"Dara..." Bom patted Dara's back comfortingly while the latter sobbed like there was no tomorrow. "Jiyong loves you. There's no doubt about it."

Dara sniffled and looked at Bom with red eyes. "Then why did he lie to me? Why didn't he come home with me even after I threatened to break up with him? He obviously doesn't care!"

Cl sighed. "Maybe he has his reasons." she suggested. "Jiyong may be many things, but he most definitely loves you. You can't deny that, Dara. Everyone and anyone can see that."

Minzy nodded. "Yeah unnie. I'm sure he didn't mean to lie to you."

Dara bit her lip. "But he did. So why did he do that?" she mumbled. "And he was lying to me and working with Sohee! SOHEE! They were looking so lovey dovey in the cafe!"

"The only thing you can do is to wait for Jiyong to come back and ask him about it." Bom concluded.

Dara rolled her eyes. "Maybe he doesn't even want to come back. He has Sohee already." she scoffed. CL and Minzy rolled their eyes. "Oh Dara!"


>oOo<


Dara waited for Jiyong in the living room till it was around 11pm at night. Her eyes were red and puffy from the crying, and her eyes were fixed on the clock.

Every second that passed, it hurt Dara. It seemed to make it even more possible that Jiyong may have just eloped with Sohee, abandoning her.

"Ji..." Dara whimpered. "Where are you?"

All of a sudden, the doors burst open and the person Dara longed to see appeared in the doorway, tired and haggard. "Ssantoki!!" Jiyong exclaimed, but didn't dare run to her lest she was still mad. Which she was.

Her anger heightened when she saw who was behind him. "Sohee, what are you doing here?" dara's voice was dangerously low and calm.

Sohee flustered. "Dara unnie! Before you jump into conclusions, please please please listen to Jiyong explain everything okay?" she pleaded. "Jiyong and I have nothing between us except friendship! The only thing I did was to find him a job at the cafe I was working at. He needed money and I offered him the job. We're back late only because he wanted to get all the money he needed by today, and we stayed for overtime. Please listen to Jiyong explain, unnie.."

Dara took a deep breath. "Alright. You may go."

Sohee smiled a small smile and gave an encouraging look to Jiyong, before going back to her own house.

Dara looked at Jiyong expectantly, while the latter shuffled his feet about nervously. "Ji, explain." Dara growled. "I have no idea where you learnt to be so ridiculous and-" she faltered when a strong whiff of roses reached her nose, and her eyes could see nothing but a sea of red.

"Ji?" she blinked.

Jiyong smiled softly and placed the bouquet of roses in her hands. "For Ssantoki." he smiled.

Dara gazed down at the flowers and softened. "You bought me these?" she whispered. Jiyong nodded happily.

Dara bit her lip and looked back at him. "Well mister," she started again. "Don't think that buying me flowers will gain you forgiveness! Why did you need money all of a sudden anyway? You could have asked instead of lying to me and-"

"Ssantoki.." Jiyong took out a box from his pocket. Dara blinked at the small familiar shaped thing she often saw in television shows. "Jiyong needed money because Jiyong wanted to get this."

"Ji?" Dara croaked as she watched Jiyong open the small box. Inside laid the prettiest pair of rings she had ever laid her eyes on.

 

(Okay not exactly the prettiest, but considering JIyong's financial ability, I couldn't exactly choose the big diamond ones right..)

Jiyong fumbled with the rings and searched Dara's eyes.

"Do you like them, Ssantoki?" he asked worriedly.

Dara nodded as she felt tears gathering at her eyes. "Ji, you went to work these few days.. because you wanted to get these?"

Jiyong beamed. "Yeah!" he exclaimed. "Seunggie said that girls like it when guys give them gifts and flowers. And especially rings, because it's a promise to be together no matter what happens. Jiyong wants to be with Ssantoki forever, that's why Jiyong bought us rings." he looked at her. "Are they good enough? Jiyong can work more and buy prettier ones if Ssantoki doesn't like them!"

Dara let a tear slip and Jiyong gasped. "Are they really bad?" he hyperventilated. "Jiyong just thought they were pretty! If Ssantoki really doesn't like them Jiyong can-"

"Shh." Dara placed a finger on his lips. "I like them. I love them. Thank you so much, Ji." she smiled softly.

Jiyong calmed down and a happy smile replaced the frown. "Then Jiyong shall help Ssantoki put it on?"

Dara nodded and bit back a smile as Jiyong shifted the ring into her ring finger gently. He kissed her fingers one by one, softly and smiled at her. "Pretty." he praised.

Dara flushed and took the other ring, slipping into his ring finger. She laced their hands together and admired their couple rings. "Ji.. I'm sorry I misunderstood." she mumbled. "I didn't know you were doing all these for me.."

Jiyong smiled and cuddled her, sniffing her hair. "It doesn't matter. Because Jiyong loves Ssantoki." he giggled, kissing her temple.

Dara's vision blurred as tears clouded her eyes once again. *What did I do to deserve him? He's such a great guy.*

"I love you too, Ji." Dara looked into his eyes and soon, they were lip-locking on the couch.

But it was different from other times, because this time, she was truly his as he was hers. This time, they were bound together with a promise.