TOP’s POV

 

“So, you’re Choi Seunghyun?” Mr. Kwon asked after we were introduced to each other.

 

“Yes, sir,” I answered and bowed. Why am I here again? Ugh. I don’t know why. It’s Park’s fault! My sister didn’t stop bugging me until I say yes.

 

“Tell me about your plans for the future? What are you planning to take up in college, anyways? What-”

 

“Dad”, Jiyong stopped his father.

 

“Do you like Dara?” Mr. Kwon continued.

 

“Well, I. . .”

 

“Uncle! Ji!” someone called cheerfully. All of us turned our heads. I saw Park smiling all-ears but it disappeared as she saw me. She went to hug and thank Mr. Kwon.

 

“Where’s your mother?” Mr. Kwon asked.

 

“She said she’ll follow”.

 

“What are you doing here?” she asked spicily. I chuckled.

 

“As you can see, I’m standing,” I smirked.

 

Her eyes turned into tiny slits, making her look like a lioness.

 

“I invited him, Dara,” Mr. Kwon said. I laughed out loud as I saw how awkward the little brat went.

 

The moment Mrs. Park arrived, we started eating. Unlike Hyun Seung’s party, there’s a little formality in Park’s celebration, probably because Mr. Kwon and Mrs. Park are present. But the dinner was fun. Mr. Kwon was really cool for throwing jokes around and revealing some “embarrassing moments” of Jiyong and Park when they were kids. But there were also awkward times just like Mr. Kwon and Mrs. Park interrogating me much to my embarrassment as well as with the brat. At this time, I’m kinda thankful that Park is irritated with me. At least, she stops the two from interrogating me much further.

 

After the dinner, Mr. Kwon asked Mrs. Park to leave us, the “kids” alone and let us have some fun by ourselves. Once the two were out, the gang started to grin wide.

 

“Some music please,” Taeyang requested. I saw Jiyong went to the player and turned it on.

 

“Let’s start the game!” Seungri started.

 

We all went to sit on the floor. Hyun Seung went to get the fish bowl from his bag.

 

“I changed all the challenges,” Hyun Seung informed us.

 

“Are those challenges decent?” Park asked. I can’t help but chuckle at how nervous she sounded. So, she hasn’t forgotten about our previous challenge, has she? Ah, it was a good thing to know that I'm not alone with it.

 

“They are pretty decent,” Hyun Seung answered.

 

“Getting scared again, Park?” I asked.

 

“Why should I? The worse is over already.”

 

“Huh! As if you didn’t enjoy it yourself.”

 

“YA! I DEFINITELY DID NOT ENJOY KI-”

 

“Hey, guys, are we going to play the game or not?” Jiyong interfered.

 

 

JIYONG’s POV

 

I shook my head as I watched my bestfriend working overtime, swimming.

 

“Tell me again why you’re practicing just now? Why you didn’t practice long before the race?”

 

“I forgot,” she answered.

 

I sighed. “You’re hopeless.”

 

“I am not. I can win this!”

 

“Why don’t you take a rest first? You’ve been swimming for six hours already.”

 

“I can’t stop. The race is tomorrow and my speed hasn’t improved yet.”

 

My grip tightened on the stopwatch I’m holding as I was trying to prolong my patience for Dara’s stubbornness.

 

“If you’re not going to rest, you won’t have enough strength for tomorrow. Come out of the pool now and eat first. I brought your favorite foods.”

 

She thought for a while. “Okay. But just five minutes,” she said. She got out of the pool. I gave her a towel as we went to the far side corner of the gym, where I left the foods.

 

“Is there-munch-something- munch- wrong with your head?” she asked a while later.

 

“None. Why?”

 

“You’ve been shaking your head for the whole day.”

 

“I just can’t understand why you have to engage yourself in this. It’s so childish!”

 

“It’s not childish. It’s a guy thing.”

 

“Whatever,” I said, standing up.

 

“Ya! Where are you going?”

 

“Comfort room,” I answered.

 

“Oh, okay.”

 

“Stay right there, okay? Take a rest.”

 

“Yes, sir!” she saluted.

 

 

After a few minutes. . .

 

I frowned as I saw no sign of my bestfriend anywhere the moment I went back to the gym. Now where did that little rabbit go? I let my gaze roam again, then, something dark in the pool caught my eyes.

 

I cursed silently as I immediately dived into the pool to get my stupid, stubborn and drowning bestfriend. It didn’t take long for me to pull her up since she’s really skinny. The water dripped heavily as I put her down on the floor.

 

“Wake up, wake up!” I said, tapping her face. But she didn’t move. I started to panic as I saw how pale she was. How long was I gone, anyways? How long was she under the water? Aish! I wanted to scream but I didn’t. Instead, I started pumping her chest.

 

“C’mon Dara. It’s not time for jokes!” I gritted.

 

I leaned down to check her breathing. Damn! I pumped her chest again. When nothing happened, I closed my eyes and leaned down again. I started blowing air into . I repeated this over and over again as I alternatively pumped her chest. Then, she started to cough out water. I rubbed her chest.

 

“Breathe!” I ordered.

 

“Muscle cramps,” she informed me breathlessly. “I was-"

 

“Shut up! Stop talking and take in deep breaths first” I ordered again. When I saw that she was breathing normally again, I dropped myself to the floor.

 

“You disobeyed me again,” I quietly said. She didn’t speak. She pushed herself up to sit.

 

“Don’t you dare stand up or I’m going to drown you myself!” I snapped. I reached out for her legs and started massaging them.

 

“Why do you keep on making me worry, Dara? Your stubbornness is beyond stupidity already. How would you feel if I was in danger? I bet you won’t freak out or even bother worrying about me.”

 

“That’s not true,” she whispered.

 

“Then you should understand how it feels everytime I see you’re. . . You don’t know what it does to me. You don’t know what I felt when I saw you on the ground with those guys holding you down. And just now. . .What would you do if I drown myself, too? What-”

 

“You won’t drown. You’re an expert swimmer,” she joked.

 

“You almost got yourself killed and you still have the guts to make jokes?!?” I suddenly burst. I saw her flinched but that didn’t put an end to the anger and mixed feelings I’m experiencing.

 

“I’m just trying to make you smile,” she mumbled.

 

I stared at her for a while. Aish! This is one of the reasons why I can’t stay mad at her, probably one of the reasons she’s my bestfriend. She sure does know how to soften me up. But no, I should stand ground.

 

“Get dressed, we’re going home.”

 

“But-“

 

“No more practices,” I said and stopped massaging her. I stood up and went to get our things.

 

 

DARA’s POV

 

I usually behave automatically once I know Ji is being his autocratic self. My head was bowed as I was trailing behind him. I cleared my throat and looked up.

 

“Ya! G-dragon!” I called. But he ignored me. I pouted and bowed my head again. He’s really angry, I thought. Ji seldom gets angry at me, so I know that this time, I crossed the line again. Aish! That was just an accident. It’s as if I did it on purpose. I didn’t ask to get muscle cramps in the middle of the pool, did I?

 

Then I smiled as a thought crossed my mind.

 

“Ugh!” I moaned and dropped myself to the ground. Ji stopped and looked at me.

 

“What are you doing there, sitting in the middle of the street? Are you really out of your mind?”

 

“Muscle cramps again!” I groaned. I saw him rushed to my aid.

 

“See? I told you to take a rest before but you won’t listen. Look what’s happening to you right now! You overworked yourself too much.”

 

I secretly smiled as I saw him gave my legs massage.

 

“Piggyback,” he suddenly said with a very serious face. Who was I to disobey?

 

 

Three minutes later. . .

 

I tried not to close my eyes but I can’t. I forced myself to remain awake, but I can’t. It’s just like that everytime Ji carries me on his back, I feel secured and safe. His back feels so warm and comforting. It feels like I’m being held by the clouds. Aish! What am I thinking? Those were disgusting words, at least for me.

 

Left with no choice, I surrendered, succumbed to sleep.

 

I was screaming at the top of my lungs like a crazy person that I am as I was running towards my father with Ji trailing behind me.

 

“APPA!” I screamed when I saw my father. I buried myself in my father’s embrace as he scooped me up.

 

“What happened to my baby Sandara, eh?”

 

“Ji!”

 

“Why? What did Jiyong do?”

 

“HE KISSED ME!” I screamed.

 

“That was an accident!” Ji said a little breathlessly.

 

“It was not! You did it on purpose!” I accused.

 

“I did not! It was an accident!” Ji insisted.

 

“It was too long for an accident! You did it on purpose!”

 

“I did not and it wasn’t that long!”

 

“Yes, you did! And it was long!”

 

“If it was TOO long for you, why didn’t you push me away, then?”

 

Appa suddenly laughed.

 

The scene changed, too.

 

I was riding the little bike bought for me by Appa for my birthday when a car suddenly passed by. I stumbled down as my bike broke. I stood up and looked at my broken bike, tears starting to fall.

 

“Appa!” I shouted. I was sobbing hard when Appa came to my aid, followed by Ji, Dami unnie and Umma.

 

“Oh, dear, are you alright?” Umma asked.

 

“My bike is broken!” I sobbed.

 

“Come here. We’re going to fix this, okay?” Appa comforted me.

 

I nodded.

 

“You’ve got wounds, Sandaya,” Ji noticed.

 

“Omo! You’re right. I told you to watch over her, didn’t I?” Dami unnie scolded Ji.

 

“I’m sorry,” Ji apologized. The scene changed again.

 

“Don’t cry anymore, baby. Be brave, okay? Be brave like Appa for your mother. I love you, baby.”

 

“APPA!”

 

I jerked awake. I found out that I’m already in my room. I turned to the side, expecting to see my bestfriend. But he wasn’t there. I frowned. But then I remembered that Ji don’t sleep here if his father or mother or sister is home.

 

I looked at the clock. It was five in the morning. I stood up and went to get a shirt to put on, since I’m in my sleeping attire: boxers and bra. After putting the shirt on, I headed to the door. I went for a drink in the kitchen first before going to the main door and stepped outside.

 

I pressed the buzzer. I just hope Ji would open the door and not Uncle.

 

“I had a dream again,” I informed him the moment the door opened and find out that it was Ji.

 

“Come in,” he said. He put his arm on my shoulder and we headed for his room.

 

“Wanna talk about it?” he asked.

 

“No, I just want to go to sleep again.”

 

He chuckled. “Okay.”

 

I lay down beside him as we reached his room. He kept his arm around me as he whispered, “Sleeptight, rabbit.”

 

“You’re not angry anymore?” I asked.

 

“No. You know I can’t stay angry at you for so long. You’re too adorable for your own good.”

 

“Ya! Don’t say that!”

 

 

Two hours later. . .

 

I felt cold water splashed across my face. I jerked awake.

 

“Move quickly. You still got a race to win.”

 

 

JIYONG’s POV

 

“Ready! Set, go!”

 

The two swimmers dived into the pool. I wanted to cover my eyes. I’m quite confident TOP hyung will win. But I can’t help but feel proud as I saw my bestfriend trying to keep up with hyung. It’s an achievement to see that somehow she can keep up with him. But I was actually a bit worried about my bestfriend. What if she gets muscle cramps again?

 

Then, I saw hyung emerged from the pool followed by Dara. Hyung looked at Dara smugly.

 

“I won, Park.”

 

“It was luck,” Dara answered.

 

“Call it whatever you want. That doesn’t change the results. Now for the prize . . .” hyung’s voice trailed.

 

“What prize?” Dara snapped.

 

“In every race, there’s always a winner. And winners always get prizes, don’t they?”

 

Dara’s eyes turned into tiny slits. “What do you want then?” she gritted.

 

Hyung thought for a while, then he smirked.

 

“Go out on a date with me.”