Recap Chapter 20: The guys arrived and found Dara feeding Luhan.

Later that night they had a barbecue dinner at the rooftop, where she had no choice but to admit that she has three biases in EXO.

The next day, she and Xiumin had coffee together until they heard Lay playing the piano.

In the afternoon, they watched a comedy horror film wherein Tao at first did not approve until Sehun suggested Dara should sit beside him.

Chen started scheming to bring Dara and Xiumin together despite the fact that his suspicion is not yet confirmed.

The road is deserted, this Dara knows very well since she usually jogs around such time before, though not very often. That's why she does not bother to wear anything to cover-up her face; the hood of her windbreaker is down. The sun has already risen when they left the house, so they are able to see the other big houses with walls high enough to prevent anyone from getting a peek in the inside; that's how private the owners are. Xiumin on the other hand assumes that covering-up is not necessary since it's an exclusive village. It feels like any normal morning jog, one that he has never done before since he debuted. But what makes it more special is his companion, her ponytail bouncing as they jog in a slow pace.

Even though she's already comfortable with him, there are those times when she feels a little self-conscious. She doesn't understand why that is so. Maybe because he's too handsome and whenever he looks at her, there's something she can't quite figure out. Realizing this is not the time to ponder about it, she tries to ward off those thoughts. They start to pick up the pace and before the silence leads to awkward atmosphere, Dara speaks up, not looking at him. "Any progress with what you have to do?" She sometimes wonders if she should still take it seriously. What if he's getting tired of her asking about it?

"I'm working on it," he says with determination.

"Omo!" She looks sideways at him with an encouraging smile. "That's good to hear. I think you will be able to do it." She detected the conviction in his tone; it's the first time she hears him sound so determined. "Soon, right?" 

He smiles at her. "Hopefully."

"Fighting Xiumin-ssi!" Her face shows that fighting spirit along with the gesture.

"How about you noona? I mean, how is your list, is it almost done?" He wants to complete the sixth item on the to-do list with her, which is stargazing, but he does not know how to bring up the subject.

"Not yet." There's a hint of concern in her voice. "And there's only three months left until my break is over." She thought she's doing well with her list. To push away the negative thoughts, she thinks about her piano lessons with Lay. There's no schedule yet but the dimpled guy promised her after he made her sing. "By the way, what do you and the others plan to do later?" She has some errands in the afternoon, and if they want to go out, she'll drive and drop them off.

"We have no plans yet. Maybe we'll talk about that after lunch."

"You're not getting bored yet, are you?" She looks sideways at him quickly.

"No. That'll be impossible..." He wants to add that as long as she's around, it'll never be boring. But what will she think if he does that. Will she find it weird? Will it give away what he feels for her? Should he start giving hints so that when he finally confesses, she won't be so surprised?

"I'm glad," and then she hums the chorus part of You and I for a few seconds. She suddenly remembers something, prompting her to stop humming. "Can I ask you something?"

He suddenly feels nervous. Did she notice? He gulps as his stomach tightens. "Okay." He braces himself in anticipation. "What is it?" 

"Uhm.. It's actually not me who's curious about it," she has to begin with that clarification despite the fact that she's a little curious too, which he does not have to know. "It's my friend who wants to know---about your abs---she wants to know if you have abs," she says a little too quickly as if she can't wait to get the words out of .

"Mwo?!" Xiumin is really surprised about the inquiry. But what he really wants to know is if she is not curious at all, even just a tiny bit.

She doesn't understand why suddenly she feels her face warming. Maybe it's because of the continuous running. She glances at her wristwatch to track their distance; they ran about two miles without stopping and suddenly she feels thirsty. She didn't bring water out of laziness. It's probably time to head back to the house. Too busy looking at her wristwatch to even notice the rock near the sidewalk, she steps on it with her left foot, "Kyaaahh!" causing her to lose her balance and in a split second she's on the ground. "Ow!!" 

Xiumin's eyes widen, unable to make a move to stop her fall because it happened so fast. He kneels beside her in concern. "Noona, are you alright?"

She's able to lessen the impact of the fall by placing her hand against the pavement. Thanks to her reflexes, her face did not end up kissing the rough ground. And it hurt a little---the roughness of the ground against her palms sting. "I'm alright," she says despite the pain she feels on her left ankle. She's thinking and hoping it's not too serious, that she can still walk, if running won't do. She dusts off her palms and then tries to stand.

Xiumin is so close by, watching her struggle. "I'm sorry. If I was paying attention to where we are going this may not have happened."

"What are you saying?" She does not realize her hand is on his arm for support when she tries to stand, putting more weight on her right foot first. When she puts weight on her left, she winces in pain. "It's not your fault kid. I wasn't paying attention." She glances at him. "Stupid me. Looks like I sprained my ankle."

He carefully guides her to sit in the gutter not realizing that she called him 'kid' again. "Let's take a look at it."

Once seated, she makes a move to take off her left shoe but he stops her; his hand brushes against her hand causing the hairs at the back of her neck to prickle. She freezes while he focuses on taking off the shoe and then the sock. When his hand touches her ankle, she shivers. What is wrong with her? 

She forgets about that sensation for a while when they see that her ankle is starting to swell, the redness is evident. But she can attest that it's only a mild sprain. Perhaps in a few days she can walk again normally. However, today she may need his assistance. She's starting to worry about the errands she must do later.

Tao is the first person Chen sees when he arrives at the house. The panda is waiting by the porch; a pout adorns his sleepy features while he stands from where he is sitting on the steps that lead to the front door. "Wow, this is new!" Chen comments while walking towards Tao, who is craning his neck looking for someone else besides the troll. "You're awake early!"

He ignores Chen's remark. "Where's Dara noona and Umin-hyung?" He's still looking at the gate as if the two will mysteriously appear.

"Ah, so that's why. I left them. I need to go to the restroom." But he does not seem to be in a hurry so Tao questions him again. "Hyung, why didn't you tell me that you're going out with Dara noona?" he whines once again. His expertise.

"It's not like you'll come with Minseok and I. Besides, it's a coincidence that she's going out too," Chen explains, inwardly smiling at his brilliant scheme. 

"I'm the one who should be sorry Xiumin-ssi." At this statement, he looks at her curiously. "Aigo. It looks like you'll have to carry me again. It's a burden isn't it?" she asks to reduce her embarrassment. How clumsy of her.

"What are you saying noona? It's definitely not a burden. I don't mind carrying you---again," he says sincerely with a smile---that smile again that causes her heart to flutter---and then he begins to tie the shoelace by its ends, puts the sock inside and hangs it over his arm. He stands and holds out a hand to her. "Let's go back." 

She looks at his sweat-covered face, realizing despite that, he still looks cute. Inwardly she berates herself to stop such observations. She takes his hand and let's herself be pulled up to stand on her good foot. She feels that prickling sensation again at the contact. He turns his back to her and crouches on the ground so she can put her arms over his shoulders and lock it around his neck. Hesitant at first, she finally manages to calm her nerves and wordlessly hug him; that seems like what she is doing. 

"Hold on noona." And that's what she does, she holds onto him. Though not too tight, she can feel the firm muscles of his shoulders. When he finally stands effortlessly with her full weight on him, she catches her breath, her heart pounds erratically against her chest. So this is what it feels like to be carried by him. So close. Too close. What if he can feel how her heart is beating wildly at the moment? She wills her heart to beat normally, as if that is even possible. The first time he carried her, she was completely out. It makes her wonder how her heart was during that time...

He starts to walk back to where they came from. She realizes that he is strong and maybe the long walk back is nothing to him. "Are you alright? Aren't you tired?" she asks worriedly.

"Don't worry about me. You're too light by the way," he chuckles, in order to calm the uncontrollable giddiness that's gone overdrive. His heart is pounding wildly the moment it becomes clear how very close she is. He needs to calm down before she realizes how her closeness affects him. Her head is on his right shoulder and he starts to wonder if the closeness is too much for her.

"Should I take that as a compliment?" she huffs and he feels her breath against his ear. 

He clears his throat. "You should gain more weight. But then I guess, you want that too, it just won't happen right? No matter how big your appetite is..." he trails off, teasing her again about the big appetite she has.

"Ya! There you are again," she playfully strangles him. He fakes out a yelp and she laughs at his silliness, or maybe hers. She loosens her hold. "You're right, I'm trying to gain a few pounds but nothing happens. I'm not sure if that's a curse or a blessing." She is already used to him teasing her about her appetite.

"Just be healthy," he says, a bit distracted when she moves her head from his right shoulder to his left.

"Got it. So do you have abs?" She has not completely forgotten. And he can't seem to get his mind off how her breath against his neck and ear is still sending shivers down his spine.

"And I thought you already forgot about it..." he sighs, pretending to be disappointed.

"Is it supposed to be a secret? You having abs, I mean," she asks while eyeing the moles on his ear and neck with interest. Is it weird if she finds it cute? Aigo. This is dangerous.

He chuckles at her incessant efforts to make him answer. "It's not," he pauses before admitting the real reason. "I just don't like showing it off."

"So you have?" Her eyes widen. "Really?!" Her voice is louder and she starts to shake his shoulders in her attempt to have him answer immediately.

Is that excitement he detects in there? "Why do you sound like you can't believe it?" He pretends to be insulted. Who knew his abs is a funny subject they can talk about this casually?

She stops moving. "Wow. It must have taken you months to have it." She lets out a sigh. "My abs is on vacation," she reveals and then laughs at her last statement.

"Where did it go?" is his attempt to humor her.

"It's on an indefinite leave," she counters back, earning a chuckle from him. "I'm just curious," she begins and he mentally notes that this time she's the one who is curious. "If you don't like show to it off, why have it? Not that I want you to flaunt it whenever you get the chance..." She blushes at the idea of him showing that abs; luckily, he can't see her reddening face.

"Well, I worked out to have abs so I can move more quickly. I gain weight easily that's why I have to watch what I eat. Most of our choreography requires quick movements so I need to get rid of the excess weight."

"Why did I not think of that?" She feels a little insensitive. Maybe he feels uncomfortable talking about it yet she probes continuously.

"So no one has ever seen it?" She just can't stop now. The curiosity is too much to handle.

"I think so," he says uncertainly. And she wonders maybe his friends have already seen it accidentally, perhaps.

"And you're not showing it to anyone?" She sounds as if it's a big loss if he keeps it hidden.

"Maybe."

"Even to your girlfriend?" she asks in disbelief. At the thought that his future girlfriend will get to see his abs, she feels a tiny bit of envy. Just tiny, but it's still there. Aigo. What does that mean?

He is taken aback by her question that he fakes a cough to get rid of the momentary surprise. "Maybe," he says, hoping she won't ask anymore.

"I think I know why you don't want to show it," she says knowingly, the corner of quirks slightly. It makes him wonder what it is she's thinking. "I can just imagine the chaos---not to mention, how a glimpse at that will become another trending topic, right, Mr. Trend of Trends?" She really loves teasing him.

"Mwo!?" What she calls him is what catches his attention. "That's not it," he insists, fearing that's what she really believes. He feels her tremble due to the laughter she's trying to stifle. A few seconds later, she starts to laugh. Now that's music to his ears.

It could have been better if she can see his face; only his side profile is visible and is that a blush? She better shut up before he turns as red as a tomato. It's time to change the subject. "How am I supposed to go grocery shopping in this state? And I have to pick-up a friend from the train station," she sighs in frustration.

"I'm sorry noona, if only I can drive you there," he apologizes while wondering about the friend she must pick-up; if it's a guy or a girl. He wants to ask but can't bring himself to.

"Have no plans of getting a driver's license?"

"No plans yet," he answers, relieved at the change in subject.

"Aigo. You have to learn soon so you can drive around the city---with your girlfriend."

It's funny how she keeps bringing up the non-existent girlfriend. "Now that you have mentioned it, before the year ends, I'll get one."

"A girlfriend?" she interjects innocently.

"No. A license," he mumbles while his face reddens.

"Ah. Who among you has no license yet?"

"Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol and Lay. But I think Baekhyun and Chanyeol already have plans to get their license next month. Maybe I'll tag along."

Before they know it, the house comes into view.

"I think you can put me down now," she says once they got inside the gate. 

"I can't do that. I'll put you down once we reach the dining room," he insists. "We're both thirsty and we need a cold compress for your ankle."

When Xiumin opens the front door, they can hear voices speaking at the same time. Once inside, it's become obvious that the noise is coming from the dining room. Having breakfast and a chaotic discussion are D.O., Suho, Chen, Baekhyun, Tao and Luhan. The noise suddenly dies down when they notice the new arrivals. 

"Noona! What happened?" is Tao's concerned inquiry when he sees her being carried to the nearest chair. He immediately rushes to her while the others take a peek at her obviously bare left foot. Xiumin puts her shoe on the floor after she's settled. "I sprained my ankle, but don't worry it's nothing serious, I hope." She inspects it, and that's when they see the redness. She explains how it happened, purposely not divulging the fact that Xiumin's abs has something to do with her momentary loss of concentration to where she's going.

On the other hand, Xiumin immediately heads to the kitchen to get two glasses of water and hands the other one to her. She thanks him for it before quenching her thirst. After drinking his glass of water empty, he goes back to the kitchen to get ice cubes. He has a small towel on his pocket, which he has completely forgotten to use earlier; he uses it as a cold compress. He returns to the dining area and wordlessly but carefully presses the compress against her ankle. Taking the towel from him, she thanks him again with a smile that can melt anyone's heart. 

Meanwhile, Chen wonders if his scheme resulted to anything Xiumin should be thankful for towards him.

When the rest of the guys arrive to have breakfast and notice Dara's state, Tao takes it upon himself to speak for her, who's now busy eating. She thanks Tao, who is seated on her left, for his thoughtful act. On her right, Xiumin is quietly observing, wondering who will get to carry her upstairs after breakfast. And then he remembers their conversation about later plans. "What are we going to do later?" he asks, while looking at Suho in particular.

That's when the guys start to speak