Sandara cannot blink her eyes as she stares at Lee Donghae. Her heart is pacing so fast- she cannot understand why she’s on a verge of crying.  She’s not even breathing as she met those eyes that is looking at her- intently.

“T-tell me you-you’re joking, r-right?”  Sandara asked nervously, while trying to act playful and not affected. But to her dismay, she saw how Lee Donghae remained serious- seriously looking at her. She’s scared of the idea that Jiyong is cheating on her. “You’re… you’re just joking right?!”

Donghae looked at Dara and he can see the painful expression on her eyes. And it , and he doesn’t know why. So he manages to smile at her. “Of course…” not. He wanted to add but he refuses to do it. He’s scared to see a crying woman infront of him and he doesn’t want to see one. It scares him- the hell in him.

Upon hearing them, Sandara smiled and wipe the tears that was about to fall. She even manages to punch him lightly on his shoulder. “I hate you for making me nervous Lee Donghae!” she mumbled.

“If you could have seen your face.” Donghae said, while trying to plaster a smile on his face.

Sandara pouted and drank the drink he offered. “Don’t make jokes like that Lee Donghae. I-I don’t like the feeling.”

“What if Jyong is cheating?” Donghae asked, trying to be casual. He was curious to what is Sandara thinking about her boyfriend cheating at her.

“Donghae…” she said, in a warning tone. “I don’t think he can do that to me.”

“But he already did…” he whispered and thanked heavens Sandara haven’t heard it. “Let’s just say he did it. What you’ll going to do?”

Sandara sighed and looked at Donghae in his eyes. She doesn’t know why he’s insisting her to answer his question. “Why?”

“Why why?” Donghae said. “This is just a simple question Dara.”

“W-well, if he’ll cheat, I-I don’t think I can move-on. I-I don’t know what to do…” Sandara looked at Donghae on his eyes and said, “You see, Jiyong is my first love and I know I’m his first love too. And… and I cannot see him cheating on me. I know Jiyong so well, so well that I am sure that he’ll never, ever, do that on me. And if he’ll ever do that, he should do that to me when I wasn’t around.

I do trust Jiyong Donghae, I really do.”

Donghae was taken aback to what Dara said. He can feel it, her feelings towards Jiyong. Both of them love each other, but sad to say, Jiyong failed her. He cheated on her. He wanted to ask Jiyong why he’s doing it and he got an answer and he’s very disappointed. I should get rid of Kiko in this story… he thought.

He looked at Dara and smiled at her. He likes Sandara for Jiyong. He can feel it, as a best-friend he can feel it, that Sandara is good for Jiyong. Actually, she’s the perfect one for Jiyong. For the past few days he’s with them he can see that Jiyong become carefree every time they’re together. And he never see that when he’s with Kiko.

Now his problem is Kiko. How would he get rid of her in this story? Kiko is with Jiyong for the whole day and they’re together in all aspects: orgs, student council, school subjects. Maybe Jiyong got attached to Kiko since they’ve been together for years…

“Come, we have to catch your next subject.” He said as he smiles at Sandara Park.

***

Jiyong was walking with Sandara towards her dorm. He was very busy for the whole day and he can feel that Sandara was a bit disappointed to him. He promised her that he’ll be with her for the whole day and yet, his duties as the SC President dragged him to this situation. He stares at Sandara who’s now silently walking beside him. He was holding her hands and gently, squeezes it.

Sandara looked at Jiyong with a confuse look. “What?” She was disappointed awhile ago but she understands it- she will understand it. She was lucky enough to have someone like Donghae who’ll accompany her every time her boyfriend cannot do his promises to her.

Jiyong smiled. “Let’s go somewhere.”

Jiyong dragged Dara towards the bus station and waited for the bus to arrive. He wanted to make it up to her. He does love Sandara, very much, that making her upset hurts him. “Where? Jiyong we still have classes tomorrow.”

“This will not take that long.”

As soon as the bus came, Jiyong dragged Dara inside and let her sit next to him. She was sitting near the glass window. She wanted to protest because she must study for the next day. They’ll have an oral recitation and she’s afraid of their professor. Mr. Yang is really scary.

“Where are we heading?”

“Let’s go to the place that will surely make you go loco.” He said that made Dara smile. He usually says those words to her while they’re still on their elementary days and that made Dara giggled. She already knew where they’re heading.

As soon as the bus stops, they immediately vacate the bus and runs towards the park they usually play during their elementary days. Sandara was smiling widely as she saw the swing she likes to ride. She immediately run to it, like a child, and play with it. She missed this place because this is the place where she got her first kiss from Jiyong.

“Remember this place?”Jiyong said while walking towards her. “This is the first place where I first saw you with your pigtails and jumpers. This is the same place where I first confessed to you when where still on our sixth grade and this is the exact place, this place where I am standing right now, where I first kissed you.”

“Yeah, our haven.” Sandara mumbled. She cannot forget how they used to ditch their classes, even if they’re still on their sixth grade, just to play on this place. This is the place they can call ‘theirs’ because this place saw how they fall for each other.

Jiyong slowly push the swing making Dara giggle. He’s always in-charge of making Dara happy ever since they met. “I’m sorry if I got busy awhile ago.”

“I understand.”

“I should take care of you because you are my girlfriend.” Jiyong said then sighed. “I-I think I don’t deserve you anymore Dara…” he said making Dara stepped on the ground for him to stop pushing the swing. “I am a busy student and I-I cannot be the perfect boyfriend you always tell me before.”

“A-are you…” Sandara shook her head. She doesn’t want to entertain that idea because it will scare the hell in her.

“No, I’m not breaking-up with you.” Jiyong said. He cupped Sandaras’ face and kissed her. “I’m just sorry because I can’t be the perfect boyfriend you always look upon. I am busy; I have no time for you and I… and I…” I am cheating on you. He thought. He wanted to kill himself for being such a jerk.

Sandara cupped his face too and kiss his lips fully. “You are my perfect boyfriend Jiyong. Even if you’re always busy, you’re still my perfect boyfriend. I doesn’t mean that you’re busy and have no time for me means you’ll be less of a perfect boyfriend for me. You are my first love, my first kiss, and my perfect boyfriend.”

Jiyong hug Dara tightly and kissed her hair. He was very lucky to have someone like her and loosing her means creating a big hole in his heart, in his life. “I love you…” he whispered as he pressed his lips on hers.

“I love you too.”

***

Donghae was walking towards the dorm of Sandara Park. He was a bit irritated- again- because of two things: he’ll be spending his 2 weeks with Sandara and Jiyong and Kiko will be together for 2 weeks. He sighed as he knocks on her room. He already texted her saying that he’s already here. He heard the unlocking of the locks and saw a very fresh Sandara.

“Good morning Donghae! Good morning Korea!” Sandara greeted him. She even gave him a kiss on his cheeks and then closes the door. “Ahh, this will be our first day of being together right?”

Being together… Donghae thought. He doesn’t know why but the effect of those words were… creeping him out. He just shrugs and walk. Sandara just followed him and smile but deep inside of her she wanted to frown because Jiyong is away.

Since Jiyong is the SC President, he was tasked to go to the school convention along with other org presidents. They’ll be staying at Jeju for 2 weeks for their convention. She wanted to protest because he’ll be away with him for 2 weeks but she just can’t. It’s a school related activities and aside from that, he was the SC President before she came back.

“Why did you not come with them Donghae? I heard you are the track and field president.” She said as she munches the sandwich Donghae gave to her.  “And these sandwiches, ahh, this is heaven!”

Donghae looked at her and smiled. They haven’t seen each other for few weeks because he got busy with his plates. He was making his plates for him to be exempted on his preliminary exams on one on his major subjects. And sad to say, he lacked 0.02 points to be exempted. Well, at least I got high grades… he thought.

“I am a busy student Dara.” He said. “You want to eat break-fast?” he asked as soon as they walk towards the school cafeteria.

“Naah, this sandwich is better than the food inside the café.” She commented. “You make sandwich better than I imagine”

“You talk a lot.” He said.

He was a bit pissed-off awhile ago but slowly if faded when she already saw Sandaras’ smile. He wanted to punch himself for smiling to his best-friends girlfriend. He got a task from Jiyong to look for Sandara while he was away. He was not pissed knowing that he’ll get a chance to talk with his funny girlfriend but when he told him that he’ll be with Kiko, he got pissed-off and scared at the same time.

They walk towards the school garden. It’s still 7Am and their class will start by 8AM. Both of them sat on the bench intended for the student to sit while waiting for their class.

“How’s your plates?” Sandara asked. “Jiyong told me you’re not sleeping because of that plates.”

Donghae sighed and arrange his things. He put his bags and books on the ground and gets Daras’ bag and placed it on his lap. “I lacked 0.02 so I didn’t make it.”

“What?! Just a 0.02 and you’re not exempted on your exams?” she exclaimed. Her nose was flaring and Donghae cannot believe Sandara looked cute to that. Sandara was pressing her neck, as if she was really stressed when she heard Donghaes’ laughter.

“You look so cute.” Donghae said while holding her cheeks and gently squeeze them.

“You’re not affected?” she exclaimed. “After all the sacrifices you’ve made, you didn’t even budge to convince your professor? Geez! If that happened to me, I already cried a river, seriously.”

Donghae just shrug and sat on her lap. He wanted to sleep, for just one hour. He closes his eyes and smiled. If Sandara wouldn’t like their position, since she already has a boyfriend, he will immediately stands-up. But Sandara didn’t budge to say a word because she was very engrossed to his story.  “It’s just a point Dara. I don’t want to see myself begging for someone.”

Sandara just sighed and continued eating. She just let Donghae sleep on her lap. When she finished eating, she gets her phone and put her ear-phones on. She was humming and when her favorite line was being played, she can’t help it but sing.

“Ikaw, and pag-ibig na hinintay.
Puso ay nalumbay nang kay tagal ngunit ngayoý nandito na ikaw…
 Ikaw, ang pag-ibig na binigay. Sa akin nang may-kapal
Biyaya ka sa buhay ko, ligaya’t pag-ibig koý ikaw…”

Donghae smiled upon hearing those alien words from . He felt that Snadraa was his hair and he can’t help it but smile. He has no idea why he was smiling knowing the fact that he was with his best-friends girlfriend. He shouldn’t feel that way because its wrong- very wrong to feel that kind of feeling. But for him, it felt right. He opens his eyes and saw that Sandaras’ eyes were closed yet she was smiling.

“What are you singing?” He cannot stop himself from asking. “You’re voice sounds cute.” He commented.

Sandara opens her eyes and smiled. “It’s a tagalong song.”

“Really?”

“You want to hear them?” Sandara asked Donghae, and Donghae find himself nodding. Sandara put the ear-phone on his other ear and play the whole song from the very beginning. “The words were quite alien since it’s a tagalong song.”

Donghae just smiled and was silently listening to the words. He even closes his eyes to internalize the lyrics well.

“Sa pagpatak nang bawat oras ay ikaw
Ang iniisip-isip ko
Hindi na mahinto pintig nang puso

Ikaw, ang pinangarap-ngarap ko
Simula ng matanto na baling araw iibig ang puso…

Ikaw, and pag-ibig na hinintay.
Puso ay nalumbay nang kay tagal ngunit ngayoý nandito na ikaw…

 Ikaw, ang pag-ibig na binigay. Sa akin nang may-kapal
Biyaya ka sa buhay ko, ligaya’t pag-ibig koý ikaw…”

Donghae opens his eyes and saw that Sandara was smiling. It dawn to him that he really loves seeing Sandaras’ smile. Since the day he met her, he finds himself smiling. Even the thought of Sandaras’ smile makes him smile too. And it’s different… really different.

“What’s the meaning of that song?” Donghae asked Dara.  “What’s the song about?”

“It’s about a love that the singer has been waiting for her life. And that when she found him, she felt that everything seems perfect and she’s contented with him.” Sandara explained, while smiling. “That was the singers’ first love and now they’re about to marry each other.”

“Can you translate it?”

“As the time passes by it’s you that is always on my mind. I cannot stop the beating of my heart. It’s you, the one I’m always dreaming of since the day I realize that one day my heart will start to love.”  Sandara said, while smiling. She can feel the love from the singer and she’s a bit envious because of their kind of love. “It’s you, the love that I’m waiting for. My heart has been lonely for so long but now you’re here, it’s you. It’s you, the love that was sent for me from up above; a blessing on my life, the happiness and love, it’s you…”

Donghae was staring at Sandaras’ eyes intently and he cannot deny the fact that his heart skips a beat. He stiffened as he felt that he’s already sweating as his heart continues to pump really hard. He’s still staring at her as the song continues to play… and realize one thing.

Now I am doomed… he thought.