AUTHOR’s POV

 

Mr. Park looked at the little boy sitting beside him. He chuckled when he saw the boy smiled when the girl the both of them were watching laughed out loud.

 

“She’s really something, huh?” Mr. Park asked.

 

“Neh,” the little boy grinned.

 

“Why don’t you go play with her?”

 

“I like watching her. She’s so funny.”

 

The man laughed heartily. “Ah, Jiyong-ah, you really sound like an old man already. I’m really amazed”

 

After a while of silence. . .

 

Mr. Park sighed. “Let’s have a man to man talk, Jiyong-ah.”

 

Others may think it’s weird and odd to see a man and a boy having a serious “man to man talk”. But to Mr. Park, it is not. He believes knowledge can’t be based on age but on the mind itself. And for him, Jiyong is exceptionally wise for his age.

 

“About what Appa?” Jiyong asked. Hearing the boy call him Appa made him smile. He really finds it amusing everytime Jiyong calls him and his wife Umma and Appa. Then, he looked up ahead.

 

“It saddens me that I won’t be here forever. And once my time arrives, I want you to look after her, okay? Do I have your word?”

 

The boy looked at him then at Dara. After a while, the boy looked at Mr. Park again and raised his little hand, offering him a handshake, an old sign of sealing agreements.

 

“You have my word, Appa.”

 

~o~

 

“What’s the meaning of this, Jiyong-ah?” his father burst out loudly.

 

“Dad, how did you. . .?”

 

“I found these in your room! I told you long time ago what’s my say on this. So will you explain to me why I found THESE in your room?!?”

 

“D-dad. . . .I’m just practicing my skills in arts.”

 

“You’d better be sure of that, Jiyong-ah!”

 

 

JIYONG’s POV

 

I stopped in my tracks as I saw two unexpected people entwined. I’m just hallucinating! I told myself. But when I heard a grunt, I realized I’m seeing the right thing! How dare he? First with my bestfriend, and now with my girlfriend? This guy is really getting on my nerves! All the buried anger was brought up to the surface again as I charged towards them. I pulled off the guy from my girl. I’m not really a violent person but remembering Dara made my vision turned red as I went punching him.

 

“Stop! Stop that!” Sohee screamed out but I didn’t listen. And the fact that the guy isn’t fighting back made me even angrier.

 

“Fight back, you coward! Where did your courage go, huh? Ooh, is it because your two apprentices are not here? I thought you said you’re not finished with me yet? Do you think I have forgotten what you did to my bestfriend? First, Dara and now you’re doing the same thing to my girl?!?” I burst out. Then, I suddenly stopped as I saw Sohee ran to Yosuk’s beaten form on the ground hugging him, my eyes grew wide. “What are you doing?” I hissed as I pulled her up. But then, she slapped me.

 

“Don’t touch me! And don’t call Yosuk oppa coward!”

 

“What’s the meaning of this, Sohee?” I burst out though I already know the answer. The girl looked at me with tears in her eyes.

 

“I’m sorry,” she cried.

 

My shoulders fell. “How could you do this?” I breathed.

 

“He. . .Yosuk oppa’s my first love, and he will also be my last,” she whispered.

 

I stared at the both of them, dumbfounded.

 

“You’re joking, right? But that’s. . . that’s impossible!”

 

“I know you already knew that we’re not going anywhere a few months back. And I know, the time would come that you’ll thank me for this.”

 

“WHAT?!? You’re crazy! How could I say thank you when you hurt-“

 

“You’ll see.”

 

I went running. This is too much to take for me. It was all of a sudden! Why is everything happening so fast lately? I didn’t expect there’s a third party involved in Sohee’s part. I didn’t see this one coming. He was her first love? It’s totally unbelievable. No wonder Yosuk said those words to me before. No wonder he seemed to hold a grudge against me.

 

 

DARA’s POV

 

I bowed my head as Tabi’s eyes scrutinized me. I really felt bad about what happened last night. I sighed as I recalled what happened. I was in the bathroom at that time. I left my phone in the bedside table and it was already late. When I got out of the bathroom, my bestfriend told me that Tabi called and he answered it and told Tabi I was in the bathroom. So, basically, Tabi was now questioning me as to why Ji was in my room at that time; why Ji answered the call, etc. and basically, I told him that Ji usually sleeps there.

 

“So, you’ve been sleeping with him in one bed for all your life?” he concluded.

 

“Neh. But we just SLEEP, you know. Nothing else,” I cleared. Aish! Why am I being defensive about this?

 

“And you didn’t tell me about this because?” he urged, a little impatiently.

 

“Well, because I think it doesn’t really matter. . . I mean, it’s not really a big deal, so. . .”

 

“Not a big deal? Dara, you’re a girl, Jiyong’s a boy!”

 

I can’t help but raise my eyebrows at him. “So?

 

He sighed impatiently. “Dara, have you ever heard of the word hormones? And have you any idea what that word means?”

 

“Of course I do! But Ji is different! He’s not like that. He doesn’t see me that way. He-“

 

Tabi scoffed. “Yeah, right. And you know this because?”

 

“Well, first off, he’s my BESTFRIEND. Second, it’s already proven because I usually go to sleep with a boxer and a bra and Ji have seen me numerous times with that attire but he didn’t do. . . .” my voice faded as I saw the look on his face. Aish! Uh-oh. I’m in big trouble. I’m dead. Totally! Blame it on my big mouth!

 

“SANDARA PARK!” he screamed. I closed my eyes. Trouble. I’m dead.

 

 

Later. . .

 

Aish!

 

I dropped myself on the bed. Tabi was angry. Err, no, he’s not angry but RAGINGLY MAD. I tried to tell him that he doesn’t have to be jealous because it was KWON JIYONG, my bestfriend whom I’m sharing my bed with and not other guy. I sighed. I find it really odd that Tabi gets jealous of Ji out of all the other guys who have wanted to gain my attention. I’m not boasting, but eversince the transformation, boys started to come up, vying for my attention. But Tabi NEVER got jealous with any of them. I really thought before that it was only me who’s been smitten up because he never shows jealousy to any other ‘boy’, except for Ji. Honestly, this is not the first time he got jealous of Ji. Just like when he found out that me and Ji usually watch movie together, he forbids me to watch with my bestfriend. I’ve already told him again and again that Ji is my betfriend. There’s definitely no reason for him to be jealous. I’ve explained to him that me and Ji have a different level of friendship, more like brother and sister that’s why our closeness and comfortability towards each other is extraordinary.

 

Is it that hard to understand?

 

“Dara,” I heard Ji’s familiar voice. I suddenly sat up and looked at him. He was standing in the doorframe of my room.

 

“Oh, good thing you’re here. I really had a bad day. So, I’m not in the mood to answer my homeworks. Since you’re here, why don’t you answer them for me, eh?”

 

“Dara, Sohee and I-“

 

“Aish! I’m not in the mood to listen to how sweet your date with Ms-All-So-Cutesy was!” I cut off and stood up. I went to my bedside table and laid out my assignments. I don’t really want to hear how their date went well when I just had a bad day with Tabi.

 

“Here, I’ve prepared them for you. All you have to do now is to answer them,” I grinned at him. Ji looked at me for a while then smiled.

 

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

 

“It’s been a while since I heard you say that ‘Ms-All-So-Cutesy’ of yours.”

 

Then his expression changed and I heard him sigh as he walked towards me and took a seat in the chair, facing my assignments.

 

“Good boy,” I teased.

 

 

Later. . .

 

“What the hell is that?” Ji burst out when he saw me wearing pajamas.

 

“Err, pj’s?”

 

“Since when did you start wearing that kind of thing in sleeping?”

 

“Since now,” I answered.

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” he breathed.

 

I pouted and jumped to my bed.

 

“What?” I asked as I saw him staring at me weirdly.

 

“You’re really in love with him, huh?” he said, pointing at the Gorilla designs on my pj’s.

 

“Err, well, Tabi actually bought this for me.”

 

 

JIYONG’s POV

 

I yawned and stretched out lazily as I finished Dara’s assignments. I rubbed my eyes gently and went to the bed.

 

“Are you busy?” I asked as I lay down beside her. I really wanted to lose some burden I’m feeling from the “Sohee event”. Though I must admit, answering Dara’s homeworks did distract me, but only for a while.

 

“As you can see, yes, I’m busy,” she answered distractedly as she was staring at her phone.

 

“Waiting for a call?” I asked.

 

“Neh.”

 

“TOP hyung?” I asked again.

 

“Neh.”

 

“Something happened?”

 

She looked at me. “We had a fight.”

 

“Oh. I see. Why?”

 

She shook her head.

 

“Might I remind you, Sandara Park, I’m your bestfriend, you can share anything to me. Besides, you used to share EVERYTHING to me, what’s with the head shaking now?”

 

“I can’t.”

 

I sighed. “Fine!”

 

I pulled the blanket up and turned to the other side. I closed my eyes, preparing myself to sleep. It seems like not a good time to unload some of my burden to her since she’s also having problems herself. Then, I suddenly felt an arm around my waist, hugging me.

 

“Ya! What are you doing? What’s happening to you?” I asked, without turning to face her.

 

“Nothing. I just missed my bestfriend,” she yawned. That made me smile. She really knows how to make me smile even if she is indeed a brat most of the times.