Dara wasn't able to sleep well that night when she got back to her hotel. She kept on turning on each of her sides but still failed to find a comfortable position. She figured it was because her thoughts were filled with what happened recently. It was too overwhelming to properly register everything in her head. Because she had to wake up early the next day which was just a few hours away, she decided to just sleep on the plane. 

Therefore, she didn't sleep and just kept herself busy by packing her things, browsing and uploading her photos from Paris Fashion Week on social media before she took off with her crew.
Time seemed short as she received a call from one of her crew, reminding her that they were already downstairs and ready to leave the hotel.  
She hurriedly went to the lobby with all her bags and contacted Jiyong, who was supposed to go with them to the airport. 
He answered right away which delighted Dara to know that he's ready to go as well. It was still dark when they met each other and from what she could explain, it felt like they were on a field trip wherein they had to leave the place early in the morning. It was both exciting and nostalgic. 

Jiyong looked a little grumpy at first, like he just woke up and in the process of warming up with everyone around, that's why Dara was generous enough to give him time to adjust and not bother him for a while. But an hour after, as soon as they reached the airport, he began talking. 
While walking towards the entrance, looking well-adjusted, he asked "Did you sleep well?" 

Because she didn't want him to think that she was bothered, that could lead him to digging more into the topic of what was really in her mind, she lied. "Me? I... Yes. How about you?" 

"That's good. I didn't." 

"Why is that?"  

"Nevermind that. So how was last night?"  

"It's super fun. Don't you think?" 

"Yeah, there's nothing more fun than carrying a drunk man on the street eh?" ,he teased. 

She chuckled and said, "Yeah. He was heavy. Thank you for helping by the way." 

"It's nothing." 

They were already approaching the entrance door of the airport when he stopped and spoke again, "Noona, do you like him?" 

She also stopped. She looked at him to check if he was just fooling around but saw that he was wearing a serious expression. She assumed he was expecting a serious answer which she couldn't give at the moment so she asked "Why did you ask?" 

Tori butted in and talked while she and the crew were walking ahead of them. "Unnie, we'll get going first. See you guys inside." 

Dara answered politely, "Yes please."

They left the two of them to talk outside of the airport for privacy so they could finish their confidential discussion. 

After her crew left, Jiyong cunningly teased, "I just need to know. You guys were holding hands already so that gave me the impression that you guys were already together. Any other excuse would sound lame to me right now." 

"Well... it's kind of complicated." 

Jiyong came up with another question quickly right after she answered, as if he was trying to squeeze her with more, "Why is it complicated?" 

"I guess I'm new to dating again so that makes me have more doubts." 

"Doubts about?" 

She chuckled and replied, "Why are you asking too many questions?" 

"Come on, you can share everything with me. Besides, we already talked about this before so I'm the safest choice." 

"I'm scared to tell you secrets already." 

"Oh please. You can trust me!" He took a pause and added, "... and Youngbae, for sure." 

She laughed and then said, "I knew it!" 

He laughed as well. Still not getting over the giggles, he said, "I'm kidding. So you're having doubts about—?" 

"Hmm... I'm having doubts about myself. I'm afraid I could hurt him." 

"What makes you think you would?" His actions seemed to imply that he was rooting for a specific answer, but not until she replied. 

"I like him a lot. I like seeing him happy. I don't want to turn that face into a frown. I don't want to hurt him." 

He slowly nodded with a face that painted the disappointment of not getting the answer he wanted. Then he asked "Do you love him?" 

"My heart throbbed when we held hands... Is it the same as loving?" 

"Loving isn't just about the feeling you felt the moment you held hands. Loving means you'll hold his hand against all odds." 

She paused to ponder on her thoughts, "I guess that's where we're headed."

He scoffed then looked down on the ground. He rolled his tongue and nodded again. 

Dara asked "What's wrong?" 

While nodding, he said, "Got it." He gave a weak laugh and said, "Congrats to you! I told you, you're going to find someone soon. You did it!" 

She was confused at his actions so she just awkwardly chuckled. 

He looked at the entrance of the airport and said, "You should go in now." 

"Aren't you going with me?" 

"Uhh... About that. I moved the schedule of my flight. I am scheduled to leave later in the afternoon." 

She tilted her head with furrowed eyebrows and asked "Then why are you here with us?" 

"I'm just here to ask you about it. But it seemed to be going good with you... so I... I won't book an urgent flight this morning."

She stared at him in silence, trying to figure him out. 
He stared back at her and smiled to cover his real emotions, trying to act like everything's normal.

She said after realizing what he meant, "But aren't you with Nana?"  

He faked a laugh, looked at the ground again and bashfully spoke while scratching the back of his neck, "She broke up with me last night. It took me a long time to finally understand it myself. I guess it's because I'm confused." 

Connecting what she heard, she realized that the reason why he didn't sleep last night was because of their breakup. She stared at him and watched him grow more and more awkward at the given moment.

It was subtle. Yet, she knew that he aimed to tell her that he felt something for her. She didn't know how to say that she felt the same for him at some point as well but that was part of the past and her feelings have changed now. 
He was too precious for her. She couldn't risk losing him. Not now. Not at any time. 

She tried her best not to make it sound like a harsh rejection so she just said, "I'm sorry to hear that you guys broke up again." 

He answered, "Until I'm stable enough to stay, we'll keep going on and off." 

(Background Music: Snowman - Sia || https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPcUH7CbGWc)

She was lost for words as if forgetting how to speak. Even though he was smiling on the outside, she could feel that he was problematic about his situation. She felt guilty and burdened to find out that she was the actually the reason why they were in an on and off relationship. Everything she heard was far from what she thought and not what she expected. All she thought was that Jiyong was madly in love with Nana and was just being a good friend to her. 
By now, she finally understood what everyone around her said, about them. They saw it. They felt it. 
It was their friendship that clouded people's judgment and perhaps what stopped them from moving forward as well. She didn't want to ruin what they have which avoided her to see him in a new light. She knew herself better than anyone and she knew that she loved him more as a family member—a younger brother and it would be too hard for her to change that. 

All of a sudden, Jiyong spoke and broke the silence, "You should get going. They must be looking for you now." 

"Jiyong, I never thought that you—" 

"Shh! Don't say anything more. I'm wrecked enough last night. Don't fuel it up." 

"I'm sorry..." 

"You should go now." 

Right after he said that she should go, she indeed received a call from Tori as if on cue. She was looking for them and asking them to go inside so they could speed up the process and finally eat their breakfast. She then talked to her and told her she's coming.  

When the call ended, she looked at Jiyong again. He smiled then casually gestured his hand in mock salute to send her off.  
Without saying anything, she grabbed her bag and slowly turned around to walk inside.  
The atmosphere was strange enough to bid their goodbyes happily because the mood was toned down to begin with. When she was inside, she looked back and saw that Jiyong was looking at her while wearing a smile that seemed to hide the pain he felt inside. She waved to him and he waved back. 
As she kept eye contact with him while walking inside, in her eyes, she saw a friend, a lost soul she wanted to take into her arms and give warmth to. She wanted to help him but knew she wasn't supposed to be the one to. She held her stare for quite a while until he was too far away to be reached by her vision. 

All she could ever do was to wish that time heals everything they're going through and find their happy place at the end with content and inner peace in both heart and mind.  
Knowing that Jiyong came with them before dawn, disregarding rest, just to seek her answer as a basis for his