Chapter 30

“What… is going on… in here?” Jiyong repeats slowly but full of warning.

“Jiyong oppa!” I’m wide eyed with shock when I see Sohee running towards Jiyong and throws herself into his arms. “I… came to find Sandara-ssi… to celebrate with us… and when I found her… “ She cries between words and points at me. The guys and girls begin to gather at the door and I see Youngbae push himself through the crowd and ends up next to Jiyong and Sohee.

“She started yelling at me… saying that it’s my fault she couldn’t dance with you… and that… that I’m not worthy to be here… when I tried to reason with her… she… she… hit me.” She sobs loudly into Jiyong’s chest.

My face drains as I see everyone’s faces change from confusion to shock and eventually to sympathy… for Sohee. Why is she doing this? I look to Jiyong’s face and I feel my heart drop to my stomach. There was clearly shock and confusion… but there was also anger… and absolutely no sign of hope… for me.

“Please… that’s not true…” I fight back the tears forming. I can’t cry. I can’t. I have to be strong and tell him what happened. “Please… I can explain.”

“THEN EXPLAIN!” Jiyong yells making us all jump. The tears were fighting on strong but I keep pushing them back. His voice ringing in my ears clogs my throat, unable to speak.

“Why are you here? Why are you here as my backup dancer?” He asks

I look around at everyone in the room awaiting my answer… Awaiting the answer that I could not give. It was no longer to protect Sohee… but my promise to YG sajangnim about this arrangement.

“I… I… I can’t say…” I look down at my feet, tightening my clenched fists.

“Is it true that you hit her?” He asks next. His voice shaking.

That’s not fair. That’s not the important part. But I am unable to say these words, “Please…”

“IS IT?!” He yells again, forcing the truth out of me.

“Yes…” I let the word escape from my mouth.

“Then we don’t have anymore to talk about.” He turns and guides Sohee towards the girls for them to take her out of the room while the guys followed. Youngbae, however, comes to my side and puts his arm around me.

“Dara, what happened? Are you okay?” He asks quietly. Having his arms around me made me realize how much I was shaking. My eyes stayed on Jiyong’s retreating back.

“No…” My body moved on its own and I soon found myself reach out and hold onto Jiyong’s arm.

“Please… Jiyong… please believe me.” He turns to look at me. His face still hasn’t changed from being cold and unforgiving. But his eyes… there was something in his eyes that gave me hope.

“Please Jiyong,” I finally find my words, in hope that he will hear me out, “Believe me when I say that there is more to it. Please… my reasons for being here today are truly sincere.”

One tear escapes my eyes but I am to tightly clinging onto Jiyong’s arm to brush it away… afraid that he could leave… afraid that he would leave.

I’m desperately searching in his eyes a sign of trust… some kind of sign that he believed me. When I couldn’t find it, I looked down again and gripped his arm tighter. “Please… believe me.”

There was silence as I awaited his answer. Eventually, I feel him move his arm away from my hold… and my arms drop to my side, lifeless. I never knew such a small movement could be so devastating… but pulling his arm away was enough to break my heart.

I look up at him and see him looking down at me with a small but sad smile, “Let’s stop this Dara…” He says softly, “I think we’ve all had enough.”

And with that he leaves the room. Leaving me standing there, broken hearted, and with the realization that the only person that I wanted to believe in me the most… didn’t.

~*Jiyong’s POV*~

How did this happen? How could this be?

I think back to before this disaster happened. I left everyone else after noticing that Dara had left the room and wandered the halls in search for her. That was when I heard it, a loud smack followed by a high-pitched scream. I rushed to the dance studio worried about what might have happened to Dara… but it wasn’t Dara… it was Sohee who was hurt… and on the ground with Dara standing over her.

I lost it back there. I was so overwhelmed with confusion, worry, and anger and had no way of settling it. How could I make sense of anything when what I saw before me was the only fact I had about this whole situation?

‘Please Jiyong…Believe me.’

I hear her voice echoing in my head. There must be something else… right? There must be something I’m missing. I stop in my tracks as I remember her face after I pulled my arm away… it was… heartbreaking. I need to go back to her.

Just as I turned to run back to the studio, a voice calls out to me.

“Jiyong oppa!”

“Ah, Sohee…” I watch as she makes her way towards me, her eyes were puffy and I could see her cheek was still red. “How are you feeling?”

“Honestly… not too good.” She looks down at her feet, “How can I when my own cousin hates me… she even…” She places her hand on her cheek.

“She… doesn’t hate you… there’s no way.” I blurt out unsure of my own words.

Sohee’s head looks at me in surprise but tears start to spill from her eyes, “If she doesn’t… then why did she say it?! Why did she hit me?”

I couldn’t answer… I didn’t know the answer… I just kept thinking the same thing, since the moment I left her, “There… must be something… there must be something else.”

My feet bring me around as I head back to where I left her.

“No!” Sohee’s arms wrap around my waist, stopping me in my tracks. I look down at her in surprise and she looks up at me with tear-filled eyes.

“Don’t you believe me?” This triggers her voice in my head. ‘Please… believe me.’

“I… I…”

Her hold around my waist tightens, “Why does everyone favor her? Why can’t everyone see how she ruins everything for me? She takes everything from me. Why doesn’t no one believe me when I’m in pain?”

All my thoughts vanish hearing this girl’s cries. What am I doing?

“Please… don’t leave me, Jiyong oppa.” I gaze down the empty and quiet hallway, at the end of it, was a girl I thought I understood… a girl that I wanted to understand.

“I won’t…Don’t worry.” I say with finality, “I’ll take care of everything…”

~*Dara’s POV*~

I don’t know why or how I have the strength to do this, but I find myself outside the dance studio for practice the next morning. What do I do now? I came this far… I search my brain and find my source of strength, Youngbae.

‘I don’t know what’s happened and I’ll wait for you to tell me but whatever it is… no matter what, I believe in you. I’ll be with you every step of the way and help the others believe in you too.’

I watch as my shaking hand reaches for the handle. I can’t run away… If I run away… they won’t know the truth. They must know the truth… Jiyong must know the truth.

“Good morni—“ I say before being cut off from the tense atmosphere in the room. I am ‘welcomed’ by everyone’s grim expressions except for Jiyong’s and Youngbae’s who both weren’t there. Instead, another man, with his back facing the door, was the main attention of the room before I walked in. I didn’t realize who he was until he finally turned to face me and I Immediately knew his presence was not a good sign.

“Park Sandara,” YG sajangnim speaks with authority. “It appears we have had a misunderstanding.”

*BlueNote*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hello everyone! 
I actually couldn't sleep knowing you guys were stranded
So I ended up having 2 updates for you!

However, there is something that I want to tell you all dealing with updates for the next few days.
But I won't ruin the mood now! So I hope you enjoyed reading and go over to the next chapter!

*If you are confused about layout/weird details that seem wrong+right at the same time, please read the story description!*