Dara finished answering her examinations ahead to others- which is not new since she always finishes her examinations ahead of time. She’s sitting next to the door since the sitting arrangement is by academic standing. Donghae gave her a brief smile then continued answering his test paper after doing so. Chaerin is very serious upon answering the test questions. It took her exactly 5 hours on answering the whole exams on Mathematics and General Organic Chemistry. She can’t help it but smile. Her exams were through and she can do whatever she wanted to do. I just hope the things I wrote were all correct… she thought.

She went outside and surprised when she saw Jiyong standing outside their classroom. He’s leaning towards the railings with the earphone on his ears. He didn’t manage to see her since he closed his eyes and feeling the beat of the music while she, herself, watching him intently. She can’t help it but smile. The way her new friend, Kwon Jiyong, affect her is different. His approach towards her is different.

“Hi.” She mumbled when she went closer towards him. The air freely touched their faces since it’s already August.

“Hi.” Jiyong slightly smiled at her, making Dara frown. “W-what?”

“You should smile a lot Jiyong-yaah. You don’t act like your age.”

“What should be the “act” of a person which is one year younger than you?” Jiyong asked. “And I want you to call me GD and not Jiyong.”

Dara mimicked Jiyongs’ words then slightly twitched her lips. “I’ll call you Jiyong because I like it.”

“Then, call me GD because I want it.” Jiyong stated, with his jaw being clenched. But the weird thing is, he’s not mad or getting annoyed with Dara. What are you doing to me, Sandara Park?

Dara let her tongue out and teased Jiyong. “I will call you Jiyong because I can.”

Jiyong cannot do anything towards her stubbornness? Persuasiveness? He can’t even fathom the right adjective towards the girl. “Alright then.”

Dara giggled and hold his arms. “Jiyong!” she called. She tip-toed a little since Jiyong is taller than her. She lean closer and whisper to his ear, “Do you want to build a snowman?” she said making Jiyong smile a bit. This girl is really something… he mumbled.

“I want to become a great writer.” Sandara said dreamingly as they walk towards the school gate. They passed by the school parking lot where Sandaras’ bodyguard Daesung is waiting for her. I’m still at the school grounds so it is still safe… she thought. “Want to publish a lot of books with pride and honor. Want to be a famous writer in Korea.”

“So Ms. Sandara Park, what would be the possible pen-names would you like to use?”Jiyong playfully asked. Both of them were inclined of getting-to-know each other.

As for Jiyongs’ part, he wanted to know Dara so well. She is the only class-A student he knew that is not like the others so he’s curious about her personality. Well, he doesn’t have to know other class-a student that much since he’s only here for his mission- to study.  And well, he doesn’t have a choice since he is her Noye so he must befriend with her and at the same time, know her so well.

As for Daras’ part, she wanted to know the reason of Jiyongs’ unexplainable eye expression at that time- the time where she’s asked to choose her own Noye.

Daras’ lips twitched indicating that she’s thinking. “I want to have a pen-name like Tinkerbelle or maybe, Dara-ssi.” She mumbled. She wanted to think of a unique pen-name but the time won’t permit her to think that much.

“You think you’ll be famous when you have that kind of pen-name?” Jiyong asked, mocking at her. He doesn’t want to mock her but he can’t help it. A part of him wants to annoy Dara since he never saw her get annoyed to anyone.

Dara sensed that Jiyong is mocking at her so she momentarily gave him a glare. “It doesn’t really matter if I have a weird pen-name or what Jiyong-ssi. The thing that the reader wants is the wholeness of the book I write and not my pen-name. If the readers will only buy my book because my pen-name is like I-have-a-unique-pen-name-so-buy-my-book well, being a famous writer because of that is not a noble one.”

Jiyong suppress a smile since he’s expecting her to answer in that way. She’s smart and has a witty mouth. ”But don’t you think that it is nice to have a unique and catchy pen-name rather than having corny ones?”

“I don’t really mind having a corny and un-attractive pen-name Jiyong-ssi.”

Jiyong, trying his best not to laugh, burst to laugh. “You know what you look like a 3 year old kid having tantrums 3 seconds ago.”

“You know what you sound like a daddy mocking at your own daughter.”

“But I would like to suggest you to have a meaningful pen-name.”

“Then what pen-name would you suggest, Mr. Kwon Jiyong?”

“Pheobe.”

“Phoebe?” she asked. Jiyong nod in response. “Why Phoebe?”

 “In Greek, it means The Shinning One.” he explained, “Since you wanted to be a famous writer, you should claim that one and by claiming that you should have a pen-name that claims that ‘famous writer’ title you want so you should shine as a writer, just like your pen-name.”

“Oh.” She answered. She’s out of words already.

They’re now at the school gate. It is as high as their school fence- about 20 ft. tall to be exact. The school won’t allow students to get out of the school without scanning their IDs, for the Noye who cannot afford to enter the school with a car and for the other students, having a car school ID. The school security is locking and monitoring the person who enters and gets out of the school. Being scan by the scanner at the gate – both human and cars- then, they can go out of the school premises.

“Now, would you like to grow?” he asked.

“Huh?” Dara asked, quite confused. Grow? How?

“If you want to be a writer you should write better plots for your stories.” He said, “What genre would you like to write?”

“I… I don’t know…” she mumbled. Now that he asked it, what would be the genre she wants to write?

Jiyong twitched his lips, curving for another smile. “Now, would you like to come with me outside this school gate and explore your genre?” he asked.

Should I come with him? Dara thought. She watched the place she never been to. The outside world...  She thought. The only place she usually goes is the Sequel University and their house. Well, she goes out and goes shopping with their family shopping mall only when she’s with her 10 bodyguards and when her mom asked their Uncle who owns the business to close the whole mall for her to shop.

“Well?” Jiyong asked with a bored look.

“Well, I-I haven’t been to other places aside from our house and in the school.” She confessed.

She’s curious, very curious about the outside world. What does it look like? What does the outside world smell? Does it stink? Does the environment hazardous? Does the people around it graceful? She has no idea about it. Oh, I have one… but I cannot remember it so well… she thought. The road to their house is isolated from the school- meaning they have their own private road and worse, when they use the public highway, the driver always put the blind on their window, making her not see the view.

“You haven’t…” he mumbled, trying to digest her words. Jiyong gave her a pitiful look. He pities the one and only Sandara Park. How can she call herself human? He thought.

“I-I haven’t… but I have an idea!” she lied. She can see the pitiful look he gave her. She doesn’t want other people to pity her since she’s not used to it.

“You have?” Jiyong asked, but he’s sure that she just lying. But he wouldn’t dare to speak. “Tell me…”

“I… I know that the world is beautiful. Buildings were high, beautiful people were smiling and a lot of people were happy and contented.” She answered.

Well, that’s the idea she had about ‘The outside World’ Jiyong is referring at. She saw on their television when news is flashed on screen: the world sparks with money and gold; the society is composed of rich Korean families, average and the non-average were the society labeled them as ‘the untouchable’. She knew herself that the world is beyond that- beyond money, fame, fortune and perfection. She doesn’t have an idea to it.

“Then, you should see the outside world for yourself Sandara Park…” Jiyong said.

Dara was about to answer him when her bodyguard Daesung appeared all of a sudden together with Mr. Kim, their driver. He’s seriously looking at her then to Jiyong who’s now standing next to her. Even if Daesungs’ bangs are covering his small, eyes, she saw that it was slightly shocked but eventually turned to a serious one. What was that for?

“Lady Park, it’s already 5:45 PM and the car is ready for you to go home.” He said, in a mild, serious tone. “You instructed us to fetch you before 6 PM strikes.”

“It is.” She said, and then faced Jiyong who’s watching Daesung intently. What was that for? She asked herself again, but she immediately dismisses the idea. “Maybe we can talk in some other time Jiyong. I’ll talk about your statement well to have no regrets.”

“S-sure.” He said, without looking at her. She saw his forehead is being flooded with large, sticky sweat and she doesn’t know why and what was that for. And he didn’t even bother himself to look at her.

She walked without looking back at him. When the car door is being opened, she look back and saw Jiyongs’ face hardened and fist clenched while looking at the ground. Daesung is with him and she doesn’t have an idea what they are talking about. “Jiyong!” she called out.

Jiyong lift-up his head and saw Dara. “Ah-uh—what?”

“Would you like us to—“

“No.” then he walked away, making Dara dumbfounded.  “You’re just a subject…”he mumbled.

“What did the two of you talked about?” Dara asked Daesung when they’re heading towards their home. “He looked… pissed-off. Are you two related to each other?”

Daesung cannot answer her. “Its… it’s classified information Lady Park.”

“I’m asking you not as the Lady Park you keep on insisting. I’m asking you as the Dara Park, your friend.” She said, with conviction.

“My curious friend.” Daesung mumbled. “But its classified information Dara.”

“Well… you two are giving me confusions but I’m sorting conclusions in my head.” She said, giving Daesung a shot. Please tell me. Please tell me. “You two are related with each other.”

“It’s classified information.” Daesung answered.

“Maybe friends? Or most probably, family related. But the two of you don’t look a like.”

“It’s classified information.” Daesung said, with full of conviction.

“Hmmm. Then what does his action mean? Does it mean that the two of you were former lovers?” she said, making Daesung burst to laugh at his head. The last thing he’ll even imagine is ending-up with a guy.

“I don’t engage myself with homo-relationships Lady Park.” He answered, making her frown.

“Ah! Maybe… maybe you two were sort of friends way back some time then you two fell in love with the same girl. Then, you ended-up being bitter with each other and… and that’s it!” she said, feeling like she solves a history-case mystery.

“Still, it’s classified information Lady Park.” Daesung stated.

“Arghh! Classified information, classified information.” She mimicked mirrors that she’s quite annoyed at all.

The car enters their compound and went straight to their house. Dara saw an unknown car being parked at their parking lot. She had an idea that it is probably her parents’ business associates. Parked at Parks’ residence… she thought, making her chuckled to her own joke.

“This way Lady Park.” Daesung said.

Their butler opened the door for her and once she entered their house, she was stunned to what she saw and about to know.

“She’s here.” Her eomma said but what made her shock is when she approached her like a loving mother who misses her daughter that much and kissed her cheek. “How’s school?” she asked.

“I-it was ok-okay.” She utter, stutter to be exact.

“Come, they are waiting for you.”

“B-but I have to change and wash-up first.” She mumbled.

“Be quick.”

She immediately went to her room: take a short bath and change clothes. When she’s back, laughter were already filled at the dinning area. Their whole family is here: Seungris’ family, Boms’ family and even her favorite cousin next to Seungri, Chanyeol, is here. What are they doing here? She asked herself.

“Oh, she’s here.” Her mom said. She went closer to her and smiled, slightly, when she kissed her cheek. She knew so well her mother that she’s now playing. My mom play so well… she thought.

She silently sat next to Seungri whose now annoyed with Park Chanyeol. She slightly smiles at Chanyeol and faced Seungri. “What are you doing here?”

“Asked your mom what the hell is happening here?” Seungri mumbled. “You saw Lee Donghae already?” Seungri asked, making her confused.

“He’s here?” she asked, “Haven’t seen him since 30 minutes ago.”

“Oh crap, he’s with the flirt.”

There, she saw her cousin Park Bom laughing loudly with Lee Donghae while heading towards the dinning area. Her arms were holding Donghaes’ arms like a snake and even giving him a slight tap on his chest, making her eyebrows furrow. What was that for?

Her mom is talking to Donghaes’ dad, more of a business talk. When Donghae saw her, he walked-fast towards her making her cousin Bom left there, with an unexplainable facial expression. Sardonic? She doesn’t know what.

“Dara.” He said, gave her a kiss on her cheeks. “I thought you’re already here. You finished your exams before me, right?”

“Well, I asked her to come to the SC office for some paper works.” Seungri catches her when her mom gave her a questioning look.  She squeezes gently Seungris’ lap as a thank you.

“Yet, you came home earlier than her. What kind of SC President are you.” Donghae joked, making Seungri pissed.

“Well, I am her cousin and I want her to be as busy as hell.” Seungri joked, but annoyance is evident on his voice. He still hated the fact that Bom hold Donghaes’ arms, like a . Argh, it seems like she’s being y again and worse, to Daras’ future boyfriend. He thought.

Dara didn’t listen to what her cousin Seungri and Donghae is talking about. She’s staring at Bom intently, watching her every move she make as she approached her. But what catches her attention the most is when Bom smirked at her. What was that for Bommie? She asked.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

Updates will be VERY SLOW since I’m on my way to finishing my thesis. Yey! Partey partey! AND Midterm examinations are fast approaching. Please, dear readers, hold on to my bangs :> Haha!~~

PS. I already gave random replies to your comments XD Sorry if it took me a week or two to put a reply since I went to a retreat house 3 days ago and reflect.

PPS. You’ll make me happy when you leave comments. :>