DARA’s POV

Why is the time so slow?! I can already hear my tummy grumbling. Is 10 minutes really that long?

“Bommie!”

“What’s with the shouting? You know, everyone is working outside.”

“Bommie, make the time go faster please. I want to have lunch.”

“Fine, let’s go now.”

“Kyaaaaa. Thank you Bommie!” 5 minutes is still left before lunchtime but Bom already dragged me down to the canteen. Finally! I called her because I don’t have the guts to leave my office before lunch time by myself, I need someone to do it for me.

We’re in the middle of eating when our co-workers went down and joined us.

“That hungry noona?” Mino teased which I responded with a shy nod.

“Noona, what’s your relation with Nabi?” He asked curiously.

“You know Nabi?” Bom shrieked right through my ears. Though I am close to her, I didn’t tell her about Jiyong being Nabi. She didn’t wait for my answer as she occupied herself on fangirling my boyfriend along with our officemates. Aigooo, if only they knew. I swear if they try to steal Jiyong , I will declare war.

“Just a friend.” I replied flatly to Mino, hoping he wouldn’t pry more. “Mino, you’re friends with Hanbin. It’s really a small world.” I tried changing the topic.

“Hmmm. I knew that he has an older brother but I just found out that it was Jiyong hyung.”

“How’s the music you’re doing?”

“Thanks to you noona, I think Nabi’s autographed CD boosts my skills.” He whispered, cautious of the others. If someone hears he received an autograph, they will surely bother him and me to death.

“Hanbin and I are already working on some tracks.” He added proudly.

“I’m glad to hear that. Nabi will be proud of you if he hears your music someday especially if it’s with Hanbin. I’ll be proud too.” I replied back.

“That’s what I’m curious about noona. Hanbin. Why does it feel like he knows who’s Nabi too?”

“In what way?”

“The way he talked and praised him, it felt like he knows him so well. Like he already saw Nabi working on his songs. He even told me that Nabi most likely have a muse to write all his songs.” Mino recalled. That little brat, really! If Jiyong knew about this, he will surely receive a good amount of scolding. But well, I can’t blame Hanbin. I’ve known him since he was a little kid, and I can attest to it. He really idolizes Jiyong.

 

Dara was helping her parents in their backyard when a little kid came running.

“Hi Uncle, Aunt!” The boy bowed down to the elders “Noona! Noona!” He jumped excitedly.

“Hanbin, what are you doing here?”

“Noona, come with me.” The boy grabbed Dara’s hand, pulling her with him. Dara excused herself from her parents and follow Hanbin.

They walked back to the boy’s house. Dara greeted Mr. and Mrs. Kwon who were hanging out in the porch area. When they went inside, Hanbin signaled her to quiet down. Clueless on what he was trying to do, she just followed all his instructions. Upon reaching Jiyong’s room, they settled themselves on the floor right outside his door. Then, she started hearing the faint sounds of guitar.

“Noona, can you hear that?” Hanbin whispered, pressing his ears harder on the closed door. Dara nodded her head, still confused. She always hears Jiyong sing and play instrument, so it was really no big deal.

“He makes great music. I want to be like hyung in the future.” He grinned. Dara smiled, seeing how the boy looks up to his brother. Suddenly, the music stopped, and footsteps could be heard. Hanbin stared at Dara wide eyed, asking her what to do. He doesn’t want his hyung to find out he’s sneaking into him.

Hearing the murmured sound outside his room, Jiyong decided to check on it. He has already slightly opened the door and saw them. But his younger brother quickly pulled Dara with him, running towards the master bedroom, leaving him puzzled.

“Dara? Hanbin?” Jiyong knocked at the closed door, and heard his brother instructing Dara to quiet down. He has no idea what game Hanbin was trying to play so he just decided to go back to his room.

Dara, on the other hand, chuckled at the way Hanbin behaved. He looked like someone who committed a crime when he has not. After much convincing, she was able to let them go out the room. She held the boy’s hand, leading their way to Jiyong’s now opened room.

“Hi Ji.” Dara smiled while Hanbin hide behind her back.

“It’s okay Hanbin.” Jiyong told his brother.

Jiyong was sitting on his study chair so Dara rested herself in his bed. Jiyong continued humming random tunes, and playing the guitar; occasionally writing something on a piece of paper. While the newcomers just stared at him, awed at his skills.

Hanbin looked up at Dara, and whispered, but loud enough for Jiyong to also hear, “Noona, hyung is jjang!”

“I know. Your hyung is jjang.” Dara grinned, making Jiyong smirked.

Dara held the boy’s body, making him sit up from his current position. “Hand me the guitar.” Jiyong complied and carefully gave it to her.

Dara placed it on Hanbin’s lap, earning the curiosity of the Kwon brothers. “You want to be as good as your hyung, right?” Hanbin nodded.

“I will teach you. Here, give me your hand.” Dara started positioning his fingers on different strings.

“That’s G. Now, try to strum it.” She convinced, giving him an encouraging look. Hanbin shook his head, afraid he might leave a scratch on his brother’s instrument.

As if reading his mind, Jiyong assured him, “It’s okay. Go on.”

Hanbin strummed the string, a sound echoing the room. “How was it?” Dara asked.

“It’s ugly.” Hanbin pouted dejectedly, leaving the two chuckle at his response. “I can never be like hyung.” He added, staring at the wooden instrument on his lap longingly.

“Practice makes perfect.” Dara smiled.

“I’ll teach you.” Jiyong tried to lift his mood.

“Really hyung?” Hanbin looked at him excitedly to which he replied with a nod.

 

“I mean really, a muse? I’ve never thought of that but when Hanbin said it. I really think Nabi has one. Based on his songs, I could feel that real emotions were put into it. And I could see the pattern, may it be a love song, a sad song, or anything. I feel like they’re always pertaining to only one person. Like when Nabi and his muse have fight, he will put it into a song, same when they’re happy, excited or other sorts of emotion.” Dara patted his back as if telling him that all he just said was true.

“You should eat. Lunch time will be over soon.” She told Mino, who was still in deep thought about the artist he idolized.

 

SEUNGRI’s POV

Arghhhh! Why is it so boring here?!

I don’t have a love life.

Now, I still don’t have any idea on my next project. This is so not me! Maybe, reading would help? But I’m too lazy to read. Aishhh! How many times have I rolled on this bed?

That’s it! There’s only one way to get out of this hell. I stormed outside my house, and walk towards the elevator which will take me to my second home.

“Hyung! Noona!” I shouted as soon as I got out of the elevator. I’m sure they have already heard me.

Beep.

I heard a clicking sound. I knew it! I opened the door and welcomed myself inside. The couple inside was busy doing their own businesses. Noona was in the kitchen, cooking lunch. While hyung was doing their laundry. What a sight! They are really living like a married couple. It’s true, many things have really changed. It felt like it was just yesterday when they were fighting with these things.

 

“Seungri!” A shriek can be heard outside his house early in the morning, disrupting his sleep. Upon opening the door, Dara stormed inside with her angered look.

“Noona, why do you have many things with you?” Seungri asked, seeing the mad woman pulling a luggage with her.

“I’ll live here from now on.”

“What? How about hyung?” Seungri asked bewildered on what she just said. It’s just six months since they decided to live together, and Seungri saw how they were so thrilled on their set-up. They were even telling him how great it was to cuddle in bed, to eat together every meal, and so on.

“I hate him!” Dara muttered as she drowned her face on the couch while throwing her feet in all directions.

“You love him.” Seungri tried to contest. He’s the couple’s cupid, of course he would not allow the word ‘hate’ in their relationship.

“No, I hate him so much.”

“No, you don’t”

“Stop siding with him, will you? I’m your friend first before him.” Dara scowled.

“Fine. What happened?” Seungri rolled Dara’s body so he could sit beside her.

“Aishhhh! He just left this morning to work without helping me with the dishes.”

“It’s Saturday noona, you don’t have work so it’s understandable.”

“If that’s the case, I will understand but no. Every single meal, I will cook and wash the dishes. I mean, okay that’s fine. But the laundry. Gosh. Can’t he even put his used clothes inside the damn basket. It’s always everywhere in the house. And don’t get me started with the house, is it really hard to atleast help me vacuum the floor? Or atleast wipe the glass windows? The bed, most of the time he’s the one who’ll wake up later than me but he can’t even manage to fix the damn bed. He just needs to fold the blanket. Aishhh! I’m so tired! I have work too, you know.” Dara released all her frustrations. Now, Seungri clearly understood where her madness was coming from. Knowing Dara since young, he knew she doesn’t really like doing household chores so hearing her doing those, he was really surprised on how much she has changed.

“Did you tell hyung about it?” Seungri tried to remove any biases on the couple.

“Well, I haven’t really said it to him verbally. But I always give hints. I will sigh heavily. I will comment on this and that. He should have noticed it. I hate him!” She growled.

“You should have discussed it with him.”

“Can we stop talking about him. My blood is boiling just thinking about it.” Dara dismissed him, getting herself a glass of water.

When the night falls, Seungri received a call from Jiyong, “Seungri, are you with Dara?” Dara sensed that it was Jiyong with the way Seungri was looking at her. She signaled him that he shouldn’t say her whereabouts. “I don’t know hyung. Why?”

“She’s not at home, she’s not answering my calls, and some of her things are gone too.” Jiyong replied panickedly.

“I’ll call you if I found her.” Seungri hanged up, turning himself to Dara, “I think you should at least tell him you’re staying with me. He sounds worriedly sick.”

“Serves him right. Seungri, I’m counting on you. Don’t you dare.” Dara threatened as she walked back to the guest room.

Being the hardheaded bestfriend that he was, he called Jiyong and told him to meet up at the rooftop.

“Seungri! Have you found her?” Jiyong quickly asked when Seungri arrived. His voice full of worries.

“She’s staying at my place.” Jiyong gave him a puzzled look, wondering what his woman was doing there.

“Hyung, you should apologize and talk to her.”

“Why? I didn’t do anything wrong.” He defended himself.

“Think about it hyung.” Seungri dismissed him.

Jiyong stayed in the rooftop, rummaging his memories for actions that could anger her but he can’t think of anything. He was sure of it. “If Dara wants this so be it. I didn’t do anything wrong to her.” He said to himself, firm on his stand to not apologize.

Days went by and the couple was still in their silent war. No one was trying to lower their pride. Since they were still living in the same building, there were many instances when they would bump into each other but no greetings were shared nor any glance. They become strangers.

Living alone, Jiyong started to notice the differences without Dara. He has no one to look forward on picking up after office hours, flashing him her pretty smile and trapping him with warm hug. He has no one to share how his day went, laughing and showing her cute reactions with his rants and boastings. He has no one to cuddle at night, showering him with goodnight kisses and whispering how much he is loved. He felt empty. He missed her terribly.

But other than that, he noticed other things. He couldn’t have a proper meal. The dishes kept on piling up the sink. He was running out of clean clothes. The bed, he never saw it neat. The windows started getting blurry while the floor was dusty. The house was a mess. He becomes a mess. Realization hits him. Dara did everything in their house. He forgot she was tired too from work. He took advantage of how she takes care of him and everything else. He forgot to help her or even ask her if she was fine. He’s totally screwed.

“What do I do now? This is all my fault.” He whispered guiltily.

Some floors below, Jiyong’s other half was also lost in her own guilt. “Go up and bring this.” Dara shoved Seungri some containers of the food she cooked.

“To hyung?” Dara nodded. “Tell him it’s from you.” She added. Seeing Jiyong a few times, she noticed how he was losing weight. She was worried, he’s not having a proper meal. She couldn’t just watch him like that.

Most of the time, Dara would kick Seungri out of his house, asking him to go up and clean the house where she previously lives. She was worried, Jiyong might get some allergy from the dust that have piled up. She was worried, Jiyong doesn’t have anything to wear for his important meetings. Everything about Jiyong worries her.

She missed him so much. She realized Seungri was right. She should have discussed her concern instead of lashing out all of a sudden. But she doesn’t have the guts to talk to him, she was embarrassed at her own actions.

Seungri was already getting restless on how the two were acting. He knew Jiyong already realized what he did wrong, same with Dara who’s always worried with her boyfriend. They surely missed each other and wanted to fix everything but both don’t know what to do. When he thought his mission of being a cupid has finished long time ago, another mission was given to him. He can’t afford to see his favorite couple drifts apart like this. He needed to do something.

Seungri went up again for the nth time to check on Jiyong just like what Dara ask him to do. He saw his hyung cleaning up their flat, already sweating from all the chores he was doing. Seeing him fine, Seungri thought of a plan. He went down to his house and told Dara that Jiyong was sick. He knew he was lying but they gave him no other choice, it was the only plan he could think of. In split seconds, Dara was already gone. She ran outside, just thinking about her sick boyfriend made her panicked, but the elevator wasn’t cooperating. It was taking too long to reach Seungri’s floor. She wasted no time, and decided to take the stairs, running despite the number of floors she needed to climb up. After keying the password, she dashed inside and tried to find Jiyong.

“Babe!” She called out for him.

Seungri, who followed Dara, closed their door, and decided to stay just in case one of them tries to escape.

Jiyong was cleaning the bedroom when he heard the voice he was longing for. But thinking it was impossible, he erased the thought of her going back to him. He released a deep sigh, knowing how ed up his life is without her.

“Jiyong.” He heard again. This time, he went out of the room.

Dara immediately went to him, putting her hand on his forehead, feeling his temperature. She looked at him worriedly, checking every part of his body, trying to assure herself if he was really fine.

“Babe.” Jiyong finally said.

“Are you okay?” Dara asked, bowing down after realizing her actions. It’s too awkward for her.

Seeing her worried expression, Jiyong quickly engulfed her with a tight hug. He started apologizing, telling her the things he realized, and promising that he would change.

Eavesdropping outside, Seungri patted himself for another job well done. “Aigooo, the things I do for them.” He silently went back to his house, arranging his noona’s things, knowing she will go back to where she belongs.

The couple spent the afternoon, discussing things that started their fight, their situation, what should be done, and so on. They have already experienced what it felt to be separated from each other, and no way they wanted to experience it again.

 

“Seungri, help me set up the table.”

“Why are you here again?” Jiyong asked.

“I need inspiration.”

“So you came here?”

I nodded my head knowingly, leaving them clueless. Aigoooo, why am I so invested with them?

After having lunch, the three of us decided to visit Seunghyun hyung in one of his filming shoot. Speaking of Jiyong’s cousin, though he was trying to make me his servant as well, I’m really a fan of him. His acting is really exceptional. He was a Kwon after all, it runs in their blood. I can even say that the movie we did together is one of my bests.

Okay, I pity myself. I keep on prying other people’s lives. My future girlfriend, where are you?