Jiyong couldn’t help but pace back and forth while waiting for Mino. 

“Calm down, Ji.” Dara stopped him and led him to the couch.

“I’m just worried, Dee. Mino loved that girl so much. I don’t want him to decide on something that would hurt him again.”

She brushed his hair with her hand to help him calm down. Warmth spread all over him and he leaned to her side casually. “We should trust Mino. Besides, she just wants to talk. They need closure, too.”

“We both know Mino has suffered enough from that relationship, whether he admits it or not.”

Her hand stopped brushing his hair and he sank closer to her shoulder. She feels warm, and he just wants to stay bundled with her. 

“He’ll be fine.”

He looked up to her and saw how her face softened at his concern for his brother. She would know how breaking up hurts so much because she’s gone through worse.

“Is that how you felt when you last talked to Seunghyun?” Jiyong tried to avoid talking about him for as long as he can remember. He knew his name rattles Dara, but he was surprised to see that she actually looked calm at the mention of his name.

“I felt like the world is going against me at that time. I didn’t even know how I managed to walk away from him.”

Jiyong held her hand and it made her smile, as if the memories were just a fraction of her imagination and it never really happened. “There’s no way to go about it than to hurt, Ji. Don’t tell me it didn’t hurt when you broke up with Kiko?”

She really had to mention her. Kiko was his girlfriend when he came to New York. She was one of his clients in McCann. Essentially, his distraction when Dara was in a relationship with Seunghyun. They started out as hookups, but then he tried to see if there could be more between them, and if she is his way out of his feelings for Dara. 

But he and Kiko are just not meant for a deeper relationship. Even their initial chemistry died when they became serious. He got frustrated, but waited for her to initiate the breakup. Thankfully, it wasn’t as awkward as he thought it would be, although Kiko told him they shouldn’t be friends again. In the end, it worked out fine for both of them. She moved on to a new guy, to whom she is engaged now, and he is, well, still here with Dara.

“I actually have a good breakup with her. We went to our favorite Italian restaurant, shared a dessert and walked away from each other after that.” He smiled at her, while she narrowed her eyes to him in disbelief.

“If only breaking up with Seunghyun is as easy as that.” She mumbled as she leaned back to the couch.

“Breaking up with you will never be easy, Dee. Trust me.” The words came out before he even realized it.

She was blushing and Jiyong knows he needed to pull more punches to win this round. “For starters, no one in their right mind would attempt to let you go.”

Dara stilled as Jiyong grabbed her hand to lace their fingers together. “I wouldn’t let go if it were me.”

She looked down on their hands and she smiled slowly, torturing Jiyong’s senses. It felt so good making her melt and seeing her submit to his advances.

She remained speechless as Jiyong found his moment to shift the tide in their relationship, but he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Song friggin' Mino.

Dara withdrew her hand, but he was not ready to let go yet.

“Go