Spotted
Weeks passed and the weird communication between Taeyeon and her friend continued. She'd immediately proceed to the rooftop once she arrived home, not giving even her maids a chance to ask her what she wanted to eat for dinner. Although she was still against this whole moving and transferring thing her parents made her go through, she was thankful that the past few weeks have been made at least bearable by Sunny and Sooyoung at school, and by the mysterious person keeping her company at night.
Taeyeon couldn't deny that she was getting more and more curious about the true identity of the person sending her those letters on the rooftop. The way they're interacting sure does seem creepy when Taeyeon thinks about it, but the content of the mystery person's messages... completely erased any trace of doubts she had that the person might have evil plans for her. So one night, she went on and introduced herself out loud. Since then, the mystery person has been including her name next to the consistent "Hello" greeting that was always the first word written on every note or letter.
Taeyeon thought that if the mystery person was bad, he or she could have attacked her right there and then, or could have take her right there and then for ransom, and no one would know. It would be a complete clean getaway. Also, the messages did not contain any form of threat or danger, so she decided to continue, without letting any other person know.
-
Taeyeon excitedly ran inside immediately after Mister Park stopped the car in front of the house. She was about to do her usual routine of going up in her room, locking her door, sneaking out the window, then going up the rooftop, when the smile on her face was instantly replaced with a frown. She couldn't even get past the first stage when one of the maids, which she recognized as the head maid, was already standing on the last step of the stairs, greeting her frown with a smile.
"Miss Taeyeon, Mrs. Kim called us earlier today. She said you weren't answering her calls so she asked us to tell you to give her a call once you've arrived home."
She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. She left her dead phone in her room on purpose, knowing that her mother would keep checking on her, which wasn't really what she needed while she was there. As much as possible, she didn't want to hear any of her parents' voices, lecturing her, or giving her assurance on something she hated.
"Okay, I'll call her later."
The young girl was about to walk around the head maid when the latter took a step to the side, causing her to stop and look back up. The head maid gestured to her right.
"She also told us that you should use the mansion's phone to call her."
When she turned to look, there was already another maid, holding the phone towards her.
Dammit.
Taeyeon didn't see the point in hiding her sigh, so she let it out, then proceeded to take the mansion's phone from the other maid. The latter bowed and went away to give her privacy. Taking a look at the screen of the phone, she saw that the call was already connected. She slowly held the phone to her ear, while fixing her gaze on the white wall she was facing.
"Hello, mom?"
"Taeyeon, why weren't you answering any of my calls?"
"My phone's dead and I forgot to charge it the night before so I just left it in my room."
"I heard you've been skipping dinner?"
"I'm fine, mom. I just tend to really eat a lot during lunch, and I also eat snacks in the afternoon so I lose my appetite for dinner." lies.
"That's not a proper excuse, Taeyeon. I know you have a tendency to skip breakfast too when you're running late or when you just don't feel like eating at all. Your lifestyle is getting unhealthy, young lady."
Taeyeon bit back the urge to scoff. She clearly doesn't know me well.
"No more skipping dinners, do you hear me?"
There was a pause.
"Do you hear me, Taeyeon?"
"Yes, mom." That was the only answer which will be accepted. It wasn't like she had any other choice.
"Good."
Taeyeon refused to even let out another word, wanting the agonizing call to end already.
"I saw one of your old friends today." The young girl froze, unconsciously gripping the phone tighter. "She asked about you..." She closed her eyes and furrowed her brows, suppressing the formation of tears. "I told her you're doing very well and you're happier at the place where you are now."
Taeyeon's free hand balled into a fist, with her nails digging into her palm. When her mother didn't hear a response from her, she heard her sigh.
"We're just trying to help you here, sweetie. If there's anything you want, just tell-"
"Stop." She cut her mom off. "Save it, mom. Really, just... just stop. Take care, bye."
Taeyeon didn't even wait for her mom to respond. She immediately pressed the button ending the call. She didn't want to say hurtful things to her so she ended the call. She didn't want to hear that same question from her mom, only for her answer to be rejected, and only for her not to get it anyway. She tossed the phone on the coffee table, then ran up the stairs. This time, effectively able to follow her routine. She ran up towards her room, locked her door, sneaked out the window, then went up the rooftop.
She knelt and lowered her head, her heart aching from the words her mom just told her.
"I told her you're doing very well and you're happier at the place where you are now."
Taeyeon found it unfair. She wasn't doing very well. And she definitely wasn't happier at the place where she is right now. She wasn't home. She wasn't with them. She wasn't with...
She sharply inhaled and looked up, opening her eyes.
"She never understands. They never understand..." Taeyeon mumbled as she shook her head and slowly pushed herself up to stand.
"The maids all tell on me."
She looked down and kicked a pebble, before proceeding with her steps.
"Why can't they just leave me alone if they've got nothing good to say? Why continue to hurt me?"
She spotted a pebble along her way and kicked it too, with more force this time, sending it several meters back. She suddenly heard a noise, and she figured out that it came from her stomach.
"Fuck..."
There was no way she was going back down to eat dinner, with all the butlers and maids surrounding her, only to remind her that in spite of the number of people surrounding her, she is still alone with no one to trust, because no one understood.
She'd rather be alone. And if meant starving the night away despite her mother's orders, she would.
Just then, Taeyeon realized that it was a lose-lose situation. Again. With that thought in mind, it almost made her lose it. As much as she wanted to hold it in, a tear has already escaped from her left eye. And as she hardly kicked another pebble along her way, her eyes followed it. She followed it until it hit something, causing it to stop.
Taeyeon blinked. There was a paper bag resting on the inner edge of the rooftop. She quickly went towards the edge, curious of what was inside the paper bag. She knelt and was about to reach for the paper bag, when her eyes caught sight of something. Her head shot up from the paper bag, and there, taped on the inner edge of the rooftop in front of her, was a letter.
Suddenly remembering the situation, Taeyeon immediately wiped her tears away, not wanting anyone see her crying. She stifled a curse when she realized that the mystery person could've been around and could've been watching her the whole time she was pacing around in frustration. She hoped she wasn't seen. Only then did Taeyeon take the paper of the edge to read it.
Hello, Taeyeon.
Like What I've said before, it seems like you might have been skipping dinner.
And so... I brought you this. (The paper bag)
It's not much but I hope it would satisfy your stomach for a bit.
... if you skipped dinner again.
Eat it well. :)
J.
Taeyeon took the paper bag next and reached inside. Feeling something soft, she slowly pulled it out of the bag. She unwrapped the tissue and widened her eyes.
It was a sandwich.
She softly nudged the two slices of bread apart with her thumb and smiled.
It was a home-made tuna sandwich.
The squatting girl didn't know why she didn't get mad when the mystery person told her almost the same thing as what her mom told her. She didn't know why she didn't get mad when she was told not to skip dinner. Instead, she felt warm inside. She didn't understand, but the feeling was indeed different.
She also didn't know why she easily wanted to comply this time, compared to when she was being nagged to eat dinner by almost all the working personnel in her current house.
Taeyeon cleared her throat before she pivoted and turned around.
"Hey, J!"
"Thanks for the sandwich. I'll eat it well."
Taeyeon took one good look on the sandwich, then took a big bite. She slowly chewed and found herself unable to talk as she continued taking big bites of the tuna sandwich. Only when she popped the last chunk in her mouth did she have the chance to talk. It wasn't just a sandwich. It was a well-made sandwich.
"Let me just say..." She shouted at no one in particular.
"That was... simply the best tuna sandwich I have ever eaten in my whole life!" She let out with feelings.
She savored on the bits of tuna left in her mouth.
"I mean it!"
She laughed.
But then it quickly got wiped away when she realized something.
She. laughed.
For the first time that night.
As much as she didn't want to admit it... the mystery person just lowkey saved her again.
-
"Look, there." Taeyeon looked behind her, following the direction where Sunny pointed her lips at. Siwon and his two standby poles approached a table of a student, which was unfortunately alone.
"What's he at again?"
"Trying to boost his popularity again by making sure he can make every girl swoon." The other girl rolled her eyes.
Taeyeon didn't reply as she thought about how such a person could act that way.
-
Hello, Taeyeon!
I knew it. You were skipping dinners. :(
I'll be bringing you more of those if only I have to make sure that you'll be eating something for dinner!
Don't try me! Hmmph. >:(
But, I'm glad you enjoyed the sandwich. :)
It's just a tuna sandwich, though.
No need to go so far as to declare it as "the best tuna sandwich you've ever eaten in your life." xD
Correct me if I'm wrong, though... were you crying the other night?
You looked really upset.
What's wrong? I hope you're okay.
J.
Taeyeon weakly smiled and folded the note, deciding not to reply to the questions out loud for that night.
-
It was an ordinary night just like any other, and Taeyeon was on her way up, about to look for the mystery person's note or letter, when she suddenly caught sight of someone on the rooftop briskly walking away from her peripheral.
"Hey! Stop right there!"
The figure wearing a hoodie froze.
"Who are you?!"
The back was facing her. Taeyeon tried to peek at the face but the person tried to attempt to get away again.
"I said stop! I have a gun!"
Taeyeon held in her sigh of relief when she was able to make the figure believe her taunt. She stretched her right arm forward, with her pointing finger and thumb open, just to get the feeling of someone holding a gun. She looked stupid, indeed. And she tried not to make it show in her voice, but she was scared. She swallowed as she tried to get closer with baby steps. Her hands started to tremble in fear and nervousness.
"Who are you?!"
She heard nothing.
"What do you want?!"
Still no response. Taeyeon continued moving forward, now barely ten feet away.
"You're a thief, aren't you?! I'm gonna call the cops n-!"
Taeyeon's words got lost in her mouth when the figure, with it's back facing her, frantically shook its head.
"I-if you're not a thief, then what are you?"
She swallowed and furrowed her eyebrows when the other person wasn't responding to any of her questions.
What are you doing here, huh?!" She saw the other person's shoulder's move, indicating that the person was doing something concerning the hands.
"What's that? Place your hands where I can see them!"
The person in a hoodie slowly raised one hand up.
"I said both hands!"
Taeyeon watched as the figure slowly bent down and seemingly dropped something on the ground in front, before raising the other hand as well. She stopped when she was just one meter behind the figure. Taeyeon tried to take a peek at what was dropped, but the figure was blocking it.
She tried to slowly step sidewards when the other person swiftly turned around and roughly pushed her, effectively sending her to the ground. Her eyes shut tight in pain, taken aback at what just happened. She could hear footsteps running away from her, and when she tried opening her eyes, the other person was gone.
"Ah, shit!" Her head slumped back on the ground and she huffed. Was it a boy? Or was it a girl? The figure was wearing a hoodie so she didn't see the hair. She didn't even see the face.
Carefully, she pushed herself up and groaned. She shook her head for a bit, feeling a bit frustrated at how the sudden encounter ended. Her eyes suddenly landed on something left on the ground. It was what the other person dropped.
It looked strangely familiar. Something ticked inside of her, and that something made her launch herself forward to grab it immediately, ignoring the pain of her body. It was as if she was in an amazing race, with how her hands were fumbling while opening the abandoned paper bag. She inserted her hand in, then pulled it out from the bag along with the familiar tuna sandwich. Things slowly sunk in, and her eyes widened in realization.
"It was J?"