“Where did you go anyways?” I asked.

 

“I went to look for the flower” he casually answered.

 

“Did you find it?”

 

“Yes” he nodded.

 

“Really?!” I clapped my hands. “Did you get the clue, too?”

 

“Of course” he arrogantly smirked.

 

“What did it say?” I excitedly asked.

 

“It says-”

 

“Wait” I stopped him. “Don't read the riddle to me. Just tell me what we need to do”

 

“We need to go to the river” he said.

 

“The river?”

 

He grimaced. “Will you stop repeating what I say?”

 

o=o=o

 

“You do know how to swim, don't you?”

 

“Of course!” I said. “I'm the best in our class!”

 

He raised his brows at me.

 

“I'm kidding, okay? Gosh, can't you differentiate a joke from a real-?”

 

“You talk too much”

 

“So, what do we have to do?”

 

“We need to look for a black pearl”

 

“Black pearl?” I repeated. “Sorry, I can't help it okay?” I quickly said as he gave me a look.

 

“What are you doing?!” he exclaimed as I started taking my clothes off.

 

“Taking my clothes off, obviously. It'll be easier to swim without them. Don't worry, I'll leave my underwear on, okay?”

 

“Leave your shirt on!” she snapped. “You can take your pants but leave your shirt on”

 

“Why?”

 

“In case you forgot, there are other shadows around here, watching us” she hissed.

 

“So?” I asked, raising my brows. When his face turned darker, I started giggling. “Oh, you're just being protective, eh? I-” I stopped when he started marching towards me, picked up my shirt and put it back on me.

 

“Leave it!” he gritted.

 

“Fine” I pouted. I crossed my arms across my chest as I watched him take off his shirt and pants. How come he can take off his shirt while I can't? Aish! But my pout disappeared as I saw his scars. Everytime I see them, I always feel this pain in my chest.

 

“You go ahead first” he said.

 

“Coward” I mumbled and took a few steps back before launching to a sprint. But I stopped at the edge of the rock. “Take two” I said as I took a few more steps back and started running for a dive. But then, I stopped at the edge again. I heard him sigh and then I felt a finger on my back, pushing me forward. The next thing I know, I was already in the water.

 

“One point for me” I heard him chuckle.

 

“Why you. . . !” I stopped and coughed as he splashed some water to me.

 

“Two points!” he laughed.

 

Oh, so now he's being playful? “Ya! What's gotten into you? We're supposed to look for he pearl, remember?”

 

“You go ahead and look for it. I'll just stay here for a while”

 

I watched him swim around for a while, fuming. I shook my head after a while. I swam up to him and slapped his arm gently. He wants to play? Then, we'll play.

 

“Tag, you're it” I said. He grinned, making me swim away from him as fast as I can. Then, I submerged into the water and swam in different directions. When I was out of breath, I emerged again. I roamed my eyes around, searching for him but he was nowhere to be found. I froze as I felt a body behind me.

 

“Tag, you're it” he chuckled, poking my cheek.

 

I never tagged him after that. He was too fast for me.

 

“Let's just go find the pearl” I said.

 

“Giving up so early?”

 

“I'm not fit for physical stuff”

 

“Obviously” he smirked.

 

“Is that supposed to be an insult?”

 

“I think so” he shrugged.

 

“You really are the rudest person I ever met” I said with narrowed eyes.

 

“I don't like you that much either” he returned.

 

“I hate it when you're being like that” I snapped.

 

“And I hate you. . . everytime”

 

“Huh!” I scoffed. “You think I'll believe that? You actually enjoy every moment of being with me. Admit it, I'm fun to be with”

 

“What?” he asked slowly, closing the distance between us.

 

“You heard that right” I said, holding my chin up proudly while putting a distance between us. I gave a squeak as I felt a solid, cold and wet rockwall behind me. Kwon Jiyong gave me a playful smirk before leaning his hands on either side of my head.

 

“You were saying?”

 

“That I'm fun to be with?” I squeaked.

 

“Fun is a broad word, don't you think?” he softly asked. “Do you want to know my definition of fun?” he added in a flirtatious manner.

 

Oh my God! What is this? I can endure and tolerate a rude, swearing and sarcastic Kwon Jiyong but not a flirting one! A flirting Jiyong is making me. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . uncomfortable and uneasy.

 

“I-I'd rather not know”

 

“Oh come on, since when did you become such a. . . what's your term? Oh right, spoilsport”

 

“What are you playing at?”

 

“I see you're scared of me flirting” he commented. “I should flirt with you more often since me being a shadow doesn't seem to scare you at all. Maybe this time, I'll scare you away already”

 

My eyes instantly narrowed. He's still thinking of shooing me away? I can't believe this!

 

“You're being really mean right now” I said. “How come you still think of shooing me away when we're supposed to be friends already?”

 

He chuckled. “And now she's annoyed”

 

“It's not funny!” I snapped and pushed him away.

 

“What's the matter with you?” he asked. “I was just trying to play around”

 

“Play is supposed to be fun, not making people feel bad. I hate it everytime you think of ways to shoo me away or everytime you shoo me away”

 

I got out of the water and wet to pick my things up.

 

“I find it fun” he said.

 

I didn't say anything. I just started walking away from him.

 

“Dara” he called. I stopped and took a deep breath. It's been a while since he called me by my name.

 

“If you want to say sorry, just go straight with it” I said with my back still facing him.

 

He sighed heavily. “Okay, I'm sorry”

 

I slowly faced him. “Promise me you won't do that again”

 

Silence.

 

“I can't promise that” he said after a while.

 

It was my turn to sigh. Well, I guess that's the most I could get from him. “One thing though, if you do that again, I'm going to punish you”

 

he just shrugged in return. Then, his face turned dark, his eyes ablaze. I followed his gaze and saw at least three crows perched on a branch, watching us.

 

“Put your pants on” Jiyong suddenly snapped.

 

“Eh? But why? I still-” I stopped as his eyes went all black again. The next thing I know, I was all dried up, even my shirt and underwear.

 

“Now put your pants on”

 

“But how about the pearl? We still need to-”

 

“I already found it a while ago”

 

“How come you didn't tell me?”

 

“Just put your pants on!” he angrily said, making the three crows screech. With a pout, I put my pants on. I looked up at Jiyong and saw that he was still glaring at the three birds.

 

“What's wrong?” I asked.

 

“Those three are watchers” he gritted.

 

“So?”

 

“They- oh never mind!” he hissed. “Let's go”

 

I bowed at the three crows as I walked past by them.

 

“erted jerks” I heard Kwon Jiyong hissed quietly. I glanced at him and can't help but smile when I saw the deep frown marring his forehead.

 

“Cute” I giggled quietly. I shook my head afterwards. I've been having a lot of mood swings lately. “You'll get old fast if you keep on frowning” I told him.

 

“Mind your own business”

 

“You're really being rude and grumpy but I'll let it past for now since I know why you're acting like this”

 

“Acting like what exactly?” he asked.

 

“Acting like a very protective. . .” I trialed, searching for the right word. “Frined, like an overprotective friend”

 

“I'm not being protective to you”

 

“Oh, c'mon!” I scoffed. “You're actually being obvious”

 

“I'm not being protective” he repeated.

 

“Then what was the ERTED JERKS and that PUT YOUR PANTS ON dialogue then?”

 

“That's not called being protective. I'm merely trying to avoid a fight if ever those shadows decided tyo give in to temptation”

 

“So you mean, I'm a temptation?”

 

“To them, not to me!”

 

“Oooh. Ho ho ho. Being defensive, eh?” I teased playfully.

 

“Will you stop that?!?” he suddenly snapped, making me laugh.

 

“One point for me” I grinned. “Hehe”

 

I laughed even louder as I saw his dark face.

 

“Okay, two points” I laughed.