CHAPTER XXI

Writer POV


“Hey, what’s wrong with you?” Dara snapped her fingers at Jiyong’s face that did nothing but stared blankly at her.


“N-nothing!?!” Jiyong stuttered as he snap his attention to the burger shop’s wall. Dara looked at him doubtful that it really is nothing. He’s been spaced out ever since this morning and it seemed like there’s something he’s been dying to tell her.


She raised her eyebrow as she continued talking, “As I was saying, you and the other guys should just go ahead Jeju without me, I’ll just follow you guys after a few days.” Dara said, taking a bite from her sandwich.


“Whose going to Jeju?” Jiyong asked totally shocked at the new information.


“I knew it! You weren’t listening,” Dara said as she pinches his arms. Jiyong winced in pain. “Where were you the whole 5 minutes I was talking about Jeju? Hell, where were you the whole day? You seemed so out of it.” She posed with a creased forehead.


“I’m sorry, it’s just….nothing….it’s nothing, you don’t have to worry about it.” Jiyong said gloomily.


He perked up and pleaded in a cute way, with lifted hands against his face like he was praying, “Can you repeat what you just said the last 5 minutes?”


Dara just rolled her eyes. “Listen okay, I don’t wanna be repeating everything again.” She said to which Jiyong nodded like a puppy. “So, TOP invited me to their rest house in Jeju for summer, right?”


“Oh, we should go, it’s really nice in there,” Jiyong added before Dara could finish. “Sorry.” He whispered when he notice Dara not liking his interruption.


Dara carried on with squinted eyes “Like I said, you guys should just go ahead and I’ll just follow in a few days.”


“NO!” Jiyong suddenly blurted which stunned the few people inside the shop including Dara. “We should go together. Where are you planning on going, anyways?” he asked.


Dara ate as she answered, “Busan, I’m gonna visit my parent’s grave.”


Jiyong stared at her with soft eyes. He closed the gap between them, too close, “Want me to go with you?” He said before kissing her cheeks.


Dara blushed a little and as Jiyong expected, she retaliated and was about to throw a punch but Jiyong was fast enough to catch her hands, “You know your moves are getting really old, I can see through it now.” Jiyong said as he was gripping her struggling hands.


“Oh yeah,” Dara said before kicking him under the table. Jiyong let go of her as he nurse his aching leg and as he did, Dara smack his face then pulled his hair.


“Aw!” Jiyong whined but saw the chance to trap her in his arms. He threw his left arms into her left shoulder while his right hand clutched her right arm.


“Yah! Let go.” Dara struggled but Jiyong held both of her arms firmly, framing her figure against his side. She has no choice but to stop struggling. “This is really uncomfortable, not to mention awkward.” She said. “Won’t you let go?”


“No! Why don’t you relax so you’ll get comfortable?” Jiyong retorted while smiling.


Dara tried to relax as Jiyong’s left hand slid down to reach for her left hand and held it gently. She felt herself stiffened as her face turned bright red.


“You’re blushing.” Jiyong teased. You think?!


“It’s hot. Let go!” She said but Jiyong didn’t comply.

…

“You know, I have one question that I have been dying to ask you.” Jiyong said after a while


Dara didn’t say anything so Jiyong just continued, “Was it really just a kiss for you?”


“What do you mean?” Dara asked back, totally refusing to look at him.


“I see, you even forgot about it,” Jiyong said sullenly. “You know that kiss you gave me after our first date?” he reminded her.


Dara had no choice but to look at him with total shock, disbelieving the idea that he was still bothered by that statement.


“Are you serious?” she began as Jiyong nodded. “But it was ‘just a kiss’. I’m pretty sure you’ve kissed a lot of girls before.”


“But yours was different,” Jiyong replied not really knowing what he’s talking about.


“How was it different?” Dara asked completely confuse.


“You know…” Jiyong struggled for words as he played with her left hand.


“I don’t.” Dara impatiently said.


Jiyong looked straight into her eyes as he proclaimed, “That kiss was nothing like my past kisses. It totally shook my entire being. I can’t explain it; really, it’s just the best kiss ever.” The people on the shop applauded their hands at Jiyong’s proclamation. Dara’s eyes widen at the embarrassment.


“That’s why it really bothered me that it was ‘just a kiss’ for you.” He continued almost in a whisper. “It annoys me that you might’ve given a kiss like that to someone else.” He clenched their hands at his last words.


Dara glared at the surrounding people that are explicitly anticipating their story’s development. All of them immediately looked at different directions. She admits that she’s kind of happy that her first kiss was memorable at least for him but she just can’t believe that this fool would sulk at something she said out of brace.


*sigh* “If it makes you feel any better,” she said making sure that her tone remains in a way that only the two of them can hear. “That was my first kiss.”


Jiyong rigidly stared at her upon hearing her words.


Dara elbowed him harshly as she realized her revelation, “Aurgh!! I can’t believe I gave it to a moron. Get off my face.” She said as she pushed him off her and then leaned on to the other side, grabbing foods at the table as she divulge on stress-eating.


…


“That was your first kiss?” Jiyong asked in a whisper. Dara glared at him. “You mean, I was your first kiss.”


“You’re catching on genius.” Dara said devouring the remaining sandwich.


Jiyong gawked at her meaningfully. He really felt happy that he got her first kiss. Doesn’t that mean that I’ll be her first at everything? I’m so excited.


“Stop looking at me with that erted look on your face.” She said when she notices that creepy Jiyong is making an appearance. “I’ll kick you to the ends of the world.”


Jiyong’s face fell down upon hearing her ‘sweet’ words.


“You know I’m against violence, so if you really want to be with me, you should stop it with the brutality.” He stated in a clear voice.


Dara propped his chin at her elbows that are on the table as she smiles, “And if I don’t, would you break up with me?” Dara taunted as she took a sip on her strawberry shake.


Jiyong was taken aback. “N-no, not at all,” he said. “I’d still wanna be with you even if it kills me.”


It was Dara’s turn to be shocked. She inhaled a great amount of air as she composed herself, “Yah! You really think I’m capable of murder? You idiot.”
*exhales* “I’ll be with you…if you want.” She then said in the tiniest whisper one could ever imagine.


*smile*


*smile*