Sandara Park

6 years later

Seoul, South Korea

My heart skipped that familiar beat. The beat he caused when he simply looked at me, smiled that crooked smile at me, or whenever I was in his presence. I feel my hands sweat and tremble along with the tightening of my chest.

It’s as if I’m relieving my best, happiest, and most painful memories all in the few seconds my eyes meet his. The same eyes I’d fallen in love with six years ago. The same eyes that had me laughing with just one word. The same eyes that had my heart beating the second I laid mine on them. The same eyes that left me heart broken and useless.

I felt a wave of emotions take over my body and I suddenly feel conscious under the eyes of the hundreds of people before me.

‘Get it together, Dara. You can’t let him do this to you. Not again.’

I feel a hand pat my shoulder reassuringly and I turned to find Bom’s reassuring smile and encouraging eyes.

I know what she was trying to tell me from just looking into her eyes. She was telling me to stay strong and I was going to.

My heart was stronger than it was six years ago.

I was stronger than I was six years ago.

6 years ago. . .

    My eyes slowly open, trying to adjust to the evading stream of sunlight trying to claw at my face. I recall little of last night, just that I was drunk, but couldn’t sleep and that idiot Jiyong snuck into my room in the middle of the night.  An annoying wave of dizziness takes its place in my head and I groan aloud. ‘I am never going to drink ever again.’

I stretch my arms up above my head and turn to my side. The spot that Jiyong occupied beside me was empty and I looked around the room, but nothing. I sat up and tried to find the shoes he’d discarded on the ground, but there were no sign of them, except for the familiar black hoodie. I guess he’d taken it off to sleep in his t-shirt in the middle of the night, but other than the hoodie, everything was in it’s place. I figured he probably went home before any of my brothers found out he was here and that was understandable. If they found out there'd been a boy in my room, they'll not only start World War 3, but will painfully torture and beat said boy into an unrecognisable pulp.

I stretch and make my way to the bathroom to take a ten minute shower, taking my time to clear my dizzy head. After I dry my messy hair,  I dress myself in a comfortable pink sweatshirt over my denim shorts. I take the black sweatshirt he’d left and make my way downstairs. I step into the kitchen and I’m met by Cheondung-oppa and halmoni eating breakfast. I gave both of them a smile and a good morning as I sit down across from halmoni.

“You look happy this morning,” Cheondung oppa mutters, eyeing me suspiciously.

“Can’t a girl be happy at 10 a.m.?” I reply, stuffing a spoonful of rice in my mouth.

He didn’t reply and we ate in silence. Cheondung got up to take his dishes to the sink when he finally spoke.

“Yah, did you hear? This famous actress is in town. People were taking pictures of her down at the resort this morning,” he says as he starts to wash his dishes.

Famous actress? Could it be that friend Jiyong left with? She would fit the description of an actress. Tall, rich, and a flashy car in an island like this.

“I hear she came here to meet with Jiyong,” he continues. I slowly chew on my ham as I wait for him to continue.