Chapter 4

HEART BEATS
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Taeyeon and The Kwons.

"What's up with him?"

"Who?" Taeyeon's focus is currently served for the three remaining pieces of ribs on the grill. Knowing for a fact that she never any good at grilling doesn't stop Taeyeon from doing her best. Not after Onew innocently commented on how some of the meat tasted like charcoal.

She hates it when people look down on her, whether indirectly or not.

"The one who seems to never leave your side tonight."

"Yunho?" Taeyeon glances at Jiyong. The man is sitting on the swing unmoving, looking up at the night sky.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"You are different around him."

"How?"

"Restless perhaps. Like he's a magnet force you try hard to deny."

"It's so obvious, isn't it?"

"It makes me want to demagnetize you." He turns to look at her. The childish smile on his face betrays the seriousness in his stare.

Taeyeon blushes, no longer find the perfect reply. Music from the house still comes out loud, so do the laugh, the yell, and the talk. Out here on the front yard, only the two of them stay under the night sky.

Taeyeon flips the ribs once more, setting the tong on the side hook of the grill, wipes her hands on the apron, then sits down on the lowest flight of brick steps that leads to the door. She turns her head, watching Jiyong stares at the lonely moon. Something about the way he looks under the dim light making Taeyeon's heart aches. It somehow feels like watching the heartbreaking ending of a melancholic movie.

In the few months they have spent under the same roof, Taeyeon often steals glances at the man. Jiyong mostly holes up in his room upstairs but whenever there's a chance, Taeyeon always silently observes him from afar.

He loves gardening and is very good at cooking. The fact that she finds amusing. He doesn't have many friends. She only has seen two of them so far. Most of his friends that come visiting seem to be party people but, despite his many tattoos, Jiyong doesn't act like one. At least not within the house. There's barely noise coming from his room and he doesn't touch the alcoholic stuff Yuri keeps in the fridge.

His smile is so childish, almost like a toddler looking for attention. His wistful eyes seem to hide a lot of things. His laughs are often shy and short. He doesn't talk much but when he does, it mostly shows how caring he is as a person. He drinks milk straight from the carton, never washes the dishes, but always keep the fridge stocked with Yuri and Taeyeon's favorite food.

Jiyong is intriguing and Taeyeon fears the sense of attraction she feels around him. The struggle to keep Yunho away from her wounded heart is taxing enough. She can't get involved with another guy at the moment. Not even if the guy appears so dreamy, looking up at the night sky as if the lone moon is his distant lover.

"Did you get it? Did you get it?" Jackson opens the window of Jiyong's room and yells out loud from the second floor.

"Of course I've got it." A man with long braided hair lifts a huge box he just unloaded from the bike he parked on the curb. "This party gonna get extra lit!"

"What's that, Jackson?" Taeyeon stands up, glaring up at Jackson. "No illegal substances, remember?"

"Chill, Taeyeon. Those are fireworks!" Jackson turns her head to the room, shouting. "Hey guys, the fireworks are here!"

"Whoa. Stop." Jiyong springs on his feet and takes the box from the man's hands. "No fireworks inside."

"We gonna lit it up from the roof, man. There's a trap door on your ceiling."

"There's access to the roof?" Taeyeon throws an inquiring look at Jiyong.

He shrugs, glaring at the man. "I let you guys trash my room. The roof is off-limit."

"Man, you are no fun."

"Tell Jackson to bring the fun to the yard or the party is over."

"Alright. Alright."

Taeyeon watches the exchange with piqued interest. Jiyong who had been laid back about the whole party mess now looks annoyed. The man rarely looks annoyed.

Jackson's friend gets inside, calling people out. Soon enough the front yard is filled with party people waiting to blast the fireworks. Some people are looking through the window from the second floor, some others move the party to the living room.

Cornered to the side of the grill, Taeyeon stares at Jiyong who is now moving the ribs from the grill to the plate. "I'm sorry, Ji. Your house is trashed."

"It's fine." He looks up, following the blazing trail of a firework Jackson just launched to the sky. Taeyeon follows his eyes, wondering why sometimes Jiyong looks so withdrawn.

"Hey, buddy! Pass us those ribs." Jay calls out from in front of the fireworks box, he's holding a long string of firecrackers, ready to light it up.

"Nope. These last pieces belong to the cooks. Watch where you throw. We don't want to hurt any pedestrian!"

"What pedestrian? It's past midnight." Jay laughs, throwing the noisy firecrackers to the empty road. He then dashes to where Jiyong and Taeyeon are, grabbing a piece of ribs and slings his arm around Jiyong's shoulder. "Man, you've got such a strategic location and such an awesome crib. Are you secretly a millionaire or something?"

"I'm just a gardener."Jiyong shrugs Jay's hand off, bringing the plate closer to Taeyeon. Grabbing a tissue, he takes a piece of the meat and bites into the succulent meat. "Oh Taeyeon, this one is perfect. So tender."

"Really? I didn't burn them?"

"Nope." Jiyong smiles, bringing the treat to Taeyeon's mouth. "Here."

Taeyeon bites in, closing her eyes at the marvelous taste. "Mmmmmmm."

"Right? Here have some more."

"My hands are dirty."

"Told you to use the gloves."

"I use gloves all day long at work. Hate them. They make my hands clammy."

"Alright, gloves hater. Let me feed you."

There's' no way Taeyeon can eat the juicy rib elegantly, not when Jiyong keeps on staring at her. She looks down, trying to chew as slowly as possible. In the end, she can still feel the sauce on the corner of her lips.

"Cute." He touches her cheek. His thumb moves gently to wipe off the mess. The simple contact feels so electrifying Taeyeon has no other option but looking up.

Their eyes meet.

She had never been this close to him before, never knew that there is such tenderness in those eyes.

"Hey, watch out!" Someone from the crowd in front of them yells. A perfect reason for Taeyeon to look away. She turns her head, coming face to face with a flaming firework heading her way.

"Taeyeon, watch out!" Jiyong yells.

People screaming.

Taeyeon's eyes go wide.

Boom!

Something knocks her down the flower patch. Her head hurts and there's a piercing pain burning her right knee. When she tries to move her head to the side, a blurry image of a broken terracotta pot is all she can see.

Someone is yelling. Someone else is screaming.

"Taeyeon!"

She blinks, seeing Yuri on the door. She wants to wake up but it feels so heavy. This oddly feels like the incident from years ago and her heart aches so bad because of it. When Taeyeon cranes her neck to see what's pressing so hard against her chest, she gasps.

It's Jiyong. His body lays on her at an odd angle. His head on her chest unmoving.

"Ji..."

He doesn't move.

"Jiyong, can you move over, please?" She tries to push his body aside. It's getting harder to breathe and the burning feeling on her knee feels so painful. Yuri comes to her side now, looking like she's about to cry.

Taeyeon hates the look of horror in her best friend's eyes. It can only mean one thing.

"Ji..." She calls out once more, trying to rub her eyes to see better but sees blood covers her palm instead.

Jiyong's blood.

"Yuri... Help..." It felt so heavy, the concrete column pressing against her chest. The smoke got into her eyes and nose but it was the pressure from the column that made her cry in pain.

"Help! Help!" Yuri cried louder though. She was trapped in the supply room. From where she lied on the dirty floor, Taeyeon could see Yuri banging her tiny fists on the glass door.

"Help!" Taeyeon was scared. Her Mom would be furious. Little kids weren't supposed to play in the lab but she and Yuri got bored waiting in the car.

The fire alarm rang so loud but it felt like an eternity before someone came in.

"Mommy..." Taeyeon croaked when the familiar face zoomed in. "Mommy!"

"Oh my God, Taeyeon. My baby."

"My chest hurts, Mommy."

"It's okay, baby. Mommy is here."

Taeyeon struggled to breathe while her mother tried to move the column away. It took a very long time but when she finally freed, Taeyeon inhaled a deep breath. She took more smoke into her lungs instead. Trying to cough it out only gives her more pain.

"Run outside, Taeyeon!" Her mother shouted. "I'll get Yuri."

"But-"

"Run! Now!"

Taeyeon stepped back, lips trembling at the sight of her mother trying to pry the glass door open.

"Wait outside! Do not come back in!"

Eyes wet, Taeyeon turned around.

"Go, Taeyeon! Now!"

The smoke was already too thick for Taeyeon to see anything. It was harder to breathe too. Still, Taeyeon ran as she had been told to, bumping into stuff a few times but managed to get out of the burning building. There were no people outside and she just cried and screamed alone, begging for help until her voice was hoarse.

Her mother didn't come out. She had to do something. Turning her head, she saw a long road leading to the gate their car had passed a few minutes ago. Maybe the security guard over there could help.

Running as fast as her little feet could, Taeyeon reached the empty security post in heavy breaths.

Where was everyone? Surely there were people here when they first came in.

She ran back to the building, nearly had no more tears to cry.

"Taeyeon..." Yuri stepped out of the building in wobbly steps. Tears and soot taint her face. "Taeyeon..."

"Yuri." Taeyeon hugged her best friend, realizing that Yuri's ladybug backpack was half charred. "My mom? Where's my mom?"

Yuri shook her head, sobbing.

"Yuri! My mom!"

"A column..." Yuri sobbed harder. "A column fell over her. I tried to move it away. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"No!" Sobbing, Taeyeon knelt on the ground. She had lost her dad last week. She couldn't possibly lose her mom too. "Mommy..."

"Mommyyyyyyy!"

It hurts. Her heart. The guilt and the pain wash over her like a tidal wave. Taeyeon feels the need to wake up pressing from the inside but the blanket of darkness around her feels heavier.

"Mommy!" She kicks. She screams. She needs to save her mom. She needs to get back into the burning building.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay. I'm here."

Upon hearing  the familiar voice, Taeyeon stops struggling. Opening her eyes slowly, Yuri's face is the first thing she see. A relieved breath escapes Taeyeon's heavy chest. She's not in that damned building. She's with her best friend.

"I'm here, Taeyeon. I'm here."

The comforting feeling of Yuri's hand caressing her head can not beat the throbbing pain coming from her right knee. Taeyeon tries to sit up but Yuri holds her down.

"Stay still for a moment. Sunny is giving you TIG and some lidocaine."

"TIG?" She asks groggily, staring at the overly white ceiling that is the trademark of Kwon Jiyoon Teaching Hospital's treatment room. She's in hospital. There had been fire. She can't remember clearly.

"You've got a third-degree burn. A hot grill rod pierced your knee."

"Owww." She can feel it, the sharp pain of intramuscular injection Sunny is giving. As Taeyeon blinks the pain away, she started to recall the incident. A firework hit the propane tank and created an explosion. The grill blew up into the air. Jiyong shielded her from fire.

Jiyong!

"Yuri, how is Jiyong?"

Yuri sighs, looking at Sunny instead.

"Done." Sunny's face now comes to Taeyeon's view. "The burn covers only a small area but is very thick. I need to start debriding, Taeyeon. Sorry."

"How is Jiyong?" Taeyeon hisses as Sunny starts to scrape her charred skin. She grips Yuri's hand, fighting back pain. "Yuri, please tell me that Jiyong is okay."

When Yuri doesn't answer, Taeyeon forcefully sits up.

"Whoa, slow down." Sunny's protest goes unnoticed as Taeyeon has her eyes set on Yuri.

"Either you tell me or I walk out and find him myself, Kwon Yuri."

"18% third-degree posterior burn and an open wound around his occipital area. Satisfied?" Yuri stares back. "Now that you know, you will still run to find him anyway, won't you?"

"Room?" Taeyeon already swings one foot out of the hospital bed despite Sunny's loud objection. Yuri says nothing. She simply walks out of the room shaking her head.

"At least wait until your wound is properly dressed!" Sunny presses her palm on Taeyeon's chest while the hand that's holding a forceps point at Taeyeon's knee.

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Comments

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windflower01
#1
Chapter 29: This story is truly a gem.
soshifiedpixie #2
Chapter 29: reread parts of this today. you did so well authornim!
forgotme #3
Chapter 29: Request for a sequel??😁 or another yulsic.. You did great..
starfl
#4
Chapter 29: It’s been what? Five months I think! I’m so sorry. I got stuck at chapter 27 I guess… :( I have a trip and also continue with my studies! I’m so sorry but finally I finished this…

…and it was soooo awesome! The best! THE BEST! I loved so much. Thank you for writing an awesomely piece like this. :’) I’m sad because this is the end!!! I got emotional
langsircoklat #5
This story is so exciting to read..please make another yulsic story..😍
kun90ero
#6
Chapter 29: wii happy ending, makasi penulis terbaik deh kamu
SoneBuddy
11 streak #7
Chapter 29: Happy ending for everyone. Thank you author 😊
soshifiedpixie #8
Chapter 29: taeyeon and jiyong's having a baby and yuri and sica's getting married🥺💖 thank you so much for this great story!
kimtaeny1110 #9
Chapter 29: Gosh i love this gang..., so sad that it ends here
Keichan13 #10
Chapter 29: Five years of dating before meeting Yuri’s mother ahahaha far out! How did they do that for so long! Absolutely happy with the ending and also praying for your next story to be yulsic!