{ 11 }

“Dara-yah, you’re the talk of the town!” Sohee exclaimed when she went inside the faculty room. “Wherever I go, almost everyone’s talking about you and Mr. Kwon!”

Dara just sighed and continued doing her work. She doesn’t want to bother herself with anything about Kwon Jiyong anymore.

Can you really do that, Dara? Leave him alone even though Dr. Cheon told you that you are the biggest help for retrieving Jiyong’s memory?

AISH! Why?! Why can’t I do that?! Wasn’t he the first one who left us before?! Besides, who cares if he forgot me?! I’ll just forget him too, that JerKwon!!!

“AISH!!!” She hissed. She couldn’t stop thinking about Kwon Jiyong’s accident. You’re really impossible, Kwon. She thought bitterly. Of all the people to forget, does it really have to be me?! ME?! PARK SANDARA?! Your ex-girl… oh no, I’m not even your ex-girlfriend! We didn’t break up whatsoever!!! I… I’m still your girlfriend, you jerk!!!

“Dara? Why are you crumpling the worksheets?” Donghae queried innocently as he settled on his desk. That was when Dara noticed that she’s already wrinkling the worksheets that she was checking.

She smiled sweetly at Donghae to divert his attention. “Ah, it’s nothing, Hae.”

“Oh, by the way, I almost got harassed outside!” Donghae stated incredulously. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to escape!”

“Why, Donghae? What happened?” Sohee questioned.

“They were all asking me about Dara’s relationship with the dragon! Tch!” He smirked. “As if what they’re saying makes sense.”

Sohee tapped her pencil on her table. “Yah, Donghae, have you forgotten the scene in here last time regarding the dragon and Dara?!”

“Yeah, but still!” He reacted. “They’re coming up with all speculations. I couldn’t almost believe all the lies that I’ve been hearing on the way here. There was even a rumor about Dara being Mr. Kwon’s ex-girlfriend!”

Dara, despite not chewing or drinking anything, choked on her own saliva. She tapped her chest repeatedly as Donghae and Sohee ran over to her. “Yah, Sandara, are you okay?!” Sohee worriedly asked as she gently rubbed Dara’s back.

Donghae gave Dara a glass of water and she nodded after drinking. “Yeah, Sohee. I’m fine.”

“Aigoo, you’re really clumsy! You should take care of yourself!” Sohee scolded.

“But why did you suddenly choke?” Donghae and Sohee’s curious stares were directed towards her.

“Yah, go now, you two! Don’t you have works to do?!” Dara lamely attempted to make her two co-teachers go away and pretended to look at her students’ worksheets.

“Yeah! We were only talking about you being Mr. Kwon’s ex-girlf–” Sohee’s slanted eyes gradually got bigger. She placed her hands on Dara’s shoulder. “Omo! Perhaps…?” She cut off mid-sentence, her eyebrows wiggling suggestively.

“Ahn Sohee, do you really think that makes sen–”

“YAH LEE DONGHAE, YOU’RE DEAD!!!” Wooyoung screamed as soon as he opened the door. When Donghae saw him, all hell broke loose as Wooyoung ran around hoping to catch Donghae and with the latter continuously apologizing to the former because he put Wooyoung as a bait to escape.

The two women just helplessly looked at each other before bursting into a fit of laughter, Dara being Mr. Kwon’s ex-girlfriend forgotten.

--

“Omo, look at the time! It’s already 7 PM?! The dinner’s at 7:30, right?!” Sohee gasped. She quickly took out her mini make-up kit and started fixing her face.

The other female teachers, be it young or old, married or single, also started to bring out their own kits to make sure they look extra great for the dinner. Dara could only snort. Tch, if they only knew how much of a jerk that Kwon is, I bet they won’t be pissing their pants trying to please him!

Only Mrs. Han, Donghae and Dara were acting normal. Even Wooyoung looked excited. “Yah Jang Wooyoung, I could understand the women’s excitement, but how about you?! Are you gay?!” Mrs. Han asked sarcastically. “You’re even more excited than Dara, aigoo.”

“Mrs. Han!” Wooyoung said childishly. “I’m just excited for the free food! I heard that the dragon’s bringing us at the new restaurant nearby! My noona said that she came there with her officemates and the food was totally jjang!”

Mrs. Han chuckled at Wooyoung’s response. “Aigoo, whatever you say.” She turned to everyone else in the room. “Okay, Mr. Jang already texted. He said to come down now.”

In just a minute, almost all of the employees have gone out. Dara paid no attention to them, instead, she continued with her work. “Dara-yah, let’s go!” Wooyoung invited excitedly. He, together with Donghae and Dara were the only ones left in the room. Mrs. Han asked them to turn off the lights and lock the door before coming out.

Dara tidied her workplace and took her bag. They all went down together and found out that they were the only ones who were late. The group proceeded to walk since the restaurant where Mr. Kwon invited them wasn’t that far, but instead of going with the group, Dara walked to the opposite road.

Wooyoung noticed that Dara wasn’t with the group and when he looked around, he saw that she was already a bit far from them. He ran towards her and took hold of her shoulder. “O, Dara! Where are you going?!”

“I’m going home now, Wooyoung.” She answered and smiled. She looked over his shoulder and saw that the group was getting farther. “You should hurry along, they’re already far!” She coaxed.

“Yah, didn’t you hear Mr. Jang yesterday? Mr. Kwon specifically asked for your presence in the dinner.”

“Wooyoung…”

Instead of letting her go, Wooyoung just held the strap of her shoulder bag tightly. “Let’s go, Dee!”

Left with no choice now that Wooyoung was practically dragging her to the restaurant, she only hoped that Kwon Jiyong wouldn’t appear personally and just send money for the bill.

--

“Oh, are you under the reservation of Mr. Kwon?” The receptionist asked as soon as they stepped inside of the restaurant.

Dara looked around and noticed that the place looked really elegant. Of course, Kwon Jiyong is not a cheapskate. He isn’t rich for nothing.

Even Dara’s colleagues, who were just chatting loudly outside, noticed that they should keep quiet if they don’t want to be judged. As the group was ushered towards the banquet hall which Kwon Jiyong reserved for the whole staff, they saw that the customers were no joke. Most of them were wearing extravagant clothes that even Dara who never bothered about those materialistic things gathered her cardigan closer to her body.

“Here is your banquet hall. Mr. Kwon’s secretary called a while ago and informed us that he’s on his way here.” The pretty usherette bowed and smiled at them before taking her leave.

They all settled themselves in the banquet hall. There were five chairs per table and Dara sat with Donghae, Wooyoung, Sohee and Mrs. Han as they waited for Kwon Jiyong to arrive. No one even dared to walk over to the buffet table in fear of disrespecting the great Mr. Kwon.

The door opened and they all turned their heads, expecting to see Mr. Kwon but rather than him, a petite woman was standing on the doorway. Almost all of the males in the room gulped down seeing a very beautiful and sophisticated woman.

Dara remembered her. She was Kwon Jiyong’s secretary. The woman bowed. “Annyeonghasaeyo, I’m Mr. Kwon’s secretary, Kim Taeyeon. Mr. Kwon had a little problem but rest assured that he will be here. For now, he instructed me to tell all of you that you could start eating.”

They all nodded, yet everyone was reluctant to stand up and eat, but the “shyness” problem was immediately solved by Jang Wooyoung who made a beeline to the buffet table like a boss. He grabbed a plate and the workers assisted him, which made the anxiety in the atmosphere go away. Soon enough, almost everyone was already up and about.

“Won’t you eat, Dee?” Donghae asked.

Dara shook her head. “Nah. I don’t have the appetite. If that monkey didn’t drag me here, I’d probably be home already.”

Donghae tapped her back and smiled. “I’ll get you something.” He said and cut in line in front of Sohee who almost poked him with a fork in irritation.

“Hey Dee! Why aren’t you eating?” Kiko asked en route to their own table. She was sitting with her fellow Foreign Language teachers.

“Oh, I don’t feel good, Kiko.”

“Are you sure you’re okay, then?” Kiko inquired.

Dara nodded briefly. “I’m sure it will go away soon.”

“Okay then.” Her co-teacher conceded. “Get well, okay? Don’t worry too much.” She added before going back to her table.

Dara only fished out for her phone and played Temple Run 2 out of boredom. She was getting engrossed in the game since she’s just thousands away to beat her high score when a voice jumped in. “You’ll trip easily if you stick to the sides.” In an instant, Kwon Jiyong’s hands were above hers, helping her direct her character. It looks like he was back-hugging her.

Everyone in the room stopped and stared at the two of them. Dara was sure that her face was redder than a tomato by now. Every time she inhales, Kwon Jiyong’s glorious smell fills her head that she fills like she couldn’t think of anything else other than the JerKwon. His face was too close to hers that if she turns her head on the side, she would kiss Jiyong’s cheeks. Dara’s heart beat erratically, as if there were racing horses in there and no one wanted to lose. She wondered if Jiyong could also hear the impossibly fast beating of her heart.

Yet, Kwon Jiyong seemed oblivious. He was only focusing his attention on the game and he doesn’t care at all even if every single person in the room was looking at the two of them.

“Eyy!” He suddenly grunted. “Why did you suddenly tap your fingers?! Look now, your character died.” Still, Jiyong didn’t remove his hands on top of Dara’s. He was still back-hugging her.

That was when Dara came to her senses. “YAH YOU JERKWON!” She screamed loudly, loud enough to be heard by everyone else in the banquet hall.