== (FIFTH PART)

 

            “Turn right at this corner and we’ll reach my house in no time,” Jia commands as she points out to the right. Dongwoon slowly turns right and as he drives on, he sees a luxurious mansion right ahead.

 

            “That one?”

 

            “That one,” she answers simply.

 

            “Okay…” He drives on until he reaches the main gate. A couple of security guard stops him but then they allow him in as they see Jia by his right.

 

            “Wow,” he marvels at her magnificent mansion and he drives around the pavement as he circles the big fountain with Italian woman holding a pot and water flows down from it.

 

            “Doesn’t that statue scare you at night?” He asks when he drives into the main entrance, right in front of the front double door.

 

            “I used to have nightmares about that woman running after me and it was not a fun run at all,” she comments as they both get out of the car.

 

            “There you go,” he throws the car key to her. “Good night now.” He turns around, and walks down the pavement earlier.

 

            “Wait! Where are you going?”

 

            Dongwoon turns to her and he glances at his watch. “It’s 3.30 a.m. Let’s just call it a night.”

 

            “No.”

 

            “What?” He raises his brow slightly.

 

            “It’s 3.30 a.m. right? You should just sleep over. I’ll drive you home tomorrow morning.”

 

            “No,” he laughs shortly. “I would give my sister a heart attack if she finds out I’m not in my bed by morning.”

 

            “But it’s Saturday tomorrow. We’ll have time to make it to your house before she wakes you up.”

 

            “I don’t know…” he shrugs. “I’m not sure whether this is a good idea or not.”

 

            “It’s not a good idea, I know that but what harm would it do if you break a few rules?”

 

            “Jia…” he sighs.

 

            “Dongwoon…”

 

            “Fine. But I’ll leave at 6.00 a.m.”

 

            “I’ll take it.” She the walks over to where Dongwoon stands and she grabs his hand. “Let’s get inside. It’s cold.”

 

            “But I’m only doing this because there won’t be any bus available, and no taxi around and I don’t think walking from here to my house in the middle of this night could do me a good favor.”

 

            “Of course,” she smiles.

 

            They enter the house, and Dongwoon is genuinely amazed by the modern interior design of the mansion. He wants to look around but Jia promises him to give him a quick tour by the morning, so instead he follows Jia from behind and into her room.

 

            WHAT A SECOND.

 

            Dongwoon abruptly stops as he reaches her bedroom. “NO.”

 

            “What now?”

 

            “Don’t play with me, Jia. I know this house is too damn big for you to have like dozen of other guest room for me to sleep in.”

 

            “You wanna sleep in the guest room?”

 

            “Yes,” he insists. “I’m not gonna sleep in your room. Are you crazy?”

 

            “Fine.” She shrugs. “Go on. Find yourself a guest room to crash in. I’ll be on my way then. Good night.”

 

            “Wait,” he pulls her arm. He’s losing his patience now. “Don’t do this to me.”

 

            “What? I’m letting you to have it your way. You wanna sleep in a guest room, so go on, go sleep in a guest room. Let me know when you find one.”

 

            “I’m ing tired. I’m ing sleepy. And now you wanna play around with me…hah,” he scoffs. “I can’t believe I let you fool me.”

 

            “Then let’s have a sleepover in my room,” she claps and jumps. “Yeargh! It’s gonna be fun,” she cheers as she drags Dongwoon to come in and they both enter her room. Jia turns on the light and Dongwoon is surprised by how large her room is. The master bedroom would’ve been bigger than this one, but this room alone is bigger than his room combined with his sister’s, so he wonder how big would her parents’ room be.

 

            “This is one crazy large room with awesome bed, and wardrobe and everything.”

 

            “Thanks,” she smiles at him. “But I hate this room.”

 

            He nods slightly at her retort. He understands her pain now. Jia makes her way to the bathroom.

 

            “I need to change first. Wait here okay?”

 

            “Where else should I be, you tricky woman?”

 

            Jia laughs at his annoyed answer and disappears herself into the bathroom. Seconds later she comes out wearing pink PJs and she looks completely innocent in those.

 

            “Wow.”

 

            “Thank you.” Then she head over to her large cupboard and takes out a comfy blanket and spreads it on the floor by her bed. She gives one pillow of her own to Dongwoon and a comforter of her own as well to him.

 

            “No,” he says as he gives back the comforter to hr. “Take this. I have my jacket. I’ll be fine.”

 

            “It’s going to be cold.”

 

            “Hence, the jacket,” he shrugs off his jacket and uses it to cover his upper body. “Now, go to sleep. It’s late anyway,” he says as he settles down in the cozy set up and lays down.

 

            Jia, on her bed, rests her head on her pillow as she says good night to Dongwoon. She can’t believe he’s in her room. Wow. Talk about being nervous. She turns to the edge of her bed to check on him. She jeers her head over the edge of her matters and looks down at sleeping Dongwoon. He surely dozes off fast. Then, she’s back into her sleeping position. But she couldn’t sleep. She tosses about in her bed to find a perfect position to sleep in, but she fails every time.

 

            “Dongwoon…” She calls for him even when she knows he’s asleep. “Thank you.” Jia stares at her ceiling and smiles unconsciously when she sees Dongwoon smiling at her. “It feels good to have nice person like you in my life. I’m glad I show you my weak side. I honestly don’t know what I’d be now if I didn’t bully you in the first place. You’re really nice and when you listen to what I have to say, I’m glad you don’t judge me. I hope you’d end up somewhere nice when you grow up. I hope people would appreciate you. You’re so kind that I wish I would stay bad, so I can have you to scold me.”

 

            “That’s nice.” Dongwoon’s husky voice shakes her off and her eyes go wide when she hears another soft mumble from him.

 

            “Yes..I like it like that…that steak’s so nice I feel like I wanna take a bite off yah~”

 

            Jia facepalms as she hears that. So he’s dreaming. That jerklord. But she smiles nonetheless. Thank God he didn’t listen to that. It’d be embarrassing to have him make fun of her in the morning.

 

            It’s 6.00 a.m but Jia still don’t sleep a wink. Why the heck she couldn’t sleep? She rolls over to the end of her bed to check on Dongwoon for the 10^th time and when she finds him still sleeping like a lil baby, she smiles to herself. It’s 6.00 a.m. He should wake up by now or they won’t make it in time to his house.

           

            Jia climbs down her bed and sits next to him. She had to wake him up. She leans in and observe his face. He’s so handsome. She realizes that before but, to actually see him up close, damn he’s beautiful. She likes his eyes lashes, his perfectly arched brows, his strong nose bridge, his plump lips and most importantly, she like his strong jaw line and his Adam’s apple. She points her finger to have a little poke at his Adam’s apple but when he stirs a bit, she retreats back. That was close!

 

            “Yah Son Dongwoon!” She taps his shoulder. “Wake up you sleepyhead!”

 

            Dongwoon doesn’t bother her loud voice and the hard taps but instead, he rolls over and turns his back on her. Jia’s taken aback by his reaction.

 

            “Don’t you dare to turn your back on meh!” She then leans close to him and drags his shoulder so he can face her. He does, but still sleeping like a log. Would apocalypse be successful to wake him up, she wonders.

 

            “Get upppp!!” She shakes him hard, and when he finally opens her eyes, he pulls her close and settles her in his arm. He her hair and asks her to keep quiet.

 

            Jia tries to free herself, but his embrace is like really tight she wonders where he finds the strength.

 

            “Ssshh...” he whispers in her ears and he presses her face into his well built chest. “Let’s sleep now. I know you haven’t slept since last night.”

 

            “Why would that concern you? Now lemmmmme gooo!” To her avail, however, Dongwoon doesn’t let her go. In fact, he holds her even closer, warm in his arms. He keeps her orange hair gently even though his eyes are still shut.

 

            “You’re gonna regret this….”

 

            “You can thank me later.”

 

            “It’s already 6.00 a.m..”

 

            “It’s Saturday. My sister won’t wake me up unless it 10.00 a.m.. So, let’s make a full use of this 4-hour time to sleep.”

 

            “Okay…” She gives up, trying her best to shut her eyes. But as she can hear the sound of his heart beat, she gets all nervous by herself. Unlike Dongwoon’s, her heart is skipping a beat.

 

            Minutes pass by but Jia is still wide awake. Exactly how the does this sleeping position would help her to sleep. Stupid Dongwoon doesn’t think this through.

 

            “I don’t think I can sleep…”

 

            “Try again…”

 

            “I honestly can’t sleep in your arms like this….” She mumbles under her breathe, hoping Dongwoon would listen but refuse to let her go.

 

            “What…?” He asks lazily.

           

            “Nothing…” The she looks up to him and his eyes open to meet hers.

 

            “What?” He asks. “You can’t sleep?”

 

            “It’s not that…”

 

            “Then what is it?”

 

            “I…” She pauses before she gulps down. “Am going crazy trying not to lean in and kiss you.”

 

            Dongwoon raises his brow. “What?”

 

            “I want to kiss you.”

 

            He stares down at her eyes and automatically his gaze falls onto her lips. Now what?

 

            Jia fixes her position and she slides up to meet his eye level. She cups his face and slowly her lips fall onto his and she kisses him gently. Dongwoon kisses back and his tongue parts and he explores sensually. Then their tongues would entangle before fighting for domination but Jia lets Dongwoon wins. He kisses her deep and perfect that she lets soft moans escape through . And when their kiss breaks off, Dongwoon takes her in his arms again before he kisses her forehead.

 

            “Let’s sleep now.”

 

            “Okay…” And she tightens her grip around his waist as she buries her head into his shoulder and Dongwoon rests his head on top of hers, hugging her small waist as well.

 

==

 

            Jia keeps her words. She takes Dongwoon for a quick tour. They both wander around the house and Dongwoon is truly amazed by what he sees. Jia’s parents certainly have such an exquisite taste of the design in their mansion. Then they go for a breakfast and at 9.30 a.m, Jia has her driver to drive Dongwoon home as she has a hospital appointment to attend to. When Dongwoon asks her whether she’s sick or not, she shakes her head, assuring him that the appointment is just a regular health check up. Her family does that all the time.

 

            “Goodbye,” Dongwoon says as he hugs her and rows her left and right and that giggles her.

 

            “Stop it,” she says as he lets go. “Good bye potato brain.” She’s been calling him that since breakfast because during breakfast, he eats nothing but a mashed potato. He even ignored the cinnamon bread in front of him.

 

            “Bye Jia.” And when he holds her hand, he mumbles, “Promise me you’ll stop going to that dinner.”

 

            She doesn’t say anything but smile back. Dongwoon then walks over to the car and gets inside. She waves him good bye until the car disappear form her sight. Then again, she feels lonely again. Oh, back to her dull life.

 

 

==

 

            Monday’s back and as days pass by, Dongwoon feels extremely guilty that he hasn’t said a word to Jia about him quitting school. And leaves for a boarding school. Jia is going to kill him.

 

            Days pass on and it’s difficult to meet her at school as big test is coming over and students have been busy passing up assignments for grades. Dongwoon has been busy himself and he goes around the school collecting credits to complete his resume. And he has a couple of interview left to go to before he officially enters the boarding school. He needs to find Jia fast but he’s not planning to tell her at school.

 

            He’s in the staff room, collecting recommendations letter from his Biology teacher when he bumps into Junhyung and all of his documents fall to the ground. Junhyung doesn’t bother to pick up his papers and just glare at him.

 

            “Are you ing blind?”

 

            Not wanting to pick up a fight, he apologizes and bends over to gather his papers. He’s about to leave when Junhyung call for him.

 

            “Hey ! You’re leaving for somewhere else? Cool…”

 

            Dongwoon turn around and Junhyung walks towards him and hands him the boarding school pamphlet. He’s about to take it when Junhyung purposely lets go and walks away. Dongwoon clenches his fist. He ignores the pamphlet and walks away. He’s had enough with this school already!

 

==

 

            It’s 8. 30 p.m and Dongwoon’s home alone. Hyojoo’s home apparently with him as well. And it feels like normal to have her sister home at night for once. She’s been busy all around at the hospital, attending night shift that Dongwoon feels like she’s spent more time at hospital than at her own house.

 

            “So, what we’re having for dinner?” Dongwoon asks when her sister walks past her with a bowl of popcorn. “Are you serious?”

 

            “What?” She slumps down in a couch and sits cozily.

 

            “You’re eating only that?”

 

            “I’m watching Three Musketeers here. If you’re hungry, then go out, get something to eat and leave me alone. I need my rest.”

 

            “I can’t believe you’re gonna spend your free time not having some quality time with your own brother.”

 

            “Dongwoon,” she says flatly. “I love you, but I need some time for my self.”

 

            “Fine,” he murmurs as he gets on his feet and off the couch. “I’ll buy some Chinese food. You want some?”

 

            “Dumplings only. I don’t wanna gain some weight.”

 

            “You’re not even fat.”

 

            “I’M FAT. You’re too insensitive to notice that.”

 

            “Women are such freak creatures.”

 

            “Dumpling,” she orders back, rolling her eyes.

 

            By himself, he starts up her sister’s car and pulls from the driveway and into the main road. After 10 minutes of drive, he arrives at a fancy Chinese restaurant. The food is too good that he knows every dollar is worth spent. He gets inside and walks over to the counter.

 

            “I want Chinese noodle with 10 dumplings. To go please.”

 

            “Would that be all, sir?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            Then the cashier behind the counter is pressing the flat screen and minutes later, a bill slides off from its bill machine and the cashier hands it over to him, together with the food he asked.

 

            “$30 sir.”

 

            “There you go,” Dongwoon says as he hands over a note of $50 and he takes his change later. Dongwoon grabs the food and as he’s about to leave the restaurant, he sees a familiar face at the corner of the restaurant.

 

            Jia’s straight face is quickly recognized by him and he makes his way towards the table when he registers the uncomfortable look on Jia’s face, and a laughing face of her mom’s, perhaps and the cynical look on an old man’s expression start to bother him. Maybe that’s e erted old man Jia’s talking about.

 

            Dongwoon suddenly feels a surge of anger working up in his entire body and he has got to get over the table and take Jia away. He doesn’t want Jia to suffer. But why does she still go over to this dinner?

           

            A woman dressed formally stops Dongwoon from taking another step over to the other side of the restaurant.

 

            “You can’t come in unless you have a reservation, sir. I’m sorry” She presses her palm against Dongwoon’s chest.

 

            “Look, I need to meet someone okay. I need to save her.”

 

            But the woman is far from giving any care at what his excuse is and she sternly holds him back. “Don’t ac this way, sir. We’ll have to make you leave if you’re not willing to leave on your own.”

 

            “I get it, but if you could just...” He looks over to the table where Jia and the others sit and when he looks at how suffered she is, looking pale and very uncomfortable, he knows what’s bothering her.

 

            “Don’t!” The woman commands but Dongwoon walks past her nevertheless. He hustles over to Jia’s table, passing through all the filled tables with families and friends who share their laughter and are truly having the times of their lives. But screw all that. Jia’s in trouble and he will get her out of it.

 

            “erted lowlife, get your ing hands off her!” Dongwoon who comes from behind snatches the old man’s hand off her thigh and Jia is genuinely surprised by Dongwoon’s sudden rescue. Jia’s mom, Dambi looks up to the rude young man who’s ruining her yet another business deal.

 

            “What is all this nonsense? Who are you?” Dambi scowls at him but still manages to keep her cool. “And mind your language.”

 

            “I’m not gonna tell you what happens, not unless Jia is willing to tell you herself. But I won’t just stand by and watch when I know how much pain she’s in.” Dongwoon’s dark gaze slips away from her mom and now he fixes on her. “I don’t get it. Which part of stop going to this dinner don’t you understand?”

 

            Jia remains silence, but her tears start to well up in her eyes. She doesn’t look up, afraid she might not be able to held her tears when she looks at him.

 

            A waiter comes approaching the commotion and he asks Dongwoon to leave. Other guests aren’t feeling too comfortable with this drama.

 

            “Leave,” her mom adds some fuel into fire. “And Jia honey, you should stop seeing this disgraceful, poorly mannered teen boy and pull yourself together. I can’t believe you would humiliate me by befriending with such a horrible young man!”

 

            “Shut up!” She erupts, staring at her mom in disbelief. She shuts tight as she pulls back the chair and leave. She bumps Dongwoon’s shoulder and runs away. Dambi stands up as well, wanting to stop her from leaving but the old man pulls her hand.

 

            “Sit down or you’ll lose your deal” he threatens. Reluctantly, Dambi curls her hands into a fist and sits down.

 

            “Are you serious?” Dongwoon hurls. “Do you even have a little bit of common sense in you?” He then walks away, disgusted at the sight of the selfish woman.

 

            Dongwoon exits the restaurant, only to find Jia already far off down the busy streets with cars and motorcycles. He runs after her.

 

            “Jia, wait up!”

 

            “Go away!” Jia, without waiting for the lights to turn green, hastily crosses the road. Cars honk in surprise when they see a woman springs off the sidewalk and into the busy road. She’s at the other side of the road, all safe and sound. Dongwoon is taken aback when he sees that, but he’s far too behind to stop her. Thank god she’s all fine. Dongwoon is eager to wait for the light to turn green; he’s afraid she may stray off somewhere else and he may lose her completely. When the light finally turns green, he runs across the street. He manages to catch up with her and when she’s close enough around him, he pulls her arm to face him. Her crying face doesn’t help to ease his anger though.

 

            “What were you thinking? Are you crazy?”

 

            Jia doesn’t answer to any of his offensive questions. He knows the answers anyway. She turns around but then Dongwoon would grab her and force her to face him again.

 

            “Listen to me when I’m talking!” He shouts right in her face. “I can’t believe you mindlessly cross the ing busy roads. Do you really want to die that bad?”

 

            Jia instantly glares at him and her red eyes are not of tears, but of hatred. The same hatred she had when she first met him.

 

            “Yes!!” She spits through her clenched teeth. “I really wish some ing big truck would hit me and I would die right away from the hit. This life isn’t worth living anymore. I seem to put my trust in the wrong person. And when they betray it, I don’t feel angry anymore. I feel like dying.”

 

            “Stop saying stupid things alright.”

 

            “I’m not!” She breathes heavily and she holds her sobs. She’s has shown him enough of her weak side that he seems to take her lightly now. “I trusted you alright! I trusted you and you blew it!”

 

            “What are you talking about?”

 

            “I’m talking about the ing prep school you’re going to next week, Dongwoon.”

 

            Dongwoon stares blankly at her and she scoffs when he doesn’t deny it.

           

            “I’ve had enough of this…” She turns around and walks away.

 

            “Wait,” he grabs her arm again but she shrugs his grip off.

           

            “Don’t touch me!”

 

            “I can explain!”

 

            “No. I don’t need you to explain to me anymore. I get it. You’re done. You’ve had it with me, with the ing school. You made up your mind and I’ll be fine with it. You won’t be around, Dongwoon. So I need to stop pretending and get back to my ing real life. My real life where I deal with ty parents every day and where I bully every ing student who lives a better life than me.”

 

            “No, you don’t understand. I meant to tell you but I never had the chance. I don’t want us to end. I never meant you to-”

 

            “Shut up…” She says, almost sounding like a whisper. “Save all your talks for you new prep school. I’m not worth it.”

 

            “No!” He grabs her again. “Listen to me Jia. Please.”

 

            She crosses her arms around her chest and slightly lifts up her chin. “Fine. It’s for the last time anyway.”

 

            “I’ve been wanting to tell you this, but it seems like you found out from someone else and I feel really bad because I was not the one who broke this news to you, I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you before, but trust me I really hadn’t the right chance to tell you.”

           

            “You could’ve told me anytime when we were together, Dongwoon. You don’t simply make excuse because you miss your chance.”

 

            “I’m sorry,” he lowers his head. But then he looks up again. “I didn’t apply for this school, I meant to leave the school but I’d never wanted to go to a boarding school. My sister registered me at this boarding school but I’m not gonna blame her just because I feel bad about letting you know about this. It’s my fault. You’re right. I could’ve just told you before but I didn’t, and when you found out about this from someone else, it truly hurts me and I deserve it.”

 

            She sighs as he explains it to her. She rubs her face and all this situation is getting at her badly. “You won’t be around next week…” Instead of saying that as a statement, it sounds more like a bitter truth she has to swallow.

 

            “I’m sorry,” he says that again and it begins to annoy her. She wishes he’d know that saying sorry isn’t going to change anything.

 

            “Your sorry doesn’t stop me from living back my life, Dongwoon. Why don’t you see it? Ever since you come into my life, my whole world simply brightens up. I don’t need anything else when I know we could hang out at night and spend more time together. I want that to last. But I can’t be selfish. You have your own needs, you own plans, and your plans don’t include me. I get it. So stop showing how much you care for me. I honestly can’t let you go if you keep doing this to me.”

 

            “I want us t spend more time together.”

 

            “No. It will hurt both of us.”

 

            “Don’t be stupid. I want to make more wonderful memories with you, Jia. I know I’m leaving but if I could just spend more time with you, I’ll leave with no regrets. I want to keep you safe till I’m gone.”

           

            “You’re going to hurt me even more. I’m not strong. I was never a strong person in the first place. Let’s end this here. I don’t want to have anything to do with you anymore.”

           

            “Jia…” He’s already crying when she says that. He’s never good at saying goodbyes. “I don’t us to be over.”

 

            “There was never us, Dongwoon. Goodbye.” With that, she leaves him. And for the first time ever, she feels something deep and hollow in her heart that she can’t seem to quite define, or she simply refuses to. No. She doesn’t have feelings for Dongwoon and he obviously doesn’t have feelings for her. It’s all crystal clear now. Her dreams are over. It’s time to get back to where she belongs. A lonely world filed with endless pain and fake happiness.

 

 

==

 

            It’s been 13 months since she last saw him. It doesn’t matter really. They all will be over with school in 2 months anyway. Dongwoon’s away in his boarding school, realizing his dreams. She seldom would think of him but she fights back all the little memories she’s had with him. She’s not going to pretend like those times never happen, but she just doesn’t want to hold on to it. She needs to move on, like how he does.

 

            She’s a senior now, and she’s quit bullying. She never finds any pleasure from all the sufferings anyway. She’s been indulging herself in loads of curricular activities just so she could get into college before any of her friends. She doesn’t want to linger around the school any longer. Dongwoon was right to leave. That school truly . And ever since their last fight by the road, she gathers strength from what Dongwoon’s told her to really get out of her miserable life. She tells her parents everything; lets them know what she truly feels about all this loneliness, and when her mom finds out about what her business partner has been doing to Jia, her mom falls sick from all the crying and regrets and now she’s in a mental hospital. Jia never loved her parents, true; but she never wished things would turn out this way. Her dad has to run away from loan sharks and he’s a fugitive now. What awesome about all this is that she could still keep the house as her parents have settled all the payments before going bankrupt. Everyone in the neighborhood learns about what happens to Jia, but she never lets them bother her. She lives in a big mansion, driving on old pick up truck she receives as a present from her gandma and she’s happy the way she is. Sure she feels lonely at times, but at least she’s not living a fake life.

 

            And as for Dongwoon, she sent him a letter just last week for the first time telling him what’s been going on in her life and how she is right now. She doesn’t want him to worry, and she assures him that he’s a good friend, and she’s forgiven him long time ago. She said she was mad at first about his decision of quitting school, but she had to respect his choice. And she even tells him how much she misses him and the old times. Then again, she tells him she’s fine now and thanks him for all his kindness and wishes him all the best. She also tells him that she was right about not spending more time with him, because if she did, she might not be able to stand where she is now. She might actually continue to live her old ty life and not get out of this mess, and she never wanted that to happen. And when she signs her name, she adds a post note just below, warning him not to reply. She means it when she says she doesn’t want t have anything to do with him anymore. He’s her past, and shall remain that way. And she even tells him that she loves him, a lot. And she knows he loves her just as much. But she feels good about telling him that. She never gets to show her emotions before. And when she finally shows it, she wants to show it to the right person and she reminds him that Dongwoon will always be the right person for her to do everything with. And lastly, she simple wishes that all this would last. She wants thing to stay this way, forever. To her, this is her happy ending. Not a perfect one, but good enough for a little girl who used to be lost.

 

 

== (THE END )

 

Finally~ :D

I should pat myself for this. c:

So, what do you guys think of the ending?

? ==’

Lol not my problem XD

Feel free to express your thoughts tho =3