“Do you think we still have time to cancel it?” She asked with fidgeting hands as she sat on her bed.

“Cancel?” He checked his phone. “But I thought you’re craving for Chinese food? The delivery guy-”

“My guesting.”

That made Donghae stopped wiping the stains on her table, full of cheeky stickers. “What guesting?”

“D-” Dara asked hesitantly, while biting her lower lip. “D&E show?”

“Mwo?!” He stood up in an instant.

“But jagi . . .” Dara whined, feeling more nervous than every concert or project she has been.

“Jagiya!” He looked at her in disbelief. “That’s tomorrow already. You can’t be serious!”

Sandara Park’s upcoming guesting on the D&E show on the 10th of December spread like a wildfire on all news sites and every part of social media. The mere thought of having Dara and Super Junior members in a show was enough to shake every generation. Although it was the 2nd gen, the golden era, the best generation as some proudly claim, were the loudest and most ecstatic. Even non-ELFs and non-BJs were already so much hyped at seeing Dara, Donghae and Eunhyuk together. Everyone was curious and excited to witness their friendship, and excuse - whatever romance darahae and darahyuk shippers were hoping and praying for.

“What if I get sick?” Dara asked.

Donghae couldn’t fathom how incredulous his longtime girlfriend is now. “You are not sick.” He emphasized each word clearly.

Dara held his hand. “But what if-”

“What is going on?” He cut her off as he sat on the bed too. “Jagiya?” Donghae held her chin gently to make her look at him.

Dara met his soft and concerned gaze, and then she sighed out loud. “I’m going crazy.”

“I think so too.” The laughter of the two echoed inside her new and already famous pad after her guesting on I Live Alone. Donghae pulled his tiny girlfriend for a hug, letting his chin on her right shoulder. He inhaled for her sweet fruity scent after a quick shower and planted a kiss on her neck. “What’s bothering you?” He whispered to her ear. “Hmm?”

She closed her eyes tightly and held him tighter. “Nothing. Just nervous and all.”

“This has to be done, jagiya.”

Dara pulled away from the hug and chuckled. “I know. I know.” It was long been planned her guesting on the show. They just needed a perfect timing as to why she’d be there. Thankfully, the I Live Alone episode came. It was the front they’d waited for. Lee Soo Man had said.

At the last month of 2021, they would feed the fans just a bit.

On 2022, they decided to go all out.

“Slowly, our fans should get used to seeing us together. Eunhyuk and I have already perfectly planned it.” His eyes were now sparkling at her.

“Perfectly?”

“Deh!” He exclaimed proudly. “We’ll talk about how you two are both called Dalnim. It’s gonna be funny. We’ll even show our pictures in Inkigayo, Super Show and in the press conference of Borrowed Trouble. Then, how we met through Seven hyung-”

“Ahhh Dongwook.” Dara nodded to no one.

“Wae?”

“That movie night?” She asked.

“Yes. Wae?”

Dara laughed while clapping her hands. “They’ll connect it.” She bit her finger, doubling her apprehension.

“Who’s they?”

“Our fans.” She told him. “They’re like CIA or something. That’s like a major hint. You know how others say, history leads to our present? They’re really smart, Hae.”

Donghae simply made a short nod. “Sure. ‘Cause I’d be pissed if they won’t get it though.”

Dara hit him lightly on his stomach while laughing. Suddenly, she became quiet again. “Do you think ELFs will like me?”

It was Donghae’s turn to laugh. “Jagi. Aren’t you the one who lurks more on social media? You saw it, right? My fans are excited to see you with us too. There are lots and lots of darahae posts. I love it.” He grinned as if he achieved something so great.

“And darahyuk posts too.” Dara added.

The smile of victory dropped and turned to a frown. “What’s wrong with those people?” He said, remembering how he read a tweet that says darahyuk is a lot more sensible than darahae. I should find out who that person is and scold her with tons of private pictures of me and Dara together all over the years. He thought.

Dara laughed at his sour expression. “Yah. Don’t tell Eunhyuk that I was having second thoughts about tomorrow. He’ll go ballistic for sure. He might even come here in any minute, bombarding me with questions.”

Donghae chuckled, knowing that’s not really impossible. “Still nervous?”

Dara nodded in return. “I think it’s normal.”

“Yeah. I’m nervous too, but it’s okay. It’s exciting, to be honest.” He smiled at the thought of her visiting his show for the whole world to see.

“Exciting?”

“Of course!”

“Are you sure you’ll be able to speak a word or two during the whole show?” She playfully .

Donghae laughed at the jibe. “Yah! Why would I not be?”

“Between the two of us, you’re the one who is acting much weirder in front of the camera. Youtube has proofs, Mr. Lee.” Dara grinned brightly.

Donghae scoffed in disbelief. “Well, that’s because my stupid members were always with me!” He exploded. “Heechul hyung and Yesung hyung’s mouths are like time bombs waiting to detonate every time and chance they’ve got! Even masi could not hold his crazy reactions to himself. Aish! What a bunch of psychos.” He grimaced at the television in the living room, remembering those times s would about their relationship on and off cam.

As if he’s not as crazy as the rest of Suju. She thought. “You’ll be with your member too tomorrow.”

“Anchovy is fine. He has been briefed.” And threatened seriously. He just omitted that part to her. “He promised he won’t do anything stupid tomorrow.”

“And you?” She raised a brow at him.

Donghae sighed at the accusation of blowing it up on their show. “It’s my territory, Sandara Park ssi. I swear I’ll be cool. I got you. We’d literally look like friends who just saw each other after a decade.”

“Really?” Dara wasn’t buying it.

“Really!” He pursed his lips to the side while staring at her deeply. “Wanna make a bet?”

“Mwo?” Dara laughed at the sudden suggestion of gamble. “A bet?”

“Let’s make a bet.”

“What kind of bet?” She asked him.

Donghae’s eyes flickered mischievously. “Let’s see who will act weirder between the two us during the D&E show.”

“You’re crazy.” Dara shook her head at the silliness of her cute and persistent boyfriend.

“What? Let’s do it! Are you that afraid to lose?” He smirked at her.

“Mwo? Me?” It felt absurd after seeing Donghae fidget on his seat and eyes wander to anywhere but her during the shows and events they attended together. He even let Ryeowook filled in for him during D&E’s guesting on Video Star. He reasoned her co-hosts kinda frightened him and would make him reveal things he shouldn’t. Dara knew she wouldn’t lose. “And who will be the judge? Hyukjae? No way. We both know he will always take your side.”

The fish grew quiet, thinking carefully. Although he also agrees getting Hyukjae as the deciding chairperson is a disadvantage. Not to her. To him. He has to admit that nowadays that monkey bestfriend of his will pick her side, much to his chagrin. When Dara and Eunhyuk became close after their trip to Switzerland, Lee Hyukjae became one of Sandara Park’s mightiest warriors. Sure, Donghae wasn’t jealous, but his girlfriend’s charm is really something else.

“The people, then.” A wide grin was let out on his face.

“The people?”

“In Twitter. Let them decide who looks more uncomfortable in the show. In the presence of each other.”

“Ha!” Dara snickered this time. “Ara! It’s a deal then.”

“Deal!” Donghae smiled happily.

“What’s the prize of the winner?” She asked this time. All the nervousness she was feeling a while ago was completely gone with this bet her pabo boyfriend suggested.

“Prize?” Donghae touched his imaginary beard. “How about the loser will do anything the winner asks? No buts.” He pointed a finger.

“Anything?”

“Anything.” He repeated.

She gave him a dubious look. “Is this about putting your picture on my fridge too? I have another filming for I Live Alone, Hae. They can’t know-”

“Aish. That’s not it.” He pouted, although he really did pester her a few weeks ago about his picture on the fridge. He kept on posting their polaroid selca in one of their Jeju trips. If it wasn’t on the fridge, she would find it in her bathroom’s mirror, ramen machine, and even on her Paranoise shoes. That pabo fish!

“I don’t believe you. Then, what do you want?” Dara asked him again. Donghae’s eyes fell on her hands on her lap, and then to her small wrists . . . thinking of . . . “Lee Donghae.”

He snapped back at the call of his name. Donghae gulped at the thought and then recovered as he just gave her a playful smirk. “You’ll see.” He said meaningfully, thinking of it as a payback for not including a single photo of him in her collage of polaroids.

“Mwo?”

Donghae was busy washing the dishes after they ate their lunch. Dara just finished a virtual meeting with this show Abyss is asking her to grace on January. Donghae closed the cabinet of her glasses when he remembered something. “Jagiya.”

“Hm?”

“What will we wear for tomorrow?” He asked seriously.

Dara walked near the sink. “We?”

“Deh.” He nodded.

“You want us to match?”

He nodded again when an idea popped in his mind. “How about I wear your favorite color, then you wear mine?”

“Blue?”

He nodded with an expectant smile. “I’ll wear something yellow.”

There was no way she could say no to that. She liked the idea too. “Okay.”

“Yes!” Donghae leaned to kiss her on the forehead. “I have this checkered long-sleeves with yellow pattern. I’ll match it with my yellow rubber shoes too.” He excitedly told her.

“Checkered?” It made her think. “Omo! I also have that in blue. Look! Look!” Dara quickly pulled Donghae to go to her closet room. “Tadaaaa!” She showed him a thick b