[Note: Sorry for the late update... I was on a vacation and there's no internet connection there... hehehe... Please enjoy the update!]

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
[Rain]


 

It took six hours for the meeting to finish. After Daesung went out for her to talk to the executives of the company, the meeting became more serious dealing with the problems and its possible resolution to them. It took a lot of arguments, revisions, and opinions to settle things. There were still a lot of unfinished business but the major ones had been resolved so they called it a day.

The moment she went out of the conference room, it was already two in the afternoon and she was not able to take her lunch. She texted Daesung and Seunghyun of her plan to take a lunch but she bumped to someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry." a cute voice said.

She was about to say sorry as well when she saw who she bumped into.

"Ji-Eun?" the girl looked at her and was delighted to see her too.

"Dara unnie! Wow! We were not able to see you again after the incident in the club." she smiled widely at her.

"I know. Sorry about that. I was caught up with things." Dara said and shifted the topic. She first looked around and the cute girl confusedly followed her gaze.

"Are you with Minzy?"

"Oh no, I'm alone. I'm supposed to meet someone but I think he's not coming." she pouted. Dara really found Ji-Eun cute but of course her dongsaeng's cuter than her.

"He?" Dara brought a tease smile.

"No, no, no" Ji-Eun waved her hand at the same time shook her head. "It's not what you think. I'm supposed to meet my cousin but like always, he stood me up again."

"Oh, poor you..." Dara fondled her head.

"I know." the girl rolled her eyes that earned a chuckle from Dara.

"Is he working here?" Dara asked.

"No, he just said to meet up here since he had a meeting with some associates." she replied

"Maybe he's not yet finished."

"I doubt that. He should have texted me or something. He just forgot about me. What a good cousin he is." she said sarcastically.

"Well, since your cousin stood you up, wanna have a bite? I'm kinda hungry since I skipped lunch." Ji-Eun smiled and nodded.

"I'll call Minzy to meet us up there." Dara nodded and both of them walked to the car.






Chaerin arrived at Bom's house in an instant. Along with Seungri, they were welcomed by Bom's nanny since she was a baby.

"Nana, where's Bom?" she asked the old lady.

Nana eyed her since her face showed no remorse and it's the first time the old lady experienced it from her.

Chaerin might have felt the old lady's discomfort so she instantly changed her expression. Bom's nanny also took care of her and Dara before.

"I'm sorry, Nana. I didn't mean to scare you." Chaerin smiled at her genuinely.

Finally, the old lady smiled at her. "Dear, she's not here at the moment. Actually, she's not staying her for a year now, didn't you know?"

That shocked her. All the while, Bom was hiding to her this sort of information. She realized Bom didn't tell her of anything personal to her anymore aside from school, friends, and Jiyong.

"No, I didn't." she shook her head.

"Oh, that girl really likes to keep everything to herself. I don't know when she started keeping secrets from me." Nana looked sad while saying that.

She held Nana's hands. "Me too, Nana. I no longer know her."

"Perhaps if Dara comes back, she might be back to herself again." Nana looked at her hopefully.

She was confused. She looked at Seungri and he mirrored the same expression.

"What do you mean, Nana?"

Nana sighed before speaking. "Before Dara went away, Bom started to change. She always had an argument with her parents saying that they prefer Dara than her, their own daughter. She never stayed in the house for long and went out even in the middle of the night. I thought you were with her so I was not worried but one night I saw her went out with some new faces."

"It's not Jiyong?" she asked.

"I was certain I had never seen them before. Jiyong never once stepped in this house since Dara left so I'm sure he was not the one with her every night." Nana said.

Chaerin and Seungri glanced to each other again. "Nana, Jiyong is Bom's boyfriend."

"Really?" Nana's brows furrowed on the information. "Like I said, I never saw him here with her. You know Bom always want me to meet who she dates, right? So, I never knew of that relationship." now the hurt the old lady was feeling was evident on her face.

Chaerin gently tightened her hold on Nana. "You said her behavior started before Dara left?" Nana nodded.

"Do you think Dara knows something?"

"I think so because the day Dara left, I saw Bom sending a message to Dara." Chaerin's brow furrowed.

"What's the message?" Seungri finally talked behind her.

"Oh, who might you be?" Nana asked him. Oh, she forgot to introduce Seungri to Nana.

"I'm~" he started but she cut her off.

"He's my boyfriend, Nana." Nana's eyes widen with shock and she swore, Seungri had a wide grin for it’s the first time that she told the "my boyfriend" herself.

Nana's expression suddenly saddened. "See? You even had a boyfriend without me knowing. I feel like I'm not being cherished anymore by you, kids."

She started to sob. She smiled and hugged the old lady tightly. "Nana, I'm sorry. You know how stubborn I am, right? I'm not Dara and Bom who like to say their feelings."

"I guess you really like this man over there for you to say boldly that you're in a relationship?" she teased. She felt her face burning and she looked away only to meet Seungri's eyes full of giddiness.

She glared at him but he just smiled widen from ear to ear. She cleared before looking serious again at Nana.

"Going back to the real topic, have you seen the message Bom sent to Dara?"

Nana now looked serious and was thinking. "I'm not quite sure but it's like Bom saying sorry then thanking Dara of something and she replied for Bom to be happy again. That's it."

They were silent again. Chaerin was trying to analyze the new information she attained. After a while, it hit her.

"Nana, do you know where's she staying now?" Nana nodded. "Can I have the address?"

Nana walked inside to get some paper and pen. Seungri then walked beside her.

"What were you thinking?"

"I think Dara gave up Jiyong for Bom." she said.

"What?! That easy? Doesn't she love hyung that much for her to easily give him up?" Seungri felt disappointed on Dara. He knew how Jiyong loves her to the point of changing his whole being just for her.

"No, she loves him more than anything. She told me herself."

"How sure are you that that was not a facade?" he clinched his fist.

"Seungri, one thing you know about Dara is that she values friendship more than anything. She's beautiful but she ties to cover herself up for people not to notice her so that all attention was for either me or Bom alone especially for Bom." she explained.

"That's it! She chose friendship over her love for hyung. It meant that she least love hyung." he tried to control his voice not to be heard all over the house.

"Seungri, we can't put any conclusion to this that's why we are trying to find it out. I know Dara loves Jiyong, there's no doubt to that. I saw how hurt she was telling me how she loves him but she can't for she was afraid of something she can't tell." her voice could not hide the anger and like her personality, she didn't let anything stop her from bursting out her feelings.

He just shut up because he didn't want to level Chaerin's frustration but he was still gritting.

"Bom has an involvement to it and the reason, that's what we have to know and find out." she said with finality.

Someone cleared a throat and when they looked at the source, it was just Nana with a paper on her hand.

Chaerin walked over to her and got the paper. "Thanks Nana."

"Chaerin, if anything, please don't forsake Bommie. She's still your friend after all." Nana's sad voice was also pleading.

"I promise, Nana." Chaerin said and hugged her.

They bid their good-bye and walked out of the house.






Dara and Ji-Eun met Minzy on a cafe. The younger ones were so much fun to be with. She never had so much fun ever since she came back so it's a breath of fresh air being with the two.

"Unnie, I'll just go to the bathroom." Minzy said then faced Ji-Eun. "Wanna come?"

"Why Mingkki-ah? You still want your mama to wipe your popo?" she said playfully.

"Yah! You’re not my mama and I can do that myself!" Minzy glared at her and slapped Ji-Eun's shoulder.

"Ouch! You're being physical now, Minzy-ah." Ji-Eun pouted and rubbed her shoulder.

"Are you going or not?" Minzy crossed her arms on her chest.

"After what you did? No! I'll stay here. And besides, you're gonna beat me in the bathroom if were alone." Ji-Eun stuck her tongue to her.

"Whatever!" she rolled her eyes. "I'll be there in a minute." she glared to Ji-Eun before going. Ji-Eun on the other hand posed a cute peace sign to Minzy and the latter smiled.

Dara was just silently laughing on the side.

"Unnie, how are you?" she heard Ji-Eun asked. She looked at her and she was sipping her juice while staring at her.

How could she answer that? "Uhmm...fine?"

The younger one smiled then went silent. Ji-Eun was kinda strange she thought. She continued to eat her food when she heard her again.

"Unnie, what would you do if the one you thought was true turned out to be a lie?" she looked up from her plate to Ji-Eun but she was not looking at her. Her attention was outside looking at a couple who seemed to be in an argument. Dara withdrew her gaze for she felt like meddling with someone else’s business while Ji-Eun did not move an inch.

The question kind of ticked her but she still answered her. "It depends on how grave the lie and the reason of it. If it turned out, it's my fault after all that's why the person did it then I should be the one to suffer."

"I see." she finally turned to Dara and stared for a minute then looked back outside without saying anything.

Dara smiled forcefully because of Ji-Eun's behavior “Y-Yeah. Well that's me, I don't know to anyone else."

"Yes, it's only you." Ji-Eun said without facing her again.

Minzy finally came up. "What's up with you two?" Dara and Ji-Eun were silent and they're seemed to be awkward.

"Hi girls!" a man suddenly joined in.

Dara looked up and recognized him. "Young Bae?"

"Hi Dara!" he greeted with his signature eye smile. "Mind if I join you?" he glanced at the three and his gaze stayed longer on Ji-Eun.

The younger girl blushed and lowered her head as if shy while Minzy rolled her eyes on her friend's reaction to the gorgeous guy in front of them. Dara just chuckled at it, totally forgetting the awkward moment seconds ago.

"No, Bae. Come on, join us." she scoot over the side to give space for Young Bae.

"I heard that you came back. Sorry I was not able to welcome you myself." He said to Dara.

"Oh, no one knew I came back so it's okay. By the way, these are Minzy and Ji-Eun." she pointed the two girls. "Minzy's the sister of my friend and I stayed at their house in Paris."

Young Bae extended his hand for a handshake and Minzy reached for it. "It's nice to meet you, Minzy. Thanks for taking care of Dara."

"It was never an obligation. I'm glad to have an older sister with me." she said.

Dara pointed Ji-Eun. "Ji-Eun here is Minzy's classmate and bestfriend."

"Hello..." Ji-Eun shyly greeted.

Young Bae smiled at her shyness. "It's nice to meet you, Ji-Eun-ah. You're so cute."

"T-Thank y-you..." Ji-Eun was obviously smitten on the man.

"Are you a regular here?" Dara made a topic to change the atmosphere. She saw Minzy heaved a relief sigh. Dara knew Minzy hated to see this kind of scenario. The younger one was surely influenced of her heartbreak that the latter would not believe in love anymore.

"No, I was just passing by when I saw you inside. I just want to say hi and then leave after." Young Bae explained with his usual glance at Ji-EUn.

Dara knew Young Bae's reputation so she was kinda worried if ever this man was interested at her dongsaeng's bestfriend especially now that Young Bae has an effect to Ji-Eun.

She leaned closer to him and whispered. "Will you stop flirting with Ji-Eun? She's still young, you know."

He chuckled a little and whispered back on her ear. "I'm not flirting. Besides, she's a beauty even though young."

"Yah!" she hit him hard.

The two girls were suspicious of the two. "Girls, don't you ever be fooled on guys like him." pointing at Young Bae. "He's nothing but a playboy."

"Ouch!" clutching his heart and made a hurting look. "That hurts, Dara. I may be a playboy but I treat my girls like princesses."

"It's a good thing Jiyong changed. I don't want to be just one of the girls." she just blurted out.

"Jiyong?" Ji-Eun asked. Upon realizing what she had said, she bit her lip and looked away from everyone.

Well, Young Bae had a glint in his eyes. Seemed his suspicious of Dara still loves Jiyong was true. As for Minzy, she was kinda hesitant to be happy for her unnie or not. She felt like her unnie would undergo heartbreak from this again. Ji-Eun's was just blank.

"I'm not Jiyong but I'm not closing the possibility of someone to come and changed me." he glanced again at Ji-Eun. Her face was still the same and he had a hunch that there's something the girl was hiding.

Dara cleared . "I-I'll be going back to the office. Where you at girls?" she clutched on her bag and glanced at the two.

"I have to meet someone, unnie. What about you, IU?" Minzy turned to Ji-Eun.

She shrugged her shoulder. "I don't know. I was not able to think of anything since I was supposed to be with my cousin today but since I don't have any plans, I better go home."

Dara and Minzy nodded. The older one was about to offer her a ride when Young Bae beat her to it.

"I'll take you home." he offered. He didn't glance at the fuming Dara beside him. His eyes were just on Ji-Eun who turned red.

"Young Bae, I can manage." Dara insisted.

"Nonsense! It will just be out of the way from your office, right Ji-Eun?" he said keeping his eyes on her.

"Y-Yeah unnie. I don't want to bother you. I've done enough today." Ji-Eun said.

"But~" Dara and Minzy chorused.

"Okay then! Ji-Eun, let's go?" he offered his arm like a gentleman and Ji-Eun didn't hesitate to reach it.

"Bye unnie! Bye Minzy! I'll call you later!" she waved to the two stupefied girls.

When the two were already gone, Dara heaved a sigh and faced Minzy. "Who are you meeting, Minzy-ah?"

"A friend." her only answer. Dara got curious of this "friend".

"I better go now, unnie." Minzy kissed her cheek and walked off.

She couldn't help but be suspicious of the three. First, Ji-Eun's sudden behavior and most especially the question. She felt uncomfortable answering it. Second, Young Bae's sudden appearance and his obvious interest on the younger girl. And now, Minzy and her so-called "friend". Who is it?

Answers would not just pop out of nowhere so she just shrugged all of it off and went out of the cafe.



Dara's maneuvering her car going to her office when her phone rang. It was Jiyong.

"Hello?" she said after putting the earpiece and received his call.

"Hi, D! How's your day?" she smiled though he couldn’t see it.

"I'm fine. I just got my late lunch with Minzy and her friend." she looked at the sky and noticed the dark cloud.

"Why'd you only have lunch now?" his voice is full of concern.

"Our meeting took longer than usual and when I'm thinking, I tend to forget to eat." she chuckled a little. Well, it's the truth. It explained her thin figure.

She heard him sigh. "Don't skip meals again, okay? I'll make sure of that."

She felt giddy when he said that. Jiyong only gave her that effect.

"Arasso." she couldn't contain her smile.

After a while, drops of rain were in her windshield. It was hard and she hardly could see the road ahead.

"Ji, I'll call you back later. It's raining pretty hard and it's difficult to drive in this condition." she said decreasing her speed.

"Okay. Just be careful on your way." he said while a car suddenly past and blocked her.

"Sh!t!" she instantly stepped on the break and maneuvered on the side preventing her from colliding at the black car.

"Dara? Dara! What happened?!" Jiyong was still on the line but she ended the call. Even though it's raining, she had to go down and scold the driver who almost crashed with her.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" but the driver of the car didn't even pull down the car window or went out that it only added to her anger.

"Yah! Come out of there!" she was already soggy from the rain but she didn't care. She banged on the hard-tinted window to tell the driver how furious she was.

Fortunately, there was not much car on the road. She didn't care if she'll cause ruckus here because she almost lost her life.

The door opened and she stepped back a little. She put her hands on her hips and was about to shoot her machine gun but she was more stunned on what she saw. In an instant, something pricked on her arm and she saw a needle coming from the driver's hand.

In just a second, she felt dizzy and lose her balance. She was caught by that person and with her last consciousness; she uttered "W-why?"

~~~~o0o~~~~o0o~~~~o0o~~~~o0o~~~~o0o~~~~o0o~~~~
How was it??
It's getting exciting now...
Who kidnapped Dara??
Can you guess who??
Hehehe...

Please stay tune for more updates...
Please leave a comment and show me some