The InterSAT thugs who were following Dara stepped back at the sight of Jiro.

"W-We're just joking."

"I don't find it funny." Jiro growled while striding slowly towards them, his eyebrows mashed together in fury.

"M-Montecillo, we didn't do anything to her."

Jiro's demeanor darkened. "Why? What are you planning on doing if I wasn't here?" That was probably the longest sentence they heard from Jiro. And that is never a good sign.

"Jiro, let's just go", Dara interjected, blocking his path. "Come on", she insisted and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Please?"

Jiro glanced at Dara before shifting his eyes back at the guys who were looking anywhere but him. "This is not over", he warned them and ushered Dara away.

The walk home was met by silence. Dara was supposed to be the one doing the talking but judging from Jiro's furrowed eyebrows, she knew she has to keep her mouth shut.

"Tsch", Jiro clicked his tongue and suddenly stopped walking, grabbing Dara's arm. "Don't do this again", he said while looking directly at her eyes.

"Do what?" Dara asked quizzically, obviously at lost of what the young guy is talking about. Jiro's gaze conveyed his frustration and his grip on Dara's arm tightened a bit. There was a shred of pain that Dara thought passed in his eyes, but she wasn't sure. The Jiro that she knew wouldn't even blink in the face of death – this was imprinted in her mind since the first time she encountered him. There is nothing in the world that would hurt him, is there?

"Don't do this again", he repeated. A moment of silence passed between the two as they stood on the street trying to comprehend what the other is thinking. "Don't run away from me", he whispered.

Dara's mouth slightly parted but no words came out as she stared back at Jiro, her heartbeat doubling its pace. His voice betrayed his stoic expression. There was a silent plea and urgency that made Dara hold her breath. Why is he saying this?

"You almost got hurt before when you went to the back gate. And even here inside InterSAT..." His fist tightened as he averted his gaze.

Dara placed her hand on top of Jiro's hand that is gripping her arm. "Jiro, you don't need to exert yourself for my sake. Forget what you promised to my father."

"I can't do that. I won't do that", he muttered and held her gaze. "I've sworn that I'll protect you and be by your side." There was a steady resolve in his voice that told her no one and nothing can change his mind. It was then that she realized that the endless argument about the stupid promise will go nowhere.

"Why?" She asked, more like pleaded, as she searched his eyes for the answer she's been waiting to hear. Why would he go to such lengths in keeping her safe? In keeping her beside him?

"Because all things are taken away from me", he replied hoarsely. "Your father is now gone, what if you disappear too?" When Dara heard those words, everything else seemed to slip away. Finally, she was able to peek at a small part of Jiro's mind. Finally, she was able to somehow grasp his determination to fulfill his promise. "I have nothing to protect anyway." Jiro has no one else left but her.

Her father might have saved Jiro from his dark life, yet the fear remained. And with her dad passing away, that fear once again hunts him. The fear of being alone – of having no one else beside him; no one that needs him. He lost everything, and is now determined to prevent any remote possibility of it happening again. For him, she is the only one left.

"Stay where I can see you, so I will be able to protect you."

Dara's lips curved in a smile. "Okay", she answered. Jiro finally relaxed and released her arm.

"Good", he mumbled.

***

Namee raised her eyebrows as Dara poured water on her glass, wiped the silverware and handed it to her with a big smile never leaving her face. Her friend even cuts the meat for her, what the heck?! They were at the cafeteria having lunch and it is not something that she would expect from Dara. When she peeled the apple for Namee and lined the sliced fruit in perfect proportion on her plate, that was the last straw.

"You're not planning to kill me, are you?" Namee finally asked.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"It's like you're preparing for my death."

"You're so silly", Dara chuckled and placed a napkin on the table. She paused when she realized that her friend is still looking at her suspiciously. "What?"

"I feel like I'm in Hunger Games and you just betrayed me", Namee said.

Dara giggled again and slapped her arm playfully. "That's ridiculous!"

"You're acting weird. Not the 'good' weird but 'what the hell is wrong with you' weird."

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not."

"OMG, did you and Jiro have sex?!"

"Wha-...NAMEE!"

"Okay, then what actually happened to put you in a good mood?"

"I'm just being my normal self", Dara pouted.

Namee gave her a knowing grin and rested her chin on her palm while staring at her friend. "Normal self? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? You are beaming! If I ask you to give me your lunch, you will probably give it to me together with your soul."

Dara remained silent and averted her gaze, trying to hide her smile.

"Did Montecillo tell you he likes you? I hope you didn't panic and accidentally killed him", Namee laughed and poked Dara's cheek.

"We just talked, alright?" Dara slapped Namee's hand away while giggling.

"What did he say? Tell me!"

"Nothing", Dara answered playfully.

"Ugh! Please tell me! If you don't, I'll think about it until I die and I'm going to blame you for ruining my life!"

Dara shook her head in amusement while looking at her friend. She doesn't know why she ended up being friends with an oddball like Namee but her days in InterSAT became fun with her around.

"Daraaaa!!"

"He waited for me last night", Dara started, a smile painted on her lips. "Even though I asked him to go home and go ahead without me, he still waited for me. And he told me to stay where he can see me so he can protect me."

"And?"

"That's it!"

"T-That's...it? ARGH! What am I going to do with the two of you!" Namee exclaimed in frustration. "Say, have you told him you like him?"

"What? OF COURSE NOT!"

"Why not?" Namee asked as she placed a spoonful of food in her mouth. "Okay, don't answer it. I know the reason. Us, girls, are obliged by social norms to wait for the guys to say it first", she concluded. "To hell with social norms. We didn't choose the vagina life, why do we have to suffer?" Namee stated with conviction. "So, according to my genius and professional opinion, I say you tell him first."

Dara didn't respond and just continued eating, intentionally ignoring the random hell that is coming out of her friend's mouth.

"Hey girls!" Bullet set the tray of food and joined them on the table. "May I be given the honor to join you for lunch?"

"Oh, the honor is ours, my lord", Namee gushed. Dara chuckled at the two's antics. She doesn't know when it started but somehow, Bullet became a steady addition to their duo. He would constantly pop out and hang out with them, much to the dismay of his 'fan girls'. Does he now consider them his friends? Probably.

"Bullet, can you tell me about InterSAT bonfire?" Dara asked.

Bullet and Namee exchanged glances before looking at Dara. "Are you planning on going, munchkin?" Bullet asked.

"I'm not sure. Maybe not. Jiro didn't tell me about it. I just heard about it from Riko. She said it's an event held by the InterSAT gangs."

Namee snorted while shaking her head. "An event? It's a huge brawl with the gangs as the participants and the audience. It's a display of strength; a display of testosterones."

"Aww, you make it sound like we're going to hold a gladiator match", Bullet interjected and shifted his attention to Dara who is seated beside her. "Munchkin, you can come if you like. It will be held near our turf. Some of the InterSAT chicks will also come to watch it. Basically, we hold a match where a gang member can challenge a member from another gang but no weapons are allowed. There's also an overseer to stop it if it gets bloody. It's a friendly match!"

"Friendly match?!" Namee exclaimed, and the two argued endlessly with Bullet defending the InterSAT bonfire tradition (it fosters camaraderie!) and Namee gesturing wildly to enunciate her point (it's called 'killing each other' in a civilian's point of view!).

Dara was listening to Namee and Bullet's banter when she felt like someone is staring at them. When she lifted her gaze, she saw Riko together with her classmates at the table located in the corner of the cafeteria – looking at them with an unreadable expression on her face.

***

Dara's POV

When Namee decided that I should totally come to the InterSAT bonfire and that it's such a big deal and 'Oh my God, Takizawa is going to be there so you should come too!'', I knew it's going to be a nightmare. Her campaign to get me and Jiro together is a serious business for her.

"Why don't you look for someone and stop bugging me?" I suggested as we are nearing the stairs. We have separate classes this afternoon but even though she has to take the long route, Namee still insisted on walking with me.

"Hmmm..." She scrunched her nose and pondered for a while. "My idea of falling in love is not that poetic. If I'll be able to bear looking at him every day without wanting to mess his face with my projectile vomit, then I'll let him in my heart and allow that dude to ruin my life forever."

Yep. Logical reasoning does not apply to Namee.

"You said Riko told you about the InterSAT bonfire, right?" She asked and I just nodded in response. "I don't like Riko. Coincidentally, she took the same remedial class as me and I felt like she's observing me earnestly. She's like listening to every single detail and tucking it inside her head so she can use it to destroy us later."

"You're just paranoid", I teased.

"Perhaps", she said and jogged towards the stairs. "See you later! Remember to ask Jiro about the InterSAT bonfire, okay?"

I just waved her goodbye and proceeded walking towards my classroom. When I saw Riko at the other end of the corridor walking towards my direction, for some reason, I wanted to avoid her. But I pushed the idea off my head since that would be rude considering she's not doing anything that would merit that kind of behavior.

"Hi Dara", she waved at me and I was obliged to stop for a while to chat with her a little. "Have you decided to go to the InterSAT bonfire? Jiro will be there so I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I'm not sure if I should. My friend told me I should go just to experience it but from what I heard, it can be quite scary."

"Your friend? You mean Namee Cheng?"

"Yes."

Riko nodded gingerly while staring at me as if she wanted to tell me something. She tucked her hair behind her ears and glanced behind her before continuing. "Dara, I'm really sorry for saying this, but do you actually know who Namee Cheng really is?"

I frowned at her, not knowing how to respond. What in the world is she trying to say? Namee is the big mouth of InterSAT who has a gossip command center in a hidden corner where the sun doesn't rise. She knows almost everything and everyone, including their back story. If aliens plan to do a hostile takeover of our planet, she will be the first to detect them once they trespass to our atmosphere. In fact, this alien standing in front of me has already been investigated by her.

"Yes, I know her. She's my friend", I said, my eyebrows furrowing at where this conversation is going.

"My classmates have known her since she first entered this school. Have you ever wondered why she approached you first and stuck with you? Have you thought about why, even though she has been here for a while, she has no other friends besides you?"

"I'm not sure what you're trying to say, Riko."

"I just wanted to let you know because it's been bothering me as well. I've heard some rumors and I really hope it's not true. Try to follow her if she sneaks out of school", she said and immediately walked away when the other students started exiting the classrooms.

I spun around and watched her retreating back. What does she mean by that? Is there something I need to know about Namee?

***

The night is supposed to be relaxing, but Dara's mind is filled with what Riko told her a few days ago. She hasn't seen Namee either but her friend sent her a text that she will just take remedial classes again because she's needed in her part-time job.

Dara sighed and decided to leave the house and have a walk to the nearest convenience store. Namee is her friend but what Riko told her made her curious. It also made her realize that she knows so little about her. She should've asked her things about her family but why didn't she? Dara has always viewed Namee as someone who has no angst in life and would grace you with her smile as long as you place food in front of her, but is that reason enough?

She somberly entered the convenience store and proceeded to the aisle where the chips are, still feeling a little down after realizing that she should have paid more attention to Namee instead of just brushing her off whenever she gets crazy. She should've been a little more curious about her so she could get to know her, even though no one ever truly knows someone.

Dara tiptoed and tried to grab the chips with her fingers but it proves to be futile with her short height. Her eyes widened when someone stood behind her and grabbed the chips that she was trying to get. When she turned around, she was just a few inches from a guy's chest. She lifted her eyes and she was met by Jiro's stoic gaze.

"Are there anything else that you want to buy?" He asked.

Dara smiled at him and pointed at another bag of chips. "That one", she said and watched as Jiro extended his arm and easily grabbed it from the shelf.

"Don't go roaming around at night. Call me if you need to go somewhere", he firmly reminded her.

"But this is just a few blocks away."

Jiro's steps halted and he glanced at her with a stern look. Dara pouted and did not argue anymore. She knew she's going to lose anyway. She watched as Jiro grabbed a few cans of beer and dumped it to the basket. After paying, the two walked in silence towards Dara's house.

She breathed deeply, savoring the soft breeze of the night, and glanced at Jiro whose eyes are focused forward while walking slowly to match her pace. She smiled inwardly and casted her gaze downwards while clasping her hands behind her, making sure that her steps exactly matches his.

"Jiro, is Riko going to the InterSAT bonfire?"

"Yes."

Dara's lips twisted upwards upon hearing his answer. "Should I come too?"

"Why?"

"Because, I-.." want to be there for you, she thought but held back."I just want to experience it", she mumbled.

"There's no need. There's nothing to see", he said with disinterest. Somehow, that stung a bit. Riko is going to be there but he didn't even tell her about that event. And he didn't invite her.

He opened the door for Dara upon arriving at her house, totally oblivious at the young girl's disheartened state. He then sets down the cans of beer and chips on the table and turned on the television before settling on the couch. Dara sat near him and watched as he popped the can open and took a gulp while switching the channel.

"Are you going to sleep here?"

Jiro peeled his gaze off the tube and looked at her questioningly. "Why should I?"

"Uhm... Since you're drinking, I just thought you might just want to sleep here in case you get drunk."

"I can hold my alcohol", came his immediate reply.

"Okay", Dara mumbled in a dispirited voice. Her offer has been shot down mercilessly, making it awkward. She stared at the cans of beer scattered on the table and stole a glance at Jiro again. Her heart sank when she noticed that his full attention is on the TV. Doesn't he even want to talk to me?

"Can I have a drink too?" She asked and leaned forward to grab a can. Her hand froze when Jiro suddenly shot his arm and gripped the can that she was holding.

"You don't know how to drink", he said.

"I'm old enough to drink. Besides, it's better to learn in case I need to attend some gatherings that will require drinking", she reasoned and was about to pull the can from his grasp but he held it firmly, preventing her to do so.

"What gatherings? If you're planning to attend something that will require drinking, I better be there. Who knows what might happen to you."

"Alright. Since you're here, I can drink, can I?"

Jiro hesitated for a moment before pulling the can towards him, making Dara whimper in protest. He popped the can open with one hand and returned it to her, watching intently as Dara smiled and received the can merrily. She took her first sip, ignoring Jiro's scrutinizing gaze, and her face immediately crumpled in disgust when the bitter beer invaded her taste buds.

"Ugh! What is this?" She complained while looking at the beer can's label. Jiro leaned back on the couch and draped his arm on the headrest, focusing his gaze on the TV again. "Don't force yourself to drink, Ramirez", he said.

He's mocking her! Dara looked at the offending beer again and that's when an idea entered her mind. She went to the kitchen and poured half of the beer on a glass with ice. She then searched for her late dad's favorite bottle of liquor that is supposed to be sweet and mixed it in the glass. She took a sip to taste it and a triumphant grin crossed her face when the sweet liquor overpowered the bitterness.

Dara settled on the couch again, sipping her glass while opening the chips that they bought earlier. A couple of minutes have passed as the two sat in silence. Jiro was engrossed with the Mixed Martial Arts show that he's watching that he failed to notice Dara's constant visit to the kitchen to make the liquor mix. Dara, on the other hand, failed to realize that the sweet liquor together with the beer is finally kicking in.

Having no intention of watching a show that comprises of pummeling the opponent to a pulp, Dara found herself watching Jiro instead. Her eyelids are half-drooping as she stared at him, noticing his every move. Jiro took a sip of the beer, his adam's apple moving up and down as he swallowed the bitter alcohol. His eyes are focused forward, giving Dara a chance to roam her gaze on Jiro's profile – his prominent nose, his chiseled jawline, his moist lips... He hovered the can of beer on his mouth, his eyebrows furrowing a bit at what he's watching. Dara slid towards him, her eyes a bit glazed as she tilted her head in wonder while watching his adam's apple go up and down again after drinking the beer.

When Dara giggled and rested her cheek on his shoulder, Jiro's head bolted towards her. "What the-...Are you drunk?" He said and immediately snaked his arm around her waist to prevent her from falling backwards. He looked at the glass on the table and darted his gaze towards the kitchen, cursing under his breath when he saw the bottle of liquor on the sink.