Dara’s whole body stilled at Seunghyun’s words.

She glanced at her sister for confirmation but unfortunately, Bom kept a very serious expression.

“You’re joking right.”

Bom shook her head. “Honey, no.”

“I can’t.” Dara refused, “I won’t.”

“Dara, you’ve known Seunghyun for a long time. And you know I trust him with my whole heart. He can take care of you.”

Dara started to panic. She would be left here alone officially under the care of her sisters boyfriend and his annoying brother. But all of that didn’t really matter. She squeezed her lids shut and carefully said her next words, “I’m not leaving our parents house.”

Bom understood and guided her to sit. “Sweetie, you have to. We don’t have enough money to keep this place. We have to sell it.”

“What about the money mom and dad left us?”

“There’s barely any of it left.”

Dara bit inside her cheek and looked away from the reality only to be caught by Jiyong’s blatant stare.

“Did you know about this?” Her voice getting louder.

Jiyong saw the contortion of her facial features of which he was unfamiliar with. The desperation in her deep brown orbs shook him to the core. She was not the Dara he grew accustom to. He broke away from their eye contact without giving her an answer.

“You all don’t get it do you.” She looked at each of them, “I can’t leave this house. It’s my only physical connection to Mom and Dad.” A single tear rolled down her cheek but was wiped away quickly. When no one dared respond back, she excused herself and went down the hallway and in her bedroom. Bom immediately followed her it leaving the two brothers in the kitchen.

Jiyong turned his head towards his brother, “Hyung, why didn’t you tell me?”

“You didn’t need to know.”

“I have a right to” he argued, “I can’t live with her, we hate each other.”

“Bom and I really thought that you guys would end up getting along and being friends, then the move would be easier for Dara. But look at her now, she thinks once her sister is gone she won’t have anyone else.”

“It’s not like she makes an effort to get close with anyone at school. She only responds to me because I’m mean to her. She made our relationship this way.” Jiyong pointed out.

“Don’t you dare act like the victim,” Seunghyun snapped, “have you ever thought that’s the only way she can cope ever since her parents passed away? Bom was fortunate to have me help her through the loss, but Dara? She had no one. She kept to herself and her books. She ignored me the first year when I dated Bom, but I didn’t veer towards animosity like you.” He spat, making Jiyong cringe, “Yes, you got a reaction out of her. You got her to talk to you. Congrats Jiyong. But look at you guys now! Look at her!” His arm pointed towards the bedroom.

Seunghyun lowered his voice, “Stop being selfish and grow up. She needs us and she will live with us whether you like it or not. “

Bom came shuffling back into the kitchen, and Seunghyun’s angry demeanor completely evaporated. “She won’t talk to me. She won’t even look at me. Seunghyun was this a good idea?”

He stepped over to Bom and wrapped his arms around her lovingly, “You’re doing what’s best for her. If she doesn’t like it now, she’ll learn to appreciate it later.”

Jiyong looked away at their intimate act. The regret that formed from his brothers words along with a glimpse of Dara’s sullen expression made him flinch. It disturbed him to see her in that state. She was so stubborn and strong- willed that her vulnerability caught him off guard. Without a thought he walked around his brother and Bom and into the hallway. Reaching Dara's room, he hesitantly brought his hand over the door and knocked quietly.

A few moments of silence then he heard Dara's feet shuffling. The door slowly opened but Jiyong was presented with Dara’s retreating back as she veered back into her bed.  

He took that as the go ahead to enter and walked in carefully. His feet spontaneously guided him to the framed pictures of her family on her dresser: one of just her parents, another of her and Bom, and finally all of them together as a happy family. He was astounded by the mesmerizing smile plastered on Dara’s young face. It entailed innocense and purity.  

“What do you want Jiyong.” Dara said quietly.

He turned around and saw her sitting against the headboard with her knees up and her arms draped lifelessly on her sides. She looked the complete opposite from the little joyous girl in the pictures.

“What math are you taking next year?” He blurted.

Dara’s eyebrows scrunched in the middle, “Algebra II.”

Jiyong nodded thinking of anything to say to get her out of this obsolete stupor, “So you skipped Geometry, which the rest of us incoming sophomores should be taking next year…” He looked over to get any response from her but all she did was stare back.

“What about history?,” He sat at the edge of her bed.

“AP Government.” She bluntly said.

“Wow.” He jutted out his bottom lip, “Impressive, trying to get those college credits I see.”

Dara sighed, “Jiyong, what do you-“

“And for science?”

“Physics. What do you-“

“Well that’s settled then. Thank god you’re living with me, I’m going to need all the answers for the homework.”

Dara’s legs flattened on the bed as she leaned forward, her blank expression turned into an outright glare. Jiyong couldn’t help but smirk, he liked this reaction much better.

Dara pointed out, “And how did you get into those classes.”

“What, I can’t be smart like you? Just because I’m out of the library socializing with dumb people doesn’t mean I’m one of them.”

Dara didn’t believe it, “You’re sleeping with a teacher.” In his mind he smiled victoriously knowing he distracted Dara.

Jiyong scoffed, “Dear god Park, I have standards you know.” Before Dara could open , he continued, “Besides I just turned fifteen, that’s kind of disgusting.”

Dara crossed her arms, “I still don’t believe you.”

“Well you will, when I start copying all your homework.” He grinned.

Dara sighed and the anger in her vanished, “Jiyong, look at us. We can’t be in the same room without fighting with each other. I don’t think I can live with you.”

She looked up at the ceiling and bit her lip, “I was devasted when I found out Mom and Dad died. It’s nothing I’ve ever felt. The emptiness that takes a huge chunk of you is suffocating. Then you have no choice but to accept it and let it take over. But I was just ten, and I needed, more than anything, to leave that anguish behind. So I did. As simple as that. But what I realize now was that the lonliness never really left, I just allocated it somewhere else.”

She paused but still stared at the celing, “I read most of the time. I came home after school, locked myself in my room and just read hundreds of books because what’s the point of living your own, helpless life when you can immerse yourself in someone elses. But now that Bom’s leaving me, I can’t hide behind my books. This is real. And I can’t run away from it anymore. It’s eating me up and I don’t know what to do. Everyone is leaving me again.”

Jiyong stared at her confused as to why she was telling him this but then realized it wasn’t for his benefit, she was just voicing out her problem. The depth of her emotions left him raw and he couldn’t help but cut the jerk act and just comfort her. He scooted closer to the middle of the bed, startling Dara to look down and back at him as if seeing him for the first time.

“I get that this house is the only thing connected to your parents, but you can’t live here alone. You’re fourteen and too young to live by yourself. Like you said, you’ve been hiding behind your books but you can’t do that the rest of your life. Imagine if your parents saw you, they wouldn’t want you to isolate yourself like this.” He paused and intently looked at her, “Stay with me. Show them that you’re doing the right thing for Bom and you. And maybe later you can buy this house back.”

Dara was overwhelmed with Jiyong’s words. She was about to shed tears but instead threw herself at him, wrapping her small arms around his neck. Jiyong tensed from the contact.

“Don’t make this a big deal Jiyong.” She whispered in his ear and squeezed him, “I just needed to hear that. Thank you.”

Before he could comprehend what was happening, Dara drew her arms back and leaned out, “And this,” she pointed down signaling the situation, “won’t happen again. I still hate you. We just have an agreement.”

Jiyong looked at her and scanned her face.

Dara scrutinized him, "What?"

The end of one side of his mouth quirked up then spoke, "You are an enigma.... nerd."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sorry about the late update, but I'll give you a sneak peak for next chapter. Enjoy!

Jiyong turned the doorknob to Dara's room and let himself inside. What he didn't expect was a very wet Dara clad in just a towel.

"Well this is new," he drawled with a lazy grin, "not much to look at, but still very new."

Dara glared at him as she tightened the towel around her, "Get the hell out Kwon."

"Hm, actually I think I'll stay."