CHAPTER six

There were no better words to how the situation turned out for the couple expect for the word, awkward. It was already uncomfortable for the two having the boys here at the mansion, but when they had requested for Yoona to stay with them, it wasn’t something the two could say no because they wouldn’t let them. Chansung and Wooyoung grabbed each of her hands and dragged her to the couch. Yoona sat in the middle of the couch, as she was beginning to feel warm from all the stares in front of her. The group of boys sat on the floor across from her, with their elbows prompted on the coffee table and Chansung eating her food. She had never met so many people at once; she wasn’t a very social person. Soon after, Taecyeon sat beside her- still leaving a gap between them- resting his arm behind the couch, to give off a chill vibe- trying to hide his worries.  He quickly introduced the four boys in front of Yoona.

‘The one that looks like a chipmunk is Wooyoung.

Chinky eyes is... Junho.

Long face, Junsu

And finally long haired maknae, Chansung’

Yoona had given them nicknames, making it easier for her to remember.

 “So Yoona, that’s your name right?” Chinky eyed boy spoke up first. He waited till she nodded her head, “You are too pretty to be with him-” Pointing to Taecyeon, “- Don’t you regret it?”

“YAH!” Taecyeon yelled, surprised with the question, as the others laughed and Yoona sitting there like a doll. His face was flushed, embarrassed with the question. He wasn’t that bad of a guy, was he?

The others continued to laugh as Junho spoke between his laughter, “I’m... kidding... We know... she was forced... into this marriage”

All the blood drained from the face’s of the couple.

“What?” Wooyoung asked curiously, “Your mother told us before the wedding”

“WH-what?” Taecyeon choked out, he was secretly watching Yoona from the corner of his eyes. Her already still body somehow gotten more still. He could somehow sense how uncomfortable she was.

This was all new to her: meeting boys, meeting a group of boys, but most importantly having her husband be so kind to her. Well, he wasn’t exactly nice, but he didn’t verbally or physically abuse her, so that counted as being nice for Yoona. She was thankful for having his group of friends at the house because of their presences, he had restrained himself.

“Your mother!” Junsu yelled, “M-O-T-H-E-R!”

“God, I know how to spell mother! I’m not an idiot!” Taecyeon yelled, frustrate with his friend’s childish act. He has never been annoyed with their childish ways, for he was usually the ring leader of the jokes and the pranks, but now he was passed annoyed and heading to angry. How could his friends- best friends- keep a secret like this for half a year already?

“Jeez, chill man” Chansung mumbled, too consumed in eating then the situation.

“Yeah, Taec. We didn’t think it was a big deal. You didn’t exactly tell anything about Yoona before or after the marriage-” Junsu said, making his point.

“We had to get the information from somewhere” Wooyoung continued.

“We just happened to get it from your mother, M-O-T-H-” Junsu attempted to finished.

“-E-R! Yes I know how to spell mother! Do you want me to spell beat down? ‘Cause I’ll be very glad to give you a beat down right now” Taecyeon growled, he grabbed Junsu’s shirt as if he was ready to take this conversation outside.

The boys quickly acted, pulling Junsu out of his grip. Junsu smoothed out his shirt, smiling at this friend- not taking his anger to heart- “Chill man”

But he couldn’t “chill”; his body and mind wouldn’t let him. It somehow felt like a violation of privacy for not only him but for his wife, who was defenceless to the world. His promise with Tiffany had grown to be a promise to himself.

A light touch from Taecyeon, he had suddenly felt himself restraining to start a fight. God, I guess I still have some pent up anger in me, Taecyeon sighed, his angry slowly leaving his body.

“Please calm down” A faint voice from behind him. It was light and sweet and automatically felt himself calm and relaxed. Yoona dropped her hand from his shoulder as he turned his shoulders to her. She didn’t know what had come over her; one moment she was sitting still then the next she was risking her life for a group of guys she barely knew. She had grown use to the usual verbal or physical abuse from Taec when she had crossed over the line; to her this was over the line.

“I’m sorry”

What? What did he say? Yoona looked at his apologetic face. Why was he apologizing? Wasn’t I the one who crossed the line? They continued to look at each other, unable to read each other’s expression. Taec had become so use to her unrevealing face now.

The four boys cleared their throat, not expecting their lovely moments.

The two broke apart, looking at the four.

“What did my mother tell you?” Taecyeon asked, seriously. Yoona sat beside him- and the two looked like a power couple. Taecyeon was all business with Yoona backing him up.

“Seriously man, it wasn’t much” Junho leaned back with his hands up, as if he was being interrogated.

“What. Did. She. Tell. You?”

The boys were surprised with Taecyeon’s reaction. Sure, he would have been surprised that his own mother informed him of the marriage- for he was, but they never expected to take it this far. They believed that he would just be a little bit annoyed of the secret, but his angry and seriousness seemed too much.

“She informed us that it was merely an arrange marriage” Chansung said, finishing the last pieces of the food.

“That her name was Im Yoona- you told us that” Wooyoung added.

“But she told us Yoona different then the other girls we know” Junsu continued, “Which is definitely true” He turned to Yoona and gave her a sincere smile, “I’m not like your mother, with a gift of reading people, but she’s a good girl... don’t keep hurting her”

Taecyeon froze.

He knew Junsu had an ability to read others like his mother and his sister, but it still shocked him. Taec felt bothered as the other three guys nodded their heads in agreement. In such a short period of time, Yoona had got Tiffany, Wooyoung, Chansung, Junho and Junsu protecting her. It was already annoying enough that Tiffany was starting up arguments for the girl, but now his own friends? The only thing he was thankful was that his parents weren’t here to lecture him.

“WHAT THE HELL?” Taecyeon busted out in anger again, totally losing himself again, “You never defended Yuri like this! But HER-HER!” He pointed to Yoona, still his eyes glued on his friends, “FOR GOD SAKES, HER! YOU GUYS ARE WILLING TO DEFEND HER? ALL OF YOU SERIOUS? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YURI?” He exploded. Why did it seem like the world was on Yoona’s side only?

The atmosphere had grown cold, no one willing to speak or move. Yoona knew that if she spoke now it would be pass “crossing the line” it would be “crossing the line, stomping on it, then spitting on it”. She was scared, but her face never showed it. She sat like a good little girl, unable to move as if his finger had magical powers that kept her still.

God when was this going to end?Chansung thought. The tension was making him more hungry but he was too scared to move. Actually everyone was too scared to move. The boys hadn’t seen him exploded since Yuri left him. Chansung could sense the other three boys scared as much as he was, but when he looked across from him was a total different story. Yoona was sitting quietly with her hands on her lap. Her face unmoved by Taecyeon’s explosion. He knew that she was different, but this was totally a different level of different now.

“Master Taec, your mother is on the phone wishing to speak to you immediately”

Taecyeon turned to the scared maid, “I’m coming” He said before he walked away with the maid.

“Hello mother” He said nonchalantly.

“Oh hello dear, how are you?” She asked too cheerful.

“Just wonderful”

“That’s great” She neither didn’t notice his sarcasm or she ignored it, “How is Yoona?”

He couldn’t help but roll his eyes, “Just wonderful too, mother”

He heard her sigh on the other line, “Stop with the childish act now. I saw the news... all the way in China! You are lucky that your father isn’t on the phone now or he would be getting a heart attack”

“What is the problem now?” He said, hearing from a distance a faint giggle

“Your father and I are worried. How can you let the press find out about Yoona like that? Going to a club? Seriously Taecyeon, this family has an image to protect”

“Tiffany was the reason she went clubbing!”

“But Tiffany wouldn’t have done something like that if you didn’t push her to it. What did you do, Taec?”

“I don’t think you want to know, mother”

“Oh hell, I do! I’m getting calls here and there asking me to confirm this marriage, so you bet I want to know what the hell you did!”

He took a breather, “I was going to slap Yoona”

Silence.

“Mom? Are you still there?” He was beginning to worry. He was expecting her to explode on him.

“Son, did we ever raise you like that?” Her voice had become hoarse, “I know that your father and I were busy a lot... but son, didn’t you learn any better. Oh this all my fault now! I wasn’t there to teach you how to treat a woman! This is my entire fault...”

“Mom, no look it’s my fault. You were a great mother to me and Tiffany. I just... I’ll learn to control myself” He sighed feeling guilty that his mother took the blame for his actions.

“That’s all I ask, dear” Once again, too happily, “Anyways, the publicist called me. She is able to stop the calls for now, but don’t do anything stupid for awhile, okay?”

“Okay mother”

“What the hell is doing on?” Taecyeon stood at the door, finding himself angry again. It wasn’t because of the fact that the boys were joking around at Taecyeon’s expense; making jokes about his terrible fashion sense back in the day. It wasn’t because that they had left him out with the conversation. It was because of that he saw; a smiling Yoona. She was sitting on the floor now, still across from the boys, but they were all in deep in conversation to notice Taecyeon’s presence.

“Taec!” The boys cheered, already forgetting what had happen early that day. All eyes were on him now, but his eyes were glued to the shimmering pair of brown eyes. Yoona’s smile began to drop as she noticed his serious expression. She was trying to figure out what she had done wrong.

When he had left, the atmosphere had brighten, and the boys took the chance to get more acquainted the girl. Instantly the group had hit it off, even though Yoona was unwilling to speak, she was more comfortable to be around than Yuri. Even with an icy exterior, Yoona had a more natural feel unlike Yuri that over time money and fame had truly changed her.

The boys were just in the middle of a story when Taecyeon came in, telling Yoona about once terrible fashion sense. But before anyone could talk Taecyeon smirked, “I’m bored. Let’s have some fun” He walked him to then, grabbed Yoona’s wrist and began walking to the door, with the boys trailing behind, confused with Taecyeon’s sudden change in mood.

“Can you tell us where we are going first at least?” Junho spoke up.

Taecyeon looked behind, still keeping a fast pace- holding on the Yoona still. He was still wearing a smirk and now it was obvious of the glimmer in his eyes, “The strip club” 

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