C h a p t e r   XVII

[IU (Lee Ji Eun) - You & I]

*Co-author's note: There is an error going on...Hayy *sighs* Nevermind, I'll just edit the typo errors next time.

"Where am I?" Taeyeon mumbled, with her vision starting to become vivid with the sight of the room she had never seen for her entire life. "Blue?" She asked herself, trying to stand up, but taken aback when she felt the warmth of the man's hand whose head was leaning beside her hand. 

"Sunggyu-seonsaengnim?" Her eyes widen with a silent outburst, but she quickly tried to hush herself, not to wake him up. "Blue. Ah so, that is why." 

She reclined her head on the pillows which were supporting her head. The woman carefully studied his peaceful visage. "Such a beautiful man." Those were the words she had inside her head, describing the lovely appearance of the sleeping man. "Indeed, he is an fallen angel from the heaven above."

As the clock struck at eight in the morning, the man gently opened his eyes, slowly regaining consciousness of the reality.

He shook his head as she slowly straightened his body up. Sensing how Taeyeon carefully watched his every movement, he feigned a serious cough before speaking up, "So, you have woken up before I did, Taeyeon-ssi. Anyway, you have become unconscious for 20 hours straight. Do you feel well now?" He slowly pulled away his hand away from her hand.

Taeyeon shifted her gaze to the clock on top of the dresser. "Kind of. Oh, I am very sorry if I became a burden to you, Sunggyu-seon~~ I mean, Sunggyu-ssi. I am very sorry, but thank you."

Sunggyu answered back, "Cheonmaneyo. Oh by the way, I~"  

Feeling reluctant of what to say, he continued his statement, "I apologize for what happened last time. I know it was an accident, but~"

[~]

He did not budge from where he was standing, and did not move release her from his grip. Sunggyu pleaded, "No, please."

Quite surprised with his action, she fell silent. Her eyes showed how uncomfortable she was. Sunggyu felt bad as he immediately released her arm. He mouthed an apology, "Sorry."

Shortly, the young woman was quite relieved when he no longer held her arm. Taeyeon waved off the awkwardness, saying her apology for the third time, "Mianhamnida."

He watched her who slowly walked back. Sunggyu was somehow disappointed, seeing how she acted uncomfortably with him. He did not know why, but there was something which gave him the feeling that she has been acting quite cold towards him. Not that he was saying that Taeyeon never noticed his existence, but her actions would usually build a barrier between them. A barrier which prevents him from being close with her.

Taeyeon slowly rubbed her temples, feeling nauseous as her pace became slower. She hissed lowly, "Ugh~ Why do I feel like my brain will soon pop out?" She shut her eyes, feeling the heaviness throughout her brain.

She halfheartedly joked, feeling how her knees becoming weaker, "Will I die now?" Not minding how dangerous it was to walk with her head burning madly, and her eyes tightly shut, she continued walking.

"Oh crap! I think this is the end." Her body dropped instantly. A sound of a low scratching sound resonated throughout the walls of both of her ears.

Assuming that she fell on the grassy field, Taeyeon slowly felt something supporting her tiny waist, and also strongly gripping her shoulders. After a minute, she gently opened her eyes.

Well, she did not fall on the grassy field, for someone caught her waist. Shocked as if her heart was deeply stabbed by a dagger, her eyes met the beautiful eyes of a persona whose face was dangerously close to her face. Yes, it was dangerously close, leaving no gap for the two weight for air.

Analyzing the features of the lovely face of the persona, she instantly recognized it was a man. Those thick eyebrows, narrow eyes, down to the sharp nose were surprisingly vivid in her eyes, making her chest slowly be engulfed by embarrassment. Her mind was not able to digest the more surprising thing which almost turned her into a statue. Yes, pretty much surprising than being dangerously closed to the person whose body was halfly bent, supporting her weight by gripping on her waist tightly, making her feel miserably ashamed of herself.

Forcefully recognizing who the persona was, she mentally gave herself a loud slap on her face the moment she recognized who it was. Seeing how the narrow eyes of the person widen with shock, her eyes trailed down to the view of how her lips were quite tightly pressed to his lips. After parting his lips from her cold lips, the sound of their heavy breathing was the only sound audible in both of their ears. Taeyeon gasped hardly as she felt his hot breath in the tip of her nose. Feeling more awkward as ever, the young woman felt how his heart palpitated madly.

Slowly supporting her to stand, he asked worriedly, "Hey! Kwaechanha?" He shook her body slightly.

Having no undue time lapse, her eyes shut tightly, falling back into the arms of the man who prevented her from falling on the grassy field, losing her consciouness of the sweet accident she tasted from the bittersweet reality.

[~]

Taeyeon fell silent, but soon shook her head, giving him an assurance that what happened did not really affect her. "That is nothing. Apology is not necessary, Sunggyu-ssi."

He sighed in relief, and soon asked her, "Jeongmal?"

She gave her an assuring nod, smiling at him weakly. "Nae, Sunggyu-ssi."

"By the way, Woohyun-dongsaeng called last night," informed Sunggyu who seemed to be completely relieved after seeing Taeyeon's smile. 

"Jeongmal? Sunggyu-ssi, what did he tell you?" She asked, showing a slight curiosity in her face.

"He asked whether you are doing well or not here. Well, I told him that you were sick, and you fainted. Well honestly, I told him that I brought you at a hospital to stop his growing curiosity. You know, Woohyun is someone who exaggerates a lot. His exaggeration is quite ridiculous." The moment his younger brother called last night popped inside his mind.

[~]

Without further ado, he clicked on the answer key, pressing the phone's screen near his ear, with his eyes widening a bit curiously when he heard a gentle yet husky voice.

"Annyeong haseyo! Milady. Umm~ I mean, Taeyeon-ssi." Sunggyu heard how the caller coughed on the other line.

He did not utter a word, with his mind figuring out who the caller was. "Milady? Who is this? His voice is quite familiar." Sunggyu knew it was a voice of a man which grew a curiosity inside his mind. "Milady? Could this her boyfriend, or what?"

The moment he was supposed to speak, his throat was blocked when the caller spoke once again on the other line, "This is Woohyun, your boss. I just want to check if you are doing well."

Sunggyu's eyes widen completely, having his throat blank with any word to utter, with his mouth gaping widely.

He thought to himself, "Mwo? Woo~ Woohyun?" He almost dropped the phone with his trembling hands. "Andwae! What should I say?"

After a minute of silence, Woohyun asked on the other line, with his voice seeming to be wondering with the odd silence, "Yoboseyo? Are you there, Milady? Is there something wrong?"

As if there was a lump formed his in throat, Sunggyu coughed before deciding to break the silence on the line, "Annyeong haseyo! Taeyeon-ssi is sick right now that is why I have to take this call in behalf of her."

"Mwo? Who is this?" He sensed how his younger brother froze, and clenched his phone tightly the moment he spoke up. Woohyun's voice changed from a gentle into a furious one after hearing his voice. 

Woohyun blurted all of a sudden, "Don't tell me you are her younger brother. Or perhaps, her~" Sunggyu heard the infuriated Woohyun's sigh before the latter spoke up with his trembling voice, "Her boyfriend."

The older one was blank with words, wondering why his younger brother speaking in that manner. Was he jealous or something? To end up his growing curiosity, he replied back, "Anio. I am neither of the two."

"Then, who are you? Are you a kidnapper, drug syndicate member or perhaps, a ? You bastard, give the phone to her, otherwise, I will make you regret that you ever lived in this world!" Woohyun questioned, worriedly threatening over the phone.

"This man is ridiculous. How can he say such things? I mean, I know he is worried about her, but isn't he overdoing it?" Though he was taken aback with his sudden outrage, Sunggyu calmly responded to his question, "Anio. Kim Sunggyu. This is Kim Sunggyu."

"Kim Sunggyu? Hyung?" Sunggyu clearly heard how his brother's voice faltered with disappointment, hearing his reply. Woohyun's brain forced to process that it was his older brother. Asking himself why the hell his older brother was with Taeyeon, he gritted his teeth. "Mwo? Mworago? Tell me you are joking. Do not pretend that you are hyung, you wretch! Do not ever dare to hurt Taeyeon-ssi or else!"

"Nam Woohyun. Calm down. This is Sunggyu."

"Are you sure you are not joking?"

Sunggyu nodded his head, as he answered back with his usual composed way of speaking, "Yes, younger brother. This is your hyung. I am not in the mood to joke."

"Jeongmal?" Woohyun's voice started to sound calm after his reply.

The older one guaranteed his brother, "Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Nam Woohyun. I am saying nothing but the truth."

Knowing how bitter Woohyun's reaction became, he heard how furious his younger brother spoke up with his trembling voice on the other line, "How is that? Why are you with her? I thought you were attending a conference at Japan."

"I came back few days ago, and I coincidentally met Taeyeon-ssi here at Jeonju. She fainted a while ago, so~~" Thinking about what happened few hours ago, he let out an unheard sigh. Of course, he should not tell his younger brother what happened, particularly the accidental moment - the kiss, particularly which will surely infuriate the irate man more. Also, telling him that he brought Taeyeon at their house, specifically, in his own room will definitely not be of help. Woohyun would definitely grow more suspicious of everything though there is actually nothing to be suspicious of.

"When did you meet? How? Where is she now? Where did you bring her? Are you doing something to her? Why did she faint? Ya! Malhaebwa! Do not you ever take advantage of her!"

Sensing how his brother pouted childishly on the other line after bombarding him with such questions and rants, he just decided to keep such things all by himself. "Uhh~ Why is speaking this way? It is not like I will do something bad to her. He is weird." Of course, he was not the kind of person his brother seemed to assume he was. "He speaks like an overprotective boyfriend. No, no, more like a husband. I never knew that he is malicious and exaggerating."

He hesitantly answered, "That~ We met few hours ago. She fainted because of high fever. Does that answer your questions?" Sunggyu decided to lie to end up his brother's endless speculations. "Also, I brought her to the nearest hospital. Do not worry about it, eo? I will not do something bad to her, arasseo?"

Woohyun asked suspiciously on the other line, "Jinjja?"

The older one assured his brother who seemed to be doubtful of his answer, "Yes, Woohyun-dongsaeng."

Hearing how Woohyun sighed in relief, he also felt relieved knowing that his younger brother stopped speculating which might go farther if he did not prevent it from coming.

"Arasseo, arasseo. I will hang up now, hyung. Tell her to get well soon," grunted Woohyun who was obviously speaking like a devastated man hearing his brother's voice instead of her which he did not actually expect.

"Okay, take care, Woohyun-dongsaeng. I will just tell her later that you gave her a call. By the way, I guess you gave her a three-day break, right? I do not think she will be able to come back to work soon since she is sick. She might come back there after a few days more."

"MWO? Uh~ Is that so?" Woohyun asked with dismay in his voice, trying to suppress his sadness on the line.

"Yes, dongsaeng."

"Eung. Bye." As if he was uninterested hearing his hyung's voice, he immediately hang up the phone, cutting off the line with a continuous beeping sound.

[~]

Sunggyu decided to keep the conversation by himself. He did not want to elaborate how his conversation went with his younger brother, since the things Woohyun said were merely out of his exaggeration.

Meanwhile, Taeyeon chuckled lightly after hearing the last part of his statement. Yes, that was quite true. During the past few weeks, Woohyun has been exaggerating to the point that he looked like a man without sanity.

"Nae, with his usual hyperbolic words and deeds, he is really ridiculous." Suddenly, her mind backtracked the time she spent a night at Woohyun's apartment. 

[~]

"Yobosaeyo? Good evening," Taeyeon spoke up with her soft voice.

"Milady, this is Woohyun. Are you alright there? Is there something that you need?" The caller was Woohyun. Taeyeon recognized the voice easily. She looked around. Taeyeon was a bit startled why the hell Woohyun would call her knowing the fact that he was just inside his room which was adjacent to the room that she was staying at. Woohyun could have just approached her inside the room rather than wasting a second calling her as if they were 'miles' apart from each other. She shook her head in disbelief. "He is weird."

"Good evening, Sir Woohyun. No, I am okay here. Umm. It is getting late, Sir. You should have not bothered to check on me since your room is near from this guest room. Do not worry about me. Take a rest now, Sir."

He answered back, "Jinjja? Arasseo. Feel at home, eo? You should also take a rest now since you are in a feeble state, Milady. By the way, you have forgotten that I told you not to call me Sir even just for tonight. Nevermind. Good night, Milady."  Taeyeon sensed how Woohyun sounded concern on the other line.

She felt moved, hearing the affectionate and thoughtful voice of Woohyun. One thing was she was certain of, Woohyun's concern for her was sincere.

She nodded her head. Taeyeon answered back, "Thank you, Woohyun-ssi. Good night." She hang up the phone, and placed it back to its dock. After a few minutes, she fixed the mattress of the bed, and laid her body on the bed to take a rest. Taeyeon closed her eyes. When she realized that she had forgotten to close the door, she opened her eyes. She saw a figure of a man who stood outside the door of the guest room. Taeyeon sat on the bed, and reclined her head on the pillows.

"Sir Woohyun?" She mumbled with an obvious confusion.

He went inside the room, and sat on the bed beside Taeyeon. Woohyun spoke up, "Hey! Why did you forget to lock the door of this room? What if someone tries to kill you while you are asleep? What if someone tries to ~~"

Taeyeon was flabbergasted by his words, so she shut his exaggerating s off, "Sir, the two of us the only ones here inside your house. In other words, the only person who is with me right now is you. No one will hurt or try to take advantage of me. Those things are impossible to happen, unless you~~ Ah, no. Nevermind."

Woohyun was ashamed of himself after hearing those words. Probably, he offended her with his overstatement. Well, his words were only out of concern, but too bad that his exaggeration backlashed on him, and knocked his senses off. Taeyeon was right. They were the only ones inside the house, so no one could ever do horrible things against her. In fact, his house was no ordinary. The house was protected with highly-functional security gadgets which lessen the possibility of any peril to arise. No person could easily break into the premises of the house. The only person with her was him. It was ironic that the only person who could only have the chance to do such things was him. But, that will be very impossible. He swore to himself that he will never do odd things to her, and not lay even a finger on her. To begin with, he did not have the reason to do such things. He told himself, "Unless what? By any chance, does she mean~~? Aigoo! Why in the world will I do that? Of course, I am not a brainless psycho who attacks defenseless people. That is far from possible! Silly! I must have been too hyperbolic with my statements which flustered her. Michigetda!"

He his bottom lip. Woohyun said, "Aniya! Of course, I will not do that. I am sorry for exaggerating. I can assure you that I will not harm you in any way. Remember, I am your knight, Milady." His statement oozed his infamous greasiness which made Taeyeon feel uncomfortable.

She nodded her head. "Uh that~ I know that you are not that kind of person, Sir Woohyun. It is getting late, so it will be better for you to grab some rest."

[~]

"Sir Woohyun is really a weird one. What was his line during that time? AH! Assa! I remember it now! 'Hey! Why did you forget to lock the door of this room? What if someone tries to kill you while you are asleep? What if someone tries to~' ! Haha! Very very ridiculous." Taeyeon laughed, reminiscing the funny moments she had with her too-weird-to-be-true-slash-exaggerating-slash-narcissistic boss who goes by the name Nam Woohyun.

Sunggyu noticed her staring blankly at the window, laughing silently without a particular reason. Well, nah! There was actually a particular reason. He cocked an eyebrow curiously, wondering why Taeyeon was silently laughing. It was not like he was saying she was crazy, but he found it too weird to see her laughing because of an unknown reason.

He snapped her out of her thoughts, asking her, "Taeyeon-ssi, do you feel hungry now?" Sunggyu held the back of his neck, pursing his lips shyly after asking her such question.

"Nae? Sorry. What did you say again, Sunggyu-ssi?" Taeyeon politely asked after not being able to clearly hear his question.

"Do you want to eat now?" He reiterated, slightly letting his fingers tap his chin.