It was already a good morning for Dara until the warm ball of light penetrated through her eyelids. She slightly opened her eyes to take a peek and sees that the curtains are already moved to the side. The too much brightness started to irritate her so she used her hand to cover the light blinding her eyes.

"Wake up, sunshine. I made breakfast for you.” She heard Chaerin spoke from afar. Dara scrunched her brows in oddity and started to use her arm to feel the space beside her.

Chaerin chuckled as she watches her girlfriend act dorkily. She walked closer to Dara and covered her from the striking brightness of the sun and said, “I’m already awake, Ttoki-yah.”

Dara softened her expression as she felt that the brightness reduced a bit. She used her knuckles to rub her eyes and asked, “What time is it?”

“8 o’clock in the morning.” Chaerin informed her girlfriend and planted a kiss on her forehead.

Dara smiled like a little kid with that simple gesture. Her smile slowly faded away when she sees Chaerin on her usual office getup. She frowned and said, “You’re going to work?”

“Mmm hmm. But not in the office, someone else’s office. Going to talk about investments and all.” Chaerin told her tenderly and caressed her cheeks.

“Oh. Okay.”

Chaerin’s aware that her answer somehow disappoints her girlfriend. Dara has no other schedules for today and she understands that Dara wanted to be with her. But she can’t just leave her responsibility at work. And as much as she wanted to bring Dara with her, she doesn’t want her to get jealous. She also knows for a fact that Dara is somehow insecure with her and Tiffany’s closeness.

“I’m going to call you right after and maybe we can go out and eat outside?” She smiled and looks hopefully at Dara as she made her counter offer.

Dara tried her best not to sulk and said, “Sure. I’ll just busy myself around while you’re gone.”

“I’m going now. Finish your breakfast. See you later. I love you.” Chaerin placed another chaste kiss on Dara’s lips and stands firmly.

“I love you.” Dara replied with a faint smile.

Chaerin smiled back at her and left.

The moment she heard Chaerin’s car left, Dara made her way out of the room and went to the dining area where her girlfriend has prepared her breakfast. Seeing all those sumptuous food personally made by Chaerin made her heart flutter.

Instead of sulking further, she convinced herself that she should be grateful that Chaerin has managed her time to still cook food for her. Dara takes her seat on the dining table and slowly started feasting those breakfast dishes that her girlfriend made for her.

After eating her breakfast, Dara takes her rest on her chair and let the food in her stomach be digested. A few minutes later, she decided to wash the plates that she emptied so that she won’t bother whoever cleans the house. Dara arranged the plates back to their proper place and dried her hands using the dryer attached near the sink.

The silence inside Chaerin’s mansion is starts to suffocate Dara. She wondered on how Chaerin survived living in a house that big for years. Then the thought of Jiyong being the one who architectured the mansion for Chaerin made her shove her curiosity.

Dara went out of the mansion and decided to check out the garden. She noticed that everytime that her girlfriend’s feeling burdened about something, she would look at them.

Plants are the main source of oxygen that humans breathe in. Dara thinks that whenever Chaerin feels like suffocating and needs some fresh air to breathe in, it would be the best place for her to relieve herself from stress.

 Jennie had also once told her that it is Chaerin’s favorite place. She was also told that majority of the plants and flowers that bloomed there were personally implanted by her girlfriend. Chaerin’s ability to do multitasking never ceases to amaze Dara, and it made smile suddenly.

She was disrupted in her thoughts when she felt her phone vibrated on her hand. She unlocks the screen and checks her notification. It’s a text message coming from her best friend.

MM

Sandy?
10:30am

What’s up?
10:31am

Are you free right now? Hangout, perhaps?
10:33am

Did I disturb you?
10:40am

Dara pursed her lips and began tapping her index finger on the phone’s screen as she thinks about what she is going to reply to her best friend. It crossed her mind that it’s been a long time since she really bonded with Mario and she thinks that if she’ll refuse his humble invitation again, it will make her feel bad.

She doesn’t want to neglect her best friend. She doesn’t want Mario to think that she’s being caught prison in Chaerin’s mansion, and because of that she ended up making a decision that her girlfriend would probably disapprove.

And Dara totally forgot to inform Chaerin about that because she’s too engrossed on the thought of doing something and going out today.

MM

Did I disturb you?
10:40am

No it’s fine. Sure. Let’s have lunch and hangout.
11:00am

I saw this restaurant in Dongdaemun the other day
and maybe you wanna eat there.
11:02am

I think I know where that is. See you in two hours. :)
11:05am

Dara placed her phone back to her pocket and returned inside the mansion. She went her way back to Chaerin’s room and prepared her clothes. Then she went to the bathroom and takes her bath.

One hour already passed and Dara’s already finished dressing up. She looked for her car keys inside the drawers but found nothing.  As she walked down the stairs, she sees Seungyoon walking inside the foyer. There she recalled that Chaerin assigned her cars to her security staff. She smiled and called him, “Seungyoon-ah!”

“Oh, Dara noona.” Seungyoon greeted politely and waited for her downstairs.

Dara approached the young man and grinned, “I need my car.”

Seungyoon gives her a questioning look and said, “Chaerin noona didn’t mention anything about you going out.”

Dara frowned to his answer and said, “It’s unexpected. I’m bored, and I want to go out. Don’t worry, I’ll tell Chaerin about it later.”

Seungyoon twitched his mouth and contemplated. It didn’t take a minute when he finally agreed, “Okay.  But I’m coming with you.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“But I’m instructed to watch over you.” Seungyoon pouted.

“Don’t worry, Seungyoon-ah. If you’re worried that Chaerin’s going to get mad at you, I promise you that she won’t. And I will avoid any paparazzi around.” Dara assured him and comfortingly patted his shoulder.

Seungyoon sighed in defeat and finally agreed. He handed over Dara’s keys and let the latter leave.

Dara immediately went to the mansion’s garage area to retrieve her car. She clambered her way inside and drives away to meet her best friend.

While on her way to Dongdaemun, Dara thought that she’s going to arrive quickly at her meeting place with Mario but she was wrong. She tried to avoid the traffic by making a shortcut but it just got her stuck on the road. It took her a few minutes to arrive at the restaurant.

"Hi. I’m sorry if I keep you on waiting. I didn’t expect the traffic today.” She apologized to her best friend as soon as she approached her at the restaurant. Dara gives him a quick hug and takes the seat across him.

“It’s fine. I just got here too.” Mario said in assurance, not wanting to make her feel bad.

Dara tilted her head a little bit and assessed her bestfriend. She nodded the moment that she’s convinced with his words and didn’t pry about it any further. “So, how are you? When are you leaving?”

“In two days. But I guess this is the only free time that you’ve got for me so I’ll consider this as my last day.”

Dara leaned on the backrest of her seat and raised her brows. She gives her best friend an encouraging smile and said, “Well, let’s enjoy this day then.”

The quizzical look on Mario’s face tells Dara that her best friend wanted to tell her something but he can’t vocalize it. She started copying his facial expression which made him finally talk. “Does Miss CL know that you’re here out with me?”

“She’s in a meeting today, and she’s not responding any of my texts and calls. Maybe I’ll just tell her later when I see her.” Dara nonchalantly said.

Just while ago, when she’s still stuck in the traffic, it crossed her mind to inform Chaerin that she’s out. She dialed both of her girlfriend’s official and personal numbers but to no avail, the calls were transferred into voicemail.

Mario furrowed his eyebrows and curiously asked, “Are you sure?”

“I’ll take care of it, Oh.”

Dara called the maître d’ and placed their orders. She’s been in this place with Chaerin so she’s already familiar with its menu. While waiting for their orders, Dara and Mario started to fill up the things that they’ve missed with each other’s lives since Dara’s been out of reach lately. The two also reminisced about the past, on how they meet, and on how they ended up as best friends.

After a few minutes, or more like an hour of waiting, their orders finally arrived and the two best friends started eating. Mario and Dara didn’t dare t