TOP paused to a halt and immediately ran towards the corner upon seeing he still has spare 15 minutes. He needs to give Jiyong some advice. The bet is still on.

He quickly took his phone out and gave Jiyong a ring but the latter wasn’t picking up. It was in his 6^th attempt that Jiyong finally picked up his call.

“Yoboseyo?”

“YAH!!!”

Jiyong furrowed his brows as he looked at the name on the screen of his phone upon hearing the person on the other line yell at him.

“Oh, hyung? What’s the matter? Aisht! You know I’m---”

“What took you so long to answer? Aisht!!!”

“Yah! What the hell hyung? I’m busy!!!  I’m on a vacation with Dara, will you please stop ruining our---“

“! You mean you finally hit home run?” TOP raised his voice but immediately clamped his mouth upon realizing it.

Jiyong could just widen his eyes as he tried to digest TOP’s words. He looked back through the glass door to check if Dara’s coming and as soon as he was sure she’s not there, he went back talking to TOP.

“Stop it hyung, I don’t have time for this ! Everyone seems to be always going in between us. For heaven’s sake, just leave us alone!!!”

“W-w-w-ait!!!” TOP managed to say before Jiyong was even able to put the phone down.

“Hyung, what’s the matter with you? I’m trying to make the best of my two days leave with Dara here just---”

“Oh shut up! I’m here to help! You might bow down thanking me forever after this!!!” TOP said.

Jiyong thought for a while. Help???

“What help are you talking about?” he said, trying not to sound interested but he failed miserably.

“Aigoo… Just listen to me neh?”

“So… How was it?”

Dara grinned sheepishly as she plopped herself on the couch. She held her phone with her two hands, excited to share her new experiences to Bom.

“We just got back from Udo Island… You should come here and try going there too! The view’s really nice plus we got to eat different kinds of seafoods---“

“Oh is that so? Dara-ah----“

“…And would you believe? There’s even a peanut flavored ice cream! It’s yummy… I just had to stop ordering for more coz I was really so full. I bet you’d love it too!”

“Oh… I’m pretty sure you really enjoyed the ice cream… you and your cravings for sweets and desserts… Yah Darong---“ Bom was trying to say something but the overly excited tourist Dara continued to blabber about her stories to her. She looked at her watch and bit her lip when she saw it’s almost 6pm. CL asked everyone to drop by at Se7en's bar that night and TOP’s going to fetch her and he’ll be there in no time. 

“Omo! And we even rode on an ATV! It’s so cool, Bommie-ah! We went around the island and took pictures. The ferry ride was just a bit scary though… But I got used to it the second time we rode it. So it’s all good. Jiyong even told me----“

“DAROOOONG!!!” she called for her attention, startling her as she stopped chattering. “Y-y-ah…” Bom lowered her voice a bit upon hearing the silence on the other line.

“I really want to hear your stories a lot… I really do. But Seunghyun’s probably arriving any moment and there’s something I want to ask you… Answer me honestly, neh?”

“Oh… Sorry about that…” Dara smiled weakly and smoothed her skirt with her hand as the other held her phone to her ear.

“Hey… This is just a bit… Ani!!! This is really important. Listen…” Bom told her making Dara arch her brows in anticipation with the question.

“Have you done it already?”

Dara’s eyes moved from side to side as she tried to comprehend the question. She shut her eyes and allowed her heart to hammer against her chest. She heaved a sigh and swallowed the lump in before speaking up.

“N-n-o… Not yet… I guess I’ll never…  We’ll never---“

“YAHHH!!! YOU CAN’T POSSIBLY DIE A FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE!!!” Bom yelled at her through the phone.

“B-b-ut…”

“I told you to work out! Have you tried doing it?”

“N-n-eh… B-b-ut… Bommie… It’s embarrassing… Please let’s not talk about this… This is too much…” she said as she cupped her cheek with her other hand and felt it burning.

“Dara-ah… I thought you were seeking help? How long have you been -depriving Jiyong? Do you know how painful that is for that guy? Besides, you need to get laid!!! My God! You can’t just allow your ovaries to rot you’re not getting any younger!”

Dara clamped as she gasped upon hearing those words from Bom as if it was the most brutal, most violent words she’s ever heard.

“Yah… Yah Darong?” Bom said when she heard her cousin fell silent.

“I can’t breathe, Bommie-ah…” she weakly said.

“YAH!!!”

“I think I’m…”

“Aisht!” Bom exclaimed. “Yah, don’t you dare faint on me!” Bom gripped her phone tightly when she heard another voice on the other line. Her eyes widened upon finally realizing it was no other than Jiyong.

“!!!”

“Jagiya? Jagiya!!! Yah!!!” Jiyong shook Dara who was as stiff as a post, her eyes fluttering weakly, her breath uneven. “Yah… What happened?”

She looked at him and she tried to bring her composure back. She fanned her burning cheeks and blew some air before inhaling big and puffing her cheeks. She shut her eyes, no… Jiyong being this close to her isn’t helping at all. She turned to the side so she wasn’t facing him anymore and continued trying to catch her breath.

“Baby, hey… Do you want to get some rest? I’ll take you upstairs----”

“NOOOO!!!” she cried out as she shot up from her seat.

“Baby?” Jiyong tilted his head in confusion.

“I… I… I… I mean, no… No… I’m… o-kay… yeah…” she said as she smiled weakly and bowed her head.

“Are you sure? You don’t look okay, jagiya…”

“I’m sure!!! Very sure… I just need to…” she looked left and right as she tried to find an excuse. Her thoughts were now tainted with Bom’s words she can’t even face the man whom her cousin just considered… -DEPRIVED?

“Kyaaaaah!!!” Dara squealed like a pig as she run towards the kitchen… “I’ll just prepare our dinner. Just go out for a walk or something and come back later on! Please Jiyong!!!” she said as she scrambled on her way.

“What the hell is wrong with that ahjumma?” Jiyong could just scratch his head while following her with his eyes in confusion.

Jiyong decided to call the housekeeper ahjumma to ask for her help so he could find an herbal tea or any medicine that might soothe Dara’s uneasiness. He felt alarmed a while ago that she’s probably having another panic attack though he also doubted it because it’s been a while since the last time she passed out on him. The old lady then went to the villa and brought him some chamomile and tangerines.

“Aigoo… just make her drink the chamomile tea… It helps though… And it’s also good for some stomach problems. Tourists experience things like that. They get excited and thrilled too much… Tend to ignore exhaustion.” The ahjumma explained making him nod. “Just call me if you need more help, arasso?”

“Neh… kamsahamnida ajumoni.” He bowed at the lady.

“Oh, by the way… those are freshly picked tangerines. They’re sweet. Try them.” She told Jiyong .

“Thank you so much ajumoni… I was just worried about her. By the way, where do you live?”

“I live at that old house over there.” The lady told him as she pointed at an old-fashioned house behind the basalt rocks that separates Teddy’s property. “We rent two of our rooms for tourists and we have a guest right now. So I’d better go…” she then bowed politely to Jiyong.

Jiyong turned around and walked back towards the door as he looked at the basket of tangerines and chamomile. He felt grateful for the old lady’s gestures. Not everyone will be that willing to help especially if they're like the ahjumma who’s busy since she’s also entertaining some guests in their home.

He put the basket on the table and watched Dara busy herself with her cooking. She really loves doing that and she’s just the best cook for him.

“Jagiya… I’m starving…” he said as he went nearer her, circling his arms around her waist. She stiffened and it didn’t escape him. “Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked her,  as he tucked her stray hair behind her ear.

“Nothing, Jiyong…” she faced him with a smile. “Sorry, did I scare you a while ago?” she asked him back as she tried shaking her conversation with Bom off her head.

“Yeah… I was really worried about you I even called the ahjumma to seek help coz i thought you're really going to pass out. I told her  about you and she brought tea and tangerines.”

“Chincha? How come you didn’t even invite her in?” she asked, turning back to the the soup she’s cooking before switching the stove off.

“She said she has guests in her home tonight. You saw the old house down the beach this morning? That’s where she lives.” He told her.

“Omo… Jiyong-ah, bring her something too.” Dara said a she freed herself from his arms and rummaged through the kitchen cabinets and drawers. “Aha!” she said when she finally found something interesting. “Ji… take this to her, neh?” she said as she handed him a bottle of wine.

“You’ll be okay here?” he asked her.

“Neh. Just be quick arasso? I’ll get our dinner ready on the table. Come back in time.” She told him making Jiyong gesture a salute to her.

“Aye aye, commander!” he said before grinning boyishly at her as he ran out of the house.

“Keep safe.” She chuckled at how childish he can be sometimes.

“Yeobo-ah! Stop that, the boy needs to go back to the villa now!” the ahjumma hissed angrily at her husband upon handing Jiyong another shot.

“Aisht, this kid needs to taste our own local Hallasan soju! PPalli, drink up, drink up.”

Jiyong just smiled helplessly as he took his 5^th shot. He then stood up and bowed at the old man politely.

“I’m sorry sir, but someone’s waiting for me back there. Thank you for the drink.”  He then turned to the ahjumma and bowed at her too, “Kamsahamnida, ajumoni… I have to go.”

“Hey man, why don’t you stay a bit longer?” one of the guests asked him.

“I’m really sorry, I need to go… It’s nice meeting you guys. Goodnight.”

“You keep safe son…”

“Neh ahjumoni…”

He bowed down one more time before turning back and heading towards the villa. He was half running, half walking, using only the moonlight as his guide back home when he heard someone behind him, calling him.

“Hey!” a girl clad in a see through beach dress walked up to him. “What’s your name? I didn’t remember you introducing yourself to us.” The girl said as she straightened up, making Jiyong see how endowed she is as the moonlight shone on her. It doesn’t take a better lighting to see she’s in a two piece swimwear beneath the flimsy fabric.

“I’m sorry Agassi, I’m in a hurry.” He said as he avoided her gaze. He was about to turn away but she spoke again.

“Name, just your name?” she said, walking nearer him, Jiyong could just back off.

“Agassi, I don’t want to be rude but…”

“Hyuna… Kim Hyuna…” the girl offered her hand but Jiyong didn’t even bother to reach out for it. Instead he smirked and looked away.

“Look here, I don’t have time for this.” He said, turning his head back at her.  “I’m sorry.”

“Oh… stop acting that way, you’re just making me want to know you even more. You look hot… but you act cold…that’s pretty interesting.” the girl chuckled.

Jiyong could just shook his head and  turn around to leave only to find a petite form of a girl on the villa’s balcony. Immediately, he ran his way up but as soon as he stepped on the poolside, his face fell upon seeing how disappointed she looks.

“I was waiting for you…” that was enough for him to lose his mind. He knows she got the wrong signals.

“D-d-ara…”

“Baby listen… please.” Jiyong said as he banged the door to their room. “Dara listen to me…”

“Go away!” she said in between her sobs.

“Yah, it was a misunderstanding, believe me! You can even ask the ahjumma, jagiya. Please open up.”

“No!”

“Dara that girl just followed me! I didn’t even give her my name, damn! Baby please… Open the door!”

Dara shut her eyes close. Maybe she’s wrong after all. But why is that seeing him with another girl feels so damn painful?

She’s not angry at him… She’ll never be… Instead, she found herself hating her own. Hating how she allowed her inhibitions to eat her up. She’s scared not of him now, but of what other girls are capable of doing. Things she can’t even do for him.

What if he gets tired of understanding her?

What if he gets tempted by other girls?

It’s not that she doesn’t trust him…

She just doesn’t trust herself.

“Baby… please… don’t do this… Listen to me jagiya…” Jiyong found himself leaning on the door, feeling helpless because of the situation.

Slowly, he felt her unlock the door. Without wasting any moment, he pushed it open and grabbed her as he crashed into her in an embrace.

“Baby, what were you thinking?” he hugged her tightly as his other hand went behind her head, his face buried in her hair. “Do you even think I can do that to you?” he’s scared. He’s scared what she saw would forever leave a doubt in her mind.

Dara could just bury her face in his chest, soaking up his shirt in her tears. “I’m sorry…” she could just say. “I reacted too much… I just couldn’t help it…”

“Shhhh…. No… I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I kept you waiting… Aisht… that ahjussi asked me to take a few shots of their local soju here and I just had to stay for a while just to pay respect.” He said before pulling away from the hug and cupping her cheeks.

“Hey… What were you thinking a while ago?”

“Nothing…” she said as she avoided his gaze.

“Tell me… you won’t get this mad if there’s nothing.”

“Ch-ch-incha… I just got impatient waiting for you…”

“Oh no, that’s not it…” he insisted. “You’re such a bad liar.”

Dara shut her eyes and heaved a deep breath as her tears started to flow freely down her face.

“It’s hard battling with my own self Jiyong… I never cared about how I look… how people see me… But that’s not it when it comes to you… I don’t feel… enough for you… I know this is wrong but…I always feel insecure… I don’t…---”

“You’re more than enough for me jagiya… ani… in fact you’re too much… I don’t even deserve such beauty…” he said as he tilted her face towards him… His jaw tightened in frustration. Doesn’t she still know how much she means to him? “…such innocence… such kindness… and purity…”

“I’m sorry… It’s not you… It’s always me who’s actually the problem.” She said as she stepped back but he pulled her more to him.

“Then that makes the both of us concerned…” he retorted.  “Your problem’s mine too…”

“Ji…

"And... If you think you're the problem then, I'll be most willing to solve you..."

Dara fluttered her eyes as she felt her cheeks burn.

“Our little experiments paved way to your cure, don’t you realize that?” he whispered to her.

“Jiyong…”

“You don’t bang your forehead on mine anymore…” he said as he allowed his forehead to rest on hers and gave her a lopsided smile, Dara could just leave agape.

“You don’t even pass out anymore whenever you see me half-,” he as he intentionally pressed his body against hers making her knees wobble.

“You can look into my eyes now…” he said as he met her gaze, Dara could just gulp down the lump in .

“And… you finally learned how to kiss…” he said under his breath as he slowly closed their gap with a soft kiss. He looked into her eyes and gave her another peck. He felt her gasp when his hand went behind her neck  as he gave her another sweet and lingering kiss. He then showered her face with butterfly kisses before going down to her lips again but she just stood limp in his arms, as the familiar feeling enveloped her.

“You learned how to kiss baby… you know how to kiss…” he reminded her as he continued to give her lips sweet little pecks. “Now, kiss me…” he told her, as he looked deeply into her eyes.

Dara just felt her hands moving on their own as she held his face, her thumb unsurely moved to caress his parted lips. He’s eyes luring her to his lair.

 “Kiss me…” Jiyong murmured and not too long, he felt her oblige.

“Oppa, sorry we’re late. Something came up in the office.” Bom said as she kissed Teddy’s cheek.

“Aigoo, we’re already expecting you brats to be late.” Teddy said as she patted her sister’s head.

CL looked around and immediately twitched her lips upon not seeing Seungri . “I knew it! That rat’s really testing my patience. I told him to come on time!” she angrily huffed.

“That’s alright unnie, oppa’s not here yet.” Minzy said, trying to pacify the irritated CL.

“Yah, are you talking about Seungri and your cousin?” Se7en asked.

“Who else oppa? That rat really needs some nagging.” CL answered.

“He’s already here since this afternoon. He even helped the bartenders and waiters clean the bar.” Se7en explained.

“Seungri helped here? Wow, that’s something new.” TOP said as if it is the most impossible thing to happen.

“It’s true. In fact---“

“Omo, isn’t that Seungrat?” Youngbae’s eyes almost disappeared as he squinted it upon seeing the maknae’s form sitting on a barstool.

The girls snapped their heads towards the direction. But it wasn’t Seungri who actually caught their attention this time.

“Who’s that guy next to him?” Daesung asked.

“Kyaaaah!!!” the girls squealed like pigs. “Joong Ki oppa!!!”

A/N:

Aigoo... This is even harder that I thought... good luck to me on the next chap! >.<

By the way, i would like to thank our dearest  dillatiffa for the amazing gif banner she did! Kamsahamnida! (__) *bows.