*banner by G-Dara21

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“What’s wrong?” Dara asked, looking up at Jiyong. He had his eyes narrowed up ahead and out of curiosity, Dara followed his gaze. There was a shadow of a person up ahead, heading their direction. Instinctively, Dara tightly held on to Jiyong.

 

“You should not lurk like that,” Jiyong said.

 

“You’re so suspicious,” a familiar voice replied. Dara immediately recognized it as TOP’s. Slowly, he stepped out of the darkness.

 

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

 

“Why, hello too!” he smirked.

 

Dara frowned at the heavy sarcasm in his voice. Bit her forehead cleared after a while. She felt like she hasn’t seen him for years. She sighed then stared back at him. “What are you doing here?” she asked again.

 

“Sohee called me,” he said, keeping his eyes on her. “She said your boyfriend’s mother’s been calling him but he isn’t answering. She said it’s important.”

 

“I didn’t know you’re Sohee’s errand boy,” Jiyong snided. “I thought it was Seungri.”

 

“Jiyong,” Dara warned although she can’t help but frown at TOP’s obedience to Sohee’s orders.

 

“Since you’re enjoying the role of being an errand boy, inform Sohee that I’ll talk to my mother some other time.”

 

“Jiyong,” Dara softly said. She’s not liking the current mood and aura TOP’s in and as much as she doesn’t want to think about it, she can’t help but feel that they might end up fighting against each other again. “I think it would be better if you’ll just go. . . . go back to the restaurant and talk to your mother.”

 

Jiyong glanced down sharply at her, his eyes searching hers. After a while, he sighed. “Fine, but I’ll take you home first.”

 

“No,” she refused. “Go on, I’ll be fine. Besides, I need to talk to TOP, anyways.”

 

His eyes narrowed. He was obviously against it.

 

“I’ll be fine, pancake. Trust me,” Dara consoled him.

 

“I trust you Dara,” he calmly said. “But I don’t think  I can trust him.”

 

“Huh!” TOP snorted.

 

It was inappropriate but Dara can’t help but smile giddily at Jiyong. She reached out to cup his face. The moment she did, Jiyong’s stance relaxed. With a sigh, he said, “Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

 

“Yes,” she answered, still smiling. “Go, I don’t want your mother to think that I’m taking you away from her.”

 

“Dara, that won’t be your fault. It’s my choice,” he calmly said.

 

“Ya!” Dara suddenly burst out. “Stop being unbearably sweet and charming, will you? You’re going to make me cry!”

 

“I adore you,” he whispered so low that she almost didn’t hear it. And even before she could make a response, her lips were sealed by his. She automatically held on to his shoulders as he kissed her passionately. Just as she thought it’d be forever, he pulled away then chuckled. “You really are adorable,” he said before taking off.

 

Dara blinked several times before her mind went back to its normal state. When it did, Jiyong was already gone. “I think I’m going to faint,” she whispered breathlessly. She expected TOP to say something sarcastic but he remained quiet. She turned around to face him.

 

He was wearing an annoyed look close to boredom. With a smirk, he turned around and started walking away.

 

“Ya! Where are you going?” Dara called.

 

He didn’t answer.

 

“Ya!” she called again and ran after him. Upon reaching him, she stopped him by grabbing his arm. “Ya! What’s your problem? I should be the one acting pissed, not you!”

 

“And what did I do to you?”

 

Dara frowned. “And what did I do to you?” she returned.

 

TOP was silent for a moment. “I’m not going to apologize for something I’m not sorry for.”

 

“Fine!” Dara gritted. “But why are you suddenly being rude?”

 

He rolled his eyes. “If you don’t know, then I’m not going to tell you. Go figure it out on your own.”

 

“Is this because of what Jiyong said a while ago?”

 

“I’m used to word fights,” he dismissively said as he started walking again.

 

“Then what’s wrong?”

 

“Just go home, Dara,” he said. “It’s getting late already.”

 

Dara ran and went in front of him. She spread her arms out in an attempt to block him. She was wearing a determined look and TOP can’t help but secretly smile at this. He finds her cute when she’s being like that. “Why do you even bother knowing how I feel, Dara?”

 

The question obviously took her by surprise. She dropped her arms to her side as she tried to think of an appropriate respond. “W-well. . . y-you’re my friend and I . . . that’s. . . you’re my friend. . .”

 

TOP saw the hesitation and confusion in her eyes. And eventhough he didn’t want to give any meaning to it, he can’t help but see a flicker of hope. “I’m tired, Dara. I want to go to sleep. I was actually going to sleep when Sohee called me and asked me to-”

 

“You shouldn’t have obeyed her then,” she cut off.

 

TOP didn’t say anything. He needed more signs.

 

“If you’re so pissed with Jiyong, you shouldn’t have bothered going here just to tell him that his mother wanted to talk to him. You do know how to say no or refuse, right? Well, of course you do!” she ranted but TOP started walking again. “Ah, I know,” Dara went on. “You can’t say no to Sohee because you like her, don’t you? But the thing is, Sohee likes my pancake, so you’re pissed because you’re jealous. It’s not Jiyong’s fault, though. And eventhough Sohee likes him; I think I can safely say that my pancake prefers me than that girl. That’s it, isn’t it? You can’t say no to Sohee because you like her and-”

 

“I wanted to see you, damn it!” TOP shouted, facing her. “And yes, I’m jealous! But not with Sohee and Jiyong! I already told you this before, Dara. I like you, okay? And I think I’m-”

 

Dara started laughing. She was laughing so hard that it made her tummy ache. “Aigoo!” she exclaimed. “You really are weird! That was a good one, though. You looked really serious! I swear! I almost believed you but of course, I know it was a joke. . . hahahaha! That was a good one, seriously!”

 

“I’m not joking,” TOP calmly said.

 

“Oh, come on!” Dara giggled.

 

“I’m serious, Dara and you know it.”

 

Dara shook her head, still giggling. She failed to notice that TOP was closing the distance between them. “If you could only see your face right now. . .”

 

“What makes you think I’m joking?”

 

Dara froze upon feeling his breath blew upon her face. She blinked and looked up. She made a squeaky sound upon seeing TOP just in front of her – too close for her comfort. She took a step back uncertainly. “W-well. . .” she began. “Y-you always make fun of me and-”

 

“Do I look like I’m making fun of you right now, Dara?” he asked in a low tone.

 

Dara swallowed upon seeing the look in his eyes – he was and is serious. She took a step back again. “Don’t call me that way.”

 

“Why?” he asked, taking a step forward. “That’s your name, right? Dara.”

 

“Stop this. . .”

 

“Why?” he asked again, taking another step forward.

 

“I have a boyfriend and-”

 

“Break up with him then,” he casually suggested.

 

Her eyes went wide. “I can’t do that!” she exclaimed, her voice went a pitch higher. “I love Jiyong and. . . if I’ll be able to convince him, I’m going to propose to him and ask him to marry me and have children with me and. . .”

 

“If he really loves you, you don’t have to convince him to tie the knot with you,” he said. “If he really wanted to be with you forever, he’ll ask you to marry him.”

 

“He doesn’t believe in forever,” she said.

 

“I do.”

 

“H-he. . . just got some issues,” Dara stammered. “But he’s changing already and that’s all because of me!” she added with pride in her voice this time. “Look, I really appreciate it everytime you make me laugh, your friendship and I’m really grateful for the times that you saved me and accompanied me. I know that you probably find me cute and funny that’s why you love pissing me off and-”

 

“I’m falling for you, Dara.”

 

Dara tried to laugh it off again but no sound came out. She was. . . all tongue tied and speechless. She tried to move away but her body seemed to move towards him. “N-no. . .”

 

TOP saw something flashed across her face. And it was all he needed. He cupped her face and claimed her lips possessively.

 

- - -

 

It was past midnight when Jiyong finally arrived at the apartment. He saw Dara asleep on the sofa; he shook his head at the thought that she fell asleep while waiting for him. He looked down at her and smiled. He knew she’s adorable, too annoyingly adorable sometimes but she’s becoming more and more adorable to his eyes lately.

 

He scooped her up slowly – careful not to wake her up. Effortlessly, he carried her to their room. He placed her down on the bed and kissed her forehead. Since she hasn’t changed her clothes yet, he decided to change them for her. He went to get a loose shirt first before taking her shoes and clothes off. He can’t help but shower her butterfly kisses all over. And to his satisfaction, she remained fast asleep.

He straightened up after he was done putting the loose shirt on her. As he did, his eyes caught the sight of Dara’s birthday gift to him – her masterpiece, as what she wanted to call it. He chuckled then looked down at her again. I made the right decision, he thought. To hell with the consequences of his choice, he doesn’t really care anymore. He’ll just face them when the right time comes – no, they will face them together. He could just imagine how stubborn Dara would be if he’ll insist on facing whatever tomorrow brings alone. He shook his head, surprised with the way his mind was working. Maybe everyone’s right about him. Maybe he’s not really the person he thought he was or maybe he was just changing. His eyes, on their own accord, went to Dara’s ring finger. The shadow ring was there. He frowned a little as a memory and thought passed his mind. But then, he smiled. It eventually turned into a soft laughter.

 

“I’m crazy,” he chuckled. “And it’s your fault, you adorable little giant baby.”

 

- - -

 

Morning came. Jiyong woke Dara up. “Aigoo!” she exclaimed. “Breakfast in bed again?”

 

“You’re actually complaining?”

 

“Of course not!” she said. “It’s just that. . . aish. . . . I told you, I should be the one doing these things.”

 

He chuckled at her pouting face. “You are adorable.”

 

“You kept on saying that,” she noticed with her eyes narrowed into tiny slits. “What’s with that word?”

 

“Why, don’t you like it?”

 

“You know I do,” she grumbled. “But I’m just wondering. Are you really my pancake?”

 

He laughed. “Can you see this?” he asked afterwards, pointing at the white angel pendant, “They crystal. . . has some. . . let’s just say, ways of knowing its owner. For the sake of your below-sea-level intellect, it means that I’m the only one who can wear this.”

 

“Really?” she asked. “Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

 

“There’s a process involved in it. You won’t understand it, anyways.”

 

She was about to demand what the process was but Jiyong suddenly placed a spoonful of pancake in . She swallowed it down with chewing it. “Ya!”

 

“If you still don’t believe that I’m the Kwon Jiyong you knew, maybe this would help,” he said then leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

 

When he pulled back, she could only sigh. “There’s something missing, though,” she started. “Maybe you should kiss me again so I can make sure that you really are my Jiyong.”

 

“Nice try, Dara,” he chuckled. “Eat first, then we’ll talk about your demand later.”

 

Okay,” she beamed brightly.

 

“You really are adorable.”

 

“Seriously, that word’s getting into my nerves already. What’s with it, anyways? Aha! Is that your own way of saying the I love you words to me?” It was meant as a joke but when Dara saw the look on his face, she was dumbfounded. “I’m a genius! If that’s the case, then I find you really really really adorable, too!”

 

- - -

 

“Pancake, I don’t know what’s happening to me but I feel really tired and I don’t think I can make it to school if I’m going to walk.”

 

He sighed and went to his knees. “Climb on, then. I’ll piggyback you to school.”

 

“Yay!” she cheered. “You are adorable. That means I love you.”

 

My pancake is so adorable adorable adorable. . .

 

“Dara, stop singing.”

 

Adorable adorable adorable

 

“You are stubborn,” he drily commented.

 

“Pancake, you are adorable! Hahaha.”

 

“And you are impossibly-”

 

“Impossibly adorable?” she giggled.

 

“Oh, never mind.”

 

Dara went on chanting and teasing Jiyong about the adorable word all the way to school. When he brought her in front of her room, she climbed down. “Will we be having lunch together?”

 

“Yes,” he answered. “I’ll pick you up, later. Don’t go anywhere else, okay?”

 

“Okay,” she smiled.

 

“I’ll see you later then,” he said.

 

“Err, pancake. I think you’re forgetting something,” she said.

 

“What?”

 

She pouted her lips in response, making Jiyong chuckle. He leaned down and gave her a long, sweet kiss.

 

Dara was used to the stares and glares of her fellow students so she wasn’t really bothered that much. She can’t help but smile brightly. Then, at the corner of her eyes, a familiar figure past by. When she checked to see who it was, the person was already gone. But of course she knew who it was and the thought of him seeing her with Jiyong a while ago made her smile waver.

 

 

 

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*A/N: sorry for the lame update guys. . . . . aigoo...

sorry if it's taking me a while to update nowadays. i'm just really busy. but i do try updating on my free day.

anyhoo, sorry for the typos, grammar errors, you know how it is...

 

OF COURSE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR GODDESS DEE.

 

weee... and have you guys voted on MAMA???? Go go go vote!!!

 

CONGRATZ to BB and 2NE1 for winning o MTV! YG FAMILY DAEBAK!

 

what else?? ah, i missed being OL and i missed you guys! went senti a while ago while looking at the past banners.. huhuhu... aigoo...

 

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS CHAP? LAME? AIGOO!

 

*grins* *evil laugh* *still not contented*

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

WHICH SHOULD BE UPDATED NEXT?

Tug Of War?

Crazy Little Thoughts?

The Spinster's Curse?