Chapter 38

~*Wednesday*~

~*Dara’s POV*~

[5:30 PM]

“Brought something nice to wear tonight like I told you too?” Youngbae asks while trying to sneak a peak in my bag. I pull it away from him and use my arms to cover the opening.

“Yah, I have personal stuff in there! You’ll see it when you’ll see it.” I stick my tongue out at him. “But… how nice is ‘nice’…? You aren’t taking me somewhere super fancy are you?”

He shrugs with a sly smile on his lips, “Maybe?”

He must’ve been able to see the panic on my face because he started to laugh, “Just kidding, no I’m not. It’s just supposed to be a chill hangout. No need to freak out.”

I sigh in relief now feeling that what I brought was decent enough. Youngbae zips up his bag and takes out his phone to check the time.

“Do you know when you’re going to be done?”

I shake my head and look down at my phone as well, “Not really… I haven’t talked to Jiyong since. I don’t even know where we are supposed to meet. Have you been able to talk to him?”

“Nah, he’s been pretty busy though, that’s all I know. But I’m sure he’ll show up. If not, just ditch him and call me.” He winks earning me a slap on his arm.

“Aigoo, some friend you are.”

“I’m the best friend anyone could have.” He smiles a boyish smile and makes his way out of the studio, “I’ll give you guys until 7:30, then you are mine!”

I blush at the way he phrased it and convince myself that he didn’t mean anything by it, “Aish, what if it takes longer than that!”

“Then I’ll wait! Meet me at the park near the bridge. Don’t be late!” He turns to walk out the door, waving without looking back at me, “See ya.”

“Aigo…” I sigh and put my jacket and towel back into my gym bag, “Once again, so confident with Jiyong and I…” Would we really finish in two hours? I had the choreography done… but it had to be one of the worst choreographies I made. It didn’t flow, it was a big mess, and I didn’t even like the song. If anything… it might take close to two hours exactly to really perfect it… Not to mention, who knows how serious Jiyong is going to take this whole “mentor” thing … I don’t even know where he is!

I look around the now empty studio to see if there are any signs that this is where Jiyong would want to meet. Nothing.

I guess there’s only one other place I could think of…

[6:45 PM]

Where… the hell… is this… STUPID DRAGON?! It’s been an HOUR already!

I tap my foot impatiently as I check my phone again. 6:47 PM. No text. No call. No voice mail. Is this thing even still happening? I throw my choreography notes to the side in anger.

I mean sure he’s busy… but he could at least let me know! He was the one who arranged this in the first place. I begin pacing back and forth around the room. Maybe he got caught up with work? What if he got into an accident?! No… or maybe he’s in a different studio? Maybe the main dance studio? But what if he isn’t? What if when I leave, he comes here and we miss each other? What if he forgot?

He wouldn’t have forgotten… right? He was the one who wanted to be my mentor, so he wouldn’t forget would he? I check my phone again and see that it’s almost 7 PM… I’m supposed to meet Youngbae in 30 minutes… Ottoke…? I look at the door of the small dance studio as if waiting for something to happen… for him to appear, but nothing. Waiting like this… so flustered and impatiently… made me remember how many times he’s made me feel like a fool.

What am I doing? Who am I to just wait around like this waiting for him all the time? Waiting for him to believe in me… to understand me… to help me? So far… all he’s ever been is a disappointment. Why should I keep waiting for him... why do I keep depending on him? I kept asking myself these questions, feeling anger build up inside me bit by bit. Why do I keep looking for him when there’s someone who has always been there for me?

My phone showed it was 7:10 PM already and I was done waiting around. Just as I grabbed my bag to leave, the door swings open to present a very sweaty frantic Jiyong.

“I’m… so… sorry.” He said while trying to catch his breath but I was already more than done with all of this… with him. I brush his apology aside and attempt to make my way past him through the door but he grabs onto my wrist. His hand felt extremely hot against my cool skin.

“Wait… Where… are you going… practice.” He wipes the sweat forming at the top of his forehead and winces with ever breath he takes.

“I’ve been waiting, Jiyong. Since practice ended at 5:30 PM, I’ve been waiting until now. It’s 7:20 PM and I have made prior plans.” I shake my arm from his grip. “I’m leaving.”

I successfully make it past the doorframe but am stopped again, this time he held onto my hand causing my heart to jump at the contact.

“No… please. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. Please, don’t go.” His hand tightened around mine but his head was lowered, unable for me to see his face.

I bite my lip at the situation before me as I feel my heart take me into two different directions. This man before me… always makes me so angry… hurt… confused… and disappointed… How can this be so hard?

“Jiyong,” I say as I place my hand over his to only push it away, “Let’s just do this some other time.” He slowly brings his head up to look at me. Although he wasn’t huffing and puffing anymore, he still seemed out of breath, his whole face looked so tired and drained. There were bags under his eyes and they were bloodshot red.

“I’ll work on the choreography myself and have it done for tomorrow—”

“Are you… meeting… with Youngbae?” He suddenly asks.

“Eh? Well… yes.” I answer, not knowing why I felt so guilty for admitting it.

He lets it sink in before nodding, “I see.” He smiles a little, “I understand. Then…you should go.” He bows at me catching me by surprise, “I’m sorry… for making you wait. Next time, I will be more considerate.”

I wanted to go on a rant and scold him but something about his appearance and demeanor made me think against it. So all I did was nod and accepted his apology.

“Then I’ll be leaving.”

“Mmm. See you.” He smiles again, “Have fun.”

“T-Thanks.” I quickly turn and leave before my heart gets a chance to jump out of my chest. I run down the hall and to the quickest bathroom to change into the clothes I prepared for tonight.

Changing, leaving the YG building, and heading over to the park was all a blur because I couldn’t stop thinking about Jiyong’s earlier state. Something about him was so off. He wasn’t like his usual cheery, ball of energy self… Did something happen?

As I approach the park under the bridge, I shake my mind clear of the distracting thoughts. I was about to meet Youngbae for a special night, concentrate! I stand in an open space amongst couples and families as I look around in search for a familiar figure or face but see nothing. I take out my phone and see that it was 7:55 PM.

Shoot… he didn’t leave already did he? I turn my head side to side frantically searching for him, No way… already my first ‘date’ and I blew it… where is he? He could’ve at least texted me if he was going to leav—.

“Boo.” A deep voice rings in my right ear and something pokes me at my sides.

“ACK!” I jump away from it and instinctively use my bag as a weapon. I watch in slow motion as my bag collides into Youngbae’s side and watch him stumble side ways.

“Ow! What the hell!” Youngbae tries to yell but is also trying to stifle his laugh.

“Yah! You scared me Youngyang!” I put my hand over my beating chest to calm it down.

“Sorry, sorry. Geez, didn’t have to hit me. What do you have in there anyways?”

His question flashes a scene of when Jiyong took me home and me pummeling him with my bag.

“N-Nothing.” I attempt to change the subject to distract my mind, “Where were you? I didn’t even see you.”

“I went to go get a drink from the vending machine.” He holds up two water bottles then throws one to me, “I was guessing you might be thirsty after practice.”

“Thanks,” I say before taking a sip, “but we actually didn’t end up doing anything.”

He raises his eyebrow before taking a sip as well, “What do you mean?”

“Jiyong didn’t show up until 7:20.” I try to say nonchalantly but fail when I hear the tinge of annoyance in my voice.

“Woah, really? That’s surprising.” He pauses and thinks holding the bottle to his lips, “Jiyong is usually pretty on time with everything. Maybe something went wrong with whatever he was doing. Did he at least text you?”

Now it’s my turn to raise my eyebrow at him, “No? Well, even though I was expecting one, I realized that he probably doesn’t he even know my number.”

“Nope, he does. He asked me for it yesterday.”

Hmm? He does? Then why didn’t he text me! I originally gave him the benefit of the doubt but now that I know he had my number, he completely left me hanging! My grip tightens around the bottle as I take another sip, hoping the cool water will calm my boiling blood. What the heck, Kwon Jiyong!

“So strange. I wonder what’s been going on with him. He’s really acting weird.”

“Youngbae, let’s not talk about it anymore.” I say a little too curt, “I mean, what is it that you have planned now?”

He doesn’t seem to mind my sudden need to change the topic, “Oh, right. Here follow me.” He holds out his hand to me and I grab it allowing him to lead me towards the side of the park next to the railing. As we get closer, I see his target was a bench with take-out boxes sitting on top of them.

“Well, here we are.” He leads me around the bench and moves the boxes to the side allowing me to sit. He hands me chopsticks, a bowl filled with rice, and begins opening each box one by one revealing simple side dishes.

“I know, this is so lame but it was pretty last minute.” He said while taking a seat next to me, “To be honest, I was only thinking of the one place I wanted to be and relax at for one last time. The food was a recent addition.”

I’m happily chewing at my food while listening but swallow to ask, “One last time?” I look at him questioningly.

He doesn’t look back but continues staring outwards towards the river with the sun setting just below the horizon. The bridge was casting a shadow over the river that seemed to be painted with the red, orange, and pink colors of the sun light.

“This is my favorite place.” He says, “Whenever we finish practice, I always like to come here and just chill. Watch people, families, and couples pass by, living their lives normally… it’s a good place to think and relax. Don’t you think?”

I look around the park and see the groups of people laughing, children running around, couples strolling hand to hand. It was quite a normal sight, but in this lighting and time of day, it really was something special.

I nod and turn back to him only to see his eyes were on me now.

“Dara… there’s something I needed to tell you… and that’s why I asked you here.”

“What is it?” Nervousness suddenly starts to fill my body. My mind is racing with thoughts of what he could possibly want to tell me in such a setting.

“I… can’t explain it entirely to you… for reasons I’m sure you’ll understand eventually. But, for the next few days… I won’t be around as much anymore.”

“Eh? What do you mean?” I ask still extremely confused, “Are you sick? Did something happen? Is everything okay?”

He laughs and shakes his head, “Everything is fine. I’m fine and no, I’m not sick. Its just… things that I have to take care of… something big is going to happen that I need to prepare for. So… I won’t be at practice anymore.”

“Oh…”

“I just wanted to give you a heads up before disappearing completely… I know it’s been pretty hard for you the past few days and with the others… They aren’t bad people. I think no one understands what’s going on at the moment so just focus on yourself and your training. The rest will fall into place.”

I never noticed before how dependent I was on Youngbae. He was my closest friend in YG, besides Sohee, and we’ve spent so much time together. It was confusing… and almost scary to think that I’m going to be facing it alone now.

His hand rests on my shoulder bringing me out of my imagination of the next few days, “Hey, I’m not dying or anything. It’ll just be for a while. Plus,” He then flicks the middle of my forehead causing me to yelp, “It’s not like you needed me that much anyways, you are strong enough by yourself.”

I rub my forehead and stick my tongue out at him, “Psh, you got that right! Who said you could worry about me?” I tease but let out a smile.

“Arasso… Sorry for being a gentleman.” He takes in a spoonful of rice into his mouth.

“Aigoo, BaeTae dongseng, such a gentleman.” I pat the top of his head and laugh as he chokes on his rice.

We continue our usual bantering and light-hearted conversation making me forget about all the things that have happened in the past few days. Looking at him before me, it was no surprise that he would be to make me forget all my worries, questions, and doubts.

Thank you, Youngbae.

*BlueNote*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Last update for tonight!
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
Let me know what you guys think :)

Do you think it was right of Dara to leave Jiyong?
What do you think happened to him?
Also, what do you guys think is up with Youngbae?

Hehe, I'm so curious if my hints have been getting through or not
But I guess we will see!
Anyways, thank you for reading, subscribing, commenting, and upvoting!

Look forward to the updates tomorrow!
<3
 

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