CHAPTER 38 - Top of the Mountain

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DARA

To: Jiro

From: Dara

I got a part-time job at a publishing company in Sunset District! I'll be assisting the editorial staff. I saw the books they published and most of them are the ones that I liked. They told me the authors sometimes dropped by the publishing company. I hope I can meet them. I'm so excited to learn a lot!

How are you? How's your training? Take care of yourself. Don't be grumpy and smile a lot, okay?

Dara

P.S. Here's a picture of me trying out my outfit for my first day in my part-time job. What do you think?

To: Dara

From: Jiro

Congratulations. Don't take night schedules. I don't want you going alone at night. It's dangerous. And be wary of the guys in that company. Don't get too close with them and always be on guard.

I'm doing fine here. I'm not grumpy.

Jiro

P.S. Your skirt is too short, Ramirez. You better have it altered and you better send me the pic again WITH THE CORRECT LENGTH.

To: Jiro

From: Dara

My skirt is fine!

To: Dara

From: Jiro

No. The old farts in that company will ogle at you. CHANGE IT.

To: Jiro

From: Dara

Grumpy!

To: Dara

From: Jiro

I love you.

To: Jiro

From: Dara

I love you too.

The new school year had begun and a lot of changes happened. Yet, we didn't seem bothered by it. Perhaps we were just excited with the new things that were coming our way. Or perhaps, we finally learned to welcome those that we could not avoid.

Namee already left her part-time job at the club and was planning to join me at the publishing company. Bullet was getting busier ever since we entered senior year. He once mentioned that he planned to take care of his father's business. It was the reason why he was trying to learn what he could in school.

Picaro became the next Black Dragon's leader. I had no idea how he could juggle his time leading his gang, taking care of the rowdy Bonsai, and dealing with Namee because seriously – Namee Cheng. My best friend could really be a handful sometimes. Stone, on the other hand, dropped by my house from time to time to check on me as requested by Jiro, and I'm really grateful to him for always helping him out.

I sighed as I sat on one of the round tables in front of the Arts Building. I wasn't bothered by the changes in my life except for one thing: Jiro's absence. Day by day, the hole that Jiro left was becoming bigger. My house felt empty...the school felt empty. It was like his memory was imprinted in everything that I laid my eyes on.

Whenever I hear that the Black Dragons were walking on the hallway, I sometimes find myself expecting to see him walking in front, leading his gang. Whenever I look at my balcony, I can see the silhouette of his back, only to be disappointed because it's just an empty space.

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