CHAPTER 25: GOOD NEWS OR BAD NEWS?

Jiyong was still inside his car, observing Dara’s house keenly, like playing some badass detective in an action movie. He couldn’t just help himself in going inside, seeing that the person he bullied back in college is comfortably going in and out of that house, and it seems like he is close to Dara more than anyone invited!  What if Seungri and Dara are blood-related, that's why Dara can just order him around like a dog? And Ji suddenly joins the party, only to find out that he isn’t welcomed? Of course, if his prediction is right, Seungri's opinions will put a big impact on Dara's every decision! With his mind now paranoid by the thought of Dara hating him, he found himself helpless as he reclined his seat, placed his left hand behind his head and the other hand now busy texting his best buddy, Youngbae...

GD: Yo, YB! I’m here in front of Dara’s house.. I can’t just storm inside. I’ll explain later… get your here! I need to see you and ask you something before I make my move!! 

~*---*~

Youngbae is now at the peak of his happiness. Finally, he got what he wanted---to be closer to the new circle he met earlier, and even more closer to the person who captured his sleeping heart! Before this kind of feeling even existed and spread through his veins, Youngbae was just an ordinary man focused only on  achieving his dream---to become a performer like his best buddy, Jiyong. He only wants nothing but being a successful star, making a deep tattoo on people's lives. Youngbae is the type of guy that if he wants something, he never stops until he gets what he desires…

Even if he looks and feels happy right now, he can’t deny that the other part of him is in the middle of crisis. That other part of his mind thinks that he should stop this craziness and get back to reality where he should be, originally. He should help Jiyong be closer to his dream… it is the least he can do to repay his best buddy for all of the things Jiyong has done for him! Jiyong is not asking for anything in return, but that's why Youngbae wants to repay him badly---- because Jiyong is a person who gives people hell, and Youngbae and TOP hyung are the only exeptions. He should be a great friend... and since he also remembered TOP hyung, he should not break the promise he just made too! Before he arrived at the house of the Parks, he is so determined to tell Jiyong every crazy thing he unintentionally has done behind his friend’s back! He wants Jiyong to understand that he didn’t mean to do it, in fact, he never realized of making this mess because he was so mesmerized by Dara’s presence! But he suddenly felt helpless to fight against his heart... It's just too impossible! Whenever he is near Dara, he is like superman who just kissed his kryptonite---powerless and weak. But this weakness isn’t a bad feeling for him at all… He finds it the most addicting weakness that he has ever encountered! He forgets every problem he has, including all the people around them! He forgets every stress he has felt throughout the day because his mind is seemed to be programmed to only remember Dara’s exquisite beauty and remarkable personality… And now that he is rationalizing things, his own self came up with a realization: that this is the worst feeling he is experiencing right now---happiness and sadness morphed into one… He never thought that it could be possible, but that’s exactly what he feels at the moment.

Youngbae’s smile immediately faded when his phone vibrated. For some reason, he felt that it is Jiyong’s text that he’ll see once he tries to reach for his phone---but he did it anyways. He grabbed his phone and checked the text message…

GD: Where are you? I’m sorry YB. I didn’t notice that my phone rang… I saw 9 missed calls from u just now… Why? Is something wrong?

Youngbae froze. Before Jiyong texted, he is in cloud-9, dancing above the clouds while talking and laughing with Dara, who is now sitting beside him and CL. With just one text from his dear friend, he fell back from cloud-9, to the sofa he is now sitting on---every cloud gone, every happy feeling---swept away. Suddenly, the memory of TOP hyung’s voice filled his eardrums… “Your promise YB, I”ll be counting on it!” YB... please go back to planet Earth, he told himself...

YB: I’m here in Dara’s place. Bom is having a party and they invited me. You should join me here. Now is your chance dude…

Youngbae replied and released a long, unhappy sigh. He doesn’t want to end his happiness right away, but he wants to end his guilt right now! He feels that it is the right thing to do---giving Jiyong the happiness he deserves even if it will cause him pain! He knows that if Jiyong gets here, he will be making him happy but Youngbae definitely won’t…

A crazy thought suddenly popped into his head-----That’s it! He is not yet sure if Dara likes Jiyong too!! He still has a grain of hope left, thinking that Dara will like him more than Jiyong... He doesn’t want to entertain that thought, but he knows that even if he denies it to himself, deep inside him, that is what he is hoping to happen.

Another beep was heard from Youngbae’s phone…

~*---*~

15 minutes has already passed since Jiyong texted Youngbae. Jiyong is now wondering what takes him so long to get from inside the house and into his car, but he still waited patiently. He now his laptop and went to the site where he discovered the video of him and Dara. He laughs, letting out all the tingling sensation he has been feeling whenever he sees Dara’s tantalizing eyes---He couldn’t get over it! It reminds him of the moment where his precious lips were brushed into the lips where it belong! Dara’s perfect lips should only be touched by the pair of lips he has!!! Her lips are so soft, subtle, heavenly, luscious, that no one should even dare touching it but him... OF COURSE! Jiyong keeps on repeating the video---in fact, if it is burned in a CD, the whole system will explode because of Jiyong being unable to stop himself from rewinding and pausing, and rewinding… and pausing… until his heart gets contented.

He is so caught into the video that he almost forgot where he is! Dara's image in the video looks so alive! Their gaze at each other seems to pop out of the screen!! He paused the video once more, timing it to the part where Dara and his eyes met----he closed his eyes, and went nearer… and nearer… and nearer, until his nose becomes flat as he gives Dara’s image a sweet and passionate kiss! He couldn't control it any longer!! His soul is craving for it, wanting to have a feeling of sweet ecstacy once more!! As he is busy making love with his monitor, he didn’t notice that someone already opened the door beside the driver’s seat! Youngbae entered, making himself comfortable beside his friend…

 “Youngbae-ah! Y-You’re here! Uhmm… What’s up?” Jiyong carelessly blurted as he almost jumped out of his seat and suddenly closed the lid of his laptop as soon as he saw YB watching him, caressing his computer!

“What’s that??? *scratch-head* A-Are you having some “alone-time” right now?? Are you wiggling your business… down there?” Youngbae forgot about his problem for that particular moment. He saw Jiyong shocked by his presence---like playing cop and Jiyong is the guilty criminal trying to hide the evidence that is already seen on his lap, and acting like nothing happened even if he is already caught in the act! Youngbae scratched his head, covered his eyes and made a peace sign, as he peeped through his fingers to see the door lock and open the car door to help himself out.

“OH MAN! NO! NO… NO!!!! *chuckle* This is not , you ! This is… this is a video I got from our concert. It’s just nothing… Come back in, come in! Please…” Jiyong flushed as he uttered, gesturing Youngbae to come inside the car once more. Jiyong felt a bit awkward at the moment for he doesn’t know how to tell Youngbae what he is busy about. He doesn’t want him to discover his childishness, replaying Dara’s video over and over! He can’t be embarrassed in front of the person who looks up to him since they were kids! He can’t find out that Jiyong is now crazier than before only because their precious moment was caught on camera!

“Then, why did you suddenly closed your laptop??? I saw the entire concert dude! There’s nothing to hide… *chuckles* UNLESS… it’s not the video you are talking about!?” Youngbae smiled as he teased his friend. He tried to sound as normal as possible, contrary to what he feels now---uneasy. He is still gathering all his courage to tell Jiyong what he just done. As Jiyong laughed, Youngbae stared at him, for he is trying to tattoo it in his memory before anything bad happens! He knows that if he tells Jiyong that he lied to Dara, admitting that he is her secret admirer instead of telling her that it is really Jiyong, his buddy wouldn’t be able to smile anymore! Who knows what he is capable of doing to YB? He hasn’t experienced Jiyong’s anger towards him before… he only saw it with some stupid staff in YGE the other day that accidentally tripped, spilling coffee on Jiyong’s Chrome Hearts blazer… and it was really bad! Jiyong is ill-tempered and arrogant most of the time. Youngbae assumed that maybe the reason he is like that is because he is a spoiled brat since birth! He is never sweet and caring to the people around him, except for his friends, fans, and in front of the camera…

“Well… FINE! It’s actually a part of the video at the concert---when Dara went to the stage and I forgot to sing!! I… I just want to watch it again... okay?” Jiyong blurted as he sounded defensive. “Anyway, how long have you been close to the Parks? How come you didn’t tell me about this?”

Youngbae, speechless----He felt his voice box fell from his throat to his stomach! He doesn’t know how to start the serious matter he is about to confess... He then picked up all his strength and placed it in his throat, clearing it, and swallowing a gulp of saliva. He thought, this is it… it’s now or never! “Uhh… Err… That’s what I want to talk to you about dude. The reason why I wasn’t able to tell you how I suddenly got invited here…”

Jiyong stared at Youngbae, thinking that maybe, YB is having a BIG problem right now. it's all written in his friend’s face... he is having a hard time dealing with life at the moment! His buddy is definitely nervous of something… but he just can’t figure out what it is! Until he remembered Youngbae’s text earlier this morning, telling him and Tabi hyung that he can’t make it to the medical exam for he has a ‘serious family business’ to fix! He can sense that it is a bad news so he thought; maybe if he shares his happiness to his buddy, his feelings will get lighter.  “Okay… before you say something, which I think I know what that is about, I just want you to sit there and hear this first.”  Jiyong smiled as he raised both of his eyebrows.

“It seems like you have good news that you want to share with me… What is it?” Youngbae asked as he felt stressed and fixed his Maw hawk. He is now confused as hell! He couldn’t believe that Jiyong already knows everything! He is just wondering why this fool is still smiling! CRAP! Maybe it’s not a big deal for him after all, he thought. Or is that a sarcastic smile?? He couldn’t think straight right now! He can’t think of how to prepare himself for Jiyong’s rage hiding behind that sarcastic smile he thinks Jiyong now flashes.

“We had an annual examination earlier right? Dara was there! She was the nurse who performed the physical exam! And… *chuckle* and…” Jiyong couldn’t even finish what he is saying as he kept on laughing! He couldn’t hide his ecstasy right now! He just kept on giggling, trying to find the best way to tell Youngbae what happened without looking like a hyena that swallowed a laughing gas! 

“A-And… what???” Youngbae asked as he thought, maybe Dara told Jiyong about their encounter at the hospital when he got his sty removed! Maybe Jiyong finds the idea pathetic---his best friend, lying about the 'secret-admirer-thing' and falling for the same girl he likes!? Maybe he finds Youngbae stupid!

“We… *blush* we… we kissed!!” Jiyong finally blurted out as he placed both of his palms on his face, trying to hide his scarlet cheeks! Butterflies suddenly invaded his empty stomach and reproduced there rapidly, giving him a flushed, burning face! He continued giggling, and suddenly noticed the silent treatment Youngbae gave after hearing the good news! How can Youngbae choose this kind of reaction to Jiyong’s news?! Jiyong’s happiness was suddenly blown away by the wind as he glanced at Youngbae who now stares blankly at the carpeted car floor. “DUDE!!! *shakes YB’s shoulder* Dude!! Did you hear what I said? Dara and I... KISSED!!! ISN’T THAT GREAT? *grin* I finally got to kiss her!”

“Oh… y-yeah. That’s great! Smooth move Ji…” Youngbae said as he felt something pinched his heart with full strength! He couldn’t describe perfectly how it felt... Youngbae thought, if dementors in Harry Potter movies exist, it must be this feeling--- every happy hormone inside his body was out of him, and the pinch of hope left in his heart went with it, leaving his heart shrinking out of love’s dehydration! He doesn’t care how that kiss happened, for he immediately felt pain and nothing else, as soon as he heard the news from his friend…

‘Aww… my friend is really depressed. I’ve never seen him this sad before! I shouldn’t have told that to him… wrong timing!!! Tsssssss’ Jiyong thought as he uttered, “YB… my man! Don’t think about your problem at home anymore!!  Is that it? Are you thinking about your problem at home? I know you are a good guy… And good guys deserve to be happy! Your problem, It’ll be fixed in no time. BELIEVE ME! Don’t worry about that!! I’m just not used in seeing this side of YB… So please. Don’t be sad anymore man!”

“I hope I’ll be fine.” Youngbae answered as he scratched his maw hawked head, collecting all the strength left of him and use it to think of a topic to talk about with Jiyong. He wants to get this painful feeling out of his chest as soon as possible, before it can step on his manly ego by producing waters in his eyes... “Should we get inside now? Why can’t you go in by yourself?”

Jiyong was about to tell him his bad past with Seungri but when he looked at Youngbae, he couldn’t help but be bothered for his friend too! Youngbae is a guy who keeps all of his feelings to himself… occasionally he gets pissed, but he never shares sad problems to anyone, for he thinks that it makes him vulnerable---and vulnerability isn’t being a man for Youngbae. For him, it makes him coward. Jiyong thought, maybe he is really affected by his problem at home. Poor YB……

“Why don’t we just leave this place and go to the nearest bar here? *smiles* my pal needs me now, more than I need to be with Dara! I know there’s plenty of time for that! I know you need me right now! Even if you won’t tell me your problem, I still want to help! Let’s wash our problems away with alcohol! I know this is cheesy, but you and me----nothing and no one can ruin our friendship!! I won’t leave you----‘Bros before hoes’ remember? Haha.”

Without waiting for YB to agree with his idea, Jiyong straightened up his seat and drove to look for a nearest bar they could find. The atmosphere in the car is so quiet that it can make the both of them deaf before they know it! Youngbae’s lips are tightly shut, for he is afraid that if he opens them, sobs of his crumbling heart may escape.. It is so silent that he can’t hear anything but the irregular beating of his heart. But this time, the irregular beating is not because it is drumming fast but because he can feel it pumping slower and slower---slower and deeper. He can feel that any time now, he will stop breathing, and eventually die in Jiyong’s luxurious car.

Youngbae’s guilt grew bigger, in fact, his guilt can swallow him alive----when he realized how bothered Jiyong is, seeing him like this. He even let this opportunity pass---the opportunity of finally being with the girl he just kissed! Jiyong is not a good guy, but to Youngbae and TOP hyung, he is. He always keeps his promise--- bros before hoes! Youngbae is good at keeping promises too. He just couldn’t do it today… Not now, that his heart is broken, damaged so badly that nothing can repair it. Youngbae thinks that maybe he can break his promise to TOP hyung for this reason. Besides, there’s no point in telling Jiyong the truth if clearly, he is the one Dara will choose…

~*---*~

Dara and the others continued to entertain visitors until past midnight, until all the guests finally got tired of eating and chatting and decides to go home. Dara is now wondering where Youngbae could be because he was just beside her, and now he left without even saying goodbye… “I hope Youngbae’s just all right…”

“Why?” CL suddenly asked as she heard Dara murmur to herself while washing a pile of dishes she was tasked to do.

“Nothing… he just didn’t tell one of us where he went, but I guess he already went home…” Dara uttered as she grabbed another empty plate and placed it on the sink. “Maybe he got bored with us… what do you think CL-roo? Why did he suddenly disappear and didn’t even bother to text any of us?”

“Well, one---maybe he just received a text from an important person that he badly needs to attend to... like a YG-emergency kinda thing, two---I think you’re starting to open your heart up to another person named Youngbae!” CL chuckled as she honestly stated what she thinks about everything she observed. Dara on the other hand, suddenly got confused on what CL uttered.

“WHAT? What you talking about Chae Roo? I. AM. NOT!! And that’s completely out of the topic!” Dara blurted out while grabbing another plate and rinsing it with tap water.

“Haha… I just thought you asked me to tell you what I think? I just told you exactly what I have observed! You’re concerned about him! And there’s nothing wrong in admiring another person besides your ex, dear!!!” CL laughed as she tried to tease Dara. Actually, that is the first time CL heard Dara being concerned with another person besides her family… and she thinks this is good! Being concerned with Youngbae means Dara is finally starting to let go of her past!

“I’m concerned about him because he is our friend now! Nothing more than that Chae Rin-ah! I’m just worried… I am supposed to make him happy because that’s the least I can do for a friend like him who listened to all my crap, but I think I failed…” Dara is telling the truth. Being a kind and naïve lady as she is, she knows nothing but to care and make other people happy. She just wanted to return Youngbae’s kindness, earlier during their date, and that’s it.

“Okay, whatever you say… anyways, you and Bommie... okay now? I don’t want to sleep beside the two of you, sandwiching me with an awkward atmosphere!” CL joked as she smiled and asked about Dara and Bommie’s misunderstanding.

“Yeah. We’re okay now. *smiles* no worries CL-roo!” Dara replied with a sweet smile as she wiped her hand with a hand towel for she is finally done with the dishes.

Both of them went to the backyard and sat at the bench on the patio, staring at the bright moon because both of them felt tired... and they can feel that staring at the night sky somehow relieved their stress. Bom suddenly opened the glass door to join them…

“Aren’t the YG dancers the sweetest bunch, EVER? The unnies are so kind! *smiles* I invited Seven oppa and Jiyongie too but they didn’t come… how disappointing…”

“Of course they won’t go here because their busy! They are popular you know! They can’t just leave their work for being in a party with people they just met!” Dara said while slouching on the bench, knees up and arms crossed while rolling her eyes at Bommie, as if she is having mood swings…

“You know what Tokki, I just noticed, you’re soooo pissed the whole day! What’s your problem huh? Are you mad at me? Well, Jiyongie didn’t go anyway so why are you still mad at me?” Bommie pouted as she sat on the grass and leaned on CL’s leg, dangling on the bench. She couldn’t believe that Dara is still holding a grudge on her for inviting the person she is trying to avoid! Well, she doesn’t know that they accidentally kissed! And as far as she knows, Jiyong has been the first friend who openly welcomed her at YGE!! He is kind to her! How can Dara resist the most popular and the coolest man on earth right now?

“Aioo~ Bom… Dara’s been like that not only to you, but to all of us! I understand her though. I think there are just tons of thoughts bothering her head right now. Plus, she is tired of all the chores she just finished.” CL uttered, while putting her arms behind her head. She is younger than both Bom and Dara dear, but she is the most mature and understanding person in the bunch. She stands like the ‘mom’ of their group, attending to the needs of her children! CL’s eyebrows suddenly creased, trying to remember what Bom said. Then she asked, “Wait. Wa-Wa-What?? I didn’t get it! You’re avoiding who? WHY?-----I knew it!!! There’s something you’re both not telling me!!! When did this plan-on-keeping-secrets-from-me started? Oh Come on, you two!! Tell me!”

“Yeah! Tell us exactly what happened!! I’m also confused Tokki! You just kissed the man that makes fan girls cry! And your reaction towards it is… YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE HIM??? What’s your problem with him, anyway? Does the celebrity’s breath stink??” Bom pouted once more. She thinks Dara is crazy because kissing a beautiful guy like Jiyongie is the biggest opportunity ever!!! Every girl would be envious of her! He is the most beautiful bachelor of our time----He is G-DRAGON for God's sake!

“WAIT!!!! Ayy... *jaw-drops* HELLOOOOO?! I’m still here!!! You… what?? Who did you kiss dear??? OH COME ON NOW DARA?! BOM!? Tell me!!!” CL is confused of what is going on, and so is Bommie! They’re both waiting for Dara to speak, but it seems she doesn’t want to entertain any of their questions!

“I’m tired… Let’s just go to sleep…” Dara uttered with a depressed sigh as she stood and went inside. Bom and CL also stood up and followed her, expecting to squeeze all the information they need for all their queries to be answered...