she

Dara was hiding herself in small dark alley.
She pressed her back against the cool concrete wall as she catches her breath and wipes her sweat with the back of her hand.
Everything went blur and she's feeling a bit dizzy.
She didn't realize that tears were already coming out of her eyes.

Dara is aware that Youngbae is out there looking for her, wanting to talk to her.
But she's not ready to face him yet.

The brave act that she showed tonight in the club was nothing but fake.
She just wanted to show Youngbae how it feels like to be cheated.
She knew she had succeeded in making her point, but she also knows that Youngbae can tell that it's all an act.

Earlier Dara wasn't able to let out her true feelings when she witnessed Youngbae and Angela.
Everything that happened was too overwhelming for her.
She was hurt when she saw them together but she didn't have time to let her feelings fully take over.
Seunghyun was always fast enough to comfort her before she could even register the amount of pain that Youngbae caused her.

All she can think about that night was she’s on a mission carry out her plan.

A plan of revenge.

Mission completed.

Now she is left alone to deal with the result.

What happened the whole day kept rewinding in her mind.

The big blow came.

Without a warning, she burst into tears.

Seeing the man she loves so dearly with another woman, who happens to be his ex, was painful than she expected.
She let her emotions get the best of her.
She let it all out in that dark alley.

When Dara was done crying, she wiped her tears.
Fear suddenly rushed over her when she realized that she's alone in a dark alley.

The first person that came into her mind was none other than Seunghyun.
She didn't know why but she got used to him being by her side.
Even if she just spent an hour or two with him that night, it really meant a whole lot to her.
 
Dara started feeling cold so she wrapped her arms around herself.
She wondered how long she has been hiding.

'Maybe it's safe to go back now.' She thought.

She decided to go back.

When she was about to turn to the main street, she bumped into someone.

"Choesonghaeyo." She said, not looking at the person.

She kept her head low, afraid that she might have bumped into Youngbae.

"Dara-sshi?" She heard a female voice spoke.

Slowly she looked up and was surprised to see who it was.

"A-Angela-sshi?"

Encountering Angela at a time like this made her stomach tied in knots.

They stared at each other for a long time.

"Dara-sshi, are you okay?" Angela asked with concern.

She stepped closer and examined her.

Dara stepped backwards and avoided her gaze.

"I'm fine, Angela-sshi." She replied. "I'm sorry but I need to go."

She bowed as she walked past her.

Angela grabbed her arm. "Dara-sshi, let's talk."

She felt uneasy. "I need to go somewhere now, I'm so--"

"Please, Dara-sshi."


Nobody spoke when they went back at the dark alley.
Dara was waiting for her to say something while Angela is thinking of how she will start their conversation.

Until, Dara heard her took a deep breath.

"Dara-sshi, you know I'm not a bad person, right?" Angela said softly.

She was baffled with her question and didn’t reply.

Angela lets out a big sigh.

"Dara-sshi, I really don't know how to begin." She said sounding desperate. "Please help me out here."

Dara looked at her and couldn't believe what she just said.

"Help you out?" She asked with sarcasm. "Angela-sshi, you make it sound like I need to say something to you."

Angela’s eyes widened.

 "I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean it that way." She stammered. "I just want to -"

"To what?" Dara cut her off.

"You want to what, Angela-sshi?" Her voice was beginning to rise.

"I just want to apologize about all these." Angela said, throwing her hands in the air as she speak.

"I know seeing us together shocked and hurt you. But - -" She paused and took a deep breath.

"But I still love Youngbae oppa, Dara-sshi."

Angela said those words carefully.

Dara continued staring at her. She doesn't really know how to react or how to reply.

Seeing her speechless, Angela took a chance and stepped closer.
She reached for her hands which surprised Dara.

"Dara-sshi, I still love Youngbae and I want him back." She said with tears in her eyes.

Dara snapped and released her hands from her.
 
"What do you want me to do, Angela-sshi?" She asked glaring at Angela.

"Aren't you two together? Aren't you happy that he's already with you?"

It was painful for Dara to even say those words but she did anyway.

Angela shook her head. "No Dara-sshi, I'm with him but his heart isn't."

After saying that, she burst into tears.

Dara couldn't understand what was happening.

She can't even believe what she's hearing.

Angela crying in front of her made the situation so confusing.

'I was the one who got cheated!' Dara thought. 'Why is she the one crying like that? It's unfair!'

"I did everything Dara-sshi," She sobbed.

"I even slept with him just to show how much I love him."

Dara froze. "What?!"


Angela stopped crying and looked at her surprised.

She studied Dara's reaction and saw her face turning pale.


Dara felt cold and she's starting to feel dizzy again.

"Did I hear it right, Angela-sshi? You slept with Youngbae?" She asked, intently looking at her.

Angela's eyes widened.

'Didn't she know?' She thought.


Dara's legs were shaking, it seems like she didn’t have the strength to stand up.
She was starting to lose her balance so she rested her hand on the wall for support.

Angela who was watching her state couldn't help but worry.
She didn't know that Youngbae haven’t told her yet.
She thought Dara knew already that's why she's at the club with Seunghyun now.

Angela approached her. "Dara-sshi, are you okay?"

Dara quickly waved her hand at her, telling her not go near her.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Angela sincerely apologized. "I-I thought Youngbae oppa already told you."

Dara felt like her whole world crumbled.

She wants to cry but tears won't come out.

She felt sick thinking that her boyfriend slept with another woman.
The woman who happens to be his ex-girlfriend.

She and Youngbae never had that intimate moment.
They both agreed to wait for the right time.
But here she is right now, listening to the woman whom his boyfriend slept with.

She wanted to throw up.

"Angela -sshi,” Dara said trying to compose herself.

"Let's cut to the chase." She said breathing deeply. "What exactly do you want to tell me, Angela-sshi?"

She saw Angela straightened herself.

"Give oppa back to me." She answered without any hesitation.

She looked straight at Dara's eyes. “I want Youngbae oppa back."

Blood rushed into Dara’s head.

To her understanding, it's like Angela was challenging her to something.

She tried to stand straight.

"I'm sorry Angela-sshi, but this is such a waste of time." She said with a chuckle.

"Now if you don't mind, I'm leaving." She said as she turned and walked away.

Seeing Dara turning her back at her and walking away, made Angela frustrated.

"You stole him away from me!" She burst. “Two years ago, you stole Youngbae oppa away from me!"

Dara stopped in her tracks.

"He was mine, Dara-sshi!" She continued.

Angela headed towards her.

Her back was still facing her.

"He was mine but you stole him from me!" She grabbed Dara's arm and forced her to face her.

She was taken a back when she saw her eyes were blazing with anger.

The next thing Angela knew she felt a sharp pain on her cheek.

Dara slapped her.

With darting eyes, she stepped closer to Angela.

Angela, who's in state of shock, retreated.
"Listen," Dara hissed as she kept moving forward.

"I never stole Youngbae from you." She said not removing her eye contact with her.

Angela realized she had pushed Dara's limit.

"Youngbae came to me, Angela-sshi!" She shouted in her face.

 Angela stood there in shock.

This was the first time she saw Dara mad.
She always knew her as a sweet and bubbly friend of Youngbae.
But tonight she saw a different side of her.
She saw Dara sneered at her as she turned around and walked away.

After a few steps, she stopped.

Angela held her breath.

"Angela-sshi, Youngbae came to me two years ago." Dara said without looking back.

"I never stole him away from you. I knew him first before you came. You- " Her voice cracked. "You were the one who came into the picture. Just like now."

With those words spoken, Dara continued walking, leaving her behind speechless.

Angela's tears flowed as she watches her disappear from her sight.

What she said to her hit like a knife.

Her knees collapsed.

"Dara-sshi, I'm sorry." She whispered as she wiped her tears.

"I hope someday, you'll both forgive me."


**********


In the club, first floor…

Dara and Youngbae's friends were running around looking for them.
The three girls together with Daesung and Seungri were searching inside the club while Jiyong and Seunghyun went out to look for them.
It's been thirty minutes or so and they haven't found them yet.

Jiyong came back alone looking tired and beaten.
The girls ran towards him.

"Oppa, have you found unnie?" Chaerin asked worriedly.

He shook his head.

Chaerin glared at Daesung and Seungri.

Daesung was looking around the club, while Seungri has his cellphone against his ear.

"Yah! Where's your bastard friend!" Chaerin burst at them.

The two looked at her in surprise.

"I'm trying to call Youngbae hyung." Seungri pointed to his cellphone. "But he's not picking up."

"Same here," Daesung said. "I already searched the club and parking lot. No sign of them."

She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath.

Jiyong put her arms around her shoulder trying to calm her down.

"Don't worry babe, let's wait for Seunghyun."

Bom and Minji were holding each other's hand looking scared and worried.

"I knew this would happen." Bom muttered.

"Will Dara unnie be okay?" Minji whispered to her.

She squeezed her hand. "She'll be fine."

"Hyung!" Seungri called out when he saw Youngbae entered the club.

He joined them looking exhausted and devastated.

"Yah!" Chaerin yelled as she marched towards him and pushed him.

"Where's our friend? Where's Dara unnie?" She continued yelling.

Jiyong ran to her and grabbed her by the waist.

"Shhh, take it easy Chaerin-ah." He whispered.

Bom and Minji are now worried than ever seeing their friend's outburst.

Daesung and Seungri approached Youngbae.

"Are you okay, hyung?" Daesung asked his friend.

"Where's Dara nuna?" Seungri asked.

Youngbae looked at his friends with guilt look in his eyes. He shook his head.

"I couldn't find her." He said quietly.

"What do you mean you couldn't find her, you bastard?!" Chaerin yelled, struggling to release herself from Jiyong.

Her boyfriend held her tighter not letting her go.

Youngbae didn't answer.Hhe turned to face the wall and punched it with all his might.

"Aaaggghh!"

"Hyung!" Seungri uttered.

His friends grabbed him, afraid of what he'll do next.


"Dara unnie!" Minji called when she saw Dara heading towards them.

All eyes turned to Dara.

They all noticed that she wasn't herself.

She was not smiling like she normally does and she greeted them with fierce look in her eyes.

Youngbae quickly went to her.

"Dara."

She retreated when he was nearing her.

He felt his heart tightening.

"Dara, please let's talk." Youngbae begged.

"Is it true Youngbae?" She suddenly asked meeting his gaze.

He wrinkled his forehead in confusion.

Their friends were watching closely.

"What do you mean, Dara?" He asked.

"Is it true, Youngbae?" She repeated.

"Is it true that you- - " Her voice trailed off.

She looked away.

"Dara, what is it?" Youngbae asked taking a step closer.

He reaches for her hand but was brushed off by her.

She swallowed hard then she looked straight into his eyes.

"Is it true that you... that you slept with Angela?"

All their friends gasped.

Daesung and Seungri looked at each other.

"How did she know?" Seungri mouthed.

Daesung shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." He whispered.

Both their attention went back to the couple.


Youngbae was horrified and speechless.
He can't believe that Dara found out before he could even confess his sin.
He wanted to explain but no words would come out of his mouth.
He was breaking into cold sweat.

Dara knew Youngbae so well.
His silence means yes.  
She knew it from the start but she just hoped that somehow Youngbae will deny it.
How she wished that everything was just a big joke.
 
Her eyes started tearing.
She closed her them for a minute.

Youngbae just stood in front of her not knowing what to do.
He felt ashamed.
He tried to reach for her hands again but Dara was quick to slap his hands away.

"Don't touch me!" She shrieked.

"D-d-Dara--"  His eyes widened when she made it clear that she doesn’t want to be touch by him.
 
It's much clearer to him now what his mistake caused their relationship.
He can see her eyes were full of pain and anger.
She was trying her best not to cry in front of him.

"I know what I did was wrong." Youngbae admitted.

"I-I'm really sorry." He said with a shaky voice, trying to hold back his tears.


Dara gave him a look that he couldn't dissect.

He wasn't prepared for what she was about to do.

They all saw Dara removed something from her finger.

'No!' Youngbae whispered with eyes widened. "Please don't, Dara."

He knew exactly what it was.

She went closer to him and flashed the ring in front of his face.

It was the promise ring.

He saw her looked to her side.

There was a table nearby with a glass of beer.

She glanced back at him, then she dropped the ring inside the glass.

They were all stunned.

"Omo!" Bom exclaimed in disbelief.

She was standing between Minji and Chaerin who were both covering their mouth with their hand.

Even the guys were standing there with their eyes widened and jaws dropped.

Dara smirked at Youngbae before she turned around and walk away.

He wanted to call her name and chase her, but he couldn't move.

He just stood there watching her leave.


Dara's mind was so blank. She felt numb.
She can feel her legs shaking but she managed to pull herself together.
While heading to the club's exit.
Her eyes landed on the stairs.
She noticed someone coming down from the second floor.

It was Seunghyun.

From his expression she could tell he witnessed everything that happened.

Seunghyun started walking towards her but he stopped, giving them enough distance.
They gazed at each other's eyes.

Dara doesn't know why his presence brings warmth to her heart that's turning cold.
They stood their face to face as if they were talking with their eyes.

'How are you doing?' Seunghyun thought. 'The promises I weren't able to keep still clings to my heart. I worry about you a lot.'

'Seunghyun-ah,' She thought. 'Save me.'

To Dara's surprise, he nodded like he heard what she was thinking.

It made her smile.

She stepped forward closing the gap between them.

Seunghyun smiled in return.

He put his arm around her shoulders as they both headed towards the exit.


When Seunghyun opened the door she looked at him. "I'll meet you at the parking lot."

He just smiled and caressed her face before going out.

Dara took a deep breath and turned her head to where the others were.

She saw the hurt in Youngbae's eyes.

'Tonight, for him. I'll give my everything just like the way you were with that girl. I'll love easily.' Her mind was saying, as she locked eyes with him.

'I know very well that I'm selfish. Everyday I spend my time meaninglessly that I became dirty, baby. I hope at least you'll always stay innocent. This is the truth...' Youngbae wanted to say when he saw her giving him one last look.

Dara exits the club.

"Please don't leave me..." He whispered.

===============The End===============