"Oh" Dara exclaimed.
"What?" GD asked.

"I'm afraid I can't come with you guys, I got something to do" she said.

"Oh", he exclaimed, not quite able to hide his disappointment.

"How about moving the dinner this weekend, so everybody can come? We need to get together as a family anyways" Se7en suggested.

Jiyong's face lit up. "Yeah, that's a great idea.
You're free this weekend noona,right?"

"Oh,yes, I am" she answered smiling.

"It's settled then"

They all bid their goodbyes. Jiyong waited for her, but she said he should go without her.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah. I just want to check a few things" she said.

"Okay", he hesitantly said and bid goodbye.

"Take care" she waved.

He waved back. He walked a little out of the studio. When he saw Dara was not looking anymore, he went back and sneak. 'I wonder why she's staying?' he thought.

As he watched through the glass door, quite making sure he remains unseen, he saw that she was practicing some moves by herself. There were a few times she fell on the floor, stumbling and struggling from the dance steps. He wanted to go to her but he knew she needed to do this alone.

He stood there for like hours. 'Isn't she exhausted already? She's been practicing for hours' he thought.

Right on cue, he heard Dara's exhausted breathing. He saw her lie on the floor, taking deep breaths. Then, she sat. Stared at herself in the mirror, then smiled.

'Here she goes again, smiling by herself. I wonder what's on her mind now?' he thought.

Then all of a sudden, Dara jumped up, full of energy. Then started singing and dancing. At first, he didn,t understand any of it until he heard the words "in or out". She was so energetic it almost look too chaotic, like she's on rage. She was throwing her hands everywhere. She also got this big smile on her face and she was singing too loud, it was almost she was shouting but it sounded too pitchy.

He was laughing by himself as he watched her, when the song finished, she striked a pose, the smile never leaving her face, then all of a sudden, she fell to the floor. He panicked, he thought she fainted from too much exhaustion, he was about to enter when he heard her laugh.

"Omo, I'm so tired. Kyaa!"

He let out a sigh of relief. 'She scared me there' he thought. When he saw that she was preparing to leave, he immediately took off, or ran away, to be exact. As he was heading home, his mind was full of thoughts of her. 'She's working so hard. And she looked so fragile, with that body of hers. I want to help her. But how?' he asked himself.

WEEKEND. . .

Jiyong woke up quite ecstatically. His mood seemed to light up the atmosphere everywhere he go. He went to the training room with a smile on his face. And she noticed.

"You look so hyped today" she said, smiling too.

"Well, yeah. It's a beautiful day, don't you think?"

She chuckled. "I guess so."

"Oh yes it is. The sky is clear, the sun is shining brightly--"

She laughed. "What happened to you? You're saying weird things, it's kinda crazy" she cut off.

"Oh well, it's just a beautiful day"

Jiyong's mood didn't cease 'til the end of the day. It even doubled up when the trainer announced that they are done for the day.

"Okay guys, hurry up, we're going to eat out tonight, remember?" He reminded them.

They all freshen up first before leaving the studio.

They decided to eat in a restaurant not too far from the studio. They were all having fun when Se7en came up with an idea of a game. Spinning bottle! But it's not a "truth or consequence" game. More of a consequence game.

The game started with Se7en. They kept on thinking dares for every person chosen by the bottle. From funny to embarassing to humiliating, everything under the sun.

The restaurant was filled with their laughters and jeers. All those time, he steals glances from Dara. He was having fun watching her reactions. Sometimes, she's the one who gets so scared for someone. He was glad she was having fun,too.

Then, the bottle pointed Dara.
Everyone applauded. He watched her reaction. She was smiling, but he knows better, she was starting to get nervous.

"Hmmm. What dare shall we give her?" a YG trainee asked.

They all think, then someone answered. "I know! How about eating a saucer of chili?"

"Oooohhh.. Hahahaha"

The others jeered and laughed.

"Yes, let her do that"

"I agree"

They all said. Jiyong kept his silence, yes, he was smiling, but he was watching Dara's face the whole time, watching for a hint, any unnecessary reactions to help her. And he was not disappointed. He saw her eyes widen and the scared look on her face could break anyone's heart, or his heart. Because it seems like the others didn't notice maybe because she was still smiling. He doesn't want to see her like that.
"Omo" she whispered.

"Don't you think it's too hard?" YB asked the others.

"That's why this is a dare game" someone answered.

Sandara was cupping her face and she was laughing weakly.

"I'll take her place" Jiyong suddenly stated when he can no longer hold it in. Everyone stared at him. Dara's eyes even got wider and she was shaking her head.

'Of course you won't accept my help because you don't want to appear weak, don't you?' he asked himself, and continued thinking,'I'm going to ask a favor in return so you won't reject my offer'

"But. . ." he said, breaking the awkward silence.

"But what?" the others asked.

"I have one wish from noona" he smiled. He really has no idea what to ask her. But then, he rememberd something. His smile grew wider.

Dara, thinking of Jiyong asking for a wish, she immediately agreed, though she was having doubts because she doesn't want Jiyong to eat those for her.

"Shoot" she said.

"You have to sing In or Out with choreography"

"Whoa!"

"That's a great idea"

"Yeah, think of it as your debut stage" Se7en stated. They all laughed. She bit her lip. "Aigoo", she said, covering her face.

"Okay, I'll do it" she agreed.

Jiyong smiled. 'That's my girl' he thought. He wasn't really intending to embarass her, he just want the others to see how cute she is. Though he'd rather keep her to himself. But he also wants them to see her charm.

She stood up. "Omo" she said. He saw her took a deep breath, closed her eyes a moment then opened them, a smile on her face. He took his phone. He wants to remember her as a funny and tough girl, he doesn't want to forget that smile, though it seemed glued to his mind.. Who knows when will they see each other again? Since she's going back to the Philippines, he wants to record this moment.

Then she started. Everyone was smiling. They were clapping to the beat, jeering and cheering her on. The other people in the restaurant started to watch,too. They were all smiling and laughing.

But Jiyong did not pay attention to anyone else. He didn't notice anything. His eyes were set on the girl who'll be gone in a few days time. He was smiling at first, but the smile was starting to fade as the thought of her leaving started to sink on his mind. He realized this could be the last time he's going to see her like this.

When she was finished, her face was so red, she almost resembled an apple, she was so cute. She was covering her face and shaking her head. "Aaiigoooooo" she laughed, still covering her face.

The others clapped and laughed with her. Even the other customers were clapping.

"You already gained fans" someone said,"successful debut"

They all laughed.

"Jiyong, you have to eat the chili, since noona did her side of the deal"

He smiled seeing the weird expression on Sandara's face. Her expression was a mixture of smile, a scared look, doubtful and a pitiful look.

"You really don't have to eat all of it" she whispered, making sure the others can't hear.

"Okay,I'll do it then" he said to the others, ignoring Sandara.

And so he did. He put up quite a brave face, so she won't feel guilty.

"Are you alright?" she asked, when everybody's attention was once again on the spinning bottle.

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"Your face is all red, you kinda resembled an apple" she laughs awkwardly.

He stared at her. He can't quite understand what he felt. He can't point it out. 'Can she read minds? Of course not, that would be weird. But SHE is WEIRD' his mind battled.

"Ya! Are you already sleeping with your eyes open?" she asked.

"Oh, no, no. I just rememberd something" he mumbled.

The night past with all of them having fun. They left the restaurant with huge smiles on their faces.

"Ya, noona" he called.

"What?"

"Take care. And sleep well" he said.

"I will. You take care of yourself,too"

He smirked. "I'm quite capable. You should be the one taking care of yourself. With a body like yours, you can collapse anytime"

"Kyaa! I'm quite capable myself"

"If you say so"

"Uhm. Thanx for saving me there"

"It's nothing. You did something in return, right?"

"Ya! GD! Let's go!" YB called. "Noona, take care of youself, okay? Sleep well tonight" he added.

"I will" she answered back. "You should go" she whispered.

"Yeah, I guess so. So, I'll see you Monday?"

She nodded. "See you" she smiled and waved him goodbye.

They all waved goodbye to each other. Jiyong watched her back and sighed.

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*a/n: Some feedback guys?

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xoxo

hagocimit