16 - Out in the Open

Dara was busy doing her term paper and didn’t notice the time that passed by. It was already eleven in the evening. She was so immersed in her term paper that she didn’t notice Kiko arriving in their apartment.

Kiko looked at Dara from afar. She’s been feeling guilty these past few days because she’s kept it from her that she already told Jiyong about her real identity as Red Lotus. She doesn’t want to keep it any longer.

Kiko took her steps quietly and embraced Dara from behind.

“Hey…” Dara was startled for a second and she immediately smiled upon seeing Kiko.

“How’s your day? You’ve been so busy lately. Your trip to Tokyo is tomorrow right? It’s really great that you got invited by Mademoiselle Yullia for the Tokyo Fashion Week. Are your things ready?” Dara inquired. Kiko gave her a faint smile and grabbed the chair from her work area right beside Dara’s desk. Kiko got hold of Dara’s hands, squeezing it earnestly as she looked right in to her eyes.

“Unnie…” Kiko murmured softly. She took a deep breath and finally held Dara’s gaze.

“Is there something wrong Kiko? Is there a problem?” Dara started getting worried as she looked in to Kiko’s serious expression. Kiko gently shook her head.

“I have a confession unnie…but please…please promise me not to get mad…” Kiko bit her lip as she waited for Dara’s promise.

“Why do I get a bad feeling about this? But oh, alright. I promise.” Dara heaved a sigh and waited expectantly at Kiko.

Kiko cleared and swallowed a lump in .

“Jiyong and I have been going out for quite awhile now…and honestly, before I got to know him, I really couldn’t imagine ourselves getting together. The truth is, at first, I just asked him a favor so you’d give Seung Hyun oppa a chance with you. I know you wouldn’t even consider him as anything but your best friend if you know that I’m still in love with him…”

“So I asked Jiyong to pretend to date me…and he agreed…and then when we got to know each other…it both surprised us that we got along really well…so Jiyong asked me…if I wanted to date for real…go steady and have a real relationship…I was reluctant…but I’ve grown to like him. I started having feelings for Jiyong…and so I agreed to be his girlfriend for real…”

“And being in a relationship with him…I simply couldn’t keep on lying to him…so I had to tell him the truth…I’m sorry unnie but I told Jiyong without getting your permission first…I had to tell Jiyong…”

“Tell him what?” Dara’s train of thought jumbled with all of Kiko’s revelations.

“I told Jiyong that you’re The Real Red Lotus…” Dara in as much air in to her lungs, trying to form her thoughts and feelings.

“I’m really sorry unnie. I didn’t want to lie to him anymore because he’s my boyfriend.”

Jiyong already knew that she’s The Real Red Lotus and then Dara remembered all those sweet tweets he sent her. All the ‘I love you’ tweets he sent her every single night.

“Since when does he know the truth? Since when Kiko?” Dara asked in a low voice.

“Two months ago unnie.” Kiko wound her arms around Dara and embraced her tightly.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner unnie. I knew you’d be really mad and I wanted to give you time to show that he’s a good guy and that he’d take care of me…and I also wanted to be sure that he’d take care of me even though he knows I’m not the real Red Lotus. Please understand me unnie.” Kiko pleaded earnestly.

Dara honestly didn’t know how to react and what to say. She’s at lost for words. She felt cheated and yet she knows that Kiko had the deepest honest intentions and she can never hate her best friend.

“Your relationship with him is getting serious…isn’t it?” Dara asked slowly and Kiko just nodded in response.

“You have feelings for him Kiko? You like Jiyong now?” Dara asked again.

“Yes unnie. He’s been a really good boyfriend to me. He’s been treating me really well. He makes me feel special…” Kiko confessed. Dara gave out a silent nod.

“If he makes you happy…I have nothing against your relationship. I won’t be mad Kiko. I love you, you’re my best friend. I’ll never be mad at you.” Dara embraced Kiko.

“Thank you unnie! You’re the best! I love you so much!” Kiko said in glee.

That night, Dara couldn’t sleep. Her mind kept on thinking about Jiyong and his tweets for the past two months that he knew that Kiko isn’t The Real Red Lotus.

Has it been all lie?

Is this one of his plans to make her look like a fool?

Then her phone beeped and she saw a direct message from Jiyong.

                @red_lotus: you haven’t been replying to my tweets all evening.

                @red_lotus: I guess you’re busy.

Dara thought for a moment and then decided to make a reply.

                @IBGDRGN: I’m busy preparing for my trip to Tokyo tomorrow.

She patiently waited for his reply which didn’t take long.

                @red_lotus: I see…Red, always take care okay? I think about you a lot…you’re always on my mind Red.

                @red_lotus: Good night Red, I love you.

Jiyong’s tweet only set her heart on fire. Dara hates it when she’s being made for a fool and she’s going to do everything to confront Jiyong about this.

*****

Dara finds herself going to Seung Hyun and Jiyong’s gig in a mix party for a sorority and fraternity of their university. She couldn’t let the day end without confronting Jiyong and giving him her two cents.

She was dressed in her favorite acid wash tattered jeans, oversized hoodie, pair of old Chuck Taylor’s and her staple nerdy glasses. One could easily single her out from the crowd because she was so dressed down compared to all the sorority girls that were in the party who were all dressed to the nines. She bumped in to some frat guy and she just walked pass him when the guy was about to talk to her.

Dar