It was a Saturday and Jiyoung finished studying the night before. He was planning to go to his new friend’s house.

He looked at himself in the mirror. He fixed, messed up, fixed, then messed his blonde hair again. He decided to just cover it with his beanie then head out.

Jiyoung was planning to take Dara a tour around the city. He bet she has never been outside that house, since Donghae was on the guard.

He knocked and opened the door. Dara was standing in front of a mirror, combing her bushy hair. Jiyoung had to laugh at the scene; no matter how many times Dara combed her hair, it still remained puffed and bushy.

“ Dara, let’s go outside,” he said while braiding her hair into two pigtails. “ I’ll take you on a tour around,”

“ Really!?” the girl asked. “ But,” there was a hint of sadness in her tone. “ Donghae-ah might not allow it,”

“ Do you have a number of where Donghae works?” Jiyoung asked as he let go of the last strand.

“ Mm,” Dara nodded and pointed at the kitchen.

In the refrigerator’s door, was a note. Donghae’s work place’s number was written in red ink.

“ Donghae told me to call it when there’s an emergency,” Dara informed Jiyoung.

He took the note off and dialed the numbers on his phone.

After 2 rings, Donghae’s recorded voice answered.

Jiyoung left a quick message; Donghae-ssi, I’ll take Dara on a tour around the city. Don’t worry! I promise to take her back at 5! This is my number so call me when you have something important to say. Bye!

Dara and Jiyoung stood in front of the door.

“ Ready?” Jiyoung asked.

“ I’m not really sure,” Dara said.

“ Here we go!” Jiyoung grabbed Dara’s hand and led her outside. Dara blushed a bit.

They first went at a bus stop. Jiyoung was planning to take her to the desert shop, the park, and then the arcades.

While they were walking, people, specifically guys, were staring at Dara. This annoyed Jiyoung so he tugged Dara’s hand and walked faster.

“ Wow, I didn’t know that such a thing existed!” Dara exclaimed and dug in her slice of cake. Jiyoung chuckled.

“ Such a thing what?”

“ A thing that tasted better than pocky,” Dara said.

Jiyoung reached and lightly pinched Dara’s cheeks. Dara held his hand and didn’t let go.

“ Wae? Something wrong?” Jiyoung asked.

“ You remind me of him...” she mumbled, keeping her eyes down. Jiyoung’s brows furrowed.

“ Oh, sorry! I was just mumbling random stuff,” Dara let go of Jiyoung’s hand and continued with her cake.

“ No, you mentioned a ‘him’”

“ Aniyo, it’s nothing,” Dara said as if hiding something. “ Please forget you heard that,” she said.

Jiyoung decided to let it go and just ask Donghae himself about the matter.

They reached the park and Dara ran to the playground, making Jiyoung feel like he’s a parent.

Dara sat on one if the swing’s seats and looked expectantly at Jiyoung. The other children were giving awkward glances at each other.

A child started to cry and point at Dara.

“ Witch, witch! That witch is going to eat me,” the child cried.

Dara got off the seat and kneeled to the child’s level. She got a lollipop from her hand and gave it to the kid.

“ Sorry, I’m not witch. I’ll give you this lollipop if you stop crying,” she said. The kid sniffed then nodded, taking the lollipop from Dara’s hand.

“ Kansamnida, miss!” the kid said then ran off to his friends.

“ Wow, you’re really patient with kids, aren’t you?” Jiyoung asked from behind.

“ Yeah... I get that a lot,” she said and sat on the swing again.

Jiyoung pushed her.

Dara could not explain how she felt right now; the wind on her hair and face, the feeling of surging into the sky, then falling back.

“ I wish I had this piece of contraption at my house,” Dara mumbled.

“ This is... no piece... of contraption,” Jiyoung said, huffing.

“ Oh right, the kids call this a swing,”

“ Why, you haven’t been on a swing before?” Jiyoung asked.

“ For as long as I can remember,” Dara tapped her chin with her index finger.” No, I haven’t been on one,”

This made Jiyoung a whole lot more curious with Dara’s life. Who were her parents, why was she with Donghae, and a lot of other stuff, but the most important thing was, who was ‘ him’ .