A/N:

Updating again! Enjoy! Sorry for the typos!

 

 

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Chapter 11:

Unexplainable Emotions

 

 

 “Hi, Sir Ji!” the receptionist greeted them enthusiastically. Correction, she only greeted HIM. The girl was smiling from ear to ear, and looks like her lips are going to tear from too much force she’s exerting on it. She didn’t even notice Dara’s HUMBLE presence emanating just beside Jiyong.

 

Dara rolled her eyes. She can’t help it. What do these girls see in Jiyong that they can’t keep their obvious stare of adoration to him like he’s some kind of living saint?! He’s ignoring them anyway, why waste time on someone ungrateful?!

 

She sneered discreetly. ‘Well, shouldn’t you be grateful enough that there are some girls eyeing you, though you’re such a stuck up jerk?’

 

“Are you here for Chef Ahn?” she heard the receptionist beamed.

 

Jiyong shook his head. “We’re here for Chaerin and her fiancé.”

 

“KWON JIYONG!”

 

They both turned their heads at the source of the voice. A y and beautiful woman was standing in the hallway. Her right hand was on her waist and she’s also wearing the same smile as the receptionist has as she looked Jiyong.

 

“Sohee…”

 

Sohee walked up to Jiyong and kissed him on the left cheek as a greeting. It also didn’t escape her eye as they shared a tight hug.

 

Something was not right. She could sense it. It’s like he’s not just a client to her with that moment she just witnessed. It seems like there’s more than meets the eye; like they know each other for a long time.

 

Dara cautiously looked at the woman. She was wearing a silk blouse and black slacks, looking professional and sophisticated at the same time. The woman seems to be taller than she is. She’s also wearing a thin make-up, which made her look natural.

 

“What brought you here? I thought it was Chaerin who had booked with us?”

 

“Mom and Dad wanted to see her so she went to the farm with her fiancé, she sent me in her place.”

 

She pretended to cough. Jiyong’s presumptuousness really irks her; saying that he’s the only one sent to be here. She succeeded in getting their attention. Smiling, at the same time with wonder painted on her face, Sohee looked at her, waiting to be introduced to each other.

 

“Sohee, this is Dara, Seungri’s best friend and Chaerin’s maid of honor. And this is Sohee, the owner of this place and at the same time, the chef.”

 

They shook hands civilly.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, Dara.” Sohee smiled at her.

 

“Same here,” she stiffly said.

 

She doesn’t know why, but she’s just not feeling welcoming when it comes to this woman. It was even worse than what she felt with Chaerin. Howsoever, she and Chaerin had engaged into couple of chats and laughs with the latter not knowing her motives. But with this woman in front of her, she felt her blood exceeding its boiling point.

 

Setting that aside, she’s kind-looking. The smile she showed awhile ago was not fake even. So why is that?

 

Sohee turned her attention to Jiyong. “I really want to chat with you but, we still need to attend to a wedding. But no worries, I already told my assistant chef to attend and take care of the things for the both of you. Is that okay?”

 

“It’s okay, Sohee,” Jiyong said, giving the girl an assurance.

 

After Sohee instructed her assistant chef on what to do, she immediately left—not without giving Jiyong and Dara a cheek-to-cheek greeting of goodbye. And again, she saw the different aura between them as they talked for the last time. She can’t put her finger into it, but she’s sure that there’s something unusual going-on between the two.

 

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

 

The assistant chef ushered them to a small garden. There were already three couples as they arrived, sitting and happily chatting while having a taste test on the meal courses set on the long table. Maybe they are soon-to-be husbands and wives too.

 

The garden was full of plants and flowers. And there are some little butterflies flying around the place.

 

“The Experts” primarily serves on weddings and Dara couldn’t agree any more as to why so many soon-to-be wed couples wanted their services. Basing on the pictures she had seen on the hallway, she can say they’re great ‘coz most of Sohee’s clients were foreigners, celebrities, and prominent names in Korea.

 

Jiyong and Dara were then led to sit on a vacant table for two. Jiyong offered the seat on his right but Dara ignored it and sat on the chair on his left. They were given the menu containing the wedding packages after wasting a good five minutes on pretending like none of them existed for each other. The assistant chef explained to them on what wedding package they could start.

 

“How about if we try this first package? The meals look delicious and affordable, I must say.” Jiyong told her while scanning the rest of the menu.

 

“How about package D?” Dara countered back, since it was the most expensive of all the packages in it.

 

He lifted his gaze from the menu and threw her a bored look. “Aren’t you going to stop with your grumblings? We’ll try package A first whether you like it or not.”

 

“You shouldn’t have asked for my opinion if I can’t change your mind.”

 

He opened then closed his mouth, thought of letting it pass, then told the assistant chef about their choice. But it was Jiyong who had decided, so, yeah. Whatever.

 

Selections for the meal courses on the first package were served.

 

“Here, try this.”

 

Taken aback, Dara leaned back on her seat as tried to spoon-feed her. She looked at the fork he’s holding then to his face.

 

“What kind of acting are you trying to pull on me?” she scowled, but actually, she was just affected of his gesture. It was an unexpected move from him.

 

“I think it’s obvious that we are having two different meals right now, isn’t it? How would you know that Seungri likes this one if you won’t taste it?”

 

“Why do you need to spoon feed me? You see that I still have both of my hands, right?”

 

“I was just letting you taste it, you already blabbered so much. This doesn’t mean anything.”

 

“Hah! See? You’re being defensive. Why, because it was really the purpose, wasn’t it?”

 

He sighed and shook his head. Jiyong then just ate the serving he was giving Dara, and like nothing had happened; she sliced a piece of chicken meat in his plate and ate it.

 

“Seungri wouldn’t like the taste of this chicken,” she said after swallowing it.

 

“You’re just saying that because of your personal motive,” he said matter-of-factly and smiled sinisterly.

 

When it is him who argues with her, her blood boils in a second-span of time and images of him clobbered immediately clouds her mind. But when it is her, who contradicts him, he doesn’t mind and give any reaction at all. Why is that so?

 

“What if I talk to Sohee and secretly change the menu? I’ll make sure that the guests won’t like the food so that your sister’s wedding reception would be a great disaster,” she said to him out of nowhere. Dara even had the guts to smile at him sweetly.

 

“Great idea,” he said, agreeing. “But you already said it to me. And, honey…” Jiyong smiled at her, and it didn’t reach his eyes. “By that time, your beloved Seungri and my sister are already married. So, what’s the point of ruining the reception?”

 

“Ah, I know.” She again thought of a comeback. “Maybe I can just poison your sister? So that all of my dilemmas would disappear, right?” She flashed him a wicked smile.

 

He suddenly turned grim and looked serious.

 

“Scared?” she said, provocatively.

 

Jiyong shook his head “no”.

 

“I’m not,” he said and ate a slice of steak from his right.

 

“Hmm? Why not?” Dara put her left elbow on the table and nestled her chin on her open palm, her face teasing him, enjoying his silence.

 

That silenced him, alright. But she really is not planning anything close to poisoning his sister. No matter how vicious she is, she can’t and won’t hurt anyone physically. She just said that to avenge her bruised ego.

 

Jiyong wiped his mouth, and met her stare with blank eyes. He even leaned in closer to her face.

 

Though Dara wanted to withdraw badly, she can’t. It would mean him defeating her. So even if the worms on her stomach are doing crazily stupid things at the moment because of his intense stare, she won’t back down.

 

She followed every movement of his eyeballs steadily. It was like he’s memorizing every corner of her face. Then she noticed his line vision stopped on her lips. She gulped unconsciously. Her heartbeat started to race. The place was well-ventilated, but she was starting to sweat bullets.

 

“Because I know you can’t do it,” he said with a smile.

 

Huh? What was that?

 

Dara’s mind went blank, like their solemn momentum they were having broke, because of his sudden reply. What was the last thing they were talking about?

 

She dug into her memory bank for a response. When she finally found it, she sat properly and cut their staring battle that she didn’t know how long they’ve been gazing at each other. Minutes, maybe?

 

“H-how can you s-say that?” Oh my… Why am I stuttering?

 

“You may be a selfish and a childish brat, but I know that you’re not a bad person,” Jiyong finally said and resumed eating.

 

“And you based that on…?”

 

Why was Dara feeling giddy with what he had said? So what if he doesn’t see her as a murderer, does it matter to her that much?

 

Jiyong shrugged in response, lifted his head and threw her a smile. She felt like her heart bungee jumped for a minute.

 

“I just know. I just feel it. And so far, my instincts never have failed me.” Jiyong sliced a small piece of cake and brought it near .

 

And as if she was hypnotized, Dara opened and willingly chewed the cake. They were locked into each other’s gazes, yet again.

 

“Is it good?” Jiyong asked while smiling.

 

Not in her normal self at the moment, Dara nodded, though she can’t taste anything at all. She knows it tasted more than good, but her mind can’t keep up to the situation because it’s digesting something else.

 

Her heart melted when he smiled again.

 

Crappy update.