The wind was howling, the thunder roaring and raindrops dropping like bullets. Dara's whole body was shaking as intensely as the trees outside. She was alone in her apartment, under a blanket, hugging her knees to her chest.

“It'll be over soon. It'll be over soon,” she kept repeating

She hated storms, all sorts of them, thunderstorms, sandstorms, etc., but what she hated more was being alone during it. Another thunder roared, Dara covered her ears and began to sing 2NE1's Clap Your Hands in an attempt to silence the thunder. But Dara's voice was no competition against nature. When Dara thought the worse was over, a power surge happened. Lights were out, leaving Dara alone in the dark. Dara wanted to stay strong, but tears were already forming in her eyes. The first tear drop fell when someone began to lightly shake her.

“Baby,” Donghae called to her, “Are you alright?” he uncovered her

“Donghae,” she clung to him

“I'm so sorry I just came,” he hugged her tightly

“It's okay. You're here now,” she was sobbing

“Everything's going to be okay,” he rocked her back and forth like a baby in his arms

She nuzzled his chest before nodding.

“This baby,” he smiled as he caressed her hair, “Let me go get the emergency flashlights,”

“No,” she refused to let him go

“Would you rather we stay in the dark?”

“No,” her hug loosened, “But let me go with you,”

“You have terrible eyesight in the dark, Dara,”

“Pretty please,” she looked at him with pleading eyes

“Okay, okay, let's go.”

Donghae stood up, expecting Dara will only cling to his arm, but he was wrong. Dara only gave space between the two of them for him to comfortably stand, but she clung to him once he was standing properly.

“Poor baby,” he kissed the top of her head

“Don't let go of me. You know I hate storms.”

“I know,”

“Let's go get the flashlights,”

“There's only four. Will that be enough?” Donghae recalled

“Better than none,” answered Dara

“Alright then.”

The two walked cautiously to the kitchen where the flashlights were hidden. They would have used their mobile devices as light, but both were on low battery.

“Here it is,” Donghae opened the cabinet, “And your power bank too.”

Donghae took two of the flashlights with his free hand and handed the other two to Dara. He was still holding on to Dara with his right arm, his hand entwined with hers.

“You sure you can carry them?”

“Uhuh,”

“Put the powerbank in my pocket,” he told her.

**

The couple were back in Dara's room, lying down, cuddled together under the blanket. Dara's head was comfortably resting in the angle of his neck.

“You're still shaking,” Donghae was worried

“I can't make it stop,” she frowned

“Let's make a fort,”

“A fort?” She looked up to see his face

“A blanket fort protecting us from the storm,”

“Okay,” Dara agreed.

Even though Donghae suggested they make a fort, Donghae ended up making it himself since Dara was too shaken by the storm. She stayed on her bed, holding one of the flashlights. Donghae obtained five chairs from Dara's dining room to be like posts. Two were positioned on the left side, another two to her right and one at the edge of the bed. Then, he gathered Dara's long blanket to hang on the five chairs. Dara began to regain her smile at the sight of hardworking Donghae.

“Are you done?” she asked since she couldn't see him anymore

“Yes mam,” he peeked under, “And I've got hot chocolate for us,” he held up the mugs

“Hooray!” she exclaimed.

Dara made her way to the edge of the bed and took the mugs from Donghae.

“And my laptop for us to watch a movie,” he said while reaching for his laptop on the floor

“Come on in,” Dara told him.

Donghae crawled his way under the blanket fort. When they were settled in, with the laptop all set, Dara rested in Donghae's embrace waiting for the movie to begin. Their movie for the night was The Book of Life.

“The graphics are nice,” commented Dara

“I could draw them for you if you like,”

“Really?” her eyes widened

“I can try,” he became shy

“You don't have to dram them. You can draw us!”

“That's a better idea,”

“Or you can just draw a rabbit and a fish,” she was referring to their nicknames

“I could try both,”

“That'd be great!”

The night grew darker with the weather calming down. Without knowing it, Dara fell asleep in Donghae's arms. He carefully took the empty mug from Dara's hand and placed it with his mug on the nearest chair to them. He went back to eying his beautiful maiden. A smile escaped his lips once more. He set aside the hair that was covering her face, and planted a kiss on her forehead before resting his own forehead lightly on hers.

“I love you, Sandara Park,” he whispered

“Lee Donghae, I love you,” mumbled Dara.

Donghae was shocked at the reply. He was sure his lady love was already far into dreamland.

“Dara?”

No response. It turns out she was talking in her sleep.

“Fast asleep, huh. At least, I know what you're dreaming of,” he was caressing her cheek, “Dream more of me.”

That night, Dara had the best sleep she's had in years despite the storm that frightened her. She slept next to the person she held close to her heart, the person that would do anything for her, Lee Donghae. Lee Donghae, on the other hand, slept with a smile on his face knowing the love of his life thinks of him even in her sleep. He claimed himself the luckiest man in the universe because Dara loved him, his Dara loves him. And to be loved by the person you love is a phenomenon itself.