Jiyong's POV

I was jolted awake by a knock on the door.

Looking around the dark room, at first I was disoriented about where I am; thinking I must be at some girl's bed after a crazy night out.

But a voice on the other side of the door brought me back to where I was.

"Jiyong, I hate to interrupt but you have to eat dinner first before you knock yourself off to sleep. I'll wait for you downstairs. Be at the dining table in 10 minutes." Nana ordered in her bossy old voice.

Without waiting for my reply, I heard her walk on the creaky floorboards, down the stairs until the sound of her footsteps faded.

I rest my head back on the pillow.

I am back at my old house, in my old room lying in my old bed.

Except, everything has changed. I am far from the old me.

I glanced at my wristwatch and groaned as it is already half past eight in the evening.

I got up from the bed, wanting to save Nana another trip up those stairs if I'm not at her dining table in 10 minutes.

The room has gone dark, and apart from the moonlight that has shone through the small crack in the windows, I was left basically groping my way across the room. It didn't take long for me to trip over something. Good thing I was able to grab hold onto a small chair and steadied myself but the boxes that fell over my feet made me curse from the shot of pain.

I wonder why these boxes are all over here? I'll make sure to hire a cleaning agency to take care of those old stuff.

I know I made quite a mess and didn't bother turning on the light. I'll deal with those after I have stuffed myself full. Last decent meal I remembered was yesterday, no wonder why I'm so hungry.

"I can already smell the delicious food from here Nana!" I shouted as I descended the stairs.

When I reached the warm cozy kitchen, I found Nana fussing around, serving plate after plate of scrumptious-looking food.

"Come sit down boy. You eat and eat! That's an order." Nana bossed around throughout the whole meal.

After cleaning off food from a dozen plates, I could almost feel my chair groaning with the added weight in my food-filled belly. As I stood up to volunteer with washing the dishes, Nana wouldn't let me have it.

"No. You go straight to your room. You must rest." Nana said.

"But -" I started.

"No 'buts'! Besides, it has been a long time since I've served you. Please indulge this old woman's wish."

"Okay, Nana." I sighed and gave her a tight hug before heading back to my room. Then I remembered something.

"Oh Nana, before I forget. The boxes in my room, we might need a cleaning agency for those. I don't know why so many are stacked in there." I told Nana, who immediately looked up from washing dishes in the sink.

"Please do take a look at some of those boxes for me, dear boy. I think some of those belong to Dara. I never got around to sorting those. Not after what happened so abruptly before." Nana said, a faraway look in her eyes.

"Yeah, sure." Hearing Dara's name, spoken aloud in this same house where I thought we can make our own, made me feel a tightening grip in my heart. Anger filled me and not wanting to show it to Nana, I hurriedly exited the kitchen straight to my room.

Closing the door, I reached to turn on the light.

The room was a mess. The boxes that were overturned earlier had its contents scattered around the floor.

I started shoving the scattered contents back to the boxes, not caring what went with what box. The need to occupy myself from thinking anything except 'her' made me careless in what I was doing.

I'll have these all thrown out anyways, I thought to myself.

I was halfway through with the mess when something made me stop.

There, sticking out from a shoebox, is a letter with my handwriting in it.

Curious, I took it out and gently unfolded it. And I remembered. This was the first letter I stupidly wrote to Dara.

***
Dara,

How are you doing?

I'm writing you this letter in case I don't get to speak to you personally before I leave for my military service.

About what happened on that night, I just want to make things right.

I don't regret what happened. My only regret is that I never did ask you if you were okay ... if you are okay.

I don't want to leave you with any responsibility as a consequence of what happened between us.

I know this letter may seem very confusing to you, but I don't want to give anything away if in case this letter reaches the wrong hands.

So please, call me in this number: 023 9876 543 so that we can talk before I leave. I only have one month before I enlist.

Thanks,
Jiyong
***

I heaved a deep sigh as I remembered that day.

I half-smiled as I realized how quick Dara caught on with what I was implying in the letter. I admit, the letter (which took me almost a day to write) was damn confusing.

It was a week after what happened between us that I sobered up to think of a way to see Dara again. I've tried drinking, going out with other girls just to get her out of my system. But those failed. I'm thinking it was only because of the guilt, but now I know better - I just wanted an excuse to see her again. Then I thought back on that night and realized what's been nagging me. 

The night we did it, we did not use protection. And if my guess is right, Dara would never be on pill since she said before how she is never a promiscuous one. I was her first, dammit!

What if I had gotten her pregnant? So I devised a way to be able to see her and gathered up the courage to go to her house. Good thinking on my part to bring a letter in case she wouldn't want to see me again - not after I broke the connection we had that night, how she trusted me enough to bare herself to me.

I also remembered how a scared-sounding Dara called me a few hours after I dropped the letter with the security guard.

She was quite level-headed that day. She told how she asked her most trusted nanny to buy a pregnancy test kit for her. I vaguely remembered how she lied that it was to test if her pet cat was pregnant - I never got around to check if that works for animals too - but it seemed plausible to her nanny and did not get suspicious about it at all.

But she panicked when after three tests, the result always came out ... positive.

She was pregnant.

--------

(Flashback: Jiyong's POV)

"I'm pregnant." Dara said.

Silence.

I don't know what to freaking say to her. I've thought of this consequence but I never stopped to think what to do if it comes true.

"Please Jiyong. Say something. I don't know what to do. I ran from home. I could not bear to look at the disappointment in my father's eyes. Funny coz I should have been used to it by now. I don't even know where to go." Her voice faltered.

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm at this bus stop."

"I don't think it's safe for you to stay there Dara. It's almost midnight. Can you spot any convenience store open?"

"Yes. There is a 24/7 store right across the bus stop."

"Good. I want you to walk in there. I'll come for you. Wait for me inside."

____________

It took me less than 20 minutes before I reached the 24/7 store. Once inside, I saw Dara huddled in the far corner.

She looked up just as I saw her. And what I saw tug at my heart.

Her eyes were trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. She was trying to look brave and only a slight quiver of her chin betrayed her true emotion.

She was afraid. She looked so fragile. She was broken. She looked like a lost angel.

I stood frozen in the spot, not knowing what to do. I am mentally cursing myself for causing this pain to Dara.

_____________

"You're here." She spoke, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Have you eaten?" I asked.

She only nodded.

"Let's get you home." I said and reached for Dara's duffel bag.

"No." She stopped me with her hands, gripping the arm holding her bag. "I can't go home. My father -" she sobbed as the tears started to spill, "- he threatened to disown me if I will keep my baby."

She noticed how my knuckles turned white as I was clutching the bag. My eyes darken with rage. She mistook my reaction as anger towards her when all I truly feel is hatred towards her heartless father.

She protectively placed a hand in her flat belly, "I'm keeping my baby. If you're mad at me for deciding on my own, then I don't need your help. My baby will grow well even without a father." She said defiantly.

"Our baby will grow up with a father." My words left her speechless. "And, I am taking you to my home."

Relief flooded her features.

"Thank you." She muttered.

I shrugged and hurriedly reached for her bag again.