Let's Not Fall In Love

Chapter 14

It was half past nine when Jiyong and Kiko arrived at the karaoke bar. As soon as the door opened, Dara’s singing voice assailed their senses. She was belting out the last line of Taylor Swift’s You Belong With Me. 

Jiyong cringed as she screeched crazily at him upon his entrance. “You’re here! Yippee!” Dara drunkenly clapped her hands. “You’re just in time, my friend. The next song is for you!” 

Minzy, CL and Bom tried to take the mic from her hands but she was amazingly stronger than the three of them combined when she’s drunk. “What are you doing? You’ve been wanting me to sing since earlier and now that I want to sing you’re stopping me.” She hissed at the girls.

“Hi Kiko. This song is dedicated for both of you.” She pointed drunkenly at Kiko. “Why is there two of you? Pfft.” She frowned and squinted at Kiko until her vision steadied and she was able to pinpoint Kiko’s exact location. 

She gestured at Kiko, pointing at the space near her. “Sit by me, friend. You’re going to love my song.” She turned to Jiyong. “And you. You, my friend are going to sit beside Kiko. I’m singing you both this song. If you like it I’m going to sing it again at your wedding.” She cackled crazily at her totally inappropriate, harebrained idea.

Jiyong tried to talk her to give him the mic. “Let’s go home, Dee. You’ve had too much to drink.” She stomped her foot at him and roughly pushed him to sit beside Kiko. 

Jiyong turned to the girls, “Why did you let her drink? You know what happens every time she does.” 

“Ask the rat.” CL pointed accusing fingers at Seungri. “She was already sloshed by the time we got here.”

Jiyong glared at their maknae. “You, rat! Why did you give her alcohol?”

The rat met his stare head on. “Why not, hyung? If I were in her place I’d also drink myself to oblivion. You don’t have to worry for her. You take care of your girlfriend. We’ll take care of our friend.”

“Girlfriend? Who said I have one?” Jiyong managed to blurt out before Dara drunkenly pointed at them all. “You guys shut up and listen. The song’s about to start.”

She cleared her throat and then proceeded to softly sing straight into Jiyong’s eyes:

You give your hand to me
And then you say hello And I can hardly speak My heart is beating so
And anyone can tell You think you know me well
But you don't know me
No you don't know the one Who dreams of you at night
And longs to kiss your lips Longs to hold you tight
Oh I am just a friend That's all I've ever been
Cause you don't know me
I never knew the art of making love
No my heart aches with love for you
Afraid and shy I let my chance go by
The chance that you might love me too
You give your hand to me And then you say goodbye
I watch you walk away beside the lucky gal
Oh you will never know The one who loves you so
Well you don't know me
You give your hand to me And then you say goodbye
I watch you walk away beside the lucky gal
Oh you will never know The one who loves you so
'Cause you don't know me
Oh no you don't know me
Oh you don't know me

As she breathed out the last line her voice broke into a sob and she ran out of the room.

Jiyong got up to follow her but Kiko stopped him. “Let me talk to her first, please. It’s partly my fault she’s being like this.”

The rest of the group looked at the two of them as they stared at each other for a few heavy moments. Jiyong finally nodded. “Ten minutes if you’re not back I’m butting in.”

Kiko found Dara barfing her guts out inside the ladies restroom. Mascara running all over her face as tears streaked down her eyes. 

“Dee,” Kiko approached her with a pack of wet wipes. “I think you misunderstood what’s going on between me and Jiyong.”

Dara smiled sadly at the girl who she has started to consider a friend. “I understand all too clearly. At least it’s you and not some dumb bimbo with fake double D’s. You both got my blessing.”

“Dee, you’ve got it…” Kiko started to say but Dara shushed her.

“No let me speak first. I won’t have the guts to say it when I’m sober. You probably guessed. I’m in love with Jiyong. God! I’m so pathetic. Falling in love with my best friend!” She scoffed at herself. “This is so high school. What the heck. I told myself years ago I’m not going to fall in love with him. But my heart is a dumb bimbo and it just went on beating for him. You don’t have to worry, though. Now that I’ve got this off my chest I’m going to move on and move out.”

“Dee, you don’t have to do that. Please hear me out first.” Kiko pleaded at her but she was not listening. She took the pack of wipes from Kiko’s hands. “Thanks for this. Tell the guys I’m heading out alone.”

Surprisingly for Dara after vomiting at the restroom and talking with Kiko, she felt stone cold sober and she felt free. She’d been harboring her feelings for so long. She hadn’t realize how much of a weight it had become.

The cold air outside the bar further awakened her senses. She took her phone and called a number she hadn’t called for quite some time. No hello was needed. As soon as the other person picked up she said, “Can I sleep at your place for tonight?”

“You and Jiyong had a falling out?” A male voice answered. “Don’t ring the bell. Just give me a call when you’re outside the door so I could let you in. My flatmate fell asleep in the living room. He’s going to be twice the ass that he usually is if his sleep is disturbed.”

“Thank you, friend.” Dara breathed. She hailed a passing taxi, got in and gave her friend’s address. Just as the taxi inched forward, she saw Jiyong running on the sidewalk towards her. She gave him a short wave then turned facing the front, refusing to look at him any longer.

The taxi driver looked questioningly at her through the rear view mirror. “Miss, the guy’s trying to run after us should I stop?”

“It’s okay, Ahjussi.” She said. “Let’s get a move on.”

A/N: Giving you guys a double update today. Can't promise when the next update will be though. Deadlines and promotional exams for work are coming up this week until next month so I'd be very busy. Hengsho!