Long chapter ahead!

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A man’s heavy breathing could be strongly heard as his breath merged with the warm air on a sunny day. Hands were getting sweaty at every second passed. Wearing his mask, sunglasses, blue shirt with a military jacket on he borrowed from Yesung and a black cap, the namja stood at a waiting shed near the front gate of Seoul Grand Park. He glanced at his Rolex watch for the nth time already since he arrived half an hour ago.

9:57 A.M.

His heartbeat sped up, adding to his excitement. Well, more on the nervousness side.

She didn’t answer my calls or texts for the past weeks.

Now, she wants to meet me.

Donghae was really happy when Heechul finally gave him his phone around 4 in the morning. The diva didn’t give a single when the fish had a camp outside his room’s door and kept on his persistent whining. If you think Donghae would already sleep after that . . . Of course, he didn’t text nor call Dara. That’s so rude. Calling when he fully knew she was already asleep. Instead, the fish kept on rolling on his bed and just staring at his cellphone. She called me. After two years. She called me. She knows my number. How did she know my number? She wants to meet me. Tomorrow!

His giddiness was soon replaced with something that just crossed his mind after thinking that Dara might have missed him.

That drunken night of his in NB.

Bloody hell!

Did I really puke on her?!

Donghae firmly closed his eyes after staring at the park’s entrance. Is she mad at me? She wants to meet today just to tell me to never approach her anymore? That I disgust her?! No! Andwae! I can never do that! Panic slowly embodied his mind that it suddenly just got blank. The Suju member did not bring his car. No. Actually, he did. Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun suggested that they’d drive him there but then sped off with his car the minute he got down. He just received a message saying that they’d be borrowing it for the whole freaking day. If Dara suddenly leaves me here devastatingly, I swear I don’t know what to do with my life. He thought.

His level of panicking increased when a white Range Rover stopped just in front of him. Should I say sorry first or hi? Hi, of course! Manners, right? But . . . If I really did puke on her that night . . . ? Sooooorrrryyyyy!!! He almost jerked from where he was standing when he heard her opened the door. His legs felt they were about to collapse as he walked towards her car. Where could she be telling me to stay the away from her? Are we going somewhere isolated and creepy where those in Wrong Turn series lurk and she’d just leave me there? But I didn’t mean to. I was drunk. Stupid! Why did you let yourself be drunk?! His hand was shaking when he took a hold of the car’s knob and opened it.

As he climbed inside and took a glimpse of her, she was just on her on the go tattered jeans, pink cap, rubber shoes and large, white Paramore shirt. It had been a long time since he got inside her car again. But he couldn’t feel nostalgic or whatsoever as he clasped his hands and bowed his head. Apologize already you pabo fish! Don’t let her go!

“Dara.” He turned to face her but then tilted his head to the right when he found her clasping her shaky hands, head bowed down and shoulders so stiff. “D-Dara?” He felt something tugged his heart when she finally looked at him. Her eyes . . . Her stare . . . Donghae couldn’t point what was it he was seeing or why he was seeing her like this. She looked so disheartened. He noticed she lost weight again. Her bright smile was nowhere to be found. Her lips were tight and jaws clenched. He couldn’t delve into the depth of the sadness in her eyes. Yes, sadness. But why? They just sat there in silence. Not once she broke her gaze at him. It was as if she had all the day and night to just stare at him.

Dara like this was making Donghae alarmed.

No.

He was frightened.

And furious.

Anything that hurts Dara, hurts him even more. Anyone who hurts Dara, he would never forgive.

“Dara?” His voice was gentle yet so worried. “Dara, what’s wrong?” He took both of her shoulders and rubbed her.

Silence.

“Dara? What is it?” Her silence was adding to the sudden rage building inside him. Who dared hurt her this way?! “Dara. Jebal. Tell me. What is it that’s-”

“Help me.”

Help her? “What happened?”

“I want to gather the bijuus.”

.           .           .           .           .           .

“The what?”

“Bijuus.”

“Bijuu?” Donghae could only blink his eyes. What’s going on? Dara’s solemn and downcast face was replaced with a shining and bright expression. Her tight lips turned into grinning one.

“You remember my bestfriend, Joross? From the Philippines?”

“Uh. Yeah.”

“He has a son. His name is Jace Kyler. He’s really fond of anime. You know anime?” Dara asked in a very excited tone.

“Y-yeah. The cartoons made in Japan. Heechul hyung is really a fan of it.” He was more than confused. He didn’t understand why he was suddenly explaining to her Heechul’s likeness to anime. “I hear him calling himself an otaku all the time.” Dara kept on nodding to him eagerly like a teacher when her most favored student recites. “Its graphics, storyline and uh, basically everything about it is really interesting. I have watched Samurai X when I was in high school. It is cool.” He felt like an applicant doing his first ever interview.

“Deh. Deh.” Dara nodded again. “Do you know Naruto?”

“Yes. The yellow haired ninja in an orange get up. That anime is really famous.”

“You know the story? About the nine tailed fox?”

“Hmm.” He was hesitant to answer. This feels like a job interview. Totally. Like one wrong answer and it would jeopardize his career. In the fish’s case, lost his chance to be with Dara. “I remember watching a movie of it but I really . . .  I mean, I didn’t like follow the whole story or read the manga.” Dara just nodded in contemplation.

And she began narrating the summary of that anime to him. Donghae just watched her in amusement and well, confusion.

“Now, you get it?” Dara smiled at him.

“Y-yeah.” He nodded hesitantly. “Yeah.” He said more convincingly than the first one.

“So, we need to find all the nine bijuus. The super powerful and awesome monsters!” Her passionate voice just echoed inaudibly in the four corners of her Range Rover.

“Why?”

“Hm?”

Donghae wanted to massage his temples from all the information he was processing. Dara being crestfallen at first. Dara’s sudden turn of mood. The whole story of Naruto. And now, the search of nine monsters. What on Earth is going on?! “W-why do you need to find them?”

“I already mentioned Joross' son, right?”

“Deh.”

“He likes Naruto so much. His love for it is endless. Mel told me that the only thing that’d make him happy is to have all the bijuus. It breaks my heart to hear him on the phone crying because he couldn’t have them.” Dara explained. “And I’m giving all of them to him. I ain’t a godmother for nothing.” She flipped her hair to the back and smirked.

The fish finally understood her. What a sweet and thoughtful godmother. “Okay. Now, I get it.” Dara smiled at him and he blushed. “I know a toy store that Heechul hyung always go. I’m sure we can find there all the-”

“What are we gonna do in a toy store?” She raised both her brows.

Donghae stopped. “To buy the toys. Bijuu stuff toys. The Kyuubi and the other-”

“Andwae!” He hasn’t fully finished his sentence when she began protesting violently. “I’m not gonna give bijuu stuff toys to my precious godchild! Where’s the effort on that? If it’s just stuff toys then he would have already gotten them since Philippines is basically an anime country too. I’ll give him the real deal. And you’re gonna help me in getting them.” Her eyes were fiery in so much passion.

Okay. This is getting weirder. He thought. “The real deal?”

She nodded with a playful smirk.

“Real monsters from a pure, fictional story?”

“Yes.”

.           .           .           .           .           .

“Dara. Are you okay?” Now, he’s really concerned. Did she bang her head on a hard wall or something? This is beyond his ability to comprehend things in the world.

“I’m perfectly fine.” She said but then narrowed her eyes at him. “You don’t want to help me?” She sounded a bit hurt and looked away as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “Arasso. I can go by myself. I’m sorry for bothering y-”

“Ani! Ani! Ani!” He began waving his hands in a crossed manner. “I will help you. I really want to help you. It’s just that . . .” He paused and scratched the back of his head. “How?” He looked so perplexed that he wanted to have a brain transplant immediately.

A hyper grin slowly crept on Dara’s face as she raised her right hand to Donghae’s face.

“You’re kidding me.” That was all he could say.

He was thanking the god above for this day. Such a wonderful day! Walking side by side. Strolling around the zoo together. Being with Dara. And yeah, finding the bijuus. Okay. At least she’s with him.

With him.

Donghae couldn’t help but rejoice with all the butterflies in his stomach. She wants to be with me. Okay. She didn’t say that but at some point, she chose me to accompany her for this . . . quest. She could ask for her girls or Sanghyun or . . .

“I know you just came from Canada.” Donghae smiled at her when she was the first to actually initiate a conversation. That’s because the fish was too busy feeling all giddy on his own. “I know you’re tired so . . .”

“So?” The two passed the Bengal tiger’s cage. They didn’t bother wearing the shades but they made sure to put the caps and masks on.

“You might have plans for today. Schedules? You can go.” She fetched her phone from her pocket and began dialing somebody. “Mianhe if I did bother you. I’ll just call Jae to-” Dara blinked her eyes at him. partly opened.

“Let’s go.” He grinned and grabbed her left hand. He just snatched Dara’s cellphone and put it inside his left pocket. And both they ran with smiles and hopes for something that would probably change whatever fate gave them years ago.

Dara chuckled as she let Donghae drag her to the playground. She found herself tightening her hold onto his hand.

Today. You’re mine.

She stared at Donghae’s smiling face on her front as they ran together.

Today. I’m yours.

Shukaku

With her DSLR hanging on Donghae’s neck. She told him to take the pictures since he’s really good at it. She knew he wanted to be a photographer if he didn’t become an idol.

“Shukaku is?” He asked her. The two arrived on a wide scale of playground in the park. Kids were running and laughing here and there. Dara sat on a swing while Donghae stood behind her.

“He’s a raccoon. Its body is covered of sand.” She glanced at her back when the swing she was sitting on began swaying back and forth slowly. Donghae just smiled at her softly as he pushed the swing gently.

“Why does Jaejoong call you Sands?” He found himself asking. He really didn’t want to start a conversation with that guy as the topic but he couldn’t take it that his rival kept on calling Dara like that.

“Sands?” She glanced at him as he pushed her again to the air.

“Deh.”

“He wants to.”

“He wants to?” His voice unfavorable.

“Deh.” She giggled secretly, knowing he was being a jealous Nemo again. “Jae finds it cute.”

The dark cloud above Donghae’s head was getting darker as he pushed her again. She even calls him Jae. “Do you find it cute?”

Without any hesitation. “Deh. I like it.”

She was surprised when two arms caged her waist and left her hanging on the air. She was leaning on someone’s back. He was wearing a mask that hid his winsome nose and mouth but she could still feel his breath warming the left side of her neck. She looked at him and found his serious, pouty expression. That she always love. “Wae?” She asked innocently. “Put me down.” She wiggled from his arms but of course he wouldn’t let her. “Wae?”

He didn’t answer and just stared at her.

I know I don’t have the right but . . .

“I don’t like it.” Let it out then. He stared deeply into her eyes. That stare that always remind her that he owns her. Everything about her. And she wasn’t complaining. And she isn’t complaining at all.

Dara pursed her lips forward to hide that giddy smile threatening to show. “You tell him then. It’s your problem, not mine.” She looked back straight on her front. But she hasn’t let her go yet. She looked at him again and he was still staring at her like with eyebrows crossed and pouty lips. She knew he was pouting despite the mask on. “What?” She asked and looked away from his melting stare.

Until she couldn’t take it. Although she was loving how he was somehow backhugging her and melting her to her feet. It was too much for her heart to handle. Today just has just begun. Her hand darted to the nose behind his mask and pinched it so hard. Not letting go.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Donghae yelped as he moved forward so that Dara could finally reach the ground. “Ow! That hurts! Dara, too much! Ow!” He exclaimed in a very nauseous way while Dara had a hearty laugh and released him. He began rubbing his nose under the mask. He was so sure it could beat Rudolph’s nose with the way she pinched it as if it was the loveliest thing to do.

“Go. Take a picture of Shukaku.” She told him and pointed to the cage where raccoons were.

Donghae straightened up and just cutely glared at her. If that was even called a glare. She saw him approached the kids and sat with them. Dara took out the cellphone he gave back to her a while ago and looked back at him again. He was now smiling with a 3-year old boy beside him as they both took pictures of a cute baby raccoon.

She raised her Iphone right to her face.

“It’s what and how you call me that matters.” And her finger tapped that button.

Matatabi

“I wonder why they don’t put cats in a zoo.” Donghae said as they sat on a bench in front of the big cage of eagles.

Dara took a bite of her fries and gave some to Donghae. “There are tigers.”

“Not those.”

“They’re in the same family.”

“Deh. But as in cats like Dadoong and Oreo and-”

“Maybe because it’s kinda normal that people keep them in their houses and see them on the streets. A zoo is for wild and rare animals? I guess.” Dara shrugged.

“Isn’t that kind of discriminating the cats, dogs and those domesticated animals?” They watched families and couples pass by them. It was definitely a perfect day.

Dara chuckled and looked at him in disbelief.

“Wae?” Donghae asked her with a bright smile.

“You sound like someone from PETA or some animal rights organizations.” She chuckled again. After that small talk, the two just sat there in silence, watching parents held their excited kids all over the place. People smiling and enjoying the nature. He glanced at her and when she looked at him, he looked back to his front. Dara fixed her shoelac