"Hi, Jaejoong." Dara said and smiled at him.

That smile. She's talking to me? Me? Maybe there's another Jaejoong in this party. It can't be me. Say something, pabo.

"Dara, it's been a long time!" He finally managed to speak.

It sounded like a croak. Be natural. She is so close. 

He moved closer to Dara and hugged her.

It's the same vanilla and strawberry scent she used to wear. What the are you doing, Kim Jaejoong?! Aisht?! Why did you hug her? Are you even friends now? If she pushes you away, you deserve it. You haven't even apologized like you said you would.

Jaejoong's internal monologue was nothing short of panicky. When Dara returned the hug, Jaejoong went to seventh heaven. Now, he was scared he might squeeze her too tight when he felt her warmth and the steady beating of her heart. His heart was anything but steady. He tried his best to gingerly let go of the girl hoping his face isn't giving away his struggle.

Dara looked into his face and said, "My gosh. Look at you, you look the same!"

"Says the vampire queen. You're aging backwards!" He returned the compliment and he sincerely believed that. 

In three years, two months, and 27 days since he last saw her, nothing has changed. The same Dara. His Dara. His Dara then. A small voice inside him corrected. He ignored that stupid voice. He knew there were other events that they could have seen each other after his enlistment but somehow they just didn't. Or was he subconsciously avoiding her? He'll deal with that question later.

Right now, he is a bundle of all sorts of emotions. The normally cool and collected Jaejoong felt that he was sweating buckets trying to keep a casual conversation with Dara. He was a wreck but a happy one.

It was always like this with her. She had the ability to make him feel emotions from the opposite ends of the spectrum. Right now, he's both on edge and relaxed as they talked about random things, who they've seen, and what they've been doing. 

 

Their other friends saw them talking and joined them. Jaejoong didn't know if he was going to be pissed or relieved. With them around, he can be more at ease and not feel like he will e