Him alone

Three years ago…It had been a week since Dara came back from Korea and her whole family has commented on her habit of spacing out more than usual.“Noona, do you miss him?” her brother asked once while they were seated in the garden, right after dinner.“Who are you talking about?”Sanghyeun looked at her oddly “Who else?”“Ji Yong?”He nodded.“I do” she answered honestly.“But you guys still talk right?”“Yep… but it’s different, somehow, to know that I can just peek right outside my window and he’s there.”The younger man sighed. “Does Joseph know this?”Dara shook her head. “I couldn’t tell him. He - he was so happy when we came back. He was even there to meet us at the airport. I - I couldn’t do it.”“But you don’t love him anymore.”“Still, I cannot hurt him… and besides, Ji hasn’t even told me he likes me and he is so far away now. Even if I do break it off with Joseph, I can’t possibly have a relationship with Ji.”Sanghyeun scratched at his head “Noona, guys can just be like that. Besides, he told you he’ll wait for you, right? Why would a guy wait for you if he doesn’t like you too?”Dara backed away a little “How did you know about that???”Sanghyeun smiled “He told me about it.”“He did???”Her brother nodded. “Hyung told me to look after you and make sure you weren’t always clumsy or forgetful coz he promised you he’d wait for you.”She felt her heart being squeezed.“So, do what you have to do. I like Joseph - he’s a good guy - but maybe, he’s not the one for you noona.”Dara punched him softly in the arm. “When did you get to be so wise?”

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Invisible Enemy

It was supposed to be a surprise for Dara - that he was learning hanggul. He was excited to show it off, even. But what he had accidentally overheard between Sanghyeun and Dara weren’t things he liked and he was thankful that he had been taking lessons.She was going to break it off with him for that guy. No surprise about that.He’d noticed how her text messages had lessened to once a day, sometimes even once in two days ever since she had met that guy in Korea.Dara had explained to him that they were just really good friends.“Friends my BEEP!” he thought in chagrin as he picked his phone up and dialed a number.The guy had obviously worked his charm on his girlfriend.“Hello?” the guy on the other line picked up.“I need your help” he answered “Somebody’s bugging Dara - yes, my girlfriend - and yeah, we need to get rid of the guy.”

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Words hurt more than swords

Ji strained to compose himself. He didn’t know how long he had been staring at his computer screen but he did know that it was long enough for his back to ache as it was now aching.“She couldn’t break it to you because she was afraid of your reaction since you’re so childish”“A younger brother… nothing more… nothing less…”“She got confused at first but now, her head is clear…”“She’s never liked you at all.”“She thinks you’re immature and hot-headed.”“Make it easy for her. Stop talking to her already or chatting with her or whatever - just STOP communicating with her. She’s just talking to you out of pity but she doesn’t feel anything more than that.”“She wants her relationship to work and you’re getting in the way.”Those sentences continued to jump up at him as he read and re-read and re-read for the nth time the e-mail he had received from one of Dara’s Korean friends in the Philippines. The guy’s name was Jim Hung - someone that he vaguely remembered Dara mentioned before.Why couldn’t she have told him this herself?If she was feeling this way, he would have understood. He would have let go.But she had told her friends about him - complained about him - if he read Jim Hung’s e-mail closely - COZ she did not have the courage to personally tell him this.A friend of hers had to do it.Isn’t that just like her? People would do whatever they can for her.Hell! He was one of those people.He finally stood up and decided to get out. He needed air. He needed lots and lots of air.

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No Idea

Dara didn’t want to think about it over and over again but she couldn’t help replaying her conversation over chat with Han.“Did you and Ji have a fight?” Han had asked.“No. Why?”“Well…. uhmmm… don’t get angry ok?”She raised her eyebrow at that. “Why? What happened?”“We went out last night and he took a girl with him. He introduced the girl as his date.”Dara was unable to process that piece of information and after being unable to reply for five minutes, her phone rang. It was an international number.“Hello?” she answered hoarsely, fighting back an overwhelming feeling of sadness.“Dara!” Han answered “It’s me. You didn’t answer. I’m so sorry. I’m so so sorry.”“Why are you saying sorry?”“Coz I told you about Ji.”“It’s - That’s - I just went outside for a while Han and besides, Ji has a right to date anyone he wants to. We’re not in a relationship.”“Oh! Don’t lie to me!” Even far away, Dara could easily picture her friend’s indignation.“You like one another. Everybody knew that. What’s happening with the two of you?”Dara tried to remain calm “Han, nothing is going on between us. We’re - we’re just really good friends. I have a boyfriend here, I told you about that. And he can date anyone he wants to date, he’s single.”She knew Han wasn’t going to believe her but she couldn’t very well admit that her heart had crack open at the news.Why had he promised to wait for her???Did he just realize that he might not be able to? Did he just now see that a relationship with her wasn’t really what he wanted?Maybe everything was a farce. He was young still. His mind could change in an instant and she wouldn’t have control over it.What was his promise for?!?!She wiped at her tears as she sat on her bed. She looked out her window and saw nothing but their neighbor’s brick wall.“Why the hell are you crying?” she asked herself but still couldn’t stop.“I don’t like him. I don’t like him. I don’t like him at all.”