Dara closed the door to her apartment behind her. She was shivering not from the cold but from something else.

Jaejoong's words echoed in her head over and over again. She knew what she said or what she wasn't able to say. After Jaejoong dropped the ultimate bombshell of the night, her jaw almost dropped. Whatever do you say to a confession as sincere as that? And those eyes, my god, she felt like he could see right through her.

"Please allow me to show you that I'm a changed man."

She remembered nodding and muttering a breathless "Okay." Dara noticed how Jaejoong's face transformed before her, how brightly he smiled, and how his mirth reached his eyes. It's been ages since she saw him smile like that and it was as glorious as she remembered it . She was ecstatic how it was her who put it there.

Right at that moment, Dara felt she made the right choice. Now, back in her apartment, in the dark, she was shivering in anticipation and fear. Is she willing to risk it again? Trying to get over Jae was heart-wrenching. She crossed that hell, why was she making her way back? But her heart wouldn't keep still, she was over the moon when Jae confessed to her.

Daddong probably sensed her agitation, so the cat purred and wrapped himself in her legs. She picked the cat up and tickled him.

"Help me pack, Daddong-ah." Dara picked Daddong up and rubbed his neck for a little bit whilr staring blankly into space. She should just leave things as they are right now. Overthinking will only complicate the situation.

----------

She has finished packing and was getting ready for bed when her phone beeped. Seeing it was from Kim Jaejoong had her heart lurching. That reaction was so typical. Before, whenever he wouldn't reply right away, she would dramatically delete his contact from her phonebook. Useless really when she memorized it to the dot.

Jae: Already home from Psy's concert. Hope you're done packing and asleep by now so you're rested tomorrow.

She was smiling to herself. She chose a sleeping rabbit emoji and sent it back to him.

In seconds, she received his reply.

Jae: SANDARA PARK, YOU SHOULD BE SLEEPING BY NOW!

Dara decided she was going to .

Dara: I WAS sleeping and I heard my phone beep so  guess who's awake now.

Sent.

1 minute. 2 minutes. 5 minutes.10. What the?! Did he just seenzone her? Fine! I'm ignoring you too. Tsk.

Then, her phone beeped.

Jae: Sorry, Dee. I didn't mean to wake you. Just sorta thought of you and wanted to send a message. Go back to sleep now. Talk to you tomorrow.

Oh, man. He took it seriously. Her guilt magnified imagining the serious expression he'll have on his face now. He did say he was all changed and all that. Come to think of it, all throughout this conversation there were no What-are-you-doings and Who's-with-you-nows.

People change. That's what she always says, right?

Dara: I was kidding. *apologet