Chapter 8:

"so close yet so far"
Genre: Romance || Suspense || Drama || Tragedy || Mafia War || Friendship || Humor

“You found him?” Leeteuk asked one of s.

A brown envelope was dropped in front of him on the desk he was sitting at. He took it in his hand and opened it, analyzing its contents properly an eyebrow quirking up as he was scanning through.

“So… he’s in Daejeon…” He muttered scanning through the pictures that were took of GD, noting the familiar background surroundings. He kept scrolling through picture and picture until he found a particular photograph. One that caught his attention and perked up his interest noted by the fact that his lips tugged into a smirk as he held the picture up of G-Dragon carrying a woman in his hands towards a building.

He was about to say something when he noticed the familiarity of the face of the woman.  “So that’s where she went…” He trailed off dropping the picture on the table.

Kyhyun took it from there and looked at it. “So this means not only will you get your revenge on G-Dragon, but also the big prize money huh?”

Leeteuk scoffed. “I don’t care about the prize money DSP industries is offering. What I want is revenge on G-Dragon.”

“Might I remind you that Chil Sung Pa is hot on G-Dragon’s tail. They want him inside and you, as a newly pledged member of Ssang Yong Pa mean you’re not exactly an ally. According to my experience, these two clans are not exactly on the right terms.” Donghae’s voice was dripping with warning. He knew that Leeteuk shouldn’t mess with G-Dragon. News spread that the Japanese Yakuza wanted G-Dragon, and now the Chinese Triad wants him too. Ssang Yong Pa had no intentions of interfering with this because they knew that this is not just any normal tug of war and Leeteuk is gonna jump in because of his own grudge.

“Arasso.” Leeteuk breathed out making the other members relax. “I’ll kill the girl then so G-Dragon would know the feeling of loss.”

He stood from his desk and went out of the room leaving s alone. They all stared at the picture in Kyuhyun’s hand, feeling a little bit of pity for the girl and disappointment because there’s really a huge bounty for her. Sometimes they wonder if Leeteuk was still in his right mind. After all… he was going crazy ever since Taeyeon died. He had actually planned to leave this life for her, but since his purpose was gone he was thirsty for revenge. And they all believed that his thirst is not worth to quench knowing the person he seeks vengance from.

***

GD got off his bike and walked inside the grocery store to buy a few things (mostly food and drinks) because TOP’s stomach was an endless pit that made his food stock and budget dwindle. Even if the guy was his best friend he should at least contribute to his everyday expenses since the money YG supplies is barely enough to feed a person who vacums all the food in front of him. GD had thought about it since TOP had been living with him for two weeks and he had never brought the topic up, but he was frustrated so he is gonna make his hyung pay the rent. Close or not, he still has a dog to feed for christ’s sake.

He walked around the isle and dropped a few instant noodles in the cart he was pushing around, while drinking a can of beer. He stopped and took down a box of cereal and read its nutrition facts(or just plainly looking at it) not caring about the looks people were giving him because of his get-up. What with his leather jacket; torn washed out jeans and pink scarf he looked like a biker hooligan.

He was putting the box back on its shelf when he heard the sound of cans crashing on the floor from the next isle. He would have chosen to ignore it had it not been for the familiar voice that kept apologizing in a repeated manner.

Although tinged with panic and worry, it was still soft and angelic like usual. He couldn’t help but push his cart over the next isle only to see Dara bowing down repeatedly to the people she had disturbed.

A smirk couldn’t help but form on his lips as he watched bemusedly at how she would pick up 5 cans at a time, only to fail when 3 cans would drop from her arms. A man working at the grocery had come to offer help, but she accidentally swung her hand in the wrong place and hit him right in the crotch making him squirm and wince in pain as she dropped the cans she was holding on his feet (making him cry out more) while she apologized.

He would have continued to watch her, but he still had mercy left so he walked over there and picked the cans one-by-one and put them back in place. Dara had looked surprised to see him there, but he didn’t miss the relief that washed through her face as he cleaned the mess up for her while she desperately tried to ease the pain of the man she hit. She was slowly reaching her hand out to somewhere in particular and it did not make GD happy.

“Dara let’s go. Where’s your cart?” He asked, grabbing her hand to stop it from doing a very awkward thing in public. He looked over the man who was still crouched down in pain and ignored the silent whispers and fingers of the people around them.

“It’s right over– ” She pointed her finger towards a nearby cart her eyes not failing to look at the hand holding hers.

GD didn’t let her finish as he brushed pass her and strode towards the cart she pointed at. He grabbed the handle and walked over to her as she picked up a can of peas on the floor, draping her arms around Dara’s shoulders as they walked past the crouching man. “You should ice that if you still want babies.” He remarked making Dara’s eyes widen.

He ignored her and kept dragging her away from the curious eyes of some costumers.

“So is this all?” He asked, keeping his eyes ahead as he pushed her cart, his own completely forgotten.

Dara looked up, her face tinged with pink and slightly nodded. “N-nae…” She stuttered, suddenly feeling self-conscious of having GD’s arms around her shoulders. She shrunk in size as she kept her head down.

She hadn’t seen GD around much in the apartment building, unlike TOP who had been loitering in their floor more often than everyday due to a certain red-head. Dara had to convince him that Bom was working extra hours in the hospital so she could get a short break to help her look for her background. Although Bom had never really mentioned the status of the search her hired detective had done aside from the fact that he was still looking. She would catch a glimpse of G-Dragon from time to time when she was in the lobby in the wee hours of the night, but the man looked too tired to open his mouth, let alone to talk so they gave each other a few nods here and there before he got to the elevator to go up to his floor.

GD pushed the cart towards the line that lead them to the cashier and took his arm off Dara to pick up a bottle of condiment in her cart.

“Black pepper?” He asked, turning to her.

“I was doing a bit of shopping to cook Bom something nice for dinner because she tends to come home really late and really hungry. I’m tired of eating cold take-outs so I decided to use some of the money she gave me to shop for groceries.”

He returned the bottle to the cart and looked ahead of the line muttering, “At least you eat decent restaurant food. I have to settle for instant noodles most of the time.”

It was meant to be said in a very low tone so that she wouldn’t understand, but Dara picked up enough keywords to understand what he meant exactly.

She stared up at him for a few seconds her thought battling it out at her. “Maybe I can cook lunch for you today?” She asked the words just slipping out of without notice.

GD was taken aback by her offer. He looked down on her and searched her face for any sign of humor, but saw that she was actually serious.

“You would go to my house and cook… for me… ” He trailed off not believing almost half of what she said.

She nodded her head yes. “Of course.”

“I don’t think that’s very– ”

“Excuse me you’re holding up the line.” The person standing behind them interrupted.

GD and Dara turned towards him before looking ahead only realize that the clerk was tapping her manicured nails on top of the metal counter impatiently.

“Mianhe.” Dara apologized bowing to the people behind them while GD casually pushed the cart forward and placed Dara’s groceries on the counter. He saw how the clerk’s eyes twinkled when she had a good look at him. No one can deny G-Dragon’s genes were good, but because of the fact that Taeyang and TOP was there to outshine him for most time, no one would notice him very much. Plus there was the fact that he was feared by most.

“Cash or card?” The clerk asked with a flirtatious demeanor.

GD cocked an eyebrow and ignored her as the table of contents on a can of peas had suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world.

Noticing this, Dara lightly pushed him aside and smiled at the clerk putting down the money needed to pay for their groceries. “Cash.” She said at the same time.

The clerk frowned and punched it what she needed to punch and ripped the receipt before giving it to Dara.

GD carried the bags when Dara was given the change and walked out of the place with her following behind.

“You should have at least said something to her.” She remarked when she had caught up to him.

GD scoffed and shrugged his shoulders non-chalantly. “I don’t talk to girls whose make-up looks like it was done in the dark by a horror movie make-up artist.”

“Jiyong be nice!” She scolded lightly swatting his arm. “That girl was very pretty.”

“Sure, if you considered Frankenstein’s bride pretty.”

As much as Dara didn’t want to laugh a small chuckle had already escaped her lips before she can do something to stop herself. What GD had said was partly true because the clerk had been wearing a foundation that was unmatched from her skin tone and eye shadow that had been too dark that made smokey eyes look . Her red lipstick was starting to chafe too, along with her foundation that were starting to crack and melt from wear.

“See you think it’s true.” He joked, lightly nudging her as he walked towards where his bike was parked.

She chuckled again to justify his statement but stopped when she saw the bike that were only a few more meters away from them.

“Woah hold it Jiyong. Where are you gonna put the groceries in that?”

GD reached his bike and placed down the groceries on the seat and looked at her. “You’re gonna hold them.” He said with a plain shrug.

Dara blanched and stomped to her, pulling the helmet off his hand when he was about to put it on. It was a little weird to see him with a helmet, but she figured it was for safety reasons that he decided to actually wear one while driving his motorbike.

She shook her head vigorously, her brown hair swaying back and forth as she did so. “They have a high chance of dropping while you lean the bike, so no.” She had said making sure to put enough firmness in her voice.

He stared at him through slatted eyes looking for an opening for an argument, but the way she stood told him enough that she was going to refuse no matter what he said. “Fine.”

He picked the bags up again and shoved them at her, leaving her no choice but to take them while she still held his helmet in her hand. “Fine you take the bus while I ride my bike.”

Dara’s jaw dropped to the floor. Is he serious? Whatever happened to being gentleman? Did his manners had an expiry date that came with her full recovery or was he just getting on her last nerve?

“Well?”

“Are you kidding?”

He shrugged for the nth time and took the helmet from her. He gave her a smug grin before getting on his bike and turned it on. It was enough to tell her that what he meant was no joke.

“Jiyong!” She shrieked but her voice got muffled when he lit the ignition.

He waited for a few seconds before pulling out of his parking space revving his engine again and again, obviously goading her.

He turned his head towards her and she swore she could see the taunting grin he had plastered on his face as he opted to pull out of the parking space. He was just about ready to leave when he felt arms wrap around his waist and plastic bags resting in between his thighs as Dara held on to them.

He inwardly laughed at his victory and took off his helmet, putting them on Dara’s head before pulling out of the space for real this time.

Dara cursed herself for giving in. Originally, she would have just stormed off and took the bus home, but the expenses of her grocery had been higher than calculated leaving her with no money left for a ride home. If only she hadn’t added the extra can of peas on her items she would have spare change, but she forgot to put the can back on the stack when GD suddenly placed his arm around her shoulder making her drop the can in her cart unconsciously.

He was on the road and swerving yet again through Daejeon’s traffic. He knows he should put the helmet on for identity purposes, but he can’t risk the safety of Dara just to prevent hidden camera’s to give him away to the other mobs outside South Korea just as YG had warned him

Her grip was secure around his waist as she rested her head on his back. She was a little disappointed that she can’t snuggle on his shirt and inhale his scent due to the helmet she was wearing, but still. The way her arms were around him felt so right and comfortable that it made her feel safe despite the dangers of the speed he was driving.

She had made sure to pay closer attention to when the travel ended hoping off when she felt the motorbike had come to a stop.

“Here let me have those.”

He took the plastic bags from her hand and walked inside the building casually.

Dara stared at his back, twitching in frustration. She was still sour about the little thing he did at the parking lot, but it was fine at the most because she would still cook him a delicious lunch that required real skill and not just hot water.

She went inside after him with as he held the elevator open for her. When she stepped inside the box a smug grin was evident on her face, goading her yet again.

“You might want to wipe that grin off your face if you still want me to make you lunch.” She warned.

He didn’t flinch and kept the expression on, taunting every fibre of her being.

“You know what! Forget it!” She screamed in frustration, snatching the goods away from him. Before she could punch in the number of her floor he had trapped her in between his arms, his face only a few mere inches away from hers. It was such a close proximity that she could feel his hot breath on her nose. It smelled minty and not a tinge of nicotine can be detected.

“I will not forget it. You made the offer and you can not back down on it because I never take offers from girls too often.”

Dara’s breath hitched as she started to choke on her words. Her knees were getting wobbly from the space and she was starting to lose her breath.

GD stared down at her, his eyes fluttering over to her lips. The lips that would probably feel soft against his own. He slowly leaned down, closing in on the distance between the two of them.

His lips were almost there as her eyes were too wide to close and her body too tense to move, when a familiar chime broke of the moment and the metal doors slid open to reveal a few neighbours from GD’s floor.

GD stepped away and ran a hand through his hair as Mrs. Kim and his little kid stared at the two of them. He let out a sigh and took the bags from Dara before going out of the elevator and walking straight to his place, leaving her with no choise but to follow him.

"Seunghyun-hyung is not around at the moment. He went back to Busan 2 days ago."

Dara nodded. "No wonder Bom said she didn't see him at the hospital the following days."

GD snickered at their mutual understanding as it seems TOP's pursuit for Dara's nurse friend was still on going, but she was silent as GD punched in the codes to his lock and swipe the key to open the door with a clank. Dara followed suit timidly looking around the barren place, stripped of anything decorative save from the cheap couch and coffee table right at the living room. Not even a TV can be seen anywhere. It was seriously barren. No paintings, no pictures, no nothing. It was the total opposite of Bom’s place wherein you have to be careful where you walk if you do not want to bump into an antique vase and shatter it in millions of pieces.

In the midst of her exploration a loud bark was heard and the patter of feet running towards her. A shriek came out of Dara’s mouth as she leapt behind GD, who put the plastic bags down on the floor to pat his dog Gaho.

“Hey boy!” He greeted rubbing the dogs head feverishly.

Dara looked down on the creature and inched away slowly.

Gaho let out a loud bark to welcome his master, making Dara jump yet again and uncontrollable chortle to escape GD’s lips as he picked the dog up and teased Dara by pretending to hand Gaho to her.

“Don’t let it near me.” She cried backing up into the door making it shut close with the contact she made.

GD laughed and set Gaho down who had curiously tramped over to where Dara was standing and sniffed her feet.

She shut her eyes closed and jerked her chin up as the dog her toes making her grimace in disgust while GD just laughed away.

“Get your dog off me.” She pleaded her voice coming out as a cry of despair.

GD hadn’t thought that she would be this scared of a mere innocent animal. With one last chuckle he whistled and called over to Gaho who had sprinted to him.

“You look like you saw a ghost.” He teased patting Gaho n the head.

Dara scowled at him and fixed herself. “I’m just not a dog person. Now where’s the kitchen?”

She asked walking towards an archway that had revealed the lace she was looking for. She had moved away and walked in an arch when she was near Gaho, who was just innocently watching her as he wagged her tail and took quick paced breaths as he looked at her.

GD was watching her with amusement and purposely stomped one foot forward making her jerk and run towards the kitchen.

His laughter filled the whole apartment up as he carried the plastic bags towards the kitchen and set it down on the counter where Dara was sitting at with her legs up.

“I didn’t know this building allowed pets!” She whined, refusing to put her legs down.

GD didn’t know how long he was laughing, but he just couldn’t help the small and numerous chuckles that escaped his lips.

“Why do you even have a pet? You’re barely home to take care of him!”

“I see you haven’t notice the doggie door I had installed? He comes out and scratches on the door of our neighbour and their daughter Minji comes out to take care of him.” He asked pointing towards his main door, which was out of sight in Dara’s place.

In reality, Gaho was still just a puppy. GD hadn’t intended to get a dog, but he found the pup right in front of their building, cowering under some box of cartons that some of the occupants had thrown out. He would have just lft him there, but you could say GD had a soft spot for tiny dogs cowering under some box of cartons that some of the occupants had thrown out. Yeah… it wasn’t the puppy dog eyes that caught his attention. Deffinitely not that.

“Can you at least put him in a leash while I cook?” She asked watching with horror as Gaho pranced inside the kitchen, looking up at her with hs cute doe eyes.

“No leash.” GD said firmly walking over to the fridge to get a can of beer only to realize that he left his own shopping goods back at the market. He mentally cursed himself before shutting the door and going over through Dara’s items remembering he saw a can of Cherry Soda in her cart.

He popped the can open and drank up, keeping his eyes at Dara, who was also staring at Gaho as if he was a lion. He rolled his eyes and set the can down, walking over to gaho and scooping him up the floor before saying, “If it makes you feel better I will put him inside a room.”

He mentally laughed at the relief that coursed through her face as she went down the counter when he exited the kitchen. He had put Gaho inside one of the two rooms in his apartment and pet the dog before closing the door and proceeding back to the kitchen where he found Dara had already started with her work.

GD gawked at her for a long time as she worked her wonders in the kitchen. It made him think what it would be like to have someone like her around. It would be perfect in every aspect and the smell of delicious food would always waft into his apartment. Gaho seems to like her too, despite the fact that she's a little bit scared of his pet.

He could see the sweat drizzle down her neck as she brought a hand up to wipe it. He wanted to do something to help, but he couldn't budge from his position in the doorway and ended up admiring her effort.

In the middle of his admiration he heard a knock on his door just a few feet away from him. Sandara didn't seem to hear it considering the fact that she was still keen and busy making the dish so he pretended not to hear it as well in the hopes that the visitor would go away thinking that no one was home. After all, if it was TOP he would have just used the spare key he gave him.

But no. The unwanted visitor didn't stop there. The incessant knocking continued until it turned into banging. A few seconds more and the person started to kick the hardwood roughly popping a vein in GD's forehead. Dara too, had heard it and stopped cooking to look over her shoulder and towards him.

"Aren't you gonna answer that?" She asked wiping her hands on her dress, leaving a light yellow stain.

GD rolled her eyes to show his irritation (making Dara giggle) and stomped towards the door as the disturbance pressed on.

"What!? My door isn't some sort of punching bag!" He screamed as he swung the door open to reveal a girl clad in leather; wearing huge shades; slick black nailpolish and whose bleached blonde hair was tied up into a high ponytail.

"Is that some way to greet your sister oppa?" She asked raising one eyebrow up as she examined her nails.

GD was taken aback when he saw the person standing in front of him. "Ch-Chaerin?" He choked out, his eyes as wide as saucers.

Author's Note:

Yay I finally updated~! *throws confetti everywhere* I see this as a damn filler chapter, making me want to pull all my hair out. Because of the stunt I pulled on adding more details to the original version I always get stupid chapters that makes no utter sense! I am such a fail as a writer, but I do hope I made a long enough chapter to make up for the long update. Aigoo~ college will be starting and I will ultimately be very busy so I don't know how fast I will update. Pease bear with me guys~ Thank you for your patience!!

On the meanwhile... HELLO CL!!