Dara stopped upon turning left on the hallway. She touched her chest and clutches that area of her uniform to control herself. Her eyes are unfocused as her heart pounded so fast. She held her tears and trembled a bit.

This is how a certain Kwon Jiyong affects her.

 After all these years they haven’t seen each other, she can’t believe that he still has the same effect to her. This only proves how much Jiyong influenced her. But it shouldn’t be this way. She shouldn’t react this way.

She thought that she had already changed. But she was wrong.

No matter how weak she was when it comes to him, Dara cannot show him that, nonetheless. Or else, Jiyong will have his way to her again.

She can’t let him hurt her again. At least not for the second time.

~ ~ ~

“Mr. Yang,” Dara greeted the founder of both DD LA and DG Boys School politely. She had set up a meeting with him to ask something.

“Ms. Park, seat down please,” Yang Goon or Mr. Yang motions her to the chair across his table. Dara quickly complied. “What can I do for you, Ms. Park? What’s with the sudden visit?”

“Ah, Mr.Yang, I would like to ask if how long does DG LA finish the renovation? How long are we staying at DG Boys School?” Dara asked humbly.

“Hmm… Why the sudden inquiries? Are you having a problem with DG Boys School?” he asked as he leans on his swivel chair and intertwines his hands together on his front.

Dara is quite speechless for a while. “Aniyo, Mr. Yang. I am just merely curious since you haven’t set any dates in the temporary transfer waver when we will go back to DG LA,” she explains.

“Honestly, Ms. Park, I really haven’t put any dates since I’m not sure myself when will the repair finishes. It will be indefinite, for now. But hopefully, it will end before the semester break,” he answered.

Dara inwardly groaned. So she has to endure Jiyong’s presence for about half of the school year? Crap.

“That long?” she squeaks.

“Approximately,” Mr. Yang shrugs. “Why? Do you miss your campus already?” he managed to smile.

Dara just smiled.

“Is that all, Ms. Park?” he asked again.

“Um, yes. Thank you for your time, Mr. Yang. I must be going first. Have a good day,” she said as she stood up and bows respectfully at the latter.

“You’re welcome. Have a good day too. Study hard,” he said before she leaves the office room.

Once she was out the office, Dara lets out a deep sigh. Half of the school year, probably, four to five months of seeing Kwon Jiyong, can she last long at that period? She must. All she have to do is tightens the rope she tied on her heart and harden her resolve.

It will be a long run. It everything is just starting.

~ ~ ~

It’s just another start of the day. The hallway is jammed with the students chatting away in front of their classroom. Some stayed inside doing some last minute assignment, reports and other stuff.

That cannot be said to the four girls seating at the back row of the room across the school’s bullies.

The girls had a bored look on their faces as they waited for the teacher to come. Minzy stayed glued on her phone checking some SNS updates of her favorite KPOP band. Bom was busy studying her newly polished nails. CL, on the other hand, is focused on her sketchbook doing some sketches for their company’s new toy collection. While Dara has a blank look as she stares at outside the window lost on her own pool of thoughts.

They don’t even care the noise around them as they all caught up with their own thing.

“Look at them,” one of the boys student said eyeing the oblivious girls. “They’re quite snob, right? I heard they are popular in DG LA.”

“They are,” one of the girls student answered keeping her voice down. “As much as possible we keep our way from them.”

“Why are they bullies like Bigbang?” another boy inquired.

The girl shook her head and glanced briefly at the girls before turning back to the boys.

“Nope. But they’re intimidating. All of them came from prestigious family. They are powerful so no one dares to cross them in our school. Except one. But she’s just some social climber who is a scholar to our school.”

“She’s brave though,” the boy said clueless.

“What brave?” the girl smirks. “She’s a mere poor soul who thought she can level herself to them. She’s not even at anyone’s level at our school. She’s just a daughter of Jang Kiyong’s nanny. She’s pathetic and a loser,” the girl rolls her eyes being reminded of Hye Mi.

“Jang Kiyong?” the girl nodded as the boy smirk. “He is just like his daughter’s nanny then. He is also a loser.”

They chuckled together but they stopped when Bigbang entered the room. The noise died down as they all looked at the five boys walking one by one towards their seat at the back row.

Seungri has a stupid goofy smile on his face as he takes his seat after throwing his bag on the chair. Daesung followed walking with much grace than Seungri. He carefully put his bag on his chair and seat while checking his face again to his reliable mirror. Top entered as well a bit groggy since he’s a heavy sleeper and just woke up earlier so that he won’t be late for class today. Then Taeyang silently occupies his seat. Jiyong entered lastly with a bored look on his face as he walks through the room with one hand on his pocket while the other holds the strap of his bag hanging on his shoulder loosely. He is oozing with confident and coolness that made the girls swoon over him. But he doesn’t care.

Dara who noticed the sudden silence finally turns her gaze away from the window and looked