Chapter 9

Tabi’s POV

I wasn’t sure about what was going on.  Everyone knew each other.  The atmosphere was strange but somehow I found it amusing, until I saw their expressions.  One guy took off, dragging a girl, and Dara was shaking and started yelling at Seungri.

Seungri was my junior in college back when I was attending the college for music and arts.  He’s good looking and very talented.  He was famous with girls and with some guys too coz he was fun to be with.  The only con that he has, which I think everyone who knew him would agree, was his useless overflowing confidence.  He would brag about his talents which was okay coz this kid was really something.  But what’s really annoying is when he shares his experiences about anything in an exaggerating way.  The girls, especially the older ones, found it cute.  I got used to it.

“Exxxactly what is going on here?”

No one answered me.  Dara was still yelling at Seungri and she suddenly ran outside.  I gave Seungri a dirty look and told him to explain.  He attempted to escape but I got hold of him.

“Hyung, can’t you see I’m the real victim here?”  he cried out, trying to pull his arm away from my grip.

“Hyung, that man just dragged my girlfriend out, and what’s worse is that we know each other.  Let me go, hyung.”

“How do you know Dara?”

“Hyung –“ His eyes begged me to let go but I didn’t give in.  I stared right in to his eyes until he stopped fighting.

“Okay, okay, I’ll explain.  But it’s too noisy here.”

“Let’s go up the rooftop.”  I dragged him along.

“Explain.”

“I was at a café waiting for my girl-friends coz we were going to watch a movie but they both bailed out.  One said she suddenly felt sick and the other one didn’t give a reason.  I tried to text all my other friends but no one replied and no one picked up their phones.  I was bored and lonely.”

“So?”

“Huh?”

“So HOW DID YOU MEET DARA?”

“Oh, I met her at the café.  She was reading the newspaper ads while drinking her coffee.  I think she was looking for a job that time.  The café was full of people and she was sitting alone at her table so I asked if I could join her.  I started a small conversation until she felt comfortable talking with me.”

“And then?”

“And then??”

“And then what happened?”

“We went to Lotte Mall.  There were a lot of people that day.  It was Super Junior’s fan signing event.  I found my 2 girl-friends lining up, and some of those friends that I texted but didn’t respond.  Dara, on the other hand, didn’t seem interested.  I was .”

“So you two dated?”

“No, we didn’t really date, but maybe she thought we did.  We just went out together from time to time.  Anyway, I found out she was older than me.  You know how older women are very clingy and commitment just wasn’t my thing that time.  So I had to lie to her.  I told her we couldn’t see each other anymore coz I was going to Japan for a year and –“

“You’re an .”

“Ne?”

I turned around and left him on the rooftop.  I went out of the club and found Dara.  She was looking at the guy and the girl who were fighting.  She was crying.  Some passers-by turned their heads to look at them too.

The guy was holding on to the girl but she shook him off and walked away.  Dara tried to run to him but I grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.

“He’s a man.  Let him be.  It’s just for tonight.”

We both watched as he disappeared to the darkness.  Dara cried even harder and started shaking.  I thought she was going to collapse, so I caught her.  I turned her to face me and gave her a hug.  I remember Bom noona once told me that ‘if someone is pain and there’s nothing else you can do to help, give them a hug.’, so I did.

“Just cry it all out…”

When she finally stopped crying, she started to walk.  I followed her until we arrived on the next block, and then the next block, then the next block.  My legs grew numb and it felt like the shots I had was starting to wear off.  I was sweating and I was starting to get sober.

“Dara-ssi!  I’ll call a cab.”

I hailed a cab and called out to her while panting but she ignored me.

“Are you riding or what?”  The driver yelled out.

I called out to Dara again but it was as if she couldn’t hear me.  I had to let the cab go.

I followed her on to a very familiar street.  I couldn’t believe that we actually walked all the way home.  She paused under the lamp post outside the house gate.  She went in and waited for me to come in as well before she locked the gate.

“Dara-ssi,  are you back to your senses now?”

“Uh.”

“Seriously?”

“Uh.”

We went inside the house and I jumped straight in to the sofa.  I was so tired I couldn’t feel my legs anymore.  She went straight in to the kitchen.  She was boiling some water.

“Dara-ssi?”

“Uh”

“Did you really like?”

“Huh?”

“Seungri.  He told me everything.  He’s such a jerk.  Don’t worry, even though he’s my friend, I’m on your side.”

She just responded with a forced weak smile.

“So did you really like him?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you still like him?”

“I don’t know.  I mean, I don’t like him but I don’t hate him.  I even almost forgot about him.  Til tonight.  When I saw him, I remembered what he did to me that day he told me he was going to Japan.  I wanted to punch him but it felt like it wasn’t worth it.”

She made a cup of honey-lemon tea and handed it to me.

“Here, it will soothe your stomach.  And you must be exhausted, so get some rest when you finish drinking that.”

She went up to her room and turned her bedroom lights off.  I just stared at her bedroom door for some time.  I couldn’t understand what I felt at that moment, but I think it was sympathy.  Maybe I was still drunk coz I become sensitive when I am.  I don’t know.

--

Dara’s POV

I felt like I lost all my strength, maybe from walking, from crying, or from everything that happened tonight.

When Tabi asked me if I still like him, I thought he was talking about Jiyong.  I thought he was asking me if I still liked him after ditching me for his y ex-girlfriend, and causing me a lifetime of pain in one night.  But he was talking about Seungri and I don’t really know.  I couldn’t care less anymore.  I knew he lied about Japan ages ago.  What made me feel really bad was the fact that he knew Jiyong, so he must have known that he dated Chaerin before him and that he worked at that club too.  But he still had a go with her.  The fact that he even called Ji ‘hyung’, implies that they must have been close too.  Like Tabi said, that kid is such a jerk.

I started to worry about Jiyong again.  I wanted to call him but I didn’t know what to say.  I don’t even think he wanted to talk to me or to anyone.  I lied on my bed and just stared at my phone.  I couldn’t decide on what to do.

Give it up, Dara.  You’re too tired to think.

--

Bom’s POV

I woke up in the arms of the man that I love.  His body was warmer than the blanket that covered both of us.  It was the epitome of a good morning.  I pulled myself closer to him and hugged him tighter.  He woke up and kissed my head.  I felt safe.

“Are you going to meet your father today?”

“Uh.  He wants to look at my new designs.”

“You’re gonna make him proud again.”

I looked up at him and kissed his lips.

--

Dara’s POv

I woke up early today.  I tried to go back to sleep but I couldn’t so I called Youngbae.

“Oh, noona.”

“Younbae-ah, are you going to the Sunday service?”

“Ne.  You want to come?”

“Uh.  Can you pick me up?”

“Sure, someone’s excited to see you.  We’ll be there before 10:30.”

“Okay.”

I took a shower and freshened myself up.  I put on a Sunday dress and went downstairs.  Tabi was still asleep.  He fell asleep on the sofa last night.  He was curled up and his arms were crossed.  I went back upstairs and grabbed a blanket.  I covered him up and woke him a bit to tell him I was going somewhere.  He responded by nodding.  I waited for Youngbae outside of the gate.

“Noona!”

Someone called out from somewhere.  It was Daesung.  He was waving out to me from the passenger’s seat.  Youngbae was smiling next to him.  He was driving Daesung’s car.  My mood was lifted up when I saw their precious smiles.  Daesung hopped out of the car as soon as Youngbae pulled over.  He ran to give me a hug.

“Noona!”

“Daesungie!  I missed you so much.”

“Nado.  But you don’t really look surprised that I’m here.”

“I already knew.”

“Huh?” Daesungie looked at Youngbae.

“It’s not Youngbae.  Jiyong told me.”

“Oh really?  Tut.”

“Come on guys we’ll be late.  Let’s chat after the service.”  Youngbae interrupted.

--

Daesung, along with the choir, sang the last hymn for the Sunday morning service.  After the service was over, Youngbae and I were able come out from the church first coz Daesung was still greeting the other elders who missed him.

“Noona, how did you go last night?  Did you enjoy the club?”  Youngbae asked.  He seemed clueless.

“Didn’t you hear from Jiyong yet?”

“About what?”

“About last night.”

“Why?  What happened?”

“He saw Chaerin… with Seungri.”

“Seungri, as in your ex?”

“He’s not my ex.”

“But didn’t you two dated?”

“No!  I don’t know.  It doesn’t matter.  Turns out he knew Seungri too.  He is so heartbroken; he might need a friend right now.”

Youngbae quickly took his phone out of his pocket.  He looked so worried.

“I’m gonna call him.”

I stopped him from dialling Jiyong’s number.

“No.  Don’t call him.  Go to him, Bae.  I think you’re the person he needs the most at this moment.”

“Okay.  I’ll leave you with Daesung then, noona.  I’ll call you later.”

“Uh.”

Youngbae ran off and Daesung approached me.

“Where’s Bae hyung going?”

I explained to him what happened and he ran after him.

“Hyung!  Take the car.  It’ll be quicker and easier for you.”

He tossed his car keys to Bae.

“Thanks man.  I’ll call you guys later.”  Youngbae responded.

--

Daesung and I went to a noodle house for lunch.  I met a familiar person at the line.  I stared at him for a while.  His side view was very familiar.  He must have noticed coz he turned to my direction.

“Oh Dara-ssi.”  He greeted me brightly.

“Mr. Park.  How are you?”

We were exchanging greetings while we were waiting in line at the counter when a woman approached him and slid her hand to hold his.

“Oh Dara-ssi, this is my friend, Bom.  Bom, that’s Dara, Tabi’s landlady.”  Upon hearing this, I noticed her hand sliding off from his.  She looked very familiar but I just couldn’t remember where I saw her and when.

We greeted each other.  It was our turn to order from each of our counters.  They ordered a takeout while Daesung and I dined in.  We bid each other farewell.

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GDYB BROMANCE FTW!

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