Breaking Rules

RULE # 6: WHEN DINING, DON'T GOBBLE EVERYTHING UP

Hanging on the cliff

Three years ago...

Dara became a fixture at their home on the days that followed. Even her younger brother, who Ji now knew was Sanghyeun, dropped by a lot.

"Why are you always here?" Ji asked her irritably.

"Because I like your family a lot – though – I really don't like you at all" Dara replied feistily.

"Oh really?" he squatted down to where she sat "So, what are you doing here in my room?!?!"

"Auntie told me to come here to make sure you clean it" she stood up and walked towards his bed "I'm thinking she's right" she then picked up a piece of crumpled paper "What's this???"

He lurched for her, toppling Dara down and pushing his mattress almost over the edge. "Give me that!" He grabbed the piece of paper from her and pocketed it in his hoodie.

That was a piece he wrote down last night about her.

She puffed her cheeks at him "What was that for dongsaeng?!?!" He had, apparently, trod on her feet. She was massaging it with unmasked annoyance.

"That's for invading my privacy" he replied immediately, pushing the paper deeper into his pocket. "I could clean my room MYSELF ok? You're just getting in the way."

Dara stood up from his bed and stepped on his right foot.

He howled in pain and bent low. "WHAT THE?!?!"

"THAT'S for stepping on me with your gigantic feet!" Dara replied then broke into a run towards the door.

"Oh no you don't!" Despite jumping up in pain, he grabbed her by the ankles and she had to hold on to his bed railing to avoid falling down on her face.

"Haissssssshhhhhhh!!!" she slithered away, kicking him.

They both stood up – fighting stance at the ready – Ji was favoring his left unhurt foot and Dara was favoring her right.

One.

Two.

Dara didn't wait for three before lurching herself at him. Ji was obviously surprised but immediately grabbed her by the arms before being fully hit. He felt her knee connect with his stomach – thankfully the impact wasn't as strong.

It was enough though to send them both down the bed. Dara on top of a very disgruntled Ji.

"Hah!" Dara announced triumphantly.

"What HAH! are you talking about?" Ji asked her and he quickly maneuvered the both of them to come up on top.

"Kya!!!!" Dara screamed "That's cheating!"

"You were the first one to cheat. We hadn't even counted three and you attacked me already!"

"Yay! Yay! Yay!" Dara's flailing hands were hitting him everywhere.

"STOP THAT!" he told her.

"No! No! No!"

Ji took both her hands and crossed them in front of her. "You're not going to stop are you?"

Dara's eyes flared up and she struggled all the more to topple Ji down. As she kicked and tried punching him, Ji's mattress slid off his bed and they both fell with it.

"Shit" Ji thought and was unable to utter another syllable as he opened his eyes and found himself staring at Dara's face way up close.

They were both too stunned at the realization to move.