{ 26 }

Donghae and Dara went back to their classes after their little talk in the garden. Donghae was still noticeably sad and ‘mopey,’ to borrow Wooyoung’s word. However, Dara dismissed it as an aftermath of her lies to Donghae, not even thinking of the possibility that maybe, just maybe, there was something else to his sadness that he wasn’t telling her about.

When Wooyoung, Dara, Donghae, Sohee and Minji got together again, it was already time to go home. Donghae and Dara were friendlier than they had been in the morning and Wooyoung pointed it out. “So, have you guys settled the Lover’s Quarrel?” He teased while Sohee and Minji laughed.

“Shut up, monkey.” Donghae answered while he continued gathering his things. As usual, papers of different colors and variety are scattered on top of his desk, making him have a hard time.

“Aigoo, they just made up and you’re already teasing them? Stop it, Woo.” Sohee followed up while smiling.

“Yah Ahn Sohee. I heard you’re dating someone?” Dara replied, not backing down. Donghae glanced at her and she only winked at him while Sohee was now the one on the hot seat.

“Ah, right!” Wooyoung added, changing sides. “When Sohee was sick, some guy named Hee-something came to pick her up!” Wooyoung laughed like a hyena. “Man, that guy looked like he was so lovesick with our mandu here!”

Blushing, Sohee threw a pen on Wooyoung which he wasn’t able to avoid because he was laughing too much. However, it seemed like he wasn’t even hurt because he was still guffawing even after she threw him a pen. “It’s HeeCHUL, you stupid monkey!!!”

“Ooooh, so Sohee unnie is really dating huh?” Minji joined in.

“Seriously though, whoever this Heechul is, I think Sohee really likes him.” Donghae cut off.

“How’d you say so, Hae oppa?” Minji asked.

He shrugged. “Well, Sohee’s not really the type to blush like a tomato, right?” They all nodded. “And now look at how red she is. I can even see red on her neck.” He added and laughed.

The five of them walked out of the faculty room together while still talking about Sohee’s new boyfriend. “I agree with Hae,” she confessed. “I really like Heechul.”

“Whooo, go SoHeechul!” Minji suddenly cheered while the rest of them stared at her like she was some alien. She placed the heel of her palm on her forehead while shaking her head. “Aigoo, these ahjummas and ahjussis. It’s a love team name!”

Wooyoung was the first one to recover. “Yah maknae, who are you calling ahjussi?!” He asked and was about to smack Minji when she ran away, waving. “Annyeong, unnies and oppas! See you!” After a few minutes, she was gone.

He didn’t even try to run after Minji. “Aish jinjja, that maknae is something!” He grumbled.

“Wooyoung, admit it. You can’t even outrun Minkki.” Dara teased before they exploded in laughter.

“Arasso, arasso. I admit it. But you gotta admit too, Minkki’s running prowess is no joke!” Wooyoung responded after a series of laughters.

They nodded and the four walked in silence when they finally reached the gate. “Hey, isn’t that Heechul?” Wooyoung said, squinting his eyes to see better, but even before he confirmed it, Sohee ran towards the guy.

The three of them looked at each other and shrugged before walking over to Sohee and Heechul. “Heechul, these are my friends, Wooyoung, Donghae and of course, Dara.” She introduced.

Heechul smiled and bowed a bit. “Annyeonghasaeyo, I’m Kim Heechul, Sohee’s boyfriend.”

They shook hands with him and talked a bit. Heechul was really fun. “How about we have dinner together?” Sohee suggested. “No drinking, though. We have work tomorrow.” She reminded.

Wooyoung and Dara nodded. “I’m in. How about you, Hae?”

“Sure.” He answered.

“Won’t you get your car?” Wooyoung asked as the five of them walked towards the restaurant near their school. The prices were cheap but the foods are no joke. Of course, that was according to Jang Wooyoung, the resident food advisor.

“Nah, I took the bus to school today.” He replied, obviously trying to avoid the topic.

His answer got Sohee’s attention even though she was busy with Heechul. “Really? Lee Donghae taking the bus? Wow, that’s new.” She commented. They all knew that Donghae’s not really a fan of buses, since he thinks it’s a bit of a hassle to commute.

“I was feeling a little dizzy this morning, so...” His voice trailed off. He just shrugged and didn’t say anything more while the friends only looked at each other. Sohee mouthed ‘weird’ before getting back to Heechul.

When they finally arrived at the restaurant, they picked a table on the side. Wooyoung was the one who ordered, since he already knew his way around the place. Heechul was about to insist he was buying but Donghae, Dara and Sohee immediately stopped him, because they know that Jang Wooyoung’s a monster when it comes to free food. They paid for their own food, but Heechul promised that he will treat them some other time, to which Wooyoung excitedly said yes.

They were busy eating and talking when Dara felt her phone vibrate inside her bag. She always puts it in silent mode so as not to disturb her classes. Besides, the only people who usually call her are Bom, TOP, and Youngbae.

“Hey, excuse me, guys,” she said before she rummaged her bag for her phone. When she found it, the ringing stopped. She scrolled and saw that there are 34 missed calls from Kwon Jiyong and 15 messages. Her eyes widened.

Donghae, who was sitting beside her, noticed her surprise. “Dee? Is there something wrong?”

She smiled at him and shook her head. “Nope. I’m good. I’ll just make a call outside, okay?” When Donghae nodded, she immediately slipped out of the restaurant to call the dragon.

--

On the other hand, Jiyong was ready to pounce on anyone. He had been trying to call Dara but none of his calls were answered. The phone was ringing, but it was headed straight to voicemail after a few rings. He was just about to smash his phone when her secretary knocked and opened the door. “Mr. Kwon?” She cautiously asked, sensing her boss’ bad mood by the scowl on his face.

“Yes, Taeyeon?”

Taeyeon cleared her throat before continuing. “Ms. Kwon is outside. She was asking if she could come inside?”

Jiyong’s forehead creases deepened. Yuri had been going in and out of his office for years, but this was the first time she asked for permission. Surprised by his sister’s actions, he momentarily pushed the issue with Dara and told Taeyeon to let Yuri come inside.

When she opened the door, she sat down on the chair in front of Jiyong’s desk. “Hey oppa.”

“Is there anything wrong, Yul?” He quickly asked. “You’re acting weird today.”

Her brows knitted together. “Weird? Why?”

“You even asked Taeyeon to get my permission to go inside my office.” He answered.

She gasp in disbelief. “Oppa... Are you serious?”

Jiyong, weirded out by his dongsaeng’s actions, nodded. “Yeah. Why? What’s wrong?”

Yuri clacked her tongue and shook her head. “Aigoo oppa, are you crazy? I’ve been asking Taengoo unnie to ask your permission for the past week before I go inside your office, and you only noticed it now?! Aigoo oppa, it looks like you’re the one who’s weird.”

Jiyong was surprised by Yuri’s revelation. He had been really clueless. Most of the time, he was thinking about Dara, he admits, but hearing from Yuri that he acted like a lost cause was different. “Is there anything wrong with Dara unnie?”

Upon hearing her name, Jiyong remembered that he couldn’t contact her. He quickly grabbed his phone and redialled her number, which rang endlessly. “UGH!” He said, frustrated because of Dara’s actions. Did I do anything wrong?! God, I’m going crazy here already!

“Oppa, I’m seriously on the verge of screaming for Taeng unnie to call a mental hospital and have you admitted.” Yuri said in mock seriousness.

He brushed off her sarcasm and looked at her. “Look, I can’t contact Dara. I’ve been attempting it for a few–” To his surprise, Yuri cut her off, cackling. The younger girl couldn’t quite believe that it was Kwon Jiyong, CEO and President of Kwon Group of Companies talking in front of her. Imagine, she thought, still laughing loudly, Kwon Jiyong getting this disturbed because of a girl?! Wow, this is just the second time!!! Dara unnie is really daebak! Suddenly, she stopped laughing, remembering the girl her oppa told her about. She never had the chance to meet that girl, but what she was sure of was that she made her oppa happier than ever.

She still remembered that day when Jiyong told her about his girlfriend, six years ago...

-Flashback-

Yuri knocked on Jiyong’s door bearing cookies and milk. “Come in!” His voice rang out loud, but she couldn’t open the door because she was holding a tray.

“Oppa, please open the door!” Yuri shouted from the other side, and after a few seconds, the door opened, revealing a smiling Kwon Jiyong. He ruffled her hair and took the tray from her hands while guiding her inside his room.

Yuri was surprised by his brother’s actions. The two of them are close, but she seldom sees her oppa smile like the way he smiled at her a while ago. Even though they are years apart, Jiyong never made her feel alone. He was always there for her.

The two of them were eating the cookies when Yuri mustered the courage to ask. “Oppa?”

“Yes, Yul?”

“Why are you so happy?”

At first, Jiyong looked puzzled at her question, and then he laughed. LAUGHED! The poker-faced Kwon Jiyong laughed loudly. It was one of the best memories of Yuri with her brother. “Yul-ah, oppa met a girl.”

Yuri’s eyes widened and twinkled. “Jinjja, oppa?! Is she a pretty unnie?! C’mon oppa, tell me about her!!!”

Jiyong smiled at her before he started. “She’s really, really pretty and kind, Yul. She’s cute when she’s angry and cute when she’s smiling. She’s crazy and sometimes she hits me, but it’s okay, because I like it.” Yuri’s mind couldn’t understand it then. What? Oppa gets hit by this girl and then he likes it? Aigoo, my oppa’s crazy.

“When will you bring her here then?” Yuri asked, cookie crumbs smeared on her face.

Jiyong wiped the crumbs from her face before answering. “Not now, Yul.” His face and voice turned serious. “Yul-ah, don’t tell anyone about this okay? It’s you and oppa’s secret.”

Yuri clapped her hands. She held out her pinky finger. “I promise, oppa!”

He locked his pinky with hers and smoothed her hair before they continued playing together.

-End of Flashback-

She could still vividly remember the sparks in her brother’s eyes, his look when he talked about her. He was so happy, and Yuri couldn’t thank that unnie enough for making a normal man out of her brother. Because he was the son of the great Kwon Jihoon, the richer than God business mogul, he was expected to be great himself. Because of that, Jiyong always pushed himself to the limit, forgetting about friends and love to reach his goal. His only happiness was his little sister, that was why he was always excited to go home every break.

However, after that accident, he returned to the old Jiyong. The old Jiyong who was always serious and puts business first before anything else. He worked harder and harder, but Yuri never saw the Jiyong who met that unnie again. She once tried to ask him about his girlfriend, but he told her he’s feeling dizzy, so she never tried to bring it up again.

“FUCK, SHE’S STILL NOT ANSWERING!!!” Jiyong roared like a dragon ready to blow fire on unsuspecting people. Yuri’s attention went back to her dragon of a brother.

“Oppa, maybe she’s busy with work.” Yuri tried to offer, but she was aware that nothing could pacify a raging dragon.

He was about to tell her off when his phone rang. He slid the ‘Answer’ button and yelled at the phone, “FUCK, ABOUT TIME KWON DARA!!!”

Yuri silently laughed to herself before she sneaked out of the office. When she finally got out, Taeyeon asked her curiously. “Ms. Kwon? Why are you sneaking out like a thief?”

She only laughed. “Nothing, unnie. Tell oppa I’m going home!” She turned to her bodyguard and linked her arms with him. He tried to shake her off but Yuri was insistent. When he gave up, she laughed. “Let’s go home, Minho.”

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Tell me what you think? ^^ Yuri already revealed the girl XD Jiyong is so cuteeee!

-X