7*

Dara poured a cup of coffee for Jiyong while she had a cup of tea. It was a nice evening so she had led him to sit down at a table by their pool where they could talk.

She had her short hair pulled back in a ponytail, no makeup on. Jiyong thought she looked like a teenager. He waited as she sat back and crossed her legs then took a sip of her tea. She still hadn’t answered his question.

Dara settled her cup back on its saucer and relaxed. “So you want to know if I remember you?” A slow smile, wistful looking formed on her lips. “The answer is yes, and no.”

Jiyong waited for her to go on.

“If you're asking if I remember spending time with you, talking with you – the answer is no. For some reason “you” draw a blank in my memory,” she informed him.

“We didn’t really spend much time together,” Jiyong said lowly, thinking back to all the times he did anything to escape having to meet or be with her. He felt bad now for having done that, for having avoided her in the past.

Dara laughed, cheeks blushing. “I figured as much since it sounds like you hated me.”

She tilted her head to one side, the smile vanishing. “Was I that bad a person that you couldn’t stand me?” she asked.

Jiyong shook his head vehemently, not wanting her to think that. He rushed to explain. “I didn’t know you, Dara. I only became aware of you when your father and my parents surprised me with an introduction and announcement that they wanted the two of us to get married.  The news of marriage shocked me, especially it was to be with someone I didn't know. Later I found out it was because you were – well, I guess you really liked me.”

“Apparently,” Dara sighed. She bit at her lip and looked away, as if trying to remember something.

Jiyong stared at her. “You used to send me gifts. A LOT of gifts.”

“Really?” Dara's gaze refocused on him. “What kind of gifts? Like candy and stuff?”

Jiyong shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Expensive gifts. Clothes, jewelry, cologne.”

“Wow,” Dara blinked several times, surprised at her actions in the past. She must have been really head over heels with this guy. She couldn't understand why she couldn't remember anything related to him though. “Do you still have those items?” She asked, wondering if maybe she would recall something if she saw some of the items.

Jiyong shook his head and looked down. He felt ashamed knowing that he gave everything away. Some items he had even tossed in the trash, not wanting to keep anything from Dara back then. He looked over and but Dara had face averted and he couldn't tell what she was thinking.

“I guess you really did hate me," she said quietly. He saw her shoulders heave in a sigh.

He was about to protest but Dara turned back to face him. She smiled and shook her head. “It’s okay. I probably would have felt the same way if someone was forcing me into a marriage with someone I didn’t know or like.” There was something sad about the way she said it and it made Jiyong want to reach over and apologize profusely. Why had he been such a jerk to her?

The two sat quietly a few minutes, Dara lost in thought, while Jiyong watched her. “You said yes and no,” he reminded her gently, wanting and needing to hear the rest of what she had to say.

"Ah, yes." A frown formed on Dara's face, brows furrowing. “It’s not really a memory but more of a feeling,” Dara explained. “It doesn’t happen always but sometimes when I see you I get this de ja vu feeling, like there’s this memory just beyond my conscious that’s connected to you. I try to reach for it but it stays there, just out of reach.”

Her face showed her concentration but after a few seconds she took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. “Sorry, sometimes I really want to remember but when I think about it too much it starts to make my head ache so I have to stop.”

“I understand,” Jiyong stated. “Don’t worry about it or try to remember it if it causes you pain. That’s the last thing I would want.”

Dara smiled at him. “I guess it's a good thing we're both happy with the way things are now.  I would have felt bad if, for example, we really did have feelings for each other – or I mean if you had feelings for me, and I couldn’t remember. At least this way I know that there’s no harm done since you didn’t like me anyway, right?” She laughed quietly and Jiyong smiled. But why did he feel sad hearing her say that?

“I’m glad we had this talk, Jiyong. Honestly the more I learn about our past situation the more embarrassed I am for what I put you through. I hope you can forgive me for that. Friends?” She held her hand out to him and Jiyong looked at her for a few seconds before he reached and took her hand in his.

“Friends," he agreed. But inside, instead of feeling like they had reached some resolution Jiyong felt more lost than before.

*

Thursday afternoon the PR team set up a booth in the lobby area where they were issuing company t-shirts for all of those that were participating in that Saturday’s marathon. Dara and Bom were there at the table along with Seungri and two other PR team members. Dara stood up to go take a call and Bom was checking ID tags and crossing out names for those who came to pick up their t-shirts. Two girls approached the table, their eyes on Dara who was standing several feet away absorbed in her phone call.

“Look at her,” one said to the other. “I’d be embarrassed to show my face if my fiance dumped me. But she has the gall to even ask her father to put her in the same department as Jiyong oppa. I bet she’s trying her best to get him back.”

The second girl replied with, “She should just give up. I heard that he hates her but was being forced into the marriage by the Chairman.”

Bom’s eyes narrowed as she heard the two girls talking. She slammed her pen down and stood up to her full height, fists on her hips and eyes fiery. “Should I tell the Chairman that you two are badmouthing his daughter?” she growled, and the two girls immediately closed their mouths and shrank away. Bom glared at them until they took several steps back and hurried away. “Damn es,” Bom muttered, before she sat down again.

“Something wrong?” Dara asked, seeing the anger in Bom’s face after she ended her call.

“No it’s nothing,” Bom mumbled as she straightened the registration papers in front of her. She wasn’t going to waste Dara’s time on those jealous girls’ insecurities.

*

“Hey, how’d things go?” Jiyong asked Dara as he arrived where Dara and Bom was overseeing the guys putting away the remaining t-shirts back into boxes.

“Great! We have over 200 registrants already!” Dara waved the folder with the registration papers in her hand.

“That’s great news! Can I have four of the forms? One is for me and I have three friends who will be joining as well.”

Dara pulled out the papers and handed it to him. “Do you want the t-shirts now?”

“No, we can grab ours that morning. We’ll be there early with everyone else to set up our station.” He stuck the papers in his attache as he spoke to her. “Hey, you guys want to go grab something to eat?” He looked at Dara and included Bom.

Bom declined – her younger sister was in town and they had made plans for the evening.

“I’ve got plans too,” Dara said. “Sorry…”

Jiyong shrugged, hiding his disappointment. “It’s okay. You girls have fun and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned to walk away but was stopped by one of the execs who needed to ask him about the press release for an upcoming event. When Jiyong finished speaking with him he headed once again to the exit. His gaze caught sight of Dara outside walking toward a BMW. Jiyong paused when he saw Lee Donghae emerge from the driver’s side and run around to open the passenger door for Dara.

He felt his stomach twist as he realized who Dara had made plans with. Was she seeing Lee Donghae now? Didn’t she go out with him the other day as well when he bumped into her over at her place?

Jiyong swallowed the bile taste in his mouth as he watched Dara settle into the seat and smile up at Donghae. His heart constricted within his chest. When the car pulled away a few minutes later Jiyong walked stonily towards the lot where his car was parked.

Why was he feeling this way? He didn’t care if Dara was seeing Lee Donghae or anyone else for that matter, right? But then why did it feel like someone had just punched him in the gut? This wasn’t good.

“Jiyong-oppa!” The sound of a girl calling and footsteps hurrying toward him made Jiyong turn. Jessica was running and waving her hand at him. “Oppa, I’m so glad I caught you!”

The girl halted by him, breathless and cheeks flushed. “Are you going anywhere tonight? Do you want to join me and my friends for a drink?” she asked, eyes hopeful.

Jiyong thought of his reaction to Dara driving off with Donghae and he found himself shaking his head as he forced a smile on his face. “No, I’m not doing anything and yes, I’d love to have a drink with you,” he answered. Maybe this is what he needed to get rid of whatever these feelings were he was having lately.

Jessica clapped her hands and giggled before she hooked her arm through his and led him toward the sidewalk. “Let’s go, oppa! It’s right over there. Some of the girls from the office are waiting.”

Jiyong allowed Jessica to lead him to the club nearby for drinks but in his mind he couldn’t help but wonder where Dara and Donghae had headed off to.

*

Jiyong placed several bottles of beer on the table as he sat down on his couch and stretched his legs out. The tv was on and his friends Youngbae and Top were looking through the pizza boxes that were delivered for their choice.

He’d left Jessica and her friends after only a half hour, unable to get into the partying mood. All their giggling and flirting with him left him irritated and so he made an excuse and left early. Instead he called Youngbae and Top and invited them to come hangout at his place and watch the basketball came on tv.

“We haven’t done this in a while,” Top mentioned before taking a large bite out of his slice of pizza.

“That’s because you’re always working,” Youngbae mentioned. “Is Teddy hyung letting you near his sister or what?”

“Shut-up man. I told you I’m not into her. I’m working there to save money so I can open my own place.”

Top was into fixing cars and was damn good at it. The job he had right now was working as the lead mechanic for Park Teddy’s garage. Top always got a good ribbing from Youngbae and the others though because they all knew how Teddy’s younger sister had a thing for Top.

Jiyong tuned the two out as he sipped from his beer and stared blankly at the t.v. He couldn’t get his mind off of Dara and Donghae, which pissed him to no end. Did he have feelings for Dara?

“Yo Ji, so what’s this thing you’re asking us to join on Saturday,” Top asked.

“It’s a marathon for charity. I’m signing you guys up along with Dae. So don’t go drinking the night before. We have to be there at 5am.”

“What the ?” Top almost spit out his beer. “5am? Are you serious?”

“Remember that girl you asked me about a while back, the red head receptionist? She’s going to be there. She works for our department now.”

Top sighed. “Can’t you just introduce me without dragging my out of bed that early in the morning?”

“You want to make a good impression on her, don’t you?” Jiyong asked. “This will impress her.”

“What about me?” Youngbae asked. “You got some chick lined up for me to meet as well? Otherwise you two can drag your asses out of bed by yourselves Saturday morning.”

“Don’t worry, there will be a lot of girls there. Just tell me which one and I’ll hook you up,” Jiyong promised.

“Including your ex?”

“Anyone but her,” Jiyong scowled. Dara was off limits.

*