“Jiyong oppa?”

 

I turned around and saw Sohee with Yosuk. I smiled genuinely at them.

 

“Oh, hey!” I greeted.

 

“How are you?” Sohee asked.

 

“I'm doing fine,” I answered.

 

“What are you doing here?” Sohee inquired again.

 

“Oh, uh, just getting something wrapped.”

 

“Oh!” Sohee chuckled. “Dara unnie's birthday, right? Please send her our greetings. And our apologies also.”

 

“I will.”

 

“Uhm, hey!” Yosuk started awkwardly. I nodded at him. “I know it's a bit late, but I want to apologize about the Dara incident before. I was really-”

 

“Oh, about that. If you do want me to forgive you, please don't mention it again. I'm trying to think that you didn't know what you were doing at the time because you were drunk. But I hope it won't happen again,” I calmly said but with a tinge of seriousness.

 

 

After a few hours. . .

 

I was walking at the sidewalk with a satisfied smile on my face as I was carrying the newly-wrapped package for Dara. Hehe. I wonder how she will react. Ah, I'm so excited. It really took me a while to look for a frame, though. So when I finally found one, I immediately got it wrapped up. All I have to do for now is wait for her birthday to come, which is three days from now.

 

“G-dragon!” someone screamed. I stopped and looked for the source. I smiled wider as I saw Dara at the other side of the street, in front of a cafe waving her hand at me. “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” she shouted again.

 

I shook my head. Aish! She's really unbelievable. The other customers are starting to stare at her, looking scandalized. I mean, who in their sane mind would shout at the top of her lungs? Who in their sane mind would talk to a person who's far across the street? Well, only my bestfriend, the little rabbit called Sandara Park would do that.

 

I raised the wrapped package in my hand.

 

“IS THAT MINE? CAN I SEE IT? COME HERE NOW?!?” she screamed again.

 

I chuckled and shook my head.

 

“COME ON!”

 

 

DARA's POV

 

Tabi told me to meet him up in a cafe. I arrived first so, I started staring around. Then I suddenly saw Ji from across the street.

 

“JI! I SAID COME HERE NOW!” I shouted again. I saw him shook his head for the second time but started crossing the street. Keke. He's really afraid of not following my orders. Haha! From the distance, I can clearly see his big smile while looking at me, his steps were slow and sure.

 

Suddenly, I heard a loud booming sound. I saw Ji stopped and stood frozen in the middle of the street, his eyes growing wide in surprise as he looked at his right side and saw a fast approaching truck. Then, he looked back at me. He must have seen my frightened look because he smiled the kind of smile I've seen too many times before: it's his smile of reassurance. Then, he closed his eyes as the reassuring smile disappeared and was replaced by a peaceful smile. His arms raised a little, as if he's welcoming and embracing what's coming.

 

I realized movies aren't real. No, they're not real. They're fiction. There's no slow motion, everything happened too fast. It's just that my adrenaline was working and my eyes were wide open, focused on only him that I was able to see what's happening to Ji, but I was blind to the surroundings.

 

“NO!” I screamed for real this time. I did it again.

 

I did it again!

 

This is my fault! If I haven't called him, this won't happen to him. His body won't be thrown up by the intensity of the crash.

 

Why? Why does history kept on repeating itself? Why do I always cause something like this? I heard screeching sounds, a sound of explosion, screams, panicked and shocked voices. It's happening again.

 

It's happening all over again.

 

My fault.

 

 

AUTHOR's POV

 

Dara's body started to tremble upon seeing how far Jiyong's body landed. She started running but why does it feel like she's not getting any nearer to him? She ran faster. How far? How long will she have to wait to reach him? Why can't she see any difference in the distance separating them? She kept running, and then she finally reached him. She dropped to her knees. She felt her world starting to spin around as she saw his blood n the ground. She saw Jiyong was hugging something tightly to himself. She took it out of his hold with all her might, fearing that it's causing him some discomfort since she saw some broken pieces of glass. She saw that the paper wrapping the package was torn apart and the glass of the frame was broken. She choked as she saw what it was; what Jiyong was hugging tightly before she took it. It was a sketch of her face. She let out a small moan as she saw that the art was tainted with his blood. She looked at Ji and set aside the tainted masterpiece.

 

“Help,” she muttered voicelessly. She clutched , wondering where her voice went because she can't hear herself. She looked around and wondered why everything looked so blur, so clouded?

 

“Help,” she tried again, but still, no voice came out. She reached out for Jiyong's head and cradled it in her arms. She started rocking back and forth unconsciously while muttering to herself over and over again.

 

“Ji, don't... Please don't... Don't.. Ji, don't... I can't....Ji.”

 

Loud sirens filled the place but Dara can't hear them. She seemed lost in her own silent anguished cries as she continued rocking back and forth. Someone was pulling her up but she didn't let go, she didn't budge thinking that Jiyong needs her now more than ever. She can't leave him, not now, not ever. She looked up and saw a guy opening and closing his mouth but she can't hear anything. Then, she suddenly snapped when she heard the words “save” and “hospital”.

 

 

HOSPITAL. . .

 

She was getting dizzy as she saw people in white passing by her. Everything looked so white, the walls, the ceilings. She was starting to get blinded by it. She felt a warm pressure in her shoulder. She turned her head and saw her mother's worried face. The woman suddenly hugged the girl to her chest and started crying. But Dara kept still, unblinkingly staring ahead with not a single trace of tears on her face. Then she started hearing a commotion, big huge footsteps and urgent voices. She freed herself from her mother's embrace to see what's happening. She saw people in white passing by; walking here and there. Then she caught a glimpse of Jiyong's mother, Dr. Kwon. Dara heaved a sigh of relief. She knew he would be in good hands. Surely, Mrs. Kwon won't let anything happen to her son.

 

 

An hour later. . .

 

Dara paced back and forth, squeezing her hands. Then, the rest of the gang arrived. She saw her mother talked to them.

 

“Hey, calm down,” a deep voice said. She looked up, eyes unfocused. She saw TOP looking at her intently.

 

“Ji is inside for an hour already.” she breathed.

 

“I know,” he answered. He went to wrap his arms around her but she freed herself. She can't keep still. She started pacing back and forth again. Then, without warning, she screamed in frustration and was about to enter the operating room when a set of arms stopped her.

 

“Calm down, calm down,” TOP murmured. She freed herself from his arms again then started pounding and punching the wall.

 

“Dara, Jiyong will be mad at you if he sees that you've wounded your hands,” Taeyang said. That made Dara stop.

 

Dara wasn't able to count the minutes that passed or watched for the time. Has it been minutes? Hours? It felt centuries already. As the time continued to tick, her confidence in Dr. Kwon started to sway. Then, the doors suddenly opened.

 

“Excuse me, how is Kwon Jiyong? Is he alright?” Dara's mother asked the guy in white but the guy just looked at her mother.

 

“Is he alright?” Dara repeated, a bit fiercely.

 

“We did our best,” he answered. Dara started shaking her head.

 

“What do you mean?” Mrs. Park asked.

 

The guy shook his head sadly.

 

“No, no, no, no, no. you're lying. That's not true. No, no. He wouldn't leave me!” Dara denied, shaking her head forcefully.

 

“I'm sorry, but he-”

 

Dara wasn't able to hear the rest of his words as her whole system shut down. Everything went black.