Chapter 29: Arrival

“When are we leaving?” Yoona asked.

Now that I could properly look at my father, he looked stressed and worn out. Not the eye-smiling, cheery man I was used to. His hair was now grey and thinning, and the skin around his eyes drooped in a tired manner, the whites of his eyes were red and bloodshot. They was no longer that sparkle in his eye, just frustration.

He had been under a lot of stress lately. With my mother in hospital, he’s been worried sick about her. Since her condition has not been improving, it left him to run Hwang Corp on his own. Then Taeyeon got shot and he is still helping the police find out who the culprit was.

I didn’t like this side of him, I know my father and I collide a lot, but he is still my father. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be sitting here right now, holding Taeyeon’s hand. If it wasn’t for him, I might not have even met Taeyeon in the first place. He was my father and I loved him unconditionally.

“Tomorrow morning. So I advise you to start packing now. You’ll only be staying there one night, but make sure to pack formal clothes because you will have an event to attend the evening you arrive. I will have Henry to prompt Taeyeon and Tiffany on the schedule and I’ll send a copy to your father.”

* * *

We walked back to our room, hand in hand. Taeyeon swung our intertwined fingers as we slowly made our way down the hall.

Comfortable silence engulfed us as my mind began to crowd with thoughts and questions.

Why did Yoona seem so happy? Why were we leaving so suddenly? Why was it so important that Yoona even comes with us?

I’m not going to lie, ever since Yoona came to visit Taeyeon after she got injured I have this sense of jealousy that lurks inside of me. I know Taeyeon loves me and that Yoona is a good friend, but still, something didn’t seem right with her, as if she had something planned. As stupid as it sounds, I felt like I had to be alert on this trip. I mean, Yoona did have a crush on Taeyeon when she first met her, and just because Taeyeon and I are properly together now doesn’t mean Yoona’s feelings have stopped.

I always felt that there was something a little off with her, even when we were kids. I couldn’t exactly put my finger on it, but I always had a feeling that there was something there.

Too consumed in my own thoughts I hadn’t realised that we were back in our room. It was only when the door clicked shut, did I snap back to present time.

I looked over at Taeyeon who was looking at me with concerned eyes. She came closer and back hugged me, wrapping her now strong arms around me. I missed being engulfed in her warmth like this. Since for the past few months, she has only been able to use one arm, so she wasn’t able to hug me properly like this.

I leaned into her, sinking deeper into her comforting scent as I put my hands over hers. She leaned her chin on my shoulder, kissing my neck gently.

“Are you okay?” She mumbled, now resting her cheek on my shoulder.

Should I tell her how I was feeling, or just brush it under the rug? If I told her, would she make my father call off the trip, or would she just call me crazy?

I turned my body around, snaking my arms around her neck, giving her an eye-smile to show I was okay, even if that wasn’t entirely true.

“I’m okay, Taeyeon. You don’t have to worry.” It may have sounded that I was trying to assure her, but I felt like I was trying to assure myself more than anything.

She grinned back at me and kissed my nose.

 “C’mon, we should probably start packing now.” She said, dragging me up the stairs, towards the closet.

But still, I felt worried about this trip. I needed someone to tell me that everything was going to be fine, even if it didn’t feel that way.

We reached the top of the stairs and I stopped walking. Taeyeon looked back at me with those same confused, onyx eyes.

 “Taeyeon, maybe we shouldn’t go on this trip.” I said, looking at my feet, unsure of what she was going to say in response.

To my surprise, she let out a sigh of relief, before leading me to sit on the bed.

Why was she relieved? Did she not want to go either?

She sat down, pulling me down to sit on her lap, putting her arm around me securely.