A/N: WARNING!

A very short update ahead!

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Chapter 14:

Accepting Reality

“A penny for your thought?”

Dara turned to Seungri who was walking towards her and smiled impishly. She was sitting on one of the benches, contemplating over the situation she’s in right now and the troubles she will be on later. Maybe her smile didn’t reach her eyes and that’s why his face became serious all of a sudden.

He settled down beside her. “What’s bothering my Dara?” Seungri lovingly asked as he draped his right arm over her shoulder.

She wanted to cry. It was then that she remembered—that she missed that same voice and that same endearment he calls her with—“My Dara”. The last time she had heard him say that was before he met Chaerin. But it’s not the time to shed a tear, even though she badly wants to.

“Are you happy?” It came out as a whisper as she fiddled with the end of her blouse, bowed down.

“Yes, of course,” he answered immediately. “It’s just two weeks from now before I finally be married to Chaerin. How would I not be happy? What about you? Aren’t you happy for me?”

Dara, involuntarily, sighed deeply.

Seungri cackled at her act. “That was deep!”

She looked at him and his laughter subsided. “Seungri…” she started. She thought it was the right time she had been waiting for, to let her real feelings be acknowledged. “Have you ever thought of… me and y-you… together?” Her eyes were hopeful. She was expecting that she’d hear him say what she wants to hear from him.

Silence ruled between them. On her part, it was like waiting for a court judge’s verdict; to sentence her, guilty or not guilty. She can’t even manage to breathe as the seconds tick by. And when Seungri finally faced her, she wanted to escape her human body.

“You know that I have been very vocal about how I love you as a little sister, right? You’ve become that little sister I’ve been asking for so long.”

It’s not what she wanted from him. “But I’m not your sister. We’re not blood-related siblings.”

“But for me, you are, Darong.”

Her eyes started to swell with tears. She didn’t expect that it was really painful to hear it straight from the man she loves. “What if…” her voice croaked. She forced to steady her voice to normalcy and faked a smile. “W-what if only?” and harshly laughed to let him see that she’s not having a hard time. But seeing the expression on his face, Dara knows that Seungri is aware of her internal struggle. “What if you found out I have fallen in love with you? What would you do?”

She wanted to tell him straight that she loves him, but her pride cowered.

Dara saw the complications etched on Seungri’s face. He sighed. “”Please don’t make this hard for the both of us, Darong.”

She promptly wiped away the tears before they flow freely on her cheeks. In spite of all the hurt she was feeling inside her, she smiled and nodded consecutively. “I know. I know. It was just a situational question. Nothing serious.” Then she followed it suit with a humourless laugh. “What am I thinking, right? I should be happy for you.”

“Come here,” Seungri cooed to her and opened his arms. When he hugged and her back, she can’t help but to let all the pain and frustrations out with her tears. It streamed out of her eyes successively. He kissed the top of her head. “You’ll get over this, Dara. You are strong, right?”

“What if… i-if—“

Through her tears, she still insisted to talk. She wanted to say something—anything. She just wanted to confirm that the fear drumming in her chest isn’t real.

Seungri loosened his hug from her and pulled away, and then he cupped her face with his hands. He looked at her with full of affection as he wiped her tear-stained cheeks with the pad of his thumbs.

“Listen to me, and listen very carefully, okay? Nothing’s going to change. You’re my only sister, remember that. I’m still the same Seungri that you met before, to whom you can run to—anytime. I’ll still defend you to anyone, like a knight in shining armour. I’m going to be your personal knight, okay? I will always be here for you. You will never lose me.”

“Even though you already have Chaerin as your personal princess?” she sniffed.

He smiled. “Even if there are little Seungri’s and Chaerin’s running around us. You know that, right?”

Dara nodded before hugging him tightly. She cried hard again not because of his arms wrapped tightly around her, but because of one thing she came to realize—that even if she loves Seungri so much, she can’t see him hurt because of her selfishness.

He loves Chaerin and is happy by her side. She realized it long after she had taken them their couple pictures back in the mountains, but she shut that idea off of her mind because she can’t accept and admit the truth to herself. Her then rebellious heart still doesn’t want to acknowledge his decision. And for the days she had been together with the two, she tried to act blind of their overflowing affection and care towards each other, but failed.

She never saw Seungri look and smile at her the way he did when he’s with Chaerin. And if his happiness is Chaerin, she’s going to accept it. Even if it hurts her a little bit more.

BORING UPDATE. IT . I KNOW. TT____TT

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