DARA

"Hyunnie!" I squealed the moment I saw him. He stood up from the sofa with a bright smile on his face, his arms wide open. I started running towards him and was about to launch myself in his arms when an arm went around my waist, stopping me. I was pulled back to what felt like a chest.

I don't have to look to know who it is. I can feel him. I can sense him. I can smell him. But I looked up anyways and yeah, I was right. My eyes almost popped out from their sockets when I realized he was still shirtless and that he was only wearing his boxers. Oh God. . .

My eyes went to the people with us. My mother's face was so red it's a surprise she hasn't exploded yet. Minyu was smirking. Soo Hyun was frowning down at us.

"Who are you?" I heard Jiyong asked.

I closed my eyes from I-don't-know-what. Embarrassment? Exasperation? I remember I told him who Hyunnie is.

"Who are you?" Hyunnie returned, his eyes narrowing.

"Kwon Jiyong," Jiyong answered in a tone which implied that should be enough to explain this mess.

Hyunnie looked at me and then to Jiyong's arm around my waist. "I don't know you," he said. "You think you can take your arm off of her?"

His arm tightened around me. I tapped it lightly and he loosened his hold but did not let go. I turned around with his arm still around me. I don't know how I did it but I've manahed to do so.

"What are you doing?" I whispered and then frowned at the look on his face. He looked angry. What's he angry for?

He growled and I felt his body tensed when his arm was suddenly yanked off of me and I was pulled away from him. He stepped forward and looked like he was about to jump on Hyunnie when I pulled away from my bestfriend and placed my palms on Jiyong's chest. "No," I warned him. "Please?" I whispered. I felt him relax a little.

"Dee," I heard Soo Hyun called.

I turned my face and gave him a smile. "It's okay. I'm okay," I assured him. I then grabbed Jiyong's wrist and started pulling him with me. He needs to get a freaking shirt but he won't budge. "Ji, come on." I started pulling him again. I sighed in relief when he finally let me lead him back to my room.

"What was that?" we chorused the moment I closed and locked the door of my room behind me.

"You can't go around looking like that with my parents out there!"

"What am I supposed to do? You were about to launch yourself in his arms!" he returned.

"You should have put on your hoodie, Jiyong. And what's wrong with me hugging my childhood bestfriend whom, by the way, I haven't seen in years?"

"What's wrong?" he asked, nose flaring. "You're not wearing a bra!"

Shoot! My arms immediately went to hug my chest. The reminder made my cheeks burn. But then, I stood my ground and dropped my arms to my sides. "So?"

"So? SO?!" he asked in disbelief. "In case you've forgotten, you're still a girl, Dara regardless of what you think you are. You can't go around hugging people with no bra on."

What's he so mad about? "He's not just anyone, Jiyong. He's my childhood bestfriend!"

"I don't care who he is," he said. "That doesn't change the fact that he's a boy and that's beside the point. You're not going out there again unless you've put a bra on."

My jaw dropped. "Are you seriously telling me what I can and can't do in my own house? My own bedroom?"

He straightened up and crossed his arms. He lifted his brows at me. "You heard me."

"The audacity! How can you. . .? You're. .  ." I was too pissed to form any coherent thought. I glared at him, putting all my annoyance into it. If I thought that would make him back down, I thought wrong. The jerk started smiling! "You're smiling? You're smiling?! Do you think this is funny?!"

"You have no idea how cute you are when you glare at me like that do you?" he asked, chuckling. But then he groaned and rubbed his palms on his face. "Don't distract me. Can you just put a bra on, please?"

I sighed. Well, if he's going to use the word please, I might as well - wait no, I'm not going to do it just because he said that word. I'm doing it because it's a logical thing to do. "Turn around," I said. I was meant to snap at him but the words came out with no bite at all. It sounded more like a request.

"I want to make sure you're going to put it on."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. I waited for him to say he was just joking and that he'll turn away but he just stood there. "You can't be serious?"

"Dee, is everything all right?" I heard Hyun call through my door, knocking.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a moment," I called back. With a sigh, I turned away from Jiyong and took my shirt off. He's a jerk, that's what he is. I slipped my arms through my bra and reached behind me to clip it but I was too pissed and this made my movements clumsy and jerky.

"Let me," I heard Jiyong say as he took over and clasp it. My fists balled tightly as his forefinger ran down my the column of my spine.

"So let me get this straight," I started, facing him. "You can touch me like that but I can't even hug my childhood bestfriend?"

"Yeah, that's about right."

"You do realize the hypocrisy in that, don't you?"

"Maybe," he shrugged, smirking

"And who are you to decide for me like that?" I asked, beyond pissed. "We're just classmates, Jiyong. Maybe even friends but that's it." That wiped off the smug look on his face. For a moment, I felt bad about it but I let my annoyance take over. I grabbed my shirt and put it on. Without another word, I marched out from my room.

The moment I was out of my room, I saw Hyun leaning across the wall. "Hi," I smiled. "Sorry about that." I wasn't too mean to Jiyong, was I?

"Do you want to hang out somewhere else?" he asked.

I thought about it for a few seconds, wondering if it' safe to leave Jiyong behind. "It's good," I finally said. "Wr can stay."

Hyun gave me a knowing look before shaking his head. "Okay."

"Don't give me that look," I scolded him.

He chuckled. "You're not getting out of this, Dee."

"Have no idea what you're talking about," I said as I led him back to the living room.

"Hey, there you are. We're just preparing for lunch. Stay and have lunch with us Soo Hyun, okay?" Minyu smiled.

"Thanks," he answered. "Ah, it's been a while since I've tasted your food."

Minyu laughed. "It's indeed been a while. It's good to see you again. We'll catch up later, okay?"

"Okay."

"How are you?" I asked the moment we were sitting comfortably on the sofa.

"So, who's Kwon Jiyong?" he asked back.

I grimaced. "Wow, we haven't seen each other in what felt like centuries and we've lost contact but the first thing  you're asking me is about Jiyong?"

"Who's he?" he asked again, a small smile on his lips. "Don't pout on me, Dee. I've never seen you like this with anyone before. Can you really blame me? I'm curious."

"What do you mean by I've never seen you like this with anyone?"

"Have you realized you're a girl after all?"

"Why are you answering my question with another question?"

"Because you're not answering mine?"

Soo Hyun's my childhood bestfriend. He's the first person who knew about my preference. He found out first even before I confessed to my parents. I tell him everything - everything. So why am I hesitating in telling him about Jiyong?

I should tell him, right? He's my bestfriend after all.

But where should I start? How should I introduce Jiyong to him?

"I got rejected by a girl I was courting," I told him instead. I don't think I'm ready to share anything about Jiyong to him yet. "It happened last night."

"What a bummer," he said. "Is she pretty?"

I smiled. "Yes, she is." I forgot how understanding Soo Hyun can be. I'm thankful he didn't insist on talking about Jiyong.

"Her loss," he said. "You're a pretty nice catch."

I laughed. "You can be biased sometimes."

Soo Hyun laughed with me but stopped when a shadow fell over us. I followed his gaze and saw Jiyong standing over me with a hoodie on (thank God for that) but still with his boxers on. My eyes narrowed at his bottom lip jutting out. What is he up to now? That pout's screaming he's up to no good.

"I'm leaving," he said, his eyes on the floor. "I can see I'm an unwanted guest here. Tell your parents thanks for letting me stay over."

Soo Hyun and I exchanged looks as Jiyong started to leave. "Erm, is it really okay for him to leave like that?" he asked. "I mean, he basically only have a hoodie and boxers on."

With a sigh, I stood up and started going after him. "Jiyong!" I called.

He was by the gate already. He stopped and I watched as his shoulders slumped in defeat. He then turned around, his head bowed and his eyes on the ground. I can't help it. I laughed at the sight of his pout. Oh God, he looked so pathetic and adorable at the same time.

Before I could stop myself, before I could think of why I shouldn't be doing what I'm about to do, I found myself closing the distance between us and my arms around him. My laughter soon died down when his arms also went around me and his face went to the crook of my neck. Why does this feel so good? Why does this make me so happy? Why do I feel so warm inside?

We stayed like this for quite some time. I should step back now. I should push him away now. "Are you still angry?" I heard him ask through a muffled voice. I closed my eyes when I felt his lips moved against my neck when he asked the question.

"No," I answered.

He squeezed me gently before stepping back, a huge grin on his face. "Let's get back inside," he brightly said. He grabbed my wrist and started pulling me back inside, whistling.

It took me some time to realize I've fallen into one of his schemes again. Oh God, he's even bouncing! What have I gotten myself into?

He dropped himself beside Hyun the moment we entered the living room. He pulled me down beside him and started playing with my fingers with his hands as he faced Hyun. He even had his feet up as if he owned the place! The nerve! "So, what brought you here?" he asked.

"I'm transferring," Hyun answered.

"You're transferring?" I asked, leaning forward so I could see him since Jiyong's basically blocking my view. "To my school?"

"Yes," I heard Hyun replied.

"What year are you in?" Jiyong went on.

"Same with Dee."

"Our school's not that great though," Jiyong said. "I think it's best for you to look for another school, you know, for academic records and all that ."

"I'm cool with any school as long as Dee's there."

Jiyong's hands playing with my fingers went still. "What did you just say?" he asked.

"I said -."

"Lunch's ready," Minyu announced as she walked over to us, her eyes darting to Jiyong's hands over mine.

I pulled my hand away and stood up. "Great!" I said with a clap. "I'm starving." Like a coward, I ran off to the dining area and settled in my seat.

"Jiyong, I heard about what happened to your clothes," Mom said as she came in with her hands full. "You can stay over until we have them dried up. The person who's supposed to fox the dryer has not arrived yet."

"Thanks," I heard Jiyong's voice from my right. Great, he had to sit beside me, huh?

I refused to look at Jiyong or at anyone else in particular. I especially avoided Minyu's eyes. I could feel my cheeks burning hot from embarrassment.

"Are you okay?" Jiyong asked in a whisper. He was leaning over me, his hand on my back.

"I'm. . ." I squeaked. I think I even went redder. I coughed to clear my throat. "I'm okay," I told, wiggling in my seat to get his hand off of me. What on earth is he doing in front of my parents?! "Let's eat!" I announced and clapped my hands once for effect.

I started busying myself - well, more like burying myself with food. It was my excuse to be not part of any conversations. My parents launched onto asking Hyun a loy of questions. I just sat there and listened. Well, at least I've heard some parts of it.

He's transferring to my school. He said he's moved into an apartment nearby with his mother. That's all about I've heard, really. I tried to concentrate understanding the rest of what he was saying but Jiyong was making it impossible for me to even focus at anything else except for the fact that he was drawing circles on my open palm underneath the table.

Busying myself with food and my mind wandering to the circles in my palm's making it impossible for me to listen and understand what Hyun was saying. I pulled my hand away and placed it on top of the table when I started feeling bad and guilty for not paying attention to what my bestfriend was saying.

I need to set up a day to hang out with Hyun to play catch up. This isn't going to work today. I don't know what's gotten into him but Jiyong sure is working hard to get my attention.

I don't know what to make of his behavior. He said he could only give me friendship, nothing more. So why is he acting like this? It's making me think otherwise.

Suzy's rejection stung. It hurt, sure but it didn't hurt as much as I expected it to be.

Then that dream happened. The dream made realize that I actually do like and enjoy  any skinship with Jiyong so I told him this. I don't know what's gotten into me but it felt like something I should share with him.

But then I got rejected again. I'm still in the middle of coming into terms with the possibility that I may sway in both directions so facing the fact that I've been rejected twice in a row was too much for me that I had to pretend the moment we woke up that it was all a dream for me.

I know I have to confront Jiyong about it eventually but I need to figure things out first. I need to figure out if I do sway in both directions. I need to know if this is just mere curiosity of what intimacy felt like. I need to know if I'm  really into Jiyong or if it's just because of the skinship we've had.

I sighed. Ugh, this is making my head spin! Should I just excuse myself from lunch and go take a rest or something?

No.

Jiyong's just going to follow me and pester me and - why am I assuming he's going to follow me?

I looked up when I felt two pairs of eyes on me. I met Hyun's gaze. The moment our eyes met, he smiled. I felt my body relax, it was as if a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I've seen that smile countless times before. It's his way of telling me everything's going to be alright.

And I believe him. That smile has always assured me before and it's doing it again now so I smiled back at him.

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A/N

Yay! An update, hahaha.. Kim Soo Hyun in the house! Hahaha.. And who could ever resist a pouting Jiyong? Who? 🤔