*A/N : Lee Howon was already mentioned in the first chapter. *winks*

He heaved a deep breath as he looked at Dara laughing with her customer. She IS Dara. He can feel it.

Jiyong took a shaky step towards the bakery before stumbling backwards again. This is so surreal.

It feels.. different to see her again. Of course he had looked through countless photos taken of her. But meeting her in the flesh…

Dara waved goodbye to Hoya cheerfully as he responded with a small smile and a nod. They had a nice time conversing and knowing each other and Dara was filled to the brim to happiness.

First her cute donkey and now a new friend. She pouted. Her social circle is so small! Just Seunghyun, Daesung, Minzy and some acquaintances… But I’m happy!

The tinkling of the bells broke her trail of thought and she looked up to see a man with short pink hair walking in casually, his hands stuck in his pockets.

Her eyes trailed up and down his body, a white V-collar shirt with a red jacket and faded jeans hugging his legs. He walked with an air of confidence that is strangely comforting to Dara.

Not bad…she thought as she mused over his choice of clothing. The bold red jacket highlighted his confident personality and his toned body. Not everyone can pull those off… A fashionista. She concluded.

She had always been a victim of fashion for as long as she can remember, always taking in people’s sense of style. I would have been a fashion designer if not a baker.

She found herself smiling at the man as she bowed slightly.

“Welcome,” she chirped. She heard a sharp inhale of air and looks up to see the man staring at her with a dazed expression on his face, his eyes wide.

“Sir, are you alright?” she asked, her eyes filled with concern.

Jiyong recomposed herself. He couldn’t help it. Her voice… still as sweet and soft as ever. His eyes softened as he flashed a million dollar smile at her, a smile reserved only for his baby sister.

“Ah… yes. Double espresso please.”

Dara looked into his eyes in confusion. That voice…

 “Rain rain, go away…” she grumbled as she stared outside the window, tracking a drop of rain slowly making its way down the glass window.

“Oppa, I’m bored.” She pouted as she turned around to frown at the little boy on the floor drawing a dragon on the piece of paper, crayons scattered carelessly around him.

He ignored her as he continued scribbling ‘G-Dragon’ all over the paper.

She pouted again as she walked over and leaned over his drawing.

“Oppa, what’s that?” she pointed at the irregular shape on the paper nearly smothered with at least 6 different colours.

“It’s a dragon, Dara-ah…” he stuck his tongue out slightly as he continued concentrating on his drawing.

She squatted down next to him and inclined her head slighty.

“Oppa,” she giggled. “It looks more like a unicorn.”

“Yah!” he glared sideways at her.

“Hehe… When is umma coming home?” she looked around at the big mansion slowly.

“I don’t like our new Appa… He’s mean.” She softly said.

Jiyong’s eyes flickered at her for a second. She looked down, her pigtails covering her face a little. Getting up, he extended his hand out to her, nudging her with his foot.

“Don’t talk about Appa like that, you know Umma doesn’t like it…” he trailed off as he sees the slight bruise on his small hand.

Sighing gently, he nudged her with his foot again.

“Yah, Ssantoki, get your furry up. Don’t you want to play outside? The rain stopped.” he grinned at her.

“AH JINJA? KYAA OPPA LET’S GO!” she sprang up and caught his hand, pulling him out into the wet garden.

“AH!” she stopped in her tracks as Jiyong looked around with panic.

“Buoyah?!”

“OPPA! It wasn’t raining water, it was raining worms!”

“Huh? Worms?” he looked at her confusedly as she stared at the ground. He followed her gaze and saw a few pink worms wriggling their way on the wet grass.

Ahhh, this silly girl.

Grinning mischievously, he let go of her hand as he stooped and pulled a worm onto his palm.

“Ssantoki~” he sang as he went nearer to Dara, her eyes wide and taking small steps backward.

“O-oppa…” she gulped. She stared at that pinky mass of flesh wriggling on Jiyong’s palm as if it was a huge snake.

“Ssantoki~!”

“YAH! Oppa, I don’t want. I don’t want.” She started to cry as she covered her eyes with her little hands, tears dropping onto her frilly blue dress.

“Yah,” Jiyong chucked the worm aside and rub his hands on his shirt before going over to her.

“I was joking, Ssantoki.” He ruffled her hair affectionately.

“Oppa, it’s not funny!” Her watery eyes looked into his.

“YAH! YOU USED THAT HAND TO TOUCH IT!” she squealed.

“Hmm? You mean this hand?” he raised his eyebrow as he started to tickle her with both hands.

“Ahahahah! Oppa, s-stop! HAHAH!” she started to laugh.

“OUCH!”

Jiyong withdrew his hands in panic as he looked over at his little sister.

“What’s wrong, Dara-ah?” he asked worriedly.

She looked down as she shook her head. Jiyong lead her to the bench on the porch as he sat her down, himself squatting in front of her.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” He asked gently yet with a hint of brotherly authority in his voice.

“Appa... hit me.” Tears started to stream down her face as she fiddled with her fingers, sobbing a little.

Jiyong felt his heart tear a little at his sister’s pitiful sobs.

His eyes burned with a strong determination as he stood up.

FCK, that guy. He can hit me all he wants but not Dara. I hate him. I hate him!

He took the seat next to her and patted her back gently.

“It’s okay, Dara-ah. I’m sorry, oppa didn’t protect you…” he trailed off.

“I promise to protect you! I will never let anyone hurt you again, ara?!”

Dara nodded softly as she sniffled, wiping her tears away with her handkerchief.

“Come on,” Jiyong said as he tugged her hand gently, walking towards the gates of the mansion. He took his card and slid it pass the scanner and went out with Dara in tow.

“OPPA! What if Mrs Kim find out?” her eyes wide as she thought about their fierce housekeeper.

“She won’t mind,” Jiyong lied. He knows he will get a beating for this but he doesn’t mind. He would do anything to see Dara cheerful and happy again. And they don’t give a damn about us anyway. We’re just like prisoners. Trapped in that horrible hell-hole.He thought bitterly.

“Oppa, it has been such a long time since we came out!” Dara skipped a little as she turned to smile back on him.

“Shall we get some ice-cream? What flavor do you want?” Jiyong said as he walked behind her slowly, his hands in his pockets.

“Hmmm.. Vanilla!”

“Not grass-flavoured? I thought Ssantoki eats grass,” he teased.

She stuck her tongue out at him at his teasing.

“Yah, there’s no green flavored ice cream… except for Wasabi,” she clasped her hands over , hoping he doesn’t get the idea to buy Wasabi-flavoured ice cream for her.

He laughed at her reaction and went over, placing his hand over her shoulders and pulling her closer.

“Come on, let’s get Vanilla ice-creams. Isn’t vanilla a flower anyway?”

Dara snapped back into reality from that snippet of memory.

“Vanilla ice-cream…” she said gently, her eyes unfocused.

Jiyong kept silent as he watched her closely.

Dara looked at Jiyong, a blank expression on her face.

“I, I…” she swayed a little as realization hits her. Jiyong held her firmly and led her to a chair.

She shook her head gently to clear her thoughts.

The first time I remember something. Something from my past. That little boy…

She looked up at him; he bears a resemblance to that little boy that held her hand.

Her eyes focused on the small mole on his right cheek. That boy had one too.

He was looking at her intently, waiting for her to say something.

“Do… you know me?”

Jiyong looked at her, his face unreadable.

“Do you know me?”

Dara was left speechless as she stared hard at him.

The tension between them was thick, heavy. Dara couldn’t bear it anymore and broke eye contact with him.

Jiyong sighed as he reached over the table for her hand. Gently squeezing it, he looked up at her having a perplexed expression on her face.

Rising up, he went over to her and pulled her into a tight hug, exhaling contentedly.

“I miss you, Dara.”

Dara felt a strong connection with him as she was caught in his warm embrace.

She found herself hugging him back as tears started to spill down her face.

“Jiyong oppa…”

I'm sorry, I know I didn't update for a long time.. I'm having my finals.

Thank you, my lovely readers! :)