Daniel POV:

Dinner was okay. Aria kept giving attitude, no surprise there. I’m not sure if she has realized that Youngdon is related to Jiyoung. It’s gonna when she finds out.

After dinner was finished, I went back home, finished some of my homework, then just laid in my bed for a while.

It’s kinda bothering me that Soomi is friends with Jiyoung now. Soomi and Aria were pretty much inseparable when I wasn’t around. And now that Jiyoung has kind of taken Soomi away from Aria, it just seems really wrong.

I’ve always felt that I’m the reason why Jiyoung hates Aria so much. It all started the summer before sophomore year.

Flashback (still Daniel POV):

“Daniel-ah!” I turned around to see Aria running after me.

School had just let out for summer and I was about to start riding my skateboard home until Aria called my name.

“Yeah?” I asked. 

“I’m going to America for the entire summer!” she exclaimed. 

“What, why?!” I yelled, shocked. 

“My dad wants me to come there for the summer. I kinda want to. I miss it!” 

“But you went last summer.” I pout. 

“But only for two weeks!” 

“What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?” 

“Go meet some other people or something. Hang out with Yoseob! I don’t know, just have some fun while I’m gone.” 

“I’ll try. When are you leaving?” 

“Tomorrow morning. My flight is at 6 am.” 

“Have you packed?” 

“Nope. I just found out that I was going!” 

“Want me to help you?” 

“Nah, it’s okay. Come over later though so we can spend some time together.” 

“I will. Does Soomi know?” 

“Of course she does!” 

“She found out before me?!” 

“Sorry! I saw her before I saw you.” 

“It’s okay. Come on, let’s go.” 

“Where?” 

“Home silly!” 

“Alright.”

Aria had her skateboard with her as well so we rode to her house first since it was closer.

“I’ll call you when I’m finished packing so you can come over, okay?” she says while we stand in her driveway. 

“Alright. I’ll see you later then.”

I turn and ride to my house.

Author POV:

Aria walked into her house and began packing her bags. When she finished, she called Daniel and he came over to her house.

Aria cooked for the two of them since her mom was working late, and her brother was out somewhere.

After the two ate, Daniel just decided to spend the night with Aria. He rode to the airport the next morning with Aria, her mom, and brother. Her brother was also going to America for the summer.

During the beginning of the summer while Aria was gone, Daniel didn’t know who he should hang out with to pass the time. He ended up calling up Jiyoung, a girl in his class. The two of them hung out during the entire summer. Daniel never called her his girlfriend, but Jiyoung thought that they were dating.

When Aria came back to Seoul at the end of the summer, Daniel stopped hanging out with Jiyoung to spend time with Aria since he missed her so much.

One day, Daniel and Aria were out having ice cream together when Jiyoung walked into the ice cream shop to see Aria and Daniel talking and laughing with each other.

Jiyoung walked over to Daniel and Aria.

“So this is why you don’t hang out with me anymore?” Jiyoung said, pointing to Aria.

Aria looked up at Jiyoung, then she looked at Daniel.

“You hung out with her this summer?” Aria asked Daniel in English. 

“Yeah, you weren’t here!” Daniel exclaimed.

Jiyoung looked at the two with confusion seeing as she didn’t understand what they were saying.

“Daniel, I thought we had something special.” Jiyoung said, reaching out to grab Daniel’s hand.

Daniel awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “Uhhh, I don’t think so Jiyoung.”

“What do you mean you don’t think so?” 

“I mean this was just a little summer thing, nothing too serious.” 

“So you were just using me until Aria came back?” 

“Not exactly.” 

“So then what? Why have you been blowing me off to hang out with her?” 

“Well she has been gone all summer.” 

“So?” 

“So I want to spend time with her.” 

“But you’ve spent every day with her since she’s been back. When are we gonna get to spend time together?” 

“I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

Aria laughed.

Jiyoung glared at her.

“Look Jiyoung, I’m sorry for Daniel not spending time with you. It’s not my fault that he’d rather spend time with me, seeing as I’m his best friend.” Aria said, standing up and throwing her trash away. 

“But I’m his girlfriend!” Jiyoung protested, stomping her foot on the ground. 

Aria laughed again. “Girlfriend? Please, I don’t think so.” 

“But he kissed me!” 

“So? That doesn’t mean you’re his girlfriend. Did he ask you out?”

Jiyoung didn’t say anything.

“Exactly. A kiss is just a kiss, most of them don’t mean anything. So I’m pretty sure Daniel didn’t mean anything when he kissed you.” Aria turned to Daniel. “Now, if this is all over, I’d like to go. Daniel are you ready?”

“I guess so.” Daniel stands up and starts walking to the door, following Aria.

Jiyoung followed the two out of the store.

“Seriously Daniel?” she called after him.

Daniel turned around and looked at her. “What?”

“You’re just not going to talk to me anymore?” Jiyoung said. 

“What makes you say that?” Daniel replied. 

“That’s what it seems like. Honestly, did you just use me this summer?” 

“No, I didn’t. Why do you say that?” 

“Because it seems like you used me as a filler until Aria came back. That makes me feel used.”

Aria cut in, “Well Daniel, it seems like you’ve gotten yourself into a little web.”

“You’re not in this!” Jiyoung screamed.

“Whoa, you’ve said my name a few times, I think I’m in this.” Aria stated. 

“Aria.” Daniel warned. 

“What? If she keeps saying my name, I might as well cut in.” 

“But Aria..” 

“No buts, can you just finish this so we can go?”

Daniel turned to Jiyoung.

“Look, Jiyoung, I’m sorry for whatever is making so upset. But honestly, I don’t know what I did to make you so mad at Aria.” Daniel said. 

“You pretty much ditched me for her!” 

“No, that’s not what happened. I hadn’t seen her all summer and I wanted to catch up and spend time with her. Why can’t you understand that?” 

“I just don’t understand.”

Aria laughed, causing Jiyoung to glare at her.

“Jiyoung, there isn’t much more that can happen between us. Yeah, I kissed you once or twice, but it didn’t mean anything. Aria means a lot more to me.”

A tear fell down Jiyoung’s face.

“Oh it up.” Aria blurted when she saw Jiyoung crying.

“Aria.” Daniel warned.

Aria rolled her eyes and continued talking. “There’s no use in crying over a guy from some little summer thing. It’s not worth it and your tears will never be worth it. You should just stop crying. Crying isn’t going to make anyone feel sorry for you.”

Aria words angered Jiyoung so much that she walked over to Aria and slapped her in the face.

“I hate you!” Jiyoung screamed, then ran away.

Daniel went to Aria and wrapped his arms around her.

“You okay?” he asked her. 

“I’m fine, it didn’t even hurt.” Aria laughed lightly.

Aria had a tough exterior. She didn’t let anything hurt her. And if something did hurt her, she never let her hurt show.

Daniel and Aria went to Aria’s house, trying to process everything that had happened that day.

When school started, Jiyoung was different than how she was during the summer. She had changed a lot. Daniel and Aria just ignored her and kept to their own circle of friends.

The rocky sophomore year had yet to come, and no one had expected anything that happened that year to actually happen.

End of flashback.

I did feel kinda bad about the whole thing after it had happened, but it was in the past so there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

I just hope Jiyoung and Aria don’t kill each other by the end of the project they have to do together.