[Chapter 3: Breath]

Dara placed her lunch tray on the table, and slid comfortably onto the chair beside Jiyong. It’s been more than a week since her public declaration of gratitude took place – ever since then, she’s spent all her lunch breaks sitting at this table, trying to get the cold expressionless Kwon Jiyong to talk once in a while, or at least change his expression or something. But none of her silly antics seemed to be working at all. Seriously, she was beginning to wonder if the guy even knew how to smile.

“Did he suffer from some defect when he was born?” Dara asked TOP previously, after another round of her jokes and silly gags went by totally disregarded.

TOP raised an eyebrow at her question. “Not that I know of. Why?”

“Then why doesn’t he smile? I thought he had under-developed facial muscles or something.”

Seungri, who had been sitting nearby while listening to their conversation, instantly spit out his drink as he burst into peals of laughter.

TOP and Seungri had grown used to the girl’s presence by now. It initially caused a huge commotion in school when she first joined them at their table during lunch breaks, at times even lingering outside their classes – all around, people were discussing and gossiping, wondering what on earth happened, and coming up with all sorts of silly conclusions. There were even rumors saying that Jiyong was blackmailing the girl, silly stuff like that. Oh wait, the most ridiculous one was probably the one about Dara being Jiyong’s long lost sister.

The rumors were beginning to die down by now though – not like they cared about it in the first place. But still, it felt good to lunch without having to feel a hundred pairs of eyes boring into your skin.

“YAH! That’s mine, give it back!” Dara shrieked as Seungri snatched a sandwich from her tray and stuffed it into his mouth. The girl, not wanting to be defeated, quickly reached over the table and pulled at his cheeks, trying to get him to spit it out. When Seungri continued to chomp loudly, Dara shot him a glare and proceeded to whack his back with her fists.

“Spit it out!”

“YAH! Are you trying to kill me?!” Seungri shouted while gasping for air. The poor guy had choked in shock when she started thumping his back so brutally.

“You’re the one who stole my food!”

“It’s just a sandwich!”

“It’s MY food!”

Jiyong let out an inaudible sigh at the ruckus. He shot a quick glance at the two bickering kids, and at TOP as well, who was laughing by the side.  He could tell that his two friends liked having the girl around. In Seungri’s words, no one’s ever dared to approach them like that before. And no one’s ever treated them like that before either – seriously, she’s pretty much the first and only person to ever kick and scream at his two friends on a daily basis and still manage to get out of it unscathed.

He didn’t mind them getting all friendly with girls, but not her. Not her, of all people.

It would just make things so much more inconvenient if she continued to hang around.

Without a word, Jiyong got up from the table.

“Where are you going?” Dara immediately asked when he stood up, not caring that Seungri was currently yelling his head off in pain as she continuously yanked his hair with all her strength.

Not bothering to reply her, Jiyong turned to TOP and nodded slightly as he spoke, “I’ll see you in class.”

“Jiyong? Jiyong wait for me! Wait…”

The girl started shouting after him as he walked away.

He frowned and kept walking, his dark eyes smoldering – he hated that voice of hers. She was really getting on his nerves.

[Dara’s POV]

There he goes again, walking off without me. He’s really testing my patience, I’m telling you. He hasn’t spoken to me, or even looked at me throughout the whole week. Not even once, can you believe it?! Thank goodness TOP and Seungri are so much friendlier than he is. I probably wouldn’t be able to endure all this if the two of them were like that annoying Kwon Jiyong.

I don’t get what’s his problem. Shouldn’t he appreciate the way I’m trying so hard to express my gratitude?

It’s not exactly a breeze for me to keep hanging around him you know. I’m sacrificing my time with my two best friends (god knows how much gossip I’ve missed out on in the past week), and I’ve had to reassure to them almost every day because they’re beginning to think that I don’t want them anymore.

So yeah instead of appreciating it, he’s behaving like I did him wrong or something. And you should see his eyes – I swear, they freak me out sometimes. He’s just always so angry, so silent.

“Jiyong… slow down! My legs aren’t as long as yours!” I yelled, struggling to keep up with his pace.

He stopped in his tracks all of a sudden. I didn’t notice in time, and before I knew it… I had already walked straight into his back. Oops. He doesn’t usually stop no matter how much I yell at him to, so I really didn’t see it coming when he just stopped like that.

Rubbing my head (I think I’m gonna get a bruise tomorrow, his back’s as hard as a rock I tell you), I looked at him and smiled. “You stopped. Thank you!”

Maybe he’s finally becoming a little nicer!

“Stop following me.”

Then again, maybe not.

“Why not? I’m just trying to be nice to you. What’s so wro-…”

His eyes narrowed. He took a step towards me, closing whatever distance there was between us. I couldn’t help but feel nervous – he was so close to me now. And I didn’t think it was possible but… if you think Kwon Jiyong’s damn good-looking from afar, I’m telling you, that’s nothing compared to seeing him up close.

I gulped as he continued to stare at me with those intense dark eyes.

It’s unnerving how I can never read his eyes. There’s nothing in them – no emotions, no spark, no life. Of all the people I’ve met in my life, I can safely say that he’s got the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. And yet… they’re so empty.

“Stay away from me.” His voice was nothing more than a whisper, and yet it sent a chill down my spine. There was so much hatred and anger suppressed in his voice, and for some reason that I can’t explain, I can’t help but feel that his anger was directed at me. It wasn’t just him having a bad day, as what Seungri always said. He really detests me. I can feel it.

He stepped away from me, his eyes never leaving mine.

He turned to walk away, and there I stood in a daze, trying to process what just happened.

I’m not sure what came over me, but the more I thought about how he was trying to chase me away, the way he’s been totally ignoring me for the past week… My fists clenched by my sides. Who did he think he was, treating me like that. I don’t remember ever doing anything to piss him off that badly, and I don’t see why he has to vent all that stupid anger on me.

Kwon Jiyong, you’re messing with the wrong girl. I’m not going to get scared off by you so easily.

“I’m not giving up!” I shouted, as loud as I could. I wanna make sure he can hear me loud and clear. “You’re not getting rid of me just like that Kwon Jiyong!”

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Third chapter up! Sorry it's a little short, I'll try to update as soon as I can :)