I woke up and looked at the desk clock. I groaned as I saw it was past six in the morning. Ugh! I still want to sleep but my stomach’s complaining already. Well, it’s pretty normal, I guess since I didn’t eat dinner last night. Well, since I kind of brought up the hungry strike issue last night, I didn’t call for a maid to bring me food. So I climbed out of bed and did some of my usual morning rituals before heading down. I went straight into the kitchen. But then, I heard voices. Aish!

 

“Stop crying, will you? You’re making me cry, too,” one of the older maids said.

 

“I-I c-can’t h-help it!” a younger voice sobbed. “I pity Jiyong oppa and I’m gonna miss him, too. A-after all he did for Miss Dara, he’s being sent away.”

 

I fumed. What is she talking about? That pest did nothing but annoy me. I was about to confront the stupid maid when the older voice stopped me. “But all he did is pester Miss Dara.”

 

“Oh no. Remember the time when Miss Dara got sick?”

 

“Oh, right!” the older one answered. “How could I forget? Jiyong stayed awake by her bed all night, watching her. Such a sweet kid.”

 

“Yes, and when Miss Dara started having convulsions, he immediately rushed her to the hospital even if he himself was suffering from a slight fever. But you see, I kind of overheard Jiyong oppa and his father talking about what happened to Miss Dara in the club.”

 

“She got drunk, right?”

 

“Oh no, it was more than that,” the younger one said.

 

“What do you mean?” the older one eagerly asked.

 

“Oppa saw that Miss Dara’s friend put something into her drink.”

 

“What? Really? Did you hear what they put in it?”

 

“No, I didn’t. I only heard that Miss Hyuna did it.”

 

“But why would she do that to her friend?” the older one asked.

 

“I don’t know. Well, it’s really hard to understand rich kids’ minds, right?”

 

“But how did Jiyong saw that?”

 

“Well, I guess he followed her because, remember, Miss Dara was supposed to be grounded or maybe he was just there at that time.”

 

“Jiyong’s really kind, neh? Eventhough Miss Dara doesn’t treat him well, he still thinks of her welfare.”

 

“Yes, he is. If only he likes me, too. I would definitely be the happiest girl in the world.”

 

I went back to my room. No, I refuse to believe everything I heard. I tried remembering that night but everything’s blurry for me. I trust my friends, but there’s nothing wrong in asking, right? So, I quickly went for a shower and got dressed.

 

I frowned as I saw a few maids carrying luggages and bags. “What’s this all about?” I asked.

 

“These are Jiyong oppa’s things,” one maid answered, voice breaking. I raised one brow at the stupid girl and head towards the main doors. And there I saw the pest putting his things on the car.

 

“I’m really sorry if you have to go like this, Jiyong,” Dad said.

 

“You don’t have to say sorry, Sir. I was planning to leave anyways,” the pest answered.

 

“Finally,” I inserted. Both heads turned to me. “So, how long will you be gone? I hope forever.”

 

The pest sniggered the same time Dad’s phone rang. “Hello?” Dad answered. “Oh,” he mumbled then went inside the house.

 

Mr. Kwon tapped the pest’s shoulder then nodded at him. “Have a safe trip, son,” Mr. Kwon said then followed Dad inside.

 

“So, are you going to the pest land?” I smirked.

 

“I thought you said you read my emails? I take it you read the message from FARILEGS inviting me somewhere?”

 

I frowned. “Oh, so you’re going to your girlfriend, huh? I should have known. I hope she wakes up from her nightmare already. I pity her for being stuck with you. And I hope you won’t dare bring her here because-“

 

“Don’t worry. I’m not coming back here anymore,” he cut me off. “What’s with that face? Why do you look so surprised? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

 

I opened my mouth then closed it again. Of course I wanted this! But why can’t I say that out loud? “This is the happiest day of my life,” I said instead.

 

“It is mine too,” he answered. “I’m so happy I’m ready to die.”

 

“Jiyong?” the driver interjected. “We’re good to go.”

 

The pest looked at the driver then nodded. He turned back to me. “Say hi to your GIRLFRIENDS for me. And oh, I just want to thank you for blackmailing your father to send me away because I’ve always wanted to get out of here. You know why? Because I can’t stand your rotten attitude.”

 

After a glare, he stepped into the car. I balled my fists. “YA! How dare you talk to me like that?!” I shouted after the car. “I hate you, you stupid, ugly pest! Well, thank you too for leaving! I AM SOO HAPPY TO SEE YOU LEAVE! AND DON’T EVER COME BAACKK!”

 

“Dara, why are you shouting your heart out?”

 

I saw Dad coming from the main door. My ear pricked at what he said. “I’m not shouting my HEART out. I’m just SO happy to see him leave that I can’t contain my happiness inside me!” I growled.

 

“Yes, you do sound happy to me,” he chuckled. Eh? What’s so funny?

 

“Ahm, Dad, can I ask you something?”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Remember the time when I was in the hospital and you asked me if I was into drugs then the pest called you. . .?” my voice trailed as I remembered how Dad didn’t ask me about the drugs issue after the pest talked to him. “Can I take a ride with you?”

 

 

Later. . .

 

“Is it true?” I immediately asked as soon as I saw Hyuna, still in her silk sleeping gown.

 

“What is?” she asked. “This better be good, Dara because I haven’t slept that much yet. I had a wild night with Jess and the girls.”

 

“That you put drugs in my drinks before? And don’t you dare deny it!” I said. Okay, I was kind of expecting she’ll deny it but she just looked at me and shrugged.

 

“I did,” she said nonchalantly, making me gasp in surprise. “So, Jiyong told you, huh?”

 

“No, he did not. I just found out from. . . . my Dad. Why the hell did you do that to me? And how did the pest got involved here?” I fired up.

 

“Whoa, hold your horses. One question at a time,” she snorted.

 

“I want answers NOW!” I scowled.

 

“Fine!” she breathed. “For the first question, I was just trying to help you, okay? Me and the girls are kind of tired of you whining everytime you hook up with a hot guy but you always end up withdrawing when the real thing is about to happen. You said so yourself, you wanted to go all the way but you always back out at the last minute. Among us, you’re the only left. When I heard you also invited Wooyoung, I just thought that maybe it’s about time for you to go all the way.”

 

Ah, now I understand. “But you could have at least told me,” I said.

 

She snorted again. “I know you won’t take the substance voluntarily.”

 

“So. . . uh, do you take it, too?”

 

“What do you think?” she asked, raising her brows. I didn’t answer.

 

“How about my second question?” I asked instead.

 

“Oh, that. Well, I didn’t know how Jiyong got in the club but I just saw him grabbed you off the platform while you were being humped up by two guys.”

 

“WHAT?!?!” I burst out. “Do I even know those guys?”

 

“No. But they looked pretty decent to me and you were enjoying it.”

 

“But I wasn’t aware of what I was doing. What if I got ?”

 

“Why are you whining over something that didn’t happen?” she asked.

 

I looked at her blankly. “Yeah, you’re right. All thanks to the pest, it didn’t happen. You wouldn’t have stopped those two if they do something wrong, would you?”

 

She didn’t answer.

 

“You know what?” I started. “Let’s just stop this we’re-not-friends-anymore pretense. It would be better if we keep it real, don’t you think?”

 

“You don’t really mean that, do you?” she chuckled.

 

“Watch me walk out on you,” I said and turned to leave.

 

“Well, suit yourself then!” she called after me. “Let’s see who’ll become the lone outcast. Certainly, it wouldn’t be me, or Taeyeon or Jihyun or Jessica.”