-=+ CHAPTER XI +=-

It didn't take a minute before Bom probed Jiyong over the truth. She has been dying to ask him since the first time she saw him today but she knows it wasn't the right time to talk about it, especially when Dara is with them and tagging along is Joong-ki which she knows has intention towards Dara in a romantic way. Although the others just got to know Jiyong just recently, it's different from her. She knows Ji, they have been friends even before, and she wanted to understand it better why Jiyong did what he did. And she knows for sure that Jiyong has a valid reason for doing it so.

"Now that Dara is not here, what happened to you Ji?" Bommie beamed at Ji once Joong-ki, Dara and Seungri left the room.

"Kiko happened." Youngbae answered.

"That again?!" Bommie asked and Youngbae just nodded. Bommie turned to Jiyong and sat in front of him while pulling a chair. "So?"

Minzy and CL looked at each other and moved near Bommie to hear it properly. They are curious too and at the same time surprised that Bommie knows something they don't. Their boyfriends are not saying much about the Jiyong-Dara issue, but they were able to grasp some things.

Jiyong raised his head and faced Bommie, his face is filled with anguish. "She went to me the day of my cousin's wedding. She was battered. I felt it was compulsory to help her especially when she's there in front of my flat, wounded, bruised and bleeding. I let her in and dressed her wounds and bruises. She stayed with me for a while."

"And you stayed by her side and left Dara?" Bommie asked him.

Jiyong looked down and cupped his head with both of his hands. "I know I was wrong but Kiko was hurt. She needed me."

"So what happened to her now?" Bommie asked Jiyong. Youngbae, Daesung and Seunghyun walked towards the others as they didn't got to know what happened.

Jiyong with his head still in his hands answered. "She was telling me last time that her boyfriend was hurting her, that wasn't the first time. But that night, it was the worst. Do you remember the night of Seungri's birthday? She approached me that time, and she has bruises on her arm. It was just like that at first. I told her before that day, to split with her boyfriend. But she insisted she will only do it once I ensure her that we're getting back together. I can't do it.  There's somebody else in my heart." He stopped and he bit his lower lip.

"Dara." CL stated and she sighed. She never thought it was this complicated, but hearing Jiyong now, she somewhat feel relieved that Jiyong was in a situation he can't get out from. And she can feel that Jiyong sincerely likes Dara.

He nodded. "But that night, when Kiko went to my place looking like that. I just can't turn her down." Jiyong continued.

"So you are leaving Dara to Joong-ki now?" Bommie asked, she wanted Jiyong to see reality and wake up. She knows it was hard for him, but there must be another way to deal with Kiko.  Jiyong gritted his teeth by hearing the other guy's name. "Why did you come here then? What for?" Bommie asked him furiously now. She wanted to put some sense into Jiyong's head.

Jiyong straightened his neck and stared straight in Bommie's eyes. "I came to get her back. But I think I was too late." Jiyong answered.

"And how about Kiko then?" CL stood up and asked Jiyong, she's feeling angry also. If Jiyong will pursue her friend, he should cut all strings connected with Kiko. She won't accept it if he will pursue Dara bit still be connected to the other girl.

Jiyong sighed. "No... I don't care about Kiko anymore. Or any of her business. I don't want to deal with her anymore."

"What do you mean bro?" Youngbae asked Jiyong.

"I asked her to leave my place and my life yesterday. And she did this morning. Last night, I found out that all her bruises and cuts were all self inflicted. I saw her boyfriend looking for her, he asked me even though he didn't want to, but he was left without a choice. Then I came to know that Kiko broke up with him and was putting this act of being battered just to get my attention. I was a fool. I knew she was capable of something like this, but I felt really bad when I saw her battered. I feel so stupid. I hurt Dara and I don't know if she will ever forgive me."

"Well, she won't even admit she's hurt." Minzy answered and all looked at her. "What?" She looked at CL who was glaring at her a bit. "It's the truth. She was hurting but she didn't want us to know about it when it was really obvious."

"Is she and Joong-ki---" Jiyong stopped as anger started to boil inside of him. "Are they dating?"

"They might be." Bommie responded.

"Soon." CL added.

"Do you think I'll get her back?" Jiyong asked the girls and all of them just shrugged their shoulders.

"We don't know Ji." Bommie answered. She doesn't really know as Dara rarely or never opened to them about it.

"Maybe if you'll work hard." CL responded, she was thinking that maybe Dara could accept him back since he is Dara's first love.

"But she did like you before, I just don't know now that Joong-ki oppa is in the picture." Minzy answered and Daesung looked at her. "What? Sorry Ji oppa." She looked down.

Jiyong just smirked sourly. He knew this will happen, Dara sliding off his hand. But he was stuck in the mess Kiko created, he bought it too much that he ended up giving up his own happiness. It would have been okay only if he didn't hurt Dara in the process but hearing her friends opening up he guessed he did. He sighed as Youngbae suddenly sang Haru-Haru by Bigbang. They all looked at Youngbae and their thoughts drifted away.

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"Thanks." Dara told Joong-ki as they walk towards Han River.     

"It's suffocating there isn't it?" Joong-ki asked.

Dara smiled. "A bit." Perhaps, Joong-ki really knows her now or better, he understands her well.

"What's the deal? I thought you two weren't dating?" Joong-ki asked. He was now leading her to the stairs to sit. He settled himself and patted the space beside his. "But he acts like a jealous boyfriend don't you think?" He smiled.

Dara sat down beside him. She doesn't know what to tell him. She just stayed quiet.

"Actually. I know what his deal is." He answered while smiling a bit. "He is the same as me."

"Huh?" Dara asked Joong-ki as she didn't understand what he meant by 'same as me'.

Joong-ki leaned his elbows on the step behind him and looked up the sky. "He likes the girl I like." Then he looked down and stared directly into Dara's eyes. "I like you Dara."

Dara stared at his black orbs, she didn't anticipate this to happen. She can feel that Joong-ki's holding her dearly, but at this time, she never expected him to confess. She opened but no sounds came out.

Joong-ki then faced her completely and pressed his thumb on her parted lips. He caressed it with it and rested his palm on her cheek. "I know." He smiled at her. "I know how you feel. But you don't want to face your feelings. And I'm willing to help you."

"I d-don't get what you mean." Dara answered him as her hand touched Joong-ki's hand. Joong-ki smiled at Dara's touch and removed his hand from her cheek but he took Dara's hand that was touching his.

"I'll help you forget Jiyong." He brought the hand of Dara on his mouth, he closed his eyes and gently showered her hand with several kisses. Dara felt the sincerity in his touch that she unknowingly closed her eyes to feel the sensation that Joong-ki's lips caused on her skin. "Use me Dara. I'll help you forget about him or about what happened between the two of you."

Dara opened her eyes. "I-i don't think that's a good idea." Dara responded. Her heart is thumping fast inside her chest and it confuses her. Only Jiyong has made her heart beat that fast, but here she is now with a different man and her heart feels like it wanted to leap out of her chest.

"It is. Believe me, it is." Joong-ki responded and closed the gap between their faces. Dara could only close her eye with his sudden move. Joong-ki kissed her right cheek first, then her nose. Then he raised his lips to her forehead and kissed her there. His lips lingered for quite some time there until he pulled Dara towards him. His left hand on the back of her head, his right hand on her back. She was like a puppet and stayed immobile as she inhaled Joong-ki's manly scent. "Let's get out Jiyong out of your system. You want that right?"

Dara was still surprised by Joong-ki's boldness, n