Dara’s POV

“Uwaahhh! Finally…” I muttered as I stretched both of my arms while seated when I finished my last test on the last day of exams. Three days of pure torture has finally ended. I’m so happy right now that I will be able to relax a bit. I am quite confident that I will be able to pass all those damn tests! I stayed up almost every night just to freakin’ study! Waahhh~~~ I need a good reward after all.

I saw students’ one by one leave the room and I decided to follow them as I make my way towards the school grounds. I just received a text from Mingkki and told me that they are chilling at one of the benches there.

When I made my way towards the ground, I saw the girls seating comfortably… well, almost all of them. I saw Bom leaning her head unto the table, hands balled into fists. I don’t know why but I got this feeling that she wasn’t pleased that the tests were finally over. I tapped her shoulder as I reached them and she looked up to me with furrowed brows.

“Hey… So, how did your tests go?” I asked softly at her when I saw her features weren’t good.

She squint her eyes first before answering me, “All good… but it be a damn if I fail math!” She hissed. “It’s giving me headache! Just by thinking about it” she continued as she massages her temples.

“Oh… I think you’ll pass. You had a great math tutor anyway” I said teasingly. Minzy and CL smiled after they heard me.

“Oh please… stop with the tutor thing… he isn’t that good at all! Besides he was way too distracting…” she kinda murmured her last sentence but enough for me to hear. I smirk at her before someone called my name.

“Dara!” I turned around and saw Hyesun and Inna standing not too far from where we are. I waved at them before turning back to my girls.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” I asked Bom and she gave me a weak smile as she nods.

“Hey… I got to go now. I’ll just see you guys tomorrow okay?” I said as I gave them a hug and wave goodbye to them. I already informed the girls that I’ll be having some time alone with Hyesun and Inna right after the test so we can postpone our movie marathon together and it was so sweet of them to agree. Too bad Bom doesn’t feel good, she was supposed to come with us, but I guess the exam just get the better out of her.

I half walk and half run as I approach my two other friends. Both of them also waved goodbye to the girls before we leave the academy’s premises.

The three of us decided to go to the café, Brew Bistro, which we usually go to in the past together with Bom, Minho and Yoochun a.k.a Jaejoong’s bestfriend and Inna’s ex-boyfriend. You see, the six of us minus Jeajoong were childhood friends. They are my closest and only friends before I met Chaerin and Mingkki. We usually hang out there after class and just talk till dusk.

When we have finally arrived at the café, I got surprised at the way it looked. I looked at the sign of the name of the café, sure did that it’s still the same name but it doesn’t look like the one we used to go to. I glanced at Hyesun and Inna with wide eyes for confirmation that we are in the right place and they just chuckled looking at my expression. I noticed how everything had changed… big time! Before, they only have small space that can occupy about 15 customers only but now, it seems like it doubled. Not only that but, they now had a second storey with a balcony!

Hyesun ushered me to go in to follow Inna who went in first. As we enter, I can’t help but to reminisce about the past. The interior still looks the same though and it was the only thing that hasn’t changed. Now that I think about it, I didn’t know that I miss them all too much, I miss hanging out with them, chilling, laughing like there’s no tomorrow, just having fun just like the old days… feeling the warmth of having your fiends besides you, I missed it… a lot! Yoochun was the only one I haven’t seen since what? Like four years now? Since the restraining order was made, I wasn’t able to neither see nor talk to him. It’s a pity that our friendship would have to go through such painful path. I don’t have any grudge on him though I still felt betrayed… hurt… that he was not able to protect me nor defend me… but I know that he also wanted to see me and we would, see each other, when the right time comes. We have gone through so many things in the past and I know deep inside, what we have shared and experienced together will not break the bond we have.

Upon remembering my old friend, I suddenly felt heavy emotions creeping out of me as events happened in the past flashed right before my eyes.

We took our seats by the glass window before someone came up to us and took our orders. After I debated with myself whether to order strawberry cheesecake or carrot cake, I ended up ordering the latter since it is the store’s specialty along with some hot choco. That is why I liked this store in the first place, because of the homemade carrot cake that is oh so yummy.

As our orders were placed in our table, I looked right outside the window and saw that it gets darker than what it usually was then it started to drizzled. It was such a gloomy afternoon. It seems like the weather is sympathizing with what I am feeling deep down. I just hope that this delicious delight in front of me will calm the storm that is brewing inside of me.  

Seungri’s POV

Me and the boys stayed up late inside the academy than usual coz we attended a meeting that was held for all Music majors regarding the new project. At first I was disappointed when I didn’t see my Dara noona and I heard from Minzy that Dara noona went out with Hyesun noona and Inna noona while Bom noona wasn’t feeling well and went straight home.

After the meeting ended, all five of us go directly at the parking lot as fast as we could coz it’s getting darker and it might rain anytime soon. I sat at the backseat of Daesung hyung’s car while Youngbae hyung sat at the passenger seat then the rain started to fall. Good thing we were able to get in the car first.

As we were driving not far from the academy, I saw someone very familiar up front, running outside the rain. ‘Why didn’t she bring an umbrella with her?’ I ask myself. She held her bag on top of her head but it didn’t do any good as she was now soaking wet. She was trying to run as fast as she could, probably to the bus stop, but she can’t run that fast when she was wearing those killer heels on. I eyed her every move until she suddenly tripped.

“Hyung, can you pull over for a sec?” I asked abruptly as I scan my bag for my umbrella.

Daesung hyung looked at me from the rear view mirror, “Why? Did you forget something?” he asked back.

I didn’t bother to answer as I somewhat sound like I pleaded, “Just pull over for a sec hyung…” He listened and pulls his car into the curb. I immediately dashed out as I opened the door, open my umbrella and run towards the girl.

This girl is already wet from head to toe as she tried to stand up from her fall. I held the umbrella up for us to be covered and helped her get up with my other free hand. I saw how her head snapped towards me when I held her arm. Her eyes were round, shocked to see me but I just shrugged.

“Hold the umbrella for me” I said as I grab her left hand to hold for the umbrella and I bent down to grab her bag from the pavement and gave it to her.

It’s kind of weird coz she’s not saying anything. She’s not yelling nor refuses when I helped her out. She was just staring at me still with eyes like a saucer. I saw how her damped hair covered half of her face so I slightly pushed it aside and tucked it in her ear. I’m not a ert like they say and didn’t intentionally do, but my eyes darted down to her shirt and saw that it was clinging to her like a second skin and I didn’t like that even for a bit.

I removed the jacket I was wearing and put it on her. “Here you go…” I said softly as I put the jacket around her. She followed my movement and then stare at me some more. Jeez! What is wrong with this woman!

“You keep the umbrella and the jacket for now… And next time, please do bring an umbrella with you AT ALL TIMES” I kinda stressed the last three words trying to get the words to her coz she’s like spacing out.

She was about to say something but I didn’t hear it as Daesung hyung honked. I looked at the car which is now in front of us and saw Youngbae hyung waving his hand out in the window, “Get in man!” he shouted and that’s when I noticed that the cars behind were honking crazily.

I turned to face her again and smile, “You take care on your way home. Bye!” I said before I run back to the car.

When I got in, I was welcomed by my hyungs’ chuckling.

“Nice move you got there” Youngbae hyung said as he looked at me grinning.

CL’s POV

This day couldn’t get any better! When the meeting ended, Minzy said she’ll stay up some more as she will practice her dance moves on one of the studio so I was left alone walking out from the campus when the rain started to pour.

I tried to run as fast as I could going to the nearest bus stop where there is some shelter but damn these heels! Why did it have to rain when I’m wearing these 5 inches of heels! I was busy trying to get to my destination as fast as I can that I didn’t saw that the pavement was dented that I tripped!

Gahd! Why do I have to trip under the rain? Why?! This is so embarrassing! People passing by and people from their cars looked at me like I’m some sort of a circus clown showing some tricks as they snickered.

Now I’m getting soaked! I pushed myself up but one of my heels caught up with the strap of my shoulder bag so I fell back to the ground again. “Ugh! I hate this day!” I hissed.

I was busy trying to hide my face from the people lurking when someone held me by the arm. My head abruptly snapped towards that person and my eyes were about to popped out from its socket as I was shocked to see this rat holding an umbrella above our heads as he assists me on getting up. I couldn’t get shocked even more and my breathing hiked when he held my left hand and placed it on the umbrella’s handle. He bent down and grabbed my bag before giving it to me.

My mind went literally blank and my body was numbed and couldn’t do anything. I can’t process everything that is happening right now. I just freakin’ stared at him trying to form the words out but I couldn’t think of anything! Then, he suddenly looked at me longingly and moved my hair aside and tucked it in my ear. I swear! His features softened at that moment! This is absurd… I couldn’t even cry in protest when he started to take his jacket off and placed it around me.

“Here you go…” he spoke and I shivered. I felt some tingling sensation when he breathes out those words in my ear. ‘Oh my Gahd! What is happening to me? Why am I feeling differently?’ I asked myself.

I am formulating a lot of questions to myself that I didn’t get what he said clearly. It was something like umbrella… jacket… keep. Then I was brought back to my senses when he stated, “bring an umbrella with you at all times”

“I-I…” I couldn’t still process the words out properly without sounding stupid. All I wanted to say was Thank you but I don’t want to keep your jacket on… something like that but I was interrupted when a car honked. The rat turned towards the car and I saw Daesung and Youngbae oppa inside.

He turned to me again and smiles, “You take care on your way home. Bye!” then he runs inside the car.

My eyes almost rolled on the floor when I saw him smiled. Damn that smile again! The same smile that he showed after he tease me about the bar incident. My heart was drumming wildly it feels like it will burst instantly.

“Omo!” I yelped when I felt my cheeks burning. “I better get home fast! I might be having a fever now…” I said as I hold on to the jacket tighter.

Dara’s POV

I have given Hyesun and Inna the details of my stay in New York as it pours outside. We also talked about the things that happened while I was gone and I noticed that they avoid mentioning anything that has to deal with the cause of my depression.

After awhile, I saw how Inna nudge Hyesun who is sitting beside her as I was sitting across them. The former looked at her and nod as she browses something inside her bag before she placed it on the table and slid it in front of me.

My brow arched up when I saw what it was and shot both of them a questioning look. There on top of the table was a pamphlet about the new project, Fallen, and booklet along with it.

Hyesun gave me a smile, the kind of smile that is too sweet you know it has a hidden agenda behind it. “Why don’t you try to audition for the play?” I heard her ask.

I scoffed at her, “And why would I do that?”

“Oh c’mon Dee… Give it a shot…” Inna pouted.

I eyed both of them, scrutinizing, when a thought suddenly came to mind, “Why do I feel that you two have already plotted this a long time ago?”

They just snickered.

“Yeah. It would be great if the four of us started to work on this project together since it’s our last year. I already gave Bom another booklet and she told me she’ll think about it” Hyesun interjected.

I looked down at the booklet before I spoke, “I don’t know… It’s not my kind of tea…”

“Just look into it. It’s a great piece and Hyesun worked hard for that!” Inna said sounding a little disappointed.

“Hmmm… I’ll sure look into it but…” I looked at both of them, “I can’t promise you I’ll join okay?” I continued.

“Okay. But I must tell you that you would be a great addition to the casts’ coz you have an angelic voice…” Hyesun tried to persuade me more by praising me while Inna nodded in agreement but that won’t do anything. I will have to read the plot first and if I don’t like it then I won’t go for the audition.

We talked some more about stuffs between Hyesun and Minho’s relationship when we got disturbed by an old guy probably in his 50’s who approached our table.

“It’s good to see you again little rabbit” he greeted as he looked straight at me before he greeted the two across me, “Good day Miss Hyesun and Miss Inna”

“Little rabbit?” I asked in confusion. Wait! And how come he knows Hyesun and Inna? What the hell is going on here?

“Yes. My wife and I call you that since you are always ordering carrot cake back in the days. It has been years since I last saw you visit us.” He said while beaming. Now I think about it, I looked at him closer and finally realized that he was the owner of the store. It has been years since I saw them so I kinda forgot what he looked like.

“Oh… right! You’re the owner… Annyeonghaseoyo… “I greeted him as I bowed slightly, giving him some respect.

He shook his head as he speaks, “Oh… We don’t own this place anymore...” He said nonchalantly and he then smiled towards my friends. He might have seen my shocked expression so he continued, “You’re friends have brought this place when it almost closed down coz we got bankrupt two years ago and they even renovated the place up but they still kept me and my wife to manage the place”

“My Friends? Who?” I asked him incredulously before I turn my attention to Hyesun. “Minho?” I asked her.

Instead of Hyesun, it was the old man who answered. “Yes. It’s Mister Lee and your other guy friend”

“Other guy friend?”

“Yes…You know…” he said firmly before he glance at his side and bent a little closer to me as he whispered, “The world renowned artist, Micky Yoochun”

“Yoochun?!” I shrieked and all three of them shushed me down.

I faced my two friends and leaned forward, “Yoochun and Minho brought this place?!” I bewilderingly asked them through whispers. Both of them just smiled and nod, confirming.

Wow! This is just wow! Why would they buy this café out? That is why Minho is so busy nowadays. He’s not only taking care of the club but this café as well. Why did they keep it from me anyway?

I leaned back and slumped on my seat acting defeated. “Why didn’t anyone told me about this? Even Bom! And why would they buy this place out?”

“They brought it together because it is our special place. This is our hang out place and it has so many memories with the six of us… That’s when we found out that Chunnie still goes to this place frequently even after the incident and he contacted Minho. They both agreed to save and renovate this place to attract more people but decided to keep the old look as it is” Hyesun said softly as she holds my left hand.

“And we didn’t tell you right away because we waited for the right moment to come…” Inna continued.

“Anyway young misses, Mister Chun is actually here. He’s upstairs having his leisure time” The old man says.

“He’s here?” I heard Inna asked surprised as I was.

My eyes went wide and felt like buckets of ice were thrown at me upon the old man’s declaration. I can’t believe that I was just sulking about him awhile ago and now they were telling me that he was here?! Fate must be playing tricks on me. But what should I do? Should I go and confront him or should I just stay here and avoid him? Am I prepared to see him? What would he do if he sees me? Will he run away or would he stay? Gahd! I didn’t know that this was gonna be this hard! Why wasn’t I given any sign at all that these were going to happen, so that I would have come prepared and not know what or how to react.

Before I go all crazy and paranoid, I stood up, decided that I would want to see him. He’s still my friend after all and just like I said awhile ago, we will see each other when the right time comes along and I think this is it.

“Sir, kindly assists me to where he is…I’d like to see him” I muttered.

The old man bows his head slightly as he ushered me to the second floor followed by my two friends. They were eying me anxiously and just by looking at their looks, I can read that they were worried at me. When we got upstairs, there was a wooden divider by the corner of the room that goes up to the ceiling. We walked closer to it until the old man stopped from his tracks and gave a hand signal ushering e to take a peek on what’s behind on those wooden divider. I walked some more before it revealed a man sitting comfortably while reading a book, with his back facing us.

I turned my head back to the old man and he smiled before he excused himself from us.

Inna taps my shoulder and whispered, “We’ll be just sitting over there…” I saw her point to one table near the stairs.

I nodded and both of them just smiled at me telling me that it will be alright.

I returned my attention back to the man in front of me. Maybe because I have been waiting for so long for this moment to come that my eyes slowly get watery, taunting to flow in any minute. All the emotions I’ve hold on for years just started to build up. My heart was pounding erratically as I took small steps. I felt my hands tremble as I was four feet away before I stopped on my tracks.

“Chunnie...” I choked upon uttering his name.

His head turned and his eyes went wide upon seeing me standing behind him. He stood up without breaking our eye contact and faced me, “Dee”

We both stood in our spot not making any move as we stared at each other.

My lips started to quiver as I look into his face. I miss him so much. I miss my friend and I want my friend back and live just like how we used to.

I saw his eyes started to get misty as well and he took one step forward.

“I’m sorry…” he murmured as a tear fell down on his face.

I don’t need any explanations no more. That was the only thing I needed to hear from him. Those simple yet kind words… Unconsciously, that’s the only thing I wanted to hear from him for the longest time. I didn’t know that they sounded so good until I heard it from him.

 I choked a sob before I let my own tears fall from my face. He went forward and welcomed me with a hug. I couldn’t control my emotions anymore as I let it eat me, cried everything out while I hug him back. I cried releasing all the pain I kept to myself for all these years.

“Dee, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry” he continued to repeat those words over and over as he hold onto me tighter. He must be feeling miserable as I was all these years.

I just cried my eyes out until he stepped a little farther. He cupped my cheeks unto his palms as he wiped my tears away with his thumb.

He looked right at me and asked, “Will you forgive me?” I can see the sincerity through him as he spoken those words.

I gave him a small smile and held unto his hand that cupped me, “I already forgave you long time ago…” I said meaning every word.

He let me sit to where he sat awhile ago as he sat across mine. I held both of his hands that were placed right above the table.

 “I’m sorry to have been the cause of your break up with Inna…” I blurted out of nowhere as I realized I also cause him pain.

He shook his head and smiled.

 I thought I have heard enough surprises anymore but what he told me just shocked the hell out of me!

 “It’s not your fault Dee… It was my fault. I was in love with you since we were in middle school but I didn’t let anyone know. Until the time I introduced Jaejoong to you and eventually you two hooked up and started dating that people started to get an idea. At first, I wasn’t so into her as we all grew up together and I only see her as a friend. Minho and Hyesun is already a couple and you started to date Jaejoong. We are the only ones left who are not in a relationship so I decided to ask Inna out just because I was hurt and I felt lonely. She understood and agreed on dating me.”

I felt my head throbbed and my world started to spin for all the information he just blurted out.

“Wait! Hold up! You were in love with me?! And you used Inna?” I asked furiously. My blood started to boil and now I regretted forgiving him and I want to take my words back.

“Hey… Let me finish first” He said as he held his hands in air to stop me from intervening his story telling.”As time passed by, I started to get genuine feelings for her… until our company filed a restraining order against you. Our relationship got shaky from that point because I couldn’t get no balls for standing up and fight for what is right. I broke everything off with her as our company threatened me that they’ll do the same with her as what they did to you…” He paused for a moment and heaved a heavy sigh before he continues, “You don’t know how ashamed I was of myself for that. When this place was almost gone, I contacted Minho and that’s the time I got the chance to talk to them again after what had happened. Me and Inna had settled everything down once I saw her. I told her everything she needed to know even though I know that it was already too late. That’s where I got my news about you. Inna and I had stayed close away from my company’s knowledge. This place is where we usually meet up. My company doesn’t know that I co-owned this placed as this establishment was on Minho’s name”

“Your company is a bullcrap! You know that?” I hissed in irritation hating on them as they cause people to live miserably.

He chuckled, “I know… I know... That is why we left.”

“Good thing you still have some good senses left stuck in your stupid brain!”

He laughed at my statement and I wonder what is so funny about what I said after calling him stupid, well not literally but somewhat close to that.

He seems like reading what was on my mind as he spoke again, “I can see that you’re still the little Ssantokki that I know… I’m glad to know that you’re still you after…” He paused and eyed me cautiously,” after all that have had happened”

“Whatever! I’m moving forward… Life has to go on…” I said sincerely.

He smiled and was about to say something but he was cut off when his phone rang.

“Oops! I guess I better go. My manager is calling me” He said and stood up. “I better get your contact number and stayed connected”

I doubted myself if I should give him my number coz I don’t want that jerk to find and contact me. I’m satisfied to have cleared things up with Yoochun but I am not ready to settle with that jerk yet.

“Dee, don’t worry… I won’t tell him or anyone that we have met and make amends. I promise. I won’t ruin this moment right after you just forgave me and mess things up again.”

After exchanging our contact info, we bid goodbye as we hugged each other back.

“Good to see you Chunnie…”

“It’s good to seeing you too Dee”

He also bid goodbye to Hyesun and Inna before he exited through the back door.

It was like another burden was lifted off of me after talking to Chunnie. Even on this gloomy day, I believe as the sayings go, every cloud has a silver lining. There would always be something good as an outcome in every bad thing that you may encounter.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hey dear readers and subscribers!!!

Thank you for all your support for reading this fic...

I posted part one as I want to give you guys an update

I'm on the process of finishing part two and hopefully I could post them later...

Things are pretty much being revealed...

This chapter connects to how Dara met Jaejoong for those whose curious... =D

I just want to take note on how funny Chaerin thinks she's having a fever...

muahahahaha...

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