KINNPORSCHE: TimeTayTem Story

Chapter 2: The Bars of His Cage Notes:

"You're back early. Did you forget something?" Tae asked from across the room, out of sight.

The little man in my stomach danced the tango to the sound of his voice. As I took off my shoes at the door, I dressed myself in a smile. My body was so light it felt like floating, and my mind was as calm as the midnight sky. Bright-eyed with a wide smile meant for me on his beautiful face, he came into view and my heart felt warm but only for a few fleeting seconds. His eyes moved to Time who stood behind me his face set in stone.

The look of betrayal on Tae's face once reality set in was something I anticipated but my heart still sunk into my stomach. The way his eyes dimmed when they met with mine; my god it threw me.

"Really?" he grunted backing away steadily. "You brought him here?"

Confusion colored his face like he was not quite grounded. I did not know what to say to him. I could barely rationalize my actions. So instead of saying anything, I stood there and stared at him as if caught in headlights.

"Have you been here all these months?" Time asked.

Tae said nothing, just looking between the two of us.

"And you kept this from me?" he asked focusing back on me.

"It's what he asked," I replied nonchalantly.

"And you were so quick to oblige despite how miserable and desperate I was searching for him?" he added.

"You said that your relationship had run its course," I spat back. "What did it matter? Why were you so desperate for someone you couldn't wait to let go of?"

"BECAUSE..." Time shouted then stopped, taking slow deep breaths before continuing, "You had no right to keep that information from me."

"He had no right sharing it with you while I specifically asked him not to," Tae said rigidly.

I looked at him. Time's anger, bright and flaming did not bother me, it was Tae's quiet rage slipping slowly into his eyes, sizzling with every passing second that petrified me. A block of ice settled in my chest, and I felt this sudden urge to wrap him in my arms. How did we get to this point? Did I make a mistake?

"Were you planning on moving abroad without telling me?" Time asked Tae. "Do you have any idea how maddening it has been for me not knowing where you were or if you were safe or not? I thought something bad had happened to you."

"Let's not pretend as if you care so much about my well-being," Tae shot back.

"You are my whole world..."

"I am standing in the middle of your lover's condo whom you've been taking care of for almost a year, yet you have the confidence to say that to me?" Tae shouted.

Time glanced at me for a few seconds before taking a few steps closer to Tae. He stepped back, moving across the sofas to stand even further away from the two of us.

Time took a second to think and reassesses. "Tem mentioned a friend with an art school that has offered you a job. Please tell me it's not the person I think it is...is it?"

My heart picked up. Who? When we talked about Tae in the car, he had not mentioned that he knew the person who had offered the job abroad. A stinging sensation similar to that of a bunch of ants having their way with me rushed through my body at the coded messages between them. I hated the fact that I was not part of the circle, like some forgotten piece of a puzzle no one knew where to place because I couldn't fit.

They glared at each other; desire evident in Time's eyes while a mixture of confusion and pain colored Tae's.

"You want to run off to some country with the man who's been trying to get into your pants since he met you?" Time asked in a cold whisper.