Sitter

11

"Oh? You're here." Minho said with a sigh before sitting on the chair opposite TOP and Youngbae. "Nagbibihis pa si Dar6a."

"May damit siya dito?" TOP couldn't help himself but ask. Ilang taon na ding hindi nagpakita si Dara sa kanila kaya nakakapagtaka na may damit siya sa bahay nina Minho.

It only meant that the man knew where she was all these years.

"Oo." He simply said before standing up again to get a glass of water for himself and a glass of chocolate milk for Dara.

Before Minho could return with the drinks, Dara, dressed in a simple pair of shorts and an oversized shirt made her way to the living room.

Her eyes were red and puffy and immediately, Youngbae and TOP started to feel guilty as they were - once again, the reason for her tears.

She sat down on the couch but a few moments later - as if she forgot something, she was about to stand up pero sakto namang bumalik si Minho with a glass of chocolate milk.

"Minho." She said with a small smile, her eyes sparkling at the sight of the drink in the man's hands.

"Ako pa ba?" He shrugged before walking towards Dara and handing her the glass of chocolate milk.

"Thanks Min, love you." She whispered before taking a sip of her drink.

Youngbae couldn't help but watch Dara and each and every action she did.

This was the woman who left years ago because of them and here she was now, with puffed eyes, still because of them.

The question that haunted their conscience kept running inside his brain at the sight of Dara's smiling face: bakit nga ba nila pinagtrippan ang babae noon?

"Dar." Tawag ni TOP.

He was looking longingly at the woman who's smile faltered as soon as she heard his deep voice na noon ay kinatutuwa niyang marinig dahil it meant that TOP - her savior from Seungri's pranks, had arrived.

"Yep?" She asked popping the 'p' to appear cheerful.

Hindi alam ni TOP at Youngbae ang sasabihin, they just sat there as they stared at the woman.

Sensing that the silence would immediately turn awkward if she didn't do something about it, Dara smiled.

"Kamusta na pala si Lee Hi? Tagal ko ring nawala. Siguro malaki na yun. I bet she turned into such a pretty lady." Nakangiting sabi ni Dara.

Lee Hi was special to Dara as she was to Lee Hi kaya hindi kataka taka kung si Lee Hi ang unang tinanong nito sa kanila and not Jiyong or any of them.

Malamang.

Sinaktan nga nila hindi ba? Mag-eexpect pa ba sila ng warm welcome mula sa babae?

"She's not fine." Youngbae answered truthfully. "Hindi na naging masayahing bata si Lee Hi nang umalis ka. She always stayed in her room to the point na walang nagawa sina Tita kundi ang ihome school nalang siya."

TOP didn't want to burden Dara with her ex's family problems but as Lee Hi's closest person, he - too, thought that it was just right for Dara to know.

"Mas hindi na siya nakakausap ngayon kumpara noon."

Hearing these, Dara's heart ached. Lee Hi was almost better before she left. Sino bang mag-aakala na her leaving meant that the child she cared for as a little sister would suffer.

Lee Hi had selective mutism. Nakuha niya iyon when she was kidnapped by her Uncle's - her mother's youngest sibling who happened to be a celebrity's, diehard fan thinking she was her idol's child out of wedlock when she was just 2 years old.