Chapter 31

Jiyong and Dara stared at each other with shock. They badly wanted to talk to each other but Dara knew she had to stay with Gray to let the media believe she was not with Jiyong and Jennie that night. Jiyong, on the other hand, had to stay with his fiance to make sure that Dara would not be dragged by the media.

So, Gray took Dara home that night, respecting her silence as he drove to the address she had given him. Gray was Jiyong's business friend. Often, they would see each other at business conventions, seminars, and workshops. Their families have long been acquaintances in the business world. Friends on the outside but in silent competition.  If there would be Gray's most worthy competitor, it is Jennie since both families are into hotels and restaurants while Jiyong's are on the next level: Architecture, infrastructure, hotels, restos, land and housing development, constructions, and malls. He knew Jennie from the US, when he was still studying there. She was his schoolmate, a year younger than him. She was popular alright and was really known for her extravagant living and social life. Since he was active in social media, Gray knew her influence on the young. She is into y dancing, make-up, luxurious shopping, and partying. He could say Jennie is a perfect match for Jiyong and it's not impossible for Jiyong to fall in love with her beauty. But he has known Dara and he could say he totally understands why Jiyong fell head over heels in love with her. It showed just by the way he looked at her and how his angry eyes pierced through him when he saw his hands on Dara's. 

Gray looked at the melancholic face of Sandara on his passenger's seat. She was not crying but already on the verge of it. She did not say anything to him but her silence has given him a hint of her past relationship. He wanted to know so much about her but he knew, he wouldn't push it. 

"Hey, wanna grab some ramyeon before I drop you home?" He wanted her to clear her thoughts for a while.

"I am not hungry." Her eyes were outside the city view but Gray knew that she was not seeing what was visible in her eyes that night. 

"Do you believe that lying is a sin, Dara?" 

"Of course." She absent-mindedly answered his question. 

"Then, I bet you are committing a sin now. As far as I know, after school, you immediately go to work and you only eat after your duty. Therefore, you are hungry but since you are lost at the moment, you just want to just drop eating, go home, and cry. Am I right or right?" 

Dara looked at the smiling guy beside her. She smiled a lonely one but acknowledged his question. She need not deny because he witnessed how shocked and how hurt registered on her face when four of them met. "YOu didn't even give me another choice. Am I that obvious?" 

He nodded.

"Gray, I am sorry for being with you at that moment. I am sure you will be dragged by the news since you were caught holding my hand."

"Hey, my pleasure! I always wanted to be famous and be featured on the news. I guess tomorrow is the day I have all been waiting for!" Somehow, his statement made Dara laugh. 

"Thank you, really." Dara smiled at him, truly grateful for his help. 

"No problem." He replied while securing a parking area in a convenience store. They both got out at the same time. 

"Ramyeon?" Gray asked. 

"Of course." Her feeling down was a bit uplifted with the idea of a hot ramyeon and a friend by her side. All the sulking will be done later when she's already home. 

They got to the stall where there was ramyeon, put hot water on it, went to the cashier. Dara beat Gray in paying for their food. "Let me pay for this one. I haven't treated you since I got hired and let your help this evening be included in this treat. I don't have much money to spare for another one. It's a bit far from my first pay." She joked. 

Gray looked at her. She was sad, there's no denying it, it showed with her expressive eyes but she still had that happy vibe with her reply and her tone that Gray even admired her for it. She still tried her best not to make him feel awkward. They went to a nearby table outside the store. 

Dara blew the hot ramyeon on her chopsticks and took it all in as usual. She didn't even notice that Gray was just looking at her while waiting for his food to blow steam. When Dara noticed him, "What?" She stopped eating and asked. 

"Are you not going to tell me about what happened earlier?" He took a bite of his ramyeon. 

Dara turned her head left to right a couple of times indicating a no. "It's complicated."

"As simple as that?" 

"Uh-huh! It is already so complicated it would be hard to explain. Maybe when I sort things out, I will know how to answer the questions you have in mind. For sure, I don't know what to say with how things escalated tonight." She stared at her ramyeon instead of staring at Gray. Just then, her phone rang and "Auntie Yang", her house companion's caller ID flashed on her screen. She excused herself from the table and answered it and was quite surprised by the voice on the other line. 

"Where are you? Are you with Gray?" Jiyong's frantic voice was heard on the other line. 

"We were on the way home but dropped here in a convenience store to eat. He was hungry. I treated him to ramyeon for helping me." She honestly said. 

There was a long sigh. Dara knew he was trying to hold his temper. "Please don't be long. I'll be waiting here." Then, he dropped the call without even saying goodbye. Dara went back to her table to finish her meal. 

"Was that Kwon?" She simply nodded. Gray stood up not finishing his food and told her, "You can take your ramyeon and eat it in the car." 

"No, thank you but I am full. Besides, I've finished eating all the noodles. You can finish yours first before we go."

"It's okay. He is probably worried about you. Thank you for your treat but I expect to be treated to a real meal when you get your first pay." 

"I definitely would." 

He winked at her before they entered the car and drove in silence until they arrived at Dara's place. 

"Thank you so much for your help. We've just known each other for a short time but it seems I kept causing inconveniences. I'll make it up to you." Dara told Gray before she went out. 

"Nah. Don't mention it. I'll be looking forward to that meal, then." 

***

When Dara entered the door, it was only then that Gray took off to drive home. When she entered the door, Jiyong was on the side of the door, waiting for her. He was peeping through the window when he heard a car pull up in front of the apartment.  He looked at her intently, with a trace of jealousy in his eyes. He was trying to gauge something from her. He went ahead to walk and entered her room. Her Aunt Yang was nowhere in sight. She may be in her room already. 

Upon closing the door, Dara calmly sat beside him on the bed. For minutes, they've been quiet and no one dared to speak, not knowing what to say, and how to start the conversation.  She was looking at him bending his body, massaging his forehead with his left hand while the other rested on his lap. Dara swallowed her pride and slowly held his right hand and engulfed into hers. Still, he didn't look at her but he didn't push her hand away and just let her hold it. He stopped massaging his head and just braced his left hand on his forehead instead. 

"I am so sorry I didn't tell you about Gray. I really wanted to but I thought it would be better to tell you about him in person so that I can explain it properly. I didn't want you to worry so I withheld the information not to cause confusion or doubt on your part while we were away. I am so sorry you had to find out that way." 

No reaction still. Dara went on. "I met him one night while I was looking for a job. He was running away from a group of friends who were after him because they were saying he broke up with his girlfriend in front of her friends." She stopped, very hesitant to tell him what happened next. But she wanted to be honest so she gave him a headstart before spilling the next event. "What I am going to say next may sound off and anger you but it was far from the truth of being really... you know.... ahhh.... k-kissed," She held his hand tightly, trying to pacify him but to no avail. So, she closed her eyes when he angrily snapped out of her senses. 

Wrong move! Why did I even mention kiss? Idiot! 

"What do you mean kissed? Did that son of a kiss you, Dara?" She closed her eyes still afraid to see the angry face of her boyfriend. With a cringey face with still closed eyes upon turning her head. "No! He w-was trying to p-pret..."

"Did he kiss you, Sandara Park? For Christ's sake open your eyes I am going to hurt you," he shouted angrliy at her. 

"I told you he didn't kiss me. He just pretended to kiss me so that the guys would think we wer