Since the night I introduced the old church to Dara, I always saw her inside. I would just watch her, sitting at a far bench, making sure I wouldn’t be seen.

 

Sometimes, she would just sit there. Sometimes, she would wander her eyes around and observe every person praying. One time, while she was watching a mother and daughter praying at a near bench, she smiled suddenly – a smile that I thought I just imagined of. But she really smiled.

 

And I was so glad to see her smiling.

 

One day, she just sat there, I didn’t know what she was doing but I just watched her. She started standing up so I hastily kneeled and pretended to be praying.

 

I felt her sitting at the bench beside me. I was waiting for her to snap at me but she didn’t. It seemed like she let me do what I was doing. And after a while, I sat back on the bench, beside her.

 

We were silent for a while, as if we weren’t aware of each other’s existence.

 

“You always come here,” I said, breaking the silence, my eyes still looking forward.

 

From the corner of my eyes, she nodded. “Thanks to you.”

 

My head snapped to her, shocked at what she said. I wasn’t sure if I heard the right thing. “What did you just say?”

 

Instead of answering though, she just stood up from the bench. “Do you want to have a meal?”

 

My eyes widened, truly shock. My mouth was also gaping open.

 

“I was supposedly going to treat you since you were—“

 

Excitedly, I stood up, grabbing her wrist. I pulled her out of the church, enthusiastic, as we drove off.

 

 

 

 

 

I entered the club that Tiffany told me to go. I looked for her from the crowd of dancing people but she wasn’t there. My eyes scanned more and I saw her at a far table, waving for me. I walked towards her.

 

“You’re alone tonight,” I noticed, the moment I arrived and gave her a short hug.

 

“Jae’s at home,” Tiffany said. “Another bottle of Black Russian please,” she said to a waiter.

 

“We’re drinking tonight?” I asked her.

 

“Come on, can’t I have a drink with my cousin?” she asked as she took a sip of  her wine.

 

I chuckled as I received my drink. “Just get to point. Do you have something to say?”

 

Tiffany pushed me a little. “You want to leave that quick? Aish, really. Are you seeing another girl? I’m getting jealous.”

 

I stared at her meaningfully.

 

She seemed to understand it as she buried her face on her palms. “Oh no. Don’t tell me that—“

 

I smiled at her. “Well, I just met her recently.”

 

“Oh no, my plan is ruined. Our plan is ruined.”

 

“What plan?” I asked confused.

 

“Fine, I’m not supposed to tell you. But, Aish… you’re such a spoiler. Jae and I thought that we would set you up with a girl,” she explained.

 

“I can’t. My heart is taken,” I said, clutching my heart dramatically.

 

Tiffany groaned. “Stop the drama, Ji. I know you’re not seeing her yet. And I’m pretty sure you haven’t confessed to her yet.”

 

“But I love her already! I can’t see another girl. That’s cheating!”

 

“YA!” Tiffany said, pushing me. “That’s not cheating!”

 

“Aish! I don’t want to go. I don’t want to cheat on her that early,” I said.

 

“Ah, really?! You’re too full of yourself. Come on! Let’s just try. Then you’ll know.”

 

I stared at her, well, more like glared at her, as she used her puppy eyes on me and her pouting face.

 

“FINE! We’ll see tomorrow,” I said and added in a whisper. “I bet she’s not as pretty as her anyways.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I arrived at the restaurant that Tiffany told me to go. I was fifteen minutes late, but I didn’t care. I was just doing this if not for Tiffany anyway. I would leave the moment the dinner is done.

 

I stepped inside the restaurant. My eyes were scanning the tables for my cousin when someone bumped into me.

 

“YA! Don’t you have eyes?” the one I bumped into complained. I looked down and it seemed she fell on her at the impact of the bump. She lifted her eyes and that was when I recognized her.

 

“Oh, Dara?” I asked.

 

She frowned at me. “Aish! You’re so clumsy!”

 

“I’m sorry,” I apologized as I offered her my hand. “Let me help you.”

 

She slapped my hand away. “Don’t touch me! I won’t ask help from a clumsy jerk.”

 

“Wha—“Now, what was that? I was apologizing nicely and even wanted to help her. What was up with her?

 

“Dara!” someone called for her. It was Jaejoong, Tiffany’s boyfriend.

 

Dara stood up from the ground, not accepting my help I offered. “YA!” she pushed him on his shoulder. “What do you think are you planning? You invited me here to meet your lover?”

 

“Dara—“

 

Dara cut him off. “The next time you do that, I’m going to—“

 

But I cut her off too. “So, she’s the one you want me to meet?” I asked, directing my question to Jaejoong. He shifted his stare at me.

 

“What are you—“Dara trailed off, as if realizing that I wasn’t asking her. “Do you know each other?”

 

I smiled at Dara. I shifted my gaze to Jaejoong and then smiled at him.

 

“What are you—“

 

Tiffany appeared  behind Jaejoong. “Hey, Jiyong!” she greeted, giving me a brief hug.

 

I heard Dara grunting. She pushed Tiffany away as I smiled to myself. Jealous, eh?

 

“YA! I’m talking to Jaejoong. The two of you, cuddle on one corner. I’m distracted!” Dara complained.

 

I draped my arm on her shoulder. “Don’t be jealous, Dara.”

 

Jaejoong widened his eyes. “Whoa…you already know each other?”

 

Dara shook her shoulder to set herself free. “Unfortunately…” she said. She turned around to leave but I caught her on her shoulder. I saw another hand on her left shoulder too. And it was Jaejoong’s. “Aish! What’s with my shoulder? Why do all of you love holding them?” Dara asked.

 

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. How could she be so funny and random at a time like this? “Aigoo!” I said, wiping a fictional tear off my eye. “Come, let’s sit” I said, draping my arm on her shoulder again, as I dragged her to the table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We ended up dining with Jaejoong and Tiffany. I couldn’t help it but I was smiling foolishly as I thought of how much of a coincidence this was. Apparently, Dara was the one Tiffany and Jaejoong set me up with.

 

“So, you’re name’s Tiffany, eh?” Dara asked, her brows making a V-shape at the middle.

 

“Yes,” Tiffany answered, smiling sweetly. “I’m Jiyong’s cousin. And he and Jaejoong met when Jiyong migrated here from States just a few weeks ago. Then, Jaejoong had this crazy idea of setting up a date for you and Jiyong.”

 

Dara nodded, taking the information in. After a while, she spoke. “So, Jaejoong… I haven’t heard from you that you already had a girlfriend.”

 

“You didn’t ask,” Jaejoong said coolly and casually.

 

Dara sighed. “Tell me why…just yesterday you were all too sweet with m—“

 

Jaejoong paled as he cut her off. “Oh did you know that today’s Dara’s birthday?”

 

“Omo,” I gasped. “I don’t have a gift yet.” Well, that was because I didn’t know her birthday. Aish, she should have told me.

 

“Don’t bother,” she said. “I hate celebrations and gifts anyway.”

 

“Why?” Tiffany and I asked in chorus, as Dara glared at us.

 

What was there to hate with celebrations and gifts anyway?

 

“So, how did the two of you know each other?” Jaejoong asked changing the subject.

 

“Oh, that’s a very interesting story actually,” I started, excited at the story I was about to tell. Besides, our meeting wasn’t just a typical hi-hello meeting so that was why I was glad to share it. “You see, she saved me from these bully students at school. She was really scary and strict. And that made me want to know her more.”

 

“You’re being ridiculous,” Dara said. “We met first when you bumped into me that made me fall on my and you didn’t even bother helping me.”

 

“YA! Jiyong! You’re bad!” Tiffany gasped.

 

“I didn’t notice that I bumped into someone maybe that time I thought that she was a post in the middle of the school hallway. Just look at her stick figure,” I said, annoying Dara again.

 

“YA!” Dara said, pounding her fist on the table. “I don’t have a stick figure. I’m actually y!”

 

I scoffed. “Tiffany’s ier,” I said, just to annoy her.

 

She was about to pound her fist on the table again when she stopped midway. We both looked at Tiffany and Jaejoong, who were laughing.

 

“They suit each other,” Tiffany commented.

 

“Yes, we do, right?” I said, draping my arm on her shoulder again, glad that my ‘cousin’ saw us that way. I had yet to tell her that she was the one I was talking about last night.

 

“Aish! Quit doing that,” Dara said, trying to get my arm off her, but I held on to it tighter.

 

“Dara…how about we celebrate your birthday tonight?” I suggested.

 

“I already told you that I don’t like—“

 

“I think it’s a great idea,” Jaejoong interrupted.

 

“JAE!” Dara gasped, staring at him accusingly. “You know why—“

 

“So, let’s go?” I asked, standing up. I opened my palm so that she would offer her hand to me. She just stared at it, though, so I grabbed her hand and interlocked her fingers with mine. Fortunately, Dara did not protest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I brought them to a university where Tiffany used to study. There was a festival held here tonight as they commemorate the university’s anniversary. I told Jaejoong and Dara that I also studied here before along with Tiffany. But it was a lie. I studied at States and at China. And fortunately, Tiffany knew how to keep a secret and therefore followed my suit.

 

I was glad that Dara wasn’t finding the trip boring. Her eyes kept on wandering as she stared at the booths and stores that were put up that night. Dara and I were walking hand-in-hand along the crowd of students. I was glad she did not pull her hand off mine. Whatever was in her mind, she let me hold her hand.

 

As I watched her face changed in fascination and amusement as we passed by stores and booths, I would immediately pull her towards them. I would play the game at the booth and then I would challenge her. Surprisingly though, she was good too, maybe better than me. I was just embarrassing myself. But I didn’t really care. Seeing her happy and being together with her like this, they were more important.

 

“Whoa!” I gasped as she was able to hit two rotating cards with darts. “For a girl, you sure are good.”

 

“Who says only boys can be this good?” she smugly asked.

 

“But you missed one card,” I pointed out. “Therefore, we won’t be able to get the prize,” I said, pouting. “Let me try. I bet I’ll win the prize.”

 

“Let’s see,” she said, challenging me.

 

I closed my eyes for a while and exhaled deeply. Why? Well, just for the heck of it. I seemed to figure out the technique how to amuse Dara – by making a fool of myself. She seemed to start smiling when I laugh maniacally before, and tonight, I discovered that she also laughed at me with my antics while playing at the booths.

 

And then she chuckled. See?

 

“YA!” I said, opening my eyes and facing her. “Don’t chuckle! It’s distracting me.”

 

I closed my eyes again and exhaled deeply…again. I set myself up with the dart in front of me. I released it after pulling my hand back a little and then expertly hit one of the cards. I looked at her smugly.

 

“That’s just one card,” she pointed out.

 

True. So I went back to my position and skillfully hit the second card, and then the third. After I did it, she gasped in amazement. Why wouldn’t she be? The cards were rotating too fast and it would take a swift eye to hit them. Fortunately, I was trained to do this.

 

I faced her, my arms crossed over my chest.

 

“That’s called luck,” she said, not admitting my skills.

 

“That’s called talent,” I corrected.

 

“Excuse me?” the man behind the booth interrupted. “Actually, you’ll win the biggest prize if you hit the smallest card in the middle. Are you up for the challenge?”

 

I stared at Dara.

 

“Let’s see your talent,” she challenged.

 

“Fine! I’m up for it,” I accepted.

 

I positioned myself once again. I inhaled and exhaled repeatedly as the smallest card in the middle rotated in a very fast speed. For a while, I was at the forest of China, training with the boys back there. Master Hwangssabu was there too. He threw a stone to the air and we were tasked to shoot it with our guns.

 

And then I came back to the present. My fingers pulled back a little as I invested my focus and concentration at the card in the middle. This isn’t the right time to be distracted, even though there was someone pretty nearby. This is the time to impress her. Kekeke~

 

I released the dart and in a matter of seconds the card was hit with the dart.

 

I heard an exhale nearby. It was from Dara. I stared at her and smiled as she jumped around and clapped. For a while, she looked like a kid, not the grumpy teacher that everyone feared.

 

“Here you go,” the man behind the counter said with a wide smile. He handed Jiyong the big and cuddly pink rabbit stuffed toy. “Your girlfriend will surely like it.”

 

“Girlfriend?” Dara and I chorused. Then Dara burst out laughing.

 

I handed her the stuffed toy as she laughed her head off. We walked away from the booth after we thanked the guy, Dara still laughing.

 

I pulled her towards me and hugged her tight.

 

“I’m so happy to see you laugh like this,” I told her sincerely. Her laughter started to subside as her face was buried on my chest.

 

Her body started to relax and her shoulder unstiffened. I just wanted to stay like this, her in my arms.

 

“I’m so happy to be able to make you smile…” I trailed off; smiling at the next word I had in mind. Finally, I spoke it, “…girlfriend.”