Let's Not Fall In Love

Chapter 29

If Jiyong slept clinging to Dara like an octopus, morning brought a complete reversal of that. He woke up registering a warm weight sprawled over his torso. He tried to shift sideways without disturbing her but the weight wriggled in protest and the limbs wrapped loosely around him tightened convulsively. He smiled lovingly at the clingy little barnacle on his side.

His grin turned wider at the sight of her sleep-flushed face resting snuggly on his chest. There was a patch resembling Europe and Asia on his previously plain gray t shirt. His eyes twinkled in mischief as he reached for his cellphone on the night stand to take photographic evidence of how she drools in her sleep, a fact that she always stubbornly denies. He took several shots from different angles. The more evidence the better.

A little devil prompted him to upload one blurry picture on social media which he captioned, “Woke up like this.” His face basically occupied the screen but the lower left corner showed what suspiciously appears to be a girl’s head. He meant to upload it on his private account but the giddiness that filled him after waking up with her in the same bed made him careless.

He had mistakenly and unknowingly logged on to his old account, the one he used when he was at university, when he and the boys were still known as members of Big Bang. They had a big following among the University crowd during those days. The band experience made their college days more eventful than most other college students but after graduating they had to disband and deal with their respective responsibilities mostly involving their families’ businesses.

He dropped his phone back to the side and happily snuggled once more with his favorite human, completely oblivious to the following wave of heartbreak that he had inadvertently caused to all the fan girls who kept on stanning him since college and into adulthood. He slept once more unaware of the panic attacks his actions caused to the thousands who had remained hopeful even up to this time because of his single status.

It was midmorning when he woke up once again to a squirming, indignant female who was demanding to be released. “If you don’t let go the next instant I swear I’m going to bite you until you bleed.” The shrewish hamster was already opening her little mouth to bite him on the shoulder. He hastily pushed his palm against her forehead, putting enough force to stop her from reaching her target but gentle enough not to hurt her. He knew her since she was little and he knew for a fact that when she says she will bite him she will.

“I want to pee and I’m hungry.” She snarled at him. He distanced himself from the rabid rabbit and raised his hands in mock surrender while thinking, ‘Earlier this morning who was it again who didn’t want to let go? Was it me? No.’ But then he knew what he was getting into all along. Mornings with his harmless monster would always be exciting like this and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“You relieve yourself in the bathroom, your majesty. Your humble servant will prepare a sumptuous breakfast for you.” He told her in mock servitude, bowing at a ninety degree angle at her as he did so.

“Good. I’m not paying you to sleep all day.” She retorted cheekily at him as she ran towards the ensuite bathroom. He whistled happily on his way out the bedroom, mind whirring as to what to cook for his hangry little monster pet.

A quarter of an hour later a much sedate, less rabid Dara went shuffling towards the kitchen. Her nose was twitching as she followed the fragrant aroma of her favorite blend. A steaming mug was already waiting for her. She mouthed a voiceless thank you at him and wrapped her slightly cold fingers around the cup to warm them. Then she inhaled the wonderful smell into her nostrils. He gazed lovingly at her as he would every morning. He would wait until she had taken about three gulps before attempting talk to her. He knew it would barely register if he’d talk to her before then.

He brought two plates of French toast, bacon and scrambled eggs to the breakfast bar and placed one in front of her. She gave him a wide grin. “You know you’re the best bestfriend any girl could ever have, right?” She didn’t wait for him to answer before attacking the food in front of her.

“What are your plans for today?” He asked.

“Uhm. Let me think.” She paused as if to think deeply, one finger resting on her chin in mock concentration. “I’m doing nothing. I get to have two weeks of doing nothing and it feels wonderful. I’ve got a whole bunch of TV dramas and series that are screaming out for my name. Thanks to you I don’t necessarily have to ignore them anymore.” She grinned happily at him.

“You could watch them anytime, Dee. Spend the day with me.” His tone was serious. It gave her the tingles all over and it scared her. The smile slowly faded from her face. She refused to acknowledge it and continued in a nonchalant tone, “Haven’t we been doing that for the past few days already?” She told him without looking at him. She faced the food in front of her and acted as if eating it required scientific precision.

She was dodging. She knew it. He knew it. They both knew it. They needed to talk ever since the Kiko fiasco but both of them got scared big time and so they tried to shove everything under the rug. For Dara it was more daunting. Dara was scared of change. Change had always been catastrophic for her. She had lost too many loved ones in her lifetime. He was one of the few remaining constants in her life.

She was scared if she wanted more than what they currently have, she might also end up losing him in the end. She was scared of knowing what losing him would mean to her. People who knew her history would look at her and admire how strong she was for surviving the loss of her family at a relatively young age but deep down she knew she found the courage to be strong because she knew Jiyong was there for her. She was here now because he stood by her all this time.

“You know we have to talk. At some point or another it will happen, Dee. Why delay the inevitable?” Jiyong challenged her as he would always challenge her to face difficult situations she would want to avoid.

She took a deep breath, swallowed the lump of now tasteless bacon inside her mouth and turned to look him in the eye. He looked straight back at her eyes filled with a mishmash of emotions. She took another shuddering deep breath, looked away then closed her eyes briefly as if to keep herself from breaking down.

Her lips were quivering and she bit on them to make them stop. She gave him a nod and a barely perceptible “Okay.” He sighed in relief and finally released the breath he didn’t know he was holding.