Dara's POV

I trailed behind Jiyong as we made our way towards our next class. Neither of us speaking. I know why I wasn't talking to him. I was clearly having a bit of trouble dealing with our stunned friends, and he didn't even try to help me in the slightest! Instead he threw in a generous helping of jalapeños, and chilli sauce, making it worse than before!

We took our seats in the still empty classroom. I began to sulk in my seat as I stared out of the window, my head laying on the table. I can already imagine the horrible interrogation I was going to face at the apartment - it came in the form of Lee Chaerin.

"Are you sulking?" I heard Jiyong ask incredulously.

"Hmph!" I simply replied, shaking my shoulders to remove his hand that was trying to get me to turn my head.

"Stop being so childish Dara. Why are you making such a big deal about it anyway?" I could practically hear him roll his eyes - which is totally gross by the way.

I flipped around to face him, my arms flailing, "You're asking me why i'm making such a big deal?! WHY I'M MAKING SUCH A BIG DEAL?!" I repeated his question, my voice raising a couple of octaves.

"Don't you understand?! They're going to think we like each other! They're going to think we're dating or something!" I shouted in exasperation before I let my forehead hit my desk with a light thud, my hands gripping the roots of my hair tightly.

It was silent for a moment before Jiyong responded, "Is it really such a bad thing if they think that?" he whispered softly, not intending for me to hear.

I was too annoyed and aggravated from what had transpired at the cafeteria to hear the slight hurt in his voice.

"Yes Jiyong! Yes it is a bad thing!" I snapped, lashing out at him. Didn't he understand the bad predicament we were in? Our friends thought we were close, and I don't mean the friend kind of close but the other kind of close. The lovers kind of close. I shuddered at the thought of all the scenarios my friends must currently have in their minds. I felt scandalised.

"Yeah, I see where you're coming from now. I mean it would just be terrible to have me as a boyfriend wouldn't?" Jiyong replied bitterness and sarcasm evident in his words.

I sighed heavily, "I'm not saying you would be a terrible boyfriend. I'm just saying..." I paused, 'What exactly was I trying to say?'

"I'm just saying, I don't want people to get the wrong impression. I mean we just barely became friends... I don't want that to be ruined by misunderstandings. Besides there's no way we could ever be what they must be thinking. I mean I don't like you in that way and I'm sure it's the same for you too." I finished, my heart feeling slightly uneasy at the words that flowed out of my mouth. 'Ergh... I hate heart burn,' I thought.

Jiyong had been silent for a while after my attempt to express my frustration, absorbing my words. I looked up to see him staring at me. His eyes were ice cold and emotionless, completely different from the warm eyes I had looked into the previous night. I felt like I didn't know this Jiyong at all. His jaw was taut, his teeth clenched together.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. You would never like someone like me and I would never like you in that way either," he said icily, his tone matching his cold eyes. His words rang loud and clear in my ears, 'I would never like you in that way either'. I couldn't help but feel like I'd be slapped, but I knew I shouldn't feel that way. After all wasn't it I that said those words first? After all, weren't those words the truth?

I began to feel a dull pain in my chest, 'Damn this heart burn... I'm never eating chocolate cake again' I thought.

But heartburn didn't usually hurt this much... My eyes were still locked on his cold ones. Neither of us breaking off our staring, - or in this case glaring - contest.

We sat there for what seemed like forever when I heard a voice break the tension that had fallen over Jiyong and I.

"Hey guys! Have you thought up any ideas for your sta--" Jaejoong was cut off by the ice cold stare that belonged to Jiyong.

He visibly gulped uneasily, "Err.. M-Mianhe.. I-I didn't know I was interrupting something..?" he apologised unsure. His eyes flickered to mine briefly before he met Jiyongs cold glare again, causing him to quickly turn around in his seat and pretend to busy himself with his phone.

I sighed heavily, "Look Jiyong. Can we just move on from this yeah?" I suggested, not even having the slightest clue to what 'this' was, "We're friends right?" I questioned. 'We were friends right?' I thought to myself uneasily. I never would've imagine in my whole life that I would get worried about whether Jiyong and I were friends, but right now, the prospect of Jiyong and I not being friends... I didn't even want to think about it. Thinking about it made me somehow feel like I would lose something very important to me.

My eyes roamed his face as I waited impatiently for his response, his cold eyes not putting me at ease in anyway, he opened his mouth to deliver the verdict when--

"Okay class let's begin." My eyes flickered over to see Mrs Kim strde into the room, interrupting this very very vital moment.

My eyes quickly flickered back to Jiyong, to hear his response but I was greeted by the side view of his face. His eyes no longer on me, but watching Mrs Kim at the front of the room. My shoulders deflated. Now I would have to wait a whole two hours to hear if we were even friends.

At that moment I felt so small. I felt like I was in kindergarten waiting with baited breath to see if the most popular boy in the school would accept my friend request. To say that entire lesson was torture was an understatement. What made it worse was I didn't understand why I was feeling the way I was. Why was I getting so worked up about whether Jiyong and I were friends? My younger self would be ashamed to see me wanting to befriend her arch nemesis. Did it matter if we were friends or not? 'Of course it matters,' my inner thoughts rang out with clarity.

/Bell Rings/

I jumped slightly in my seat the second the bell had rang. I had barely paid any attention to the lecture, too worried over Jiyong and I's newborn friendship that already seemed to be on a rocky cliff. I quickly threw my things into my bag, before throwing it over my shoulder carelessly. I anxiously turned to my left to see Jiyong wasn't there. My eyes immediately wandered around the room. He had gone.

I ran out of the room into the hallway glancing left then right. There he was! I could easily spot him amongst the other students, being attuned to his stature. He was halfway down the hallway, dragging his feet along the floor with his jacket slung carelessly over his left shoulder.

"Jiyong!" I called for him. I saw him halt in his stride for a split second, before continuing to walk, not bothering to turn around or stop. He was blatantly ignoring me.

"Jiyong!" I called again, slightly louder as I weaved my way through the masses of students that had flooded out of their own classes. Once again, he ignored me, this time not even pausing in the slightest to the sound of his name being called.

I willed my legs to move faster, zigzagging in and out students who were idly standing in the hallway chatting to their friends. 'Couldn't they see I was trying to reach someone?! Couldn't they just move already?!' I mentally complained in frustration.

Finally, I caught up to him. I grabbed onto the back of his shirt, causing him to stop walking, whilst I panted trying to catch my breath.

"J-Jiyong," I said out of breath. He still didn't turn around. At that point I probably should've ran around him and stood in front of him, face-to-face but I didn't think I could handle seeing his cold and emotionless eyes again. I didn't think I could handle him telling me he didn't even want to be friends face-to-face.

I leaned my forehead against his back, tired, my hand still gripping the back of his shirt, holding him in place. We stood there for a couple of minutes as I waited for my breathing to return back to normal, Jiyong stood in place because I was holding him there. Although I had now recovered from what felt like a marathon, I continued to lean on him for support. That small amount of contact making me feel secure.

"Jiyong... I'm sorry for lashing out before. I don't really understand what just happened, and I don't know why you're angry with me... but... we're still friends right?" I asked softly, but loud enough for him to hear. I waited with baited breath.

Silence.

"We're still friends right Jiyong?" I repeated, m voice now almost pleading with him. I didn't understand why I wanted him to say the simple three lettered word so badly. I didn't understand why I needed him to reassure me that we were friends. Why did it suddenly matter so much? I was beyond confused.

Silence.

My shoulders slumped for the second time, as my grip on his shirt loosened, my arm falling limp by my side. I felt my lip begin to tremble slightly. I stayed there for a couple more seconds, basking for the last time in the security I always seemed to feel when I was in contact with him. I sighed heavily and detached my forehead from his back, immediately feeling a loss of warmth and protection. I picked up my bag which had fallen to the floor and placed it back on my shoulder before walking around Jiyong.

I paused and glanced back. Just as I had predicted. His face was void of any emotion. I scanned his face and that's when I noticed it. There was a slight bruising around his jaw - in the exact same place I had punched him the night before. I approached him slowly, my eyes transfixed on the almost unnoticeable bruise. Before I knew what I was doing, my right hand reached up to gently trace the bruise, I felt him flinch slightly at my cold touch, or was it because he didn't want to be touched by me?

I scanned his face again, my hand cupping his strong jaw, "I'm sorry... Does it hurt?" I apologised.

Silence.

I sighed heavily, "You should apply some ointment..." I whispered softly before turning around and taking a few steps away from him, "You know...We met again for a reason Jiyong... I really thought we could be friends this time... I guess not." I murmured softly.

Without glancing back I started to walk away from him, my heartburn deciding at this very moment to return, and multiply in pain. My eyes were glued to the floor as I walked away when I felt something warm and familiar drape over my shoulders.

"You didn't bring a jacket today Chingu," I heard his voice say softly, all traces of coldness from before had disappeared, "I wouldn't want my friend to catch a cold would I?" I turned to look over my shoulders, only to see Jiyong walking off in the opposite direction, not even waiting for my response.

"Chingu?" I whispered, a small smile appeared on my face in happiness, but why was it that I didn't feel as happy as I thought I would? Wasn't that what I wanted him to confirm? That we were friends? 'Chingu?' I repeated again in my head, not knowing that I felt a tinge of sadness at the word, my happiness masking the sadness.

== At the apartment ==

"Ssantoki! I'm so glad you're home.. You have so much explaining to do!" CL said sweetly - too sweet.

I had literally just stepped foot into the apartment when I came face to face with a smirking CL, her arms crossed as she stood parallel to the apartment door as if she had been waiting for me.

"How long have you been stood there waiting?" I asked in amusement.

"I don't know what you're talking about!!" CL exclaimed. I rolled my eyes at her, walking past her and making my way towards my room.

"Ah ah ah! Not so fast rabbit!" CL hooked the collar of my t-shirt with her finger causing me to choke slightly since I was still trying to walk. She dragged me towards the sofa and pushed me down.

'Greaaaaaat!' I thought with fake enthusiasm . Let the interrogations begin! 

I couldn't help the smile of amusement that graced my face despite being just seconds away from being interrogated by my merciless bestfriend.

"Don't you think you're taking this a bit too seriously?" I asked, the amusement evident in my voice. In front of me was CL, her hands crossed behind her back as she began to pace back and forth in front of me, "I think you've been watching too many police interrogations... No more CSI for you!" I wagged my finger at her.

"Don't wag you finger at me Miss Park!" CL barked. Oh boy.. She was really in character now.

"Miss Park, at approximately 12:00 were you or were you not in the cafeteria of Seoul university?" she questioned her voice dead serious. How is she doing this without laughing?! Maybe she should've gone into acting instead of fashion.

I rolled my eyes at her, "CL you were there, you know I was there."

"Miss Park I don't appreciate that tone of voice. I asked you a simple question and I expect a yes or no answer. I don't want your little smart- comments. Now, who were you with at the crime scene?" she asked as she continued to pace up and down.

"Crime Scene? Really CL?" I said in a 'You can't be serious voice'. CL turned to me and gave me a sharp glare causing me to raise my hands up in surrender before answering, "I was with Bae, Seungri, TOP, Daesung, Jiyong and my bestfriend turned police interrogator."

"Ahh, Jiyong did you say?" she said, ignoring my obvious jibe at her. She stopped pacing and turned to look at me, "Miss Park, did you or did you not feed Kwon Jiyong at the crime scene."

I was about to protest when she glared me down from her current position hovering over me. I shrunk back from her glare, "Yes" I blurted. My gosh! It sounded like I had just admitted to commiting a grave crime. She's really making it out like i've broken the law. She's making me feel guilty! Like I had really sinned.

"AH HA!" CL shouted pointig at me dramatically, "A confession I see?! What were your intentions when you fed him Miss Park hmm? Careful what you say, because this may work against you in court."

My gosh I was going to have to endure a court hearing too?! Aw man!

"I was only feeding him because he looked hungry! It was a friendly gesture!" I said defensively.

CL crossed her arms over her chest, "A friendly gesture huh? I have witnesses that tell me otherwise Miss Park, so don't lie to me!" she accused.

"I'm not lying! It was a friendly gesture!" I repeated indignant, shocked that she would think otherwise.

"Hmm," she scrutinised me whilst she   her chin in thought, "Why do I get the feeling that you're telling me the truth?"

I rolled my eyes and exhaled loudly, "That's because I am telling you the truth!" I shouted in exasperation, my hands flinging up in the air to illustrate my frustration before they fell back onto the sofa. When will the interrogation stop already?!

"Miss Park, are you aware of what you and your victim engaged in?" she questioned her voice softer now, as if she really wanted to know if I knew.

Victim?! It's not like I subjected the guy to torture and forced food down his mouth! He was very willing! I was just feeding him food, like Jiyong said, it wasn't a big deal! She's making it out like I him or something!

"No! I don't know! I fed him! So what? Big deal!" I shouted as I began to lose my cool.

"Miss Park. You and the victim shared an indirect kiss at least..." CL paused as she began to count, "5 times?"

Wh-what? I blinked as I looked up at CL, "What did you just say?" I whispered.

"You and Jiyong shared indirect kisses throughout lunch Dara," CL spoke her voice returning back to normal as she sat down beside me, dropping the act. She was now talking to me as my bestfriend.

"I-I..." I was at a loss for words, not really sure what to say. I had never really thought it was anything to share cutlery and food with otherwise... But now that I thought about it... I had only ever shared food from the same cutlery with my family.. and now Jiyong.

'Indirect Kiss?' I thought, as my right hand absentmindedly reached up to gently touch my lips. I felt a blush begin to spread on my cheeks involuntarily.

"Are you blushing Ssantoki?" CL's voice broke through my trance, my hand immediately falling from my lips.

I looked at CL to see her smiling at me with a knowingly look, as if she knew something I didn't know.

"N-no. I don't know what you're talking about!" I denied as I lowered my head, allowing my long hair to cover my red cheeks.

"It doesn't mean anything," I spoke up, still hiding behind my hair, "So we shared the same cutlery and food.. So what? It doesn't mean anything..." I trailed off, trying to convince myself more than I was trying to convince CL.

I felt CL's hand land on my right shoulder as she squeezed it in reassurance. I glanced to the side to see her smiling down at me softly. What was she reassuring me for?

"If you say so Ssantoki." she replied simply, her eyes shining with understanding, as if she understood, even though I didn't understand myself.