On And Under The Rain
Crazy Little Thoughts
a/n: Guys! I've noticed that AFF is now auto-marking chapters as "M". Just want to set your expectation that there's no scenes in this chappie.. LOL
-----
It has become a routine of mine to pick up Sandara Park and walk together hand in hand to school as well as walk her home. She usually talks most of the time, just narrating what happened to her day as well as her favorites and what he usually doesn’t like as well. I’ve never been the one who usually listens because I preferred to be heard – I mean, I’m Kwon Jiyong after all, people are interested in everything about me. But I find myself enjoying listening to her stories. It’s probably because of the way she tells them or how her face would look like as well as her hand gestures. It really makes me wonder why that bullfrog broke up with her.
The thought of Mikmun made me remember Victoria. Well, I still want to be with her, of course. She’s my dream girl after all. Sandara Park said we’re almost there. I’m not really sure how she can say that, but she said she’s quite confident that in due time, it will be Vicky who would come for me. I remember she said, when that time comes, you’ll be able to get rid of me already. I took a deep breath and gave her hand a squeeze. I’ve noticed this already but I haven’t really acknowledged it but probably I do now – it was getting hard for me to think that we won’t be seeing each other this often when that time comes.
It’s quite funny now that I think of it. I used to think of her as a stalker and was annoyed with her presence. But now. . . there’s this weird feeling inside that wants to be always around her. Huh! Maybe I’ll turn as the stalker this time. How ironic of that.
“Ya! You’re not even listening, are you?”
I blinked and glanced down at her. She was wearing that cute childish frown of hers again. Does she even have any idea of how adorable she looks right now?
“You obviously haven’t heard anything I said! You were thinking of your long-necked swan, weren’t you?” she demanded, pulling her hand out of my grasp. When I didn’t answer, she just turned away and started walking ahead of me.
“Hey!” I called but she didn’t stop. I ran after her and took over, making her stop. I placed my one hand on her shoulder while the other went to lift her chin up. “I was listening to you the whole time, I just got distracted for maybe five to ten minutes.”
She sighed. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m not really in the position as well to get angry. Of course, it’s normal for you to think of Vicky as well as its normal for me as well to remember Khunnie when we’re together.”
I wanted to say something but I couldn’t think of anything. I straightened up and pulled my hands away, placed them in my back pockets. “You think of him when we’re together?” I finally asked.
She looked away. “Of course I do!” she said. “Just like how you think of Vicky when we’re together.”
“I see,” I nodded.
Awkward silence then embraced us. After a while, she cleared . “I think I’ll be fine from here,” she said. “Thanks, by the way. You should go home and rest as well.”
We stared at each other but she pulled away first. She then started taking her steps forward. As she walked past by me, I suddenly felt something heavy placed upon my body. Should I tell her what I was really thinking? But how would she react to it? I don’t want her to give any meaning to my thoughts and grew awkward with me. I want to have this comfortable. . . friendship that we have right now but I also can’t endure seeing her like this. Dang it!
I turned and started walking after her. Upon reaching her, I reached for her hand and interlaced her fingers with mine. “I did think of Vicky,” I quietly started. “But I got more distracted with the thought that we’ll no longer be able to see each other this often once we’ve accomplished what we really wanted.”
I can’t bear to look into her eyes so I just looked up ahead.
“I think about that often myself as well,” she quietly said. “Tweety bird surprisingly grew on me,” she added with a chuckle.
“But. . . we can still have like some kind of get together, right? Or bonding moments? I mean, you said we’re, you know. . .” I struggled, finding it hard to utter the word best friend but I forced myself to. “I mean, you said we’re best friends and all.”
“If we succeed with our plan, I don’t think Khunnie would still allow me to see you after we reveal everything to him as well as to Vicky.”
“What if. . . what if we don’t succeed? What would happen then?”
She looked up at me, opened as if to say something but changed her mind. What is it with girls changing their minds at the last minute?
“We have to succeed,” she finally said.
“Do you really love him that much?” I asked as we went on walking.
She gave a light laugh. “What’s with all these questions, Jiyong? We should aim for victory, shouldn’t we? You don’t really want our efforts to be wasted, do you?”
“Of course not!” I answered quite strongly. “But we have to think of the different possibilities as well.”
“If I didn’t know better, I would think that you’d rather be with me now than Vicky – which by the way would be very weird and absurd!”
“Huh!” I snorted. “Excuse me?! I have standards, Sandara Park. You heard that? STANDARDS! You didn’t even qualify to the least of it!”
“Oh sorry!” she said. “I forgot you prefer looooooooooooong-necked swans like Vicky!”
“How did Vicky get into this conversation by the way? We’re talking about my standards and how you don’t meet even the minimum or least of it!”
“Well of course, since Vicky is your ideal girl, it’s actually quite safe to say that she met your all-high-and-mighty standards!”
“And I think it’s quite safe to say as well that you, don’t have any standards at all! Imagine, you’re actually going after Mikmun, who looked like a swollen bullfrog!”
“How dare you compare him to a swollen bullfrog? You’re not even in the same level with him when it comes to body built and the face!”
“Me? The great Kwon Jiyong, isn’t in the same level with Mikmun? Are you kidding me? FYI, Miss Sandara Park! I’m every girl’s dream right now and if we only don’t have an agreement to pretend as a couple, I would prefer to hang out with them than you! But I’m stuck with you because of this plan!”
She turned red. “Fine!” she said. “If you’d rather be with those girls, go ahead and do so! I don’t care! I don’t even give a damn!” she finished, and marched towards their door. I didn’t even notice we already reached their house.
“Ya! Sandara Park! We’re not done talking yet!”
“I don’t want to talk to you anymore!” she said, stopped then turned around to face me. “In fact, I don’t want to ever see you again!”
I followed her and grabbed her wrist. “That’s unfair!”
“I don’t care!” she said, pulling her wrist back quite forcefully.
The door suddenly opened and her father’s questioning face greeted us. “Tone it down, kids,” he said. “Discuss whatever it is you’re arguing about in a well-mannered way, okay?”
“I don’t want to talk to him, Dad.”
“Well-mannered way lady,” her Dad said and closed the door again.
“This is your entire fault!” she then hissed at me.
I was just a few feet inches away from her and it was only then that I realized how upset she actually was. “Hey,” I said in a low tone. “I’m sorry.”
She didn’t answer but just looked away.
“Dara,” I called out softly. I sighed when she crossed her arms across her chest, frowning and pouting. I reached out and tugged on her arms, pulling them apart. “Come here,” I said, pulling her to me. I wrapped her arms around me first before I wrapped one arm around her. I placed my other hand on her head instead, caressing her hair. “I’m sorry,” I whispered again.
She didn’t say anything. “I’m really sorry,” I said, kissing her temple then her cheek. “I don’t like arguing with you.”
I don’t really know what happened. Maybe I just got upset as well hearing her say that she’d give up our friendship for that Mikmun guy. Aish!
“Dara. I’m sorry. . .”
“I don’t like arguing with you as well,” she finally said.
“Let’s not argue anymore, okay?”
“Okay,” she said in a cute little voice then buried her face in my chest.
Her hair is so soft and it smelled so good – like strawberries and green apple. And here I go again, planting small kisses to her hair and to different parts of her face that I can reach. Why can’t I resist doing it? Gah! I think I’m becoming a ert!!!
No, no, no. I’m not a ert! I’m just. . . a sweet and touchy guy, yes. That’s it! Hahahahaha!
As we remained hugging each other, the door suddenly opened again, making both of us jump away from each other. “Dinner?”
I wasn’t able to say no to her father as he was throwing me this weird look. When I joined their dining table, I can’t help but remember the first time I’ve been here. It hasn’t changed at all. And Sandara Park’s parents are the same as ever – no wonder she got a weird sense of humor. But as I watched them throw teasing remarks and jokes at each other, I actually found amazing watching them. They’re a lovely family and I can’t help this wishful thinking to be part of their family. It also made me wonder if my family was the same with theirs.
After dinner, I was suddenly bombarded with questions that made me feel awkward like who’s my first kiss and stuff. They’re supposed to be adults! They should not ask minors questions like that! It was a good thing that Sandara Park had some decency in her to stop her parents and said that I would not be able to stay long.
As she walked me out of the house, I still can’t help blushing with their questions.
“Sorry about my parents,” she said.
“It’s okay,” I told her. “Both of them are lovely, no wonder you’re such a lovely person as well.”
She chuckled. “I thought you well. You know how to sugarcoat your words now.”
“I’m telling the truth, Dara.”
She smiled. “It’s nice hearing you say Dara rather than always calling me with my full name.”
“I feel closer to you than before now, that’s why.”
Ah!” she chuckled. “You’re really starting to have your way with words now, seriously! Hahaha! I taught you well!”
“I’m serious, Dara,” I told her, staring straight at her in the eyes.
She opened as if to say something but ended up looking away and clearing . “Uhm, it’s getting late.”
“Are you shooing me away?”
“Of course not!” she said. “I just don’t. . .” she trailed.
“Don’t what?”
“I just don’t want you to, you know, go home alone late.”
“Ah,” I said, smiling widely. “You’re worried about me! Why you cute little firefly!” I said, pinching her cheeks.
“Ya!”
“Don’t frown,” I said, clearing her wrinkled forehead with my fingers. I then leaned down and gave her a quick kiss in the cheek. “I’ll go ahead before you start shooing me away again. it hurts, you know.”
“Ya!”
“Is that the only word you know now?” I laughed. “But I’ll go, I don’t want you staying up so late as well.”
“Huh!” she snorted. “I would never stay up late just for you.”
“I know, I know.”
But for some weird reason, I just stood there, waiting. Waiting for what? I don’t even know.
“Err. . .” she said. “Didn’t you say you’re going already?”
“Aren’t you even going to give me a hug first?”
She chuckled and spread her arms out. I stepped in closer and let her hug me. “Take care on your way home,” she said.
“I will, thanks!”
I was whistling as I climbed the stairs up to the rooftop. Sandara Park sent me a text message a while ago to meet her in the rooftop as she brought packed lunch for us. Right before I was about to push the door opened, I heard her laughing. Eh? What is she laughing at? Tch, this girl had gone crazy! With a smile on my face and a plan to endlessly, I pushed the door open only to be greeted by an unwelcomed sight.
Mikmun, the frog is with her. They were both sitting on the ground, eating. All thoughts of teasing her disappeared and I can feel my mouth going into a straight line. Now what is the meaning of this? I stood there, feeling like some kind of a non-existing person. I cleared my throat loudly to catch their attention. They both looked up at me. Dara’s eyes brightened upon seeing me and she had this huge smile on her face. She then jumped to her feet, ran and threw herself to me.
“Hey!” she said then pulled away. “I’ve been waiting for you! What took you so long?”
Instead of answering, I cupped her face and kissed her hard. As if kissing her wasn’t enough, I started nibbling on her soft lower lip – they tasted like candy and I just can’t get enough. Eventually, we broke apart. She wasn’t looking at me as she had her head tilted to the side. I took her hand and squeezed. “Sorry,” I said. “My class just extended a few minutes. But it seemed that you were okay as you had company.”
“I was already here when Khunnie went up and saw me.”
My eyes narrowed upon hearing her call him Khunnie. But then, he shrugged it off and walked ahead of her and sat beside Mikmun. I let Sandara Park sit beside me so I’m sitting in between them. “What do you have for me, by the way?”
“Oh, my mother made some egg rolls for you. She noticed how you seemed to enjoy it yesterday.”
“I never thought she’ll notice it as she was so busy laughing and all.”
“So your mother hasn’t changed, huh?” Mikmun the frog suddenly butted in. “I remember when you introduced me to you parents. They were so funny and all.”
“Yeah,” Dara answered.
“Do they still have that - ?”
“Hey, tell your mother thanks,” I interrupted Mikmun. What’s his problem?
“I think you would have to say that yourself,” she said. “She wants you to come over this weekend again.
“Really?”
“Yeah. . . so, will you be fine with that?”
“Of course!” I answered. “Anything for you, baby.”
So all throughout lunch, while Sandara Park was putting foods into my mouth, Mikmun would always go, remember this and remember that to which I always interrupt him – I mean, what’s wrong with him? What’s with this sudden walking down memory lane?
I was just on the verge of asking him what his problem is when the school bell rang. “Let’s meet in the park first this weekend. I just want to buy something first, okay?” she said.
I frowned a little. “We can go together, you know.”
“I’ll just pick you up from your place.”
“No, let’s just meet there, okay?”
“Fine.”
“Ya, don’t you go pouting on me right now.”
I pouted even more.
“Ah, you adorable little thing!”
“Oh, this weekend is your –” Mikmun started but suddenly stopped. I frowned as I saw Sandara Park sort of giving him a warning look.
Sandara Park told me to meet her at around five in the afternoon in the park. She said she’ll be in the waiting for me in the bench we lounged in when we went out. I was on my way to the park when I saw Vicky sitting in the sidewalk, crying. I hesitated for a moment but then decided to approach her.
“Vicky?” I called out.
Sobbing, she looked up. I was then surprised when she stood up and threw herself in my arms and cried uncontrollably. “What’s wrong?” I asked but she was too distraught to answer.
I just let her cry then. Not really sure how to console her or comfort her, I just rubbed her back gently and just well, basically let her cry. She just cried and cried. I didn’t dare ask her what’s wrong. It doesn’t really feel right to see a girl cry, especially to see Vicky cry. We were in that state when I felt something wet and cold touched my forehead. Then, I also felt it in my hand, in my cheek. . . I looked up and saw droplets of rain started falling. Victoria seemed to notice as well because she stopped crying for a while and looked up. A sad smile then curved her lips.
“It seemed that the sky is crying with me.”
“Come,” I said. “My place is just near. I’ll get an umbrella to walk you home.”
“I don’t want to go home yet,” she said.
I looked at her for a moment. “Well, we can’t stay here under the rain, can we?”
I led her to my house and we started running as the rain fell heavily. Upon reaching the house, I quickly went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. Then, I went to my room to get a towel. I took out my phone and the time said 4:30 pm. I still have time. Good thing it didn’t get soak. I placed it on my bed then and went back to the living room where Victoria was and handed her the towel.
It was then that she started telling me what happened. She has a problem with her family as her father was hospitalized and so, it made her mother do all sort of things to support her studies as well as the medication of her father. But then, she said that too much hard work must have taken its toll on her mother as she collapsed just a while ago and is now in the hospital as well. She said she was with Mikmun a while ago as she didn’t know what to do anymore, nowhere to run to. But then, she said Mikmun officially broke up with her a while ago.
“It’s just too much!” she cried. “It just happened all at the same time.”
I think I’ve just found a new reason to not like that Mikmun more.
A while later, Vicky then decided to go home as she needed to take responsibility of their house now that both of her parents were in the hospital. I offered to walk her home but she said she’ll just take the cab so as not to bother me anymore. She called out a service through her phone to send a cab to my address. I took out my umbrellas when the cab arrived and walked her out of the house and through the cab. She waved goodbye and I did the same. The cab then left. I was about to go back inside the house when I remembered Sandara Park.
Oh, dang it!
I looked at my wristwatch, it was already quarter to seven. I wondered if I should go to her house first or to the park. But then again, it’s really raining hard, isn’t it? Surely, she won’t stay in the park in the bench under the rain? I know she can be stupid at times, but she isn’t that stupid, right?
So I decided to go straight to their house instead. As I called out, her father went out. “Jiyong!” her father greeted. “What are you doing here alone? Where’s Dara?”
Oh no.
“S-she isn’t here yet?”
“She said she’ll meet you,” he answered, frowning a little. “She hasn’t come home yet. Haven’t you - ?”
“I’ll look for her,” I said then ran off.
Dang it, dang it, dang it!
What is she thinking?!?
Surely, she found some place to stay in for a while. I mean, the rain is ragingly strong! Through the raging rain, I miraculously made it through town. I was near to the park when I saw a girl sitting in a bench, trembling and soaking wet under the rain.
An invisible hand punched my gut as thousand of needles seemed to hit my heart. I started making my way to her, feeling angry at the rain, at Mikmun, at Sandara Park and at myself. A car the stopped at the side of the park – I didn’t mind it at first. But then, the door opened and a guy with an umbrella stepped out and went to run towards Sandara Park. It was Mikmun.
“Dara!” I heard through the raging rain. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m waiting for Jiyong,” she said in a raspy and trembling voice.
I decided to let myself notice. “Dara!” I called out.
She stood up. “Jiyong!” she sighed in relief. “I’ve been worried! Did something happen? Are you okay?”
“I’m okay!” I said, seeing the panic and worry in her eyes. “I was with Vicky and she was –”
I wasn’t able to finish what I’m saying as a resounding slap landed on my face. I was not able to react at once as I was surprised myself.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” she said in a raspy and breathless voice – it also had the tone of accusation in it.
“Dara,” I reached out for her but she flinched away from me.
“Don’t touch me!” she said. “Don’t touch me!”
She looked so pale. She weakly staggered sideways and I thought she was going to faint but then, she was able to hold onto Mikmun’s arm. No, I don’t want to see her leaning to Mikmun for support. I reached out for her again. “Dara.”
“I SAID DON’T TOUCH ME!” she screamed.
------
This chapter was upload last weekend, I think. But then, it got deleted. I was willing to wait for AFF to reinstate it but I decided to just re-upload it, kekeke.
The comments, for that chapter as well, I believed, have been deleted..
Oh well. . . Hope everything's fine now.
And oh, this fic is almost on its way to its ending...
hagocimit
Sandara Park Is My Muse
Comments