. . . .  At the present  . . . . .

 

Taeyeon’s POV

 

 

“EOMMA!!!  . . . .” I hurriedly run to the crying baby boy . . .

“Oh, shhh . . . Don’t cry now, . . . Mommy’s here  . . .”

“Eomma, . . . blood . ..”

“’Oh What did Mommy say about blood?  . . .”
”Ahh don’t be afraid of blood, because of I’m a big boy now . . .”

”Very good, now let me see the face of a big boy? . . .” and he forcefully gave me a smile, half  smile, half in pain.

“Oh Don’t cry now, Look your Appa is coming . . . .” And I point toward the direction of a tall man carrying bags of gifts.

“APPA!! . .. The boy rush to the tall guy.

“Whoah, looks like he’s more happy seeing you rather than me. . . .” I said as I kiss his cheek.

“hahaha stop being jealous Taeyeon, give this time to us, for the mean time, you have all weekdays on him, just give me this day . . .”

“ok ok . . .Oh by the way, hows, the practice for the next football game, I bet your much excited than the players . . .”

“Ah hahaha, you know me, Coach Suho, Back-to-back Coach of the year, Of course I’m excited to defend my title . . .Imagine that, I won 2 consecutive years, its really a pressure to win this years league, now that I’m competing with Minho Hyung again”

”hahaha Well you better be, cause Minho is really good, mind you,his a legend in football if you forgot, . . .  now if you excuse me, I have a class to attend so I’ll see you later . . . .”

“Eomma, your, leaving already?”

“Ahh its sad to say but yes, Eomma, is going to school now . . . “
”Eomma, Don’t go, play with me. . . .”
”Aww I’m sorry baby, but I cant do that, you know how important school right? . . .Shh don’t be sad, later when I get home, I’ll go play with you all night, is that ok with you?” and the boy nods  

“Wahhh! . . . earlier he’s happy to see me, now hes sad staying with me . . . whats wrong with this kid? hahaha he’s really looks like you . . .”

“hahaha, continue that later, bye I have to go. . . . “ and I leave . . .

 

 

 . . . 6 years Ago . . .

 

 

“What? Engagement?! . . ..”

I saw how surprise they were, especially Baek, he wasn’t informed about this, it was so sudden.

“You heard it right Taeyeon, we decided to arrange a marriage for your sister Soyou and your neighbor brother, Baekhyun. . .”

“But . . . Uncle . . .” I heard Baekhyun object. I was shocked as well as disappointed at myself, I just heard the news but I feel myself, being ok with it.

Weird . . .

“No more buts, we already decided, and we planned everything, its final . . . “ he firmly said. I sit back on my seat, still surprise of what I heard.

“Ah Taeyeon, are you ok? . . .” Yuri Unnie, worriedly ask, among our friends, only Minho, Wendy and Yuri Unnie, knew what me and Baek are.

“Ahh I’m ok . . .” I calmly said. Minho look at me with concern, he knew how I feel, and he knew I didn’t like this idea.

“Excuse me, I’ll just go to the washroom . . .” and I leave

“Taeyeon, Think! . .  you’ve got to think properly . . . your father is setting your man on an arrange marriage, you cant let that happen” I talk to my reflection on the mirror.

“Taeyeon, Think!!, this must be the answer to your problem, all your friends are avoiding you because of him, this is your chance, let him marry your sister and you’ll be safe. Remember , because of him, you are facing this problems, let him be and you will be at peace. Let him marry your sister, its the right thing to do . . . . Wendy wont be mad at you now, let Baekhyun, marry your Soyou Unnie, let him . . let him . . LET HIM!! . . .” my reflection speaks.

I wash my face, to somehow wake up from this nightmare, but I was still confuse.

“Taeyeon Think!!” when I was on my way back to the dinner party, I saw father, Baek and Soyou Unnie, talking, I don’t want to listen, but I find my feet going over there, so I listen.

 

“Dad, I cant marry him, you knew that we already broken up, and he also object on this, please. . .”

“Uncle, please reconsider, I already love someone, and its her I want to marry .”

“No, we already decided, Baek, I want you to be my son-in-law, your father want you to get married soon, so this is their chance . . . . “
”But uncle, I can still be your son-in-law . . .” I heard him said.

“I love your daughter, Taeyeon . . and its her I want to marry”

“WHAT?! . . .” My father was completely shocked. I knew father very well, and by the way he reacts, I knew he doesn’t approved it.

“You?, for my daughter Taeyeon? A 10 years older man, for my young daughter, are you out of your mind?”

“But Uncle, whats wrong if I love her, this is not about the age, whats matters here is I’m true and sincere, with my feelings for her, I love her, and I will marry her, I’m sorry Soyou,. . .” This time he face Soyou Unnie.

 “ . . . I love your sister, this maybe difficult for you, for our parents, but please try to understand . . .”

“Dont worry, Baek I knew how you feel, I don’t want to be on this marriage too, Dad, please reconsider . . .”

“NO! I wont hear any of your excuses, you will get married soon, whether you like it or not . . .”   

I hide behind the plants, as my father gets out.

“Baek? Unnie? . . .”

“Taeyeon!” They both said.

“Taeyeon ah, I’m sorry, I didn’t know about this either, I was not inform about this, you know how dad is, he’s suddenly make a decision, without consulting us. Believe me Taeyeon, I don’t like this too . . “

“Ahh Unnie, I’d like to talk to Baekhyun Oppa, alone . . .“

“Taeyeon ah . . .” He calmly called me, but I just look at him.

“Should tell him? Should I stop him? Or should I let him? . .”

“Taeyeon, I didn’t knew about this, I’m also surprise like you, Uncle told me to come, but I didn’t knew that his planning something like this, I’ve talk to my dad, but he also wants me to marry Soyou. I told your dad, that I love you, and he didn’t like it, he disapproved it, Taeyeon I don’t want anybody else aside from you, I only lov- . . .”

“Just do it . . . “

“What? . . “ He said

“I said, just accept it Baek Oppa”
”What? Baek Oppa? Oppa? . . .Taeyeon-ah, Are you serious?”

“I’m serious, just marry Unnie, so that we all be quiet, you don’t know my father, if he said no, he meant it, no one can change his mind, not even my mother. . .” I said, as he just look at me in disbelieve.

“Huh, Do you hear yourself? You want me to marry your sister? And you’re actually serious about that?”
”Yes,” I firmly said.

“Taeyeon, ah I love you, why are you pushing me away, to marry someone I don’t love anymore.”

“Because its for the best of everyone, . . .”

“Do you love me? . .Do you really love me?” he ask. I love him, but I cant let him suffer because he chose me over them.

“Baekhyun, you will marry Soyou, or I will disown you, if you fail me, you will never get anything from me, I will forget everything about you, so make a choice  . . . follow my decision or lose everything . . you are my only son Baek, so choose wisely . . .”

I heard his father said earlier. I don’t want to ruin his life, because of me. He only have his father now, I don’t want to take that away from him. Ever since we met his life is a misery, his mother died, when he’s young, his father kept on working with their business abroad, that he didn’t got to be with him, Baek was left on the care of Minho Oppa’s family, it was hard for Baek to be alone, I don’t want to make it even worse. So I’ll do what I think is right.    

“No Baek, I mean Baekhyun Oppa, all I’ve showed you was fake, it was merely a trial, I didn’t love you . .” It was hard for me to say that, but I have no choice, I’d rather hurt him this once, than hurt him for the rest of his life.

And I left him, I lock myself in my room, leaving all our relatives and friends,behind. After that, we didn’t talk, we met but we never got to talk.

 

“Oh Baek, where did you go?”
”Ahh I went to the wedding rehearsal . . .Why? . . . . “

“Nothing, I thought you’re with Taeyeon, she’s not home yet . . .”

“Well I don’t car- . .. . oh there she is . . . “

“Why are you looking for me, Minho Oppa? . . .”

“Ahh nothing, just wondering where you are,. . .”
”Ahh Now she’s here, Can I go now, I need to rest, the wedding preparation is really tiring . . .”  

“Ahh , I’ll also take a rest now Minho Oppa . . See you tomorrow” I said as we go to our own rooms.

 

We looked so awkward again, Were just on the same place but its like we were divided with huge walls. I look at him, but he never look at me, he’s avoiding me.  I know I’ve hurt him, and I accept it. Days had passed, and we still don’t talk.

After my class, I went to my usual place, I sit at the garden, take my notebook and pen and draw random of lines, forming nothing. I was in deep thought when someone tap my shoulder.    

“Taeyeon. . .” I looked up and see  that  Wendy, my girl best friend is smilingly  standing in front of me.

“I heard what happened to you and Baekhyun Oppa, are you ok?”

“ahh I’m fine, I’ll be fine . . .”

“Taeyeon, I’m sorry if I act like this to you, if I didn’t badly react to your relationship, you wouldn’t think of  doing it. . . . “

“Nahh, you have nothing to do with it, I made that decision.  . . “

“But still, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t do it. . . I know your happy  with him, and I’m sorry if  I didn’t support you,  I just don’t want you to experience things I had, when Kyungsoo and I are starting. You don’t know how much they embarrassed me even my father, in front of everyone, and its really hurt. I was afraid that you’ll experience that. I’m sorry . . .”

“Its ok, its all in the past I understand . . .”

“But Taeyeon, that doesn’t mean that you have to hide behind those fears, you have to face them. Don’t let your happiness be taken away by those immature people. Like you’ve said, age is just a number, what matters most is that your true to yourself, and to the one you love. If you truly love Baekhyun Oppa, show him, fight for him. . . .”

 I looked at her, its true, I was just afraid of facing the mean words of the people around, I was so immature, I mind what the others say, but what my mind say and my heart desire is totally forgotten.

“Do you think I made a wrong decision?”

“Yes, totally wrong, You know I was in your position back then, but look at  me now, still happy with the one I love. Listen Taeyeon, we love you, and we want you to be happy, If you love him then we have to support you, if we oppose then we’re not really your friend . . . “

“But we are . . .” and I heard new voices, so I turn around and see that all my friends are there.

“Taeyeon, why are you so afraid to tell us . . . “ Irene holds my hand.

“Are you afraid that we’ll avoid you? That we’ll disgust you? . . . Do you really think that we’re like that kind of people?”

“No, but I cant help but to think like that, I’m sorry guys, if I didn’t trust you . . .”

“You probably heard about what happened to Sunny, well don’t worry, we wouldn’t do anything like that, Were happy that you end up with Baekhyun Oppa, he’s really a good and caring man, we knew that he’ll take care of you. . . .”

“But I let him go”

“You what?” Irene surprisingly ask.

“I made a mistake, I let my fear rule over me, I was a coward . . . now I let him go, without fighting for him. Now its too late, I’m really stupid”

“Well you still have time . . .” I heard Minho’ Oppa’s voice at the back.

“Minho, what are you doing  here? Aren’t you suppose to be at the wedding? . . .” I ask

“Well I didn’t go, what for? I’ll just witness the suffering of my good friend . . .”

Its been 2 weeks since the announcement, and here today, celebrating the wedding ceremony of my sister and my man. Didn’t know that they’ve already planned this months ago, even the persons who will stand at the altar, didn’t know that it was too soon. They were also surprise. We were all surprise.

“The wedding probably starting now but you can still stop them if you really want to . . .”Minho said, so without waiting any further, I pick up my things and run to the place.   

“Oh please, Baek . . . I’m sorry . . .Please, wait for me” I just said as I kept on running, if you would ask me why I’m running, well riding a bus has never comes to my mind that time, so  forgive me if I was so stupid, Baek occupied all the space on my brain so I couldn’t think straight. Luckily the wedding place is near the university, so I didn’t run that far.

When I came on the place, I saw nothing, the decorations were there, but there’s no people around anymore, I only see one man, sweeping off the scattered petals.

“Ah excuse me Sir, where are the people, here? . .  .”

“Ahh you mean the people at the wedding? . . well they already left, you’re too late young lady . . “

“Left? Late? . . .Oh no . . .” I was heartbroken once again. I felt that now I really have no choice, but to accept my being stupid. I broke down in tears as I sit on the floor in the middle of the aisle.

“Look what happened, What now? what are you going to do now? Your too late . . .” I said.

“No your not . . .” and I heard the voice I’ve been missing of, when I look up, I finally saw him, still wearing his suit.

“Baek? Baekhyun! . . .” I hurriedly stand up and hug him real tight.

“Are you for real? Your here right? I’m not imagining right? . . .” and I hug him tighter than ever.

“hahaha, shhh . . I knew you wouldn’t take me . . .”

“Why? . .  whats happening?, is the wedding over? Why are you here? . . .”

“Looks like your sending me away again, I better leave now . .”

“No wait, don’t go . . I wont take anymore if you’ll leave me again”

“hahaha, Don’t worry, I wont leave you again, but please don’t send me away . . .”
”I wont, Baek, that is my biggest mistake and I wont ever do that again, but wait . . .” I break the hug, and look at him, he was well groomed, wearing his black tuxedo, with a flower on it, perfect for a wedding.

“Why, are you wearing this? Did you skip the wedding? Is the wedding over, are you perhaps . .” This time he put a finger on top of my lips.

“Taeyeon ah listen, this. . ..   is just a joke . . .”

“What?! . . ..” I ask, still confuse.

 

“Did he just say, joke? Is this a joke? Is he joking with me?”

 

“Are you joking? Why . . . what do you mean a joke? I don’t understand . . “

“Taeyeon, all of this . . are joke, this was just a prank . . .”
”WHAT?!! . . .” I was shocked, deeply shocked. My mind were still in confuse, as I couldn’t be