“What? You’re going home with me?” Dara asked, surprised.

“Why?” Jiyong asked. “What’s wrong with walking you home?”

“Nothing. But, I’m bothering you too much already. You can go home now. Give me your phone” Dara said trying to reach the phone, but Jiyong just stretched his hand away from her.

“What if you’ll collapse on the streets again?” Jiyong said, plainly.

“I’m alright now,” Dara said. She stopped trying to reach his phone.

“You’re not,” Jiyong put his palm against her forehead. Dara blushed. “Your temperature will rise again, come now.” He grabbed her hand and pulled.

They were walking in silence, hand in hand. His actions makes Dara think what Jiyong is really thinking – why he helped her, why he’s still following her just a while ago, why he walks her home, and why they’re hand in hand until now.

Jiyong didn’t let her go until they reached their house.

“Rest now,” Jiyong simply said, and let her hand go.

Dara just nodded, embarrassed.

Jiyong turned his back and walked towards the limousine waiting for him, the door opened by Hae Man.

He was about to get in when Dara called. “Jiyong! Thank you.”

Jiyong stared at her, surprised. “Rest now,” he said again.

It was silent ride toward their house.

Jiyong broke the silence, “Hae Man-hyung, what did you feel when you met your wife before you were even married?”

His right-hand man was taken aback. It was all too sudden. He thought it must be that girl. He can see his mind has been preoccupied as soon as he got in the car. Also, he noticed the way he stared at her when he helped her this morning. This girl must have played an important role in this.

He cleared his throat. “Well, sir, it’s such a personal question.”

“I’m not asking everything that happened. Just tell me what you felt.”

He felt embarrassed. “Well, I fell in love with her at first sight. And I always spend the night thinking of her.”

He waited for more but nothing came. “That’s all?”

“Actually, when we became friends, it’s as if I’m the happiest person in the whole world. I never felt that happy before. And you know, they say, you’ll know that you like someone when you feel as if you’re the happiest person in the world even when you’re just sitting side by side with her without even saying anything.”

This made Jiyong thoughtful.

“Why the sudden question sir?”

“Nothing. Never mind.”

As soon as he hit the bed, he stared at the bracelet intently. It made him think of Dara. He thought of what he did to her the whole day. It brought one question to his mind. “What am I really feeling for you, Dara?”

She was lying on her back. Staring blankly at the ceiling. Thinking of things that happened to her the whole day. Somehow, she can’t help but not to think about it all. Then something hit her. She suddenly remembered what Jiyong said about Taeyang. She felt bad about him. She hasn’t guessed that he experienced such bad fate in love. He doesn’t deserve it, she thought.

Then suddenly her phone rang. It was Taeyang.

“Hello, Dara?” Taeyang immediately said.

“I’m sorry,” they said together.

“What are you sorry for?” Taeyang asked.

Dara thought it’s a bad idea to tell him what Jiyong told her. But she can’t help not to apologize. Taeyang would feel embarrassed when he’ll learn that she knows about it all.

“Oh, um, I’m sorry when I just left like that,’’ Dara said instead.

“No, don’t apologize for that. It’s me who’s sorry. I was overreacting. I’m sorry. I just thought the two of you has…” he paused. “Anyway, I’m really sorry. I know I don’t have the right to get mad at you. I mean, I’m not your boyfriend or anything. I’m just your friend, right?”
“Taeyang?” Dara said, interrupting him. She feels he has more to say – especially unnecessary things that makes both of them uncomfortable. “I’m not mad. So, relax okay?”

“Really? Oh, thank you so much, Dara. That’s why I—“he cut himself off. He just cleared his throat. This made Dara chuckle lightly. “I mean, um, were you asleep already?”

“No, but I was about to.”

“Sorry for disturbing you. You must rest now.”

“Thanks, Taeyang,” Dara said and put her phone down.

But even though Taeyang told her to rest and sleep now, she couldn’t. It’s as if there are still things to do. But she doesn’t know what. Or maybe, it’s as if she’s still waiting for something.

Seconds later, her phone beeped. The number was unregistered.

                Rest now. u shud sleep erly so u wudn’t b late tomoro.

Dara thought for a while. Did Taeyang change his number so quickly?

She was just about to reply when another text came from the same unregistered number.

                It’s me Jiyong. I asked ur number from Bom. Gud nyt.

This made her smile. It’s so thoughtful of him. She keyed in her reply.

                I was abt to sleep when u texted. Thank you^^ good bam.

Then with that, she fell to a dreamless sleep while she was holding her phone to her chest.

When she woke up, she saw her phone still on her hand. She received three messages from the same unregistered number. It was Jiyong. She hasn’t saved his number yet.

She opened the message which said that she received it last night. She wasn’t awake to read it.

                Y r u stil awake? I told u to sleep now. do u wnt to be late tomoro again?

This made her smile. The next message was received an hour after the first one.

                It’s gud dt ur asleep now. now I’m free from worries.

This made her laugh now. He considers her a worry? How sweet. She thought. The last message was received just this morning, minutes before she woke up.

                Wake up. U dnt want to be late today, do u?

She keyed in a reply.

                Good morning^^ see u @ scul.

The moment she arrived at school, she saw Jiyong leaning his head at his crossed arms, as if asleep. “Good morning, Jiyong,” she greeted.

No answer. She poked him.

“Eh?” Jiyong opened his eyes sleepily.

“Good morning,” she greeted again.

Jiyong straightened and rubbed his eyes. “Oh. Good morning. You’re not late today.”

She smiled smugly. “Well, I had a good sleep last night. How about you? You look tired. Didn’t you sleep?”

Jiyong was about to say he studied what she taught him when Bom arrived.

“Oh. So this is how it is? Before, you arrive in the morning and greet your best friend. Now…” she cut herself off and clicked her tongue repeatedly as if very disappointed and shook her head.

“How about you? You’re closer to Honey now,” Dara said, matter-of-factly. “I was just absent for one day.”

“You’re still my best friend,” Bom said hugging Dara tight.

After class, since Dara and Jiyong don’t have a tutorial session, along with Bom, she went to the gymnasium to watch their basketball practice. As usual, it was filled with girls.

“Hey, look, there goes Sohee again,” Bom pointed.

“Is she wearing jewelry?” she whispered and trying to look at her wrist, neck, or ear. She found nothing. “Oh, maybe he hasn’t given it to her yet.”

“Dara?” Bom said, shouting on top of the noise of the girls. “What are you whispering there about?”

“Nothing,” Dara just shook her head.