Jiyong was already running his way inside the airport after parking the car in the designated area. He only brief his parents about the airplane coming from China which landed in Korea but the passenger were contained by the government until it was declared that the plane which boarded with 200 Chinese nationals will be sent back to China in two hours. Glancing at his watch, he only got ten minutes left.

 

He broke into a smile of relief upon seeing the group of Chinese Nationals being escorted back to their plane. He blended to their group easily while fixing his own surgical mask and bowed his head. He ignored the beads of sweats on his forehead while he continued walking with them in bowed head. He was thankful that they weren’t being inspected and just let them through.

 

Boarded in the plane, Jiyong’s relief was in contrast to the Chinese passengers inside as they all conversed their concerns over their current situation now. He didn’t even get himself a proper seat as he plopped himself in the door at the entrance of the flight attendant who looked at him briefly and didn’t bother on asking him anymore when she’s busy pacifying the worry of the other passengers.

 

“Sir, please, find yourself a seat for safety traveling,” the attendant said while Jiyong complied anyway and followed her.

 

“May I help you with something sir?” she asked nicely while Jiyong shook his head hiding his face with his mask. The attendant just leave him be while he sighed in relief. He fished out his phone and sent a message to his parents the he already boarded the plane ignoring how his mom was nagging him.

 

Almost two hours past and woke up when the captain announced to fasten the seat belt for the landing. He blinked tiredly and complied anyway. It had been a day ago since he last heard about Dara and it seemed that the doctors are closely monitoring their group. That could only mean, Dara can’t use her cell phone.

 

Successfully landing down, Jiyong was surprise that only him had gone down the airplane while the other passengers stayed on. The captain then announced that they had clearance to land in the country of Philippines at Davao city. So they only needed to refuel for another half an hour before they fly again.

 

When Jiyong was walking out the airport with his bag pack, he saw how jammed pack it is in there with different nationals. They all had worn their masks while conversing to the airport’s attendants why the heck are their flight denied. He continued walking until he hailed a cab and conversed to him to get him in Beijing Hospital.

 

The travel from airport was quite while he glanced outside the street which was almost empty of people. He then turned to the driver who also worn his mask.

 

“Is it so bad in here, sir?” he asked in Chinese language.

 

“Yes. Aren’t you not from here?” he asked.

 

“I’m visiting,” he just said which the driver just nodded.

 

Not a while he arrived at the hospital while he immediately traced his way inside only to be greeted with lots of people in there that he stopped his tracks. As if the whole population of Beijing can be found at the medical facilities.

 

Doctors and nurses are in a very tight protective suits and gears with names written behind their suits while they busily coming and going each rooms.

 

Shaking his own distraction, he strode towards the bulletin where he looked for the name of the patient he came for. His lips formed a smile upon seeing her name together with the other tourists. Their group was remarked as ‘Hubei Tourists’. After familiarizing with the buildings floor plan, he then traced his way towards the direction with a determined face.

 

***

No one inside the negative pressured room was in the mood while they stared at the news in the television. The death toll in two mainlands had increased everyday and the cure for the said virus was as if a far fetch goal for now. There are already many confirmed cases outside China too and some countries were in discussion if it’s right thing to ban flights coming from China. The only country which hadn’t issued for banning is Philippines. But the president was being ridiculed for such slow response. However, the president’s spoke person had explained to the people to make them calm down and were advise to contribute positively on the on going spread of the virus like Praying or helping people know how to increase immunity against it rather than spreading hates to Chinese nationals.

 

Just last night, the doctors had declared them all on level two of the said virus making them understand why they felt weaker and weaker each day. As if something’s eating them inside while their fever isn’t going down.

 

Dara’s sleepy eyes was stolen on the huge glass wall in front of her when someone’s acting weird outside. Her eyes slowly widened when she recognized the person.

 

“Jiyo…” she mumbled while he laughed in relief outside. Although she can hear him, she imagined his laughter.

 

Her attentions went to the nurse who had just finished her round and got out the room. The nurse yelped in surprise when someone had got inside the room, running.

 

All the patients was on Jiyong while the nurse called our for him in loud voice saying he wasn’t aloud inside. The other nurse had help her stopped Jiyong but he ran to Dara’s direction, remove his mask and hers and unceremoniously claimed her lips.

 

Dara’s brain literally froze for the contact before she realized what he just did, she pushed him away from her.

 

The nurses in suits cursed at Jiyong who just held his hands above his head.

 

“I made contact. I’m infected now.” he said to them.

 

“Do you think this is a joke, young man?” one male nurse hissed in Chinese language.

 

“No. I don’t think so.”

 

“We lack so much of bed-,”

 

“I’ll stay here with her,” Jiyong negotiated and Dara wanted to pounce him with all the energy she left.

 

The nurses hissed again before they let him be and left the room.

 

“What on earth, Jiyo?” she put back her mask on when he sat on the edge of her bed but he leaned close to her and put it down to kiss her once again. He then distanced himself from her.

 

“told you I would come,”

 

“What the heck did you just do? Are you mad?”

 

“I’m just letting you ruin me,” he said in boyish grin. “Happy birthday to us.”

 

Dara then remembered that she was supposed to have a debut today along with Jiyong since they shared the same birth date and had been celebrating it together since their memories serve them right.

 

Not a while, Jiyong was given his own hospital gown and mask while he suit himself beside Dara in that hospital bed. While they were lying down together in the bed after the dinner, Dara rested in Jiyong’s arms while he took pictures of them together and send it to their parents. They then hide under the blanket and made a video call to their parents who can’t believe they are together now. Jiyong promised to take care of Dara and assured Rona and Jay they will go home together.

 

After the call, Dara and Jiyong cuddled closer and talk in whispered voices.

 

“Do you think we can get better?” she asked.

 

“Yes. Japan and US had sent their medical teams to help in the research in finding the cure in China.” he answered while pulling down his mask. He leaned down to kiss her again in the lips and Dara was once again drawn to his own guidance as if unafraid of what she might gave him this time. When they broke their kisses, they stared each other in silence.

 

“Why are we kissing?” she asked in whisper.

 

“Because it feels good,” he said while tucking the hair to her ear.

 

“Are best friends supposed to kiss?” she asked.

 

“Hmm. Sometimes.” he caressed her cheek gently. “Do you like it?”

 

Dara blinked before hiding her face to his chest, “yeah.”

“Let’s do it again?” he asked while she nodded.

 

Dara and Jiyong kissed again under the covers of the blanket, trying to comfort each other with their presence.

 

They then had pillow talks with Dara trying to control his fit of giggles to Jiyong’s stories. Until she didn’t noticed that she already fell asleep under the comfort of her best friend’s hugs and kisses.

 

***

 

Dara surprisingly feeling better after Jiyong had brought her packs of red ginseng consumables every after meal. She then urged him to give some to the other patients. Although it didn’t take away the disease, somehow it helps the body increase its immunity.

 

“You know, I feel like I’m highest level zombie around here.” Dara said one time after their lunch.

 

“Wae?”

 

“I’m at category 4 while the rest of you stayed in category 2. lowest level.” she proudly beamed at him while Jiyong hid his own concern through his smile. It has been days past and Dara wasn’t improving so much. Instead, her condition climbed up to an almost dangerous level.

 

“Don’t dream too much Dee. You gotta fight the disease off. I don’t want you turning zombie on me,” he said while she just giggled and the red ginseng he gave her.

 

Jiyong silently heaved a deep sigh wishing that the cure will finally be formulated soon.

 

Two more days past and still no progressed at all while the other patient in the room grew restless as some of them had felt convulsing on their own fever which wasn’t going down since. Even Dara can’t fake her own restlessness too while Jiyong was only hugging her in worried face.

 

“You’ll be fine, Dee.” he said in full hope.

 

“Jiyo?” she called out in hoarse voice.

 

“Hmm?” he looked at her in anxious face.

“In case I can’t make it-,”

 

“No. Don’t say that,” he immediately crossed in.

 

“Well just in case,”

 

“We’re going home together, Dee. Do you hear me?” he said in shaking voice while she just smiled at him weakly.

 

“I’m just saying,”

 

The next day, just after Jiyong had come out the comfort room, his attention then went to five empty bed in the room including Dara.

 

“Where is she?” he asked to no one in particular while he run to the door and banged to the passing nurse outside their own room. “Let me out!” he began shouting while continued to bang to the door.

 

There are actually nurses who come to their room only to pacify him.

 

“Young man. Stay calm. Alright?” the male nurse said while looking at the young korean man who was closed to crying.

 

“I’m looking for the woman in that bed. Where is she?” Jiyong asked in trembling voice.

 

The nurse understanding the fear on his eyes assured him that she’s alright along with the other patients who was extracted from the room since they’d been seen as someone with sensitive case at this moment.

 

“She’ll be alright,” they assured him and let him go back to the bed he shared with Dara.

 

The night came and the packed dinner was served. However, Jiyong haven’t touched his portion while he sat on the bed waiting. It was on midnight when the patients that got extracted from the room returned and Jiyong ran toward Dara who was put into a wheeled chair. He let them settled her down the bed first before he attended her.

 

“Where have you been? You scared me,” he asked in low voice and Dara saw the sincerity on his words while he leaned over and hugged her.

 

“They run some test on me and then inject me something. When I asked they said its a concentrated anti bodies. My fever has gone down and my power decreased too,” she said grinning.

 

“what?” he asked still can’t keep up while he busily fixed her hair in place.

 

“I’m at level 1,”

 

Jiyong’s eyes widened and hugged her in joy, “that’s so great, Dee.”

 

“They said they gonna round the whole patients infected with the virus and inject that medicine to them. They’d formulated it along with the Japanese doctors and Chemists.”

 

Jiyong just nodded to her.

 

“One beautiful woman said that we can probably be out next week,” She said. “and she told me a secret,”

 

“Who?”

 

“That pretty doctor who gave me the shot,”

 

“What she say?”

 

“She said that everyone will be alright since she’s there to save the day.” Dara’s eyes glittered, “she said if we wanna go to Japan, we can look for her in Tokyo. She’ll give us a tour to her boyfriend’s area.”

 

“Her boyfriend?”

 

Dara nodded, “she said that her boyfriend is a clan’s leader.”

 

“Clan?”

 

Dara nodded in excitement, “Yakuza.”

 

Jiyong blinked at her not really wanting to pop her happy bubbles since it seemed very impossible for someone affiliated to that society to help in this kind of event.

 

“Let’s go there, Jiyo.” She put a puppy face while he just nodded in agreement.

 

“For sure,”

 

Another week has end together with the decrease number of people under infection. Dara and Jiyong had both felt better and better as well as the other tourists in side that room. It was Wednesday when they were declared clean and purified and they were allowed to go home. The government had actually financed their tickets home as their apologies for falling victim of the virus spread in the country.

 

Arriving in Korea, both Park and Kwon had waited in the airport for Dara and Jiyong.

 

When seeing their own child and seeing how both had lost their weight, they hugged them in full concern and love.

 

Jiyong and Dara had been inseparable since from the airport as they both decided to sleep together in Jiyong’s room while their parents had let them be while they prepared food as welcoming for their children.

 

In Jiyong’s room where both of them are done washing themselves, were in deep slumber that they didn’t even noticed someone coming in the room.

 

Bom was happily grinning seeing both of her friends are back safely. She rounded to the other side of the bed where Dara is and lied beside her. Bom then hugged her sleeping forms which made Dara stirred from her sleep while Jiyong pulled her closer to him. However Bom didn’t let him keep her all by himself and pulled Dara towards her. By that, Jiyong woke up and saw Bom lying beside Dara now.

 

“Bom?”

 

“Yah, you have enough of her already. It’s my turn now, Jiyo.” she said while hugging Dara who actually got awake by their constant tug if war.

 

“Yah. Yah. Yah. Trying to sleep here.” Dara complained to her in closed eyes while Bom giggled and kissed her cheek.

 

“Foods are ready downstairs by the way,” Bom said.

 

Dara just groaned but her stomach growling made Bom and Jiyong laughed. He then bolted from the bed and gently grabbed her up.

 

“Come on little monster,” he said as they got out the room with Jiyong catering them both on his arms.

 

 

 

Final

 

After much celebration, Dara and Bom had played on Jiyong’s room after the small celebrations downstairs. Emmie and Suho eyed their son when he sat with Dara’s parents in the living room. When hey were done in the kitchen, they joined them.

 

“So what’s this all about?” Suho asked and sat beside Emmie.

 

Jiyong heaved a deep sigh as if a little nervous before for the first time.

 

“I’d like to ask for permission to officially ask Dara out, omma, appa.” Jiyong declared addressing Dara’s parents. Emmie and Suho already seen it coming as they eyed their fellow parent’s in front of them. “And I’d like us to study at the same university too.”

 

Rona and Jay had looked each other in disbelief while returning their attention to Jiyong who can’t seemed to hide his nervousness.

 

“Frankly,” Jay started. “I like you for my daughter, Jiyong. But,”

 

Jiyong actually felt his heart sank at the apprehension on Jay but he held his ground.

 

“dear, you’re making him nervous.” Emmie chuckled.

 

Jay blinked his eyes realizing he was being serious, “Oh I’m just saying that if you and Dara will be a couple thing, I want you to remember you are still young and you’re not allowed to do that…thing.”

 

“That thing?” Jiyong blinked in confusion.

 

Suho helpfully reached for his son, “what Jay means is you are not allowed to have with Dara outside marriage and that you are both young and need to finish studies first.”

 

“Appa! I’m not even thinking that!” Jiyong said in scandalous voice.

 

Suho held his hands, “Well, I’m just interpreting what Jay wanted to say.”

 

Jiyong turned to Jay, “appa, I’ve never had such impure thoughts for Dara. We’ve been sleeping together and nothing happens.”

 

“Geez, just ignore him, dear.” Rona cut the awkward moments and reached for Jiyong’s hands. “But when did you start liking that little monster of ours?”

 

Jiyong bit his lower lip, smiling. “Long time. I just waited until she turned 18.”

 

Rona and Jay was about to give him their blessings when Dara and Bom was running down the stairs while screaming in delight while they hit pillow with each other.

 

“Aigoo,” Rona shook her head, “you can retract your decisions now Jiyong.”

 

But Jiyong just let a chuckle while he looked at Dara’s direction.

 

“Jiyo! Back up! Kyahhhhh!” Dara screamed in fright when Bom had hit her in repeated succession.

 

Jiyong turned back to Jay again, “Do I have your blessing appa? Omma?”

 

He smiled when they nodded to him. He then run towards Dara and hugged her playfully as if he just won a price.

 

The parents had looked at their children in adoration while Suho and Jay had fist bump each other.

 

“Looks like we succeeded Rona?” Emmie said.

 

“Wew. Finally.” Rona said. “I thought it’s not gonna happen.”

 

***

Five days later, Jiyong and Dara had been allowed to have a trip to Japan. When they arrived at their hotel, Dara had called her parents that they arrived safely and assure them that they will upload photos of their trips on IG.

 

Ending the call, Dara then enjoyed the view of the whole Tokyo city outside the balcony of their hotel suit that Jiyong booked.

 

“This is what I missed last time,” Dara said while loving every corner of the lighted City while the stars in the sky had completed the picture.

 

“Do you like it here?” Jiyong asked her beside her.

 

“Thank you for this, Jiyo,” she turned to him since he said that this is his gift for her birthday.

 

“Hmm,” he stared at her. “how about we address the thing between us, Dara?”

 

“Us?”

 

“I kissed you and you kissed me back,”

 

Dara blinked nervousness and bowed her head. “well, I don’t know how to address that honestly,”

 

“How about you as my girlfriend?” he gently pulled her into him and lifted her face to look up to him. “Hmm?”

 

Dara blinked at him before squinting her eyes in suspicion, “is this a prank, Jiyo?”

 

Jiyong let a grumbled on his throat before he unceremoniously claimed her lips that it made her quite surprise for a moment before she relax while she kissed him back. Jiyong slowly pulled away and stared at her eyes.

 

“I’m in love with you,”

 

Dara once again felt her heart wanting to come out her chest and she worried that he might hear it. When Jiyong gently encased her neck with his hand and pressed with his thump on her pulse.

 

“Are you nervous?” he asked. “Am I too forward, Dee?”

 

When Dara couldn’t utter a single word, he smiled and slowly let go of her and stayed standing still while studying her own anxiousness. He nodded in understanding while feeling a little bit disheartened, realizing that his best friend might not be into loving her male best friend. He should have known better after he ad learned many unsuccessful best friend love stories. It should have been his warning not to pursue his feelings for her. But when China happens, he realized that he could have lost her that time that he began fearing not knowing how to live at all. Even she don’t know about it but his world had actually been revolving around her. When she’s angry at him, he can’t sleep or eat properly and the urge to make her smile to him again is so strong that sometimes he can do silly things for her. But despite that, Dara’s not into feeling such depth of love for him as a lover.

 

“I’ll get us some food to eat.” he said before walking towards the door of the suite. He felt his own heavy steps as he walked away from her.

 

When he stirred the knob open, Dara’s hand stopped him that he looked at her in surprise expression.

 

“That messages you sent me,” Dara nervously gulped, “…those I miss yous and I loves yous and the kisses, not meant as a friend?” she met his eyes which was then intent to her.

 

“No,”

 

“Those goodnight kisses in my place and yours?” she asked.

 

“No.”

 

“so you’ve never considered me your best friend?”

 

Jiyong shook his head and was surprised when Dara suddenly hugged him this time while jumping in much delight. Jiyong although confused had hugged her back.

 

“Yes! My answer is yes!” she said making Jiyong laugh in disbelief.

 

“For real?” he asked her while he distanced her from him and saw her smiling face while nodding eagerly to him. “are you my girlfriend now?”

 

Dara once again nodded to him.

 

“You can’t take your words on that, Dee. You’re my girl. Alright?” he confirmed while Dara couldn’t be more giddy as she nodded to him once again. Jiyong laughed in much relief while hugging her again.

 

Dara could then remembered her diary that had been hidden under her drawer with the name of her ultimate crush on her life. Jiyong Kwon.

 

Just before she can protest, Jiyong had kissed her again and this time she returned his kisses without apprehension now. She can then laughed evilly at this Jilla shippers, at the end of the day, the villain has won the prince’s heart.

 

“I love you, baby.” he said afterward.

 

“I, the best friend, love you too.” she said proudly.

 

They shared kisses again before the beautiful lights of Tokyo city and in that starry night.

 

 

***

End