Chapter Eight
Tiffany grasped the rock that was beside her. She stood up and ran over to one of the gangsters beating up Dong Hae and smashed him in the head with it. The gangster fell to ground, knocked out cold. The other gangsters looked up at Tiffany and saw the police coming and they all stood up and ran except for the one knocked out and the one under Dong Hae.
�Dong Hae stop!� Tiffany yelled as she pulled him off the gangster.
The gangster groaned in pain and luckily, the police car hadn�t notice Dong Hae punching him. The car just passed on by, not noticing the two bodies on the ice hard ground. Tiffany kneeled down by Dong Hae and placed a hand on his shoulder. Dong Hae looked at Tiffany and then looked away.
�Dong Hae�why do you care so much?� Tiffany questioned.
He didn�t reply to her and looked the other way. Tiffany turned Dong Hae�s head to face her and questioned him again. �Why do you care about me so much Dong Hae?�
Dong Hae looked Tiffany into the eyes and sighed. �Can we talk about this some other time? I want�a bed to be in.�
�Here, I�ll help you back to the hospital,� Tiffany said wrapping Dong Hae�s arm around her shoulders.
�No! We aren�t going there�I don�t want to be in that hospital any longer.�
--
�Wait out here for moment�� Tiffany said helping Dong Hae sit on the steps of the porch.
�You�re going to leave a handicap person out here? I could get jumped you know,� Dong Hae said looking back at her.
Tiffany giggled at his comment and walked inside her house. �Ya�she thinks its funny.�
�Umma! Where are you?� Tiffany called.
�In here,� her mother�s voice called from the kitchen.
Tiffany ran over there quickly. �Hey umma, is it all right if Dong Hae stays for a couple of days?�
Her mother stopped what she was doing and looked up at Tiffany without saying a word.
�Aw, Umma, don�t give me that look,� Tiffany pleaded walking to her mother. �He�s really not that bad.�
�You expect me to leave you here alone with that boy?� her mother asked standing up from her seat. �I have to see Jong Im tonight!�
�Umma, don�t worry. He can�t do anything, he�s handicapped,� Tiffany said.
Her mother looked at her and blinked her eyes. �Handicapped? Where is he then?�
�Outside on the porch,� Tiffany replied with a smiled.
Tiffany�s mother marched passed her and opened up the door. �Tiffany, you don�t leave a handicapped person outside in the cold. He could freeze to death.�
Dong Hae looked back Tiffany�s mother helped him up into the house. �Excuse my daughter�s uncaring ness,� her mother said setting Dong Hae on the couch.
�That�s�all right,� Dong Hae said. �Thanks�for letting me stay?�
�Oh dear, you can stay for as long as you�d like�well until you get better that is. Tiffany, fetch Dong Hae some hot chocolate while I get some blankets and pillows.�
When Tiffany�s mother went upstairs Dong Hae looked at Tiffany and stopped her before leaving the room. �Why does your umma have a change in heart so fast?� he asked curiously.
Tiffany turned around and replied, �She has this thing with handicapped people and those who are sick.�
Dong Hae nodded his head and Tiffany left the room to get his hot chocolate. A few moments later, Tiffany�s mother came down the steps with a blanket and pillow. �Here you are�now I�m going to be leaving. Tiffany will do whatever you want her to do. I�ll be back tomorrow morning.�
When Tiffany entered the living room, her mother already left. She brought the cup over to Dong Hae and sat down on the floor beside him. �Now, tell me why you care so much? Why do you keep protecting me?�
He looked at her and sighed. �It�was my brother�s wish before he died. You remember him three years ago right?�
Tiffany nodded her head. �Yes I do. That was when I didn�t really know you as well.�
Dong Hae nodded his head. �He told me to protect you whenever you were in trouble, he�s loved you so much. That day he was going to tell you�his best friend stabbed him in the back several times. His friend was jealous because he also liked you.�
Tiffany covered her mouth with a gasp. �That�s what happened? I heard that he died in a car accident.�
�Well, they were lies. He also had one more wish before he died��
�What was that?�
He remained silence for a moment and shook his head. �I can�t tell you��
She nodded her head understanding. �Okay�I think I�ve heard enough of what I needed to hear. I�m sorry about your brother. Is this why you don�t believe in friendships and love?�
He nodded his head. �Friends...will use you and cheat you. My brother was deceived so many times and when his friend needed help, my brother was there for him. And when my brother wasn�t, he never came�it was always you.�
�Dong Hae�just because your brother�s friend was like that, doesn�t mean that everyone else in the world is like that,� Tiffany said touching his arm. �You�ve got Ki Bum��
He scoffed. �Ki Bum? That�s what he thinks�I never did anything for him�why does he see me as a friend?�
Tiffany looked down and replied, �Because�he wants to be. He�s been there for you hasn�t he? Why can�t you accept that?�
Dong Hae looked Tiffany and sighed. �I�m not one to be trusted. No one believes in me and sees me as a bad person; your mother doesn�t even like me yet she brings me into your house. Yoona�s brother despises me.�
�They may see you like that�but you�ve got one person who believes in you,� Tiffany said. �That person doesn�t see you as a bad person at all. That person believes that you can change your ways because that person knows you more than anyone else when you didn�t even know it.�
�Who�s that? My dead brother?� Dong Hae questioned back with a scoff.
�No�you have me.�
Chapter Nine
It was about five o'clock when Tiffany's cell phone went off. She tossed and turned a couple of times before sitting up and answering it. "Hello?" she asked tiredly with a yawn.
"Tiffany? Tiffany!" her mother cried. "Please...come to the hospital!"
"Umma, umma!" Tiffany said. "What's wrong?"
"It's Jong Im! He's...he's-"
"Don't say anymore," Tiffany interjected. "I'm coming right now."
Tiffany closed her phone and quickly got off her bed to change. She didn't bother to comb her hair, she quickly put on her socks and ran down the steps quietly to put on her shoes. Before she left the house, she wrote a note to Dong Hae to tell him that she'll be gone at the hospital by the time he wakes up.
--
Tiffany ran inside the hospital and to her brother's room without stopping at the front desk. She barged in the room and saw her mother on the floor with tears flowing out of her eyes. She's never seen her mother break down and cry before, the only time she did was when her father died; ut she never showed it. Tiffany ran over to her mother and hugged her, she also started to cry.
"W-where's Jong Im?" Tiffany questioned between her sobs.
"He...he's..."
Her mother couldn't talk because of her crying. Tiffany looked up at the bed and saw Jong Im hooked up with the wires. Her eyes shifted to the computer screen and the lifeline wasn't in different levels, it was straight horizontal. She stood up and touched Jong Im's arm, it was ice cold.
"No....no..." Tiffany said stepping back from the body shaking her head. "It's not true...I don't believe it."
Her mother stood up and grabbed a hold of Tiffany's shoulders. "Tiffany...he's gone. There's nothing we can do about it!"
"No! It's not right! Jong Im is the strongest in the world...he has a spirit of a god and a heart of stone...he can't just give up like that!" Tiffany said shaking her head.
The doctors in the room held their heads low and waited for them to calm themselves down. Tiffany sank to the floor still shaking her head. Her mother hugged Tiffany and they both cried in each other's arms.
--
"YoonA!" Jung Min called happily. "YoonA!"
YoonA heard her brother calling and walked into the room. "Yeah?"
"I have good news to tell you!" he said rushing over to her. "It's about your eyes!"
Her face brightened and Jung Min continued. "The doctors said that we could get your eyes fixed so you'll be able to see again!"
"Really?"
Jung Min nodded even though he knew that YoonA couldn't see his movement. "I've set up an appointment with him next week, but there is one problem..."
"What's that?"
"The doctor said that this can only happen once and there's a low percentage of this operation to be completed. It can only happen once because of your eye condition."
YoonA's smile faded from her face and nodded her head. "I understand...but I guess it's worth a try. This is a one in a million chance of this working, maybe I'm that one this year."
Jung Min hugged his sister and nodded his head. "Of course."
--
Tiffany returned back to the house wiping her eyes and saw Dong Hae watching T.V. Dong Hae looked over at Tiffany and saw that her eyes were raw from crying so much. He knew from that moment, that her little brother was gone.
"I'm sorry Tiffany..."
"Thank you..." Tiffany said walking towards Dong Hae. "Did you want anything?"
"Yeah..." Dong Hae replied sitting up. "Come closer."
Tiffany did as he said and when she was close enough, he pulled her into a hug, bringing Tiffany to her knees. She was shocked by his move and she started to cry again.
"Don't cry anymore Tiffany...you know that Jong Im is in a happier place, not suffering his pain anymore. You know that he's with you everywhere because he's in your heart..." Dong Hae said.
Tiffany nodded her head and pulled away from him to wipe her tears.
"I want you to know...that I'll be there for you as you have been there for me," Dong Hae said. "Even if I have to break both my legs."
--
The hours of the day passed by slowly for Tiffany and the house was very lonely without Jong Im arouund even if Dong Hae and her mother was there. It just didn't seem right. She visited Jong Im's room and prayed next to his bedside every night before going to sleep.
"Are you feeling better today?" Dong Hae asked.
"Yeah...but my mother isn't. I'm getting worried of her. She seems to be getting weaker and weaker each day."
Dong Hae looked down and sighed. "Hopefully she'll come around...it seems that doesn't have the will to live anymore to put it that way."
"That can't be...she's got me right?" Tiffany questioned, scared by Dong Hae's comment. Tiffany stood up and walked away.
Dong Hae watched her and said to himself, "Maybe...I shouldn't have said. She's already going through her brother's death. Aish, I'm such an idiot."
--
"Hey YoonA, what brings you here?" Ki Bum asked as he saw her enter in the library.
"I came to see you. My brother dropped me off, but he doesn't know you work here part time," she replied.
Ki Bum chuckled and said, "You are sneaky..."
"I've got good news to tell you!" she chirped.
Ki Bum set down his book and leaned over the desk to put his full attention on her. "What is that?"
"This Tuesday, I'm going to get my eyes replaced so I can see!" YoonA said.
He smiled and said, "That's great! How long do you think it'll take?"
"I'm not sure...but I'm a bit nervous..."
"Ah, don't be. If it makes you any better, I'll miss school that day and be there with you and your brother," Ki Bum said.
YoonA giggled. "Thanks...but I don't think my brother would like it if you were there. Plus, you don't have to miss school for me."
"That's all right, someday, I will prove to your brother that I am a nice guy and won't harm you. I want to come and support you too."
Chapter 10
�Are you strong enough to go to school?� Tiffany asked Dong Hae as she put on her shoes.
Dong Hae stood up from the couch without his crutches and said, �I�m always strong enough.�
Tiffany looked at him and gasped. �Is your leg feeling better? Your leg healed quite fast!�
�My leg feels better�but it isn�t completely healed. Hopefully, no one kicks me today. I�ve got a lot of things to deal with at school,� Dong Hae said carefully making his way to the door.
As he was walking towards the door, Dong Hae stumbled because of his weak leg. Fortunately, Tiffany was there and caught him before his face met the floor. Tiffany pushed him away slowly and when their faces were inches away, her cheeks started to turn red.
�Uh�are you alright?� she asked looking away.
Dong Hae turned away and nodded his head. �I�m fine��
�Maybe you should take your crutches with you just in case,� Tiffany said. �I won�t be there to catch you every time you fall.�
He turned to her and chuckled. �I won�t need you there to catch me, because I won�t fall.�
Tiffany sighed and nodded her head. �Whatever you say mister Dong Hae sir!�
She saluted him and smiled. She opened the door and walked out with Dong Hae following her.
--
When they arrived at the school, Ki Bum ran over to Tiffany and asked, �Where�s YoonA? Did she not come to school today?�
Tiffany looked at Ki Bum and tilted her head to the side. �I don�t know, she�s not here? Jung Min would�ve called me if she wasn�t coming to school.�
�Maybe her appointment is today,� Ki Bum said.
�No�her appointment is tomorrow. I wonder what could be wrong��
Dong Hae listened to their conversation about YoonA for a bit and walked off because of the boringness of it. By the time Tiffany and Ki Bum noticed that Dong Hae was gone, he was already in the school.
--
�Well, if it isn�t the infamous Lee Dong Hae,� a male student said leaning on Dong Hae�s desk.
Dong Hae looked up and rolled his eyes. �What the hell do you want? If you want a fight, then we�ll fight.�
�Fight? That�s all you think about huh Dong Hae? You haven�t changed since you were last here. Still thinking of sleeping with other girls and picking fights?�
Dong Hae yawned and rolled his eyes. �You bore me. What makes you think I have change? I don�t pick fights, people pick fights with me. Sleeping with girls isn�t a problem is it? If they are willing to, then why not?�
The student clenched his fist and said, �Well listen here Dong Hae. You and me outside. You may still be recovering from your injuries, but I could care less. We�ve a score to settle.�
He walked away and Dong Hae sighed. �Like I said, they pick fights with me.�
--
During lunch period, Tiffany walked into the girls washroom and pulled out her phone. She dialed Jung Min�s cell phone number.
�Hello?� Jung Min�s voice asked.
�Oh hey Jung Min�I was calling to see where�s YoonA?� Tiffany questioned.
�Oh, sorry about that. My phone died overnight because I left it on and didn�t charge it. YoonA isn�t feeling well. She says she has a migraine and her head is killing her right now.�
�Ah, okay. That�s all right�thank you.�
�Yep�bye.�
Jung Min hung up and Tiffany put away her phone. When she was coming out of the stall, a couple girls walked in and started talking about a new student.
�Hey, did you hear about that new student coming?�
�Yeah, I heard he�s real hot and a real bad boy.�
�When�s he supposed to be coming?�
�Sometime next week, but I don�t know.�
Tiffany looked at them before walking out of the washroom.
--
�Hey Ki Bum, where�s Dong Hae?� Tiffany asked. �He was supposed to meet me here after school.�
�Uh�I heard some students talking about a fight out back�I think Dong Hae is a part of it.�
Tiffany�s eyes widened and sighed. �Oh no!�
When Tiffany walked out to the back the school, there was a large amount of students in a big circle surrounding Dong Hae and a male student. Tiffany had to push her way through the crowd before she could actually see what was happening. The students were chanting, �Fight! Fight! Fight!�
She couldn�t believe that the teachers in the school couldn�t hear the ruckus coming from outside. When she finally reached the middle of the circle, she found Dong Hae and the male student throwing punches at each other.
�Dong Hae!� Tiffany screamed.
Dong Hae looked over at her but in the process was hit with a punch by the student. Tiffany covered her mouth. She wanted to get in the middle of them, but she knew one of them would just push her aside. Dong Hae wiped his mouth and looked at him. �Get out of here Tiffany, this doesn�t concern you.�
�Dong Hae! You have to stop fighting! You�re not fully recovered!�
�Ah, so is this the other girl you�re going to end up sleeping with by the end of this week?� the student asked. �She�s pretty cute��
With that comment said, Dong Hae threw a hard punch to him in the face. Tiffany covered her mouth again. They continued on fighting, throwing punches at each other right and left. The male student couldn�t take it anymore and kicked Dong Hae in his weak leg. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground. The male student laughed and knocked Dong Hae on his back. He sat on top of him and started to throw more punches at his face.
�Stop it!� Tiffany screamed.
He didn�t listen to her, he continued his punching on Dong Hae. Tiffany couldn�t take it anymore and she walked over to them and pushed off the male student as hard as she could. Dong Hae�s lip was bleeding and his head was too. The male student looked at Tiffany and stood up. �Oh, are you defending this person are you? Well, in that case, how I take care of you first. Let me show you what Dong Hae does to girls.�
He took a hold of Tiffany�s wrist and pushed his way through the crowd as Tiffany tried to loosen herself from his grip. Dong Hae sat up and held his head until he saw his enemy running away with Tiffany. He tried to get up but his leg was hurt badly because he was kicked there.
�Let me go!� Tiffany yelled.
�Not until you experience Dong Hae�s way of handling girls.�
A moment later, Tiffany saw the student fall flat on his face and the grip loosened on her wrist. She turned and saw Ki Bum.
�Ki Bum!� she said delightedly.
The male student looked back at Ki Bum who was cracking his knuckles. �You want to show her what Dong Hae handles girls? Well, I don�t think�she was willing.�
The student hit the ground with his fist and stood up to run. Tiffany looked at Ki Bum and hugged him. �Thank you Ki Bum.�
Ki Bum pulled her away and smiled. �No�problem. I�m just doing what Dong Hae has taught me. Protect any girl I see that�s in trouble.�
Tiffany giggled and punched him playfully in the arm. �Oh, are you going to be gone tomorrow?�
�Yeah�I think I�m going to see YoonA in the hospital. Aren�t you going too?�
�Mm-hmm, yes I am�but what am I going to do about Dong Hae?�
�I think he�ll be fine tomorrow.�
Tiffany look at him and he shook his head. �Or�not.�
�Maybe he�ll agree to come with us tomorrow, but let�s go see if he�s all right.�
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