“There, There”

“Seriously?” she asked, peeking at him through watery eyes. “That’s all you can say?”

“Well, I don’t know what to do in situations like this!” Seunghyun said defensively, continuing to pat her back like he was burping a baby. “I’m not good with crying ladies”

“What do you do when your mom cries?”

She felt his body vibrate as he chuckled. “Hand her off to my dad”

“What does your dad do?” she asked, her tears starting to dry up.

“Buys her a fancy brand new purse?”

Dara paused. “That’ll work”

“Yeah, I bet it would” he remarked dryly.

Dara laughed softly and pulled away to wipe her face. “I bet I look hideous” she said half joking, half not.

“Well, you certainly don’t look your best” Seunghyun drawled, looking relieved that she had finally stopped crying.

“Jerk” she muttered hoarsely.

Seuddenly, Dara’s cellphone started ringing playing Old MacDonald tune. Seunghyun’s face broke into a wide smile. “You kept that?” he asked looking pleased.

She ignored his comment and fetched the phone out of her jean pocket. She went utterly still when she saw who was calling. Seeing her expression, Seunghyun grabbed the phone out of her hand and answered.

“What?” he snapped to Woobin. His face darkened as he listened to whatever Woobin was telling him. “She’s fine”. He paused listening some more. Seunghyun looked directly into Dara’s eyes and raised an eyebrow. “Do we want to go back to the party?” he asked.

Dara shook her head vehemently. No way in hell she wants to go back to that house.

“Were good” pause. “No, I have her” he stayed silent for a couple moments before saying in clipped tones. “It’s fine. Well see you later, bye”

Dara frowned when Seunghyun pocketed her phone. He seemed to have a perpetual need to hold onto it.

“Well, what do you want to do now?” Seunghyun asked her. “it’s only 11 o’clock”

Dara just shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t care as long as it meant avoiding Woobin. She really don’t want to see or talk to him for a while.

Seunghyun sat there, tapping his fingers against his leg. He looked around and then suddenly said. “I have an idea.” He rose from his siting position. “Wait here”

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back. Don’t move” he ordered and rushed into a nearby supermarket.

“Don’t move” Dara snorted as she crossed her arms. “Heard that one before. If he ends up pinning some girl in the checkout line I’m joining a convent”

He returned several minutes later with three large grocery bags and a mischievous smile. “Let’s go baby doll” he held out his elbow in a silent invitation and Dara twined her hands through, following his lead. They walked down the street, past a couple of buildings till they came to a beach. Seunghyun guided her to a small fire pit filled with wood. He pulled out a matched, graham crackers and chocolate bar.

“Were going to make s’mores?” she asked surprisingly.

His eyes twinkled. “Correction baby doll” he pulled out a yellow package. “We are going to make peep smores”

Dara sent him a doubtful look. “Isn’t it the same thing?”

Seunghyun gasped looking horrified. He reached over and placed the back of his hand on her forehead.

“What are you doing?” Dara demanded to know, swatting his hand away.

“Checking to see if you have a temperature. Clearly, you are delusional”

Dara rolled her eyes. “You’re delusional if you don’t think you have a problem” she said dryly. “You’re addicted to those things. How many hours can you go without eating one? Three? Four? Do your hands tremble when you don’t get your next fix?

“I do not have a problem!”

“Right” Dara snorted. “That’s what the entire addict said. I can see the headlines now: Peep Thief Strikes Again! Ransacks Local Grocery Store in Search of Yellow Bunny!”

“Peep thief?” Seunghyun asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dara shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, if the peep fits..”

“Just sit your cute feisty down and prepared to be amazed” Seunghyun ordered.

Ten minutes later they were sitting next to each other in the sand, eating peep smores.

“Okay” Dara said after taking a large bite. “I have to admit these are really good.” The sugar on the outside of the peep melted to make a caramelized crust, giving a little crunch to the gooey treat.

“Of course they are. I’m never wrong” he replied smugly.

Dara rolled her eyes as she took another bite. “You have an ego the same size of a small country”

“Is the country named Seunghyun?”

“I was wrong. It’s a very large country” Dara murmured, the remnants of chocolate and marshmallow off her fingers.

With a content sigh, she drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She stared into the fire thinking about her day. It certainly turned out unexpected. Roasting peeps with Seunghyun was probably the last thing she thought she would be doing. She was still amazed that he left the party to be with her. she wanna ask about the Red head girl but she don’t want Seunghyun to . besides why does she need to ask it? does it bother her? She doesn’t like him right? And what important is he followed her. Woobin hadn’t done that. Her brother certainly wouldn’t either.  A sense of pleasure coursed through her veins. Seunghyun had watched out for her, protected her.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. A small smile graced her lips as she watched him pull a puffed peep off a stick and stuff the whole thing in his mouth. It must have been too hot because he grimaced and in the air trying to cool it. She softly giggled at his antics. He looked absolutely ridiculous like that, his lips pursed out, panting for air. Dara shook her head in amusement. What was it about him that made him so endearing?

Not wanting to get caught staring at him, Dara turned her attention back at the fire. She watched as the flames swirled and moved, reaching for the sky. Was Bom right? Did she like Seunghyun? Her heart jumped at the thought, begging her to say yes but her mind resisted. She only knew him for two weeks. Two weeks. How could she fall for someone in that short amount of time? Maybe she was just infatuated with him. The feelings would eventually fade as she got to know him better. Immediately, her heart rejected the idea. Seunghyun wasn’t passing fad. He challenged her. He surprised her. He made her laugh. He made her want to get to know him better.

She watched him eat another peep and then a thought occurred to her. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes, I’m really this good looking” he quipped.

She rolled her eyes at his arrogance. “Why do you like peeps?”

He stilled. “What do you mean?”

Dara noted his body language and her curiosity soared. “You have unnatural obsession with them. Why?”

He turned away from her. The fire creating deep shadows across his face. “When I was little, my grandfather and I would share a pack of peeps as he told me stories of my great grandfather” he said in strained voice.

Understanding dawned. The peeps were almost like a comfort blanket for him. Dara’s heart warmed when she realized he hadn’t shut her out. He was starting to trust her with his feelings. “He sounded like a really awesome grandpa”

Seunghyun eyes grew distant. “He was the best”

“How did he die?” Dara asked in a gentle voice.

His Adam’s apple moved up and down as he swallowed a couple times, trying to keep his emotions in check. “Lung cancer” he whispered, visibly choked up.

Daras’s eyes misted. He obviously loved his grandfather. She scooted closer and placed her hand over his. Without taking his eyes off the fire, Seunghyun turned his hand over and entwined their fingers together on a tight hold. Dara squeezed his hand letting him know that he wasn’t alone, she was there.

“His cancer wasn’t a big surprise” Seunghyun went on, seeming to obtain comfort from Dara’s gesture. “He smoked at least a pack a day for years but it still hurt when..” his voice faltered, not being able to finish the sentence.

“That must have been tough. It sounds like the two of you were really close” she murmured, praying she was saying the right thing. She remembered when Bom’s dad had died. It had felt like she was constantly walking on the eggshells.