• DARA •

 

Jeff drops me off at my house. I wipe tears from my eyes and run over to my porch, collapsing on cold ground.

 

I couldn't do this. I couldn't go public with Chaerin. I'm not sure I'm able to deal with all the questioning paparazzi, the rumors, the fans... It's all too much.

 

I bring my knees to my chest, not caring how short this dress was, and place my face between my knees.

 

A part of me wishes I hadn't met chaerin. But another part, a bigger part will always need chaerin in my life.

 

• CHAERIN •

 

I'm trying to avoid the paparazzi while dialing Jeff's number. It was probably the sixth time I'd callen him and no answer.

 

I thought he was MY driver?

 

At last, his familiar Italian accent picks up. "Ello, Ms.Lee."

 

I scowl. "Why haven't you picked up?! Why didn't you wait for me?!"

 

He doesn't respond for a moment and then says: "I am sorry, Ms.Lee. I will be there in five."

 

"You better." I snap and stab at the 'End' button on my iPhone.

 

• • •

 

I paced back and forth, looking at my watch. Jeff should be here any minute now. I don't think I'm patient enough to wait. I'm worried about dara.

 

Finally my familiar limo pulls up, Jeff's window rolling down.

 

"Sorry for the wait, Miss.Lee. Miss dara said it was an emergency and she had to get home."

 

I bite my lip before I say something rude. Instead, I say: "Sorry for yelling at you." I mumble, heading for the backseat. "I'm stressed." I tell him. "To dara's, by the way. I need to talk to her."

 

Jeff simply nods and rolls back up his window. I pry open the back door and slip into the backseat, lying my head against the tinted glass window after I close back the door.

 

Why did dara just run out like that?

 

• • •

 

"We have arrived, Miss Lee." Jeff informs me.

 

"Thanks, Jeff." I thank him. "Can you wait here?" "Of course, Miss Lee."

 

"Thank you." I say again and pry open the back door, stepping out into dara's driveway. I spot her on her porch, her head in her knees, unaware of my presence. I slowly walk over to her, sliding down beside her.

 

"Hey."

 

She sniffles and looks up at me, wiping a teardrop from her eye. "Hey."

 

"What happened?" I ask her. "Why did you run out?"

 

She sighs and looks down at her fingers, fiddling with them. "I don't think I'm ready, chaerin. It's all too much."

 

"What are you talking about?" I question, taking her hand and wounding my fingers with hers.

 

"I don't think I can deal with the paparazzi." She blurts. "I'm not ready for all the publicity. I just want a normal relationship."

 

I purse my lips. "I'm sorry, dara. I want a normal relationship too, but that's obviously impossible."

 

She heaves a sob and pulls her hand from mine. "I'm just not ready for any of this, chaerin."

 

"Does that mean you're not ready for us?" I ask her in a whisper.

 

She sighs. "I don't know, chaerin. I don't know."

 

I look down, staying silent for a few seconds before saying: "I'm sorry, dara." I say for the second time.

 

A tear slips down her cheek. "I care about you, chaerin. A lot. But...it's too complicated."

 

I blink back tears as I stand up. "Are we over, dara?"

 

She plays with a loose string on her dress, not looking at me. "I just need some time, chaerin."

 

"If that's what you want." I flick my hair out of my eyes and slowly start to walk towards the limo, a part of me hoping she would change her mind and call me back. She doesn't.

 

"Bye, dara." I mumble as I slip into the backseat. I try to hold back tears as I tell Jeff to just drive me home.

 

I wasn't expecting any of this to happen.

 

• DARA •

 

Wiping tears from my eyes, I head into my house. I spot Aunt on the couch, casually scrolling through the tv guide. Trying my best to look normal and as if nothing had happened, I go and flop down on the couch beside her. "Hey." I mutter.

 

Aunt seems startled as her head snapped in my direction. She heaved a sigh. "Hey. You're back early. Everything ok?"

 

"I just found out how hard it is to date one of the most famous girls in the world." I utter in a barely audible voice.

 

Aunt gives me a sympathetic look. "What did she do?"

 

I simply shake my head. "Nothing. In fact, she's wonderful. I like her more than you can imagine. Maybe more than just 'like'. It's just that...I can't deal with everything else. The paparazzi and the rumors and the publicity. It's way too much."

 

Aunt looks at me for a second and then half-smiles. "You're just like your mother. She didn't want to deal with everything that came with being with the guy she loved. Eventually, she gave it all up for him. I know you'll do the same."

 

I bite my lip and a questioning look falls onto my face. "If Mom loved Dad, why didn't she ever talk about him?"

 

"His death was too hard on her." She places her hand on her my shoulder and squeezes it.

 

"How did he died, Aunt ?" I blurt, reering the conversation away from chaerin.

 

Aunt frowns. "Didn't you know? He died in a car crash, just like your mother."

 

"Oh." I crinkle my forehead. In all the pictures I've seen of my father, he looked nothing like me. His hair was blonde and he had hypnotizing brown eyes. No wonder Mom was madly in love with him. "How come he doesn't look like me?" I ask Aunt .

 

She doesn't respond, just looks towards the TV and keeps strolling through random channels.

 

"Aunt ?" I nudge her. "What don't I know? Why don't I look like Dad? Why doesn't bom unnie look like Mom OR Dad? How did Mom get AIDs? Aunt , I need answers!" I throw my hands up in desperation.

 

Aunt purses her lips and slowly clicks off the TV, turning to look at me. "You're right. It's about time you knew everything."

 

I heave a loud sigh. "Yeah, it is."

 

"Listen, dara," Aunt places her hand on my knee. "Your mother had a very rough childhood and teenage years. Whatever I tell you, don't take it personal. None of it is your fault or has nothing to do with you."

 

A curious look rises in my face but all I do is nod. "K."

 

Aunt hands me a cup of water that was sitting on the coffee table. I take a sip while I listen.

 

"Your mother was abused, dara." Aunt blunders. "Not physically. She was abused ually."

 

My hearts racing now. Maybe I didn't want to know any of this. Maybe I wasn't ready. But I asked anyways.

 

"By who?"

 

"By her father. Your grandfather." She tells me, a sad look on her face.

 

I choke on my water and put it down, shock written all over me. "What?"

 

"You heard me, dara. When your mother was 15..." A tear rolls down her cheek. "He got her pregnant."

 

I stay quiet for a while before saying: "She had me when she was 16..."

 

"Coincidence?" Aunt raises an eyebrow as she wipes away and other tear. "Your mother's also your sister, dara. That's why you guys look the same. That's why you guys always connected."

 

Tears are rolling down my face now, no way to control them. "What about bom unnie? Is she even my sister?!"

 

Aunt looks away, not looking me in the eye. "No. She was adopted. Or so they've told me. To be honest, bom's always been a mystery.""

 

"What about my dad?" I pause. "Or who I thought was my dad."

 

"He knew everything. But he loved your mother. A lot. He'd do anything for her. He didn't care what came with marrying her. He still did."

 

I smiled through tears at that thought. It was the only good thing she'd told me.

 

"Aunt , have you seen my cellphone?" bom unnie voice asks suddenly as she appears at the bottom of the staircase.

 

"I saw it by the sink in the bathroom." Aunt answers. "You must have left it there."

 

"Thanks!" bom unnie chirps before bouncing back upstairs.

 

I sigh, a realization hitting me. "I need chaerin."

 

Aunt smiles. "You love her, dara. I can see it in your eyes."

 

I try to smile back. "I think I do."

 

"You do." Aunt tells me. "Maybe you should talk to her."

 

I sniffle. "There are a lot of things I need to talk to her about."

 

"Then go."

 

I grin and wipe away my tears. "I will."

 

I stand up and pull out my phone, looking for Jeff's number.

 

"And dara..." Aunt begins to say.

 

I turn back to her. "Yeah?"

 

She just shakes her head. "Nevermind." I crinkle my forehead. What was she going to tell me? I shrug it off as I hear Jeff's voice answer on the other end.

 

"Ello, Miss dara. What can I do for you?"

 

"Can you drive me to chaerin's?"