20 | Patience

***

30 minutes of a drive around the nearby area where Seohyun and Seoyoung were left by Yoong, they finally found him, in a park, sitting by the bench alone. The plastic food he bought as he promised to his family is on his right, untouched.

"No, I got him." Before Seohyun could step out of the car, Taeyeon stopped her. "There are people around." He reminded and glances to Seoyoung at the backseat who is busy with some children's videos.

Seohyun got what her brother-in-law meant and nodded gently. "Talk to him. He seemed down, Oppa." She said in concern.

A small smile and nod were seen in Taeyeon before he steps out of the car. Wearing the baseball cap, he casually approached his brother and didn't call him as he sits on his right.

Yoong tilts his head when he felt someone sits next to him. "Hey." And greeted his brother softly but with a sad sigh.

"Seohyun called me that's why I am here. What's wrong?" Taeyeon's voice is low yet soft and worried. He can see his brother's dark sad eyes which are making him sad unknowingly. "Talk to me." 

"I received a call from one of the boards." Yoong pause and sighs deeply. "There's going to be a meeting tomorrow with the board and directors. They'll be voting me if I stay in the company or not. The stock rate is dropping once again because of the scandal. I'm sorry, Hyung." Explained him, apologetically.

The news got Taeyeon surprised. "I never heard anything about that." He Hastily took his phone out and check his messages and there was an unread message from his secretary, informing him about the meeting. "No way." He tried to call her but his brother stopped him.

A bitter chuckle escapes Yoong's mouth. He patted his brother's shoulder and shakes his head. "It's okay. I'm sorry as well for bothering you tonight. I should've returned to my family earlier... But I got lost with my own emotions." 

"Don't worry, they can't vote you out. You know why? Yul can't give his vote until he wakes up." Taeyeon is sure his brother will stay.

"What happened to Yul?" Yoong got confused.

"He's apparently in the hospital. But he'll be fine just like Nurse Jung tells us."

"But what if there's no need for his vote?"

"Yah, half of the board members like you. I'm sure they'll show support. But I'm confident you'll make it through. Think of the case your lawyers are preparing to file. That's how you can clear your name. And your family, they need you right now, bro. So let's go back now." Taeyeon ended it with a bear hug with his brother. Being the older as always, he felt responsible for him. 

Yoong nodded as he smiles a little. She had enough of being emotional.

:::

[Tiffany's apartment]

"What happened?" Tiffany immediately asks Taeyeon when she saw him walking out of the kitchen, holding the two mugs of choco she especially requested, wearing a white sweater like her.

Handing the other to his girlfriend, Taeyeon took a sip of his own drink first and smile warmly at her. "He just received the call of the meeting tomorrow." He explained softly. 
 

"Meeting of what?" Tiffany casually sips her own choco as well.

"Since the company is affected by the news, they demand to vote him out of the company." 
 

"What?!" exclaimed Tiffany. "How could they do that to the person who has the big impact in your company? And that news wasn't even true." She firmly ended her statement. That just annoys her. "Boycott it. You can't let that happen."

Taeyeon shakes his head. "I can't do that, love. You know the board of directors is part of the company. But I would definitely vote yes to let him stay or no so he won't leave." He gently caresses his girlfriend's cheek and smiles. "Don't worry, there's no way Yoong is leaving."

"I hope so." Tiffany let out a sigh. She is having a bad feeling about it. "Aish, Stephanie should stop first. I heard she will be having an interview tomorrow to talk about the issue. What is Yoong doing though? He hasn't released any statement."

"His lawyers are investigating it first and will come up with an official statement later. Relax and drink your choco." Chuckled Taeyeon softly. He can see her worries so much that it's a little concerning for his part too. "You have to heal up with your foot too, remember?"

"I know but what's going on right now makes me forget my injured foot." Tiffany mutters. "And I know you're hurting as well." she scooted closer so she could hug and comfort him. "But I'm proud... because I can see how you are staying strong for everyone, especially to your brother's family." 

Taeyeon smiled, feeling warmth with his girlfriend's one-arm hug. He returned it and kiss her on the cheek. "Thanks my love." whispers her. "You are one of the reasons I'm staying strong." 

Pulling back, Tiffany gently fixes his hair and smiles sweetly. "But don't get too stress okay? You might get older early." she giggles.

"What? Do you know that even if I am stress, I will forever be young?" Taeyeon corrected as he believes so.

"Why would you be? I just heard that." chuckles Tiffany, can't believe it.

Putting the mug down to the table, Taeyeon holds her face in both cheeks and kisses her a few times affectionately. "Because I have you by my side." he said, grinning in the process. "You're the reason I look younger these days, love."

Tiffany hits his shoulder playfully. "Silly." 

"It's true." 

"Really? Prove it." She dared, smirking at him.

Taeyeon once again captures her lips and her hands held the back of her neck as he nibbles her lips that earned a sigh and her response that grows, passionately. His left-hand makes its way to her back to hold her in place. Tiffany's hands on the other hand are on his chest.

Slowly and gently, their mouth is moving against each other, as it makes their heart flutter. It's one of the kisses that they love. No rush as they savor each second and live the moment of bliss only they could feel from each other.

As a minute passes, their breath got heavy. And they stop momentarily just to kiss once again but only for a couple of seconds as they heard a doorbell.

"You taste like choco." Taeyeon whispered while smiling giddily.

"And so are you." Giggles Tiffany. She was about to get up when the young chairman beats her. "Ask for a free if they got something." she instructed, knowing it's the food she ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am." said Taeyeon as he reached the door and gently open it. He got the order and ask for any free. The delivery boy was ready to give the box of chicken lollipop which he got right away and returned to handed it to his girlfriend who got so excited when she saw the free food. "Tsk, did you order this just to get that?" he chuckled in amusement.

"That restaurant is having their anniversary sale, so it's not surprising though." Tiffany shamelessly replied as she happily took a big bite.

Shaking his head, Taeyeon could only pinch his adorable girlfriend's rosy cheeks. Tiffany just giggles too and doesn't miss to feed him, which leads them to feed each other playfully, leading to more laughter. 

-

"You're staying for the night right?" while cleaning up the living room, Tiffany realized the time and ask her boyfriend nearby.

"Nope." Taeyeon shakes his head.

"Why not?"

"I have to go to the office early. You know I can't be on time if I stay for the night. Weekend, absolutely."

Tiffany sighs in defeat as she can't deny the fact. "Fine. It's not the first time either way."

"We'll have a meaningful weekend." Taeyeon winks at her and he earned a sweet smile before they resumed cleaning the entire living room.

:::

It's finally her off duty but unlike her usual routine, Jessica is making her way to the ICU room where Yul is still in. She was confident earlier that he will be out of the room before it gets dark but his condition hasn't gotten better. 

"Krystal. What are you doing here?" She spotted her sister, standing outside the room that causes her to jogs.

"Unnie, when will he wake up?" Krystal is as worried as her older sister. "I heard from the nurse he had seizures earlier which means he isn't getting better."

"It's only been hours since his surgery, it was normal. But really didn't expect him to stay sleeping at this rate. Maybe tomorrow he'll get some progress." Jessica told her sister, pulling her for a side hug.

"We can't even enter." a sad pout appeared on Krystal's features.

"It'll be dangerous if we enter. His immune system is weak." Jessica explained with a deep sigh. "Supposedly we'll have a dinner date tonight, looks like I will have to look after him rather."

"Himnae, Unnie." Krystal cheered on, rubbing her sister's back. She witnesses their relationship and will be the first to get hurt if something happens to them. 

"Thanks, Krys."

"But don't forget to eat, okay?" Before she'll forget, she pulled up the paper bag she's holding in her other hand to show it. "It's good for two though so I can join you tonight's dinner date." she flashes a cheerful smile earning a small smile at least from her sister.

"Did you call Omma and Appa?" Jessica took the paper bag and ushers her sister to take their seats on the nearby bench.

"Yes. I told them you might even not go home."

"What did they say?"

"They're fine with it. Of course, they understand the situation. So yeah, don't worry about it." Krystal said as she handed her sister chopsticks and the pack of food.

"Aish, instead of steak or salad I'm eating jajangmyeon." Jessica jokes but she definitely doesn't care. After a long day of work, she deserves comforting food to fill her stomach. "Thanks for this, dongseng." 

"By the way Unnie, have you seen this?" Krystal took her phone out of her pocket and showed the article that was trending on the portal site.

Jessica nodded with a small brief smile. "That's not true." And she informed her sister without a doubt.

"I know right? That's why I commented this." Krystal scrolls down to the comment section and proudly showed it to her sister.

'Stephanie is pathetic. How can she gets so low just to make up some stories? Mr. Im is a family man and loves his wife so much. Don't ever believe this sh*t.'

Jessica chuckled and knock on her sister's forehead. "At least not use any curse." she scolded.

"But my comment is true. It's the way to make others get on my comment." Krystal giggles, still proud of it.

"Yeah, you're one of the top comments. What do you get from that?"

"Fame."

Knocking her sister's head again, Jessica regretted it when she received a knock on the head as well. "Aish." 

"At least you are smiling right now." Krystal giggles, happy to see it from her older sister who looked about to collapse when she first saw her earlier.

"Does most of the netizens believe it though?" Taking another big bite of her food, Jessica casually proceed.

"Sadly mostly believes Mr. Im cheated on Ms. Seo." Krystals sighs and pouts.

"It will die on its own I'm pretty sure of it." Jessica isn't worried at all. "But Yoong should defend himself too, so it won't damage more his reputation." 

"True Unnie. Also to protect his family." Krystal added firmly. She suddenly saw her sister's hand and quickly close her eyes tight anticipating a knock but instead of it, she felt a rub that flutters her heart. She opened her eyes back and smile a little. "Wae?"

"You are right." Jessica said simply as she took another big bite ignoring her sister's confused stares.

:::

Stretching his arms and bends his body from left to right, Yoong let out a huge yawn in the early morning, walking downstairs casually but stopped midway when he saw who's ahead of him on the stairs, walking down carefully like an adorable chick wearing pair of chick pajamas. He decided to watch her silently while following her until she reached the floor. 

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