Previously on It's Just Another Love Story: His mother continued to think. Jong-in followed his parents to the kitchen waiting for his mother’s reply. "Don’t do anything reckless” she replied. He smiled and hugged her after placing the groceries on the table. “Thanks mom!”

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Chapter 24: [Special] What can love do?

Tao quietly walked inside the library, careful not to be seen by Michelle. He knew she would be around there, reading or napping. He looked around the corners and found her seated on a one-table-one-chair seat at the top floor of the college library, facing the view of the campus.

“Michelle…” Tao monotonically whispered, as he closed in on her. “Hmmm” she managed to say. The tone of her reply didn’t sound so happy, neither warm nor inviting. It sounded almost annoyed. “What is it, Tao?” she asked calmly but sounding a little sad. Tao started to worry. Instead of saying anything, he watched her from behind, walking slowly, but closer to her.

She finally turned her head, her eyes drenched, red and puffy. Tao’s instinct was to hunt down the very culprit but he took in a deep breath. “What’s wrong?” he asked, careful not to sound too concerned. It wasn’t the time yet, he thought. “And don’t say nothing because, obviously, it’s not” he bluntly said, sounding a little annoyed.

At that moment, she burst into a short, relieved laughter. Tao tried to keep a poker face. He was confused and worried about her, but he didn’t want to show it to her, he didn’t think it was necessary for her to get attached to him. “You’re always so blunt” she muttered, wiping the tears off her face. “Hmm” he replied, “Let’s go to a house party”

She looked at him, seemingly trying to figure out whether he was joking or being completely serious. “I’m serious” he said almost angrily, “And you’re coming, whether you like it or not.” He bit his tongue. Was he being too blunt and mean, he wondered. “Fine” she said naively. Surprised at how naive she was, he simply nodded his head and said, “Great. I’ll come by your dorm at 8.”

Tao turned around, quickly leaving the library, and trying to control the happy emotions he had inside. “Not yet, Tao, not yet. Control yourself” he told himself, almost too loudly. “From what?” Kris popped out of nowhere, “Still having dirty thoughts about your girlfriend?” Kris gave him the cockiest smile. Tao’s happy feelings were suddenly replaced with angry ones. “Kris, I’m not having dirty thoughts about her, for the nth time. Shut up or you’re going to get it!” Tao said, gritting his teeth. Kris gave a quick, nervous laugh and said, “I’m just joking!”

It was already 8. Tao stood in front of Michelle’s dorm, since 7:30, wondering how he would tell her. He took in a deep breath and knocked on the door. After a few knocks, Michelle violently opened the door. He stood there, shocked at how swiftly the door opened. Tao opened his mouth and managed to murmur, “Uh…” “Sorry” she immediately said.

She looked much better than earlier. As much as Tao wanted to know why she cried, he couldn’t help but assume it was about her ex. He envied him so much ever since she first told him about the guy. At the same time, Tao hated the guy. He thought about it a lot, wondering what love can do to a person. “That’s much better” he muttered, “Let’s go have fun.”

“Tao, I don’t think this is such a good idea…” she whispered, walking inside the noisy house with him. “Just have fun and mingle, okay?” he said, without really meaning it. She nodded like a child and stayed close to Tao. “Guys!” Tao said aloud. At that moment, almost everyone at the living room looked. The whole room boomed and greeted their ‘gang leader’. Michelle instantaneously backed away. Tao gripped onto her arm and pushed her towards one of his inner gang circle member. “GD!” she squealed loudly. GD smiled and hugged her. The two had been friends since middle school. “Michelle… How are you? Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?” he swiftly asked like a rap song. “That’s enough G, please take her without the questions, yeah?” Tao turned to greet more of his gang members and watched GD happily take Michelle.

After greeting and having a few drinks, Tao started to feel the alcohol get to him. He looked around, searching for Michelle. “Tao, hey, what are you doing?” Kris said, sounding as if he was suppressing a laugh, “She’s with GD outside, just so you know…” Tao put his cup down and walked straight to the door.

The door was wide open. He saw Michelle and GD sitting on the front lawn. Tao slowly walked over to them, his anger suddenly building up, but he didn’t know why. “G, please leave” Tao muttered. GD and Michelle looked up at Tao, who was standing behind them. GD immediately stood up and dragged Tao further from Michelle. “She’s not so stable right now, Taeyang just…” GD said, hesitatingly, as he looked at Michelle then back at Tao, “Well… You’ll see.” With that he ran inside the house.

Tao sat beside Michelle and saw her holding a cup. “Who gave that to you?” Tao asked. She looked at him with a smile. “Taeyang did!!!” She was obviously drunk. “Michelle…” Tao subconsciously said in a sweet way. He had never sweetly said anything to anyone and it scared him. “Yes?” she cooed, softly touching his cheek.

“You’re so cute…” she giggled. Tao just blushed and carried her. “HEY!” she shouted. “I’m taking you back to your dorm” he said, looking at her helpless state. “Nooo, I want cheeseburger, please Tao, can we go get cheeseburger?” Tao stared into her eyes. He had planned to tell her that day but it was all a fail with bad timing. He sighed and nodded.

“Feeling better? You’re so funny, you know that? It’s just 9:30 and you got yourself drunk already!” he said, half annoyed, half surprised. She giggled as she took a huge bite of her cheeseburger and downing it with a big cup of cola. He looked at her lovingly, knowing that when she wakes up the next day, she would not remember anything, at least think everything was a dream.

Tao stared at her as she ate. She suddenly put her burger down and stared back at him. Still intoxicated, she asked, “Do you know why I cried today?” Tao was taken aback. He didn’t know how to reply, yet he felt like she was going to talk about her ex, talk about how much she still loves him and how getting over him was a complete lie like a typical love story in the movies. He simply shook his head. “Because I accidentally fell down the stairs on my way up the library and it hurt so bad, my back is so bruised!” she said, pulling her shirt up and revealed the bruises on her back.

Tao stared at her . He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. She was so random, but he loved her that way. He had just realized right then and there that there was no one else who he could love. “You won’t remember this tomorrow,” he started, “But, I’m so glad you’re over your ex and you really meant when you said you were over him… That bastard doesn’t deserve you. Love hurt you, made you unable to trust. Love made me remember who I was and made me do so many crazy things for you; you wouldn’t even believe me if I told you… What can love do to a person like me?” As Tao spoke, he his fingers through her hair.

Tao blushed at what he had just done. She stared into his eyes innocently. “I’m so glad, your alcohol tolerance is so bad.” He mumbled.  Before Michelle could sober up, Tao stood up and walked outside. He took out his phone. “Hello G. Come by McDonald’s in 5 minutes. I need you to take care of something… Someone for me” he said and hung up.

In 5 minutes, GD appeared.“What’s up?” GD asked. Tao pointed his head sideways. GD looked inside the restaurant and saw Michelle singing loudly. GD laughed. “Take her to an arcade. Sober her up before she goes back to the dorm today and make sure she thinks you and her ran off from the party to play at the arcade or something. Make sure she doesn’t suspect a single thing, got it?” Tao said sternly. GD nodded with a smirk, knowing he would succeed as he was the expert in this field for the gang. GD went inside the restaurant while Tao walked off.

“What can love do?” Tao asked himself, “It can make a person do the craziest things for the one they love…”

Poke. Poke. “Ugh. What?” Michelle said, lazily putting her head up. Apparently, the night before, she stayed up all night as she found this old arcade game, Gang Wars. Ironic. The guy she is madly in love with happens to be a gang leader. “Are you awake?” he asked. She nodded, without looking at the guy, crazily rubbing her eyes. “Yeah, yeah” she answered with a hint of annoyance her voice.