Don’t lie to my face tellin' me
I’m pretty

Life must go on. That was written on a paper that Jiyong left, along with his phone number. With the courage that she got from her friends, Dara woke up early that morning. She put on her uniform and tied her hair in a neat ponytail. Her bangs covered her forehead and her brows. She did not know if it was just her imagination, but she could feel a little bit pretty that morning. And so, she smiled at her reflection in the mirror, mentally trying to cheer herself.

Dara glanced at the photos that Chaerin gave her. Apparently, there were a few photos in the envelope, including a picture of the three girls, photos of Taeyang, Seungri, and Daesung, a picture of both TOP and Bom, also a picture of Jiyong. Even in the picture, Jiyong was still lacking expression. Dara wondered if that boy ever smile.

After making sure her blazer was put neatly on her uniform, she took her bag and got out of her room. She felt her heart unusually calm. It was not like she always felt. Only this morning, she felt happy to go to school. It was the first time she felt that way because going to school was always something that she hated.

The visit that she received from her friends really did something to her. She managed to finish all of her homework with the help of Minzy’s notes. Although Minzy said she did not have to worry about the Maths homework, she did all of them anyway.

To know that she have someone waiting for her to arrive at school, made her giddy. She had not noticed that she was smiling brightly until a kind ahjumma who lived just two doors away from her house called her name when she was walking to go to school. The ahjumma was watering her flowers in her garden, with her two little puppies playing at her feet.

“Sandara. You look happy.” She called, she stopped watering the flowers as she looked at the girl. She had always watched Dara walk alone whenever she go to school, but this was the first time the girl looked so excited to go.

“Ah nothing, madam.” Dara politely answered. “I just got a really good sleep and got to finish my homework excellently.”

“I see.” The ahjumma smiled back. Dara had never really talked to her. Most of the time when she called her name, Dara would only bow to her and flash a small smile. “Careful on your way then.”

...

When Dara arrived at the school’s gate, she could feel her courage crumble slowly. There were a few students already scattered in the school compound, and her heart suddenly throbbed in fear. A sudden touch on her shoulder made her yelp. She quickly turned around, hands covering herself.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

She heard how the voice annoyedly asked her, and it was familiar to her heart. Cautiously, she lowered her hands and looked up to Jiyong. 

Jiyong was holding a small plastic while his bag was hung on his shoulders. His hair was a little bit messy (just like always), while his eyes were dark with eyebags.

“N-nothing.”

His eyes trailed on her curiously but decided not to say anything. He pulled one of the sandwiches from the small plastic that he hold and then it to Dara. Dara clumsily caught it, holding it close to her chest after managing not to drop the food.

“Take that.”

 Jiyong started to walk away, did not mind if Dara was following him or not. He nibbled the sandwich in his mouth, while his hands tried to tie the tie to his collar. Wordlessly, Dara followed him.

“Which one do you want? Strawberry or chocolate?” She pulled out two milk boxes from her bag and ran a little so that she was next to him. Jiyong did not reply, which means that he did not care. So Dara gave him the strawberry milk. She did not notice how Jiyong eyed the pink box with strawberry graphic incredulously.

Because it was pink in color, and it reminded him of her bicycle.

But still, Jiyong took the milk exasperatedly. He loosened the tie that he had just finished tying around his collar a bit and then fishing his hand into his pocket to pay back Dara’s money for the milk. The two drink and eat their breakfast while walking to their classes silently.

The corridor was slowly filled with students, making Dara shrink herself to his side. As if they knew the known ‘master and his puppy’ walking there, everyone turned their head to stare at Jiyong and Dara. Unconsciously, Dara pinched Jiyong’s blazer, trying to ignore the stares by looking down to the ground and drinking her milk slowly.

Jiyong on the other hand kept his usually stoic face. He felt Dara’s warm body close to him, and a slight tug on his blazer told him that she was holding to him. Both of them walked through the corridor. Jiyong did not even give any attention to the owners of eyes that were watching them. It’s normal for him, and his puppy, but oddly, they did not hear any bad words or whispers among the students. They just simply stared at them.

“Dara!” 

Jiyong and Dara could hear a voice calling her name. Dara turned to her back but kept walking since Jiyong didn’t stop and she was practically clinging to his blazer.

She could see that Minzy was grinning happily from afar. Beside her was her twin, who was also wearing the same smile as her. Dara immediately let go of Jiyong’s blazer and stopped in her position, waiting for Minzy to approach her. To everyone’s surprise, Jiyong also stopped but did not turn around to look at the twins, only stood silently there, holding his strawberry milk, eyes staring at nothing particular.

He was waiting for Dara.

“Dara, you look different,” Daesung spoke as he and Minzy stood in front of her. Daesung tilted his head, eyes scanning her appearance as if trying to figure out what was different on her that morning.

“What do you mean?”

“Hm, you’re right, Dae. You look... refreshing.” Minzy tilted her head too, mimicking her twin’s action.

“A little bit pretty too.”

These words from Daesung made Jiyong turn around to face them, his eyebrow raised. Daesung noticed that little gesture but didn’t comment on that. Instead, he