Sunset at Hamdeok

Chapter 28

Tiffany got back to work. That girl tried her best to be as cheerful as she could so that no one would notice her real condition. But the more Tiffany put it on an act, the more Taehyung got protective of her. He kept looking at her secretly. Everytime Tiffany sighed, he would quickly approach her and ask if everything was okay or if she wanted to take a break. The other employees teased Taehyung for being over dramatic and over romantic, but he didn't care. He had to make sure that Tiffany wouldn't get hurt.

"Fany ah, let's have a vacation somewhere. Where do you want to go, hmm? Hawaii? LA? Rome? Paris?" Taehyung cuddled her when both of them watching tv in their apartment.

Tiffany leaned her head on Taehyung's shoulder. "Where do you want to take me, Taehyungie?"

Taehyung fiddled with his girlfriend hair. "I want to go wherever you're going....."

Tiffany looked up and smiled, "then we don't need to go anywhere. Just stay like this forever."

"But I want to go on vacation with you...."

"Everyday seems like a vacation for me because you are here. Because I can see your face, because you always look at me, because you always hug me and hold my hand. What more could I ask?"

Taehyung was really sad. He had to swallow his tears over and over again. Tiffany was so small in his arms, she was so light....  Taehyung took a deep breath. Dr. Jo told him that he didn't know why Tiffany kept her illnes a secret from Taehyung. But Taehyung knew, Tiffany didn't want to make him sad. She didn't want to make her boyfriend anguish. She knew how devastated Taehyung would become if he found out that Tiffany didn't have much time left to live.....

"Let's stay like this, then." He kissed her crown over and cuddled her more tightly.

"Taehyung ah, from now on you mustn't drink Cola too much. You have to wear a thick jacket whenever you ride your scooter. Don't stay up late. And please change your alarm ringtone. It is really hard to wake you up in the morning....."

"I won't do any of that... Why should I? I have you who will always scold me...."

"You are so stubborn...." Tiffany bit her lips. "How can I marry someone like you? Maybe I should return you to your grandfather. He will accept you unconditionally.... He loves you more than anything....."

Taehyung choked. "You want to send me to my grandfather? Why? No one takes care of me as good as you do. Look at me, I've gained more weight ever since we live together."

Tiffany chuckled. "But you have to mend your relationship with your grandfather.... He is your family, Taehyungie."

"Believe me I will, but not tonight... Tonight, I just want to be here hugging you....."

Tiffany gulped. Her abdomen started to twinge. "And Sooyoung.... She is your bestfriend. You can't let her go like this. She loves you so much, I know it." Even though it ached her heart, Tiffany had to say what she wanted to say, "she is one perfect girl. I don't know why anyone would want to reject her.... She will be a wonderful wife and mother....."

Tiffany realized she had to prepare her farewell in case she wouldn't survive the blood cancer. She had to make sure someone would take care of Taehyung once she had gone. And if she couldn't accompany Taehyung in his life, at least she knew Sooyoung would.

Taehyung painfully gritted his teeth as he knew where Tiffany's words would lead him to. If he hadn't known about her real condition, Taehyung would've been so angry and asked Tiffany to take back her words... But right now, he was so helpless.

"Why are you talking like that, huh?" Taehyung ran his finger on her face. "I don't care about anyone and I don't want anyone else." He smiled. "You are everything that I will ever need in this life." He kissed her.

Tiffany forced her smile, but she couldn't fake no more. She quickly went to the toilet and silently cried in there as she couldn't bid a farewell to Taehyung. It hurt so much. How will I leave you when you're like that, Taehyungie? Tiffany covered her mouth so that Taehyung wouldn't hear her cry.

Taehyung clutched his fist and hit the wall. She knew what Tiffany was doing in the toilet. No, Tiffany, I won't let you leave me... I won't let the arms of death take you away from me. Taehyung looked up so that his tears wouldn't fall... But his tears slowly rolled down his face.

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Every night Taehyung woke up in cold sweat. He always checked on Tiffany. He was so scared if the girl who slept next to him stopped breathing. He could only sigh in relief after seeing her chest and stomach move up and down. And most of the time, Taehyung would not be able to sleep again. Even though he lacked of sleep and was tired, Taehyung pretended to be completely fine in front of Tiffany. But somehow, that girl began to feel something was wrong with her boyfriend.

SNSD Coffee Shop's glass door was opened. Taehyung turned around, "welcome to SNSD Coffee Shop." His friendly smile disappeared once he saw who was standing there.

Grandpa Kim had never looked at his grandson the way he did that day. He came to the coffee shop accompanied by Gong Yoo. "Kim Taehyung, stop playing around."

Jessica nudged Tiffany's arm. That girl spontaneously looked at where her friend pointed at. Tiffany's heart pounded her chest so hard.

"Don't waste your time any longer. You've left so many work on your desk. Let's go home." Grandpa Kim turned around.

"Halabeoji, did you forget that I'm no longer your executive vice president?" Taehyung sadly smiled. "I'm now free to decide my own life."

Grandpa Kim coldly stared at his only grandson. "PLAAAAK!" He slapped Taehyung's face hard in front of everyone.

Taehyung's cheek was red and hot. He paused for a few seconds before he smiled, "How can I help you, Halabeoji?" He bowed down as if he was just greeting a regular customer.

Grandpa Kim's face turned red in anger. Just before that old man left the coffee shop, he looked around and found Tiffany who awkwardly bowed her head to him. Grandpa Kim gave that poor girl a very cold and thrusting stare.

Just at the same time, Tiffany's phone rang. It was from dr. Jo Insung.
"Fany ssi, I've set the date for your full time medication treatment...," there was a pause in the air as Tiffany caught Taehyung glancing at her. "... the longer you postphone your medication, your cancer will only get worsened. When will you tell Taehyung about your illness?"

Tiffany hung up the phone and came to Yuri's study on the second floor.

"Yuri ssi, can I talk to you?" Tiffany walked further into the room as the door was open.

Yuri lifted her head. "Sure. What do you want to talk about?"

"Can you send Taehyung to go shopping for the pantry?"

Yuri frowned. "You can tell him yourself and if you want, you can go with him too." Yuri smirked.

"I need to go somewhere else to meet someone and Taehyung should not know about it."

Yuri slouched against her chair. "Why? You're not going to cheat on him, right?"[]

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