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AUTHOR’S POV

Donghae smiled when he saw Dara’s familiar figure not so far from where he stood. He grabbed the miniature SpongeBob beside him and made his way towards her, intending to cheer her up because she seems out of it this last few days. He doesn’t know what she’s going through at the moment but he promised himself that he’ll make her forget her problems.

He slowly tiptoed around her, careful not to make any noise and disturb her peace. He stood quietly at her back and chuckled softly, seeing how the girl in front of him is so oblivious to her surrounding, much to him.

“Hi,” Donghae said in the lowest tone he could possibly mutter and placed a hand on her shoulder. He felt Dara jumped on her seat before she whipped her head around to face him. Donghae was greeted by her cute glares that he can’t help but to laugh out loud.

“Yah! You scared me!” Dara shouted as she slapped Donghae’s shoulders when the latter took the spot next to her. Dara glared some more to the laughing guy beside her. Seriously, she literally felt her heart jump inside her ribs.

“Mianhe,” Donghae tried hard to say between his laughs. And he tried very hard to stifle his laughter but failed. Dara’s reaction was just so epic that he can’t help but laugh ‘til his stomach hurts.

“Aisht,” Dara muttered under her breath and looked the other way, Donghae still laughing at the background. And soon after, Dara found herself smiling. Then her smiles turned into laughs. Donghae’s laugh was just so contagious she can’t help herself but to laugh as well.

“It feels good to laugh once in a while, right?” Donghae said meaningfully after they stopped their laughing stupor. With his gaze on the clear blue waters ahead of them, he didn’t saw that Dara was looking at him with a sad smile on her face.

Dara sighed. “Yeah,” she softly agreed before inhaling a lungful of air.

She thought that going back to Korea won’t have any difference at all. She thought that she have forgotten what had happened to her back then. She thought that she’s ready and willing to forgive and forget those stupid guys who played with her like she was not capable of being hurt. But the truth is, she was, and still is, affected by their appearance.

When she first saw Jiyong, she thought that it’s okay. She thought that him not knowing that she was the nerd back then was a sign that they should live a peaceful life now, forgetting their stupid acts during their college days. But then came to his friends. She never thought that one of them would easily recognize her. And the worst part of it was that friend of him even accused her of seeking for vengeance.

“You seemed to be in deep thought…” Donghae noticed.. “Mind sharing it?” he asked then looked at her and smiled reassuringly at her, as if telling her that he’s a friend she could lean on.

Dara smiled back at him, contemplating whether to tell him what’s bothering her or not. One side of her says that she should not burden Donghae with her great past. It was her own problem to deal with. She should not be dragging someone innocent into her messed up life.

But the other part of her says that she would burst if she will keep it all inside her with one minute more. She needed someone to talk to. Someone she could lean on to. She don’t want to talk to Bom and tell her that it was Jiyong and his friends who destroyed her life back then. She was sure that Bom will be blinded by her anger that she will forget that she loves one of Jiyong’s friends and kill them all by her bare hands.

She couldn’t tell it to Jaejoong too. Sure, he was and now is, her best friend but that doesn’t mean that she should be running to him and telling him things about what happened to her life when they stopped being “best friend”. And she have to admit, Jiyong and his friend will suffer the same consequences under Jaejoong’s hands, being killed by Jaejoong’s bare hands that is, if he knew what those guys had done to her.

“Hey Donghae……” Dara started, a little hesitant whether she would push through telling him everything about her past or not. But she really needed a friend to lean on. And she saw that friend in Donghae, so why the hell is she hesitating?

“Hmmmm?” he hummed, glancing at her through his eyelashes. He can say that Dara is undergoing some internal battle. It says it in her eyes clearly, well.. she has the most expressive eyes he had ever seen in his entire life.

“Well…. I….. Uhm.” Dara looked down and fumbled with the hem of her shirt. Maybe it’s not a good idea to tell Donghae, she thought. ‘I think it’s best to keep it all inside.’

“I know something’s bothering you, Dara. I may have only known you for a short time but I can easily read people’s mind through their eyes. Especially yours.” Donghae said then smiled at her. The kind of smile that shook all her inhibitions away.

Dara closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again and huffing a lungful of air. “You see. I was a nerd back then….” she started.

“Really? Well, looking at you now… you’re far from being a nerd,” Donghae and tried to lift the mood up. He can see that this is hard for Dara, and he just wanted to help her be comfortable around him. He just wanted her to see that he can be her friend, that he can be someone who’ll be there whenever she needed him.

“I changed,” she simply said then smiling sadly at him.

“I bet it must be hard for you. Those American kids can be really a bully sometimes.” Donghae said.

“I finished all my studies here in Korea. I’ve left for California just days after my college graduation..”

“What? I thought you studied in California and went here in Korea because of this project?!” Donghae said.

“Nah.. Anyways, I was a ‘nobody’ when I was in college. I think no one even notices me when I’m around the school premise. Well, to be more frank… I’ve always wanted to make friends with them. But I never had the opportunity to speak to them because they will throw me disgusted look like I came from a garbage whenever I would try to talk to them,” Dara paused and heaved a deep sigh. Then she continued.

“After a while, I gave up the hope that someday, I would make friends among them. I got used to be being treated like nothing so my ever day life focused on going to the library, studying, going home and all that boring stuff. And the worst part of it was I don’t even have someone to talk to when I got home. My life was pretty boring and empty back then.

“But then, one day… Someone approached me during my lunch break. Well, he’s not just a ‘someone’. That guy was pretty popular in our school back then. He was every girls’ dream. Handsome, rich, charming. All rolled into one. You can’t imagine my shock when he talked to me that day. I felt so lucky and happy that finally, someone talked to me.

He talked to me again the day after tomorrow. And again and again.. And I found myself being drawn towards him. I knew back then that it was dangerous for me, falling in love with him that is. But I guess no one has ever controlled their feelings over someone, neh?” Donghae nodded his head, his eyes gazing at her carefully, waiting for something to pass through her brown orbs.

“Out of a sudden, he courted me. I still can’t believe it at first. Being him, the most popular guy in school… courting the non-existent nerd that I was.. I denied him first, telling him that I was not interested in that game of his. But he persisted, telling me that it was not one of his game. He even threatened me that he’ll shout inside the library if I won’t take him as my boyfriend.

“So without much further ado, I agreed to be his girlfriend. Because I don’t want to start a commotion inside the peaceful library, and because I already loved him. I was so happy then in his arms.. I feel loved, I feel cherished. He always makes it to a point that I would feel the love he has for me… Or so I thought.

On Valentine’s Day, I decided to give him a very special gift. Well, let’s say that the gift I’ve given him is the most precious gift I could have given to my future husband. I was so blinded with the love and admiration I had for him then that I didn’t notice the secret glances he gives to his friends whenever we are together.

“The day after Valentine’s Day was the worst day in my entire life. I was destroyed then, and he and his friends just laughed at me. I was part of their stupid bet,” Dara chocked with a sob. The pain of the past haunted her that it burst like a dam now that she has talked about how painful it is for her. “I was so stupid to even fall for his trap.”

Donghae reached out for Dara and leaned her head on his shoulders, his hands gently soothing his back with up and down motions. And soon after, Dara buried her head on his shoulders, with her painful sobs muffled. Donghae’s fist curled into a ball, cursing whoever that bastard who played with Dara. She does not deserved to be hurt like this. That man of an does not deserve even her single tear.

When Dara stopped sobbing, Donghae pushed gently so that he could see her face. His jaw tightened seeing the tears the marks had left on her face. He brushed his thumb on her cheeks, wiping the tears away. “It’s okay now, Dara.” Donghae whispered gently. “Your sister is here to protect you. Jaejoong is also there. And you can always count on me to protect you…”

“And now… He and his friends are back in my life. I thought I moved on. But seeing them all together makes me remember what I’ve been through the past year. Seeing them makes me remember how stupid I was back then.” she continued, as if she didn’t hear what Donghae had just said.

“You don’t have to worry, Dara. I’ll be here to protect you. Bom, Jaejoong and I are here to protect you.” Donghae whispered once more, pulling the fragile girl in front of him into a hug. Wrapping her in the warmth of the friendship he could give her.

“Oh, by the way..” Donghae after a while, pulling the miniature SpongeBob on his back and presenting it to Dara. “I’ve been meaning to give this to you a while ago but… hehehehe. Here, add this to your collection of SpongeBob..” he said then pushed the yellow stuffed toy in her hands.

Dara delightedly snatched SpongeBob on Donghae’s hand. She examined the yellow thing on her hands before giving it a light squeezed. She then glanced at Donghae and unceremoniously threw herself at him, wrapping him in an embrace. Donghae smiled as he hugged her back, happy that he made her smile again after recalling that past she had.

“You’re always giving me SpongeBob, Donghae-ah.. And I’m happy,” Dara said after they both pulled out from their friendly hug.

“I’m happy that you’re happy,” he muttered under his breath. “Let’s look for them and have dinner, neh?” he suggested which made Dara to nod her head in agreement.

“Dara-yah!” Bom’s voice resonated around the restaurant, not even minding of the other people occupying the seat near them and looking at her with disapproving looks on their faces. “Where have you been? Yah! Donghae!! Where did you bring my sister, huh?” Bom started interrogating them as soon as they was seated on their respective seats.

“Jaejoong,” Dara called, rolling her eyes at her sister. “Can you please tell my sister to just shut up because everyone is already looking at her?!” she said playfully before drawing out her tongue to tease Bom some more.

“But, really… Where have you been? Bom and Jiyong are looking everywhere for you,” Jaejoong said. At the mention of Jiyong’s voice, Dara stiffened. Why would he look for her? She thought confusingly. And come to think of it, Jiyong and his friends are not with them on the table. Dara sighed in relief. But then she tensed when a thought entered her mind.

“What if that Youngbae will tell Jiyong that she was the nerd back then?”

“Unnie!!!” someone squealed behind Dara’s back. But she doesn’t need to turn and see who it was. She is 100 percent sure that it was her dongsaeng, Chaerin. She smiled when she felt Chaerin’s arms around her neck from the back.

“I missed you unnies!” Chaerin exclaimed excitedly and walked around the table to seat beside Bom, who’s in front of Dara. Dara smile faltered when she saw Jiyong walking towards them, with his friends trailing at his back. He looked like he was the most powerful man in the world and his friends are his bodyguard.

“Yah! What are you doing here?” Bom asked, excitement clearly visible on her tone. Jiyong took the seat beside his sister. And the rest of his friends took the seat which are vacant.

“I’m here to relax as well, unnie. I’ve got nothing to do at home.” Chaerin said, pouting a little much to Seungri’s delight.

“Let’s eat! I’m starving!” Bom shouted merrily as she called for the waiter. They placed their orders and waited for their food.

While waiting, Donghae, Dara and Jaejoong engaged in their own world. Talking about random things and the two guys spitting hilarious remarks that made Dara to burst out laughing. On the other side, Bom and Chaerin kept on talking about clothes. Bom is demanding Chaerin to make her some clothes that is just for her.

Beside Chaerin was a fuming dragon ready to spit fire. His fist curled in a tight ball below the table and his jaw tight in jealously. His eyes directed at the three in front of him who was oblivious to his rage. Youngbae glanced at Jiyong and to where he was looking before smirking. He knew it. That bet of theirs would come out ugly sooner rather than later. But he doesn’t want meddling into their business, he just want to sit back and watch how this will turn out.

“Oh.. Jiyong sunbaenim!” someone broke their little own worlds. Jiyong looked away from Dara and saw a not so familiar face standing behind Donghae. She was maybe of Chaerin’s age and she was wearing her hair in a short-styled way.

Dara glanced at her back and stiffened seeing who it was. She recognized this girl. She was from their school back in college! The unknown girl looked at him and gasped a little when she recognized who it was. She can’t believe that the school’s nerd back then would turn out to be a beauty. She almost didn’t recognized Dara because of the change she had been through.

“Oh! Sandara sunbaenim!” the short-haired girl said, shocked and delighted to see her sunbae’s at the same restaurant she was in.

“Uhm.. Excuse me but what is your name?” Bom asked. She had a bad feeling about this girl. Not that kind of bad feeling that she hated the girl immediately. She just have a feeling that it concerns Dara and her past, knowing that she knows Dara from her college days.

“Oh... Sorry, my bad. I was just so excited seeing Jiyong sunbaenim and Dara sunbaenim together again.” the girl muttered which earned a confused Chaerin, Bom and Jaejoong. And a much more confused Jiyong and a nervous Dara. “I’m Gong Minzy by the way.” she introduced herself.

“I guess my classmates were wrong then. That Dara sunbaenim is just one of Jiyong sunbaenim’s plaything. I was secretly your fan back then, Dara sunbae and Jiyong sunbae. You two look great together!” Minzy exclaimed giddily, not knowing that there’s a pending eruption from Bom and Chaerin. And also from Jaejoong.

“I hope you guys will stay in love together.. Kyaaaaaaaah! Annyeong, sunbaes!” Minzy waved her hands and left the table.

Dara’s eyes stayed wide as a saucer. She can’t look at her Chaerin, at her sister. More so, she can’t look at Jiyong. She just wanted the ground to be split in two and eat her whole. She wanted to disappear from here. Dara closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them again. And saw Bom slowly standing up from her seat with a murderous look in her eyes.

Dara knew right then and there that it will be pure chaos. She stood up from her seat and went to her sister, hugging Bom as tightly as she could.

“Bom…” Dara softly whispered, hoping that it will calm her sister’s nerves down a little.

“WHAT?!” Bom spat. She then turned her head and looked at Dara. “WE’VE BEEN WORKING WITH THAT MOTHER ING YET YOU DIDN’T TELL ME A SINGLE THING! WHAT AM I TO YOU HUH?! AM I YOUR SISTER OR WHAT?!” Bom shouted, not minding the stares they’re getting because of the commotion. But Dara just tightened her hold on her sister.

“LET GO OF ME DARA! I’M GOING TO ING KILL THAT SON OF A ! LET GO OF ME!” Bom shouted and wriggled violently and because of Dara’s frail and little body, she can’t resist Bom’s strength.

Bom slowly made her way towards Jiyong, which was only two steps away. Dara glanced at Jaejoong and mouthed ‘help’. Jaejoong, though still confused, nodded his head and immediately went to Bom and lifted her up.

“BRING ME DOWN, YOU BASTARD! I’M GOING TO KILL THAT DISGUST OF A MAN! BRING ME DOWN! YAH!” Bom shrieked wildly, flailing her hands around like a lunatic. Jaejoong went their way outside the restaurant, with Seunghyun trailing behind them.

Dara stood there, in front of Chaerin. She closed her eyes once more, hoping that this was all just a dream and she will wake up soon.

“HOW DARE YOU OPPA!” Dara opened her eyes only to see Chaerin standing in front of her brother, an empty glass of wine in her hands and a wet, disgruntled Jiyong. And much to Dara’s shock, Chaerin drew her hands and slapped her brother on the cheeks before she turned her back on him and marched away. Daesung, Seungri and Youngbae followed Chaerin’s suit.

It was only Jiyong, Donghae and Dara who was left in that restaurant. With the people looking at them with curious stares. Donghae was about to go to Dara and assist her out when her wrist was immediately in Jiyong’s grasp. And without any word, he stood up from his chair and dragged her to somewhere she doesn’t know.

Dara wanted to protest, yell at him and hit because he was hurting her with his tight grasp. But she can’t bring herself to utter a single word.

“It was you?” Jiyong asked through gritted teeth as he released her hand and made her face him.

“So what if it was me?” she asked back.

“Why didn’t you say the first time we met?” he asked, anger boiling inside him. He felt deceived.

Dara saw that anger flaring in his eyes that made her to snap. He doesn’t have any rights to be angry at her. With curled fist and angered heart, she burst out.

“WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THE FIRST TIME WE MET?! “HI, I’M SANDARA PARK. THAT NERD IN COLLEGE". IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED ME TO SAY HUH?!” she shouted then advanced at him and hit him continuously. How dare he be anger at her, huh? He doesn’t have any right to be. He doesn’t have!

Dara continued with her blows, not stopping ‘til she felt satisfaction in hurting him physically.

Jiyong, on the side. Just let her hit him. He doesn’t know but there’s something in his mind that tells him deserves the pain that goes along her punches. And he knows that he really deserve to be beaten with what he had done to her. And somehow, he felt guilty. Guilty of all the things he had done in the past. And guilty of hurting this girl in front of him.

“I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!” Dara shouted all over again, her punch getting stronger after the other.

Jiyong caught her hands in his and pulled her closer to him. His eyes went to her lips and suddenly, he wanted to taste those lips of hers again. He remembered her lips tasting like strawberries. He wanted to kiss her again to check is she still taste the same. Without thinking much, he dipped his head and kissed her on the lips. Tasting that familiar taste she uniquely have.

Jiyong was just starting to enjoy the kiss when Dara pushed him away with all her strength. And with that, she drew her hands back and slapped him hard across his left cheek that his head drew back a little. He cradled the cheek she hit and looked back at her, only to be stopped seeing that droplets of tears on her cheeks.

“Don’t you dare lay your finger on me. I really hate you!” with that, Dara turned around and left him standing there, watching her retreating back.

Seeing her tears made her feel like the worst person in the whole wide world. And seeing those tears dropping from her eyes made him want to run to her and wipe those tears away. He doesn’t know what was happening to him but he’s sure as well that he doesn’t want to see her cry again.

He felt like an . 

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GUYS, SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT, NEH??

BLAME THIS LAZY BRAIN OF MINE... 

OHHHHH~

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HOPE YOU ENJOYED READING YEORUBUN... 

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