DONGHAE’s POV

 

Something changed to her as soon as she woke up. I don’t know why but I feel like she’s now far from me even if she’s just near. Yeah, she’s smiling at me but I know that something is off. Sometimes, I caught her looking at nowhere. I even called for her but it seems like she’s in deep thoughts, not even able to hear me.

 

“Are you sure you are okay now, Angel?” I asked her. She smiled at me and squeezed my hand firmly.

 

“Stop worrying about me, Donghae. I am really okay now so stop doubting me. I am a strong girl kekeke” she said, showing her non-visible muscle.

 

“Aigoo.” I said while messing up her black hair. “Yeah right, you are a strong girl. Psh... A strong girl who always fell and love by troubles.” I sarcastically said and she chuckled. “A strong girl who asked for my help because some thugs were chasing on her. A strong girl who found herself in deep trouble because of the gangster in the rooftop. A strong girl who always passed out, whether in the water or in the ground. Y-yeah, you are really a strong girl, Sandara Park.”

 

“Oho! Thanks for the compliment, Lee Donghae” she said while pouting.

 

“Hahaha! You’re really cute, Angel.”

 

“I know, you don’t have to tell me that” she said. She let go of my hands and turned to face me. “but you know, Donghae... I am really thankful for all the things you did for me... I am thankful because you love a complicated girl like me. You’re really a good guy” she said and I noticed that she’s holding her tears back. She immediately turned her back on me, not wanting for me to see those tears. “Let’s go watch the parade.”

 

She started to walk away from me. I took a step forward and back hugged her.

 

“Me too... I am thankful that you love someone like me, Dara. I know I am far from your ideal guy and yet you still love me. You are a nice girl, Princess. Even if everyone hates on you, even if everyone turned their backs on you, I promised... I’ll always be there beside you. I’ll fight everyone who wants to hurt you.”

 

“I-I know that... And I am really grateful for that” she said, trying to hide the fact that she’s now crying.

 

“I won’t let anyone lay their fingers on you. Even the gods cannot stop me from doing so because that’s how much I love you. I love you so much to the point that I can’t breathe anymore. I can even offer you the whole world if I can but you know what Angel? Those are not enough to show my love for you. Even offering my life for you is not enough to express how much I love you.” I sincerely said. I don’t know what got into me to be this emotional.

 

“A-aigoo... Wait for me here, f-fishy. The nature is calling me kekeke.” She move away from me and ran.

 

“I’m sorry, Angel...” I mumbled, feeling guilty for fooling her.

 

DARA’s POV

 

I ran away from Donghae because I can’t stop my tears from falling. I felt guilty for keeping a secret from him.

 

“I’m so cruel... I’m sorry, Donghae-ah... I’m really sorry” I said while crying my hearts out at an empty alley. “Ottoke... Umma... W-what should I do? Uwaaaah!” I dropped on my knees, crying my hearts out on the dark empty alley.

 

He really loves me... he really loves me but I can’t respond truthfully... I am so cruel... Why... why do my feelings waver? Why?

 

“D-Donghae-ah...”

 

“You dummy! Don’t you know how much you made me worried when you didn’t come back?” I looked up and saw him panting. He walked towards me and pulled me up, embracing me tightly. “Stop crying, Dara... I am here now. I won’t let you be alone.” He said, making me guilty all over again. “Hush now... do you want to watch the parade with your face like that?” he move away from me and kissed me on my forehead. “Crying doesn’t suit you... Smile, Dara.”

 

“D-Donghae-ah... I’m sorry... ” I said while sniffing.

 

“You don’t have to be sorry, you dummy. Just smile... it’s enough for me” he said, patting my head. “That’s better, Angel.” He said, smiling at me. He held my hand and dragged me out in that dark alley.

 

“Angel, look at that! You want to try?” he pointed at something and I saw a green sticky thing. I saw the people of Alastar dipping their feet on the green sticky thing.

 

“Eh? B-but that looks gross!” I said, looking at that green sticky thing made me think of a huge snot!

 

“That looks fun, kaja!”

 

“Please, Donghae-ah! I beg you, we can go to anywhere but not there!” I pleaded, I swear it looks gross but those people are enjoying dipping their feet on that thing. “F-fishy... stop please?”

 

“HAHAHAHA, I’m sorry but this is my punishment for you for leaving me a while ago.” He said, smirking at me. “Uhm, is that the only thing you have here? Do you have something for couples?” Donghae asked the man, grinning to me from ear to ear!

 

“Oh, it’s been a long time since someone asked for that, young man. I’m pretty sure you and your lover will enjoy that one. Wait a minute.” Said the man while smiling brightly. He went inside and brought a small capsule.

 

“What’s that?” I asked curiously.

 

“Just wait and see, young lady.” The man smiled at me and opened the capsule. My jaw dropped when I saw what is inside.

 

“Ha-ha-ha... Y-you can’t be serious” I said, laughing nervously as soon as the thing inside the capsule suddenly grew forming a large circle of mucus.

 

“I’m sure you will feel energized inside.” The man said and I glared at him secretly while he’s looking at Donghae.

 

E-energize?! Is this old man kidding me? Oh gosh! I think I got myself into trouble when I asked him to sneak...

 

“Must we do this?”

 

“Aigoo, don’t be a party pooper, Angel. I already paid for that so we better try that thing kekeke.”

 

“Enjoy!”

 

“Uwaaaaah!” I screamed while Donghae grabbed me by my hands and pushed me inside the large mucus! I immediately closed my mouth, eyes and ears, afraid that the mucus will go inside of me. Aigoo, it’s really gross and sticky!

 

“Hahahaha, you’re really funny, Princess.” I heard him say, still laughing at my misery. “Yah, open your eyes. It’s safe here inside kekeke. Woah... it really feels good. Relaxed for a bit, Dara.” I shook my head and to my surprise he held both of my hands. “See? It’s not going inside. It’s just like a bubble, Dara. It’s not even sticky here.. I can even talk inside, right? Do you think that I can talk freely here if those sticky thing will really come inside? Do you really think that I would swallow those mucus like thing?” he seriously said. “Come on, Dara. Open your eyes.” He insisted.

 

“Kyaaaaaah!” I move back and fell on the ground when I saw his head upside down!

 

BLAG!

 

“Hahahaha! You scaredy cat.” Donghae said, laughing at me. He pulled me up and kissed me on the forehead. “Just relax will you?” he held my hand and kissed it too.

 

“F-fine..” I said. He smiled at me and he ordered me to sit. I followed him and now I am being pushed up, like I am flying inside the mucus thing.

 

“It’s relaxing right?”

 

“Yeah... you’re right...” I said, closing my eyes. Minutes passed and we both decided to go out this mucus thing. “Thanks for that one, Donghae-ah. It really made me feel good.”

 

“No problem, my Princess.” he said. We continued to look around and play around Alastar. It’s a good thing that those dead beings when we first arrive here are not attacking anymore because we are able to enjoy their festival without any interruption.

 

 

“Their festival is like holloween in our world, except those magical gross things not found in our world” I said while making myself busy solving the toy he just gave me. He won it as a prized in that shooting game. You have to shoot the dead beings, it freaked the hell out of me when blood suddenly spattered over our direction! It really made me hysterical because I’ve never seen so much blood in a long time.

 

“I’m glad you enjoyed this day, Princess.” he murmured. He looked at me and he suddenly laugh. “Hahaha, you still haven’t solve that one? Let me give you a hand.” He said.

 

“As if you can solve this one, hmp!” I frowned and give the toy to him.

 

“Just watch.” He said. “Here” he gave the two voodoo dolls to me after separating the two from being tied.

 

I glared at him and sulk on my own world. Who would not sulk if I really did my best to untie those voodoo dolls for how many minutes or hours and yet he solved it in just a matter of twenty seconds! He solved it in twenty seconds!!!!

 

“ARGH!” I stomped my feet and left him behind.

 

“Hahaha, don’t be like that, Angel.” He said, following me from behind. “You are really a bad loser, hahaha.” He teased. “Yah! Angel, that’s not the way—Dara!”

 

That hurts! Uwaaaah! It’s so embarrassing! Can I just disappear right now? Argh!

 

“Are you okay, Dara?” Donghae asked.

 

“Do I look like I am okay?” I said, still kissing the ground where I fell because of the clumsy me, tripping out of the blue.

 

“Haha, then let me help you. Stop kissing that ground, kissing me is much better you know.” He teased me again.

 

“Shut up” he gave me a hand and pulled me up.

 

“You are really clumsy, Angel.”

 

“It’s not like I want that to happen, psh!”

 

“I know...” he held my hand and smiled at me. “Before we get home, I want to bring you somewhere”

 

I stared at Donghae, thinking where could that be... “Hmmm?”

 

“I know you’ll like that place...” he said. We keep on walking until we reach the forest. I kept quiet and followed him. We stopped in front of a cave.

 

“Errr... What are we going to do here?”

 

“Kaja... You’ll see what’s inside” he said, dragging me along with him. The inside is dark, not enough for ordinary people to see what’s ahead.

 

“D-Donghae-ah... I think we should get back.” I said, acting innocent.

 

“It’s fine, Angel.” He assured me.

 

“No, it’s not fine. What if there are strange creatures inside? Or a dangerous one? What if the dead beings are there?”

 

“Hahaha. It’s fine, Angel. I can guarantee you that there are no strange creatures here.” He said, dragging me deeper. No matter how much I whine, he doesn’t listen to me. Assuring me that everything will be fine. Finally we reached a dead end and I frowned secretly.

 

“It’s a dead end”

 

“Oh? How did you know it’s a dead end? You didn’t even bump on the wall?” Donghae asked me making me gulped.

 

Omo! Pabo... Think, Dara... Ppali!

 

“W-well... you already said that you know your way here and we suddenly stopped so I just assumed that it’s a dead end and we’re lost.”

 

Whack!

 

“Ouch! Why did you hit me?!”

 

“Just because... Anyway, it’s not a dead end here. Just wait there.”

 

“Y-yah! Don’t leave me here!” I yelled but he already let go of my hand. “Yah! You’ll bump into the wall if you continue to walk!” I said, seeing that he’ll really bump his head. To my relief, he stopped but I saw him putting his hands on the wall and it looks like he’s following a pattern.

 

I was welcomed by the blinding lights so I covered my eyes. I felt that Donghae is coming towards me and he held my hand again.

 

“See? I told you, it’s not a dead end.” He happily said and lead me towards the blinding light.

 

“W-woah! Are we still at the same place?” I asked, blinking a few times because I just can’t believe that within the dark cave, a beautiful place is hiding inside.

 

“Do you like it?” he asked and I nodded.

 

“Absolutely!” I happily said. I walked and face him. “Thank you for bringing me here, Donghae-ah.” I sincerely said. “It’s a waste, I should’ve have brought my camera here.” I said, still looking at the fantastical place. Within this cave, there is a lake... not as beautiful as that in Tulahlah but it has its own charm too... the place is surrounded by large green trees and at the middle of the lake, there is a tree house. There’s a waterfall too!

 

We look around the place and played to our hearts content. We even played Tarzan and Jane with those vines kekeke. We climbed trees and jumped off the waterfall. We even climbed the tree house and dive! We swam back and did what those couples do in those drama and movies, chasing each other and splashing the water on each other.

 

“Woah! Look at us...” I told him, pointing at our wet bodies.

 

“Did you have fun?” he asked.

 

“What do you think? Aigoo... It’s so tiring!” I exclaimed and lie down on the ground. He did the same and held my hands.

 

“Bogoshipeoyo...” I heard him say and I let myself drift to sleep.