Disclaimer: All credit goes to The Literary Dragon!

"That Kwon Jiyong is such a jerk!" Dara slammed her soda down so hard on the table that it sloshed over the edges of the glass.

Bom sighed and handed her friend a fresh handful of napkins. "I know that, Dara. You've been ranting about him for the past week."

"I'm sorry, Bom." She dabbed at the spilled soda. "I won't talk about him anymore."

Dara leaned back into the padded seat of the booth. Her eyes sought out a young boy of about eleven playing one of the video games nearby.

"How's Mir?" she asked.

Bom's eyes lit up. "He's so much better. He complained when I told him that if he was well enough to play, then he was well enough to go to school." She rubbed a hand over her eyes.

Dara leaned forward. "Are you getting enough sleep? You won't do yourself or Mir any favors if you fall ill." She didn't like the dark circles under her friend's eyes. Bom stretched herself too thin trying to do everything on her own.

"I'm fine." The older girl smiled brightly. Dara dropped the subject, though the worry didn't leave her eyes. Instead, she turned to stare out the window. Brightly colored leaves clung to the trees. Only a few decorated the sidewalks, crunching merrily under the feet of passersby. It looked like fall, but the weather had decided to make one last stab at summer. Dara watched people parade by wearing tee shirts and shorts. 'Well, I said I missed summer,' she thought.

"Hey, ladies." A cheerful voice broke into her thoughts. She looked up into violet eyes, crinkled at the edges with laughter.

"Hi, TOP," Dara said as he slid onto the seat beside Bom. He kissed Bom's cheek in greeting, flashing a friendly grin at Dara. 'His eyes are the same color as Jiyong's.' Dara mentally shook her head. 'Ugh. Why am I thinking about him?'

Her gaze fell to Bom's left hand, resting on the table. She blinked. Was that a ring on her finger?

"Are you engaged?" she asked, her voice rising. Bom nodded and linked her fingers with TOP's.

"My lovely Bom finally said yes," TOP said. His hand slipped from around Bom's shoulders to someplace lower.

"ert!" Bom shrieked, slapping TOP with her free hand.

"But, Bom, we're going to be married soon!"

"That doesn't give you the right to me in public!"

TOP smiled a lecherous smile. "Does that mean I can you in private?"

Dara sighed as she watched the two bicker. TOP had pursued Bom for over a year, earning many slaps and concussions. Three months ago Bom turned twenty. TOP was four years older. Before they met, he was quite a favorite with the ladies. She was the first person to resist him.

"What's wrong, Dara?" Bom's voice startled her. She realized that she was staring out the window again. She smiled and shook her head. "Are you still thinking about that jerk, Jiyong?"

TOP stole a fry from Bom's plate. "Haven't seen Jiyong in a while," he mumbled around a mouthful of food. "What's he been up to?"

Dara stared at TOP. "You know Jiyong?"

"Yeah, we went to school together." TOP helped himself to a few more fries and a drink of soda.

"I babysat his son last week." Dara's look turned speculative. "Do you know who his mother is and why they aren't living together anymore?"

TOP choked on a fry. He drained the rest of Bom's soda and coughed to clear his airways. "Now, there's a touchy subject."

"But you do know?" Bom prodded. Her face was filled with as much curiosity as Dara's.

TOP looked around as if checking to make sure no one was listening in. All of the other diners were happily engaged in conversation. They showed no interest in what any of the three in the booth had to say.

TOP straightened and his voice dropped to a solemn chant. "It is a sad but true tale. Listen well, that you may avoid the mistakes of the past and the horrors of - Ouch!" Bom slapped him on the back of the head.

"Tell it right," she threatened. "Without the dramatics." He glared at her reproachfully. She held up her fist. He held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Let's see," he mused. "Where was I?" He snapped his fingers. "That's right!" Well, Jiyong and I went to school together. He was popular, but didn't have many close friends. Most students were afraid of his temper. We had been best friends since gradeschool. Everything was going great, and then she showed up.

"She was a new transfer student and a little shy. Jiyong took pity on her. They started going out a few months later. Dated clear up to graduation. I thought they would be quits right after school. She was always showing off that she was the great Jiyong's girlfriend. Well, he proposed to her. In front of the whole graduating class, no less. She soaked up the attention, playing shy, but said yes. Jiyong was so happy I didn't have the heart to question his choice of mate.

"Jiyong got a job at his father's company. He was really going places. They were invited to a lot of fancy parties. The bosses took to him and within a year he had been made a vice president. His darling wife preened and strutted like a Las Vegas showgirl. But then, Hojin was born.

"I don't think I had ever seen Jiyong so proud. He had a son. Right away he gave up his vice presidency for a job with fewer hours, not to mention less pay. That's when the trouble started. She loved the parties, the important guests-all the things Jiyong gave up. She started disappearing for hours at a time, leaving Hojin with anybody who would watch him. The two of them fought all the time. About a year ago she demanded a divorce. Said all manner of things, even admitted to having an affair. By that time Jiyong was glad to see her go."

TOP stopped to take a drink of Dara's soda. She was too caught up in the story to notice. "What was her name, TOP?" she pressed.

"Her name was. . ." He paused for dramatic affect. "Kiko. You actually look a lot like her, Dara."

Dara shook her head sympathetically. "No wonder he was so hostile. Poor Jiyong. And poor Hojin."

"He doesn't want pity." TOP looked for more fries to steal, but they were all gone. "I wouldn't say anything, unless you want your head bitten off."

The dark haired boy who had been playing video games earlier ran over to their table. "Hey, big sister, can I have more quarters?"

"Haven't you played enough video games, Mir?" Bom scolded. He just grinned and shrugged his thin shoulders.

Dara remembered an idea she'd had earlier. "How would you like to spend the weekend with Sanghyun, Mir? If it's all right with your sister."

"Can I?" Mir turned to Bom, his eyes shining.

Bom shot a glance at Dara, but nodded. Mir whooped, grabbed the roll of quarters she held out, and left to find another game.

"What are you up to?" Bom hissed when Mir was out of hearing.

"You're exhausted, Bom. This will give you a break. Besides Sanghyun will love having him over. They can stay up all night playing video games."

Bom opened to argue, but must have decided it wasn't worth it judging from the mulish expression on Dara's face. TOP raised his hand to snag the attention of one of the waitresses. The girls were out of food for him to steal. Dara finally noticed that her soda was gone. She shot a peeved look at TOP. He just grinned and ordered her another one from the pretty young waitress. His eyes roamed over the girl's form appreciatively. Bom smacked him.

Dara couldn't help but laugh. Homework was done, she was hanging out with her friends. Life was perfect. Though, like her grandpa always said, be careful when things are going too well.

"'Dara-noona!" A small figure came shooting across the room. Hojin climbed onto her lap, throwing his arms around her neck. Dara squeezed him happily, before trying to pry his arms loose.

"Not so tight, Hojin," she said. "'Dara can't breathe." She heard a snort and looked up to see Jiyong approaching their table.

"Hey there, Jiyong," TOP said. "Long time, no see."

"Hello, Mr. Kwon," Dara said in a cool tone. She heard another snort and looked over to see TOP trying to smother his laughter.

"Mr. Kwon." He got out between gasps. "When did you become so formal? This from a man who thinks a balanced meal is a package of ramen in each hand." Jiyong crossed his arms and glowered at his best friend.

Hojin slipped down from Dara's lap to tug on his father's shirt. "Ask her now, Daddy."

Jiyong's expression softened when he looked at his small son. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Here," he said, ing it at Dara.

Dara took it gingerly. "What's this?"

"You left before I could pay you." He looked everywhere but at her. "Don't think I'll track you down every time."

"Every time?" Dara echoed.

"Ask her now!" Hojin insisted, bouncing a little. Dara raised a questioning eyebrow. Jiyong rubbed the back of his neck. He suddenly found the ceiling very interesting. When he looked down, he didn't quite meet her eyes.

"Would you like to babysit Hojin tomorrow?"

---------- so how do you like this chapter? Now you finally know why Jiyong told Hojin all women are witches! LOL! Things will get more interesting now as Hojin seems to LOVE Dara! And TOPBOM!!! They are so adorable in this story, especially since TOP is such a dork! Until next time, ppyong~!