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I woke up not feeling a wink better than how I felt before going to sleep last night. And if I may say so, last night was the worst night of my life. Actually yesterday was the worst day of my life.

I shut my eyes back close again as I began to recall what happened yesterday. First, it was at the jewelry shop. I kept seeing “the ring” that Jiyong and I picked for Renee. Soon enough I’m seeing Renee wearing the ring on her ring finger flaunting the GODDAMN ring for everyone to see. Who wouldn’t do the same, right? I mean with the size of that rock? For sure I’ll be doing the same as well.

Lucky for her. Not only is she getting that beautiful ring, she’s getting Jiyong along with it. Honestly, I could do away with the ring and would happily settle getting Jiyong instead.

And then the second worst thing happened last night. After getting enough courage (with the help of 2 glasses of VODKA ICE) I finally took my last chance of getting back my man.

I kissed Jiyong.

The kiss like always was more than any words could describe. It was different and yet familiar. In the middle of our tongue dueling and tonsil hockey, I actually thought that I’ve hooked him. I thought that I already made him realize that it was me that he has been searching for. That I am his “masked lady”.

Me.

Dara.

Not Renee.

I really thought that I had him back. Until.

He broke free from our kiss. I guess I’m wrong. He didn’t feel it. Jiyong didn’t remember our kiss.

And for the nth time in my young adult life I felt my heart break into a million pieces. From the same man over and over again.

You might think that I’m that stupid for letting that happen again. I guess I really am one. The first few times that he broke my heart, I was able to stand up and piece back everything into place. But this time around, my heart is beyond reparation. I know I have to stop this and move on while I still can.

And I will do just that. I owe it to myself. That’s why after this day, I’ll try starting a new life for myself. Away from everybody in Korea. Away from Jiyong. I know it will be nothing close to being easy but like I said, I owe it to myself.

“Okay. Enough is enough, Dara!” I totally screamed and wished that nobody heard me do just that.

“Face it girl. That was your last chance.” I continued to berate with myself. It’s not as if I didn’t try my best to make him remember but he just couldn’t. Maybe he is really in love with Renee. I guess we were never meant to be more than friends.

After what happened last night, I know I should have runaway. There were so many reasons I could think of why I should have done so while there is only one reason why I shouldn’t. My only reason not to would be Jiyong. Come to think of it, he’s the main root why I should runaway last night. But still, I couldn’t make myself leave.

It’s not that I’m too chicken to do so. It’s more like I’d rather bear the pain for one more day just to be with him for the last time. I’d take that risk and brave everything. What else have I got to lose anyway? I’ve already lost him. Obviously, I’ve decided to stick around just one more day with Jiyong and then that’s it for me.

I finally glanced up the clock that was resting on my bedside table and learned that it was already almost noon.

“Oh Gawd! The game!” I’m actually not that keen anymore of going to the game. But it is what we came here for in the first place. And besides, I’ll be spending time watching the game with Jiyong.

The game will be starting around four this afternoon so I willed myself up and off the bed then walked inside the bathroom.

The question is:

“How am I suppose to face Jiyong after what happened last night?” I asked myself in front of the bathroom mirror.

Hmmmm.

I could act like my usual self and think none of what happened last night.

“Oh Gawd! I wish it was that simple.” I breathed in a sigh.

But do I have any other choice? I don’t think that I do.

This would be my last day with Jiyong and I ought to make the most of it.

After a couple more minutes, my feet brought me to the living room of the mansion. I was greeted by one of the maidservants and had informed me that her master is out in the pool. She then assisted me where Jiyong was.

Jiyong was in the middle of finishing a lap of the length of the pool when I got to the pool area. I couldn’t help but marvel at the powerful as he swam. And when he pulled himself out of the water, I caught myself admiring him more.

“Want to take a dip? The water is cool.” I heard Jiyong’s voice, which broke my thoughts.

“Ummm. No thanks. I’m really not in the mood for a swim right now.” I tried to say casually.

“Okay. Are you hungry? It’s almost lunchtime now.” He said.

“Actually I am.” I replied back.

“Do you mind having our lunch out on the veranda?”

“Anywhere is fine with me.”

“Okay. Wait here.” He said and called for his butler.

We were in the middle of eating our lunch when Jiyong started to break the silence between us.

“Dee,  about last night. Ummm.”

“What about last night?” I tried to ask as if I’ve got no memory of what happened the past night.

“Well, you kissed, actually we kissed last night.” He explained.

“We did, huh?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Maybe it’s the alcohol again.” I justified my memory loss.

“Uhh, I suppose so.” He just replied as if unsure.

“Well don’t be surprised. It’s happened before.” I told him.

“Oh yeah.”

“I suppose I did something stupid again? Did we make out again last night?” I asked.

“Uh. No. Just kissed.”

“Okay.”

“You don’t really remember, do you?” He asked again.

“Nope.”

“That’s good then.” He answered and finally continued to finish with his food.

“What time are we leaving for the game?” I asked.

“Around two.”

“Okay. I’ll just see you in an hour then. I better take my bath now.” I said as I stood up and sauntered back inside the mansion.

***

It took me a while until I was able to put myself to sleep last night. I kept pacing outside Dara’s door deciding to knock or not to knock. And although I’ve decided to keep on with my plan, I still found myself in front of her bedroom door. I so wanted to know if she was okay.

“Is she okay?” I found myself asking over and over again.

“Of course she’s not anywhere near of being okay.” Stupid of me to even ask myself if she was.

After what had happened, I suddenly feared that she might do something bad to herself physically. But then I started to calm down when I remembered that she’s sort of afraid of the sight of blood. So I easily scratched the thought of her hurting herself physically. And just when I was already starting to be calm, I thought that she might runaway and leave the mansion. So I immediately summoned for the butler and asked him to tell the security not to let anyone (and I meant anyone!) out of the mansion as well as to secure the grounds. Although I’m certain that if Dara would decide to do just that, she won’t be able to go that far on barefoot. It is in fact that our mansion is sited at one of the most exclusive neighborhood in this part of the globe. No one in his right mind would be able to walk a number of miles just to get out of the whole estate. And we’d probably hear a word or two from the neighborhood security patrolling the whole area if Dara attempts to walk herself out of here. But still I just wanted to make sure that she’s still inside her room. So I asked one of the lady servants to phone her through the intercom and ask her if she’d need anything more from the kitchen for the rest of the night. I stayed right beside the servant as she spoke to Dara. Just knowing that Dara answered the phone gave me a relief.

I quit hanging out from her door sometime around three in the morning. My already tired body beckoning me to my bed. And I just left my bedroom door lightly opened so that I’ll be able to hear if and when she wakes up.

When I woke up sometime before nine this morning, I immediately asked the butler if Dara had already gone out of her room and when he said that she hasn’t, I figured that she was still sleeping. I then took this chance to do a few laps on the pool.

After doing a number of laps, I saw Dara coming out from the mansion. I asked her if she wanted to test the water herself but she immediately declined.

We had our lunch at the veranda and kept our silence mostly during the meal. I only had the courage to say something to her when I couldn’t bear the silence anymore.

I actually readied myself for some harsh words from her from what had happened last night but to my surprise there wasn’t any. And my greatest surprise of all was that she seemed not to remember what happened. I was at first not really sure if I was to believe that she doesn’t recall anything but when she insisted that she doesn’t, I just took her word for it.

But still, I had this gut feeling that she’s just making me think that she doesn’t remember.

Anyway, right this moment, I’m actually waiting for her to get down from her room. We’re due to leave the mansion in 20 minutes so we could be at the stadium an hour before the ball game starts.

As I waited, I started to make a few calls just to check if everything is all set and ready for the show. And then I made my last call.

“Seungri!”

“Jiyong hyung!” I heard Seungri’s cheerful voice at the other end of the line amidst the noise at the background. I was hearing the mighty alien Seunghyun hyung and the Bominator bantering again over something.

“I’m taking it that everyone is present?” I chuckled softly.

“Yup. All present.”

“Everything alright at your end?”

“Everything is