TOP's POV

 

Dara was maniacally laughing beside me as we both recalled the horrified faces of the people in a fastfood chain a while ago. Who wouldn't be surprised to see two people soaking wet?

 

I leaned my hand and looked up, closing my eyes, marveling at how beautiful her laughter sounded in my ears. We were currently sitting in a bench, somewhere downtown. I'm not really familiar with the place but it doesn't matter. I'll be fine wherever as long as it's Dara sitting beside me. I opened my eyes as she stopped laughing. I glanced at her and saw that she was gazing at me with fondness.

 

“I really love your eyes,” she said. I chuckled in response. “I really do!” she continued.

 

“There's nothing special in my eyes,” I said. He clicked her tongue.

 

“You're wrong. It's just your eyes looked fierce and cute at the same time, you know what I mean? Hehe. And it served as a living contrast to what I believe in.”

 

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

 

She pursed her lips then turned her eyes to look ahead of her. “You see, I believe that nothing lasts forever, that everything has to end, eventually. But your eyes are different. It's too deep, making me think that it'll take me forever to reach the end. There's uh, some sort of forever look in your eyes.”

 

“Hmm. . .” I thoughtfully mumbled. “Does this belief of yours have something to do with your father?”

 

She turned to look at me, a little sad smile in her lips. “I never really shared what happen to Appa to you, huh?”

 

“Nope.”

 

SILENCE. . .

 

“Aren't you going to ask about it? Aren't you curious?”

 

“Of course I am curious. But no, I won't ask. I've seen how you dealt with loss before. To ask is to relive. I don't want you to relive the pain again.”

 

Dara is just so pure and innocent, though I think she's not aware of it. With everything she said, it makes me wanna believe that I'm not that selfish at all. I don't know if with purity and innocence comes stupidity, too because she started telling me what happened to her father.

 

I carefully listened, trying not to show any emotions. Her father died in an earthquake. She said he was helping the others. I heard how her voice was full of pride as she told me how her father seemed so strong and brave. But then, Mr. Park fell through a hole. Dara's voice became weirdly blank when she recalled how no one dared to help her father when he was holding on to a tiny scrap of wood. She tried reaching for her father but since she was too small, she can't reach him. She even pulled her jacket off and told her father to hold on to it and she'll pull him up.

 

“I told him eventhough I'm small, I'm strong because I can always defeat. . .I can always defeat my best. . . I can always defeat G-dragon. He laughed at me and told me he's proud of me. Then, he was gone.” She heaved a ragged breath. Then, she chuckled. “It wasn't that bad after all. I thought reliving it and putting it to words would only make me feel worse. But I feel. . . I feel a bit relieved, actually.”

 

“Good for you,” I chuckled.

 

“You changed. But somehow still the same,” she chuckled back.

 

“And so did you.”

 

Yes, we both changed, yet we're still the same. I smiled at that thought. Before, I've wanted her to grow up and mature already. But eventhough she wasn't what I can call “mature” before, I still tried to get her. Maybe because I was tired of waiting. But seeing her talk like a mature person squeezes my heart and makes me wanna wish that she didn't mature yet. It squeezes my heart painfully because I know that along this maturity is pain.

 

If only I could turn back time. . .

 

But the positive thing was, we can now talk like this. Before, she never really talked about her father when we're together. Together, the word echoed in my head uncomfortably. Eventhough we didn't have a formal breakup, I don't want to ask her about our status. Maybe because I'm scared. I'm hella scared. I'm not proud of feeling this way because I never felt this way before. I never felt more human; I never thought that I'd be as fragile as a glass and vulnerable if not for Dara. She may doesn't know it, but she had this way of making me feel so. . . breakable.

 

Right now, I'm learning to teach myself to be contented of what I can have with her, these simple talks, meeting of the eyes, smiles, laughter, everything. It's all I have. SHE's all I have.

 

With that, I took her hand and intertwined it with mine. And I'm glad she didn't pull back.

 

She didn't pull back. . .

 

 

JIYONG's POV

 

I tried not to think of the fact that Dara's not around. I tried not to think that TOP hyung's not around, either. I tried not to think that no one seemed to know where they went. And I tried so hard not think that they're together somewhere.

 

But no. No matter how hard I try, I can't help but think where they could be. But what the hell is it to me? Aish!

 

“Thinking too hard is really stressful, you know,” I heard a voice said. I looked around and saw Bom noona, walking with a glass on hand and a magazine on the other without looking at me. She just continued walking 'til she was out of sight.

 

“Oppa!” someone called. I saw Chaerin coming to me. I gave her a cheeky smile.

 

“Hey!” I said.

 

“Let's go out,” she smiled.

 

Right on time, I thought. I need a distraction. “Sure,” I smiled back.

 

After preparing ourselves and informing the others, we stepped out. We were near my car already when I heard a sound that can only be produced by a motorbike. Both of us looked up at the same time. Someone stepped down, removed the helmet and gave it to the driver as soon as the latter stepped down out of the bike, too. Both of them were laughing carelessly. Them, meaning Dara and TOP hyung. I saw hyung put a light pressure at the back of Dara, leading her. That's when they saw us. The moment they did, the laughter in Dara's lips died. Am I such a BAD scene to see now?

 

“Unnie!” Chaerin greeted. “Where have you been?”

 

“We just wandered around,” she answered.

 

“Err, why do your jeans looked a bit wet?” Chaerin asked again.

 

“We took a bath,” hyung chuckled as Dara elbowed him. My eyes quickly darted to Dara, questioning her silently if it's true. But she wasn't looking at me. Instead, she was looking at hyung. She was giving him a look that clearly says: 'what are you doing?'

 

“What? I'm just telling the truth,” hyung shrugged, understanding Dara's expression, too.

 

“They looked so cute, don't they? It's like they have their own world,” Chaerin whispered silently to me. I didn't pay attention, as my eyes were still on Dara, then she turned to Chaerin.

 

“We went to the beach. Tabi's being in his sane mind for dropping me straight into the water,” she explained.

 

“Yeah, beach would be fun in this kind of weather,” I sarcastically remarked. I didn't mean to be sarcastic, but it just slipped out of my tongue. I saw hyung put his arm on Dara's shoulder carelessly.

 

“Well, if you're going to the beach alone in this kind of weather, you won't really enjoy it. But if you have someone with you, it won't be that cold, if you know what I mean,” hyung winked.

 

Chaerin laughed. “Neh, you're right!”

 

“Are you going somewhere?” Dara suddenly butted in, still looking at Chaerin.

 

“Oh, yes. I almost forgot. Oppa and I are going out. If you only told us that you were planning to go out, we could have gone together,” Chaerin looked at me then smiled.

 

“Nah. We prefer to go alone,” hyung joked. “And you shouldn't let us keep you from your date,” hyung said.

 

“You guys wanna come? Take two?” Chaerin asked.

 

“Oh no!” Dara forcefully shook her head.

 

“Maybe next time. Dara's a bit. . .tired, if you know what I mean,” hyung said playfully.

 

“Totally your fault!” Dara answered.

 

Waaah! Why am I thinking of. . . of something that I shouldn't be thinking? Aish!

 

 

CL's POV

 

Oppa was silent. He was so quiet I was beginning to think that he was a dummy. I don't know what to think or feel anymore. But one thing's for sure, Jingyo oppa was the first person who brought butterflies in my stomach. And I'm not planning to let go of that feeling. At least not this time.

 

“So, oppa, where do you want to go?” I cheerfully asked as he continued driving.

 

“You decide,” he said.

 

“Hmm. How about we just tour around and decide later on?” I suggested.

 

“Okay.”

 

I thought the day would go along with me doing all the talking and him being all statued up. But his face brightened up when I asked him to watch an action movie. After that, he started loosening up. He was actually laughing and smiling as we watch people passed by us, exchanging comments of how the outfits are so long ago.

 

 

Later. . .

 

I stretched out my leg. “Ah, my feet feels numb!” I groaned. Oppa passed me a cup of drink then knelt in front of me, taking my shoes off. “Ya! What are you doing?” I asked in horror.

 

“Just chill, will you? You're always tensed.”

 

He started massaging my legs. As he did, I started to relax. “Hmm. That feels good. You seemed like an expert,” I murmured.

 

He chuckled. “I got a lot of practice before.”

 

“Really? How?” I asked.

 

His hands paused as a distant look passed his eyes, but then, he continued after a minute. “I had a friend who always gets muscle cramps before.”

 

“Oh. Where is that friend of yours?”

 

He was quiet for a while. “I don't know anymore. Lost, I think.”

 

“Lost? What do you-?”

 

“I'm hungry. Let's go grab something,” he suddenly said, standing up. He stretched a little while I put my shoes back on. He smiled down at me and took my hand. “Let's go,” he said.

 

I frowned as I saw that we were going to the opposite direction from where his car was parked. “Ya! Your car's over there!” I informed him.

 

“I know. But we're going to have a walk. Walking is much slower than driving. Slower means more time together,” he winked.

 

5:05 pm

 

We dropped ourself to the bench, exhausted. “Ah, oppa! My feet are totally numb!” I chuckled.

 

“Mine, too!” he chuckled back. He leaned his back on the bench, looking relaxed.

 

“Let me massage you this time,” I offered, making him burst out laughing.

 

“You don't even know how to do that. You might break my leg,” he said.

 

“I can try,” I shrugged.

 

“You are so like. . . I'm actually scared that you might put too much force, seeing that you looked manlier than me.”

 

“Ya!”

 

He laughed again, and then run a hand through his hair. As he did, my eyes caught something that his hand was covering before.

 

“Oppa! Look!” I exclaimed with wide eyes. “This is so Dara unnie's penmanship. I wonder who the other one belonged to?”

 

“That would be TOP hyung's,” he quietly said.

 

“How did you know? Oh! Yeah, they were together this morning!” On the seat, the words: “Tabi is an ugly gorilla” and “Park is a screeching crow” were written. “Wow! They've been here!” I laughed. “We should write something, too!” I excitedly said.

 

“Things like these are for childish people only,” he dismissively said. Then, he stood up. “Let's get back to the resthouse. It'll be dark soon.”

 

I sighed as he started walking away. He's so moody sometimes. Aish! But I still followed anyways.

 

The drive home was awkwardly silent. Maybe because I was too tired that I didn't have the strength to talk and talk anymore. As we arrived, we saw the others hanging out in the garden.

 

“CL-roo!” Bom unnie called the moment I stepped down. I went to them, smiling.

 

“What are you doing?” I asked.

 

“We're playing. You've got to pick up on what dare you should do. Ah, you should have seen Ssantokki do a y dance a while ago!”

 

“Really? Ya! Dara unnie, can you show me?”

 

“Nope. Sorry, it's already done,” she smugly answered.

 

“Aigoo! It's unfair!” I whined. “Was it good?” I asked eagerly, turning back to Bom unnie.

 

“Priceless! You should have seen the look on TOP hyung's face while she was dancing in front of him,” Seungri answered instead. “I actually envied hyung.”

 

“Sounds fun! Can I join, too?” I asked.

 

“Of course you can!” Dara unnie answered.

 

“No,” a firm voice behind me said. I looked back and saw how Jingyo oppa's face was so dark.

 

“But-”

 

“I don't want you doing any dare like that. You should take a rest. You're tired, aren't you?”

 

“But oppa, I want to-” I complained.

 

“No buts Chaerin. Go and take a rest in your room. I'll call you later when the food's done,” he said.

 

“I actually cooked already but we decided to wait for you guys,” Hyun Seung informed us.

 

“Very well. If you guys prefer to watch indecent acts, suit yourselves, I'll just go ahead and fill my stomach up,” Jingyo oppa snided.

 

“What does that mean?!” TOP oppa suddenly blurted, standing up. “Are you calling Dara indecent?”

 

Uh-oh.