Chapter 47

~*A few minutes earlier~*

~*Dara’s POV*~

I look down at my hands in front of me and watch them intertwine with each other as I sit by the park near Sohee’s house. What am I even doing here…? I ask over and over again in my head even though I already know the answer. Just the thought of telling Sohee the truth was making my heart race. What will she say? Will she yell at me? Slap me? Will we become enemies? I close my eyes and press my hands against my forehead. No, Dara. You have to do this. She is your cousin… your family. She has the right to know. I sigh to myself and try to relax, thinking back to the very moment I realized that I liked Kwon Jiyong.

~*Flashback*~

“So…” I begin while moving my food around my plate, “Did you by any chance get to see Jiyong at the set today?” I look up at Youngbae who is shoveling rice into his mouth. I wait for him to swallow to answer.

“Not really. I saw him from afar but he seemed busy so I went to look for you instead.” He takes a sip of water, “I guess I forgot to say hi to him. Oops.” I laugh as he shrugs his shoulders and continues to eat.

“Some friend you are.” I mock him before asking my next question. “Did you see who he was with?” My ears were prepared to hear the answer I was expecting.

“Some guy.” He says simply before taking another bite of his food. I frown at his answer and sigh. Looks like I’ll never figure out who that mystery girl is…

“Why?” Youngbae asks cautiously. I stare at his face for a couple of seconds wondering if it would be worth the try. However, seeing that it’s almost impossible for me to stop thinking about Jiyong and that girl, I decide why not.

“Well, earlier I saw this girl with Jiyong that I’ve never seen around before… It looked like they were really close. She was really pretty as well.” I begin to explain while monitoring his face. It was completely blank.

“So?” He asks catching me off guard.

“So… I don’t know. I was just wondering who she was. Just curious. Do you know who it might be?” Youngbae continues to give me a completely blank look before looking down at his food.

“What did she look like?”

“She had short brown hair. Her face was small but had really sharp features… She was wearing a blue dress, long legs.”

He lets out a little laugh, “Someone was checking someone out today.”

I blush at his comment and slap his arm, “Yah, do you know who she is or not?”

“How do you expect me to know who that is from that description? It could be anyone!” He smirks at his food.

I pout and lean back in my chair, “Fine. Thanks a lot. You were no help.” I grumble to myself that not only did I get nowhere by asking him but also got teased in the process.

“Why are you so curious about this girl?” Youngbae suddenly asks still looking down at his food.

“Why are you so curious about me being curious?” I spat back at him, but he lifts his head to look at me with a serious expression.

“Oh… um, no reason. I was just wondering…” I stop my sentence half way as I realize what I was about to ask: if Jiyong had a girlfriend…? Youngbae looks at me expectantly as he waits for me to continue, but I couldn’t. Why would I want to know if he has a girlfriend or not? Why should I even care? Why did I feel that way when I saw him hugging another girl… and being close?

“Wondering…” Youngbae says for me to continue.

“Wondering...” I try to come up with a legitimate excuse as I processed everything in my mind, “Wondering… if she was a model!” I finally spit out. I see he raises his eyebrow at me but I went along with it.

“She was really pretty and had such a nice body and long legs. I was wondering if she could possibly be a model or something.”

Youngbae studies my face before looking up at the ceiling, “Ah.”

“What?” I ask curiously.

“I think I might know who you are talking about.”

My heart jumps as I lean forward into the table, “You do?! Who? She’s a model?”

He nods his head and looks at me, “If she’s a model, then it might be Kiko Mizuhara.”

“Kiko Mizuhara? Japanese?” I ask slightly questioning his conclusion.

“Yeah, she’s a close friend of Jiyong. I think they met when he went to promote in Japan. Since then, whenever she’s in Korea or he’s in Japan, they meet up.”

The annoying feeling is back in my chest again but I try to push it away to get more answers. But it soon comes back and hits me as I remember a very important detail. I’ve seen her name before. I know I have. Inside my head I see an image of a headline that I remember seeing a few months ago.

[G-Dragon and Japanese Model, Kiko Mizuhara Rumored Dating!]

I feel the blood drain from my face as I put the pieces together. Then… they are… dating? My heart is aching but I still push through to ask the question, even if I already know the answer, I just have to be sure.

“I remember now… They were rumored to be… dating… right?” I try to ask calmly. Youngbae is giving me the same blank stare while searching in my eyes.

“Yeah, there was a scandal.” He replies, “But I’m sure they are just close friends. I know Jiyong doesn’t feel that way about her.”

A part of my body and mind relaxes at what Youngbae said but I was still unsure. I was still worried. I was still scared. Worried… Scared…? Why is this so important to me? Do I… like Jiyong? When did this happen? I thought my feelings were for Youngbae. I looked at him as I watch him take smaller bits of his food. But I never felt this way before with Youngbae… If it were Youngbae who I saw with Kiko… would I still feel like this?

“Youngbae…” I say while staring off into space, “What does it mean… when you are worried about someone…” I try to find the right words to describe the feelings I’m having inside, “When you are scared they will disappear… or that someone will take them away from you?” I asked him even though I was pretty sure I already had the answer in my head.

My eyes focus on his face that was looking back at me with the same unreadable expression. We stared at each other for a while as I waited for his answer; an answer that I was slowly coming to but just need to hear it out loud.

Finally, his mouth curved into a small but almost sad looking smile. He let out a little laugh or sigh and answered.

“It means that you like that person.”

~*End of Flashback*~

I like Jiyong. I like Kwon Jiyong. I’ve liked him for a while now. I don’t know exactly when but it happened. But I don’t remember a day that I didn’t have Jiyong at a special place in me. When did admiration become infatuation?

I clasp my hands together as I continue to wait for Sohee to come home. Sohee needs to know this. I can’t hide this from her and I don’t want to. I don’t know where it might lead but it’s something that I don’t want to keep a secret. By having it out in the open… it’ll be a fair game.

My ears pick up the sounds of car tires slowing down to a stop around the corner. A car? Maybe it’s Sohee? I stand up and take a deep breath before heading to her front door. But just as I was about to turn the corner, I hear the familiar voice that makes my heart beat faster.

“We’re here. Now say it.” J-Jiyong?! Why is he taking her home? I feel the annoying pinch in my heart and try to calm down my breathing. Slowly and quietly, I peek my head around the corner until I see both Sohee and Jiyong in view next to his car. It really is him… why is he here?

“Why are you in such a rush? Aren’t you enjoying our little date?” My heart plummets as soon as the word ‘date’ left Sohee’s mouth. How? This can’t be. No way.

“Or… are you just that eager to give me a good night kiss?” My heart feels like it’s been torn out of my chest. No… I can’t listen to this anymore. I can’t. Not after just figuring out my own feelings! I am about to run off until I hear Jiyong’s reply.

“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 feet plant firmly on the ground as my mouth drops open at the harshness of his words. One part of me was relieved that he doesn’t feel that way towards Sohee, but the other was appalled by how easily it was for him to say such things to her cousin. Oh no… she’s going to cry.

“Don’t worry,” I hear Sohee’s voice change to a more dangerous tone, similar to how she talked to me that night at the dance studio, “I know the someone you want is actually Dara ‘unnie’.”

What? I push my back against the wall as I feel my legs start to shake. He… wants me?

“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.”

She knows… oh my god. She knows. Several thoughts were running through my mind and I couldn’t make sense of it all. All I could do was just listen.

“Now I know how you’ve managed to spend time with her, get to know each other, and sh*t all behind my back. And I was beginning to think it was all too easy keeping you two apart.” What the hell is going on? Sohee has been keeping us apart? What does she mean by that? Why would she do such a thing? Who is this person that I call my cousin?!

“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 could feel my insides doing flips at his words. This whole time I was oblivious to how Jiyong felt towards me. This whole time, he cared about me. Being my mentor… helping me… being by my side was all out of love… not just a professional relationship. He was protecting me… from my own cousin…

“… it’s not only me standing in your way. There’s also your best friend, Dong Youngbae.”

No… I turn to look around the corner again and see the look on Jiyong’s face. He’s staying strong but his face was clearly aware of the things Sohee were about to say. As she explains my conversation with the director and how I ran off with Youngbae afterwards, I can slowly see the pain surfacing on Jiyong’s face. His eyes began to glaze over and his shoulders slumped. She’s lying. She’s lying, Jiyong. I went to go look for you. I wanted you to be the one I told first!

“Dara likes Youngbae.” I don’t! I’m screaming in my head as anger is building up from within me.

“Face it, Jiyong. After what you did, not believe her without knowing all the lies I fed you. How could she ever love a man like that?” The lies she fed him…? Pieces began to fit together in my head making everything come together. She’s the reason why Jiyong was acting strange from the very beginning… She’s why he didn’t trust me. She’s been doing this from the start.

“I know you are breaking apart inside. Because, you know that everything I’m saying is the truth.” It’s not true. “Dara likes Youngbae, Youngbae likes Dara… and that leaves you… all alone.” It’s all not true. She’s wrong.

“You may think I’m a horrible and conniving girl… but let’s face it Jiyong oppa,” She’s wrong, Jiyong. Don’t listen to her anymore.

“After accusing and lying to Dara all this time… we are one and the same.”

“You’re wrong.” The words left my mouth on its own as I stepped out from around the corner. My eyes now locked onto Sohee hoping that all of my anger and feelings of betrayal reached her.

“Dara unnie…” It was almost amusing that she even tried to change her voice as if nothing had happened. I continued to glare at her, taking in the sight of my cousin before me become someone I no longer cared for.

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

“Stop.” I cut her off ruthlessly. She has the nerve to make up more lies in front of me. “Just stop, Sohee.”

All this time I never knew. This girl before me was not the cousin I grew up with or the cousin I loved. I always knew she was childish and immature and spoiled… but I never would’ve taken her the cold and heartless girl that I see before me right now. Her mask has cracked and I could see it clearly now. Exactly how ugly she was inside.

“What’s gotten into you? Why are you just standing there and staring at us? Why are you even here?”

She was falling apart. Everything was coming out now and she knew it. I continued to stare at her as I watch in amazement this stranger coming into view before me.

“I came here to tell my dearest cousin something.” I say as sarcastically as possible making sure it was clear that she was far from being dear to me now.

“What?”

My eyes slowly move to Jiyong who was standing behind her. Our eyes met and I could clearly see the worry and uncertainty in his eyes. He hadn’t said anything since I’ve appeared but I know why just by looking at his face. He had no idea why I would be here, how much I’ve seen, how much I’ve heard, and what I may be thinking… and there was no way he could’ve guessed what I was about to say next.

“I like Jiyong.”

I say them as clearly as possible so that they would reach both Sohee and Jiyong’s ears. This was not how I imaged this night would turn out and I did not imagine I would be telling my newfound feelings to Jiyong so soon. But as of now, I don’t care. Jiyong and I have been tangled up because of unsaid words and misunderstandings that cost us so much time, but not anymore.

“W-What did you say?!” I looked at Sohee who was in complete shock and looked like she was about to break down. Just by looking at her face, I know she heard every word of it. But after all she’s done to me, to Jiyong, and to us, I could care less if my next words broke her to pieces.

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

Everything was silent as I watched Sohee finally be put speechless. Her hands were in tight fists by her side and I couldn’t tell if she was shaking from anger or fear. I see that she still is unable to voice out words so I take the opportunity.

“I’m done letting you manipulate me and taking me as a fool. For all these years, I’ve cared for you and even considered you as my own sister but clearly I’ve been mistaken. You are nothing but a selfish girl that has gone insane with greed. I no longer know who you are or care for you the way I used to. Now that I know my own feelings and yours, I’m not letting you take away the things I care about for your own selfish needs.” I take in a breath as I finish my statement. “We are done. You are done.”

“Done? What do you mean done?!” She screeches, “What can you do, huh? I’m not finished with you yet.”

“It’s not what I can do, but what YG sajangnim can do and will do once I tell him.” I say as I cross my arms.

“You… you wouldn’t….” She takes a step back in disbelief.

“You want to bet?” I my head to the side as a challenge.

“You can’t do that! I’m your cousin! I’m your family!” I see her tears starting to run down her cheek. It’s a good thing I’ve learned over the years to tell her fake tears from her real ones.

“You were my family, until you decided to try and ruin my life, my career, and mess with someone that I deeply care about. When you disregarded my feelings for your own, that’s when you were no longer my family. And as you should know Sohee, anyone who crosses me or people I care about, are no longer people I want to deal with.” My anger was boiling over with each word I shot at her. I wanted her to feel my resentment and know that I meant every word.

“You… you b*tch!” She yells, “Fine! Do whatever you want. See what happens! I swear I will make you regret it. You may think you know me, Dara but you don’t.” She makes her way to the door of her house and turns to face us, “And don’t you dare think about coming to this house ever again because I can assure you, omma and appa will hate and despise you just as much as I do after hurting your only family!” And with that she slammed the door behind her so loud that it ringed throughout the streets.

With the adrenaline still rushing through my body, I continued to stare at the still shaking door without another thought in my mind. Things were quiet. Things were over and I felt numb.

Suddenly, I felt Jiyong’s presence by my side, reminding me that he was here the whole time.

“Dara…” I feel him hesitate before placing his hand on my shoulder. However, with just that one touch, a fresh new feeling of anger rose in me again.

“Ow! Ouch! Stop!! Dara!” Jiyong tried to dodge my bag swinging at him from all different directions.

“Dara! Why. Ow. Are you. OUCH. Hitting me?!” Soon I dropped my bag and just began hitting him with everything I got. It wasn’t until after a few hits and kicking that I realized my vision was blurring with tears.

“Hey!” Jiyong was finally able to grab a hold of my wrists and pull me into his chest. “What’s wrong? Hey… tell me what’s wrong? Why are you hitting me?” He asks as I try to hit him more but it was no use, so I finally use my words.

“Who said you could protect me, huh? Who said you could lie to me this whole time about everything?!” I try to keep my sobs in and pound my fists on his chest. “Who gave you permission to do that? You lied…”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Dara-ah.” Just with those simple words, my anger began trickling out of me and was being replaced with tiredness. I felt his lips press into the top of my head before he rested his chin. I eased into his embrace and focused on the feeling of his hand rubbing my back soothingly.

“I don’t need you to protect me… You don’t need to protect me.” I sniffle, my tears slowing down, “I’m not weak…”

“I know. I’m sorry.” He says again with a soothing voice.

“Don’t do that ever again… Don’t lie to me.” He kisses the top of my head again.

“I won’t.”

“And you were suffering too…” I press my head into his chest, filling my nose with his scent.

“… It was worth it.” I can hear him say with a smile.

Slowly, I let my hands slip down and around his waist but keep my head buried into his chest. Both of our hearts were beating at similar paces as if confirming that we’ve finally come to understand each other… we’ve finally become one. We stay like this for a while until our hearts both seem to have slowed down. I feel his fingers under my chin as he tilts my head upwards to look at him. We stare at each other as if seeing each other for the first time and in a completely new light.

“So…” He starts before a cocky grin slowly grew on his face, “I heard you like me.”

My cheeks immediately flushed but I just pout and bury my head back into the safety of his chest.

“Shut up… jerk.”

*BlueNote*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hey everyone!
I'm sorry for the slow update.
I really wanted to make sure I had a Dara's POV for this scene
So I had to make the chapter a little bit longer!
But I'm sorry if you guys waited long for it

Let me know what you all think about this chapter!

Also, I have a friend visiting right now
So it might take a bit longer for updates
but don't worry, I'll get it done :)

Look forward to the next Daragon + YB filled chapter  ^-^ Hehe

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