“Good evening, Sir, may I take your order?” I greeted the moment I arrived at a customer’s table.

“Dara?” a familiar voice said, one which I least expect at a time like this, which I dread not to hear ever in my life.

I tried not looking up. I tried to escape, but I knew it was useless. He had seen me. There’s no way out. If I could have a mask before I went here, I wouldn’t be caught. I wouldn’t be…

“Did you forget me already?” he asked again.

As much as I didn’t want to, my eyes looked up. And there he was, with his playful smirk on his face.

“I can’t believe you worked here,” he said.

I couldn’t find my voice. I couldn’t move an inch from where I was standing, though I want to do exactly both of those things. The only thing I was able to do was to grimace at him.

“I see you never forgotten about me,” he said, chuckling. “You only grimace at me like that. So, why are you working here again? It’s the least expected place for you, you know. Well, at least for now. I knew you had that blood in you.”

I clenched my fist. If only I could hit him hard with this tray, I would. But Kwanghee clearly warned me not to do that, or else, I will be fired immediately. He said he doesn’t care anymore if I leave; at least he had collected more profit since I worked here. And besides, I still couldn’t move.

He grabbed my wrist as he pulled me. That was the only time I retorted.

“Don’t touch me, jerk!” I shouted.

“Dara!” Kwanghee’s voice came into the rescue. “Don’t touch her!”

“What are you talking about? We’re friends, can’t I invite my friend with me on the table?” he asked.

“Oh, he’s your friend, Dara?” Kwanghee asked.

No! He isn’t! He is the guy who broke my heart. He’s far from being my friend!

But, I couldn’t find the strength to voice them out. I don’t know why.

“Yah! Who are you fooling? Look at her, she’s glaring at you,” Kwanghee said. “I don’t think you’re friends at all.”

I silently thanked Kwanghee for saving me again. He was about to pull me away from Youngbae when he stood up and walked towards Kwanghee. He stopped in front of Kwanghee, too close that I almost saw Kwanghee’s face blushed. Youngbae pulled away with a smirk on his face. I looked back at Kwanghee who was counting a thick bundle of money.

Crap! Kwanghee can be so blinded by money right away.

“Now where were we?” Youngbae said, snaking his arm on my waist as he pulled me close to him.

I flinched away but I wasn’t able to free myself as he already locked me beside him. We sat on the sofa with his friends. One of them whispered on his ear and then he turned to me with a grin on his face.

“So, you’re responsible for bringing these customers, eh? Look at them, they’re all envious of me,” he said as he roamed his eyes around the club. He then leaned his chin on my bare shoulder and that was when I was brought back to reality.

“Why the hell are you here?!” I shouted at him, standing up.

He pulled me back to my seat but I refused to budge. “Look, I paid good money for you to just sit with me, can’t you-“

“Why are you even here? Minors aren’t allowed here! I’ll tell on you and I’ll make sure you’ll get expelled.”

A smirk formed his lips. “I think I should be the one to tell you that. You’re a minor yourself, why are you working here?”

I gritted my teeth. “Leave now or else I’ll-“

“You’ll what? Call a bouncer or something? You’re precious boss is just around the corner counting his money. You’re bouncers are worthless. They are drooling on you, look!” he said, pointing behind me. But I didn’t follow him. “Without Kwanghee here, they will take advantage of you too. I’m sure they’re just behaving because Kwanghee’s watching them. So, before sending me out, make sure to think well first.”

I glared at him.

“Just sit here,” he said, patting the space next to him.

I didn’t budge.

“If you’re not going to follow me, I’ll tell on you,” he said, his voice sounding serious.

“Why are you doing this to me?” I asked.

“You humiliated me in front of the school, do you want to feel how I felt?” he asked.

JIYONG’S POV

“Here’s your iced tea,” I said the moment I stepped into the music room. But I immediately stopped on my spot when I saw Dara sleeping so adorably under the piano.

A while ago, I left her while she was studying. She was sitting on the foot of the piano when she felt thirsty so I went to buy some drinks.

She must have felt sleepy while waiting for me and maybe she lied down on the floor.

I crouched beside the piano to scrutinize her face. It saddened me that I did not see that usual glow she has on her face before. There are dark circles on her eyes and a while ago, I noticed that her eyes looked tired. I wonder, is she really that serious about studying? I mean, wow! I never imagined her to be like this.

I was caressing her face when she stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes to see me. She looked shocked as she immediately straightened up, forgetting that she was under the piano.

“Ow!” she complained, lying back down.

I helped her got out from under the piano and rubbed his head.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“It hurts,” she said.

I kissed her head. “Does it still hurt?”

She pouted and nodded. “I must have fallen asleep while waiting for you. Aish! I wasted too many precious time.”

I chuckled, handing her juice to her. “You’re too serious studying, eh? You must have not been sleeping because you’re studying, neh? Aigoo~ my baby is too hardworking.”

When I thought she’ll joke about it too, I failed. She just nodded while sipping her juice. She then turned to her notes and studied again.

“Are you alright?” I asked. “Don’t overwork yourself too much. Look at the bags under your eyes.”

“Aish,” she said, pushing my hand away.

“Oh, you’re just here, Sandara,” a voice I never wanted to hear entered my ears. My eyes immediately landed on Youngbae who was standing on the doorway with that confidence he has. A smirk was on his face while gazing at Dara. “I have been looking for you. I missed you.”

I stood up and ran towards him. I pushed him against the door as I was about to punch his face.

“Oh, you’re here too, Kwon Jiyong?” he asked innocently. It was as if he just noticed me.

“Get the hell out of here if you don’t want your neck to be broken,” I hissed.

“Relax, man,” he said, too relaxed himself, as he pushed me away. “I just want to talk to the oh-so-famous Sandara. I’m sure the guys back on the club will be envious of me again, when they’ll find out I’m talking to their favorite girl.”

My eyes widened. What the hell is he talking about? Dara? The oh-so-famous Dara? Famous on what? Where? Here at school? Yes, she’s popular among the guys because she’s a goddess, but not that oh-so-famous. And what the hell does he mean about guys being envious of him back at the club?!  And favorite girl?! Why am I totally clueless about what he's saying?

I was too preoccupied of my processing his words that I failed to notice him walking across the room, towards Dara.

“Hey,” he greeted nonchalantly. “See you tonight. I missed you already.” he then whispered something on her ear.

I saw Dara unflinching on her spot. She was too stiff while sitting there that I thought she was a statue. She wasn’t moving on her spot at all. It even looked like she wasn’t breathing at all.

I thought she was going to slap his hand away when he reached out to her but to my great surprise, she didn’t. Instead, she nodded with his hand still on her face.

Youngbae then stopped in front of me.

“Oh yeah, I’m sorry you could not get into the honor roll anymore. Too bad, eh? Everyone was expecting you to get it. But you let go of the opportunity,” he trailed off. “It’s your fault anyway… or is it the girl’s?” he asked, deliberately glancing behind him to stare at Dara.

But I didn’t understand his words. I was too preoccupied with the intimate actions he showed to her and also the way she nodded as if agreeing on whatever he just whispered to her. And it’s killing me. It’s hurting me. It was too much to take, seeing them like that. My heart is constricting as every second passed by.

I thought they were nothing already. I thought she does not love him anymore. But what just happened? Did I miss something? Is she hiding something from me?

I stared back at her. And there she was, staring back at me, her eyes scared and worried at the same time. My brows furrowed immediately as I remembered Youngbae's words and actions. My fists clenched when she stood up and made way towards me. She reached out her hands to my face, but I flinched away.

“Ji…” she whispered voice so soft. “Listen to me.”

I turned my back on her.

“Ji… please,” she pleaded, but I ran away, before her voice can make me turn my back again and forgive her. I just couldn’t. It hurts too much. I need time to think things over.

This is making me crazy.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

“Ji…” her voice entered my ears once again. So, she’s not really planning to leave, eh? How long was she standing outside of my door? Oh, yeah. Four hours, and it’s already eight in the evening.

Stupid me for thinking that she’ll not follow me and be able to enter my apartment. I forgot that she also knows my key code.  That leads us to the situation right now. She’s outside of my room, knocking and pleading endlessly.

Many times had I asked her to leave but she was too stubborn. She will just go on and on pleading me to come out and talk to her. She would not even explain herself. What will she do when I go out right now, then? Say that the truth is she and Youngbae aren’t over yet and she will break up with me right now? I don’t know, just by the way she pleads to me, I can tell that she has fault in here and she really needs to explain herself. But, I’m too scared. I’m hella scared. I don’t know what to do if she breaks up with me.

There are too many wild imaginations that kept on poisoning my mind hearing Youngbae’s words a while ago. And I don’t like any of them. None of them helped to ease the burden I’m feeling right now.

I love Dara too much. I don’t want to let her go. Call me selfish. Whatever. I don’t want to give Dara to anyone. I want her to myself.

But, right now… I don’t want to see her. My heart is too aching right now.

“Ji…” she pleaded again, more tiredly this time.

Then her phone rang. I heard her talking in hushed tones. What now? Is she talking to Youngbae and does not want me to hear it? Damn it.

I was about to open the door when she talked.

“I have to go, Ji,” she said. “I’ll see you later.”

I decided to follow her when she left. And I was surprised to see her entering a nightclub. Is she meeting Youngbae here?

After a few minutes, I decided to enter it too. I expected to see a crowd of teenagers pretending to be adults on the dance floor while dancing to the disco music, but what met my eyes, made them almost pop out of their sockets.

The place was too far from being the normal club. It was a club where there were almost- women on stage dancing on poles and on too revealing outfits. Men were inviting most of them to their table as they kissed their mouths as if devouring them.

Why did Dara enter this kind of place? And where is she?

I roamed my eyes on the dimly lit place but I wasn’t able to see her.

DARA’S POV

The moment I entered the club, I saw Youngbae. Kwanghee called me a while ago that I was an hour late and that he will be deducting my wage if I don’t go to work tonight. It turned out, he just wanted me to entertain Youngbae again as the latter paid him good money again.

I pulled Youngbae right away outside of the club. He leaned to me almost kissing me, when I slapped his face.

“YA!” he shouted. “I did not pay just to be slapped!”

“Stop ruining my life, you jerk!” I shouted. “I don’t want my relationship with Jiyong to be destroyed because of you!”

He scoffed. “Did he break up with you now and you’re looking for someone to pour your anger out?” he asked. He neared his face again. “Don’t worry I’ll do just that.”

But before his lips could brush against mine, I spat on his face.

He wiped it off his face and stared at the sticky liquid on his hand. His face turned grim immediately.

“You disgusting !” he shouted. “You’ll see what I can do.”

Then he left.

JIYONG’S POV

I finally found her.

My brows creased as every second passed. She was serving too many male customers with their drinks while on that revealing dress.

I decided not to interfere first. I decided to observe for a while, but as time passes by, the glances of the erted ahjussis of the club made my blood boil.

I flinched the moment I saw a man advancing on her. Dara was too oblivious as she was spacing out while serving their drinks. The man’s hand was lingering behind her, and he was about to touch her .

I stood up but I was too late. He was able to her behind. I made my way but girls started to swarm me, slowing me down. I tried freeing myself but the number of swarming girls increased every second. I tried not to take my eyes off Dara, though.

I saw Dara flinching and hit the man’s head with the tray. The man looked agitated as she did that. He pulled her. She tried to be free, but she was too weak. The man tried kissing her. That was when I saw red. Damn these girls. “FOR PETE’S SAKES! BACK OFF!”

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*poster credits to ephrael