[Chapter 8 - The Listening]

Let me share you a secret of Kwon Jiyong. This is no ordinary secret, this is a big, no, huge one. And because this is a secret of course you can’t just go around the town and tell anyone about it. Here it is, are you ready to hear it? Lend me your ears, listen carefully because I’ll only whisper when I tell you what it is, why? Of course because it’s a huge secret.

So here, I hope you’re prepared. I mean, if you have some sort of heart attack I suggest you to stay away, this won’t do you any good. I wouldn’t want anyone to sue me, alright? I love my life and I still want to get laid, I mean.. mate with that y there called Jolie, get hitched (do dogs actually get hitched?) and travelling around the world an-

Wait, okay, where was I?

Oh, right. Jiyong’s secret.

No, it’s not a little secret like how he snores so loud when he sleeps, or that his singing is awful, or that he always has both his lips and eyes half closed when he s, or that he’s always when the full moon comes (what is he? A werewolf?), and no, he’s not a werewolf, or any sparkling vampire for goodness sake. What do you think this story is?Tthey're no supernatural creatures, ya kno.

So what is his secret? Ah, right.

…

...

He’s gay.

…

Not.

Of course not! Seriously, did I get you there? Ha-ha! Okay, that was lame but sadly for your -lover souls, my version of Jiyong isn’t gay. He’s in love with Chaerin, remember?

And yes, that was the secret.

Got it?

No?

Ah, seriously readers! I’ve just said it! The secret! Okay, I’ll repeat, stop looking at me ridiculous.

Here’s the secret.

He’s in love with Chaerin.

What? Why are you rolling your eyes? And you! What are you doing with that look! I’ve just told you like the biggest secret of the century!

Tch, come on. You think you know that he’s in love with her? No dear, you don’t, you have no idea, not even the littlest idea that he’s in love with her. He’s so much in love with her. Like so so much. And you think you know how much his kind of so much is? Yeah, that was what Dara thought too, but of course, she didn’t know, like you.

[Gaho signed out]

---

The Listening

I never really ever know what to say

When all of my emotions get in the way

I'm just trying to get us on the same page

---

Dara had never seen Jiyong so angry before.

In fact, she had never even seen Jiyong angry.

An angry Chaerin was a sight she had gotten used to seeing, it would be a weird day without seeing one. Chaerin could get angry to anyone, anything, anywhere, anytime, you get the grip, yo.

She could be angry at a chair because she thought it wasn’t supposed to be where she walked that caused her to trip over it, she could be angry at a door because it was too hard to open, or to the window because she thought it was moving too much (blame the windy day, really), oh, of course she could be angry at a day because she thought it was too hot, or too cold, or too windy, or too wet.

She could be angry at Jiyong (of course, he was like her favorite object of anger) because he forgot to close the window, because he put the TV volume too loud to her liking, because one day he locked the bathroom when he took a bath so she couldn’t barge in and join him, because his cooking was too damn good, even because he didn’t do anything. She could even be angry at Dara for reason unknown. The conclusion is; Chaerin gets angry when she wants to.

But Jiyong, he was never one to be angry, his role was supposed to be the cool wind (or water, or breeze, whatever) to stop her flaming anger. When Chaerin is angry, Jiyong will be there to calm her down.

When Jiyong is angry...

Chaerin barks back.

It all started with the stroll at the mall like they’ve agreed before, Christmas shopping and stuff. Basically it was to take Dara does window shopping, and Chaerin thought she needed some fresh air too. So there they were, two girls walking along the mall, chatting, ice cream on both their hands, shopping bags in their other hands, windows shopping once in a while, everything was normal. They talked a lot like best girlfriends, Dara told Chaerin how she was so lucky to have such loving boyfriend like Jiyong, and Chaerin laughed out loud, shaking her head and told Dara “oh no, you had no idea Dara dear, he’s one possessive man”. But of course, Dara didn’t buy that.

Jiyong had told them he would join them later. As Christmas neared the restaurant had received more order than usual, thus he was needed to stick longer.

Once the two girls decided to call it a day, with like... 5 huge shopping bags in their hands, they stopped to have the lunch, and that was exactly when everything started.

Kim Junsu, if Dara remembered right, was the name of the  guy. He had this bright smile that showed his pearly teeth and greeted Chaerin when they had their lunch. Dara remembered Chaerin squealed happily and threw herself to him, typical the hyperactive girl that she was. Chaerin then introduced them, telling that Junsu was her ex and a very professional photographer, and Dara thought it was so cool how ex ca be so at ease with each other.

Then Dara remembered Chaerin’s eyes lit brightly, so bright that Dara thought she saw the sun up close. Chaerin then told Junsu that she needed his help for a project, and Junsu agreed to it, and Chaerin was so happy.

But apparently Jiyong was not.

Dara had not even the faintest idea when did Jiyong appear there, he was like a ghost suddenly coming out of nowhere. His eyes were scary, the way he looked at Chaerin and Junsu gave Dara chill. She had never seen him like that, and that was when Dara realized that Jiyong was angry.

---

“We were just talking!” Chaerin shouted

They were already in the apartment. The drive home was eerily awkward, especially for Dara. She knew Chaerin was extremely angry, a total opposite to how she was an hour before when they strolled along the mall. Jiyong was angry too, he didn’t say a word, didn’t try to coax Chaerin, didn’t try to say sorry, didn’t try to say anything. Dara, of course didn’t dare to say anything too, the silence was too awkward Dara wanted to just get home already and lock herself in her room, but the drama addict in her knew a huge blow was about to happen, and how could she miss seeing this?

So Dara stayed in the living room, the couple stood a few meters away from her, seemingly not noticing her existence.

Jiyong snorted mockingly, his face red of anger, “Yeah, talking and hugging and God knows what when I hadn’t arrived,”

“I was just happy seeing him, that’s why! And no we didn’t do anything before you came!” Chaerin barked, like she always does when she’s angry.

“Yeah yeah, of course you’re happy,” Jiyong rolled his eyes,

“Jiyong seriously, this is pointless! Stop being so jealous for goodness sake!”

“He’s your ex for goodness sake too!”

“Yeah right! Like my ex when I was what? Five? Four? I can’t even remember!”

“And that made him your first love!”

“I didn’t know anything about love back then!”

“And now you know!”

“Ji, seriously don’t be ridiculous, he’s gay!”

“He’s biual, for your information,”

“and what does his ual orientation have to do with us?”

“He’s bi so of course he can love you!”

“Jiyong stop it!”

“Or if he can’t love you, you still can love him!”

“Stop being ridiculous!”

“I’m not being ridiculous!”

“Yes you are!”

“No, I’m not!”

“Yes you are!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

well... and that went on for what seemed like forever.

---

Dara was half asleep on the sofa when she heard the door slammed shut. She could see Jiyong was in the kitchen, gulping water straight from the jug.

Chaerin had left.

---

I’ve (well, Gaho did) told you that Jiyong loves Chaerin so much, so so much that sometimes he wanted to keep her for himself. Of course, he wasn’t the freaky obsessed abusive boyfriend type. Although he did freak Dara (and probably you) out. He didn’t isolate her from the world, he let her befriend more guys than he wanted her to be, he introduced her to his friends too (and they thought Chaerin was smoking hot albeit her insane self).

But on the other hand, don’t you forget that Kwon Jiyong was a neat-freak. He was the type to do everything perfectly. He wants everything neat and in order, including his love life.

So when Kim Junsu, the guy from the past, the only ex Chaerin didn’t hate because... oh well, even if she’s Chaerin, she was just a  5 year old kid, and of course she wasn’t capable of hating yet, okay? When Kim Junsu appeared in front of him earlier that day, hugging and having a lively chat with her, all Jiyong could think was that he wasn’t supposed to be there. According to his plan, the order was wrong, Junsu will mess everything up.

Of course, Jiyong couldn’t let that happen.

---

Dara just realized after almost three weeks living together with the couple (yes, she admitted that and she found it cute, and Dara thought that maybe she had just lost her original intention coming to Seoul) that Chaerin was never seen with any guy other than Jiyong. But that practically was because she spent most of her time in the kitchen (cooking mashed potato) or in the art room (finishing the project for about almost a week), that made her never really left the house, apart from meeting the curator early this month.

Of course, she didn’t have the right to judge Chaerin’s social life. She didn’t seem like a loner, considering the fact that they got along easily despite their weird relationship. She didn’t seem like a socialite either, well... how could a socialite stayed home three weeks straight? No can do, of course. But Chaerin had always been a contradiction of herself, she was like hundreds of souls in one little body.

Thinking about Chaerin made Dara realized how little she knew about her.

---

Chaerin couldn’t believe this, Jiyong and his jealousy attack. She thought he had recovered! One of the many reasons she left the house was of this; Jiyong’s ridiculous jealousy. She couldn’t remember how many times had she storm out of the house because of this reason. Doesn’t he believe her?

Kim Junsu was never so important for her. Maybe for her five year old self, yes, but for goodness sake, it was more than 15 freaking years ago. They didn’t even have a proper contact, they lived their own lives happily, perfectly perfect without each other. Of course she knew he was becoming one very successful photographer, of course she knew his favorite object was , or sensuality, or women in general. But that was it. That was freaking it.

She sighed sadly, her emotions been up and down lately, add the stress from work and all that jazz. Now this, the thought that even after five years Jiyong still couldn’t trust her love to him. Yes, of course she knew she wasn’t the perfect example of romantic girlfriend, but she did great in bed, right? And that was when she realized she had rejected him to make love the day before. Feeling suddenly harder to breathe, she hurried to sit on the bench so she could cry her heart out.

Oh Jiyong, please don’t hate me... she prayed, hugging her knees up to her chest as tears rolled on her cheeks. She felt very tired, and all she wanted to do was crying. I’ll just cry here and go back later, she thought to herself, letting the tears fall freely.

---

I always get it better right afterward

When all the wrong impressions are said and heard

How come I can never get the right words, I need to convey

(The listening - Lights)

---

author’s little corner

What? Of course I have to start building the drama, no? :) I hope you liked it. Have a nice day you all! Ah, and of course, a little greetings or comments from you won’t hurt darling, so please do leave some. Thank you!

I’m going off now and so I hope to see some reviews/comments when I come back like.. pretty pretty please? *puppy eyes*

-littletea ♥