Let’s have some fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three years ago…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was past 5:00 PM. He knew that she had just returned with her family from the hospital where her Grandma was. Two weeks ago, his mother had contacted Mr. Park to let them know of what had happened.

 

 

 

 

 

He had been told, then, that Mr. Park’s family had moved to the Philippines after bankruptcy crippled their business. Their relatives, it seemed, had a hand in that downfall. That’s why instead of being the ones to call the Parks, they asked his mother to intervene.

 

 

 

 

 

Their family had just recently moved to the area but his mother had become a very good friend of “Grandma Park” - as his sister called the old woman.

 

 

 

 

 

Last night was his first time to meet Grandma Park’s eldest Grandchild. He had originally thought that she was younger than him - hell - she looked just about 16 years old.

 

 

 

 

 

“Ji Yong!!!” his mother shouted from downstairs “Se7en is here!!!”

 

 

 

 

 

“Be right down!” he shouted back, picking up his wallet before going down.

 

 

 

 

 

“Hyung!” Ji greeted the other guy as he slid down the stairs “Where are we going tonight?”

 

 

 

 

 

“We’re going karaoke” Se7en replied “Do you want to come Auntie?”

 

 

 

 

 

His morther thumped Se7en at the back “If I come, no one else will hold that mic but me.”

 

 

 

 

 

Se7en laughed and was about to give a comeback when the doorbell rang.

 

 

 

 

 

“Is that Han Byul?” asked Ji “I thought we’d be picking her up?”

 

 

 

 

 

His mother opened the door to a wide-smiling Dara. “Anyeong Mrs. Kwon. I’m Grandma Park’s eldest Grandchild.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Anyeong” His mother greeted “You must be Park Dara. Are you here to return Ji’s jacket? He’s been talking about you all - “

 

 

 

 

 

“Hey!” Ji immediately ran towards the door before his mother could do more damage “Uhmmm… you got my hoodie?”

 

 

 

 

 

Dara seemed disoriented by his sudden appearance. “Ah… yes” she bowed to him “Thank you for giving it to me last night.”

 

 

 

 

 

“No worries. Just don’t forget to wear something warm when you go out at night.”

 

 

 

 

 

Se7en slid beside him “Hi there!”

 

 

 

 

 

“Ow!” Dara’s focus went to Se7en “Anyeong!”

 

 

 

 

 

“How is Grandma Park?” the Hyung asked.

 

 

 

 

 

Dara smiled brightly “She’s doing better today. Thank you for asking.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Are you going to be doing something tonight?” Se7en asked out of nowhere. Ji ribbed him but he wasn’t to be deterred.

 

 

 

 

 

“Ah none, I think so.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Come with us!” Se7en told her “Me and Ji and other friends are going karaoke! You’ve just returned from another country, right? This is a good time to go around!”

 

 

 

 

 

Dara looked genuinely surprised at the hyung’s very enthusiastic invitation. “Come on Ji! Tell her to come! You and her seem to be very good friends already!” Se7en cajoled him, giving him an eye.

 

 

 

 

 

Ji ribbed him again as he turned to face Dara. “Yeah. Why don’t you come? It’ll be lots of fun.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh… I - thank you for inviting me but I’ll have to ask my Papa first.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Well, you can call from here” his mother jumped in “I’ll call for you if you want so Mr. Park will be assured you’re in good hands.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh. That is most kind of you but I’ll have to get my bag so it’s ok - I’ll return in a while.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Well, why don’t I come along with you?” his mother said “This gives me an opportunity to also meet your mama since I have only met your papa.”

 

 

 

 

 

Before she knew it, Dara was ushered off, looking like she had been hit by a hurricane.

 

 

 

 

 

Ji heard Se7en chuckle. “She’s so cute.”

 

 

 

 

 

Ji raised a brow at him “You don’t want Han Byul hearing you say that.”

 

 

 

 

 

“I bet she’ll say the same thing” Se7en replied “Hey! Are you jealous???”

 

 

 

 

 

“What the?!?”

 

 

 

 

 

“You ARE jealous!”Ji stared at him incredulously “I’m not! I don’t even like her!”

 

 

 

 

 

“Woah! Woah!” Se7en’s eyes widened at him “Down man. You’re so touchy.”

 

 

 

 

 

“I don’t want her hearing you say that, ok? I just met her last night. You’re making this too big of an issue.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Doesn’t matter. The first time I saw Han I already liked her. And you’re blushing.”

 

 

 

 

 

Ji knew his hyung wouldn’t let up. He smacked him on the shoulders.

 

 

 

 

 

Se7en smacked him right back and they were locked in a wrestling position until the door opened to Dara, who shifted her gaze from one to the other.

 

 

 

 

 

“Dongsaeng…” she began uncertainly “Oppa… uhmmm… Auntie decided to stay for a while at our house. I guess I can come with you guys.”

 

 

 

 

 

“That’s great” Se7en said as he unlocked the both of them from their wrestling position but continued to pinch Ji’s cheeks.

 

 

 

 

 

Dara gave out a tinkling laughter and Ji felt his palms sweat as he watched her. Light was streaming from outside and she was laughing like a kid - she was beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

 

 

In or Out?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dara knew that they were all drunk. Everyone was speaking so loudly that it was a wonder how she could hear music coming out of the karaoke machine.

 

 

 

 

 

They were playing spin-the-bottle and Se7en had just danced to the chicken song. Ji was rolling on the floor laughing, Han Byul was teary-eyed with laughter, Lin (one of the girls) was videoing everything and laughing like crazy too.

 

 

 

 

 

She had to admit, though. Se7en really did look stupid dancing the chicken song.

 

 

 

 

 

“Ok! Ok!” Se7en was shouting amidst all the laughter, embarrassed from head to toe but keeping up face “Enough of that you guys! Next stop! Next stop!”

 

 

 

 

 

Han, still laughing, picked up the bottle and laid it on the floor. “Ok… here we GO!!!”

 

 

 

 

 

The bottle spun so fast and almost fell on the floor before stopping right in front of Ji. Everyone screamed!

 

 

 

 

 

“Sheeez!” Ji shouted “That bottle pointed to Dara!”

 

 

 

 

 

“Did not!” Dara said defensively. They were seated right next to each other and she was sure that it was pointed towards him.

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh! You’re not going to escape this! You!” Se7en grabbed him, revenge evident in his eyes. Despite slurring a little with his words, the hyung tightly grabbed onto Ji’s shirt. “You will spell out your full name with your !!!!”

 

 

 

 

 

“No WAY!!!!” Ji shouted.

 

 

 

 

 

Dara was clapping enthusiastically. “Go! Go! Go Ji-dongsaeng!!!”

 

 

 

 

 

Ji looked at her heatedly. “I’m going to get you next!” He went in front of everyone, red to the roots of his hair. “You better not be putting this on video!!!” He warned.

 

 

 

 

 

He began with K and everyone was roaring in laughter.

 

 

 

 

 

“Go Ji! Go Ji! Go Ji!” Dara and Han cheered.

 

 

 

 

 

As fast as he can, Ji finished spelling out his name and immediately sat beside Dara - flustered.

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone was laughing and she knew he must be really embarrassed. “You were really cute dongsaeng” she told him.

 

 

 

 

 

He went a shade redder and looked at her with vengeance in his eyes. “You wait!”

 

 

 

 

 

Dara just laughed it off, trying to hide her apprehension at his look. Ji picked up the bottle and spun it furiously. Time almost split for Dara as she watched the bottle point at her.

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh no” she expelled and looked at everyone. They all suddenly looked like Hyenas.

 

 

 

 

 

“What are we going to do with Dara?” Han asked “I can’t think of anything.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Oooh! I know! I know!” Se7en told everyone “Let’s have her EAT……….. the CHILI SAUCE!!!!”

 

 

 

 

 

Dara’s eyes widened. “Ack!!!” she thought.

 

 

 

 

 

Se7en scooped two spoons of chili sauce onto a container. “Come on Dara!!!”

 

 

 

 

 

She gulped and immediately asked for a tall glass of water. “Ommo” she thought and gulped once again – the red chili sauce looming ahead like a very bad storm.

 

 

 

 

 

“I’ll save her” Ji announced, earning a stupendous look from everyone – most especially her.

 

 

 

 

 

“What?!?!?!” Se7en asked him.

 

 

 

 

 

“I’ll save her…” Ji repeated and gulped down the chili sauce before anybody can say a thing. He proceeded to gulp down the tall glass of water next.

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re crazy!” Han told him.

 

 

 

 

 

Ji wiped down the bits of water from his chin and smiled. “Since I saved you… you have to do something in return.”

 

 

 

 

 

Dara’s brow creased. “What do you mean???”

 

 

 

 

 

“Ho! Ho!” Se7en laughed “This is going to be fun!!!”

 

 

 

 

 

“I always hear you singing this high-pitched song when you wake up” Ji imitated her singing a novelty song from the Philippines - In or Out.

 

 

 

 

 

It was her turn to turn into a deep shade of red.

 

 

 

 

 

“I want that!” Se7en cheered “I want that! I want that!”

 

 

 

 

 

“You are going to sing that song for us” Ji told her and pushed her to stand up.

 

 

 

 

 

She looked at him with fire on her eyes and wagged her tongue at him. So, he really did get back at her.

 

 

 

 

 

Han gave her the mic and was excitedly jumping up and down “Go Dara! Go! Go! Go!”

 

 

 

 

 

Dara inhaled a deep deep breath and put on her brightest smile as she belched out “In or Out”. I’ll show him, she thought to herself. I’m not going to let him embarrass me.

 

 

 

 

 

Ji was watching intensely and saw everybody have fun with Dara’s performance. She was actually really good. Her bright smile and amusing performance were infectious.

 

 

 

 

 

Few are gifted like this, he thought, and smiled up at her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

 

 

Behind windows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She and Ji Yong decided to take a cab on the way home. They were all too drunk to be driving.

 

 

 

 

 

“You guys take care, ok?” Han reminded the both of them “And I’ll see you on Saturday! I’m cooking lots and lots!”

 

 

 

 

 

They both nodded.

 

 

 

 

 

“You take care too noona” Dara told her “Anyeong!”

 

 

 

 

 

Se7en clamped both of them on the back and pushed them inside the cab “Go straight on home you guys or auntie will kill me!”

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re drunk” Ji told him “Take care hyung” and he rolled up the window. The cab sped away and Dara settled comfortably.

 

 

 

 

 

She hadn’t drunk much but it was enough to make her a little tipsy. Ji, on the other hand, still seemed to be sober.

 

 

 

 

 

“I had lots of fun” she told him before closing her eyes. She was just going to nap a little…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ji had tried to wake her up but she was too deep asleep. He decided to just carry her down from the cab. “Man! She weighs just like paper” he thought.

 

 

 

 

 

He shouldn’t have let her doze off coz he knew this might happen but he was unable to wheedle her to wakefulness. He had first decided to take a picture of her to show her when she was wide awake just how drunk she was but without noticing it, he had been watching her sleep throughout the whole taxi ride.

 

 

 

 

 

“Are you sure your girlfriend’s ok?” the cab driver asked.

 

 

 

 

 

He did not take the time to correct the cab driver on that assumption “She just fell asleep. Thank you hyung.”

 

 

 

 

 

The driver nodded and left. Ji had decided to take her to his house first but was surprised to see someone waiting in front of Dara’s house.

 

 

 

 

 

“Hi! I’m Dara’s brother” the guy said.

 

 

 

 

 

“Hey” Ji greeted back “I’m Ji Yong.”

 

 

 

 

 

He felt a little awkward about the situation. He was sure the kid had heard the cab driver.

 

 

 

 

 

“Let me carry noona instead. I’ll take her inside.”

 

 

 

 

 

Ji wasn’t really that sure. The kid looked younger than him and looked as skinny as his sister. “Uhmm… what if I just carry her up to your house?”

 

 

 

 

 

“That’s cool” the kid replied and opened their gate.

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s a good thing you’re still up” Ji commented.

 

 

 

 

 

“I decided to wait for her. I was thinking she might… uhmmmm… be like this.”

 

 

 

 

 

Ji felt respect well-up inside him for Dara’s younger brother as they walked. He had now reached their house’s door and Ji looked uncertainly at the kid.

 

 

 

 

 

“I think you should bring her to her room upstairs. It’s the first room to the right.”

 

 

 

 

 

With Dara’s brother behind him, he trudged through the stairs. It was a little dark but he was able to see his way. The young kid, then, led him towards Dara’s room and he immediately put her on her bed. She immediately grabbed one of her fluffy pillows and continued dozing off.

 

 

 

 

 

Ji took one look at the room. Other than his sister’s room, he hadn’t been inside any other girl’s room. Dara’s wasn’t heavily decorated with all those pink stuff that some girls he knew had by the dozen, hers was quite simple except for a few photographs here and there. One, he was quick to note, was of Dara and a guy he’s never seen before.

 

 

 

 

 

They looked really happy in the picture and Ji immediately looked away.

 

 

 

 

 

“I think I’ll go now” Ji told her brother.

 

 

 

 

 

“Thanks hyung.”

 

 

 

 

 

He immediately went down, needing to fill his lungs with the night’s air. She’s another guy’s girl… off limits.

 

 

 

 

 

WAY OFF LIMITS.