Let's Not Fall In Love

Chapter 13

They are going to have their squad’s karaoke night. They’ve been planning it for the longest time. Their schedules rarely coincided and they grabbed the opportunity to meet up again after quite some time. Even T.O.P and Bom agreed to go. It’s been years since the break up and it was only last year when they started to be civil with each other. After noticing that the two could stand staying in one room together without killing each other, Dae suggested to revive their karaoke nights back when they were still in college. Everybody enthusiastically agreed. Except that the event had been pushed back ever since because their schedules didn’t align.

The biggest private room at Seungri’s newest business venture was reserved for their use. Everyone was excited until on the scheduled date when Jiyong told everyone he was going to be late because he had to accompany Kiko to their company dinner.

Ever since the auction, their date had turned into a series of dates. Sometimes he’d bring Kiko with him when some of them meet up on group dinners. It was starting to get serious. None of the girls he dated reached this stage where he introduced them to the group. They were all expecting that Jiyong might announce to the group that they are officially dating any time soon.

Kiko and Dara seemed to interact well with each other. None of the girls Jiyong dated before got along well with Dara. Surprisingly, Kiko and Dara after an initial awkward spell hit it off. Turns out both were kdrama addicts and they would spazz on their favorite kdrama scenes. The rest of the group would just roll their eyes at them.

Despite everything that seemed to point out that all is well, the rest of the group were all still worrying about Dara although she appeared to act happy and bubbly all the time. She was smiling the widest and laughing the loudest whenever Kiko was around. But the group noticed that the sparkle was missing from her eyes.

So when Jiyong announced to Dara, Seungri, Daesung and Youngbae while they were lounging around the apartment on the afternoon of their karaoke event all eyes went straight to Dara.

“We’ll just drop by at their company dinner for appearance’s sake. We’ll leave soon after. Probably after her dad gives his speech.” Jiyong told everyone as he fixed the cuff links on his sleeve. It was already half past four in the afternoon. The dinner starts at six and he’s to pick up Kiko at her house.

Dara stared blankly at the screen in front of her while Jiyong spoke. Then in a split second a wide grin was pasted on her face and she looked up at Jiyong, “Sure. Why don’t you bring Kiko with you later? I’m sure she’ll have fun.”

Jiyong smiled back at her. “Okay. I’ll tell her she’s invited. She said she enjoys going out with us because she never had a big group of friends before.”

The boys stayed silent after Jiyong went back to his room. A few minutes later he went back out in a suit, car keys in one hand, with the other hand typing on his phone. He absentmindedly said, “Guys, I’m leaving. See you later.”

As soon as the front door clicked shut, Seungri kicked lightly at Dara’s foot. He was never one to mince words. “She’ll have fun. Sure. How about you, noona? Will you have fun?”

Youngbae hit their maknae on the back of his head. “Yah!” Seungri yelled at his hyung. “I’m the president of the Daragon secret fan club since high school, hyung! I have the right to stand up for my OTP!”

“What OTP? What alien language are you using, you rat?” Youngbae yelled back at the maknae.

“It stands for one true pairing, you old-fashioned idiotic ass!” Seungri answered back.

Daesung just switched his glance back and forth the bickering pair who were now starting to have a pillow fight with the sofa’s cushions. The pair’s mock battle stopped when Dara stood up and said sarcastically to no one in particular as she maneuvered her way out across the scattered pillows, “One true pairing, my butt.” She scoffed. “Didn’t you just hear him? I’m just one of the guys.”

The three stared silently after her as she walked slowly towards her room. “Shit! This is going to be a helluva fun karaoke night, you guys.” Daesung interjected the quotation mark sign as he said the word fun. “Whatever happens, Dara Noona’s got my back.”

The other two guys sobered up and nodded in agreement. “Kiko’s nice but Dara is our friend first.” Youngbae said.

“Amen to that.” Seungri said. “Finally you’re making sense, hyung.”

"You're the one whose not making any sense, you rat! You should have left Dara alone and not put more salt on her wounds." Youngbae shot back at him punctuating his words with a throw pillow. Then the pillow fight ensued.