Someone Other Than Me





It's been three days already. 


Three long, grueling days of staring at her phone. 


Dialing... 


Redialing... 


Waiting... 


Closing... 


Opening... 


It has been three long, grueling days since Kwon Jiyong left Tokyo and until now, 


Sandara Park has not lost hope. 


She stretched her ams a bit as she wriggled in her soft bed. 


It was six A.M. on her clock. 


Too early to start the day. 


She still has one more hour to spare for more sleep but her eyes refused to close for when they did, images of the man she loves the most looking at her with so much sorrow and despair filled her thoughts. 


She forced her eyes open and looked at her phone again, unaware that she slept while clutching the device close to her heart. 


Her eyes lit up when she saw that a message had popped up on the screen. She hurriedly opened her inbox only to be disappointed once again. 


'G'morning! I hope you're feeling better now...' 


It was Youngbae. She threw the phone on the bed out of frustration. 


"Why does everyone have to ask if I'm alright?!" 


She heard a sharp gasp to her right and noticed Bom looking at her with concern in her eyes. She didn't even noticed her friend was there all along. 


"Ssantokki..." Bom said as she moved to Dara's bed and placed her hand on Dara's arm. Dara let Bom hold her gently as comfort instantly enveloped her. 


"H-how.. w-what.. how long..." Dara asked dumbfoundedly. 


"It's going to be alright, Dara. It will be alright." She gently patted Dara's back like a mother comforting her own child. Dara, in turn, snuggled close to her. 


"You sound like my omma. Can I call you Bomma?" Dara joked. Bom laughed along with her. 


"No, I prefer you call me 'unni' as that is what you should call me from the start." Bom kneeled on the bed and put her hands in her waist, acting hurt and offended. Dara knew, though, that she was just acting to make her feel better. 


"I prefer calling you, Bomma. It suits you." Dara joked again. This time, Bommie stuck her tongue out at Dara. 


Dara smiled at her best friend who has been the most loyal friend a girl can have. Bom looked at her and smiled, silently telling her that she can share anything with her. 


Dara understood. She was also getting tired of bottling up all her frustrations. 


"Why did he leave again, Bommie?" She asked, her voice was reduced into a whisper. "Why didn't he wait for me to tell him what I've decided?" 


Bom sighed for she knew those were the questions she couldn't answer accurately. 


"We don't know the answer to that, Dara." She softly answered. "All I know is that Jiyong probably have a valid reason or else, he wouldn't leave just like that." She cupped Dara's face and looked at her meaningfully. "You know Jiyong very well, right? That boy cannot bear to stay away from you even for just a mere second." Dara slowly nodded, understanding fully what the older girl was telling her. 


"I know. It's just though, being left again." She sighed, a hint of sadness can be traced in her voice. 


It especially knowing that the person who left her dragged her heart along with him. 


"Neh. It really just like liking someone and getting no assurance from him..." Bom's voice trailed off. Dara knew from the faraway look of her best friend that she ws talking about something else. 


She can be densed at times but when it comes to matters of the heart, she knows very well what makes her best friend gloomy. 


"Tabi, huh?" She smiled knowingly at Bom. 














"W-what?" Bom asked me, distracted. Her beautiful face was contorted in a frown. 


"Come on now, Bommie. I know you. I know you like Tabi too." I told her, suddenly feeling sorry and relieved at the same time knowing that I wasn't the only one carrying a dilemma. 


Ya! How selfish can you get? You're even relieved that your bestfriend's conflicted as well. 


I felt guilty feeling the way I do. 


Aniyo. It just feels less of a burden knowing that someone understands what I'm going through. 


"Ssantokki..." Her voice trailed off and with her face showing distress, I knew I must have hit a chord. 


"You really like him, neh?" I had to smile while asking her that. She just nodded in defeat. 


Who would have thought Bommie would fall for someone like Tabi? 


I silently spazzed at that thought. 


Bommie was known to be a bully, the noona who stood up to the Big Bang boys' mischiefs and notoriety. Anyone who messes with her either gets badly beaten up or ends up in the sewer. Just ask Seungri. 


Tabi, on the other hand, was a man of few words and when he chose to speak those few words, you'll end up pulling all your hair to decipher what he wanted to say in the first place. 


But eversince the two have become closer due to recording of "Oh Yeah", we started witnessing the gradual transformation of the two. 


Don't believe me? Here's one incident. 


Bommie had just come home from a tiring day of practice at YG building. I had to stay home because I was having a very high fever. 


She waved hello to me and asked how I felt before running towards the refrigerator to retrieve her favorite energy-boosting snack: corn, of course. 


She reached for the handle of the refrigerator and quickly opened it, not wasting any of her precious time. 


Imagine her horror when he found no corn inside their dainty little refrigerator. 


"My corn... my... corn... is... gone..." She said slowly, deadly. She took in a deep breath before facing the people sitting in our sofa. 


"Who took my corn?" She calmly asked though her ferocious eyes betrayed her true emotion. 


Almost on instinct, Seungri's eyes widened in fear. 


"Uhm, hyung, noona," He turned to Jiyong and I. "I-I have to, ah, go back to our dorm to, uhm, prepare for my date." He clumsily said as he made his way slowly and painfully towards the door. 


Bommie, who was standing near the door caught him before he could successfully make his exit with one swift movement. 


"Where do you think you're going, maknae, eh?" Bommie asked sweetly through her gritted teeth. 


Seungri shivered at the display of faux sweetness. 


"Uhm, I'm going home?" He was supposed to say it naturally but ended up sounding confused. 


"Oh, I see." Bommie nodded. "You can go home... right after you answer a simple question." She added, still not letting go of Seungri's collar. 


Seungri looked as if he would pee in his pants any minute now. I felt Jiyong's hold in my arms tightened as he anticipated the fate of his maknae. 


"Uhm, ok, noona." Seungri answered meekly. Bommie flashed him a sweet smile. 


"You didn't happen to see a little corn sitting comfortably in our refrigerator, did you, Seungri-ah?" She asked calmly. Seungri gulped before answering. 


"I saw it earlier..." Seungri began to say but quickly cursed himself when he saw Bommie narrowed her eyes. "BUT I NEVER TOOK IT, NOONA I SWEAR!" He was now panicking, darting glances to Jiyong. 


"Hyung! Tell her! Tell her you didn't see me taking the corn!" Seungri was yelling now. Jiyong just looked away but I can feel his hand trembling, probably afraid to be caught in the middle of the maknae's and the bomminator's battle for dominance. 


"I didn't see anything." Jiyong simply said as Bommie narrowed her eyes to him. I was tempted to laugh as I saw how Seungri's eyes fell from disappointment but my pity over what will happen to the maknae took over. 


"Come on now, Bommie. No need to hurt Seungri-ah." I told her gently, earning me a big smile of gratitude from the trembling maknae. 


Bommie shook her head viciously. "You don't understand, Ssantokki! If I don't punish this guy, these boys" Pointing to Seungri and then Jiyong. "will just continue ransacking our home as if they own the place! I won't stand for that!" I was pretty sure the whole apartment building heard my best friend's piercing screams. 


Bommie was about to give Seungri her famous "Bomminator Bommination Bombscare" which consists of wrapping her arms around the neck of her victim, jumping and falling down the floor, thus, bringing along her victim who will fall helplessly on the ground, hitting his head and in one fall, when Tabi came out of my room looking like a zombie that was awoken from a deep slumber. 


His eyes widened though as he saw Bommie's arms around Seungri. 


"YA! Why are you hugging Seungri?!" Tabi's voice rose up in panic. 


Almost immediately, Bommie retreated her arms from Seungri's neck and distanced herself from the maknae. Seungri silently thanked his hyung for the distraction. 


"Tabi, I, uh, we're just..." Oh my god! Bommie was tongue-tied! 


Jiyong stifled a laugh as he understood what was going through the minds of the two oldest persons in the room. 


"Hyung, she wasn't hugging Seungri earlier. She thought that the maknae stole her corn so she decided to give him her "Bomminator Bommination Bombscare" so don't worry." He snickered as Tabi glared at his last statement. 


Meanwhile, Bommie seemed to lose her tongue. 


It was Tabi who broke the silence. 


"About the corn..." Bommie looked up at him and for a second, their eyes met. Both turned their gaze away though upon feeling a little electricity from their sudden stare. 


"I was the one who ate it. I got hungry earlier and didn't see any food that I wanted to eat. Just the corn." He looked down on his feet, preparing himself for the wrath that will ensued. 


Seungri, Jiyong and I held our breaths, anticipating the wrath that Bommie will unleash on Tabi. 


However, we were greeted by the small, sweet voice of Bommie. 


"I see. I thought it was Seungri who ate it." She said while blushing a little. I wanted to know what was going on inside that head of hers to be blushing upon knowing that Tabi ate her corn. 


'The bomb has been diffused. I repeat, the bomb has been diffused!' Seungri whispered jokingly to us. 


Tabi looked up in surprise upon hearing her sweet voice instead of a shrilling scream. The three of us felt our mouths were left hanging open. 


Tabi gazed at her and Bommie couldn't help but grace him with a little smile. After a few seconds, Tabi returned the favor and smiled at her as well. 


"If you want, I can just buy you another one. I think the store is still open." He looked at her seriously though we can tell he was hesitation to utter the next words. "Want to come with me then? I mean, so that we, uh, you can, ah choose your own corn?" He asked with a nervous laughter. 


We were like audiences watching a romantic scene unfolding right before our very own eyes. Seungri even sat on the sofa and grabbed the bucket of popcorn sitting pretty on the table. 


"Uhm, ok." Bommie just said as she grabbed her bag. 


With that, the two silently walked out of the room, leaving the three of us dumbfounded, pinching ourselves as if to confirm that that scene just happened. 





I felt Bommie's hand on my shoulder which made me focus my attention to her. 


"Ssantokki, I think what you need now is to get the answers to your questions." She looked at me seriously. 


"How will I do that, Bommie? He wouldn't even return my texts, my calls! I even tried contacting the boys but every time, they would just give me stupid alibi as to why Jiyong couldn't talk to me." I sighed in frustration. 


How can I get the answers when the source of it is miles and miles away? 


Bommie just looked at me apologetically as she made her way out of the room. 


I was left alone again with my own thoughts. 


If only I could go to his dorm right now, I will be on strike and will not leave until he talks to me... 


If only I was in Korea now... 


If only I could fly there right this very minute... 


At this very moment... 


I suddenly smiled with the last thought that popped in my head. 










"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SSANKTOKKI'S MISSING??! 


Bom noona was starting to hyperventilate upon hearing from their maknae that Dara was nowhere to be found. 


"I, uhm, went to your room to tell her that dinner was ready but didn't see her." Minji was almost in tears while answering. 


"Some of her clothes are missing as well." Minji added. 


"Hayssssst! I knew we shouldn't left her and just dragged her a$s out of the apartment earlier!" Bom noona put both hands on her waist and paced abck and forth. 


"GUYS!" CL yelled from Dara's and Bom noona's room. 


'I'm probably at the airport now while you're reading this note. 
I'm so sorry for not being able to properly say goodbye. 
Please don't stop me. I owe it to myself to know why he left. 
I'll be back soon.' 

D. 


"HAYSSST THAT SSANTOKKI!" 










I felt anxious upon hearing CL read aloud the note of Dara.


For three days now, I've noticed how Dara became restless, always looking at her phone, dialing, texting, sighing after awhile then looking out


It was painful seeing her like that, especially when he knows that the cause of that state is none other than Kwon Jiyong.


Kwon Jiyong, the man that she loves.


"Dara-unnie went back to Korea? She left us??" Minji asked, hurt that her unnie left them all of a sudden.


"Don't be sad, Minkki-ah. She'll be back soon. She just needs to sort things out with him." Bom-noona answered carefully.


"Jiyong-oppa?" Minji asked. Both Bom-noona and CL nodded.


I sat in the living room sofa, quietly absorbing all the information being fed to me. Woo, who was sitting beside me, disceetly nudged my elbow and whispered to me.


"He saw you kissing her."


I looked at him in surpise. "Who saw me kissing her?" I asked my best friend.


"Jiyong. He saw you kissing Dara-noona." I looked at him, confused.


"How did you know that he saw us?" I asked, puzzled that Woo knew about it.


"I was also there at that time. I saw how excited Dara-noona was when she was looking for you at the waiting room. I guess my curiosity got the best of me..."


He looked shy and embarassed all of a sudden.


"He quickly ran away before you have ended the kiss."


I suddenly felt all the blood being drained from me. Woo's last sentence just put together all the pieces of the puzzle that I had been trying to solve this past few days.


So that's why he left so suddenly and didn't contact Dara.


He saw us kiss and thought it was a mutual thing.


He wasn't around to see how Dara confessed her love for him and rejected mine in the process.


Haysssst! What have you gotten into, Nichkhun?!


I suddenly felt worried about Dara. 


Dara left Japan in hopes of clearing things out with Jiyong but with the sudden revelation of Woo, I dread the meeting of Dara and Jiyong. Jiyong is known to have quite a temper and a misunderstanding such us the "kiss" can be a major hindrance in settling their issue.


I rushed to our apartment without saying a word and headed towards my drawer. I took my wallet which was safely tucked away in that drawer.


After setting all the documents needed, I dialed the number of our manager.


"Hyung. I need a big favor from you."


I listened to the othe rline.


"I need a one-way ticket to Korea now."


I started packing my clothes, toiletries and other neccessities.


"I need to fix something there that I have broken."



















It's been two hours since I arrived at Incheon International Airport. I was greeted by our company driver and he drove me to our dorm.


"Dara, where are you?" I asked, frustrated. I have wasted an hour waiting for Dara to open the door but to no avail.


She probably went to his dorm to make ammends with him. Ammends, that is such a big word.


I rushed out of our apartment and went straight to Jiyong's apartment.


I expected Jiyong to be the one standing, greeting me with a punch.


Instead, a pair of panda ayes, which looked a lot like junsu's, stared at me with pure hatred.


He probably heard what happened. Hayyyyyyyys!!!


"If you're looking for D-ah. She went to Woobar to talk to Jiyong-hyung." He answered me coldly. I couldn't blame him for such hostility. He looks up to Jiyong and treats him like his blood-brother.


Woobar. I know that place. It is located inside W Seoul - Walkerhill in Gwangjin-Gu.


That is the bar where most idols frequent when they want to escape the paparazzi and eager fans because the security there is just epic.


I hastily made my way there, afraid that I may be too late.












I was seated in one of the egg chairs in Woobar. Though Woobar is known to be one of the most prestigious and exclusive bars in Seoul, I was able to gain entrance with a breeze.


I am an idol and I just found out earlier that the bouncer is one of my fanboys.


Now, scanning the place, I realized that there are more people than usual.


"Happy birthday, Taeyeon!" I heard a group of giggling girls squealed.


I gasped as I realized that Taeyeon of SNSD was celebrating her birthday at the club.


No wonder there were more people here tonight.


I saw the rest of SNSD scattered all over the place.


Jessica, Yuri, Sunny and Seohyun were still gathered around Taeyeon who was busy chatting away with some of her other friends.


Yoona, Tiffany, Sooyoung and Seohyun, on the other hand, were already dancing to the cool groove the DJ was serving us.


My gaze remained with Yoona, Tiffany, Sooyoung and Seohyun as I saw a familiar guy standing near them.


He looked like he was already tipsy, laughing and talking in slurs as he was holding a glass of martini and a cigarette on each hand.


Jiyongie...


My heart started beating fast as I made my way towards him, each step bringing me closer to the man I love.


I stopped midway when I saw him turn to my direction. His expression immediately changed and I swore I almost thought he became somber for a few seconds.


He looked at me straight in the eyes.


This time, instead of sadness, I saw coldness in his eyes that made shiver all over.


He started approaching Yoona, Tiffany, Sooyoung and HyoYeon and started dancing with them, his eyes never leaving me once.


I wanted to scold him right then and there for hew was acting like a stupid jerk. It was evident in the faces of the four girls that they weren't enjoying what Jiyong was doing.


I was about to storm towards them when something made me stop. I felt my heart stopped beating as well.


Jiyong has cupped Yoona's face with both his hands and aggressively pulled her towards him, collecting gasps from the people surrounding them.


And as if a cruel joke, he placed his lips against hers, aggressively exploring each and every aspect of Yoona's lips while the girl's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.


My eyes couldn't help but widen as well as I felt my heart stopped beating and slowly shattering into tiny pieces.


"Jiyongie..."


I was crying now, crying like a baby in front of Seoul's finest elites.


I felt heavy breathing behind me.


"Yoona..."


I know that voice. I was surprised to know he's here where he shouldn't have been.


I couldn't tear my eyes off the two kissing couple, Jiyong's eyes still fixed on me. The once cold and uncaring eyes now reflect something different: anger and hatred.


I suddenly felt dizzy as I saw the place spinning in my eyes. I felt two strong hands supported me as I almost fell on the floor.


I couldn't hear what he was saying to me. I didn't even feel that he was starting to drag me away from that scene.


All that my eyes and my heart could see was Jiyong kissing someone...


Someone other than me.