A/N: Here's a dose of XiuDara (finally) ^_^ I hope you will enjoy it.

Recap Chapter 9: Dara arrived at Busan for a one-month vacation. In one of her errands, she bumped into Chen and Luhan while wandering around the market near Haeundae Beach. She learned of Xiumin’s problem; she can identify with him. Chen gave her free tickets to watch the music concert. She watched it with a friend who’s an EXO fan as well.

After the concert, Xiumin immediately changes into his regular clothes and cleans off the make-up expertly---well, all it really takes is an excellent make-up remover. He secretly tells his manager how he wants to take a look around and maybe get a refreshing iced cappuccino (and mocha bread if ever he finds any).

He is looking forward to another dose of coffee after a tiring day. He assures the manager that he will be back at the hotel once his craving is satisfied. Despite the probability that there’s a café (actually, there is--- he saw it) in the hotel where they are checked-in, he would rather stroll around, because early tomorrow they’ll be going back to Seoul.

He believes roaming alone will be better; it’ll be less risky. Bringing Luhan along may attract unwanted attention.

After putting on his cap, shades and hoodie, he sneakily leaves the dressing room, only bringing with him a few cash. He left his bag (his phone in it) with manager-hyung who’ll take care of how to explain to his friends where he is if ever they notice his absence. They are busy to even notice his departure.

He doesn’t bring his phone with him because he doesn’t want to get a call in the middle of his wandering. In short, he needs time alone, to think.

Outside, he sees a lot of people wandering, may it be in groups, pairs or alone, just like him. The air is not that humid, in fact he can smell the faint aroma of seawater wafting in the air. He walks with reservation, his destination still unknown. 

When he’s in a more secluded area, he allows his mind to wander back to Friday night. He was in their hotel rooms’ balcony, leaning on the railing, looking over the few lights along the beach five floors below, when the two arrived bearing news that they ran into Dara-noona. Even Luhan got to call her noona now.

In his mind, there’s a rerun of Chen saying: “Dara-noona looked for you.” For Chen, that didn’t seem weird, but for Xiumin, it was strange. When he heard that, he froze for a moment, willing himself not to show any signs how it made him feel. Frankly, he felt tingly all over. The information that Dara noona looked for him was surprising but his body’s reaction is more unexpected. He was thankful that the light was dim. Chen and Luhan did not see how his face slowly flushed while his mind digested such detail.

He’s happy to hear it. How can one simple statement make him feel this happy?

If not for the pair of eyes narrowed at his face, he may not be able to contain it. He smothered a smile. It was a hard feat but he succeeded.

“Ah…” The pause was caused by his attempt to calm down his heartbeat, “really?” was all he could say, impassively. He doubted he’d be able to show any emotion at all even if Luhan is the only one around.

He still can’t overtly show, let alone express, what he feels. But right now, he allows himself to smile, a little restrained in spite of the fact that he’s on his own. Not one of his friends will see, although he fears the people around will find him creepy.

While he enjoys the warm feeling created by what Chen said, he acknowledges that most likely Dara noona is only asking out of curiosity. He knows better than to hope it means anything at all other than that.

He pushes away the thoughts, for he is now treading the street where different kinds of restaurants line up. He can smell smoke from grilled meat.

“Omo!”

“Why?”

“Jisoo-ya, I think I saw someone I know. Will it be okay if you stay here while I check?” Dara has a gut feeling she knows the guy who passed by seconds ago. There’s something about his posture that reminds her of someone. Her fangirl instinct is kicking in.

Jisoo barely finishes her answer when Dara hurriedly goes out and steps in the line of passersby, her eyes not leaving the target.

Xiumin tries to completely ward off his thoughts of her by resuming his search for a café. For all he knows, he may already have passed one, but in his inattentiveness, he missed it. He does not even give much consideration to how people eye him. He’s very well aware how the sunglasses---when the sun has already set---make him look weird.

Walking further almost to the end of the street and looking around, he finally sees one. From the outside it already looks cozy but he’s not going to linger to experience the ambiance so it’s regrettable. He pushes the door, the chimes ringing in response; and then he hears the low volume of instrumental music coming from the speakers. He approaches the display of cakes and bread. When he spots mocha bread, he goes straight to the counter to order iced cappuccino and two pieces of mocha bread to go.

The lady behind the counter gives a friendly smile while Xiumin hands over the payment. Handing over the receipt and change, she tells him to sit for it’ll take a while to prepare.

He sits at a nearby wooden chair, noting that the café is half full of customers. He notices that there is a glass door leading to a terrace overlooking the beach and then the chimes ring. Before he can check out the scene outside, he feels someone’s presence nearby. Too near.  Through his peripheral vision, a petite girl sits at the vacant chair near enough for him to think she’s there to speak to him. He panics. Did someone recognize him?

“Is that you Xiumin-ssi?” The voice is soft and somewhat familiar. It makes the hair on his nape stand on its ends.

He slowly turns, all set to deny it. She can be one of those fans who’ll cry out his name the moment she confirms it’s him.

Who he sees may be a figment of his imagination. It can be the result of his excessive thinking.

But she is real. She pulls down the zipper of her jacket a bit because it’s covering ; it's like a mask. And then she smiles.

Dara-noona’s smile directed at him causes his heart to flutter.

He should have guessed whom the soft voice belongs to.

For a few seconds, he is unable to move. He simply stares. He could have enjoyed looking at her smile and then her eyes if not for the detestable barrier created by the sunglasses.

There is a lump in his throat so he coughs to rid of it. It gives him the kick he needs to finally speak “Dara-noona.” He is about to stand and bow but she stops him by pressing her hand on his arm and signaling there’s no need for it by shaking her head. He becomes suddenly aware of the warmth from her hand despite the jacket that covers his arm.

“It is really you,” she says a bit too happily to Xiumin’s complete amazement. She pulls her hand away from his arm.

His mind goes blank at the sight. She’s giving smiles generously. Somehow, his sunglasses don’t seem so bad at all. Without it, he may not be able to openly stare at her all he wants. But it saddens him a bit to not be able to see her big eyes.

Before he can say anything, she declares, “I’m glad I ran into you. I watched your performance. As expected, you’re all very great,” she states in a low volume in spite of her excitement being evidently high. She’s unaware of Xiumin’s partly open mouth.

She’s glad to run into him.

She’s glad… to run into him.

She’s glad…  

This repeats in his head like a mantra. What does that even mean?

While the thought floats in his mind, Dara explains. “I just want to personally congratulate you and the others. It was daebak!” She gives a two thumbs-up, her pretty smile not diminishing at all.

Xiumin ponders---How is it possible that a thirty-two year old can have this much cuteness? Her nose is cute and her lips uneven; that must be the reason. He suddenly recalls the ‘ideal type’ questions.

He wishes his take-out would take more than a while to be prepared. He certainly enjoys this very rare moment with her.

“But why are you alone. Where are they?” She looks around curiously, as if the others will appear out of the blue.

“Ah... I don’t think they want to wander around as much as I do,” he incompletely reveals. “But---” he hesitates for a moment, a tad shy, but asks away anyway, “how is it you are able to detect it’s me? I don’t think I neglected to cover-up properly.”

“We