GD resumed practicing while the “cat and “dog” were still spitting at each other.

“Sandara-ssi, you looked tired”

“Oh! Really? Aigoo! Hehe. Don’t get that much sleep these past nights”

“Thinking of Taeyang-ssi?”

“Huh?”

“You two really look good together, you know”

Dara chuckled uncertainly. “Youngbae-ah’s a good friend and sunbae of mine”

Then, slowly, she became conscious as the girl continued staring at her.

“They’re right” the girl mumbled.

She frowned a bit then looked at her, confused. The confusion must be too obvious because J-ah noticed this that made the latter chuckle.

“Oh, sorry about that. I just got this habit of voicing out what’s on my mind without thinking”

“Oh, it’s alright. I do the same sometimes”

The girl laughed heartily. “The boys are so right about us!”

“What do you mean?” Dara asked.

“Well, it was just out of curiosity, so I hope you don’t mind if we kinda talked about you”

“Oh, really? Haha”

“Yeah, well, you see, when I was with the boys in Japan, celebrating TOP oppa’s birthday, my curiosity took over me. I always wondered about the closeness you had with Ji, so I knda asked the boys about it” she paused, looking at her uncertainly, then added, “I hope you don’t mind?”

“Ani” chuckles.

“Thank you! I knew you were a naturally sweet person”

They were silent for a while until Dara can no longer contain her curiosity too.

“What did the boys say?” she asked, hating herself for doing it.

“Well, all of them except for YB, have the same answers. They said we kinda have similarities physically. Ji said you kinda reminds him of me. Ah, you don’t know how honored and flattered I was after hearing that! I mean, you’re really pretty and cute and to have similarities with you is really something I should be proud of”

Dara chuckled. “Aigoo, you’re pretty in your own way. Not to mention really sweet and charming”

“Thank you” J-ah said.

“Maybe we’re sisters separated by fate?” Dara joked.

“But then, I told them it’s impossible because youre prettier and cuter than me. Not to mention reall popular. But then they said I should not feel insecure because they know how Ji feels for me. Ji even said you’re older than him, so he looks up to you as his noona. The boys were really funny”

“Yes, they are” she answered quietly, feeling something like a numbing pain spreading all over her system.

“But they said you’re a lot funnier than all of them combined. They said they love having you around especially when they’re tired, because you never fails to make them laugh”

Dara chuckled, “Yeah, that’s my role. Dara, 2NE1’s mascot! And now I’m promoted to Bigbang’s mascot!”

The girl laughed. “You’re really funny”

“keke”

The both fall silent after that. She can’t quite believe the boys would say that. She wasn’t really that close to Daesung anyways, so nothing big there. She was always awkward with TOP and as for Seungri, she always knew the maknae finds her amusing. YB, was what she expected, always the quiet one. But for GD. . . .she just can’t believe it.

Why was she affected with what the boys said anyways? They were just telling the truth.

But maybe this explains why Ji acts weird towards her, why he was “especially kind” to her. She was a reminder of “J”. She can’t help but feel sorry for herself, thinking that she was a simple substitute, that he did all those things because he sees J from her.

The kiss. The hugs. The smiles. The laughters. The sweet gestures. All of those weren’t for her after all. He was seeing someone else doing all those things. He was seeing J, not Dara.

It stings. Definitely.

“Unnie, we should go” CL said, as the latter went to her. She stood up.

“Jingyo oppa, we should go. We still-“

GD stopped. “Eat lunch with me first. J-ah brought a lot of foods with her”

The girls hesitated, knowing the foods were really for him.

“Ji’s right, girls” the girl agreed, smiling.

“It’s still early for lunch” Dara interfered.

GD looked at the time. It was still 10 in the morning.

“Chaerin-ah, c’mon, you and the girls share the food with me” GD called with an air of authority this time.

Later. . .

“Ya! Lee Seungri! Jiyong oppa should be eating like that, not you! He’s the one who’s been working really hard while you were just sitting the whole time” CL scolded Seungri.

“I’m hungry. Why should I deprive myself?”

“Give those foods to oppa! He’s getting thinner by the minute”

GD sniggered. “Ah, Chaerin-ah, I think you should give Seungri’s food to your unnie instead. She’s thinner than me but she’s barely touching her food” he said, glancing at Dara.

“Dara-ssi, don’t you like the food?” J-ah asked worriedly.

“Huh? Ani! I’m sorry, I was just thinking of something”

Then, she started snarfing down her food as she noticed everyone’s eyes on her.

“Ah, oppa, you haven’t seen how she attacked those ramens in the dorm like there’s no tomorrow”

J-ah chuckled. “No wonder you’re thin, Dara-ssi. You should nutritious foods more often”

“J-ah’s right, Dara. Eating a lot of ramen won’t take you anywhere”

“I love ramen” she answered, not looking at him. Instead, she looked up at Jina, “you’re really a great cook! Thank you for the wonderful food!”

“You’re welcome” the girl answered.

“You should lessen eating ramen, Dara” GD started again.

“I love ramen” she repeated.

“You’re loving the wrong things”

Dara stopped and looked at him. “No, I’m not”

“Aish! Why are you so stubborn?”

“Hyung-nim, let her be. There’s nothing really wrong with eating ramen” Seungri interfered, feeling the tension between his noona and his hyung.

GD threw a dirty glare to the maknae.

“I’m not being stubborn, I just love ramen” she said.

“There’s nothing wrong with eating ramen, I know. But you should eat foods with more nutrition to it”

The fans gave them to me, I don’t want to waste it”

------->

“I know how to cover the sky with clouds already, but I’m not yet sure about he sun”

“Aish, will you please stop speaking in codes and just tell me their names?”

Laughs, “I’m sorry, but S asked me to do this for confidentiality purposes”

“Confidentiality? I’m also a part of this! I think I have the right to know who are involved. It;’s really frustrating when I only know about the plan and not the people involved in it”

Another laughter. “Why don’t you ask S yourself?”

“W-well, I already did. But S said I’ll find out soon enough. But c’mon!”

“Sorry, can’t help you there. I have to go. Tell S about the progress. Bye”

The call ended.

“Poor guy, If he only knew the reason behind S’s plan and who are involved, he’ll probably have second thoughts about this”