Chapter 1

 

Narita Airport

2012

 

Calling all passengers of flight 212, bound to Seoul, Korea. Boarding is at gate 2.

 

I heard as they announced my flight twice. Hidden in a pillar two blocks away from gate 2, I took a peek at the few men in suits scattered all over the airport. 12 of them as I last counted, scurried all over the place searching for me.

 

They announced a last call for the flight that my friend booked on for me earlier and I have no choice but to get away from hiding or I’ll have to remain in this place until they find me and bring me back home. A choice that I wasn’t counting on.

 

Turning my head to the other side, relief washed over me as I saw that the aisle was full of people walking about, bidding goodbye to their loved ones. No one from those 12 that I’m familiar with. I easily blend in with the crowd as I walked faster, making sure I don’t grab any attention. A group of tourists, walked by me on the way to gate 2, my brain processed the situation and immediately, I walked with them, actually, I walked hiding myself with them, avoiding those 12.

 

Finally as the tourists reached gate 2, I hurriedly paced to the man in-charge of checking passes and face the other side making sure my face isn’t visible from the crowd on my right side.

 

Unfortunately, the guy asked me to take off both the shades and cap that I was wearing so he can compare my face to that one from my passport. I had no choice but to comply. I gulped as I carefully took down the only things that covered my face. I made sure to look straightly ahead as I discreetly covered my face by pretending to arrange my hair.

 

I exhaled a sigh of relief as I sat down inside the plane, thanking all the Gods for their guidance.

 

Incheon Airport

2 hours later

 

I chuckled as I saw a placard with the words “Cutie Ssantokki-shi” written on it. I watched as the pretty girl holding it, waved excitedly with a stupid grin plastered on her face. I hugged her tightly as I reached her, she hugged back, tighter. Though it felt like my ribs are going to be crushed, the warmth that my best friend’s hug is giving me surprisingly made me able to breathe. Sadly, away from home, I can breathe.

 

(^__^)

 

“Don’t worry Dara-ya,” Bom said as she held my hands and led me into the inside of their manor, our first stop, the dining hall. “No one’s going to tattle about you being here in Korea especially you being here inside my house. I already talk to all my people and they are on our side.”

 

“I appreciate the gesture Bom, but I really think that I should get my own place. What if you’re parents comes back and sees me, I’m sure they won’t keep quiet about it.” I said worrying.

 

“Nonsense,” she said resolutely. “I won’t allow you to live on your own in a foreign country. If you’re worried about being seen by my parents whenever they come home to visit their oh-so beautiful daughter, then don’t. This house is so big, I myself get lost. You can easily hide and all of us are here to back you up. Right Yoon-mi?”

 

Yoon Mi smiled sweetly as she nodded. She actually shamelessly dragged all her maids and guards into my mess. I’m embarrassed but Bom is a force to reckon with.

 

“Now eat,” Bom demanded as she sat me down. “I know you hardly eaten anything ever since your parents told you to get married pronto. I know I would if that news slaps me in the face.”

 

I smiled and complied.

 

(^__^)

 

“Dara, you’re 18 now.” Father said over dinner. I chuckled softly though I was wondering where this conversation is going to lead. I have known my father to be a straight-to-the-point conversationalist.

 

“I have been 18 for two months now, Dad.” I simply said. How could he forget that when he himself threw me an exaggeratedly extravagant birthday party where only Bom, who flew in from Korea, got overly thrilled.

 

I notice how he and my Japanese mother quietly talked with their eyes. My mother, a woman who possessed an amazing combination of class and strength, looked down with sadness in her eyes.

 

“18 is a perfect age for you to get married.” Father suddenly said sipping some healthy juice. Recently, he got this urge to replace his alcohols with healthy drinks. Not that I mind, I’m glad as a matter of fact.

 

But unlike his new fixation to healthy drinks, I wasn’t very glad to hear his news.

 

“We’ve chosen a groom for you. He’s perfect. I’m sure you’ll get along well with him.”

 

I woke up feeling my heart beat tripled. The dream wasn’t as scary as reality, but the dream is the reality. It really did happen. I remained lying down as I calm myself recounting on how I reacted afterwards what my father told me. I remember calling Bom, the only trusted friend I have away from Japan. Everything happened in a blur, probably because tears already filled my eyes. She booked me a flight and the next thing I knew I’m already here. Away from my home. Away from my family. Again, for the second time within 24 hours, I cried until I fell asleep.
 

(^__^)

 

 

I was surprise to see a pair of Bom’s uniform lying in my bed. Cute uniform, though. But what is it doing here?

 

To my astonishment, Bom, selfishly enrolled me to her school.

 

“What the hell, Bom?!” I yelled suppressing myself from cursing at my best friend, though it crossed my mind to curse at her in Japanese, I doubt if she won’t understand it, she knows a little nihonggo. “I’m trying to hide while I figure out what to do next. Not expose myself to the public as a student.”

 

“No worries, they won’t know you’re Sandara Park, the Korean-Japanese heiress to the biggest financial group of Asia.” She said totally dismissing my antagonism. “Here, you’ll be Dara Park, Heiress Park Bom’s cousin.”

 

“Way to go into hiding my identity, as if my nickname wasn’t a big enough give away. You could’ve at least changed my name.” I haven’t agreed to anything yet so I don’t know why I even considered ever changing my name.

 

“Hey, I already went through everything to enroll you using only your birth certificate okay. Don’t expect me to do illegal stuffs.”

 

“Bribing the school with money is illegal Bom.”

 

She smiled. “Please understand Dee, I did this for you. If you want to be independent, you have to at least finish high school. You can do part-time afterwards, just stay away from your family’s property then you’re all good. I just don’t want you to not finish school at all.”

 

It was my turn to smile. “Thank you for everything Bom. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” I said hugging her.

 

 

(^__^)

 

Everything is going well so far on my first day of school. Well, it’s because I was beside Bom the whole time. She introduced me to her friends as her cousin, and scowled at everyone who tried to give me suspicious looks. I think they are even more suspicious now because of Bom, but I doubt they’ll say anything. Not with Bom threatening them. I conclude that Bom is the queen of this school.

 

By lunch, I got comfortable. It’s just like I was in my old school in Japan. Everyone of Bom’s friends were nice.

 

“Is this seat taken?” a blond guy asked me pertaining to the empty seat beside me. I recognized him as one of my classmate. He was seated to the far-end of the class together with a few of his rowdy friends. He looks cute up-close.

 

“Stay away Kwon Jiyong.” Bom suddenly roared at him. “In case, you haven’t heard, she’s my cousin. So, hands off.”

 

The guy called Kwon Jiyong raised his hands in defense. “I haven’t even touched her, yet” he winked at me before backing off. I smiled, bemused at the tingling feeling I felt in my stomach.

 

“Who’s he?” I asked no one in particular but everyone at the table was more than willing to give me answers. Of course, it was Bom who needed to speak.

 

“No one worthy of your time,” she began. “He belonged to this group called Big Bang, who got nothing better to do but shower everyone with their charms and be dickheads”

 

I tried to unravel what Bom just said but it doesn’t make sense at all so I chose to ignore it. “Are they like a band or something?” I asked.

 

“No.” she scoffed. “They’re good-for-nothings who just like to name themselves Big Bang. Pathetic, isn’t it?”

 

“You seemed to hate them so much. Is there something I need to know?”

 

She didn’t answer. But someone else did. A friend named Minzy, she’s a sophomore who seemed to idolized Bom.

 

“Bom-unnie used to date their member Choi Seunghyun.” She said and Bom’s face slanted.

 

I remember Bom mentioning a Choi Seunghyun during one of our chats before. I never really got updated about him afterwards.

 

“I’m not proud of it but yes I did. And he was a complete !” Bom said.

 

“Do tell.” I pried.

 

“Some other time,” Bom quickly retract. “I’m just warning you, stay away from Big Bang. The blond guy earlier, he’s their leader. If Choi Seunghyun was bad, Kwon Jiyong is worst.”

 

(^__^)

 

Bom is part of the music club and since I’m already a student here I needed to be a part of something too. Bom insisted for me to join her club but unlike her I was not musically gifted. Back home I was the student council president; I wonder how they are now without me. Actually, I wonder how Father covered up any news about me disappearing.

 

I told Bom I’ll look around before joining anything. So I left her in their club room and decided to familiarize myself with the school’s layout. I found myself on my way to the school’s rooftop. Back home, the school’s rooftop was my favorite place because it’s quiet.

 

That is not the case for this school’s rooftop though, I can hear muffled music and distinct laughs from behind the door. I guess I’ll have to let this rooftop pass. I was on my way downstairs when the door opened. Reflexively, I turned around and was greeted by a familiarly handsome guy with thick eyebrows. Familiar, because he was in my class too, he was seated right beside that blonde guy named, Kwon Jiyong.

 

“Hey, Bom’s cousin!” he greeted.

 

“Hey, guy who knows Bom!” I replied with a confused smile.

 

He chuckled and invited me to join them. Normally, I would decline politely. Because judging from the bad- attitude that was explicitly displayed by his improper uniform, his rowdy behavior during class together with his friends and the smell of smoke and hints of liquor emanating from his body, he is the kind of person I used to avoid back home. I avoid them because they do not benefit my well-being.

 

I do not know what possessed me but I found myself following this guy that I shouldn’t be following.

 

“Hey, that was fast. Did you teleport your way to the store and back? But how come I don’t see you holding any beer?” I heard a guy asked. I peeked at the side and saw that the voice came from another good-looking guy with panda eyes. I doubt that he got those eye bags from studying though.

 

“But you brought something much better.” Panda-eyes said as long as he saw me. “Hi!” he then greeted.

 

“Hi,” I greeted back, “Sorry, you cannot drink from me though.” I said nonchalantly.

 

They burst out laughing. Did someone say anything funny? I did not hear.

 

(^__^)

 

I was having a ball talking to panda-eyes who introduced himself as Lee Seungri, he told me to call him V.I. but I declined because he himself doesn’t know why he likes to be called V.I.

 

And get this, eye-brows was actually Bom’s ex, Choi Seunghyun. He seemed nice. Now I wonder what he did that pissed Bom.

 

There were three more guys on the rooftop. One was named Dong Youngbae, he has the cutest eye-smile I have ever seen in my entire life. Another was Kang Daesung, he was decent looking and had a decent attitude as well, and decent enough to stop Seungri whenever his hands get anywhere near inappropriate parts of my body.

 

To round up the five people was blondie, Kwon Jiyong, who was quiet with words but not with stares. His stares were intensely loud for my taste.

 

I figured they are the infamous Big Bang. I had the urge to ask why they named themselves as such but I decided not to, afraid to hear something pathetic like, ‘because we explode and create a whole new world.’ I don’t think I can take that.

 

 

“Is there something on my face Kwon?” I finally asked. He has been staring and quite frankly, it’s very uncomfortable. Though the others are keeping me entertained with talks about random stuffs like, cars, s and farts, Kwon is distracting me with his intense stares.

 

“How come you look familiar?” he said. I heard my heart give a loud thud. Does he recognize me?

 

“You’ve been staring at me and you haven’t realized I’m the transferee, Dara Park.” I said assertively, earning snickers from his friends.

 

“Are you taking me as an idiot, Park?” he replied. “I mean aside from school, have we met before?”

 

“Maybe you’ve dreamt about me.” Now where did that retort come from?

 

They all laughed heartily. But I distinguished Kwon Jiyong’s laugh differently from the others. His was candid, like he had never laughed at anything this funny before. Or was it just because this is the first time I heard him laugh?

 

“Baby, believe me, if I have dreamt about you, you wouldn’t be sitting there comfortably right now.” He said afterwards.

 

I was baffled. I don’t understand. “And why is that?”

 

“Because that dream would’ve been a wet dream and I would be damned if I don’t make it a reality now that I see you in front of me.”

 

Oh!

….

 

“Way to go on making this awkward for her, hyung.” Seungri broke the silence. “Look at her, she looked scared now.”

 

Do I? This is the first time someone told me I look scared. I have always tried my hardest to show all my strong points. I don’t want to appear weak. I smiled a little at the thought of this new seepage of my unknown personality.

 

I felt my phone vibrated inside my pocket. There was a message from Bom telling me that she’s in the parking lot waiting for me.

 

I sighed. “It was nice meeting all of you but I need to go now.” I said looking at them one-by-one. Yes, I looked at Kwon Jiyong as well as I bade goodbye. “I enjoyed all of your company. Thank you.”

 

Seungri was reluctant to let me go insisting that I stay for a few more hours. But when I mention Bom’s name, he conformed which stirred my interest on what really happen between them and my fake-cousin.

 

I had my hands on the knob when I saw Kwon Jiyong’s smug face. I don’t like it. And so,

 

“Hey, Kwon, do continue on fantasizing about me, I don’t mind at all. But please be discreet about it to other people. We don’t want you wetting yourself around them all the time.”

 

I said and walked away. Surprise by the new attitude I am developing. Where is the timid Sandara Park?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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that's it for the first part.

how was it???

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(@^-^@)

(im into emoticons nowadays, just saying)