Chapter 35: Aftermath

“Bom, you still awake?” Dara whispered after opening Bom’s door.

“Yep, come in” she heard Bom said by her bed.

They were now back at the mansion and it was only 11 in the evening. Dara can’t seem to sleep because of what just happened back at the banquet hall. She was too worried about her Dad and how she’s ruined the event.. She knows how important it was for her father. And her guilt is slowly eating her up.

“Are you ok?” Bom asked while scooting at the bed, making space for Dara

“not really..” Dara said before laying herself at the bed.

“Don’t worry everything’s is being handled by your father’s team, and I bet by tomorrow everyone would forget about what happened tonight.” Bom assured her.

Dara stared at the ceiling. Honestly she knows very well that her father’s people would take care of it easily. But she’s worried about her father..

“I messed it up, Bommie.. Father might be disappointed in me and disown me first thing in the morning..” Dara pouted.

“Hahahaha! That’s ridiculous Dara, your father adores you. He would never do that” Bom chuckled while facing her best friend. “By the way, what was that chaos all about?”

“Top and Jiyong..” Dara heaved a sigh while still staring at the ceiling. She still can’t believe those two. Wait till I get my hands on those two. She thought

“Top wanted to talk to me, I’m sure he’s not going to stop until he talks to me and explain everything.. Do I need to Bommie?” Dara faced Bom.

“I think you should Dara.. he was still your friend, he was always there for you before you broke up, I hate to admit it but, atleast you owe him that much.” Bom said with a serious face. “Do you still love him, Dara?”

“I don’t know, but I still think I care for him.. He was a part of me once… and he will always be my first love Bom. I can’t deny that.” Dara honestly said.

“So I guess, you should really tell him everything.. he made effort to talk to you and explain everything, and I think you should too, you both owe each other that much to move on with your separate life.” Bom said

“yes, I guess so.. I’ll talk to him soon.”

*RING*

Bom turned and reached for the phone on the bedside table. “Yeobseyo?” she asked

“Yes, she’s here, wait a minute..” Bom said before handing the receiver to Dara. “It’s Mr. Chu..”

Dara grab the phone “yeobseyo?”

“Mam, Mr. Kwon is here to see you, he’s at the 2nd flr lounge” Mr. Chu said over the line

“Thanks, Mr. chu, I’ll be there in a minute.” Dara said before handing the receiver back to Bom

“What was that all about?” Bom asked while hanging up the phone

“I think Donghae’s here.. with a soju and Lays.. “ Dara said while standing up from the bed. “You want to come?”

“nah... I think I should take my sleep now, I need to go to the university early tomorrow.” Bom said while pulling her cover. “Say hi to oppa for me.. Goodnight ssantoki.”

“arasso, goodnight Bommie, thank you.” Dara said before closing the door behind her.

..

..

Dara skipped her way to the lounge area, excited to see Donghae and drink some Soju. She desperately needs one right now. She smiled just thinking about it.

“Donghae-oppa! I knew you would—“ Dara excitedly said after entering the lounge but was surprised to see a badly bruised Jiyong sitting at the sofa

“Jiyong??” she said with a shock face. “what are you doing here?”

Jiyong didn’t reply instead he stood up and walked towards Dara while looking intently at her eyes. He stopped one step away from Dara and stared at her without a word.

Gulp.. what’s he doing?? Dara thought as she stared back at him. His face was all bruised and his left eye was swollen. A small cut was visible on his lips and his hair was all messed up. He was still wearing his suit but the white polo underneath was stained with drops of blood by the collar.

He slowly raised his left hand which was holding a red rose. “Sorry..” was all he can say. “forgive me?”

Dara tore her eyes from Jiyong then down at the rose in front of her. “Ji..” Dara whispered still now sure of what was going on.

“please?” Jiyong pleaded

Dara slowly raised her right hand and took the rose from Jiyong. “Wait here..” She said before turning and leaving the lounge area.

Jiyong heaved a sigh, he was still rooted at the spot where Dara left him. “I guess that was a ‘no’” he muttered while shoving both his hands on his side pockets. Nice try, a*hole.. you really messed up big time.. He thought. He can’t blame Dara if she would never talk to him ever again. First, the kiss and then the fight. The girl has every right to hate him. Stupid. He never thought he would act this way, not for a girl. But somehow, he find himself doing idiotic things lately. He was smart. But for some reason, he was now stupid. All because of Dara.

He kicked his shoe on the floor once before turning and leaving the lounge. “Well, I tried.. I’m sorry, I messed things up Dara” He said to no one in particular.

…

…

He was about to turn the knob of the entrance door when he heard running footsteps from behind him. He turned and was surprised to see Dara panting and holding a small box.

“Yah! I told you to wait for me at the lounge area!” Dara said while resting her free hands on the wall while she catches her breath.

“Huh? I thought ---“ Jiyong said before he felt Dara’s hands grip his wrist and pulled him with her.

Jiyong stared at Dara’s back while she drag him along the corridor back to the lounge. A smiled crept to his face. Somehow the warmth her hands brought on his wrist tells that he didn’t mess it up after all. I could still make things right He silently thought It’s not too late.

..

..

Top drank the beer in his hand in one go before slamming the bottle hard on the bar counter.

“Top, that’s enough.” Taeyang pat Top by the shoulder. “you know very well that you’re not a good drinker.”

Right after they left the banquet hall, Top and Taeyang went straight to a local club, leaving Yoona and his infuriated grandmother. His phone has been ringing nonstop for the last couple of hours, and he knew very well who was desperately calling him.

“I still need to talk to her Taeyang..” Top muttered. There are still a lot of questions in his head and Dara is the only one who could answer all of them.

..

..

“Ouch!” Jiyong winced in pain as Dara dabbed a wet cotton on his lips.

“Hold still… don’t be such a baby Jiyong” Dara scolded while she carefully wash the dried blood off of Jjiyong’s lips.

Jiyong can’t keep glancing away. Dara being too near him make his heartbeat flutter like crazy and her strawberry scent reaching his overly sensitive nose aint helping at all… gulp.. keep it together Jiyong.. He thought as he stared at the wall.

“Hold still.. you did this to yourself, so you better man up and suffer your consequence.. tsk” Dara keep on muttering as she finish her mission on his lips and shift her attention to his bruised jaw.. She can’t help but heaved a sigh.. boys and their fist.. tsk.. she thought disapprovingly

“Anyway, what were you thinking punching other people?” Dara said while concentrating on cleaning the cut on Jiyong’s cheeks.

“Nothing..” Jiyong muttered..  I just don’t like that Choi Seunghyun guy.. he thought to himself.

“You also got some scratches yourself..” Jiyong muttered when she saw red scratches on Dara’s arm.

“It’s ok, I already applied some ointment on them awhile ago..” Dara said while putting a band aid on Jiyong’s left jaw to cover the cut and to prevent infection.

“There.. finished” Dara said while putting away the ointments and cotton balls on the first aid kit.

Jiyong felt the band aid on his cheeks with his left hands.. “Thanks, Dara..” He said and stared at her.

“No problem..what are friends for..” Dara said with a smile while patting a hand on his knee. Jiyong suddenly grab her hand and squeezed it..

“Dara.. I’m sorry..” Jiyong sincerely said

“Nah, it was ok, Dad already deal with it awhile ago, the media won’t leak it to the public any time soon, so no harm done.” Dara said while trying to pull back her hands but Jiyong held it tightly.

“No, I mean about the kiss..” Jiyong started  “I mean, I’m not sorry about the kiss, I’m sorry about what I told you after that.. I didn’t know what came over me.. When I kissed you, It felt different,  it felt nice, Dara.. It felt so damn right.”

Dara could only stare at Jiyong shocked.. Trying to understand every word that Jiyong had just said. “Then why? Why did you avoid me for weeks Jiyong? I was confused.. I was mad at you.. and –“

“I know, I’m really sorry for that, I acted stupid. I shouldn’t have avoided you.” Jiyong continued “what I said back then, was true.. I really like you Dara.. I do, sincha.”

“Can we start over? I want to make this right..” Jiyong stared at his hand holding Dara’s.

“Huh?” Dara opened , can’t believe what she’s hearing right now.

“But, Sohee.. that girl will surely kill me if---“ Dara retorted but Jiyong cut her off

“Sohee? Dara we never got back together, after I saw her with that guy at the restaurant.. It hit me.. it hit me hard.. people were already telling me about her and her rumoured ‘men’, but I keep on brushing it off thinking they were just trying to ruin our relationship. I guess I was to blame, I never had enough time for her back then…” Jiyong explained with a pained expression in his face.

“Oh.. I see.. I’m sorry” Dara said while looking down avoiding his stare. Badump.. Badump.. Her heart was beating so fast.. What is this? She thought

“So, Dara.. I’ll say it again.. “ Dara heard Jiyong said before she felt her chin being lifted and her eyes met his.

Thump.. Thump…

“I like you Park Sandara.. Kim Sandara.. Dara..” Jiyong smiled at her .. “And I’ll do everything in my power to make you like me, too. I promise”

..

..

At the Choi mansion.

“Ma’am, here are the papers you asked for” a man in his 40’s laid