Comfort

Diary Entry #27

“Broken friendships are very hard to fix but sometimes we just have to believe that everything will be okay in the end."

It’s been exactly three months since we last spoke. I drifted away I know, but I needed time. Time to think and time to move on. I cannot exactly face you and say I’m one hundred percent over you, but I’m okay enough to let go.

We’ve separated ways, but I’m glad. Being away from you gave me a different perspective about love. It’s not always about what you can’t have but what you treasure.

Anger has left me though my heart still sometimes ache for you. Who could blame me, I was in love with you for two years.

Welcome world

Sandara Park is back.

*****

The past months have been hard for both Dara and Jiyong. Being best friends all their lives, it was practically unheard of that they were not on speaking terms. Ever since that day, Dara has kept her distance from the man she fell in love with. Jiyong, still not clear with Dara’s reasons kept his distance to, decidedly focusing on his relationship with Seo Hyun and school. They occasionally say their hi and hellos’ but that was it.

Jiyong dearly missed the old times, remembering the stubborn and spontaneous girl he’s been best friends with. Though they hardy talk or see each other, he still continues to come to Dara’s home just to get a simple glimpse of her.

“Jiyong, let’s go,” Taeyang called as they made their way to the cafeteria.

He nodded following his best friend. As they made their way, he suddenly notice Dara waiting outside their classroom.

“Dara?” Taeyang called as he finally noticed her too. She quickly faced them a little surprise to see Jiyong next to him.

“O-oh annyeong Taeyang…Jiyong-shi,” she stuttered.

Jiyong simply nodded afraid to say hello to her. Dara shyly smiled at him. “Have you guys seen Seunghyun?”

This caught Jiyong’s attention. Why was she looking for Seunghyun all of a sudden? As if answering his question Dara answered, “Professor Yun’s looking for him and asked to relay a message for him.”

Taeyang nodded, “He might be at the basketball courts; he has to clean the utility room as punishment for being late; so you can try there.”

“Ahh okay,” she answered, “I’ll head on there then, see ya.”

“What happened between you two?” Taeyang suddenly asked, “You guys were so close, now you act like you’ve never even met.”

Jiyong sighed confused as well, “I don’t know man; suddenly she just didn’t wanna be friends.”

“Well she must have her reason,” he added as they headed to the lunch area, “Was it because you’re with Seo Hyun?”

Jiyong turned slowly comprehending what Taeyang revealed, “We kept it a secret, we barely started dating then. Out of nowhere there she was calling me a liar.”

Taeyang chuckled, “Women for ya. Well I hope you guys make up soon, I kind of miss the old group and of course Dara.”

“Same here,” Jiyong simply answered, “I miss her a lot.”

Dara made her way to the sports utility room to search for Seunghyun. Her professor had asked her to relay his message which she happily obliged to. After searching around the empty room she finally spotted Seunghyun asleep on one of the foam bed stacked against the corner. She sneakily and quietly walked up to him intent on scaring him. She was inches now and was about to when Seunghyun beat her to it.

“Boo!” he yelled.

“ACKKK!” Dara screamed as she jumped a distance away from him. It took her a minute to gather herself together, “Seunghyun!”

Seunghyun laughed appreciative of the reaction Dara showed. He knew she scare easily and wanted a little fun. “Sorry.”

Dara sighed, “Professor Yun said to meet him in his classroom after lunch.”

He nodded, “Deh.”

Dara looked around a bit awkward from her friend, “So is this supposed to be detention?”

Seunghyun laughed, “I guess, I was late this morning so this is my punishment. Or supposedly.”

“Supposedly?” she asked confused.

“Yeah, all I’ve done is sleep,” he answered standing up and patting the dust off from his pants, “It’s a cozy room.”

“Daebak!” Dara retorted, “Now I have a room when I feel like ditching class. Thanks Seunghyun.”

He laughed, “Well I have blankets hidden under those boxes in the corner, pillows too.”

“Chincha daebak!” she repeated amazed at how prepared he was.

Seunghyun grabbed a hold of his backpack and carefully took out a flowery designed box. Dara couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. Seunghyun had one of the cutest lunch boxes she had ever seen which contradicted to his manly and very charming self.

She chuckled, “Now I see why you barely hang out with us during lunch.”

He laughed too, “Yeah, my mom’s really into the cute things.”

“Ah, forgot my lunch in the class,” Dara suddenly realized, “Seunghyun can I ask you for a favor?”

“Sure,” he answered immediately, “What is it?”

“Can I eat with you here?” she asked boldly, “I don’t really feel like eating with the group today.”

“Sure,” he answered, “Still not over Jiyong?”

“Deh?” she said surprised by his question, “Uhm..?”

“You don’t remember do you?” he asked.

“Uhmm?” she looked confused.

“The night you found out about Jiyong and Seo Hyun, I was there remember?”

Suddenly Dara recalled the night she vowed to forget remembering it was Seunghyun who saw her crying, “Ahh!”

“Yeah it was me.”

Suddenly she felt her cheeks heat up from embarrassment. She wanted to run and hide.

“I’ve admired you since then you know,” he suddenly professed, “To be able to sit with them, pretend you’re okay, it’s amazing.”

She lightly smiled remembering those days, “It was my fault, falling for someone like him. I’m stupid huh?”

Seunghyun shook his head, “No, you’re a girl who fell in love.”

“It’s been hard, pretending these past months,” she confessed, “But I’m slowly recovering, you gotta move on you know.”

“Well you know what,” he announced, “If you ever need a friend I’m here always.”

“Thanks Seunghyun,” Dara replied before smiling coming back to her cheery self again, “Well let’s make this day a date then.”

Her words took Seunghyun by surprise, the word date kept ringing in his mind. “Okay.”

“I’ll be right back,” she added before leaving to get her lunch from class.

Seunghyun sighed as he sat back down suddenly feeling hot an uncomfortable. He had always admired Dara from afar and seeing her happy again made him happy. Ever since that night, all he could think of is how he can protect her from the pain he knew she was suffering from. He kept his distance but he always watched from afar. He liked Dara but knew she didn’t feel the same, yet knowing he can be there for her as a friend was enough for him. Seunghyun patiently waits, hoping that someday he’ll have the heart to confess his feelings for the girl he loves.

After a few minutes of waiting Dara came back to the utility room to find Seunghyun patiently waiting, lunchbox still closed. “You haven’t started eating yet?” she asked.

“I waited for you,” he confessed which earned him a blush from Dara. She quietly sat next to him and opened her lunchbox.

“Wanna share?” she asked him which he happy complied.

After picking up a piece of sausage and quickly eating it Dara could not help but admire Seunghyun’s mother’s cooking, “Wah, this is delicious.”

“Here you can have all of them,” Seunghyun replied, “Not really fond of sausages.”

“Chincha?” she asked bewildered, “I can’t live without meat!”

Seunghyun laughed, “I’m more of the vegetable kind of guy.”

“Omo, we’ll really get along,” she answered, “My mom always makes me eat it, oh I know come by my house tonight, my mom’s making her kimchees and she would really appreciate someone like you.”

Seunghyun nodded, “Sure around what time?”

“Uhm around 6 or so,” she answered, “You better come over okay?”

“Deh,” he answered.

After lunch the duo quickly cleaned up and headed for their respective classrooms. For the first time in months, Dara seemed genuinely happy. Though she tried her hardest to be happy in front of her other friends especially Bom, she couldn’t always.

“Dara-yah!” a familiar voice called over. She turned to face her group of friends heading her way, Jiyong and Seo Hyun included.

“Oh Bom-ah!” she greeted.

“Where were you during lunch?” Bom asked hooking her arms with her best friend.

“With Seunghyun,” she answered earning him a glare from Jiyong.

“Cheongmal?” Bom replied. She was a bit excited to finally hear Dara socializing again. Ever since Dara confessed to her why she was giving up Jiyong, she couldn’t help but worry for her best friend. Though she tried her hardest to ignore Seo Hyun and Jiyong, she was still forced to hang out with them since her boyfriend was a close friend of theirs.

“Deh,” Dara replied, “He needed to talk to Yun-sajangnim so we separated.

“Lunch was BORING without you,” Bom intentionally exaggerated trying to make her dislike for Seo Hyun prominent.

Dara quickly took noticed of this and nudged her best friend a little, “Yah.”

“Bo?” she replied still whispering, “I don’t like her, she’s a man stealing girl. Plus she was supposed to be a friend yet here she is with Jiyong.”

“She didn’t know,” I explained.

“Whatever,” Bom fired back, “I don’t like her and that’s that.”

Dara sighed in defeat, though she didn’t want to admit it, she too grew apart from Seo Hyun after Jiyong and her revealed they were a couple. It took all she had not to hate her but it also meant the same friendship she had with Seo Hyun would never be the same.

Seo Hyun at first tried her hardest to get closer to Dara for the sake of Jiyong but she felts as if Dara refused to and so here she was feeling like an outcast.

“Noona are you going with us to the noraebang later?” Seungri, one of their friends, suddenly asked.

“Uhm,” Dara replied, “Who’s going?”

“Bom, Tae, Seunghyun, Dae, Ji, and Seo Hyun,” he replied ecstatically.

“Oh,” she replied not realing Jiyong and Seo Hyun would also join, “Uhm let me see if I can.”

“Noona!” Seungri fired, “You haven’t been hanging out with us, we miss you.”

“Yeah,” Daesung joined, “Please noona go with us!”

“Yeah Dara-yah!” Bom countered, “Just this one ne?”

Dara could do nothing but agree, she felt bad as it is for neglecting her friends, “Arasso, I’ll go.”

“WHOO!” the trio shouted.

Jiyong couldn’t help but smile at the prospect that Dara would be going with them this time. He knew he was the reason why Dara was hesitant to go but still he could not help but be happy to finally hang out with his best friend.

“What are you so happy about,” Seo Hyun suddenly asked pulling him out of his reverie.

“Nothing, just thought of something funny,” he lied not wanting to have his girlfriend feel awkward. To reassure her, he quickly grasped her hand and held it. She smiled at him and proceeded to class.

“Seunghyun hyung!” Daesung suddenly shouted as he took notice of Seunghyun.

“Oh Seunghyun,” Dara greeted waving at him and smiling, “In trouble again?”

Jiyong felt suddenly envious of Seunghyun upong seeing Dara happily greet and smile at him. She used to be like that to him.

“Nah,” Seunghyun answered, “He just asked if I could help the soccer team with their game tomorrow.”

“Oh cre?” she replied, “Are you playing?”

He nodded, “Yeah one of the players’ currently injured so I’m filling in for him.”

Dara nodded and was about to answer back when Jiyong interrupted. “Hyung don’t forget the plan after school.”

“Arasso,” he replied before facing Dara again.

“Oh hyung Dara nuna’s going to,” Daesung added, “Finally.”

Everyone chuckled appreciative that Dara finally agreed on going with them to have fun.

“Oh Dara Seunghyun can be your date!” Bom interrupted wanting to get a reaction from Jiyong. To her liking he did which caused her to chuckle more.

“YAH!” Dara replied before facing Seunghyun apologetically, “Mianhe..”

Seunghyun laughed, “I’m up for it.”

“DEH?” both Bom and Dara shouted.

“OMO!” Daesung and Seungri fired, “Is this a new couple forming?

“Let’s go to class,” Jiyong interrupted annoyed at where the conversation is heading, “Terror-sajangnim won’t like it if were late.”

He stormed off quickly not even bothering to wait for Seo Hyun. She quickly followed suit along with Daesung and Seungri.

“Someone looks jealous,” Bom announced which earned her a stare from Dara.

Taeyang laughed, “I can’t figure him out.”

“Let’s go to class,” Bom concluded wanting to give Seunghyun and her best friend alone time. She quickly dragged Taeyang inside the classroom leaving the two alone.

“It’s a date then?” Seunghyun suddenly asked.

“Deh?” Dara replied utterly shock and embarrassed.

“Noraebang?” Seunghyun asked, “Date?”

All she could do was blush, “With the rest of the group, a noraebang date.”

Seunghyun laughed, “Arasso, let’s go to class before Terror-sajangnim catches us.”

Dara shivered in fear, “He really is terror.”

Unbeknownst to the two, a man sat behind his desk staring clearly envious of the growing fondness between the two. He didn’t like it one bit.