“You’re not still thinking about yesterday, right?” Chanyeol looked at her and dragged her closer, “I really want us to stay together”. Words came out from his mouth but Chanyeol didn’t even sure that he meant it.

“Really?”

“Yeah” Chanyeol lied. He couldn’t tell which one is true and which one is not anymore. Chanyeol looked at her and pulled her closer to him, “Ara-ya”

“Y-yes?” Ara got stiff because they got so close again.

“I’m sorry” He put hie head on Ara’s shoulder, “I’m really sorry, should we try again?”

Ara only looke at him. “Uhm...”

Ara looked at Chanyeol’s eyes and he could looked at the sincerity he had in his eyes. “Okay, but you need to know, my heart scratch a bit already” she smiled.

“I’ll heal it” Chanyeol hugged her. He felt happy. Another puzzle in his life felt like completed by hugging Ara. They both were fit to each other somehow.

Right now, he was not even sure if this was still about charity or not.

***

Chanyeol woke up that morning and looked at the place where he sleep.

He slept on Ara’s couch.

All night.

He hated sleeping in the couch when he was tired, but sleeping on Ara’s place was not bad at all for him.

“Yeah I have time today, if you want I can be with you for today, we can just have lunch or dinner”

Chanyeol heard Ara’s voice and he looked at her preparing breakfast on the kitchen. Ara looked at him and smiled. He walked towards her while she was still holding her phone.

“Yeah I will see you later okay? see you!” Ara hung up and looked at Chanyeol, “good morning” she greeted.

“Good morning too miss Lee” Chanyeol came closer to her and saw her cooking, “wow, pancakes, impressive”

“It’s from the groceries we bought last time, remember?” she smiled, “sit down, I will prepare this for you”. Chanyeol nodded and sat in the counter chair. He looked at her and smiled. ‘what a great morning’ he smiled. He could guarantee that if he keep his relationship with Ara, his abs would be gone in couple of months.

Ara put a chocolate sauce and strawberry in the pancakes and gave the plate to Chanyeol, “happy eating oppa!”

“Thankyou” He smiled and ate the pancakes. “Tasty” he commented and they both smiled, “who are you talking to a while ago in your phone?” he asked.

“Dokyeom” she smiled, “he wants to see me later”

Chanyeol stopped. “Why?” he put his fork. He felt something was not right. He doesn’t like it. At all.

“He just want to talk and hang out, he’s a good friend you know” Ara smiled and put a pancake for herself as well. She put some caramel sauce and whipped cream on top of it and sat next to Chanyeol. “Why?”

“are you close with him?” Chanyeol asked, “I don’t like it”

“Well you’re close with Seulgi-ssi as well and you didn’t hear me complaining” Ara ate her pancake in front of Chanyeol calmly.

“How did you know that?” Chanyeol asked.

“She called you this morning, I saw that and of course I didn’t pick it up,” Ara smiled, “it’s not my position to do it”

“You’re my girlfriend of course you’re in position to do it” Chanyeol looked at her, “you’re still-“

“Angry? Noo!” Ara laughed, “I just give privacy to you, I don’t wanna know it, and if you want to know what’s with me and Dokyeom? We’re just a good friend, and you know he’s super tall as well”

“Ah so my girlfriend has a thing for tall people” Chanyeol glared at Ara, “why don’t you just date a pole instead!?”

“Why are you so angry about it!” Ara laughed and raised her voice a little bit, “I just said that he’s tall and you became very angry about it! You’re so grumpy today Mr. Park” Ara laughed.

Chanyeol was quiet after that. He didn’t know why but he just didn’t want to share her to anyone. For now. Even though it’s still a charity (of course) to him. “What ever” he started to talk to him again, “I just don’t want you to get hurt”

“I got hurt already many times by you, I guess there would be no difference” Ara joke about it, “so, what’s your schedule for today?”

“I have to finish my music, I have 10 musics I need to turn in to the office by next month and I’m not even halfway”

“That’s a lot, but I know you can do it” Ara looked at him and smiled, “you are mr. Capable, so I have believe in you!”. Chanyeol smiled. Ara’s word encourage him to work more than any day. He felt even more complete that morning.

“I must be crazy” he mumbled while looking at Ara who was still smiling and looking at him.

“Eh? Why?” Ara laughed.

“Nothing” Chanyeol smiled. “come to the office tonight okay?”

“I’ll try” Ara smiled and nodded shyly.

***

“I can’t believe you have dibs on her” Mingyu sighed as he looked at Dokyeom who was preparing for a meeting with Ara, “this is not fair, she’s very adorable”

“I know, but too bad I have dibs on her, even though she’s my noona” Dokyeom laughed and smiled, “she’s just... different”

“She’s still with Chanyeol sunbaenim you know that” Mingyu looked at him and he nodded, “then it’s not supposed to be dibs on anyone yet”

“No, the dibs is on me” Dokyeom laughed really hard and Mingyu decided to give up. Dokyeom looked at himself in the mirror, “how do I look?”

“You look okay, this is a lunch not a date” Mingyu laughed, “just be comfortable, you’re a nice person anyway”. Dokyeom patted Mingyu’s shoulder and nodded. “I know” Dokyeom laughed, “thanks”

“Vain” Mingyu glared at him, “well, goodluck!”. Dokyeom looked at his phone and texted Ara.

Lee DK: noona! I’m on my way!

Lee Ara: Okay! uhh meet me at my place okay? you know where is it right? I prepare lunch for us

Lee DK: really? Ah okay! (y)

“wow she cooks as well” Dokyeom put his phone on his pocket.

“How do you know that?” Mingyu asked.

“She said we will just eat in her place and she prepare lunch for us” Dokyeom smiled, “she’s very nice”. Dokyeom walked outside and looked at S.coups who were looking at the music sheet he has. “Hyung, what are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m looking at the rap lyrics on this song, it doesn’t seem right” S.Coups sighed, “you want to help?”

“I have a lunch appointment hyung, ask woozi hyung instead” Dokyeom smiled, “see you!”. Dokyeom walked from the apartement and grabbed his car immediately. he drove his car around town until he arrived at Ara’s place. The building looks so big and Dokyeom was awed for a while.

“This building is too big” Dokyeom sighed and walked inside of the building. He walked into the elevator and pressed the button of Ara’s floor.

TING!

Dokyeom walked out when he reached his destination. He proceed to Ara’s apartment and pressed her bell. This was his first time to come here and he got scared. The only reason why ne knew the place was only because S.Coups went here before, but knowing that’s he’s on his own now made him scared.

TING TONG! TING TONG!

“Kyeommie!” Ara opened the door and immediately greeted Dokyeom. Dokyeom smiled and greeted Ara.

“How are you Ara noona? I miss you!” Dokyeom greeted her back, “you didn’t tell me that S.Coups hyung went to your house before!”

“Heyy he’s my friend and he needed my help so of course I help him,” Ara explained, “come in! Noona prepare some food for you!” Ara dragged Dokyeom inside of her house and closed the door, “welcome to noona’s house! Sorry it’s a bit messy”

“Noona...” Dokyeom looked at the whole apartment. Dokyeom knew that it would be a very expensive place to live, and he was right, Ara’s place looked really luxurious, “what is your mom and dad’s job? This place is huge!”

“They just run a business” Ara smiled, “sit down! And lets eat!”. Dokyeom walked to the kitchen tabl and sat there. He looked at Ara who still wear her apron on kitchen. ‘noona you look really cute on apron’ he said that bluntly. Didn’t realize that he actually saying it out loud.

“You’re funny kyeommie!” Ara smiled. he brought some plate to the table and gave it to Dokyeom, “here! Noona has some egg rolls, kimbap, and fried rice!”

“You’re so nice” Dokyeom smiled. Ara was smaller than him. calling her noona was a bit weird for him, and somehow, Ara became the noona he always wanted to protect. He waited for Ara to sit in front of him so he can eat.

Ara sat in front of him and looked at him with some aegyo in her eyes, “eat up Dokyeom-ah! I prepare this for you!”

“Thankyou! Lets eat!” Dokyeom widened his smile and grabbed a chopstick to eat the eggrolls. He put some eggrolls in his mouth and widened his eyes.

“Is it good?” Ara asked. Dokyeom could only gave his thumbs up and it made Ara smile even wider. Dokyeom swallow the egg and started talking again.

“Noona, keep your smile like that okay? it looks really pretty on you” said Dokyeom.

“Ah really?” Ara smiled.

“You should leave your hardship behind, you have me, all my hyungs and all your friends to talk to, don’t keep it by yourself” said Dokyeom.

“How do you know that I have a lot of concern Dokyeom-ah?” Ara smiled and grabbed eggrolls to be put in .

“Your eyes shows concern,” Dokyeom started to get serious, “I will be very angry if you get sad, you shouldn’t be sad because you have a pretty smile”

“But you cannot control that kyeommie” Ara replied.

“of course you can!” Dokyeom defended himself, “just stay away from negativity as much as you can, I can see everytime we meet, you have a lot of concern”

“Yeah” Ara sighed, “I-“

“Is it because of sunbaenim?” Dokyeom asked.

“What? You mean Chanyeol-ssi?” Ara looked up to Dokyeom and he nodded.

“No!” Ara answered.

“Noona”

“I said no”

“Ara-ya” He turned to become very informal towards the girl in front of her.

“okay” Ara sighed, “sometimes,” Ara looked at Dokyeom, and her smile faded. Dokyeom could see how big Ara’s wound inside because her smile disappeared really fast. “I just don’t think it’s right sometimes, you heard my story from S.Coups right? I asked him to go out for 72 times for a year, I don’t think he’s sincere,”

“Don’t think like that” Dokyeom didn’t want to see her get sad. He was really scared on losing that smile he likes.

“But I sometimes feel sad because of that” Ara looked at him and sighed. Dokyeom sighed and looked at her. he seriously couldn’t see Ara’s smiled disappear.

“Then maybe you should-“

TING TONG! TING TONG!

“Who is that?” Ara looked at the door.

“You should open the door first” Dokyeom looked at Ara, “this is important and this can wait”. Dokyeom looked at the door while Ara opened the door. He looked outside and a guy with a suit appeared in front of the door.

“What are you doing here?” Ara answered coldly. Dokyeom, who still wandered, decided to followed Ara to the front door.

“We need to go be-“ The guy in suit stopped when he saw Dokyeom, “oh, you have company”

“Yeah he’s my friend, I cannot go now” Ara answered coldly.

“Noona who is he?” Dokyeom asked.

“Wait Dokyeom” Ara looked at him. he never saw Ara that cold. Ara’s warmth just go and he didn’t see that in her anymore.

“Miss Hyeji is missing”

“WHAT?”

“That’s why we need to go” the guy kept pushing her, “this is the duty of yours miss, I expect you to understand because your sister is missing as well”

Ara sighed. She looked at Dokyeom and smiled, “is it okay if I go?” Ara asked him, “someting important came up, I need to go”

“Wait wait you need to explain things, who is missing? Should I help? What should I do?” Dokyeom looked worried, “if everything is not fine, I can help with the others”

“No this is waaay beyond that,” Ara smiled, “I can do it okay? I need to go now”. She looked at the guy and asked, “when is my flight?”

“In 3 hours?” he answered shortly.

“I see” Ara ran to her room all of the sudden. Dokyeom looked at the guy in front of him and asked him, “and you are...”

“ Mr. Cho, nice to meet you Dokyeom-ssi” Mr. Cho bowed at him.

“And you know me from the TV right?” Dokyeom smiled, “or you have person to spy on Ara all the time?” he joked a little bit.

“We have person to watch miss Lee everyday Mr. Lee, please understand” Mr. Cho bowed again at him, “she’s important for us”

Dokyeom froze. She looked at Ara holding her passport while walking out from her room. She hold her bag and Mr. Cho immediately grabbed that from him.  “Ara-ya where are you going”

“Dokyeom-ah”

“You need to explain things to me” Dokyeom hold her shoulder and stopped her, “you need to explain first before you can do anything”

Ara sighed, “I never lie to you, I need to explain that first to you”

“Yes I know that you will never lie to me anyway” Dokyeom looked at her, “then, your explanation would be...”

“You know my parents has a business right? I told you a while ago,” Ara explained and Dokyeom nodded, “well, I am psychiatrist and I don’t want the company but they’re keep pushing me and-“

“W-w-wait, did you say company?” Dokyeom got even more shocked, “Ara-ya, how big is the business?”

“You know the Lee International?” Mr. Cho helped Dokyeom to understand. Dokyeom looked at Ara and she felt even more guilty.

“Your parents own Lee International?” Dokyeom asked for confirmation. As an answer, Ara only nodded and looked at Dokyeom with guilty feelings.

“You’re not joking?”

Ara shook her head.

“Ara-“

“Looked I’ll be gone for maybe 1 or 2 weeks, I need you to keep this as secret, I don’t want people to know about it”

“B-but why?” Dokyeom got confused.

“Because I just need to handle things for a while, honestly I don’t want this kind of life, moving back and forth to New York is tiring!” Ara looked like she wanted to cry.

Without any hesitation, Dokyeom hugged her trying to comfort her.

“I’ll keep this as secret, don’t worry” Dokyeom looked at her, “now you should go, your flight is in 3 hours,” dokyeom smiled, “remember, keep the smile noona, I don’t want you to be sad”

“I will” Dokyeom and Ara walked out together and left Ara’s place together with Mr. Cho.

***