CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
[Strength]

Dara's POV

This was not happening. I tried to stay away from anything related to him but why it's all coming back. I wanted to go back in Paris and ran away again but I could not turn my back on my work. It needed my attention. I've been away too long that I was not able to manage my business here. It took a lot of my strength not to pack away and flew again.

After that night, I knew that would not be our last meeting so I have to find ways for that not to happen.

I was busy dolling up to go to the room when Minzy went in with a worried look. I had a hunch that she knew something and from her reactions last night, she already found it out.

She walked up to the bed and sat on it. "Unnie, are you going to your office? Do you want me to come with you?" she asked.

I smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Yup, she did know something. "When did you know about Jiyong?"

She sighed and looked away. "When you got drunk, I saw you in the bar and I send you home."

"Oh" I nodded and just went back putting lipstick on my lips.

There was silence for a while then Minzy broke it.

"Unnie, what should you do now?" I looked back at her.

"Honestly, I don't know. Seeing him last night broke the wall I put up for three years. I still love him but I already chose not to and I have to face it." I laid my hands on the dressing table and only stared at nothing in particular.

"Is it worth it? You chose your friendship with Bom unnie over Jiyong but you also cut ties with your friends. You were still at the losing end." I put on my earrings for the final touch. I stood up and got my bag.

I did think of that. I treasured my friendship more than love. I knew Bom more than Jiyong but it hurts to leave him for that reason and so I left. I didn't want to see the both of them in a relationship.

"I have to go now, Minzy. See you tonight." I smiled at her but I knew it didn't reach to my eyes.

She just sighed and also stood up. "I'll be leaving as well. Ji-Eun and I will meet-up in the mall."

"Okay. I'll drop you off there." We were now out of the room and into the living room. Daesung was not living with MInzy. Tabi went out very early this morning but he said he'll be in the office before she does.

"It's okay unnie. I have to bring my car because Ji-Eun will be riding with me after." We went out and off to the lift.

We separated on the basement to our own cars. My car was sent last night by Dae's driver so I could use it today so I was still looking for it. I just pushed the car's key button for me to find out where it parked.

A car shrieked at my left. It was a white range rover identical to my car in Paris. Deasung did know my taste of cars.

I went closer and opened it when someone unexpected stopped me.

"Hi Dara..." my eyes widen and I dropped the keys.




Minzy's POV


"Minzy! Here!" Ji-Eun waved her hand to get my attention.

We decided to meet at Starbucks. This was one of our bestfriend-hang-out moments alone. She claimed that since we were always with our perks for the whole school days, there should be a day for only the two of us. She said that this might stop if we had each other's boyfriends in the future. Did she have to emphasize that I still didn't have a boyfriend? I mean the two of us. I was not planning to have because I always thought of Dara unnie's. What if I could also be heartbroken just like her?

"Stop waving, I already saw you." I sat opposite to her and grabbed the cup of latte she ordered for me.

"Tsch...You're such a killjoy. Remind me why we're friends again?" she faked an irritated look.

"I don't know. You remind me." I just smiled at her pissed expression.

"Aigoo... what a good friend you are." she said sarcastically.

"I know." I said and smiled further.

After that, she keeps on blabbing about how annoying her twin brothers were. She had twin brothers namely Young Don & Young Deuk. They are five years older than them but she claimed that they were like five years old. I saw them a lot of times because I used to hang-out with her in their house. They were dancers and they did a lot of back-ups with famous singers. I saw them once dance and I tell you, they were not five year olds.

I was a dancer myself but I kept it on my closet. I didn't want anyone knowing about my passion because my brother would throw a fit if he knew I'll be dancing than working with him in the company. He worked so hard for the company so what I could do for him is to lend my hands to him.

"By the way, they were looking for you. They were wondering why you're no longer visit in our house." she said then sipped her coffee while looking at me probably waiting for my answer.

"You know we've been busy these past few days. We're seniors now and our term papers are due next week." I said.

"I told them that but they won't believe me. Can you believe that? They don't trust their own sister." she rolled her eyes and slouched on the chair with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Why don't you get along?" Well, I also have a big brother but we get along.

"I tell you, they are aliens! They must have brainwashed my parents for them to live here." she still looked pissed.

"No they're not. They're kinda cute." I unconsciously said.

She looked at me and smiled teasingly. "Do you have hots with my brothers? Which one?" She leaned closely at the table.

"What?! Are you on drugs? I just said they're cute, so what?" I said coolly not even minding her teasing me.

She pouted and went back to her seat. "They said hi."

I smiled. "Tell them hi as well."

We were silent for a while. She was looking outside the glass and watched the people strolling while stirring her coffee. I was looking at the counter menu to look for a good brunch. I was not able to take breakfast because I woke up late.

"Minzy-ah, is Dara unnie okay now?" I tore my gaze on the menu and gaze at her. She was still looking outside and I wondered if it was just my imagination.

I hesitated in answering her but she suddenly looked at me. She cocked an eyebrow and I realized she really did ask.

"Well, barely. She was not into drinking so a little drink could knock her out." I just said.

"I hope she's okay. I saw her being dragged outside by a man last night. I was in shock that I was not able to tell you but when I saw him with CL sunbaenim's on their table, I assumed they knew each other." she said and that shocked me.

"Oh." I could only say. I already had an idea on unnie's behavior last night and it just confirmed it.

"I don't want to be nosy or something but is there any problem with unnie and CL sunbaenim? Last night, when she followed us, she kept on looking in your car and you and Seunghyun oppa tried hard to cover the car." I was shocked. I never knew Ji-Eun to be very observant. She always had this image of a preppy girl that is oblivious of around her. I found a new side of my bestfriend.

"As much as I want to tell you everything, it's not our position to meddle. They had to fix their problems themselves. We are not part of it and it's good to be out of it. I love Dara unnie but she has to face her worst nightmare in order to wake up from it." I said tiredly.

She just stared at me as if reading something and after a minute she went back on watching the people outside. "I just hope nothing worse will come to this. It's just so sad knowing they are like this because of a lie."

I didn't get her. What was she talking about? What lie? I was about to ask her when she suddenly looked at me with a whole different personality.

"Come on! Let's go shopping!" She excitedly say, stood up and grabbed me to go.

"IU! I want to eat first!" how could she had strength like this when she's so small.

"Let's eat later." she said while smiling. Total 160 degrees turn from earlier. She's scaring me.



Someone's POV


He watched the two girls went out of the cafe. He had been there for quite some time now and he practically heard every conversation the girls had. He was just listening behind the short-haired girl. He was confident that the two didn’t know of him and so was he. He was just concentrating on his brunch when he heard Dara's name from one of them.

He fought the urge to look on his back and joined in the conversation. He had questions himself ever since Dara left. He wanted to confront anyone involved but decided to wait. With this new-found information he got, his hunch were becoming clear.

The cute girl said something about a lie. What lie that started all this? And more importantly, who lied? He had an idea who but it's still early to say and he did not know the root of it.

Again, he would just observe and would just step in if he's very sure.

"Oppa, sorry to keep you waiting." a long-legged girl approached him. She was a head-turner as reflected by guys who drooled over her and girls who envied her.

"No, it's okay Yuri-ah. Something kept me occupied." I said and smiled at her. She sat down and crossed her legs emphasizing how great those legs were.

"I hope I could keep you from that." she smiled seductively.

I smirked at her getting the idea. "Well, come on and try."

Her smile widened. Tsch... That's how playboys worked.



Dara's POV


"What are you doing here? How did you know I'm here?" I recovered from the shock but I still could not attain to move. Why did it have to be now?

"Dara, do you hate me now?" she asked.

Do I? I think so... I don't know. The question caught me off guard.

"I~" I started but was cut off.

"Why are you doing this to me? When he's already opening up to me, you just turned up and ruined everything." she was angry. Her eyes turned into slits.

"Bom, I didn't mean to show up like that. I never planned to be seen by him, you, or anyone. I just came back here because of work and nothing else." I tried to reach for her but she just stepped back.

"Don't you ever come to him even if he comes running to you, arrasso? Well, he hated you already so there's no point of getting him back." that pierced to my heart.

He hated me? That explained the harsh treatment she got from him. I felt like my heart was about to explode so I clutched it and cried leaning down beside my car.

I felt her beside me and hugged me to her chest. "You shouldn't have come back. You made a good decision of leaving and look at you now, you're hurting again."

She was cooing me and I just let my emotions run through. "I'm sorry." I kept on mumbling while sobbing.



TOP's POV


I formed a fist seeing her state. It's coming back again. The same state she had when she first came in Paris. I never had any idea of what happened to her. My cousin didn't even say anything about it either. Dara was on the verge of destroying herself emotionally if not with the joined care of my cousins and me.

When I saw her soulless eyes, I had this urge to protect her from anything that could hurt her. I may not know the reason of her broken state, I was determined to conceal all of that for me to see life in her eyes. She's the most beautiful woman I first laid on and not just because of her face but her smile but unfortunately it never reached her eyes. I somehow appointed myself as her knight though she was Dae's fiancée and I was doing the part well.

In a year of effort from me and my cousins, she was able to live well but her eyes were still lacking and I can't seem to break that wall surrounding her. Seeing her again in this kind of state, wanted me to strangle that girl who hurt her. When I saw her crouched down and weeping, I had the urge to run to her and protect her but when I saw who she was with, I stopped and further listened to the conversation. I may have known the reason of all this.

"You shouldn't have come back. You made a good decision of leaving and look at you now, you're hurting again." I heard the same girl I bumped into last night.

'So, they knew each other?' I remembered she was with the guy who was glaring at me. 'Is he?'

"I'm sorry." Dara kept on repeating while sobbing.

'Why should she be sorry?' I'm running out of my limits hearing her cries.

"Go away, Dara. Please stay away from Jiyong. He already suffered enough when you left him. I don't want to see him like that again." the girl seemed like consoling her but she's just making it worse.

"B-but y-you t-told me to..." Dara said but was cut off by that girl.

"Dara, are you really that heartless? You already have everything and the only one I asked of you is Kwon Jiyong. You're becoming selfish again, Dara." what?! Selfish? Dara? She was clearly the one suffering from all this!

"I-I'm sorry, Bommie..." I heard Dara again said.

That's it! I could no longer take this. "Dara!" I called into her and she paled more when her gaze was on me.

"T-Tabi..." she stuttered and instantly stood up and faced the girl named Bommie.

"Bom, I-I'll s-see y-you around. It's nice to see you again!" Dara pushed her away lightly when I was still walking to them.

Bom looked at me with a straight face. She then smirked and her gaze turned to Dara. "I guess you don't need Jiyong anymore in your life since you already have a new toy."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. She was getting on my nerves now. I swear if she's not a girl, she's already lying on this cold floor bleeding.

"I-It's not what you think!" She waved her hands frantically in front of Bom.

"Good-bye Dara and remember what I told you." Bom said and looked at me for the last time and bowed a little and walked opposite ours.

Dara just nodded before Bom walked off.

There was silence. Either of us didn't talk but I knew she knew that I witnessed everything. She was still not looking at me and Bom was already gone minutes ago.

"Dara~"

"Just stay out of this, Seunghyun." she cut me off.

I breathe deeply before angrily faced her. "You know I can't do that. I won't do that! Dara, I've been a friend to you and you still don't trust me?"

"Tabi, you don't know what happened and I want to remain that. I don't want to burden you anymore." she looked down while saying it.

"Dara, you're never a burden, okay? Never will. I'm your knight, remember that." I said.

"But I never ask for your protection." she glanced at me and tears were still flowing on her eyes.

I reached for her and cupped her cheek. "You don't need to ask. I volunteered myself. You're special to me, Dara. I will be your strength if you need me and I will never leave you."

More tears came out. "I'm sorry, Tabi..."

I leaned closer and kissed her forehead and hugged her tighter. She was sobbing again and all I could do was to hold on her. "Trust on me, princess..."

I felt her nodded. I pulled her and wiped her cheeks. "Be strong, okay? Everything will be alright. I promise." I didn't know why I said that but I felt that they're the best words to say for situation like this.

I stared into her eyes. The same eyes that got me intrigued and they're now staring at me too. My eyes suddenly caught her biting her bottom lip. I suddenly had the urge to kiss her.

'Kiss her? Are you out of your mind, man? She just got into an emotional dilemma and here you are fantasizing to kiss her?' my thought.

'But it looks delicious!' that's me.

'Damn! Get your acts together!' I swear another person is living inside me.

She cleared and that's when I felt the awkwardness between us. She pulled out first and looked down.

'Now you did it! Bravo Choi Seunghyun!' I scolded myself.


"Uhmm... Dara, do you want to take a rest?" I said.

She looked up and smiled. "No, I'm fine, Tabi. I rested long enough."

"But..."

"I'm okay besides you're there, right?" I was shock. When I looked at her, she was also and her eyes seemed hopeful and it gave me confidence that she wanted me there for her.

I smiled and nodded. Her smile widened but same as before, it never reached her eyes.

“Why are you here? I thought you’re in the office already?” she asked. I looked away and got the key on the floor.

“I went to meet Daesung for something. I just forgot something in the apartment that’s why I came back here.” I faced her and noticed that her face was a mess.

"Come on, I'll drive. Fix yourself while going there." I guided her on the other side.

“What about the thing you forgot?” She asked while I assisted her to sit.

“You’re more important.” I stared at her eyes. She faced the front and reached for her seatbelt. I then went to my side of the car.

"Thank you, Tabi." she said when I settled on the driver seat.

I reached for her hand and squeezed it. "No problem, princess. Just remember what I told you. You could trust me."

She nodded and I the engine.




 

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Thanks for reading this!!!


It took me long to update this chapter
because of some issues...
hehehe... honestly, I was so pissed on our
office that my mood got affected.
I could not think of a good update...


I hope you would still like it.
I'm sorry for there's no Daragon moment
but instead it's Tabisan... hehehe...
I told u I'm also a shipper...


Please do comment!!!
I'll be happy to hear from u...
I think I lost a lot of readers since there's
not much comment anymore...
I'm sorry for being a bad writer...