Ask for more
 

Dara tried, she really tried, to keep their relationship secret. She made a point of not gazing at him when they were in public together and she kept interaction brief and formal. But inside she trembled with insecurity when he didn’t glance at her and she knew why.

Over the past days, she had been constantly reminded that no relationship of Ji’s had ever lasted. Why should theirs be any different?

Theirs was even being kept secret because Ji didn’t want what was going on between the two of them being the talk of every table in the island. She knew how he hated the gossipmongers prattling every now and then.

But even knowing that it was probably doomed, she wouldn’t have changed anything. And if she spent her days racked with doubts as to his feelings, when night came she was left in no doubt at all.

Like teenagers hiding from prowling parents, he visited her room by going through her beach side window and spent time with her until the early hours.

They ate, talked, and made love, but he never stayed the whole night and Dara didn’t know whether she felt frustrated by that or grateful.

On the one hand she was slightly relieved not be the subject of local gossip, but on the other hand she was greedy for time with him. She loved the fact that he talked to her and sensed that he said things to her that he never said to anyone else.

Occasionally, the conversation turned to the topic of his family.

“You’re still very lucky for having your cousins” she murmured one night as she lay with her head on his shoulder “I suppose that they’re the only people who made you go home here.”

“They have always been there to back me up” he a hand over her hair “After both of my parents died, Seunghyun was relentless in somehow getting me to go back here. It’s a new feeling because while my Father was still alive, he was relentless in seeming to drive me away. Half the time before their accident, I didn’t even go home and my mother always worried. I slept on the beach or borrowed the old barn by the Gangjeon’s. That was fine until the night I lit a fire to keep warm and the wind changed.”

Dara’s heart twisted “I guessed things were bad. You once slept on the old beach house we had, remember?”

His arms tightened around her “I actually did that a lot.”

“Well, I watched out for you because I saw you the first night. I told Grandpa about it and he told me to bring you a blanket.”

“You were the one putting blankets on me?” he uttered in surprise.“Grandpa said you were too proud but we both worried about you. So, if there were times I’d see you there, I sneaked out to cover you in a blanket.”

“I had always wondered about that but I guess I just automatically thought it was your Grandpa. I think he also knew that I would never ask so he never really spoke to me about it. We had a strange relationship because deep inside, I always knew it was Principal Park – who weirdly enough – understood me the most.”

“He’s very wise. And at the time you burned down the science lab, he had gotten angry but his calm quickly took over and he chuckled.”

“He chuckled?”

“He told me he was waiting when you were going to use all the materials you were buying form the drug store.”

“He knew, of course.”

“I think it’s innate in him – to watch over people.”

“Like you do?” he asked.

“I’m just being forced into it coz you lot are hard to handle.”

He lifted an eyebrow “I’ve behaved.”

“No you haven’t” She laughed, trying to ignore the queasy feeling in her stomach that his stare was inducing.

“Oh really” he rolled her swiftly onto her back and came down on top of her, pinning her still with his weight “Why don’t I show you how I misbehave?”

She giggled softly but couldn’t stop herself from thinking.

How did he feel about her?

How did she really feel about him?

Their relationship was the most thrilling, exciting thing that had ever happened to her, but at the same time she knew that there couldn’t be a happy ending.But for the time being she was just going to live in the present.

And that was what she did.

But rumors were gradually spreading across Jeju.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Bets lead to surprising truths

The very first Saturday that marked the first week of their relationship, Dara was in the pub with the rest of the medical centre staff, including an extremely pregnant Bom.

“Tomorrow, I’m taking you over to the mainland” Seunghyun raised his glass to his wife “That baby is going to come any time now.”

“No hurry” Bom answered with a smile and Dara knew her friend and her husband had worked things out. She glanced at Dara “Are you going to manage without him?”

“Of course.”

“Hey, Dr. Kwon!” Nam Dong Sun, one of the bartenders stopped over their table and slapped Ji on the shoulders “How are you doing? We didn’t see you playing basketball this Thursday.”

Dara studied her grapefruit juice intently, careful not to look at Ji.

“I’m good man” Ji leaned back in his chair and stretched out under the table “And you?”

“Bit tired” Dong Sun winked at him “I was already catching my sleep but I keep getting woken up by that bike of yours at three in the morning every night this week. Thought to myself, the Dragon’s been out on the hunt.”

Dara felt her face flame, but Ji simply stifled a yawn, apparently unflustered “Just relieving the boredom of being stuck here in Jeju, Dong Sun. Do you blame me?”

“Nah, Doc, but I do envy you” Dong Sun gave a delighted laugh “Go on man! Tell us the name of the lucky girl. Knowing you, it’s someone different from the girl you were hiding in the waved the night we saw you on the beach.”

“Of course. That was weeks ago and I’m not long into relationships” Ji didn’t falter but Dara’s breathing stopped and inside she suffered an agony of embarrassment.

“I knew it!” Daesung suddenly piped up and looked at Young Bae “Cough up man. I’ve been telling you, he had a girl with him on the beach that day!”

“What the?!?” Ji turned to the two of them.

“Well, you’re a secretive man, nowadays” Daesung explained “I heard that weeks ago and Young Bae told me you’d surely tell him about it but since you weren’t, he says it might just be a rumor. I made him a bet!”

“Kids!” Seunghyun muttered.

“Next time you hear things Dong Sun, let me know. I’m going to be rich out of this guy” he teased Young Bae who was frustratingly taking out bills from his wallet.

“That ain’t fair man” Young Bae answered him and then looked at Ji “The next time, I’m going to ask you directly and I’m going to tie you up until you say the truth.”

Ji just laughed it off but Dara couldn’t shake off her uneasiness.Of course, people were talking. How could she have imagined otherwise?And how could she cope with being on the receiving end of everyone’s nudges and winks and brush them off just as easily as Ji?

This time she’d be the one everyone was talking about and betting on whenever they bought their oranges in the greengrocer on the quay. She’d be the subject of speculative glances.

Dara tightened her fingers round her glass and tried to breathe steadily and slow her heart rate, but inside she was shrinking because she knew ony too well what they’d all be saying.

“Kwon Ji Yong had seduced her and it wouldn’t last five minutes.”

She took a large slug of her drink and then realized that Ji was looking at hr, his gaze curiously intent. Unable to look away, she slowly put her glass down on the table.He gave a faint smile and something in that smile worried her. He looked… resigned?Tired?

“OH MY GOD!!!” Bom shouted beside her, shaking them from staring into one another.

Dara looked at what Bom could be shouting about and spotted them – Seungri and Chaerin were walking over to them – looking as happy as larks, holding one another’s hand.

“Chaerin!!!!” she screamed excitedly – momentarily forgetting the awkward grenades exploding all around her and ran to hug the person closest to a sister she had in this world.

“Dara-unnie!!!” Chaerin responded and hugged her back tightly “I’ve missed you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?!?” she told her ecstatically, finally opening her eyes after hugging her and she felt her heart totally stop.

Standing right behind Seungri and Chaerin was Jay.

“Well… We wanted to surprise you” Chaerin answered as she disentangled Dara’s arms around her and knew that she had already seen the man who came with them.

“Hello Dara” Jay told her and before she could blink twice – she had been pulled from Chaerin to his arms.

“Jay” she managed to say against his shirt as he took her in and pressed her head against his heart. She heard gasps but couldn’t see who made them for the music seemed to have stopped and she became hyper aware of everything around her.

“Aren’t you going to say you missed me?” he asked as he kissed her left brow “Coz I’ve missed you.”

“Oh God” she thought “What is going on?!?!?!?!”

“Who’s that?” she heard Ji ask anybody in the crowd. Jay was basking in the moment but her brain and sense were scattered everywhere at the surprise of the moment.

“That’s Jay” Bom answered him – her tone a little wistful “Dara’s first love.”