Let's Not Fall In Love

Chapter 32

“Do you think I’d let any other guy be your first?” He dropped the question like a bomb onto the quiet night. The next picture then slid into place. Psy Hyung’s New Year Party 2010.  It was the night that Dara couldn’t remember but at the same time couldn’t forget. “Do you remember this night?” Jiyong asked.

After a few moments of contemplation Dara hesitantly nodded. Her memory of that night was patchy at best. She had her suspicions but she would always push them to the back of her mind scared of confronting the reality and the possible changes it would cause their relationship should those vague and confusing moments turn out to be true.

“Other than our accidental cootie-filled kiss when was your first kiss?” Jiyong asked with a smile splitting his face. He was just giddy knowing that his kid self had secured Dara’s first kiss.

“The auction night,” she said in a tone that sounded more of a question than a statement.

Jiyong smirked. Dara punched him in the arm. “What are you smirking at, you ass? That was not a pleasant experience.” She shuddered in remembrance of that awkward moment.

“You call that a punch?” Jiyong scoffed but then he gestured vaguely at the screen. “Look closely at the picture, Dee. Can you see where we were? Does it trigger any memories?” He gently prompted.

Dara looked quizzically at him but then paid attention to the screen. She could see Jiyong standing with his back to the camera a pink scarf around his neck. Dara could see herself standing in front of him but only a part of her shoulder, cheek and her pineapple hair could be seen. Her eyes widened and she felt the blood creeping up her face.

Her suppressed memories of that night involved dancing drunkenly with Jiyong right before the New Year’s count down. The lights flickered off when the clock struck midnight and the next thing she knew was that warm soft lips had covered her own. As she gasped in surprise the intensity of the kiss had turned a notch higher as a warm moist tongue flitted swiftly through her parted lips and tangled with her own inexperienced tongue. Lean but strong arms had snaked around her waist and gathered her close but then the next thing she knew Minzy was shaking her awake. She was on her bed still wearing the stinky clothes she wore the night before and her arms and legs were all tangle up with various limbs that apparently belonged to Bom and CL.

“Unnies!” Minzy had yelled causing the three of them to simultaneously groan in pain. CL reflexively whipped a pillow and threw it on the general direction of Minzy’s voice. Bom whined, “Shut up, Minky. My head is killing me. You should be thankful you’re still not allowed to drink.”

“You’ve got to get up. Top Hyung and Jiyong Hyung are going out on a double date with some chicks they met in the party.” Minzy said in a panicked voice.

Dara sat up and grimaced at her words but still managed to say, “Jiyong can go date whoever he wants. I’m only his bestfriend.”

Bom on the other hand wordlessly stood up and went straight to the bathroom and locked herself in. Minzy trailed behind Bom, “Unnie, are you okay?” She worriedly asked through the closed door. Bom’s muffled voice could be heard saying, “I’ll be fine, Minzy. He’s moved on that means I have to move on, too.”

Her reverie was broken when Jiyong nudged her with his elbow. “Are you sure you don’t remember? Because as long as I live I swear I would never forget that night. I had my first official kiss during that party and it was more than what I had dreamed of. I’ve always been fascinated by that girl’s lips. They weren’t overly plump but they weren’t too thin either. I knew she moisturized her lips all the time and that night they felt soft when my lips touched them. It was as I had expected and more.”

Jiyong said in a mild tone while occasionally glancing on Dara’s lips. She nervously bit on her lower lip. “She would bite them when she’s nervous. I used to only imagine how it felt to bite them myself. Would they taste like oranges, strawberries or mint? I had always known she loved to alternate her flavored lip balms. That night they tasted like oranges.”

Dara’s eyes rounded like saucers. “I didn’t know you had a fetish for ladies lips and their lip products.” Dara commented trying to break the tension building in the pit of her stomach.

“I don’t. It’s only her I’m fascinated about.” He had now shifted his position and was facing her leaning his upper body closer to her while Dara nervously leaned back.

“Do I know her? Did I meet her during that party? Was she your date the following day? Why didn’t you introduce her?” She asked a flurry of questions to mask the frantic fluttering of her heart.

“Introduce her? How could I introduce her to you? That’s impossible, I think. But you know what? I’ve always wondered if her lips are still as soft and sweet as it was before.” He leaned even closer and reached out a hand and touched her lips with his thumb. She sucked in her breath. “I think they still are.” Then just as suddenly as if he did not just give her a mini heart attack, he retreated back to his side of the sofa, “You’ve got crumbs on your lower lip. You’re a hotshot doctor but you still eat like when we were kids.”

Dara let go of the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. She didn’t want to get any ideas. But the girl he was describing could easily be her. Various thoughts entered Dara’s muddled brain. Was it her? No. It couldn’t be. Why would he date Lee Joo Yeon exclusively a month after that then? He must be talking about Jupal. They stayed together for about a year and only broke up when Jupal decided to train as a pop idol.

Dara shook her head. She was just being delusional again. No matter how much she loved Jiyong she was grounded enough to know that she wasn’t going to be the one for him. She sighed and her shoulders drooped, despondent in the knowledge that she shouldn’t expect for the impossible.

Jiyong heard her sigh and saw her defeated posture. He gathered her close and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Dee, whatever happens, between me and the girl I’m talking about, will never change the way I feel for you. You are more than a friend to me. You are and always will be my home. My heart will always come home to you. Whatever happens after this don’t you ever forget that.”

“Why are you still single, Jiyong? Any girl would say yes to you when you say stuff like that.” Dara sighed and snuggled into his embrace, hiding her face from his probing eyes at the same time.

“Why do you think?” Jiyong asked in return with a hint of sadness in his tone.

“I don’t know.” Dara said in a small voice still not looking at him. She played awkwardly with the ends off his hoodie’s drawstings.
“Because I’m a coward who doesn’t know how to confess and she’s a stubbornly oblivious girl who refuses to pick up all the hints I drop her way. We’re both fools, I guess. That’s probably why.” Jiyong said.

“The great GDragon who never backs out from a fight is a coward? Now that is a shocker.” Dara mused in mock surprise.

“This is the one fight that makes me weak in the knees. This girl can barely punch to save her life but she can kick my ass to oblivion all the time.” He lifted her chin gently with his fingers and forced her to look up into his eyes. “Do you still not know who she is?”