Another week passed and I as already starting to plan the wedding. It was only less than a month away and I wanted everything to be perfect for Yuri. I also wanted her to have no entanglements or loose ends before the wedding. That was why I turned to information from Taeyeon.

 

“Hey Tiffany. What can I do for you?” she asked when she answered her door.

 

“Hey I was hoping you could help me with something,” I said.

 

“Ok, but please tell me this has nothing to do with Jessie.”

 

“It doesn't.”

 

“Oh ok. Well come inside.”

 

She led me up the stairs to her bedroom.

 

“Wow, I love your room,” said looking around.

 

“Thanks... so what do you need help with?”

 

“Well as you know, Yuri and Yoona are getting married.”

 

“They are?” she asked surprised.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Wow, really? I actually had a thing for Yoong once, but I chose Jessica,” she said and then we both chuckled.

 

“Anyway, I was hoping you could maybe help me with the planning and music playlist?”

 

“No problem. Where's the reception?”

 

“Umm I have no idea.”

 

“You think Soshi club will do? I happen to know the manager.”

 

“Oh really. That would be a big help.”

 

“No, problem. I'll start working on the playlist too.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Anything else?”

 

I looked at her and sighed.

 

“Wooyoung... Wooyoung told me he had information on my brother and possibly his murdered, but he wouldn't tell me.”

 

“What?”

 

“Yeah... so I was wondering if you still had Anna's number”

 

“I do, here,” she said getting out her address book.

 

She ripped out a page and handed it to me.

 

“Thank you,” I said grateful.

 

“Good luck with it. I hope she can help you.”

 

“Me too,” I said leaving.

 

“Tiffany!” she called after me.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Be careful,” she continued as she read my confused expression, “sometimes people like to keep things that they've done a secret and end up hurting those who keep digging to find out the truth.”

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Once in my car, I dialled the number. Voicemail

 

“Hello Anna. I don't think you know me, my name is Tiffany Hwang. Nickhun Hwang was my brother and I heard you had some information concerning his death...it would mean a lot to me if you could tell me everything you know. Please call me back at 555-0123,” I said and then hung up and sighed.

 

When I got home, I heard Yuri screaming.

 

“Yuri!” I called out and ran to the bedroom.

 

She was having a nightmare.

 

“Yuri, Yul, its ok,” I said as she woke up.

 

“Oh my gosh Fany.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Mr Jung. He was hurting me again,” she said in tears, “even in my dreams he can hurt me.”

 

“Oh, Yul. It’s ok, you’re going to be ok.”

 

“I hope so,” she said still in tears, “I don’t get it, Fany. How do you deal with it?”

 

“With what?”

 

“Wooyoung’s forced himself on you. I know he has and look at you, you don’t have nightmares or cry when thinking about it.”

 

“I just… I don’t know how I deal with it, to be honest. I guess you just have to be strong and know that you have people to help you through it,” she nodded at my response and cried into my arms.

 

When Yoona came home she wanted to spend some alone time with him and Angel and I was more than happy to let that happen. So I went out for a walk. It was getting dark and a cool breeze was hitting against my body, making me shiver. I was turning the corner when I saw him.

 

My stalker.

 

I stopped then quickly turned around and started to run. My heart beating rapidly, as I forced my legs to run faster, I wasn’t quick enough because when I stumbled he was there to catch me from falling. I wasn’t sure where we were now, but I could see the basketball court in view. So I screamed, hoping someone was there who could help me.

 

“Help!” I cried, but my stalker covered my mouth with something and the last thing I remembered was someone’s voice. I couldn’t make out whose it was.

 

When I woke up I was lying in a bed that wasn’t my own. Once my head cleared up I realized I was in Jessica’s room. Then I saw him come in from the hallway, shirtless and with boxers, which wasn’t such a bad thing to see first thing in the morning. He was holding a glass of water and some pills and then he handed them to me. I took them without a word and then put the glass down on the nightstand.

 

“What happened?” I asked

 

“I found your stalker about to take you away, so I tried my best to knock him out but he managed to get away.”

 

“Uh… thank you, I guess.”

 

“No problem, but I’d think I’d feel a lot better if you stopped walking by yourself until we get this ,” I nodded as he continued, “I was really scared of losing you, so promise me you won’t go anywhere alone,” he finished lifting up my chin with one hand.

 

“I promise,” I whispered as we looked deeply into each other’s eyes.

 

We were still staring at each other, our lips coming closer together until they finally touched.

 

I wrapped my hands around his neck and began to grasp at his hair as we kissed. I fell back onto the bed as his body fell onto mine. I touched his as he kissed my neck, making me gasp.

 

Then suddenly he stopped.

 

“I can’t… I can’t do this,” he said getting off of me.

 

“Why?” I asked astounded

 

“It’s too soon, Tiffany.”

 

“I love you, Jessie,” I said, pleading.

 

He looked at me trying to fight the temptation and he surprised me when he showed that he was capable.

 

“I love you too, Fany. I love you so much, but it’s too soon. You’ve hurt me and I can’t let that go.”

 

Tears started to form in my eyes as I realised that I had hurt him and deserved this punishment. If time were the only thing keeping us apart then I would wait. He deserved that much from me, so I nodded.

 

“Time… I can wait… I’ll fight for you if I have to,” I added.

 

He smiled at that

 

“I want you to.”

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

On our way out of his house and into his new car, my phone rang.

 

“Hello?” I answered.

 

“Hello, Tiffany? This is Anna,” the voice on the other end aid.

 

My heart skipped a beat. Jessica looked at me with concern. I couldn’t respond because I was speechless.

 

“Hello? Are you there?”

 

“Tiffany? Fany?” Jessica asked and when I didn’t respond he grabbed the phone from me.

 

“Hello,” he said, “yeah…ok…we’ll be there tonight. Just send her the directions through a text…ok…thank you, bye.”

 

He looked at me after he hung up and said, “She’s going to tell you everything she knows. I said we’d be there tonight. Which means we’d have to leave right now.”

 

I looked at him and was able to finally speak.

 

“Thank you, Jessie.”

 

He nodded as he put the car in drive and drove off.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It was 12:00 AM by the time we got to Anna’s house. Jessica had to wake me up.

 

“Fany, we’re here,” he whispered so sweetly into my ear.

 

I slowly opened my eyes to his beautiful face. Then I stared out at the house, and then looked around the neighbourhood that was so familiar to me.

 

“Are you ready?” he asked me

 

I nodded, “More ready than I’ll ever be.”

 

“Do you want me to wait here?”

 

“No, I want you with me, if that’s ok?”

 

He smiled, “Of course it is.”

 

Once we knocked on the door, someone quickly opened it.

 

“Hello, you must be Tiffany. I’m Anna,” the girl answered with a smile

 

“Nice to meet you. This is Jessica,” I said.

 

“Hello, Jessica.”

 

“Hi,” he said.

 

“Well it’s late, but come on in,” she said as we entered her home and followed her into the living room.

 

“Have a seat. Would you like something to drink? Tea? Beer?” she asked.

 

“No, thank you,” I said.

 

“I’m ok, but thanks anyway,” said Jessica.

 

“Ok…so I know why you’re here so I guess I should go straight to answering your questions.”

 

I swallowed, unsure and afraid of what her answers could reveal. Jessica looked at me with concern.

 

“Fany-ah, are you sure you’re up to this?”

 

I looked at him and nodded.

 

Of course I was sure. I had to know who was responsible for his death and I wouldn’t let my cowardliness prevent me from finding out the truth that has been hidden behind so many lies.

 

I turned to Anna and asked.

 

“What do you know about the night my brother died?”

 

She looked at me and frowned.

 

“I don’t know everything, but I know enough to know it wasn’t suicide,” she looked at me and continued, “You’re brother had just come back from somewhere, I’m not exactly sure where,” Yuri, I thought to myself. Remembering that Yuri told me Nickhun had proposed to her that night, “Anyway from what I know, there was a fight.”

 

“A fight?” I asked, confused. Then I remembered about the bruises and the cuts Wooyoung had told me about that were found on my brother.

 

She nodded and continued, “It lasted only a few minutes, and then there was a gunshot and a splash.”

 

“How do you know this?” I demanded

 

“Fany-ah, calm down,” said Jessica, putting his hands on mine.

 

“I’m sorry,” I said taking a deep breath, “I just need to know.”

 

Anna sighed, “And you will know…who killed your brother.”

 

“Can you go on,” I asked.

 

“Of course…from what I know the person who is responsible for what happened to Nickhun is someone named Minho?”

 

“Minho?” I asked shocked and confused that I finally knew the name of the person responsible.

 

“Choi Minho,” she finished.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

When Jessica and I headed back to Wilmington, I hadn’t said a word. I just thought long and hard about this Minho character that played the key role in my brother’s death. This guy who must have had some motivation to kill him, I just couldn’t figure out what. Jessica interrupted me with my thoughts.

 

“How are you doing, Fany?”

 

“To be honest,” I looked at him as he nodded, curious, “A little angry. Surprised mostly though. I still can’t believe that this Minho, someone I don’t even know, killed him,” I rambled.

 

“Fany, I’m sure you’ll find out all the answers you need…I’ll help you,” he said.

 

“I know you will,” I said, smiling at him.

 

Once we got back home it was 2:00 PM.

 

“Well, I should get going,” said Jessica at the doorstep.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” I asked hoping he would change his mind about leaving.

 

“No, you should get some rest.”

 

“I don’t think I can do that.”

 

“Fany…”

 

“I know what you’re going to say… so… I’ll try but I can’t guarantee you anything.”

 

He smiled that nice smile that I loved and nodded.

 

When I got inside, I could hear Yuri laughing quietly. I peaked inside her bedroom and saw Yoona on top of her, tickling her. Angel was still asleep in her crib. I slowly closed the door and went to try to sleep on the couch.