“Young Master?” a maid said when she entered his room.

“What do you want?” Jiyong asked.

“Miss Dara told me to throw that spoiled porridge.”

“Who told you it is spoiled?”

“It’s not?” the maid asked, unsure.

“It’s not. I finished it,” Jiyong said, tone still cold. “Leave me alone. I still need more sleep.”

November 12…

Dara’s heart was pounding fast. Today’s her birthday. And she never celebrated it with her friends. Well, that’s because she never told them her birthday. It was only Bom who knows. But now that the number of her friends grew, she expected that her friends would prepare something. That’s why she’s nervous. Nevertheless, she cooked a meal to share with her friends later for lunch.

“I sure hope they don’t know…” she mumbled to herself.

She opened the door and quietly stepped in, though she didn’t have to. She scanned the whole room, it was empty.

“Weird,” she mumbled. “I came here late so no one would know it’s my birthday.”

She decided to sit on her desk and wait.

Suddenly…

“Surprise!” her classmates chorused.

Dara stood up. “Omo!”

Her classmates sang all together. Suddenly, Seunghyun went in with a cake on his palm. Behind him were Taeyang, Bom, Chaerin, and Jiyong.

“Blow your candles…” Seunghyun said the moment the song ended.

“And make a wish…” Bom sang.

Dara went silent for a while to make a wish then she blew the candles.

“Happy birthday,” Seunghyun whispered.

The people around them were cheering for them to kiss.

Seunghyun giggled awkwardly. “No, we don’t have to, um…”

He got cut off when Dara tiptoed to reach his lips and gave him a smack.

Lunch time at the rooftop…

“I’m so happy today,” Dara exclaimed, laying her head on Seunghyun’s lap.

“Thanks for the meal, Dara!” Bom said.

“This is my gift for you Dara,” Seunghyun said giving her a small box.

Dara opened it and saw a heart-shaped pair of earrings.

“Help me put it on,” Dara said, tilting her head to the right so Seunghyun can put on the first earring.

“I’m sorry we weren’t able to buy you a gift,” Chaerin said.

“Ne, it’s alright,” Dara said.

“Why didn’t you buy her one?” Seunghyun suddenly asked which he actually directed to Jiyong.

“We were on a date,” Jiyong answered plainly.

“Oh,” Seunghyun’s voice dropped.

“How about you two? When are you going to date?” Dara asked Bom and Taeyang.

Bom stared at Taeyang on her side. “I’ll take this opportunity to apologize to you, Taeyang.”

Taeyang snapped his head to her direction.

“I never thought you would react like that. And you’re right. I regret making you feel jealous just by dating Jaejoong. I’m sorry. I really am.”

Dara smiled.

Taeyang hugged Bom tight.

“And now, you’re officially dating,” Dara said.

Everyone laughed.

Later, everyone left except for Seunghyun and Dara.

“Are you happy right now?” Seunghyun asked.

Dara nodded halfheartedly.

“I know you’re lying,” Seunghyun said.

Dara smiled. “You know me too well.”

“What happened with you and Jiyong? Your relationship seemed more distant than before. What happened when you visited him on his house?”

Dara’s eyes became distant, as if reminiscing a very distant memory. “Well, when he woke up, he told me that people can have a change a heart and that I’m better off with you than with him.”

“And you actually believed him?” Seunghyun asked his voice interrogating.

“There are no reasons for me not to believe him.”

“There is. He confessed to you then one day, he’ll take his words back. Just like that? I don’t think that-“

“I know him more than you know him. And that night, he was serious.”

Silence…

“You didn’t need to do that, Dara,” Seunghyun suddenly said.

“Do what?” Dara asked.

“That kiss.”

“It was just a smack, it’s not like-“

“You did it because Jiyong was there, didn’t you?”

Dara just sighed and sat up her back still facing Seunghyun. “I hate having conversations with you. You know me too well.”

It was the end of the day…

Dara went to the school lockers. She opened her locker and in front of her eyes was the most exquisite thing she has ever seen.

“Omo! Aren’t you the bracelet I have wanted to buy?” she asked to the bracelet which she immediately wore on her wrist. “Who bought you?”

She immediately glanced from left to right expecting to see whoever gave the bracelet. Not seeing anyone who seemed to be the culprit, she looked down on the bracelet on her wrist and a smile was glued on her face.

“Thank you, Jiyongie,” she whispered.

Then she walked away.

A week before Christmas…

“Oh, Dara? Why’d you call?” Bom asked.

“Are you going to Chaerin’s pre-Christmas party tomorrow?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Dara. Taeyang and I are going out.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot you’ve got a boyfriend already,” Dara said, teasing.

Bom laughed. “I guess you just have to enjoy the party without me.”

Dara hanged up and sighed. “I guess it’s another double-date.”

Dara was now standing in front of the convention center. She forgot how Chaerin’s family was rich. She came with shirt and jeans. But all of the guests who were entering were all in dresses and suits. She was about to turn and go home.

“Dara!” Chaerin’s familiar voice called.

Dara turned.

“What the hell are you wearing?” she asked, disgusted.

“I didn’t know-“

“Whatever, come with me. I have a dress for you.”

In Chaerin’s room, Dara put the dress in front of her while gazing at the mirror. The one she was holding was a cape-style dress with a bright pink corsage on its chest. She looked hesitant.

“It’s one of my favorites. You can borrow it tonight,” Chaerin said, behind her.

“Are you sure?” Dara asked hesitancy still in her voice.

“Of course, I’ll go first. Just go out after you finish dressing up yourself. Make up is on the table too.”

Chaerin got out of the room and she grinned.

At the party…

“Hello girls!” Chaerin greeted.

“Oh my, Chaerin!” Nicole squealed.

“How have you been doing here?” Min asked, hugging her.

“I’m great! I missed you girls. How is France?” she asked.

“Still the same exciting country. When are you coming back?” Nicole asked.

“I don’t know yet. I actually enjoy living here, torturing other people’s lives,” Chaerin said, her arms folded.

“Torturing?” Min asked. “I like to see that.”

“In fact, tonight, you will be part of it,” Chaerin said, a smile on her face.

“We would love to,” Nicole said. “Tell us your plan.”

“You look beautiful tonight,” Seunghyun said as they were dancing, swaying along with the soft music.

“Thanks,” Dara said, glancing around.

“Are you looking for someone in particular?”

“I was just wondering where Jiyong is,” Dara said plainly.

“How are you two lately?”

“Nothing changed. I miss him, Seunghyun,” she said.

“This will be fixed soon, don’t worry.”

An awkward silence passed… and the music stopped.

“Excuse me, I’ll be getting us a drink,” Seunghyun offered and left.

Dara was in the middle of the chattering crowd. She felt alone and out-of-place. She was like a lost little chick in the middle of a flock of chickens. She felt every eye were on her. She wanted to follow Seunghyun but he immediately got lost in the crowd.

“Well, well,” a girl behind her said. “I recognize that dress.”

Dara turned to them and bowed. “Annyeong, I’m Chaerin’s friend. And she lent this to me.”

“Lent?” the other said. “And you’re her friend? I doubt it.”

They laughed.

“What do you mean?” Dara asked. “Who are you?”

“We’re Chaerin’s best friends from France. You can’t call yourself a friend if you aren’t rich like us,” the first one said.

“Yeah, and we don’t steal other people’s dresses just because we want to look rich like other people,” the second said.

“That dress belongs to Chaerin. But I guess, since you’re in it already, she doesn’t need it anymore.”

“Yeah. Your germs are on it already. We don’t want Chaerin to be contaminated with them.”

“Especially since it came from a poor and someone who steals another’s boyfriend.”

Dara creased her brows. “What are you babbling about?”

The two immediately grabbed hold of every piece of cloth on the dress and snatched them so it will be ripped and a few of her flesh were exposed. Dara immediately covered herself.

“Eew!” the two said.

Dara was helpless when the two continued on ripping the dress while laughing. She was now on the floor, trying her hardest to fight back but she couldn’t. The two girls were too strong for her. What she did was to close her eyes and wish that this would end now.

For a while, the ripping stopped. She opened her eyes and saw Chaerin towering over her. At first, she saw concern in her eyes, so she thought she wasn’t the one who asked the two girls to do this to her.

“Chaerin,” she said, voice trembling. “Help me…”

The concern in her eyes faltered and was replaced with a smirk in her lips. She turned to the two girls who were standing to her right. “Good job,” Dara heard her whispering.

Dara stared at her while she was walking away with the girls. She heard chattering around her. She looked up to see people murmuring and whispering to each other. Each of them had the same glare thrown to her. She could catch some phrases from them.

Social climber. Thief. User.

Dara couldn’t do anything but to cover herself more, curling herself into a small ball, crying silently, feeling alone.

“Dara! Dara!” a familiar voice called.

She looked up to see Seunghyun’s anxious face running towards her. He immediately removed his coat and covered her body. He carried her.

“Who did this?!” Seunghyun burst out to the people around him. “Who could do this to her?! Tell me!”

“Seunghyun…” Dara said softly. “Get me out of here…”

Seunghyun brought him to his room. He gave her a sweater which is obviously many times bigger on her. He left her first inside so she could change and stayed outside. While bringing her to his room, Dara told him who did this to her. And it angered him that he wanted to confront these two people. So, he went back to the party to find them.