, “I’ll take care of that stuff you’re talking about. Come on, mom, you need to hurry up. We don’t have time.”

Discontented, Mrs. Hwang nodded her head, “When are you coming back home then?”

“I’m not sure but I promise soon.”

“What about your job?”

“I had that taken care of already.” She zipped up the suitcase & threw a glance back at her mom, “You worry too much, mom. I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself.”

“Why can’t a mother worry about her daughter?” Mrs. Hwang smiled downheartedly, “It just that you’re the only one I have left. Your father is in jail & your sister is gone. I hate to be alone by myself & we haven’t spend time together for a while now.”

Tiffany sighed & averted, “I’ll miss you, mom, but I have important things to finish here in Seoul. You won’t understand what I’m talking about. It’ll be a waste of time to explain.” She grabbed the suitcase, “I’ll send you a letter each week & I’ll also call you, how about that?” Not waiting for her mother’s response, she walked towards the opened door, “We need to get going, mom. You can’t be late.”

She walked out of the room after seeing that her mother was following from behind. Though her selfishness was inside of her, she can’t go on doing her job with her mother here! The only thing to do was sent her back to San Francisco.

Walking down the stairs, they entered the living room. Tiffany sighed inwardly, seeing Jaejoong’s grandma in her wheelchair who had came from Bahamas yesterday. The old woman was talking to him loudly, caused by her bad hearing. She nodded her head from time to time, thinking that he was saying something when he wasn’t at all.

Meeting her yesterday didn’t give Tiffany much happiness. She would be staying here & not return back to Bahamas to live with her other son who didn’t even bothered to come to the funeral.

Jaejoong looked up, hearing their footstep. Tiffany gritted her teeth together as she witnessed his smile. He still had the nerve to smile after what he had done. Her intention was to pass on by but her mother stopped to greet them a good morning. She stood by not far; her ears open to the voice of Jaejoong but he spoke none. She turned around, impatient but only met his smiling face.

“You’re leaving so early? I thought you said you were going to stay for a while?”

She tilted her head as if to answer a difficult question, “I did.” The corner of her light red lips tilted up relentlessly, “I’m just sending my mom to the airport. When I come back, please don’t mistake me as my sister. She’s dead.”

“I’m very sorry about.”

Tiffany quickly held her free hand up, “Did I ask for your apology? I don’t think I did.” Her expression changed as she tilted her chin up, “I’ll be staying here for about a month if you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t mind. Do you have something of importance to be staying here?”

“Do I have to answer every question you ask if I stay in this house? Because I…”

“No.” Jaejoong interrupted quite narrowly, “I was just curious.” Her eyes narrowed, glaring at him. He grimaced, “Why don’t you take…?”

“No thanks. I had already called a cab.” She took a small glance over at her mother impatiently, “Tell my mom I’m waiting outside.” With her black paris hilton destiny heels, she made a sharp turn only to bump into someone. With her temper already out of the lid, she turned her head & glared at the person. A sly smile came upon her lips, “Excuse you.”

Yuri tossed her long chestnut brown hair in disgust, “Is this where you call home, Yunnie Oppa?” She turned around to face him angrily, “The place is beautiful but I’ll have to say otherwise about the people you call family.”

“Shut up, Rinnie!” He walked up to her side & stared at Tiffany. His eyes moved down to look at the suitcase, “Going home so fast?”

“I’m afraid not.” Tiffany smiled, tilted her head girlishly & stared at Yuri, “You have a pretty girlfriend here, Yun. Good taste after all. Are you not going to introduce us?”

He grunted carelessly & walked pass them, giving Jaejoong the same look of everyday life, “Come on, Rinnie.”

Yuri winked & flipped her hair back, “I’m Rinnie, by the way. See you around.”

Tiffany raised a brow, coughed & walked out, feeling his gaze on her.

Nine o’clock strike. The light sound was heard as she removed the glass from its place & lay it down on the rooftop. Her Spearmint gum lay on the ground with its marking. With her watch set, she fixed the ear piece gently.

“Yul?”

“On the move, Ti.”

Tiffany pulled down her black face mask, matching her clothes. On the set, she entered the entrance & went downward as the rope led her. Her eyes navigated around the front lobby just as her feet landed gently with a click. The night guard was fully asleep on the secretary’s chair. Unbuckling herself from the rope, she stood still as the camera circulated the room.

“Yul.”

A pause, “Now.” Tiffany ran & flipped her body onwards. She came to a stop before the elevator, calming her breathing, “Hold on, Ti. Okay, all the cameras are down. Get down there before Mr. Sleepy wakes up.”

She pushed a button & walked in as it opened. The fifty seconds seemed too long for the night as it stopped & opened. She stepped out & made her way towards the office with a run. As her hands landed on the knob of Jaejoong’s office, Tiffany cursed. She reached into her pocket & took out a small wire. To jimmy a lock wasn’t what she had planned to do. Succeeding, she opened the door & made her way towards his file cabinet.

“The guard is awake.”

“This won’t be long.”

Her eyes & fingers skimmed through the first eight cabinet & found nothing. Tiffany cursed underneath her breath in frustration as she moved down to the last one. Her fingers itched through the folders.

“He’s on your floor, Ti. Get out of there.”

She angled the flashlight, getting a better view. Her eyes widened as she came across the wanted folder. Just as her hands reached to grab it, Yuri’s voice came on again.

“Night guard, Ti. , you forgot to close the door! He’s making his way towards you.”

Tiffany cursed under her breath, grabbed the file & made a run towards the desk. She held her breath in as the guard opened the door wider, making a noise, “Jaehwa, there’s a break in on the top floor of Kim’s Tech, Inc. I need backup.” Tiffany angled her head as his flashlight shined her way. She turned back to gaze as the spotlight left her. The corner of her eyes met the cabinet she had left opened. A soft curse came out between her lips, “Break in on top floor of Kim’s Tech. Inc., Jaehwa. I need backup.”

“Roger that.”

She leaned her head against the desk. Her ear twitched as she listened for the soft footstep on the floor. He went around the desk & checked behind the curtains. Tiffany quickly jumped up, making a light noise. He turned around with the gun & flashlight in his hands. With the folder tightly held in her hands, she kicked the objects out of his hands. They fell down to the ground & as his eyes followed them, she raised her feet again, & kicked him on the face roughly. He fell back onto the ground unconsciously.

Her head averted sharply at the sound of sirens, “!” Picking up her feet, Tiffany ran out of the room & down to the front lobby. She clipped the rope back on & brought herself up. As she reached the top, a gasps came out between her lips at the sight of a hand popping in front of her oval-shaped face.

“Hurry up.”

Tiffany smiled & took her helping hands. She kneeled down on the rooftop ground & took off the rope & mask. Yuri turned around to face her after plugging the glass back into place, “I’m going to kill you for that.”

“I’m not in handcuffs, am I?”

Yuri packed the stuff, glaring at her, “It doesn’t matter. Do you know what danger you could have been in? It’s Jae Oppa’s business building you’re breaking into. You could have been in worse shape than any of the other risked you had taken.”

Tiffany rolled her eyes, getting up, “It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry alright?”

“Whatever.” She slung the black liz claiborne nylon backpack onto her back, “All the computer systems are back on. We can’t be up here for too long. I have you on their employee lists already. Just start tomorrow.” She took a small glance at the folder. A small smile came onto her pinkish lips, “You got it.”

“I risked my life for it.” Tiffany winked, knowing fully well that Yuri had forgiven her, “Come on.” She grabbed her arm & ran across the rooftop, stopping at the side, “My favorite part.” Buckling the ropes on, they slid down the side of thirty floor. Tiffany breathed in the fresh air; free away from the danger she loves. As her feet touched the ground, she unbuckled the rope & turned to face Yuri, “Thanks. I owe you one.”

“You said that the last time.”

Tiffany laughed, hugging her, “I’ll read through these. Surely the evidence are in here.”

“They should be.”

“Alright. I’ll see you around, Rinnie.” Laughing, Tiffany turned around & ran down the lighted alley. Five blocked away, she entered her rented car & drove off to a nearby diner. After changing her clothes, she grabbed the folder of evidence, entered the diner & chose a seat at the far corner. Her heart burned with impatient. Soon enough everything would be over & her father would get out of jail. She took in a deep breath & opened the folder.

A frown creased on her forehead. Her fingers flipped through pages after pages as her heart squeezed itself. Her breathing heaved. Looking at the tab of the folder, her eyes lighted with fire. She had grabbed the wrong folder.

“Damnit!” Standing up abruptly, Tiffany stalked out of the diner, bumping into a waitress. As she drove back to the house, her hands on the steering wheel sweated. She shook her head several times, not believing that she had grabbed the wrong folder. The wrong folder had almost caused her her life. It would be a second chance of survival if she gets the right folder the next time.

Before parking her yellow sedan car, Tiffany spotted Jaejoong’s car parked where it hadn’t been from before. A police car was parked beside his. Grimacing, she threw the folder into the desigual mcbee romboide bag & got out. Her palm touched the hood of his car. It was hot from driving. Halfway up the series of stepped, Bong Cha stood within the threshold.

“Now, we all thought that you were asleep. Wouldn’t Mr. Kim like to know?”

Tiffany threw a glare at the servant & shoved her aside with her wide hips. She kept in the urge of turning around & slapping the -talker on the face!

“No! You better find out who broke into my office by the end of this week! They stole an important file!” “We’ll try our best, sir.”

“Do it! Not try!” Jaejoong growled again, & spun around, meeting Tiffany. With a red faced, he brushed his hair back with his long fingers & nodded an apology, “How long were you there?”

Tiffany shrugged, “Long enough to hear your violent temper.” She glanced at the police, “Hello, sir.” He nodded a greeting, “It’s funny how such a secure place could have been broken into, don’t you think?” The corner of tilted up, “It’s such sad news.” She grunted, glanced at Jaejoong & turned around. As she walked up the stairs, her face burned with fiery.