[Dara]

     Our original plans of going horse-back riding were cancelled, thanks to my knee. It wasn’t as big of a deal as Jiyong made it out to be, but I was secretly glad that I now have a good excuse to avoid having to spend time with those huge, scary animals. Yes, I do have a fear of horses, just to make things clear, but I wasn’t planning to tell Jiyong that.

     “You’re scared of horses, aren’t you?” Jiyong asked as he peered sideways at me as we sat side-by side on a swing bench in a secluded part of the garden. I scowled at him. OK, being incredibly intelligent like he was, he could probably guess it. But he didn’t have to say it aloud, even if it was just the two of us here! I knew he would never let a chance of embarrassing me slip away that easily.

     “Yeah, so? What’s it to you?” I grumpily challenged him. Jiyong looked incredulous at me.

     “Come on, Santokki, I’m not making fun of you. I’m just trying to get to know you better.”

     “Oh really?” I sarcastically replied. That would be the joke of the year, Kwon Jiyong trying to “get to know me”. More like trying to get to know my weaknesses to file it away for another prank to plan against me. “Yeah right.”

     Jiyong stopped, which made the bench come to a halt since he was the one making it move while I was lying comfortably. His face was serious, and a bit hurt. “I’m serious, Santokki. I think we should get to know each other better, so I’m trying to get to know what things you like, what things you don’t, and what you’re scared of.”

     He looked genuinely hurt, so I decided to play along. “Oh, okay. What else do you want to know?”

     That turned out to be the worst question ever. From that moment on, I was bombarded with endless questions from Jiyong, who not only demanded me to answer truthfully and specifically, but also to memorize his answers. What was this, a history test?! Everything from what I think about cabbage (“Um, Jiyong, I really don’t have anything to say about cabbage…”; “Come on, Santokki, how could you not have anything to say about cabbage?!”) to what I’m scared of (heights, airplanes, large animals of any kind on my part, while Jiyong had basically nothing), everything from my least favorite color to my favorite pair of socks (“I…um…really like the ones with the powerpuff girls”)…it was like opening a water faucet and have it spray uncontrollably everywhere. Jiyong wouldn’t stop asking! The most frustrating thing was, he never ran out of questions. However, I’m not going to lie, I find it pretty fun. We have actually a lot of things in common, which was a pleasant surprise. Question after question, we couldn’t stop talking and we got to know each other. I don’t think I know so much about Minzy or CL, though I consider them my best friends. It was like getting to know a friend all over again. Well, I suppose Jiyong can count as my friend now, since we both gotten to know so much about each other.

     “Santokki, are you listening to me?” Jiyong asked crossly, and I looked at him tiredly.

     “Um, yes? You were asking what type of clouds I like?” I tried my luck.

     Jiyong sternly observed me. “That was five minutes ago. I was saying that we should take turns asking questions, or I’m the only one whose brain is moving.”

     “Mine is moving!” I protested, slapping him hard on the arm. “I was just spacing out for a moment, ok? Knowing what you think about ocean water is hard to take in for me!”

     Jiyong rolled his eyes. “Excuses, excuses. Whatever. Your turn to ask a question.”

     Oh great gosh, what other questions exists on this planet? He had in all covered! “Uh…ok, question…when was your first kiss?” Huh, that was random. Not to mention, normal. Well, at least to me, in comparison to the cabbage question. Wait, if I asked him when was his first kiss, then I’d have to answer him…oh no, no no…that cannot happen! The playboy Kwon Jiyong absolutely cannot find out that I have never been kissed in my life! He would never, ever let me live it down. “Wait, I take that back-“

     “What’s done is done,” Jiyong sang out merrily, looking at me with a wicked grin on his face. “First kiss, five years old, at my own backyard.”

     “Wait, WHAT?!” I shrieked, getting up from my comfy position on the bench to stare at him in shock. I knew he played around, but at such a young age?! Could this get any weirder? “Five years old?! Ew! That is so gross! Which girl would kiss you, boys still had cooties back then!”

     Jiyong’s smile got wider. “You did.” I didn’t quite get what he said until a minute of total silence when I stared at him blankly, waiting for it to sink in. Nah. He’s playing with me. I would’ve remembered if it was real. Who would forget their first kiss anyways?

     “You’re a liar,” I decided feverishly. “There was no such thing. Spill it, the real version.”

     “Not lying, Darong, it’s the truth,” Jiyong laughed, ruffling my hair. “It wasn’t bad, I admit.”