{a/n} Before you read this, I'd want to refresh you with the Final Chapter of DEF.

It was a week after the last broadcast of Chanyeol and Krystal’s We Got Married. Today is Kris’ birthday. Invites were sent out to exclusive groups of idols from different companies and celebrities two weeks had passed. The celebration was held on a private bar owned by one of the stockholders of the company. A few rookies, and seniors were invited, specially chosen by the birthday celebrant, others, chosen by the company for a better PR.

Dara got her invitation a few days ago, but she was indecisive in coming. She had devised a few reasons why. First was because she had no one to go with. Second was because she doesn’t know if the managers would allow her to (but Dara’s a big girl now) and third was because of Chanyeol. She was obviously avoiding the guy, although she shouldn’t be. It has been two weeks since she hadn’t spoken to Chanyeol, and Dara knows it would be awkward for them to meet.

Dara asks about Chanyeol once in a while. Baekhyun says he’s been gloomy these days, and he hangs out with Krystal and the gang, but at those times, his mind just drifts apart. Baekhyun knows his best friend is bothered about something, but he would never open up.

“I’m guessing he misses you terribly.” was what Baekhyun said that night. It was then followed with an “I hope you get your heart figured out soon, before he loses it.” Baekhyun doesn’t mean to sound rude, he was pleading even.

“Because this time, he doesn’t want to do the chasing anymore.” Baekhyun says before he ended the call that night.

Dara knows she was being cruel with her wish way back, but with talking with her mom the last time she went home, things on her side went clearer than before. There were still things that confused Dara. Was she pushing him away to protect her heart? Or was she just too scared to admit that she liked him? She’s still unsure to what to do with her heart, but she would want to figure it out. What is Chanyeol to me?

So in the end, Dara comes to the party. She was clad in leather and her resident hair stylist that she called last minute put up her hair. She was also dolled up with light makeup and her accessories had a touch of gold.

The place was jam-packed; seemingly, the one tasked to the invitations accidentally invited more people than necessary. The managers were furious, knowing the crowd couldn’t be tamed by this time. Good thing that the guests were all idols, and no sasaeng fan has entered the vicinity. The birthday celebrant didn’t give a care, “the more the merrier”, he said.

When Dara entered the bar, everyone was dressed to impress. The sound was blazing with hip-hop tunes, and neon lights filled the room. She could recognize other guests but she didn’t have any friends from the crowd. People only gave her nods and hi’s, and she was left standing in the middle of the room, again.

Dara scanned the whole bar looking for anyone she could talk to; she could see Chen talking to the girls, Xiumin and Luhan playing with the drinks and Sehun, Tao with a few other people on the dance floor. Where was the birthday boy?

Her eyes move and then suddenly lay on Chanyeol. Her heart stopped, he looked dashing. Chanyeol was looking at her, his gaze not fazing at any way. Dara doesn’t know if she goes to greet him, but instead she sends him a smile. Chanyeol sends a smile back, and then immediately withdraws his eyes off Dara. Dara knows he’s mad, but he could have said ‘Hi’ at the least, right? You never said Hi to him for two weeks, Dara.

Chanyeol turns around and Dara sees Krystal hook her arm on Chanyeol.

Dara feels like she suddenly doesn’t belong anymore. Seeing Chanyeol was another thing, too. And the sudden beating of her heart when he looked at her didn’t help the situation. Dara was about to leave when she suddenly hears a loud voice call out her name. “Dara noona! I’m really glad you made it!”

Dara turns back around to meet the guy, “Happy birthday, Kris.” Dara smiles, and then hands the paper bag filled with balloon prints in the front to the birthday boy.

“You didn’t have to get me a gift.” Kris told Dara, to which Dara kiddingly pulled her gift back.

Kris immediately protested, pulling the present away from Dara’s grip. Kris doesn’t mean to, but he slips his hand on Dara’s as he pulled her with him. They walked to the bar, where the other boys were now seated. They greet Dara and then they return back to their conversation. Dara sits beside Sehun, and Kris is standing in the middle of the gang.

“What’s this anyway?” Kris takes a peek at the small paper bag. Dara stands up to immediately stop him. Kris’ pulls Dara away from him as Dara tries to cling on to him. He raises the gift up, that Dara doesn’t get to reach it.

"Yah!" She frustratingly calls on the birthday boy, which makes Kris laugh instinctively. Dara pinches Kris' arm. “Ack!” He exclaims. Kris lets his hand down, "Alright, I won't be opening it anymore." Kris sends Dara a smile, which the latter accepts as she breathes out a sigh. Dara pulls out a mehrong on Kris.

The people around the couple think they look cute; the unexpected skinship is evident with the couple. Krystal giggles as she sees her favorite couple, and Chanyeol has that grim expression on his face. She's getting worked up with just a gift, and Kris obviously likes the attention from Dara. Chanyeol hates it, obviously.

Now that the feud died down, that's when Dara realized all eyes were on them, so she shyly sat back to her seat, glaring at Kris for playfully teasing her. She knows Chanyeol wouldn’t talk to her so she sits beside the maknae.

"Kris oppa, here's our gift for you, although it was mainly chosen by me." Krystal hands out a box to Kris while she side-eyed Chanyeol. The guy wasn't even paying attention when they picked out the gift, he was just aware the moment they were about to pay it. Chanyeol’s gaze was towards Dara, and Krystal couldn’t help but notice that.

“You don’t have to open it now, too.” Krystal tells him.

“But if you wanted to know they’re couple watches.” Chanyeol suddenly blurts out, making Krystal scold him for spilling out the surprise. Kris thanks Krystal for the thought.

"The only gift Kris wanted was the D.” Luhan tells the gang, a secret he blurted out. All Kris wished was for Dara to come on his birthday, and he would be fulfilled.

“The D?” Chanyeol asked, his eyes landing on Dara, again. She is pretty today, and everyday as well. How could you miss someone this much? He just wants to jump and cling on to Dara all night, but no, Chanyeol could only look at her from afar.

Chanyeol sighs, as much as he wants to talk to Dara, she might think he isn’t doing his part of the deal. He badly wants to tell her that he hates her third wish that all this time, it has always been Dara; that it will always be Dara; that no matter who would come in his life, it would always be Dara. He wanted to plead, he wanted to ask her, why she’s trying to avoid him, but he had no courage to.

The last time Baekhyun told him that Dara was asking how he’s been, it was true that Chanyeol told his best friend that this time, he doesn’t want to be the one to chase after her. He wanted to give up, but his heart doesn’t want to. He was tired of getting her heart broken every time. But seeing Dara now, so shy, so reserved, Chanyeol just wanted to be the one to make her happy, even if his pride has to be thrown away, again. Just a little bit more, Chanyeol.

The moment Chanyeol looked away, it was Dara’s turn to look at him. Dara’s eyes never left his figure, as Chanyeol listened attentively to Krystal. Dara hoped that she could catch his gaze one more time, and maybe she would know that they’re okay. But Chanyeol locks his look to anywhere but Dara.

She knows she messed up, big time. She knows that this time their friendship may be jeopardized. But it was only now that Dara realized she couldn’t let that happen. She was scared with a lot of things, yes, but she was also scared to lose Chanyeol. One thing she feared the most. I couldn’t lose our friendship, ‘yeol.

“Oh, Kris hyung~ I never knew you wanted the “D”, and he