Dara~~ How does one move on?

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Despite the rain, the crew was driven to finish the shoot but we got the bad news that the storm that was supposed to go north changed its trajectory and now is heading straight for Yeoseo. Everyone went on panic mode and the photographer decided to shoot in the rain instead. In fairness to Choi diva, he was very professional during the shoot and didn’t complain being under the rain. Good thing that spring has come, or else, we’d all be freezing by now. Everyone was satisfied with the final results despite getting the clothes wet. It was an original concept, everyone praised and TOP was especially complimented; flattered, applauded over and over again which I suspect only inflated his already massive ego.

I piled heaps of praise to the photographer instead. I mean he was injured and he was creative enough to think of an impromptu concept. I was saying this out loud just to counter all the kudos that Choi diva is getting. The thing was I think I overdid it because the photographer became all too friendly and flirty all of a sudden so I escaped soon after and looked for Jjangme.

Come afternoon, the widowed harabeoji who owns the house we’re living in dropped by to give us some food supplies hearing that we’ll be trapped in the island for at least two days. He’s temporarily staying at his daughter’s house during our stay. He also placated our fears saying that the house is sturdy and they’ve experienced harsher storms before.

When night fell, I started doubting his words because it felt like that the roof and the whole house will come crashing down on us. I could hear the wind howling and the trees were dancing against each other. To add to our distress, we lost electricity and phone signal. The jerk I was with was no help. He refused to move in with the rest of the people we came to the island with. He said strangers in close proximity make him uncomfortable. Most of them were at the community hall that is relatively new and made of concrete and has two floors.

I was about to retort that being a celebrity, it’s a given that you’ll be surrounded by strangers most of the time but I just let it go. I was exhausted and the weather was making me lazier by the minute.

The thing is Choi diva couldn’t sleep and that means I can’t sleep either. He kept on calling me for little errands like water and check for phone signal. He also made me cook some ramen and follow him around with the gas lantern. I learned that he was afraid of the dark when he started screaming my name when we lost electricity and it turned pitch black inside the house. He made me scour for candles and had every one of them lit on every corner of the house.

Right now, it’s just half past eight and the night is still young and we’ve got nothing to do but lounge in the small living room. He’s lying on the couch and I’m on the floor sitting on a pillow. I was getting fidgety with the awkward silence between us. The night would have been perfectly silent if not for the noise made by the storm.

Choi is busy with his iPod and I felt like a slave waiting on the jerk prince so I started checking on my phone, too. With nothing to do, I began opening the messages that were saved in my Inbox for the past months. One by one, I read the messages sent by friends and even by people I barely know. Some were well meaning messages and encouragements while some were fishing for gossip about what really happened between me and Jiyong. I was surprised that many people seem to know about our secret relationship. Reading the messages made me tear up and I started sniffing quietly minding my own business when Choi diva started shaking my leg with his foot.

“What?!” I crankily voiced out.

“Are you crying?” he stupidly asked.

I sniffed and wiped my tears with the hem of my shirt. “I’m not,” I answered sarcastically.

“Stop that,” he ordered. “I hate seeing people cry.”

I rolled my eyes at him.

After a moment, he stood up. “Follow me,” he beckoned, going to the direction of the kitchen.

That was my queue to pick up the lantern to light up Choi diva’s way.

He started searching through the cabinets until he found a tin kettle. Without a word, he started walking towards the back door.

“Yah! Where are you going? It’s raining cats and dogs out there …” Nevertheless, I followed him.

“Get yourself an umbrella.” He already grabbed one from the corner and went out in the rain but did not step too far away since I have the precious gas lamp with me. “Ppali!”

“I’m coming, you crazy jerk” I muttered. The wind was freezing cold and I began shivering as soon as I stepped out in the rain as a blast of cold wind almost knocked me over. “Do you want to die?” I cried over the noise of the rain and I fought hard to keep my umbrella from flipping.

“Ppali!” repeated the jerk.

I had no choice but follow him.

He began opening the huge earthen jars one by one, searching for something. Finally, he found what he was looking for and motioned me to come nearer so he can see better. He began scooping some off-white looking liquid from the jar to the kettle, the aroma of fermentation reaching my sensitive nose.

“What are you doing?” I asked. “How did you know there’s some r