Six days.

Six days of happiness and laughter and contentment. But if Dara was honest with herself, it was also six days of complete agony.

Of not knowing when Jiyong would turn around and say, I had fun, but I have to go now.

And leave her.

She looked out into the peaceful country air and wondered. Could she leave this place that everyone who knew her thought she belonged to? A place which had done wonders to heal her broken heart, which had built her to be stronger than she'd started off? It was unfair to have to choose one or the other. Not that Jiyong was offering her anything.

He was doing lots of good things for her. Treating her like the most precious treasure in the world, although he hadn't said anything.

On the first day, he'd remained aloof.

On the second day, she caught him staring at her a dozen times.

On the third day, he slipped his hand to hers as he helped her down the hill... he hadn't let go.

On the fourth day, he asked her to show him her plants.

On the fifth, he got his hands dirty, repotting plants.

But today, his hands were clean again. He was not smiling; he was barely even looking at her let alone touching her.

He was leaving.

Six days.

Six days of happiness and laughter and contentment. But if Jiyong was honest with himself, it was also six days of complete agony.

Of not knowing when Dara would turn around and say, I'm happy here, I don't need you anymore Jiyong.

And he'd have to leave her.

“You're leaving?” was tight. She was leaning against the doorway, her legs weak at the sight of him packing his bags.

“I can't stay here forever,” he responded, finishing his packing. The sound of the zipper closing felt like a death sentence.

“I know that,' she said carefully, “but-”

“But what, Dara?”

He faced her angrily, and his anger made her angry.

“What do you want from me?”

“What do you want from me?”

What did she want from him? Hadn't they spent the last six days pussyfooting around each other? Pretending that there wasn't anything to talk about, anything to be confronted with?

“I love you,” she blurted out.

...And could've dug a hole to jump in.

“What?” he asked disbelievingly. Those were the words he wanted to hear the most, but now that they came...

“Get real, Dara!” he scoffed, “that's a knee-jerk reaction. That's your fear talking. You're only saying the right things because you're afraid I'm going to leave you. But the truth is: You don't know what you want.”

With that he picked up his bag and pushed passed her. The familiar scent of his cologne made her stomach clench with wanting. She wanted this guy, needed this guy.
Never stopped. Regardless how content she was, she never stopped.

And now he was walking away from her.

Dara was stunned. She was at the doorway of the house now. Her legs having unconsciously carried her, watching Jiyong's back as he walked leisurely into the distance.

But I do love you!

Finally, she jolted into action. She loved him and if nothing else, she had to make him believe it.

“Jiyong!”

She kept yelling his name, but he wouldn't turn around. Still she didn't give up. He didn't bolt into a run, so that was a good thing, right? Maybe he wanted to be caught? And eventually she did catch him.

Hands on her thighs, she gasped for air.

“What is it?” he asked, his voice still cold.<