~DARA’S POV~

I joined my hands together and held them up in my chest. Jiyong was smirking while bouncing on his place. I can feel the excitement emanating from him. I looked at Jae and took in a deep breath. He seemed relax but I can’t help but worry over him. I don’t even know if he CAN fight. He looked too gentle for me. But he told me to trust him. I should be at ease, right?

“You’re worried”

“Of course I am” I said, glancing at Seungri. “That’s my boyfriend up there and Jiyong’s my friend”

“Don’t you think you’re being unfair to your boyfriend?” CL asked.

“I-“

“What do you think your boyfriend’s feeling right now? Letting himself hurt just so you could talk to Jiyong?” Bom added.

“And to think that Jiyong doesn’t even consider you as a friend” CL sneered.

“Hey you two, stop that” Youngbae said.

“Both of you are being es” Seungri added then turned to me. “Don’t mind them. They’re just jealous of your beauty”

“What?!”

“Why you-!”

“That’s it” Youngbae said and pulled the two girls away. My eyes followed them as they disappeared through the crowd. I bowed my head, feeling guilty.

“You don’t let what other people say about Jiyong get to you” Seungri said, “you should do the same with those two”

I looked up at him and forced a smile. “Maybe because what people say about Jiyong isn’t true” I said. “But what CL and Bom said. . .” I trailed. No, I can’t understand why I’m doing this to Jae. Bom and CL were right. I’m being unfair to him.

“Tsk, I can’t believe he’s cheating”

I went back to my senses. “What do-?”

“Jiyong’s cheating” he said. “Your boyfriend must be really good ‘coz I haven’t seen Jiyong cheated even once” he added. I tensed and looked at the ring. Jae was lying flat on his stomach while Jiyong was grappling him. I don’t anything unusual. How is Jiyong cheating on Jae? I can’t understand it.

Jae’s face started to go really red. I started to get nervous, too. I bit my lower lip when we made eye contact. Jiyong’s hold on Jae tightened, making me squeak. I buried my face in my hands. I don’t think I could watch this.

“Please tell them to stop” I said, my face still buried in my hands.

“There’s no way it could be stopped” Seungri said. “Don’t worry your boyfriend’s starting to cheat, too. They’re even now”

I slowly pulled my face out of my hands. I can’t understand what Seungri means when he said “cheating”. Everything seemed normal to me. And how could they cheat?

I watched the match intensely. I was pretty surprised with Jae. I didn’t know he could fight and I can tell he’s a good one, too eventhough I’m quite ignorant to this kind of stuff. Hi moves seemed more relaxed, analyzed and studied compared to Jiyong. Jiyong’s more like the aggressive one, instinct driven. I can’t help but winced or ball my fists everytime they hurt each other.

The crowd went to wild bursts of shouts as they were now exchanging fierce and intense blows. I don’t know that much about fights but I could tell from the faces of people that this is the best match they’ve ever seen so far.

“Your boyfriend’s pretty good” Seungri said as Jae sent Jiyong flying to the opposite side of the ring. “Jiyong’s having a hard time”

I didn’t say anything. The fight seemed getting dirtier and brutal. I closed my eyes and bowed my head. I think I had enough already but why am I not doing anything to stop it? Well, because I wanted Jae to win so I could to Jiyong. I suddenly felt guilty.

“I can’t watch this anymore” I blurted out.

“Now that’s what you call being unfair” he said. “Your boyfriend’s trying to win for you. The most you could do is watch him”

I looked up and forced my eyes to open. I focused my eyes on Jae’s face, trying not to look at anything, anywhere and anyone else. But I didn’t succeed. Every now and then, my eyes would stray to Jiyong. I want to - I gasped the same time the crowd went awfully silent. It’s as if everyone stopped breathing and the only sound I could hear was Jae’s inhales and exhales as he looked down at Jiyong’s body on the floor. For what it seemed like a century, the crowd erupted to a cheer. My hand flew to my mouth as Jae glanced at me then smiled gently. He then went off the caged ring.

Not long after that, I saw him making his way through the crowd towards me. I threw myself at him.

“Hey, hey” he chuckled. “I’m sweating. You-“

“Thank God you’re fine” I breathed and hugged him tighter. “You’re not really hurt are you?”

“I told you to trust me, didn’t I?” he said, hugging me back. We stayed like that for quite some time. then, he pulled back and smiled down at me. “I’m sweating” he said.

“You smell fine to me” I told him.

He chuckled then turned serious. “You want to talk to Kwon Jiyong, right?”

I hesitated, remembering what Bom and CL said. I was still undecided when I suddenly heard Seungri laughing.

“You lost” Seungri laughed. “You already cheated but you still lost”

I looked back and saw Jiyong wearing a grim face. I could tell he was pissed – it made me think twice about talking to him at this moment. He’s obviously in a foul mood.

“Talk” he ordered.

“We need privacy” I frowned. He scoffed then shook his head.

“Follow me” he said.

I started following him, pulling Jae with me. Seungri was also following us but Kwon Jiyong shooed him away. He led us to the room where Seungri brought me before. The three of us were inside when Jae’s phone rang. I quietly listened as he discreetly argued with the caller. After some time, he sighed and surrendered. I can hear the silent protest in his voice. He obviously doesn’t want to leave me alone with Kwon Jiyong but I assured him I’ll be fine.

After a few minutes, Jae heeded and went on his way – but not before kissing me. When he left, silence enveloped me and Kwon Jiyong.

“Who are we fooling, Dara?” he broke the silence. “We already TALKED”

“I won’t stop until you forgive me and my family” I said. “We owe you and it doesn’t fell right if you. . . somehow feel. . . bad towards us”

“So,” he slowly said, “basically, you’re asking for forgiveness”

“Yes” I quickly answered.

“Why?” he asked. “Why do you have to ask for forgiveness? What happened to your father doesn’t changed anything”

“You’re wrong” I stubbornly said. His jaw clenched as his eyes went on fire.

“!” he cursed out loud. “Why do you have to be so ing-?!”

“Hey” a female voice entered.

I don’t have to look behind me to know who it is. It’s Bom, of course. I balled my fists and gritted my teeth. I stood stiffly on my spot.

“You coming?” she asked.

Jiyong glanced briefly at me then back to Bom. “Of course” he mumbled.

“Let’s go then” I heard her say. Still, I remained in my spot, even when Kwon Jiyong walked past by me. I was about to cry when I heard his voice.

“Are you coming or not?” he said. I quickly turned around with my mouth opening and closing soundlessly.

“Y-you want me to come?” I clarified.

He frowned. “Unless you don’t want to come?”

“I’ll go” I quickly answered and walked towards him. He told Bom to go ahead of us. The girl smirked at me first before going on her way. I walked silently beside him, head bowed.

“So” I started. “Where are we going?”

“To the fun part of the arena”

“Fun part?” I repeated. “What kind of fun, exactly?”

He glanced sideways at me. “You’ll see”

I was about to insist my case but changed my mind. He was being polite. I might as well not push him to being rude again. Is this his way of saying that we’re okay now? Ugh! Why is it so hard to read and understand him? He’s so opposite of Jae.

“Seungri said you cheated” I said after a while.

“I did” he confirmed.

I scowled. “Are you that desperate to avoid me?”

“Maybe” he chuckled. “Mind you, your boyfriend cheated, too”

“You cheated first” I defended Jae.

“Well maybe we’re both desperate”

“How did you cheat, any ways?” I asked.

“You have to find it out yourself” he smirked.

“Oh, so you’re being rude again”

“And you’re being stubborn” he returned.

“I’m not the type of person who easily gives up”

“Yeah, I figured” he darkly said.

I can’t help but smile. Call me crazy or whatever you want but there’s something in the way we’re talking to each other that’s making me smile. I wonder what that is.

“Can I cut your hair?” I blurted out of nowhere. God! What’s wrong with me? I’m being. . . stupid.

“No, you can’t” he said.

“What are you? Some kind of Samson’s descendant?” I bit out. To my surprise, he laughed!

“Your imagination’s killing me” he laughed and turned left. There’s a narrow passageway with flickering lights. The floor was wet and it looked slimy and slippery. Gosh, it’s creepy!

“Are you going to kill me?”

“Jesus!” he breathed. “Are you being stupid?”

“Just asking” I mumbled and went closer to him. A portion of my arm was rubbing against him as we started walking down the passageway. I wanted to grab his arm and hold onto it but I stopped myself. I shouldn’t be so stupidly coward. And besides, he won’t let anything happen to me, right?

With that thought in mind, I started to relax a little and breathe normally. We reached the door in a compatible silence. He glanced at me then smirked. I heard a click, and then the door opened. My mouth automatically dropped as I saw flashing lights and heard a loud music playing on the background. Unknowingly, I stepped in with Kwon Jiyong. My eyes roamed the place. There was a counter at the left – serving alcohol; tables and chairs on the other side and right at the middle were people dancing – no, they’re not just dancing, they’re DIRTY dancing. It’s not the indecent dirty dance. No, indecent is too far from what I had in mind. As I watched the dancing couples, I can’t help but be amazed. I find the dance very y and artistic.

“This way” I heard Jiyong’s voice amidst the noise. I quickly followed him, glancing every now and then at the middle. He led me to a table where his friends were. I guess I was a bit distracted a while ago that’s why I didn’t notice what Bom was wearing. She and CL were both wearing a dress. I smiled at them and greeted them but they just scoffed in return. Instead of feeling bad about it, I turned to Youngbae and Seungri.

“Hi” I greeted.

“Hey there” Youngbae smiled.

“Dara, sit here beside me” Seungri said.

“Oh, okay” I said and went to sit beside him. As soon as I was settled on my seat, Bom and CL stood up. CL pulled Youngbae with her while Bom dragged Jiyong to the middle.

“Kwon Jiyong knows how to. . . dirty dance?” I blurted out, totally dumbfounded.

“One of the best here” Seungri said. “But Youngbae’s moves are ier than him”

I just nodded in response. I was too busy watching Jiyong and Bom. I don’t know if I should laugh or cry or to feel anything. I find it ODD for Kwon Jiyong, who loves rock music, dance to some Latin music. It’s just so hard to. . . digest. It’s so hard for me to take it in. I mean, as far as I know, he’s Mr. Darkness, not Mr. y and sultry.

A shiver ran down my spine as I saw him squeezed Bom’s , their bodies intimately rubbed together, their faces so close it’s as if they’re kissing. But just like my first reaction, I don’t find it indecent. I find it overwhelmingly y, sultry and attractive. Maybe because under those intimate moves and stares lies a story. Yes, every step tells a story. It’s like I’m watching a Dirty Dancing movie.

Heat suddenly crawled to my cheels as Bom slid her hands up from his shoulders down to his chest, to his abdomen – I quickly looked away, hiding my blush away. Aigoo! What’s happening to me.

“Do you want to dance?”

I quickly looked at Seungri and shook my head. “I don’t really. . .” I chuckled. “I’m not that y and dance like this. . .” I trailed. “And besides, I’m not properly dressed. You, why aren’t you dancing?”

“Can’t find a worthy partner” he shrugged.

“Oh” I mumbled. “Do you guys always go here?”

“You could say that” he said.

“Do you guys always dance?”

“No” he chuckled. “Most of the time, this place plays rock music”

I suddenly felt a hand on my wrist that it made me jump in my seat. I looked up and saw kwon Jiyong wearing a smug smile. He pulled me up and started dragging me to the dancefloor.

“What are you doing?!” I hissed.

“Let’s dance” he said.

“I can’t!” I exclaimed. “And besides, I’m not properly dressed”

“It’s not about what you wear” he said.

“But-“ I started again but he suddenly pulled me against his body. One hand went on my waist while the other went to my thigh down to my knee. He pulled my knee up and hooked it at the side of his hips. My eyes suddenly grew wide as I realized his face was too close for my liking. Right on cue, a new sultry Latin music played.

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*a/n: supposed to include the dance here but since I'm not yet done writing the scene, i decided to cut it off and include it on the next chappie.. hehe..

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