Taeyeon had the last clap from her hands when the music of their final day at the University started to play. She stood up, fixed the creases at the sides of her black graduation suit and looked above the sky, thanking that no rain has ever witnessed the commencement exercises, just the plain sun and its rays casting a light over them. Taeyeon made a bow at the professors on the front, followed by entertaining the hands of her classmates eagerly waiting to shake hers. It was really a bright day to begin with, worry free, and with an optimistic look on the future ahead.

She had just graduated. An hour ago, taeyeon had received the fruits of her labor—a graduation diploma certifying her hard work and completion as a business and politics student. She had even made a ridiculous 90 degree bow, thanks to her giddiness to come up the stage, and her classmates cheering up for her. everyone knew the story why. Everyone completely understood that it was her dream to graduate. For a student with background limitations, graduation was considered the best tool to survive.

Taeyeon indeed had a challenging family background. She is the middle child of the family, squeezed in between the likes of Kim Kangin and Kim Tiffany. She has a mentally challenged mother and a father who left them when tiffany was just a baby. She had grown in a poor neighborhood under the care of her aunt who died because of cancer during her college years. Ever since then, she had tried earning money for the sake of her siblings’ education, and to come up with the needs of their home, doing all sorts of jobs in the city, starting from being a vendor to a bar waitress. She didn’t deny all that, she was proud—proud that she was able to make her siblings study because of her hard work.

But she was, like all other families, struck upon by a moment of financial crisis. When her sister tiffany demanded more educational support, Taeyeon stopped finishing her last semester in her college and started applying for more jobs. She had even applied to being an office secretary but to no avail, thanks to her age and her still would be qualifications as a student. Taeyeon had then started questioning whether she would be able to finance her family, but stopped thinking about it upon seeing a middle aged man being beaten up by unknown men.

And if life is a fairytale, this could be hers. When taeyeon helped the middle aged man, she was in turn given a full scholarship, board and lodging, together with her siblings. The mighty Park Kyuwon, chairman of Park Steel and Oil Industries had asked her a favor in return in which she, without hesitation obliged. Mister Park had tasked her to be his agent for Park Jungsu aka leeteuk, involving to befriend the son to be able to catch up with his worsening lifestyle. It was known then that leeteuk had immersed himself to vices a father wouldn’t want to catch his son upon, and taeyeon had witnessed it all, only to be found that she too, had grown a soft spot in him.

Mister Park’s son, Leeteuk was a person no one wanted to mess with, amidst the chocolate brown hair, charcoal eyes, porcelain like skin and other sorts of mythologic god features. The dimple alone, would even advocate a sinister effect—in which taeyeon had witnessed a lot, due to his frequent and sarcastic smiles. Taeyeon’s journey to her last semester in a prestigious university appeared bumpy at first because of leeteuk’s plan to eradicate her from his reach. But who would know that they could be friends? Taeyeon had saved leeteuk’s life while doing a project at the slums, even undergoing the knife just for his safety. Leeteuk since then, had realized that taeyeon was one person that could change his life forever.

Taeyeon saw leeteuk waving at her from the professors’ lane and smiled to herself. Its been a year alright. She never knew that she and leeteuk would end up together. He was a suicidal freak, planning his five year death ever since his first girlfriend Gain got murdered years ago. But it was thanks to her and their blossoming affection and mutual understanding that leeteuk had turned his life to the positive side of view. He had a con heart disease which he had contacted from his mother, but the disease didn’t stop him from finding his second love. Together with taeyeon, they invaded korea, and searched for a compatible heart to give leeteuk a new life.

Taeyeon looked at leeteuk and waved too. this leeteuk, she thought. their relationship, had been a bumpy ride too. the first day of being a couple, leeteuk had found himself facing his half brother heechul at their university, who unfortunately, had the aim of stealing his inheritance. Their father, Park Kyuwon, started the idea himself, knowing that leeteuk’s life, after all, is uncertain. Leeteuk had constant feuds with his father, but gained the trust of his half brother just days after they had a fight, realizing that blood is thicker than money, and brotherhood couldn’t replace material things in the world. Taeyeon can somewhat understand Mister Park’s sentiments, he wanted his family business to succeed. But who would succeed if the aim is to wipe away a son with an uncertain future? She realized that deep within the almost perfect family is a dysfunction that a society cannot see, and the Park Family, had for years, experienced it.

Taeyeon left her chair and started walking towards where leeteuk is. as her feet dragged her to the man she almost lost, she couldn’t explain how much she had valued life ever since he woke up from his comatose condition and continued living the second chance. The second chance, as it appeared to them, involved finishing their last semester together, even without an honors degree. Even without a medal she would always wish. But who would mind it anyway, taeyeon thought. all she knew was, they could be together forever. And he is alive.

Taeyeon bowed again to the professors and ushered leeteuk away from them. They walked to a distance and stopped at the parking space, to where leeteuk’s chauffeur is. mister park’s condition after all, involved not letting leeteuk drive alone post surgery months ago. The old man indeed had a change of heart, ever since he realized that his son alone, is a person he couldn’t replace.

“congratulations.” Taeyeon extended a hand to which leeteuk ignored with a roll in the eyes expression. Instead he leaned in himself, and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“aigoo, what’s this, grandma?” taeyeon kidded.

Leeteuk gently shove her towards the black car. “who greets her boyfriend with a handshake anyways.” He said.

Taeyeon entered the car, chuckling, and waited for leeteuk to go inside too.

“that was a long talk with your professors.” She noticed, as leeteuk removed his graduation suit, revealing a man wearing a black long sleeved polo and ultra white slacks beneath. She had waited for leeteuk to finish his talk with them, a long wait, since their classmates were already out of the facility and heading to their parking lots for their own celebration.

“I was offered a job.”

“a job?” taeyeon wrinkled her nose, irk, from the thought. “someone’s offering you a job while I don’t have any?”

Leeteuk smiled at her. “dear, please, don’t start it again.”

“so what job is it anyways?” taeyeon asked.

“teaching.” Leeteuk said. “but you know, I refused because I will chair father’s company.”

Taeyeon had almost forgotten that her boyfriend is the successor of Park Steel and Oil Industries.

She scratched her head. “weird for them to propose for that anyways.”

“at least they tried.”

“yeah, so much for someone getting a certificate for having the highest marks to date.” Taeyeon took leeteuk’s plaque and observed the intricate details of the letters acknowledging leeteuk’s academic performance in their university. “to park jungsu, for his academic excellence blah blah blah. Aigoo, if only I could have gotten one.”

“taeng.” Leeteuk held taeyeon’s hand. “you already graduated, that is one thing you have to be grateful with.”

“I have to thank your father because he gave me scholarship.” Taeyeon blurted.

“speaking of the old man.” Leeteuk took out his phone and began dialing a number.

“heechul?”

Leeteuk signaled the chauffeur to speed out of the school as he promptly listened to the receiver.

“already at the manor.” He said. heechul didn’t finish the whole ceremonies, deciding to celebrate early at the Park Estate.

 Taeyeon sighed

“heechul after all is heechul.”.

----------------------------

Dining Hall, Park Manor

Taeyeon had expected less as she entered the dining hall of Leeteuk’s home. the area became a big entertainment hall, the three grand chandeliers above became more evident, the servers and waitresses became more significant, giving out trays of food to the invited, tons of mini tables were at the sides, leaving a huge dance floor at the center. The long table had been nowhere in sight, and taeyeon could only recognize part of the guests, happy that some of her friends were there—ryeowook in his cute white suit accompanied by sunny who wore her hair short these days, Jessica wandering around with a still everlasting leeteuk pin embedded on her chest together with sooyoung and yoona. donghae had been following them too. at the right side, Hyoyeon was busy entertaining guests with a dumbfounded Eunhyuk, didn’t know what to do. taeyeon found her siblings Kangin and Tiffany at the other end, accompanied with the dashing Choi Siwon and Sungmin, who appeared uneasy to the numerous amount of guests.

Taeyeon decided to walk towards her friends’ area when a hand suddenly stopped her from doing so.

“heechul?” she turned around, and found leeteuk’s half brother holding a champagne in his right hand.

“you should start the toast.” He said, prompting her to the podium.

“aigoo, I’m not used to this kind of—“

“taeyeon?” heechul rolled his eyes and ushered his little lady at the side. Taeyeon fixed her white tube dress and cleared . “these people are waiting for the opening remarks.”

“but I don’t want!” taeyeon hissed. “and besides, I don’t know majority of the people here, who invited tons anyways?”

“these are the old man’s fault.” Heechul said. mister park gave them guests to which they didn’t know who to acknowledge. Even heechul found himself at loss from the big audience. “he sent us guests and he is nowhere to be found. Where is your man anyways?”

Taeyeon looked around and saw no signs of leeteuk too. awhile ago, she was with him, until he excused himself from some matters he needed to attend to.

“he was talking to your father earlier.” Was the words she could only muster. Heechul nodded and pushed her again.

“so, you should start the toast.” He said. “people here recognize me less, you’re the girlfriend, they recognize you more.”

“but I don’t---“

“aiyoo, do you want some bastard to start the toast?” heechul looked at her inquisitively. Taeyeon shook her head and headed towards the platform.

“alright, alright.”

She could feel her pulse quickening and her heart suddenly at race when the classical music started to fade. All the attention of the people was now with hers and the glass of champagne she was holding. Taeyeon’s hand began to tremble, suddenly dry, and she didn’t know what to do but to face the situation.

I had experienced working all sorts of jobs, I almost lost my boyfriend, I can do this,she thought.

“annyeong haseyo, kim taeyeon imnida.” Taeyeon greeted the audience. Heechul started cheering solely on the rear, making her feel more embarrassed. she cleared again and raised her glass. “since we know what we are here for now, I would like to propose a toast for successful graduation ceremonies that the Park Siblings had encountered this day—to Park Jungsu and Park Heechul.”

Everyone raised their glass and muttered their words, signaling a toast.

“park heechul? I never got used to that surname.” Heechul smirked.

Taeyeon ignored heechul and raised her glass more. “to the advancement of the Park Industries, cheers.”

“cheers.”

“aigoo, this is bitter.” Taeyeon thought upon drinking the contents of her glass. She had imitated leeteuk’s poker face to stop the blinding cameras from capturing her bitter expression. At once, the audience started clapping their hands and taeyeon found herself doing a successful speech.

And the loudest clap came from the left entrance, where leeteuk stood, at awe of her performance.

“you should have been here.” taeyeon mouthed. Leeteuk chuckled and paced towards his girlfriend.

“thank you for replacing me.” he whispered, taking her glass. “heechul, thank you for letting her.”

 “I’m not interested at family business anyways.” Heechul said.

“you’re still not accepting my offer?”

“I don’t like exposing myself to steel and oil.” Heechul complained as taeyeon waved at the presence of Kyuhyun and Seohyun entering the dining hall. “I’ve never been a fan, just after your money. Anyways, I wanted to start a clothing line.”

“a clothing line?” leeteuk asked. “tell me all about it.”

Heechul started telling his brother about a clothing line for idol groups, the probabilities of good selling at the local and international industry.

“I could start locally first but I could incorporate international materials.” He told leeteuk. “there are good materials from europe, there’s also one from india and Malaysia. Maybe I should start from asia first, but who knows.”

Leeteuk inclined his head to immerse himself on the thought.

“so how many percent from my inheritance?” he asked. Heechul had shyly talked to him about it but there was no point of being not straightforward anyways.

“twenty percent, that’s all I need.” He said back.

“that’s all?”

“aigoo, hyung, twenty percent is already too much.” Heechul said, remembering how much income the Park family receives annually. The income alone could suffice everything.

Leeteuk gave taeyeon’s glass to the approaching waiter and nodded. “Alright. I’ll give you twenty percent, use only five percent of the capital. And tell me if you need help from there.”

Heechul smirked and leaned towards his brother’s ear. “I don’t think you’re fashionably competitive when it comes to that.” he laughed and patted leeteuk’s back. The eldest son of mister park rolled his eyes and smiled.

“but you have to tell the old man first, I think he will die knowing that I wanted to pursue fashion.” Heechul told him.

“I am calling him now.” Leeteuk said.

“yah, teuk!”

“father.” leeteuk smiled, as heechul cursed words under his breath. “yes, I want to talk to you about something.  About heechul.”

Leeteuk stopped talking and tried listening intently to the speaker.

“a business trip?” he asked, as taeyeon’s attention got into him too. taeyeon glued herself to leeteuk as the latter placed an arm around her waist. “tomorrow morning? but I just—“

“graduated.” Leeteuk couldn’t believe how his father could just plunge him to all sorts of his plans. “okay, I understand. When will you return from Egypt anyways? A month? I don’t know if I can handle it but I’ll contact you.”

Leeteuk put off his phone and sighed.

“what’s this business trip?” taeyeon asked, eager to know.

Leeteuk told her about meeting clients at some unfamiliar resort.

“but you just graduated!” taeyeon said. she didn’t mind being too loud, as waiters were suddenly put into attention too. heechul shook his head and shrugged them off.

“you know what goes in and out of that old man’s mind.” He muttered.

Taeyeon cringe her brows.

“dear, are you okay?” leeteuk looked at her. “I’m sorry, but I have to. I know we have plans tomorrow but I’m sorry, I just cant cancel this right now.”

“Paris can wait then.” Taeyeon huffed, crossing her arms. Leeteuk smiled and kissed her cheek. “so, I’d probably just do some shopping with tiffany and sunny.”

“who told you you’re not coming?” leeteuk asked.

“wae, booya?”

“teuk, some guests are calling you, do you know them?”sungmin interfered.

“yah, teuk, you’re not telling  me something.” Taeyeon butted in.

Leeteuk looked around and saw a group of Chinese businessmen waving their hands.

“ah, father’s clients.” He said. he looked at taeyeon and smiled again. “mind to entertain our friends? Heechul, please accompany her.”

“at your service, hyungnim.” Heechul said. he pushed a still dumbfounded taeyeon to the grueling amount of audience, leaving leeteuk in all smiles.

----------------------------

Taeyeon’s room, Park Villa

9:20 pm

Taeyeon’s POV

The party finished with heechul ushering some guests to go home and me still talking to some of the Park Company’s clients. Thanks to leeteuk and his constant pushovers, I found myself talking to people coming from all sorts of continents. He too had talked to them one by one, amazingly, and for once I thought I had forgotten that he had some real business mind in him.

Especially that leeteuk and i battled his sickness for months and all we talked about was the importance of life and its fatalities. now, we were really talking about our future, seeing that leeteuk will really inherit his father’s company in a new and amazingly healthy shape, all stocks. Inyoung unni and Hyoyeon had their shares too, but minimally, since Mister Park insisted that leeteuk should get majority of the stocks. Leeteuk didn’t like the idea though, and told his siblings in secret that he will give them ten percent, leaving him a total of sixty percent owning the family business.

I don’t like to talk about the Park Family income but hearing leeteuk alone, talking about the continuous growth of the company, sent me thinking of what company to build for myself. I knew leeteuk would oppose this since he wanted me to work with the Parks but I don’t think I could ever stand in my feet if I am always at their shadows. I am already grateful that I and my siblings earned a scholarship because of their program, and doing a business of my own in payment of my gratitude would be the best asset.

KNOCK KNOCK

“wait a sec!” I said, still combing my hair. I placed the comb on the table and hurriedly paced towards the door.

Aigoo. Déjà vu.

“bath time again?” leeteuk asked, checking if there are others inside. When he noticed that I was alone, he gave me a gentle shove and locked the door.

“booya?”

“we need to talk. “ leeteuk jumped to my bed and rolled himself to the pink comforters. He almost looked like a circus freak, in his own white shirt and jogging pants, doing a clown show. “ah, I missed this.”

I rolled my eyes and laughed.

“you were just here last week.” I said, sitting on chair opposite the bedside table. even if leeteuk did went to school with me after his recovery, his father immediately exposed him to his family business, resulting to his infrequent trips to this villa unlike before.

But nevertheless, he would always act as if he really missed everything.

“everything here is taeyeon-scented.” He blinked, nuzzling his cheek to my pillow. “which I really  loved by the way. Ah,, wish my room smells like this.”

I scratched my head and made a quick slap to his thigh.

“should I make a fragrance out of my scent?” I kidded.

Leeteuk stopped nuzzling his cheek on the pillow and turned towards me. “I would buy all the stocks then.” He said innocently.

Aigoo, this guy.

“why do you love me anyways?” I asked. I never asked him this question, this can be completely out of bounds. But I am always curious. We would always talk about this kind of stuffs back then anyways.

“I don’t know.”

I don’t know???

“what do you mean you don’t know?” I asked, trying not to sound scandalous.

We went to a lot of hardships and he wouldn’t explain why he loves me? he almost died because of his heart condition but he can never explain?

Leeteuk removed his glasses and sat up.

“can I ask you something?” he said as the back of his head rested on the headboard. He looked as if he was trying to get some sleep but I slapped his chest, resulting him to look at me in a grudgingly playful manner. “are there really words to explain why do you love a person?”

“some can explain it.” I said, thinking of the movies I watched with the alpha males explaining to their partners how they make their world go round.

Leeteuk had again, looked at me innocently.

“that’s from the movies.” He said, reading my thoughts. He sighed and closed his eyes. “and maybe from novels since you cannot watch novels literally.  But I think, loving someone doesn’t need a reason. It’s as is”

I stood up and pushed his thighs on the other side of the bed so I could invade a space.

“why would you say that?” I asked. Can there be no reasons? Thinking of myself, I began to question the real reason why I developed feelings for him too. I knew that I loved leeteuk ever since I noticed that he is a true person with good feelings, just hidden inside his steel heart.

Leetuek bit his lip.

“because, when you suddenly feel it, it flows, as if it’s a part of you.” He explained, then opening his eyes. he had calm soothing words when he said it, evident by the steady breathing of his chest.

I pursed my lips and pulled a blanket to the level of my waist.

“taeyeon.”

“ne.”

“words are words.” He looked at me in sincerity. He pointed to his left, indicating his heart. “but what I feel every time I see you, explains why I love you.”

“even if you got a new heart?”

“dear, my new heart is just an organ. Replace it with another one, its still the same.” Leeteuk chuckled . “but my brain is intact so it dictates, and my hormones tells me that I love you.”

 leeteuk.

“aiyoo, what’s wrong with my cheeks, they feel hot all of a sudden.” I said, slapping my face. leeteuk shook his head and sighed.

“please open your diary.” He smiled, pointing to the book at my right. Following his command, I took my diary and opened the material on the middle which appeared bulky.

There in the middle, appeared a white ticket with prints of what seemed like dates and time.

“a plane ticket?” I looked at him. Leeteuk nodded and sat up again.

“my graduation present for you.” He said when I noticed that there was another ticket with his name printed on it. “and a business meeting for me.”

“oh yeah, even if you just graduated.” I blurted.

Leeteuk chuckled again.

“I’m sorry, but that will be the case.” He said, standing up. He’s the successor after all, I guess I have to face the reality and live living his life.

Leeteuk paced towards the window and closed it upon seeing me tucking my arms under the blankets. “and plus you will be married to me so you have to get used to it.”

“booya, who told you that I’m marrying you?”

Leeteuk made a final check on the windows and acted as if I didn’t say anything about him not marrying.

“you waited for me to wake up for months and you’re still not marrying me?” he asked.

“I’ll get married whenever I want.” I said airily.

“dear,  I’m already at the prime of my career.”

“no.” I said, now pulling the blankets up to my chin. Leeteuk tried to contain in his laughter and opted to turn on the lamp on the bedside table instead.

“okay then.” He said, leaning. On familiarity, I noticed that ever since he got a new heart, his face had retained a great pinkish color on the cheeks, and the dominant effect on the face is somewhat glowing, looking more of a healthy god than a famished prince. So leeteuk is a new healthy being. And we are indeed living a new life.

“aigoo, what should I do if you ever got loose.” I muttered, pouting. If this guy meets a perfect girl, tall, brainy and beautiful, whatever would happen to the mighty kim taeyeon?

I might look like a potato sacked in a sack.

“what are you talking about, you’re the most attractive person I’ve ever met.” Leeteuk said, erasing my thoughts like a pop up balloon.  I pinched his cheek and he smiled.

And before I could say more words, he planted a kiss on my forehead.

“sleep tight, we will leave early.” He said, standing up.

“saranghae…”

“I love you more.” Leeteuk whispered.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.