“Can we try it tonight?” she asked. “I want to feel free”

 

Jiyong shrugged and walked to the door. As they ere outside, Jiyong looked up. “Take my hand” he told Dara without even looking at her. Dara complied. Slowly, Jiyong channelled some of his energy to her and also gave her some instructions on what to do.

 

They ran for a half minute before jumping into the air. Dara was taken by the moment the wind held her wings. She gloried in the feeling of flying. She found out Jiyong was telling the truth. Being up in the air made her feel. . . FREE.  She closed her eyes, drifting along the wind. She flew in circles for a few times before diving down the earth then pulling right back up before she hit the ground.

 

Jiyong let her enjoy the sense of flying. When he thought she had enough already, he gave a loud screech and motioned her to follow her with his head. He swerved sideways and along the alleys as he led her to the port. He circled the area first to check for any unwanted eyes. When he was sure there was no one around, he went to the ground, taking the form of his human self. He directed Dara towards him and turned her back to herself.

 

“Wow!” she exclaimed. “That was fun! We should do that every night”

 

“We can’t” he said. “It’s dangerous for you”

 

“What usually happens when you know, I’m being played? I can’t remember anything”

 

“You don’t really want to know”

 

“I wonder who’s doing this and why?”

 

“That’s exactly why Jaejoong was away” he said. “You should have listened to him first. You were a bit harsh to him”

 

“What now, you’re being friends with him?”

 

“No” he chuckled. “But he’s a good guy. If I were you, you should stay with him”

 

“Are you getting gay with Jae?”

 

“You’re really slow, aren’t you?” he breathed. “What I’m trying to say is, you should not let your eyes wander around anymore. You already got a good guy beside you”

 

“You’re really creeping me out right now” Dara joked, trying to hide the unpleasant emotion brewing inside her. “Is this really you talking?”

 

Silence.

 

“Do you think I should just forgive him and get back together?”

 

“You should” he said. “In that way, I’m not obliged to watch over you anymore”

 

o=o=o

 

~DARA’S POV~

 

“Everything’s fine, Dad” I said. I’ve been on the phone for what seemed like an hour already.

 

“We’ll be visiting you soon, okay? And oh, say hi to Jae for your Mom”

 

“Okay, okay. I have to go, Dad. I’m gonna be late for school”

 

“We missed you dear”

 

I smiled. “I missed the both of you, too”

 

I saw Jae waiting for me as I stepped out of the house. Well, I could just ignore him and drive my own car to school, right?

 

I sighed and walked to him. “Didn’t I tell you not to show your face to me for a while?”

 

“I just wanted to see you” he quietly said. “And I just wanted to make sure you’ll be safe. Don’t worry; I’ll keep a friendly distance from your car”

 

I sighed again. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll just ride with you BUT that doesn’t mean that we’re okay”

 

“I understand” he nodded with a little smile on his lips.

 

The journey to school was the quietest moment of my life. He wasn’t talking and I wasn’t talking either. I was just gaping outside the window. A smirk curved my lips as I remembered Kwon Jiyong. If I were with him, we won’t stay this silent for long. That guy is just too sarcastic and rude for his own good. Then, if I go silent, he’ll ask, “did you eat your tongue?”. That guy, really. He just knows how to annoy me.

 

“You’ve got a lot of explanations to do later at lunch” I told him as he pulled the car to a stop. I got off the car without waiting for his reply.

 

“Dara” he called. I stopped and faced him. He gave me that heart-stopping smile of his before speaking. “I missed you”

 

I felt myself blush. I bowed my head and nodded slightly. Of course, I missed him, too! But that won’t change the fact that he was gone for so long without even contacting me. So I turned away again and started walking.

 

“And I love you” I heard him say. I stopped in my tracks, feeling like the air has been knocked out of me. I smiled to myself.

 

“See you at lunch” I called out without facing him.

 

 

“Why are you all smiles?” Sulli asked when we saw each other.

 

“Jae” I simply answered.

 

“Oh, so the sweet couple is back” Sulli laughed.

 

“Not really” I said. “But he was being sweet”

 

“I’m sure he got a pretty good reason why he didn’t contact you”

 

“That’s what Kwon Jiyong told me. He said I should listen to Jae’s explanations so I’m going to do that at lunch”

 

“What happen in the camping, by the way?”

 

“It just made me realize that I’m not really a sporty type of person”

 

o=o=o

 

Jae and SUlli were already seated in the cafeteria table when I arrived. As soon as I sat down. Krystal, Victoria and Luna came to us.

 

“Hi girls!” Jae greeted. The three stood looming over us, all of them were wearing that not-so-good look.

 

“Do you know what your girlfriend’s been doing while you were away?” Krystal opened. “She was flirting with Kwon Jiyong”

 

I glanced sharply at Jae, planning to deny the accusation but no words came out from me. Jae looked at me for a moment, as if he was thinking deeply. Then, he glanced back up at the three.

 

“If you saw the both of them hanging out, that would be because I asked Kwon Jiyong to watch over Dara while I was away” he said. “And I thought you’ve been friends with Dara since you were kids. You should have known that she’s not capable of things you’re accusing her of”

 

“If you want to be fooled by her charm, that’s up to you” Victoria smirked. Then, they walked away.

 

I watched them walked away. I can’t understand what went wrong. I thought nothing and no one could break our friendship. But I thought wrong. I looked away as I felt the stinging in my eyes. Jae, who’s always been sensitive to what’s happening to me, pulled me in his arms. Eventhough  he still owe me some explanations and eventhough I haven’t forgiven him yet, I can’t help but cry in his arms.

 

“So, the crybaby’s on again, huh?”

 

My heart jumped upon hearing that familiar voice. Why does it feel like weeks since I last heard him talk? I pulled away from Jae and looked up. There he was, in hi usual all-black get up.

 

“Jiyong!” I cried.

 

~JAEJOONG’S POV~

 

Dara stood up and went to Jiyong. I half stood as she threw herself to him.

 

“Let her be” I heard Sulli said, stopping me from fully standing up. “She needs to vent her feelings out”

 

I went back on my seat. I watched and listened as Dara let her feelings out about the girls to Jiyong. I felt tight, I felt like every part of my body’s being squeezed. I’m jealous, I’m extremely jealous. But I guess I contributed to their closeness now. I did ask Jiyong to watch over her. I knew the risks and the effects of it but I still can’t help but get jealous. The only consolation to me right now is that Jiyong’s not hugging Dara back. His arms remained on his side. But I wanted him to push Dara away.

 

“Why are you crying over them?” I heard Jiyong asked.

 

“They’re my friends!” Dara sobbed.

 

“You call them your friends?” he asked. “Now stop crying already. You’re wetting my shirt again”

 

“Sorry” Dara sobbed.

 

“Those three aren’t called friends. They’re es and s” he said then turned to the table. “So, it’s just he four of us now, huh?” he chuckled. He went to sit beside Sulli, which made me grateful, while Dara went to sit beside me. After that, we shared a silent lunch, except for Dara telling Jiyong and Sulli about the phone call from her parents this morning.

 

“I heard you went camping” I turned to Jiyong. “How was it?”

 

“It was okay” he shrugged. “Except for Dara being a crybaby and all. Wandering around all by herself”

 

“It was your fault!” Dara insisted.

 

“You always put the blame on me when it’s entirely your fault”

 

“Is not”

 

I bowed my head and sighed. How am I going to sort things out between us if she’s more interested in bickering with Jiyong? I suddenly felt DARA froze and heard her gasped. I glanced sideways at her. Her eyes were wide as she stared up in front of her. I followed her gaze and saw Sulli leaning down on Jiyong’s ear, whispering something.

 

“Oh” Jiyong mumbled. “Okay, let’s got hen”

 

“Y-ya! You two! Where are you going?”

 

“Just mind your business, spoof”

 

“D-did Sulli just. . . did she just flirt with him?” Dara asked breathlessly as soon as Jiyong and Sulli were out of earshot.

 

“She wasn’t flirting” I said. “She just whispered something to him. And I think I know what”

 

“What?” she asked sharply.

 

“I think she asked him to leave us so we could talk and sort things about us”

 

“Dara, you have to understand that it wasn’t easy for me to stay away from you that long too, but I have to”

 

“Why?”

 

“We have this some sort of research and training facility in Europe. We’re not allowed to bring in any personal stuff inside except for our clothes”

 

“Why were you there, anyways?”

 

I sighed. “I just want to stop this games put on you so I did some research on everything that could help me put an end to it”

 

She was silent for a moment. “You could have at least told me that you won’t be able to use your phone”

 

“I’m sorry. I just got a lot of things in kind so I forgot to tell you”

 

“I’m being a burden to you already” she mumbled, bowing her head.

 

“No, no. Don’t say that” I said, pulling her head to my chest. “You’re not being a burden to me, okay? I just don’t like the idea of you being in danger”

 

“There are still a lot of things you need to tell me” she said. “You promised me last time that you’re going to tell me about the foundation dance”

 

“I know but for now, you have to go to class first”

 

“Tell me later in the house, then”

 

I paused for a moment. “Am I forgiven already?”

 

She didn’t answer at once. “I’ll think about it”

 

“I’ll patiently wait.”

 

o=o=o

 

I saw a brown envelope on my desk. With a frown, I opened it and looked into it.

 

My world stopped. My eyes went wide. My jaw clenched. My fists balled. My vision went dark. I can feel my blood boiling intensely in my veins.

 

Hatred, jealousy, revenge – they all whirled in my mind. I stood up, bringing the brown envelope and its contents with me. That Kwon Jiyong’s going to pay!

 

I’m going to take his life as a payment for kissing my girlfriend!

 

 

 

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*a/n: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! hehe..

 

next  chap >> The Showdown