Can We Talk?
It Could Never Be Too Late
Youngbae's POV
-His Car-
"Youngbae? Don't you have anything to say? At all?" Chaerin asked impatiently.
I slightly nodded my head in agreement.
"I'm very grateful to have a friend like you, dongsaeng." I said with all sincerity as I grabbed her hand. "I'll make sure that I won't have any regrets."
She gave a faint smile.
"Good." She replied. "And it's nothing, oppa."
"I mean it, Chae. Thank you for always being there."
"You're welcome." She smiled.
'I don't know how you could stand by me for so long, listening to my never-ending problems... But I'm glad you did.' I thought to myself as I continued to smile at her.
I started to feel better, knowing that Chaerin was there. She always had a way of making my dark days brighter, and I will always cherish her for that.
After our conversation, she offered to stop by a coffee shop and have a cup of coffee. Although I was reluctant, I realized that maybe I needed this. Maybe I needed to distract myself.
---
-Café-
We walked into the half empty café, and as soon as we entered, I could smell the aroma of fresh brewed coffee.
"What did you want to order, oppa?" Chaerin asked.
"Chaerin, just sit. I'll be the one to order for you and me." I replied. "What would you like?"
She giggled.
"Thanks, Bae. You're such a gentlemen." She complemented. "Can you get me iced coffee?"
"Okay." I nodded, and walked over to the counter.
When I got our coffee, I walked back over to our table.
"Thank you."
"No problem." I said.
I got to my seat, and across from me was Chaerin.
"So, oppa."
I looked up to face her.
"What do you plan on doing?" She asked.
"For what?"
"What's your plan on Dara?"
"Uh. I don't know yet." I responded. "I guess I need to talk to her first. We haven't had a chance to really talk."
"And then what?" She asked curiously.
'Aigoo, this girl.'
"I'll see what happens from there." I said.
She nodded her head as she drank her coffee. "Okay."
---
When we had finished with our drinks, I drove Chaerin back to her dorm.
For some reason, I felt a lot better. I still felt hurt and angry inside, but after having Chaerin around, I was able to mask the pain away.
---
-Youngbae's Dorm-
I got home and headed straight towards the couch. As I grabbed a picture frame over by the nightstand, I lightly placed my thumb over the picture. It was a picture of Dara and me.
For a moment, I stared at it with a blank expression.
"I promise to fight for you this time." I said barely over a whisper. " I just hope it isn't too late."
END OF YOUNGBAE'S POV
---
No One's POV
-The Next Day-
Youngbae knew right then and there that he had to do everything he can to get Dara back.
He got up to get his keys and drove back to her house, not even thinking twice. Having no idea what to say, he was somewhat anxious, but yet, he was still determined.
---
-Park's Residence-
Once he arrived, he calmly straightened his posture and took a long, deep breath. He made his way towards the door and pushed his finger on the doorbell.
'Ding dong.'
He could hear the locks of the door being unlocked, and once it opened, his eyes widened at the person in front of him.
"Bae!" The man's voice exclaimed, hugging Youngbae in the process.
"Appa." Youngbae said while tightening his hug.
Inside, Bae felt relieved, relieved that he saw the man that raised him and cared for him. He also felt regret because he knew that it wasn't right for him to drift off from his life like that. It wasn't fair and he could only pray that he wasn't mad at him.
"Where have you been?" Mr. Park asked as he pulled away from the hug and looked at Youngbae with concern.
"I'm sorry, appa. I didn't mean to be gone for so long." He replied.
Tears started to form on Mr. Park's eyes.
"I've missed you so much. What happened?" His appa said as he hugged him once again.
"I've missed you, too."
Youngbae stared at the tiled floor in front of him and slowly met his gaze with the figure in front of him.
"Youngbae?" The figure called.
"Hey, Dara." He plainly said as he pulled away from the hug.
Mr. Park turned around. "He's back, Dear."
"I-I know." Dara responded.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"He was here yesterday."
Youngbae was silent and listened to their conversation as he clenched his jaw, recalling the events that had occurred that afternoon.
"I see." Noticing that Youngbae and Dara had turned quiet all of the sudden, he decided to let them have a chance to talk. "I'll leave you two alone."
---
Neither one of them talked for a while. They both tried to avoid each other's stares, until Youngbae was finally unable to bare the silence any longer.
"Where's Jiyong?" He asked.
Dara faced him.
"Uh, he went to his parent's house to give them the..." She paused before saying the next two words. "wedding invitation."
Youngbae only nodded with an expressionless face.
"Can we talk, then?" He asked.
She fixes his eyes on his.
That's what she had been waiting for: a chance to talk to him.
"Sure." She said. "Did you wanna stay here or go somewhere else?"
"I know a place. C'mon." He offered.
---
-Park-
They got into his car, and he drove her over to a nearby park. It was a captivating area with a big lake in the center. Bae got out of the car first and opened Dara's door for her, being the gentlemen he is.
She smiled at him in content.
"Thanks." She said.
He smiled at her in response.
"Why are we at the park?" She asked as she observed the open area ahead of them.
"I wanted to go somewhere quiet and peaceful, and I usually went here whenever I needed a place to think." He said, gesturing her to follow him on the trail that outlined the center lake.
They both strolled around together but there was a gap in between them, both giving the other space.
"I didn't think you'd wanna talk to me anymore." Dara blurted out.
He snickered at her.
"I almost didn't." He said, squinting his eyes as he stole a glimpse at the glistening lake.
She felt disappointed with what he said, but she wasn't surprised because she was just as guilty as he was.
"But I didn't want to walk away anymore." He continued.
She looked at him with remorse. She knew that it was her fault that he left in the first place. She didn't blame Jiyong or anyone else. She blamed herself because she didn't try hard enough to go after him.
"Bae." She grabbed his arm.
Youngbae looked at her confusingly.
"Come." She said as she tugged his arm to sit over at a bench nearby.
Together, they both sat on the bench that faced the big open lake.
"That day I came back from the states," Dara started. "that day when Jiyong kissed me, were you... There?" She asked a bit hesitantly.
He didn't face her, afraid to meet her eyes. Instead, he just stared at the lake as he answered.
"I was there." He said accordingly.
"It wasn't what you thought it was." She explained. "Believe me."
"What do you mean?"
She sighed. "Jiyong saw you, and he kissed me out of jealousy, knowing that it would probably hurt you."
"What?" He asked in an angry tone.
Startled by his sudden reaction, she took his hand. He felt so warm, and without even realizing, her heart fluttered.
'Relax, Dara.' She said to herself. 'You're not supposed to feel this way anymore. You're getting married.'
"Bae, listen. You don't have to be mad, okay?"
Youngbae grew tense. "You expect me not to be upset, Dara?!" His voice had risen. "Because of him, we ended up this way."
He held Dara's hand and looked at her endearingly. Before he could continue to speak, Dara's phone rang.
"Yoboseyo?" She answered. She nodded in response to the person on the other line as they spoke. "Okay. Yeah, I'll be there." She looked at Youngbae for a brief moment. "I-I love you, too."
Once she hung up the phone, she got up.
"Was that Jiyong?" He asked disappointingly.
"Um, yeah." She replied. "Bae, I gotta go meet him at his parent's house. Can we talk some other time?"
'It's not like I can stop you.' He thought. "Sure." He got up out of his seat, putting his hands in his pocket.
'Youngbae, you're doing it again.' He reminded himself as he watched Dara start to walk away.
He scratched his head and made up his mind.
"Dara!" He called out.
He ran to her and grabbed her by her shoulder. As she turned around, he didn't think twice about what he was about to do.
"Young-" She was unable to finish her sentence when Youngbae placed his hands on her temples and kissed her.
Although she was shocked, she gave in to him. Regaining her senses, she placed her hands on his chest and slowly pushed him away. He rested his forehead on hers.
"I love you." He said under his breath.
"Don't, Bae." She said as she pulled away from him. "I'm getting married, remember?"
"Please... Don't go." He pleaded, taking her hand.
"I have to." She said, taking Youngbae's hand off of hers.
As much as she wanted to be with him, she knew that it wouldn't be right. She was already engaged to some else.
"Dara?" He looked at her.
"I gotta go." She quickly said.
"Don't I mean anything to you anymore?" He bluntly asked.
'I'm so sorry, Youngbae, but I don't think I have enough room in my heart anymore. It belongs to Jiyong now.' She thought.
Standing there, she was frozen at her spot. As much as it had ached her to part ways with him and to hurt him like this, she needed to let him go for the sake of her fiancé. She had the chance to talk to him, which was all she was asking for.
She shook her head and started to tear up.
"Goodbye."
Why, Dara?! WHY??? T_T *cries*
What do you guys think? Comments, please! I would really appreciate it!
What's going to happen now?
Stay tuned for the next update, and don't forget to subscribe! ^^
Comments