o=o=o
~AUTHOR’S POV~
Dara glanced at Jaejoong. She felt bad for him needing to drop out from school like she did. She was hopeless since she missed out on a lot already but that doesn’t mean that he needs to do the same thing, too. But he reasoned out that his parents didn’t mind when he told them about it.
The sound of the door bell brought her out of her reverie. She straightened up and watched Jaejoong as he went to get the door. She then started hearing voices.
“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Bom’s familiar voice entered.
“You’re leaving? But why?” Seungri joined in.
“Because I want to” Dara said loudly, standing up as they came into view. All heads turned to her.
“But why?” Seungri asked.
“Stupid” CL whacked him. “She’s running away, of course”
“But. . . . but we haven’t seen you for days and now you’re leaving?” Seungri asked childishily.
Dara smiled a little. “It was a sudden decision” she said.
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow” she answered. “To Europe” she added.
“Has this something to do with what I said?” Bom asked arms across her chest.
“What did you say?” Seungri butted in again.
“No” Dara answered Bom quietly.
“Does Jiyong know about this?”
Dara let out a cynical laugh. “Do you really think it matters to him? Do you really think he’d want to know or he’d bother running here and asked me to stay? What’s the use in telling him when he pretty much told me that he’s better of without me?! If you all went here to mock me, then just leave!”
Silence greeted her outburst. She was trembling from pain and anger, her face all red. She silently scolded herself for bursting like that. didn’t she promise that there’d be nothing but happy memories between her and Jaejoong? Even if right now, all she can give him is friendship, she believes that eventually, she’ll love Jaejoong more than she loves Jiyong. That’s what the prediction said, right?
“Oh well” Bom broke the silence. “I was just wondering. No need to burst out like that. And we didn’t come here to mock you. Seungri and the others were bugging me to visit you because surprisingly, they missed you. But looks like you don’t feel the same. And since we’re pretty much not welcomed here, we’ll just leave”
“I-I’m sorry” she called out. “I didn’t mean to burst out like that”
“Never mind” Bom waved off. “Guys, let’s leave”
“But-” Seungri protested but Bom gave her a look that stopped him in finishing his sentence. He looked sideways at Dara with a frown and a pout. “Bye, Dara”
“You don’t have to leave” Dara called out desperately but they were already marching out, with Bom up front.
Dara dropped herself on the sofa and started crying. Jaejoong went to her and pulled her to his chest.
Meanwhile, Seungri was in a bad mood as he trailed behind his friends. He can’t understand why Bom has to be so cranky.
“You guys go ahead” Bom said. “I’ve got other things to do”
When her friends were gone, she fished her phone out and dialled a number. After a few rings, her call was finally answered. “Dara’s leaving for Europe with Jaejoong tomorrow. Did you know that?”
There was a long silence.
“No” Jiyong finally answered. “Why, do I have to know?”
“Jiyong, I really don’t what’s going on but I think I have an idea on why you’re doing this. But-“
“The point?”
Bom sighed. “Aren’t you going to stop Dara from leaving?
“No” he snorted. “Why should I? It’s what I wanted in the first place”
“Jiyong, you can’t let a prediction rule your-!”
“Just drop it off, okay? I’m happy with everything that’s going on right now and I don’t really care about anything else. Now, if you got something worthy to say, better say it now because I don’t really have time for chats”
“The others are wondering when you’re going to show yourself up”
“Tell them I’ve got a new set of friends already”
The line went dead.
o=o=o
At the airport, Dara can’t help but keep looking around. There’s still a part of her that wants to keep on holding on to Jiyong. She might appear a coward right now for trying to escape from the pain inflicted on her but who would want to live in pain? If being with her “soulmate” would take all the pain away, she’ll go with it.
“Are you ready?” a soft voice asked.
She looked up and smiled at him. “Yes”
“I’m going to tour you around Europe” he smiled back.
“I’d love that” she chuckled.
“Let’s go?”
She nodded and stood up. But for the last time, she looked around. The tiny flicker of hope in her heart suddenly went dead when she didn’t see any sign of HIM. ‘He didn’t come’ she thought. ‘It’s really over for him’
o=o=o
Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to a month. Dara kept the promise she made to herself. She smiled and laughed with Jaejoong. The whole month they toured around Europe, was fun – she did have fun. She went to places she never thought existed, ate foods she never tasted before and had fun like she never had fun before. She took photos here and there with Jaejoong as her photographer, though there were also instances that they asked some passersby to take a photo of them together. She sent Bom and her parents individual copies of each photo, hoping to share the ‘fun’ she’s having.
“A penny for your thought?”
She gave a start and smiled at Jaejoong. “I just remembered Bom” she said. “We’ve been through a number of fights before but I can’t help but miss her”
“Do you want to go back?” he softly asked.
“Jae. . .” she began but wasn’t able to continue. With a weary sigh, she then said, “I honestly don’t know. It’s just that I fell like. . . . I feel like. . . .”
“There’s something missing?” he filled in. I fell silent as I saw the obvious pain in his eyes.
“It’s not that, Jae” I sighed. “There’s just this. . . . nagging fear. I don’t know. I’m scared, I feel scared and I don’t know why. It’s been bothering me for days now. Its like something bad is going to happen”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you feel that way”
“No, don’t say that2
“I should have been more sensitive to your feelings. I could have comforted you or-“
“Jae” she warned. “This is probably just my wild imagination so let’s just drop it off. I shouldn’t have told you. I’m ruining the mood” she added with a chuckle.
“Tell you what” he said. “Why don’t we end this trip then drop your parents a visit?”
“B-but you. . .”
“The reason for this trip is for YOU to have fun” he pointed out. “And if you’re not happy about it anymore, why prolong it?”
“Jae, I’m having fun, okay? I’m just. . . .”
“I say we go back”
“A-are you sure?”
“Yes”
o=o=o
“I’m bored” Sulli yawned.
“Tired of playing games?” Jiyong snorted in response.
“Ended them all already” she yawned again. “The deaths were on the news”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah” she lazily answered. “But I guess you won’t really bother, do you? Those people are from different parts of the world, anyways”
“You’ve been naughty, huh?”
She laughed. “Ooh, that reminds me. I still got one game to end and I want you to be a part of it. Are you on?”
“Of course” he nodded.
“Good” she smiled smugly. “I already gave her a month to be with her soulmate. It’s about time to see her in pain”
Jiyong paused for a while. “So, what role am I going to play here?”
“You’ll be playing a big role, my dear” she winked. “And oh, I just want to inform you that I’ll be giving the fourth and fifth condition anytime soon so prepare yourself”
“I’m always prepared” he arrogantly replied.
A slow, lazy smile curved Sulli’s lips then. “Do you want to do the honors of calling our special guests for the lead player?”
“Sure” he shrugged. “Who am I going to call?”
A grin was now spread across her face. “Dara’s parents” she said.
o=o=o
~DARA’S POV~
“Are you all packed up?” Jae asked.
“Yes” I nodded.
He smiled. “Okay, we-,” he stopped as the loud ringing of his phone interrupted him. “Yes?” he answered then went all stiff. I went stiff too as I saw his eyes flashed in panic to my direction and he was talking in low, angry tones.
“Is everything alright?” I asked.
Jae quickly turned away. “What do you mean by-? No! You can’t – fine!”
“Jae?” I called out, my heart thumping hard against my chest.
“For you” he gritted and handed me the phone with his head turned sideways.
“Hello?”
“Hi Dara” a smug voice answered. “Missed me?”
“Sulli!” I breathed.
“Having fun with your soulmate?”
“How did you. . . .?”
She laughed. “Ah, still as stupid as before”
“What do you want?” I gritted.
“Aww, why are you being rude?” she asked childishly. “I just wanted to hear your voice. And I missed you, too”
“Liar!”
“How could I lie to you? You’re my bestfriend, remember?”
“You’re a big B with an itch!” I screamed, a bit surprised for saying something like that.
“Tch, is that what you learned for Jaejoong?”
“WHAT.DO.YOU.WANT?!?”
“Since when did you become so impatient?” she playfully asked. “Anyways, when are you coming back? Because you see, your parents kind of dropped by”
Fear held my body prisoner. “What did you do to them?” I gasped.
“Relax” she said. “I haven’t done anything yet. Like I said, I kind of missed you already. How about this, I’ll let your parents go IF you trade yourself for them? Because I’m not really in the mood to fly all the way to Europe just to pick you up, you know. Say, I’m having fun in the arms of. . . . someone”
“Please don’t hurt them” I cried.
“Jeez, you’re such a crybaby” she chuckled. “So, do we have a deal or not?”
I don’t have to think about it. The answer was instant. “Deal”
“Good. I’ll be waiting for you then” she said. “And oh, Jiyong wants to say hi”
I froze. “J-jiyong?”
“Oh, haven’t I mentioned it yet? We’re living together for more than a month now. I must say, he’s so damn good in keeping up all night” she laughed out loud.
