53
Defence
In the early morning she made the trip to Taecyeon’s apartment surprising him when he unlocked the door for her. The shock was so obvious in his expression that Yoona kind of regretted the idea of going there so early in the morning.
“Come in,” he said holding the door open.
Yoona stepped inside and glanced around while taking her shoes off.
“Had you eaten breakfast?” he asked. “We’re just about to eat.”
She listened to him say “We’re”.
“I had a bagel along the way,” Yoona replied walking with him toward the kitchen.
Though it was short, she liked the moment of having walked side by side with him. When they reached the entrance Yoona watched as Victoria set two plates on the table without looking up. She looked so ordinary…no one would have figured that she was a fugitive hiding from the cops, the government, and the men who were after her.
“Ah…Yoona!” she called.
Yoona looked to see her smile and quickly waved for her to go over.
“Did you make breakfast today?” Yoona asked placing her hands on the chair in front of her.
“It wasn’t me,” Victoria responded. “Sit down. Have breakfast.”
Yoona wasn’t about to reject an offer she’d never heard before. She sat down gladly while watching Victoria place another plate in front of her then sat beside her. Taecyeon sat across from her and Yoona looked up to see their eyes meet.
“Sorry if it’s not enough for the three of us,” he apologized. “Dig in.”
Yoona smiled and picked up her utensils. During the meal she found herself stealing a few glances at Taecyeon every few seconds. And the meal went through silently and ended with a farewell from Taecyeon, who was heading off to work. Before he left Yoona caught him at the door.
“This is the key to my uncle’s apartment. Don’t worry about the payment. It gets paid automatically from his bank account. It’s a place he stays sometimes but he rarely goes back. Feel free to make yourself at home there.” Yoona explained handing him the key.
He stared at it uncertainly as if it were still a decision he hadn’t yet agreed to, “Free? I feel bad.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s all on my uncle,” Yoona assured, “he’s fine with the decision because it’s only momentarily.”
After a long debate Taecyeon finally took the key and left.
After closing the door Yoona helped wash up the dishes.
“How are you feeling? Better, I hope,” Yoona said.
“I’m good, so don’t act like I’m disabled.”
Yoona chuckled. “You up for a walk?”
Victoria glanced at her, “Sure.”
It was an awfully warm day when they began their trek down the sidewalk alongside the light morning traffic. The cars rumbled by and the loud music from within the cars overwhelmed the large metal builds with the heavy vibrating brass within the music notes
“Will you be fine by yourself?” Yoona asked. “Can you still move around ok?”
“I can survive. I’m not as weak.”
They walked alongside each other with their footsteps in perfect sync.
“I trust you,” Yoona said.
Victoria was silent then said, “When Ok Taecyeon moves out, I think it’d be a good idea if you often visit him.”
Yoona turned to look at her friend surprised with her suggestion.
“It’d be a good idea if you two became good friends.” Victoria suggested.
“Why?”
“One thing the two of you have in common is that you both aren’t very happy.” Victoria went on. “You can help each other heal that. And didn’t you know? Ok Taecyeon liked you a lot from the start.”
Yoona felt stunned from her words. Was it real? Was it the truth? Was it? Taecyeon had felt that way?
Victoria turned to her and smiled.
“Ok Taecyeon…likes me?” Yoona asked.
Victoria nodded. “It’d be better if you didn’t hide beneath that shell of yours. Be it now or later…chances only come around once, right?”
Yoona smiled thrilled. In the midst of her excitement she had dropped Taecyeon’s favor from her mind.
- - - - -
Taecyeon arrived at work in a good mood and greeted the receptionist he worked with cheerily. She smiled back and leaned forward in her four wheeled chair.
“Guess who came in this morning?” she whispered, her eyes searching around for any eavesdroppers.
“Who?”
“The CEO’s mom.”
“Why? Did the boss do something?” Taecyeon wondered and hoped that Donghae had gotten a good lashing from his mother.
The receptionist shook her head quickly dissolving his hopes, “I heard her talking to Secretary Jung, guess what it was about?”
“What’s with this guessing game this morning?” he questioned.
She rolled her eyes impatiently. “Be more curious, will you?”
“What?” he asked leaning against the table with his arm.
“She’s planning a wedding for the CEO.” the receptionist answered feverously shaking her head.
“What? Wedding? Again?” he wondered.
She shook her head, “But I heard it’s not the same gal from before. So you’re pretty much off the hook for having a crush on her! Aren’t you glad?!”
She nudged him playfully but Taecyeon didn’t feel the excitement.
“Who is it then?” he was ever more curious now.
“I don’t know,” she shrugged sitting back down, “some girl, I guess, but I heard that they’re waiting to meet with her parents first.”
“Why? Are her parents so special?” Taecyeon asked.
“Maybe…” she nodded putting a finger to her chin as if it’d help her remember. “The names ring a bell but I can’t remember.”
“Aish…forget you. You’re always gossiping. What about your job? What about your job?” he asked turning around so that his back was to her.
While he was silent he could still hear her talking to herself behind him. A moment later he heard her tapping her keyboard loudly then a second later slapped her hands together with a loud shout.
“I knew it!” she shouted.
Taecyeon looked over his shoulder to see that her eyes were wide.
“Did you win the world cup or something?” he sarcastically joked.
“I found it! I found it! I knew his name was familiar!”
“Who?” he asked clueless. “The CEO’s new fiancée?”
“Exactly!” she answered with a sharp nod. “Her mother was a fierce lawyer and her father owned a large estate business that he gave up. It’s amazing, don’t you think? What a perfect family that girl has! Imagine all the good looks she must have attained from such famous parents!”
“Dream on. Just save money and get surgery,” Taecyeon told. “That’s why you’re working such a well paid job, right?”
“Tsh!” the receptionist scorned him. “But doesn’t our CEO fall in love a lot? He gets all these rich girls as fiancées…ahhh! If I had a little more money on me I’d probably be a perfect match with him.” she cooed.
“Don’t you have a boyfriend?” Taecyeon spouted causing the receptionist to turn away.
- - - - -
Donghae pushed the glass doors open and walked in to be greeted by classical music. Along the deep red carpets surrounding him were glass cases with jewelry of all sorts safely locked inside. Ranging from necklaces to earrings to bracelets to gold and silver diamond rings.
About twelve feet in front of him he saw a woman wearing a large tan fox fur overcoat looking through a set of jewelry. As usual his mother had her hair bundled up into a tight bun, a gleaming pearl necklace of pure white hanging about her neck. It sort of looked like it was choking her.
“This one looks nice. How many carats? Seven?” her heard her asking as he walked toward her.
“What’s this?” he asked finally standing beside her. “You called me out so you can decorate me?”
“Where were you?” she asked without turning to look at him. “You weren’t at work this morning.”
As expected, no greeting. He shrugged, “Maybe I was still home but you, yourself, just assumed that I already left. Don’t you know that some days I like to sleep in and others I don’t?”
“What kind of schedule is that?” she questioned. “Anyhow, pick one.”
“Why? Is it for me?” he finally glanced down at the set of gold rings all decorated neatly with diamonds in various patterns.
“Do these look like they’re for you? They’re wedding rings intended for the bride,” his mother replied coldly.
“Wedding ring?” he repeated half shocked. “Why are we looking at these now?”
“Do you think I’m stupid?” she asked as if taken aback by a comment he’d let slip. “If you bring a ring to her she’ll have to immediately say yes! What kind of a woman would reject such a beautiful piece of jewel?”
“Mom,” he noted stated his ground. “It’s not going to work like that.”
“You don’t believe me?” she tried. “Why don’t you give it a try?”
Donghae stared at his mother at a loss. He was seriously half tempted to try it but his other half still denied it.
“What if it doesn’t?” he finally asked after gulping.
“Then…we have to bring her parents out,” she answered coolly as if she’d had everything planned ahead of time. “Trust me.”
Donghae stared at her then glanced at the ring set and back to her. “What makes you so sure? And you never told me why you’re doing this.”
“Why, you ask?” she repeated turning to look at him and pursed her lips in a formal manner. “I want money, who doesn’t? I want a share of land, who doesn’t? We’re supposed to gain something in return for bringing their daughter to live with us. Other than the eternal safety we’re guaranteed from Yoona’s family, don’t you think this is a lot better?”
However it was, he only found himself staring at his selfish mother without a word to be said. He was going crazy about whether to go to the devil or the angel within him.
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