The Perfect Boyfriend [Daragon]

Chapter 9

My dream was terrifying enough to make me jolt up suddenly. I could feel my shirt clinging like a monkey on the bars because of my sweat, and my unruly hair annoyingly around my wet neck, but I am too deeply drowned in panic to even bother brushing it away. My eyes quickly scanned the room where I am in, and my heart slightly calmed down when the sense of familiarity rushed at me.

I was busy staring at the desk in front of me when the door suddenly opened, revealing Bom wearing an apron and a tray on her hands. She cocked her head casually on the side and said, “Oh? I thought you’d spend the whole day sleeping.”

“How long was I unconscious?” I asked, finally brushing my hair sticking to my neck away; Bom meekly answered, “Since six in the morning, so probably sixteen hours. It’s already past nine in the evening.”

“Did he—“ I caught myself. Of course not, ever since what happened sixteen hours ago and I know he had cut all connections with me. There’s no way he would dare to ask Bom about me ever again.

“Hey, Dara.” I heard Bom softly said, and when I look up, I saw her already sitting beside me. Her eyes were half-lidded with worry, and her hands hastily reached up to my face, cupping my chin and her thumb skimming just under my eyes. She was wiping something.

“Don’t cry. I know it’s hard, really hard but—“ Her voice trailed off, and she looked like she was holding back something. “Just appear strong as you always do.”

I wanted to say that I want to be strong, but I know she would just reply that I can because I was before. But Bom didn’t know that Jiyong was my main strength all through the years, because he had changed my perspective about boys after my father left us, and I had grown dependent on him since he promised that he’ll protect me unlike what my father did. Now that he’s gone, I don’t know if I can stand myself anymore…

“Oh by the way,” Bom suddenly said, waking me up from my short reverie and I sniff, wiping the tears that were continuously strolling down my cheeks. She smiled at me, so sweetly as she held the glass of milk in her hands, and as she gives it out to me, she continued on, “My father paid for your field trip when he asked about the whole story how you fainted, because he believes you both will reconcile if you come with the field trip.”

I glared at her with my lips still on the edge of the glass, but she’s not fazed by it and instead, continued, “I told him about your money issues, so he made it zero percent installment, though he would be happy if you don’t pay because you’ve done so much for us. But if you insist on paying, you could bake him his favorite tart, because that’s what he pleases.”

I drank all of the milk by the time she finished, so I handed the empty glass back to her and answered, “Sure. It’s too late for me to decline the offer anyway.”

Bom rolled her eyes. “If only Jiyong paid for your field trip while you were sleeping, maybe this wouldn’t happen.”

“That’s a different issue. I’m used to your father spoiling me like I’m his daughter, and my mother knows that, so she told me just to act like it’s a gift because she knows that he’ll feel offended if I turn down his offer of coming with you when you went to Disneyland, or at Jejudo. Besides, my mother is con to Jiyong paying for my field trip because she believes boyfriends don’t provide those to their girlfriends. Chocolates and roses are a different issue for her, but field trips? I think…” My voice trailed off, so sudden that Bom quizzically craned her neck to the side. I was surprised by myself also, but then I suddenly remember, as if it was like a bullet train passing by, fast and clear, what happened a while ago.