Dara's P.O.V

I put a huge space in between us as much as possible, even though that in the eyes of the other students we're still dating and that I still have to act as his girlfriend since it'll raise a commotion (and doubt, moreover) because Jiyong hasn't have told them the real thing; and if ever I'll be the one to say that we have broken up, it would just lead me more to a life in hell. They had their eyebrows raised and lips lopsided when they saw us coming from the elevator, but then Jiyong's jacket wrapped around my waist brought their curiosity into a level of fifty from one hundred. 

I immediately went to Bom, who has her hands on her hips with a frown marring her cute face. She knows the real deal, aside from the person who has a mutual understanding with her, and I think she's not in favor of this acting. 

"So, there's no formal closure with the crowd." She stated the reason, once I have got near to her. "That's why you're acting as lovers." Then she stated the outcome. I nodded, looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to us except for Top, but then he looked like he wasn't listening because he just stood motionless and expressionless in his spot behind Bom. I waited for him to look down, and when he did, he didn't even acknowledge me. I made a face.

"You should end this," Bom caught my attention once again, impatiently. "Tell the crowd the truth or don't put up with this acting. This is stupid."

I smiled at her, despite the pain. "I could've easily done that, if I'm planning on revenge, but I still love him deep inside, amidst of the heartbreak I have suffered the past week. That's why I'll play on this little act as long as believe that we'll be together again."

Bom sighed in disapproval.
 

The first destination is this small archaeological old town in Jejudo with houses and commercial infrastructures built to date from the 18 hundreds. It's a special request from the Architecture Department, since the houses are still in one piece after all these years. I was about to go out of the line and check one house out in close encounter, when I felt a hand grab mine to stop me.

"The tour guide strictly said to be with your partner at all times." Jiyong strictly said with his utilitarian voice when I turned up to him. "We should obey him."

I unconsciously pouted. "I want to check the house out in close view." I tried to get my hand out from his iron grip, but it was too strong to shatter. Jiyong shook his head as if telling me that trying is impossible, though I still tried.

"That's too much, Jiyong." Top said, placing a hand on Jiyong's shoulder when he probably noticed that I'm struggling, and Jiyong quickly loosened his grip, but not loose enough to release me fully. I can feel my muscles in my cheeks starting to strain, so I pressed my lips into a thin line once again and stared at the traditional structured house a few feet beside me, tempting me to come close.

"We'll see the house later at extra time." Jiyong suddenly said, and I immediately turn up at him. He bit his lip, and said, "I promise."

I immediately squeezed his hand, because I just wanted to. There had been times, even before when we were still officially dating, that I would squeeze his hand because it feels more normal than walking, or because I just miss him. And today, perhaps, I feel the latter. 
 

It turned out that we are not allowed to have a close view of the houses at day, because they serve as lodges for people who want to have this traditional calming effect. I was so down the whole tour in the village that I didn't listen to the tour guide anymore, and just let my mind wander off. 

I felt a force on my shoulder, and I immediately and reluctantly turned. It was Bom, with her eyebrows crossed and cause for her forehead to crinkle. "They're selling postcards and other souvenirs at a traditional structured house there. Do you want to come and see?" She said. 

I nodded, and squeezed Jiyong's hand. I assumed, with my head still bent down, that he turned down at me, so I said, "I'll be going with Bom to the souvenir shop. You can wait here if you still want to obey the tour guide's rules."

"Okay," He replied, and that was Bom's cue to start to lead the way. I trailed from behind.

"That was quite an act." She commented, clapping her hands softly. "I didn't know that..." Her voice trailed off. "What's the matter?"

I shrugged, frowning and lifted my head slightly, but because it was too slow, my hair blocked my eyesight and I'm too down, too depressed, to even push it away. "I got my hopes too high on this trip, too much high that when the tour guide said we can't, I fell down. I just wanted to see the house in close view and study its construction. It's my only purpose here, but I guess..." My frown deepened. "This is just not my day."

"Well, I don't know if I could tell you that I know what you feel, but I also think that it's not my day." She frowned, pouted even and was now walking alongside with me."A girl from Tourism approached Seunghyun and asked if he could help her calculate the profits on her given assignment, and I think he has lost his mind because he said 'Okay' and followed her. I mean, where in the part of her course do profits apply? And Seunghyun has been just so stupid because he really followed her and left me behind. I'm his partner, not her. Just because she's prettier and taller and whiter means he'll just leave me--" Her frowned got deeper when she saw me. "What's with that grin Park?!"

I quickly covered my mouth and showed her a peace sign. "Sorry," I apologized and said, "You're just so funny to watch that my problem with the house just suddenly washed away."

She put her hands on her hips and raised one eyebrow, stopping from walking. I also stopped, still covering my mouth. Bom said, "And what's just so funny with me? Huh?!"

I suppressed my laugh and tried to talk clearly as possible. This is just too hilarious to take. I tried to cover her face using my small hand, just to minimize the instances that I will laugh and answered, "You were just so jealous about the girl that you didn't realize you were already spazzing. It's clearly evident that you're still in love Bom, too much in love. And come to think of it as an irony, you're forcing me to forget about Jiyong when in fact you can't forget Top."

Bom blushed in deep crimson and turned her face away, her arms crossed on her chest. "I do not."

I laughed again, feeling much better than before and pushed Bom towards the souvenir shop, even if she's recoiling. 
 

I had only purchased a shirt and a tumbler from the souvenir shop, because the other souvenirs aren't that useful as these two. After we had paid for our purchases, we met Top along the way and he asked Bom if she could accompany him to somewhere far so they could talk, so that's why I was left alone to go back to our meeting place. 

The evening is approaching slowly, and only then I realized we had spent so much time in the souvenir shop than we should. It was a good thing that after the tour is our free personal time to explore the place and just go back to the hotel before curfew, since the hotel is just near, or I would have panicked because the tour group is nowhere to be found. I quickly took Jiyong's jacket off from around my waist and wore it on instead. 

I saw him quickly, standing coolly beside the lamp post with his hands tucked inside his pockets and I wouldn't lie to the world about how I miss him already. At first, I was reluctant to approach him, maybe because of my knowing of our recent break up but when I noticed the shirt he's wearing, his shirt that was my favorite, the feeling was just so familiar I skipped my way towards him. 

He turned, when I was two skips away from him and smiled, sweetly down at me. I almost melted from my spot, but deciding to respond normally like ex-lovers do, I did the last two skips and beamed widely at him. "Hello!" I greeted. 

Jiyong laughed, and answered, "Hey. I see that you're happier than before."

Something clicked behind my mind, faster than the speed of light. It said something, something that made me realize this isn't right. It told me that we should stay as friends, like most ex-lovers do. This is wrong, and this is complicated. We should stop acting like this is normal, like we're still dating, because the truth is, the more we act we're lovers, the deeper the wounds get. And as this drama plays further, we'll find ourselves living a life of lies. 

I bit my lip, and just nodded, giving nothing away. Right, this is the right thing to do. He seemed to frown, but it was too dark already for me to notice clearly, and when I assumed that the conversation is over, he suddenly said, "Come on. I want to show you something."

He led the way, and I followed him from behind, keeping a three feet distance between us. I could feel the air getting colder than before, and I know it's isn't because of the weather, but because of the space between us. 

We reached the traditionally built houses once again, and I felt the weight of my feelings multiplied. The lamp posts were installed to help people see the dim road, but I felt like I'm losing my eyesight every step. I wiped my tears. This is getting too much dramatic. 

Jiyong stopped, near a lamp post that was blinking and retrieved something from his pocket. He ushered me inside of something, and I obliged, even with my head down. The temperature changed, warmer and more comfortable than outside and when I looked up, my breath was taken away. 

I see the interior of a traditional Korean house. Opposite of me was the fireplace with burning wood inside, the flame slowly distracting the peace of my equilibrium; on my right is a sliding door that serves as a divider for the receiving area and bedroom and on my left is another door, probably leading towards the secluded dining area. My knees buckled up and I almost fell onto the floor, but instead of a cold hard wooden floor, my buttocks remained suspended in the air and a pair of arms caught my own before I fell.  I looked up, and gazed blankly at Jiyong's eyes beneath his long eyelashes. 

He smiled. "I promised, aren't I?"
 

He'll keep every single promise he makes