Chapter 7

Taeyeon was staring blankly at her phone’s screen, locking and un-locking it every now and then. Her mind is having turmoil on whether she would make good use of her newly acquired information about Tiffany courtesy of Yoona who boldly asked for the doctor’s personal number and Juhyun’s number while exchanging her own number too, in the process.

“Should I or should I not?” She swiped open her screen again to just abruptly close it again. She heaved an audible sigh because of her lack of courage to type a simple message and to send it to the other girl.

After the blissful dinner she had with Tiffany along with her friends exactly a week ago. The image of the eye smiling girl never left her mind. Slowly creeping in every corner of her brain in every moment that passes her by and the hardest part of it all, is how it managed to stay there all week, clear and un-hindered. Taeyeon was now having thoughts on how she got it bad.

“Ayo Taengoo! Staring blankly again on your phone? Just send her a message already! Type a simple hi or hello! Or better yet, just call her! Don’t waste Yoong’s effort!” Taeyeon’s head jerked up when she heard the voice and slightly frowned.

“Where’s your manners Kwon Yuri?”

“What?! I knocked okay! Three times! It’s just that your busy day dreaming about your eye smiling dentist!” Yuri teasing smiled at her annoyed friend.

“Whatever Kwon.” Taeyeon flatly answered back.

“Seriously Taeng. A simple hi could have done you good if you just texted her already!” Yuri crossed her arms and looked straight to Taeyeon’s eyes.

“I… I… I…” The latter stuttered.

“Taeng, come on. Clearly you can’t stop thinking about her since the first time you saw her. And last week during our dinner she gave you her number personally without you asking for it. Meaning, she somehow wanted to know you better as a person, as a friend. What’s stopping you?” Yuri held Taeyeon’s gaze. She knows that her friend won’t easily gave her an answer and looking straight into Taeyeon’s eyes would be her last straw in finding it out. Since her friend always fails in hiding her own thoughts and feelings with her eyes.

 Yuri, sighs when she finally read what’s on Taeyeon’s eyes. She inhaled and thought for a short while as to try to say it to her wavering friend.

“Taeng, nothing in this world are the same. Everything and everyone is different. Nothing is alike.”

“I know. It’s just that. It’s been a while. I think I’m actually scared right now.”

“Taeng, you can do this.”

“I’ll try okay.”

“But Taeng, you know she really seemed interested. I mean good interested kind of way! Okay! And I think she’s genuinely fond of your niece. To think that she still thought that she’s your daughter is really enough reason to reconsider.”

Yuri stopped prying onto her bestfriend’s problem. It wasn’t even a problem yet to begin with. Taeyeon’s just hesitating. And she really can’t blame her for that, after all that had happen before. She glad that Taeyeon still made it.

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Taeyeon reached out for the ringing device on her table and instantly answered the call when she saw the name of the caller.

“Oppa, wazzup? Anything wrong?”

“Nothing Taeng. Why do you always think that there’s something wrong with me everytime I call you? Can’t I just miss my baby sister?”

“You can’t! Without any valid reason!”

“Believe me, I really just miss you right now and so is Taeji. That’s why I called.”

“You won’t call me in…” Taeyeon looked at the watch and grimaced. “Around 2 am in the morning in your time zone Oppa if there’s nothing wrong.”

“You’re right.”

“I’m right? You really don’t miss me or Taeji.” Taeyeon tried to fool herself with her answer. She could really feel that there is something wrong as in something really not nice going on in her brother’s mind.

“You’re right.”

“Oppa come on tell me already!” She sensed the worry underneath her brother’s voice and waited.

“I met her. Well, more like she met me.” Taeyeon froze. She suddenly felt anxious, mad, irritated and whole lot more all at the same time.

“Her? Who her?” Her voice grew tensed. There’s only one her that enters her mind whenever her brother used that tone.

“She came up to me earlier at the office. And tried to talk to me.”

“What?!”

“But I told her I’m quite busy and I can’t talk to her that time.”

“You what?! You talked to her?” She raised her voice this time.

“No I didn’t!”

“Yes you did! You just said you told her you’re busy!”

“Yes that I did! In order for her to leave me alone that time!” Her brother’s voice leveled up with her voice and the two of them are now a shouting mess.

“But did she leave? Let me guess! She didn’t! What does she want this time? Isn’t all that she had done enough?” Taeyeon continues to scream over the phone.

Jiwoong sighed first before answering her sister. “She asked if we could have dinner so we could talk.”

“And you said yes?!”

“NO! Stop screaming Taeyeon! My ears are starting to hurt! Please!” Taeyeon heard the pleading voice and that instantly calmed her down and made her feel a little bit guilty for over reacting.

Taeyeon breathe in and out letting the other person on the other line felt relieve upon hearing her calming breathing. “I’m sorry Oppa.”

“It’s okay and I’m sorry too. But believe me I didn’t say yes to her invite. I told her I’m busy and I don’t know when I’ll be free from all the work but she insisted. She left me her phone number and asked me to give her a message when I’m free. I can’t just go and talk to her not without telling you first.” It’s Jiwoong’s turn to breathe to relieve his tensed lungs from the long litany of words.

“What are you going to do?”

“It’s not what I’m going to do Taeyeon. It’s what we are going to do.” Jiwoong emphasize the word we.

“I don’t know.” Taeyeon sighs again. Her brother was quiet on the other line also not knowing what it is.

“ Why? Why now? What does she want?”

“I don’t know Taeyeon.” It was his turn to return the words.

After the undying moment of silence Taeyeon’s heart beat quickened and her brain started to click in fear and panic.

“Oppa, we can let her come near Taeji!”

Knowing her sister is probably having a breakdown right now. Jiwoong tried to be the calm one this time. He should act like the big brother this time. Something that he should have done a long time ago. He won’t let his sister be hurted again. Not by her and definitely not by him again.

“Taeng, you know we can’t stop her from doing that. But we could prepare ourselves if we know what it is that she’s planning if we could now the reason why did she suddenly re-appear again after all this years. I’m sorry Taeng that you have to hear from her again. I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? It’s not even your fault! It’s all her fault!”

“But still. I played a huge role in hurting you. No excuse could atone for that.”

“Enough Oppa. Let’s not go back in there again. We are already over that. There’s something good that happened to us, to our family after that right? And that is Taeji, your daughter and my lovely niece.”

“Taeng.”

“You know that I’m only reacting like this because of what she did after right. I can’t ever forgive her for that! Never. And if she ever try or even plan of doing something bad to Taeji, I swear I would definitely end her this time.”

Jiwoong finally sighed a relief breathe this time. After all that had happen between him, Taeyeon and that woman. He’s just glad that he still managed to save his relationship with her sister. Although he could never save the last one no matter how much he had tried. When there’s nothing to be saved anyways, he finally realized that now. Although he realized too late and the damaged had been done to them, at least he and Taeyeon still managed to realize it. And although he despise her a lot he couldn’t help but feel thankful to her too. Because underneath all the lies and the games and the heartache she caused them, she’s still one of the reason why their family have the most wonderful blessing they have ever got.

He sighs again remember something Taeyeon has said. Jiwoong knows that his sister has a point. He also won’t know what to do if she would try to something bad to Taeji.

“So, I will talk to her, tomorrow. Is that okay?”

“Okay Oppa. Do what you must do. But are you gonna be okay?”

“Yes. I’ll be. You know we’re on the same boat now right. Nah, I’m alone in this ship right now ‘coz you’ve already found someone again. While your poor Oppa is still searching!”

“Oppa! Shut up! We’re talking seriously then you’ll say that!”

“Taeng, you know we can’t stay talking seriously with each other for a long period. So just it up baby sis!” Jiwoong burst into laughter after hearing his sister huff in the other line.

“But seriously speaking again. Don’t worry Taeyeon. Let your big brother handle the mess he created once and for all. Okay?”

“Okay Oppa. Just be careful and call me before and after. Okay?”

“I will. And will you also inform Appa and Umma about this?”

“I will call them right after we end our conversation.”

“Okay I’ll leave that up to you.”

“You should take a rest now Oppa. You must be tired now and I still have some work to do so I could come home early for Jiji.”

“Okay bye Taeng. Please kiss Jiji for me and thank you for everything.”

“I will Oppa. No need to thank me. We’re family remember. Blood is thicker than water.”

“Yeah! Miss you baby! I’ll hang up now.”

“Rest well Oppa. Miss you too.” The call went silent after that. Taeyeon leaned back on her swivel chair and closed her eyes. She suddenly felt tired after that talk with her brother. On the other hand she felt relieve that all her friends were out this time for some wedding shoot and none of them could have heard her shouting.

‘What does she want this time?’ Taeyeon opened her eyes and force herself to stop thinking about negative thoughts. She would let her brother handle her once and for all. All she has to do is take care and protect Taeji.

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Taeyeon didn’t forget to call their parents to tell them about the recent event concerning their granddaughter. Their parents were furious and worried at the same time. Their Father lectured to her again all the legal actions they should do in case things would go wrong while Taeyeon tries to calm them down and convince them to stop worrying further when they still don’t know what does that woman wants.

In the end, Taeyeon’s Mother decided that they would stay at her house every weekend starting this week. So, she could watch over her granddaughter more and that she know firsthand what is happening.

“Umma, I’ll hang up now. I’m going home Jiji’s waiting for me her Nanny is texting me already you’re granddaughter is whining for her prize ice cream and jellies.” Taeyeon laugh a little in attempt to assure their parents.

“You’re buying her sweet treats again? I thought she just finished her visit in the dentist?”

“Well yeah! It went pretty smoothly this time. And what am I supposed to do when that’s the prize she wants everytime she get a star at school?”

“You’re spoiling her too much!” Her mother nags her.

“Looks who’s taking! Bye now Umma!” She laughed as she answers back at her mother. She ended the call feeling a little better now.