A/N – Okay Chapter 4 is served! More SeungDara moments as promised, but nothing goes as sweetly as we would all love it to. Gotta say thanks to jemaya and cupidzangel for subscribing to the story. I'm up to 6 subscribers now!!!

Enough said, just enjoy~

Chapter 4 – Love falls like ashes of a flame

Dara POV

I was sitting in the café, watching the clock on my phone tick closer and closer to 3.30. It was only 10 minutes to go, but I was feeling restless.I stirred my iced latte around, letting the ice cubes clink and tried to concentrate on anything but my wallpaper of Seungho. 

Suddenly the door opened and the bell chimed. I lifted my head for what must have been the seventh time, once again expecting to be disappointed. But this time my heart swelled as I saw Seungho enter. He had come. And he was early.

He cast his eyes around the café and I waved energetically.

Calm down, I told myself and pinched my thigh. Ouch.

Seungho saw me and quickly scooted over. “Hey Dara-noona.” He grinned adorably.

I stood up then stopped. What should I do? Giving him a hug might be too intimate but a handshake was too formal. However, Seungho solved my problems immediately. He leaned over and gave me a quick, but firm hug. My heart stopped again.

This was becoming bad for my health.

Seungho POV

Standing in front of Dara, I couldn’t help but want to give her hug. Maybe it was a little informal of me, but she smelt so damn good. Like flowers and sunlight. Weird, huh, that I noticed, but I couldn’t help it.

So damning whatever consequences there might be, I drew her in for a quick hug and inhaled her beautiful scent. It made me heady and I almost couldn’t pull myself away from her. But I did.

I sat myself down forcefully and tried to concentrate on the menu rather than Dara’s eyes. Of course I failed.

“I recommend the ddukbokkie here. They have a really unique way of making it.” Dara said, flicking through the menu seemingly unconcerned by the way I stared at her face. “Or if you like something more meaty then there’s bulgolgi.” Suddenly Dara trailed off, lifting her face to stare at me.

She giggled. “Are you even listening to me?”

I shook my head violently and downed a glass of water. “Of course.” I said firmly, making her laugh even more.

Throughout the entire lunch, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. Even when she went to the bathroom, I imagined her sitting right there in front of me. It was becoming an addiction.

I liked the sound of that. Dara-diction.

“Argh.” I smacked the side of my head, drawing attention from a group of ahjummas sitting on the table next to me. I ignored them.

I shouldn’t be doing this. Not to Cheondoong, not to Dara.  I gulped and rubbed my dark circles which seemed to grow by the day.

Then Dara returned, smiling at me sweetly and apologizing for taking so long.

“At least you don’t spend 50 minutes in the bathroom like G.O does.” I joked.

Dara laughed. “No, but Bom takes about double that time.”

We fell into this natural state of joking, laughing and soon enough it felt as natural as breathing. I had to be beside Dara. Cheondoong, be damned.

I wasn’t letting another woman I love go.

G.O POV

“So you just started dating then?” I raised an eyebrow.

“No.” Dara spoke up then, defiantly. “We had our doubts as well. How much trouble it would be for 2ne1 and mblaq, how much pain it would put Cheondoong into…how much…how much…” she trailed off sadly.

Seungho spoke up then. “We tried not to…but things happened and it led to this…”

Seungho POV

After lunch that day, I offered Dara a ride home. Splinters of rain fell from the heaven above. Dara cursed colorfully about how today was not her day with the weather interrupting her transport home. To me though, it was as if the heavens were granting me a wish.

It was my chance. To fall or fly, now was the moment.

We sat in the car, side by side. Not driving, but waiting; waiting for the moment when either one of us to break the silence. I watched the rain fall, enclosing the car in which Dara and I sat in. It was like we were in our own private world, separate from the rest of the planet.

“Dara.” I said solemnly. She looked at me, her gaze serious and her feature porcelain-fragile. “I-…I-“

But the words just wouldn’t come out. Dara tilted her head and glanced at me questioningly. I leaned in closer, closer and closer still.

“Umm…Seungho?” Dara asked, turning a pretty shade of pink in her flustered state.

“Yes?” I whispered throatily.

“Wh-what…?” Dara never finished her sentence. Because at that moment I leaned in and captured her lips in mine. I gave her the softest, sweetest kiss I think I have ever given.

And then, with raindrops as our background, I waited to see her response.

Dara POV

I leaned against the cold glass, staring at the man before me who was brash enough, bold enough, beautiful enough to kiss me so daringly. I wanted to say I loved him too, that I wanted to be with him all the time. That even on stage, I could only think of him.

But the sudden flash of blinding white from outside sorted my feelings. 

So instead, what came out of my mouth was: “We can’t.”

His face sobered immediately. It was such a sad, such a forlorn expression that I wanted to kiss him and tell him I was sorry. But I couldn’t.

“Why?” he asked quietly, edging away from me.

My inner self cried out for him to stay close, to share his warmth in this cold rainy world. “Cheondoong.” I whispered. And that was all I needed to say.

Seungho understood. I could see it in his eyes. I couldn’t hurt my only little brother, my baby brother who valued me above all else. A relationship with Seungho would rip him apart.

And although it hurt me to not be with Seungho, I was certain that I would get over it. Being with Cheondoong – being with family – was more important.

But Seungho wouldn’t give up. “I’m sure-“ he started, but I cut him off with one finger to his lips. He shuddered at the touch of my cold finger, the glimpse of my stolid expression.

“No.” I said shortly.

“You can’t do this.” Seungho said desperately.

“Yes I can.” I said, trying to appear solemn and untouchable. “My family is more important.” I took a deep breath and glanced out of the window to see flashes of lightning rip across the sky and the echoes of thunder made my skin tremble.

“Sorry for ruining this…lunch…” I murmured, trying to not let the tears loose. “I’ll make my own way home.” I said hurriedly and opened the car door. I was met with a hailstorm of raindrops. And just as I was about to lean out and brave the fire, a warm hand shot out and pulled me backwards into his embrace.

Seungho POV

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Dara was going to risk herself in this dangerous storm of rain and thunder? Even if I understood how she valued Cheondoong above a relationship that might only last a month, I couldn’t just let her leave.

As I tugged her backwards, she let out a surprised squeak as she fell into my arms. She was so incredibly soft and smelt so tantalizingly good that for a second I forgot what I was about to say.

Until she struggled in my arms. “Seungho-ssi!” she exclaimed. The sudden use of formal language shocked me and I let her go.

“Dara.” I said seriously. “Even if you value Cheondoong that much, know that I do as well.”

“Then,” Dara looked up at me with glittering eyes. “You should know how I feel.”

“I do.” I admitted.

“But still?” she asked. “Still you are willing to hurt him to love me?”

The way she put it was terrible, but true in a way.

“Yes.”

Dara shrugged her way out of my arms. “Then I’m sorry.” She whispered and ran out of the car and into the embrace of lashing wind and rain.

This time I let her go.

Because as a man, I have the right to stop her once. But never twice.

A/N - Sad? Well it can't go that smoothly. But don't worry, the next chapter has more SeungDara action. And another secret love is revealed. I'll give a clue and tell you someone else is in love with Dara, but i wonder if you can guess who it is hmmm hmmm~~~~