"Do the things you fear to do and keep on doing it... that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear." 

—Dale Carnegie

Jiyong woke up in a sweat, hands slightly trembling as his whole body paled. Quickly, he turned to his side, only letting out a breath of relief when he saw the sleeping woman on the other side of the bed. Eventually he let himself relax and lay back down beside her. 

He knew he couldn't—wouldn't—go back to sleep after what he had witnessed in his dream. It was one of those weird ones that he used to have when he was much younger. Jiyong didn't want to admit it but he was very superstitious... and it was all because a certain woman had implanted things in his brain. When he was young, Dara would always tell him scary stories that would make him sleep beside her at night. He wasn't sure if that was her ploy all along yet he knew in the back of his mind that he like sleeping beside her too. 

With a certain dazed air around him, Jiyong watched how peaceful she looked. He didn't touch her. He didn't even call her out. He simply stared and marveled at the woman he was finally able to become his. On her hand she wore the wedding ring that they shared. Smiling a little, he reached for her hand. A frown flashed across his face when he felt her coldness. Carefully, he cupped it with both of his hands in an effort to warm it up. It was winter and her hand was out of the blanket after all, of course she's bound to get cold. 

Idiot girl, he thought. 

With a huff to his breath, he pulled her closer, embracing her by the waist and tucking her head below his chin. His eyes glazed over the balcony... the same one that she always sneaks into. Smiling again, he remembered always trying to pretend he was asleep when he could clearly hear the door creak open. To give her some credit, the older woman was a quiet one. Sometimes she'd let out a few curses when she makes noise but other than that, she could pass up for a diamond thief. 

The best part about her nightly visits was when she'd tried to snuggle up to him. Of course, she'd never hugged him since she's afraid that she might wake him up. The rabbit-like girl however always tried to burrow or press her head against his back since he often slept facing away from the balcony. It wasn't when he was entirely sure that she was asleep that he'd change positions and hug her just as he did now.

And now that they've tied the knot, she didn't need to break and enter anymore. His house was just as much as hers... as a matter of fact, she had always been his home. He leaned away slightly to get a better view of her. Tipping Dara's chin, he noticed how cold her skin felt. Now he was getting worried. He put a palm on her cheek just as he put a hand on her arm. Both were equally cold and equally unsettling. 

He eyed her carefully, focusing on her face with utmost concentration. was slightly agape while her eyes were closed shut. Jiyong put a finger above her lips and he could feel his blood drain from what he observed. Quickly, he sprang up from the bed and held her, only to have her limping on his arms. His heart thudded erratically against his chest but it wasn't because of love. 

It was of fear. 

"Dara." he mumbled worriedly, shaking her slightly. "Baby... w-wake up." 

But the girl didn't respond. Instead, her head lolled back making her neck stretch out uncomfortably. Heaving, he put a hand behind her her to steady her. At this point, Jiyong was in the brink of tears. Breathing an enormous sigh, he finished with a choked sob, pulling her to him and hugging her tight.

How could he not have noticed? Has he not been looking at her carefully for all this time?

"Dara." he cried. "Please wake up." 

But she wasn't... she won't. She wasn't breathing anymore and her temperature was becoming increasingly frigid. He should've noticed how he couldn't hear the soft sounds of her light snoring. He should've noticed how she didn't snuggle up to him when he nuzzled closer to her. He should've noticed every single thing about her. 

But he didn't. 

"D-Don't do this Dara. Please. Please... P-Please. Stay with me. C-Call my name... Please." he sobbed in her hair. "Please. Don't leave me alone." 

"Please..."

He hugged her desperately, body trembling as he gently rocked her.

"Dara. I need y-you back..."

"Please—"

"Jiyong?" 

...

"Hey, wake up!" 

Dara shook his shoulder worriedly.

"Jiyong!" 

The man immediately sat up, his head throbbing in pain while his body was sheen with sweat. He took a quick glance to his left and found Dara eying him with concern. She reached out to touch his arm when he suddenly grabbed her wrist and put her hand against his cheek. Jiyong's thumb brushed against her fingers, sighing in relief when he couldn't feel the ring that somehow always indicated the recurrence of his nightmares. Before he knew it, a strangled sob escaped his lips and she instantly caught him in an embrace. 

"What's wrong? she cooed, soothing his back. 

She felt him shake his head before nuzzling on the crook of her neck and hugging her tighter. She didn't know what was going on but she felt compelled to relieve whatever pain he was feeling. So without another word, the girl comforted him until she could feel him calm down. 

"Jiyong..." she whispered. Her eyes roamed to the clock, only to find out that they only have 20 minutes left until work. She bit her inner cheek and focused back on listening to his evening breath. She let out a squeak of surprise when he suddenly put her on his lap, his face still burrowing on her neck. 

"Hey... uhmm..."

He made the cutest little sniffle and she let out an involuntary 'awww' at that. Jiyong grumbled and forced himself to not make a peep. He's always been sensitive about crying in front of her. He didn't want to do it but she somehow always makes him bring out the emo dam in him. He sniffed one last time before finally opening his eyes and noticing his surroundings.

His torso was in between her legs but she didn't wrap it around his waist. Her arms circled around his neck as she lazily combed his hair while his arms were still firmly locked on her waist. There was something so intimate about their position that made him had butterflies in his stomach. It wasn't because she was on his lap. No. It was because he had cried and she let him, not even thinking twice about wanting to comfort him. 

"Are we still going to work or..." 

"No." 

Dara immediately shut , her lips unintentionally contorting into a huge grin. Thankfully, his face was still burried on her shoulder. She knew that she'd get for loving the idea of skipping work. Jiyong had always been a tight- when it comes to their job and him wanting to play hookie was a rarity. 

"What should I tell them?" she asked a little too cheerfully. "Will we have diarrhea? Or maybe the flu? Oh , I think a broken arm would be perfect—"

"We tell them nothing," he yawned, stretching. "We're just not going." 

"OOooOooOoOHhHHhHhHHHH, Kwon Jiyong is becoming ballsy huh?" Dara teased giddily. 

A sneer marred his face before it got replaced with a gentle expression. She flinched in surprise when he put a lock of her hair behind her ear and removed all the other stray strands that were on her face. And then suddenly, his lips descended down on hers making her unconsciously arch her back at the taste of him. They really should've waited until they brushed their teeth but neither seemed to mind—especially Jiyong for that matter. 

Gently, he guided her to lie back down on the bed while they continued their slow and languid pace of kissing. Dara's eager hands traveled towards the hem of his shirt, sneaking in to touch his golden skin. Jiyong momentarily stopped the kiss, mouth shivering at her warm fingers. Before her hands could adventure forth, he restrained her wrists and put them on either sides of her head. 

"No," he breathed on her ear. "We can't."

More like they shouldn't.

Dara puffed a sigh and slightly pushed herself up to feather his face with tiny kisses. His eyes glazed over her while a look of amusement painted his expression. She clumped her little hand on the back of his hair and pulled him down so that she could taste him again. Jiyong obliged with no problem but he soon pulled away much to her annoyance.

"Let's go home?"

Dara warmed at the thought of him acknowledging her home as his too. They've been going to each others houses for so long that they could very well call each other's house as theirs.

But there was something in the way that he said it that made her heart leap.

"O-Omma's not home..." It was Friday and on this day, her mother usually opens shop early. This was also the dreaded day of the week when Dara has to make her own breakfast.

Jiyong pursed his lips in thought, removing himself from her and from the bed. Dara chanted a whining "No!" in her head as he peeled himself off. Jiyong felt so soft and warm even though he looked like an sly . Dara wanted him back.

"I'll make breakfast then." He said. "C'mon and get up."

"You're making breakfast?"

He snorted condescendingly. "It's not like you can do it."

She scowled watching his figure retreat to the door. To think that his mocking nature hasn't changed even though they stepped up from the friendship ladder towards the romantic escalator. She really shouldn't feel surprised but she guessed she just expected more.

Dara shrugged out of his bed and decided to fix it knowing that he liked it neat and tidy. When she stretched, her arms immediately landed on her chest a second later. . Why does she keep forgetting to put a bra on? Now that they're... ehem... hot smooching, she should at least hold some reservations.

For the sake of her femininity after all, she pondered as she shamelessly scratched an embarrassing itch.

Eventually, she let herself inside his closet to find a hoodie she could cover herself with. In the end, she settled with a white oversized one that had the word 'obey' written on the chest area. Whistling out the door, she traveled to the kitchen with a whimsical hop to her steps, stopping when she saw him cooking with his back to her.

They would usually eat separately on Friday mornings but this day was different. Even though Dara would always sleep in his room every night, she'd often leave him on Friday mornings while she ate in her house. Today, Jiyong invited her to spend the very start of his day and it was one of the few moments where she finds herself falling even more for him.

"Ohayooo~" she sang in Japanese as she bumped her hip on his.

Jiyong raised a brow while the corner of his lip curled, his eyes still facing the sunny side up on the pan. 

"Genki desu ka? (How are you?)"

He finally looked at her, face painted with amusement. "What's with the Japanese, world ambassador?"

Dara shrugged peeking at the eggs he was frying before looking back at him innocently. "Watashi wa Park Sandara desu. (I'm Park Sandara.)" 

Jiyong let himself slip a chuckle. "Baka. (Idiot.)" He mumbled, knuckling her head and making her glare at him. 

"I want hotdogs too!!" She whined, noticing he was only cooking eggs. Dara poked him repeatedly and rubbed her head on his arm when he didn't respond. 

"Aisht, Alright alright! Stop ing around." He growled, lightly pushing her off so that he can go to his fridge. Meanwhile, there was a triumphant smirk on the older woman's face as Jiyong grumbled, holding a pack of hotdogs on his hand.

"You're such a kid." She heard him say.

Dara flipped her hair, unintentionally hitting his face and making him sputter annoyedly. "It's how I retain my youthful glow and beauty."

He snorted again but said nothing more.

When he finished, Dara started taking out their plates and utensils before hurrying towards the living room. Jiyong made a disgruntled noise when he found her waiting expectantly for him in the couch. He put the dishes down and gave her a flat look. "Get your in the dining room, Dara." 

She looked at him as if he was insane. " off, we're eating here!" 

"No." 

"But there's a TV in here!" 

Jiyong's eye twitched irritably. "We can watch it from here!" 

"The couch's comfy!!!" 

"You're gonna make a mess in there."

"I'm nootttttttttt!" 

"FINE! Stay there! I'm not bringing you ." he sneered, sitting himself on one of the dining chairs with an indignant huff. 

"FINE BY ME, !" 

The nerve... Jiyong gritted his teeth as he took an annoyed bite on a hotdog. From the dining room, he watched her with a cold eye as she hypnotized herself with whatever bull was on TV. A smirk suddenly curved his lips at the thought of her crawling back when she gets hungry. 

Let's see how long you'll last.

Two minutes later. 

"Yah."

Dara distractedly turned to him and grabbed the dishes with a big grin on her face. "I was wondering when you'll come here!" she chirped. 

He glared at her before sitting beside her on the couch. Jiyong snatched one of the plates from her hold and dug in with a grunt. Dara, who looked pleasantly amused, messed his hair, earning her another growl. She shook her head with a smile and started eating alongside him. 

"What are we gonna do today?" Jiyong asked.

It was already a given that they would do things together. The question of sharing their day didn't even pop up anymore. They were automatically in each other's plans whether they liked it or not. It was as if they were Siamese twins... but not related... and they're oozing with some restrained . 

Dara rubbed her face tiredly on his shoulder as she let out a burp. Jiyong grimaced and pushed her face off only to have it land back in place because of her stubbornness. They had just finished eating and were now lazily watching whatever was on TV. Chaerin called in earlier to ask where he was and he answered with a half-hearted, "I need to rest" before hanging up. 

"You came up with the idea." she yawned. "You think of something." 

Jiyong shrugged, "I don't know... d'you wanna go out?" 

She immediately removed herself from him, eyes rounded in shock and skepticism, while he just blinked. 

"Did the Kwon Jiyong just asked me out on a date?" 

He sputtered and coughed, hiding the growing blush in his cheeks. "What the are you on about?" he hissed, still faking a cough. "I just asked if you wanted to go outside." Ehem.

There was a knowing smile on her face that made him conscious and ten times more irritated. With a grunt, he turned her head away from him but the older woman peeked back with that ever-present knowing glint in her eyes. 

"Sure, I'll go on a date with you~" she sang, inching closer to him and nuzzling her head on his arm like a cat. 

Jiyong's cheek twitched from a grimace but his face and body were red hot. "It's not a date." he groaned. 

Dara rested her chin on his shoulder, their faces only a mere breath away from each other and neither seemed to pull away. She saw his eyes dart down to her lips before going back to her expectant eyes. A small smile suddenly formed on his lips as he lightly flicked her forehead, earning him a quiet grunt. 

Again she pulled herself closer to him, her arm was now entangled with his while her face was creeping closer to the crook of his neck. Jiyong had to restrain a shiver when she felt her breath brush his sensitive skin. He looked down at her to find a pair of curious dark brown eyes watching him with wonder. 

"Kiss me." He heard her whisper. 

It didn't take more than a few seconds before he obliged. There was something so intense and sensual about how he always kisses her in a slow pace. It was as if he was savoring every moment and memorizing every taste, contour, and mewl she makes. Gradually, their positions changed and Jiyong was off the couch, now towering over her as she leaned back satedly on the back rest. But when her hand traveled up to touch his hot skin, he pulled away and stood in front of her with a trembling breath. Dara looked at him confusedly underneath her heated gaze but he just answered with a ca