"Mind if I join you?" A guy asked while Dara was taking a break from painting.

She went to a cafe at the ground floor of the hotel where she was staying and ordered a tall glass of lemonade plus a slice of cake.

"Excuse me?" Dara furrowed her eyebrows.

There are a lot of vacant seats inside the cafe so it was weird for her to be asked to share a table.

"Oh, sorry... I just thought it would be nice to talk to a fellow artist." He replied.

"You're also an artist?" Dara showed interest.

The guy nodded with a smile. "I'm one of the participants in the International Art Fair... I saw you during the briefing 2 weeks ago. Your sample works are great."

"Well, thank you." She courteously responded. "I'm sorry... Have a seat." She offered.

"Thanks... By the way, my name's Jaejoong... Jaejoong Kim." He extended his arm for a handshake.

Dara took his hand and smiled. "You can call me Dara."

"Nice to meet you Dara... Is that your real name?"

She chuckled. "It's Sandara Park."

"Aahh." He was nodding. "Painting?" He pointed at her arm that's still stained with some paint and took a sip of his iced coffee.

She chuckled. "I wasn't able to notice the time. It's already past lunch time."

Glancing at his watch, he spoke. "It's already 2PM... is that considered your lunch?"

She answered with a nod. "I'm not into taking heavy meal specially when I'm working... It makes me feel sleepy."

"That's weird." He snickered.

"I know... I'm just weird in general."

Her statement made him laugh.

"How about you?... How's your painting going?"

"Halfway through... Getting there."

"We'll have it set at the venue two weeks from now, right?"

"Yes... Can't wait to see other works."

"Wait, I remember your name... Jaejoong Kim..." She tried to recall. "Oh, yes! I remember. I knew it sounded familiar."

"What?" He shrugged.

"You were featured in a show. Speed painting... and you had your canvass upside down... Then I've seen you in some other shows after that."

"That was four years ago... How can you still remember?" He chuckled.

"Let's just say my memory's sharp." She grinned. "But you look different back that... Your hair was long and you had that dangling cross-shaped earring."

He laughed. "I was feeling that style before... But people change."

"I can see that." She replied and smiled.

"Next week's gonna be Valentine's Day. Are you going out on a date?"

"I don't think so."

"Boyfriend's not here?"

"I don't know anyone in here so I think I will be celebrating alone... I probably would still be painting by then." She chuckled.

"Celebrating alone won't be nice... If you want, we can go out together."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Someone's going to get mad, I suppose?"

"Aahh... you can say that."

"But it's not gonna be a date... I bet you haven't strolled around Tokyo yet, have you?"

She pouted and shook her head as her reply.

"I can be your tour guide if you want."

She didn't answer.

"For free... Not bad for an offer."

Her eyes were on him, looking doubtful.

"I have lived in Japan for two years now... There are a lot of things in here I can show you... And I'm offering this for free." He smiled.

"You should have tried being a salesman... You're being persuasive." She gave a short laugh.

"Really?... I should use this to my advantage during the fair then."

"You should. Hundred percent sure it will work."

"But why is it not working on you?"

"That's because..."

"Aren't you going to change your mind?" He faked a frown.

Feeling happy she met a fellow artist from the same country, she decided to accept the offer. "Fine."

"Fine, as in?...."

"As in okay... A stroll around for a day won't do me any harm."

"Nice!" He reacted.

"For free?"

He showed a cute smile and replied, "Free, for sure... I think you need to have my number... just in case you need help with something."

She nodded and smiled back then handed her phone to him.

He dialed his number and gave it a ring for her number to register on his. "There... all set." He said then handed her phone back.

"Thanks." She took another sip on her lemonade. "I have to go back to my room... I'm sorry I have to cut our conversation short."

"That's okay... See you around."

She nodded and stood up.

Jaejoong was left in the cafeteria while he followed Dara with his gaze.

***********

"Yah, Seungri!" Chaerin found his brother at the lobby of the company building. She ran towards him and gave him a hug.

"Oh, Chae!" Seungri was shocked to see his sister. "What are you doing here?"

People were looking at them.

"Hey Seungri. You're girlfriend?" One of his officemates who they happened to pass by asked.

He was about to reply but Chaerin covered his mouth.

"Nice to meet you." She said without confirming nor denying what was asked.

"Ooohh... You really are a girl magnet, man." His officemate teased. "Anyway, have to ran back in the office... Nice meeting you." He bowed at Chaerin and ran towards the elevator.

Seungri removed her hand from covering his mouth and scolded his twin sister. "Yah, Chae! Why did you do that?"

"What? I did not say anything... He was the one who assumed how I'm related to you." She grinned and hooked her arm around his brother's. "I wanna see Oppa."

"He's busy." He answered nonchalantly. A little annoyed by what her sister did.

"Stop being annoyed, Rat... It was just a joke." She pinched his nose.

"Why do you want to see Hyung?" He asked.

"I want to have lunch with both of you... I've been locked up in my work room I haven't seen you two since last week."

He ruffled her hair and smiled. "You're working hard... I just saw you last night while you're head was rested on the table full of used cloth."

"Really?... I can't remember falling asleep while working. I even woke up on my couch."

"That's because I moved you there. You might have stiff neck and then you'll continuously complain about it until my ears explode... I'm just avoiding that to happen." He explained.

"Oh, my brother's so sweet... Come here, let me kiss you." She tiptoed and kissed his cheek.

He wiped his cheek while looking disgusted.

It made Chaerin laugh. "I love you." She leaned her head on his shoulder.

Seungri huffed some air but still managed to smile. "Why do I have to be with a twin Cat?"

"You have no choice." She shrugged.

"Let's go see Hyung before you do something else that might cause me embarrassment." He patted Chaerin's head and turned around to head towards the elevator.

Chaerin followed behind with a bright smile plastered in her face.

***********

"Oppa, are you calling Dara Unnie regularly?" Chaerin asked.

She was browsing a magazine while seated on the couch. Seungri was seated beside her, busy with his phone.

"Of course. We talk to her every night before Tim and Kim goes to bed." Jiyong replied without taking away his gaze to the paper he's reading.

An article caught Chaerin's attention. "It's gonna be Valentine's Day next week." She exclaimed.

"Chae, are you that busy for you to only realize that today?" Seungri chuckled.

"I got preoccupied in my workroom I wasn't able to notice the date."

"You forgot about the outside world completely... You're like a caveman." Seungri teased.

Chaerin punches him in the arm for what he said.

"Hey! If you both came here to disturb me with your bickering, go find somewhere else to do that. Not here. I'm busy." Jiyong scolded his cousins.

"Hyung, this cat dragged me back here so we can have lunch together." Seungri tried to explain.

Chaerin stood up and sat on the chair that's in front of Jiyong's table and rested her elbow on it. "It's been a while since we last had lunch together."

Jiyong placed the papers he was reviewing on his table and looked at Chaerin while raising an eyebrow. "I can sense that you need something from me."

"I bet." Seungri chortled.

"Of course not." She hissed at her brother. "I was just a little bored at home. My workroom became a little stuffy and I wanted to have a breather."

"What do you want to eat?" Jiyong asked.

A smile formed on Chaerin's lips. "Bibimbap." She replied.

"Fine... Let's head out for lunch."

"Hyung, aren't you gonna ask me, too?" Seungri felt disappointed.

Jiyong rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay... What do you want for lunch?"

"He wants Kimchi fried rice with Spam," Chaerin was quick to answer her Oppa's question.

"Is that what you want?" Jiyong confirmed.

"I was about to say that." Seungri pouted at his sister.

"You were talking about it in the elevator while we were on our way here." She grinned.

"There's a restaurant just right in front of this building... They sell perfect Korean dishes... Wanna try?" Jiyong asked.

Chaerin nodded with sparks on her eyes. She looked very excited.

"I want some dumplings, too." Seungri stood up and was also looking happy that they were able to let Jiyong go with them for lunch.

"Oppa." Chaerin called before they stepped out of the room.

"Hmm?"

"What's your plan for Valentine's Day?"

"Oppa's gonna have a meeting with a client that day." Seungri answered.

Holding the knob of the door, he gave the twins a meaningful look while grinning then opened the door and went out.

The twins where left wondering.

"What does that suppose to mean?" Chaerin whispered to his brother to which he replied with a shrug.

"You both coming or not?" Jiyong called them.

The twins rushed towards the elevator and followed behind.

"What's with the grin earlier, Oppa?" Chaerin wasn't able to hold her curiosity any longer, she asked while they got inside the elevator.

"I have cancelled my schedule for that day." He replied while his arms were placed across his chest.

"Really?" Seungri was surprised.

Jiyong nodded.

"But I thought it was important?" He probed.

"It was... But I think being with Dara that day is way more important than that." He smiled.

"So you're gonna go to Japan that day?" Chaerin was surprised.

"I'll fly there the night of the 13th then come home by morning of the 15th."

"Love... It changed you, Hyung. It did." Seungri patted his back.

Jiyong chuckled. "I guess it did."

"Unnie's gonna be so happy to know you'll be there." Chaerin clapped her hands.

"You shouldn't tell her about that. It's a surprise... I've told her about my schedule that day. She doesn't know I've cancelled my appointments."

"Oh... So you'll go there secretly?... and she'll expect that you'll celebrate it while you're both away from each other?"

"You think it will work?" Jiyong asked.

"Of course it will... For as long as no blabbermouth will reveal the surprise." She glanced at Seungri.

"Yah! Why are you looking at me?... Hyung's secret is safe with me."

"You sure?" Chaerin pried.

"Of course... Hyung can trust me on that."

"I trust Seungri... You're brother's also a changed man, Chae." He ruffled Seungri's hair.

"Good." Chaerin snickered. "I hope I can see Unnie's reaction to the surprise."

"I'll make sure to tell you about what's gonna happen." Jiyong told her.

"And since you'll be away, the twins will be sad... And because I'm a changed man... I volunteer to take care of them." Seungri offered.

"Really?" Jiyong was shocked to hear Seungri's offer.

"Do I look like I'm joking, Hyung?"

Chaerin touched her brother's forehead. "Are you sick or something?"

"Yah, Cat... Are you really my sister?" Seungri reacted which made Jiyong and Chaerin laugh.

"I believe you, Rat... We were just playing with you."

Before Seungri can react further, the elevator door opened.