CHAPTER 24 - Ice Lord's Girl

The excited murmurs of InterSAT students filled the school. The news about Ice Lord's girl spread like wildfire. There were always speculations before that he was involved with either Dara or Riko, yet nothing had been confirmed. But after almost everyone witnessed Ice Lord and Dara holding hands and kissing, their question had been answered and the fangirls' dreams had been crushed.

Dara gave another lopsided smile as a random student whom she didn't know waved at her. Some of the girls, on the other hand, who were huddled at the corner of the hallway, were eyeing her with contempt. She sighed and hung her head low, thinking that the mixed reaction of students would take a lot of getting used to. When she decided to give that punishment to Jiro and let everyone see that they were involved, she didn't imagine it would explode in epic proportions.

"You gained a lot of friends and you gained a lot of enemies. But don't worry, they won't touch you", Namee said as they reached their lockers.

"I don't even know half of them", she replied in frustration.

"It's not easy being tagged as Ice Lord's girl."

"I'm beginning to regret it. I can't function with all these eyes focused on me. I knew I'd kiss my peaceful student life goodbye, but I didn't expect it to be this bad."

"What is so bad about this? Girls who are aiming for Montecillo, like Riko for example, will now be discouraged", Namee mused.

Dara closed her locker while heaving a deep sigh. "You'll be disappointed, Namee. I don't think the girls will be discouraged to go after him. And Riko is a special case. He's helping her because she helped him. Besides, I still can't act normal in front of Jiro. He's too intimidating at school."

"Forget about Riko. Girl of the past has no chance with the girl of the present. And can you stop acting meek in front of Montecillo? You're a disgrace to the female flag", Namee shot back. "Just act like how you did yesterday. Hold hands with him! Kiss him!"

Dara did not respond, making Namee frown. She could tell Jiro had the upper hand between the two. He got her friend wrapped in his hand, which she couldn't accept. They should be at least in equal footing!

"I have to go", Dara said, shutting her locker close. "I'll see you later."

Namee watched as her friend walked away, a number of students stopping her on her tracks to talk about Ice Lord.

"Namee", Picaro's voice entered her ears. She turned around and a smile immediately broke on her face when she was welcomed by the deep eyes of the future father of her kids (wheee!!).

"Hi Picaro!"

"This is what you chose from the pictures of the doodles I sent you, right?" He asked, giving her a piece of paper with drawing in it.

"Yes, thank you", she said appreciatively and carefully placed the paper inside her locker.

"Ice Lord is coming!"

"Isn't that the Bridge Rose girl?"

"Wait. How come he's not even greeting her? I thought the two are together?"

A round of murmurs was heard and Namee and Picaro turned their attention to the subject of the stundents' gossips. They saw Jiro walking past Dara without even glancing at her, and the girl did the same – scurrying away like her ass was on fire.

"What the hell?" Namee murmured. "Why is your leader acting like that?"

"Like what?" He asked, leaning his back against the lockers and crossing his arms over his chest.

"He's ignoring Dara."

"Even if he's not showing it in public, it doesn't mean he cares for her less."

"I understand that. But, wouldn't it be better if he at least show it once in a while?" Namee argued.

"It's awkward."

"My friend is going to lose face with what he's doing. It looks like he was just coerced in doing what he did yesterday."

"He was coerced yesterday. Our leader is not into cheesy stuff that you girls like", Picaro said matter-of-factly.

"You're totally siding with him, aren't you?"

He shrugged his shoulders, making Namee twitch her lips. This couldn't go on. No. She wouldn't allow her best friend to be controlled by that stoic guy.

"Just accept it. Your girl is whipped", Picaro said, a proud smirk forming on his lips. Namee cocked her eyebrows at him, an intricate battle plan forming in her mind.

***

Dara's POV

"Why are you staring at me?" I asked as we sat on the ground at the university garden behind the Arts Building.

"Hmmm", Namee murmured, her eyes never leaving mine. "I have a plan."

Namee had been activated. And by that, I meant she was on the move to destroy someone's life. I need to steer clear or I'd be one of the casualties. The 'plan' she was talking about probably involved getting ourselves into something stupid or mortifying or both. I'm pretty sure it will end up in a spectacular failure.

"Count me out", I said and hurriedly gathered my things, but Namee latched herself onto me, wrapping her arms around my body.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Watch me", I said and tried to pry her hands but she went full drama queen on me, so with a sigh, I stayed on my spot.

"Good. Now listen", she said as she scooted near me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "This is about you and Ice Lord but this is actually more about you being whipped. I feel the need to help you in upholding the female flag."

"Hey! I am not-..."

"Yes, you are. Seriously Dara, this isn't event funny anymore. Whenever he's near, I can see your soul running to the other end of the world."

"I act normal when he's around, excuse me!"

"Your fear is leaking on the floor. And I can't sit still seeing that my girl is on the palm of Ice Lord's hand, ready to do his every bidding. After everything you've gone through, don't you want to at least rattle him a bit?"

Call me crazy, but Namee's words were getting into me. Was she using the whisper of darkness again to make me comply with her sinister ways?

"Rattle him a bit? How?" I asked, and her face lit up. Ugh! She got me and she knew that. To be honest, Jiro affects me in so many levels and I find it hard to resist him. That's why breaking his icy exterior once in a while appeals to me.

"Remember what you did yesterday? Just turn it up a notch. Stick with him and act cheesy. I noticed he wasn't comfortable with being showy when other people were around. Use that weakness."

"That's totally embarrassing on my part!" I screeched. I should have known her plan is going to be completely stupid!

"Think about how flustered Ice Lord will be", Namee smiled mischievously. "It will be a fun thing to see."

Hmmm...

***

"Ramirez."

"Hmmm?"

"What are you doing?"

The students at the hallway stood transfixed on their spot while staring at Dara who was hugging Ice Lord from behind. Jiro was walking on the hallway when the girl suddenly lurched towards him from behind and wrapped her arms around his upper torso.

"I'm hugging you", she said.

"Cut it off", Jiro pried her arms off him and started walking towards his classroom but he stopped and shut his eyes firmly when Dara wrapped her arms around him again.

"Ramirez..." He sighed and removed her arms as he turned around to face her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

To everyone's surprise, Dara hugged Jiro again and rubbed her cheek on Jiro's chest, a playful smirk slipping on her lips. She must admit, his reaction was quite amusing. She was enjoying Namee's plan so far.

"People are watching us, Ramirez."

"It's okay."

"Why are you doing this?" He removed her arms again and frowned at her.

"Nothing", Dara gave her a cheeky smile and strode away, her shoulders moving up and down while chuckling. Jiro's eyebrows furrowed deeply, still wondering what the hell the girl was up to.

***

The entire Black Dragon's gang was frozen on their seats, their eyes widening in shock at what they were witnessing. The cafeteria's buzz became louder as students craned their necks to see the spectacle that was happening at the table where the Black Dragons were at.

"Say ahhhh", Dara said while holding the spoon, trying to feed Jiro. The guy massaged his temple and exhaled irritably. Whatever the girl was playing, he was not liking it at all. This has got to stop.

Bonsai and Picaro exchanged glances, and the former burst out in a fit of hysterical laughter. The other members followed suit, making Jiro frown.

"The next thing we'll see is Dara changing Ice Lord's diaper", Bonsai said while laughing.

"Damn it, Bonsai", Jiro hissed.

"Ssshhh. The adults are talking", Bonsai teased.

Dara bit her lips to stifle her chuckle. Things were going as planned and she was enjoying seeing his tortured face more than she expected.

"Babe, say ahhh", she pressed on.

"Babe?!" The Black Dragons said in unison. Bonsai was already turning purple from too much laughing.

"Ramirez... Stop this", Jiro said warningly.

"Sweetheart?"

"Dara."

"Honey bunch?"

Jiro stared at her in silence, his eyebrows mashed together in suppressed annoyance. The table turned quiet in an instant, fearing that the Ice Lord's wrath would be unleashed any moment.

The girl, however, seemed unperturbed by his sour mood. A collective gasp was heard when Dara leaned forward and kissed Jiro on the side of his lips, startling him.

"Okay. I'll not disturb your lunch anymore", she said and immediately left. Jiro shook his head while following her with his gaze. Only a moron wouldn't notice that Dara was doing the mushy act intentionally. Something was definitely wrong.

***

Picaro was leaning against the wall while Bonsai was slumping on the floor as they loitered on the hallway. The two watched as Jiro turned around to evade the smiling Dara who was running towards him. They can almost hear him groan in frustration when the girl attached herself to him, intentionally letting everyone see the ruckus she was causing and possibly enjoying Jiro's exasperated and helpless expression.

"She's doing that on purpose, isn't she?" Bonsai grinned and pointed at the two who were standing in a distance. "Mannnn, his Ice Lord status is ruined. Girls are scary beings", he chuckled.

Picaro remained silent. There was a small voice at the back of his mind telling him that he was forgetting something.

"You know what's more fucked up?" Bonsai continued. "When girls do the water works. That's emotional blackmail right there. I can't deal with that shit."

Being the second youngest among four brothers with only their dad raising them since their mom passed away when he was still young, there was no one to balance the testosterone level in the Tsai residence.

"You can deal with that shit", Picaro finally spoke. "When you find the right one for you, you can."

Bonsai opened his mouth exaggeratedly and eyed him in shock. "The ONE for me? You are making my penis quiver. Get a hold of yourself and do not cross the dark side."

"What? You don't think you'll eventually find a girl that will sweep you off your feet?"

"Sweep me off my-... Holy shit. Control yourself."

"Can't handle the truth? We will all eventually get old and settle-..."

"Do you want to discuss this over tea and cupcakes with... I don't know, a fucking flower tucked in our ears? Because I'm sooooo comfortable with this girl talk. Maybe we can organize a group hug meeting with the rest of the Black Dragons."

Picaro stifled his smile. He knew that a talk about the future and settling down irked Bonsai beyond words. The guy lived one day at a time and he intended to keep it that way. Discussing about future and having a girl that would tame him was like disturbing the delicate ecosystem that Bonsai thrived in. It was amusing actually. One that Picaro intended to use from time to time to annoy the living crap out of the idiot.

"When you find the girl for you, you'll move mountains, Bonsai. And then, you'll wear couple tees, couple rings-..."

Bonsai groaned and stood up. "This talk is officially over, mom", he said and scampered away.

Picaro laughed softly at his escaping gang mate before shifting his gaze back to Jiro and Dara. He frowned when he saw a girl who was hiding behind the pillar while giggling in amusement. Namee Cheng. He furrowed his eyebrows, his mind wandering back to their earlier conversation at the lockers. It can't be-...

He strode towards Namee and poked her, startling the girl. "This whole thing was your idea, wasn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Namee blinked at him innocently, the mischievous smile never leaving her face.

"It was your idea", Picaro confirmed, arching his eyebrows at her. Namee chuckled and turned her gaze towards the two. Jiro started to move but Dara was still holding onto him, hugging him from behind as they walked together.

"See that? Jiro can't even say a thing."

"Competitive, aren't we?" Picaro said.

"Aren't we all?"

"I'm warning you, Cheng. Your girl makes fun of our leader, your girl will pay."

"Just admit it, Rostelli", Namee smirked at him. "My girl won."

***

It continued for the rest of the day and Jiro could only grunt in frustration whenever the girl popped up and did cheesy things. Picaro, on the other hand, observed in the sideline. He was already suffering from secondhand embarrassment by just watching the two and he could only imagine what Jiro was going through considering how reserved and stiff their leader was at school. Although Ice Lord received a lot of attention, it was never the kind of attention that Dara was causing.

"Ramirez, stop this. What's gotten into you?" Jiro said, his hands shoved inside his pockets while looking down at the girl who was still clinging to him, her arms wrapped around his neck. The students were either peeking through the classroom window or huddling in the corner while eyeing the two.

"I miss you", Dara said.

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do!"

"You just saw me earlier."

"It doesn't matter. I still miss you", Dara tiptoed and tried to kiss him on the lips but Jiro reclined back, preventing her from doing so. He had a deep scowl on his face, clearly annoyed at what she was doing.

"I don't find this amusing, Ramirez", he muttered between gritted teeth.

"I'm not being funny", she said and tiptoed again, puckering her lips.

"ENOUGH!" Jiro growled, making everyone wince with his thunderous voice. Dara gingerly removed her arms from him and met his glare with sad eyes, her lips slightly pouting and a pained expression crossing her face. Without uttering a word, she started to leave, not even glancing at Jiro.

"Ramirez", he called out exasperatedly, grabbing her wrist before she could walk past him. "Fine. What do you want?"

Dara instantly smiled and clung to him once again. "A kiss", she said and playfully puckered her lips. Jiro sighed and peered down at her, settling his hands on her waist. He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the lips, trying very hard to ignore the fact that they were in the middle of the hallway with all eyes of the students on them.

"Mmhmm", Dara murmured in satisfaction, enjoying the gasps of shock (and horror, courtesy of Ice Lord's fangirls) all around them. "One more", she demanded.

"Ramirez..."

"One moreee", she whined.

"When did you become so needy?"

"One more, Jiro", she whispered. He shook his head in defeat at the girl's insistence and eventually leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. The kiss lingered for a moment before he pulled away, staring at her face, her eyes still closed. He gave her another quick peck and whispered, "Enough. Okay?"

"Okay", she said in contentment.

Dara finally left him alone and hopped merrily towards her next class. As soon as she was out of earshot, Picaro approached their leader who was still following Dara with his gaze.

"Spade dropped by again", Picaro informed him. "Locker X has a third victim. We still don't know what we're dealing with. All the victims are members of different gangs and they said they were beaten outside of school. Even if they brought their mates with them, they were outnumbered. The thugs wore masks and casual clothes so Spade's speculation that one of InterSAT gangs was causing this uproar is still not confirmed."

"Are the victims in any way connected? Did they cross someone?"

"No. That's the odd part. It seems whoever's instigating this is just picking the victims randomly. The InterSAT gangs are getting restless. After the attack at the back gate and with this Locker X going on, everyone is on full alert. Nothing like this happened to InterSAT before. Spade asked if Black Dragons could help."

Jiro sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "When another student gets the X on their locker, you and Bonsai tail him wherever he goes. We have to know the root of this before we strike."

"Okay. Uh... About Dara. You do realize that she is doing this on purpose, right?" Picaro said.

"Yes", Jiro murmured. "And I have a plan to make that kid stop from driving me nuts."

***

Dara bit her lips as she sat at the edge of the bed while following Jiro with her gaze. The guy just stepped out of her bathroom after showering, a towel draped on his shoulder. Dara had already showered and was in her pajama when Jiro dropped by her house straight from his part-time job and asked if he could use her shower. Fortunately, he had a few clothes in Dara's house since he sometimes spent the night there during holidays when her father was still around.

He was half-naked, his pants hanging low showing a bit of his underwear. Dara watched as he unceremoniously rubbed his hair with the towel, his arms and his abs in full display for her to enjoy. She was mesmerized by how his muscles flexed as he moved, and her eyes glazed a bit as her gaze traveled down to his chest...his waist...and further down south. She was too preoccupied with staring she didn't notice that Jiro was already approaching her.

"Ramirez", Jiro suddenly leaned down and leveled his gaze with hers, his hand rested on the bed.

"What? Why?" She asked in a high-pitched voice.

He stared at her guilty face with an unreadable expression before dragging his gaze downwards. "You're sitting on my shirt", he deadpanned and pointed at where Dara was sitting.

"Oh. Sorry", she mumbled and scooted sideward. He pulled out his shirt and swiftly wore it, his eyes focusing on her afterwards.

Dara can smell his fresh scent as he sat beside her on the edge of the bed, his gaze still boring into her, making her conscious. She settled her gaze on her lap and fumbled with the buttons of her pajama top.

Without uttering a word, he scooted sideward, his thigh touching hers. Dara faked a cough and was about to move away but Jiro suddenly hooked one arm on her waist and pulled her closer, making her lift her gaze to look at him.

"You okay?"

*Gulp* "Y-Yeah. Of course."

His hand traveled from the side of her waist to her back, causing her to flinch. His fingers began moving at the small of her back and it took a lot of her energy to keep a straight face. What is he doing?

"Did you enjoy teasing me?" He asked, obviously pertaining to her cheesy display in school, which almost drove him to insanity. His hand slid under her blouse and stroked her bare skin. Dara's eyes widened and she tried to back away but Jiro shifted his position and leaned towards her, pushing his hands on the bed and trapping her with his arms. She reclined back to put a space between their faces as she stared at him, her breathing becoming ragged as his intense gaze held her. Was he really pissed because of what she did? Did she go too far in teasing him at school?

"Jiro, what are you doing?" She mumbled.

"I did the punishment you gave me yesterday. Now, I'm giving you yours", he said hoarsely as he moved closer again, making Dara lie on the bed diagonally.

"M-My punishment?"

"Yes, Ramirez. Your punishment", Jiro climbed on the bed and his body hovered on top of her, pushing himself up using his forearms and roaming his gaze all over the girl's face.

"But I didn't do anything wrong."

"You kissed and hugged another guy."

"I explained it to you."

"That's not fair. I didn't hurt your friend and I also tried to explain my side, but you still got mad at me. I did everything you asked as your punishment for me. You have to do what I ask now."

Dara gasped in shock when Jiro's hand moved and slid under her, unclasping her bra.

"J-Jiro."

"Remove it", he instructed.

"Jiro, I-..."

"Ssshhh..."

His smoldering gaze met her eyes and Dara felt like she was in a trance as she drowned in his brown orbs. She gingerly slid her hand under her blouse and removed her undergarment, throwing it on the floor, her heart hammering inside her chest with her every movement.

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Is this it? Is she ready?

"Undo your buttons", he commanded gruffly, making her eyes widen.

"But-..."

"No buts."

She felt like she was under his spell. Dara swallowed hard and brought her hands on the buttons of his pajama top, slowly unbuttoning each one with Jiro watching her. The middle part was now exposing her skin, her peaks still covered with the thin fabric. Her eyes became hooded when she saw him dragging his teeth on his bottom lip while his gaze traveled down her body.

"I did what you asked me. We're even", she said breathlessly.

"We're just starting", Jiro drawled hoarsely.

Oh God. Dara's chest heaved up and down as Jiro's face slowly descended and bit the fabric of her blouse. "J-Jiro", she mewled when he shifted the fabric sideward, exposing her breast. Her arms immediately moved, intending to cover herself, but Jiro was quick to restrain them, pinning her wrists on the side of her head.

"Don't move."

"Enough", she said weakly. Even she wasn't convinced that she wanted him to stop.

Jiro didn't utter a word and continued with what he was doing, biting the fabric again and exposing her chest. Dara's mouth gaped and her cheeks flushed when he felt his hot breath on her peak, her nipples hardening. There were tight knots on his stomach as she stared at the guy hovering close to her erect nipple, and she gasped when he finally brought her breast in his mouth. He drew it in...hard.

"Jiro!" She whimpered, an indescribable feeling swarming through her senses. Her eyes squeezed shut as she felt his tongue curling around her peak...stroking and licking...gently sucking her.

"God. Jiro..." She heaved laboriously and moaned when he ravished her other breast, his tongue and mouth doing wonders that nearly drove her to insanity. She dragged her eyes to his rugged feature, watching him feasting on her chest. He locked his gaze with hers as he pulled back an inch and withdrew his tongue, licking her peak before drawing it in his mouth.

She moaned and writhed beneath him, wiggling her wrists from his grip and bringing her hands to the back of his head, raking her fingers through his hair. Awashed with sensation, she panted heavily and slid her legs on the sheets, her thigh accidentally brushing the bulge on Jiro's pants. Her eyes glazed as she stared at him withdrawing, a thin thread of saliva from his mouth to her erect nipple.

"Jiro", she said in a raspy voice. Her skin felt like it was burning as his gaze drilled into her. He reached for her face and stroked her cheek with his palm, his eyes softening as Dara tilted her head to fit his touch.

"Dara, don't trust me too much. I might break you", he said in a strained voice, his eyes conveying a hidden fear that she couldn't quite fathom. She parted her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Even when Jiro started buttoning her blouse, all she did was follow his movements with her gaze. When he finished the top button, he stared at her face once again and dipped for a kiss, capturing her lips. When their lips parted, he gently rested his forehead against hers and drew a deep breath, their nose lightly brushing against each other.

"I have to go", he whispered and pulled back, climbing off the bed. Dara sat up, her mind still swimming with what occurred between them, and watched as the guy headed directly towards the door without even giving her a second glance.

***

Dara was walking in a daze, not even glancing at the students who were eyeing her curiously while murmuring to each other. She wasn't able to sleep after what Jiro did and she still hadn't recovered from shock. Unconsciously, her grip on her books tightened as she held them close to her chest, her skin tingling with sensation. She felt like she was naked from the waist up and that people could see her breasts...that Jiro licked. Goddddd!! She stood on the line of lockers absentmindedly, the events of last night filling her mind. Everything was still vivid in her memory – the way Jiro brought her peak in his mouth, the way he sucked and licked her, the way he stared at her. She groaned and banged her head on her locker, startling Namee who was approaching her.

"Hey! What's wrong with 'Ice Lord's girl' so early in the morning?" She greeted. Dara groaned again and banged her head on the locker multiple times.

"Girl friend, I don't know morse code. You have to speak so I can understand what you're trying to say", Namee said as she opened her locker and tossed her things inside. Dara was about to say something but she froze when they heard the students' excited buzz due to the arrival of the Black Dragons.

"Ice Lord is so cool."

"I don't care if he's dating the Bridge Rose student. He'll be mine!"

"She's so lucky! Can you imagine Ice Lord kissing you? Gosh!"

Namee watched as Dara moved in panic. Her friend pulled out her phone, pretending to be busy with it, and when Ice Lord was nearing, she discarded the plan and opened her locker hurriedly, burying her head inside. What the hell? Namee frowned and shifted her gaze to Jiro and his gang. They walked past them and the guy did not even glance at Dara. The students noticed this as well and she was absolutely positive a new set of speculations would be flying in the air before the end of the day, making her roll her eyes in frustration.

"The coast is clear, woman", Namee said when the Black Dragons turned the corner. Dara slowly lifted her head to check, a sigh of relief escaping her lips after confirming that Jiro was indeed gone.

"I am so ashamed of you", Namee crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her friend. "Can you please stop acting meek in front of Montecillo?"

"What are you talking about? I was just organizing my things", Dara said defensively and avoided Namee's glare.

"You were about to climb inside your locker. I actually thought you're going to dig a hole to China. You should've seen yourself, seriously. It's appalling."

"It's more comfortable this way. It's awkward to greet him", Dara said. She learned that crossing the 'Ice Lord' had repercussions and she dared not push his buttons again. Because of what Jiro did, her breasts were reacting with just the fabric of her bra. Damn nipples. Traitors!

"Oh, please. You're his girl and he's your man. Start acting like one."

"I don't even know what my relationship is with him, to be honest. I mean, I think we are already a couple, but he hasn't said those words yet."

"I don't think Montecillo is the type who is vocal about his feelings. Why don't you ask him if you still have doubts?" Namee reasoned. "Anyway, you're still the hottest topic in InterSAT today after your sweetness explosion with Ice Lord. The plan is a success so you better continue it", she said.

The plan was a total failure. It backfired. Dara wouldn't be able to have a peace of mind for weeks...or months! Jiro was indeed someone who should never be messed with. He had a commanding presence and knew how to make people obey him. Not to mention, he's very good with his tongue. GAHH! No, no, NOOO! What had Jiro done to her?!

"I'm going to be late for class. I'll see you around. And try to talk to Bullet. He's been absent lately", Dara waved goodbye and hurriedly left.

"Hey", Picaro greeted Namee who was still following Dara with her gaze. "How's everything so far?"

"Great", Namee said. She frowned when Dara dashed on the hallway to the left upon seeing that Jiro and some Black Dragon members were at the other end of the corridor.

"I don't understand", Namee frowned.

"It's simple", Picaro said, shoving his hands inside his pockets. "My guy won", he added matter-of-factly and began to stride away. Namee's mouth gaped as he stared at his retreating back. What the-... Picaro turned around and started to walk backwards while staring at Namee. "Guys rule", he then turned on his heels again while giving her a final wave.

***

Dara's POV

Jiro and I have the same class today. Awesome. My classmates are going to have a blast gossiping about us again. I looked at Namee and the daughter of evil scowled at me. She was probably pissed that I abandoned the plan.

An excited murmur filled the classroom, signaling Jiro's arrival. He looked in my direction with disinterest and headed towards the seat behind me. I tried to keep a straight face while settling my gaze on the notebook on my desk even though I knew all eyes were focused on us. I was only able to breathe comfortably again when the professor finally came.

"I'll just give you an essay activity today", he said. "I'll announce your partner and the two of you should submit the essay by next week. The topic is 'Insecurity'. Discuss with your partner what you're insecure about and write your view of your partner's insecurity." He continued explaining and gave instructions before finally announcing the names of each pair. Most of the pairs were friends so I assumed he'd partner me up with Namee. I frowned when her name was called and another name of our classmate. When he finally called my name, my mouth gaped.

"Dara Ramirez and Jiro Montecillo", he announced.

You have got to be kidding me. Why didn't he partner me up with Namee?! He knew I'm friends with Namee! Doesn't it look like I'm friends with Namee? Gahh!

The professor left after reminding us that the essay was to be submitted next week. I thought our classmates would also head out but surprisingly, everyone stayed in the classroom after relocating themselves with their partners. When I roamed my gaze around, I noticed they were stealing glances at me and Jiro. Great. This is so freaking great. I felt like an animal in the zoo.

I turned my head towards Namee and scowled at her. I could tell by the way her cheeks pushed upwards, her cheekbones almost exploding, that she was thoroughly enjoying my meltdown. She gathered her things and moved towards her partner, leaving me behind.

I turned my chair around and faced Jiro who was reclining lazily on his seat, his legs spread apart and his arms crossed over his chest. How someone could look so hot by just sitting on a freaking school chair was beyond me.

His eyes were focused on me and his gaze slowly trailed down before going up my face again. I swallowed hard and peeled my eyes off him, staring at my notebook and gripping my pen firmly. Remembering what he did yesterday, I squirmed on my seat and pressed my legs together. I moaned and writhed when his tongue played with my nipple OH GOD! Perverted thoughts GO AWAY!

"Are you okay?" He asked. I cleared my throat and flipped the pages of my notebook. "Y-Yeah", I answered sheepishly without lifting my gaze.

"Why can't you look at me, Ramirez? I'm not going to eat you."

GAAAAAAAAHHH!!! Can he not do this?! Gosh! Oh my God! Is he teasing me? I fidgeted on my seat as I heard our classmates murmuring with each other. I could also hear Namee's suppressed squeal at the other side of the room.

I willed myself to look at him while biting my lips. His deadpan expression gave nothing at all.

"So...Uhm... Insecurity..." I stated while pondering about the essay topic that the professor gave us. "Why don't we say what we're insecure about and let's discuss?"

"Okay", he said nonchalantly.

"You first, then me. What's your insecurity?"

"My past", he mumbled.

"My strength", I said.

We both stared at each other's eyes, trying to comprehend the meaning behind each other's words. His past. Somehow, I understood why his past became a shadow that he couldn't escape from, and it pained me that it was something I couldn't erase. He was beaten when he was a child, was unable to protect his mother, and walked in a dark path alone, which was why he felt like whoever showed him kindness must be repaid in any way possible. That was the way Jiro saw his past, far from how I viewed it in my eyes.

"Jiro", I started while lowering my gaze, fumbling with the hem of my skirt as I continued, "When you were just a boy, you saved my life. You let me follow you around and you cared for me. You made sure that I go home safe when my play time was over. Years later when we met again, you became the guy whom my father could count on. No matter how tired you were after your part-time jobs, you dropped by our house to see if my father needed you to run some errands for him. You accompanied him at the porch and talked to him, and that made him happy. After he passed away, you stepped forward and took care of everything. You took care of his funeral, made sure that I didn't neglect myself while I was mourning and talked to the insurance company. You were always there for me and you still are."

I inhaled deeply and lifted my gaze to meet his eyes. "I know why you're insecure about your past but you're only looking at one part of it. The other part which I saw – the boy who was my hero, the guy who was sitting on our porch talking to my father after a long day, the guy who helped me stand on my feet again, the guy who, inspite of living alone, was able to rely on himself and pick up the broken pieces of his life – you're forgetting to look at that part of your past. If you can only glance sideway instead of focusing on the dark spot that tainted you, you'll see what I saw. I saw a boy who grew up to be a dependable man", I said while holding his gaze. "I'm proud of the man you've become, Jiro."

He stared at me for a long moment without uttering a word, the impassive expression never leaving his face. Okay, this is getting embarrassing. Perhaps, I should've just shut my mouth instead of delivering a lengthy speec-...

He suddenly leaned forward so I reclined back. I winced in surprise when he extended his arm and reached for my face, pinching my cheek as he stared at me. "The kid is becoming a woman", he murmured before pulling back.

Gah!

I looked behind me and saw my classmates watching us in awe. "Anyway", I said to break the awkwardness, "Don't worry, I won't reveal your past in the essay", I said and started writing on my notebook.

"Why are you insecure about your strength?" He asked after a while.

"I'm incapable of doing something for those important to me. My strength is not enough to carry other's burden and that made me insecure because I want to be of help, but I lack the power to do so", I explained, my voice growing small as I looked at him.

"Hmmm..." He murmured while staring intently at me. I averted my gaze and continued writing on my notebook.

"What do you think of InterSAT?" He asked.

Huh? What's with the random question? "At first, I was appalled by the state of this place but I realized that just like any other school, InterSAT has a lot of beautiful things to offer. It's where the students build memories and those memories will surely be cherished."

"I heard the rumor about Cheng. Why did you stick with her despite the rumor?"

"She's my friend. Even if she's a pain in the ass, she's someone important to me. I will stand by her even if it means being dragged in the mess she's in because Namee is a person worth fighting for."

"What do you think of Riko?"

I stopped writing and abruptly lifted my gaze. He was watching me intently, waiting for my answer. It was a question I didn't expect to hear from him and honestly, it stung my heart that her name always lingered between me and Jiro.

"I don't know her that much, but I know she cares for you a lot and I'm thankful to her for that, among other things."

"You're not pissed off by her?"

My grip on my pen became firm as I swallowed hard. "Of course, I am", I sighed. "She's your ex and she transferred here for you. She still has feelings for you and told me she wanted you back. Then, I see her always around you. But whenever I think of how she must be feeling, I can't bring myself to be mad at her. I can't also bring myself to tell you to avoid her, not because of what she had done for my father, but because I don't have the heart to destroy her love."

He tilted his head to the side and crossed his arms again over his chest while staring at me. "That's your strength, Ramirez", he said. "You look past the ugliness, find a beautiful spot and focus your eyes on that spot."

I felt a warm, fuzzy feeling as we looked at each other. I enjoy this kind of moments between us – me staring at him, him staring at me. I breathed out in contentment, treasuring the bond that I have with him in this quiet moment. Even though his words are scarce, Jiro never failed to make me feel how special I am, and I am tremendously grateful for that.

I smiled at him and lowered my gaze to write on my notebook. My fingers froze when I heard the feet of his chair scraping the floor, moving towards me. He placed the chair beside mine and sat on it, our backs facing the board and our classmates. I pretended to ignore what he was doing and proceeded with writing when I felt his arm resting at the back of my chair. I whipped my head towards him but he just stared impassively at me.

"What?" He asked.

"N-Nothing", I stuttered. I could feel the heavy gaze of the entire room directed at us, but I decided to ignore it. "By the way, I've read the books you gave me on my birthday. I love the author! I can't decide which book is my favorite. Mobster for Rent book is such a rollercoaster ride and Knot This Guy book is magical", I rambled on and on while he listened to me, his eyes focused forward.

"You like them because of the smut chapter, don't you?"

"Of course not!" I huffed.

"I bet the one I read in someone's black notebook is better", he said in a flat tone.

He is teasing me! How dare him! I narrowed my eyes at Jiro, but he just cocked his eyebrows at me.

"In the black notebook, there were a lot of juices-..." I gasped and covered his mouth with my hand, cutting him off. I didn't care if the entire class was looking at us including those at the hallway who were peeking inside our classroom.

"Jiro", I whined, my eyebrows furrowed in a mixture of worry and embarrassment. "Stop teasing. You already went too far with the teasing last night. And then, you left me", I whispered in a pained voice.

He peeled my hand off his mouth and stared at me for a moment. He then looked over his shoulder and the students instantly averted their gazes. Afterwards, Jiro leaned down and whispered on my ear. "I had to leave last night, Ramirez. Because I was about to lose control and I know it's not the right time", he said.

OH MY GOSH! My ovaries are history. He managed to explode them with the sheer power of his words. I'm pretty sure I'm morphing into a giant tomato with the way my cheeks are blushing.

I cast my gaze downwards and fumbled with the hem of my skirt, unable to respond. How the hell should I respond to that? S-Should I tell him I'm...*gulp*...ready? Gahh! I don't know!

I was still in a state of mental breakdown when his phone beeped. He read the message and his eyebrows furrowed deeply. "Shit", he muttered and shifted his gaze at me. "I need to see Riko."

"What?" My face instantly fell and my heart sank.

"Don't give me that look, Ramirez", he said softly and squeezed my shoulder, melting away my uneasiness. "I'll be back."

"Okay", I mumbled.

He left and I waited. He did not come back.

Writer's Note:

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