A/N - Soooo countdown if offically to 5 chapters! Lots of fluffy moment ahead (to make up for all the angst and injuried i caused :p) so do enjoy~

@HanSang - Ehhhhh isn't the world better off with more Doongie? Like a doongie a day keeps the doctor away (pft not really actually at the rate Doongie has ended up in hospital) buuuut where did Baro come from >< Oh well, u take Baro and i'll grab Jin Young!!! Haha, smile more! Fluffy moments ahead~ Haha and yeah i loved his hair black as well. In the Y vid he was like...god-like... kekeke didn't think about matching Leo's hair, buuut YES!!!

@ainnurdoongie - yeah, more happy family in this chappie! Kekeke, yeah, i shall be the trolling dongsaeng who keeps her unnie on her toes. Pft, did u see that twitter news about Doongie and Dara? Where Dara apparently got twitter and was trying to be all secretive, but then Doongie came out of no where and announced it was Dara and in seconds everyone joined. Pft, he trolled her hard~

@wookielove - >< I know, the father and son pair are soooo sweet~~~~

@cazz_96 - haha nooot just yet, buuuuut next chapter will have lotsa doongie action!

@T4kara - I know >< Mblaq were going to come to Singapore...but then they didn't... >< Saddest moment of my life. Haha, yeah v3.0. And thxs *hug*, more fluff here too!!!

Chapter 61 – Without looking back, they break a promise

Seungho POV

Half a year later…

Dara and I were at Music Bank, watching Ji-eun have her respective comeback. Mblaq wasn’t promoting at the moment and our fans understood, but 2ne1 was in the midst of it and I was there supporting Dara. It was the first time I had seen Ji-eun properly in seven months. Ever since Sanghyun had gone missing, she too had taken her hiatus. But now she was back.

Ji-eun finished her song with a flourish and bowed, a big smile on her face. “Kamsamnida!” she waved and then walked off the stage. At the back-stage I greeted her. Dara was in the changing rooms, getting ready for her act.

“Hello, IU.” I said professionally, before adopting the warmer cadences we had all formed over the last year. All because of Sanghyun. “How are you doing?”

Ji-eun gave a warm smile, large and friendly and our professional barriers dissolved. “Great, Seungho-oppa! What about you and Dara? No plans for the marriage yet?”

I gave her a sheepish grin. “You know we promised to wait for Sanghyun to return before making any plans.”

I thought she would be pleased at a loyalty. Truth was, it wouldn’t feel the same if we went ahead with anything. It would just feel like we were betraying him and that was the last thing any of us wanted to do.

Instead, I was shocked to find Ji-eun laughing, head thrown back and hand to mouth.

“Oh, oppa,” she chortled. “If all you do is wait and wait, then Sanghyun will never come out of his little shell. You need to lure him out, hook, line and sinker.”

I blinked. What? Lure him out? Like some sort of fish?

She grinned. “You should know Sanghyun just as well as I do. And you would know that he would want you two to be happy. Therefore,” she punched my shoulder in a friendly manner. “Hurry up and get married.”

“But-“ my protest was half-hearted, my shock overriding any actual anger or annoyance.

“But nothing,” Ji-eun hushed me with an amused glint her eyes. Not for the first time I was a little staggered by her sudden maturity. She really did match Sanghyun well. “In fact,” she grinned wider. “A marriage might just be the thing to wake up Sanghyun and make him hurry back.”

She gave a little laugh at that. “Trust me on that,” she smiled. “I’ll bet ten thousand won on Sanghyun scurrying back at the first mention of your marriage. Just because he entrusted Dara to you doesn’t mean he doesn’t still watch over her like a hawk.”

I had to laugh at that as well.

But her next words were less filled with laughter and more with a serious air. “So Seungho oppa, please don’t let Sanghyun hold back on what you and Dara really want to do. That would just make him sad.”

I stared at her. Sad? I hadn’t thought of it that way.

Then Ji-eun’s face brightened, leaving that thought for later. “So…do what you need to do. Whatever path you chose to take, I’m sure it will be one where Sanghyun returns.”

I tilted my head. “Why does it sound like you know where he is already?”

She grinned. “Who do you think I am? I always know where Sanghyun is.”

She waved me goodbye and then whisked herself away, leaving me stunned and unable to get another word in. Wait…she knew where Sanghyun was?

Of course she did! I smacked my head. She was his girlfriend. It was likely she had known all along. Why else would she have taken a seven month hiatus? I had heard her uncle fans had complained, but accepted it when Ji-eun promised she was working on a full-length album. Instead, she must have been with Sanghyun. None of us had been able to contact her much during that time, but we had all been to self-consumed to worry much.

“Was that Ji-eun?” Dara surprised me, approaching me silently. I turned around and nodded.

“Yeah…”

“What did she have to say?”

I looked at Dara and tried not to have a heart attack. She looked beautiful – as always – but it still stunned me every time I saw her with the slightest bit of makeup and her hair twisted up and shiny and her eyes glowing with anticipation for her stage.

“Seungho darling,” she teased, knowing what I was thinking. “Focus.”

“Sorry,” I grinned and kissed her. Behind me I heard a 2ne1 stylist noona curse me. We both giggled at her irritated voice but turned back to our conversation. “She was…talking about Sanghyun.”

At that, Dara’s eyes lit up. “Sanghyun? Does she have news?”

I shook my head, not wanting to disappoint her but neither wanting to lie to her. “She was just saying…we shouldn’t comprise our happiness in order to satisfy our desire to not let down Sanghyun.”

Dara looked at me puzzled. “Is she telling us to hurry up and get married?”

I cracked a grin. “In a nutshell, yes.”

“And I agree with her.” Another voice interrupted us. Both of us spun around to see Chae-rin saunter out from the dressing room, her hair blond and in a knot with gleaming black clothes and sunglasses.

“Hey.” I greeted her. “You look good.”

“Thanks.” She smiled and took off the sunglasses. “And as I was saying, I agree with Ji-eun.”

“Agree about what?” Dara looked at her dongsaeng even though Chae-rin towered over her in her heeled boots. “About marriage?!”

“Yeah.” Chae-rin smiled softly as us. “You two have been waiting far too long already. Don’t wait too long.”

I frowned. “But you know why we’re putting it off.”

“I do.” She shrugged. “But it doesn’t mean that I agree. Ji-eun is correct, Sanghyun would want to see you two married. In fact, I’m sure he would show up just for that reason.”

Dara bit her lip. “But Chae-rin, you know I don’t feel right just doing that.”

“Dara.” Chae-rin gave her a pointed look. “I’m telling you two that I want you to be happy. But I suppose,” she sighed. “Okay, maybe my reasons are a little selfish.”

“Selfish?” Dara would have never labeled the 2ne1 leader as selfish.

“Yeah,” Chae-rin gave her a half-smile. “Do you remember that story I told you a long time ago. About me and the guy I loved, but how I rejected him and from there our relationship shattered.”

Dara nodded. Chae-rin may have told the story a long time ago, but it had been so sad and so bittersweet that it had stayed in Dara’s mind for months after.

“I remember.” She said solemnly.

“Well,” Chae-rin exhaled heavily. “That guy was Seungho.”

Dara blinked. “Uh? What?!” Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. She turned to stare at me, then at Chae-rin and then me again. “Seungho?! You confessed to Chae-rin?!”

I had the grace to look sheepish. “Yeah…I guess…” I scratched the back of my head. “I never told you this, but I guess it was a little embarrassing and it was a long time ago.”

“Embarrassing?!” Chae-rin swatted me playfully. “What, asking me out?!”

“No, no, no, no!” I waved her off hurriedly. “I mean getting rejected by a girl five years younger than you.” I mumbled and trailed off.

Both Chae-rin and Dara just laughed out loud. “So?” Dara asked archly. “You went after someone two years older than you, huh?”

“No!” I yelped but then softened as I realized Dara was just teasing me. I just sighed. I would never be one step ahead of females, would I?

“What happened,” Chae-rin chose to explain and put me out of my embarrassment. “Was that Seungho asked me out a long time ago. We were good friends to begin with, having lived in the same area and all. But when we met Song Hara, that was the moment our relationship shattered.” Her eyes grew sad. Mine did too. “You know the rest Dara, but I suppose I broke Seungho’s heart then. It was something I could never hope to apologize for…so when I found out he liked you…”

“You supported us.” Dara finished.

Chae-rin nodded. “I was happy to see the two of you together. My two best friends – together. But then things with Sanghyun got out of hand and I worried that your relationship would fall apart.” She shook her head with amazement. “But it just strengthened your bond together. But now… you’re at a stalemate.”

“Chae-rin.” Dara spoke and took her hands. “We’re happy you know. We don’t mind waiting for Sanghyun to return, you know.”

“I guess I know.” Chae-rin exhaled. “Call me paranoid, but I guess I won’t be satisfied until I see the two of you tie the knot and be sure that this time, you both get the happiness you deserve.”

Dara pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you Chae-rin.” She said sincerely. “Thank you.”

Chae-rin held her for a moment and then extricated herself. She tapped Dara’s forehead. “Think about it, okay?” and then she was gone, back to the dressing room. “We’re on in twenty.” She called behind her and disappeared.

Dara turned back to me. I think I had a wistful smile as I spoke. “I really loved her back then. I guess it was because she may have been younger, but she was so damn fierce inside. And now…and now…I guess if we had the chance, maybe she would be my best friend again.”

“I’m sure she would be.” Dara smiled encouragingly and took my hands, drawing me in close. “But…what do you think about what those two said?”

My eyes were downcast, staring only at Dara and to be honest…I wondered if what they said was exactly what I had been hoping to hear. I loved Dara, I really, really did. But I loved Sanghyun too – as a brother, as a friend and as a family member. And so I had put both on the backbender and achieved a sort of compromise. Love Dara, wait for Sanghyun and…

“I want us to get married, like now.” I admitted and suddenly Dara blushed. It was just a faint pink blush that spread across her cheeks and her eyes fluttered.

“Really?” Dara whispered, gripping my hands tighter. “Really?!”

“Really-“ I started, but was stopped when Dara leaned forwards to kiss me. Her lips were glossy with make-up and she tasted soft and sweet and for a moment I let myself melt into her lips. I totally ignored the way every other idol and backstage crew stared at us, their gasps and red faces becoming just a blur in the background at our passionate kiss.

We broke apart laughing and when I saw Dara’s face, I knew her stylist was going to kill me. Her lipstick was smudged so that I streaked across her right cheek, but she was grinning and so was I. In a moment of impulse, I picked her up and whirled her around.

“So marry me Dara!” I said loudly, loud enough for everyone to hear me in the room. “Marry me.”

“I will!” she giggled. “Put me down and I will.”

So I did. I put her down and then kissed her again. This time it was longer and even sweeter, but eventually we pulled apart.

“So,” Dara whispered, leaning her forehead against mine. “We’ll break that promise. The promise to wait for Sanghyun.”

“But instead,” I continued, knowing she was thinking exactly the same as I did. “Instead we’ll make a new promise.”

She nodded. “A promise to wait for Sanghyun-”

“-to wait for him to return-”

“-as a family.” We both finished the sentence. Both of us smiled. Because that felt right, it felt perfect.

We would break one promise, but we would make another in its place. One that would mean we were all truly happy. One big family.

“YANG SEUNGHO!!!” came an angry roar from the stylist noona as she advanced on me, having just seen Dara’s mussed up face and hair. I grinned and backed away, giving Dara a small wave to tell her I would be watching her. Then I ran for it.

Around the corner, I stopped as someone’s voice rose.

“So, you’ve decided.” a male voice from behind me made me spin around and stare. It was Byunghee.

“Geez, give me a heart attack huh?” I complained. He just grinned.

“Of course, gotta keep you on your toes.”

I rolled my eyes. “Idiot.”

He just laughed. “It took you long enough, brother.” He finally said which made me stop and smile and clasp his shoulders. At his words, I knew that everyone else would approve as well. He shook his head and grinned. “It took you long enough.”

A/N - So? How was this chapter? It's getting kinda slow i know...buuuuut...do you know what this means >< Yes! Dara and Seungho are getting married. Next chapter, allll about Doongie!!!