After much fighting, I suggested we go to Mc Donald's but Jiyong looked at me like I was mental.

“What?”

“Do you want to gain some more weight? It would be a mistake.”

“YAH!” I felt my face flush up. “You were the one who loved McDonald’s when we were kids!”

I threw my socks at him for good measure.

He picked them up and handed them to me, “That’s ridiculous,” he rolled his eyes. “You must’ve imagined it.”

“Maybe your memory went bad because you ate too many Big Macs,” he teased.

I fumed as I pulled on my shoes. “I remember how your eyes sparkled when appa took us to McDonald’s and it was your first time.”

“And I remember how you stole my food, fatty.”

I groaned and decided I won't speak to him. He pulled his hoodie over his head and I told him he looked like some psycho junkie.

He tripped me and I fell flat on my face on the ground. Of course, he burst out in a dirty laughter.

Then I said I wouldn't go anywhere with a bastar.d like him and he said he'd never go anywhere with a bit.ch like me.

Some guy approached us trying to give us some coupons and we both yelled at him. You should have seen his face, he turned pale and almost peed his pants.

And this is how we ended up sitting at this random restaurant. I ordered kimchi stew and he had fried rice. We sat at the far end, across each other sending death glares both ways, our hands gripping on the chopsticks. There was this very stormy cloud hovering over us, it was about to rain cats and dogs.

“Would you two cut it out, you are scaring our customers” the ahjumma, who brought us our food, complained in loud voice.

In shame, we lowered our gazes and started quietly eating, the stormy cloud started getting smaller and finally disappeared.

“Youngsters nowadays...” the ahjumma mumbled as she walked away.

“Why do we always end up fighting?” I finally asked, letting out a long sigh.

“Ask yourself.”

“Why do you always blame me?” I asked promptly.

“Because you always start it”

“The one who starts is not stupid, the one who continues is the dumba.ss” I said dully.

“And what about the one who continues after that?” a smirk appeared on Jiyong's lips.

“Whatever...” I looked away from him. Must he always make fun of me? “And you said you liked me... hmph.”

“It's your fault for always annoying me” Jiyong spoke and coughed.

I growled and rolled my eyes. Then I poured some water in his glass because he was still coughing.

“You are so stupid” he mumbled after drinking.

“And you are ugly duck but.t” I stuck my tongue at him.

Suddenly a smile spread on his lips “Didn't you know that when you fight back it makes me try harder?”

“What?” My eyes widened.

“And I do NOT have duck bu.tt.” his smile disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Go figure...

“Yes you do.”

Jiyong sighed “Look, it's you starting all the fighting again.”

“I have to defend myself from you...”

“Dara, I love you.”

I coughed onto my soup and it took me a few minutes to finally get over that.

“What the fck are you talking about?” I stared at him. He looked so innocent, flashing that killer smile of his. I swear, he looked so adorable.

“See, you can't even handle my confession” he leaned back in his seat. "This only proves that you are retarded."

“I told you, no way in the he.ll will I go out with you ever again and if that makes me retarded then I don't care!” I growled.

“Can't you just trust me?”

“No!”

He sighed.

“By the way, what present did I give you when you turned 16?” I frowned.

Jiyong raised an eyebrow “That cologne.”

“What kind of wrapping paper?”

“Dara” he looked very calm all of a sudden “Why should I remember something like that?”

“So you don't?” But why did Seung Hyun know then?

“Probably pink or yellow” Jiyong shrugged.

“Why does Seung Hyun have your photo in his wallet?”

“Anything else?”

“Yeah, why does he know about the wrapping paper?”

“He has better memory than me”

I looked at him with suspicion in my eyes.

“I've known him since high school.”

“Then why don't I remember his face?”

“Because you ate too many Bic Macs and it ruined your brain.”

I was about to give him a piece of my mind when my phone rang. I took it out and saw it was Taeyang calling. A wide smile spread on my lips and my face lit up.

“Hey Tae!” I answered happily.

Jiyong gave me a dirty look and I just stuck my tongue at him. He looked away, scoffing silently.

“Okay, sounds great. Yeah. How about in 20 minutes in front of my apartment complex? Okay” I chirped.

“What?” Jiyong asked with irritation in his voice.

“Sorry, I need to go somewhere with my maybe soon to be boyfriend Taeyang” I stood up.

“Yah” Jiyong sprang up from his seat when I started walking away. He threw a few bills on the table before coming me.

“What do you think you are doing now?” he followed me as I walked back to my apartment.

“Why? We already finished eating and you were acting weird anyway” I said indifferently.

Truthfully speaking, I was sick and tired of his company already.

“So you are ditching me?” he sounded a little hurt.

“What do you mean?” I gave him a weird look.

“What about our date?”

I gaped at him “Date?” I shrieked “What date?”

“God, sometimes you are so stupid I want to kill you” his both hands squeezed into tight fists.

“Stop dreaming” I laughed.

“Yeah, who would like your ugly fat a.ss anyway.”

“Yah” my smile faded “Watch your words, dongseng” I pinched his cheek. I swear, he turned all red from anger. Kinda cute.

“I'm serious” he hissed.

“Yeah yeah... I told you, I won't take you seriously before you tell me the whole truth, all of it.”

“Well, screw you” Jiyong glared at me once more and then stormed away. Geez, what a drama queen. I stuck my tongue at his back. Part of me was satisfied but another part of me cried in pain. Poor Jiyong... I could see he was hurting a lot. But I couldn't trust him just like this. Something was wrong and I needed to find out what it was.

Then I thought about Seung Hyun. So they knew each other so long? Maybe I knew him too but he looked so different now that I couldn't remember. But even his name didn't ring a bell. Oh well, I shrugged and kicked a small stone as I walked. I didn't know all Jiyong's friends back then. I should have cared more... I should have.

Anyway, screw them! I better have great time with Taeyang! Just thinking about him made my mood a lot better.

Taeyang was a little late so I leaned on the street lamp with the hood over my head. Slipping my hands in the pockets of my sweatpants I lowered my gaze and looked lazily at the ground, kicking some pebbles and thinking about how Jiyong is acting so strangely around me. The weather couldn't be more nice, sun was shining and weak wind was keeping the air fresh and comfortable.

A loud beep made me look up and I saw an old blue Mazda parked at the roadside. A wide smile spread on my lips and I started walking towards it. Turns out Taeyang had borrowed his brother's car to take me around. I thought we would just go by bus so I was happy with this little surprise. This was not Seung Hyun's Ferrari or Jiyong's Lexus but this was something more comfortable than any of their cars could be. Just because the one who was driving was Taeyang.

"Yo" he smiled when I opened the door and climbed in.

"Hi" I grinned back at him. "Awesome that you got the car."

"Isn't it? Shall we get started right away then?" Taeyang stuck his hand on the backseat to search for something and soon tossed a fat and ragged magazine at me.

"What's this?" I flipped it over.

"Sorry it looks like it has been in a war. Momo played with it."

"I see"

Momo is Taeyang's brother's dog, it's a huge German Shepherd but very cute. I started flipping trough the magazine and realized there were many notices about places for rent. Taeyang actually circled a few already.

"I found some really nice places, let's go there first. On the way you can think about what you want to see" he suggested.

"I swear, you are the best friend I could even have" I said, feeling a little touched. Taking another glance at him I noticed he was wearing dark blue jeans, white tee, a black cardigan and a cap. Very casual. Then I realized what I was wearing, even more causal. I looked out from the window and smiled.

"Wanna listen to some music?"

"Okay, and can I open the window?"

"Of course."

I rolled the window open and smiled when gentle and soft wind kissed my face. I suddenly felt free, blessed, happy and calm, as if this was heaven. The car smelled like how an old car smells, something like a mix of old gym shoes, rotten football, dirty socks and oil all mixed together. You might think I am crazy liking that smell? Maybe I am...

The speakers crackled a little, especially when a high pitched voice sang, the music was something middle aged people sing in karaoke and the seat was covered in dark stains. But did I care? No. I kept smiling, I couldn't hold it in, I was too happy.

Even though Taeyang is just your average, a bit boring and typical guy, I enjoyed his company so much. We kept talking about random things and cracking stupid jokes. At least I could be myself and I didn't have to think hard about anything, I mean anything.

There were no secrets or shady business, no hurt, no pain, nothing negative. Just like that my foul mood was gone and I forgot all about Jiyong and Seung Hyun, I didn't care anymore.

Like I said before, the weather couldn't be better. It was fun walking around and searching for the places, sometimes there was something wrong with the address and it took us a while to find the destination.

Taeyang was a great help when the owner happened to be a man, you know how middle aged men deal with young women. They treat them like they are the stupidest and the most gullible things ever. And when the owner was an older woman Taeyang was able to charm them with his sweet talk. Needless to say, we always got a good price and the best conditions.

"What do you think about that place?" Taeyang asked while we walked back to the car. It was our fourth place and to tell the truth, I liked all of them.

"It's hard to decide, you always manage to negotiate so well" I nudged him in the ribs "You would make a good gigolo" a smirk spread on my lips.

"Thanks for your compliment" Taeyang gave me a dry look "Then the first one to leech off would be you" he wrapped his hand around my shoulder

"Honeyyyyyy, my brother is dying at the hospital, if I don't get enough money soon I will lose him" he faked a cry.

"Go away, you bum" I laughed as I pushed him away.

"How can you be so heartless, just tell me if you know any place where I could earn it."

"How about a host club?" I raised a brow.

"You are supposed to offer the money now, then I'll decline but you will have to be persistent and then I will have to take it." Taeyang explained. "So basically, you make me accept the money and I am innocent" he slipped his hands in the pockets of his pants.

"So you have practiced already?"

"Of course" he grinned.

"Hey" I suddenly stopped when I saw a small shop "Let's go buy some snacks." I pointed my finger at it.

"Sure, what do you want?"

"Ice cream" I my lips.

"My treat" Taeyang announced.

"Then I'll have three."

"I'm not gigolo yet, so mind you, I am still poor" Taeyang chuckled.

The sky is filled with small white cotton candy and the sun is shining brightly as the breeze ruffled my hair slightly. I smiled as I took a bite of my ice cream on a wooden bench under the sunshade.

The chubby owner of the sundry shop goes through boxes of apples as little kids run around playing, occasionally getting a warning or scolding from their grandmothers who stood on the sidewalk and gossiped, “Omo’s” and “Aigoo’s” escaping their shocked mouths.

And I suddenly wondered if Jiyong remembered about this anymore. If he ever stopped and just enjoyed himself on a nice day like this, like we used to. Or was he just busy trying to catch something too big for himself to handle, forgetting about small joys of life? Was he happy without me? Was he that happy he never planned to come back? And what did he mean when he said he loved me? Was he stuck in the past or was his love pure and real? Did he really care?

And then I wondered if Seung Hyun even knew that this kind of paradise on earth existed? A small pedestrian street away from the busy city center... Aish, Seung Hyun... Just who are you? Aish, I don't want to think about this. I shook my head trying to get that dark cloud off myself.

"So, what do you want to do next?" Taeyang asked and I watched him shove another spoonful of the strawberry ice cream in his mouth. He didn't wipe that remaining ice cream from his mouth, in my mind I urged him to his lips but he didn't. He was too busy to get another spoonful in his mouth.

"Let's go on a long drive" I suggested.

"What? What about our little mission?" Taeyang looked a little surprised.

"I like this place" I took a bite from my ice cream and enjoyed every bit of that cooling sensation when it melted in my mouth.

"Are you sure? It's not that close to the city center."

"So what? It's relaxing around here and there are other shops, look they sell clothes and electronics. Why not books?"

Taeyang raised a brow "In your own little world, books are so overrated" he chuckled.

"Besides, I bet a lot of older people who still appreciate reading would come. And I could rent DVDs or something to attract younger people."

"If you want to. Wanna go get it right away?"

"Nah. Let's wait a little, maybe something else will come up. Besides, I don't have much money on me now."

"Me neither" Taeyang pouted "Anyway, where do you want to go on a ride?"

"How about the beach?" I suggested.

"It's been ages since I last went there" he agreed. "Let's go then" he smiled sweetly as he stood up. He stretched out his hand towards me and I passed the wrapping paper of my ice cream to him. I watched him throw it to the nearby trash bin along with his plastic cup. The guy was totally a boyfriend material, I wondered why the heck was he still single?

"You have ice cream on your lower lip" I pointed out.

"O