Jisoo had woken up late the next morning, tired from dancing and walking around the university gardens with Jongin till almost two in the morning. After being chased away from the hallway they had sneaked into, Jongin had insisted on leaving the ball for somewhere else, where they had more freedom to themselves, Jisoo did her best to stay within the college premises. One reason for that, was even after she received that text from Daya asking for her help when she was staying the night with Baekhyun, Jisoo hoped that she might show up back in the ball later that night. And the other reason was, simply she was afraid to fall further for Jongin. That night was the night she and Daya had planned on confessing everything to Jongin and Baekhyun, and when the plan had gone awry, she knew that another day for confessing their lies would not come again any sooner. And despite herself being helplessly giving into Jongin’s charms, she was determined to not take things further than she could bear.

Bear after she and Jongin have an ugly break up.

Tying her hair into a messy ponytail, Jisoo walked into the living room spilled with morning sunshine. and on the couch gleaming in sunshine with its light green cushions, sat her friend Johnny. “Morning.” He waved at her lazily, while taking a sip from his coffee mug as he sat spread on the entirety of the couch.

“What brings you here so early?” Jisoo asked, rubbing her eyes and sitting on an armchair opposite to him. “Eleven thirty is hardly early.” Johnny shrugged, and leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees. His eyes took that inquisitive look he often gave Jisoo these days, as he searched her sleepy face. “You came home around three last night. Or rather…this morning.”

“We had this event at college.” Jisoo shrugged. “and it ended later than I thought.”

“I guess you had a date for the night.” Johnny asked. Jisoo nodded. “Of course I had. We were supposed to have one, you know.”

“Then it’s normal for your date to bring you home after the party. Isn’t it.” He questioned further, leaning forward further on his elbows. “Or at least he would pay for a cab to take you home.”

Jisoo narrowed her eyes on him. “What are you getting at Johnny?”

“Your date was that guy wasn’t he? The one your friend is supposed to marry?”

Jisoo hissed and craned her neck towards the kitchen. “What if omma or appa hears?”

“They’re at the restaurant Jisoo. And Yeongsoo went out to meet a friend or so.”

“What makes you think it’s the same guy I mentioned?”

“I saw you coming home last night. On foot. With some extravagant dress and high heels hanging from your hand, you came home walking Jisoo. At three in the morning. Did you lie to that guy and let him drop you off somewhere else?”

Jisoo sighed and watched her friend for a moment. “You should be a detective you know.”

“I do have plans to join the police forces.” Johnny allowed himself a slight smirk.

“I had to get off at my friend’s place. Because that’s where he thinks I live. And I couldn’t catch a taxi after he left, so I had to walk home.”

“Is it far from here?”

“I walked for about… an hour?”

Johnny stared at her for a moment, and rubbed his face with his hands. “So when are you going to tell him the truth?”

“Why do you keep asking that?”

“Because-” Johnny bit his lip. “Do you think he’ll keep seeing you after you spew out the truth?”

“Of course not.” Jisoo scoffed. But then she fell silent, wondering what could actually happen. “But since my friend who was supposed to marry him never liked him in the first place, and since we really felt something between us… I mean if he had felt it just like I do,” she took in a deep breath, hopefully. “He might forgive me for lying. Also he’s not the type to go after material wealth so me being Choi Jisoo wouldn’t affect him. I do have a little hope.”

“You think all the rich dudes out there are like your brother-in-law.” Johnny stated, unable to hide the annoyance in his tone. “the type to date a girl just for who she is, and not mind her status and stuff.”

Jisoo bit her lip, and lowered her head. “Me being dirt poor is not the problem here Johnny. Me being a huge liar is the biggest problem here.”

* * *

Baekhyun woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. The first thing he saw was Daya’s sleeping figure on Kyungsoo’s chair, with her head laid on the small study table. Looking at the clock, he realized it was twenty past eight. With his whole body still aching with the remnants of fever, he crawled off the bed and made his way to the door.

“Morning.” Kyungsoo smiled at him when he opened the door. “Where’s Jo Daya?”

Baekhyun opened the door further and showed the sleeping girl to his friend. “Is your mom out?”

“Left for work around seven. I’m also leaving now.” Kyungsoo replied. “You two can come out. I made you breakfast.”

After Kyungsoo left the house, Baekhyun woke Daya up, and the two sat for the simple yet delicious breakfast prepared by Kyungsoo. Baekhyun spent more time watching the girl happily munch away her salad, than having his own meal of porridge.

“Haven’t your parents called?” Baekhyun asked, leaning over his finished meal.

Daya nodded, not taking her eyes off her plate.

“And?”

“I plan on spending the day with Jisoo in the college library. Our midterms are around the corner, you know.” her voice was too cheeky for a college student to be talking about her exams, so it made Baekhyun furrow his eyebrows. “I don’t think I follow you.”

“It means I’m spending the rest of today with you!”

“And you think your parents would buy so many lies one after the other?”

“Not really.” Daya shrugged. “But they might assume that I’m lying to spend time with Kim Jongin. Plus, I won’t be getting yelled at or grounded until I get home, you know.” she winked at him, which made the creases between his brows deepen. “I don’t like how nonchalant you’re about this situation. I saw how terrifying your dad can be that day. So if you’re taking such a risk for me Daya-”

“I like how you call me by my name instead of Miss Jo” Daya leaned over the table and beamed. Baekhyun rubbed his still aching temples, and sighed. “How long are you planning to keep this up?”

“Until you feel perfectly well, both physically and mentally.”

“I mean how long are you planning to avoid Jongin and stay with me Jo Daya?” Baekhyun raised his voice, ignoring his aching sore throat. “I’m truly grateful to you for being here when I needed that comfort the most. No one…absolutely no one could’ve been better for me. But we can’t keep going like this, can we? Let’s be adults about this now…please.”

Daya bit her lip, and stared down at her plate again. “I’m not being immature here. I plan on telling them tonight Baekhyun.”

“Telling them what?”

“That I cannot marry Kim Jongin.”

“And do you think they’ll accept your decision just like that?”

“They have to.” Daya shrugged. “I’m their only child. No matter how precious their business is, they will consider my happiness as well…won’t they?”

Baekhyun leaned back on his chair, and watched her in silence for a moment. “I’m not convinced.”

“I will try my best.” Daya quickly added. “I might be grounded for a few days, but eventually they will give in. So please Baekhyun, let me stay with you just until evening.”

Baekhyun ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “What are you planning to do until evening? Bcz all I feel like doing is sleeping.”

The girl stood up from the table with a grin. “You slept enough yesterday. Today we have somewhere else to be.”

A few minutes later after doing the dishes and Kyungsoo’s bed Baekhyun had slept on, the two exited the house. Baekhyun hailed a taxi, and the driver asked for their destination when they got in. “To a clothing store first.” Daya replied, and turned to Baekhyun. “You changed into your friend’s clothes! So am I supposed to walk around in the ball gown?”

“I wouldn’t mind.” Baekhyun replied with a small smile.

Once Daya got changed into a simple sunflower sundress and wore her hair in a ponytail instead of the updo it had been in, they returned to the taxi, and Daya gave the taxi driver a small piece of paper with an address written on it. “Please take us here ahjussi.”

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