PREVIOUSLY

I sighed and smiled as I shook my head. 'Game Over' I thought.

From the corner of my eye I saw Jiyong smiled at her in defeat as he softly said, "Okay" then Dara noona hugged Il Woo and shook him as she kept declaring that she'll be seeing him in an MV while all I can think of is 'Poor Ji'

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JIYONG POV

'Damn, how can I say no to you baby girl?' I smiled sadly as I lowered my head. 'You are so ing beautiful and shining so brightly beside him that it's blinding me' I thought as I bit my lower lip as I felt my eyes started to sting. I felt someone's hand on my back and when I looked sideways, I saw Bae looking at me with an empathic expression.

"Not yet, Ji" he suddenly said.

'When?!' I thought but what came out of my mouth is, "Okay" I saw Bae contemplating my words before he nodded once and turned to continue his talk with Daesung.

I took my eyes of Bae's back and my eyes automatically zoomed back to Dara and that Jung bastard. She's smiling and laughing freely like before and then I remembered my words when I was at our apartment, 'Is this really better Dara? You being this close to me without knowing me? Without knowing us? I guess so cos you're smiling like you used to now... I just wish I was still the reason' I thought as I lowered my head again and shook it as I grabbed for my glass and drank a one shot.

'Is all I'm feeling now a bout of selfishness? Because she used to only look at me like that?' I thought, 'How do I make sure? I wanna know now!' I cursed inwardly as I kept drinking shot after shot of whatever it was that was on the table. I didn't notice the time until Dara stood up with that Jung bastard. Her boy toy Min Ho already left hours ago because he has a photoshoot that he ditched and got back to when Min Ho's manager called Dara to remind him.

"Are you leaving now?" I heard TOP hyung's voice

"Ah... deh Seunghyun ssi. I would've stayed but--" she said before that Jung bastard cut her words and said, "Yah! The doctor said you should sleep early, no questions, arasso?" before he turned to all of us and said, "Mianhe everyone, we need to go now. This girl needs her rest already. We'll just party again some other time neh?"

"Oh is that so? That's fine oppa! Take Dara unnie home. Dara unnie take care arasso? Oppa! You said REST right?" I heard Chaerin asked and I saw her wink at him and when I turned to that bastard I could have sworn he's blushing 'WHAT THE HELL??'

"Neh oppa! You and Dara unnie go! shoo shoo!" Minzy added and then Bom noona said, "Well Il woo... no funny business tonight with Tokki arasso?"

"YAH! You girls!" I heard that bastard and Dara said simultaneously and I swear even Dara is blushing. 'Why are you blushing baby girl??'I thought but Bom noona said, "Aigoo... you guys are so cute together. Okay. Go now!" as she gestured for them to leave.

"Oh. By the way, are you going back to your mom's house noona? I want to visit your house again!!" said Seungri exitedly. 'Seungri went to Dara's house before? When was that?' I kept asking myself but my thoughts were cut off when Dara suddenly spoke and said, "Oh. I'm not going to my mom's house maknae-ah. I'm staying at Il Woo's!"

'Staying at Il Woo's?' then all of a sudden, her words sunk in and all the boys stood up from their seats including YG sajangnim and said, "MWOH?! YOU'RE GOING TO BE STAYING AT HIS HOUSE?" they shouted as they all pointed at Il Woo.

"Yes. Is there a problem with that?" Dara asked us as she raised her eyebrows with the confusion as to why we're all reacting this way.

"Neh oppas, is there a problem with unnie staying at her BOYFRIEND'S apartment?" said Chaerin all of a sudden looking at all of us.

"But Chae..." started Bae before Minzy cut him off and said, "Unnie is in a legal age oppas. Besides, she needs someone who will TAKE CARE OF HER" she emphasized those words "She just got out of the hospital anyway better have someone who LOVES her taking care of her right?"

'OUCH Minzy-ah. That was quite harsh' I thought then I heard Seungri stuttered,"But.. but... she..."

"But what Panda? CL and Minzy are right and you know it" before she turned to Dara and that bastard as she said, "Now Il Woo, remember what we talked about?" and I saw him nod before I heard Bom noona's voice that said, "Good. Now go you two! We'll talk to these overprotective apes okay?"

"Oh. Okay" I heard Dara say as she looked at us and said, "Guys. See you next time! Annyeong!" as she waived us goodbye and left followed by that Jung bastard after he bowed and told us he'd take care of Dara.

When the two left there was a tensed silence until Bom noona said, "Okay. Everyone take your seat and anyone who has questions or reactions, raise your hands."

Immediately, all of us sat and Seungri's hands was raised as well as Daesung and Bae but CL called Seungri and he asked, "Why did you approve of that?"

"Of what? Dara unnie staying at oppa's house?" CL asked back even though she knows 

that's what he's asking. When she saw him nod, she said, "Well, Dara unnie was the one that said that she wants to remember her boyfriend" she started and Minzy added, "Yeah, even Il Woo oppa looked shocked when she suggested that to him earlier"

"Oh! I thought I was the only one that noticed!!" said Bom excitedly and Chaerin said, "Unnie! Did you notice him blush? He was so cute I want to keep him for myself!!" 

"Yah! She's for my Tokki! And yes I saw that and I agree! He's sooo cute!" agreed Bom noona while Minzy said, "Aigoo unnies... you two.. really... but I agree for Dara unnie and Il Woo oppa as well! Do you guys remember when Sanghyun oppa and Min Ho oppa found out?! Man! I thought Il Woo oppa would turn into a statue!" she exclaimed as she laughed out loud followed by the girls.

"Ehem..." I heard TOP hyung clearing his throat and said, "Bommie-yah... is he cuter than me?" while adding a bit of aegyo and Bom noona quickly punched his arm and said, 

"Aigoo... my Tabi is jealous? It's okay... he's cute but you're handsome. Besides, he is totally Dara's! Did you see his eyes when he looks at her?!! It's love I tell you!" and laughed again with the girls.

'Love huh? Do you love him too baby girl? Didn't you say once that it's only ever going to be me?' I thought sadly as I lowered myself from the chair.

Suddenly, I realized I didn't need the time to think.

DARA POV

I only agreed to leave early because I'm having another headache. Il Woo must've noticed it too because he's the one that suggested we leave. Honestly, I want to stay and hang out with my friends first and listen to their stories. I want to remember faster. Like, when I saw that Kwon Jiyong earlier... I felt like I have a connection with him. I saw his back earlier when I glanced at him talking to her girlfriend and I suddenly felt sad. I don't know where that sadness came from though and that's when my headache started. I want to get to know him and not to get to know him at the same time. Does that make sense?

"You alright?" I heard Il Woo asked me. I turned to him and saw his concerned expression and I smiled to him and nodded as I thought, 'You're a really good person Il Woo-ah. I'm not even your real girlfriend and yet you'd allow me to stay in your apartment?' thinking of that I thought what if he has someone living with him so I asked, "Jagiya?"

'Yes, I still call him that because it calms me and since he started calling me that as well... I guess he's okay' he's driving the car that his manager drove to the bar earlier so without looking at me he asked me, "Waeyo?"

"Um... sorry if I asked to live at your apartment. It's just that--" I started but hecut me off and said, "Oh don't mention it. It's not like I would've wanted you far away from me anyway" he suddenly said then he stutteringly added, "I mean... uh.,, it's just that... I got used to being with you and... and... " when I saw him grasping for words I laughed because he started turning red then he parked his car and said, "Yah! Dara-ya! don't laugh."

I laughed harder until I saw him sulking so I stopped myself and told him, "Don't worry. I don't want to be far away from you too" and then planted a soft kiss on his cheeks.I saw him blushing again and when I realized what I just did, I quickly withdrew myself from him and sat back at the passenger seat and said, "Drive" and he was just sat there in his position holding the part of his cheeks where I kissed him and after a while he snapped back and turned to back to the steering wheel and said, "Yes ma'am"

I looked at him sideways and saw that his brows are furrowed and I just noticed that my heart started beating fast. 'Yah! Heart! are you okay?! Why are you beating so fast?? slow down' I told my heart as I turned to look at the window as I felt my face getting red.

'Would it be so bad for my heart to beat for someone else though?' I thought before my eyes started to flutter shut.

IL WOO POV

'Did she just...' I thought as I held my cheeks. 'Damn this girl would be the death of me'

Honestly, when she saw Jiyong earlier, I thought my heart is going to burst as I kept chanting 'Don't remember him Dara! Don't remember him!' in my head. I don't know why but I don't want Dara to remember just yet. A bit selfish yes but it's my only excuse to get close to her. I don't know why I don't want her to go. It's not like this world is lacking with beautiful girls that would've been with me if I asked, 'but there's only one Dara' I thought and I sighed again.

'You have two choices,' I thought, 'first is to be with her and savor every moment until she remembers -- or not and you can make memories till she leaves or leave her now to save yourself from the pain that would surely come' then I blinked as I saw her looking flustered as she asked me to drive and I answered, "Yes ma'am" as I thought, 'I'm not even considering...'

After an hour of driving we arrived in front of my apartment and I keyed in the passcode. When it opened, I realized that I haven't cleaned in a long time so I tried to stop Dara from entering but she already walked in.

I saw her looking dumbstruck at my living room so I said, "Okay, before you say anything... this is definitely not my idea okay?! It was my manager! He said I need to get in character and since I'm always the bad guy he said everything should be black!" I saw her look at me and said, "Man! Is he nuts? This color is depressing!"

"I know. That's what I told him but he wouldn't listen!" I told her and she said, "You know what? I'll talk to your manager tomorrow. An actor's place should always look cool and not like halloween." before she asked, "Let's start tomorrow okay? Where's our room?"

I was still thinking of her suggestion so I mindlessly answered, "Oh, room is that way" and I pointed to my room. I saw her go in but before she closed the door she looked back at me and asked, "Aren't you sleeping?"

I dumbly stood there and said, "Uh... you mean us? sleep in bed? together?"

"Well... do you want me to sleep with anyone else?" she countered back. I was quick to answer no so she said, "Well, come in then. I want to sleep early before my headache worsen" and she closed the door.

'Man this girl will really be the death of me' I thought as I walked to my room.

DARA POV

I didn't actually intend to go as far as us sleeping in the same bed since I already know that we're only to be in a pretend relationship. He doesn't know that I know that he's not my boyfriend so I'm really the one to blame here. It's just that... I have a feeling that I don't want him to leave me. Whenever he's far I feel sad like I've been left too many times before and I just can't deal with the empty feelings anymore.

When I saw him sleeping on my bedside holding my hands last night, I told myself that I will be the one who'd take care of him. He doesn't know but I listened to some of his conversations with my friends when I pretend to sleep. When Bom told him that he has no reason to stay with me since I wasn't really a part of my past, I heard him say, "I know, but I hope I could be part of her future" I smiled at that and thought that he's really a good person.

FLASHBACK

'So you could have left me huh?' I thought as I listened to them again.

'You could have but you didn't and here you are, not even once complaining to anyone when I keep on referring to you as my boyfriend and act like it too. You never once complained when I lean on you too much or ask you to do something for me even when you're doing something yourself' I keep thinking.

'I'll take care of you once I get out of here. I'll definitely repay your kindness' I thought as I started drifting off to sleep.

FLASHBACK END

I opened my bag and got a pair of pyjamas and headed for the bathroom when I heard the door creak open. When I saw him awkwardly standing there I said, "I'll take a bath first okay?" and when I saw him nod, I walked towards the bath and locked the door. "I'll be good to you" I said as I started preparing for my bath.

IL WOO POV

'Yah! Pabo! why are you standing there awkwardly like a freaking ?!' I reprimanded myself.

'But... but... she's in my bath... taking a shower... ' my mind insisted.

"?" I uttered.

Compute.

Process.

Process.

Loading data.

Data complete.

"" I said as I started blushing again.

'Damn Il Woo! Calm down! This isn't the first time that a girl takes a bath in your apartment. She's your girlfriend right?' I thought, 'pretend girlfriend but still girlfriend' my mind insisted.

When I heard the sound of the shower I sighed as I looked at the bed and said, "this will be a looooooooooong night"

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PREVIEW for Chapter 12: My bestfriend, the great LEE MIN HO

When Sandara Park is your new (pretend) girlfriend/roommate, you might find it hard to sleep peacefully at night but when Lee Min Ho is the best friend of your new (pretend) girlfriend/roommate, you might just want to forget sleep altogether.

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Edited: June 2, 2020 / Moving to my new wattpad account @khk_writer visit me on Twitter with the same @