Dara crossed her arms over her chest as the filming resumed with Jiyong talking about his life as a high school student. He was mostly sticking to the general idea, never really specific. He had pointed to the music room as where he spends most of his leisure time, obviously.

“Music has always been my escape,” Jiyong was saying to the camera as he stood near the music room. “And this is my refuge.” He grinned. “My friends help me a lot in building my dreams and… at the time when I thought it was impossible, they encouraged me.” He smiled charmingly at the camera as he waved a finger in front of it. “You can reach your dreams if you have your friends feeding you those flattering lies.”

Dara rolled her eyes at his attempt to sound funny when it’s not amusing at all. Eventhough he earned chuckles from the crew and the director. Janey had outright laughed, covering to smother it. It wasn’t that funny, geez.

The director called for a cut striding over to Jiyong for suggestions or instructions while Janey walked over to her. “What’s the next location after this?”

“Gyeongju,” Dara answered. “Jiyong’s hometown.” Typical of Janey not to read the script or even at least to know which locations they were supposed to go. Hell, Dara had done all of her job!

“Was his mom already contacted that we are going to film inside their home?”

Dara gave her a wry look. “Jennie had already contacted Mrs. Kwon for confirmation and don’t you think Kwon Jiyong didn’t inform his mom about that?” Use your brain for once.

“Just checking that we got everything covered,” Janey said snottily.

“Yeah we do,” Dara said then muttered. “It’s your common sense we need to touch base on.”

“What?” Janey glared at her even if she barely heard what Dara said. She just assumed what Dara said is something bad about her. Which is really the truth anyway.

Dara gave her a sickeningly sweet smile. “Nothing. I just said we need to touch base with your common sense since it’s always filled too much with nothing.” Giving her one last smile, she pirouetted causing her hair to hit Janey’s face and sashayed over to the scriptwriter.

“Ya!” Janey called out to her looking like she wanted to attack Dara but the director called her attention. Janey could only give her a deadly glare, which Dara made an obvious point of ignoring, before walking over to the director.

After a couple of minutes of briefing Jiyong, the filiming continued, this time inside the music room. Dara could hardly believe this is the same music room she always barges in during high school. The room is now filled with high tech equipment with computers, sound systems, amplifiers, anything that has to do with music. She could see that the small room before had been extended to make room for all equipments.

“Woah, it’s like a studio already,” Jennie murmured. “And look. Everything is sponsored by Kwon Jiyong.”

Sure enough, his name was written on a plaque inside a glass cabinet. Wait. Not just one plaque but actually almost all of the plaques stored inside it. Dara returned her gaze to Jiyong who was smiling at the camera as he talked and motioning on an old electronic piano keyboard that is at the corner along with some other old equipments.

She recognized that one.

“I used to play this a lot during high school with my girlfr….” He briefly glanced at her before clearing his throat and continuing. “With the girl I was dating then and….” He smiled again. “All the songs I had actually made in highschool were for her.”

“Awww,” came the quiet muttered voices of the staff and even Janey.

“That’s sweet,” Jennie, who was staning beside her, said quietly. “He must’ve been a really sweet boyfriend. How come my high school doesn’t have guys like him?” 

Dara didn’t answer and watched Jiyong as he continued talking animatedly, this time about how his music teacher had shaped him into a composer. Yes, he had been really sweet and perfect. She used to think at that time how lucky she had been to have a Kwon Jiyong in her life. Now, he’s nothing but just a nightmare to her.

Her reverie was disrupted when she felt her phone vibrating inside her pocket and she went out of the room to answer it. It was her station manager.

“Park!” His voice sounds excited. “Lee Sung Kyung’s manager is in Geyong Ju. See if you can get Lee Sung Kyung as a guest in The House Talk.” The house talk is a 30-minute variety program where the hosts goes to where the guests are currently staying.

Dara let out a sigh. “Aren’t you getting a little too happy giving me all these assignments when I’m just a program researcher?” Then she added as an afterthought just in case her station manager thinks she’s being too disrespectful. “Sir?”

Her station manager had quickly caught on what’s trying to say. Or what she’s trying not to say. “I get you, Park. I’m working on your promotion. You know I count on you more than I count on Janey. Hang in there. This is practice for you when you finally get your promotion.”

Dara grinned. “Alright. I’ll contact Lee Sung Kyung’s manager.”

“Leave Kwon Jiyong’s documentary to Janey tomorrow and work on Lee Sung Kyung.”

Her smile faltered a little but then answered brightly, “Whatever you say, boss.” This is so much better. She hung up and searched her contacts for any connection that she can make that can give her the manager’s number and dialled. “Hi Joo-Young! It’s me, Dara. Yes. I was wondering if you have Lee Sung Kyung’s manager’s numbers? Uh huh. Hold on, let me get something to write on.” Crap, she left her bag inside the van. She just took her pen and wrote the number on her palm. “Thank you Joo Young. Let’s drink coffee sometime. Bye!”

She entered the number immediately on her contacts and called. It only rang and rang until it went to voicemail. She cleared before leaving a message. “Good afternoon, this is Dara from 21 TV. I was wondering if you can give me a call for a possible guesting of Ms. Lee Sung Kyung at one of our programs? I’ll be in Gyeong Ju tomorrow and we can mee to discuss?” She rattled off her number. “Thank you and I hope to hear from you.”

Okay, she is finally seeing the light on her job. Janey out of her way and she wouldn’t have to see Kwon Jiyong again. Suddenly, tomorrow can’t come fast enough.

“She only got accepted because of her dad. It’s obvious she doesn’t even have any skills.”

“She’s a spoiled princess. Her father does everything for her.”

“She's worthless if not for her money.”

Dara ignored the whispers she heard as she passed by a group of women standing by the hall as she trekked her way towards the Univerity’s courtyard to meet Jiyong. Those whispers are nothing new to her. From her first month as a student in the Film Making Department in HIGHGRND UNIVERSITY OF ARTS, she had already been hearing those. She doesn’t understand where all that hate for her came from but like her father said, Keep your head high even if they want you to bend down. And she had always taken it by heart. They don’t matter anyway. They can let their insecurity devour them and she wouldn’t bat an eye.

She found Jiyong sitting on one of the tables with an open book but his eyes looked so distant as he stared at nothing. Her heart immediately goes out to him as she knew exactly what he’s currently worried about.

She smiled brightly as she sat down opposite him. “Hi!”

Like what she had expected, that is the only time Jiyong had actually noticed her presence. “Hey.” He gave her a small smile which made Dara’s smile falter because it still looked sad. She sighed and covered his hand on the table with hers. Jiyong automatically flipped his palms up to hold her hand.

“Don’t worry. Mom’s going to be okay,” Dara assured him. The mom that she was referring to is actually Jiyong’s mom. She had insisted Dara to call her that since she started going out with Jiyong. Her real mom had died when she was a baby and she couldn’t remember her much. She was glad she could have a second chance of having a mom in the form of Mrs. Kwon.

Jiyong squeezed her hand. “I know. She’s a strong woman.” His mom had trouble breathing lately and the thing that Jiyong is worried at is because his mom is only dismissing it as exhaustion and yet he could tell how it is starting to get worse. And he’s feeling bad because her mom is probably not saying anything because Jiyong is already working three jobs and still isn’t enough for his academic needs and for house expenses and doesn’t want to burden her son more.

Dara had offered to help with check up but Jiyong outright declined looking offended and Dara immediately backed down. But looking at his current state, he needs to know his mom’s life is on the line now and his pride shouldn’t come first. “Jiyongie,” Dara stared hoping it wouldn’t end up as an argument. “My dad had done a lot of charities—“

“We are not charity.” The look in Jiyong’s eyes immediately became cold.

“I know,” Dara said quickly. “I know. What I’m saying is… my dad had helped a lot of people already. If you don’t want my help, at least let dad help your mom.”

Jiyong let go of her hand which Dara took as a bad sign. “No.”

“Jiyong, don’t let your pride get the better of you. You are working your off and I know how hardworking you are but sometimes, you have to admit you need help.”

Jiyong stared at her with his jaw clenching.

“I love your mom too,” Dara said beseechingly. “And I also worry for her. She’s strong like you are but strengths have limits. Don’t let yourself reach it.”

Jiyong averted his gaze from her eyes then closed his book. “I have a class. I’ll see you later.”

“Jiyong,” Dara softly called but she just watched him as he walked away with his shoulders rigid.

The director called for a wrap up at 3:30 in the afternoon and instructed to meet in Gyeong Gu. “We’ll start filming tomorrow but it’s best if we can get some shots of Mrs. Kwon inside the house.” He instructed two cameraman to shoot some other parts inside the school for inserts and called Jackson to get some shots of the Kwon’s house. Dara walked over to Jennie to confirm that she did called Mrs. Kwon to inform her about filming.

“You called Mrs. Kwon about it, right?” Dara asked.

“Of course,” Jennie said. “She sounds really really nice and she seems to be really excited that we’re going to film her.”

Dara smiled inspite of herself as she did remembered Jiyong’s mom to be really sweet and gentle and nice. Which is really the reason why she can’t bring herself to call her herself.

“And I’m sure Kwon Jiyong also told her anyway,” Jennie continued and Dara made a face. That was exactly what she told Janey.

They all went to the parking lot. The van stays for the cameramen and the equipments, some of the writers and two cameramen to go inside the director’s car with Janey.

Janey walked over to her with a smirk. “You need to Gyeong Ju now and supervise. Make sure the shots go according to the storyboard. Don’t wait up for the cameramen. They might take all night before they get there.”

Dara sighed heavily. “You really want to pass your responsibility to me?” Janey should have been the one to brief Jiyong’s mom, not her.

“That’s the reason why you’re called Assistant Producer. To assist the main producer in times that she is unable to perform her responsibilities,” Janey said wryly. “I have a project I am currently working on.”

“Oh really?” Dara said. “Because our station manager called and he told me to leave this project tomorrow. I have new assignment and I’m sure he already sent you a message which you are ignoring.”

Jaeny’s mouth twitched. “I am not ignoring it. Kim Seok Jin said tomorrow. Tomorrow is still not today so you are still obligated to take care of this filming. And besides, I have to take care of our accomodations in GyeongJu.”

“That’s the project you’re working on?” Dara can’t believe this. She shouldn’t have hiven Janey the keys to the hotel she had booked.

“Uh huh. So just ride with the director too and we’ll drop you off on the way.”

Dara gritted her teeth. “I’d rather take the train.” Be in the same vehicle as Janey? She would probably spend the entire ride restraining herself from ripping her hair off her head.

“Oh good. That’s so much better,” Janey said with a fake smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Ugh!!! That sly !

“Hey.”

Dara turned her head to find Jackson walking over to her. “Hey,” she greeted back, her nostrils still flaring.

“Heard your talk with Janey.” He shook his head. “And I agree with every curses you’re stringing inside your head at her.”

“I’m not stringing any curses inside my head,” Dara said with a scowl. “I wanted to tell it to her face.”

Jackson chuckled. “You’re in the same high school as Kwon Jiyong, right? Why don’t you take a ride with him since he’s going to the same house?”

“No,” Dara said then added sarcastically. “I don’t want to inconvenienced him.”

“I’m sure he won’t be. He seemed like a really nice guy. Hey, Kwon Jiyong!”

Dara whirled her head to where Jackson had called and Jiyong was already on his way to his car. She turned to Jackson to glare at him. “Leave it, Jackson.”

But Jackson continued. “We need a ride to Gyeong Ju to your house. Can we ride with you?” Then he turned to Dara with a smirk. “I don’t want to ride with Janey either. Did you see the size of the director’s car? It’s too cramped.

Jiyong only glanced at her before nodding her head. As soon as they heard Jiyong was giving a ride, Jennie also volunteered to ride with Jiyong and hopped off the director’s cramped car. Dara can understand since it’s gonna be an approximately 3-hour drive and it’s not going to be really easy enduring being squished inside the car and enduring Janey’s presence.

Dara is nothing but practical. There’s no use of a hissy fit if her comfort is the end result of the options. After grabbing her bag from the van, she went to the backseat of Jiyong’s black Range Rover Car. Jackson had called shotgun and Jennie slipped in beside her.

Dara was silent the whole ride but wished she could stuff Jackson’s chattering mouth as she can’t find a moment’s peace to sleep. Jiyong was cheerfully chatting with him but it was mostly Jackson who was doing the talking.

“You are pretty damn famous, man.”

“This car is really nice.”

“Are you sure you don’t wan me to drive while you take a rest?”

“Wow, your playlist are my jams!”

Dara had opted to just stuff her ears with the earphones and let the music engulf her senses.

She was jolted awake when the car stopped. She squinted looking out the window and realized it is already dark. What time is it?  She stifled a yawn and Jennie sitting next to her stretched her arms as she woke up too. Jackson was snoring on the passenger seat and Jiyong had to nudge him to wake him up.

“We’re here,” Jiyong told him.

Dara stepped out the car and looked at the house in front of her.The house still looked the same and yet it is so new. The door that was once a PVC plastic entrance is now built in mahogany. The walls were painted peach and white and the windows that were always broken are now in sliding glasses. The plants that weren’t there before are now stationed consecutively on the stoned pathway. And the open lot that was once just beside his house stands a garage with two cars.

Jiyong had the house renovated.

Like what he had promised his mom.

“Dara,” a voice softly called from behind her and she turned to find Jiyong. “Can we talk?”

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