Sorry for the late update. ThaNk you to my commenters, you make me happy!

Chapter 9 

The next day when Dara woke up late and panicky. 

Oh my!! I am going to be late! Why hasn't Jiyong woken me up? 

Her question was answered. She found a note on her bedside saying, "Rest and don't go to school. I will inform your teachers you can't come to class today. I do not want to see your face there. If you will, I am going to let you go home tomorrow. I won't let you see your Omma and you can't take a bus, I won't let you!" She smiled reading it but when she remembered the assignments and the project that she needed to pass that day, she gave him a ring to plead for her cause. 

Jiyong answered immediately. "You can't come. That is final and no pleading!" 

Dara looked at her phone and was puzzled, "How did you know I am going to plead to go to school?"

She could hear his chuckle, "I can read you like a book." 

"But I have assignments and a project to pass!" She insisted. 

"I read your reminders on your study table and since you are very organized, it's easy to know your deadlines. I brought them all and will pass them all, too. Is that okay now?" Jiyong assured her. 

Dara was happy of his thoughtfulness. But she remembered the other night that he said he would decide to stay or leave after hearing her story. She shyly asked, "Jiyong, are you gonna stay as my bestfriend." 

There was silence on the other line.. Dara got nervous. With the line silent, she would perfectly understand if he would. She has been warned by his stepfather about it, right? 

"I understand.. I-I....." 

"YAH! You are pissing me off, Tokki! Why would I even leave a note or take your assignments if I were to leave! Sometimes, you are really not thinking!" His voice rose higher but a smile creeps out her face. He could imagine Jiyong's face spouting words out of his mouth. "Who says I am going to leave? No matter what life brings, I will stick with you through thick and thin! Get that, Darabbit?" 

"Neh! I'll clean the house speck and spun. Tell the guys to have dinner here! I'll cook for you all!" Her voice in a cheerful tone again. "Thank you, Kwon Jiyong!" 

Unknown to Dara, Jiyong really made sure not to let her go to school so as not to notice the things they'll do today. It would be a busy day for Bigbang. When he arrived, he directly saw his friends waiting for him in the parking area. Even Top was punctual in the morning. He texted them early that day, saying that they needed to do something for Dara's safety and they didn't disappoint him because they were there already! 

"Hyung, is Dara Nuna okay?" Seungri, who has been been obvious of his attachment to Dara asked with a worried face.

"I have something important to tell you. Let's go to the rooftop." They walked with such swag and regal manner that whoever sees them would know they were kings of the campus. Girls swooned over their serious faces. 

Aside from the garden near the canteen, the rooftop is the signature location of the boys. Whenever they needed to discuss serious matters, it has always been their comfort zone and no one dared to cross over. But when the sun shines and the weather is hot, they preferred to slack around in their other place, the garden near the man-made pond. 

Jiyong sat on the edge and the others followed suit. 

"What's up with, Nuna, hyung?" Daesung began. 

"Her stepfather sent her a note that he is going to take her,  as a revenge of what she did before. I just learned last night that she had a troubled childhood when her mother married a guy who turned to be an abuser when he lost his job for stashing money for gambling. He would beat her mother to a pulp and Dara would witness that. So one day, she stabbed him to save her mother. That's how they escaped and came to us. He sent her a letter to know he is back to haunt her." He needed to twist the story to protect Dara's secret. 

The four just listened and didn't interrupt him. Their faces grim and angry after they heard everything. 

"I didn't know she had such traumatic experience." Youngbae shook his head. 

"No wonder she was so shaken yesterday. I never thought she had a difficult life. Poor Nuna!" Seungri muttered almost inaudibly. 

"What's your plan?" Top asked. 

"Are you willing to ditch class today?" Jiyong answered with another question. 

"Hell, yah! If it's for Dara Nuna!" Daesung stood up and raise his hand as if a Nazi hand sign. 

"Yah! You are more like on her stepfather's side for doing that Hitler sign! He is a known dictator!" Top smacked the maknae's head. 

Daesung scratched his head. "Really? I didn't know that. I thought he was some hero or something!" The smile in his eyes looked enticing.

The boys eyed him and shook their heads. But when Jiyong spoke again, they seriously listened. 

"We need to see if there are any cctv's near the locker area to know who put the letter in Dara's locker. We need to watch the tape and look for that person. For the meantime, while we go to the security room, Seungri, please inform CL and Bom  to tell their teachers that Dara is not feeling well. Give these assignments to them." He opened his bag and took the papers Seungri would give to the ladies. 

"Youngbae and Daesunga, you could go to Chanyeol and ask if he has noticed anything unusual when he saw Dara there in the locker room." The boys nodded. 

"Top and I would have to go to the locker room and see if there are cctv camera's situated there. If you are through with your work, you can message us so you can follow." All the boys were looking determined with their tasks. 

"Thank you for doing this with me, bros. You really don't have to." 

Top and Youngbae tapped his shoulders. "This is for Dara and we have come to love and accept her as the 6th member of Bigbang." Youngbae added. 

"We will fight till the end to protect Dara. No one can hurt her when she has us." Top pledge his allegiance to Jiyong's cause. 

"I am with you, too." Daesung mumbled. 

"Let's get it done." They went down and did what they had to do. 

Jiyong and Top sat on the bench feeling frustrated since Youngbae and Daesung reported that Chanyeol only saw Dara there and no one else. Second, the security was quiet strict and they were not given any access to the cctv camera after knowing two cctv cameras were there in the entrance and exit of the locker room. Unfortunayely, they still need to write a letter to the schoolboard, signed with their parents, before access could be given. "I need to know who the girl is, she can give us a lead." He looked so defeated that his frustration was showing. 

Top looked at his friend. He needed to know something from Jiyong. "Ji, I know I shouldn't ask you this but do you like Dara?" He asked straight away making Jiyong stare at him. He couldn't answer. He looked far and bowed his head. "I-I don't know. But when it comes to her, I just have this overwhelming need of protecting her. I don't feel this way to Sohee or the girls I've dated before. It is just for Dara." 

"I think you like her, bro." Top honestly said. 

"Why would you say that?"Jiyong wondered why Top said that. 

"You never treat Sohee that way. When she is there, you seemed to glow up and smile more. When she saw you and Sohee were already intimate, we felt the uneasiness and discomfort in your face as if you were a boyfriend caught cheating." 

Jiyong was silent. Do I like, Dara? But ever since, I have always treated her this way. As if she were a glass that needs ultimate protection or she will break. I don't want her broken. 

"She is family. Besides, I can't like her. If I will, I can't keep her forever." Top di