“So, who’s your date?” Jiyong asked as he and Dara walked their way to school for their last exam.

“Date?” Dara asked back, confused.

Jiyong rolled his eyes and said, “For the prom, idiot.”

“Yah! I’m not an idiot!” Dara yelled. “And- OMO!!! I totally forgot about the prom!!” she face palmed.

“Told ya! You’re an idiot,” Jiyong chuckled.

“I’m not!” Dara snapped and stomped ahead of him, crossing her arms as she fumed.

Jiyong shook his head with a smile and jogged to catch up with her.

Seeing him getting nearer, Dara increased her speed to get away from him. But we all know how careless Dara is. The girl ran into the middle of the street without checking the traffic signal.

A lot of things happened within just a few seconds-the loud screech of tires, Jiyong crying out Dara’s name, Dara being forcefully pulled and some shouts and curses. The next thing she knew, she was in the protective arms of her best friend.

As the realization of what just happened sunk in, Dara started to tremble with fear. She could have died just then. The thought sent shivers down her spine and she clutched a handful of Jiyong’s shirt. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed as he held her tightly in his embrace.

“Ssh, ssh, it’s okay now. You’re safe. I’m here. Ssh, don’t cry,” Jiyong whispered to her ears while he kept rubbing her back.

Even he got scared when he saw that car approaching her. For a split second he had thought that he might lose her. But thankfully, the driver had managed to halt the car in time.

Jiyong’s heart was still pounding wildly. He kissed the top of Dara’s head and thanked the heavens for not letting anything happen to her.

When Dara finally stopped trembling, Jiyong slowly pulled away. Dara still clutched onto his shirt and didn’t wish to let go as though he’d disappear if she did. Jiyong cupped her face and made her look up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy. So were her nose and cheeks. She still looked frightened and sniffed now and then. Jiyong’s heart squeezed seeing her in this way. He wiped her tears off her face and stared right into her eyes.

“It’s alright now, Dara. Don’t worry. I’m here for you and I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise,” he said soothingly.

Hearing his words, Dara felt a sense of protection, she felt safe. Her hands released his shirt only to be wrapped around his neck as she dug her face in his shoulder.

“Thank you,” she mumbled softly.

Jiyong smiled and folded his arms around her waist.

“You’re welcome.”

“OMO!!” Dara shrieked after a few minutes, causing Jiyong to jolt in surprise.

“WHAT?!” he snapped.

“We’re going to get late for school!!” she said, pulling away from him and picking up her bag that was lying on the ground. Thankfully enough, they had left for school an hour earlier that day.

Jiyong rolled his eyes. “You didn’t have to shriek in my ears, you know,” he said sarcastically.

“I’m so sorry! I-OMO!!” Dara screeched again, making Jiyong flinch.

“What the hell’s wrong with you, girl?” he barked at her.

“It’s your shirt!! It’s all wet!” Dara exclaimed.

“Thanks to you,” Jiyong added with a sarcastic tone.

Dara bent her head down and pouted.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered.

“Aren’t we getting late for school now?” Jiyong asked her and grabbed her hand in his, intertwining their fingers together. “Let’s go.”

Dara complied and let Jiyong drag her to the school. All the way, she kept silent and had her eyes glued to his back as he was walking a little ahead of her.

She couldn’t help but wonder how she had grown to depend on him so much. After she had moved to the neighborhood, Jiyong became her first friend and soon after that, her best friend. From then on, they had been together. They went to the same elementary school and forced their parents to make them go to the same middle school as well. Even while applying for high school, seeing Dara applying for YG High, Jiyong had applied there too, despite his desire to study at SM High.

Jiyong never missed a chance of teasing her because of her clumsiness. But then again, he had always been the one to take care of her, to catch her if she fell. Whenever she cried, he made sure to be there by her side, to console her. Whenever she smiled, he smiled with her too.

Her heart began to act up weirdly again. The butterflies returned in her stomach as she started to have that same feeling that she had back at the cafeteria.

Why had he been doing all those things for her? Why did he care so much for her? What could he possibly gain by doing all those stuff? Why had he cried with her when her grandmother died even though he had never met her? Why had he tried to save her from a bunch of bullies in middle school, getting all beaten up in the process? Why had he jumped into the pool last year to save her from drowning when he had hydrophobia?

Why? Why was he so nice to her? She w