[Dara]

     We’re officially together.

     …I think.

     I sighed as I slumped on the cafeteria table, trying to hide behind my bottle of orange juice. Curious stares and unstoppable gossip are not something I think I can get used to. In fact, it makes me more uncomfortable than ever. The news of the engagement doesn’t seem to plan on dying down anytime soon. The media is getting a lot out of this, creating more and more “insider’s scoop” and “newest development” that I never knew existed. Many of our friends, like Seungri and Daesung, were tracked down by various reporters, but refused to be interviewed. Some “close mutual friend” of us had apparently told Kpop Weekly that we had zero chemistry between us, and that we’ll be breaking up in a matter of weeks. (I have a feeling that this “close mutual friend” may be Yuna…) Some people overanalyzed the whole thing as if it was some experiment.

     The thing is, the whole world knows we’re engaged, and the majority of them probably believe that we have a beautiful Cinderella-styled love story. Truth is, it feels like our relationship just started. Ever since the day of our “break”, we’ve been spending almost every minute of the day together. School was nothing new. As his fiancée, I had to attend a lot of charity dinners, concerts, speeches, gala parties alongside Jiyong. Of course, I prefer to think that I’m appearing at these events more as the heiress of Park Enterprises, but somehow the way we look kind of makes me resemble more like “Kwon Jiyong’s future wife”, as if I was a possession of Jiyong. I’m not really happy about that, nor am I pleased about the amount of attention and spotlight that’s showered upon me, but Jiyong tries so hard to make the situation easier to bear for me. When we were at the opera by invitation from some senator, I was about to fall asleep from boredom and exhaustion when Jiyong silently shared an earbud of his earphones with me. It was a small gesture, but it made my heart warm. For the rest of the night, we both sat there without speaking a word, our eyes on the stage, listening to our favorite songs on his phone. We’re still getting to know each other better, step by step, may it be conversations in the car or on the phone before I fall asleep.

     Jiyong dumped a thick manila envelope on the table as he sat down next to me, casually giving me a quick peck on the cheek, which made me blush immediately. I was still not used to this kind of lovey-dovey thing, but it wasn’t unpleasant. “Glad to see you in one piece.”

     “Hyung, you’re being disgusting,” Seungri, who sat on the other side of me, complained while rolling his eyes as he scooted closer to me. “You had just left her alone in the short period of the time the bell rang for lunch break until now. Plus, you asked me to walk her to the cafeteria. Aren’t you over-reacting?”

     “Maknae, shut up and eat your lunch. And don’t sit so close to Dara,” Jiyong replied dully. Seungri sulked, but obeyed. Jiyong turned to me, and smiled boyishly. “Got something for you.”

     “Really?” I raised my eyebrows at him, while looking around. On some days when he came to pick me up in the morning, he would bring a surprise for me. One day it would be a pretty yellow rose, another day it would be a small stuffed bunny I had told him was too adorable to resist. He never failed at brightening my day, even when it was only the two of us bickering. “What is it?”

     “This.” He pointed to the manila envelope. I gingerly opened it and took out a notebook. Huh, maybe it was a collection of photos or something. I quickly flipped through the pages. It was empty. “It’s for us.”

     Us. Somehow there’s something magical about that word.

     “Us? What does a blank notebook have to do with…’us’?” I eyed the notebook suspiciously as I drank my orange juice slowly. Don’t tell me it has magical powers or something. Jeez.

     “It’s our love notebook,” Jiyong stated as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I sputtered, almost forgetting I still had juice in my mouth, and Seungri gagged in a less subtle way. Did he just say LOVE notebook?!

     “Hyung, you’re so full of-“ Before Seungri could announce what he thought Jiyong was full of, he was shut up by Jiyong, who gave him the “you’re so dead if you say one more word” glare. Jiyong turned to me and shrugged.

     “I know we spend a lot of time together already, but it would be great if we can jot down our thoughts and feelings, and exchange the notebook from time to time, so we can understand each other better. It’s a good idea, don’t you think, Darong?” Jiyong smiled dazzlingly, and I could not find words to disagree with him. Lately, he’s been calling me Darong a lot. If I remember correctly, it was also a nickname he made up, but unlike “Santokki”, the name stuck and some adult friends of my parents would also call me that when I was little. “Santokki”, however, seemed reserved only for Jiyong. He only uses “Santokki” with me when he’s teasing me or about to pull some prank, and the rest of the time it’s Darong. I don’t know why, but somehow, the nickname Darong seems much more intimate…Uh, I mean, friendly…

     “I guess…” I put the notebook back, and stuffed the whole thing in my bag. But…what was I supposed to write in it? Thoughts? Feelings? I squirmed uncomfortably. Jiyong could already read through me pretty well, if he knew more about me, I’d feel !

     Uh…that sounds a bit wrong…

     My phone beeped, and I took it out.

From: Tabi

    Busy this afternoon? Meet up together at the library afterschool?

     I thought for a second. Jiyong had to leave early for a business meeting with the investors of his family’s company. He had specifically left instructions for Seungri to drive me home, but I had overheard Seungri talking on the phone with CL about a “walk in the park” after school ends. Haha, those two. When Jiyong and I announced our engagement, Seungri had been pouting and in an endless bad mood over how I’m not his “favorite-est noona” anymore because I “belonged to Jiyong hyung”. I felt bad for neglecting him, so I begged CL, who was also complaining about my lack of attention towards her, to pay more attention to him, and despite grumbling and complaining, she agreed. Ever since then, they had become inseparable, especially over the newfound thing they have in common: being neglected by me.

     I’ll just tell Seungri to go ahead without me, meet up with TOP, and ask TOP to bring me home. He’s been my private tutor, in a way, lately. He takes a lot of classes on how to run the family company, and in turn, teaching me. Even though Grandfather had dismissed my heiress training classes as unnecessary after my engagement with Jiyong, I was determined not to lack behind in my own schedule, as well as stay true to my values and purpose to achieve what I want in life, which was to be able to run the family enterprise well. I was determined not to become one of those lazy, do-no-good wives who rake out all the money of her rich husband’s credit card and has no higher purpose in life other than flying to Milan for a one-day shopping trip every season. I’ve kept this secret from everyone, because I don’t think it’d sit well with the public once they find out. They would probably write some headlines like “Sandara Park taking Administration Lessons to Make Preparations to Take Over Soon-to-be Husband Jiyong’s Company” or something dumb. I would like to live without that drama, thank you very much. Content with my plan, I typed in a reply to TOP.

From: me

    OK, will do. See you then.

[TOP]

     I smiled at the sight of Dara huff