27 – the past

“Hello, Mr.Jung long time no see”, Mr.Kim greeted his childhood friend

“Nice to see you, Mr.Kim”, 

 

The two friends who haven’t seen each other for a long time finally manages to catch up with each other. When Mr.Jung and his family moved to another city, he and Mr.Kim haven’t seen each other since then.

During one of the seminars that both of them attended that is where they rekindle their friendship and started doing some business together. “Stop being so polite. This is not us, Dong Hwan”, Mr.Kim slaps him on the arm

 

“I know. We are not a very polite man”,

“Anyway’s I heard my daughter and your son are dating already. What is his name? Gosh, I forgot his name”, Mr.Jung scratches his forehead while drinking his tea.

 

Mr.Kim chuckles. “You are getting old now. It’s Kyung Tae my son. I am surprise when he brought her at home. Your daughter Jessica is so beautiful just like her mom”,

 

“No doubt about it. She is my wife’s mini me. About what we discussed before? Are you sure it is okay for your other son”?

Assuming the highest position at Hwang-Jung Technology, Mr.Kim and Mr.Jung suddenly came up with something that will benefit both of them. Mr.Kim suggested to hook his other son and Jessica to gain the trust of him that will eventually make it easier for them execute their plan.

 

The plan is make Mr.Jung’s daughter to lure Mr.Kim’s other son and make him fall in love so that she will have access to his office and some files. Mr.Kim’s company will enter a deal with the Hwang-Jung Technology even though his company is only new in the business.

 

They will use Mr.Kim’s son to get some contracts that Mr.Jung will also benefited. The will proposed a certain amount and Mr.Kim’s son will approve it without checking thoroughly because Mr.Jung’s daughter will serve as his distraction.

“You don’t have to worry about him. Taeyeon is not my real son. We adopted him because we are longing for our son who was taken from us. But now that Kyung Tae is here, he is nothing to us anymore. Besides, Kyung Tae already agrees with the plan”,

“Oh, I see. Poor boy. He will be so heartbroken after. But anyways, my daughter Jessica also agrees. She needed some funds to establish her clothing line in New York. A little bribe won’t hurt if the returns will be millions”,

Their plan is finally executed just like how they wanted it. Taeyeon is so oblivious with what is happening behind his back. He didn’t know that his brother is laughing at him every time Jessica will go home to him.

 

But things got out of control when Taeyeon suddenly decided to propose to her without consulting any of them. Both parties knew it is not supposed to be like that and instantly, Kyung Tae instructed her girlfriend to dump Taeyeon in the worst possible way because of his hidden jealousy of him.

 

For Kyung Tae, he blames Taeyeon for everything that happens to him. He blames Taeyeon for taking everything that is supposed to his. He is so mad at him because he is someone that he can’t be. He is jealous of him and it turns to a great anger.

 

On the night of the company’s party. Taeyeon decided to propose to her in fromt of many people but it wasn’t what he expected.

“I can’t Taeyeon. I am not yet ready to settle down. I want to focus on my business first in New York. Besides, I don’t think that I love you enough to marry you”,

 

She left and went to the car where her boyfriend Kyung Tae is waiting for him while Taeyeon is left in the middle of the party with cameras flashing on him. He was so devastated and heartbroken. He left the party and was never seen for months by everyone.

 

Taeyeon locked himself inside his small apartment. Alcohol became his way to heal the pain that he is feeling inside. He thought that his family will help him, give him some support but he was wrong. They left him too just like how they did before.

 

He felt worthless and unwanted. Because of everything that he’s been through with the hands of the people that he loves he suddenly became aloof and hot headed when he can’t get what he wants. 

 

Yuri drags him out after having enough of him. He brought him out of his apartment. They went to a place that forever change his life. Yuri brought him to a children’s hospital. “Look at them, they are hurting too but look at them still smiling and laughing. Taeyeon, being hurt is not a reason for you to stop living your life. You are healthy but you are slowly killing yourself. But those kids, they badly wanted to stay alive but they have limited chances”,

 

“We only live once. Make use of your time. Don’t let those people destroy you and be the reason for you to slowly kill yourself. Don’t waste your life because there are lot who wanted to have that life that you have”, Yuri said

 

Because of those kids, Taeyeon slowly begins to pick up pieces of his broken heart and start a new life. He is trying to be better for those kids even though he is still searching for some answers to all of his questions.

 

Present day

After his breakdown, Taeyeon seems to be different. He is always walking with his head low and avoiding everyone. He is hurt with what he found out but he was in great pain when people around him started spreading rumours about him seducing Tiffany for her money.

 

He will be staying in his office and sometimes the only time that he will go out is when he is heading home. Taeyeon also asks Tiffany to use her own car when going to work which the latter didn’t like at first. It is already a week since then and Tiffany cannot take it anymore.

 

“Taeyeon, let’s talk”, she went to his office 

 

“Can we talk later? I need to finish some reports”,

“No! Put it down. Why are you avoiding me? I can understand why you are avoiding everyone here but why am I included?”, Tiffany is trying her best to understand him and help him with what she is going through.

 

 A knock on the door stops her from confronting Taeyeon which he is very relieved. Tiffany return to her office and she needed to attend the meeting for the 10th anniversary of the company and also for the formal announcement of her being the daughter and new chairwoman of the corporation.

 

When she left, Taeyeon took it as his chance to get away from her because he is not yet ready to face her and even talk to her. He knows that he has no meetings for the day so, he grabs his bag fadt, turn off his computer and tell her secretary that he will be going somewhere.

But in reality, he went straight to a bar where he and Yuri always go to wind up and take a breather from everything. He is already quite known there by the bartenders and other waiters. It still very early when he gets there. “Hey, Taeyeon you know that we are still not yet open. What’s up? Haven’t seen you for a long time? “,

 

“It’s been a roller coaster this past few months. Can I have a whiskey?”, he asks the manager who let him.

 

Several hours later, Taeyeon is still there at the bar. He already has quite few drinks even though he is not a heavy drinker. He just wants to clear his mind and have his own time to think about his life. He is thinking about all the unfortunate events that had happened to him.

But his quiet night got interrupted when someone approached him while he is sitting at the corner of the bartender table. “Well, well. Look who is here? How are you my dear brother?”,

 

“Kyung Tae. What are you doing here?”, Taeyeon asks while gripping his glass of whiskey so tight because the last person he ever wanted to see the one that he hates the most.

 

“I’m here to celebrate with my wife. Wait, let me call her. I’m sure you miss her”, Kyung Tae says before disappearing in the dark

 

Taeyeon don’t understand what he meant by that because he don’t care about what he is talking about. He doesn’t want to tell him or even see his face. He drinks the remaining whiskey on his glass before paying his bill. He can’t stay there because he might lose his temper to his brother.

On his way out, he can hear Kyung Tae calling him but he still continues walking away which makes it worse. Kyung Tae forcefully grabs him by the arm that he almost fell down. “Don’t you turn your back on me when I am calling to you, !”,

“What did you just call me? Who do you think you are? You are nothing to me so why should I pay attention to a failure like you, huh?”, 

 

A punch landed on Taeyeon’s face and he fell down on the floor. Due to the amount of alcohol that he already had; he was helpless on the floor. Kyung Tae picks him up by the collar of his polo. “Say that I again. Come on, do you think we you will be where you are right now if mom and dad didn’t pick you from somewhere? Do you think you will be hired in that company just like that? Do you think you are really that great? Poor you”,

 

“What the are talking about? I am not like you! I worked hard to get what I want! you, Kyung Tae!”, Taeyeon manages to throw a punch on his brother’s face and that when he saw who is with him. “Jessica?”,

 

“Stop it, Tae. Just go!”,

 

Kyung Tae then got up while holding on to the side of his face where Taeyeon punched him. He is laughing at him, mocking him. “Let me tell you a short story my dear brother. There was a boy who got fired by his job because he threatened his senior and then landed a job on his dad’s best friend. Then his dad and his best friend agreed to used that poor boy to earn big from that company. But that poor boy fell on the trap, he fell in love just like what is written on the plan”,

Taeyeon is looking at them with tears forming on his eyes. Everything is getting clear to him now. The puzzle is getting complete. “What did you do to me!”,

 

“You thought Jessica really loves you? You thought you can have her. I still can remember how pathetic you look like when she just dumps you in front of many people. Poor Taeyeon, we’ve been together even before you got in with Uncle Dong Hwan’s office. Let me introduce to you my lovely wifi, Jessica”,

Jessica don’t know what to do because the way Taeyeon is looking at them is how he look at her when she dumped him that night. She wanted to say sorry but she doesn’t know how. “One more thing, thanks for giving me 50 million won. I hope you already done paying for it. Let’s go, baby”,

That’s it. Taeyeon loses it. He suddenly launches himself to Kyung Tae and punch him several times before Kyung Tae manages to push him away and he return the punches on Taeyeon. Having a much bigger body compare to Taeyeon it was so easy for him to beat him up but Taeyeon still fighting with every inch of his tiny body.

 

“Get up! Come on! You think you can beat me. Get up you motherer!”, he is kicking the helpless Taeyeon on the floor

He only stops when the bouncer separates them. While the bouncer is helping Taeyeon to get up, Kyung Tae slaps him on the face. “You are nothing but a piece of garbage that mom and dad already threw away long time ago!”,

“Shut up! I will make you all pay for what you did to me! I will make sure to take everything away from you!”,

Taeyeon got himself away from the bouncer and throws punches after every punch on his brother who fell to the ground while covering himself. He only stops when Jessica hug Kyung Tae. “Please, Taeyeon. Stop it”,

 

The bouncer picks him up and brought him to where he was sitting before the fight started. His face is bloody swollen. His left eye is shut close. And he is drunk. The manager got his phone and check his emergency contact. They can’t let him go home alone like that because he refused to go to the hospital too.

 

Meanwhile, Tiffany is getting worried. After her meeting, she found Taeyeon not in his office. She asked his secretary where he went and she don’t know too.

It is already 7pm and he is yet to come home or even texted her where he goes. Tiffany already called everyone who she thinks might be with him but all of them didn’t saw him. “God, Taeyeon where the hell did you go?!”

And then a call came in, it was Taeyeon. “Where are you? Go home now, Taeyeon”,

“I’m sorry but this is not Taeyeon. I am the manager of Island Bar”,

 

Tiffany heart started pounding so hard knowing that someone is calling her using his phone. “W-why do you have his phone? Did something happen to him?”,

“He just got into a fight. He is badly beaten and drank. Will you be able to pick him up or should book a cab for him”?

“Oh my god. I’ll come pick him up. Please look after him. I’m going now. Thank you”,

She quickly went out of their house and got inside to her car. It was the fastest drive that she ever did in her life. She knows that she might receive a ticket for over speeding but that she not her concern.

 

Tiffany knew that Taeyeon has a short temper issue but never did she ever imagine that one day she will receive a call telling her that he got in to a fight. She wanted to be so mad at him but she can’t because concern is over powering in her heart.

 

Arriving at the bar, the bouncer informs her where Taeyeon is staying. Because the bar is already open and it was a Friday night it was packed inside. It took her awhile to get to where Taeyeon. The moment her eyes landed on him; she can’t even say a word.

She is taken aback seeing his face. And blood is still dripping on his left eyes. “Oh my God. Who did this to you?”,

“Fany-ah”, hearing her voice Taeyeon hugged her instantly and started crying again.

“It’s okay, love. Can you get up? I need to bring you to the hospital. You’re bleeding”,

“No, just bring me ho-“, he did not even finish what he want to tell her because he suddenly collapses.

Tiffany feels like crying seeing the lifeless body of her boyfriend. She quickly shouted for help. Some of the men drinking near them saw what happened and they help her to bring Taeyeon to her car.

At the hospital, Taeyeon immediately receives treatment. He receives some stitches above his eyebrow, his right hand is broken and he also got a broken rib from what the doctor believe is from the excessive kicking on his abdomen.

She is so mad with whoever did that to him. From what the witness told her it was clear to her that Taeyeon didn’t started the fight. And it’s now her top priority to know who did that to him. Tiffany will not let it go without putting whoever that is behind bar.

“Hello, Attorney. I know this is a sudden call but I need to ask you a favor-“, Tiffany explain to her attorney what happened and she told him that she only want the name for the mean time. “Thank you so much. I will be expecting your call later. Alright, bye”,

After talking to him she sat beside him and held his hand. It is so painful to watch him lying in a hospital bed with bandages around his body and head. If only she could get half of the suffering he is facing. While looking at him, she didn’t notice she is already crying.

She quickly wipes it out when the doctor enters the room. “Ms.Hwang, the results are out. You don’t have to worry because there are no serious injuries on him. His left eye is thankfully did not cause any ruptures on his eye nerves. No bleeding in his head. But he needs to stay here for 2 more days for some observation. He is not allowed to move that much for the mean time because his ribs are really broken and swollen. His right hand to is broken but we don’t need to operate on it. The cast will help it heal faster. Did you already know who did it to him?”,

 

“Not yet but I already have someone investigating the incident”,

“That’s good. I will write a report about his injuries. You can press charges with how serious his injuries are. You better go home and change, he will be sleeping the whole because of the pain killers”,

She saw her reflection and her white tank top has blood on it. It reminds her of Taeyeon suddenly crying when he saw her. It created more questions to her. Who could have possibly done that to him? It looks like Taeyeon knew him and his holding a huge grudge against Taeyeon.

Tiffany calls Yuri and informs him of what happened to his best friend. He didn’t even let her finish; he hang up and Tiffany knows he is coming in the speed of light because that is what friends are for. Tiffany wanted to inform his family about his situation but she decided not to because they didn’t even bother greeting him on his birthday what more if they found out that he almost die again.

As expected, Yuri arrives in a speed of light. He is catching his breath as he walks near his best friend. His hand is shaking while his hair. “That son of a ! I will beat the hell out of him if I saw him!”, he said

“Who are talking about? Did you know who did that to him?”, Tiffany ask she can tell Yuri knows something but before he can even reply the door opens again. “Sooyoung? What are you doing here? How did you know we’re here?”,

“Yuri and I are having dinner when you called him”, Sooyoung answered while catching her breath too then her eyes landed to Taeyeon. “Is that Taeyeon? Oh my God! I can’t even recognize him. How did this happen to him?”,

“He got into a fight. Hold on-“, she pauses because her attorney is calling her. “Hello…okay. Please take some evidence and witness statements. Okay. Thank you so much.”,

Yuri and Sooyoung is waiting for her to talk. Tiffany didn’t know that name and she never heard it from Taeyeon too. “Yuri, did you know someone by the name Kim Kyung Tae?”,

“I knew it! I should have gone there! Argh! Did you know where he is right now? That motherer, I will beat the living s out of him! God!”, Yuri suddenly became so aggressive with the way he is talking.

He is about to leave the room but Sooyoung is quick enough to stop him. “Calm down, Yul. It won’t change the fact that Taeyeon is like that now if you will be like this. Tell us, who is that man?”,

“That is his step brother!”,

And it confirms Tiffany theory of who attacks Taeyeon. It was the last straw for her. It’s time for her to save him from them one way or another. “How did you know that it was him right away?”, she asks Yuri.

Yuri flops on the couch with his head up pinching the bridge of his nose. “One of our friends who knew his brother sent me a video a while ago. He told me that Kyung Tae is back and at the bar with his friends and wife. It was so dark and I couldn’t really see who he was beating up. I didn’t even finish the whole video. If only I knew that Taeyeon was there! If only I didn’t decline when he asked me for a drink, he should not be like that. This my fault!”,

“It’s not, Yuri. Don’t blame yourself. No one knows that it will happen, I’m sure Taeyeon also didn’t expect that. If anyone is to be blame for this, it’s his step brother. Taeyeon has been suffering for years because of him. I will not let him be able to bully him this time. He will pay for what he did, even their parents will have to pay for what they did to him”,

 

Sooyoung is getting lost with what they are talking about. “Give me your phone. I want to watch the video, maybe we could hear something about his motive to beat Taeyeon like that”,

The video starts with a man wearing a black polo walking to the bartender’s counter. The one who is filming it is definitely following Kyung Tae. He also can be heard saying ‘the son of a is back’. Though he keeps on recording but it still very dark.

The first video ends when Kyung Tae went to the far corner of the counter. Yuri then played the second video which is longer than the first one. The video is so shaky that you will think that it was accidentally recorded but few seconds later Kyung Tae was seen approaching a man walking away.

“Don’t you turn your back on me when I am talking to you, !”, 

“What did you just call me? Who do you think you are? You are nothing to me so why should I pay attention to a failure like you, huh?”, 

“Oh my God!”, Sooyoung reacted with every punch that is landing to Taeyeon’s face. “He is triple the size of him! He is a monster”,

Tiffany is covering with tear running down her face. It is so painful watching the love of your is being beaten up by someone who is supposed to be protecting him because they are still family even though they are not blood related.

Because of the loud sounds from the bar and people circling around the two, they can’t really hear everything. Some parts are incoherent and some are not.

 “One more thing, thanks for giving me 50 million won. I hope you already done paying for it. Let’s go, baby”,

“Wait. Can you go back like 5 seconds ago”, Yuri asks Sooyoung who is holding his phone. “There! That’s Jessica! I am 100% sure that it’s her! All along I am really right about her! I wish they all rot in hell for everything that they did to my best friend!”,

 

The video ended when the bouncer stops Kyung Tae from kicking Taeyeon on the floor. “Guys, can someone please explain to me who is this monster? Why did he become Taeyeon’s step brother? Why is he so mad at him if Taeyeon gave him 50 million won”?

 

“Taeyeon is an adopted child of the Kim. Kyung Tae was kidnapped when he was young. Long story short, the Kim managed to get him back but it was already years. When the real son returns, the adopted son was thrown away. Kyung Tae doesn’t want to share anything with Taeyeon so, he tormented him, he did everything to make him go away. And that 50 million won, Taeyeon didn’t give him that. He took a loan out of his name and run away with the money. It left Taeyeon in big debt that up to now he hasn’t been able to pay it all”, Yuri explains 

“But why didn’t he say anything to their parents? It’s unfair for Taeyeon to shoulder that big amount”,

“He did. He even beg them to listen to him but no one listen to him because for them, their real son will never do that. They never believe him because Kyung Tae brainwashed them so that it will be easy for him to kick Taeyeon out of his family. I’ve been telling him that we can split up so that he will finish paying it but Taeyeon rather work for it than asking for someone else”,

 

Tiffany wipe her tears and went to sit beside her love. “He already paid that loan. I begged him to let me help him with that. He is struggling financially but he never asked me for money. You know what, there was a time that we went to the mall because I need a new pair of suit. I saw him looking at a blue coat! I knew that he wanted that but despite working so hard and having a decent job, he can’t even afford to buy himself a new one!”,

“He can’t freaking buy something for himself because of what his brother did to him. Taeyeon is struggling but he is enjoying his life to fullest! I will never forgive that man for what he had done to Taeyeon. Their whole family is to be blame for causing him to grow up feeling unwanted and worthless. I-I hate for hurting him so much”, Tiffany breaks down

 

The reality of the what could have happened tonight is finally getting in to her. She is so scared that she almost loses him that night because of someone. Her crying is getting so loud that Sooyoung immediately went to her side.

Sooyoung knows she needs to calm her or else she will hyperventilate. “Fany, breathe. Come on. You can’t go back from who you are before. Taeyeon needs you. You have to be stronger for the both of you. Come on, relax”, she said while rubbing her back.

“I am- What will I do if he will be taken from! I was so scared to lose him. I can’t lose him, Sooyoung. He’s all that I have”, Tiffany confesses to her best friend.

She continues to cry on her arms and Sooyoung just letting her to vent out. She want Tiffany to tell her everything that is on her mind because that will help her be fine afterwards. Tiffany is so exhausted with everything that she fell asleep on the small bed beside Taeyeon. 

“Both of them has been through a lot. They both been through worst that we can even imagine. I just hope that what happened tonight will be the end of Taeyeon’s long battle. He deserves to enjoy the life that he and Tiffany is having right now”, Yuri says while watching the two peacefully sleeping. “Let’s go get them some clothes. Tiffany needs to change, her top got some bloods on it”,