"Where's Dara?" was the first thing Seungri asked when he only saw Joohyun coming over to our table.

 

"With Minhwan," she simply said, slumping down on the seat next to Daesung.

 

Again? I wanted to ask but I bit my tongue. They've been hanging out together for three days straight now. It's also been three days since the conversation about Bae Hwa High and Kwang Soo High happened. Seungri refused to tell us what it was about since he seemed to know something about it but Daesung and I didn't push it anymore when he said to us, Let the girls tell you. When we saw the girls again, they acted as of nothing happened. We decided to do the same.

 

"I wonder what they've been busy together about," Bom sounded frustrated, breaking me out of my thoughts.

 

I probably would've sounded as frustrated, if I just spoke.

 

"Sports Festival is coming soon, isn't it? Two weeks from now. They must be preparing for it. Being our class representatives and all," Daesung pointed out. His eyes then fell on me and with a small smile, he continued, "it's their duty so you don't have to be so disheartened."

 

I shot him a glare. Too obvious.

 

As if on cue, Dara and Minhwan entered the cafeteria. She instantly spotted us then said something to Minhwan before walking towards us as Minhwan walked to the opposite direction much to my relief.

 

"Hi!" she greeted us enthusiastically.

 

"Hey!" everyone, except me, greeted back. 

 

"Jiyong!" She called out suddenly. And excitedly.

 

My head shot up curiously at her. What was she excited about?

 

She made her way to the empty seat beside me, smiling stupidly at me.

 

"What?" I asked in a snappish tone of voice. Not that I meant it to come out the way it did. It was just some sort of reflex. However, Dara didn't seem to mind one bit, which was very typical of her.

 

"Your game will be tomorrow, right?" I didn't answer. I didn't think there was a need to because she still continued, "is there anything you want? Do you want me to bring or get anything for you?"

 

I stared at her, a bit surprised as to why she was asking me that.

 

She was waiting for an answer but my mind remained blank so I just shrugged, "Anything's fine."

 

"Are you sure?" she asked me.

 

For some reason, I felt deeply happy by the fact that she was asking me what I wanted. Because it almost seems like she cares. The only person who ever asked me what I wanted was my deceased mother..

 

My eyes bore into hers. I couldn't help but stare at those innocent and kind eyes of hers momentarily. Eyes are indeed the windows to our soul.

 

After a long pause, I answered, "Yes, I'm sure."

 

Because I'd definitely accept anything you give me. But of course, I didn't say that.

 

Dara's smile grew bigger at me, "Okay! Leave it to me!" She giggled childishly.

 

I huffed amusingly at her as I ruffled her hair slightly.

 

"Aren't you two being a bit too close?" an annoyed voice spoke.

 

My and Dara's heads turned to the other four people in the same table as us. They were staring right at us. Each of them wearing different expressions on their faces.

 

I completely forgot they were still here. I got carried away.

 

"I thought it was just me but it seems like you two have become close. Jiyong has also been calling Darong by her nickname.. Did something happen during the break between the two of you while I wasn't around?" Bom wondered, looking at us suspiciously.

 

Daesung could only snicker, while Seungri had his jaw drop. Joohyun, the one who spoke first, was glaring daggers at me as if saying, I will never hand over Dara to you.

 

What's her problem?

 

I glared back at her. Seeing this, she just glared at me harder, if that was possible.

 

Before anything else could happen, the bell for the next class rang.

 

Daesung, who knew everything, remained silent. Surprisingly, Seungri and Bom had gotten over the incident pretty quick. But Joohyun wasn't as forgetful as the two.

 

She kept glaring at me whenever she had the chance until it was finally time for us to leave the school.

 

Seungri, Bom and Daesung went first since they had someone to pick them up. It was only me, Dara, and Joohyun left in front of the school gate. I turned to Dara.

 

"Dara, let's-"

 

Joohyun purposely cut me off. "Should I walk you to your workplace today, Dara?" she asked in a very sweet voice that would make anyone want to vomit. "I've got nothing to do anyway."

 

"Would you?" Dara looked delighted. "That would be great!"

 

A triumphant smirk crept along Joohyun's face. I saw it very clearly. But it was immediately wiped off when Dara said, "That makes the three of us!"

 

Of course she was referring to me.

 

It was my turn to smirk.

 

But Joohyun wasn't going to give up so easily. She said to Dara without looking at me, "He has a game tomorrow so it would be better if he'll just stay here and train."

 

I shook my head. "Not today. Seunghyun hyung gave us this day to rest so we'll have energy for the game tomorrow."

 

"Well," Joohyun said through gritted teeth, though smiling a little for Dara, still not looking at me, "He should just go home and rest then, shouldn't he?"

 

"Nope," I answered before Dara could, "I feel fine, maybe it's YOU who should go home and rest. So let's go, Dara," I said as I walked pass Joohyun to grab Dara's hand, pulling her behind me.

 

"Hey! Let go of her!"

 

I could hear her stomping angrily behind us. I ignored her and increased my pace.

 

Dara laughed softly, I heard. I glanced at her. She looked happy.

 

"What are you laughing at?"

 

She laughed again. "You and Joohyun are arguing.."

 

"What's so funny about that?" I asked.

 

"Only friends could argue and still be okay to be around each other," she said as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

 

I sighed.

 

She really is something. Only she would think of such.

 

"I am definitely not okay to be around her," I tried to sound disgusted. "Besides, who do you think is the reason we're arguing for?" Of course she'd have no idea. She was always clueless like that. Sometimes I think that if a murder happened right in front of her, she'd still ask who the suspect was. I added, "Idiot."

 

"What did you just call Dara?! I heard that you bastard!" Joohyun barked from behind us.

 

-

 

I searched around for the others and eventually spotted them in the crowd cheering crazily except for Joohyun. As expected. Looking at the girl beside her, I couldn't help but smile a little when I saw Dara jumping up and down excitedly as she screamed our school name repeatedly. Then mine. I shook my head at her silliness.

 

Her gaze fell on me ad her lips tightened into a curve. She winked at me then gave me a thumbs up. I felt my cheeks heating up. I turned quickly away before anyone could see.

 

The cheers roared louder. Two types of cheers can be heard from the crowd. One cheering for our school and one for the other.

 

I sat on the bench during the first half. It was a very close fight with a score of 1-1. On the second half, our coach let me in the field. I sent a goal which made us in the lead. But the other team did too. We were tied again to 2-2.

 

Just ten seconds before the time ended, I passed the ball to Seunghyun hyung. I watched him as he ran with all his might, trying to dodge the players from the other team as they tried to block him and steal the ball. I looked at the clock.

 

Two seconds left.

 

The final buzz rang at the same time Seunghyun hyung kicked the ball.

 

What happened during that (probably) two seconds was very dramatic. Everyone turned silent.

 

Then, loud cheer erupted. It was from our side of the crowd.

 

We won.

 

-

 

Deaf.

 

That was what I wanted to be at the moment. There were so much shouting and screaming. Sure, I was glad we won but I wasn't acting as if we've won the championship in which Seunghyun hyung responded with, Every victory is worth celebrating.

 

And also, we'll be having another game with Kwang Soo High soon anyway. That was the rule in the schools in the area. Two wins against the same team. Only then we'd be able to say we play better, or something of sort.

 

The whole team was in the locker room. Everyone was talking about their most favorite moment in the game. I couldn't care less. I rubbed both of my ears for it was really beginning to hurt from all the noise. I grabbed the empty jug in front of me, not caring to know whose it was. I stood up from my seat and walked my way to the door.

 

"To get water," was how I responded when they asked me where I was going.

 

The gang already congratulated me and told me to meet them at Yeolbong at 7PM to celebrate. I already asked permission from the team to let me leave at 6:30.

 

As I was walking, I recalled what happened in the field right after we were declared as the winner.

 

*flashback*

Almost everyone went to Seunghyun hyung and carried him like a champion. I sighed happily. I just stood there and watched them quietly when all of a sudden, I felt someone jumped on me from behind. Small arms made its way around my neck.

 

"What the hell!" I was about to pry them off until I saw its owner. "Dara," I breathed in surprise.

 

She was smiling from ear to ear. "That was awesome, Jiyong! You were really cool when you kicked the ball and it went in like swoosh~!" 

 

I wanted to speak but I couldn't. I thought my heart was going to break out of my chest. I felt myself blush uncontrollably. She was too close. Too close.

 

And the fact that she had her arms wrap around my neck...

 

"Kwon," called Joohyun acidly, making me turn to her, "now's the time you pry her off you."

 

There she was again. What's wrong with her?

 

But it somehow amused me that she couldn't do anything because it was Dara herself that ran to me, so instead of doing what she said, I shot her a look. The look said, Do it yourself.

*flashback end*

 

Well, what happened after that wasn't important. Neither of us (Joohyun and I) did anything. Dara eventually grew tired and let go.

 

But I remembered how light Dara was.. I wonder where all the food she swallows down in her system goes to. I knew she had a small body but it didn't occur to me that she'd be light as a feather (though that's a bit of an exaggeration). I've seen her eat so many times. She eats thrice as much as the rest of us and yet she was very light.

 

I didn't notice I was already at the water fountain. I began filling it in with water. I then noticed how quiet the school was. I checked my watch and saw it was already 6:20PM. Just ten minutes to go before I could leave.

 

I waited until the jug was full. When it was, I closed it gently with its cover. I turned around and began walking when I heard something that made me freeze in my tracks.

 

"Sandara Park," a voice of a guy said. "You saw her didn't you?"

 

They're talking about Dara?

 

"I did! She looks the same when she was in Bae Hwa, if not prettier!"  another said, with a light chuckle.

 

I hid behind a wall almost immediately, hoping they didn't notice me. I took a peek and realized they were players from Kwang Soo High. There were two of them. I remembered their faces clearly. They were standing at the entrance of our coach's office. I listened to their conversation carefully. I wasn't a person to eavesdrop but a part of me was saying I had to listen.

 

"I thought so too," the first guy responded. "But it seems like she's already taken by that number 18.." 

 

I was number 18. That was the number on my jersey.

 

"Yeah. Saw the way she ran to him? That was.. wow."

 

They saw that, huh? I felt myself blush -something that happens to me quite often nowadays.

 

"I wonder what he will think when he hears about this," one of the guys wondered sadly.

 

He? I sensed they weren't referring to me anymore.

 

"He'd sure be disappointed if he learns that his ex girlfriend has already moved on," said the other guy, putting emphasis on the word 'his'.

 

Ex girlfriend? The word echoed in my head for who knows how many times.

 

"Let's go, guys," I recognized Kwang Soo High's coach's voice. "I've already scheduled another game against them. We'll surely win next time, right?" I could tell they already began walking.

 

"Of course!" the two guys said in unison.

 

The sound of their steps eventually faded.

 

However, I remained completely still. The two guys' conversation was stuck in my head.

 

It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that the he they were referring to was Dara's ex boyfriend. Heck, even Seungri could figure it out.

 

For some reason, I felt my chest hurt.