Chapter 20: All She Could Do Was To Hope
She walked into her father’s study room and saw him sitting on his chair solemnly. The atmosphere around her was kind of serious so she was curious as to what her father wanted to talk to her about.
“Have a seat, TaeYeon.” He spoke and TaeYeon obliged.
Being in front of her father in this situation, she was actually a little tense since it is kind of rare to see her father being this serious and there was even a frown evident on his face.
“The board called for a meeting tonight,” the King said. “It is a very sudden announcement that I just received and since they didn’t mention what this meeting is about... I’m actually afraid that they found out something that they shouldn’t.”
“You’re saying...”
TaeYeon didn’t even need to finish her sentence before her father had nodded. “Yes, about Tiffany, I’m not quite sure about Jessica though. But still, we shouldn’t jump to any
conclusion this soon and make ourselves paranoid. Let’s just get this over and done with and do not let anything happen to any of them again, TaeYeon.”
Taeyeon nodded, of course she wouldn’t let anything happen again. Those memories just kept sticking in her mind and she clenched her fists when it replayed again like a broken record player that couldn’t be stopped.
“Taeyeon-ah, Appa trusts that you will do anything to keep them safe, but make sure that you keep yourself safe as well. Don’t get hurt or impulsive. You understand what I’m saying, right?" The King asked with a gentle tone.
“Yes, Appa. I get it.”
“Good,” the King had a small smile on his face before he spoke again. “Ah, right. Before I forget, I’ve already settled Tiffany and Jessica's school problem. I asked one of the
subordinates to inform the school that the both of them will be back to their hometown for a few months."
“So they won’t be going to school for these few months? That's quite a long time, Appa.”
Taeyeon remarked with her eyebrow lifted up.
“Yes, I do know that it is long. But we'll just see how it goes first.”
“Okay. Appa, if you will excuse me, I would like to inform the others about tonight.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
With the answer, Taeyeon stood up from her seat and walked towards the door but not forgetting to bow to her father beforehand. And just as she turned the doorknob, the King spoke.
“Taetae, remember not to show too much of yours and Tiffany's PDA to us!" A manly chuckle left the King's lips as he watched his daughter's jaw drop.
---“Hey, I want some too!” Tiffany whined with a pout when TaeYeon refused to feed her the ice cream that she was eating.
“Nope,” she said with the ‘p’ popping at the end. “Get it yourself.” She then pulled the bowl away when she saw Tiffany trying to snatch it away.
“Stop moving this fast!”
TaeYeon chuckled and watched Tiffany cross her arms with a pout. “Is my baby angry?” She said out and then cringed. “Oh god, can’t believe I just said that.” She placed the almost empty bowl onto the table before turning to pull Tiffany closer to her. And then, she placed a kiss onto her cheek. “Still angry?”
The pout was no longer on Tiffany’s face but her arms were still crossed. So, TaeYeon pulled her arms away slowly before interlacing both of Tiffany’s hands with hers. She then slowly leant forward, watched as Tiffany’s eyes slowly shut before she kissed her own the lips.
She shuddered at the feeling and heard Tiffany gasp. This feeling was definitely much more than what she had imagined. And yes, she had imagined kissing Tiffany before, as much as it sounds perverted
She slowly deepened the kiss and pulled Tiffany even closer. Her hands were now on her girlfriend’s waist while the latter’s were on her neck.
Feeling those hands around her neck tightening their hold, she smiled against Tiffany’s lips.
And before they could even do anything more, there was a sudden knock that surprised both of them so much that they quickly pulled away from one another and sat with their hands on their legs.
“Hey! What–” Sooyoung paused her sentence as she stopped with Jessica beside her. Her eyes went to her two friends that were sitting so formally that it looked like they were taking some family photographs. “–the heck...?” She blinked a few times before sitting with Jessica. “What were you two doing?”
“Nothing!”
“Eating!”
Sooyoung looked between the two that had answered at the same time. “So... is it nothing or eating?”
“Well... I was eating and Fany was doing... nothing.” Taeyeon answered.
Sooyoung looked at Tiffany like she was expecting an explanation as well. So, Tiffany just nodded and pointed at TaeYeon. “What she said.”
“O–kay...” She shrugged her shoulders and didn’t see a need to pursue the matter.
They sat in silence, not knowing what to say anymore until TaeYeon remembered about this morning. “Oh right, Appa said that there will be a board meeting tonight. So, the two of you will have to stay in the room with Seohyun.” She looked at Tiffany and Jessica.
“Oh? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Tiffany was a little upset so her voice went up a tone higher.
“It’s easier for me to tell the both of you at the same time. And besides, I didn’t want you to worry that much.”
“And by telling me now, do you think that it’s going to help?”
TaeYeon inhaled and closed her eyes with her fingers pressing onto her temple. “Let’s just...
just stop, alright? I don’t want to quarrel with you over this. Especially right now.”
Tiffany kept quiet and looked away.
I just want you to be safe...
---The royal family entered the large meeting room with eyes following them. ---They sat down at their respective seats before the King spoke, “good evening to all of you here. This is a sudden meeting called by the boards so I would like to know what this is about.”
A man stood up from his seat. He smoothened his fresh suit before smiling. “I’m the one who called upon this meeting, Sir.”
“May I question the purpose, Leader Park?” The King placed his elbows onto the table with his hands clutched together in front of his face.
Leader Park stepped away from his seat and went nearer to the King which alarmed the guards that were standing by. The King quickly raised a hand telling them not to make any move and they obeyed.
“Just a few days ago, I got some very interesting information about this palace, Sir.”
“What is it?” The King asked. He could sense trouble coming their way.
“I found out that there’s a human living here, right at this place,” he smirked when the other people in the room started to chatter loudly.
“Why, of course, our helpers are mostly humans here.” The King remained unstirred by the information.
Leader Park shook his head with a chuckle, “no need to hide anymore, Sir. I think you know what I’m talking about. What’s her name again? Ti... Ti...”
TaeYeon clenched her fists under the table. She was staring at the man intensely and all she wanted to do then was to stand up, get to him, and give him one nice punch before telling him to shut his filthy mouth up. She could feel herself shaking in anger when a warm hand was placed on top of hers. She immediately relaxed and looked at her father who smiled warmly at her. Knowing what her father meant, she then nodded her head.
“Ah, I got it. Tiffany. Yes. Her name’s Tiffany, am I right, Sir?” His tone was almost mocking
TaeYeon’s face immediately went pale.
The King heaved a sigh when she saw the look on his daughter’s face. He quickly gave a squeeze on her hand before standing up, “and what proof do you have to make this allegation, Leader Park?”
“Now, ‘allegation’ is a very strong word to use, Sir. But, yes, I do have proof.” He smirked before turning around. “Leader Lee?”
Everyone in the room then turned to see Lee Donghae standing up.
TaeYeon exhaled loudly. She felt like running forward to tell him to back off from this matter. She really had the urge to, and her legs were already ready to move when she felt Sooyoung holding onto her arm. She turned and saw Sooyoung mouthing ‘no’, she was about to retort back when the girl shook her head sternly.
“Leader Lee, could you please tell them what you saw?”
“Of course,” replied Donghae. “I have actually... once encountered this human before. Right here in this palace.” The whisperings around the room grew louder.
The King clenched his jaw but appeared to be unaffected. “And what proof do you have, Leader Lee? You can say anything you want, but we would like evidence, please.”
Donghae smiled slyly and turned to TaeYeon. “I believe that Prince TaeYeon should also be speaking by now because she was also a witness that can prove that I saw this Tiffany girl.
Aren’t I right, Prince?”
TaeYeon narrowed her eyes at him.
“Is that true, TaeYeon?” The King asked.
She hesitated before finally nodding meekly with the stares from everyone, “y–yes, Appa...”
She looked down when gasps were heard.
“So, now we have the truth. There really is a human living in the palace. Would you care to explain to us the reason why, Sir?” Leader Park asked with crossed arms. He was looking too arrogant for the King’s taste.
The King looked around the room where the other leaders were all also hoping for an answer. He looked down and clenched his hands before looking up front. “Since it has already turned to this state, I guess there is a need to explain. We tried. We tried to erase her memories but failed to do so. The reason was unknown to us because it was the first and because we couldn’t just let her out, the only way was to keep her here so that no words could be spread around.”
“Her memories couldn’t be erased? Now that’s a very interesting human. I would really love to... meet her.”
TaeYeon looked up in shock. She was already at the brink of going insane when she had to admit and now that he wants to meet Tiffany, her mind was going berserk. She knew that her father had no choice in this matter but to obliged, and all she could think of now was Tiffany.
Tiffany. How would she react, how would she feel.
Definitely scared. She would be definitely scared. And not just her, TaeYeon was also being very scared right now. She was afraid that something might happen when Tiffany’s here.
She felt emptiness in her mind and she couldn’t think no more.
All she could do was to hope.