Chapter 6

Dara turned from side to side in front of the dressing room mirror as she frowned over the form-fitting peach colored dress and heels she was wearing. She was attending a school banquet and dance as the date of Lee Seungri, the son of one of her father’s close friends. Seungri, or Ri, was also a good friend that Dara has known since they were young. He attended a different school from Dara’s and had recently broken up with his girlfriend and had asked Dara if she would accompany him tonight. Seungri was the class Vice President and needed to be at the event though he really rather not be there. He didn’t want to ask anyone from his school to be his date since he was still nursing a broken heart so he had called Dara and asked her instead.

Dara didn’t mind attending with Ri since he was one of her favorite friends but she was nervous about getting all dolled up since she wasn’t really a formal attire kind of girl. She preferred her jeans, t-shirts and sneakers to a girly get-up with heels.

“Dara, Seungri is here!” Her mom called out to her. Dara huffed as she did one last turn in front of the mirror before she made her way to the living room.

Seungri’s face lit up as he saw her. “Wow, Dee, you clean up pretty nice!” He smiled when he saw her scowl at him. “Honest, Dee,” he assured her. “You look beautiful. Thanks for going with me tonight.”

Dara grinned back at him and relaxed. “Hey, let’s take a photo before we go. I want to post it to my twitter page, ” she said, pulling out her phone.

“This for your boyfriend?” Ri teased, and Dara slapped his arm before pulling him close.

“Jiyong’s not my boyfriend. Now shut-up and smile.”

**

Jiyong parked his car outside of Dara’s granfather’s house and ran up the steps and knocked on the door before reaching for the knob. He was accompanying Sanchol to his doctor’s appointment today. The old man had been sick lately and was going in for a follow up appointment. Normally he would go with his driver and assistant but Jiyong had offered to take him today instead. He’d gotten close to Dara’s grandfather and enjoyed spending time with him. He reminded Jiyong a little of his own grandparents who unfortunately lived a little too far away to be able to visit on a regular basis.

“Harabeoji, are you ready?” Jiyong asked, as he stepped into the house.

“I’ve been ready for hours. Any longer and I would have fallen asleep.” Sanchol answered, making his way past Jiyong. Jiyong grinned as he ran up and took Sanchol’s arm, assisting him down the steps.

“You’d fall asleep anyway since that’s your habit,” Jiyong teased, and the old man chuckled.

**

Dara bent over laughing as Seungri did a silly dance. It was past 10pm and they were making their way to Seungri’s car, deciding to abandon the dance and head out to grab something to eat before calling it a night. The dance had been alright but since Dara didn’t know any of the students she had mostly stuck with Seungri and his friends. All in all it was a fun night since Seungri was attentive and lively.

When they reached his car Seungri unlocked the passenger door and opened it for her.

“Thanks Seungri.”

He ran around to the other side of the car and slid in behind the steering wheel.

“You sure you don’t want to go hangout with your friends? You can just take me home.” Dara had heard some of his friends saying that there was an after party at someone’s house and most of the kids were headed there.

“Nah, I don’t go for those kind things. All they do is try to feel cool by getting drunk and all that other .” He made a disgusted sound as he shifted the car in gear and pulled out into the street. “I’d much rather hangout with you and go get something to eat.”

“Ah, a man after my own heart!” she cheered, and the two laughed.

They reached the all night diner and Seungri waited as Dara exchanged her heels for a pair of slip on sneakers that she had brought with her into the car. He had taken off his jacket, shirt, and tie and remained in his white t-shirt and tux pants. They made their way inside and ordered their meals then sat down at a booth close to the back of the diner. Dara brought out her phone and flipped through the dozen or so photos they had taken that night.

“Thanks for coming with me tonight, Dee.” Seungri leaned back comfortably on the seat across from Dara. “If I didn’t have to be there tonight I would have skipped it altogether.”

“You okay?” Dara asked, putting her phone down. She had seen the tight look on his face earlier in the evening when his ex had walked into the dance with another guy.

Seungri shrugged. “Yeah. I’m getting there.”

“What happened between you two, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“She said we were getting too serious, which I take to mean that she wanted to date other guys.”

Dara nodded, and then picked up her phone and searched her photos before holding the phone toward Seungri. “Who is this girl?”

Seungri stared at the photo, brows furrowed in concentration. “Not sure. Oh, I think that’s the new girl. She just moved here from overseas, somewhere in Europe. I think her name’s CL.”

“She’s Korean?”

Seungri shrugged. “Not sure. Why?”

“I think she’s interested in you.”

“Huh?” His brows raised in surprise.

“She kept watching you through the night. She’d look away every time she caught me looking at her but I think she likes you.”

**

Jiyong delivered Sanchol back home and made sure he was resting in his study and attended by his secretary before he said his goodbyes and returned to his car.

He pulled out his phone and checked his twitter. Dara had posted a photo of her and her date to the dance she was attending. Jiyong stared at her photo for several minutes. He knew she had been dreading having to wear a dress and heels but she looked really beautiful in the photo. He typed in a quick comment.

“Wah, you’re all grown up now squirt.”

He then sent her a private message, telling her about her grandfather’s appointment. Everything looked well but the doctor wanted Sanchol to see a specialist to check on his heart. He knew Dara and her parents were worried about her grandfather. They wanted him to come live with them in the U.S. but the old man refused, saying his home was in Seoul.

After completing his update Jiyong put his phone away, started his car, and drove away to meet up with his friends.