Sandara flinched when Jiyong suddenly kicked his motorbike with full force and throws away his keys and jacket along with his helmet. They were in the parking lot of City Police Department. She rushed to the jail when Taeyang informed her about the raid in the drag racing they were joining and Jiyong is caught along with some of the racers and audience.

She bailed him out before his parents arrive. Mr. Kwon was so furious. He cuts Jiyong’s allowance and credit cards. He even confiscated his motorbike. Worst, he had slapped Jiyong due to uncontrollable rage which really irks the latter and call it quits.

The pained look on Jiyong’s eyes will be forever etched on her mind. She knew it hurts him so much more than being slap by his father. It was the deep emotional pain that really tortures him, leading him to do things he was not in control of.

“I hate them! I fcking loathe them!” he shouted angrily.

Mrs. Kwon quickly intervenes between her husband and son and ushered Mr. Kwon out to talk and calm him down. And she told Sandara to watch out for Jiyong. The helplessness and pain in Jiyong’s mother showed as the old lady’s eyes glisten with tears and her body even trembled as they went out.

“Ji… that’s enough. You’re just tired. Come home with me, neh?” she tried to pacify him.

“I’m not fcking tired! I’m damn exhausted! I can’t live with that damn old man or in that damn house!”

“Ji…”

“What’s the use of staying in a big house with nothing but several stranger house maids and butlers around you?! I don’t need them! Goddamn it! I need a fcking father a mother! Not a fcking twenty US dollors worth play set or a hundred thousand bucks designer clothes! I just need some time and to feel I am not just a fcking Kwon heir but their son! Why they cannot understand it?! Why?!” he exclaimed in plain agony.

Sandara felt herself crying. It pains her too to hear his pain as he bursts out in his puddle of emotions. She realized now on how lonely he felt and yearning for a parent love.

She approached and embraces him. She sobs with him as she felt him trembled on her arms.

“Am I not worth it, Sandara?” he asked desperately.

“Shh…hush now,” she cooed him as she tightens her hold on him and caressed his back soothingly. “Don’t think that way, Ji. Your parents… you may not know it, but they truly love you. You just have to see it through their eyes. They only want the best for you.”

“They aren’t! You wouldn’t understand because you’re not in my shoes. You have a working mother, yes. But Aunt Ji Yeon is still a mother to you. While me, I have a complete set of parents but I don’t have a mother and a father. If they really love me as you claim it, then they should have put more attention to me than their jobs. But they don’t

“All I’m asking is a little of their time. I’m not asking for their whole damn schedule but only few of their fcking seconds! Just several minutes to check if I have fever or when I am sick, to attend my recital or school activities even it’s too late, Is it too much to ask? Tell me! Don’t I deserve a little attention when I am tired, sick or struggling? Am I not worth it other than filling my savings account and showered me with things I don’t need anyway? Is that I am worth, a few toy cars and material things? I just need love. That’s all,” he said when he moves away from her embrace.

His eyes blood shot because of his own painful cries. Jiyong I simply hurting right now. And she is hurting as well.

“Then how about the love I have for you? Isn’t that enough that you still wanted to ruin yourself? Do I not love you enough to fill up that emptiness and loneliness in your heart? Does my feelings for you isn’t love, Jiyong?”

He stilled and looked away angrily. “It’s different and it has nothing to do with me and my issues with my parents. Don’t drag our relationship here, Sandara.”

“Really? Well, if you hadn’t notice, Ji. You’re ruining our relationship because of your conflict with your parents. How can you still feel loveless when I love you so much that it pains me hearing you say that you still felt lack of love. You’re looking down my ability to make you feel that I love you. And what’s worst? You just slap it in my face that I’m useless and incapable of loving you. There’s no difference, Ji. Just like with your parents, you only choose to see and feel the love we had according to your standards. And if we didn’t reach that invisible love meter you have, everything we do, every ounce of love we gave you, will stay at the bottom wasted and just plain unacknowledged affection.

“And I think that’s your problem, Jiyong. You only recognize one form of love and the rest are nothing to you. Remember you said that you love me? I actually believe you did. But I just hope you did as well. For right now, we are on the verge of collapsing, Jiyong. Don’t make us fall apart. And I’m begging you, please, hold on…”

She cried in front of him as he did as well. She doesn’t know where her words came from. It just naturally left . She doesn’t want to add oil into the fire. Jiyong is already emotionally vulnerable. He’s only tough outside but he is fragile inside—easily breaks apart.

“I don’t know. ! I need to breathe!” he said and run away from her.

Sandara didn’t made a ove to follow him as her woobly knees surrenders and she drops on his knees, crying her heart out unbearably. Maybe, they need time apart. Maybe Jiyong really needs space to find himself first.

Maybe… they need to really end it before everything comes to worst.

~ ~ ~

Sandara and her friends halted from their conversation while having their lunch break in the open benches when Hye Mi suddenly came charging towards them. The latter has angry look on her face. She even clenching her fists tighly that it almost turns to pale white.

SLAP!

CL stood up along with Bom and Minzy when Hye Mi landed a strong slap to Sandara’s cheeks. Her face turns to the side because of the impact as she was caught off guard by the former’s assault. Hye Mi was about to slap her again but CL is quick enough to held her wrist and prevent her next attack.

“That’s enough! Who the hell do you think you are slapping Dara-unnie?” CL growls at Hye Mi angrily as she forcefully pushed the girl. “What the fck is your problem?”

Hye Mi stumbled a bit and snorted. She glares at Sandara and pointed a finger on her. “Because of that , Kiyong-oppa got depressed! She led him on and threw him heartlessly! She’s a ! A !”

Bom steps forward and slapped Hye Mi’s finger that was pointing at Sandara who is still stunned with what just happened.

“Stop pointing finger at Sandara, you filthy woman! Don’t call her names! She didn’t do anything wrong. It’s Kiyong’s fault that he kept his hopes up and insisted himself to Sandara. Our friend doesn’t like him in the first place and had pretty much told Kiyong about what she truly feels! She has been telling him to stop from the very beginning but what did Kiyong do, huh? So don’t go around blaming Sandara!”

“Your friend is two faced ! She let Kiyong oppa chase her when she already has that bully in the first place! And now oppa is suffering because of her,” Hye Mi said while sending Sandara deathly glares.

“You sl—” CL was about to slap Hye Mi when Sandara’s voice stop her.

“Chae, don’t!” CL looked at Sandara who’s shaking her head at her. The former controls herself and complied, still glaring at Hye Mi. Sandara stood up and faces the latter with pity and sympathy. “I now what you feel, Hye Mi. Believe me. I knew what it feels like watching the person you love so broken and you cannot do about it. I knew the feeling of your helplessness. I felt that once. And it’s really a horrible feeling.” She sighs. “But fact remains, Hye Mi-ssi. I don’t feel the same with Kiyong. I’m sorry if I had to break his heart instead. I don’t want to lie to him but it’s the only way. I will only continue to hurt him if I won’t put it bluntly honest that I cannot love him back. I know you’re hurting as well, right now. It was the least thing I could do for him,” she said somberly.

“Ha! You know what I feel? Are you making me laugh, Sandara-ssi? No one knows what I feel. You know how hard it is to watch the man I love looking stupid chasing after a girl who’s clearly doesn’t want him? I watched Kiyong oppa go gaga over you. And now I’m watching how he breaks apart because of you! Now tell me, do you have any idea how painful it is to love someone who loves someone else?” Hye Mi counters scornfully.

“I may not know how much it’s hard to be in your shoes but I know the pain you were feeling. Hye Mi-ssi,” Sandara said blankly. “Pain is pain. It’s a horrible, terrifying feeling to the point you wanted to rift your chest out just to get numb. There is always a thin line between love and pain. Maybe I deserve your slap. And I know an apology won’t be enough to make amends of all the heart aches I cause. I’m sorry for being honest to Kiyong. And most especially, I’m sorry for hurting you because of that.”

Hye Mi looked away as she wipes her tears harshly.

Sandara sighs once again as she smiled at her sadly. She steps closer to her until they’re face to face. Hye Mi furrowed at her.

“Slap me once again,” she said.

Hye Mi widens her eyes, stunned. “W-What?”

CL, Bom and Minzy had the same reaction as they looked at Sandara with a frown. But the latter looked really serious about what she said.

“Hit me once again if that will make you feel better. Slap me to your heart’s content, until you’re satisfied. And tell me right after if that’s enough. Tell me if it does change anything?”

Hye Mi gasped along with the three girls. They looked at her as if she’s out of her mind. Hye Mi stared at her long and hard. Then she raised her hand while Sandara continued to stares back without showing any sign of avoiding her slap. She even seems prepared to accept it.

“Yah! What the hell?!” CL exclaimed seeing that Hye Mi will do as Sandara says. She was about to intervene when she felt a hand stopping her. When she turns