MY GANGSTER PROTECTOR ✔

CHAPTER 13 - His Past

"That's Dara and Bullet", he stated and pointed at a spot on the round tables where the two are sitting.

"Yes."

"The biggest flirt in InterSAT", he said. At the corner of his eyes, he saw Jiro shifting his feet and he heard him breathe deeply.

"Dara is with him", Picaro added.

"What about her?"

"You know how smooth that guy is when it comes to girls. Women are practically throwing themselves on his feet. If he date Dara-..."

"He won't."

"How'd you know?"

"I'll make sure that he won't."

Picaro slowly glanced at him and sighed before darting his eyes again at the two oblivious subjects of their conversation.

"I hate to say this Jiro, but you won't be able to dictate who she can date or not."

A stony silence passed between the two. Picaro knew he's right but the problem is, what Jiro thinks is right.

"She needs someone who deserves her", Jiro said after a long pause.

"Someone like you?"

"Someone not like me", Jiro replied and turned around, shoving his hands in his pockets. He was about to walk away when Picaro placed his hand on his shoulder, stopping him. He glanced back lazily and stared at his gang mate. "What?"

"I don't understand", Picaro told him quietly as he lets go of his shoulder. "I knew you promised to protect her, but why are you doing this? Is there something more his father asked from you?"

Jiro faced him and slowly shifted his gaze to Dara, who was still sitting at the round table together with Bullet. "He just asked what all fathers wanted for their daughters."

"What?"

"A steady future. He asked me to protect his daughter and guide her to a man that will give her a happy and complete family that she wasn't able to experience since her mother died when she was young."

Picaro studied him for a moment, his mind trying to comprehend what the other is thinking. He cleared his throat, carefully weighing his words. "And you think...her father basically rejected you when he asked that?"

His words were met by a sharp glare. "You're not making any sense", Jiro said.

"Then why are you-..."

"I gave Mr. Ramirez my word that I would protect her daughter", Jiro spun around and started heading towards the door. "And that's what I'm doing", he added.

"That's exactly the problem", Picaro whispered.

***

"Girllll frienddd!!" Namee cheerfully dashed towards Dara and enveloped her in a big hug. "I miss you! We haven't seen each other for days!"

Dara darted her eyes while Namee is still clinging to her. Girls were looking at Namee weirdly while some boys are checking her body. Why didn't she notice this before? She thought other students are staring at her, not Namee, because of her connection with Jiro. It turns out even though they are indeed curious about her and Jiro, they are also eyeing her friend. She also assumed that since Namee is a loud one, grabbing the attention of people is but a natural reaction from them. Come to think of it, she saw Namee talking to her classmates on one of their classes but once she turned her back at them, she saw them whispering to each other.

At the corner of the hallway, she saw Riko. Their eyes met and she saw one of her classmates saying something to her while looking at them.

"Let's go somewhere. We need to talk", Dara said.