Chapter 46

~*Jiyong’s POV*~

“Thank you for your hard work.” I repeat for the hundredth time that night as I exit the changing rooms. I spot the guys and the girls making their way towards the exit together chatting away. I search the girls’ faces and see that Dara isn’t one of them.

“Yo guys!” I catch up to them, “Good job today, thank you all for your hard work.”

“Anything for you, hyung!” Seungri exclaims before jumping onto me. Everyone around us laugh as I try to push him off. My eyes go to the girls and scan their faces one more time to make sure. CL… Minzy… Bom… and Sohee…

“Uh… is Dara coming?” I try to ask unsuspicious but I know CL catches on immediately. She gives me a sly look, “I actually don’t know where she went. She wasn’t in her dressing room. I think she left already.”

“She left with Youngbae.” Sohee suddenly speaks as everyone turns to look at her.

“Youngbae? Youngbae was here?” Daesung asks. My eyes are still glued to Sohee who is returning me the same stare… a stare that knew something. She nods and acts as if it was no big deal.

“Yeah, he came here to support Dara. Then they went off together for dinner. I saw them.” I feel a mixture of anger, fear, and hurt mix together inside me at the thought of them having dinner together alone.

“Geez, he didn’t even come to say hi to any of us. He should be here to support hyung especially.” Seungri complains, “Looks like someone’s got a crush on Da—“

“He came to see me.” I lied, cutting Seungri off a bit harsher than I meant to. But I sure as hell didn’t want to hear Seungri telling the world what I already am very aware of. Also, I was pissed because I knew Sohee was out to get me… and it ing worked.

“Oh, then that’s good. Of course he’d come to support his best friend.” TOP cuts in clearly sensing the tension in the air. “Let’s go, weren’t you starving maknae?”

“Yeah! Let’s go!” Seungri does a complete 180 and is headed out the door followed by the rest of the group but leaving Sohee and me behind.

“What are you—“ I begin to warn her but she cuts me off.

“I know Jiyong oppa.” She says with a little smirk on her face. “I know everything. Now, if you want to hear more about exactly what it is that I know, keep quite, play nice, then take me home after dinner.”

I glare at her, wondering how such a foul and evil person could live on this planet. She takes my silence as a ‘yes’ and walks by me while linking onto my arm.

“Now oppa, let’s go and eat dinner!” She says in a cutesy voice making me want to hurl.

“DELICIOUUUS~” Seungri yells into the air as we exit the barbeque restaurant they usually go to. I pull down my beanie a bit more to cover my blonde hair.

“Aish, maknae, shut up. You are causing a scene.” I alter my voice a little.

“Oppa, you are wearing sunglasses and a mask at night. I think you’re the one standing out right now.” Minzy laughs.

“Well, if someone didn’t want to eat at this barbeque place that’s in public, I wouldn’t have to look so weird…” I growl as I glare at Seungri through my sunglasses.

“Don’t blame everything on me! You didn’t have to come and eat with us.” Seungri whines at me, “Why did you come anyways? Didn’t you not like this place?”

I shoot a glance at Sohee who is smirking to herself.

“Can’t a guy want to spend time with his friends…” I think quickly but instantly win over the girls, TOP, and Daesung’s sympathy.

“Yah! Seungri! Stop being so mean!” TOP whacks him in the head.

“Yeah! Ji— I mean oppa can eat with us whenever he wants to!” Minzy hits Seungri lightly in the arm while Bom and CL just nod silently.

“Okay! Okay! I was just joking! I’m sorry!” Seungri says while cowering from the hits and punches he was receiving.

“Alright you kids, let’s go home.” CL says while trying to hold in her laugh. We all walk together towards the main street where it was time for us to go our separate ways.

“Sohee, how are you getting home?” Bom asks the dreaded question.

“Oh, Jiyong oppa offered to take me home. Right, oppa?” She turns to me smiling her oh-so-fake-and-disgusting smile.

“Yeah.” I try to say civilly but feel that it’s almost impossible.

“Wow, Jiyong being a gentleman. Okay then, be safe you two. See you tomorrow.” CL gives me a strange lingering glance making me believe she may be on to Sohee but just turns away.

We both watch in silence as the rest make their way down the street.

“Now tel—“ I begin but she cuts me off again.

“Nuh-uh. Remember, you have to take me home. I’m not saying a word until you drop me off at my doorstep.”

I groan as I turn around and head towards my car. “Then hurry up then.” I growl cursing every fiber of her being. When we reach the car, I swiftly get into the driver’s seat and turn on the ignition without even bothering to wait for her to get in. I keep my eyes forward as she closes the door and I hear her buckle her seatbelt.

“Where do you live?”

“Wow, oppa. You have such a nice car. I could get used to this.” Note to self: burn this damn car then buy a new one.

“Where. Do. You. Live?” I say again this time more threatening.

As soon as she recites her address, I press my foot on the gas and let the car speed through the streets. My hands tighten around the wheel thinking of what it was she was planning. The whole dinner I tried to think of what it could be that she knows ‘everything’ about. Did she find out about Dara being a trainee? It could be possible… but what could she do with that information? Expose her? Yes, but how would that affect Dara? It doesn’t really… does it? I curse inside my head, once again I couldn’t figure out what it was that Sohee knew and was planning to do. It doesn’t matter. I won’t let her do anything to Dara. No matter what she knows or what she’s planning on doing… she won’t lay a finger on her.

Finally, we arrive at the front of Sohee’s house. I park the car and get out with her. As I slam the door shut, I watch as she slowly makes her way around the car purposely taking all the time in the world.

“We’re here. Now say it.” I say impatiently. She stands in front of me just a foot apart and smirks at me.

“Why are you in such a rush? Aren’t you enjoying our little date?” My face distorts at the word and the thought of being on a date with someone like her, “Or…” She trails her finger up and down my chest, “Are you just that eager to give me a good night kiss?”

I slap her hand away and step back, “Don’t make such a disgusting joke. I wouldn’t even lay a finger on you. Don’t fool yourself to thinking that I would want someone like you.” My words were harsh but I didn’t care. She wasn’t a girl. She wasn’t even human to me anymore. Just a monster trying to hurt the girl I truly loved.

Even though she still had a small smile on her face, I see her eyes were burning with anger.

“Don’t worry, Jiyong oppa. I know the someone you want is actually Dara ‘unnie’.” Her smile disappears now clearly showing her anger.

“I must admit, I never imagined that Dara would be capable of being a YG trainee. A talentless loser like her… who would’ve thought? I definitely didn’t consider that as a possibility.”

“Well maybe you should begin to realize exactly what your cousin is capable of.”

“Maybe I should. But maybe you should realize exactly what I am capable of, Jiyong. Now I know how you’ve managed to spend time with her, get to know each other, and sh*t all behind my back.” Her smile creeps onto her face again, “And I was beginning to think it was all too easy keeping you two apart, but you proved me wrong. I’m so glad my oppa is such a smart one… but also so bad.”

“I may not be able to tell her my feelings for her, but nothing will stop me from helping her succeed. Also, if I can’t tell her that I love her, I will show her how much I care about her, so much to the point that she will know it even without words. And when the time comes when she discovers that her own cousin has been sabotaging her from the beginning, she won’t be alone. She will come to me and I will be there for her no matter what.” I feel my heart pounding in my chest.

She stares at me for a bit before slowly clapping, “Aww, how romantic… but… will she really come to you in the end?” She pauses, clearly amused by my obvious insecurities, “What? Not so confident after all, are you? So you do know that it’s not only me standing in your way. There’s also your best friend, Dong Youngbae.”

Words fail me as I watch her smile widen. Fully aware that she pushed a button inside me, she continues. “Youngbae didn’t come see you at the set did he?” I remain silent knowing that it was useless to say otherwise.

“I thought so.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest, “Tell me, Jiyong. If you mean so much to Dara, then why is it that the first person she told about her deal with the director was Dong Youngbae?”

“Deal…with the director?” I ask completely new to this news.

She claps her hand together and giggles, “See! You didn’t know. But I already knew that because I overheard her ‘secret’ talk with the director. The director was SO impressed with her performance today that he wanted to make sure it was okay to request her for future projects. Oh Dara unnie was SO happy, you really should’ve seen her.” She said before continuing.

“Then I immediately followed her afterwards to her changing room. Within that time, it seems that she didn’t even think about telling you the big new even though you’ve worked so hard for her. Then just a few minutes later, Youngbae shows up at her dressing room and is told everything!” She giggles more then sighs dreamily, “Then they went off together happily to celebrate her big day… without you.” She pouts and takes a step towards me.

“Doesn’t seem like she’s thinking very much about you.”

I wanted to believe that everything she was saying was a lie… but I knew it wasn’t. It was very possible that the director said that, it was very possible that Youngbae had come by, and it was very possible that Dara had told him the good news. I didn’t hear anything about this but I knew what Sohee said had a ring of truth to it. After all, I already know that…

“Dara likes Youngbae.” Sohee finishes my thoughts as my heart tears in two. It was nothing new. It’s something I was fully aware of since the first day I drove her home. But despite all that, I wanted to believe she’d fall for me one day. I wanted to believe that I still had hope despite everything that had happen between us.

“Face it, Jiyong. After what you did, not believing her without knowing all the lies I fed you. How could she ever love a man like that? Someone who doesn’t believe in her or stand up for her? Youngbae, however, has been with her every step of the way like a love-sick puppy.” She scoffs at the thought and takes another step closer to me.

“It’s quite pathetic to watch actually but whatever, of course something so pathetic would work on a pathetic girl like her.”

“Don’t talk about them like that.” I manage to say despite the increasing pain in my chest. It was suffocating, but I couldn’t let a witch like her say such things about people I cared about.

“Look at you, acting all high and mighty, when in actuality,” Sohee pokes her finger into my chest, “I know you are breaking apart inside. Because, you know that everything I’m saying is the truth. Dara likes Youngbae, Youngbae likes Dara… and that leaves you… all alone.” She smirks and looks up at me.

“But not completely alone. Because there’s still me. I still want you… I still love you despite the type of person you are.” She leans her head against my chest. My arms hang limply at my side, too tired from the words tearing me to shreds.

“You may think I’m a horrible and conniving girl… but let’s face it Jiyong oppa,” She looks up at me with a smile that sends shivers throughout my body, “After accusing and lying to Dara all this time… we are one and the same.”

“You’re wrong.”

My head shoots up at the familiar voice that was usually so sweet but now strong and resolute. That’s when I see her standing just a few feet away, anger emitting from her body.

“Dara unnie…” Sohee’s voice changes as she lets me go and turns towards her. My eyes were glued on Dara’s face as her eyes move from me to Sohee. My words were stuck in my throat, unsure of where this situation would lead.

“I’m so embarrassed you had to see that… Jiyong oppa and I just had such a nice night together and—“

“Stop.” Dara cuts her off clean. Her words were so sharp it seemed to slice the air. “Just stop, Sohee.”

“W-What are you talking about, unnie?” Sohee’s voice was beginning to shake.

There was silence as the tension grew thicker and thicker. I was staring at Dara, Dara to Sohee and Sohee to Dara. Finally, of course, Sohee is the one to break the silence.

“What’s gotten into you?” She says more firmly now, her mask beginning to crack, “Why are you just standing there and staring at us? Why are you even here?”

Dara takes a moment, her face unchanging and unreadable, but she finally speaks.

“I came here to tell my dearest cousin something.” She says, lingering on the word ‘dearest’.

“What?” Sohee spits back but I can see that now her whole body was shaking.

I flinch as her eyes move from Sohee and then to me. Although her face remained unchanged and unforgiving, her eyes soften upon connecting with my gaze. My heart felt like it was beating in my throat as I wait for her to speak and finally, she does.

“I like Jiyong.”

Her words were so clear that it was impossible for me to think I misheard. But I still couldn’t believe it. She… She…

“W-What did you say?!” Sohee’s voice rose. Dara’s eyes left mine and refocused on Sohee.

“I like Jiyong.” She repeats, “And I’m not backing down anymore.”

*BlueNote*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Oooh boy! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
Exciting? Shocking? Saw it coming?
I was so excited to post this chapter just wondering what you guys would think!

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Thank you all and looking forward to providing the next update :D

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