Eighteen
Remnants Of The Heart
Dara was beyond mortified. She hasn’t been degraded like this before. Her brain hasn’t fully process what happened yet when she started hearing more like feeling Jiyong running away in full speed. She immediately panicked as she thought that Minwoo or the people chasing her were just a few miles away from them. Adrenaline rush pumped through her veins as she jumped to her feet, her whole body covered with poop, as she ran after Jiyong.
The tunnel seemed to be endless. She was breathing heavily while trying to keep up with Jiyong who seem to be running in full speed, as if his is on fire. At the end of the tunnel was an open dump area. She saw Jiyong climbing against a metal ladder attached to the wall. She followed suit but she slipped several times as her hands and feet were slimy. Her clothes felt heavy as well that it took her some time to actually successfully climb the ladder. She huffed in frustration upon seeing Jiyong going running through the forest with large roots of trees protruding off earth.
She climbed down through another ladder attached to the wall and followed Jiyong’s trail. She stopped several times, leaning against a tree but then, she was too scared to lost sight of the bully that she just has to keep on going.
As they went deeper into the forest, the thicker the trees went. Dara can’t help but think that Jiyong was bullying her again but she was just too tired, anxious and dirty to ponder on it. just as the trees started to get lighter, she started hearing what seem to be the most maniacal laughter she has ever heard in her whole life. She then looked behind her in fear that Minwoo and the others were just behind, about to shoot them but no one came. She waited for a few minutes but still, no one came. She looked forward again. She started walking slowly towards where Jiyong was. She then broke out from the trees and she could just hear the sound of the waterfalls. She saw Jiyong on a rock, rolling over while laughing like a hyena that he is.
It was then that she realized that Jiyong didn’t run like his was on fire because their lives were on danger; he ran because he wanted to laugh loudly and freely far from the station to not compromise their safety. She doubted if the others would not hear him laugh. She balled her fists into tight balls. This guy. . . . how can she tolerate this guy?
But then, the more pressing question was, why was she tolerating this guy?
Well, I don’t really have a choice, do I? I’m a selfish little girl who needs him to survive. If only Seunghyun is here, she thought. She then shook her head at the thought of Seunghyun. She can’t believe he betrayed her. But then, the most frustrating part in it was, she still loves him despite everything.
She then shook her head. No, she should not be thinking of him. It only makes her sadder than what she really shows. In a way, she’s grateful that Kwon Jiyong’s a bully. Well, she’s not totally happy about it but his bullying antics annoys her and her being annoyed distracts her from thinking about Seunghyun, his feelings and what he did.
She was brought down to earth when Jiyong started howling with laughter even louder. Fuming with anger and from the smell of her own body, she started marching forwards. “YA!” she called out angrily. Jiyong stopped laughing and rolling then looked at her. He stared at her for a moment then howled a hyena-like laughter again with one arm on his stomach while the other was pointing at her.
Her eyes narrowed down at him and she was just about to erupt from annoyance when an idea suddenly came up to her head. Her annoyed look was then replaced by a sly grin as she set out her idea in motion. Without any warning, she jumped on Jiyong and wrapped her arms around him and started wiggling here and there, sharing her dirtiness with him.
She was expecting him to react violently or maybe even pushed her away and starts ranting but what he did was totally unexpected. Eventhough she was covered with poop, like literally and she smelled the nastiest ever, he hugged her back. She suddenly went still and so was he.
“Dara. . .” he murmured. Dara then felt like her world froze. It was so weird. There was something in his voice or his tone or the way he whispered her name that made her heart skip a beat. His arms then tightened around her. She wanted to look at his face but somehow, she got scared. “Ready to get washed?” he then asked in a tone that was so different from the tone he used in whispering her name.
She wasn’t given the chance to ask what he meant because he started rolling the two of them over the smooth but uneven rock. Then, out of nowhere, Dara felt herself falling and falling and falling – literally that she buried her face in Jiyong’s chest and screamed at the top of her lungs.
After what felt like eternity, she finally felt cold water hugged her body the same time Jiyong let her go. She tried kicking her feet but then, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to safety. When her feet could feel the ground, she gave Jiyong a huge kick on the middle that caused him to groan. A surge of satisfaction then welled inside her upon hearing him groan from pain. “Huh! Served you right!” she huffed and started walking towards the dry land. She was just halfway through the water when she noticed nothing but the sound of the waterfall. She looked back only to find an empty river. She waited for a few seconds but when there were still no signs of Jiyong, she started panicking.
But then, thinking that it was just one of his schemes again, she tried to calm herself down and turned around again. The water was cold so when she was out of it, she started trembling. She was facing the river; waiting for the bully to get tired of hiding when minutes passed and nothing seem to be happening. Now she wasn’t that sure if he’s just playing or not. Surely, no one can stay underwater that long!
“Jiyong. . .” she whispered to herself. “JIYONG!” she started shouting then. “This isn’t funny anymore!”
No one answered back.
No chuckle or laughter.
She started going back to the river. Her insides were trembling from the coldness of everything that she hugged herself tightly. She was already waist deep into the water when she started crying. She was such a crybaby that sometimes she can’t help but hate herself for it.
“Jiyong, I’m sorry! Please don’t be dead!” she cried.
Silence greeted her cries.
“Awww, you missed me that much when I was just gone for a few minutes?”
Dara whirled around so fast that the water rippled. But Jiyong was still nowhere in sight. She roamed her eyes around but no signs of him. She then heard his hyena-like laughter and that’s when she was able to locate him. He was sitting on a thick branch on the nearest tree from the river. He was holding a black plastic bag on his hand. She was supposed to be annoyed but she can’t help but get amazed at how he was able to climb up a tree without her notice. “How did you get there?”
“I climbed, of course!”
Dara grimaced at his sarcasm. He then jumped from the branch and opened the black plastic bag. “I hid some things underwater for emergency purposes and since you almost caused me the source of my future descendants, I thought of getting you a little bit worried for me. And you didn’t disappoint me. Aww, that is just the sweetest thing I’ve heard from you, really.”
“I hate you!” he hissed.
“I know you find me too adorable to hate,” he grinned as he started taking out clothes, toiletries, guns, devices she can’t recognize and other things. “Ah, I only have men clothing here. Would they be fine?” he asked. “Well, you don’t really have a choice, do you? Mind you, you smelled like it was such a turn off, to be honest.”
“I don’t care what you think!”
“Nah, I heard differently a while ago, darling. You sounded sick worried for me.”
“Don’t call me darling! FYI, I was. . . I was only thinking of myself as well. I won’t. . . I won’t be able to escape Minwoo if. . .”
“If not for me? Aww, are you confessing that you need me in your life? You are so sweet hunnybunchy. . .”
“Argh! Stop calling me names!”
“Hunnybunchy is such a violent person when she’s preggy with Jiyongie’s baby, ain’t she?”
“I’m not preggy – pregnant with your baby!!! I’m still a , you. . . you. . . jerk!”
“Ah. . . now hunnybunchy is calling Jiyongie a jerky, me is saddy. . . .”
“What the hell, Kwon Jiyong!”
Jiyong pouted. “I’m doing babytalk, slowpoke!”
Dara waded back through the water to get the toiletries in his hands. “Your babytalk is annoying, it’s a turn off, to be honest. Now turn around!”
“I don’t want to.”
Dara’s eyes widened. “I’m going to take a bath!”
Jiyong grinned. “That’s why I don’t want to turn around.”
“You ert!” she hissed and punched him.
“Ouch!” he moaned. “I’ve already got enough bruises in my face, thank you!”
“You deserve it!”
“Your punch isn’t going to stop me from watching you, though.”
“ert!”
“I’m not a ert!” he answered. “I’m just being vigilant!”
“Tell that to someone who will believe you.”
“Okay, imma shut up now.”
“Aaaaarggghhhhhhh!” she growled. “I hate you!”
“Didn’t you know, the more you hate, the more you love? You really must love me that much, huh?!” he teased.
“No!” she growled out in frustration. “I will only love Seunghyun!” she blurted out unknowingly.
Jiyong went silent, his smile slowly disappearing. When the smile has totally left Jiyong’s face, it was then that Dara realized what she had just said. She tried to open to say something but she knew she could never take her words back anymore. “Be quick in taking a bath,” he said. “I’ll be taking mine too later,” he added then turned away.
She watched him climb back to the thick branch he was sitting on a while ago. Upon reaching it, he laid down, one arm covering his face. Dara stared at his profile for a moment before taking a deep sigh.
She took her time in taking a bath. Jiyong seemed to have fallen asleep as he was not reminding her or scowling or ordering her to be quick. When she was done, she looked for a place to hide so that she can change clothes. She then went back to where Jiyong was and cleared . “I’m done,” she said after she was done brushing her teeth as well.
Jiyong straightened up and jumped again. Without even glancing at her, he started taking his clothes off – all of them that she made a surprised squeak when she saw his behind. She quickly turned around and covered her eyes.
She stood there for a while. She was starting to get impatient when she started hearing footsteps. “Let’s go,” he said.
She looked around and saw him already making his way to wherever he’s going with the bag on his hand. She started jogging to keep up with him. When she was able to reach him, she kept her distance as she could just feel the black aura emanating from him.
She thought she would be able to keep her silence but after what seem to be an hour, she couldn’t help speaking. “Where are we going?”
He didn’t answer.
“Can’t we rest for a minute or two?” she asked, panting.
They were now climbing a steep area and she slipped several times but Jiyong was ignoring her. When she finally reached a flat area, he stopped and just stared up ahead. She followed his eyes but saw nothing but trees. “Two minutes is up,” he flatly said then started walking again.
“What is wrong with you?” she demanded as she started following him again.
He didn’t answer again.
“I’m seriously getting pissed now,” she said, panting heavily
“Save your breath, I don’t want to talk to you.”
“And why is that?” she demanded.
“I said I don’t want to talk to you.”
“You’re being childish!” she said, frowning. She grabbed his arm and whirled him around. “What’s the matter with you?!? One moment, you’ll go on calling me names then you’ll go on bullying me and now you don’t want to talk to me? Do you seriously have a mental problem?!?”
“I don’t care what you think,” he said. “Not anymore.”
“What does that mean?” she demanded but he started turning away from her. “Oh no,” she said, grabbing his arm again. “We aren’t going to leave this spot until you tell me what’s wrong!”
“I simply don’t want to talk to you,” he said, shrugging.
“No! You better give me a good reason for being so childish or else I’m going to cut that thing you have there!”
“Threats,” he snorted then turned away again. Without waiting for her, he started walking forwards.
“I don’t really understand you!” she went on. “One moment, you’d go all sweet and adorable then the next, you’d go so unbearable that it makes my head spin!”
“Damn it, I’m jealous okay! Now will you just shut up!?” he roared, facing her.
“W-what?”
“I’m ing jealous of Seunghyun! It’s all about Seunghyun for you! Seunghyun this, Seunghyun that! While me, who’s been risking my ing wasted life for you, gets nothing! Nothing at all! Are you happy now?!”
“I. . .”
“No!” he snapped. “I don’t want to hear any excuses from you! Now, if you want to live, just shut up and don’t talk to me because I might change my mind and deliver you straight to Seunghyun so you can be with him!”
- - - - -
Seriously guys, THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH for your support to this laziest and lamest DaraGon fan fiction writer named Hagocimit.
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Thank you would never be enough but it's the only way Hago can repay everyone for everything.
THANK YOUUUUUUU!!!
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