Chapter 18 : Acceptance

Winter was approaching quickly and Bom and Hayi decided to put the heating on. Tonight, they were cuddling under a woollen blanket on the sofa, watching a TV show. Each Friday night, they would watch variety shows, it was their special moment, only the two of them. It was even more important that night because since the money troubles they had barely seen each other properly, both of working hard to repay the debt.

Resting her head on her unnie's arm, Hayi couldn't help to be curious about Bom's supposed boyfriend. She broke the comfortable silence :

« Unnie », she called. « Do you have someone ? » Bom made a surprised face. She turned her wide opened eyes to Hayi : « Who told you that ? »

« But is it right ? »

« No ! That's total nonsense ! », she said offended. Hayi pouted, Bom unnie was always so reserved with her love life, she was not a little girl. Sometimes, Hayi needed someone other than girls of the same age to talk about guys, she was inexperienced and she wanted to check her feelings for Hanbin.

Bom hesitated, but she was remembering her shared moments with Seunghyun. She thought she could tell Hayi, moreover Seunghyun was a reliable man if they were in trouble again.

« There's a man, but we are not dating or what, we're just hanging out as friends, we argue and laugh a lot. » Bom smiled. « I admit he is charming... ok, more than charming, he is handsome. But I don't want to go too fast, I want to take my time, my lastest experiences were so bad... »

« I understand unnie, he seems a cool man, will I be able to meet him ? »

« Maybe... Oh yes ! I applied for a singer job in a bar, if I'm choosen I'll will invite all of you ! »

« You didn't tell me ! I'm so happy for you unnie ! »

« Yes, it's surely better than cleaning tables. », she made a face at the bad memory. She changed of subject : « And you ? You don't have anyone ? My pretty Hayi-ah », she pinched her cheeks. Hayi successed to escape from her embrace and made a pause.

« Actually there is someone, he even apologize to me this morning... I don't know why but I want to come closer to him, I think about him a lot and... it's bad ! I shouldn't be like that ! » Hayi was frowning, her cheeks flushed. Maybe she had to keep this for her but it troubled her too much. Then, Bom hugged her.

« Hey... that's ok to feel like that Hayi, you're human, you're allowed to feel attracted by some boy. », she reassured her.

« You don't understand, my friend is in love with him, I can't be attracted to him. »

« Hayi, don't you think that you also have your chances, they aren't dating yet, maybe this boy is interrested by you... »

« Even if it's the case, I can't do this to my friend, she really likes him a lot. »

« My sweetie... », she patted her head. « It's gonna be ok, there's no need to feel guilty if you aren't chasing after him. »

« Humm... »

« We'll se what will happened... » Those words were valid for both of them. They stayed in each other warm arms, cocooning.

« Dara ? Are you there ? », Youngbae called as he stepped in.

Dara's tired figure emerged from behind the wall. She had work with no will all the day and was completly exhausted.

« Yes, sorry I was sleeping, I'll start diner », she answered.

He saw her disappeared in diection of the kitchen. He sighed, Dara had become a strange and passive woman since her adventure in YG's casino, different from the original one. A serious talk was needed with the news of Jiyong's arrestation and his favour thing.

After taking off his shoes, he joined her in the kitchen. Dara had expressed the wish to go back home but he had refused. Youngbae thought she wasn't ready and he wasn't sure of YG's intentions, his previous meeting with Jiyong had comfirmed that YG did not forget Dara and what she knew about his business. Now he had to find a way to announce her the news gently since he wasn't the soft kind.

« I'm doing some noodles », she said from behind.

« Dara I've something important to tell you », he started uneasy. « It's about Kwon Jiyong... »

Dara stopped what she was doing when she heard his name, then, everything that had happened that night played in her head. She shook her head to throw those memories away and leaned her hands on the kitchen's counter feeeling a bit dizzy.

« What is it ? », she asked gathering some strengh.

« I met him today at the dance club and he asked me favour... » Then, there was a blank, Youngbae didn't know how to continue. , he had just to wake her up from this depressed state !

« Listen, Dara... get a grip on yourself ! You can't stay like this, where's the cheerful and determinated Dara ! Always here to help ! » Dara didn't react. « I know you are shocked that your life is threatened, but I've got some good news, Jiyong wants to help us ! YG will throw him to jail soon so he accepted to negociate your security in exchange of your testimony in his favour. So wake up ! We can manage the situation, and in case there's the police. » Youngbae stopped his speech and looked at Dara quizzically.

Dara closed her eyes, perplexed at what Youngbae had say. She didn't know what Youngbae and Seunghyun had managed behind her back but she was sure they forgot to tell her something as their recent contact with the police. But actually, it doesn't really matter to her since YG couldn't touch her, she was grateful to them for helping her. She had been such an idiot and now it was time to fix things, she had been staying at Youngbae's for too long. The fact was she couldn't go outside without feeling her stomach tighten, she suspected everybody in the streets : she was afraid that YG's men came and took her. At least, Youngbae was right she had to do something to not live in fear like this, she hated herself for being so weak. She opened her eyes, straightened herself and said : « Ok I'll do the testimony. »

Youngbae smiled, it had worked, she wanted to act, she was with them again. He took her by the shoulders and then hugged her. « Good, our Dara is back. »

Hanbin was on his way to the gym when he saw Hayi going out of her class. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and observed her. She wore a depressed face, but not as the one she had when he apologized that night and she asked him some time, but more like a bored one, dull and a bit pissed. She past by and didn't noticed him, she seemed in her own world, focused on some painful problem by the way she was frowning. Hanbin was sadden to see her cute face in such worry and wondered what was troubling her so much. But here he was stopped in the middle of the crowd of students, bothering everybody, so he started to walk again.

He was exiting the building when he heard his cell phone ringing. He looked up at the caller ID and saw it was Jiyong-hyung, although he had told him to not call him anymore. And yet, Hanbin decided to pick up : « Yoboseyo ? »

« Hanbin-ah ? It's Jiyong-hyung. I'm sorry to call you, I know you didn't want to, but soon you'll be relaxed, I won't bother you anymore... »

« Why hyung ? »

« Because... Hyung is going to jail... Hanbinie don't be worried, I deserve it... »

« But... no, why ? You let them have you ? »

« Sort of... »

« Hyung with everything you did, even if I only know the half, you'll take more than ten years ! »

« Don't worry, I've got some friends to defend me, I'll try to get the minimum as possible. »

« Where are you now ? Are you arrested yet ? »

« No, right now I'm walking along the Han river... but, please, don't search for me... If you want to see me one last time before the trial I'll be soon in custody... »

« Hyung, I'm so sorry... »

« It's alright, it has to happened, I knew it would happened sooner or later, we're all punished one day, in this life or another. Thank you Hanbin, you were right to not follow me. I'm sure you'll become someone admirable in this rich school of yours, I was right to send you there. »

« Hyung, you're too nice, I'll try my best I promise you ! Are you sure you don't want me to come by the Han river ? »

« No, it's not necesary Hanbin-ah, you'll come at the police station, it's dangerous for you to be with me right now. »

« I understand, thank you again. I'll not forget you. Call me if you need help. »

« Ok Hanbin-ah, you're my good boy, Hyung loves yooou ! »

« Ah hyung... », Hanbin said embarrassed, but Jiyong had already hang up.

Hanbin wanted to shout right now, but he was also resigned. What Jiyong did was reprehensible. He kicked the nearby dustbin in anger. He was hopeless, that was Hayi and now Jiyong-hyung, why the persons he liked the most were running away from him ? Fortunatly he had Jiwon, Jinhwan and the others to cheer him up. Jiyong had helped him until there, just like Hayi, now it was his turn to help them.

Someone was watching Hanbin behind one of the trees that boarded the school entrance. He had listening all the moving speech carefully, Hanbin noticing nothing absorbed by his phone call.

When Hanbin decided to move away, the man got out from his hiding place. A large grin was plastered on his face, he finally knew where was the man he was searching for at this very moment. Mino will be able to avenge himself but he had few time to find G-Dragon so he started to run in direction of the Han river.

*****

Suspence...

Thank you again for your kind comments! Readers, say what you think! ;)

I try to udpate as soon as I can :) EDIT: Sorry but you'll have to wait 3 weeks for the next chapter, school is killing me! So sorry :(

Kisses,

-wanderingmood