“Shhh, she just fell asleep,” Kevin whispers as the others push each other out of the way to get a better look at her. Kibum merely stares at Alexander, hoping to get some sort of response from him, noticing the worried look written on Alexander’s face. Making his way out of the room, everyone clambered after Alexander, eager to hear from him.

“I can see why Dong Ho had mistaken her for... someone else. Even with her eyes closed, I can see how identical the two look. Kevin, are you sure she doesn’t have a twin or something?” Alexander questions, as the group makes their way down the hall, heading into another hallway.

“Positive. At least I’m 90 percent sure. I’ve told you everything regarding her. Mind you, I’m known for having the best memory around here.”

“I see. Is Dong Ho still holed up in his room?” Alexander questions as they quickly head towards Dong Ho’s room. With everyone confirming his suspicion, Alexander quickened his pace. Flinging the door to Dong Ho’s room open, he continued. “Dong Ho, we need to talk.”

The youngest male turned his head towards Alexander’s direction, confusion clearly displayed in his eyes. Finding So Li had seemed so surreal, yet it was- since she claimed she wasn’t So Li. With his mind clearly a mess, Alexander repeated himself once more, breaking Dong Ho out of his dazed state.

With everyone sitting in the living room for once, everyone focused their attention onto Dong Ho. Oblivious to this attention Dong Ho, merely stared at the floor underneath him, letting his mind wander over to her again.

“Dong Ho, she’s not So Li.” Looking up, his eyebrows were furrowed together, ridiculing Alexander’s statement.

“Like you would know,” Dong Ho hissed, getting defensive. He was positive- other than the fact she didn’t remember him, he was positive that she was So Li. “She looks exactly the same as her. Just because she doesn’t remember me, it doesn’t mean she isn’t Li! She could’ve locked away her memories again for all we know.”

“Dong Ho, her looks don’t mean anything. There are seven people on Earth that look like me, seven that look like Kibum, seven who look like Soohyun- you get the point. She could possibly be the doppelganger of So Li. Besides, you can only lock up your memories once. You of all people should’ve known.”

“Perhaps there was some loop hole. I’m sure you’re smart enough to figure that So Li’s incredibly smart. She probably knew of some loophole or what not,” Dong Ho insists, trying to defend his actions earlier.

“Dong Ho, you told me everything,» Alexander begins before stopping. Turning his attention to the rest of the guys lounging around, he flicks his hand. “Guys, give us some space. I need to talk to Dong Ho.”

With the rest of the guys piling out of the room (undoubtly noticing how Dong Ho was in denial), Alexander turned back to Dong Ho as Kibum took his place next to Alexander, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. When the door closed, Alexander continued.

“I remember that time we met So Li- or should I say bumped into her in the ice cream shop. If I remember correctly, you mentioned something about feeling something. Feeling uncomfortable. To which, Kibum and I later found out, was called ‘Rebound’. Your memories of each other were locked away and being that close caused your memories to bounce off of each other. So, now onto my question, Dong Ho, did you feel uncomfortable meeting her again?” Alexander questions.

“It’s not the matter if I feel uncomfortable, is it? Li’s the one with her memories locked away and I’ll bet you more than anything that if you ask her tomorrow, she’d probably say she felt uncomfortable,” Dong Ho answered confidently as Kibum couldn’t help but step in.

“Not from the so-called ‘Rebound’. It’ll probably be because you were treating her as though she was So Li,” Kibum adds. “I heard she tried pushing you away many times. If she were really So Li, I think she’d be trying to ease the pressure on her rather than push you away, don’t you think?”

“Why are you guys trying to prove that she isn’t So Li?” Dong Ho questions, his hands curled into fists with his jaws clenched. “Aren’t you guys the Keepers of Neverland? The sacred haven? The go-to place when you’re upset or in need of time alone? Then why do you keep rubbing salt onto my wounds? Keep destroying my hope? Letting me dream won’t kill me!”

Kibum’s face turned slightly red as the youngest male yelled at them both, throwing a tantrum. Alexander, on the other hand, kept a perfect poker face, his brown eyes scanning the youngest male. After a moment of silence with Dong Ho heaving and seemingly on the verge of breaking out into tears, Alexander spoke up.

“These past few years haven’t been easy on you, Dong Ho. I know. How could anything be alright after the girl you loved died protecting you?” Alexander says softly, in hopes of soothing the youngest male. “However, Dong Ho, we need you to see that we aren’t trying to make you miserable. You’re already miserable as it is and we just want you to brace yourself. For the fact that this girl, who has just made her way into Neverland, isn’t So Li. We don’t want you to live off of false hope and come tumbling down when she turns out to be really- just Julia.”

Silence overcomes the room once more as Dong Ho’s shoulders fall down, deflated. Knowing that his words had some effect on the youngest male, Alexander moves forward and pats his shoulder. Pulling out a folder, he hands it to Dong Ho.

“Enough with dwelling on the past. Kibum and I have decided that you’ve dwelled in your past long enough. Just sitting in your room with do nothing more than hurt you. We want you to go out to the Division of Ice and check it out. Communicate with people like you and then report back to us.” Dong Ho looks up at Alexander, accepting the folder hesitantly. “Dong Ho, it’s time you start doing your job. Kibum and I have cut you some slack, but your hyungs all have their own divisions to look after. It’s only right that you should look after your one division.”

“Get some sleep,” Kibum says, stepping in once more, his expression softening as well. “You look like you could use some. Try not to think too much tonight.”

With that being said, Dong Ho silently picked himself up and headed back to his room. The door to his room was shut with a softly.

Julia felt as though everything was back to normal. The Ice Prince was nowhere to be seen as usual and everyone was back to bickering with one another. Of course until two strangers appeared (nearly out of nowhere to her). One of them, called Kibum seemed to be the stricter of the two while the other, Alexander seemed to be the more lenient one of the two.

After breakfast, Alexander had whisked her out to town, bringing her to the busiest town. Julia found herself liking him more and more as the two mindlessly chatted with one another, getting to know each other. After a while, most of their conversations seemed to be about her.                                

“So,  if you don’t mind me asking you- what do you think of Dong Ho?” Her lips slightly parted each other as she remembered what had happened the night before. In all honesty it was terrifying to have someone she didn’t know hug her so tight. It was just a bit terrifying. If Kevin, Eli, or any of the others were to hug her like such, she didn’t think she’d mind much. She knew who they were and they knew who she was while Dong Ho- was a completely different case.                           

“I’m not sure myself,” Julia truthfully answers. “He isn’t bad I suppose, but he certainly didn’t make a good first impression on me. I’ll be honest and say I was a bit terrified with the close contact I had with him. It was just... weird. You know, to have someone you don’t know mistake you for someone else.”                                                                                                                                                           

“Since you’re being so honest,” Alexander chuckles, “I think I’ll be honest with you too.” Flinging an arm around her shoulders to rest comfortably, he continued. “I was shocked when I first saw you. You may not have noticed because- well not to brag or anything- I’m quite the actor. That’s beside the point, but what I really want to say is that you’re a splitting image of who he mistook you for.”

“Am I?” Julia answers, urging him to go on. “I just want to know if he misses her that much, why don’t they just keep in contact?” She had a suspicion that it was simply because they could not keep in contact (for some sad/ dark reason or another), but she didn’t want to seem nosy.                           

“Well, I’ll just say it in a short and simple way: she died.” The atmosphere had turned slightly dark, but Alexander quickly brightened it up. “Really, I’m telling you this so you won’t think of Dong Ho as a creeper that likes to hug random pretty girls.” Ruffling her hair, Julia frowned and complained.

“I’m really not that pretty already and you’re messing my hair up!” As she tried to fix her hair by standing in front of a store window and eyeing her reflection, she held onto the ends of her hair. Turning to amused Alexander, she held up the split ends of her hair. “Do you know where I can get my hair cut?”

They were just in time for dinner when they returned to the house. Alexander had spent a good while, trying to get her to cut her hair in a different way or dye a different color. Anything but leaving it short and black. Of course, Julia objected as all the hair colors he suggested seemed silly and due to the fact that her hair was already unhealthy.

With Alexander pouting on their way back, they had finally arrived at the house. Eager to wash up and eat, Julia headed in first, causing heads to turn. All their faces seemed to brighten up as they complimented how nice her hair looked. Kibum seemed a bit hesitant to compliment it, but in the end complimented it.                                                                                                                                                          

Dong Ho, who was just right behind them as they came home, didn’t seem surprised and instead bit his tongue and clenched his jaw, his appetite all gone. Coldly pushing past everyone and making his way up to his room, he slammed his door behind him.

The room was left completely silent as Julia could only look at the path he’d taken to get to his room. Alexander and Kibum exchanged looks before Kibum moved up the stairs quickly, leaving Alexander to break the tension and her gaze from the stairs.

“Dong Ho, what’s up with you?” Kibum demanded as he entered the room, his arms crossed.

“Nothing,” he responded through clenched teeth, throwing a beige folder onto the table by Kibum. “I went to the ice section like you guys requested and that’s my report. Now if you could, I’d like you to leave me alone.”

“Don’t you ‘nothing’ me. Something’s up and I know it has something to do  with Julia. Speak to me.” Dong Ho’s back stiffened and then he whirled around to face Kibum.

“You’re right. It does have something to do with Julia. I’m sure you have eyes as well as I do. She looks exactly like So Li! You guys can keep denying it and tell me that bull fact that there are seven other people in the world that look like her over and over- but I know damn well that’s So Li. I’m sure the seven people can’t be exactly identical,” Dong Ho spat out.

“You’re impossible!” Kibum says through gritted teeth. “You know what, go ahead and treat her like So Li, but when reality hits you and you finally realize she isn’t So Li, don’t you dare cry about it and neglect your duties again. Besides, has it ever occurred to you that even if she wasn’t So Li, there’s a reason why she can’t remember you? Perhaps that she doesn’t want to remember you? I know about your past- Alexander and I took it upon ourselves to investigate and from what we’ve heard- she was sick and tired of having to protect you!”

This silenced Dong Ho’s heavy breathing as his eyes glistened. Turning his back to Kibum again, he sat on the edge of his bed, trying to take everything in.

“Just leave, Kibum.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Dong Ho. I have a feeling that this will just lead to more later, so I want you... to stay away from her for now. Until you’ve fully accepted that she isn’t So Li.” Kibum continued.

“Just leave.” His voice had grown noticeably weaker and Kibum took it as his cue to leave, closing the door behind softly.

The lone male leaned back onto his bed, curling into a fetal position as his blanket became wet.

Drop by drop.

A/N: Okay, I promised this chapter a long long long long long time ago and I'm super sorry for this late update. OMG this was just so much happening with all these UKISS members lately. Dong Ho got married and Eli has been married for a good year and is expecting to become a father. There's just way too much drama in this fandom rn T^T. But I am glad that the two have found their significant other :) I've also been completely unmotivated this whole while to continue writing this chapter until today, so I'm really sorry about this late update. This chapter isn't that great- which I will apologize for. It's really kind of a filler chapter that will move this story forward.