Dahye was panting as she tugged on her swimming cap, she tossed it towards the bench and looked around.

“You did really great today, Dahye-ah.” Her coach walked up to her, the girl smiled.

“It’s all thanks to you, coach.” The lady smiled and patted her shoulder before walking away. Dahye exhaled and searched for her robe.

“You said you .”

She turned, Hyoseop was walking towards her.

“You came in second place, babycakes.” He said cheerfully before leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

“Congratulations.” He stated before draping the robe around her.

“I used to..win these things, you know. It’s..frustrating.” She murmured, Hyoseop pursed his lips before squeezing her hand.

“What?”

“Ice cream?” He suggested, the girl looked up and actually smiled.

From the bleachers, Junhee was glancing at Rowoon as he watched the two interact. Chani was happily munching on his caramel flavored popcorn.

The girl noticed how the tall male’s jaw grew taut for a second and he eventually looked away.

“I—I seriously am confused. Who is he?” Zuho mumbled, Junhee elbowed Chani. Hwiyoung looked on with interest and he did a double take when Hyoseop gave the girl a quick hug before she went inside the locker room to change.

“Guys.” Junhee said quietly, wanting them to shut up.

“If you really look at it, they could be something else.” Taeyang shrugged, Junhee saw Rowoon picking up his bag.

“Where are you going, Rowoon-ah?”

“Class. I still have two more.”

“Ah, aren’t you going to wait for Dahye?” Junhee asked, Chani watched as Hyoseop left the poolside and he smiled.

“I—I’ll see her there.” Rowoon nodded with a small smile before leaving their group, Chani and Taeyang high-fived triumphantly. Hwiyoung looked at the two quizzically.

“You boys, taunting the biggest person in the room won’t be good for you.” Junhee warned them as she grabbed the bag of popcorn for herself.

“Hyung has had it easy, no competition or whatsoever. He needs a little push.” Chani shrugged, Zuho nodded in agreement.

“You forgot someone.” Hwiyoung commented, he was looking at the other side of the stadium. Junhee followed his gaze and she spotted Eunwoo, the male had his eyes on Hyoseop as he made his way towards their group.

“Oh, the complication.” Chani murmured.

Dahye made her way up the steps and glanced at the empty space beside her, she scrunched her nose slightly. She checked the time on her phone and realized she had a few minutes left till class. And her back was kind of killing her.

“Maybe this is the end of my swimming career. I should just stop.” She murmured to herself as she brushed by her fellow students.

She reached her designated floor and looked around the halls expectantly, her forehead creased realizing that Rowoon wasn’t around.

Dahye padded towards the lecture hall and stood by the doors, she saw that their desk was still empty.

“Is he~” She jumped when she felt something cold touch against her nape. She turned and her eyes widened.

“Hi.”

Rowoon chuckled and presented a can of grape juice to her face.

“O—Oh, hi.” She blurted out, Rowoon opened the can for her before going inside the room. The girl followed him to their desk and handed her the drink.

“Congratulations, but it looks like you’re not happy about it.” Rowoon said as they sat down, the girl took a long sip before replying.

“It wasn’t my best. But, thanks.” She replied as she leaned back and grimaced, the male paused.

“Are… you okay?” Rowoon chewed on the insides of his cheeks, now he was feeling bad for going ahead. He should have waited for her.

“I’m thinking of retiring.” She shrugged, Rowoon was about to reply when a teaching assistant walked in the room. Dahye noticed Rowoon’s Switch console peeking out from his backpack, her brows went up as she looked at the side of his face.

Who am I kidding?

I probably do like this guy.

But wont that be a cliché? I fell for the campus crush!

“Blech.” She murmured, Rowoon’s eyes snapped up to her and she wanted to slap herself.

“You were saying?”

Oh my god, Dani.

Are we back to that again?

“What?” She replied, Rowoon grinned and finished what’s left of her juice before picking up her backpack, Dahye blinked at him in confusion.

“Rowoon, we can’t cut class….Can we?”

“No, the TA just announced that professor Shin isn’t around.” He said as he stood up, the girl followed him to the door, still unsure.

“Will I be seeing you at the party tomorrow?” Rowoon asked as they headed for stairs.

“Considering that it’s my house, so, probably yes?” She murmured, the male grinned as they went down the steps, he extended one arm to her, Dahye held onto his sleeve as they moved.

“Hyoseop was there earlier.” Rowoon begun without glancing at her.

“Yeah, he usually does watch my competitions even from before.” She said softly as they reached the ground floor.

“Are you two~”

“Dahye-ah,”

Rowoon turned and saw Eunwoo walking up to them, he felt Dahye’s grip on him tighten for a second and she let go.

“Eunwoo,” Dahye positioned herself infront of Rowoon, now she was standing between the two.

“Can I talk to you?”

“What is it about?”

Rowoon noticed how the girl didn’t let go of him as she spoke and he almost smiled.

“Us.”

Dahye’s brows went up but she faced him again.

“Eunwoo-ah, I thought I was being clear when I told you~”

“Jungho saw you two on a date, Dahye. If our parents heard about that~”

“Trust me, my parents wouldn’t mind if I was spotted being out with my friends, Eunwoo-ah.” She said calmly.

“Dahye, you said you’d think about this.”

“And I did, I said I couldn’t do it, Eunwoo. I can’t.” She said, Eunwoo’s eyes went to Rowoon again.

“You just feel compelled to be with this guy because he’s a friend of your brother’s.” He stated, Dahye felt Rowoon tense up behind her.

“He’s only being nice to you because of the partnership, Dahye. Everyone knows how Rowoon never gave a damn about his father’s business.”

“Eunwoo,” Dahye sighed, not wanting the male behind her to get riled up.

“It’s true. He probably sees you as an escape through all this. He seduces you, lures you into his trap and uses a sort of test run to see if he could~”

Dahye felt Rowoon move and she turned to him before the male could reach Eunwoo.

“Rowoon-ah,” She said as she put her palms to his chest, gently but firmly pushing him back. Other students were already staring at them.

Rowoon’s eyes were fixated on the male and Dahye only grew more worried when she saw how his fists were curled tightly.

“Rowoon-ah, please.” Dahye murmured under her breath, Rowoon’s eyebrows rose briefly, the expression on his face softening, the girl leaned her forehead aginst his chest before taking a deep breath.

“See? He can get violent too.” Eunwoo cackled, Dahye turned to him again.

“You’re an .” She spat, the latter stilled.

“Da~”

“And to think I wanted to be friends with you. What a total waste of time.” She finished, Eunwoo’s forehead creased when he saw how the girl held onto Rowoon’s hand instead.

“Dahye, I~”

Rowoon pulled the girl with him and the two walked away from Cha Eunwoo.

“Look at you, you said no to him.” Rowoon said playfully as they reached the exit doors, Dahye turned to him, stunned.

“Just seconds ago, you looked like you were ready to pummel someone to the ground, and now you’re making jokes?” She said, Rowoon looked at her and he smiled.

“You no longer have to duck when he’s around.” He said as they made their way towards the cafeteria.

“I was actually about to offer if you wanted to hide in my backpack instead.” He added cheerfully, the girl groaned and walked ahead of him.

“But, I’m proud you didn’t go for his jugular, ice princess.” Rowoon hummed before running away from her.

“Kim Rowoon!”

She could hear him laughing to himself as he went towards the food stalls, Dahye sighed looked for an empty table, but she paused to look at him again.

What am I doing?

I really am in trouble.

Youngbin strolled into the living room and noticed that staff were running around, fixing everything.

“So, he really went all out for this.” Jaeyoon commented as he followed his friend in, Youngbin nodded, amused.

“Dawon’s at the back, he had lights being installed in the garden. Has anyone seen Dani?” Inseong asked before plopping down.

“No, but how about we ask Rowoon?” Jaeyoon chuckled, Youngbin laughed before taking a seat.

“It’s still amazing how she got Rowoon all interested with work. I mean, how did..she ease him into all that?” Inseong mused.

“Dahye has always had a knack for adjusting to everything, she never had qualms when it came to work. Maybe, that is what Rowoon needed, someone who understands.” Youngbin murmured, the three paused when Chani and Zuho appeared.

“Some other guests are already outside.” Zuho stated as he joined the older males, Chani made his way towards the second floor.

“Oh, Rowoon-ah!” Jaeyoon spoke as their friend walked in, the latter smiled as he saw them.

“Hyungs,”

“I saw some of Junhee’s friends already outside.” He commented as he looked around.

“Did they hire catering?” Zuho saw a waiter passing by, Rowoon went towards the patio doors.

“Do you think Dani is aware of this?” Youngbin spoke, all eyes went to him.

“What?”

“Rowoon being interested in her.”

Inseong pursed his lips before speaking.

“I..I don’t think so. Dani’s always been..kind of blind to those things. She had a friend before, remember him?”

“Ah, Kim Mingyu?”

“They were really close that it irked Chani. But the guy confessed to her and she kind of just…ran.”

Zuho chuckled.

“Yeah, that’s Dani. And she might do the same to Rowoon. I hope not.” Youngbin murmured, he saw Rowoon walking up to Dawon at the gardens.

“Kang Chanhee! Give me back my Switch!” A familiar voice echoed from the second floor, the boys looked up.

“Yeah, that’s the Dani I know.” Zuho commented, they all laughed.

“Rowoon-ah.” Dawon smiled as he saw how his friend, the younger male nodded at him.

“Everything looks good, hyung.”

“I know, although Dahye thinks that having the pool set up is useless.”

“I don’t think anyone would be swimming tonight.” Rowoon mused, the older male nodded.

“So, what’s up?”

“I…Dahye’s been having problems with Eunwoo lately. And, I don’t know if she mentioned~”

“How she panicked this afternoon because she thought she would have to call the ambulance for Eunwoo?”

Rowoon grimaced, and the older male laughed it off.

“It’s fine, Rowoon. I know you’re worried because we do business with the Chas. It’s no big deal.”

“Hyung,”

Dawon turned to him again.

“What is it?”

“I don’t want her to be with Eunwoo, hyung.” Rowoon said, Dawon blinked at him.

“Rowoon-ah, what~”

“I like her.”

Dahye flinched as Junhee’s girlfriends screeched when they greeted each other, Chani grinned beside her.

“It’s her birthday, noona.”

“I know, that’s why I’m not saying anything.” She said, lively music was playing throughout the house while food and drinks were being served.

“So, you already took care of the whole Eunwoo thing?”

“I think I already have.”

“You were being too nice to him, look where that got you.”

“You told me to be friendly.” She pointed out, Chani rolled her eyes before going to their table, Dahye sighed and made her way back towards the living room. She saw Youngbin by the table and she waved at the older male.

“Dahye-ah,”

The girl turned and Junhee was standing before her.

“I didn’t want to disturb you earlier, but happy birthday.” She greeted before giving the girl a hug.

“Thank you, and I’m glad you let your brother run wild with all these ideas.” She said jokingly.

“Oh, the crazy pool lights? All him.” Dahye mused, the girl patted her hand before moving along. Dahye puffed her cheeks and noticed that the TV was on.

“Dahye-ah!”

She heard Rowoon’s voice and she saw him waving her over from the poolside.

“Give me a minute.” She mouthed at him; the male nodded at her. The girl searched the remote control as she listened in to the night news. She could hear people singing for Junhee outside, her brother had already brought out the cake.

Dani smiled to herself.

It was nice seeing her brother this happy, Junhee brought in so many changes with him. And Dahye couldn’t help but like the girl too.

Well, if only she had like less than fifteen bodyguards, things would be perfect. But, beggars can’t be choosers.

She spotted the remote control on the floor and she immediately plucked it out.

“Dahye-ah, what are you looking for?” Rowoon entered the house, the girl was about to reply when she saw her face flashing on the screen.

The girl halted when Eunwoo’s photo appeared just beside hers.

LeeSan Group and KB Financial to become one! Engagement details to be announced soon!

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