"I knew it. The celebration was just an excuse. You guys just really wanted to come here," I pointed out tonelessly.

 

Not that I cared much, but it would've been better if they just said so. We headed to a karaoke place after having dinner at Yeolbong together. They just finished their 8th song and were enjoying themselves.

 

"That's not true!" was what they said in unison. But their mischievous grins gave them away.

 

I rolled my eyes at them muttering, "Whatever."

 

"So, who's next?" Bom asked over the mic.

 

A hand instantly shot up in the air. It was Dara. Bom handed her the mic before going to her seat. I observed her with amusement. Dara literally ran to the karaoke machine, completely showing her excitement, then quickly pressed the numbers of the song she has chosen.

 

As soon as the title of the song appeared, Seungri jumped up and grabbed the other mic before anyone else could. He had a wide grin on his face.

 

The song was SNSD's Jessica and Park Myungsoo's Cold Noodles.

 

I've never heard the song before. As soon as I heard it, I decided I didn't like it. It was too girly. But Dara and Seungri were singing with much enthuisiasm. It amused me a little. They were even dancing along to the song. They knew the steps very well. I couldn't help but focus on Dara. She was dancing so cutely. I had to fight the urge to grab her and hug her tightly.

 

Then I remembered about the conversation I heard about Dara and her ex earlier that day. My mind was on the go again. Still so many questions linger on. There were so many things I wanted to know. Like, why did they break up, who broke up with who, how long were they together, and the question I wanted to ask the most, does she still have feelings for him until now? I wanted to know but at the same time, I didn't. I was scared to know the answer.

 

With Dara's personality, she wasn't one to date anyone for fun. Whoever he was, she must've really loved him.

 

But could it be..? She was the one who...

 

I shook my head at the thought.

 

No. She wouldn't do that.

 

Or would she?

 

I felt a pang in my chest. As I know that it wasn't impossible.

 

I was back into reality when everyone's hands broke into claps indicating that the song has ended. A score of 100 flashed in the screen. All of them cheered. Seungri and Dara squealed in happiness and gave each other a high-five. My eyes followed her smiling face as she sat beside Joohyun who was sitting across me.

 

She's always smiling as if nothing's wrong. Always. As if nothing bad has ever happened to her. She always does things without worry. Or at least, she makes it seem that way.

 

Was it possible that he was the victim, and not her? Was that the reason why she smiled like nothing bad happened to her in the past?

 

Then it came. The memory that I tried so hard to forget. The reason I began to despise girls.

 

"The new guy's always surrounded by girls," the girl in pigtails beside me said. "I wonder why. Do you have any idea why, Jiyong?"

 

"I don't care. Why don't you go to him and find out?" the 8 year old me hissed. 

 

The girl was taken aback by my tone but managed to compose herself then grinned, "No, thanks! I'd rather be with you. I'd never go to him!"

 

She said that. And that made me happy.

 

But two days later, she said to me, "Sorry, Jiyong."

 

After that, she never talked to me again. Then one day, I saw her playing with the boy she said she'd never go to. It was then that I understood what her apology was for.

 

That incident broke my little heart into pieces.

 

Because I was starting to feel a throbbing sensation in my head, I got up from my seat and headed towards the door.

 

"Where are you going, Ji?" Seungri asked

 

I didn't answer. I just went out. I didn't even know where I was going. I guess I just wanted to be alone for the moment.

 

What if Dara was like her?

 

I thought accepting my feelings for Dara would make the bad memory and fear go away. But it was still there.

 

 It was making me think Dara was that kind of girl.

 

After walking for what it seemed like forever, I sat on the chair in the hallway. I groaned loudly, rubbing my face with my hands in frustration.

 

"I'm pathetic," I whispered to myself.

 

"What was that groaning for?" a voice, that I recognized to be Joohyun's, demanded. She was standing few steps away from me, leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.

 

I was not in the mood to deal with her.

 

"None of your business," I responded in a toneless mechanical voice.

 

She shot me a look. "I can't believe I was actually worried about you for a second."

 

I responded with an expressionless gaze.

 

She glared at m. "Alright, Kwon Jiyong, I'll get straight to the point" she began, "I purposely followed you here to talk to you."

 

"What, are you a fan of mine now or something?" I asked, sarcastically.

 

She said, casting me a look of disgust, "This is one of the reasons I won't ever hand Dara to you."

 

What was she on about again? I grunted. I was really feeling annoyed.

 

"Will you stop?" I asked, way more calmly than I felt. "I don't want to talk about this."

 

But she didn't listen to me. 

 

"I definitely won't allow her to be with you," her voice crackd as she said those words.

 

Normally, after hearing that, I would've sent her flying to Antarctica, but I didn't.

 

Because she was crying.

 

Seo Joohyun was crying.

 

My eyes widened at the realization. Why was she crying? She was fine earlier. I remembered again, another reason I didn't like girls wa because they cry all the time.

 

Neither of us spoke for a while.

 

"I won't let Dara go through all that pain again," Joohyun hissed through gritted teeth after drying her tears. "She was a victim once. I won't let her be a victim again!"

 

I raised a brow at her. Victim?

 

It was then that I knew that some of my questions were finally answered.

 

-

 

Joohyun calmed down after three minutes then she briefly told me what happened to Dara and her ex boy friend. Apparently, the guy left Dara, with no explanation whatsoever. The same thing that happened to me.

 

I felt so ashamed for doubting Dara. For comparing her to someone like her.

 

Almost everything made sense that moment. The protectiveness of Joohyun and Bom, and the incident about Kwang Soo High.

 

Just the thought of what that guy did to Dara made me want to punch him in the face and kick him in the gut until he dropped dead. But that wasn't possible. I had no idea who he was. But based on what I heard from the conversation of the players from Kwang Soo High, he was studying there.

 

But Joohyun said he left the country and haven't heard from him ever since. Did that mean he was back?

 

"Please understand," Joohyun said. That was the first time she spoke to me in a non threatening way.

 

I sighed. "I understand."

 

Joohyun turned to me, with an expression that said that sure was easy. But what she said out loud was, Really?" 

 

I nodded, slowly standing up from the chair and straightening my shirt.

 

I could tell I gained a newly profound respect from her. But I instantly knew that respect disappeared as soon as I added, "But please understand me too. I won't give her up."

 

I could've sworn I saw her eyes turn completely white when I finished my sentence.

 

To make it worse, I showed her a smirk, leaving her completely and utterly speechless at the hallway.

 

Then I heard her scream when I was about 8 steps away from her, "KWON JIYONG!!"

 

She was back to her normal self.

 

I snorted before turning left down the hallway instead of going straight to our booth to hide from her. I mentally told myself to apologize to Dara for thinking badly of her. It wasn't right at all. Just then, I accidentally bumped into someone.

 

I stumbled backwards but caught my balance almost immediately.

 

"Sorry, dude," the guy I bumped into apologized. He had very chinky eyes, a mohawk hairstyle and was wearing a uniform. Judging from his patch, he was a Kwang Soo High student. "Are you okay?" he asked.

 

I opened my mouth to respond but stopped when I heard a loud gasp behind me.

 

The mohawk guy looked past me. His mouth popped open instantly, and his chinky eyes widened as wide as it allowed him to (which I must say, his widest was just as big as my normal eyes).

 

"Dara?" he said.

 

My head turned at Dara's direction. She was frozen and her face turned pale, as if she just saw a ghost.

 

Suddenly, my fist moved on its own.

 

Next thing I know, the guy was on the floor, holding his face in pain.