I think I’m ugly
And nobody wants to love me

Jiyong arranged his shoes along with a few pairs of worn-out sneakers that he believed were Dara’s shoes near the front door before he awkwardly walked to Minchan who was waiting for him in the hallway. He briefly scanned the house while walking behind the woman who looked a lot like Dara. 

The house was not big or luxurious as his house, but it brought a sense of security and warmth to his heart. Family photos were hung on the wall, most of them were Dara’s photos. Jiyong also spotted various kinds of plants in medium size of vases in every corner of the house. He absently stopped in the hallway to take a proper look at the photos. There were a few frames with three people in them; a little girl, with the woman that he followed just now, and a man.

Jiyong’s eyes stopped at two photos of Dara. She was smiling, but her smile looked different in both of the photos.

“This was when Sandara was seven. His dad was still around. But that..,” she pointed the photos next to it, “it was taken during the graduation of her primary school, a few weeks after she lost her dad.”

Minchan’s voice startled him. He turned to her, who has stopped walking as she noticed that his attention was now on her family photos.

“Is that why her smile looks different in these two?” Jiyong scrunched his nose after the words left his mouth. It sounded really weird, talking about her smile, but Minchan smiled warmly at him.

“I never thought you would pay attention to her smile.” She chuckled. Jiyong felt that his face has turned red. He knew that Minchan was teasing him.

“You can say that. She was not happy to graduate without her father. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes in this, right?” she pointed to the graduation photo of Dara. “Unlike this,” her fingers moved to the next photo. 

Jiyong nodded quietly.

“I guess you are really Sandara’s friend. Never did once that anybody would pay that kind of attention to her expression like that, you know?”

Jiyong continued to stare at the photos. He didn’t really know what to say. Was Dara his friend? The only people that he thought of as his friends were Taeyang and Seungri, and they alone were enough to make his life a mess. While CL, he thought of her as someone who always stick to Seungri, Daesung as his classmate who was kind enough to talk to him, Minzy was Dara’s friend. And Dara, he didn’t really know what to think of their relationship. He also didn’t know if Dara thought of him as her friend.

“Madam.” He called politely.

Minchan chuckled. She placed her hand on Jiyong’s shoulder. “Just call me Minchan, or aunty. It’s an honor to be the mother of your friend. Sandara never brings any friends to this home. And if she did, I never thought it’s gonna be a boy. You’re the first.”

Jiyong felt the warm hand on his shoulder, and it stirred something in his chest. Minchan’s warm touch and soft voice reminded him of his mother.

“A-aunty,” he stuttered. “Actually, I need your help with something.”

...

Dara continued to stare at the ceiling. Actually, there was nothing up there, but she had nothing to do. She didn’t have any homework since she did not attend school for a week. She had no phone to scroll to waste her time, and her mp3 was somewhere under her bed and she was too lazy to find it.

The incident with Brian was still lingering in her head. It was scary, traumatizing, and humiliating. The whole school has watched how Brian nearly ripped out her uniform and slapped her so hard. She really couldn’t find anything in her to bring herself to go to school. Dara knew she could not do this for too long or else she’d be kicked from the school.

The knock on her door brought her out from her reverie. Dara quickly sat up on her bed. Her door was pushed slowly and her mom came from behind it.

“Mom, I thought you are-“ 

Her words stopped in as she saw a familiar face standing behind her mother. His eyes watched her silently.

“Sandara, your friend is here.”

Dara immediately stood up and charged in Jiyong’s direction, but stopped when she realized that her mother was watching. She froze at where she stopped and looked up to her mother and Jiyong.

Minchan chuckled at the side. She saw how her daughter’s face lit up at the presence of the boy behind her but said nothing.

“I’ll go. I’m already late for the bus.” Minchan left Dara’s door so Jiyong could go in and walked away from there. The sound of their main door closing startled Dara. She looked down at her foot, feeling embarrassed that she nearly hugged Jiyong because the sight of him made her happy.

Dara glanced to Jiyong as she heard her door was pushed close, leaving only the both of them. She continued to stand there, not knowing how to react until Jiyong spoke.

“Who do you think you are that I have to come here to see what the hell you’re doing for this one week?”

His voice sent a shiver to her spine, but all Dara felt was a relief. She did not realize that tears started to fall down on her cheeks until Jiyong pushed her head to his chest.

“And the first thing you do is cry? Seriously?” he sighed irritatedly.

“I’m so-sorry!” she hiccuped, letting Jiyong’s hand pat her head. She could feel Jiyong’s warm body against her, and it felt comfortable. All the fears and insecurity that she felt for that one week disappeared.

Jiyong let her cry, didn’t really mind if his shirt was going to be wet. It happened a few times already and he didn’t think it matter to him anymore. He took his chance to scan Dara’s room. There was a single bed and a desk next to each other, a bookshelf, and a closed-door next to a brown wardrobe. He guessed that the door was the toilet. There were a few posters on the wall. He also didn’t miss a small pot of roses near the window. Her room was nothing like his room, but it was perfect enough for someone to use it comfortably.

When he thought that Dara has calmed down a bit, he pushed her to sit on the bed. Jiyong sat next to her awkwardly. He had never brought himself to go into a girl’s room, even his sister because Dami could be so annoying when it comes to using or touching her things. Because of that, Jiyong never brings himself to go into her room.

“I believe that you have a lot to talk about.” 

Dara shook her head, starting to fidget on her sit. “I have noth