Chapter 8

60...

59...

58...

57...

Dara continued to tap her pen on her desk as she checked her watch, keeping her head to the right, making sure that her long hair blocks her face from the view of whoever it is on her left. "Few seconds to go...", she muttered.

tap...

tap...

5...

4...

3...

2...

!

Dara grabbed her bag and dashed her way out of the room.

"Hey Dara!", one of her classmates called.

"Mianhe~! I still have something to do!", Dara answered back as she hurriedly left.

"What's wrong with her?", Jaejoong asked.

"Being her idiot self as usual.", Bom muttered.

"Come on guys. Maybe she forgot something important from her room.", Minzy said trying to defend Dara.

"She's been like that for 3 days. Don't tell me she forgot something in her room in all those days.", CL said.

"She's really acting strange.", Jaejoong commented then turned to Jiyong. "Don't you think so, Ji?"

Jiyong narrowed his eyes as he stared at the door where Dara passed. That baka had been avoiding him for the past 5 days (including weekend). What the hell is wrong with her? She always arrives late at school then leave early as if she's avoiding someone. 'Obviously me.', Jiyong thought sardonically. Strange thing is he expected that Dara would act shy towards him after their kiss, not furious and acting like he has a contagious disease or something. He thought there's going to be a slight improvement on their so-called 'relationship' after what they had 'shared' but it seemed to have gone to worst.

He stood up and turned to leave.

"Hey Jiyong, we're planning to go to Central Town. Wanna go with us?", Jaejoong called.

Jiyong just raised his hand to decline and went out.

Dara sat under the tree to rest. For the past 3 days, that area within the Northern Forest became her solitude, her hiding place especially from Jiyong. He made several attempts to talk to her, but she always had an excuse to avoid him. 'He'll just make fun of me. Counting me as one of those girls he had kissed. Damn!', she thought angrily.

She stood up when she noticed that it's getting dark. 'It's going to rain', she thought. Suddenly, she heard something. 'G-ghosts?', Dara felt the hairs on her nape standing up that she began backing away, suddenly fearful that some creature might lunged into her. Then she felt her back bumped into something…or someone.

"!"

Dara tried to run but a hand caught her arm.

"Hide and seek is over Polkadots."

Dara gasped as she turned and came face to face with Jiyong.

"Ji-Jiyong…"

Jiyong pushed her back against a tree and was towering over her. "Now tell what the hell is going on?", Jiyong gritted out imprisoning her against the tree. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"Let me go Jiyong!", Dara struggled against him. She tried to push Jiyong, but he already backed off leaving nothing for to grab upon. She fell flat on her face.

"Tch. An idiot as usual.", Jiyong muttered as he inserted his hands into his pockets and awaited the next idiotic move that Dara will do. Probably lunge at him. But it never came. Dara just slowly rose up and dusted her uniform, then turned her back at him.

"Well, sorry for being an idiot.", Dara said quietly. "Maybe you should just stay away from me. It's contagious you know, my idiocy."

Jiyong stared at her rigid back. 'What's wrong with her?', he thought. He slowly approached her, then wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her back to him in a warm embrace.

"Eckkkkk! What the hell are you doing Jiyong?", Dara asked in surprise when her back connected against his solid chest.

"Shut up Polkadots.", he just said as he continued to hold Dara in his embrace. "Why are you so angry anyway? Because of our kiss?"

"None of your business, you erted womanizer.", Dara countered.

A smirk crossed over Jiyong's handsome features as he tightened his embrace on Dara. "Speaking of erted, I haven't seen your for a while, little girl. Want to show it to me?"

Dara felt her nerves began to tick. "It doesn't mean that because you've kissed me, you can just do anything with me.", she said in an irritated voice. "I'm not your girlfriend you know. Besides, your blond girlfriend might be more willing to satisfy your erted games."

Jiyong raised one eyebrow at that statement. 'Blond girlfriend, eh? So she saw that blondie?' Then he grinned. "Jealous?"

Dara blushed deep crimson. She pulled herself away from his embrace and turned to face him. "Why should I? TOP is going to be my boyfriend soon. Why should I bother with you?", she said defensively.

A shadow crossed Jiyong's face when he hear that. Just a mere mention of that Choi's name really ticks him off. "So you're still rooting for that jerk?", Jiyong asked coldly.

"He's not a jerk, you b….!"

Dara was cut off when Jiyong crushed his lips into Dara's. Dara tried to break off the kiss but Jiyong wrapped his arm around her waist, imprisoning her in his embrace.

"J-Jiyong... stop it..", Dara breathed out only to be devoured again by Jiyong. 'Damn! He's really a good kisser..', Dara thought before she allowed herself to be swept into the sweet passion of their kiss. She felt her knees weakened and had to grab against Jiyong's shirt for support. As she felt Jiyongs lips lifted from hers, she opened her eyes and was surprised at the coldness that was shown in Jiyong's eyes.

He pushed her against the tree then said and a cold voice. "Hope you remember that while you're with TOP." Then he turned back and left her.

Dara sanked to her knees as she stared at his retreating back. Small droplets of rain began to fall but Dara was oblivious to this. She covered her face with her hands and cried.

"You love him, don't you?", TOP asked sadly.

TOP found her soaking in the rain and brought her back to her room. Dara found herself crying over TOP, telling him everything that happened between her and Jiyong, getting him drenched with her wet clothes and tears in the process. She had to change into dry clothes and had to apologize numerous times for getting TOP wet.

Dara was silent. 'I love Jiyong?', she asked herself. They had been together as classmates for six years. He was mean to her. He was a bastard, a jerk, an insensitive, erted idiot. He teases her mercilessly and seemed to be fond of peeking at her underwear. But whenever she was in trouble… he was always there for her. Always grouching, always complaining, always telling her what an idiot she was… but he was always there. 'But do I love him?'

Dara sighed. "He's a ert bastard, you know." Then she smiled, "But maybe that's what drawn me to him. Yeah, I love him. What an idiot I am."

TOP chuckled. "Damn! That only means I lost all the chances I have."

Dara blushed with embarrassment. "TOP-kun… I'm sorry."

"Don't be.", he said gently. "The choice was yours after all and I couldn't do anything about it. I just hope this won't end our friendship."

"Hai!", Dara smiled then laughed as she stared at TOP.

"What?", TOP asked quite annoyed knowing full well the reason for her laughter.

"You just look funny wearing my shirt. It's the largest one I have but it looks like a kid's shirt on you.", Dara laughed.

"Jeez. And it's pink. This is what I get for helping you. My fan girls are gonna be turned off. You're really such a troublesome baggage you know.", TOP jokingly retorted.

Dara stucked her tongue out to him.

"Dara, you mentioned that you wanted me to be your first kiss.", TOP said which made Dara blushed. "But it turned out to be Jiyong, right?"

Dara nodded shyly.

"When was the first time he kissed you?", TOP asked curiously.

Dara fidgeted with her fingers. "Ahm… 6 years ago, during fifth grade."

TOP smiled. "That long, eh? No wonder fate won't let me intervene." 'That kid has been in love with her for 6 years.'

"Huh?", Dara was confused at the sudden wicked look that passed through TOP's face.

TOP looked at her bewildered expression. "Dara, why don't we go out as a couple… even just for show?"

--------------------

sorry for really LATE update.

...

ENJOY!! adios!! :D