Jia is in her study table drawing a picture of mountains and trees and flying birds soaring high in the sky when her mom comes in without knocking on the door. That occasionally pisses her but she’s learning to get used to that.

 

            “Sweetheart, I need you to get ready tonight okay. We’ll be having dinner with my business partner.” Her mom through her hair and Jia doesn’t even look up. She knows what her mom is doing. She’s her hair while texting about something as she could hear the tapping sounds clearly.

 

            “Will dad be joining us?” Jia guesses not though.

 

            “Oh sweetheart, your dad is in Tokyo, busy having fun with his Japanese .”

 

            Jia grins. A bitter grin that is. There’s something not normal with her family and she can’t seem to escape from that. “Sure mom. I’ll be wearing that same black dress I wore last week when we’re having dinner with your other business partner who used to run his hand up to my thigh.”

 

            “Good girl.” Her mom’s voice sounds genuinely pleased.

 

            “Always am.” Jia is gritting. Did her mom listen to her sarcasm just now?

 

            “Oh that’s a beautiful picture of rainbow~” Her mom compliments on a second glance. Then she leans in and kisses Jia’s hair before she leaves. Jia stares at her drawing. There’s not ing rainbow in it. She crumples the paper and tosses it in the dustbin. But it never got in.

 

            She swings her cold gaze towards the crumpled paper and wonders, Dongwoon surely won’t see any rainbow in her drawing right?

 

==

 

           

            KNOCK. KNOCK.

 

            Dongwoon is about to sink his lazy self in the couch when he hears the knocks. Who would that be?

 

            It is a definite feeling of threatened and pain mashed together when Dongwoon finds Jia standing in the doorway. Oddly enough, she’s a wearing a stage mask to cover her face but he is way to smart to be fooled around as he recognizes her messy orange hair. Hasn’t she brushed her hair?

 

            “I know you,” he says in a lower key. “I thought I asked you not to come here ever again.”

 

            “Well I’m not showing my face, aren’t I?” Her voice is holding soft sobs.

 

            “Are you crying?” His voice fell as he tries to pull the mask off her face but she steps back.

 

            “Don’t!” She then takes out something crumpled from her bag and shows it to him. “Now tell me, do you see any rainbow in this drawing?”

 

            Dongwoon is eyeing the beautiful art piece when he reaches for the drawing. “No. I don’t see any rainbow. This is such-”

 

            “Don’t lie to me!” Jia suddenly exclaims and it startles Dongwoon. “Are you blind? Cuz when my mom sees this, she says ‘Oh~ that’s a beautiful rainbow’. So tell me, do you or do you not see any rainbow is this drawing? I’m sure my mom doesn’t lie to me. She never does, like that one time when she says my dad’s having an affair with one of our maids, or when she has an affair with one of her business partners. Or that one time when she simply forgets my birthday because celebrating her anniversary with her toy boy. Or like when my mom says she’s not gonna get a divorce just because dad doesn’t love her anymore, and he won’t have much free time to come home cuz he’s busy with his affairs and business and his new daughter!” Jia’s shoulders are shaking as she hurls facts about her broken family.

 

            Dongwoon’s expression seems as sympathetic as his voice when he asks Jia to stop. He pulls her close and hugs her tight in his arm. He even takes off her mask and it is wet with her tears. He rakes through her messy orange hair that seems to appeal to him now and comfort her with consoling sound of his voice.

 

            “I’m sorry, Jia. I really am.”

 

            “Well don’t be.” She lets loose of herself away from his warm body. “Cuz I’m not. I used to feel sorry for myself, but that was when I had hope in my mom, when I was still a kid who wished her family to be normal like everybody else’s and that was way before I’ve grown up. And guess what? All those things you said about me, they were all true. They are very much true and as much as I try not to come here and ask you why would say such things to me when you haven’t gone through half of my life, I can’t seem to do so. I never got the guts to ask you cuz I know what the answer would be. “

 

            “Don’t torture yourself,” Dongwoon pleads. He feels guilty about this girl now. “I wish I could take back-”

 

            “Don’t take it back, Dongwoon. Your sister taught you well and you don’t want to let her down, do you? I am a bully after all.” Her red eyes stare his and Dongwoon swallows back hard. Jia grabs back her drawing from Dongwoon’s hand and walks away. He tries to stop her but he couldn’t. In the end, he blames himself of ever doing that to her. He gets down on his feet and cries. He wishes her sister would be home and ask him why he cries and tell him that everything is going to be okay. As he cries, tears fall on Jia’s mask.

 

           

==

 

            Dongwoon lies down on the couch, the TV is on but he ponders into the lively square box. He lies on his left shoulder while hugging Jia’s mask. Hyojoo comes home later to find Dongwoon still in his miserable state. It bothers Hyojoo when he doesn’t answer to her calling.

 

            “Dongwoon,” she says gently as she approaches Dongwoon. “I’ve been calling you numerous times but you didn’t answer me once. What’s gotten-” She pauses when her palm is pressed against his warm forehead. She quickly gets down to him eye-level.

 

            “OMG Dongwoon. You have fever. And it’s really bad,” she says into his face and is surprised to see his eyes red and puffy from all the crying. “You cried? Why? What happened?”

 

            “Hyojoo…” He drawls in his husky voice. “Do you remember what you told me? When you said to stand up to your bully?”

 

            “Yeah…” Hyojoo helps Dongwoon to get up as she answers him. Dongwoon then turns to his sister.

 

            “I did that.”

 

            “You’ve been bullied?” Her expression looks genuinely mad. “And you told me nothing about this? Wait, is he the same guy who beat you up?”

 

            “That’s not the case, Hyojoo.”

 

            “Are you kidding me? Of course that’s the case. I’m not gonna shut my mouth and let this slips away just like that. You’ve been bullied and this is a serious matter.”

 

            “Will you listen to what I’m gonna say first?!” He shouts right ahead and forces Hyojoo to stay calm.

 

            “Fine,” Hyojoo grits her teeth. She should know better that Dongwoon has a lot on his mind and the last thing she’d do is to create another problems for him.

 

            “I stood up to my bully. I did and when I did it, it felt good.” He forces a short smile to his sentence. Hyojoo nods as she hears that. He adds, “And now, I’m not sure whether that was the right thing to do.”

 

            She shoots him an astonished expression. “Why?”

 

            “She came by just now, wearing this.” Dongwoon shows Hyojoo the stage mask. There was a pair crying eyes and an upside-down smile. She takes the mask and studies it.

 

            “Maybe I didn’t have to stand up to her. Maybe all I had to do was let her do it. Let her bullied me. And maybe with that, I won’t make her upset.”

 

            “Whatever she did, and for whatever reason, she was wrong, Dongwoon. You can’t give in to people who do bad things.”

 

            “I made her cry when I did that. She said, she wanted to ask me so badly why I did all that to her when I haven’t get to live half her life. Do you know how much it kills me when she says that?” He pauses as tears start to well up in his eyes. His nose grows redder, so do his cheeks. “I’ve been trying to- hypnotize myself with all the talk, telling me that I was not wrong. I did the right thing, and this isn’t worth any of my tears. But I failed and I sorta hate myself after that. I don’t seem to know what’s right and what’s wrong anymore. And suddenly, everything won’t be okay.” He eventually breaks down as he recalls all the confusing things that happened to him. Hyojoo pulls him, settling his head on her lap. Hyojoo his hair and rubs his arm.

 

            “Oh Dongwoon. Things will be okay, they always turn out that way, right?” She asks in her consoling voice, holding her soft sobs. “Just don’t do this to yourself, okay. We’ll fix this. But, trust me, when you stood up to her, that was the right thing to do and will always be. It’s just that she doesn’t see that the way we do.”

 

            Not being able to say anything, Dongwoon nods in agreement, feeling glad he has his sister with him in this bitter moment. He needs her sister, always.

 

==

 

 

            It’s Friday, and Dongwoon wakes up feeling heavy. He’s in his bed and he wonders how he even got in. But it doesn’t matter. Next, he heads straight for shower.

 

            He goes downstairs to find his sister make him apple pie. She always does this when he feels sad or after he cried. She always knows what to do make him feel good again. Another reason to love his sister more.

 

            “Morning, Dongwoon. How are you this morning?” She approaches her and presses his forehead. “Well, your fever’s gone.”

 

            “How can you tell my fever’s gone with just touching my forehead?” He fills the empty seat at the dinner table.

 

            “I’m just that awesome.” Her sister grins as she puts two slices of apple pies. “Dig in, sweetheart. Oh and,” Her sister stretches her arm and grabs the carrot jar and pours into two empty glasses. “Drink this. I think it could reduce the eye bags.”

 

            “We’re gonna drink carrot on this wonderful Friday morning?”

 

            “Yes. Yes we are,” she beams as she sits across the table.

 

            “Carrot juice .”

 

            “Don’t say that. Be grateful you we even have something to eat, you little brat. Have you spared any thought on the people in Haiti? They can’t even eat the grass coz there’s nothing but false hopes and-”

 

            “Dear Lord,” Dongwoon cuts in as he grabs his sister’s hands and closes his eyes. “I thank you for this yuckish carrot juice, this yummy apple pie and this beautiful nagging sister of mine. But she always makes me good breakfast, so bless her and her nagging makes it all worth because she always knows what to nag and-”

 

            “Amen,” her sister finishes for Dongwoon. She even pinches hard his finger. “That sounds like a sarcasm but it was a prayer anyway. And hurry up or you’re gonna miss your bus.”

 

 

==

 

            Jia struts her way to the boy’s locker room. That’s where Junhyung is and she needs him now. Other boys quickly runs away a soon as she steps in. No one dare to make contact with her eyes or Junhyung will make sure they got paid for it. But one person dares to stand in her way and Jia’s taken aback by sudden stop before the office room.

 

            “What the are you doing?” She asks, raising her brow.

           

            “I’m sorry but, you can’t come in.”

 

            “What did you just say?”

 

            “I-I say you can’t come in. Junhyung’s a little busy-” But before Jia could let the geeky boy finish, she shoves him hard that he stumbles upon the bench.

 

            “Move your face you bag!” Jia swings open the door, and to her surprise she catches Junhyung’s half with some student , who’s also half . From the bottom actually. They didn’t stop making out, or love until she opens .

 

            “What the is going on here?!”

 

            Junhyung and his new girl startle from the loud exclaim. He quickly gets off the girl and the girl hastily picks up the closest shirt she could find, Junhyung’s and runs away.

 

            “Don’t you dare leaving here, !” But the girl escapes anyway. Jia the swings her cold gaze o Junhyung and what kills her inside is how laid back Junhyung looks. He has no guilty is charged or ed up written in his face.

 

            “What just happened?” She steps a little forward.

 

            “She’s nobody. Don’t worry, darling.” Junhyung steps forward a little.

 

            “Stay there!” She raises her arm and holds it in front of him. “Don’t get any closer to me.”

 

            “Darling, it was nothing. Really,” He tries to crack a smile. “I did it for fun. No strings attached y’know.”

 

            Jia frowns at his sentence and smirks as her eyes stream. “How could you? How could you do this to me?”

 

            “Honey, I told you. It was nothing.”

 

            “Do you even feel guilty for doing this to me? You could’ve faked it. You could’ve faked I and tell me it was you fault!,” she wails at him but Junhyung’s impassive face begin to eat her.

 

            “Look-”

 

            “Shut the up! How long have you been doing this? How long have you been ing other around and still come knocking on my door, play innocent and me?”

 

            “Sweetheart, it was-”

 

            “Just tell me the truth! What’s been holding you back, Junhyung? Your lies are out and why the don’t you have the guts to at least let me know the truth?”

 

            “You wanna know? Fine, I’ll tell you. I don’t remember okay. I don’t remember since when have I been ing around. You happy now?”

 

            “You !” Tears fall down her cheek and smudge her dark eyeliner. The tears come down black and dirty. She turns around and walks away. Her heart is completely broken apart to pieces and nothing would make it better again. Nothing.

 

            She drags her feet out of the locker room, regretting why she wanted to meet Junhyung and to even need him? Life plays on her now and she feels like laughing to herself. How stupid of her to even be in a relationship? She guesses bullies sometimes want to be loved as well.

 

            She walks past every student, and even with their focused on her she still walks out the front door and finally, gets to her car and starts it alive.

 

            “Wait!” A deep male voice from behind is heard. She turns to her left to find Dongwoon knocking on her window. But she refuses to lower down the glass. She’s about to step on the gas when Dongwoon walks around her car and get inside, sitting on the driver’s side seat. Dongwoon locks the door and looks at her as she stares at him, her eyes bloodshot form lacking of sleep, and lots of crying.

 

            “What the hell are you thinking? Get the out of my car!”

 

            “I would, but then letting you drive in this state, I don’t think so.”

 

            “Who are you? My mom?”

 

            “No. Your mom doesn’t give half the of what I’m doing now.” He smiles a bit before fastening a seatbelt. “You’re not gonna wear your seatbelt? Here, lemme buckle up for you.” Dongwoon leans in and pulls the seatbelt across her chest and straps it neat to her. She couldn’t even stop him in the first place as she’s shocked by his sudden movement.

 

            “Get out.”

 

            “Make me.”

 

            “I could kick the life out of you.”

 

            “Then do it,” he appraises her with a stern look. “Kick me out of my life first, then I’d get out.”

 

            She scowls at him, adding furious lines on her forehead. When he realizes that, he takes out her mask out of his backpack and gives it to her. But she doesn’t move a muscle.

 

            “I’m sorry,” he starts, pulling the mask back into his lap. “I heard what happened in the locker room earlier. I was walking by when I heard you fighting with your boyfriend-”

 

            “That ’s not my boyfriend,” Her voice firm.

 

            “Your ex-,” he pauses and he lowers his head and stares the mask. “And about this,” he says, holding up the mask. “I’m sorry I made you cried when I said those tings to you. I know I shouldn’t have done that. But I did that because I wanted you to stop hitting me, or other kids. What you did was wrong and I guess, saying that to you would make you stop. It did actually, but not the way I wanted.” Dongwoon then fixes his gaze on her and with a sympathetic voice he says, “I don’t know what kind of life you live when you go back home. It’s not my fault you have that kind of parents, but I want you to know I feel sorry for you. I’m not saying this because I feel glad it happens to you cuz I don’t but if you let me help you, I know we could make something out of this mess. My sister told me when bad things happen to you, you should have your stand and fight for your justice. I did. And now, I want you to do the same.” He hands her the mask and with slowly, she takes it. A drip of tear fall on the curved surface of the mask and Dongwoon reaches out his thumb and wipes away her tears.

 

            “Sit down and talk to your parents. And if you feel like crying when you do that, don’t cry behind this mask. Let them know how you really feel or they won’t be able to reach out to you. And just tell them about something that’s been bothering you. I don’t know about what exactly, but I’m sure there’s a lot in your heart you wish they’d know. I’m not an open book, but I’m lucky to have my sister around when I need her. I don’t need to tell her what’s wrong with me every time. Some time she would figure it out. And when she doesn’t, she would always ask and I would always tell her, no matter how much I refused at first. She cares a lot for me, I guess,” Dongwoon ends his talk and unlocks the door. “And please don’t drive around if you’re feeling angry. You might get into accident. And people around you may not tell you how much you mean to them, but there’s always someone out there who loves you.”

 

            Jia’s mouth clenched a tight line as she watches Dongwoon gets out of the car. She usually hates letting one person does all the talk, but this one, she needs to just shut up and listens. And she’s relieved she does it. Dongwoon shuts the door and walks back into the school and as he’s gone from her sight, she looks down to the mask, smiling. It’s been a long time since she had the chance to really smile and feel good doing it.

           

 

==

 

           

            “Dongwoon, lock this door. I’m leaving for hospital now. And stop watching Glee for God’s sake. Are you a ? And go to bed already, it’s late. Goodbye now,” Hyojoo says before she shuts the door. 10 minutes later Dongwoon hears a honk from outside. He ignores it. HONK. He ignores it again.

 

            Another honk is heard and he feels very annoyed. He reluctantly gets to the door and decides to check what’s happening.

 

            “GET YOUR OVER HERE, SON DONGWOON!” Jia screams from inside her Mini Cooper and honks again.

 

            He goes down with his PJs and bends over the window. “What are you doing?”

 

            “Hop in.”

 

            “I don’t want to hop in. Are you out of your mind? Like seriously, leave!” He turns his back on her.

 

            “Hey! What happens to “if you let me help you, I know we could make something out of this mess” talk huh? Is that all just some bull now?!” She screams again but there’s not a trace of disappointment in her face. It’s as if she’s playing with him and he doesn’t like being threatened.

 

            Dongwon exhales heavily, and rolls his eyes at her. “What do you want, Jia? It's late you know.”

 

            “You to hop in.” She honks again. “Or I won’t stop honking.” Then she honks again.

 

            “Fine! Fine! Just let me change okay,” he agrees, with annoyance and pissed off written all over his handsome face. As he’s about to get inside his house again, Jia honks again, causing house next door to light up and shouts, “SHUT THE UP. IT’S LATE AND PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET SOME SLEEP HERE!”

 

            Dongwoon turns his head and scowls at Jia, but instead she just grins and shrugs, not feeling sorry at all.

 

            “Sorry sir,” she screams back the nosy neighbor. Minutes later, Dongwoon comes out of the house, locks the door behind him and shuffles across the lawn to her car. He still wears his PJs however, with jeans and a striped hoodie on top the PJs.

 

            “But you still wear the same shirt,” she says as she steps on the gas and drives.

 

            “Why do you care? I dress to express ‘kay, not to impress.”

 

            She chuckles at his ridiculous remark. “First of all, I’m not impressed. Not at all. Second of all, what are you trying to express huh?”

 

            “The why the heck are you bothering me woman .”

 

            “I’m not bothering you,” she protests, making a left turn.

 

            “Then what does it look like to you?”

 

            “I just wanna hang out.”

 

            “It’s freaking midnight, in case you didn’t notice.”

 

            “Tomorrow’s Saturday, in case you didn’t notice.”

 

            He looks at her and marvels at her hard-headedness. He shakes his head, giving in to her doing. “Fine. Whatever. Just where are we going?”

 

            She laughs at her triumph. “Alrightie. Where do you wanna go?”

 

            “Home,” he blurts out simply.

 

            “Well, I wanna go to Gary’s.”

 

            “So are we going home or over to this Gary’s place. And what’s Gary’s anyway?”

 

            “A diner. It runs 24/7, seven days a week.”

 

            “So what, we’re going to eat in this middle of the night?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “The heck did you ask me where I want to go?”

 

            “In case you had somewhere else to go.”

 

            “Women,” he sighs, looking out the window only to find bright street lights.  “You’ll never get them.”

 

 

==

 

            Jia enters the diner first and Dongwoon follows after her. The diner is less crowded when it’s night time, well, it’s midnight now and there are hardly people, except for one old man drinking coffee and a dad with his son, both digging the waffles at the counter.

 

            “What is this place? It looks dead to me.” Dongwoon leans in to Jia and he  whispers it into her ears.

 

            “Don’t be a baby,” she whispers back. “This place serves the best apple pie ever.”

 

            He narrows his eyes and look at her with the what the did I just hear expression. Jia shrugs and grabs his hand and pulls him to settle down at the table.

 

            A waitress in her mid 50s comes up to them, with the crooked glasses she asks,” What can I get you two, lovebirds?”

 

            Dongwoon raises his brow. Lovebirds? He then looks at her. With her? Shoot me in the ing eyes already and feed me to the Condor birds.

 

            “Oh Miseon-ahjumma, we’re not- together.”

 

            “Yeah,” Dongwoon agrees with an awkward smile.

 

            “Okay then.” The old lady shrugs. “What do you guys want to eat? Wait, I know what you want, apple pie right? With extra syrup, right?”

 

            Jia beams and she nods as well. “Omo ahjumma, you know me just that well huh?”

 

            “Of course~” Then Miseon turns to Dongwoon. “What can I get you handsome boy?”

 

            “Just caramel macchiato.”

 

            “In a moment.” Then she walks away, leaving Jia and Dongwoon all alone.

 

            “She seems friendly,” he comments. Jia props her head in one hand.

 

            “Yeah. But she’s not married yet.”

 

            “Really? How do you know?”

 

            “I know things,” she smiles at him. “I love to sit down here sometime, and just observe people. Wonder whose life is worse? Mine or theirs?”

 

            “Jia,” he says softly but firm, as if trying to scold her for feeling sorry for herself.

 

            “I'm cool with it,” she shrugs. "My life's a . I know that. You know that. So why pretend like it didn't matter?"

 

            "But you're torturing yourself with this self-blaming," Dongwoon leans it and stares at her face, jaw clenche. "Stop that. It's never your fault."

 

            She looks him in his eyes and glad she could sense the genuine comfort in his pair of brown eyes. “Thanks.”

 

            “Huh,” Miseon smirks as she puts down the order. “And you guys aren’t lovebirds? Too bad I don’t see it that way.”

 

            Their hands break apart as they listen to the bluffing comment of Miseon’s and act like nothing happens.

 

            “Now enjoy your meal, lovebirdies~” she sings before she walks away.

 

            Jia laughs at her ludicrous and swings her gaze to Dongwoon. “That ahjumma never gets old.”

 

            “But she’s old,” he snaps.

 

            “Oh shut up,” Jia snaps back at him, taking in the apple pie.

 

            “Is that good?” He asks as he puts down his caramel macchiato.

 

            “This pie,” Jia holds it up and gives him a very serious look. With full, she states, “It defines the word HEAVEN, okay? You don’t get this just about at any diner in this city.” Her round eyes giggles Dongwoon.

 

            “You look like you’re about to kill someone.”

 

            “But I mean it. You wanna have some?” She’s already pinching her waffle off and hands him the big chunk.

 

            “That’s not some, that’s a lot.”

 

            “Come close,” she says and he does. Gently, she feeds the apple pie piece with her own finger. “How is it?”

 

            Dongwoon takes his time chewing the pie. Jia’s still waiting patiently for his answer.

 

            “How is it?” Her face brightens up.

 

            “It’s good actually,” he finally says. “But,” Jia falls at that one word.

 

            “But what?”

 

            “This can’t top my sister’s.”

 

            “Your sister can make apple pie?”

 

            “Not just any apple pie. The apple pie.”

 

            “Really?”

 

            “Really,” he glances at her with a nod. “You’re like, lucky enough to get to breathe once you took the first bite off.”

 

            “Really?” She looks hesitant now.

 

            “I swear to God.”

 

             Jia chuckles as she takes another bite at her apple pie. “I don’t believe you.”

 

            “You did not just say that!” His face looks horrid at her disbelief. “You see,” He leans forward and stare right into her eyes. “I’ve got proof right in my fridge.”

 

            “So?”

 

            “I’ll be kind to offer you some.”

 

            “If your sister makes the best apple pie, no offence, but why the heck didn’t you finish it all?”

 

            “All great artworks are meant to be shared.”

 

            “Don’t lie to me, Dongwoon.” Jia leans back against the chair and crosses her arms. “Do you mean every word you say? Really?”

 

            “Really.”

 

            “Fine. I’ll give you the chance to let me explore your sister’s great art since I’m a big fan of apple pie.”

 

            “Perfect,” he says, smiling to her.

 

            So, later that night, once Dongwoon and Jia are driving back to Dongwoon’s home, she has the chance to explore some of the apple pie left. And she may have to change her mind. Hyojoo does make the best apple pie. But that’s not the main thing. What’s more important is that, she realizes, being with Dongwoon makes her feel different, like she’s no longer the insecure bully, but she’s just some normal girl. And to feel normal after all this, she really glad she bullied Dongwoon in the first place.

 

 

== (END OF THIRD PART)

 

Oh God.

When will this story end? ==’

Just bear with me if you please, and since I’m already plotting its ending, I’m sure it would end soon. ^0^ 

Maybe Chapter 5 would be the last chapter :3

COMMENT PLEASE. Last thing I need right now are silent readers. =]