{ 31 }

The five friends ended up on Jiyong’s unit to Bom’s insistence. “C’mon you guys, it’s not every day we see the place where miraculous Dara popped her cherry,” she teased again, earning a glare from Dara who had long given up on trying to explain that she didn’t have her cherry popped.

“Wow, man, you’ve really gone a long way,” TOP commented as he surveyed Jiyong’s luxurious penthouse unit. Way back to their university days, they have assumed that Jiyong was loaded, because he’s mostly the one who treats them, but never have they imagined that he was this loaded.

“Nah.” Jiyong answered as he plopped down on the couch next to Dara. “It’s mostly my family’s money. I just helped a bit.”

Bom only laughed and threw a pillow to an unsuspecting Jiyong. “ ‘Helped a bit?’ Jiyong-ah, I think that’s shit. We saw you on Forbes three years ago and you were on the top 50!” She exclaimed, shaking her head at Jiyong’s understatement.

Jiyong merely smiled. “Enough about me, though. How have you guys been?” He questioned, changing the topic. “Bom noona, you’re a lyricist for YG Entertainment, neh?”

“Uh-huh,” Bom answered. “It’s really enjoyable, and I get to meet tons of idols and celebrities.” She added, contentment showing on her face. Dara remembered the day when Bom first snagged the job and how happy she was that her best friend was practically prancing and bouncing along the way.

“Bom noona really loves that job.” Youngbae interjected. “Sometimes I wonder when she’ll meet some idol and leave TOP hyung.” He joked, earning himself a glare from TOP.

“I’m sure Bommie won’t do that.” TOP responded as he slung his arm over Bom’s. “Bommie loves me too much. Besides, who’s anyone out there worth more than this face and terrific personality?” He asked as he gestured to his face. “Those idols are gays, anyway. Who colors their hairs turquoise and gets away with it?!”

“Hyung, your ideas are too primitive.” Youngbae answered as he shook his head.

“Whoa, am I really hearing this from Dong Youngbae?” Jiyong asked as he feigned shock. “What happened to the conservative Youngbae, then? You’re my role model!”

“Apparently, Lee Chaerin and her liberal ideas happened.” Dara replied. “Speaking of Chaecat, when will she come back, Bae?”

Youngbae’s shoulders visibly sagged when Dara mentioned Chaerin’s name. “I don’t know.” He said, his voice too weak. “I don’t know, noona.”

The two couples warily eyed each other before looking at the dejected Youngbae. “Bae-yah, what’s wrong? Did you and Chae fight?” Dara asked gently.

Youngbae heaved a deep sigh before shaking his head. “No, noona, we didn’t.”

“Eh?!” Bom made a sound of confusion. “If you didn’t, why do you look like that?!”

“I don’t know.” Youngbae said. He leaned back to the single couch he was sitting at. “Chae’s having a really good time in New York.”

“What do you mean, Bae?”

“Last week I called her, and there’s really nothing wrong, we were just chatting and stuffs and I asked her when she’ll come here, and she just...” Youngbae flailed his hands as he unsuccessfully tried to convey his words with his actions. “She recoiled. She tried changing the subject, but I was just tired... so tired of her changing the subject whenever I try to ask her about it. So I pushed and then we’re both exploding and I hung up.”

TOP was the one who recovered first. “Did she say anything?”

“It’s her dream,” Youngbae spat bitterly and he laughed dryly.

There was a long silence before Jiyong managed to speak. “What will you do now, Youngbae?”

Youngbae stared at Jiyong. “Is there any option now?” He answered, and everyone could feel the crippling anxiety and grief and desperation clinging to their friend’s voice. “What else can I do?”

“Win her back.” Jiyong’s voice came out steady. “She’s chasing after her dreams, why don’t you chase for yours?”

“I think Ji’s right,” Bom slowly said as she turned to a startled Dong Youngbae. “But it’s all up to you, really.” She cautiously eyed Youngbae as the latter innocently looked back at her. “Do you love Chaerin enough to chase her?”

Dara knew the answer to that. She knew that all of them knows the answer, but Bom was only being safe. “I loved her enough to allow her to go and chase her dreams, noona. And now you want me to take back my decision?”

“It’s not like that, Bae.” TOP countered, making up for the right words which Bom can’t seem to find. “What Bom’s trying to say is that maybe what Chaerin wants is for you to anchor her down. Yes, you love her enough to let her go, but what if Chae only wants you to actually do something and stop her?”

“Hyung, I tell her all the time–”

“When exactly, Bae? When she calls you? When you talk over the phone? When you video chat on Skype?” Jiyong snorted. “How about you go fly to New York and tell her that on her face?”

“Maybe she just wants you to make her feel like you actually want her back and not just some half-assed lame attempts over the phone.” TOP supported Jiyong’s point.

Youngbae fell silent, thinking about his friends’ words. After a while, he grinned, much to the four’s surprise. Youngbae’s slanted eyes darted from TOP to Jiyong. “Jeez, when did you guys get so good at this?”

TOP and Jiyong grinned at each other before looking at their girlfriends lovingly. “You’ve got a long way to go, man.”

--

One flight booked to New York (courtesy of Jiyong) and uncountable number of soju bottles the morning after, Dara was just glad she didn’t drink after two glasses. It was definitely a sight to behold.

They were all at the living room of Jiyong’s unit. The house owner himself was sprawled on the couch. Bom was lying on the floor with TOP next to her, and Youngbae was still curled up on the single couch where he was last night. Dara winced. These people will surely have severe headaches and backaches when they wake up, she thought. She grabbed her phone to look at the time and saw that it was only 6 AM. She then decided to go straight to the kitchen after washing her face and hope that there are enough ingredients to cook haejangguk.

It was already half past six when she finished cooking the hangover soup. When she peered at the living room, her three friends were still laying there, unmoving, only there were now blankets draped on TOP, Bom, and Youngbae and Jiyong was nowhere to be seen.

After ten minutes, a wet-haired Jiyong emerged from his bedroom while drying his hair with a white towel. “Good morning,” Dara chirped and motioned for him to follow her into the dining room as their friends kept on sleeping.

“It’s haejangguk, right?” Jiyong asked as he sat down and Dara poured him a bowl of the hot soup.

“Yup. I’m surprised you’re up early.” She commented as she settled on a chair opposite Jiyong.

“I got used to it already.” He responded. “There had always been meetings where alcohol’s involved even on weekdays, so...”

She nodded slowly. “Ah, right! Jiyong-ah, I have to go now. I can’t miss another day at work.”

Jiyong groaned. “Can’t you just stay here?”

She smiled. “Ji, it’s not like I own the school or anything.” She said and laughed before glancing at Jiyong and seeing that he was smirking evilly. Dara was about to cut him off when he beat her to it.

“Babe, you do realize that KGC owns the school, neh?” He said and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“No, Kwon, I won’t skip another work day.” She answered determinedly, earning herself a pout from him. “No, Jiyong.” She repeated.

“Aish,” he grunted. “At least put some of your stuffs in here. That way you won’t have to go home fast.”

Dara giggled. “Are you tired of lending me your clothes, huh?”

“Wow, Dee,” he grinned manically. “Why are you obsessing over my clothes when the real thing’s just a million times better?”

“Shut up, Kwon.” She said and shuffled to her feet, feeling a blush creeping up to her neck. “I’m gonna go now–”

“Wait there.” Jiyong said and slurped his soup faster before he stood up. “I’ll take you, I’ll just change.”

She nodded and went to the living room where her bag was still stationed while Jiyong went to his room. Bom, TOP, and Youngbae were still on the living room, with Bom snoring the loudest among the three. Dara bit back a laugh as she stared at TOP and Youngbae who were much lighter snorers compared to Bom.

“You ready?” Jiyong asked as Dara slipped in to the shoes given by Yuri.

She nodded. “Yup, c’mon. And by the way, I already left a note on the dining room that they should lock the door when they leave.”

--

“Ji, you should go. I’ll be fine.” Dara tried to coerce Jiyong who was sitting on her old couch inside her place as the latter forced his way in on her apartment.

“Dee, I just want to bring my girlfriend to work. What could possibly go wrong with that?” He questioned and raised his brows.

There are a million things which can go wrong!!! Dara wanted to shout at his face, but she did her best to bite back her anxiety. “Jiyong...”

“Look, Dara, I’ll just drop you off, I swear.” He said with a serious face and tone. “I mean, this is one of the basic boyfriend stuff, don’t you want me to do this?”

“You don’t need to do anyth–”

“I know, but I want to. Besides, it’s too early to go to the office, and why not stop wasting your time arguing with me?” He flashed his coy grin and Dara knew that her resolve was already crumbling.

She only sighed. “Arasso.” She mumbled and made her way towards the bathroom.

--

She whipped up her usual work clothes and fixed herself before going out to eat breakfast. A piece of toast was hanging limply in between her mouth when she went to her living room and saw Kwon Jiyong’s brows furrowing as he scrolled through her phone.

She quickly grabbed it before setting the toast aside and staring at Jiyong. “Yah, why are you scrolling through my phone like that?”

“ ‘Dara-yah, are you okay now? Go to school, arasso?! We miss you!’ ‘Yah rabbit, what’s with you skipping work? You have to take care of yourself!’ ” He recited in his monotone voice. Dara wondered what he was talking about when her phone lit up and she saw that she was flooded with messages from her friends at the school.

Clearly, her questions were answered after she clicked on Wooyoung and Donghae’s thread where Jiyong’s words were taken from. She stopped herself from grinning and looked up at Jiyong. “Why?”

“WHY?!” He questioned, even jumping off the couch as if his loud voice wasn’t enough to prove Dara his point. “Are you really asking me that, Kwon Dara?!”

“They were just concerned for me, Ji.” She tried to soothe him, but the amusement bubbling up in her wasn’t totally helping her case.

“Damn it, why do you have to be so nice and everything?” He mumbled under his breath, and she couldn’t stop herself from laughing.

“Sandara!”

“Jiyong, how many times do I have to tell you?” She grinned, her eyes twinkling in both love and amusement. “I love you, Kwon.”

Hearing the three words from her still startle the living daylights out of Jiyong, but his heart and mind always feels at peace. Besides, Dara seldom says the words without him bugging her to, and it feels good, so damn good that Jiyong doesn’t want to go anywhere right now other than Dara’s arms.

He quickly walked towards her and enveloped her in a kiss before she can react. Jiyong thought of how Dara still tastes like strawberries, just like the first time they kissed on that winter night six years ago. Every single thing about the woman in his arms are just so perfect, and if anyone hears his thoughts, it would be impossible to live it down. However, Jiyong decided that he doesn’t give a fuck.

Dara moaned, but his kisses swallowed it down. He slowly licked her lower lip, asking for entrance, and she didn’t have the strength to deny him. Soon thereafter, Jiyong’s tongue was dancing along with Dara’s, and he made sure to taste every single part of her sweet lips. They only pulled away when they felt the need to breathe, but his mouth was still hovering near hers and their foreheads touching as they breathe heavily, not wanting to let go.

Dara was even surprised to see that they had gotten so close without her knowing. Her hands were fisting Jiyong’s suit collar while his hand was at the small of her back. She shyly pulled away, face burning, as Jiyong smiled and interlaced their fingers. “Maybe you can keep me grounded this way every time,” he teased as a side of his mouth upturned, making Dara glimpse of a playful Kwon Jiyong.

“Shut up” was her lame comeback, and he only laughed heartily as he helped her to his car.

--

“Stop right here, Ji,” Dara instructed when they were fifteen meters away from the campus.

Jiyong did stop but not before glancing curiously at Dara. “Babe, we still have a few meters–”

“It’s okay, Jiyong. What if someone sees you?” She asked as she started to undo her seatbelt when he stopped her hands. Dara looked at him, her eyes questioning.

“Are you embarrassed of me, noona?” He asked in a small voice, Dara hearing a small tinge of insecurity in his voice. She could not believe it, hearing Kwon Jiyong speak in such vulnerability which throws her off.

Unknown to her, Jiyong was surprised with himself too. Never had he felt this insecure with himself. Even Jaejoong, whom Jiyong thinks knows more about him compared to others, would certainly be surprised if he hears the mighty Kwon Jiyong talking like that.

“Wha– Jiyong, NO!” She exclaimed. “It’s not that. I can absolutely assure you I am not– and never will be– embarrassed of you.” She said as she tried to catch his eye, but the younger avoided it and held his eye down.

“Then why don’t you introduce me to anyone?”

“Ji, it’s just...” She sighed. “I don’t think they’re ready to know yet. Even I myself sometimes can’t believe that I have you. And Ji,” she cupped his face with her two hands and made him look at her eyes. “They don’t even know about what we had before. I... I’m afraid they won’t understand as easily as Bom, TOP, and Bae.”

Jiyong sighed, and then nodded understandingly. “Arasso. But I still hope you’d introduce me to them soon, so no one would think on making a move on you.” He said and a scowl took over his face as he remembered Dara’s male friends being chummy with his girlfriend.

Dara laughed and smiled cutely. “Okay, Kwon.” She answered and pecked his lips before going out of the car. She hunched to level herself on the passenger seat’s window and waved cheerily at Jiyong. “Take care!”

Jiyong smiled back. “You too. I love you.”

She smiled gently. “Na do.”

And that was enough for Jiyong.

Dara silently watched on the sidewalk and waited for the car to disappear before walking to the school’s direction when a voice tentatively called out her name. “Dara?”

She froze, and suddenly Sohee’s figure was in front of her. “OMONA!” She screamed before she realized that they were in a public place and people were shooting her weird looks. “You... You... You’re dating?!” She choked the words out.

Oh no.

____________________________________________________

I love SunSky, sue me hahaha ;P Vote and comment yeorobun~!

-X