While inside the cab, Dara kept on convincing Betty not to go.
"We don't belong to that party. We will just be left out." Dara almost pleaded to Betty. But Betty who is still in cloud nine after meeting G-Dragon and being invited to his party just wouldn't listen to Dara's reasonings.
When they reached Teft Club, the security was so tight. They were blocked and were not allowed to get inside since nobody knew who they were. Dara couldn't be more than happy but Betty will just not give up. She's determined to get inside. After about 30 minutes of standing outside, Dara tried to convince Betty that they should leave when suddenly, Jiyong's manager came out.
"Joon! Joon! Betty called out for him.
How did she know his name? Dara thought.
For all she knew, as his biggest fan, Betty followed everyone connected to G-Dragon on their instagram, facebook, twitter and weibo.
Joon looked at their direction and as soon as he recognized Dara, he told the guard to let the two of them in. Much to Dara's disappointment.
It was dark and stuffy inside. Cigarette smoke and expensive perfume mixed in the air creating an offensive smell giving Dara headache. "Well, this just prove to show that I will never be a party girl" she said to herself.
Betty then left her to look for G-Dragon.
"Some friend you are." Dara muttered as she watch her disappeared into the crowd.
When Betty spotted him, she positioned herself in front of the DJ booth where G-Dragon and his friends are dancing and having a good time. She then started dancing and having a good time forgetting all about Dara.
Dara on the other hand, found a quiet corner by the bar so she went there and sat on one of the empty chairs. When the bar tender asked if she wants anything, she said. "Do you have apple juice?" She asked unsure.
The bar tender smiled at her and started mixing liquids in front of her. Dara watched him, amused. He poured the concocted drinks on a glass and placed it in front of her. "Enjoy" he said before leaving her to attended to other guests.
Dara took a sip. It taste a little bitter but she kind of liked the overall taste of it. I wonder what this drink is called? Dara thought. When she reached the age when she can already drink alcoholic drinks, she tried as much as possible not to, because she is not a very good drinker. She has the tendency to loose control of herself and do bold and silly things. As she sat there trying to figure out how much alcohol is in her drinks, she heard someone greeted her from behind her.
When she turned, she saw a nice looking guy smiling at her.
"Hi." She smiled back.
"I'm Dongbae, Jiyong's friend. Forgive my forwardness but, have we met?" He asked still smiling. Dara finds it cute how his eyes are reduced to just two lines when he smile.
"I'm Sandara Park. And sorry, but I don't think we've met." Dara said politely. Is he hitting on her?
"Oh, really? I'm sorry, you just look so familiar..." he trailed off then excalimed' "Ahh, yes! You're that girl!
"I'm sorry? I don't understand." What girl? Dara asked confused.
"Oh, it's nothing. So, are you here for Jiyong? How did you guys meet?" Dongbae changed his question as soon as he saw her confusion.
So she does look like Aiko in person. Exactly alike. Dongbae thought as he recalled the picture of that model Jiyong got so preoccupied with the last time. If this same girl appeared during their trainee days, she and Aiko would actually pass as twins. Dongbae thought while studying Dara's face.
"My sister asked me to give something to Mr. Kwon Jiyong and that's how I met him." She said. Not knowing why she addressed Jiyong so formally.
"So you have a sister eh? Is it perhaps, Aiko Mirazawa?" Dongbae blurted out. Confident of his guess.
"Ah-neeyo. It's actually Charlene--I mean, Chae Park."
"Oh, really? So my guess is wrong then. I just thought it's Aiko 'cause you look exactly like her. He explained.
Dara just smile and nodded at him confused. She had no idea what he is taking about.
"Aiko is also one of Jiyong's friend." Dongbae added when disappointed when he saw Dara is kind of lost.
"Oh, I see. Is she around tonight? Maybe I can meet her." Dara asked, suddenly curious to meet this girl.
But as soon as she said that, the smile in his eyes disappeared and he grew silent.
"Well, I also hope she's here but she can't--" He trailed off.
Their conversation was cut short when a girl suddenly wrapped her arms around Dongbae's waist.
Dongbae then introduced the girl as Hyura, his girlfriend.
"Oh my God, is this Aiko!!?" The girl whose a little drunk suddenly exclaimed like she's seen a ghost, startling her and Dongbae.
"No, she is Chae's sister." Dongbae said as he ushered the girl away. "Sorry amd please excuse us Dara" he turned to her before he led his drunk girlfriend away. Before they disappered in the crowd, Dara still heard him say, "...yes, I thought she was Aiko too."
"Why are these people mistaking her to this Aiko Mirazawa?" She wondered. Who is she?
Dara then stood up and she was surprised when she felt her steps stagger a little. How much alcohol was on that drink? Dara asked herself.
She then looked for Betty so she can ask if they can go home already. She's starting to feel unwell. When she finally found her, she was busy getting cozy with Joon. She felt irritated but and she didn't want to bother them either, so she just made her way out of the club to get some fresh air. When she saw a dim spot outside at the corner of the club, she decided to stay there for a bit. She's starting to feel a little dizzy from whatever it was that the bar tender gave her.
Then she remembered the incident inside. Who is this Aiko Mirazawa and why was she mistaken twice as her? "Ha!" She let out a bitter laugh. I thought I have a unique face. Turns out I have my doppelaganger. Maybe I really look like her. She though annoyed.
She was lost in her own thoughts she didn't notice she has company then suddenly, she heard someone speak.
"I didn't expect you'd really take my invitation seriously." A guy said. A hint of disgust in his voice.
Dara almost jumped when she heard a guy's voice a few meters away from her. When she looked closely, her heart almost skip a beat when she recognize who it was.
Jiyong.
Then she remembered his remark and for some reason, she felt insulted for her and her friend.
"Well, if you didn't mean it, you shouldn't have asked my friend so sweetly earlier." She snapped, putting as much acid in her words as she can.
"It's not my fault your friend is so gullible." He said then chuckled. "Yeah, I almost forgot, birds of the same feathers , flock together". He said smiling to himself. Seemed to be amused at something.
Just what exactly did he mean by that?! The alcohol in her system started to kick in, she is feeling hot inside.
Earlier, when Jiyong saw Dara talked and smiled so sweetly at his friend, Dongbae, he can't help but feel infuriated. What is she up to now? Since her plan to seduce me didn't work is she now eyeing my friend?
What a gold digger bitch! Jiyong can't control his anger so he approached Hyura and told her to get Dongbae away from that girl who is obviously flirting with her boyfriend. He then stepped outside of the club to breathe in some fresh air and clear his head.
"What did you just say?! He heard her asked while moving closer to him. As she gets closer, Jiyong noticed her droopy eyes and tomato red cheeks. Is she drunk? Jiyong asked himself.
"Why? Are you hurt? Come on! Please stop with the pretensions." Jiyong said mockingly.
"Wha--what?" Dara said starting to feel quimsy in her stomach.
"What is it exactly that you need from me Sandara Park? Just spare me the innocent guise and just tell me why you are here?!" He said with so much contempt.
His grave remark surprised Dara.
Hold on! Didn't he just invited us here? She don't know what the hell he is talking about and where all the hate is coming from. She should be the one whose suppose to get mad at him right? Dara thought.
"Or are you here to hook up with anyone whose foolish enough to fall for your innocent looks! Who are you targeting this time? My friend Dongbae?!
"What are you talking about for goodness sake?!" Dara yelled. Her head starting to hurt now. When he didn't answer, Dara took the opportunity to strike back.
"Listen mister, if it offends you so much that my friend and I are here, then we'll just leave right--" she was cut off when Jiyong suddenly grabbed her arm.
Ouch!That hurts! She wanted to yell but her words got caught in her throat when she saw rage in Jiyong's eye.
"This will be my first and last warning to you-- leave me and my friends alone! Just tell me what do you really need huh? I'll give it to you, just get the hell out of my life! Tell me! Is it money?! Fame?!Sex?!" Jiyong stressed every word as he said it.
That's it. Dara's last straw of patience snapped. With much so much hate, she told him this:
"What will you do if I don't?!" Dara inched her face closer to his, challenging him. The alcohol seem to make her bolder.
"You listen to me Kwon Jiyong, we came here because my friend who happened to be your biggest fan revered you so much. What a pity because now, I have the burden of breaking the bad news to her! That you are the world's biggest asshole!" She hissed at him then countinued, "I wouldn't allow you to insult me and let alone dictate what I can and cannot do! Why? Are you God?! It's not my fault either if your friend over there mistook me for some girl he knew!" She yelled at him.
Her boldness has taken him aback. Well, what she said maybe true but still, he couldn't shake off his conclusion about her. That she is some gold-digger pretending to be a damsel in distress. She's so good at it, he almost fell for it. And what's the worst part? She uses her striking resemblance Aiko to get to him and this is something he cannot forgive.
Before he can react to what she said, Dara was already walking away. She staggered as she tried to cross the street.
Dara saw a car's headlight beamed at her and a loud honking of the horn followed. She wanted to move out of it's way but her feet won't budge. She closed her eyes and just waited for the impact when suddenly someone grabbed her arm and pulled her to safety.
Jiyong has no intention of following her.
Let her go! Let her leave! His mind screamed.
But when he saw a headlight flashed at the staggering Dara in the middle of the road, his reaction was instant. He ran towards her and pulled her to the side of the street. It happened so fast they both fell into the cold ground.
When Dara opened her eyes, she was lying on top of Jiyong, their faces just an inch away from each other. She tried to read his reaction while he stared at her but all she can see is worry.
Then suddenly Dara feel ill in her stomach. She hurriedly stood up to vomit at the side of the street.
People around started to gather to see what just happened. Jiyong stood up and before Dara can even wipe away the vomit at the side of her mouth, Jiyong dragged her towards the corner where they were a moment ago.
When they reached the same dim spot, Dara shook off Jiyongs hands that's on her shoulders.
"Don't touch me!" Dara glared at him. And started to walk away again.
"Shouldn't you be thanking me?" Jiyong called to her as he watch her retreating back.
Ingrate! He thought when she just ignored him.
Then he saw the onlookers gather around her as she stagger and fell down a couple of times on the sidewalk. He puts his hoodie on and started to follow her.
Dara is irritated how she can't make herself to walk straight. She fell twice and it hurt. Her ankle must have sprained. As she try to stood up from her second fall, she was surprised when she someone suddenly scooped her off her feet and carried her like a log on his shoulders.
Jiyongs shoulders.
"Put me down!" She started to protest. But Jiyong wouldn't let her down.
When they reached the parking area, Jiyong finally put her down. Being upside down like that churned her stomach some more and before she knew it she was vomiting again.
Jiyong called Joon to give him the keys to his car. A few minutes later Joon arrived panting. Worry is evident on his face. He didn't ask any questions when he saw her there on the side of the street all limp and pale.
Dara is starting to feel really drowsy she's about to black out.
Joon helped Jiyong carry her inside the car. She heard Jiyong told Joon to take care of Betty before her drowsiness took over and she finally blacked out.
Dara woke up a few hours later and she was still inside his car.
She don't how long has she slept but she knew, as she looked outside, they were no longer in Seoul.
"Where are we going?" She asked him fighting off the drowsiness that's starting to take over her again.
"Just go back to sleep and spare yourself some pounding headache tomorrow." He told her.
She wanted to argue with him, but the drowsiness overpower her and before long she was sleeping again.
Jiyong's inside is in chaos. He is debating whether to turn the car around and go back to Seoul or to just continue driving towards his house in Jeju. He only plan to drive around Seoul to confront Dara and get the truth out from her but how can he when she was sleeping peacefully beside him on the passenger's seat.
When they reached his house in Jeju, he pressed a remote and soon the giant gates automatically opened. When they reached the parking lot, he thought of waking Dara up but she sleep so soundly he just carried her inside and gently placed her on the sofa.
As he brought some covers and placed it on her. As he look down on her while she sleeps in the couch, there is a part in him who wanted to believe she is innocent but until he gets the truth from her, he would have to hold on to the distrust he felt for her.
Dara woke up feeling thirsty. She was disoriented for a while. Where is she?
She stood up and look around. Execpt for a lamp light, her surrounding is dark. When she saw the familiar glass walls and openness of the place, she knew then where she is. She's back in Jiyong's house.
She stood up and went to the kitchen to drink water. The deafening silence scared her.
"Jiyong?!" She called out. "Kwon Jiyong?!" She called out again. She is starting to doubt if someone is with her inside the house.
Then suddenly, Jiyong emerged from the corner where his studio is. He was holding something in his hand.
He moved closer to her and handed her, her camera.
How did it get there? Then she remembered she left it by the guardhouse the last time she was here and she totally forget about it.
"Thank you." She quietly said.
"That night, when you appeared here, do you really not know who I am?" Jiyong asked calmly.
She don't know where his question is leading to but she answered anyway.
"Yes."
"Geojismal." He said. Please don't lie to me. His mind pleaded.
She don't why he's bringing this old issue again. She thought they're past this. She already told him what happened. And that he believed her. Or so she thought.
"Look, I don't know what has gotten into your head and why you seem to forget what I just told you before, but again, I was here to deliver a package that time. I got lost and fell into a cliff--"
"Liar!" he shouted.
She was startled when Jiyong's thunderous word cut her off.
He grabbed the camera from her and scrolled through the pictures.
Are we taking pictures now? Dara thought as soon as he took her camera from her.
After a few minutes, Jiyong shoved the camera back to her.
"Explain to me, what is that then?" Jiyong ordered her.
Dara looked at the picture in her camera.
It's the picture of that couple.
"This one? I took this one a long time ago. Well actually, it's a stolen shot of this couple." She said smiling as she remembered how sweet this moment was and on how scared she felt when she almost got caught eavesdropping.
She looked at Jiyong and she stopped smiling when she saw the grave look on his face.
"Zoom it and look closely!" He said.
Dara did and when she looked closely at the boy's face, she covered her mouth with her hand as she gasped.
It's...it's Jiyong!
She looked at him while saying, "I...well, I didn't know--I swear I didn't know it was you--that you were the one who's confessing his love---" Dara stared to stutter. She don't know what to say.
She was shocked to know that the boy that night by the carousel was Jiyong. But who is the girl? She felt her eyes sting when she realized Jiyong has another girl that he cherishes and love.
Looking at her reaction, Jiyong is almost convinced that she didn't know, that she is telling the truth. But he told himself she is good at what she does. Lying.
To his surprise, Dara was crying when she looked at him.
What is this?He thought. An appeal to the emotion because she got caught?
Then suddenly she spoke.
"I'm so sorry Ji."