Chapter 6
Beneath Your BeautifulTaeyeon looked at the nurse in front of him, trying so hard to focus on what she was saying but his mind just drifts away. He shook his head ever so lightly, wanting to focus on the medication that was being discussed. The nurse noticed that he was rather aloof and a frown suddenly appears on the nurse's face.
"Are you even listening?"
Taeyeon hung his head low before muttering a soft, "Sorry."
The nurse shook her head before sitting on a chair beside the bed. "What's bothering you, Taeyeon-ssi?"
Taeyeon casted the nurse a questioning look before diverting his gaze elsewhere. "I don't know. I-It's just that.. I feel something's off."
Sunny looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"
"I-I feel like something bad is going to happen."
"And what could that be?"
Taeyeon let out a long and deep breath. "I don't know.. i-it's just that something feels really wrong right now."
"Hm," Sunny nods, "Maybe it's the medicine, or maybe you just miss Nurse Jung."
Taeyeon smiled a little but the uneasiness still gnaws inside him.
"W-Where is she.. by the w-way?" Taeyeon shyly asked and Sunny can't help but giggle at the man in front of her.
"You are so shy when it comes to her," Sunny comments. "She's been called to Dr. Kim's office that's why she sent me here to look after you."
Taeyeon nods his head, trying to rack his brain where he heard the name from. Finally realizing that the doctor was the one Jessica had told him about in one of her breaks when she visited him, his expression changed into a thoughtful one.
"Wasn't he the doctor that's been hitting on Jessica?" he straightened up on his bed, gaining Sunny's attention as the nurse looked at him with confused eyes.
"Why did you suddenly became so tensed? Are you feeling okay?"
"How long had she been there?"
"Uh, since I was here. Yeah, that long."
Taeyeon abruptly moved out of the bed, grabbing Sunny's hand. "Come on, take me to his office."
**
Jessica sighed before knocking on the plastic door in front of her. She was supposed to go to Taeyeon a while ago when she was asked to go to Jaejong. She didn't want to, of course, but she was still on duty and it would be unprofessional if she didn't show up. She only prays that this was really something important like Jaejong claims it to be.
After a few more seconds of standing outside, the door finally opened, revealing Jaejong with his signature smile that Jessica hates so much. She cleared before speaking in a monotonous voice.
"You called for me?"
Jaejong's smile widened as he opened the door wider, beckoning Jessica to come inside but the latter refused.
"What is it that you need, Doctor Kim?"
Jaejong sighed. "Take a seat first, I just want to discuss something."
Jessica looked at him for a while, contemplating whether to run or get inside the office. Realizing that she's becoming too paranoid, she took one step forward. Jaejong can't possibly do anything while they're inside the hospital, right?
When she was finally inside the small clinic, Jaejong closed the door behind her -locking it- and her heart started pounding in her chest. The kind of pounding that you feel your blood draining from your body.
"Take a seat, Nurse Jung."
Jessica shook her head, too terrified to come any closer to Jaejong. I knew this was bad idea.
When she heard Jaejong chortled from behind her, all her fears came to life. A hand rested on her right shoulder and she was fast to shrug it off.
"I-If you don't have anything i-important to say.. I-I will leave.. n-now." Jessica said as she took a step away from Jaejong.
"Why so fast, Nurse Jung? The fun hasn't even started yet." Jaejong's voice was low and terrifying that Jessica finds herself cowering away from the male doctor.
"P-Please, I still have p-patients to attend to." Jessica inhaled and exhaled, trying to calm herself.
She looked over Jaejong's shoulder -to the door- formulating ways to escape. She was just about to make a dash to the door when her hands were pinned on the wall above her head. She squirmed under the doctor's hold but he was a lot stronger than her.
"Let me go!" she screamed at him, hoping that her high-pitched squeal would make the doctor cower away from her, but it was all futile as the doctor leaned in, face so close to hers that she can smell cigarette from his breath.
"Hmm, strawberry, I like it," Jaejong said, voice full of malice as he continued smelling the side of Jessica's neck. "Didn't I tell you that nobody rejects me? Hm? Jessica?"
Jessica was more than terrified by then as hot tears started welling up on her eyes, feeling so dry all of a sudden. "P-Please.. don't."
"We're just going to have a little fun, Jessica." The doctor held Jessica's hands in his right while his left started running down her body, lips moving towards Jessica's and she turned her head further away from Jaejong in an attempt to dodge the attack.
Jaejong pulled away, his left hand moving to force Jessica's head back towards him. "Look at me, b*tch."
Jessica continued moving about and Jaejong crashed his lips against hers. She clamped her lips shut, not submitting to the doctor's attack.
"I said look at me!" Jaejong bellowed before slapping Jessica's right cheek with the back of his hand.
"You're mine now. No one can save you here. My clinic is in the farthest part of the building."
The doctor let out a sinister smile before attacking Jessica's neck.
**
"Where is it?" Taeyeon asked as he and Sunny speed walks in the secluded hallway.
"There!" Sunny said, pointing at the only door in the farthest corner of the floor.
"Come on!" Taeyeon ran, followed by Sunny and Eli.
"You should have gone with her!" Sunny yelled at Eli as they approached the clinic of Dr. Kim.
"How was I supposed to know he had a plan?"
"You," Taeyeon points at Eli, "Knock. Now."
Eli nodded before rapping his knuckles on the door without any questions. Taeyeon looked so scary when he's mad.
"Dr. Kim, it's me, Eli. You--uh--were called at the emergency room," Eli lied, hoping to get the doctor's attention.
"I'm off duty, go tell somebody else." The doctor answered without opening the door.
Taeyeon looks at Eli with wide eyes, signaling the male nurse to continue pestering the doctor.
"You're really needed there, it's an emergency."
There was no answer and Taeyeon's heart started pounding so loud inside his chest. A few seconds later, a familiar squeal from inside the clinic resounded in the hallway and without second thoughts, Taeyeon kicked the plastic door open.
**
Jaejong was about to tear Jessica's uniform when a knock on the door had him stopping on his attacks. Jessica prayed that it was one of the nurses or doctors or anyone that could save her.
"Dr. Kim, it's me, Eli. You--uh--were called at the emergency room."
She had never been so thankful for Eli's voice until now and she was momentarily flooded with relief.
She was about to scream for help when Jaejong covered with his left hand while the other still held both her hands.
"I'm off duty, go tell somebody else." Jaejong replied and his face darkened even more as he looked at Jessica with eyes full of lust.
There was a pause and Jessica thought Eli had already walked away. Just when she was losing hope, Eli spoke from the door again. "You're really needed there, it's an emergency."
Jaejong scoffed, not bothering to answer Eli anymore as his face moved back to Jessica's neck. His lips was just about to touch her skin when she bit his hand so hard that it got the doctor moving away from her in surprise. Jessica took the chance and squealed as loud as she could, hoping that Eli was still outside.
Upon hearing her, Jaejong instantly moved back to her. Just when he was about to slap her again, the door burst open, revealing Taeyeon, Sunny and Eli. Taeyeon was fast at pulling Jaejong away from Jessica, slamming him against his desk. The doctor sprawled on the floor and Taeyeon moved to pull him by the collar. When Jaejong was already on his feet, Taeyeon did not hesitate to punch him straight on the nose, making sure to make as much damage as he could. Jaejong fell on the floor again, this time with a broken nose.
Taeyeon pulled him by the collar again as the doctor stood limply in front of him. "Get your filthy hands off Jessica!"
Jaejong laughed weakly, "I'm done with her. You can have the b*tch."
This angered Taeyeon more. He threw punches at the doctor until Eli stopped him before he could kill the doctor. Taeyeon was panting by then and Jaejong was sprawled unconscious on the floor with his blood-stained white coat.
Taeyeon turned around as he calmed down. He saw Jessica crying in Sunny's arms and he immediately moved to Jessica's side, gathering her from Sunny.
"Hey, it's okay. You're safe now." Taeyeon cooed, locking Jessica in his tight embrace as he her hair in a soothing manner.
Jessica didn't say a word. She couldn't. She was so overwhelmed with emotions that she feels drying up. She grasp at Taeyeon's shirt so tight that she almost tore the fabric as she continued crying until she passed out.
"Eli, you take care of that," Taeyeon pointed at the unconscious doctor on the floor as he carries Jessica in a bridal style.
Eli nods. "I'm really sorry, Taeyeon, if only I went with her."
Taeyeon nods before he started walking out of the room with Sunny trailing behind him. "It wasn't your fault, Eli. Just make sure he gets what he deserves."
**
Taeyeon was discharged from the hospital that same day, too, and they were advised to take Jessica home because the hospital might traumatize her as of the moment. He did as told while Sunny stayed in the hospital to take care of the matters with Jaejong. Taeyeon ordered her and Eli to make sure Jaejong doesn't get any closer to Jessica again. Of course, he will be fired from the hospital and the administration promised to make sure he wouldn't be able to be employed in any other hospital anymore.
Taeyeon stood by the door of Jessica's room with arms crossed above his chest, weight leaned on the door frame as his eyes focused on the sleeping figure in the bed that had curled up like a little kid. A smile ghosted over his face at the realization that they were able to save her just in time. The smile instantly dropped at the thought of Jessica being in danger. It worries him more now, especially that Jessica always comes home late.
"Coach?"
Taeyeon looked over his shoulder and was instantly greeted by a worried Krystal before she dashed inside the room, sitting at the edge of her sister's bed.
"W-What happened? Is she okay? Sunny-unnie told me she was attacked at the hospital today?" Krystal casted him a glance before turning her attention back to her sleeping sister, noticing the bruise on Jessica's cheek.
Taeyeon walked inside the room, standing at the foot of the bed. "Don't worry, she's alright now," he tried smiling at Krystal but it turned out loop-sided as the bruise in Jessica's cheek caught his attention, too.
"What happened?" Krystal asked again, this time without casting him a glance as her fingers hovered above the bruise. "Is she gonna be okay?"
Taeyeon nods, patting Krystal's shoulder. "I'll make sure she's going to be okay."
Krystal looked at him again and when the bandage on his right hand caught her attention, she furrowed her brows at Taeyeon. "What happened to your hand?"
Taeyeon smiled sheepishly. "I kinda started boxing."
Krystal rolled her eyes. "As if you know how to punch."
"Of course! I'm the great Coach Kim, aren't I?" Taeyeon chuckled before ruffling Krystal's hair, earning grunts from the young girl.
"Coach!"
"Okay, okay. What do you want to eat? I'm kinda hungry." Taeyeon grinned, taking out his phone to call for delivery.
"Can't you cook? I feel like eating home-cooked meal today."
Taeyeon held up his injured hand. "Sorry kiddo."
"Fine. Just.. anything that has no cucumber on it."
Taeyeon gave Krystal a thumb up, grinning widely. "It's cucumber salad, then."
"Coach!" Krystal whined before ushering Taeyeon out of the room.
Taeyeon chuckled before dialing their house phone. He talked to his mother for a while and told her what happened to Jessica. She insisted to cook for them and Hayeon would bring it to them.
**
Jessica didn't know how long she was out but as soon as she cracked her eyes open, she was immediately greeted by the ceiling of her own room. Her left cheek felt weird and when she touched it, she winced at the stinging sensation on it. It was already dark in her room and only the bedside light was . She slowly moved out of bed and slipped on her slippers before exiting her room, hoping to find some ice cubes in the fridge for her stinging cheek.
Just when she was about to pass by the living room, a figure on the couch had her turning towards it. She tiptoed towards the couch and was surprised to see Taeyeon sleeping soundly in the small couch. She couldn't remember how or why Taeyeon ended up in her house when he was supposed to be resting in the hospital. She unconsciously moved closer to Taeyeon and before she knew it, her fingers were already grazing the bandage-covered hand that was resting on Taeyeon's chest. She frowned, trying to recall where Taeyeon got the injury. She was sure it wasn't there when he was still in the hospital.
Choosing to just brush it off, Jessica turned to walk back to the kitchen only to have fingers wrap around her wrist, stopping her from walking away. She smiled while turning to look at Taeyeon who was now sitting on the couch.
"Are you hungry?" Taeyeon asked in a soft voice. Jessica wanted to see his eyes but the low lighting in the living room made it hard to see Taeyeon's eyes.
Jessica shook her head. "I was just going to grab a glass of water."
Taeyeon nodded, standing up from the couch without letting go of Jessica's wrist. "You should eat, umma sent us food. She wanted you to eat it."
Jessica looked at him with surprised eyes. "She did?"
Taeyeon nods before pulling Jessica gently towards the kitchen. "I'll warm it up for you."
Jessica sat on the dining table as she watch Taeyeon warm up the food that his mother had sent them. She wondered what the occasion was and for a moment, she forgot about her stinging cheek.
"Why are there so many food?"
Taeyeon turned around to look at her briefly. Jessica realized that Taeyeon was acting rather strange towards her and he haven't been looking at her longer than a few seconds. This confused her.
"Taeyeon, what's wrong?"
Taeyeon didn't answer. Instead, he just put the food in front of Jessica before walking again to get her water.
"Taengoo.."
When Taeyeon finally settled in front of her, Jessica gave him a questioning look.
"Eat your food," Taeyeon said in a soft voice without looking at Jessica.
"Not until you tell me what's wrong."
Taeyeon sighed. "I-I feel ashamed.. o-of myself."
"What?"
"I-I'm sorry.. Jessica."
"Taeyeon, I think I'm lost."
Taeyeon raised his head before looking at Jessica. His eyes were so soft and comforting that Jessica thinks she could fall asleep in those onyx brown orbs.
"I wasn't able to.. protect you. I'm s-sorry."
Now Jessica was even more confused and Taeyeon saw the crease on her forehead.
"W-With what happened.. t-this afternoon...?" Taeyeon said in a low voice.
Jessica looked at him for a second before her eyebrows jumped. Events that occurred that afternoon came rushing to her and she feels like crying again. Taeyeon saw the change of expression in Jessica's face and he immediately got up from his seat to move beside Jessica.
"I--"
"Shh, l-let's not talk about it anymore, Sica-yah. I'm sorry I brought it up again."
Jessica shook her head as she wiped her tears, forcing a smile for Taeyeon. "I'm sorry.. it's just so terrifying. I don't know what could have happened if you guys weren't there."
Taeyeon caressed Jessica's right cheek with the knuckles of his good hand, finally smiling at Jessica. "I'm glad nothing bad happened to you."
Jessica nods, leaning her head against Taeyeon's hand. It felt warm against her skin and she like it. Liked it so much.
"I'm sorry. I promise, from now on, I'll always be there to protect you."
Jessica smiled at Taeyeon. "What are you, Superman or something?"
"Your SuperTaengoo."
Jessica giggled before playfully slapping Taeyeon's arm. "That sounds like an eight year old boy playing pretend."
Taeyeon scoffed before taking the spoon from the table. "Now, now, SuperTaengoo needs to do his duties," he scooped from the plate before bringing it to Jessica's mouth. "Say, ah~"
Jessica chuckled before opening and letting Taeyeon feed her.
**
"What do you think happened to your unnie?" Hayeon asked, eyes fixed on the ceiling of Krystal's room.
There was a moment of silence between the both of them as they listened to the giggles and chuckles coming from the kitchen. A smile plastered on Hayeon's face while Krystal bit her lower lip to stop herself from smiling.
"I don't know. Oppa wouldn't tell." Krystal said.
Hayeon turned to look at her friend, eyes twinkling before she spoke, "You call him oppa now?"
Krystal scoffed before turning to lie on her side, back turned towards Hayeon.
"Does this mean you're okay with oppa courting your unnie now?" Hayeon probed, shaking Krystal's shoulder who refused to look at her.
Krystal kept silent for a moment and Hayeon thought the girl was already asleep. She was about to close her eyes, too, when Krystal spoke in a low voice.
"If he makes unnie happy, then I don't see anything wrong with that."
Hayeon's smile widened. "Oppa loves your unnie. I know he wouldn't do anything to hurt her or you."
"I hope so."
**
Taeyeon and Jessica sat side by side on the couch after Jessica finished eating. They settled in a comfortable silence as they stared on the black screen of the television with Taeyeon stealing glances at Jessica every so often. Taeyeon likes this kind of silence, it was like saying everything without saying anything. And he thought of how nice it would be to spend every night and every waking hour with Jessica. His heart flutters at the thought. Marriage never really crossed his mind before, but with Jessica, marriage just seems so appealing... so perfect. But of course that would still be far-fetched because he still have to prove himself to Jessica.... and Krystal.
"Thank you, Taeyeon."
He turned his head towards Jessica whose head was hung low as she tucked her hair behind her ear. It was a very cute sight and Taeyeon can't help but smile.
"I actually charge for my services."
It was Jessica's turn to look at Taeyeon and she raised a brow at him. Taeyeon just smiled before reaching to touch the raised brow, smoothening it. Jessica smiled at the kind gesture.
"There goes my payment," Taeyeon said, pointing at Jessica's smiling lips.
Jessica's smile widened before sticking her tongue out at Taeyeon. "Silly."
"You should smile more. You look more beautiful when you smile," Taeyeon blurted out while he looked at Jessica intently. "I love it when you smile."
Jessica looked away shyly, the smile never leaving her lips.
"Good night, Taeyeon," she said, rising up from the couch.
Taeyeon stood up, too, walking Jessica to her room. They stood face to face just outside Jessica's room, eyes locked in an intense gaze before Taeyeon moved to tuck Jessica's hair behind her ear.
"Sleep well, Sica-yah."
"Thank you, Taengoo-yah." Jessica tiptoed and placed a peck in Taeyeon's cheek before slipping inside her room, not giving Taeyeon time to react.
He stood there, outside Jessica's room, facing the closed door as his hand caressed the spot Jessica's lips had touched.
He smiled to himself; yes, he would like Jessica to kiss him goodnight every night, too.
-----
Short(?) update and a rushed one. orz This one's for yoonyulsictaeny :)
Anyway, this will be the last time Jaejoong appears because SuperTaengoo is here! Lol, and no, Jessica wasn't . And yes, Taeyeon pretty much broke Jaejong's face in here. Hahaha.
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