Dahye was staring at the male across her in horror and confusion. But it was more of anger towards her parents, whom she was so sure had set her up to this.

“I was told that…this would be a family dinner.” The male before her spoke, Dani almost felt sorry for him. He looked just as clueless as she was. And it’s not like it was his fault too, but she just can’t help but feel be pissed.

“We have been told the same lie.” She replied with a small sigh. She looked at him again, wanting to laugh at her situation. She was seated across the person she had met earlier.

Cha Eunwoo, the guy who was twisting Cheon Jungho’s arm from earlier.

“I didn’t know my parents would set me up to this.”

Dahye looked at him and put her utensils down.

“It’s not an uncommon occurrence, but it’s very uncomfortable. But, they’re probably expecting us to “click”,” She made air quotations with her fingers, Eunwoo chuckled.

“And get married and manufacture babies for them. Nice, huh?” She continued, her tone as dry as her steak.

“You are nothing like Dawon hyung.” Eunwoo replied, the girl shrugged.

“But, since…I know this terribly awkward for you, it is for me too. How about,”

“Are you going to tell me that we should be following their wises? Because, no.” Dahye murmured, Eunwoo let out a laugh.

“Of course not, but I was thinking more of becoming friends? I don’t want to get on the soccer team’s bad side.”

“What?” Dahye blinked at him, Eunwoo smiled and stretched out his palm to her.

“Friends?”

Dahye exhaled, the girl stood up and reached to shake his hand.

“Yeah, sure. But, I…can’t do this. I need to go.” She said as she picked up her purse. Eunwoo tried to follow her, but she shook her head.

“This one’s on me. Just..finish your dinner.”

“But, you came here alone. I can drop~”

“No. I…need some time to make sense out of this.” Dahye murmured, Eunwoo watched as the girl left the private dining room. The male scratched the back of his head and went back to the table.

Dahye was grumbling as she made her way towards the elevator, her brother was not picking up her calls.

The doors pinged open and her phone started to ring. The girl answered without checking and she immediately

“And you pick up now? Did they tell you about this? I do not like being here! You better pick me up in five minutes or I am coming for your throat! You’re supposed to be the older brother, you should be arranged to marry first! Not me!”

“So, where should I pick you up?”

She froze, she looked at her phone’s screen and the girl balked.

“R—Rowoon-ah,”

“Where are you? I’ll pick you up.”

Rowoon hit the brakes as he reached the hotel’s curb, he saw Dani standing by the doors, looking a little lost but she had a frown on her face. He slid down from his car, and her eyes went to him. The girl stepped out of the building and slowly made her way towards him.

“I didn’t mean to…drag you out here, I could have just~”

“Dahye, it’s fine. What happened? Are you okay?” He asked as he scanned her face, Dahye shook her head at him.

“I’m fine. It’s just…not a good evening for me.” She finished, Rowoon opened the car’s door for her.

“I was…at this dinner, and~” She paused, noticing how impeccably dressed he was.

“You were out too? Did I disturb something?” She started to worry, but he smiled at her.

“No, you have the perfect timing, ice princess.”

Dani frowned at him and slid inside the vehicle, Rowoon jogged around the car. He got on the driver’s seat and glanced at her.

“Let me guess,” He begun.

“No, don’t.”

“It’s your parents, huh?” He continued anyway, he was already kind of used to her and her moods. He felt Dani’s gaze on him, and she sighed. Rowoon let out a small chuckle and stretched his fist to her.

“I don’t have the energy for this, Denim Jacket.” She hissed, but bumped fists with him anyway.

“Welcome to my world, ice princess.”

Dahye leaned back on her seat and looked at the window.

“What happened tonight?” Rowoon asked, the girl shook her head.

“I was tricked into dinner.”

“Oh, they set you up on a blind date? Nice.” Rowoon commented, Dani scrunched her nose at him.

“Did you get into an argument with your father again?” She said dryly, Rowoon gave her a thumbs up, and then he glanced at her.

“Hey, it’s just a blind date. They can’t make you marry the guy. I don’t think it works that way.” He said softly, trying to make her lighten up.

“And, your brother wouldn’t allow that to happen.” Rowoon added thoughfully.

“I know, but I don’t like how they’re trying to control my life. I already did come back home on their demand, and now they start this bull with me,” She muttered, the male nodded.

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to have you drive all the way here.” Dani continued, but Rowoon shook his head.

“I was the one who called, Dahye. Not you.”

“Right, why did you call?” Dani suddenly turned her gaze on him, Rowoon tensed briefly but he shook his head.

“It’s your turn to rant tonight.”

“But,~”

“Let’s get something to eat first, I’ll drive you to your house.” He stated as he make a quick right, Dahye pursed her lips and nodded.

“But, please don’t go for your brother’s jugular, alright?”

“Hey!”

“She left?” Dawon stood up, he was on the phone with Eunwoo.

“Yes, hyung. We were in the middle of the meal, and I guess…she felt uncomfortable. I offered to drive her home but she refused.”

Dawon exhaled and made his way towards the front door again, his sister didn’t take her own car and she wasn’t picking up any of his calls.

“I’m sorry, hyung. I should~”

“Eunwoo-ah, it’s not your fault. My sister..she doesn’t do this type of things. She’s not used to how things go around here.” Dawon murmured, there was a soft laugh from the other end.

“Yes, I know, hyung. She’s made quite a name for herself at school. We met earlier in the day.”

“I see, then, please call me if you hear anything,”

“I doubt she’ll contact me, but I’ll call you if ever she does.”

Dawon exhaled and stepped out of the house, Chani sent him a text earlier, informing him that Dani had never contacted him. And even the younger male was starting to worry.

“I am so dead.” Dawon murmured, and then he saw a familiar Audi roll into their property.

“Rowoon?”

The car eased to a slow halt across him and Dahye appeared from the front seat.

“Dani-ah!” Dawon jogged towards him, he stopped on his tracks as her ice-cold gaze went to him.

“Oh, hyung.” Rowoon went down from the driver’s seat.

“H—How did you end up being driving her~”

“Don’t you even dare ask me how I ended up in his car, brother.” Dahye hissed at him, Rowoon bit back a smile as he saw the older male flinch.

“Dani~”

“Dahye-ah,” Rowoon spoke, the girl paused and turned to him.

“I know, not the jugular.” She snapped, Rowoon grinned back at her, Dawon blinked at the two.

“Good night, Rowoon.” Dani told him flatly.

“That translates to, you want me to go away now, huh?” Rowoon said playfully, Dawon’s eyes went to him.

“Why is he so foolishly brave?” Dawon blurted out, no one joked with his sister like that, especially when she was pissed.

“Should I curtsy as a form of thanks?” She replied, Rowoon chuckled and opened the door again.

“Good night, Dahye. Sleep with one eye open, hyung.” He mused before getting inside his car and speeding away from them.

Dawon padded towards his sister towards the stairs.

“Dahye-ah,”

“If you were only open about your relationship with Junhee, they wouldn’t do this to me, oppa. You know that, right?” She stated, Dawon paused at her words.

“I’m not blaming you for this, but somehow, this is making me feel like…our parents are putting me up to this because you won’t tell them anything. Isn’t it already enough that I’m doing your job?”

“Dani,”

“For once, can’t you protect me?”

Dahye slapped the water and removed her goggles, she looked up and noticed the female coach walking towards her.

“Is something bothering you, Dahye-ah? You’re…I don’t want to say this, a bit sloppy today.” She said, her voice filled with concern.

“I wasn’t able to sleep well last night, coach. I’m sorry.” She said softly, the woman nodded back at her, she blew her whistle twice. Practice was over.

Dahye pulled herself up the pool and glanced over her shoulder, her other teammates were already drying off. She picked up a towel and made her way towards her things.

“Noona,”

She turned and saw Chani walking towards her, she sighed at him.

“I heard about what happened. Is Cha Eunwoo still breathing?” He said lightly, the girl wrapped the towel around her.

“Give me ten minutes to shower and get dressed.” She murmured as she picked up her things. Chani paused, his brows going up.

“Okay.” He said, the girl made her way towards the dressing room and he sat down. He leaned back on the seat and noticed another male walk into the area.

Cheon Jungho.

“What are you doing here?” He spoke, the older male turned to him and he grinned.

“So, you also have the privilege of seeing her in her swimsuit.” Jungho stated, Chani almost rolled his eyes.

“What is it that you want with her, sunbae?” Chani asked, the male grinned at him.

“I’m curious, that’s all.”

“Well, don’t be.”

“Why? It’s not like she’s taken or anything. I don’t see you making any moves~”

“Trust me, the moment he makes any move on me, is also the same moment we both barf at each other.” Dahye appeared by the doors, already dressed in a pair of jeans and a loose shirt.

“Dahye-ah,” Jungho sent her flirtatious grin.

“ off.” She stated, Chani grew alarmed at her words and followed the girl out of the stadium.

“Noona, is everything~”

“No, things aren’t fine. I’m not feeling so good. And, my mother yelled at me this morning.” She mumbled as she hooked arms with him, Chani paused.

“She was really mad at me because I left that basketball boy. I mean, they were the one who lied to me, and yet I get yelled at?”

“They set you up. I heard about it, Dawon hyung called last night. You disappeared and he thought you went to my house.”

“Lee Dawon and his secrets.” She grumbled as they crossed the bridge towards the main building.

“But, how did you get home? It was pretty late night when hyung called.”

“I somehow managed to bring myself to danger too. I accidentally picked up Rowoon’s call.”

Chani halted and then he started to grin.

“Hey, we never actually talked about that yet. I haven’t had the chance to tease you~”

“Trust me, now is not the time. He simply drove me home because he heard me cussing my brother out when I picked up his call.”

“Hyung called you at night? Why?”

“Why are you more concerned about that? You should be worried about me. Me!” Dahye pointed out, Chani started to chuckle.

“I guess that awkward dinner wasn’t all that bad after all. Rowoon hyung put all that effort to drive you~”

“I might as well lose a friend today.” Dahye nodded to herself as she walked away from him, Chani started to laugh and jogged after her.

“Noona, I haven’t seen you act around a guy like this. So, you do have a weakness. You’re human!”

“You’re usually dead inside and all low energy, go back to your normal self!” She snapped at him, Chani laughed again.

“I’m serious, noona. The fact that hyung really did drive out to pick~”

“Dahye-ah,”

The two halted, Chani’s eyes went to the male before them. Dahye chewed on the insides of her cheek before speaking.

“Cha Eunwoo.” She said, the male’s lips quirked up slightly.

“What happened last night was not so great, and I don’t want you to think that I was also part of planning~”

“I know you weren’t; you didn’t exactly hide your shock when you saw me there instead of your parents.”

Chani puffed his cheeks and held onto the girl’s arm while waiting.

“Yeah, about that,” Eunwoo smiled and looked at his shoes briefly, Chani grinned to himself.

Another boy crushing on Lee Dahye again.

“It’s fine, it was also rude of me to just leave you there. But that was the worst steak ever.”

“It was bad, uhm, are you busy?” Eunwoo said, Chani glanced at his friend.

“Right now?”

“Can we talk?"

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