-=+ CHAPTER VIII +=-

Dara felt her head throbbed. She didn't sleep really well. With her still closed eyes, the words that Jiyong uttered while he was asleep kept on repeating inside her head. And she believes it's not for her since she never told him she loves him. She won't dare admitting it now and she will never admit this to him. She went over and over her feelings to herself last night and she knows she loves him already. That's it, this is the farthest way for me to go. Just to admit it to myself. Nothing more. After a week, my life will be back to normal.

She opened her eyes and was welcomed by Jiyong's chest. She completely forgot that Jiyong slept in her place. She tried to wiggle free from his embrace but she stirred him from his sleep. He slowly tightened his embrace on her as he mumbled incoherent words to her.

"Huh?" Dara asked him.

"Date." He simply answered.

"What's the date today?" Dara clarifies.

Jiyong released her a bit but still embracing her. "Date. It's our date today. Our movie date." Then he flashed her his famous gummy smile and she just stared at him. Then his expression suddenly changed as he looked at her tired face. Worry suddenly crept all over his face. "You didn't sleep well?" He gently caressed her face. "I'm sorry."

Dara immediately buried her face on his chest. The look that he just gave her makes her more confused. After her long contemplation last night, she fears all her determination will crumble if she looks at him now. With that kind of expression that shows him worrying for her. Seeing his face up close, she can't bury the fact that there's sincerity in the way he looks at her. This is making her more perplexed, she thought she had already convinced herself that Jiyong doesn't see her that way, but now with how he looks just now, she knows it's impossible that he doesn't care about her. But he has another girl... A short haired girl.

She felt Jiyong's hand behind her pulling her closer to him. "We could skip the movie date. We could just stay here in bed doing--"

Dara immediately freed herself and fell down from bed. "Arggghhh."

Jiyong popped his head from above and stretched his arm. "Aigoo, so clumsy."

"Because you are a ert." She glared at him as she held his hand to go back to bed.

"ert? I was going to say doing nothing but sleeping." Jiyong flicked her forehead softly and chuckled. "Who is ert now?"

Jiyong embraced her again and she tried to wiggle herself free but he didn't let her. "Why? Embarrassed again?" He pulled away from her and stared directly into her eyes. "Why feel embarrassed when we shared something nice last night?" Jiyong grinned.

Dara pushed him and was able to break free from his grip. "P-ert." She can't believe that Jiyong can easily talk about that incident when here she was trying hard to compose herself in front of him. "What happened to you last night?" She tried to be as comfortable as possible inside his embrace.

"Just old stuff." He answered.

"Old stuff?"

He pulled away from her a bit. "Want some breakfast?" He smiled at her. The way Jiyong changed the topic means he is avoiding talking further about what happened last night. He doesn't want to talk to me about it? I guess so... Who am I anyway?

"Not really." She nuzzled her face against his chest. One more week. Give me one more week of such happiness and I'll forget this friggin' feelings that I have.

Jiyong chuckled. "This is nice. You're not fighting me this time. Be careful I might get used to this."

Just for a week, I'll take whatever it is you can give me even if it means sharing you with her. "I think it's time for me to get greedy." She answered.

"Greedy huh? What do you mean?" He asked her.

She sniffed his shirt. "What's your cologne?"

"Do you like the smell?" Jiyong asked her, not noticing that she just avoided his question.

"Not really, but it's not bad." She answered. But she lied. She likes it, the way it smells on his skin. The chemistry of the cologne against his skin, it's something very enchanting for her. "Don't you smoke?"

"I'm trying to cut my nicotine intake."

Dara tilted her head up and looked at him. "Why?"

"You don't like it right?"

She stared at his face and nodded. She freed herself and sat up. "Now I'm hungry." She blurted. She hated this side of Jiyong which makes her expect something more from him. She doesn't need to believe that he likes her for she knows she will be in pain if this turns out to be a lie. Always being afraid of what love can offer, she needed to be cautious even she wanted to accept love just for a week. If it is even love that he feels for me. She sighed.

Jiyong heard her sighing and was about to approach her when his phone rang. "Yoboseyo.... Omma.... Shoot... I forgot... Nae.... Yes... Arasso...... Yes..... Uhmmm.... Okay.... Will be there. Bye.... See you." Then he hangs up. He raked his fingers on his hair. ", I completely forgot."

Dara turned to face him, she is now standing up. Then Jiyong looked up. "I'm sorry but we gotta postpone our date today." Dara tried to smile a bit, she is disappointed but she can't do anything about it. So... I'll lose a day out of the week... She weakly smiled at him again and nodded, assuring him it's okay. "Come to think of it..." Jiyong spoke and stood up, he stretched then grabbed his coat. "I'll be back in an hour, I'll pick you up."

"W-why? I thought---"

"You're coming with me." Jiyong grinned.

"Am I?" Dara asked him.

"Yup. My cousin's getting married today. So dress with something formal. You'll be my date." He winked at her and went out of her room leaving her dumbfounded on the turn of events.

After a while it sunk in to her. "Me? Wedding? Cousin? Formal? Bommieeee!!!!" Dara shrieked as she realized what Jiyong just said. She isn't ready for formal occasion such as this and what's more, it's his cousin's wedding which means his family will be there. "BOMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!" She shouted once again.

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Dara turned around one last time in front of the mirror. And Bommie just looked at her gawked at her reflection. "Well? Are you happy or not?"

"Don't I look like I overdressed?" She looked down on her skirt. "And this part, isn't this fluffy?" She then touched her tummy area. "This, this lace, isn't it a bit too much?"

"Oh gosh Dara! You're going to a wedding, that dress looks nice, no, it looks fabulous on you. What the hell is wrong with you? Ji told you to dress with something formal right? That is formal, for goodness sake." Bommie moved over her back and clasped her shoulders as she forced Dara to face the mirror. "Look, you're so pretty Dara. Stop over thinking."

Dara took another look at her reflection and smiled. "I do right?"

"Yes. So go down now, Ji is waiting for you downstairs. Go make his heart flutter more"

She took her purse and went down. Clasping her hands together, she steadied herself on her stilettos just near the door of their building. She breathed in and out to calm her nerves and went out of the building. Outside, Jiyong's car was parked in front. Jiyong looked at her and his mouth partially opened upon seeing her.

Dara bit her lower lip as she made her way to Jiyong who is now gawking at her. She was wearing a grayish color dress with lace that Bom lend to her, she was able to find a decent stilettos that she owns but seldom wear.  She smiled embarrassingly at him. "I look ridiculous. Give me time to change." She said as she started to go back to the building door.

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"Yah!" Jiyong yanked her hand and looked directly at her eyes. "You look beautiful." He flashed her with his famous gummy smile. She smiled back and looked at Jiyong's get-up.

"You cleaned up really well yourself." She speak kindly about him. Jiyong was wearing a black coat, with no visible polo inside. To make his look more dramatic, he wore a pair of eyeglasses and brushed his hair up.

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Jiyong pouted with how she complimented him. "Just that?"

Dara chuckled. "Arasso. You look more handsome than you normally do." Then she winked at him.

Jiyong laughed and thanked her. "Thanks." Then Jiyong opened the door for his date and Dara slids in.

"I didn't know you have a car. Didn't see you driving." Dara commented when Jiyong settled himself in the driver's seat.

Jiyong started the engine and drove the car before responding to her. "I do have it in the parking lot in the basement of our