Mistake

Dara quickly pulled away after realizing what had happened. It was a mistake that she knew should never have happened. She was with Seunghyun now.

“Mianhe…” Jiyong spoke after realizing his mistake too, “I-I d-d..”

“Ani,” Dara cut him off quickly gathering her things, “This should never have happened. It was a mistake both on our parts.”

Hearing her words, Jiyong quickly grabbed Dara by the arm and pulled her to face him, “I hope you didn’t mean that.”

Dara stared at him shocked, “Jiyong…this…we can’t…I..don’t want to hurt Seunghyun.”
With his name Jiyong let Dara go, “Mianhe…”

“I have to go,” Dara concluded as she made her way out the door. She quickly ran out her heart beating twice as fast. Once she was far enough from Jiyong’s home her feet suddenly stopped running, rendering her to stand still her hand clutching her heart. “He loves me…,” she spoke quietly comprehending his words earlier.

“Dara,” a familiar voice suddenly called freezing her in her current position. After a few more calls she slowly turned to face Seunghyun.

“Oh,” she spoke.

Seunghyun quickly took notice of her paleness, “Kwenchana?”

“Ah?” she spoke before composing herself, “D-deh, kwenchana.”

Seunghyun nodded satisfied with her answer, “I was on my way to Jiyong’s house when I saw you running. Are you on your way home?”

“Ah, d-deh,” she answered.

“Well I’ll walk you home,” he uttered happily, “I’ll just stop by Jiyong on my way home.”

“You don’t have to,” Dara replied suddenly feeling guilty, “Y-you should visit Jiyong.”

“Yeah I will after I drop you off,” he answered grabbing Dara’s hand which surprised causing her to pull her hand away. Seunghyun frowned suddenly feeling disappointed.

“M-mianhe,” Dara spoke, “You surprised me that’s all.”

“Oh, cre?” he asked, “Mianhe, I should have asked first.”

“Ani,” Dara exclaimed this time grabbing Seunghyun’s hand and holding it, “Where’s Tiffany?”

Seunghyun sighed, “My sisters keeping her busy. Sorry about earlier.”

“It’s okay,” Dara pointed, “She has a crush on you. I think it’s cute.”

“She’s nice but can be extremely stubborn,” Seunghyun pointed smiling.
Dara smiled meekly her heart clutching at her. She wanted to desperately apologize to Seunghyun and tell him what had happened between her and Jiyong, yet her mind prevented her from doing so.

“Let’s go?” Seunghyun asked as he led her towards her house. They walked side by side yet Dara could not help but feel as if she was the worst person for keeping her mistake hidden from Seunghyun.

The two walked quietly, Seunghyun enjoying it while Dara resented it. She wanted to run away from him embarrassed with what she had done. She contemplated in telling him yet she couldn’t afraid she would deeply hurt the man she was with.

After Seunghyun dropped her off, Dara immediately ran to her room tears flowing away. She felt like the worst person at the moment and seeing Seunghyun’s face made it worst. She wanted to run, run from everything yet the kiss and Jiyong’s words would not leave her mind. His words and the feel of his lips ran through her mind.

“Ottoke,” she spoke….

*****

“Jiyong,” his mom called, “Seunghyun’s here.”

Jiyong hurriedly got up from his bed shocked by his mother’s words. How could Seunghyun be here? He thought.

“Just knock on his door Seunghyun-ah,” his mom spoke.

After a few seconds Seunghyun was knocking on Jiyong’s door, “Yo.”

“Come in,” Jiyong called composing himself quickly. Seunghyun quickly entered nodding towards his friend.

“Feeling better?” he asked as he quickly took a seat beside Jiyong’s study desk.

Jiyong smiled timidly nodding too, “Yeah, I’ll be back to school tomorrow.”

“Finally,” Seunghyun spoke, “All the girls have been asking about you.”

Jiyong smirked, “I bet.”

Seunghyun laughed before noticing a photo on Jiyongs desk, “Wah, you and Dara, how old were you guys here?”

Jiyong turned to the picture smiling, “We were both seven there. It was her birthday.”

Seunghyun nodded turning to face Jiyong noticing the sadness in his eyes though he smiled, “Why’d you lie to her?”

Seunghyun’s question surprised Jiyong and it took him a few minutes to answer, “Molla…maybe I was scared.”

“Why?” Suenghyun pressed.

Jiyong smirked sadness in his eyes, “I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. I was unsure about my feelings for her…I don’t know…I was with Seo Hyun…I didn’t want to hurt her too. I thought that if it didn’t work out, I would lose her, but in the end I still lost her…”

“I’ve watched over her for the past years,” Seunghyun reminisced, “Watched her protect you, be kind to you, be normal around you, and loved you…I envied you all throughout middle school…I always asked myself, what if Dara acted like that towards me? What if I was the one she liked? Would I be happy? Even for a second I wanted to be with her, be the man she relied on. Be the man she cared for. Be the man she loved. Now that I’m with her, I feel happy, happy that I can at least make her smile. I know she doesn’t love me, but I wanna work hard to prove myself to her.”

Jiyong turned away from Seunghyun remembering his mistake earlier, “Seunghyun, make her happy, okay? Just make her happy, that’s all I’m asking.”

“Komawo,” Seunghyun thanked, “For giving me the chance to be with her.”

“She deserves you,” Jiyong uttered sadness filling him, “She deserves you more than she deserves me. She’s happier now that she’s with you. I’m happy for her.”

Seunghyun nodded, silence quickly filling the room. Though no more words were spoken, the two’s mutual understanding replaced the quietness. Though Jiyong’s words seem to tell the truth, his heart ached. As much as he wanted to let Dara go, he couldn’t. And it hurt, aching at every beat it made.

*****

The next morning, Dara tried her best to avoid both Seunhyun and Jiyong, fear and guilt holding her back. During lunch she hid in the library knowing the two would be there along with her other friends. She wanted to be alone and think about the current situation she was in. Because of what happened yesterday she couldn’t sleep, thinking about whether she should tell Seunghyun what had happened. She felt guilty but also afraid that Seunghyun would resent her if he finds out. All throughout the school day she managed to avoid both men, yet now that school was finished she knew she would meet Jiyong. The meeting for the school festival was today classed where done. She wanted to run away but knew it was her responsibility to attend.

“Unni!” Minji called as Dara entered the classroom. Jiyong was already seated, “Come sit by us!”

“Deh,” she anwered quietly sitting next to Jiyong. The two momentarily looked at each other but Dara managed to look away quickly.

“Unni your friend is cute!” Chaerin whispered to Dara.Dara caught by surprised chocked suddenly coughing non-stop. “Unnie, you okay?” Chaerin called as she patted Dara’s back.

After a few minute Dara was finally able to speak again, “Y-yeah mianhe.”

“Unnie you scared us!” Minji yelped, “Look even oppa’s worried about you.”

Dara turned to Jiyong who was staring intently at her, worried plastered all over his face. Dara bowed apologetically, “Mianhe…”

Though Jiyong was about to say something, the professor finally spoke leaving the situation as is. Jiyong wanted to ask Dara why she had been avoiding everyone today yet it wasn’t the time to do so.

After the meeting everyone quickly left, leaving Jiyong and Dara alone with the professor had asked that they stayed behind so he too can help Jiyong catch up.

“Okay,” the professor concluded, “Since you’re pretty much caught up I guess that’s it for today.”

“Deh,” Jiyong bowed, “Kamsamhida.”

“No problem,” the professor replied turning to Dara, “Dara-shi please have the menu done by next Monday.”

“Deh,” Dara agreed also bowing.

“Alright, I guess I’ll see you guys Monday,” the professor concluded quickly gathering his thing and heading out.

Dara hurriedly gathered her things too wanting to leave to avoid Jiyong. She quickly exited not bothering to say goodbye to him. Jiyong quickly took notice of this and ran trying to catch up with Dara. He wanted to talk to her and apologize.

“Dara,” he called as he ran towards her, “Dara!”

Dara made no attempt to stop quickening her phase yet unable to get farther as Jiyong quickly caught up to her and grabbing her arm to stop her.

“Dara,” Jiyong called, “Stop avoiding me.”

“Jiyong, we have nothing to talk about,” she answered as they stopped by the school gate.

“Yes we do,” he replied, “We need to talk about what happened yesterday.”

“It was nothing Jiyong,” Dara quickly answered, “It was a mistake, let it go.”

“Kissing you was not a mistake on my part,” Jiyong replied resenting the fact that for Dara it was a mistake, “But I want to apologize for surprising you, but I won’t apologize for that kiss.”

“Please Jiyong,” Dara pleaded, “Let’s just forget about it.”

“You two-timing !” an angry voice suddenly interrupted them. The two quickly turned towards the voice facing the person in front of them. Dara stood wide-eyed frozen finally realizing the person was none other than Tiffany, Seunghyun’s friend.

“Tiff-,” Dara called but was cut off by a painful slapped Tiffany had handed her. The girl in front of her was infuriated anger clear. Dara stood frozen unable to look at her, tears forming.

“TIFFANY!” Seunghyun yelled as he caught her slap Dara. He immediately ran towards the three bumping towars his childhood friend and quickly heading towards Dara. “Kwenchana?”

“OPPA!” Tiffany called, “You’re siding with her? She’s a two-timing !”

“Shut up!” Seunghyun called still tending to the girl who stood quietly. Jiyong looked on worried yet seemed to be frozen too.

“Oppa, she’s cheating on you!” Tiffany fired back, “She kissed him!”

The words kiss seem to revert Jiyong back to the current situation turning to the now confused Seunghyun.

“What are you talking about?” he asked turning away from Dara.

“She’s cheating on you with him,” Tiffany continued facing Dara again, “Don’t act all innocent now ! Tell the truth!”

Seunghyun faced Dara who was now crying, “Dara what is she talking about?”

Dara painfully faced the man in front of her, her cheeks still flushed red from the slap, “It’s true,” she answered rather coldly. She was numb from the pain now, “I kissed Jiyong.”

“Bo?” Seunghyun answered confused.

“I wanted to tell you,” she repeated, “But I was scared.”

“See oppa!” Tiffany joined.

“SHUT UP!” Seunghyun yelped though he was still facing Dara, “Y-you’re lying.”

“Ani,” she answered emotionlessly, “What Tiffany said is true. I kissed Jiyong.”

“Dara,” Jiyong called but was quickly interrupted by Dara.

“Ani Jiyong,” Dara muttered, “It was my fault. I wanted to tell you Seunghyun.”

Seunghyun quickly let go of Dara anger clearly enveloping him, “You really made me look stupid.”

“Seung-“ Dara started but Seunghyun interrupted her.

“You two really made me look stupid,” Seunghyun repeated, “Was it fun? Did you two have fun tricking me?”

“Mianhe Seunghyun,” Dara apologized, “It was a mistake, please.”

 “I’m done,” Seunghyun stared angrily at the girl in front of him, “We’re done.” With those words he quickly grabbed Tiffany and waked away from the two.

“Seunghyun,” Dara pleaded falling on her knees tears enveloping her.

Jiyong quickly tried to get her to stand up but Dara refused.

“You happy now?” Dara uttered furiously, “Are you that selfish Jiyong? I wanna forget you, couldn’t you have let me? Couldn’t you have left me alone and be happy again? Are you that intent on making me miserable?”

“Dara,” Jiyong called hurt from her words too.

“ANI!” she yelled, “Leave me alone Ji! Leave me alone!”

Jiyong tried his best to calm her down but failed miserably, “Mianhe…mianhe…”

“No amount of sorry could make me forgive you!” Dara retorted, “I hate you…”

With those words, Jiyong’s world fell apart, leaving him unable to move, only watching the girl he loved walked away once more, this time hating him….