Chapter 13

Tiffany got herself off of the floor after Jejung had drove away. She cried & had to bring out her inhaler for the fifth time that day to control herself from getting an attack. She was just so deeply wounded emotionally. She walked back home to the small shack that she shared with her stepfather. Her dad had died before she was born & her mother had married her stepfather eight years after but before she turned seven, her mother passed away. She had died after realizing that she could never really love her new husband. She died from her depression but at her last hour, she had smiled & told Tiffany that she would be with her dad again. Tiffany remembered that day vividly even though she had only been seven. She had been sad that her mom was leaving but she was glad that her mom was with her dad again.

Tiffany made a mad run for it as she realized what time it was. She ran all the way home & when she got to her small shack of a home, she quietly opened the front door. She knew she was busted when an arm stuck through & grabbed her by the collar to fling her to the floor. Her stepfather was a big burly man that was as lazy a man as they come. He had yellow teeth & thinning hair, plus a forming pot belly from all the alcohol he consumed. He leered at Tiffany & she curled herself into a ball as she inched herself closer to the wall.

“Where have you been stupid girl?! Did you know that you made me go out to buy a burger from the mcdonald down the street! You made me get up girl!” Tiffany whimpered, at his loud voice. He was definitely not in a good mood & his breath smell of smoke & beer, “I’m sorry, I was caught up in something.” Donggun growled at her & then took a step forward to smack her in the face, “When you are done with work, you come straight home to cook for me. Your poor mother died telling you to take care of me.” He smiled at his blackmailed remark. Tiffany held onto her red cheek & bowed down to Donggun, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” He kicked her in the ribs, “It better not happen again.” He then glared at Tiffany again, with fire in his eyes.

He then started hitting her across the face, causing her lips to split opened. Tiffany tried her best to defend herself from the onslaught but she knew that it would be no use. After all these years, it was still the same. Donggun kicked her & smacked her until she was bruised & aching all over. Tiffany just huddled in the corner & cried as she held onto her rose pouch, willing it to give her some relief.

Meanwhile, Jejung, who was oblivious to what was going on with poor Tiffany, had made his way back to the hedged walls in the middle of the park. He slipped out his key from his rose pouch & unlocked the hidden door. He gasped as he saw the inside. It was just as beautiful, if not, more beautiful than he remembered, ‘Tiffany must have come all the time to tend to the garden.’ He thought, as he took in the breathtaking scenery. He then saw the treehouse & proceeded to climb up the rope ladder. It was a bit harder now since he was so much bigger but he eventually got inside the tight cramped space. He smiled as the memories came back to him. Everything looked about the same. There were a few new books on the shelves but the blankets, cushions & other furniture remained the same. He spotted the angel bear in the corner & walked over there to pick it up. He frowned as he saw what was beneath it.

Jejung picked up the box beneath the bear & shook it. Some rustling paper was heard inside. He opened the rose decorated tin box. His breath caught as he saw what was inside the box. Hundreds of letters addressed to him were neatly stacked in a pile within the box. He took the first one on the top of the stack & sat down on the cushion beneath him. The letter was water stained as if someone had been crying when she had written this.

‘Dearest Jaejoong Oppa,

I miss you so much Oppa. I don’t think you know how much I do or how much I have longed for your return but when we finally meet again, it happened all wrong. It was all a misunderstanding. How I wish I can tell you that. Please don’t hate me Oppa? You were the only one who ever made me feel safe & loved. Please don’t take that feeling away from me? You promised that you would always be there for me. Don’t judge me because of what you heard that day. What happened was just a little joke between Sunny & I.

I took this time to write this all in a letter because I know that I will never have a chance to tell you in person. Like all my other letters addressed to you, I just want to pour out all my feelings & tell you within the letter how sad & depressed I have been lately. That day, at the courtyard, I had just learned that Kim Jejung was you. A girl gave me your cd one day & I must tell you how overjoyed I’m that my wish came true. Your voice & songs are so beautiful Oppa. I especially liked don’t walk away since you used to sing that to me all the time.

That day, at the courtyard, I told Sunny all about you & she was so happy that we just started joking around. I didn’t mean what you heard about trying to get rich from you & liking you only for your fame & fortune. If you can delve back into your memories & into your heart, remember that the Miyoung you knew wasn’t like that at all. All I had ever wanted was for you to be successful & happy & I will be. I thought that because you were the most deserving. You were my hero Oppa & the one I have loved for all my life. I just wish that you will come back to me & be my friend, the person that I could always depend on. The one person that I know cared for me despite how my lifestyle was. I miss you so much. I really do.

When I hit you today, I was so shocked & hurt at what I did. I should have never hit you no matter what you said. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I’m about that. I thought of nothing else but that today & I just feel so terrible for that. Please don’t hate me Oppa? I love you.

Love always,

Miyoung’

Jejung finished reading the letter with tears in his eyes & he felt his heart breaking into a million of pieces just like Tiffany, ‘I can’t believe I even doubted her. What have I done?’ He thought. He wiped away the tears in his eyes & stared at the bear he was still carrying. He hugged the bear close, thinking of Tiffany & how much he had made her suffer. He cursed himself & beat himself internally for all the pain he had caused her. After putting the letter back within the box, he quickly got up & scrambled down the ladder & out of the garden, almost forgetting to lock it in his haste. He ran back to his car & started the ignition. The bear still in his hands, he put it down in the seat next to his & with tears blurring his vision, he drove the short distance to a place he hadn’t been to in years.

The light was still on & the silhouette of someone hitting someone was illuminated through the window. Jejung stepped hard on the brake & parked his car clumsily as he quickly dashed out of the car. He slammed open the door to the shack & gasped at what he saw. His eyes open widely with hatred as he stared at the abuser. In one smooth movement, he had the burly man in his hold & started pummeling him in the stomach & hitting him in the face & everywhere that hurts.

Tiffany stared at her savior in shock & joy. It was Jejung. He had come to rescue her just like those many years ago. He was so fierce & angry that he seemed to be almost killing her stepfather. She finally got up weakly & pulled Jejung away from Donggun, “Stop Oppa, don’t kill him.” At her sweet tone of voice, Jejung reluctantly released Donggun but he still glared at the now groaning man on the floor, clutching his stomach. He felt Tiffany’s hands on him arm & he pulled her into his embrace, careful not to hug her too tightly because of her bruises, “I’m sorry I’m late Miyoung, please forgive me?” He cried into her shoulder as she cried into his, “Thank you for coming Oppa, thank you.” They stayed in that embrace until Donggun’s anguished moans interrupted them.

Jejung pulled away from Tiffany just a little bit to once again, shoot daggers at Donggun with his eyes, “I’m taking Miyoung with me now, don’t you dare lay a hand on her again. She is coming to stay with me for now until you get your act back together. It is then that we can negotiate bringing her back into your care.” He kicked Donggun once more before getting his black fossil estate zip gusset traveler wallet & pulling out some bills to fling at Donggun’s face, “This is for you to help you get a head start. I will be sending people to check on you now & then to see if you have wised up.” His heart broke as another thought came to him. He glance at Tiffany with a loving look in his eyes before turning back to Donggun, “Don’t even think that this money is me buying Tiffany because she is a priceless gem that no money can afford. All the money in the world can’t buy her so don’t even think that that is her worth.” With that finally said, he picked Tiffany up into his arms & took her to his car to place her on the passenger seat with the bear.

Tiffany smiled at the sight of the bear & picked it up. Jejung kissed the top of her head & hugged her gently once more before he got back to the driver seat. He held her hand while she rested her head on his shoulder the whole time he was driving. In a few minutes, he pulled back up the to the park. He stopped the car & went to scoop Tiffany back up into his arms. They stared into each other’s eyes as they made their way to their hedged secret garden. With not much effort, he was able to unlock the door to the garden & once inside, he told her, “I’m going to put you down now so that you can get on my back for a piggyback ride up to the treehouse. It would be easier that way.” He smiled tenderly at her. Tiffany shook her head, “It’s okay, I can get up myself. I’m a big girl now.” Jejung looked at her sadly, “No, not in your condition.” Tiffany pouted & then relented. She climbed onto his back & he proceeded up the ladder to the inside of the treehouse.

Jejung gingerly placed Tiffany down on the cushioned floor before settling himself beside her. He took her into his arms & as they looked into each others eyes, he brushed a tendril of hair from her red cheek & softly replaced his hand there. Tiffany leaned against the warmth of his hand & cradled it to her face, “No, you are not a little girl anymore.” Jejung said, as he leaned in to cover the distance between them. He kissed her gently on the lips at first & then it became more passionate when she closed her eyes to kiss him back.