“You know, drugs are illegal and I don’t believe that even your society would condone the use of it.” Darie raised both her eyebrows at GD with a dry look even while her heart is thumping traitorously inside her chest as if it didn’t know enough that GD is probably just getting a rise out of her.

I’m all yours. Psssh. She wasn’t that gullible.

GD didn’t look deterred. “First, some of the people in the society are using drugs, just low key, so I believe the society condones that. Second, none of the dragons are using it as far I know and if there are, as long as they are not making a muck out of our name, then I guess my dad lets them. And third, I know drugs are illegal.” He stood up and walked over to her. “So i guess I should take you with me to keep everyone from knowing.”

He’s not making any sense by the minute which really enforced Darie’s idea of GD on drugs right now. “What the heck are you talking about?”

GD took her hand and pulled her up from her seat. Darie didn’t even protest as she was too busy trying to figure out if she would still like the idea of liking GD even if he was on drugs and then realized her face is already right in front of his. GD smirked as he leaned down close to her ear. “You’re my drug.”

Whut? Darie pushed him and stepping back at the same time while her heart kept on pounding. “What are you trying to pull?” If he thinks he can just tell her things like that and expect her to grovel on her knees for him, he’s got another think coming.

“I’m letting you have me,” GD said as if he is doing Darie a great favor.

Darie scoffed. “I didn’t ask to have you.”

GD cocked his head to the side. “I did remember you saying you want me all to yourself.”

“You really need to get over that,” Darie said wryly.

“I don’t want to,” GD responded.

“You need to,” Darie practically growled at GD’s pig headedness. “I was just being honest, it doesn’t mean I would act on it.”

“That’s why I’m acting it out for you.”

“Why are you such an obstinate jerk?!” Her jaw clenched. “Is it because you think I’m easy? Just because I kissed you yesterday? I’m only human and humans doesn’t have any control on their bodies’ responses. It is an instinct borne of being…” She d for a better word but came up empty. “…human. So it doesn’t mean anything.”

“It means something to me,” GD said as a matter of factly.

This is what Darie hates GD for. He always say things like this in a nonchalant way and still makes her believe it even if she knows it was all bull eventually. Just words that will end in a punchline.

“What, that it means I’m substandard?”

GD frowned at her. “I don’t know where you get all that idea from. I used to think you are as confident as your sister. Or more arrogant, perhaps.”

Darie narrowed her eyes at him and decided to ignore that jibe. “I never thought you know the word perhaps or even know how to use it.”

“I use it now and then,” GD said then suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the sunroom and inside his house.

“Let go. What are you doing?” Darie said trying to shake his hand off not caring that she is doing it so obviously for the people to see. She doesn’t care anymore. She is starting to hate him for playing her like this but GD gripped her hand tighter, practically dragging her to wherever he is leading her to. Darie exhaled sharply knowing her protests are falling into deaf ears. If she had been Sandie, she would’ve probably kicked GD in the chin by now. But unfortunately, she isn’t flexible. And besides, GD wouldn’t dare drag Sandie like this, anyway.

Walking grudgingly with heavy feet, she just let GD take her past the living room, entering a door, exiting a door, entering another door and stopping. Darie looked around the room where GD brought her into. The walls were all mirrors. There were two big sandbags in the middle, three treadmills, a wide mat, a number of boxing gloves stacked in the corner, and whatever machines that Darie didn’t know. It was like a small gym.

“Alright, out,” GD said in a loud voice ordering the number of people who are using the facilities. They only looked at each other for a second before walking out of the room with a silent buzz. Darie watched the door closing as they left, leaving them in silence. Before Darie could ask GD what they were doing here, GD let go of her hand and went to get a set of gloves in the corner. Her brows creased as she watched him study the pair he took.

“You’re not thinking of hitting me here with that, are you?” Darie said with wry expression.

GD looked angry at what she said. “If you kept on thinking I’m going to hurt you, I might end up doing just that.”

Darie rolled her eyes, muttering, “Fine. I was just kidding.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you drag me here just so I could watch you play Rocky?”

GD walked back to her holding the gloves. “No. I’m gonna teach you how to defend yourself.” He grabbed one of her hands.

“What?” she watched him in puzzlement as he slid the gloves inside her hands.

“I don’t want to worry about you everytime you’re not on my sight,” GD said looking at her. “I hate that feeling.”

“Nobody told you to worry about me,” Darie snapped trying to take the gloves off but GD held it firmly in place with his hands.

“You make me worry about you,” GD said. “You walk around looking you’re lost all the time, you aren’t vigilant of your sorroundings, you trust everyone you meet. That’s why you always get kidnapped.”

“I was only kidnapped once! And those weren’t even bad guys,” Darie protested. “They apologized to me.”

“And the way that you followed them like that goes to show how stupid you are. What if apology isn’t what they called you for? They showed you a cake and like a little kid, you followed them.”

“I followed them before they showed me the cake,” Darie sarcastically corrected. “Know your sequence.”

“Throw me a punch,” GD said ignoring her remark, stepping back from her beckoning with his hands.

“What?”

“Give me your best shot. This is your chance to hit me.”

“I am against violence,” Darie said, her arms just hanging on her side and her hands felt uncomfortable with the gloves over them.

“This isn’t violence,” GD said. “It’s sparring.”

“Sparring for the sake of violence.”

“Sparring for self defense,” GD corrected. “Now hit me.”

“I would but I’d rather use my palms and it would land straight to your cheeks.”

“Said the person who says she’s against violence,” GD said drily.

“I refuse to partake in this activity!” Darie said taking the gloves off and throwing them on the matted floor. “If you don’t have anyone to amuse yourself with, try to hire a clown!”

“If amusing myself would be this difficult, then I would hire a clown,” GD said.

Darie put her hands on her hips agitatedly. “What do you want from me?”

“I want you to be able to defend yourself,” GD said sounding irritated for having to repeat himself.

“From what?!”

“From the dangers of being my girlfriend.”

Okay, that made her pause. Then she snorted inelegantly. “Girlfriend?” The arrogance of this guy for sticking to her statement of wanting him to herself. “I am not claiming you so you can shove your agreement up your .”

“I am claiming you,” GD corrected her again. “And you can’t do anything about it.”

She paused again, staring at GD waiting for that flicker of amusement on his features but he was staring back at her with nothing but seriousness on his face. She let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. “You really are on drugs, aren’t you?”

“I want you to myself, Darie.” GD let out another statement that made her freeze again. “I want you.” The way he said is so blasé Darie had a hard time believing if he was really serious. “Danger may not be constant around me but I want you to be prepared once it comes. Being with me won’t be easy and there are some people who’s also going to get you because of me and will try to hurt you to hurt me. But I’m a selfish guy because I still want you even If i know it’s going to happen. That’s why I want you to learn how to defend yourself. How to fight. At least long enough until I can get to wherever you are.”

Darie couldn’t move over his statement. Is he… confessing? He is saying them so easily without a second thought while she had to fight herself and argue with her own brain when she found out she liked him. “Wait.” She let out an incredulous laugh before looking at GD with widened eyes. “Is this… is this your way of telling me you like me?”

GD answered a simple, “Yeah.”

Darie’s forehead creased. “I don’t believe this.”

“I know it’s unbelievable to you,” GD said with a sigh returning to his arrogant demeanor. “GD Kwon told you he likes you.” He shrugged. “I make dreams come true.”

“I mean, I don’t believe you!” Darie snapped over the egotism of this guy. “You honestly think I’m that naïve or simple minded?”

“Yeah,” GD answered and Darie had to refrain herself from being violent but her hands balled into fists. Well, come to think of it, he was asking her to be violent. She threw her first punch right at GD’s face which he blocked with his left hand.

“Too slow. Too weak,” GD said. “That’s also what I think.”

Darie tried another and another which GD kept blocking and he’s firing words at her in succession. “Ten year olds have better punches than you.

Is that the best you got?

I felt like I am swapping mosquitoes.”

“I meant it when I told you I liked you!” Darie yelled over her growing anger while trying to land a blow at his arrogant face with either of her fists. “I had berated myself for liking you but I still told you what I felt! Even if I knew Sandie’s going to kill me! But you’re just playing around with me, you stupid ! You kept playing me around for your amusement! I never wanted to like you or wished to have you, jerk! You think saying those things to me are funny?! Huh?! Let me give you something to laugh at!” She brought her knees up and hit him in the spot where it will hurt the most.

It was an unexpected action from her that GD didn’t foresee, like the idiot that he is. “Owwww! !” His knees bent and his hands automatically went to where it pains him. Darie loomed over him with anger in her eyes. “I enjoyed this sparring.” Then she turned her back to leave but GD, disregarding the pain, grabbed her hand and pulled her harshly. She lost her balance from surprise because she never thought GD would still have the strength to move and she ended up on the matt. And before she even knew what was happening, GD already had her trapped with half of his body laying on top of hers, his hands on either side of her head. She in her breath at this closeness, this sudden invasion of personal space.

“You better wish you didn’t cause any damage to cease the future generations of Dragons.” His face was close enough that she could feel his breath on her face with his every word.

“You asked for it,” Darie said with gritted teeth when she regained her senses.

He watched her angry face for a minute before smirking again. “You need to know one thing about me, Darie Park,” GD said his voice turning low.

Darie’s anger faded into a slight panic when she realized his face is already inching closer. She knew what’s going to happen and she have to stop him because her brain stops working everytime. “Don’t you dare.” Her voice came out hoarse and non-threatening. Damn her nerves.

But GD ignored what she said. “I don’t lie about what I want.” His lips slightly touched the top of hers and she stopped breathing. “You’re simple minded and naïve. And you’re mine.”

Her eyes were wide as it stared on the white ceiling of this room as his lips settled on top of hers. It was tentaive. Gentle. And sweet. Of course like the cataclysmic power GD had, her brain turned off its power switch, disabling her to think of reasons why she shouldn’t let GD do this.

She felt his fingers trailing softly on the side of her face as he kissed her again, longer this time and he lifted his head a fraction of an inch to give her time to breathe. Her widened-eyes automatically went to his face half expecting him to look triumphant for making her compliant. She was ready to burst into tears for that because all these emotions ravaging her is too much for her to take. But his eyes were solemn, a first she had ever seen it to be. And the small smile stretching his lips is far from looking haughty. “You know, you have got to stop looking like I am taking advantage of you.” Then he frowned as he thought about it for a second. “Well, I guess I am.” Darie was still frozen when GD leaned down and kissed her again. More insistent now. Urging. Cajoling. She could feel the last shred of her control slipping as she finds herself responding, like she always did, even without her own volition. It seems to be an automatic thing where GD is concerned. Her hand rested on his shoulder and the other threaded through the soft tendrils of his hair as she kissed him back. Everything is suspended for her. Everything just froze at that second in his arms.

They barely heard a door opening and closing and then a loud gasp.

“Jiyong Kwon!” A loud booming voice cut through their senses and they both untangled themselves with a start. GD practically jumped away from her and Darie sat up as she scooted away from him, her heart beating furiously inside her chest. Her face flamed when she realized who had caught them in this uncompromising situation.

Her dad was looking at them in wide shocked eyes, disbelief all over his face, his mouth hanging open. GD’s dad had his brows furrowed deeply glaring at his son and GD’s mom, or stepmom, was standing behind them with a hand covering in total utter shock.

GD’s face was flaming as well and he looked like a kid who was caught doing something forbidden. He had jumped away from Darie and automatically settled himself in a kneeling position when he saw Darie’s father.

“Jiyong, this is… this is completely disrespectful!” His father said. “Disrespectful to the Tigers!”

“He was just teaching me how to fight,” Darie said and knew it was the wrong thing to say even before it came out of . Her brain hasn’t started functioning yet.

“Fight?” Her dad’s voice came out strangled.

“Explain yourself, Jiyong,” his dad ordered.

“We need to talk, Darie.” Darie knew she was in big trouble as her father was probably mad enough to call her Darie and forgetting that she was supposed to be Sandie. GD’s parents didn’t noticed as they were too busy being shocked and asking GD to explain himself. “Now!” Her dad repeated when she didn’t move and she had to scramble up and go to her dad, her face still beet red.

“Park,” GD’s dad said apologetically turning to him. “This is completely embarassing for me.”

“You think? I just saw my daughter getting mauled by your son.”

Darie’s face turned more red if that is even possible. “Dad, it wasn’t like that.”

But her dad took her by the arm. “We’ll talk later, Kwon.” Then he dragged her off the room. Darie only gave GD a fleeting glance and saw that he was still kneeling and his head tucked in contrition.

Her dad was glaring through the windshield as they rode in silence at the back of his car while his driver drove through the busy streets of Seoul. Darie was sitting on the other side, her hands neatly placed on her lap feeling the tension and anger emanating from her father. It’s stressing her out to think that she had done something so horribly wrong to make her father mad. She had never seen her dad get mad. Especially with them, his daughters. He had always been sweet and really lenient.

Darie bit her lip before softly calling her dad’s attention. “Dad?”

She heard her father exhaled loudly before turning his head to look at her. He opened his mouth then closed it again, his nostrils flaring then opening his mouth again to finally admonish Darie over her ty behaviour.

“Did you and Kwon’s son already….” His voice faded and he looked completely awkward and lost.

Darie frowned not understanding at first before it dawned on her. dropped open because what his father said is definitely not what she was expecting.

“…had se—“

“Oh god! Dad!” Darie practically yelled drowning her father’s voice. This is such an awkward conversation to have with your father. “Stop! Oh my god.”

“This is embarassing for me too,” her dad said looking horrified. “But I need to know so I could… know what to do.”

Darie palmed her face then glared at her dad. “No. We did not. We have not. Mom already did the talk to me and I don’t want a repeat from another parent.”

“What was i supposed to do?” Her dad said but he looked relieved over Darie’s ardent denial. Then he shook his head. “My princess...” He shivered as if the image is haunting him. “I understand teenage hormones because I had been there once but for the love of god—“

“—and all that’s holy, stop with this talk, dad,” Darie insisted grimacing.

But her father ignored her and continued his self-tirade. “GD Kwon taking advantage of my daughter is making my blood boil. I understand he might have accepted that Sandie would be his intended in the future but he doesn’t have to rush and take out his libido on my other daughter. And inside a gym?”

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