DARAGON FAN FICTION: WITH ALL HER FINGERS AND TOES

PART FOUR

PART FOUR:

"It took me all the control in the world to keep myself from running to her and lock her in a tight embrace, for the command of my foolish mind was overpowered by the desire of my longing heart. I missed her so much I couldn't bear it."

_____________________________________________________________

Ji-Young owed his rat an explanation.

He didn't intend to shut Seung-Ri out. Concluding the relationship that was partly his was more than mere unfairness. It was betrayal. He wanted to talk. Thing was, he couldn't.

How could he explain something he couldn't even understand?

It had been three months. He'd been restless for what could have been the longest three months of his life. From the time when Dara walked out of his door his world seemed to be on impasse, everything around him moving in slow-mo.

Why did she really leave him? What did he do or didn't do beyond repentance that willed her to give up on him so callously? Was it something he said or failed to say?

No discourse was brought up by either of them for the past triple months. He painfully held his silence, deliberately avoiding asking questions about what went before. He wanted time not for himself but for her to think, patiently hoping that she'd survive on her own whatever emotional turmoil she was in and would come back to him like nothing happened, for he knew Dara had lied. He knew that her words, though excruciating, were nothing but pretense.

His heart, though broken, remained trusting even when she said she'd fallen in love with another man. Ji-Young always believed he was the only man Dara was and would forever be in love with.

Not after he read the news.

He didn't know how it was possible to still feel his heart crushed when it was already in ashes. It took him a while before realizing that it wasn't his heart anymore but him.

He was wrecked.

By experience, Ji-Young was aware that rumors, more often than not, were exactly what the term suggested. They were ten percent facts and ninety percent theories. Being constantly alleged he had learned not to trust those sorts but for the first time a rumor bothered him. For the first time he was concerned.

Hell, he was scared.

What if it were true? What if the rumor about Dara and Il Woo-ssi were true?

He thought that time apart would be healthy. Ji-Young thought it was best to provide Dara the breathing space she needed. He was wrong, for not only had he spared Dara, he too had endowed another man with the opportunity of taking chances with her.

How stupid could he get?

Realizing his foolishness, Ji-Young stiffly shoot up, secretly cursing himself. He grew completely oblivious of Seung-Ri's presence that hearing him called startled him.

"Hyeong. . ."

He stopped halfway through the door but didn't turn his head. His dongsaeng must not know how pissed his hyeong was with himself. He must not upset him more.

Ji-Young sensed Seung-Ri's struggle for the right words and so he spoke.

"Save it, rat. Let's not damage those brain cells of yours. There aren't much good ones left." He tried to jest but failed to color his tone with humor. He even laughed but it came out dry.