MY GANGSTER PROTECTOR ✔

CHAPTER 22 - Misunderstanding

"Do you know what they're saying?" Namee set down her tray of food and slumped on the seat in front of Dara. "The students think that Riko and Jiro are a couple and you're just his childhood friend. Argh! If you don't do something, I swear I will!"

"Let them be", Dara responded while roaming her eyes in the cafeteria. The usual buzzing during lunch break could be heard, accompanied by the clinking of silverwares as the InterSAT students ate while chatting. Everything looked normal, but something felt missing.

"I haven't seen Bullet lately", Dara said, realizing that their cheerful gang leader friend was nowhere in sight.

"Maybe he's lazy to go to school. Or maybe the Business Management students are busy", Namee shrugged. Since Business Management students like Bullet sometimes had feasibility studies that required them to go on fields or other locations, what her friend said was highly possible. But for some reason, Dara still felt restless.

"Anyway, back to your problem", Namee said in a business-like tone.

"I don't have any problem."

"Yes, you do. And the problem is sitting over there", she tilted her head to the side and when Dara turned towards that direction, she saw Riko and her friends giggling as they occupied the table in a corner.

"I overheard Riko telling her friends that Jiro is not the 'Ice Lord' that everybody thinks. She said he's really caring and thoughtful. Oh pleaseee", Namee rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"But she's right", Dara said nonchalantly while focusing on her food. "Jiro is really not the type of guy that others assumed him to be. Even if he looks cold and stoic, he actually pays attention to people around him and he cares for them in his own way", she added and lifted her eyes to look at her friend, who was gawking at her like she has completely evolved into an unknown specie. "What?"

"Oh my God, I'm going to marry you", Namee said sarcastically. "You talk like you've achieved nirvana. I mean, I know that you are understanding, but not to that extent."

"Thank...you?"

"DARA!" Namee huffed and glared at her. "Listen.To.Me. I know you trust Jiro and I know with your personality, you are never going to tell him to avoid Riko. I get that and seriously, I salute you for being very rational and tolerant. BUT... Riko is Jiro's ex-girlfriend and it's very obvious that she still has feelings for him so you should be cautious. Don't just leave them alone because they're friends."

Dara remained silent as she pondered over what her friend said. To be honest, Riko's presence in Jiro's life was making her uneasy. But knowing what Riko did for Jiro, which actually helped her indirectly, she couldn't bring herself to ask Jiro to stop accommodating Riko. If she were on Jiro's shoes, she would have probably done the same thing out of gratitude.

"It's...complicated", she mumbled.

"Oh, you should see my room. You'll see the real meaning of complicated", Namee remarked. "It's not complicated, my friend. The first step is to tell Jiro that you're not comfortable seeing him with his ex-girlfriend. You don't have to explicitly tell him to avoid her. He'll get your drift. Ice Lord is not stupid."

"You don't understand, Namee", Dara leaned towards her friend and whispered. "The man that Riko helped is my father. Jiro is indebted to her and in a way, I am too."

Namee exhaled audibly and raked her long hair with her fingers. She bit her lips and stared at her friend, her face drawn with concern. "Dara... You know what I think Jiro's problem is? He's not used to people being kind to him so if someone lends him a helping hand, he feels like he has to do everything to repay that person, even if it means he has to lose something very important to him. And you know what your problem is? You try to accept everything and make yourself believe that it's okay when deep inside you, it's not."