Chapter 14

Afterwards, Yunho tugged her along & rode the private elevator to the suite he had reserved as his office. It was spacious, decorated in green. In the middle of the room was a no-nonsense black desk, arranged in a u-position. She could practically see Yunho sitting there with the phone craned between his ear & shoulder while he was working on the computer. Besides the phones were two matte silver picture frames. Asking permission without any words, she lifted her eyebrow. At Yunho’s nod, she happily skipped towards the desk & leaned down to inspect the picture. One was of Chanyeol, Yunho & Mrs. Jung on their graduation ceremony & the other one was of Yunho & her, laughing together on the deck of a yacht.

“I want you to be my girl.” He suddenly whispered into her ear.

She leaped from her position as if she just got stung by a poisonous scorpion & scrambled away. Her face was pale with pain & shock. She had never thought that Yunho would ask her this kind of question. By asking her this, he showed her how serious he was with whatever he was feeling for her. Oh god, how she yearned to say yes. How she wanted to run into his arms & be protected but no, she couldn’t do that to Yunho. Not with Chanyeol so close. If what Chanyeol claimed was true then she only had five days left. Not able to say the word, she only shook her head in answer.

“Why not?!” He demanded, “Give me one valid reason!”

“I.” She swallowed profusely & firmed her lips, “I don’t like you.”

Instead of the anger she had expected, Yunho flashed her a grin, “Yes, you do.” He said confidently.

Tiffany could feel irritation rising inside of her & a frown settled on her forehead, “No, I don’t.” She said stubbornly, half to convince him & half to convince herself.

“So, you always melted that way on whoever is kissing you? Even to a guy you don’t like?”

His tone was so full of disdain & insult that she blurted out without thinking, “Of course not. Do you think I’m so easy & cheap?” Only after seeing the grin on his face that she realized what he was doing, “Please don’t force me.” She said, twisting her long fingers nervously.

“No valid reason, right? Then it is final.” He said cheerfully, with a broad grin on his face but upon seeing the misery on her face, his grin faded away. He brought her closer to him & lifted her face up, “Tiffany, I love you.” He said, it so simply that she had no choice but to believe it which she couldn’t afford to.

Squashing down the feeling inside of her heart, she shook her head again, “No, you don’t.” She said, it firmly, giving him no window for an argument.

“Aw, don’t tell me what I’m feeling. I know my own heart.” Yunho’s breath tickled her ear, tempting her to give in. Enticing her to tell him everything & burrow in his safe embrace while he made everything right again. Steeling her heart, she looked at Yunho in the eye as she uttered the biggest lie in her life, “Then it’s me.” She forced the words out past the huge lump in , “I don’t love you.”

Quick as a snake, Yunho immediately drew her into his arms. It seemed like he only waited for her to look up at him in surprises because the moment she did, her lips were captured completely by his.

Different from their kiss yesterday, this kiss was more demanding, violent & intense. It was as if he wanted, needed, to convince her or himself or both of them that she was his & his only. That she will be his & his only. He clutched her to him like a lifeline, desperately seeking reassurance from her as he poured whatever was raging inside of him into the kiss, jealousy, fear, uncertainty, determination & the love he felt for her. Struggling at first, she soon went pliant under his skillful ministration. She ended up winding her arms around him, keeping him close while she melted against him.

“Don’t tell me you don’t love me, Tim. The proof is right there.” He wheezed out when they broke apart. His eyes were looking deeply into hers, already reading the honest answer in there before she even had time to hide it. Smiling in satisfaction, he played with her hair while his breath evened out, “Now, say it to me.”

“I need time.” She whispered. Time to plan her action against Yoona. Time to plan how she would be able to keep Yunho & at the same time, defeat Chanyeol from his mission.

Yunho looked at Tiffany with the utmost frustration written all over his face. What more did she need to think about anyway? He felt like taking ahold of that stubborn, yet little pretty head & bobbed it up & down in answer to his question but he knew better than to force her when she wasn’t ready. Sighing heavily, he gave in, “Then I will be here whenever you are ready to give me your answer but I have to tell you that I wouldn’t take no for an answer, Tim.”

Smiling, Tiffany bobbed her head & let out a relieved sigh. She put her head on his shoulder, feeling at ease at last. One problem down, two more to go until Yunho asked her a minute later, “Ready, yet?” Seeing the exasperated look on her face, he grinned impishly, “I’m bound to ask you every other minutes, Tim, so you had better surrendered. If not for anything else, at least for your peace of mind. Say yes. Come on, say yes.”

Tiffany finally nodded her answer, eyes shining brightly.

With a whoop, Yunho swooped down & picked her up. Then with her in his arms, he ran & jumped around the room, shouting in delight.

“Yunho Oppa!” She had to shout herself so she could be heard, “Put me down! I still have something else to say to you!”

“What is it?” He asked, still out of breath from his exercise. Then his face brightened, “Ah, yes. About where you are coming from, about why you are pretending to be a guy & why do we have to meet here instead of my study?” Then it was clouded as he added, “& why did you step back from me & hid behind Chanyeol yesterday?” Seeing the hesitation & distress on her face at his questions, he shook his head, “Tim, it’s okay if you don’t want to tell me about it. Really. I trust you. I don’t care if you really come from California or North Pole. I don’t care if you pretend to be a guy only for fun or for whatever reason. I don’t care about anything else.” He had to take in a deep breath before he spoke again, “Just tell me that you have no feelings for Chanyeol. Just tell me you love me. That’’s all I need to hear.”

She felt the squeeze in her heart at the sincerity that was shining from his eyes but it’s not the time to tell him everything yet. Not until she was sure of her plan & Chanyeol’s progress, “Oppa.” She called out softly, “I love you. I really do & you don’t have to worry about Chanyeol. I promise you, I don’t have anything to do with him but there’s something I want you to promise me.”

“Don’t worry. I will promise you anything.” He boasted, feeling like the king of the world hearing her admission, “Anything at all.”

“Promise me that we will keep this a secret. I’m still Timmy, a guy, to everyone else. You can’t tell anyone about my true identity, not even your best friend, Chanyeol. Can you promise this for me?”

“But why?” Yunho looked so perplexed.

“I have my reason.” Was the best answer she could come up with.

He took her hand & slowly, deliberately, laced her fingers with his again, just like he wanted to lace his life with hers. Then he looked deeply into her eyes, “Can’t you tell me?” Suddenly, an ugly thought entered his mind, “Oh my god! Don’t tell me you are ashamed to be seen with me?!” Yunho demanded in horror.

“Oh, for god sake.” Tiffany muttered. Before she could think it through, she stood on her tiptoes & brushed her lips across his in something that felt like a butterfly kiss, “Does that answer your question?! I only need some more time & space! It’s not like it’s going to be forever!” She grumbled, but Yunho didn’t hear her last words. He was too busy grinning like a fool. He touched his lips & his grin got even more foolish, if that was possible. Another first. The first time Tiffany had ever kissed him first without even a bit coaxing from him. He looked at her tenderly & caught her face between his hands, “Anything you want. Anything at all.” He whispered, before occupying her lips in a more satisfying kiss.