The Taste of Tears (VFany Fanfiction)

Chapter 17

Under the flashing lights, Taeyeon smirked. She moved her body up and down, she twirled, twisted following the sound of the music in the club.

About seven or eight men whistled. “Let me see your thighs. Show me your bare skin.” One of them shouted. The other man even blurted nasty and dirty words.

Taeyeon lifted her mic, trying to ignore the voices around her. She closed her eyes for a second and then opened them widely. She began to sing.

Lee Seonghwa didn’t assign Taeyeon to sing in one of his best clubs, no. He assigned her to sing in his worst club. One of the cheapest clubs one could ever find. It was his pleasure to see the customers—mostly drunken men—hit on her, blurted out obscene words, undress her with their contumelious eyes. Taeyeon had never been more insulted in her life.

Most of the time, one or two of those drunken customers would pull Taeyeon off stage and grope her on her sensitive body parts.

At her first night at that cheap club, Taeyeon slapped a man who was trying to squeeze her upper thigh. Seonghwa was there. He totally enjoyed the view. Instead of helping his employee, Seonghwa hauled Taeyeon off stage and dragged her to his room.

“You think you’re more special than Tiffany, eh?” Seonghwa slapped Taeyeon’s face real hard she could barely hear a thing except a buzzing noise.

He didn’t stop there. He pushed Taeyeon onto the bed and tore her clothes. Taeyeon’s feet kicked the air as she struggled to be free, but Seonghwa was much stronger than a small girl like her. Taeyeon glowered at Seonghwa. She had never hated anyone the way she hated Seonghwa. If only eyes could kill….

Taeyeon spun around on stage, trying to forget the damned night where she had lost everything she had to the devil named Lee Seonghwa. She could only cry for hours in her bed. She even considered ending her life that very night. But then Tiffany’s image was drawn in her eyes. How many times had Tiffany ever thought of ending her life, did such thing even cross her mind? Taeyeon had just realized how strong Tiffany had been all these times. Tiffany always told her that everything would be okay. Someday Seohyun would wake up and they would end their misery. Seohyun-ah…. Who would take care of that girl if I died? Taeyeon wiped away her tears. She had to be strong. Tiffany and Seohyun needed her.

Ever since that damned night where Seonghwa destroyed her life, Taeyeon had promised herself to live as steady as a rock. She must live no matter what happened.

One man—who seemed to be high—stepped onto the stage. He hugged Taeyeon from behind. She just ignored him. This is just a dream. It’s not real. Taeyeon spoke to her shattered heart.

Deep in the darkest corner of that cheap night club, Jungkook was watching. His face was so cold. No one saw him clutching his fists tightly inside his pockets.

……………………………………………….

“Noona,”
Taeyeon turned around to see who had called her. It was almost four o’clock. The club was closed. Taeyeon was about to go home.

She narrowed her gaze to see who was standing in the darkness in front of her. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she found Jungkook there.

“Please stop whatever you’re doing.” His voice was still as cynical as ever.

“Excuse me?” Who gave that young man the right to tell her what to do and what not to do?

“I know you took Tiffany noona’s place to pay for your friend’s medication.”

“That’s none of your business.” Taeyeon started to walk.

Jungkook followed her. “Your boss is a bastard. He’s not a good guy. You should’ve left him.”

“Your boss is no different than mine.”

“If you want, I can get you another job. A much better job.”

“Don’t try so hard to be nice to me. We don’t even know each other that well.”

Jungkook grabbed Taeyeon’s hand. “I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for Taehyung-hyung.”

Taeyeon glared at Jungkook. “What did you say? Taehyung-ssi…?”

“Before they left the city, my stupid hyung had asked me to watch over you since he knew you were still working for that bastard. He doesn’t want anything bad happen to you.”

Taeyeon warded off Jungkook’s hand.

“Taehyung-hyung asked me to help you get away from your boss.”

“Taehyung is really stupid.” Taeyeon smirked.

“He is.” Jungkook agreed.
“Does Taehyung know what Tiffany did?” Taeyeon felt her heart was beating so rapidly.

“Do you mean the reason why Tiffany noona threw herself to someone like Lee Seonghwa? No, I don’t think Tiffany noona has ever told Taehyung hyung about Seohyun… and her real condition.”

“Then don’t let Taehyung know.” There was a deep sorrow in Taeyeon’s eyes. She suddenly realized something, “wait, how did you know about Seohyun?”

“I followed you to the hospital. I also heard your conversation with Lee Seonghwa inside Seohyun’s room.”

Taeyeon was taken aback, her body froze. Her fair skin went pale all of sudden. “Don’t tell Taehyung anything. Tiffany has suffered enough. She deserves to be happy.”

“And you’re willing to suffer for her….”

“That’s what you do for your friends…,” Taeyeon shook her head, “no, that’s what you do for you family.”

Jungkook could see the bitterness in Taeyeon’s eyes.

“In this world, I only have Tiffany and Seohyun. I was a fool to ever let Tiffany carry this burden all alone all these years.”

“And now you’re carrying that same burden all alone. For how long?”

“You don’t seem to understand what I’ve just said—“

“I don’t need to understand. I’ve seen it all.” Jungkook remembered the drunken guy that ran his dirty hands all over Taeyeon’s body. “I promised Taehyung hyung to take care of you. And I’ll keep that promise.” His voice softened. “I’ll set you free from that burden.”

Taeyeon smiled, “don’t make a promise that you know you can’t keep.”

“Your boss owes my boss one hundred million won. I’ll make him pay his debt. And by that time, you’ll be free.”

“Don’t give this ahjumma false hope, kiddo.” Taeyeon smirked painfully.

Jungkook looked Taeyeon in the eyes. “To me, you’re not ahjumma anymore.”[]