56 | Moving Forward

***

Yoona who just parked the car in front of the hospital suddenly heard a notification from a group chat. He ignored the first one but out of a sudden, a continuous notification came through which made him annoyed and he grabbed his phone from the pocket of his business suit. His eyes couldn't believe the messages from his college friends, all asking the same thing; 

Who is the hot and pretty woman are you dating?

"What the..." He opened the group chat and scrolled up to see photos of Seohyun in a cafe, that one last date he had with her in Busan was still being captured by the paparazzi. "Damn, my girlfriend's so hot indeed with my shirt." he praised with a giggle and decided to save the photos in his phone.

Kanghoon: Is that your white long-sleeve she's wearing? Dude, did you guys do it before this date? Was she good in bed?

She's totally my type! Can we share? I think she won't mind. 

His smile disappeared when another college classmate of his asked about it. He got pissed and decided to reply.

Yoona: The shirt she's wearing is indeed mine but that's not the case! My girlfriend is the most wholesome woman I know and I love her so much!

I only spilled the tea on her blouse and I had to hurry to get her a new shirt. So I decided to give my extra shirt.

I'm leaving this group chat.

He sent it and automatically left the college group chat he was in. "Bastard." He remarked and blocked the person who disrespected his girlfriend. He takes a deep breath and exhales loudly and does it repeatedly until he's calm.

Grabbing his keys from the keyhole, he stepped out of the car and headed to the hospital. But he hadn't even reached the lift when he saw Seohyun jogging toward him, as if she knew he was coming. "Wae?" 

Seohyun welcomed him with a brief hug before she grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the hospital. "We're going to the police station." she declared as soon as they returned to the car.

"We're visiting the culprit?" Yoona asked as he the engine and carefully maneuvered the car.

"Yup." She replied without hesitation as she buckled up.

"Taeyeon Hyung, he's already there, right?"

"How'd you know?"

Yoona glanced at her. "His secretary told me last night that they're visiting the police station after lunch."

"Taeyeon Oppa actually didn't tell us. He only told us he was going back to the villa to change his clothes. I just found out he's there right now because my phone told me so."

"You put a tracker on my friend?" Yoona exclaimed in surprise.

"Um, it was Tiffany Unnie's request." 

"Chincha? Wae?"

"Just like how Taeyeon Oppa wants to protect her, she also wants to protect him." Seohyun explained with a giddy smile. "Aren't they the sweetest to each other?"

"I want to protect you too, Seohyun." Yoona felt a little jealous.

"Yah, I'm the one doing it."

"Since when?"

She pauses and ponders. "Um, since we got kidnapped by kids back in Sunshine Village."

"I was the one who protected you that time." He reminds her and softly chuckles.

Seohyun scoffed and was about to hit him when changed her mind. "But anyway, Unnie and Taeyeon Oppa just really love each other, so they could do it to each other."

"When did you put the tracker?" Yoona curiously asked.

"Last night."

"You sneak out last night? I didn't even hear any noise."

She chuckled and proudly smiled at him. "I am good at sneaking out, remember? And also, you were soundly sleeping, how are you going to wake up?"

"Ugh, I shouldn't sleep right away." Yoona replied as he glanced at her. "I have a thief girlfriend so it's-"

"What did you just say?" Seohyun interjected, shooting her boyfriend a glare.

"A thief girlfriend?" He innocently mentioned earning a hit on his head. "Ouch! Stop doing that!"

"I'm not a thief anymore. Aish." She shrugged it off as she crossed her arms and looked outside. But soon her lips curved into a smile. For unknown reasons, it sounds good to her. "Honestly I'm still a thief."

"What?"

"I stole the heart of someone. Thief girlfriend that stole the heart of a deer." she remarked and glanced at Yoona. She giggled when she saw the giddy smile from her boyfriend as well.

—

"So are we going inside."

"No, give me a second." Seohyun opened her laptop from her backpack and began to crack down on the wifi of the police station.

Yoona watches in silence and in awe, but he suddenly remembers what Kang Hoon said earlier and he feels bad for his girlfriend. "I'm sorry, baby." he suddenly told her.

"For what?" She answered without purring her eyes away from the laptop monitor.

"Just want to apologize that there are people who would disrespect you without even knowing you."

Seohyun looked at him with eyebrows creasing. "Did anyone..." she pauses when Yoona kisses her lips which never fails to make her flutter. "Is it because of the paparazzi?"

"Yeah, like them, and my friend." Yoona decided to mention.

"What did your friend do?"

"Just boy's minds, you know what I mean."

"What is it?" Seohyun innocently asked.

"Later, go back to your work." He chuckled as he gestured toward her laptop.  

"Okay." She smiled briefly before she returned her attention to her laptop while Yoona was observing outside.

***

Walking into the ward, Jessica's face lit up as she spotted Da-On seated on the sofa, his demeanor notably different from the day before. A smile tugged at her lips as she realized he was engrossed in a game on his father's phone, a diversion they hadn't installed on Da-On's device.

"What game have you got there, Da-On?" Jessica inquired, settling down beside him.

"Shh... Mom's sleeping," Da-On hushed her immediately.

Jessica glanced over at Tiffany's bed, confirming that she was indeed asleep. "Did she receive her injection after lunch?"

"Yes, a nurse came back to administer pain relief," Da-On shared with a pout. "She mentioned it might make Mom sleepy, and that's why she's resting now. Poor Mom."

Jessica tenderly tousled Da-On's hair. "So you'll take good care of her, okay?"

"Oops, I lost the game!" Da-On exclaimed in surprise as he realized his Tetris stack reached the top, ending the game. "It's all your fault, Noona!" he playfully blamed her.

"Wow, you're really good at this, Da-On," Jessica remarked, checking the score and feeling surprised to see a 5,000 score for a 5-year-old boy. "I'm terrible at this game, and you've scored more than me? I think you'll be a gamer instead of a football player."

"It's easy, Noona, why are you so bad?" he teased, grinning at her.

"Aish," she playfully pinched his nose, earning a chuckle from him. "Come on, let's just make some cookies."

"Really? Where?" Da-On immediately set the phone aside.

"In the pantry, they've got an oven and all the baking supplies we need. Let's go!" Jessica giggled as she got up, excitement bubbling as she led the way to the pantry with a plastic bag filled with ingredients for their cookies.

Moments later, Tiffany emerged from the depths of sleep, her senses tingling as the tantalizing scent wafted from the pantry. With a deliberate grace, she eased herself upright, her muscles responding to the call of wakefulness. Stretching out a hand, she located the button nestled on the side of the bed, its presence familiar beneath her touch. With a press, the bed responded, shifting to accommodate her rising form. She halted its ascent just at the perfect angle, providing comfortable support for her back as she settled into a seated position, ready to embrace the day.

The pantry door swung open, revealing Jessica and Da-On with trays laden with freshly baked cakes.

"Mom's up!" Da-On's voice bubbled with excitement as she bounded over to Tiffany's side. "Mom, look what we made—cookies!"

"In the pantry?" Tiffany's amazement colored her voice. She reached for one of the cookies, only to retract her hand quickly as she felt the lingering heat.

"Careful, Tiffany. They're still hot," Jessica cautioned, setting her plate on the coffee table. "Da-On, place the plate here," she directed the young boy.

"They look delicious, Jess," Tiffany remarked, peering over at the cookies. "And so do my son's creations."

"I baked them, Mom," Da-On announced proudly, flashing a big grin at his mother.

"Yeah, he was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement," Jessica added with a soft giggle. "How are you feeling, Tiffany?" She moved closer to the bed, beginning to massage Tiffany's legs.

"I'm fine, really," Tiffany tried to decline her friend's offer of a massage, but Jessica insisted, gently tugging at her legs.

"Just let me, you need a massage while you can't still walk around," Jessica reasoned gently.

"Noona's right, Mom," Da-On chimed in, quickly moving to the opposite side of his mother and climbing onto a nearby chair so he could massage her other leg.

"Honey, you really don't have to," Tiffany protested softly, though her heart warmed at their caring gestures. Both of them looked at her with big, cheerful smiles, giving her all the more reason to smile back.

"How about we get you a wheelchair?" Jessica suddenly suggested, concern evident in her voice.

"No, not yet. Maybe in a couple of days," Tiffany declined gently, hesitant to rush her recovery and risk any complications.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry," Jessica replied apologetically, ceasing the massage and taking her seat. Meanwhile, Da-On dashed back to their cookies to see if they had cooled down a bit.

"You must be so proud, aren't you, my son?" Tiffany smiled warmly at Da-On, her heart swelling with maternal pride.

"Yes, Mom. Thanks to Noona's guidance," Da-On replied, attempting to touch the cookies again but quickly retracting his finger with a yelp as he accidentally burned it. "Still hot," he admitted, reaching for a tissue to soothe his singed finger. Afterward, he settled back into his seat on the cushion, grabbing Taeyeon's phone to resume his game.

Jessica couldn't help but giggle. "Da-On is becoming more like his father, isn't he?" she remarked with amusement.

"Why do you think so?" Tiffany asked, raising her eyebrows curiously.

"He likes to clean now."

Tiffany glanced at her son. "Do you mean when he wipes his finger?"

"Yeah. He didn't used to do that. He used to be quite messy, but Taeyeon's been teaching him how to clean up now," Jessica shared her observations. "Which is actually good for his growth."

"I agree. But he's still the same Da-On I know," Tiffany said with a fond smile, her thoughts drifting back to the joyous moments of the previous night.

"Why?" 

"He was upset about his father last night, wasn't he? So I played the 'tired' card. You know he never likes it when I bring that up. And eventually, he'll relent."

"Oh, I remember whenever you said you were tired, three-year-old Da-On would pat your head, lean his little head against yours, and whisper 'sleep'," Jessica reminisced, her voice filled with warmth. "He's too precious," she continued, unable to contain her smile as she recalled Da-On's younger days. "And absolutely adorable."

"Yeah, I remember telling him that when someone's tired, they need sleep. I explained it to him last night, and he forgave Taeyeon right away," Tiffany reflected, feeling as if the younger version of her son was standing right there beside her.

"He's definitely still just a kid," Jessica chuckled softly. "By the way, don't let Taeyeon wear a plain t-shirt, like white," she added, a sudden recollection of what happened to Yuri the other day crossing her mind.

"What? Why would I do that?" Tiffany asked, puzzled by Jessica's suggestion.

"Because some girls are into guys showing off their biceps. Yuri was a victim last time; they were all over him, complimenting his biceps and calling him y. I had to shoo them away," Jessica explained, gesturing proudly and chuckling at the memory.

Tiffany couldn't help but laugh, her hand instinctively moving to support her abdomen. "Oh, Jess, you're too much," she chuckled, trying to stifle her laughter.

"Oh, I'm sorry, fany. I was just telling you the truth."

"But seriously, you don't have to do that. Yuri's not going to fall any girls besides you."

"I know, I'm just looking out for you. You might want to consider banning your fiancé from wearing tight shirts; they tend to attract other women," Jessica said with a mischievous grin.

"Fine, I'll keep that in mind," Tiffany replied, coughing slightly as she tried to contain her laughter. "Although, for me, the y part of Taeyeon is his chest," she added with a playful twinkle in her eye.

"Omo, really?" Jessica's eyes sparkled with interest. "Why do you think so?"

"I mean, they're so soft and comforting whenever he hugs me. It's not like other men with rough chests. I just love that about him. That's why it's y to me," Tiffany explained, feeling herself blush at the admission.

"I see," Jessica teased, flashing a playful smile at Tiffany, eliciting another round of laughter that Tiffany struggled to contain.

"Seriously, stop making me laugh," Tiffany declared with a hint of firmness, though it only seemed to prompt Jessica to laugh even harder.

"Noona, don't make Mom laugh!" Da-On commanded with mock seriousness as he rose from his seat, casting a playful glare at Jessica.

"I'm sorry, Da-On. I'll behave," Jessica quickly responded, zipping her lips shut and offering a warm smile to the little boy.

"Aigoo..." Tiffany sighed, unable to suppress the smile that tugged at her lips as she leaned back in her hospital bed. Despite the circumstances, happiness filled the room.

***

As soon as Seohyun tapped into the police station's WiFi network, she effortlessly maneuvered through their CCTV system, scanning each monitor for any glimpse of Taeyeon within the building.

"There! In the garden," Yoona exclaimed, swiftly spotting Taeyeon's figure on one of the small screens and pointing it out to the others.

Seohyun zoomed in on the screen to get a clearer view of Taeyeon. "Oh my, did he just punch Sunghoon? Look, his bandage is bleeding.

"Yeah, it looks like it. Should I head over there?" Yoona's concern was evident in her voice.

"Wait, the secretary is entering the garden with the police nurse," Seohyun observed keenly. "Oh dear, I wonder what happened and why he's bleeding?"

"Sunghoon must have really gotten under his skin. He wouldn't react like that otherwise," Yoona sighed, empathizing with his older brother. He knew Taeyeon's temperament well; once he's upset with someone, he