Dara:

It's a beautiful, seemingly stress-free Saturday today. The kind of Saturday wherein you'd wake up at around 6 am, rub your eyes sleepily, have that little smile as you realize oh-so-casually that it's a Saturday so you don't have anything bothersome to do like school or work or whatever it is you're supposed to be doing on any given weekday. The kind of Saturday wherein you'd just giggle softly as you lie in your bed, cuddle up some more in your covers for a longer time, wonder what's for breakfast and all that shizz you often see in coffee commercials nowadays.

But it's not like I'm a star on one of those tacky coffee-slash-what's for breakfast commercials you see on TV. Nor am I a person who has a normal schedule. Unfortunately I'm a trainee, a recently lambasted one [through the internet] at that. It's almost 7 am and I'm sitting in front of my PC, doing some research; I'm looking for songs that I can practice singing, doing some random observations on how singers perform onstage or in front of a live audience -- you get the idea. After eating five pints of Baskin Robbins blueberry cheesecake ice cream [not in one sitting, ok?], I realized that I have to do something so that I could somehow make those haters shut up. Ji Eun's eyes almost fell off its sockets the moment she saw me eating a pint of ice cream by myself. I thought she was worried that I am starting to become an emotional eater, but turns out she was just a little pissed that I'm not giving her some of the ice cream. I forgot that Baskin Robbins' her favorite ice cream brand. 

Ho-ho, enough of the random anecdotes. I really wanted to do a cover of Jewel's Bizarre Love Triangle, but wouldn't it be too...soft for YG? I mean, considering that YG gives off a different image and all? Hmm. Maybe, I can do more of Britney's songs. Ji Eun wouldn't really approve [because she hates Britney with a passion too], but I feel that maybe I can use one of her songs since I can't definitely scream my lungs out unlike Christina or some diva out there. WTF, if I wasn't into this trainee mess I wouldn't be stuck here thinking about cheesy early 2000 hits to sing. Sometimes I didn't know whom I should really hate, Ji Eun, for her insane ideas, Me, for stupidly agreeing to her, or Jiyong, the root of all evil in my life. Even if he's been really sweet nice to me these past few weeks. Sighing, I clicked the songs I have in mind for download. I then stood up and took some blank cds out from my drawer when the unexpected finally happened.

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Sanghyun’s scream, followed by a loud thud. I dropped the blank cd’s I was holding and immediately went downstairs. I tried to listen closely, hoping to get a clue on what’s happening in the living room. When I didn’t hear anything from Sanghyun, I increased my speed; I was almost jumping down the steps just so I could rescue him. Did he fall or something?

“Sanghyun here I---“ I was out of breath by the time I landed the steps, only for my breath to be completely taken away.

Kwon Jiyong. Sitting casually in the sofa. In our sofa. In MY living room! I snuck a glance at Sanghyun, whose face was getting paler by the minute, the magazines he was holding scattered around his feet. His mouth was hanging open, utterly shocked and speechless.

Jiyong’s eyes brightened when he saw my face. “Hey!” He greeted me, but he didn’t stand up.

I gulped. “Um. What are you doing here?” I could feel my brain doing some somersaults inside my head, desperately looking for answers on why he was at my house.

He just grinned and replied, “Well, to visit you, what else?” He looked at Sanghyun and nodded at him casually, making my brother’s eyes bulge in disbelief.

WHAAAAAAAAAAT?

I stood up straighter and cleared my throat. “Look, It’s cool and everything but ---“

I was interrupted by the loud banging on the door. Another visitor? Who could it be?

“Dara, open the door dammit! I’ve been knocking since forever!”

QWERTYAZFG. JI EUN, NOT THIS TIME!!!!

This is killing me. I gripped the stair's railing tighter for support. If Ji Eun entered right at this very moment, Jiyong probably wouldn't be able to get out of this house alive. That's just how bad it's gonna get, and I'm not even kidding. 

The loud banging continued. I looked at Sanghyun and he was looking like he's gonna have a heart attack anytime soon. He knew how much Ji Eun and I are passionate about hating the idol sitting in our sofa, Kwon Jiyong. He also knew that it was Ji Eun who was outside, oblivious of the scene here in the room. Jiyong of course was totally unaware. He looked at us curiously. "Are you guys alright?"

Sanghyun and I remained frozen on the spot, terrified.

Jiyong crossed his legs and looked at the door's direction. "I think you have a visitor, and man, he/she's mighty impatient already!" He laughed softly and continued, "I guess it's alright if you let him/her in while I'm here, if it's a family friend it's gonna be ok to me. No biggie."

Dang it I wish Jiyong would disappear right now! By this time Sanghyun was already shaking like a leaf -- he couldn't take the pressure anymore! He was literally on the verge of breaking down.

Sensing that he couldn't get a normal response from us, Jiyong stood up. "Well, I guess I should leave. I'll open the door for your guest on my way out." 

"AAAH, h-hyung no!" Sanghyun almost clung to him, much to Jiyong's surprise. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry on the scene. Sanghyun was almost pulling down Jiyong's jacket, just so he wouldn't leave.

"Um." Jiyong was trying hard not to laugh, I just know it. He must have thought that my brother's one of his fanboys or something. "Ok, ok. I'll just..sit here. Relax, ok?" He did sit on the couch again and Sanghyun heaved a huge sigh of relief. Jiyong looked at me instead. "Wouldn't you open the door?"

I immediately rushed on his side and smiled nervously. "D-don't mind t-the g-g-guest o-outside," I was stuttering like a fool, but really, I could care less. What am I going to do?!

"DARA!!! Dammit! I'm gonna burn your house down if you don't come out! OPEN THE FREAKIN DOOR!"

"Wow," Jiyong started, his face a little amused. "Do you have big debts or something? Is that a loan shark screaming outside?"

I shook my head. "N-no. Just a fri-friend." A friend who hates you like hell, I added mentally.

"Friend?! Then why don't you open the door?"

He's asking for it. If Ji Eun sees him and lunges at him to slash his throat, it's not my problem anymore. I nodded at him and stood up, on my way to open the door. Do or die.

But after a few steps, I sharply turned around, facing Kwon Jiyong again. This caught him off-guard. "What?"

Without saying a word, I grabbed his arm and dragged him away from the living room, with Sanghyun trailing behind me.

"H-hey! You're hurting me!" 

I'm sorry, Kwon Leadah. I'm just being nice. You sent me those osm cheesy strawberry pancakes, and I'm bringing you to a safer place in exchange yo. 

"HEY! Where are you taking me?!"

Oh, just shut up. If Ji Eun sees you you'd be eaten alive. She'll devour you like that.

"THIS IS NOT FUNNY!" Jiyong was pissed already, and when he saw the bathroom door in front of him, his eyes widened in horror.

"Hey! What the hell is ---"

I pushed him inside and slammed the door shut. Sanghyun handed me the keys in an instant, and I locked the door in a snap. Jiyong's muffled cries can be heard from the inside, so before leaving him there, I hit the door with a bang. That shut him up almost immediately.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out in no time."

------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dara! What the hell is wrong with you? One of your neighbors threatened to call the police wtf!"

5 minutes later, Sanghyun and I are at the front door, staring at Ji Eun's face as she ranted on.

"Anyway, so would you like to let me in?" She was about to enter the house when Sanghyun and I blocked her way. Ji Eun looked at us in surprise. "What?"

"We...we are cleaning the house! Major renovation!" I answered back, trying to stall her.

Ji Eun laughed. "How lame. Major renovation my foot. Let me in!"

"Noona you can't just enter!"

Ji Eun and I looked at Sanghyun. He was already annoyed. Sanghyun bowed to her and apologized. "Sorry Ji Eun noona, You just can't stay here. I'll buy you a drink next time or something."

"Okay, okay." Ji Eun answered reluctantly. She mouthed "Is he sick?" at me, and I could only nod in response. Ji Eun nodded too, but she still persisted. "Ok, but can I use the bathroom first? I just want to wash my hands."

BATHROOM!!! 

Without further ado, I dragged Ji Eun away from the door. "The pipe's broken and it needs to be fixed! Come back next time! I love you and good bye!"

"Jeez, okay. I love you and goodbye, too. Just call me when the real Dara returns from Jupiter." Ji Eun gave me a hug and walked away. 

I think I just lost 10 pounds just from dealing with Jiyong and Ji Eun. When I entered the house, Jiyong was already in the living room again, sitting in the sofa just like earlier. He looked furious.

"That," He started angrily, his hands on his hips. "was the most inhumane thing that a person did to me in my entire life!"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?! Damn I hate saying this but don't you know who I am?" Jiyong's eyes were shooting daggers at me as he continued, "Let your brother go to his room."

Before I could protest, Sanghyun himself nodded and went upstairs. What is Jiyong doing, prancing around in our place early in the morning, causing some major stress, and then giving orders like he owned the place? I'm not getting his strange antics. Nor am I enjoying it. Not in my house. 

When we heard Sanghyun's door shut, Jiyong started acting like a king again. "Sit here."

I almost choked when I heard what he said. Was he ordering me to sit...beside him? Unsure if I really understood the context of what he was saying, I sat at the ottoman beside the couch, but he pulled me just in time.

So yeah I guess what he meant is that I should sit beside him. I must be really out of my senses because I did sit beside him. 

He leaned back casually on the sofa and looked around as he started, "That was nuts, you shoving me in your bathroom because you were so afraid of your friend finding out that a guy was visiting you."

I ignored his comment and just proceeded with drumming my fingers on my lap.

I felt him glancing at me before he continued, "But then again I understand, it's too early for a guy to visit. It's just that this is the only spare time I have, you know?"

"The thing is, there are no guys visiting me in the first place, period."

"Really?" 

I paused for a moment after hearing his response. Was that a trace of eagerness in his voice? He sounded thrilled. Oh, NVM.

I didn't know how to explain it, but he suddenly had the confidence to move closer to moi. I really wanted to smash his face for attempting to be so smooth, but turns out I couldn't move either. Dang it, my life is so effed up, definitely.

"Say something." Now Jiyong was also trying to pull my tongue. I clamped my mouth shut. 

He sighed in mock frustration. "Alright, then. If you're into this kind of set-up, ok. I didn't know you treat guys like...Oh, the way I see it you just treated me like...like...like a paramour. It's a bit romantic, when we put it that way."

A paramour! WHAT! I looked at him and he even managed to giggle like a girl at the thought. "That's kinda cute, don't you think?"

Now I really, really, really wanted to smash his face. Before things could get nasty, I stood up. "Ok, get out."

"What?"

I grabbed his shoulders once more and dragged him again, this time, to the front door. He didn't protest the whole time, he was just grinning at me like a fool. Argh, how creepy can he get?! As we reached the front door, he released himself from my grasp and went outside on his own. I was about to slam the door when he turned around again, facing me for the last time.

"Staying in your bathroom wasn't really nice, but for the record, I like where you're pushing our relationship so far. Until all goes well with our careers, let's do this "let's-meet-in-secret" thing!"

He doesn't deserve a decent reply. I slammed the door shut right in his face. Our relationship? What relationship? Let's meet in secret? Omona, he got it all wrong. Talk about misinterpreting something!

Jiyong:

"She treats me like, I don't know...like, like...like a paramour!" 

Taeyang, Seunghyun hyung and I were hanging out on the rooftop, later that night. The three of usually have this kind of talk, where we just rant and b*tch and gossip about anything that we can think about. We often invite Dae and Seungri to join us as well, but according to them, they can't really stand the topics we usually discuss. Well, Taeyang too, but hyung and I just won't let him get off that easily because Taeyang to us is usually the voice of reason, or referee, if hyung and I started fighting. Hah.

"Word of the day: paramour." Hyung rolled his eyes in annoyance and continued, "If I hear that word again I swear I'm gonna burn every freakin dictionary that contains it."

"Haha, WORD." Taeyang looked at hyung and laughed some more. 

"Flipping bananas, if I hear the word 'word' again I swear I'm gonna erase that word in the planet!" Hyung and Teayang should be listening to me, instead of making snide comments. So what if I used 'paramour' more than 25 times today?

"Dude, you just like, used the word 'word' three times," Hyung replied. "How are you gonna erase it, anyway?"

I just ignored his comment and proceeded with MY discussion. "Anyway, She sure wakes up early. Their house was kinda small, and I was surprised that she has a brother, too. Heard from Minji that she has a sister, as well, but I didn't see her."

"Dayum, to be Minji right now," Hyung pretended to be on the verge of crying as Taeyang and I looked on. "I imagine you to be like; My little Minji, how's Dara doing? My little Minji, tell oppa what Dara's favorite food is. My little little Minji, does Dara like to see rainbows and flying unicorns every Wednesday afternoon, how about it, my little Minji, hey?"

Taeyang just had to crack up at Hyung's last statement and cheap imitation of me while I couldn't help but frown. That's not even funny.

"You're just jealous!" I answered back, and the two of them stopped what they're doing. It was hyung's time to frown.

"Why the hell would I be? I can talk to her anytime I want." Hyung looked at me, this time his face looking sincere. "Jiyong, I'm just worried, ok? While it's cool that Dara makes your day, but you know...aish I hate saying it, but just think about what happened before. J syndrome you're having years ago? Things are even more complicated now, mind you. She's a trainee."

Taeyang nodded in agreement and added, "Jiyong, hyung's right. There a re definitely a lot of things to consider. I mean..."

"What things to consider? I didn't say I have feelings for her."

Taeyang and Hyung looked at each other. Hyung then replied, sarcastically, "Oh, yes..you don't. You're just fond of her, that is all."

OMGZFAG. I know where this was going, hyung's on his doctor love mode again! I houldn't have brought this subject up!

"Srsly, Jiyong. I thought you knew yourself better than that. This is so 2006-ish." 

"Hyung," I replied, my voice calmer than usual. "Don't worry. I don't...you know whatever feelings I have for her, it's not yet...not yet definite."

"Whatever. Anyway!" Hyung must have sensed that it was getting a little uncomfortable for us to discuss it. "Let's put it to rest. Speaking of trainees, is it just me...or is Aera and and Mina having problems together?"

"Oooh, gossip." Teayang remarked. "So up-to-date, hyung!"

"Cut it out or I'll make sure you'll only have one line to sing in our next song," Hyung muttered, a little embarrassed. "Not like I have the power to do so, but I'll upstage you most def in our next performances."

"Just kidding, haha! But yep, I've heard about it, too."

Hyung and I finally looked at Taeyang, surprised. Man, Big Bang should really have a come back soon -- we waste our time gossiping about the trainees so much. YG would definitely raise hell if he hears us talking about this. 

But, curious as I was, I asked. "Are they not on good terms?"

Taeyang nodded and replied, "That's what I've heard. But I'm pretty sure they're keeping it under wraps for their own sake." 

"I don't know about you, but Han Mina just gives me the creeps," Hyung started. "For a very gorgeous woman, she just seems so...cold. Like you can't talk to her. Or you could but...she's really intimidating."

"You think so?" Taeyang asked hyung. He looked up at the nighttime sky and said, "Dunno. It's Jiang Aera who makes me feel uncomfortable inside."

"Na-ah," I disagreed. "Aera's really nice. Han Mina...on the other hand, she's--I think I'd agree to what hyung is saying."

"Jiang Aera smiles too much." Taeyang stated simply, and hyung and I laughed at his remark. 

"Whoa, Dong Youngbae...and we thought you like cheerful girls!" I tried to make him laugh but his face remained somber. "So, you don't like her?"

"What's there not to like?" Taeyang answered back. "She's very polite, cheerful, yes. But I just feel...like there's a different side of her that she desperately tries to hide. It's so different. Especially when you think of how the other trainees are like."

"You watch too many dramas, for chrissakes," Hyung said. "I mean no offense, but yeah."

I looked at Taeyang, trying to see his reaction, but I guess he didn't hear what Hyung was saying to him. He was looking at something in the shadows not far from where we are.

"Ah, Taeyang?" I was about to continue what I was supposed to say but he silenced me with a soft hiss.

"Stop. Do you see someone there?" Hyung and I turned to look, but there was none.

It was hyung's turn to comment. "Dong Youngbae, are you ok? There's nobody here but us."

"No, hyung! I swear someone was standing there a while ago!" Taeyang stood up and went to the spot where he reportedly saw someone not too long ago while we trailed behind.

"Dude, let's get some sleep ok?" Hyung tried to usher Taeyang and I back to the stairs. It's late, so maybe it was just something that Taeyang imagined. I cast a last glance to the spot where he supposedly saw someone, and instead of believing that it was all in the mind, I was surprised to know that it might be otherwise.

For on the very same spot, a silver earring lay, its tiny jade stone glittering in the night. 

Someone was there.