Chapter 13

If someone were to peek into the room, the image that greeted him would probably render him speechless. Instead of a young guy there on the bed, sat a beautiful young girl in her bathrobe. Even with her creamy face free of makeup & her half-dried hair artlessly framing her lovely face, she was still presenting a dazzling picture but a closer look in her eyes would tug on his heartstring. They were blank like a doll. A reflection of her heart & mind after going through turbulence.

It was the barking of her two dogs that finally jerked her up from her stupor. She blinked those lovely eyes & gradually, as those two small warm bodies snuggled deeper into her arms, transferring their warmth & comforting her by their total devotion, her mind began to work again, & what had just happened here started to flood in.

Squeezing her eyes closed, she in a hard breath, ‘Good god.’ She thought numbly, ‘I have given her my word.’ A word she knew from the start that she had no intention of following through. Guilt had given her a harsh blow & moral had slapped at her but she had no other choice. Not if she wanted to keep Yunho & Mrs. Jung safe & she knew she would go against the world to keep them that way.

Oh, she knew that Yoona had thought that her threat to tell Yunho about her & Chanyeol & bringing up Mrs. Jung’s weak heart were the thing that had made her give in but she knew better. So what if Yunho knew about her past? It didn’t matter anymore & she believed that Mrs. Jung wouldn’t crumble just because Yunho got into an argument with Chanyeol. She must have witnesses such things before; maybe often enough that she would probably roll her eyes & order some tea & crackers to keep her company while she watched the show but it was different altogether if Chanyeol ever find out about her gender. If he knew that she was Tiffany Hwang, all would be over for her. She would be back to being a useless person, flitting from one reception to the next; further & further away from her dream & if her father ever heard of the humiliation & hardship she had endured when she first stepped foot in here, there’s no telling what he would do to these people. She knew just how protective his father was so she was forced to agree to the girls unreasonable demand.

Yes, it had galled her that Yoona had dared to blackmail her but luckily, although indignation had whipped at her at that time, she had been able to keep a cool head above her shoulder, even though her heart had been smoldered in fire. She knew that, at least for now, she would have to suppress her conscience, pride & dignity & dance to her tune .

It was hateful but it was necessary.

Sighing heavily, she got up & got dressed. She still had to have this talk with Yunho. She could guess what the talk is going to be about. He would interrogate her about her life before this. Where she came from & why she disguised herself as a guy & there’s also the matter with that soulful kiss that needed to be cleared up & there’s this thing with Yoona that she needed to cover up until she got something firm planned.

Weighed with the problems that were suddenly dumped on her head, her feet mechanically took her across the foyer towards the stairs while her mind wandered somewhere else. She was too preoccupied with her own thought that she didn’t see Chanyeol barging through the front door & almost plowed into him if only Chanyeol didn’t catch her in time.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She apologized automatically.

“It’s okay. My fault for hurrying in without notice.” Chanyeol said, frowning as he noticed the dazed look in Tim’s eyes, “Tim, are you okay? You look pale & ill.”

Tiffany blinked twice & forced her mind to settle down, “Oh yeah, I’m okay.” She said, forcing a little smile to curve on her lips. Looking up, she noticed the way Chanyeol’s eyes were dancing. He looked like someone who had just won a million bucks, “Well, well, someone is very happy I see.” She remarked teasingly, trying to divert Chanyeol’s attention from her.

Chanyeol grinned & whispered to her excitedly, “You are the first person to know this. I’m almost there.” Seeing the impatient & confused look on Tim’s face, his grin got even wider, “To tell you the truth, the reason I came to Seoul isn’t because I miss Yunho or something equally nauseating. I’m here to find someone. My boss’ daughter & I finally found her trail. Five days, at most & I think I could finally look at my boss in the eyes when I hand him his daughter. He has been pestering me about it for a month now.”

Tiffany felt as if the world abruptly stood still, leaving her spinning from its impact. Holding her breath, she asked nonchalantly, “Oh? You have another boss beside Yunho? & who is this girl?”

Chanyeol laughed & rocked on the ball of his feet, too excited to stay still, “Actually, Yunho isn’t my boss. I only help him with his company’s legal matters. If he chose to give me money for it, who am I to refuse?” Tiffany’s laugh was a bit strained but Chanyeol didn’t seem to notice it for he kept on talking, “No, my boss is Joowon Hwang. You must have heard of him. It was his youngest daughter that I’m looking for. Tiffany Hwang.” He said, the last two words softly, affectionately.

A line of ice went down her spine at his confirmation. She could feel her breath starting to come & go in gulps. Five more days before Chanyeol would hand her back to her dad? What kind of trail had he been following anyway? She had been very careful, always making sure that whatever she had done, it wouldn’t be able to be traced back to her. She wanted to probe him for more but she knew it wouldn’t be a wise decision. He would get suspicious & in her current mental condition, she would have a hard time answering his questions in return so she had never felt more relieved than when she heard Yunho’s voice behind her.

“Tim, where have you been? I have been waiting for you at the study. Now, come with me.” He said, ignoring Chanyeol’s presence out of jealousy, ‘What were they talking about?’ He wondered, sulking a little. Without another word, he stepped forward, ready to drag her from there without a glance at his friend but instead of letting her hand be snatched, she stepped back & another until she was finally standing behind Chanyeol. She could feel the astonishment & hurt radiating from Yunho at her action & Chanyeol’s surprises but this she had to do because she could feel a pair of eyes pointing at her back. Eyes which were full of warning, malice & satisfaction.

Secretly, she whispered under her breath to Chanyeol, “Tell Yunho in private that I will meet him tomorrow at noon at the Han River.” Before Chanyeol could say anything, before Yunho could do anything & ruin her plan, she practically flew from there & out of the door.

Yunho was running after her when his arm was suddenly seized by his ex-best friend. He didn’t bother to say a word & only stood there, watching as a car zipped through the front gate & out of his sight. His jaw clenched tightly as he snatched his arm back & stomped upstairs without a word or a glance at Chanyeol.

As both, Tiffany & Yunho weren’t there, they didn’t notice the secretive & amused smile that was curving on Chanyeol’s lips. Nor did they notice the accomplished look in Chanyeol’s eyes before he too, climbed upstairs. He had a message to give to Yunho & a plan to formulate.

It was eleven-eighteen in the afternoon. The dry & stingy wind blew by, bringing sand & dust along with it, making her felt sticky all over. Tiffany glanced at her bulova diamond accent stainless steel bracelet watch & pursed her full lips. She was thirty minutes early. Sighing, she prepared herself to wait for Yunho under the heat, mentally imagining herself swimming in some cool lagoon instead. She was just looking at the water & waiting for Yunho to come when the said guy suddenly popped beside her.

“What’s that about?! Yesterday?!” He demanded, without preamble.

“Hi to you, too.” Tiffany said dryly.

“I don’t have the patience for some hi, how are you crap!” He snarled, & pulled her to face him, “I want to know what happened yesterday! Why did you stepped back from me?! I thought I made everything clear when we were in your room yesterday & why did you hide behind Chanyeol?! Don’t tell me you have feelings for him!” He had meant the last word to be a statement but couldn’t help himself when it came out as a request. Tiffany’s jaw dropped as she realized how Yunho had perceived her action yesterday. He thought she had feelings for Chanyeol? Well, yes, she used to but now...Good god, as if her burden wasn’t heavy enough already, she groaned inwardly.

Heaving a long-suffering sigh, she impulsively pecked him on the cheek & made his jaw, in turn, dropped too, before a silly grin replaced it. After all, it was the first time she had ever taken the initiative to touch him with something other than the most innocent touch. Feeling his heart suddenly lightened enormously, he grabbed her hand before she could rush away & tightened his grip on it as they walked, still hand in hand.

“Weird, I haven’t seen Yoona trailing after you lately.” Yunho remarked casually, as he rolled his cup of coffee in his hands.

Tiffany quickly swallowed her honey bread before it went into the wrong duct & she would end up in the hospital, “Yeah!” She squeaked.

“Maybe she fell out of love with you.” Yunho said lightly. His face was as innocent as an angel but a closer look revealing some devilish gleam in his eyes, “Maybe that’s because you are getting fatter.” He added, eyeing the honey bread in front of her with subtle interests.

Tiffany snorted in response, “Yeah, good try, Jung Yunho. As if I would fall for that. Keep dreaming, foolish guy, & still, the honey bread won’t move even an inch in your direction.” She quipped cheekily, grinning shrewdly.

Yunho smiled tenderly as those sparkling eyes twinkled at him. He had never really expected that he would get away with it anyway. Sipping his coffee, he watched that barely restrained excitement & the very essence of innocent on the face of the girl before him. His heart rolled slowly in his chest when she smiled at him & finally offered him a bite of her honey bread & then soared from the joy she never failed to bring him when she laughingly gave him a napkin to wipe his mouth. He remembered the gentle way she treated the orphan kids, the lame boy & the fierce way she had fought him for what she wanted, for what she was protecting & felt himself tumbled deeper into the stormy, yet gentle emotion that had been blooming inside him for months. Without any hesitation, he took her hand in his & caressed her knuckles with his thumb before bringing it to his lips.

Tiffany really choked this time. She quickly snatched her hand away & looked around nervously, “We are in public, for god sake!” She hissed uneasily, “& in public, I’m a guy!”

“You didn’t think so when you pecked me right here.” He countered, grinning as he tapped his cheek. Seeing those cheeks turned tomatoes-like, he chuckled & drawled slowly, “You had better quickly finished your cake so we can get out of this horribly public place. Or don’t blame me for getting impatient here & ended up embarrassing the hell out of us.” He ended his advice by again, taking her hand with his & this time, entwined his fingers with hers so she couldn’t snatch it again.

Tiffany had never wolfed down a honey bread so fast.