c/to: monsterLea

 

 

 

 

DARA

 

 

It was dark. But I wasn’t sure if it was still night time or already breaking dawn. All I know was that it was dark and it scared me. I needed darkness but I don’t want to stay in it. Problem is, I don’t know how to get out. I can hear distinct noises in front of me but the most I can figure out is the familiar gentle humming of a boy beside me, lulling me to sleep. And then I gather maybe it wasn’t dark. Maybe I just need to open my eyes and see the light.

 

That’s what I did.

 

I saw it. A very bright light. So bright it blinded me for a few seconds and then it was back to darkness. But this time I also felt pain. I tried opening my eyes but I can’t see clearly. The humming voice that I knew so well now sounded like struggling grunts and I knew the boy felt pain too.

 

I called out for someone, anyone, but my voice only came out as helpless mumbles. After a while I felt something shook around me.

 

 

“Dara-----“

 

 

 

 

 

I woke up with a start and then started scanning my surroundings. I was in Jiyong’s house and I dreamt of it again. The dream usually finishes off with me waking up, shrieking.

 

But this time, I didn’t get to finish the dream because Jiyong woke me up.

 

 

. Well, he has his boxers on. But still. It let me see he had a happy morning.

 

“Why are you ?!”

 

“Well, good morning to you to.” He replied sounding angry as he put his hands on his hips. “I woke up to sound of a woman grunting, I thought someone was having in my living room. What’s up with you?”

 

 

 

…

 

It took a while for me to answer because, well, who could concentrate with a protruding stick shoved in your face.

 

“Nothing Ji, but something is certainly up with you. Are you planning on covering yourself anytime soon?”

 

I needed to visit the church and wash my eyes with holy water.

 

His eyes widened and he turned around to go to his room. I yanked my blanket to sat up and then felt the gush of nausea kicked in. Freakin’ tequila shots.

 

But this pain is better than that dream.

 

I saw my phone on the center table blinking indicating that there is a voicemail. I opened it and listened to Bommie, “Just checking in honey, were you and Jiyong being safe? Hahaha. Call me when you’re not busy. I had with TOP. Bye”

 

My jaw dropped. My best friend is totally keeping things from me. I need to nip serious details on this strange TOP-BOM unknown relationship status and get to the bottom of it. ASAP.

 

“Dara,” Jiyong called out. Maybe I’ll nip serious details later. “I can’t find my shirt. You know that one I got as a souvenir when we went cruising.” We didn’t go cruising. We were supposed to go to Hongkong via plane but, you know, Jiyong intervened. It was my first year with him.

 

I looked down at the shirt I was wearing and saw a whale winking. “I’m wearing it.” I yelled back. “You can’t wear this today, I slept on it.”

 

He didn’t answer back so I pressed on, “Are you taking a shower?”

 

No answer.

 

“You have to meet up with YG to discuss your album.”

 

Still, no answer.

 

“If I open the door to your room and you aren’t in the shower, you’re gonna get it.”

 

I heard little scuffles and finally the sound of water pressure coming from a shower.

 

 

 

*****

 

Jiyong parked in front of a bagel shop three blocks away from Jiyeon’s salon. He is seriously going to make me walk. . He drove the way here because I can’t see anything without glasses or contact lenses.

 

 

I went to Jiyeon’s where I left my glasses, I needed it back coz’ the contacts she gave me needed solution, something that I don’t essentially have. When I got back, Jiyong had his planted on the hood of his car. He had on a baseball cap and huge sunglasses and he tried not to standout with his bright pink tee and skinny jeans. I say that sarcastically though nobody seemed to mind him eating bagel like a model on the sidewalk.

 

“Welcome back, I missed you.” He said, obviously mocking my old style of a hair bun and glasses, wearing his old cargo pants that magically fitted me and the souvenir shirt I slept on. He said I look funny wearing it so he didn’t let me change nor did he let me borrow anything else from his closet. “Now drive.” He followed up with a straight face and went on his way to the passenger’s seat.

 

I fought an eye roll when a stranger came up with me holding up a newspaper. “Oh my God, it is you.” She said.

 

I looked at Jiyong who had stopped from opening the car door to look at our direction. I then narrowed my eyes to the stranger saying, “Do I know you?”

 

“No. But you’re here,” she screeched and shove the newspaper in my face. “You’re Kwon Jiyong’s manager and his date last night. Is he here with you? You two aren’t dating, right. You’re just the manager.”

 

I barely wrapped my brains around the idea of my face in the newspaper when people started coming out from nowhere and getting into my face asking me questions simultaneously, I didn’t catch a single word.

 

I turned my head to Jiyong for help but I caught him ducking down the front seat of the car trying not to be seen.

 

TRAITOR!

 

I pushed my way into the little crowd that surrounded me (I did a bit of struggling but nothing I’m not used to) and got inside the car. I the engine and slowly drove as the crowd parted to make way.

 

 

 

“Whew!” Jiyong exclaimed as we escaped the place.

 

I stayed quiet. I did not meant to give him the silent treatment but I really don’t want to fight with him and opening my mouth means he’ll argue back and vice versa. I’m still sleepy and a little bit hangover and I had half a cup of coffee this morning. It’s 11 am and Jiyong’s supposed to meet YG at 10.

 

Seriously, the party was crazy last night and he still expects us to work the morning after. Slave –driver. I should campaign a memo about rest days after crazy booze nights in the office.

 

“Ha!” Jiyong vented beside me. “Told’ya your fake smile would look good when printed.” He held a newspaper so I could see what he’s talking about. In the front page was a contrasting picture of the two of us. One was taken last night before we walked the red carpet and the other one was some months ago, during Jiyong’s scandal. I had Jiyong’s arms wrapped around me, his front to my back, as he bent his head down. The picture shows my face fully exposed and only a partial of Jiyong’s.

 

“Where did you get that?!” I am actually more concern about how he instantly got a newspaper while his fans was tearing me in front of a bagel shop.

 

“One of the crazy ladies who attacked you dropped it.”

 

He started flicking through the pages and I know he’s reading whatever is written about us.

 

“It says here you’re a part-trainee, part manager.” He says.

 

I can feel the headache spreading all over my skull. “There’s no such thing.”

 

“I know. Hey, you’re a psych major?”  He asked and I almost hit the brakes.

 

“How did they know that?” Gosh, not a lot of people knew that. I might’ve shared that info with YG but I doubt he’d sell anything about me into the press. He knows how much I value my privacy. I wonder what else they know about me.

 

“It also says here that you broke up with your boyfriend because you needed to work with me.”

 

“Ridiculous. Did it say anything about me punching Jungmin?”

 

“Nope. But it did say here that and I quote, “Ms. Park allegedly squeezed Mr. Jung’s gonads after he accidentally slipped his hands into her behind as they were dancing that night, unquote.”

 

 

…

 

“I know I should’ve gotten used to it already but I really worry about the way information get twisted in this industry.” I said blinking my eyes in confusion.

 

“Don’t worry about it YG-hyung’s gonna take care of it.”

 

“Yikes, I haven’t apologize to him for my behavior last night and now this, he’s gonna take care of this and then he’s gonna take care of me. Me, having the possibility of receiving a negative kind of care, do you know what I mean?”

 

He rolled his eyes at me and replied, “I’m sure he’s as ecstatic as everyone else because of what you did. Maybe he’ll throw out a party to commemorate what happened.”

 

As if.

*****

 

 

Despite the fact that Jiyong is an hour and a half late for the meeting, we still made our way to YG’s office.

 

I opened the door to his office and greeted, “We’re here. We’re late. We’re sorry.”

 

But instead of YG, we saw Gummy-unnie, also an artist in YG for quite some time now.

 

“Unnie,” I greeted. “Where’s sajangnim?”

 

“Why are you looking for him? You should be hiding.” She said.

 

“Reporters, journalists, heck, probably even sports analysts are ringing every telephone in the office downstairs asking about what happened last night. Dara, I was there and you kicked- and all but you did it in front of every media available and it was fine last night. We thought we calmed them down and sent the press home early but they only did so they can spread the news and have your face all over the internet overnight.”

 

 

It’s okay you can say it. I’m doomed.

 

“Oh, your name is number one on Naver.” Jiyong voiced out.

 

“But the news are darkly twisted, it’s not even half-true.” I said ignoring Jiyong.

 

“What are you still drunk? Don’t you remember punching Jungmin?” Gummy patted my head like I’m a demented person. I snatched the newspaper she’s holding and started reading it. It did say about something about my education, my job and non-existing boyfriend also, something about an altercation between me, Jiyong and Jungmin.

 

It didn’t say anything about me squeezing anything out of anyone.

 

“Jiyong, you moron.”

 

I saw him shrugged and said, “I just thought it’d be more interesting if you really did hurt him in the balls. I’ll build you a statue if you do that. Will you do that, for me?”

 

“I punched him, for you. What do I get now?” Why are we having this stupid conversation when I should be running for my life?

 

 

Jiyong, on the other hand is busy thinking what he would give me, “D-do you… I-I will…” he muttered while thinking. Gosh, I was only joking. “I will plant a tomato.”

 

Talk about random.

 

I didn’t get to say anything back because the door opened and it revealed the punisher.

 

 

“I WILL DO ANYTHING YOU WANT ME TO JUST PLEASE SPARE ME!!!”

 

 

…

“You look funny.” Jiyong said.

 

I was bended on both knees and my hands are clasped in a prayer as I looked up in close eyes. I did this automatically when YG entered his own office. I didn’t even notice he was on the phone.

 

“I’ll talk to you later.” He said on the other line and then stood in front of me, staring at me, blazing me with furious eyes. “Stand up and sit beside Jiyong.”

 

 

 

I did what I was told because I’m genuinely scared. He drew in a breath before he started ranting. I braced myself because I knew this would be essay paper long. “How long has Ms. Dara Park been training under YG? Is being Jiyong’s manager part of her training? Is Ms. Dara Park’s image that of a gangster? What are your comments about your talent’s brash behavior at the party? Does she have a personal grudge against Mr. Jung or JYP Company as a whole? Is it true that she’s in a relationship with Bigbang’s Jiyong and TOP as well as Jung Jungmin all at the same time? Was that the reason of the fight?”

 

 

“My ears can still hear the telephone ringing all the way up here. I broke four telephones because I slammed it every time they asked me if I you were part of a scandal.”

 

I tried opening my mouth this time but he stopped me.

 

“Sshh. Don’t talk I know you’re not. You know how netizens are. I have announced damaged-control. There will be bigger news tomorrow so you don’t have to worry about anything. Thanks to me. Don’t smile. I’m not done with you.”

 

“I have expected that behavior from Jiyong but from you? I know he deserved that one-hell of a punch but you should’ve known better than to refute a drunken person using your fist. I was convinced that dealing with Jiyong should’ve taught you better. I guess I was wrong. I’m not saying I’m disappointed but what you did was completely immature and that kind of conduct deserves a punishment. I’m sorry.”

 

YG is famous for his punishment. He loves torturing everyone that did wrong. Maybe I’ll get sent to a forgotten country with unknown language and will be force to collect ideas on tranquility.

 

 “What do you say, Dara?” He said.

 

I startlingly faced him and composed myself.

 

“What you said was true. Last night, I drank a whole bottle of wine and partnered with adrenaline it completely clouded my judgment. What I did was uncharacterized and I understand that it bought shame to the company that has been helping me through these years so I will accept the punishment.”

 

You thought I was done. I’m not going down without a fight. I will not be sent to another country.

 

“But, I would also want you, sajangnim, to think about the event that led me into drinking that said bottle of wine. It was you; I believe, who sophisticatedly threw me in that crowd to be bidded without my knowledge. I didn’t mean anything by bringing this up but since I’m about to receive a punishment, I would just like to give my two cents on that matter for you to consider ways in conducting my discipline.”

 

…

 

“You’re good.” Gummy unnie was the first one to break the silence.

 

“YG hires only the best.” I looked straight into YG’s eyes as I said the words.

 

“Damn it, now I don’t know what punishment to give you.” YG hissed.

 

“YES! Ha ha, justice is on my side.” I shout with a fist pump.

 

“Yeah, laugh it up. I’m gonna think of something that’ll make you and Jiyong bleed in agony.”

 

“Why am I included?” Jiyong asked on my side.

 

“Hmm…let me think Jiyong, maybe it’s because you’re the nut job that got berserk trying to protect Dara but failed when she defended you first. They asked me if I breed world-class fighters in my company so yeah, that gained you a punishment too.” YG told him.

 

“I didn’t even get to punch him.”

 

“Yeah, sajangnim. I’ll take the punishment. Just leave Jiyong out of this. It was entirely my fault.”

 

“You’re gonna shoulder it alone?” Jiyong asked me.

 

“Yeah, it’s fine. You’re going to be busy with your album anyway so, I’ll just do it alone.”

 

I’m actually being nice to Jiyong. The sky is going to cry.

 

“Okay Beavis and Butthead, Jiyong is still going to be disciplined so while you anticipate my punishment, get out of my office.”

 

“What about our meeting?” Jiyong asked.

 

“We we’re supposed to meet at 10, it’s almost 12. OUT!!”

 

Jiyong and I scampered out of our seats and out of the door.

 

I barely heard them talking about Gummy-unnie’s MV concept when YG called me again.

 

“DARA!!”

 

I paused and watched Jiyong ran for his life while I walked backwards and poked my head at the door.

 

“Did you mean what you said earlier, about doing anything just so I’ll spare you?” YG asked and then smiled at me like it won’t matter what I reply, I’m going to have to do anything he asked whether it’s legal or not.

 

 

 

 

…

“I’m not going to sell any of my internal organs as punishment.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

a/n:

enjoy this for now, i'll update again tomorrow