The team had a break, except for Jiyong. He continued a one-on-one session with the coach. He was really good that the coach can’t beat him.

“Hello, Dara,” Taeyang greeted. “You came. Oh, you’re here too, Bom.”

“Am I that unnoticeable? You only notice me after you already greet Dara?” Bom complained.

Dara chuckled silently. The jealous one is showing again.

Taeyang ignored Bom. “I know you’re tutoring Jiyong.”

“Oh, how did you know?” Dara asked. She never mentioned it to Taeyang. Maybe it was Bom or Jiyong himself who said it. Dara shoot Bom a glare.

Bom shook her head.

“Jiyong was absent yesterday on our practice. Coach scolded him and he said he was on a tutorial with you. The coach allowed,” Taeyang explained.

Dara knew why the coach allowed him to absent for his tutorials. Maybe because Jiyong’s mom was the president. And maybe they also know how important he is to his mom.

Dara nodded.

Jiyong walked towards them.

“Hi, Jiyong,” Dara greeted.

“Are you feeling much better now?” Jiyong asked immediately. He hadn’t had a chance to ask her this morning.

Dara nodded.

“Break time’s over!” the coach announced.

“That’s a quick break,” Dara commented.

“Apparently, we’re getting ready for our next game. And he seriously wants us to win,” Taeyang explained. “I’m going back, okay?”

Dara nodded. She returned to Bom who was preoccupied with her own thoughts. She elbowed her ribs.

“Ouch, that hurts,” Bom complained.

“What does?” Dara eyed her intently. “This?” she elbowed her again, “Or-“then she laid her hand on her chest where her heart is. “-this?”

Bom just stared at her.

“Come. Let’s take a walk outside where you can hear me,” Bom hesitated. She knew where this is going, she was afraid that Dara would notice. She guessed that Dara was too smart. There’s no way outsmarting her.

“This will be a serious talk, okay?” Dara said, while walking side by side with Bom.

“I guess I don’t have a choice but to listen,” Bom said, pouting.

“I said serious,” Dara glared at her. Bom became silent. “Bommie, I’m your best friend. We didn’t keep secrets before, remember? We were open with each other. Always knowing what happens to the other’s life. We were that kind of best friends. Now, I want to know. And I want to know the truth,” Dara paused and stared at her. “Do you like Taeyang?”

Bom gulped. “No! Of course not. I don’t like stupid guys like him. Just thinking of him makes me want to puke. What more when I see him? Especially now that we’re schoolmates…” Bom paused. Dara was still staring at her urging her to continue. Her voice dropped, “But I never knew I could fall in love with that jerk. He’s the stupidest person I know. But he makes me happy. And I know this is wrong.”

“It’s not wrong, Bom. It’s called love. It’s never wrong to love someone who you think you would not fall for. It’s never wrong to love a friend.”

“But he likes you – the way he looks for you, the way he stares at you, even the way his face lights up when he sees you.”

“Sooner or later, he would realize his feelings for you. I know it.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Nothing’s impossible when it comes to love,” Dara said, hugging her best friend.

GROWL…

“What’s that sound?” Dara pulled back.

“I guess I haven’t realized I’m hungry until now,” Bom said, laughing hard.

It was past seven when Jiyong and Taeyang went home. They didn’t see Bom at the gym. They thought she went home ahead.

Taeyang used to sleepover at the Kwon residence. He loves staying with his childhood friends. He even stays there more than he stays at their house and even has his own room at the Kwon’s. Tonight, he decided to sleep over again.

“Prepare Taeyang’s room, he’s sleeping over tonight,” Jiyong ordered one of his maids. Then he turned to Taeyang. “You can play basketball outside, I’m sleeping. I’m exhausted,” Jiyong said and went to upstairs to his room.

“Sir,” one maid bowed to Taeyang. “I’m sorry to bother but why is Bom not with you?”

“Bom’s not here yet?” Taeyang gasped. “We thought she went home ahead of us.”

He grabbed his phone and dialed Bom’s number. Cannot be reached. He panicked. He called another number.

“Hello? I’m at the Kwon’s. Bring my motorbike here immediately,” he said then turned to the maid. “Don’t disturb Jiyong, he’s tired. I can handle this.”

He thought carefully why Bom wasn’t home yet. She doesn’t usually go home this late, unless if they were together. If she knows that their practice would take long, she usually goes home even without asking permission from them. That’s why today, when they didn’t find Bom, they thought she went home ahead. Now that he thinks about it, he saw sadness on Bom’s face a while ago. As if she was going through a pain she keeps to herself. Did she have a problem with Dara? Did they fight after they saw them together? Or was it about love which he knew nothing about? She was too secretive lately.

Minutes later, his motor arrived. He told his driver to stay. He wants to find her himself.

“That was the best dinner I had in years,” Bom said and burped while they were at the swings. “This is such a nice place, Dara. Why didn’t you introduce this place to me before? This is very fun especially at night. Look, it’s creepy.”

Dara laughed. “Yeah! I used to come here a lot when I was a kid. I always play here before with Seung –“she cut herself off.

“With?” Bom asked.

“With Minzy.”

Bom nodded. They chatted and laughed until their tummies ached.

Later, Minzy came running.

“Unnie! Mom called you. It’s late. Come in now,” Minzy said.

“Go in now,” Bom said. “I’m going home now, too.”