“Whew~” Taeyeon panted as she placed the groceries on the kitchen counter. She checked the time and she just realized that she and Leeteuk spent 4 whole hours on the mall—buying whiteboard to write the rules on, eating lunch, buying her office attire, duplicating the house’s main key, and grocery-shopping. 5:42PM. Time to start preparing dinner.

Just when Taeyeon started chopping mincing, slicing and paring the ingredients for their dinner, Leeteuk came to the kitchen and informed her, “I just hung the whiteboard on the wall adjacent to my room. The hallway to the bathroom, arasseo?”

“Whatever,” Taeyeon showed no sign of interest and continued the knife-works.

She heard no response from Leeteuk and assumed that maybe he has gone to his room or the living room. Whatever.

The sound of Leeteuk’s toes tapping on the floor behind her told her that she was wrong. Suddenly, she felt Leeteuk staring at her from behind and it made her feel uneasy. Taeyeon turned around and said, “You can rest in your room, Park Jungsoo-ssi. I’ll just call you when dinner is ready.” She pointed the knife in her hand towards the door of Leeteuk’s room.

“I’m good here,” Leeteuk did not move and gestured her to continue what she was doing.

“Well, I’m not. You’re making me feel uneasy,” Taeyeon admitted and started slicing again.

“I just realized now that it’s so fascinating to watch someone cook.”

Taeyeon sighed and turned around once more, facing Leeteuk again. “That’s creepy,” she shivered. “It’s not like I’m your wife or what. Go and get married soon so you can watch your wife’s back but for now PLEASE go inside your room,” she wiped a bead of sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand—the heat from the water she’s boiling made the atmosphere humid and sticky.

“I told you--” Leeteuk was interrupted by his own phone ringing. He reached in his pockets and answered, “Hello?” He had no choice but to walk to his room and leave Taeyeon.

“Jungsoo-ah,”a sweet buttery voice called and Leeteuk immediately recognized it.

“Kahee noona! You called.”

“Am I welcome for dinner tonight?” she asked.

“Yes, of course,” Leeteuk’s face suddenly lit up at the thought of seeing Kahee tonight.

“Then open the door for me,” Kahee laughed on the other end of the line.

Leeteuk immediately know what Kahee is up to so he stumbled running to the front door and hung up. “Kahee noona! You came!”

“Surprised?” Kahee asked playfully as she handed a plastic of groceries to Leeteuk who ushered her to come inside.

“Happy,” Leeteuk admitted.

Kahee removed her high heels and came in. “Those groceries are for your always-empty kitchen cupboards,” she joked.

Leeteuk suddenly thought that it was unnecessary because he and Taeyeon just went shopping a while ago. He thanked her anyway, “Komawo, noona!”

“So where’s Kim Taeyeon-ssi?” Kahee asked as she sat on the couch, tucking one leg beneath her.

“You know already?” Leeteuk’s eyes widened.

“Auntie had already told me everything,” Kahee confessed, referring to Leeteuk’s mother, Park Hansoo. She then laughed gracefully, “You and Taeyeon-ssi are soooo messed up!”

“Aish! Eomma is so..” Leeteuk said as he sat beside Kahee.

“Where’s she?” Kahee titled her head to the side.

“Preparing dinner in the kitchen.”

“So that’s what smells good,” Kahee nodded, smiling. “Interesting!” She then stood up and walked towards the kitchen. “Kim Taeyeon-ssi?” she called.

Leeteuk just grumbled something under his breath.

Taeyeon on the other hand, was thinking about Kangin's confusing text message that she recieved earlier today when they were in the mall. It said:

Taeyeon-ah, ILOVEYOU! <-- You know that already.. I'll call you soon :* Mianhae~

Does that mean we're okay now?

Is he still mad?

Nah, I bet Kangin oppa's already calmed down.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she was caught off-guard by a woman’s voice calling her name—she thought that only she and Leeteuk were here. “Oww!” she shrieked as the knife cut her thumb.

Leeteuk and Kahee ran towards the kitchen immediately upon hearing her scream.

“What happened, Kim Taeyeon-ssi?” Kahee asked as she rushed beside Taeyeon.

“I was just disoriented when I heard you calling me,” she laughed nervously as she squeezed the bleeding finger and showed it to Kahee.

“Eomo, what a babo,” Leeteuk muttered.

Taeyeon quickly stepped in front of the sink and the faucet. She was about to put her bleeding thumb under the running water but Leeteuk quickly grabbed her wrist and stopped her. He yelled, “Are you crazy?!”

Kahee laughed as she opened cabinets in search for the first aid kit. “I’ll get the first aid kit. Jungsoo-ah, let her sit at the dining table first.”

Taeyeon heard this and refused. “Aniyo. Thanks but it’s fine. I will just have to wash this,” she said, yanking her hand away from Leeteuk’s hold.

Leeteuk snatched it back and dragged her to the dining table. “Let’s listen to noona, arasseo? Rule #4, remember? Be kind to.. her..” he hissed at Taeyeon.

Taeyeon cowered from Leeteuk’s cold voice and just nodded, letting him pull her away.

Kahee arrived with the kit in her hands and smiled at the sight of Leeteuk still holding Taeyeon’s wrist. She wordlessly sat on the other side of Taeyeon.

With his free hand, Leeteuk opened the kit and searched for the wound cleaner.

“Let me go,” Taeyeon said softly, almost like a whisper.

Even though she liked the sight of Leeteuk’s hand around Taeyeon’s wrist, she said, “It’s okay. I’ll do it, Jungsoo-ah.”

Leeteuk looked at Kahee and let go of Taeyeon’s hand. He handed the bottle of wound cleaner to Kahee.

Kahee tended to Taeyeon’s cut with the latter grunting now and then in pain. Leeteuk watched intently as Kahee did the job like an expert.

“Jungsoo-ah,” Kahee called as she wrapped Band-Aid on Taeyeon’s thumb.

“Neh, Kahee noona?”

“Go do something else . I’ll help Taeyeon-ssi prepare dinner,” Kahee suggested as she let go of Taeyeon’s hand.

Leeteuk did as he was told with heavy footsteps.

“It’s done,” Kahee said contentedly, looking at Taeyeon with a smile. “Sorry for Jungsoo, he can be childish at times. Get used to it.”

“Neh. Komawoyo, Kahee-ssi,” Taeyeon slightly bowed.

“Kahee unnie is fine. Let’s drop the formalities,” Kahee suggested.

“Neh,” Taeyeon stood up and walked towards the kitchen counter.

Kahee followed her and stood beside her.

“Kahee unnie, you can go back there with Jungsoo-ssi. He might kill me if I let you work,” Taeyeon laughed as she did some seasoning and stirring.

Kahee laughed along, “I’ll kill him if he tries to kill you.”

“No, please,” Taeyeon insisted.

“I want to help!” Kahee said as she started cleaning up the vegetable peelings.

“You really don’t know?”

“Huh? What do you mean, Taeyeon-ssi?”

Taeyeon paused from cooking and said, “Jungsoo-ssi likes you. A lot.”

Kahee laughed, totally surprising Taeyeon.  “Oh that! I knew that already but puh-leeease!”

Taeyeon tilted her head to the side, “Waeyo?”

“He’s been pursuing my heart for years and he wouldn’t give up even though I told him soooo many times already that I only see him as my dongsaeng,” Kahee explained.

Taeyeon checked the stew for a second and turned to Kahee. “That’s good for you, then, unnie!” she winked.

“Why?” Kahee asked, “Don’t you two get along well?”

Taeyeon shook her head and answered, “Well.. you can say that. We even have to set up and make our own rules.”

Kahee held her chin, amused. “You two act like kids.”

Taeyeon just scratched her head and stirred the stew.

“So tell me, Taeyeon-ssi.. What are your rules?” Kahee asked excitedly.

“Psssh,” Taeyeon pouted. “I only get to make three rules while he had six!”

“So childish. So your rules are..?”

Taeyeon wiped her hands dry on a towel and counted with her fingers. “My First Rule is that my friends and boyfriend get to visit me here once every two weeks. The Second Rule was that he can never go inside my room and the Third Rule is..” Taeyeon hesitated for a moment if she was going to tell Kahee because her last rule was, well.. kinda embarrassing.

“Why’d you stop?” Kahee asked.

Taeyeon smiled nervously and confessed, “Well, the last rule was only for formality’s sake—something I came up with at the spur of the moment.”

“Oh come on, I’m your unnie now.. Tell me, please! Tell me!” Kahee tugged her arm playfully and excitedly.

“It’s weird, though because my Third Rule is that he shall not fall in love with me,” Taeyeon smiled sheepishly, fiddling with her fingers.

“Well, that was harsh,” Kahee seriously said.

Taeyeon had to make sure that she heard it right. “Neh, Kahee unnie?”

“Your last rule was the hardest, I said.”

Taeyeon took a last look at the stew she was working on and turned off the stove. “Jungsoo-ssi even laughed at me when I stated my last rule,” she recalled, thinking aloud.

Kahee laughed as she opened the cupboards for the dinnerware. “He did?”

Taeyeon nodded.

“You know what? If I were a boy, I think I already have developed this little crush on you even though I just met you not long ago,” Kahee said as she started preparing the table.

“Ehhhhhhh,” Taeyeon did not believe a word Kahee said. She sees herself as someone who would not even stand out in a crowd. “I’m even lucky enough to have someone, like Kangin oppa, like me for myself,” she consciously thought. “Thanks anyway, Kahee unnie,” she said as she helped Kahee set the table.

“Cute. Very cute,”Kahee whispered to herself, smiling.

I can see some faint sparks there.. do you? LOL :D Hey, readers.. you can totally tell me how you feel about what’s been going on with the story, neh? I appreciate it! ^.^

Please also support my new HaeFany oneshot entitled "Her Heart's Havoc!" Click HERE to start reading! :)

COMMENT REPLIES

@hellgirl21. >:D well, i think so, too! but, of course, in time.. :)

@shanaa12. oh, yes, yes, Mrs. Park Hansoo is still bound to have a bigger role on the TaeTeuk Couple's story but it will appear in the latter part of this fic. LOL :D SPOILER ALERT! your wish is my command..

@ ParkEunIn. gyaaaaah~ :3 i don't think i updated soon enough for this one.. :( forgive me, neh?

@oblivionvip. oh oh! the rules will be important in this story, too, you know.. so stay tuned, arasseoyo? ^^

@HeeSicaLin. no worries, dear.. it's okay and i'm really glad to hear that my story's fun to read~ :)))

@gladyz888 & @SNSDletitrain.THEY BOTH WILL REGRET making up these stupid rules.. i think..?? LOL :D

@SooSunSica. hmmm.. we'll know who's gonna break Taeyeon's last rule first in the succeeding chapters >:D yes, Taeyeon is smart.. she needs to be! XD and about the fight between Kangin and Taeyeon.. QUESTION ANSWERED! :P