Mysterious - 2

Traits
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“Where are you heading after this?” Yubin asked her. They just finished their class and supposedly their schedule would be vacant until 3 hours from now; for the afternoon class.

 

“Not the pub of course because obviously it hasn’t opened yet.” Tiffany teased. Yubin laughed, agreeing.

 

“How about movies?” Uee slipped her head in between the two women. She sat right behind them during class.

 

“We won’t make it for the next class if we watch cinemas, Uee.” Yubin stated the obvious.

 

“Let’s just eat cake and coffee. I need something sweet after the unclear and unwanted class we just had. My head aches from the numbers.” Tiffany put the pen’s cap back, collecting her almost invisible book she had and put it into her purse.

 

“I am in! I am gonna tell Hyomin and Bora to meet us there. Usual café, right?” Uee asked and Tiffany simply answered it with a nod.

 

And so Tiffany sat on the back alone like a boss she was with Uee driving the sporty and expensive red car she had with Yubin sitting on the passenger’s seat. They alternately tried to initiate the conversation with Tiffany and when the latter wasn’t interested with the topic any longer, they would quickly utilize their brains to find a different topic so Tiffany wouldn’t get bored.

 

Tiffany huffed silently, already familiar with the situation where her friends tried to entertain her while her phone would keep getting notifications from numbers of people; men and women who too tried to get her attention. She turned her head around, watching the different sceneries passed her as the car sped up. The phone inside her palm kept on vibrating and she tried to read each message hoping there’s one which could ease her from the boredom but she didn’t find any so she just placed her phone on the seat beside her.

 

Uee parked the car. Yubin got out first and waited for Tiffany to get out from the car too. Both of the women walked in front of Tiffany, leading the latter toward the well-known and pricey café at downtown area where only rich people could afford it. Uee entered the café first followed by Yubin and finally Tiffany. Yubin eyes were on hawk mode, scanning the inside of the café to find the best spot for the girls. From afar, she could see someone waving her hand and it’s confirmed that it’s Bora along with Hyomin. The girls walked toward both women and sat down.

 

“You’re late! I thought it would take only 15 minutes to reach here.” Hyomin said as soon as the three women were already seated.

 

“It is if there is no traffic.” Yubin grinned apologetically.

 

“Have you ordered for us? Or should we do it now?” Tiffany suddenly asked.

 

“We have fortunately. I order strawberry cheesecake for you and iced Americano.” Bora replied.

 

“Good.” Tiffany hummed.

 

“Anyway, who ended up sleeping with you last night?” Hyomin asked the person beside her who’s no one but Bora.

 

“A stranger with great and tall body plus a dimple I could die for. Too bad, I didn’t ask for his name. I only screamed Oppa when he made me moan last night.” Bora proudly explained and she ended it with a smirk to accentuate her pride regarding her conquer the night before.

 

“And you, Tiff. When was the last time you got laid? Breaking up with Khun Oppa, don’t you want to try finding someone to replace him?” Bora looked up to Tiffany.

 

“Since when I ever get addicted to like you, huh?” Tiffany merely raised an eyebrow yet it’s more than enough to make Uee hit Bora’s shoulder.

 

“She is right, pabo-ya! She is Tiffany not you. She doesn’t need men. Men need her to make their life slightly valuable.” Tiffany smiled and nodded her head, agreeing with Uee’s statement just now.

 

“Right, my fault. But seriously, I heard whispers in my class this morning. They say Minho is attracted to you. He is even now trying to get close to you. Is it true?” Bora rubbed her shoulder hit by Uee; obviously the hitting wasn’t enough to make her shut up.

 

“Oh! I heard it too! Desperate pathetic girls were complaining yesterday because their ‘Minho Oppa’ has his eyes on you now. Rumours say, the moment your break up news was announced; many men are trying to gain your attention and even bet on their luck to approach you.” Yubin joined the conversation.

 

“Really? No wonder he sent me abundant messages since last week. He tried to ask me out too through his trickery saying that he wants to make my grade better by having private lesson with him in the library.” Tiffany sliced her cake with the small fork. She stabbed the smaller pieces before moving it toward .

 

“Well he is a geek, a handsome one that is. He wears his glasses not for being stylish, Tiff but because of his reading hobbies. But despite being a geek, he has mouth-watering body you can stare for hours without getting bored. He is tall too and stands out in sports as well; running and basketball are his specialties.” Hyomin provided Tiffany more information about Minho.

 

“So what? I don’t need someone for studying together because as we all know; I hate studying and so are you, right?” Tiffany chuckled and the girls laughed along, nodding their heads in unison.

 

“His looks will be my consideration though.” Tiffany commented.

 

“And his body too, please?” Bora pleaded.

 

“Yah! Who are you to decide what Tiffany should consider in men who try to court her?! Know your place, Pabo-ya.” Again, Uee came for Tiffany’s safety and scolded her friend.

 

“I know I know. But Minho is so much better than her ex, Uee! Physical appearance aside, he is smart! Maybe he is the prophet God sent for us to get better grade, right?” Bora moved her eyes from left to right; asking for votes from her other friends aside Uee.

 

“Maybe? I don’t mind studying with him although there’s no guarantee I will get smarter since there’s no way I could concentrate being in the same room as he is.” Hyomin giggled.

 

“I second to Hyomin’s opinion.” Yubin stated.

 

“So what? All of you really ask me to consider him as my new boyfriend?” Again, the girls nodded simultaneously.

 

“SERIOUSLY?” They nodded again.

 

“We’ll see about that.” Tiffany sighed while her friends cheered.

 

It wasn’t a rare sight; where Tiffany’s friends would get busy to find her a new potential candidate to become her next boyfriend as soon as Tiffany broke up with the last one. And why would they do that? Simply because they knew or more like they pretended they knew that Tiffany didn’t like to stay single for long because Tiffany disliked the ‘single’ status plus it would keep Tiffany safer from more men who would endlessly tried to claim her.

 

As for Tiffany, the woman never thought too far about her own feelings. She thought men were never important for her. The only men they cared about were her father and her brother; her father was the kind of man that acted like a God. Why God? Because he acted like he knew everything and that whatever he did for Tiffany’s own good. Meanwhile, her brother was not that different from her father; he obediently followed what her father said to him. Was he happy? Tiffany didn’t know.

 

If she thought about it again, maybe it’s one of the reasons why she liked to play with men’s feelings. Men were usually bossy and dominant but when he’s with Tiffany, he was submissive because Tiffany was the one who had rights to give him orders, not vice versa. Back to the story, the girls kept on giving subtle hints of how Minho would be good for her, most importantly her status.

---

 

Today was supposedly a holiday for Tiffany because she didn’t have any class for today and she also didn’t have plan to hang out with her friends plus her single status made it impossible to have a date with a certain man. But luck wasn’t on her side because her maid just informed her that her father had been waiting for her downstairs to accompany him for regular medical controlling and check-up. She groaned, complaining silently but still got ready to go with her father.

 

“What took you so long? We will be late if you’re longer by an hour.” Her father who was strict with expression screamed powerful authority said. He was already standing with a cane near the stairs so he was the first person Tiffany met once she got out from her bedroom.

 

“Yes, Father. I am sorry for being late. We can leave right now.” Tiffany bowed.

 

“You need to have meals first. Go on and have it immediately. I shall give you 15 minutes to finish your late breakfast.” The old man assertively said or more like ordered Tiffany. He left to his study room, didn’t bother to hear Tiffany’s response. The woman sighed but still did as he said. Who was she to say no to him anyway? No one. She’s definitely no one.

 

Tiffany knocked on her father’s study room, informing him that she had done with her meals and that she was ready to go. The man closed down her laptop and walked ahead of her toward the front door. A luxury limousine had waited for them. The driver hurriedly opened the car’s door and let the man entered the car, followed by Tiffany.

 

“I am no longer young, Miyoung. I have health problems too and I might be not gonna live longer in this mortal world.” The old man talked first after they’re being silently awkward for the past 5 minutes.

 

“You shall be alright, Father.” Tiffany commented. She might be a delinquent girl outside of the house but in front of his father, she’s merely an obedient daughter who barely had power to say no. Not that she hadn’t tried it, but she had enough trying because none of them was succeeded.

 

“Hmm.” The man only hummed as his reply and Tiffany couldn’t comprehend what it meant.

 

“If possible, I want to live for as long as possible but I know my limit. I will be 70 soon and your mother is no longer here with me. Your brother and sister have become successful businessman and businesswoman, leaving only you who are still thriving toward there.” The man said. His cane was safely kept inside the car’s trunk.

 

“But I assure you that I will try my best to stay alive so I can guarantee a bright future for you. As soon as you have graduated, I will let you directly involved into the business we have now. I will even have the business expanded more with you by my side. You will be the best trading forecaster this country has ever had. You together with your siblings shall be the most influential people in South Korea, even the world.” The man confidently exclaimed.

 

Tiffany stayed silent because she had spent years trying to defend herself; trying to accentuate that she too had a dream which was very different from her father’s dreams. Hwang Jung Min called her as a deviation and told her to just let him decide her future. He also told her that he wouldn’t comment much about her misbehaviour outside the house but with condition that she must never defy him and his decisions under any circumstances.

 

“What will you become if you still stubbornly chose fashion design as your study subject, huh? Nothing, Miyoung. The best you can be is being a modest tailor with small boutique at countryside and I would remove your ‘Hwang’ from your name if you still insisted to be that tailor because no Hwang must live a poor and pitiful life. Do you understand?” The man turned his head to Tiffany, to ensure his daughter listened well to his preaching. He waited and looked Tiffany right in the eyes; trying to find if Tiffany tried to lie to him.

 

“I understand, Father. Thank you for guiding my life.” Tiffany was a professional actress, at least in front of her whole families so she knew well how to act being an honest person. She maintained her eyes too and didn’t look away when she answered the question.

 

“Good.” The man nodded his head.

 

“I know you are still young and you have this wild carefree side inside of you. Also, the era has changed and nowadays, youngsters are even become more rebellious and bolder in expressing their feelings. Don’t be like one of them, Miyoung. We are Hwangs are educated people so don’t let your stupid ideal stray you from our real visions.” The man halted. He opened the small fridge in front of him and took some ice cubes; putting it inside his glass before pouring the scotch onto the glass. He rocked the glass, letting the liquid inside become colder before he sipped the drink quietly.

 

“I give you more freedom than I have ever given toward your siblings so you should feel grateful for that. Do you really think I don’t know about your drinking habits? I know, Miyoung but I let you be. For now. Once you have graduated and even enter our business empire, you should learn how to behave. Do you hear me?” The man again talked with such power; if anything, it didn’t look like a father talked with his daughter but more like a very annoying and demanding boss talked with his servant.

 

“I heard you clearly, Father. I will fix my bad traits and try my best not to make you feel ashamed of me.” Tiffany braced herself and faked an apologetic smile.

 

“You must learn from Leo and Michele. Look at both of them; they already succeed and content with their lives. Everything any person ever wants in life already owned by them; success, wealth, dignity, status. What else do they need, right? And I want you to have them too, Miyoung.” The man sipped his drink again until the liquid was no longer there; leaving only smaller ice cubes.

 

‘Happiness. I don’t know about Leo or Michele but that’s what lack in my life, Father. If only you care enough about us more than you care about money.’ Tiffany said inside her heart.

 

“That’s why, stop skipping classes. You’re already 20 this year so I expect you to be a grown up woman, not a kid you’re always be like now.”

 

It was a lie if Tiffany said it wasn’t hurt; that the fact her father compared her to her siblings didn’t matter to her because it did. She thought she’s impenetrable since it’s not the first time she heard her father said hurtful things to her by comparing her or degrading her dignity but it turned out, Tiffany could still feel the pain although it wasn’t hurt as much as it used to.

 

“You can keep learning while working until you are 24 or 25 at max. After that, you shall undergo an arranged marriage. I already find the most suitable man for you. Kim Hyun Bin is his name. His father is a good friend of mine and like us, he has his own empire too; malls, supermarket, parking lot, even working buildings are some of his running business. By marrying him, we can merge our business and becomes even bigger.” He sounded excited as he was speaking and imagining that his business would be enlarged although by sacrificing his daughter’s happiness and fate.

 

“If you want to get to know him first, I will tell my friend to schedule a dinner meeting with you soon in the future. He is still in Europe right now but he shall be back in a month so you can meet him next month. I will even accompany you if you want.” He talked to Tiffany as if she already agreed with his decision; like his words were God’s amendment that must be abide and conducted or she would get the worst punishment possible from him.

 

“I shall think about it first, Father.” Tiffany offered him a smile.

 

“Don’t take too long. He’s the best candidate for you.” The man quickly replied and as predicted, he hurried Tiffany to make a decision; not the decision whether she wanted to marry him or not but more like if she wanted to get to know him first or not.

 

“Yes, Father.” Tiffany wanted to clench her fist to channel her emotion but she knew her father would have noticed it and it would make the conversation went longer. Surely, Tiffany wanted to avoid it and so she could only regulate her breathing as silent as possible.

 

For once, good thing was on her side because they have arrived before her father had something more to say to her which would only make her unhappy. Not that she was happy now but it would make her unhappy even more. Whenever her father had conversation with her, or more like he talked while she could only listen and agree; her mood would become gloomy and darker.

 

She continued the rest of the day accompanying her father to do medical check-up. She waited outside the controlling room with her thoughts contemplating about the conversation she had with her father earlier. She was much younger compared to her siblings, did it mean that her parents got her accidentally? If it’s true, as the youngest member of the families, shouldn’t she normally have gotten more love and attentions from her parents? But she got none of that. Her father could only give her money instead of unconditional parenting love, attention, and patience. She didn’t need that. What she needed was the only thing she couldn’t have; happiness.

 

Going back from the hospital, her father excused himself first, saying that he needed to rest. Tiffany was left in the living room with her father walking toward his bedroom. Tiffany was uncertain; should she stay inside her bedroom too until the day changed or should she go outside and spend more of her father’s wealth since it’s the only thing he could provide her? She chose the latter at the end; quickly dialling her friend’s number as she was ascending the stairs to get change.

---

 

“Why are we here again?” Yubin dropped her backpack to the bed, looking around and smirked in satisfaction after grading the most prestigious and largest hotel South Korea could provide, and of course Tiffany had booked the presidential suite for her and her friends.

 

“I am bored of clubbing so why not pulling our drinking habits over here instead? Why? You don’t like it being here?” Tiffany encountered the question with her own question. She was sitting on the couch near the bed with a glass filled with wine gripped by her hand.

 

“Of course I have no problem about it, Tiff. But don’t you think spending a night here would be more expensive compared to clubbing?” Yubin chuckled. Absolutely, she didn’t dare to talk against Tiffany, moreover to defy her command.

 

“Since when money has been a problem for her, Yubin?” Uee rolled her eyes, supporting Tiffany.

 

“I should have known better. Sorry, sis.” Yubin said to Tiffany. The latter lifted her chin a bit and that’s that. Being the wealthiest person amongst the girls, she had every right to be arrogant, right? Right.

 

“It’s fine.” Tiffany shortly stated. She was about to stand up to refill her glass when her other friend, Hyomin had brought the bottle to her and helped pouring the wine into the glass.

 

“Thanks, Hyo.” Tiffany smiled.

 

“No probs.”

 

“Can I do the liberty to order the food and drinks from this hotel? I bet the taste would be wonderful and beyond spectacular!” Bora already had her hands on the menu book. She was sitting on the bed with her back resting on the backrest.

 

“Sure. Order anything you want.” Tiffany nodded.

 

“Daebak!” Bora cheered.

 

“So, what’s the occasion we are here, Tiff? I mean as much as I like being here but we are in hotel not in a pub or even karaoke building. That’s something. Are we getting personal or what?” Yubin dropped the question. She sat on the long and large couch across of Tiffany, in front of the huge screen TV.

 

“I just want to enjoy my time and freedom with you girls while I can because I am getting married 4 years from now to Kim Hyun Bin.” Tiffany was sure she had controlled her expression and it was not the exciting one; it was the real expression she intended to be seen by her friends; hoping their reactions would somewhat be different this time.

 

“Wait.. Kim Hyun Bin as the KIMS who owns almost every building in Itaewon?!” Yubin’s jaw dropped.

 

“No no, not only Itaewon but almost the whole Seoul?!” This time it was Hyomin.

 

“Err.. yes that Kim Hyun Bin, I guess?” Tiffany answered unsure. She still hadn’t finished processing the girls’ reactions when another party butted in.

 

“WHOAA!! That’s great news, Tiff! Your father can merge HWANGS with the KIMS! Imagine that your wealth can soon even beat Bill Gate’s wealth!! It’s amazing! I wish I were in your place.” Bora dropped the menu book as she was standing up and clapping her hands in zest.

 

“This Kim Hyun Bin surely has God’s body! He’s like Aphrodite transformed into a man mixed with Ares, Tiff! He is perfect! Smart, handsome, gorgeous body, and rich!! How lucky you are!” Hyomin showed the searching result from her mobile phone to her friends.

 

“I don’t even mind to be his mistress if you allow it.” Bora laughed.

 

This wasn’t the kind of reaction she expected to get from her friends. But then again, Tiffany should have known better about her friends. They cared only about wealth and fame with anything else considered as trivial and unimportant. However, she had to compose herself and pretending that she too was happy to marry him. The actions her friends gave her were more than enough to make Tiffany see that even her friends couldn’t understand her.

 

“You won’t dare, Bora!” Tiffany joined the conversation, pretending that she too was happy to have him as her future husband when in fact; she’s far from being happy.

 

The night went on with the food and drinks kept on coming as they chatted and laughed about everything to nothing. Most of the topics were men, idols, and list of people wealthy enough for them to get the girls’ attentions. None of it was new and Tiffany was very much used to them altogether with her unique quirks that she had to accept.

 

‘How long more should I be like this? Pretending that I am happy with this kind of life when I am not?’ Tiffany glanced to her friends who literally did backflip when laughing for things they considered funny. When their eyes turned to her, Tiffany’s lips curved up and laughed along about things she too wasn’t sure of.

 

‘I am still young and yet people already fret about a candidate who is wealthy enough and deserves me when most of people at my age should have been worried only about their life and studies.’ Tiffany mentally sighed.

 

‘I have tried to be honest to them. But who am I kidding with? They are here only because it’s fun and because my surname is Hwang.’ Tiffany made a smile while her mind was elsewhere; frustrating over the fact that she was unable to comprehend.

 

‘How can they understand my feelings and place when their thoughts are exactly the same as my Father? I mean, who doesn’t need money and power? But is it really everything in order to make us human happy?’ Tiffany’s thoughts bombarded her with questions she couldn’t ever answer. If she could, surely she wouldn’t be so depressed.

 

The revelation made her head ached and Tiffany swore it wasn’t because of the alcohol this time. She had enough problems for today, starting from her selfish and ignorant father who never cared about anything but money. If today would be her last day to live on earth, maybe the last thing her father wanted from her was for her to marry Kim Hyun Bin so even she’s dead the day after; the company was still merged anyway.

 

‘When is the last time my Father said that he loved me?’ Tiffany pursed her lips thinned as if she told herself it’s not okay to cry over this and that she didn’t really need her father’s love or even others’ love because she’s a strong woman; even people never told her to be strong, she would be strong for herself because she simply couldn’t rely on others.

 

‘People said that actions scream louder than words but his actions don’t even show his affections for me. What am I to her? A daughter or merely a bridge to expand his business? Does it mean that I am nothing but a tool for him?’ Tiffany used to cry her heart out but as years gone by, her tears went dry and it left nothing but pessimism which still haunted her at times; like what’s happening now.

 

‘He never cares. He keeps his calmness when he often sees me drunk and got home after midnight. He ignores my bad grades for as long as I can graduate at the end. Will he even come to my funeral if ever I die before him?’ The question was getting more depressed and Tiffany couldn’t stay sane if she continued.

 

She understood this well but she couldn’t do anything but letting her heart and mind attacked her with numerous questions. It’s not the first time it happened and wouldn’t be last too for sure. At the end, it was more like an obligation for Tiffany to accept the truth that her father never actually cared for her nor did he love her.

 

As a daughter, it was normal to long for her parents’ love right? Maybe her mother was the only family who truly loved her but God wasn’t that kind to her that He decided to take her mother away when she’s still in Junior High School. Her longing and hopes for her father however were crumbled down as years passed; the more she grew up, the more demands her father asked from her. The thing she used to think as love was nothing but a mere lust; for her father to have more power, authority, fame, and of course money.

 

‘I even went as far as studying the subject I hate just to make him satisfy. But why it’s still not enough for him?’ Her contemplation moved to her study; the subject she never was interested but her father forced her to pursuit that department; economy management.

 

‘When will he be happy about the things I did only for him? Is it my own fault that I have to be born into this world?’ She hated numbers and disliked using her left brain and yet her father could care less about what she wanted for as long as it wasn’t according to what her father instructed.

 

‘All I want is to be heard but look at them; they are already drunk and wasted. The only thing they care about is themselves.’ She took a deep breath and her attention was back to her friends.

 

‘Is it too hard for them to sit down and just listen? I have paid for everything but all they were doing was just drinking endlessly.’ Tiffany shook her head, softly sipping her drink again.

 

‘My parent who is entrusted by God to take care of me and loves me couldn’t do his responsibilities. Now, my friends whom I have spent my money on them too couldn’t even pretend they care about me? What kind of life is this? Is this earth or do I live in hell?’ Tiffany tightened her grip on the glass.

 

Actually, the girls were the only hope she had left. For once, she tried to be honest to her friends; wishing they would really care about her feelings but her wish kept being a wish because it couldn’t become reality. Tiffany concluded that even her friends only cared about the fact that she’s rich, her family was powerful, she was famous and she was a great money spender. It made Tiffany wondered; maybe if she’s merely a moderate person with an average economic ability, the girls wouldn’t even want to know her, moreover befriend her.

 

‘If my life is a puzzle then I have lost too many puzzle pieces that it’d be forever unsolved.’ Tiffany sadly smiled at the dark sky above her, leaning forward on the railing located at the balcony.

 

‘I have to be a great trader back in my company. I have to marry Kim Hyun Bin when my age reaches 25. What is exciting about my life? Absolutely nothing when I already know what will happen tomorrow, next year, or even years from now.’ Tiffany’s thoughts diverted to her already regulated life. If people’s belief determined their Gods then Tiffany’s God must be her father.

 

‘When will I get to live my life as I want it? Until when I have to go on with this kind of life?’ Tiffany rotated the glass, watching the dark liquid whirled.

 

‘When can I speak for myself about the life I want, not the life that I have to live on? Can I ever have an option to choose o

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onebee
#1
Aku pertama kali baca ini mungkin 2-3 tahun yang lalu? Barengan karya-karya taeny mu yang lain. Tiap liburan selalu balik kesini untuk baca ulang atau kalo udah agak lupa sama plotnya bakal langsung baca ulang (biar kesannya kea baru pertama kali baca), antara sekarang udah jarang ada yang nulis fanfic taeny atau emang ceritamu yang terlalu bagus. Pokoknya terimakasih banyak, untuk waktu dan usahanya buat nulis fanfic yang semuanya bagus-bagus (kecuali heartless karena yang satu itu terlalu sedih, maaf).
Taeny901
#2
Chapter 7: The fudge I can't believe this I have been finding this story too and I keep on remembering what yitle it is like the other sotires here but now I found it again thank you so much again author nim
Taeny901
#3
Chapter 6: Again this is one of the stories that I have been finding and now I saw this in here again and I realized that almost all of this stories are my favorite HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Taeny901
#4
Its already 3 in the morning I can't sleep without finishing this story lmao
Taeny901
#5
I am very happy with the ending although I still want more but I still love it they deserve to be happy
Taeny901
#6
Chapter 4: My biggest mistakes is not reading the ending or maybe I have in the past and I have a feeling that it will be bad but I still fricking hope that it will have a happy ending TT
Taeny901
#7
Chapter 3: Again I miss this story but I forgot the title and where I read it but now I read this again I stil love it
Taeny901
#8
Chapter 3: I wish us to have a great year ahead Happy New Year again
Taeny901
#9
Chapter 3: Happy New Year Everyone
Taeny901
#10
I remembered this story a few days ago and I keep on thinking what the title is because I miss this story and I found this because I plan to read some of your stories again and as always I love it