“So how’s married life…?”

Seunghyun finally asked her as they had the time to continue their talk after their dinner… it was a little hard for him to ask her for he himself is still adjusting that Dara’s already married with someone… that she’s not same sweet sister-in-law that used to be always there for him… for she’s now has someone she needs to be always there and take care of.

“Uhmm… I’m still adjusting… but so far…it’s good… they are all nice to me…”

She told him while looking afar… another lie that she has to utter in order to protect herself and her husband… protecting herself from shame of being frail while protecting her husband from getting hurt more… stupid it may be… but she now understands his pain… that she’s ready to take anything just to help the man in which she stole a part in its life.

And for the reason that Seunghyun would be the last person she would tell the truth… knowing that he’s a very protective brother-in-law to her… and that he wouldn’t deal with it easily , would cause everything worse for her and especially to Jiyong.

“That’s good to know…”

He said weakly and so Dara noticed his dreary self… she turned to him and even by the streak of light coming from the wall light… she’s surprised to see the sadness painted on Seunghyun’s face… 

“Oppa… what’s wrong…?”

She asked him… wrapping his hand with hers on the top of the railing… Seunghyun then felt stiffened with their sudden contact… her soft and warm hands… that for long that he’s been keeping his feelings for her… he always wished that he could hold her hand forever… 

He then lifted his hand in order for him to hold hers tightly… turned to her and flashed her with a weak smile.

“Nothing… maybe I just missed you so much… and that you won’t be always there for me anymore… saddens me…” 

He pouted a little… that she can’t help but to smile by her cuteness… but then felt a little sad by what he said… after overcoming the sadness his wife’s death brought him… it’s the first time she saw him being lonely once again… 

With her free hand… she reached for his face and caressed it… their eyes locked with each other… sorrow could be read from his eyes… 

“Oh oppa… don’t think about that… I am and will always be here for you… after all… you’re the only brother who came in which that I have wished to have…”

She pinched his cheek trying to set him back to his jolly self… which he half heartedly gave her… pretending that he’s happy and contented but deep inside is been suffering.

‘Brother’ the word that he hates when it comes to Dara… the word that he started to loath when his brotherly feelings for her changed as time passed by having her with him… if only he tried his hardest just to make her understand that he doesn’t see her as his sister anymore… but he failed… too busy with other things… thinking that no one would take her away… but in the end… someone did… to the point that he could never get her back… that his love for her would remain unspoken and locked deeply inside him.

“I love you…” 

But then… he betrayed his own self… unconsciously blurting out the three words that most explain his every feeling for her… staking up his everything and trying to push his luck on getting her back… but just as he expected it to be… she misunderstood him once again. 

“Oppa… you know I love you too… now come on… stop being so emotional… I’m not used to you being so sad like that...”

She said… he then sighed… another failure… maybe it’s meant for him to just focus his life to his child… he thought… she’s really innocent… or just insensitive…? Her innocence that he loves and at the same time drives to kill his heart…

She hugged him… resting her head on his chest… both seeking for warmth and strength… for him just by her warmth he could battle any stress his work brings him and even healing his aching heart… as for her… feeling his warmth added more to her strength… good enough to battle a one whole day of coldness coming from her husband.

--

She headed to their room… really not expecting ‘him’ to be there… she purposely spent almost the whole night together with Seunghyun... for being alone in her room would remind her of her undying sadness again.

Seunghyun bid goodnight as he too entered the guestroom just beside their room… 

But as she entered… she was surprised to see Jiyong… sitting on a couch at the other end of the room… reading a book as his back facing her and as if he didn’t noticed her presence… she then walked silently towards their bathroom… she knows he doesn’t want to be disturbed… especially when he’s doing something… but then she can’t help but to wonder why he’s here and especially reading at the middle of the night..

‘Is he… by any chance… waiting for me…?’

She thought but quickly shook the thought off… smiling to her own si