Having realized she had the capability to actually like someone from the opposite , Dara had felt the energy draining out of her, her soul leaving her. She had grimaced as she realized these new feelings are  sprouting on her pores, leaking into her skin. For years of actually living with the thought of being unmoved by that thing called emotions, she is now yielding to one. And she doesn’t like it one bit.

Her family are the only people she could say are within her scope of emotional attachment and the people outside of it are just people who passes by so this new development in her life is enough to knock her out. She got up from her bed, feeling glum, as she opened the bathroom door.

She couldn’t fathom what is with her to actually like a guy whom she could probably take out in a boxing match, no matter how muscular he seems to be or how lean or how well-built— She banged her head slightly on the door frame to get her brain back into its place. Oh my god, why did she have to like a guy? Why did she have to like that guy? Why???

“You know, you’re looking like an idiot.”

Dara turned her head towards Suzy who is still lying on her bed burrowed under the covers as she watched her with amusement. Suzy chuckled at Dara’s expression. “Does he look like a mutant or something? Because, you know I can totally understand why you’re acting that way. Does he look like an alien or something like out of this world?”

“He looks like a in’ prince charming!” Dara answered almost belligerently. “His eyes are hypnotizing, his smile is riveting, his laugh is cute, his whole physique is something like those guys from the novels you’re fond of reading, he’s gentle. A nice guy. I just can’t understand why I would like him!”

Suzy’s mouth twitched. “Right,” she said. “I don’t understand why you would like him either. He sounds like the typical, usual guys you see from every corner of the city.”

Dara rolled her eyes at Suzy’s sarcasm. She would never understand. She went inside the bathroom preparing to take a shower to go to work again. She couldn’t remember the last time she had actually liked someone. Probably when she was in grade school when her father had insisted she learned self defense by taking up boxing and she always looked forward to those classes because she likes looking at her teacher who was 20 years her senior. It was when she stepped into highschool when her mother put a stop on her classes, as Dara keeps getting detention for getting into fights and her getting called everyday in the school office, did she realized she was more heartbroken of not being able to do boxing again rather than not seeing her teacher anymore. And that was the end of her attempt of female angst.

Maybe, this is one like that time too. She just needed to figure out what she had liked that comes along with Donghae. Free food, maybe? Free ride? She nodded to herself. Okay, maybe that’s it. Like her father said, there’s always a reason behind everything. Never take anyone’s word at face value. So if she says she likes Donghae, it meant she likes all the free stuff that comes with it.

Feeling her mood lighten, she finished her shower and dressed up for work. Suzy is now sitting on her bed, her phone in her hand but was watching Dara as she pulled on her jeans and a baggy shirt with a bear in the front.

“You’re looking cheered up,” Suzy commented.

“I think I got it all figured out,” Dara said smiling as she combed her hair. “No sweat.”

Suzy just raised her eyebrows at her wondering what thoughts Dara had formed in her twisted head.

“Aren’t you going to get late?” Dara said as she picked up her bag.

“My call time is at 2,” Suzy answered as she fall back on her bed again. “I think I’ll sleep it off until then.”

Dara sighed as she muttered, “I wish I could sleep it off the entire day.” She put on her shoes and went out of the bedroom telling Suzy she’ll see her later.

She went out of the house closing the door behind her when she froze as Donghae is standing at the exact spot he was yesterday, leaning on his car. She pursed her lips in irritation as her heart sped up again as Donghae waved at her, smiling. She grudgingly walked down the three steps, her eyes shooting arrows.

“What are you doing here?” She asked sharply ignoring her heart doing the morning jog. “I thought you said you wouldn’t bother me anymore?”

“That was yesterday. I didn’t bother you after that did i?” Donghae said grinning.

Dara tapped her foot as she looked down involuntarily from Donghae’s smiling face. Okay, just what her teacher taught her in boxing, Confront Your Fears. She looked up and met Donghae’s gaze.

She looks like she’s gonna kill me, Donghae thought as he leaned back a little, Dara’s eyes in slits as she stared up at him, set grimly. What the…

“Uh… something wrong?” Donghae asked as Dara continued staring up at him with that crazed look.

Dara realized her face is already leaning toward him and she straightened her back, clearing . Okay, Fears Confronted. Now if only she could remember the second step. Donghae just looked at her as she stood there thinking hard on that. Donghae scratched his head. Talk about mental. What a mess.

“So, you wanna go to an amusement park or somewhere?” Donghae asked.

“I can’t remember the second step, dammit!” Dara muttered stomping her foot then she looked at Donghae who had his eyes wide as he watched her talking to herself. “What?!” She glared at him.

This girl is scaring me. She’s nuts. Maybe he could skip on his plan for an amusement park and just get out of here. But then he thought of the guys’ face laughing at him if he lost. And his villa. The car. Yoona. He cleared his throat. “I…uh… I said if you want to go somewhere like an amusement park…”

“I have work,” Dara said peevishly as she still can’t remember what came next after confronting one’s fear. Then she grabbed Donghae’s hand to look at his watch. “Ah , I’m gonna be late.” She turned around to walk towards the bus.

Donghae put a hand on his thudding heart as he watched Dara walked off. He seriously thought she’s going to take a swing at him for unknown reason. Everything is seriously wrong with this crazy girl! Gawd. He opened his car door and slipped in deciding to just leave that girl steam in her craziness. He opened the glove compartment to take out his sunglasses when he saw the stupid paper Kibum had wrote regarding the bet he had carelessly thrown inside it. Ah , he muttered as he remembered Kibum’s face saying the clock’s ticking. He slammed the glove compartment closed and started the car, driving towards Dara walking on the sidewalk. He stopped the car and hopped out, getting in front of her.

“You didn’t have to go to work,” Donghae said. “Siwon is letting you off work today.”

Dara frowned in puzzlement. “Why?”

“Because… I asked him if he could let you off work and he said okay.”

“Why?”

“You really ask reasons for everything? Because I told him I wanted to spend some time with you. We could go anywhere you want. And please, no more why’s.”

“Why?”

Donghae sighed. Dara realized what she said and she chuckled then laughed. Donghae looked at her laughing, a smile creeping on the corners of his mouth as well.

Dara laughter instantly got wiped out. “No, I’m gonna go and sleep.”  She turned back towards her apartment and Donghae ran in front of her.

“C’mon,” Donghae said. “I was the one who asked Siwon to give you a day off and you’re just going to blow me off?”

“I didn’t ask you to do that, did i?” Dara said.

“I know but I wanted to do everything for you, even if you didn’t ask me to.”

Dara opened then closed it again as that giddiness started creeping up on her again. Aish! Go to step 1. Confront Your Fears. 

“Please?” Donghae said looking at her earnestly with that puppy eyes.

Dara put her palm flat on Donghae’s face, trying to block him from her vision. “Stop it, I’m thinking.”

Donghae didn’t remove Dara’s hand plastered on his face. Insane. She. Is. Insane. What did he got himself into? He’s going to have to work double time to get this bet over with. Once Dara confessed to him in front of the guys, to hell with courtesy or whatever you call it. He’s gonna dump her as soon as he got his winnings.

Dara bit her cheek thoughtfully. Okay, Confront Your Fears. Confront Your Fears. If that means going somewhere with this guy, until she got over whatever this emotion is, then so be it.

“Okay,” Dara said removing her hand off his face. “Let’s go somewhere and do this .” She adjusted her bag strap then walked over to his car, sliding in the passenger seat.

Donghae tried not to let his expression of utter confusion show on his face as he walked to the driver’s seat. Do the what?

They decided to go to Seoul Land. That is, Donghae decided to go to Seoul Land as Dara is only nodding at wherever is he suggesting as she stared outside the window. Donghae bought the tickets and pretty soon, Dara forgot her main purpos