Don't Let Me Go

Chapter 10 - Friends

Dara's POV

"Okay, breathe Dara, breathe. It's okay, everything's gonna be okay."

I tried to convince myself over and over again as I look at my reflection in the mirror inside the rest room. I've been staying here for a couple of minutes now ever since I slipped out the venue secretly while the others were all busy catching up with each other.

I'm not trying to avoid Jiyong, no, I don't. It's just that it's kinda awkward facing your ex-boyfriend wearing identical clothes like you're trying to cosplay each other. We used to do it, wearing couple clothes and stuff but that was when we're still together. Now's different. We've been over for a year now and this is the first time that we're facing each other since the "lobby incident". The first time that we're actually trying to look past whatever happened before and try to be normal and somehow able to have a small talk or whatever. So why the effin hell does it need to happen now? I've been trying to act normal even practiced so many times how i'm going to talk to him even before this day comes.

Why?

Why now?

Why when everything's supposed to be back to the way it is?

Why when I tried all my best to forget the past and start anew with him?

Why do I need to be reminded of whatever we had before, whatever we used to do before?

Why?

I felt my eyes sting and my vision begins to blur as tears starting to pool up in my eyes. I looked up to the ceiling to try to stop the tears that were threatining to fall from my eyes. I snapped my eyes close and breathed in deeply to calm myself down.

"Don't cry Dara. You're not supposed to cry. Didn't you tell yourself that you're not going to cry because of him again? You've moved on right? You're not affected anymore right? So stop crying like a baby and get your head straight. You can do this, okay? Don't get swayed, don't be affected. Smile, yes, just smile. You'll get throught this night."

I let out a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes. I looked at myself in the mirror again and smiled.

I can do this.

I fixed myself and take one final look of myself on the mirror. After making sure that there isn't any trace of anxiety nor sadness on my face I decided to leave the rest room and get back to the venue.

I was on my way back when I saw a figure standing at the corner where I'll be making a turn to get back at the venue.

"Jiyong?"

"Dara-yah." Jiyong turned to face me. I was a bit surprise to see him looking differently as he was earlier. The blue plaid shirt that was tied against his hips earlier was nowhere to be found. He changed his sneakers as well.