“What's meant to be will always find a way.” 

―Trisha Yearwood

Someone was humming. Dara could hear it loud and clear but she couldn't pinpoint where it came from. She blinked continuously since her eyes had trouble adjusting to her surroundings. As her vision grew clearer, she found herself in her room and lying sideways on her bed. 

She wiped the daze off her face as she sat up with a pained grunt. And when her awareness finally aligned with her other senses, she felt herself freeze as her eyes roamed around her room... or what she thought it was. 

There was something about it—the little things inside—that made her question if she really was in her own space. But the structure and the overall design of the room vividly reminded her of her own. However, there were an array of toys, coloring books, and crayons scattered all over the floors. The clothes that hung on her closet looked like it was for a child and she was pretty sure she was already 27—

"Oh my god." she breathed, her hand instinctively resting on at the sound of her young voice. 

Her heart started racing against her small chest and her eyes widened at the sight of her familiar chubby arms. Dara felt herself going into panic. It was harder to breathe and every time she tried to heave for air, it would only get worse. She was too overwhelmed that it suffocated her. But before she tried to push herself out of bed, her door creaked open and someone stepped inside. Just the sight of him made clog up and her eyes well up in tears. 

"Dara-yah." The man smiled his signature smiled as he hurried over to her side. 

"Appa," she croaked, instantly hugging him as soon as he was in arms reach. The small girl buried herself in her father's warmth while the 27 year old inside of her was still grieving. Dara couldn't even manage a smile when she heard her father's soft chuckling. It's been so long but her loss was still so fresh and painful. 

"Aigoo, what's the matter with our little princess?" he asked as he tipped her chin up. Wooyoung wiped away her tears but the girl just kept on bawling so he embraced her again. 

"Appa." The name felt foreign to her but she just couldn't help but repeat it over and over again. Dara called out to him like she was begging and her father merely cooked at her and petted her head.

"Tell appa was wrong, sweetie." 

"I-I don't want you to go!" She sobbed, fists clenching into his shirt. 

"Shhhh. Appa's not going anywhere—"

"You are!" She said accusingly as she punched his chest. "You left me and omma all alone. You... a-appa..."

"I'm sorry."

Dara looked up at him and saw complete resignation on his face. But like always, he still wore a small smile that made her feel like everything was okay. At that, she cried harder and held him tighter.

"I don't want you to go, appa." She repeated again as if he would follow. 

He kissed her head softly. "I won't if I could, Dara." He muttered sadly, "But we can't change fate."

"I-I—"

His thumb caressed her cheek. "Just be happy, Dara. Don't let fear ruin you like it did with me. I wasted so much time..." Dara's heart broke even more at her father's somber gaze. "God knows how much I pray everyday just so I can stay a bit longer. Please... don't make the same mistake I did."

When she blinked, her whole room suddenly changed back to how it was now but her father still remained by her side. She looked down at their clasped hands and found herself in her adult form once again and Dara quickly made a move to embrace Wooyoung to feel... what it would've been like. 

The older man readily accepted his daughter's hug with a light chuckle. He began whispering words to her that made her eyes well up once more. At that moment, Dara just wanted time to freeze and for her to have more time with the person she'd missed endlessly.

Whenever he her hair, it reminded her of the time when he'd look down at her whenever she'd show him something interesting. The happy crinkles in his eyes and the way his whole face brightens as if the object she was showing was something that he hadn't seen before... it was those little things that always got her and she yearned for it everyday. 

Dara wanted to share everything with him like she always had when she was young. She wanted his guidance on boys and how to act around them without looking easy. She wanted a warm embrace from him every time her days are blue. Most of all, she wanted to share her happiness with him because she knows that he'll always be celebrating along with her. 

"I'm getting married." She told him. 

His hold on him tightened, making his warmth radiate through her entire body. "I know Jiyong will take care of you." 

"How did you know—"

"I've always known," he smiled. "He was your fate, just as your mother was mine." 

"How did you know?" 

"Because she was the only one that stayed with me even with everything I put her through," he said. "People don't love you enough if they're not willing to fight for you. Your mother... fought through everything—my constant denial, my fear... and the suffering after." 

"She made me realize that she was my everything in a world where I thought I deserved nothing." Wooyoung muttered with a faint smile. 

Dara was about to speak but everything suddenly froze. She thought that it was a good sign at first but then she heard footsteps, and the door creaked open. Before she could see who it was, her father's grip tightened around her and he whispered, "Be happy, Dara." 

She caught a quick glimpse of a familiar white lily before she found herself waking up in bed in Jiyong's little vacation home. Sweat dampened her neck and a sudden tingle went to her spine at the vivid memory of the dream. Dara felt Jiyong's warmth beside her and she turned to see him sleeping with tears streaming down the sides of his face. She instantly sat up in concern and woke him up.

"Jiyong," she called, patting his cheek lightly. 

There was a twitch that rippled his body before he abruptly opened his eyes and found Dara's worrying gaze. He blinked continuously until he realized that he was crying. His brows furrowed in confusion as he asked, "What happened?" 

Her worried look didn't wane. "I don't know... When I woke up, you were crying." she said. "Are you alright?" 

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine. I don't even know what I was dreaming about." Which was true. He truly had no recollection of what he saw in his sleep that made him cry. He'd always remember his nightmares of Dara dying and that was usually the cause of his tears first thing in the morning. But this time... he had absolutely no idea. 

"Are you sure?" 

Jiyong shook his head to snap himself out of whatever funk he was in. "I'm good. I think I just had a nightmare." 

"Do you remember what it was?" 

"Not really."

With a worried frown, she took him in her arms and comforted him since he looked visibly shaken. Jiyong might not have realized it since he kept asking what was wrong and it made Dara embrace him tighter. Eventually, Jiyong relaxed and rubbed a hand over her back as he kissed her temple. Together, they basked in a comfortable silence that made them wish that they could stay like that for longer. 

"We should probably head back." Dara mumbled, meeting his eyes. 

"You don't wanna stay here longer?" Jiyong knew he did.

"I do but... I just don't wanna worry the others back home," she explained. "And I feel like we'll be alright from here on out."

He smiled and pressed his lips against her knuckle. "I wish I had your ring with me." The man actually pouted.

Dara giggled and palmed his pouty face away. "Ring or not, you know I'm yours." 

His smiled turned into a full-on grin. "And now you're gonna be Sandara Kwon." 

"And now you'll always be mine."

There was a pause in the air when Jiyong suddenly sputtered and hid his face on the crook of her neck, chuckling silently. Blushing in embarrassment, Dara tried to pry herself away from his hold but he wouldn't let up. Every time she heard his restrained snickering, Dara would blush harder and squirm even more. 

"Y-Yah, let me go!" She shrieked. 

"Why do you have to be so cute?" He answered instead, kissing her all over the face and making her grumble. When he settled, he flashed her a tender look, his thumb brushing against her cheek and a slow and gently pace. "You really are the best thing that's happened to me, Sandara." 

She kissed him, smiling against his mouth before whispering, "I love you." 

"You make me want to be brave." 

Her heart beat rapidly at his response and before she knew it her lips were on his again, seemingly craving more of the feel of his words—the same words she confessed that day when they were at their weakest. Such a simple statement held such a huge impact on them and hearing it somehow strengthened them even more. 

In a world where they once lived in constant fear of the future, they finally let go and just lived. 

They finally became brave. 

"You make me want to be brave," she repeated. 

Which was their own special way of showing each other how much they loved them. 

"Hey ugly, do you have a housekeeper or something?"

Jiyong scowled and pushed her shoulder, only earning a light snicker. "No, but I visit this place sometimes and clean." 

Dara hummed in understanding as she skipped over to back-hug him. Holding a smile, he continued to make their bed so that they could get ready to return home. They've only spent about three days in here but they felt like they spent more. Neither of them realized how much healing was so exhausting yet refreshing at the same time. 

The two of them might not have changed appearance-wise but they knew that their mentalities have changed into a stronger and more resilient one. It was as if they were new people yet they were still completely the same. They felt like they've been reborn.

"Jesus Christ, can you stop it with all the screeching?" Jiyong grumbled, "You sound like a kid in a permanent tantrum state."

But some things just never change. 

Dara pinched his nose roughly, making him wince and glare at her at the same time. "I'll stop if you quit being such a tight-!" 

"Tight-?" He raised a brow at her while she lifted up her chin in defiance. An oncoming smirk appeared on his lips and it made her gulp and step back. But before she could do anything, he quickly took her wrist and put her hand on one of his firm buns. And of course, Dara's instinctive reaction was to squeeze. 

Jiyong's smirk was now a full grin. 

"Are you sure you don't want me to be a tight-?" He whispered huskily. 

Dara flushed and quickly took her hand away as her chest heaved with indignation. The more she looked at him, the more her cheeks reddened, and the more Jiyong just ate it up. The big bad wolf (aka Jiyong) quickly scooped up the Tomato lady (aka Dara), causing her to let out a surprise squeal. They shared a happy look before they met in the middle and kissed. 

A second later, they were zooming through the house like two children while Dara laughed in his hold. They just ran around the house in random, not really knowing where to go, when Jiyong suddenly put her down and bent down, heaving with his hands against his knees. 

"I swear, if you call me fat, I'll—"

"Noooo. Whaaaaat?" He dragged on, still clearly out of breath. Jiyong coughed and subtly pounded his chest as he continued to stay in his bent position. He looked up at her and flashed a rather strained smile as he puckered his lips. "Gimme a kiss and I'll get better." He coughed again but this time, it wouldn't stop. 

Dara was instantly on alert. Her hand soothed his back as she bent down to face him. She clicked her tongue when she saw him struggling to compose himself before brushing his hair and sighing, "I should go on a diet."

Before she could elaborate the thought, his lips were already on hers, hungry and passionate that it made her lose balance and almost fall flat on the ground if not for Jiyong's quick hand around her waist. He hoisted the both of them up, lips still woven together in a sensual caress. 

"Just can't get enough." Dara mumbled, smirking. 

He breathed against her cheek as his hand wandered on her side, making her arch a little. "Do you want me to stop?"

"Did I tell you to stop?" But before he could attack her once more, Dara clamped his mouth, his face just an inch away from hers. "But we really do need to get going," she chuckled, amused. 

Jiyong groaned against her hands, his hold on her loosening as he gently put her on the floor. He stared down at her with a dejected puppy expression and it made her burst in more fits of giggles. Annoyed, he slapped her arm lightly before he pecked the spot that he hit. 

Eventually, the two stood up and got ready, making sure everything was in place and nothing was forgotten. With their hands clasped together, Dara closed the front door before letting Jiyong guide her to the car to go back home. 

"Don't you think we should get something?" 

Jiyong glanced at her for a beat before turning back to the road. "Get what and for who?" 

"I don't know." Dara shrugged, her tone almost a whine. "I mean, we've caused so much trouble... and we were both unreachable since neither of us brought our phones."

"I doubt that we'd get a phone connection there anyway." He said while his hand patted her thigh. "What would we even get them?" 

Dara's face scrunched in thought as her eyes drifted towards the moving scenery from her window. She felt guilty for leaving without any form of communication with the others. Heck, her mom only left her with the trust that she'll come back. And if it weren't for her mom knowing that she was with Jiyong, the Kwon family might've already sent a search and rescue team for them. Dara just hopes that everything didn't go into hell like she thought it would. 

"We should buy a cake."

"A cake?" He muttered incredulously. "Why the hell would we buy a cake?" 

She punched his arm for his sassy tone. "Better than buying a stupid gift card," she shot with a glare. "And a cake is for celebrations! We're coming back and we're getting married. Getting a cake is only natural." 

Jiyong's heart warmed at what she said. He still couldn't believe it. "We're getting married." He said more to himself. Even the way it slips out of his tongue just feels so right. 

Beside him, Dara's expression grew softer as she looked at him with a faint smile. She took his hand that rested on her thigh and locked it with hers in a reassuring grip. When Dara caught his gaze, she saw a him bite his lip as the corner of his mouth tilted while he focused on the road. Feeling her smile widening, she looked back at the moving picture beside her and let the warmth from Jiyong's hand warm her. 

"Let's buy a cake." It came out as a soft chuckle. "We're close to the city. Watch out if you see any bakeries or something." 

Dara nodded silently. As the tri