[Dara]

      Have you ever imagined what it would be like when everyone finds out you’re engaged? For some, it might be announced at a small get-together with friends and family, with them congratulating you and your fiancée. For others, it may involve having your closest girlfriends gushing about how cute your babies are going to be, while fighting over who will be the godmother. Maybe it’s via phone calls, text messages, and e-mails, that are replied with unlimited enthusiasm and best wishes. Perhaps it’s by way of a Youtube video of your proposal, liked by people around the world, who left “Oh, so cute!” comments below (and disliked by those heartless unromantic people who were probably hermits). But whatever it may be, you would expect it to be a delightful, heartwarming exciting moment of your life.

      Sorry to say, the same could not be said for me.

      The news of Jiyong and my engagement spread like wildfire, making us not just the talk of the town, but probably the talk of the whole world. I noticed that immediately as Jiyong and I walked back to our first block of the day (Chemistry, argh) through the hallways side by side, with students talking and pointing at us as if we were animals on display. I could see photos of me smiling back at me from the magazines they were holding, as well as on the screens of the gossip websites they were looking at on their cell phones. Unbelievable. That means that, while I had been tossing and turning in my bed, unable to recover from the giant shock and worrying about my future last night, journalists worldwide were grinning widely, waiting for copies announcing my doom to print, while calculating the cash accumulating in their minds. Bitterness crawled throughout my body and I hated it. Every headline was blaring KWON JIYONG AND SANDARA PARK: THE NEW POWER COUPLE OF BUSINESS?, ENGAGEMENT OF THE CENTURY! DARAGON!, JOINING OF THE TWO HEIRS OF THE ROYAL EMPIRES: SANDARA PARK AND KWON JIYONG,KWON JIYONG AND SANDARA PARK GIVE NEW MEANING TO WHIRLWIND ROMANCE. Why do they care, anyways? As if it’s any of their business. All they want is some new subject-or rather, VICTIM-to talk and criticize about as if they’re so high and mighty. I’m too tired to try to explain myself, try to answer their bombarding questions that I can see from their gazes. Why are you that lucky girl who gets to bag Jiyong? Are you serious, you’re getting engaged before you’re graduating from high school? What, first TOP, now Jiyong?! Come on, like you two are even compatible! Why should I even feel the need to explain? I can’t even try to convince myself why I’m going though with this! A small part of me just wished I was normal. A normal girl who could enjoy a normal life. Even if I were to get married, it would be a normal and happy affair, where I would be in bliss and sharing my joy with those I love. Why can’t I be normal…even for once?

      I felt Jiyong wrap his arms around me protectively. “Ignore them.” It should be sweet of him to do that, but the gossiping and attention would just get worse if people saw us together like that. I shrugged off his arms, not turning back to see his reaction, though I’m sure his eyes are shooting fire at me indignantly. As a heiress, I should love the publicity, but instead I hate the spotlight it throws on me. As a heiress, I should seem graceful, poised, and beautiful, but in reality, I’m none of the above. I just don’t know what to do anymore…maybe…just maybe…I’m not as cut out for this as I think I am, or as anyone thinks. Jiyong said, it’s our destiny, it’s the life we have to live.

      What if…I don’t want to, because it’s not who I am?

      “Santokki, stop being stubborn,” Jiyong muttered as he reappeared beside me, putting his arms around me once again, this time with more force. “And smile a little, won’t you?”

      And so I did. I smiled, while I was screaming my heart out inside in frustration and anger.

      Every discussion and noise in the lab stopped once Jiyong and I entered the room. Our classmates were gapping at us, with the latest magazines and newspapers spread out across the counters. Big surprise. I caught sight of TOP sitting at our usual seat, and relaxed almost immediately when he looked up to give me a warm smile. I’ve got to tell him all about this madness. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him on the phone yesterday, since I was too busy pondering over my gloomy future. I was about to head over to sit beside him, but I forgot Jiyong was still holding me protectively. I looked at Jiyong pointedly, giving him a not-so-subtle hint that this would be the perfect timing for him to let go of me now. He shook his head sternly.

      “You’re sitting with me from now on, in every class,” he whispered so quietly that no one else but me could hear him, and yet it was full of authority and finality. I grimaced at him.

      “I’ll sit with whoever I want,” I shot back. This engagement already forecasts a lot of mandatory time I have to spend with Jiyong. I want to spend more time with my friends, especially now when I have so much to complain about.

      “What would people think when they see my fiancée sitting with another man?” Jiyong hissed back, anger evident on his face. Without waiting for my retort (I have yet thought of one), he dragged me to his usual spot by the window. I could only smile apologetically to TOP, and mouthed sorry to him. He only smiled sadly and nodded as if to let me know that he understands, which he probably do since the news are all over the place. My heart sank. I just recalled about the song he requested on the radio the other day. We have yet talked about that. Why do I feel like there’s more and more distance between us? This wasn’t the way it’s supposed to be, we’re best friends.

      “Wow, ya’ll so quiet today,” our Chemistry teacher Kush commented with his signature Texas drawl as he walked in. “Did an atomic bomb go off in here?” When nobody answered, he raised his eyebrows, then caught sight of the articles in front of everyone. Oh no.

      “Sandara Park…”

      “Yes, sir?” I answered with a sense of dread.

      “Kwon Jiyong…”

      “Yes, sir.” Jiyong sounded bored.

      Kush picked up a YG Weekly on the front row and sc