Chapter 53: The Truth Unlocked

|Narrator’s Perspective|

          Dara left Jiyong’s house around 8:00pm. She knew that Jiyong had a long restless day so she thought she would let him sleep early. Plus she really needed a goodnight sleep after their talk. When he finished explaining everything she went to his medicine cabinet to retrieve ointments for his hand. After patching him up she went to his fridge to see what she could cook for dinner. Unsurprisingly she found nothing in there. Jiyong guilty told her that he hasn’t really shopped for a while. Dara scolded him and decided that they order take-out from a nearby restaurant. Once she was done eating, she told Jiyong to rest, stressing the word rest when she left. Jiyong simply nodded and told her she needed more rest than him. Dara scoffed, hugged him once and left.

          She was currently walking to her house. The night was dark, the street lights shedding a dim hue, and the wind blowing. It was a typical night, but to Dara much had changed. Everything started to make sense but at the same time it wasn’t. She was finally on the same page as Jiyong. She knew everything but CL’s actions made no sense. Did CL really not love Jiyong back? Dara wondered.

          Dara stepped into her apartment closing the door behind her. The question still lingering, she changed, washed her face and went straight to her bed. Turning on her side table lamp she pulled out an album she kept under her bed. It was an album she had started making a month after meeting CL. It was so thick that Dara had to climb out of bed to pull it out. Opening it to the first page Dara felt her heart clench. It was a picture of them in the school hall way eating lunch. How did we go from being like this to this? Dara wondered as she flipped through the pages.

*Bing*

          Dara looked down at her table where her phone lay connected to the charger. She had just got a message. Assuming it was Jiyong she put the album down and picked up her phone. It wasn’t Jiyong, instead it was Kevin.

          Kevin and Dara had been getting closer a lot lately. Kevin had noticed that Dara was always looking upset and so he offered to cheer her up. It was around the time Dara was feeling frustrated with the way things were turning out between her and Jiyong. Kevin became an outlet for her. He allowed her to tell him everything and in return he would give great advice. For so long he had told her to just confront Jiyong, but Dara told him she couldn’t. He insisted, but she resisted. She realized now, how she should have just listened to Kevin.

            Are you asleep? Kevin was asking.

            No, why? Dara replied.
            I was wondering if you wanted to meet up tomorrow at the café? Kevin sent back.

Dara contemplated the idea. Thinking that she really needed advice she responded with a yes.

            Cool! See you tomorrow G Night!

          Dara put the phone back and looked back at the photo of Jiyong, CL and her at the beach. She could faintly make out Henry in the background drooling over CL. Closing the book with a sigh, Dara made a silent promise. She will bring them back together.

* * *

|Dara’s Perspective|

          The next day I headed towards the local café to meet up with Kevin. Jiyong had already told her that he was going to go back to work and so I ended up heading here. Upon approaching the café I could already spot Kevin’s blonde hair from one of the tables. He waved me over and I headed towards him.

            “Hey!” I said as I pulled the chair out and took a seat.

            “You won’t believe what just happened to me” Kevin said his eyes twinkling.

“What?” I asked as I placed my purse on my lap.
“A group of girls came up to me asking for my autograph. They thought I was from Super Junior”

            “You’re lying” I narrowed my eyes at him. Kevin lost his composure and laughed.

            “You are so full of yourself honestly” Dara chuckled.

            “What? I was trying to lighten the mood I could already tell something was up when you were walking over here. Your eyebrows were all crossed like this” he started making a weird face.

            Dara lightly laughed and from that Kevin stopped.

            “What’s wrong?”

            “What makes you think something is wrong?” I wondered. Was I doing something else with my face? I tried to put on my what I thought was my happy face but he only stared at me

            “You’re freaking me out. Stop staring like you can see through me or something”

            “You didn’t laugh like you always do. You only went ha ha… Not hahahahhahah” Kevin inquired.

            “Really? That’s what told you something was up?” I responded. Honestly, just my laugh makes it that obvious? Oh god, I fail so much in life or Kevin is just that good at reading people

Kevin leaned forward his face closer to me. I moved back. 

            “Spill” he simply said.

            Giving up I told him we should go somewhere else. So we headed to my old high school park where we sat on the swings. I told him everything Jiyong had told me.

            “I knew it!” was the first thing Kevin said almost looking relieved. 

            “I knew it? What did you know?” I wondered as I stopped swinging and looked at him.

            “I knew that Jiyong and CL had feelings . . . Although I didn’t know there was so many problems going on”.

            “But do you see where I’m all frustrated. I don’t understand why CL just pushed herself away from us.”

            “Well she could be just pushing Jiyong away because she’s now with Kris and she likes him”

            “Why does that mean she should push me away? Plus she only met Kris after she said she doesn’t want to be friends with us anymore”

Kevin swung for a few minutes, in deep thought and suddenly he stopped. Kevin looked at me and silently studied me.

            “What? What are you thinking?”

            “Do you love Jiyong?” Kevin abruptly asked his eyes keenly searching my face.

            “WHAT! No… No I don’t” I blurted my cheeks flushing a hot red.

            “Are you just saying that because you now know Jiyong likes CL?” Kevin pondered.

            “Kevin you are losing it. I do not have feelings for Jiyong like that. Of course in the beginning I was kind of crazy for him. Truthfully I was crazy for any attractive guy. As for Jiyong when we became friends it was just that … friends. He made me feel comfortable being who I am” I hastly answered.

            “Mhhhmmmmm” Kevin eyed her with suspicious eyes. They sat their in silence for a few minutes. Kevin's eyes not once left her. Suddenly a guilty feeling filled the pit of my stomach. 

            I couldn't handle it anymore and confessed, “Okay okay! I did have feelings at one point… But the way Jiyong was last night, my feelings are nothing compared to what he has for CL. He really loves her Kevin, and I really can’t interrupt that. I would want CL and Jiyong to be happy as much as possible.”

            “Then that’s it” Kevin concluded, as if he found the solution to everything.

            “What is it?” my face contorted in confusion.

            “CL thinks you’re in love with Jiyong or she thinks that Jiyong is in love with you.” Kevin established.

            “Are you mad? Why would CL leave us for that or even t