AUTHOR’S POV

“What are you doing here, Kwon Jiyong?” Bom spat as she caught a sight of Kwon Jiyong standing in their doorstep, with a nervous smile plastered on his face. Bom rested her hands on her hips as she threw daggers at Kwon Jiyong’s way.

“I…uhm… I….,” Jiyong stuttered like a fool as he bowed his head down and scratched the back of his neck. How would he explain to Bom that he went all the way from Seoul to California just to talk to Dara and maybe have her forgiveness? How would he explain to Bom that he was there to tell Dara how much he really loves Dara?

“I was wondering if I could talk to Da--,” Jiyong stopped in midsentence when he found someone familiar standing behind Bom. He cannot believe his eyes so he blinked his eyes multiple times but still, the man standing behind Bom is still there.

“Seunghyun hyung?” Jiyong asked in disbelief, his eyes round as a saucer. “What are you doing here?”

“To patch things up with Bom, what else,” Seunghyun replied as he rolled his eyes in the stupidity of his friend. “What are you doing here?” Seunghyun asked back.

“I’m here to try and talk to Dara,” Jiyong replied in a low voice that Bom and Seunghyun could barely hear. But Bom, having the binocular ears that she have, heard Jiyong loud and clear. And that made her frown to deepen.

Bom took a single step towards Jiyong, with a menacing glare directed at the poor guy. Jiyong took a step back as he gulped down the nervousness forming inside his soul.

“Why do you want to talk to Dara?” Bom asked, her glare still at Jiyong, making the younger guy’s heart beat faster inside his chest due to his nervousness.

“I would like to apologize to her and –“

“Haven’t you apologized already, Kwon Jiyong?” Bom asked once more.

“I haven’t said everything I wanted to tell her,” Jiyong said, with much confident this time. He thought that he should stand up for himself, be courageous enough to fight for his love for Dara. Because if he continues being scared to Bom, how will he let Bom see that he is deserving enough to have another chance to prove that he really loves Dara?

Bom assessed Kwon Jiyong for a moment, her eyes turning into slits as she looked at him from head to toe. And the thing she badly wanted to do to Jiyong right now is nothing but kill him with her bare hands. Bury him six feet under so he won’t ever have the privilege to hurt her sister ever again.  But she held herself back because she wanted to hear what Kwon Jiyong has to say, even if he’s already too late.

“What do you want to tell her, then?” Bom goaded as she took a step back and stood beside Seunghyun, she then reached out for her boyfriend’s hand and intertwined her fingers with his.

Seunghyun smiled at Bom’s gestures as he clasped his other hand on their intertwined fingers, happy to know that Bom already forgave her and they’re finally okay now.

“I love your sister, Bom,” Seunghyun broke out from his reverie as he diverted his gaze away from his girlfriend, who suddenly stiffened hearing what Jiyong had said. He looked at his friend with his eyes wide with disbelief.

“What did you just say?” Bom whispered, her hold on Seunghyun tightened and the latter whimpered a little because Bom’s hold was beginning to hurt and her long nails are beginning to leave a mark on his hand.

“I love Dara,” Jiyong repeated confidently.

In just a blink of an eye, Bom was already in front of Jiyong. Her eyes blazed with fury as she hit Jiyong’s chest continuously. She then drew her hand back, put force in her arms and slapped Jiyong in all her might. Then she continued punching his chest, and based on Jiyong’s reaction, Seunghyun knows that Bom’s punches are painful. Seunghyun walked towards his girlfriend and his friend and hugged Bom from behind, trapping her in his arms.

“Let go of me, Seunghyun. Let go of me!” Bom shrieked wildly as she flung her arms, making it harder for Seunghyun to hold her back.

“You’re going to hurt yourself trying to hurt Jiyong, Bom.” Seunghyun said softly, his voice caressing Bom’s ears. And somehow, Seunghyun managed to calm down Bom.

Bom heaved a deep sigh, her eyes still throwing daggers at Jiyong’s way as her fist curled into a tight ball.

When Seunghyun felt that Bom is calm enough, he let go of her and turned her so he could look at her straight in the eye. “Are you okay?” Seunghyun asked.

Bom nodded silently before turning to Jiyong again. Then she stood in front of Jiyong again, with her hands resting on either side of her as her jaw flexed due to her gritting her teeth.

“Why can’t you leave my sister alone, Jiyong?” Bom asked softly, her voice cracking a bit as she looked up and looked straight at Jiyong’s brown orbs.

Jiyong was at lost for words seeing the tears b in Bom’s eyes. He was about to open his mouth and try to explain to her why he can’t stay away when Bom said something that tore his heart apart.

“You’ve hurt her again and again and again.. Aren’t you tired of hurting her, huh, Jiyong? Because me? I’m so tired and so fed up seeing her crying over you. I’m so tired seeing her be hurt because of you, Jiyong,” Bom cracked as she broke down in front of him, sobbing as she buried her face in her palms.

“I’m s-sorry,” Jiyong said softly, tears silently falling from his eyes.

“Just please leave her alone, Jiyong,” Bom sobbed again. Seunghyun went to Bom and wrapped his arms around her, letting her head rest on his chest as she sobbed her pain away.

“I’m sorry,” Jiyong once again said as he turned around and wiped his tears.

“But I can’t,” he said softly. “I’m sorry but I can’t just stay away from her,” he added then walked away.

DARA’S POV

[FLASHBACK]

“Seunghyun,” I heard Bom behind me, her voice lacing with shock.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I took a step back and stood beside my sister, then I placed my hands on her back and slightly pushed her forward, urging her to go to her boyfriend.

“Bom,” Seunghyun said in his deep voice, his eyes shining with unshed tears as he took a tentative step towards us.

Bom looked at me, as if asking me what she should do. I smiled at her and nodded my head, then I pouted my lips towards Seunghyun as I gently pushed her again. “Go,” I said.

“But we’re going to Lo—,“ Bom said, confusion written all over her face as she glanced at Seunghyun then looked at me.

“Bom,” I said with a sigh as I held her hands tightly with mine. “I can survive on my own. And besides you still have to work things out with Seunghyun,” I reasoned out as I winked at Seunghyun’s direction. I saw at my peripheral vision the nervous smile Seunghyun played on his lips.

“Bu—,“

“But what, Bom? What’s stopping you?” I asked. Seriously, I really can’t understand my sister’s stubbornness sometimes.

“He is one of those guys who hurt you, Dara.. I just can’t throw that truth away and ignore that he reminds you of the past you badly want to forget,” Bom said.

I sighed once again, this time in frustration as I wrapped Bom in an embrace. “Bom, why are you throwing your chance at happiness just because of what happened in the past? And to think that you’re not even part of that past. Seunghyun made a mistake. Yes, he had hurt me together with his friends. But did he do something bad to you? Did he hurt you? No, right? Because he loves you, Bom,” I unwrapped my hug on Bom and cupped her face, then I looked straight into her eyes.

“I can see it in his eyes, Bom. He really loves you. He’s miserable without you. And I know you love him too. So please, go back to him. Don’t let my past ruin your future,” I smiled reassuring at Bom then I tiptoed and placed a kiss on my sister’s forehead, now hoping that what I’ve said had penetrated her thick, stubborn skull.

I pushed Bom again, smiling towards Seunghyun as he took another step towards Bom. “Take care of my sister, okay?” I said as I bent down and picked up my handbag and held my luggage.

“I will,” Seunghyun replied in a small voice. Then he diverted his eyes towards me, “I’m sorry, Dara.” he said, sincerity lacing his voice.

“It’s okay. Just don’t hurt my sister or you’ll see the worst of me,” I said then smiled once again. “I still have a flight to catch,” I started walking away from them, with me dragging my luggage with me. “I’ll call you when I land, okay?” I said to Bom before I close the door behind me.

“Ready to have your new life?” I asked myself as I slid inside the cab.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

I now sat in the middle of the park. I inhaled a lungful of air as I smiled watching the kids play. They were laughing, so full of energy. So carefree. I turned around when I felt something touched my back only to see a little girl, maybe about 4 years old, running towards me.

I glanced beside me and smiled seeing a pink ball rolling slowly away from me. I stood up from where I was sitting and took the ball before it completely roll further away from us. I then went towards the little girl and handed her the ball with a smile.

“Thank you,” she said in her heavily accented British English.

“You’re welcome,” I replied.

“Do you want to join us?” the girl asked as she looked up at me with excitement radiating in her green eyes. A wide smile plastered on her pretty face as pink tint played at her cheeks.

“Uhm, no thanks. I’ll just sit here and watch you guys play,” I said.

“Okay then..” the little girl shrugged her shoulders before turning away and walking towards her playmates who were obviously waiting for her.

I took one last glance at the little girl with her playmates before going back to my previous spot.

“Excuse me, but do you want to play with me?” I familiar, deep yet gentle voice said from behind. I furrowed my eyebrows as I turned around and saw Jaejoong smiling so widely at me.

“W-What are you doing here?” I asked, shocked seeing him in front of me.

“What? Am I not allowed here?” Jaejoong jokingly asked and in return, I slightly punched his arm.

“Really, what are you doing here?” I asked. To be honest, I’m thankful to have Jaejoong here because I’m really not the comfortable living really far away from appa and Bom.

“Well, I heard from some corn-addict that you needed company while you establish a new life, so here I am,” he said then he spread his arms out, as if presenting himself for the world to see.

I snickered then slapped his arms again.

“And I wanted to be part of your new life, so yeah.. I came here,” he added before enveloping me in a hug that made me feel safe and protected.

“Thank you, Jae,” I said as I hugged him back, the smile on my face never leaving.

“As what I’ve said.. I’ll always be here from now on.. I’ll never leave you alone again,” Jaejoong said with a serious tone in his voice and I smiled in response as I tightened my hug on him.

“I know,” I replied.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

/sighhhhhh/

School will start again tomorrow.

huhuhuhu TT________TT