Chapter 29

Dara was having a hard time finding a job. She needed money to pay a lot of her requirements in school. She wouldn't accept any help from Jiyong eventhough he offered her money a lot of times. She has her pride to spare. Besides, he has given him too much. He was paying for their apartment which costs a lot, her grocery items and most of her household needs. He made it a point that the househelper he got for Dara would fill the house with her needs. For her personal  and school expenses, she wanted to earn it on her own. Although at first it was an issue to Jiyong, he had no choice but to let her be since she wanted it so much and she didn't talk or text him for a week just to make her point of wanting to have her part time job. He had to give in or they would be wasting such precious time of their already limited contact. 

Jiyong had been very busy lately. They only have three months to finish senior high school and he had to juggle his company training schedule and schooling. He often missed school and would only be given tasks by his teachers. On the other hand, Dara had also been busy finding work. But no matter how busy they were, when ten o'clock in the evening strikes Jiyong would call Dara and talk to each other about how their day was spent. Although it was difficult, they managed to talk about the issues between them especially Jennie. Dara told Jiyong that she would try hard not be affected by her words when they overheard Jennie telling Jiyong she would find out about his special someone. Jiyong also assured her that he would also try not to be jealous with Chanyeol since he's only a friend to Dara. 

Dara had been going in and out of the establishments with negative results when she noticed a sign in a bar that said it wanted a bar receptionist. Dara was having second thoughts but she was desperate. She was standing outside the door thinking whether or not to go in and inquire about it when she heard a commotion. She could see a man running towards her direction. When the man was near him, he heard him say, "I am so sorry but this will save me." He immediately took off his jacket and put it inside the trash bin beside them. He pinned the shocked and nervous Dara to the wall with her two hands and dipped in towards her face, looking like he was kissing her. Dara wanted to shout but no words came out from .  When his face got too close to her, she closed her eyes to brace herself for the worst possible scenario. Just then, five men with one y girl came to view. They were panting from running as if chasing someone. 

"Where did he go? Damn it! We lost him!" The fat one complained. 

"I told you to let him be." The girl told the guys. "You shouldn't be angry he dumped me! I was the one who flirted with him. It is not his fault! I am okay! I can get over him!" 

"He deserves to be beaten. How could he dump you in front of us! We are your friends so we need to look after you!" 

"Yah! You should just let it go. Besides, I was the one who cheated first." The girl walked away from his friends. 

"What???? You cheated on him? Why didn't you tell us? Chencha? We made a fool of ourselves!" 

"I was telling you but you just ran off and chased him!" She shouted back at them. 

"What the!  Yah, you two! Get a room!" The tallest of the men pointed at Dara and the guy when he saw them. "What are you doing kissing each other in public!" 

"Just let them be. They're going to break up anyway! Love never lasts this days!" One of his friends told the tallest guy and laughed. "Yah, Le Hi wait for us!" Then, they were gone. 

The guy took his arms away from the wall and broke away from her. He looked at the girl and saw how pale and stiff she was with eyes closed. She was hyperventilating. He was worried looking at her distraught face. 

"Hey, I am so sorry. I am going to bring you to a doctor.. I really am so sorry. Gosh, what have I done?" He was panicking. "Just wait for a while I'll go get my car." When he was about to run, he felt her hands in his arm. 

"I-i'll b-be o--- o--kay.. J-just g-give me a f-few min- minutes." She said in between breaths. The guy pulled her gently and got inside the bar after presenting his I.D. and talking to the receptionist. He pulled a chair and offered it to her. The music was turned off and the lights were . Someone gave Dara a bottle of mineral water. He opened it for her and Dara drank it. 

Minutes passed without exchanging words. The guy just kept on glancing at Dara to make sure she's okay. He was so sorry for what he had done.

When Dara felt she was already okay, she declared, "I am okay now. Thank you for the water and for taking me here to sit." She stood up and started to walk away. The guy followed him. Dara thanked the receptionist and went out. She decided not to inquire about the job after realizing that the venue was for partying. She probably could not handle the sound, and the party people. Besides, she read that admission would start at nine in the evening. Her schedule would not be able to fit if the job would end at dawn since she still needed to go to school.

The guy took out his wallet and took money bills and gave it to the girl before she caught up with Dara.

"It's almost nine in the evening. Let me take you home. I promise I am a good guy." He said. 

"A good guy? But you were chased earlier for dumping a girl in front of her friends." She smiled at him and just kept on walking. 

He stopped after seeing her smile. After realizing she was a few steps away already, he ran a few steps to walk beside her. "Ah... There is an explanation to that." 

Dara walked in a convenience store while the guy kept on following her. She took a ramyeon, opened the lid and put some hot water in it. The guy did exactly what she was doing. When Dara took her wallet to pay, he beat her to it and handed money to the cashier. 

"Excuse me, are you not hiring part time workers?" Dara asked the boy who was tending to them. He was flashing his best smile to Dara. The guy following Dara smirked. 

"I wish we were but not as of this moment. I'd definitely hire you. My parents own this store." the store attendant bragged. Dara shyly smiled and bowed slightly then took away her ramyeon and sat near the window. The guy sat beside her. Up

"Are you looking for a part time job?" He asked her. 

She nodded. "Maybe I can help." He simply said. 

"Really?" She took a huge load of noodles and sipped them right through.

He was amazed with her appetite. "How could you take all of that without choking?" 

"I don't know either. It's my favorite." Dara was feeling at ease. She could sense that he was a good guy. "And what job are you offering? Saving you from possible beatings?" She joked. The guy laughed. 

"Maybe." But when he remembered how stiff and pale she was, he added, "Maybe not. I don't think it would be suitable for you." 

It was her chance to smile shyly. "I have a little issue with that."

"Oh.. I really am so sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I've seen it in movies so I tried it. I was trapped so I had no other choice but to imitate what I saw." He mumbled. 

Dara found it amusing. He looked innocent but she knew appearance could deceive the eyes. "It was effective though. Just inappropriate. Don't ever do it again." 

He nodded with a smile. "I'll remember that. Thank you for helping me really. I would have gone home with blue and black bruises." 

"I had no other choice. Thanks for the ramyeon." She had already finished but the guy was only in half. She stood up to go home.

"Wait. About the part time job, I can help, really. It's my way of saying thank you for the inconvenience I caused you." He was sincere and Dara felt it. 

"I would love to try it." She said. 

"By the way, I am Lee Seong-hwa. Can I have your phone? I am sure you won't give me your number so I'd better be the one keying my number to your phone." He jokingly told her his plan. 

Dara handed her phone. He took it and keyed in his number. When she looked at it, the number was registered under the name Gray. She looked at him questioningly. 

"Gray is what my friends call me. Shall I erase it and change it to my real name?" He asked. 

"It's okay. I'm Sandara Park. I will call you. To be honest,  I really need a job." She honestly said. 

"Call me anytime. I'll make myself available for you my savior." He pretended to take off a hat and bowed down to her. 

She laughed. "I need to go. I'll just ride a cab."

He didn't insist on taking her home. Instead, he called a cab and opened the door for her. "Nice meeting you, Sandara. Please text  me when you are home just to keep my mind at ease." 

She just waved her hand shyly and never turned her back to take a second look at him. But Gray stood there taking a picture of the cab's license number. He was hoping she would text her when she'd be home. 

But she never did. 

*** 

"Yoboseyo?" Jiyong smiled as he heard the sweet voice of Dara on the other line. 

"Hi, there baby girl? Had a nice day?" He went out on the terrace to sniff some fresh air. He also made sure that no one was outside before he stayed there to sit on the lone chair outside his room. 

"Tired walking around the area for a part time job but I'm good." She smiled and lay down on her bed after taking off her slippers. "How about you?" 

"I miss you." Silence. Jiyong heard Dara sigh. His heart seemed to tighten hearing her. "I miss you.... more." It was so sincere that they felt they just wanted to see each other right at that moment and a tight hug would have sufficed their longing for each other. 

It was Jiyong's turn to sigh. "God, I miss you so much, baby. I miss your face, I miss holding your hand, i miss talking to you even after midnight, i miss spending time at your room just looking at you do your thing. I miss hugging you and kissing you." They both sighed. "This distance is killing me, Dee. I miss having you around and pretending you no longer matter to me when in reality, you are the one that keeps me going." 

"I miss Kwon Jiyong, my best friend and boyfriend." So shyly she added. Jiyong held his phone tightl