Be Mine

// t w e n t y - t h r e e//

:: chapter twenty-three ::

‘I remember I met him when I was just in first year highschool, it was like those of my ordinary days before. I skipped school for I find it boring and I’m not really in the mood that day,’ he started as she sat between his legs and leaned on his body. He then took her hand and laced his fingers with hers as he let out another sigh. Dara quickly brought his hand on her lips kissing it gently as she was assuring him. ‘If my memory serves right he was just a new prosecutor that time that happened to be assigned for the gangster and students to students totally stupid to the point of recklessness fights,’ he breathed out as he wrapped his arms around her and leaned his chin on her shoulder as she can feel his breath kissed the crook of her neck.

‘That day a huge student gang fight broke and I was one of them and he was there to stop us from killing each other and if he weren’t there I pretty much think I probably ended up killing someone. Somehow that day I just lost to the blood rush inside me. After that fight we were brought to the police station in which we went supervision and was even put to jail as our parents arrived one by one to pick us but then no one arrived for me for I stubbornly refuse to tell them who I am nor who my parents are and that maybe caught his attention,’

‘He sat in front of me as he gave me a packed meal with a smile. ‘You’re a Kwon right?’ he whispered as I glared at him. ‘Don’t worry I’ll keep it as a secret,’ he chuckled as I kept my silence still staring at him. Then he started telling stories, he started acting comfortable like we knew each other for a long time,’ Jiyong said half chuckling as Dara smiled. ‘Like me?’ Dara asked as she glanced at him. He nodded and kissed her forehead. ‘Like you,’ he whispered with a smile.

‘After I got home I thought our connection will stopped there although I’m quite sure that wouldn’t be the last day of our meeting knowing that in the future I could be in another fight. But then he was pretty stubborn and kept on acting like we were friends he would just barged inside my old apartment bringing cans of beer asking me fto drink with him as if I'm not a minor, then he would tell long stories and would just be there keep on talking and talking...’ Jiyong’s lips curved into a bitter smile as his memories played inside his head like he was just standing in the middle of it watching it. ‘Stories?’ Dara giggled knowing one thing that she and her brother had in common would be they love telling people stories.

Jiyong pulled her closer as he tightened his embraced on her. ‘Come to think of it he was always telling me about his sweet little sister whom he loved so much,’ he whispered as Dara stiffened for a moment before she let out a smile. ‘Really? Who would have thought that you knew me even before we met,’ she chuckled as he followed. ‘Yeah, who would have thought?’ he said chuckling but as the seconds past the laughter died as his hand tightened his hold on hers.

‘Then I got tired of keeping up on him. I hated how I felt pathetic because of what he has been doing. On how he tried to shower me attention knowing I was lacking one terribly. Then one night when we were drinking and while he was telling stories about his fiancée like a smitten girl I got fed up and told him to stay away from me, no, that’s wrong every day I keep on telling him to stay away from me but never once did he gave up on me. He’s stubborn and that is one thing you two have in common,’

‘Until the day that he introduced his fiancée to me as he introduced me to his fiancée as his younger brother may not be blood related...’ Jiyong trailed off as a lump rose on his throat. Dara felt his sudden stiffness as she brought his hand on her lips again and kissed it. Jiyong buried his face on the crook of her neck as he tried to compose himself as the reality of losing his chance just hit him hard. ‘But always connected in heart,’ Jiyong continued as he pulled himself up.