Stars Fading

The Aftermath

Pride, anger, guilt, pain. Every emotion you can think consumed both Dara and Jiyong. As YB puts it, they have severed their ties. No one dares to talk about the fight. It was as if it never happened. It has been years since the fight and the gang hasn't heard from Jiyong- all they know is he left with his dad, when is he coming back? He had no idea.

"it would have been great to have YB around, he is the only one who can talk Jiyong into seeing us." Daesung commented. "why did he have to stay in the US forever."

"that would have been Dara's part too but you know..." Minzy said.

"What's my part?" Dara asked as she approached the table with Top. "what?" to everyones surprise, Dara and Top's hands were interlocked with each other making them break it off when everyone stared.

"and what was that?" Bom teased.

---

5 months into the fight, Dara was starting to move on, starting a new leaf per se. but she can't deny the fact that she was still confused about what he said, "MAYBE I WOULD BUT YOU NEVER ASKED." He was going to give Eula up for me? She asked herself. but that's not right. She is his girlfriend and I don't want to break them apart. I'm better than that.

She has been hanging around Top since then. Now, she is seeing him in a new light. Something she hasn't seen before. He was caring, thoughtful, and a bit crazy and he seems to just be there all the time.

Top got a cup of tea and handed it to her, "I have a car full of tissue. So don't hold those tears. let it

flow." He joked as she watched Dara stare at him.

"have I been crying that much?" Dara ruefully asked.

"yeah! Do you know how many shirts I have to wash when I'm around you? it gets soaked all the time."

"I haven't cried in a month, you know." Dara smiled and gave Top a light punch on the thigh.

"ouch! You're strong for an all-cried-out girl." He playfully screamed, "that's nice." He looked at Dara, "to see you smile again."

Dara shyly brushed her hair off her face, "why are you always by my side Tabi? You really don't have to."

Top pretended to stand up and pointed at the door, "you want me to go?"

Dara pulled him back to the couch and rested her head on his thighs while lying in fetal position on the couch, "No. stay." She sweetly answered. "I still need you to wash my dishes" she joked.

Top laughed at how Dara can make a sweet conversation turn funny. "you have a weird sense of humor. That's why I like you." he revealed. He wasn't planning of saying it soon but it slipped out of his mouth. He got a bit scared of what was about to happen. But to his surprise...

"I like you too, Tabi." She said with a smile on her face.

Top wanted to jump off the couch but couldn't because of Dara's position. "what does that mean?"

Dara coyly replied, "what do you want it to mean?"

"so we are playing the let me read you mind game, huh?" Top mockingly asked.

They both laughed as Dara sat up and leaned on his shoulders, "you do make me happy Tabi. More than you know."

"you too d. you too."

----

Daesung looked at Top, "finally you told her?"

"I was just waiting for the right time. Calm after the storm." He said as he referred to her crying days the heaviest storm the world ever had.

Dara punched his deltoids several times, "heaviest storm, huh?"

Top looked at Bom, "Help?"

"that is what you get with being with Dara." Bom teased as she took a bite off her corn.

---

Jiyong on the other hand, decided to leave the country almost a year ago. He went on a business trip with his dad to make him forget everything-well, almost everything. He hasn't heard of anyone since he left. He does call YB at times when he is the US but he never talked or asked about anyone in particular.

"Jiyong, this trip is about to end well. We can go back home in a week." His dad stated with a huge smile on his face.

Jiyong didn't know if he was excited to go back home, he had a lot of issues to resolve and he wasn't sure he was ready. Two years? And you're still not ready? He debated with himself. Well, we just have to see what happens.

Today, Jiyong was in the US, he called YB the minute he landed on the airport, "dude, where you at? I'm in New York." He said. "let's meet up."

YB waited at the café, he was drinking his espresso when Jiyong arrived, "its be a while, man. Good to see you. You lost so much weight." He noticed.

"been travelling a lot. It's a good cardio work out." He meant both exercise and fixing his broken heart.

YB laughed at Jiyongs word play, "So what's up with you and Eula?"

"We broke up the moment I left with my dad. She said she loved me but i have to find myself first to know where i am really going or who i really wanna be with."

"So you are a free man now."

Jiyong shook his head, "whatever that means."

"have you talked with the gang since graduation?" YB asked not knowing what happened after he left.

Jiyong wrinkled his forehead wondering why YB doesn't know about it, "they didn't tell you anything?" he asked. The gang was known not to keep secrets from each other; it was unusual for something like that not reach YB.

"tell me what? That you left all of a sudden without saying goodbye? That I heard. Bommie was asking me if I saw you here. She asked me when I was coming home. I heard CL was coming home too. You know Bom, she loves reunions." YB took a sip and continued, "you heard about Dara right?"

Jiyong looked puzzled. Why? What's wrong with her? She's getting married? Kept replaying in his mind. All the time he was travelling all he ever wanted was to know how she was doing but his pride got in the way. He swallowed his desire to call her and just waited for things to happen. "what?"

"she now owns a café near that huge mall by the lake. Bom said it's a success. I heard Top designed the place. I don't know what's up with them two, though."

That wasn't something he wanted to her about Dara but it was good enough. It was enough for him to know that Dara is okay. That she has moved on and got passed all the things he has put her through. With that Jiyong decided it's time to go home. It's time to fix things.