The word, uncomfortable, wouldn’t be able to describe the atmosphere surrounding the four. Kris chose a French restaurant for them to have dinner.  A soft, old French song playing. Romantic dim lights from chandeliers. Seafood and high-class beefsteaks on their table. Some expensive red wine wafting through the air. With all these, still comfort or pleasant were words that could never be used at that time.

Dara was busy glaring at some unidentified object across the hall.

Donghae had fixed his head down like he failed the board exam or something.

Yoona was tapping the table softly with her dainty fingers without making a sound.

And there was Kris. The clueless one. Glancing questioningly at all of them.

“So,” What on Earth is going on here? Kris never liked being left out. I’ve got to find out. “”Let’s eat!” He somehow jumped from his seat and grinned so wide. Donghae finally raised his head and nodded with a short smile. Yoona took her spoon and started with the soup while Dara had the urged to just lit a stick of cigarette there.

You told me you love me but here you go dating with her? No, Yang Sandara wanted to light a person alive.

“Baby,” cooed Kris at Dara as he forked that piece of meat. “Have a taste of this. It’s so delicious.”

Dara turned his head to him with that not really surprised look because she had seen Kris Wu trying to be flirty with her lots of times, being the playful Kris. She just stared at him hard.

“Try it.” Kris smiled oh-so-lovingly at her as he put the meat down on her plate and returned to his own food. I think I’m getting it. He quietly told himself. Kris didn’t miss it. When he called Dara his baby, the guy across him quickly looked at Dara as if waiting for her to punch him but when she didn’t . . . The food in Donghae’s throat seemed to have just stuck there. Are they? Is he? “Im Yoona ssi. How’s Senator Im?”

Yoona gently wiped with a napkin. “He’s doing fine.”

“That’s good to hear.” Kris replied. He took a sip from his wine. “I heard Choi TOP got married. He did a sculpture of Judas two years ago and I just got to buy it. You guys are pretty close, right?”

Yoona’s smile was about to drop for a second but she smiled just wider and nodded. It was fake. Donghae glanced at Yoona with concern. She hadn’t moved on yet from TOP. Having a conversation about him as the main topic was sure making her uncomfortable.

“Yes.” Yoona said. “It’s true he got married to Shin Min Ah ssi.”

Kris didn’t miss it again. As the guy looked at her, Dara’s eyes fired in jealousy. Yes. Kris has dated lots of females, bouncy or skinny, but they have that one universal look that would never change.

That I-don’t-give-a--but-girl-you’re-ing-ugly-to-be-even-looked-at.

Kris flashed a smile back. “I thought you guys were really gonna end up together inside a church.”

Yoona’s lips partly parted. For a guy, he’s sure a great gossiper. She smiled again and drank from her wine glass. “It’s all in the past now.”

“Of course,” nodded Kris quickly. “Of course. Plus,” His eyes went to Donghae. “Lee Donghae ssi is actually a lot more appealing than him. Not that I’m gay, of course.” Kris laughed a bit loud.

Yoona was taken aback. “Mwo?” Donghae creased his brows, not understanding it.

“Yoona ssi looks really happy with you, Donghaee ssi.”

“Oh.” Yoona could only say as she shook her head and Donghae was quick to waved his hands in disagreement. Dara swore she was near striking the knife on her hand to Kris’ mouth. His comments were getting more and more . . . infuriating.

“W-we’re not together.” Donghae pointed at Yoona. “Yoona and I are just friends.”

“That’s right,” added Yoona. “We just met here by accident.”

“Really?” Kris slightly creased his brows. “But you look so in love with her.”

It was like a bomb was dropped on the floor. Dara stopped chewing as his sentence sank in. Very deep in that the shrimp suddenly tasted so bitter.

Donghae looked at him in the eyes. “We’re really just friends.” He was sensing something with the way Kris kept on pushing that up. Yoona studied that mischievous smile on his lips and eyes. She was beginning to dislike him. This is not helping Donghae to come clean on Dara. She thought.

“If you say so.” He tilted his head to the right and finished his steak.

He got to confirm one thing though.

It is him. It is Lee Donghae who complicates Yang Sandara’s life. Kris couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. Didn’t think a wild tiger would fall to a . . . Kris secretly glanced at Donghae. Nemo.

“How about you? I heard it from Siwon.”

Kris looked at Yoona. He couldn’t help but be mesmerized on her angelic beauty. “Yes?”

In Yoona’s eyes, she made sure she would get their reactions correctly. “He said you guys are engaged. Is it true? How long have you been together?”

Donghae could only look at Dara. It was the question he wanted to be answered since last week. And the only person who could do so was her. 100%. That was a hundred percent he was hoping for her to vehemently deny it. It was like forever before Dara or Kris says a word.

Kris was pretty shocked. Whenever the people who knew the name of Dara would ask about him, he would just tell them he was her fiance as a joke. Didn’t know Siwon would take that seriously. Kris laughed shortly, drinking his wine. “It was a-”

“Yeah. It’s true.”

And just like that the bomb exploded to his face.

Dara looked at Kris and smiled so sweetly. “He’s my boyfriend.”

“What are you doing here?” Yoona slowly walked to him. “Donghae?”

Donghae was standing near the railings on the 3rd floor of the mall, staring blankly at the people going down the escalator in front of him. Dara and Kris said that they would stay for a while and have some coffee inside.

“You’re going to the party, right?” He quietly asked.

“Yeah.” Yoona told him in GD’s art store that she and her father was actually invited to Dara’s party. She guessed it was from Yang Hyun Suk. The businessman just wanted to fix whatever this Im and Yang’s so-called rift of the year. She didn’t want to go but her father persuaded her.

“Can I ask you a favor?”

Yoona looked to her side. Donghae did a lot, as in a lot of things for her that she was willing to do anything to help him get better. “Sure. What is it?” She smiled to him.

Donghae turned to her with that dispirited look. “Can you give this to her?” He took her right hand and placed the paintbrush he bought on it.

“Wha-”

“I’m not goin-”

“No.” Yoona said out loud with that firm voice. “You give this to her.” Her eyes drilling holes at him.

Donghae remained quiet. After Dara confirmed that she was his . . . “It’s a lost fight.” He told her bitterly.

“It’s a fight that has just started. Silly.” Yoona lightly hit him on the arm. She was annoyed that he was acting like this. That he was already giving up.

“Yoona. Dara has already got a special someone in her life.” It felt like he was munching coffee beans in his mouth. “He was with us a while ago. He was there with her right now. He’s Kris Wu.” His heart just got heavier when he once thought that Dara’s wrath was the of it. He was wrong. Dara finding a man in her life was just worse.

Yoona could only sigh at the sight of the always positive Donghae turned as the ultra NEGAstar. “Says who?”

“Says Dara.”

“And you believe that?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Yoona let out a laugh of disbelief at her good friend. “Donghae.” She held his left hand tightly, making him face her. “Yah. Hey. Look at me.” She pulled him a bit closer to her. “Trust me. She’s lying.”

Donghae creased his forehead at what she said. “What?”

“She’s lying.” Yoona nodded in so much conviction.

“Yoona.”

“She is!” She exclaimed, the paintbrush on her hand pointed towards the 4th floor. “Trust me when I say,” Her big angelic eyes were getting bigger as she tried to enlighten him. “Girls say one thing but then means another.” She pursed her pink lips and nodded.

“Huh?”

“I don’t know what’s the deal between her phony engagement with that Kris Wu but I’m sure she’s not even dating him. Or gonna date him. Ever.”

“Why do you say so? Kris Wu is like every girl’s prince charming.”

Yoona smirked. “But Yang Sandara’s not a princess who would fall for a prince charming. You should know that.”

Donghae remembered Dara’s cursing mouth. Dara as a dainty princess?

“Plus . . .”

He looked at her again.

“I didn’t know you are this . . . Hmmm . . .” She pursed her lips forward and tilted her head as she gave Donghae a head to toe look.

“This?”

“Dense.”

Donghae widened his eyes. “Mwo?”

“Lee Donghae.” Yoona began. “Didn’t it ever, ever cross your mind that Dara might actually loves you too?”

He was silenced at first but then recalled her words that brought they gray, rainy clouds above his head. I can’t say I love you too . . . because I don’t feel the same way. Remembering it, pricked his heart. “She told me that she doesn’t love-”

“Again,” She cut him off. “Girls say one thing but then means another.” She repeated.

He looked away and sighed. “I don’t know what to think.”

“Just think of this.” Yoona made him look at her again. “I can’t believe how an intelligent guy like you could not notice it.”

“Huh?”

“The big, bolded main point you have been missing when this chaos happened.”

Donghae narrowed his eyes for a bit, not getting her. Girls are way harder than a Math problem. He thought.

“Donghae.” Yoona looked at him seriously as she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Dara was jealous when she saw you and I kissed. Right? She got so angry at the sight of you kissing another woman. That’s jealousy.”

He had to admit that was something that he wasn’t dwelling on too much.

“And jealousy is only felt when one is hurt.” Yoona smiled at him softly. “And hurt? A person can only get hurt by the persons they love.” She playfully pinched his nose and laughed.

Donghae scratched the back of his head, feeling his confidence and innocent desire of making her his was getting back.

“It’s maybe 1-0 for now.” Yoona took his hand and put the paintbrush again, holding his hand tighter. “Make it even tomorrow in Dara’s birthday. Arasso?”

“Deh!” Donghae finally brought back the courage that got bruised a while ago.  He laughed with her, not minding the people giving them weird looks.

“So, he’s Mr. C.” Kris teasingly told her. They were standing just before the escalator, going down the third floor.

Dara refused to answer his another bull. Her eyes were blazing fixed at Donghae and Yoona laughing with each other.

“Mr. Complication.” Kris snorted as he looked at them below. He really found Dara’s totally pissed off state amusing. She’s girly after all. “Why did you tell them that?”

“Tell what?”

“Tell that I am your boyfriend.”

“Aren’t you?”

Kris smirked. She was always the one who disliked the idea of getting married to him. “Wae?” He let out an airy laugh. “Are you my girlfriend?”

“I’m considering.”

The mischievous smirk on his lips slowly faded at what he heard. Kris turned to Dara who was still glaring at the two. He never thought the Yang Sandara could be this stubbornly stupid. “I swear your s are going to backfire on you, Dara.” He was serious this time. “Be careful.”

It was 7:32 in the cold evening.

Donghae felt his heart was about to explode in nervousness. He was reciting the whole Periodic Table on his way to the Yang’s mansion where the venue of heiress’ birthday was being held. It was to ease his very nervous heart. He actually walked all through the main gate of the subdivision because they only let private cars get passed in. He was hoping that he still looked . . . presentable. He was sweating under the royal blue long sleeves he managed to retrieve from his treasure chest. Hyukjae let him borrowed his black shoes in exchange of one-week vacation in the restaurant. Siwon lend him a silky black tuxedo. He had to admit he looked good on it when he tried all them last nigh