A Stone’s Throw Away

“Dara, that’s the wrong lane” Ji told her and reached for her hand “We’re looking for cornstarch.”

“But this is the baking lane” Dara retorted despite the sudden racing of her pulse at Ji’s touch.

“They don’t put the cornstarch there because it’s not always used for baking” Ji answered and pushed their cart towards the next lane “Are you ok? You’re not yourself ever since I picked you up.”

“That’s because you looked so good in your car when you picked me up and it feels like we’re a couple shopping here in the grocery” she almost told him but stopped herself. “I – I didn’t eat breakfast” she replied instead.

“You should have told me” Ji looked at her worriedly.

Completely taken by surprise by the way he looked at her, Dara jumped up and bumped with another shopping cart.

“Ommo!” the woman pushing the cart exclaimed.

“Mianhe. Sorry. Sorry” Dara immediately kneeled down to pick-up the noodles and cans of peas that had scattered on the floor.

Ji was down on his knees too assisting the older woman who was carrying a young boy in her arms.

“We’re sorry” he explained as he took the noodles from Dara and put them back the cart “She just got surprised.”

“It’s ok, young man. Thank you for your help. I was also pushin the cart way too fast that’s why it toppled over.”

Dara watched as Ji completely charmed their way out with the woman and her baby and thought to herself, “He’s going to be a good father. I don’t like dogs but I have to admit that Gaho does behave really well compared to other dogs… well… sometimes.”

She remembered when she decided to take a picture with Gaho as a test of bravery. Her Mai-sunbae ended up laughing on the floor when she ran for the door as Gaho bounded up for her after just two shots.

“What are you smiling about?” Ji asked her after saying goodbye to the mother and son whom she had disrupted.

“Ow! I was thinking you’d be a good father” she blurted without thinking how that would sound.

Ji smiled down at her “Why don’t we eat breakfast first before we continue with grocery shopping so you don’t knock down anymore carts?”

Relieved that he didn’t about the comment, she nodded enthusiastically. “Let’s eat bacons, ham, and eggs!”

Ji nodded and took her hand in his “Now, let me show you how I can also make a good husband.”

If it had begun to rain stones outside, Dara wouldn’t have been able to know. The butterflies inside her stomach had just exploded like granades.

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Things you wish you didn’t know

Bom looked nervously from her watch to T.O.P. The only time she could remember being this nervous was during their stage debut months ago.

“Why are you fidgeting?” T.O.P. asked her.

“I didn’t like my dream last night” she answered “I have a bad feeling about what Mai-noona will tell us.”

“I do too” T.O.P. told her “I kept thinking last night whether everything was a farce.”

“What do you mean?”

“I meant… maybe Mai-sunbae is actually an agent of Mr. Song’s and YG is his partner and they’re making us believe that we’re actually free but in reality we’ve binded ourselves to a contract where we can’t escape.”

Bom’s hands reached up to cover her face “Oh My! I didn’t even think about that.”

“Well… I don’t want to think that’s the reason why we saw her with Mr. Song last night. Actually, I’m hoping it isn’t” T.O.P. heaved a sigh “because if it is… I’m going to find all possible ways for us to be free of that contract – even if it leads me to jail.”

“You’re scaring me more” Bom told him, her face still covered up.

“Hi Bom-unnie, T.O.P.-oppa” Minji greeted as she came in the restaurant with YB and Seung-ri.

“You’re both early” YB observed.

“I didn’t sleep well last night” Bom answered and made way for the three of them to sit.

“Me too Bom-noona” Seung-ri told her “Look at my eye bags. They’re bigger than before.”

“Ow” Bom reacted “I didn’t think there was much difference.”

Seung-ri frowned at her and despite the heavy atmosphere, they all managed a smile.

“I wonder where Dae and CL are” YB said as he flipped open his phone “I’ll try calling them.”

“Good morning” they heard Dae’s voice just as YB help up the phone to his ear. He had CL by one arm to support him as everyone insisted he should still have someone around whenever he went outside the house depite his fast recovery.

“I was about to call you.”

“Well, here I am” Dae answered “Mai-noona picked me and CL up. She’s just parking outside. She told us to order already.”

A very efficient waiter came to them with the menu as Mai entered the restaurant. Each one of the staff greeted her and the Manager even came out to say Hi.

“Give my kids lots of servings ok?” she told the manager “We’ll be having a very long meeting so please make sure that no one else disrupts us in the veranda after serving.”

“Of course Ma’am. Thank you for visiting us again” the manager answered as he ushered Mai to the veranda where the rest of them.

“Hello everyone” Mai greeted them and they all stood up to greet her. “I hope you guys were able to sleep” she sat down beside Daesung and turned to the waiter “We’ll all have your breakfast sampler. Please make sure that the dollar pancakes for me are toasted and include the complete set of spreads you have except red berries.”

“Will that be all Ma’am?”

Mai turned to them and asked their preferred beverages before dismissing the waiter. As the waiter closed the door to the veranda, she turned back to them “Now, everyone, if you are thinking that I am conniving with Mr. Song to tie you down to a contract with him secretly, I am assuring you that I am not. You are free from him and President YG has no obligations to him whatsoever so you will never be going back to him too. Have I made myself clear?”

The relief that seeped through all their pores was palpabe that Mai could almost taste it.

“I’m sorry I didn’t answer any of your questions last night” she continued “I was surprised to all find you in that parlor.”

“It’s our favorite hang-out noona” Seung-ri answered “Manager Teddy always brought us there when he wanted us to celebrate a great night or hard work.”

Mai smiled at him “That brings back a lot of memories.”

“Sunbae, if what you say is true… then why were you with Ms. Song last night?” YB asked.

“Well… that’s why I called all of you this morning” she answered “I want you to know everything that you need to know so you will appreciate what you have been given and so that you will not fail me in my dreams for you. This is going to be very long so eat a lot ok?”

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What is yours…

While washing his hands, Ji knew he must look a fool unable to help himself from smiling as though he had just won a lottery.

Well… he didn’t win the lottery but he did win something better if last night’s conversation was anything to go by.

“She’s frail and often not herself, young man, are you sure about what you’re asking of me?” Grandma Park had told him last night when he visited her room. Dara and Durami had to visit a salon because the latter was complaining she needed a hair cut. That was a ploy, though, that Ji had asked of the youger girl as he wanted to have the chance to talk to Dara’s Grandmother and Umma.

The Park Matriarch had called him to her room and had asked for her daughter-in-law to go too. However, as they waited for Dara’s Umma, Grandma Park had fired her first bullet.

“She just gets distracted easily Grandma” he answered “but when she decides to be serious, nothing shakes her focus. And for the times that you tell when she is indeed not herself, I’ll be there to make sure she doesn’t blunder much or she has someone to laugh with about it.”

A soft knock had cut in before Grandma Park was able to ask him the second question.

“Come in” the old woman shouted and the door slid to make way for Dara’s Umma. Mrs. Park nodded at him as he bowed to her.

“She is older than you, young man. Time will come when you will notice the almost 5-year age difference you both have” Grandma Park announced as soon as her daughter-in-law was seated beside her.

“I may sound foolish in saying that age is just a number Grandma but that is what it is for me.”

“She’s not very good in household chores.” Ji noticed how Dara’s mother was inwardly flinching at the things the old woman was saying. She didn’t want her daughter portrayed as though she’s no good at all as a wife in the future but didn’t contradict.

“I am very good in household chores” Ji replied “I’ll teach her everything I know because she’s a fast learner.”

“She, also, doesn’t cook very often.”

“I see no problem in that. I cook. I’ll teach her in cooking as well.” Though, Ji doubted this as he remembered that Dara had cooked for him before – the time when he got struck down with a virus – and she was very good then. He knew the matriarch was testing him.

“She can be very foolish.”

“And so am I Grandma.”

“I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into, young man. Because once you take this step, there is no turning back. Should the Lord God take me anytime soon, I will make sure to haunt you if ever you hurt my dear grandchild.”

Ji fought for control as his innards danced the conga. Vague as it may sound, they were ready to give him their blessings. “I know what I want Grandma and Mrs. Park. I may be younger than her and I may not be the one you want for her but I will assure you that with me, she will be loved every minute. I don’t know what else I can promise for you to believe that all I want in this world is to make her happy but that is my main goal – to make her happy no matter what.”

And he’s going to do just that, Ji told himself as he now exited the restroom to head back to their table. He saw, suddenly to his annoyance that another guy was talking to Dara.

“I don’t want to freak you out or anything but I saw you from across the room and you seem to be alone” Ji heard the guy say.

“She’s not alone” he answered and saw the look of surprise from the guy, who turned to the direction of his voice, and the relief that painted itself on Dara’s face when she spotted him. He walked towards her with a smile and took her hand as she immediately stood up. “She’s with me” he told the other man and then turned towards Dara, completely brushing off the other’s advances “Let’s go back to the grocery?”

Dara bobbed her head in agreement. “Let’s go” she answered and he smiled down at her again.

“No sireee!” he wanted to shout back at the guy who looked as though he had been punched in the face “This girl is mine.”