"How's your mom?"

"How's your mom?" He shot back, brows raised and eyes wide in accusation. 

Dara glowered. "What the hell are you on about now?" 

"Sorry, a lot of people have been hitting on my mom for years and I just," he scratched his nape as he wore a guilty but amused look. "Force of habit?" 

She couldn't help the curl of her lips. "People hit on your mom?" Honestly, Dara wasn't even surprised by the attention his mother was getting. Although she didn't know her well, Dara had seen glimpses of her when the woman was still on TV. And judging from her spontaneous visit to her house a few weeks ago, it was startling how Mrs. Kwon's beauty hadn't faded in the slightest.

Jiyong slumped back on his chair as her let out a troubled sigh. "It's hard being born beautiful, y'know. I mean, I know the struggles. You hit on me all the time." 

Dara almost choked on her drink. "E-Excuse me? In what universe did I ever hit on you?!" 

The people in the restaurant jumped in surprise at her screech but Jiyong merely chuckled and put a finger over her lips to silence his breathtaking siren. Dara glared at her and tried to pry his finger away but froze when Jiyong's roaming touch pushed slightly at the crack between her lips, making her unconsciously part . 

"In the way you look at me," he whispered, meeting her startled eyes. "In the way you call my name... and in the way you kiss me." He glided his thumb across her soft lip, smiling faintly at the sight of her gulp. "The art of flirting doesn't just happen through words, ma cherie. It happens through all the senses and baby, tu me donnes envie de te sentir plus."

"What did you say?" Her words were a breath of a whisper. 

He reached for her hand with both of his and pressed his lips against her knuckles. "You make me want to feel more." 

Jiyong could see her cheeks redden and taking the chance, he moved in but was stopped by her palm over his face. His puckered lips deflated and he looked at her with a pout. Annoyed, Dara pushed him further away and grumbled to herself while his quiet laugh increased the warmth that she was feeling. 

Stupid French, Dara cursed to herself. She didn't want to admit it but goddammit, the man really knew how to play her. And goddammit again because Jiyong knew how to play instruments too! Double . Imagining him playing a guitar while singing French was y as hell. 

Jiyong for his iness. And you know what? Jaejoong for setting the bar too low. The definition of romantic in the piece of 's perspective was having a chicken-and-beer date in some grubby street stall or surprising her with discounted chocolate. How did she know it was discounted? The er always left the price tag on. He left it on everything! It was like it was his constant reminder of how much he was spending on her. It was as if he expecting a refund when they broke up? 

Kim Jaejoong. him for every loser thing he's done to her because now, she didn't know what the hell to do with a guy like Jiyong! It was like she went through a transition of riding in a bicycle with tassels on the handle bar and a basket cross-stiched with nonsensical cartoon characters to riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle with roaring engines and a threatening leather jacket to go with it. For one, Dara didn't even know how to ride a bike so how do you expect her to know how to ride a freaking motorcycle?

So what was Sandara Park's solution? 

Resist the iness of the Harley Davidson by letting herself admire it inwardly but scowl it openly.

Why resist the y, you ask? 

Because she needed to be in charge. If she doesn't resist the Harley Davidson, she'll be led to Harley Davidson Land where she'll probably never get out which is a big no-no. If she resists the Harley Davidson, the Harley Davidson will ride her... also a big no-no.

Now do you understand why she must do her part for the country? 

"Do you know I write songs?" he suddenly informed. "You make me want to write you a song in French."

Kwon Jiyong and his stupid romantic everything. 

"Do you want me to write a song for you, ma belle?"

Kwon Jiyong for making her want to see more of his stupid romantic everything. 

Dara was trying to clear but it turned into a full-on coughing display. Some grimaced and moved their plates away from her direction while some watched in weird fascination at how many different tones the girl could hack. Of course, Jiyong started to soothe her back as Dara looked like she was about to die. When he offered a glass of water, she took it gratefully and the people surrounding her watched Dara chug all its contents. Like some of the present frat boys in the restaurant, Jiyong wanted to chant "Chug! Chug! Chug!" but she'd already finished everything before they could even grasp on what was happening. 

"Jesus Christ." she burped before hiding her face from embarrassment. 

She peeked at the cracks between her fingers and grimaced at the mixed of disgust and amazement she garnered from the other guests that watched her. Her eyes switched to the man beside him, groaning even more at the amused look on his face. 

Why did Jiyong have to take her into such a fancy restaurant? Everyone was dressed in business casual—some even in full formal attire—while there she was, plebeian as always with a blouse that she got from a flee market and a pair of ripped jeans that she borrowed from Durami. She felt like a sole fish cake in a room full of sashimi and caviar. Dara just wanted to bury herself to the ground and let the earth decompose her. 

"I know that look."

Her head shot up, brow raised and regarding him in question. Jiyong shook his head and ticked his tongue.

"I see it every time in dramas." he said.

The familiar scowl returned. "What?" 

Jiyong crossed his arms, observing her with narrowed eyes. "The lower to middle class main lead girl feels intimidated by the glitz and glamour of the rich male lead's world and she's starting to question if she can fit in or if she'd ever fit in."

Dara widened her eyes and he continued. 

"Then the male lead would start to realize that his world is making the female lead uncomfortable so she drags her out the room and tells her an excuse about the room being stuffy before he urges her to show 'her world'." 

"I-I..."

"They go through this montage of 'normal people' activities like eating street food and going to the park or something and then the female lead smiles at him while he isn't looking and then goes "this'll work after all". They kiss in the sunset but then..."

Dara blinked. 

Jiyong slams his hand on the table with a fiery look in his eyes. "Then the mother—it's usually the mom because male leads in my dramas usually have daddy issues and don't want anything to do with them—sees them in the act and pulls her son away! The female lead gasps in surprise while the male lead tries to remove himself from his mother but momma bear's all like "Don't touch my son, you beggar woman!" and then the girl's all like "Oh no, my heart's broken. Don't go~"."

"The male lead tries to struggle out of her grip one more time but the mom orders her secret service men to haul him in her sedan and then she threatens the female lead to back off or she'll face her manicured claws or protective fury. The car disappears with the female lead looking longingly at it as it disappears and when she starts to cry, the sad main OST of the drama plays in the background and it ends with stills of the scenes from that episode." He finished with a contented sigh, as if he'd contributed something to the world while Dara just stared at him. 

Jiyong looked up to her with an inquiring smile. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Dara shook her head before letting out an incredulous giggle that turned into a full-on laugh. "Just how many dramas did you watch?" she chuckled. 

He looked at her with innocent confusion while he watched her with a growing grin. "I don't know. Lots? I didn't really have anything to do back then and omma always made me watch with her." 

She wiped the tear from her eye and regarded him with mirth. "So is that plot that you told gonna happen to us then?" 

"No." Jiyong snorted. "First of all, you're becoming a doctor so you'll probably end up being richer than me." At that, Dara snorted. "Second of all, I may be the super y and charming male lead but I'm not entirely clueless as those rich boys. I was roughing it when I lived in America and France, y'know!" 

Dara raised a brow. "Do tell."

"Well, I had to pay for my own groceries and shopping because appa only gave me an apartment." 

"Poor you." She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah! And when I went to France, it was even worse! I was homeless for a week because I got drunk off my and lost my keys. It didn't help that I forgot the road to my house either so I became a straight beggar. The church was about to adopt me when my dad suddenly appeared out of nowhere, bonked my head, and took me back to my place." he breathed and shook his head. "Life was rough! I remember that I even fought for crumbs with the pigeons and I always lost because those bastards always ganged up on me." 

"Wow." Was the only thing she could say because, really.... wow.

"And don't get me started with the time I almost fled to the woods and lived with the wolves." 

She blinked. "You have to be joking." 

"I am." he grinned before frowning. "The pigeon thing was true though. I never trusted a bird ever since." 

"Alright, I get it already. You were roughing it." Her tone sounded like she still didn't believe it but it was more relaxed than earlier so he just gave up and smiled. 

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