Daphne pulled away softly from Dongwoon, her lips a bit numb from the longevity of their kiss. Not knowing what to say, she turned her head away shyly, avoiding his gaze as she tried to compose herself, her mind still a bit hazy. What did she just do?

She retreated her arms from Dongwoon’s neck and slightly pushed against his chest, distancing them. “I...I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Dongwoon cast her a puzzled look. He shuffled closer to her but her arms remained extended, not budging. He frowned, crestfallen. “What’s wrong?”

“I shouldn’t have done that,” Daphne answered, shaking her head in remorse. She tore her arms away from his chest, walked to the back of the room with extreme haste, and picked up her bag, rummaging through it anxiously.

Dongwoon’s disappointment was etched clearly upon his face, his brain not entirely registering what was happening as he stared at Daphne in bewilderment. She kissed him back, didn’t she? Didn’t that mean that she had some sort of attraction towards him? A plethora of questions flowed through his head, making it difficult for Dongwoon to arrange his thoughts as he searched for the right words.

“Thank you for the scarf,” Daphne said, shoving Dongwoon’s scarf into his hands. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Before Dongwoon could react, Daphne dashed out of the room, the sound of the door slamming echoing shrilly. As he clutched his scarf tightly, he let out an aggravated groan, scratching his head with his free hand in dismay.

“Girls are so complicated...”

“Stupid, stupid me,” Daphne mumbled under her breath as she strode as swiftly as she could through the hallway, taking her cell phone out and dialing a familiar number.

“Hello?”

“Yoseob-ah!” Daphne feigned excitement, hoping that frolicking in the snow would help ease her racing mind. “I--”

“Sorry, Daphne noona, I’m not in the mood,” Yoseob sighed as he hid in the corner of an empty room, sulking quietly to himself. Deciding that it was best to keep their conversation short, Yoseob pressed the ‘end’ button, leaving no further explanation about his horrid mood to Daphne.

“Hello? Hello?” Daphne repeated continuously, holding the phone closely to her ears, desperate for any kind of indication that Yoseob was still on the line. She looked down at the screen and sighed when it was blank, showing that Yoseob had indeed hung up.

Disgruntled, she grimly opened the front doors and stepped out of the Cube building, the ruthless wind immediately taking vengeance on her exposed cheeks. Daphne stared at the white snow sourly, her desire of playing in the snow dissipating. Bitterly, she shoved her hands inside her pockets as she began trudging down the streets, her mind drifting off to Yoseob.

She searched her head for his words again, noticing that there was a hint of animosity in his tone. Judging by the way he hung up on her without a proper greeting, Daphne concluded that Yoseob was indeed angry at her, but why? She examined her phone, going through her missed calls, but she was left dumbfounded as Yoseob’s name did not show up in her history. Seeing that he had not called her, she sighed heavily, puzzled as to why he was being so hostile towards her.

Daphne cupped with her freezing hands, blowing vigorously to raise her temperature. As her fingers grazed her lips, she felt the all too familiar tingle, her heart skipping a beat as thoughts of Dongwoon flooded her mind, her lips still a bit warm from their contact despite the icy temperature.

“He’s a pretty good kisser...” she speculated as she imagined his lips pressing against hers once more. She fervently shook her head, however, as if that could help her push images of Dongwoon out. “School and Mom, school and Mom...”

4:30PM.

The red numbers brightly radiated in the dimly lit room, the small ray of sunshine that gleamed through the curtain giving the numbers a heightened glow. Daphne squinted her eyes accusingly at her clock as she laid comfortably on her stomach, her head slightly angled as she stared at her nightstand.

“Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty...why isn’t it 4:31?” she cried menacingly in her pillow, pounding her fists into her mattress furiously.

The same numbers teasingly stared back at her, the red glow shining brighter with every second that passed, burning into her brain. She let out a shriek as she turned her body around, her head now facing up at the ceiling.

It was 4:30 PM, meaning dance practice was to take place in approximately thirty minutes, but there was no bone in her body that wanted to ever step foot into the Cube building again. The mere thought of seeing Dongwoon again made her hands clammy.

“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be going to practice?”

Daphne broke away from her reverie as she turned her head to see Scarlett at the open door, her arms crossed in a terse matter.

“Yes,” Daphne muttered, glancing at the clock again only to see 4:32 beam back at her. She sighed heavily, irritated that time was passing by so slowly, wishing that it was past 5 already so she would be able to skip practice instead of flip flopping between playing hooky as she was doing now.

Scarlett gave a chuckle as she observed Daphne’s behavior, taking a seat upon the edge of the bed, nudging Daphne softly in the leg. “And?”

“I don’t want to go! Do you think I can pretend to be sick?” Daphne suggested desperately, immediately sitting upright as she searched her pockets for her phone. “They’ll definitely let me off if I’m sick, right?”

“Oh, God,” Scarlett said, taking Daphne’s phone out of her hands and placing it out of reach. “What is it this time?”

Daphne pouted, kicking her feet continuously as if she was a child. “I don’t want to go to practice.”

“Boy troubles again?” Scarlett pressed on. Daphne nodded solemnly as Scarlett laughed, shaking her head. “And I thought I was the boy-crazy one...What happened?”

“I...I kissed him.”

Scarlett’s eyes widened, immediately needing more details. “What?!” Seeing that Daphne was avoiding her gaze, Scarlett took Daphne’s face in her palms, pulling it in her direction. “Who? Who did you kiss?”

“Dongwoon. Well--”

“You kissed that bastard? Lord, Daphne, no wonder you’re so upset.”

Daphne hit Scarlett playfully, her shame subsiding as she chuckled. “He’s not as bad as you think he is!”

“Yeah, whatever,” Scarlett rolled her eyes, clicking her tongue in distaste. “Whatever happened to Yoseob? I like him a lot better.”

“I don’t know...” Daphne trailed off as she recalled her phone conversation with Yoseob the night before. His cold words echoed clearly in her head, troubling her. He had always looked so kind and friendly, so it was difficult to imagine that it was the same Yoseob that had spoke to her that night. There was no trace of benevolence in his tone no matter how many times Daphne tried her best to analyze it.

Noticing that her mind was beginning to drift off, Daphne diverted her attention back to Scarlett, her eyes pleading. “I really don’t want to go to practice.”

“Well,” Scarlett said defiantly, standing up and picking Daphne up by the armpits, “I don’t care, because you have to go to practice.”

“What, why?! You don’t even like me going to practice anyway...”

“That was before,” Scarlett explained as she struggled to successfully pull an unwilling Daphne away from the bed, “but I quite like the silence in the apartment when you’re gone.” Daphne shot Scarlett a glare, but Scarlett merely laughed. “Plus, you brought this on yourself, girly. Man up and face your problems.”

With that, Scarlett gave one last strong heave and pushed Daphne off of the bed and out of the bedroom. Acknowledging that Daphne was already in adequate clothing for the weather outside, Scarlett pushed Daphne out of the hallway and to the front door swiftly, not giving Daphne any time to react.

“Have fun!” Scarlett smiled malevolently, giving Daphne one last push, leading her out the door.

Daphne opened to speak, but Scarlett slammed the door shut, rendering Daphne completely speechless. Just as Daphne turned her heel reluctantly to walk to practice, she heard the door open again, smiling knowingly that Scarlett would not do something as cruel as this to her.

“I forgot,” Scarlett said, her mischievous grin still clad on her face. She threw an extra jacket and Daphne’s bag. The bag landed with a soft thud on the snow-covered ground, but Scarlett intentionally aimed the jacket at Daphne, laughing triumphantly as she saw the jacket enveloping Daphne’s entire face comically. “You’ll be needing these. Oh, by the way, it’s 4:50, so I suggest you run if you want to make it to practice on time.”

Without another word, Daphne heard the door close again, causing her irritation to skyrocket. She muttered obscenities to herself as she bitterly took the jacket off her head, grabbing her bag on the floor and inhaling deeply to brace herself for the brisk run she was going to take.

“Yah, you’re ten minutes late,” Jihee scolded as Daphne appeared at the door of the practice room. The members of BEAST and the rest of the back-up dancers laid casually upon the floor, some with irritated expressions on their face as they waited for Daphne.

“I’m-sorry,” Daphne heavily breathed between her words as she tried to calm her chest, beads of sweat running unattractively down her forehead. “I-ran-here.”

Yoseob’s head shot up as he glanced in Daphne’s direction, seeing her cheeks entirely flushed due to exhaustion. Thoughts of concern entered his head but he forcibly pushed them away, his cold demeanor taking over. He didn’t need to worry about her anymore--that was Dongwoon’s job now. As he continued to gaze at Daphne, however, feelings of compassion washed over him as he watched her body crouched over, attempting to catch her breath. His indifferent eyes slowly disappeared and concern was clearly seen in them as he continued to stare, seeing that Jihee was now next to her, talking softly; Daphne was probably being lectured.

Yoseob heavily sighed as he forced his eyes to depart Daphne, wondering why he cared about her so much. Turning to face s, he observed Dongwoon happily conversing with Kikwang and Junhyung. Yoseob could feel his pent up frustration growing with every passing second that he watched Dongwoon, letting out a soft scoff. “The babo didn’t even notice her come in...”

“I’m sorry,” Daphne apologized again, as she straightened herself out, her breathing becoming more calm and steady.

Jihee gave Daphne a sympathetic smile. “I understand, but you know you’re always the last one to arrive, right?”

Daphne nodded quietly, not knowing how else to express her embarrassment. She acknowledged that she brought it upon herself but having to hear it from someone else made it sound so shameful.

“Hey,” Jihee nudged Daphne in the arm softly, “I’m not yelling at you. I just...want you to be more punctual.” Daphne looked up at Jihee, seeing a broad grin on her face. “Come on, let’s practice. Maybe we can do something afterward. We haven’t hung out in a while, you know.”

Noticing Jihee’s light mood, Daphne returned the smile, her lips curving up as she felt her disgrace slowly lifting away. Just as Jihee began walking away, Daphne grabbed Jihee’s arm, stopping her in her tracks.

“Can I ask you a favor?”

Jihee raised her eyebrow curiously. “What?”

“You know the joint performance...” Daphne began, unsure of how to word her request. “Um...can I switch partners with someone?”

A frown immediately graced Jihee’s face, her head immediately shaking. “No way.”

“Why not? You didn’t even think about it!”

“No.”

“Jihee, I’m in a very complicated predicament right now and it’s all thanks to you. Please let me switch partners,” Daphne desperately begged, clasping her hands together and shaking them as if she was a lowly peasant.

“There’s no one to switch with! Everyone’s pretty settled with their partners, so it’s too late,” Jihee said calmly. “What’s wrong with Dongwoon, anyway? You guys look so cute together!”

Daphne’s eyes narrowed, opening to speak but Jihee immediately spun around and began walking away, clapping her hands together loudly so she caught the attention of the group.

“Practice!”

Sighing in defeat, Daphne trudged her way towards the middle of the room as she brought her arm across her chest, stretching.

A sigh of relief escaped Daphne’s lips as she sat in the corner of the room; the sensation of cold water flowing down her parched throat was immensely satisfying. Her hands made their way to her bag, but her momentary solace was promptly shattered as she realized practice was nowhere near being over.

She groaned angrily, leaning her head backwards so it lightly touched the wall, forcing her eyelids to shut in order for her to fully enjoy the short break.

“Tired?”

Irritated that her attempt at resting was being interrupted, she slowly fluttered her eyes open, cocking her head to the side to see who she would have to punch. As her vision began to adjust, she saw two large eyes peering at her, full of amusement. The eyes began to shrink as crinkles appeared in the corners. Daphne lowered her gaze and saw that the person was smiling, their lips curving upwards.

“Hi.”

“Hi, Yoseob,” Daphne replied nonchalantly, his cold words still ringing in her ears. An awkward silence followed shortly after as her eyes darted to him, observing how he was squatting so close to her. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she was immersed in deep thoughts, pondering why he abandoned his stoic personality.

Yoseob shifted uncomfortably as his mind abruptly halted, the words that he wanted to say not coming out. He could sense the small tension in the air, but he had expected it. His eyes carefully observed Daphne, dissecting her every feature.

The bags under her eyes seemed darker, creating a tiring shadow underneath her eyelids. The usual rosy color of her cheeks were no longer there, her skin abnormally pale. He looked at her sweats that hung so loosely upon her waist, realizing that she had lost a bit of weight from the first time they had met.

“The stress must really be getting to her,” he thought.

His fingers reached over to her face, grazing softly against her cheek as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Seeing how startled she was, he hastily pulled his hand away, not knowing why he did that himself. A wave of compassion washed over him as she peered at him with tired eyes. How could he force himself to be apathetic towards her? It was almost impossible, especially when he noticed the fragile state that she was in. No matter how much it would hurt his pride to do so, he knew that he couldn’t stray away from her. He didn’t want to admit it, but he cared too much for her well-being. If he had to suffer through a one-sided relationship to see her warm smile again, then he was willing to do it.

“I’m sorry,” Yoseob finally broke the rigid silence, his voice soft, “for hanging up on you last night.”

Daphne prepared to let out a snarky reply, but as she looked at his eyes, she felt that urge subsiding, realizing that he was genuine about his words. “It’s okay.”

“I haven’t been myself lately,” he elaborated further. “All of this practicing on top of recordings and shows...I think it’s taking a toll on me.”

She nodded thoughtfully, giving a small smile to show that she understood. “Don’t worry about it, Yoseob-ah. Nothing to apologize for.”

Yoseob grinned, happy to know that Daphne was not going to hold a grudge. He nudged her in the arm, his playfulness coming out again to change the heavy mood. “I’ve missed you, noona! It’s been so long since we’ve actually talked.”

“Yah, whose fault is that?” she laughed. “I wanted to play in the snow yesterday!”

“Sorry! Hey, why don’t we--”

“Ahem.”

Both of their faces shot up to look at the towering figure gazing down at them. Yoseob chuckled, standing up to face him. “Hi, Dongwoon.”

“We’re supposed to practice our pairing performances now,” Dongwoon informed them, a hint of  hostility in his voice.

Upon hearing this, Daphne stood up as well, oblivious to the uncomfortable tension that filled the air. “I guess I’ll see you later than, Yoseob?”


“Guess so,” Yoseob turned his eyes away from Dongwoon’s and smiled at Daphne, beginning to walk away. “I’ll be texting you!”

“You and Yoseob text each other?” Dongwoon asked as they walked out of the practice room and down the hallway together. “We don’t do that and I got your number first!”

“You never really contacted me though,” Daphne shrugged as she found herself becoming flustered again, a tingling sensation tickling her lips teasingly.

The pair entered the all too familiar room, the grand piano stationed in the corner as it always had been. Dongwoon maneuvered in first, standing in the middle of the room. Daphne followed after, but she made sure to maintain a far distance between them, feeling the awkward atmosphere rising.

They both stood in silence for a while as Daphne stayed put in a corner, avoiding Dongwoon’s intent gaze, feeling his eyes boring into her back. The lack of productivity pestered her, and eventually Daphne’s patience wore thin, spinning around to face Dongwoon. “Maybe we should--”

“Are you avoiding me, noona?”

“Wh-what?” Daphne chuckled nervously, taken aback at his sudden query.

“It’s just...” Dongwoon said as he inched closer to Daphne, but every time he made a step forward, she took a step back, irritating him. “That! Why do you keep doing that?”

She shrugged nervously, not knowing what to say. “Reflex?”

Dongwoon let out a long sigh, scratching the back of his neck in frustration. He had asked Junhyung about his situation earlier and he had instructed Dongwoon to let Daphne have her space, but Dongwoon needed to know now. Why was she acting so strangely when she had kissed him the night before? And what was up with her and Yoseob earlier? Dongwoon knew that Yoseob had feelings for Daphne as well, but he was almost entirely sure that Daphne did not reciprocate the same feelings, but nonetheless, he felt a twitch of envy as he observed the two conversing earlier, seeming awfully close. If that was the case, then Dongwoon would most definitely not wait.

“Daphne noona,” Dongwoon whispered as he made his way towards Daphne. Her back was firmly against the wall this time so there was no means of escape. “You know I like you, right?”

“Y-you do?” Daphne struggled to get the words out of as she felt Dongwoon’s presence looming closer and closer to her.

“No, this can’t happen,” she pleaded to herself, her body immediately freezing up against the cold wall. “I’m still confused. Don’t let this happen.”

Her mind screamed at her to move but her body wouldn’t budge, staying firmly in the corner. Dongwoon was now standing in front of her, their bodies merely a few centimeters away from contact. Daphne could feel his breath against her cheeks as he bent his head towards her, taking in her scent.

“I like you,” Dongwoon repeated as he placed his hand next to her head against the wall, leaning on it casually. “I know you like me too. Isn’t that why you let me kiss you?”

“I...I don’t know,” Daphne whispered, her eyes widening as she felt his other hand being placed gently on her waist. “I think we should...practice...”

“I promise we’ll practice after I do this.”

Daphne shifted uncomfortably in his grasp, her heart racing. “I...”

“Don’t fight it. Please...don’t fight it.”

As the words escaped his mouth Dongwoon closed the distance between them, feeling the wonderful sensation of her lips against his again. He tore his hand away from the wall and placed it on the back of Daphne’s head, gently pushing her closer towards him. Instinctively, Daphne moved her lips to the rhythm of his, her arms resting comfortably on his shoulders. Thoughts of Yoseob flooded her mind, but Dongwoon’s words replayed clearly in her ears. Please...don’t fight it.

Dongwoon pulled away briefly, smiling. His fingers caressed Daphne’s cheek gently. “Can we make this work? Can we make us work?”

“I...” Daphne began, unsure of what to say. His touch sent a thrilling sensation throughout her body, making it hard to think. Her mind raced through numerous thoughts, but none of them made any sort of sense, and before she knew it, Daphne said the first word that escaped her lips.

“Yes.”