Chapter 20

Running in Circles

Her kisses were intent...determined. All of them were about to relive that fateful summer in KL. The summer that broke not only dreams, families, their hearts and her spirit...

She woke up in a flurry of white linen, the salty breeze of the ocean and the fresh powdery scent of the man she was about to marry.

"I intend to preserve myself until our wedding night." Tabi once said shoving a bottle of perfume towards her. "Get used to me." He added with a wink.

She grabbed the pillow next to her and buried her head on it. She heard the door open and somebody spoke, “Don’t you think it's a little silly for you to daub his cologne on everything and wear his pajamas to bed?"

"Go away Ri!"

"Marriage doesn't mean you have to die of asphyxia..."

She tried to block the memories. She pulled Tabi closer. She was bold, raw, unrestrained. In as much as she was out to hurt, to scorch, she was bleeding as well and he knows it. They've shared way too many kisses not to know how to respond. After five years they have come full circle. He felt sorry for Jiyong.

Somebody pulled them apart and dragged Dara outside, all the way to the parking lot. She was shaking and so was he, whose gaze she met without hesitation.

"Let go of me. I am not done yet." She said aiming a quick kick on his shin.

"You are making a mockery of yourself!" He hissed “We are going home.”

"Oh did I just embarrass you." She mimed a gasp.

"Stop acting like a !!"

"I thought you have a predilection for such."

"I am not going to tolerate such behavior from my wife." he snarled.

"I ceased to be ten minutes ago." She spat

Seunghyun then intervened. "Stay out of this." Jiyong barked

"I believe I am way too involved to just watch." He hauled the still fuming Dara to his side while Seungri was quick to step in between the men. Youngbae followed Dara just before she can slip right back in.

Aware of his presence, she ducked from one corner to the next feeling very much like a fugitive. "Stop!" her mind screamed.

Forcing her feet to stop, they faltered and buckled from her weight. She found herself at the back alley. " Stupid." berated herself.

She tried the back door of her restaurant but it was locked from the inside. "Aaargh..." She bellows. Feeling all her frustrations swept upon her. She lashed all her anger on every inanimate object in that dark alley.

"I hate you... I hate you... I HATE YOU!" she cried. He just stood there watching her, just like he always had. She bashed the trash bin and smashed wine bottles like water bombs. She was shaking violently, with blood stains on her dress. She must have accidentally cut herself with the shard bottles everywhere.

"You are hurt." He spoke finally

"That and more." she shouted in contempt. He felt a bottle zoom past him barely missing him by an inch. It shattered somewhere. "Dung! I missed."

"You need to focus."

"Im too angry to think." She took another aim this time towards his left shin.

"Tokki!" he jumped

"What?!" She heaved another bottle

"Why don't you just stop and listen."

She looked at him, a little thoughtful. "Too angry still." she shook her head

"Just stop then." He bargained. He heard her laugh...a little hysterical maybe.

"Shoot me." she dared

" I would if I could. I don't carry  a gun." Another figure emerged from the shadows right behind her.

"Ha! I hate you!" She grunts

"Easy..There is a thin line that separates love and hate."

"I like to cross them once in a while... why don't you join me?" She inclined her head.

"Maybe some other time... You look wasted." He eyed her arms, it was bleeding.

"This is nothing." She waved her arm. "I’ve been meaning to ram my car somewhere solid… with her on the passenger seat. I just couldn't get past your brother or Seungri. " She saw Youngbae moved three steps closer.

"I know what you are trying to do." she warned. "She should have been thankful I allowed her to live after I caught her in my bed!" She threw another bottle for emphasis...

then another...

"There is nothing more painful that watching your life fall apart. Nothing!"

"No Tokki...that would be watching you watch your life fall apart."

She turned in time to hear a loud crack and felt a sudden blow to her stomach that she staggered. The next blow was definitive. She fell in his arms like paper. " Tabi..."

How predictable he thought. He indeed left with an old friend.

A/N: baby girl is angry :)