Chapter 24

Tiffany shivered in the cold as they came closer & closer to the mountains. Jejung hugged her closer to him while his hands were still on the wheel. She sighed in content & laid her head against his shoulder, “I have never been to the mountains before.” Sunny was jumping in her seat with excitement as she saw more & more snow coming towards her way. It had been a long time since she had seen snow & it was just beautiful to her.

“Look Tiffany, there’s a snowman. Oh, isn’t it’s scarf the cutest thing ever.” Tiffany looked to where her friend was pointing & nodded her head in agreement, “We have to make the best snowman ever on this trip.” Sunny clapped her hands in glee.

It was amusing to both, Siwon & Jejung to see the two girls behaving as if they were two children who had seen snow for the very first time, “Gosh, it’s just white slush. It’s no big deal.” Siwon said, matter of factly. Sunny glared at him, “Excuse me, it isn’t just snow. It is a beautiful powdery white wonderland out there & nothing you say is going to ruin this for me.” Tiffany crossed her arms, upset that he would be that mean to destroy the moment. Siwon smiled & placed his hands behind her shoulders, massaging them, trying to work out those knots, “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I agree, it is a beautiful white wonderland out there.” She couldn’t help but feel the pleasure & goodness of it. She leaned back against his hands.

Jejung looked at the rear view mirror to see what was going on behind him. He laughed when he saw what Siwon was doing, “Seems like you guys would be the next to get married. Siwon is already getting into husband mode with trying to beg for forgiveness by giving you one of his famous massages.” Sunny pulled away at that, “Famous massages? So, you give this to every girl you meet?” Siwon opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. He shot daggers at Jejung who just laughed. Tiffany poked him, “Jaejoong Oppa. Stop trying to ruin this.”

“Okay, I won’t say anything more. My mouth is zipped.” He used one of his free hands to perform a zipping motion on his mouth. Siwon looked apologetically at Sunny, “Don’t listen to Jejung. My massages aren’t famous. I only perform them on the important women in my life like my mom, grandma & sister & now you.” Sunny blushed & turned away. Siwon smiled, ‘Success.’ He thought. His feelings for Sunny was slowly growing step by step & he could now imagine himself marrying her & spending the rest of his life with her, “Are we there yet?” Tiffany asked Jejung. Jejung didn’t say anything much to Tiffany’s utmost dismay. His eyes twinkled in amusement but still, he didn’t utter a word. Tiffany poked him again. He continued to smile. Siwon broke his gaze away from Sunny & peered at the front of the car to see what was going on with the driver & his girlfriend. He leaned his arms across the two front seats of the car, “What’s up, you two?” Sunny also leaned up front a bit over Siwon’s shoulders.

He saw Jejung’s smile & Tiffany’s confused look & couldn’t help laughing. Tiffany looked to him, “What’s so funny?” Sunny also asked, “What’s so funny?” Siwon continued to laugh & Jejung knew that he understand. Siwon pointed to him & then to Tiffany, “Him & her.” He said, still laughing. Sunny pinched him hard & he stopped laughing to rub at his newly acquired bruise, “It’s just that Tiffany told him to stop making fun of us & he promised that he wouldn’t say another word & zipped his mouth.” Tiffany & Sunny still looked at him quizzically, “What does that mean?” Siwon sighed & rolled his eyes, “Girls.” He said, looking at Jejung threw the mirror & he nodded his agreement.

“It’s part of the game. He won’t say anything until you say that he can his mouth Tiffany.” He made it sound as if they were supposed to know this. Sunny pinched him again, harder & he winced in pain, “That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I mean, how old are you guys? Five more years & you will thirty.” Sunny said, rolling her eyes. Tiffany laughed, “& they think girls are weird. Guys are forever childish, just like big babies.” She slapped her boyfriend lightly on the back, “Okay, you can now.” Jejung made a big show of exhaling loudly, “I thought that you would never get it. Well, we are almost there.”

The scene outside the car was breathtaking to see. There wasn’t a person in sight. The only other sign of living that they had seen was the cabin eighty miles back which housed the wilderness guard. Tiffany pressed her face to the window, just breathing everything in, “I never knew that there was a place like this in Seoul. It really is just so beautiful.” Jejung took her hand in his & squeezed it, “I’m glad you like it. It’s better than working, right?” Tiffany nodded absently, “But I still love cooking. I hope that your kitchen is stocked because I have a few dishes that I want to try out.” Jejung groaned, “My stomach is already growling just thinking about those scrumptious dishes.”

Tiffany laughed out loud, “You have never even tried my cooking. What if I poison you?” Jejung shook his head, “Whatever you make would be the most delectable thing that I have ever eaten. I will savor everything even if it is burnt & charred.” Siwon sighed out loud from behind, “You have got it bad. Unfortunately, I won’t say the same. No offense Tiffany, but I’m used to good quality gourmet food. If it isn’t good, I will throw it out.” Tiffany blushed apparently from the rearview mirror. Sunny punched Siwon in the shoulder & glared at him for his comment.

“That was a horrible thing to say.” Siwon smiled sheepishly & shrugged, “Can’t you guys tell that it was a joke?” He laughed nervously under the gaze of Sunny. Apparently, everyone thought that he had been serious. He leaned over to Tiffany, “I’m sorry, Tiffany. I was really just kidding. If you give me burnt water for lunch, I will still drink it.” Tiffany smiled brightly, “Thanks, Siwon Oppa. That helps encourage me.” She thought a bit more, “A little bit.” She added.

Jejung suddenly pulled to a stop, “Okay, we are finally here.” They had stopped in front of a big house. Jejung got out of the car first & ran over to open Tiffany’s door. Tiffany took his arm & gasped at the beautiful chateau in front of her, “This is absolutely gorgeous.” She read the name of the place & saw the words. Tears came to her eyes, “You named this after me?” Jejung nodded & hugged her close, “There wasn’t a time since I last saw you that I didn’t think of you. You were always on my mind. I remembered how you always loved snow & when I first came to this mountain, I knew that I needed to make a place to one day show you & experience it with you.” Tiffany snuggled into his embrace, feeling the love he had for her, “I love you, Jaejoong Oppa.” Jejung kissed the tip of her nose, “I love you too, Miyoung.”

Siwon clapped his hands, “Okay, lovebirds. That’s enough.” He broke the magical moment. Jejung & Tiffany, both laughed. With a mischievous grin on his face, Jejung walked over to Siwon & stamped him hard on the right foot. Siwon moaned out loud from the pain & grabbed onto his foot & started hopping around, “Gosh, what was that for?” Jejung patted him on the back, “Just because I felt like it.” Sunny smiled at the two of them, “Hmmm, that sounds like fun.” She walked over to Siwon’s other foot & stepped on it hard. He released the foot he was holding & grabbed his other one to start hopping around again. He glared at the two of them & looked at Tiffany expectantly, “Don’t worry. I have nothing planned. Yet.” Tiffany told him, with a wink. The three of them walked into the chateau while Siwon stood there, still with his hand gripping his foot. He stared at the three of them in astonishment, “When did I become the bullied? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?” They all ignored him. There were three servants inside the entryway, waiting for them & another guy with a suit & cell phone permanently attached in his hand. They all bowed down to Jejung, “Hey guys, don’t do that. I’m nothing special.” Jejung motioned for the four of them to just be as they were, feeling embarrassed that they were treating him in this way in front of Tiffany. He didn’t want her to think him as an egotistical big headed guy just because of his fame & fortune. Tiffany smiled at him, shaking her head, signaling that she knew what he was thinking & didn’t think that way of him at all.

The guy with the cell phone permanently attached in his hand came up to Jejung first, “Mr. Kim, it has been a month since you did anything public.” He took a magazine from the pedestal in the foyer & handed it to Jejung. On the front cover of the magazine was a big picture of Jejung & Tiffany on stage at S&S restaurant. Tiffany gasped out loud. There was only a small picture on the side, showing Keunsuk’s proposal to Sooyoung. She blushed a deep red again. This was the first time that she had ever been pictured in a magazine, nevertheless, the front cover.

Jejung took the magazine & shrugged nonchalantly, “I guess it is time for people to know about my new & serious relationship.” He put his arm around Tiffany’s shoulders, “This is the girl that I’m going to marry.” He rubbed Tiffany’s suddenly stiff & frozen form & smiled down at her while his agent, Jung Yunho, dropped his phone & gasped along with the rest of the people in the room. He blinked his eyes several times, “What did you just say?”