DARA’s POV

 

My eyes grew wide as I saw my shoe hit my bestfriend’s face. Then I threw a dagger look to Gorilla who was laughing his heart out. How stupid! The Gorilla really looked stupid and embarrassing. Aish! I limped my way back to them to pick up my shoe. I gave the Gorilla a big kick in the shin. Served him right! I turned to my bestfriend. I pulled his hand away from his face. What I saw in there made me burst out laughing.

 

“Aigoo! You got shoemarks all over your face!” I laughed.

 

“Hey, shouldn’t you be saying sorry and get worried instead of laughing?” Ms-All-So-Cutesy intervened, getting all worried for Ji. Don’t get me wrong, okay? I have no problems with Ahn Sohee PERSONALLY. I just don’t like the way she acts: she’s too cute, too feminine, too girly. Those characteristics give me goosebumps.

 

“Oh, don’t worry about this mutt. He heals fast,” I answered carelessly and bowed down again to put my shoe back.

 

“Oh, it’s not that skinny up-close after all.”

 

I froze. I forgot about the Gorilla!

 

A little history why Park Dara hates Gorilla:

 

I was excited for high school. Me and my bestfriend took the entrance exams confidently. Okay, I’m not as intelligent as him, but he’s been tutoring me during summer break for the exams. I don’t know why, but he wanted me to be in the top class with him. So when the results came out, I was kinda expecting to see my name in the top 40, since only 40 students are allowed in every class. I was pretty surprise when I saw my name in the 41st place. Of course that means I will be placed in the second top class. All of Ji’s efforts were wasted. I really felt bad at that time. Then I found that a new kid in town was able to ranked 40. I blamed him for what happened. If he didn’t move here, I could have been in his place. So curious little me decided to make a “little background research” on number 40. I found out his name was Choi Seunghyun, but widely called as TOP by his friends. I don’t know where that name came from. His mother died giving birth to him. His father struggled to fill the role of both father and mother to him. Then, his father remarried just a month before classes started to Sohee’s widowed mother. The two decided to move here. When I found out about his family history, I pitied him. I know how it feels to lose someone dear to you. With that, I didn’t blame him anymore. But everything changed when I saw him.

 

I first saw him in front of the school with giggling girls around him, looking like he was enjoying every girl’s attention. And boy, he was so tall that he reminded me of Kingkong. A Gorilla indeed! Then, I kept on seeing him one day after the other with different girl as his company. What a playboy. Then he did the worst mistake in his life! Ha! He tried befriending me, but na-ah, I already heard so many things about him and girls so I ignored him. Then, my stupid bestfriend became close to him. I hated the Gorilla more than ever! He’s been polluting Ji’s mind. Everytime I ask Ji to accompany me to watch an action movie like we always do, the Gorilla would suddenly throw a party exclusive for the BOYS. And all of my guy friends would go there. Everytime I give my homeworks to Ji and ask him to answer them, the Gorilla would always in and say “he’s not your slave, why don’t you answer that yourself?” Everytime we’re in the cafeteria, I would always ask Ji to buy me food but the Gorilla would always say, “why don’t you buy yourself? What’s the use of your feet?” He totally polluted the minds of my guy friends. Then, he introduced Sohee to Ji. I wasn’t used to seeing Ji getting all smitten up. I’ve seen him having flings before, so I was kinda surprise to see him getting a little serious with Ms.-All-So-Cutesy. So that’s where their romance started. And because my bestfriend was all smitten up, I was now forbidden to do the things I used to do with him before.

 

Then the Gorilla would always say something that would humiliate me in front of the people! Ugh! But I fought back. Oh, yes I did. It has been like that for over a year. And now that we’re in our second year in high school, the war’s just hitched to a new level. And I’m not stepping down. NEVER!

 

 

 

SOHEE’s POV

 

First year in high school was tough. But thanks to Jiyongie, I was able to survive. Unlike him and Seunghyun oppa, I’m not really what you call a “brainy” person. I smiled as I felt his hand squeezed mine lightly. I’m so lucky to have him as my boyfriend, though I know he had some flings before, I’m confident that he sees me differently.

 

“Should we do something about those two?” I asked him as we trailed behind Dara unnie and Seunghyun oppa, who was walking ahead of us, still engaged in a heated fight. My boy looked at me curiously.

 

“I mean, aren’t you worried that oppa would somehow lose his patience with unnie or the other way around?”

 

He chuckled. “Oh, no. I’m not worried about that. I’m actually more worried when the time would come that they’ll stop fighting each other.”

 

I thought for a while. “Huh? What do you mean?”

 

He smiled. “You’ll find out soon enough. But why are we wasting our time thinking about them, hmm?” he murmured as he started closing the distance.

 

“Ya, G-dragon!” someone shouted. We both jumped in surprise. “What do you think are you doing?!?” Dara unnie asked looking so scandalized. “You’re in the school premises; do you want to be expelled? Aish! Hormones, really! They can get you into trouble. Go to your respective classes, both of you. You can do what you want later after classes. Aish! What are you still doing there?”

 

“Ya! Sohee! Follow the old lady,” Seunghyun oppa said, smiling.

 

 

JIYONG’s POV

 

I looked at my girlfriend’s back longingly as she started going to her class.

 

“That look in your face is so disgusting,” I heard my bestfriend said.

 

“Why don’t you get yourself a boyfriend, Park? And stop bugging other people’s lives.”

 

“I’m not talking to you!” she hissed at hyung.

 

“Ooh, such spice! I think I know why you’re being like that. It’s because you haven’t had a boyfriend, have you? And NO ONE’s even attempting to make a move on you. Pity. But who would make a move on you? No sane man would fall for someone who acts like a gangster.”

 

“Huh! Look who’s talking! Why don’t you get yourself a girlfriend either? Oh, but who would fall for someone as arrogant, stupid-looking Gorilla and dimwitted pabo like you?”

 

“I can get any girl I want, Park. Just name it. I guess I just got tired of the attention, so I decided not to have a girlfriend for a while.”

 

“Ya! You two! That’s enough already. Hyung, let’s go, we’re gonna be late. Dara, see you later.”

 

“Yeah, see you later, Park!”

 

“I’d rather go blind!”

 

 

DARA’s POV

 

Ugh! The nerve! It’s so easy for me to hate that Gorilla! He’s simply irritating to death!

 

I went to class in a bad mood. It didn’t die down all throughout the day. And the boring class didn’t help in calming me down. As much as I don’t want to admit it, I’m looking forward for another round of fight with that Gorilla, at least it’s not boring.

 

Now, where’s the Gorilla? I saw Ji and Sohee standing near the gate, waiting for me. A queue of students was passing by, going home. I sighed.

 

“Where’s Gorilla?” I asked as I reached the two.

 

“I think he has a date, I saw him with a girl a while ago,” my bestfriend answered. My head was thrown back as I laughed out loudly.

 

“That was funny, Ji! Really funny!”

 

“I’m not joking.”

 

“Eh? But who would go out with someone like him? No offense, Sohee.”

 

“Who wouldn’t? Hyung got the looks and he got his own ways to girls.”

 

My eyebrows rose up so high I’m sure it almost disappeared. Well, there goes my anticipated round of fight. I don’t really get it. What do the others see in Gorilla? I just can’t see anything attractive or even likeable in him. Ugh!

 

“See you tomorrow.”

 

“Okay, bye.”

 

I snapped out of my reverie. I didn’t notice we’re already in front of Sohee and Gorilla’s house. Eversince Ji and Sohee started being officially together six months ago, we’ve been walking Ms-All-So-Cutesy to her house with her Gorilla brother.

 

When Sohee was safely inside, Ji put his arm on my shoulder heavily.

 

“I don’t think this would work anymore,” I said.

 

“What?”

 

“Why do I have to accompany you when you’re walking Sohee home? It’s such a waste of time on my part, you know.”

 

“It’s because I just can’t let you go home alone.”

 

“Huh! What does that mean? FYI, I’m not a kid anymore. I’m quite capable of myself. Haven’t you noticed? I’m starting to build up some arm muscles. I can take down anyone I want.”

 

 

JIYONG’s POV

 

I rolled my eyes. There she goes again. I just shook my head as she continued ranting on and on, blah blah blah blah. I tightened my hold on her shoulder and started dragging her home.

 

She suddenly stopped. “Eh?” she ushered blankly. I looked at her and saw her staring ahead with an evil smirk on her lips. I followed her gaze and saw TOP hyung talking to Yubin noona. So, she’s the new girl, huh? Unbelievable! TOP hyung really uses his assets well, seeing that he can easily get every girl he wanted. I was a bit thankful that hyung was Sohee’s stepbrother, I can’t compete with him.

 

“Stop what you’re thinking,” I said in a very stern voice.

 

“Eh? What are you talking about?” she innocently asked.

 

“That innocence thing won’t work on me anymore, Sandara. I’ve known you my whole life and I know what’s going on in that scattered-brain of yours.”

 

“Ya! I told you not to call me that-that three syllable name,” she wrinkled her nose.

 

“I will, if you’d stop calling me that so-called nickname of yours for me.”

 

“Whatever, G-dragon! I’ll call you whatever I want.”

 

She’s really stubborn!

 

“Ooh, that Gorilla sure got taste, huh?” she giggled. I rolled my eyes. I thought I already distracted her. I heard she clicked her tongue.

 

“Poor girl. I wonder what Gorilla did to her? He must’ve poked her eyes that she went blind. I have to do something.”

 

“Puh-leeze! Not again! Will you stop ruining hyung’s dates? You’ve been doing that for the past year already. Don’t you get tired?”

 

I covered the moment I saw she was about to open it.

 

“Let’s go home,” I firmly said as I can see that she’s trying to let our presence be known to the two. I pulled her harder and dragged her along with me.

 

“Going to sleep over?” she asked later on. I stifled a yawn.

 

“Neh. I’ll just drop by the apartment to change clothes,” I informed her. It has always been like that. Everytime no one’s home, which is like everyday, I go to her place and sleep there.

 

After changing into my pj’s, I went to Dara’s apartment. I saw umma setting the table for dinner.

 

“Jiyong-ah, dinner’s ready.”

 

“I’ll just call Dara,” I said as I knocked on her door. “Ya! Sandara Park! Dinner’s ready!”

 

“Be there in a minute!” she answered.

 

As we were having dinner, I felt naturally at home. Like me, Dara and her mom were meant to be like this, a family. Dara was lucky to have a mother like umma.

 

As we finished eating, I volunteered to wash the plates.

 

“It’s Dara’s turn tonight,” Umma said.

 

“Umma, let him be, it’s his lifelong dream.”

 

Umma chuckled. “Don’t be so mean, Dara.”

 

I stuck my tongue out at Dara and smirked.

 

“Umma! I’m your daughter; you should be siding with me!”

 

“Don’t worry, Sandara, I’m not backing out. Why don’t you go answer your assignments instead?”

 

“What’s the use of you being here?” she sarcastically asked.

 

“I really wonder if you’re my bestfriend or my master.”

 

After I finished washing the dishes, Dara “ASKED” me to answer her assignments again. Why am I even following her orders anyways? Aish! I guess it just became a habit. It took me nearly an hour before finishing all that is needed. I let out a moan of satisfaction as I lay down on the bed. I heard the bathroom door opened and out came my bestfriend wearing boxers and a bra.

 

“YA! Why don’t you put a shirt on?!?” I burst out, totally scandalized, though I’ve seen her like this a thousand times before.

 

“Why? Boys can go to sleep shirtless, so why can’t I? And besides, you’ve seen me like this before.”

 

“Well, as you can see, I’m not shirtless. And though I know you’re a boy, you still got a body of a girl. We’re already grown-ups, Dara, we can’t just do what we used to do before.”

 

“So? I can’t see any difference between before and today.”

 

“You’re still a girl, I’m still a boy,” I insisted.

 

She looked at me mysteriously with raised brows. “Don’t tell me you desire me now?”

 

What?!? Did she just say that? The nerve! I feigned a vomit.

 

“You wish!”

 

“It’s settled then,” she said dismissively and hopped on the bed.

 

“Is that my new boxer shorts you’re wearing?” I asked as she turned to the other side, her back facing me.

 

“Yep!” she answered cheerfully.

 

“Why don’t you buy your own?”

 

“You know I can’t afford it,” she answered nonchalantly.

 

“Can I ask you how’d you get that?”

 

“I took the keys in your pants last night,”

 

“And why didn’t you ask for my permission?”

 

“Do I have to?” she yawned.

 

“No,” I answered without thinking.

 

“Why are you even asking?”

 

“Can you tell me why I’m letting you do all of this to me?”

 

“Because I’m your bestfriend.”

 

“Oh, yeah, right. You’re the perfect bestfriend every people want to have,” I sarcastically remarked.

 

“I know. Now let your bestfriend sleep. Goodbam, G-dragon!”