{ 19 }

Jiyong and Bom hadn’t met for five years. They should be having their happy reunion now as close friends, but rather than doing that, the two of them were staring hard at each other. Well, it was more like Bom glaring at Jiyong while the latter wordlessly take it in.

“You’re a jerk, Kwon Jiyong,” were Bom’s first words as she entered Jiyong’s office. Yet, not even a flicker of emotion was seen from his face. He had been used to hearing people saying bad things to him, but they didn’t exactly do that in front of his face and those words don’t actually come from people close to him. For now, Jiyong would make an exception, since Park Bom was a special case.

“Sit down, Park Bom.” Jiyong gestured at the chair in front of his desk.

Bom didn’t bother sitting down. She just went straight to glaring at Jiyong for a few minutes now. He didn’t look away though, because for him, looking away means admitting a mistake that he wasn’t even conscious of.

“You’re still a jerk, Jiyong.” Bom said. “Can’t you just leave Dara alone now? You’ve lived perfectly without remembering her for five years. What difference would it make, huh?” She added, venom dripping from her voice.

“Bom, it was advised by the doctor himself that Dara help me–” Jiyong tried to explain, but Bom cut her off in an instant.

“So you’re making use of Dara’s kindness to help you now since you’re in a rut?” Bom sniggered. “God, Jiyong, I never pegged you for a user.”

Jiyong breathed deeply to calm himself. At least, when Dara talked about him the first time they met again after five years, she was saying things on his back. But Park Bom? She had insulted him a few times now, and anyone who knows the CEO Kwon Jiyong would be in for a surprise if they saw how Jiyong contained himself. He knows that Bom has a sharp tongue, but never in his wildest dreams that she would use her sharp tongue on him.

“I’m not a user, noona.” Jiyong replied in a hard voice. “You know me. I wouldn’t use a person like that.”

Bom seemed to mellow down a little, hearing Jiyong call her ‘noona’ again. “What would you call what you’re doing now, then?” She challenged.

“As I have explained, she was only helping me.” Jiyong reasoned out.

“Do you have any plans of getting back with her?” Bom asked sharply.

“None!” He exclaimed. “As I have told Dara, I just don’t want to leave a part of myself forgotten. I hate being kept in the dark, and not remembering anything about a woman who used to be my girlfriend makes me feel vulnerable. If I don’t regain those memories now, I’d feel like it would be my liability in the future.”

Bom stared at him, surprise evident on her face. “You…” She couldn’t easily form a sentence. “You told her that bluntly?”

“Yes.” He answered, thinking he did good. “It was better than misleading her.”

Bom couldn’t speak for a moment. No wonder Dara cried so hard when we went to see her, Bom thought. Jiyong could be such a real jerk if he wants to. I think he hurt her unintentionally, but damn, bottomline is he hurt her! He. Hurt. Our. Best Friend! I’m sure if either Seunghyun or Youngbae was here now, Jiyong’s a goner.

“Jiyong.” Bom said in all seriousness. “Can’t you recover your memory without Dara?”

Jiyong looked startled with Bom’s gentle voice and her question. “I– I suppose I could. But it will surely be harder. Dara and I met once and yet I have recovered quite a number of memories. If that goes on, I’ll be out of her life in no time.”

He totally doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Dara’s still head over heels in love with him, but all he thinks about is how he would get his memories back. “Jiyong, could you please do us a favor? Me, Seunghyun and Youngbae?” Bom asked, her eyes pleading.

“What is it?”

“Please leave Dara alone.” She said with finality in her voice. “If you can’t do it for us, at least do it for her. Think of how much Dara suffered when you suddenly left. You’ve damaged her too much already, Ji. Don’t make her hurt more. What you did five years ago was enough hurt to last for two lifetimes. Leave her alone, Jiyong. Don’t worry about her anymore. Don’t even think about her. She has me, Tabi and Bae. She’s rebuilding her life. Heck, she’s even close in finding another love. If you have a conscience, Kwon Jiyong…” Bom stared at Jiyong’s dark brown orbs. “Let Dara go.”

A deafening silence engulfed the office. After a while, Bom sighed deeply. “I’ve said my piece. I hope you listened well, Kwon.” Bom silently walked out of the room, leaving Jiyong feeling dejected.

--

“Tabi-yah…” Bom nestled herself closer to her long-time boyfriend while they were hanging out in his place.

“Why, Bommie?”

She rested her head on his broad shoulder. “I did something today. I don’t want to regret it, but I sort of do. Because I don’t know if I really did the right thing.” She sighed.

TOP held Bom’s shoulders and faced her. “Why? What did you do?”

“I… went to meet Jiyong.”

“Yeah?” TOP prodded. “What happened? What did you tell him?”

“I asked him to leave Dara alone.” Bom confessed, her voice little and barely audible if TOP had not been listening intently. She looked at TOP with uncertainty in her eyes. “Did I do wrong?”

TOP sighed. “What you did wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t exactly right either.”

“Why?”

“I understand that you want to protect Dara noona. I know. Bae knows. We all have the same feeling that we have to watch over our best friend.” He looked at his girlfriend. “Still, noona’s a grown-up woman. She’s perfectly capable of making her choices.”

“But her stupid love for Jiyong would get in the way of her rationality!” Bom reasoned.

“That’s why we’re here.” TOP answered patiently. “We’re here to take care of her, whatever might happen. If noona chooses to help Jiyong, we will support her decision, because we respect her as a person and we love her as our friend– sibling, even. If anything goes wrong– such as Dara noona getting hurt because she had been blinded by her love– we will always be around to help her.”

Yet, Bom couldn’t be pacified. “Do we really have to wait for her to make a mistake before we act out?!”

“Bommie, how sure are you that everything will turn out wrong?” He countered. “We don’t even know what will happen tomorrow, much less in the future. Besides, life is a risk. It’s a daring adventure or nothing at all.” He smiled upon remembering the quote from Helen Keller. “Let’s just support Dara noona, okay?”

Bom nodded, looking sad. “Then that meant I did wrong, right? Since I went ahead and didn’t even think of what Dara would feel with my interference.”

TOP smiled before pulling Bom closer. “No, Bommie, you did well.” He lightly kissed her head before continuing. “You only wanted to protect Dee noona, but if Jiyong really lets her go because of that, then maybe he’s not really worthy of her.”

Bom nodded while her face was buried in his chest, feeling better. It’s no wonder my boyfriend’s the head of the marketing department. He can be really persuasive when he wants to.

--

Dara had been waiting for Jiyong’s call or text. It had been a week since they last saw each other, and she figured that he would need to “update” his memories.

She was about to send him a text when her phone made a sound, indicating that she has a new message. She was excited to open it since she thought it was from Jiyong, but to her surprise, it was another unregistered number.

From: 010-xxxx-xxx

Annyeonghasaeyo, unnie!~~ *u*

Dara furrowed her brows before replying.

To: 010-xxxx-xxx

Who is this?

Shortly, another message came in.

From: 010-xxxx-xxx

Ahh, Kwon Yuri-imnida! ^_^ Remember me, unnie? Jiyong oppa’s saeng?

Dara smiled, remembering the pretty and bubbly girl she met a week ago in the café where she met Jiyong. She saved her number before replying to her again.

To: Kwon Yuri

Neh, I remember. ^^

From: Kwon Yuri

Unnie, did you and my oppa had a fight?

Dara frowned at Yuri’s question. How would they fight if it had already been a week since they last saw each other?! And he wasn’t even texting her either.

To: Kwon Yuri

No. We haven’t seen each other since the day you came with him. Why?

From: Kwon Yuri

Well…~ Oppa seems off these days. I often drop by his office and tell him things, but recently he only stares at me with a blank look. I bet he didn’t even register one-fourth of what I told him. He’s still cold and mighty to his subordinates, but when I’m around, he’s just… off.

Dara had absolutely no idea why that would happen to Jiyong. Is it possible that our memories are giving him a hard time? Dara worriedly thought.

To: Kwon Yuri

Really? I don’t know about that…

From: Kwon Yuri

*sigh* I wonder what’s wrong with oppa. You know how he’s comfortable with me around right, unnie? That was when he spaces out. When he’s with someone he’s comfortable with. He lets his guard down and be himself. I saw it happen with Jaejoong oppa once too.

To: Kwon Yuri

Jaejoong? You mean his bodyguard?

From: Kwon Yuri

Neh. The two of them are friends, though they don’t talk much with other people around. Both of them are too cold.

To: Kwon Yuri

Don’t worry much, Yuri-yah. *pats you in the head* I’m sure your oppa will be fine.

From: Kwon Yuri

Eyyyy?! He’s your oppa too, unnie!

Dara contemplated whether she should tell the truth that they’re not dating to Yuri, but somehow, there’s a force which holds her back. She finally decided that maybe Jiyong should be the one to tell her, since Yuri was his sister.

To: Kwon Yuri

Ani. I’m a year older than your oppa. I’m actually his noona kkkk ~

From: Kwon Yuri

Well ~~ It’s okay! You don’t look like his noona though! Unnie would totally pass as a teenager if you’d want to~! That’s how pretty you are, unnie! *O*

To: Kwon Yuri

Aiyaaaaa ~~ (^_^;) I’m not! You’re pretty, Yuri! ^_^

From: Kwon Yuri

Aigoo, unnie is too modest. You’re becoming more and more jjang as we talk!~ (≧∇≦) Unnie, I wish you’d talk to my oppa soon and see him to cure his sadness… ㅠㅠ

To: Kwon Yuri

Err (._.;) I’ll do my best.

From: Kwon Yuri

YAAAAAAAAY!~~ (^o^)/ Unnie is daebak!!!

Dara smiled upon making Yuri happy. She feels that she somehow accomplished something today.

To: Kwon Jiyong

Hi Jiyong. Can we meet somewhere? ^^

Weirdly, she feels nervous, like confessing and asking out your crush of four years. Ugh Park, you’re pathetic!

After a while, her phone rang. She gingerly answered it. “Hello?”

“Let’s go tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at 9 AM. Bye.” He then ended the call abruptly.

The conversation– if Jiyong bossing her around was called that– hadn’t even been ten seconds long, but weirdly, Dara’s thudding heart was stating otherwise.

Dugeun, dugeun.

_____________________________________________________

A/N: Comments juseyo? ~_~ Sorry if it's late!