CHAPTER 4

Ever since that night, Dara had developed a strange inclination to always look for Tao's company. He turned out to be an effective distraction. Too effective in fact that she couldn't get through a week without seeing him.

There was a time when he indulged her request to have a drink near Han River. Strangely, she didn't feel the need to hide her crying. It might be because it was night anyway and he wouldn't notice. Or she had grown comfortable to bare her feelings. She couldn't exactly remember what happened after she got drunk. All that's vivid was she woke up at dawn and realized that her arm was over his waist in a manner that suggested familiarity. What else had she done? She wondered while carefully pulling her arm off his warm waist. She closed her eyes in embarrassment, while trying to convince herself that it was probably no big deal to him. She never heard him complain about it. This she couldn't decide whether it's a good thing or not.

Their adventures were piling up by the day. One time, when a model she was supposed to have a photo shoot with suddenly backed out due to emergency reasons, Tao was there as the substitute. At first he was reluctant. But in the end, he agreed, only if she promised to return the favor when the time comes that he'll need help.

And that time came too soon. Two weeks later, he was in desperate need of a date! He came by her house to force her into tugging along with him at a party that requires a formal attire for the attendees.

"This has nothing to do with me thinking you are gay, right?" There was a brief time when she thought he was, all because he refused to go on dates his mother had set for him. She had been on the receiving end of Tao's complaints about his mother's meanderings. 

Dara only said it to see if it will annoy him. Turned out it wasn't effective.

"Of course not. And may I remind you again, you owe me one, remember?"

Dara sighed in defeat. She hoped the party wouldn't be a boring one.

The party was far from boring. If she'd known he was only bringing her along because his mother was monitoring his dating activities, she should have not agreed.

For almost an hour and counting, she had to watch him flirt with the woman on his other side. The said woman seemed to be enjoying the undivided attention. 

Dara had to look away to keep from having to roll her eyes at what's unfoldong before her eyes.

She promised herself that this will be the last time she'd be doing him any favors. She would see to it.

After the party, Dara was at the side of the doorway, craning her neck. She was looking for Tao's familiar and lean figure. She had to give it to him; he looked handsome in a tux. The last she saw of him, he was following the woman to the buffet table where alcohol drinks were abundant. She lost sight of him after that.

Hopefully, the man didn't drink because he'll be driving.

She was about to lose patience when she spotted him making his way to her, a hand on his left jawline.

It didn't escape her that he seemed a little ruffled. Well, his tux  appeared to be not as neat as it was before.

Something definitely happened.

Before