“It’s not your fault, you know. You need to stop blaming yourself for everything that’s going on.”

Daphne peered up at Yoseob from her position, her head comfortably arranged on top of his shoulder, his arm snaking around her waist. The close embrace was reluctant from both parties, but they knew that a hug was much needed as they tossed their differences away after Daphne elaborately explained her reasons behind crying.

They had no idea how long they were in the room, nor did they care. Daphne and Yoseob knew that their presences were not needed any time soon due to the fact that they both had performed their pairing acts already and the twenty-minute intermission was taking place soon after the last pair went on stage. With that notion set, they had approximately fifty minutes to themselves.

“You have a lot of things on your plate,” Yoseob continued as he acknowledged the silence. “I’m surprised you get enough sleep to function. It’s only natural that you forgot about your mom’s surgery considering the concert is the same day.”

“Yeah, but...” Daphne began, turning her head away, staring at her twiddling thumbs, “who forgets about their mom’s surgery? Honestly...”

“We make mistakes everyday, but a mistake isn’t a mistake unless we don’t learn anything from it.”

Another pause followed shortly after as Daphne allowed Yoseob’s gentle words soak into her brain, waiting for it to register fully so she would comprehend the meaning. Yoseob was right, of course, but Daphne still had a looming yearn to take responsibility for everything that had gone wrong in her life. It was too easy to just sit there and loathe herself.

“I know. I know,” Daphne said after much contemplation, her voice soft still. “I’ll try my best to move forward, but no guarantees.”

“Oh, no.” Yoseob smiled, tilting his head down to face Daphne squarely in the eyes. “I’m going to make sure that you’re going to do exactly that.”

The effect was instantaneous. Her depressing mood slowly but surely began alleviating and Daphne knew that it was only going to continually elevate. A familiar blush reached Daphne’s cheeks as she noticed Yoseob’s intent stare. The corners of her lips gradually lifted up, a smile present on her face.

“Thank you,” Daphne said quietly, hoping that her simple statement could somehow depict a fraction of her gratitude. “You’ve always helped me...I don’t know how to repay you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Why are you so nice?” Daphne questioned after some thought, her voice beginning to gain volume. “You say that you feel taken advantage of and we spend weeks fighting, but the moment I need any kind of help, you’re the first one by my side.” Daphne let out a small chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief. “You’re truly an angel.”

“Trust me, I’m not.” Yoseob reciprocated her laugh, amused at her declaration. “Anyone would do it, especially after seeing someone in your state. I’m only doing the right thing.”

“Thank you, Yoseob-ah,” Daphne stated as they continued to gaze into each other’s eyes, “for everything. I’m so glad to have met you.”

Daphne couldn’t fathom the amount of appreciation that she had for Yoseob. It was absolutely astonishing that he would go to such extremes to make sure that she was okay, especially when they were in the middle of fighting. There were no words that could had appropriately describe Yoseob’s kindness.

A few minutes passed and they both held their stares, eyes fixated on each other. In any other situation, Daphne would had felt uncomfortable because of the amount of awkward tension that would ensue when staring at a person for a prolonged time, but it was anything but awkward. In fact, it was rather endearing as she gazed at Yoseob, noticing the kind gleam in his eyes that warmed her heart.

It wasn’t until Yoseob spoke that the magnetizing effect wore off, the eye contact breaking. “Noona...” he began, his voice losing confidence as it descended to a whisper. “I really like you.”

Daphne immediately winced at his words. It wasn’t that it was unnerving to hear it; no, she liked his confession as much as the next girl, but she knew she had to push her bubbly feelings aside to make way for her rational thoughts. Time and time again, she used the excuse of having too much on her plate, but it was only true. In fact, forgetting about her mother’s surgery was evidence enough that Daphne was overwhelmed with everything around her and having a relationship would only cause that unstable balance to collapse.

Yoseob sensed her hesitance and his anger flared, which was clearly portrayed in his eyes as the kind glint vanished. “Why can’t you admit it?”

Although he doubted her feelings in the beginning, it was clear as broad daylight now that their feelings were reciprocated. There was never an unrequited love, and Yoseob reached this conclusion after finally piecing the clues together, but why couldn’t she see it? Why was she so adamant about being blind to her true feelings?

“Admit what?”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Yoseob snapped, taking his arm off around her shoulder as his frustration continued to increase. “There’s something there...I can see it in your eyes and I can definitely feel it.” He sighed heavily, attempting to calm himself down before his distress took advantage of him. “We have feelings for each other, noona. Why are you denying them?”

It all made sense to Yoseob. All of the signs were there: her drunken confession, her weary state after they fought, her apprehensive looks toward Dongwoon--even the look on her face when she denied the feelings towards him gave off a suspicious vibe. There was absolutely no way that he was wrong. He couldn’t believe that.

“Yoseob-ah...” Daphne said softly, searching for any combination of words that could properly express herself. “Don’t make me do this.”

“Do what?” Yoseob asked, a hint of irritation underlying his tone. “I’m not forcing you to do anything impossible. I just want to affirm this. I need to.”

“What good is it going to do?” Daphne retorted, regaining her voice as she, herself, began growing angry. “What’s the point? Will it help your self-esteem? Will it help you win a bet?” She paused, looking away from Yoseob as she tried to slow her racing emotions down. “You don’t know my reasons for this and it’s best that you don’t.”

Another silence engulfed the room as Yoseob persisted on staring at the back of her head, Daphne refusing to show her face to him. Neither said a word, waiting for the other to respond, but none ever came. Yoseob emitted another long sigh, concluding that it was best to give up. She was stubborn and she wasn’t going to budge.

Just as Yoseob was about to stand up, Daphne turned her head back around. “I like you.” She felt ambivalent saying those elementary words, but it was the only way to cool Yoseob’s temper. It wasn’t a lie, but the amount of will that it took for her to say that simple sentence drained her. She had never voiced this before and hearing it out loud gave her attraction towards him a completely new meaning. “There. I said it.”

However, Yoseob’s pained expression never went away, his eyes analyzing Daphne’s face as he awaited for her to continue, but the response never came. “That’s it?”

“What do you mean that’s it?!” Daphne raged, throwing her hands up in defeat. “Isn’t that what you want to hear? Isn’t that what you’ve been pestering me about this entire time?” She slumped in her position, unsure of what to do. “I like you, Yang Yoseob. I really do. It’s the truth and now I can finally admit it.”

“Okay, I appreciate that,” Yoseob said, evoking a glare from Daphne and before she could open to retort, he continued, his voice overtaking hers, “but is stating that fact the end? You’re just going to leave it hanging in the air like that? There’s no concise conclusion, no real ending. You make it sound like just because you said that, it will fix our problems.”

“Isn’t that the problem though? The fact that I can’t admit my feelings. Well...I’m doing it.”

“Yes, but there’s more to it.” His voice was lathered with aggravation, confused as to why Daphne couldn’t understand his frustration. Couldn’t she see that he wanted to be more than friends? He was absolutely perplexed with her. Obviously a few words was not going to satisfy him, nor were they the problem between them. However, he couldn’t find the nerve to tell her exactly what he wanted to hear. He so desperately wanted a relationship with her, yearning to hear the words coming out of that she wanted to be with him, but how could he tell her that? It sounded desperate and almost pathetic, but with the way things were turning out, it was only a matter of time before his patience ran thin.

“What else could there possibly be?”

Wanting to chuck something at the wall, Yoseob groaned loudly, knowing that the only way out was to be straightforward about it. He breathed in deeply, preparing himself. “I want to...be in a relationship with you. I want to be your boyfriend.” He emphasized each word in his last sentence, ensuring that he got his message across.

Hastily, Daphne turned her head away, avoiding his eyes as she fiddled nervously with her thumbs, biting her lip as she let the silence take over. She knew all along that this was what he wanted, but she tried with all of her strength to avoid the topic entirely, pretending to play dumb. Daphne didn’t know how many times she had to reiterate this to herself: She did not want nor need a relationship.

“Yoseob...” Daphne started but didn’t have the heart to continue. She wasn’t exactly rejecting him, but she knew that he would feel negatively about this. “I can’t do that...”

As expected, anger flared in Yoseob’s eyes as he continued to glare at Daphne, despite her faltering gaze. “Why are you doing this?”

“You don’t understand.”

“Try me.”

Daphne sighed heavily and looked at Yoseob, his stare intense, his determination clearly etched in his face. She knew she couldn’t defeat him. “I’m scared.”

Her voice was a bare whisper, but Yoseob heard it just fine. His face softened, empathetic. Positioning himself closer to Daphne, he changed his tone from stern to gentle. “Of what?”

“This,” Daphne answered, pointing at the small distance between Yoseob and her. “I can’t handle it. I know I wouldn’t be able to.” She looked down at her phone, clutching it tightly in her hands. “My life is already so busy that I forgot about my own sick mother. How can I survive being in a relationship?”

“You’ll never know unless you try.”

“But what if I don’t want to try?” Daphne countered, looking up to face Yoseob. “It’s risky.”

“Take the risk,” Yoseob blatantly stated, his voice holding the same soft tone. “You have to take risks in life or else you’ll never be able to enjoy it. Throw your guard away, unbuckle your seat belt, and live your life. Do what you want, not what you think is right or wrong.”

Daphne shook her head solemnly, frowning slightly. She couldn’t do that. She had been living like that for so long and it never had been a problem before. No, she couldn’t. “I’m too scared.”

“Don’t be...” Yoseob said, placing his warm hand on top of hers, hoping he could console her. “I’ll be here with you. I’ll be with you the whole way--to catch you when you fall, to brush the dirt off your shoulders, to give you strength. I’ll be here.”

She stared at him in disbelief, unsure of how a person could be capable of a compassion of that magnitude. He was beyond kind, but she was hesitant. Despite Yoseob being her safety net, she was still afraid. Yoseob was human after all and humans made mistakes. He couldn’t always be there for her, and she knew this. She knew that he would slip and everything would crash and burn.

“I can’t, Yoseob-ah,” Daphne whispered after much contemplation. It was tempting, yes, but she knew what she had to do. “Please understand.”

A strong pang jabbed into Yoseob’s stomach, causing his anger to slowly rise. He felt like he was being rejected, tossed to the side once more as Daphne sought after her selfish needs. How could she not trust him? After everything that he had showed her. Surely he deserved more credit than that.

“How can I understand when...when I feel so...cheated?” Yoseob let out a frustrated groan, running his fingers through his styled locks, ruining them in the process. Their entire push-and-pull relationship was setting him on the edge. “What more can I show you? How can I convince you that I’m the right...that you’re making a right decision?”

“It’s not you, Yoseob. I never said it was you. It’s me. I’m too scared. This whole notion of commitment and devotion is terrifying.”

“What do you want, Daphne noona?”

Taken aback by Yoseob’s sudden change of thought, Daphne blinked a few times before fully comprehending what he had just asked. “W-w-what?”

“What do you truly want in life? What you’re doing right now, what you plan to do--what is it all for?” Yoseob elaborated with a hint of bitterness.

“I-I-I...” Daphne stuttered, her thoughts haphazardly colliding in her head as she tried to string them together to form a cohesive answer. “I...” She inhaled deeply, letting her nerves simmer and allowing her answer to finally soak into her brain. “I just want to be happy.”

“I can make you happy.”

All Daphne could do was gaze at Yoseob as he stared back at her with the same intensity. On normal occasions, her stomach would give uncomfortable tosses and turns whenever she was with Yoseob, indicating the small fluster that she would experience. However, this time, it was different. This time, her heart fluttered and the feeling somewhat comforted her.

“You just have to trust me,” Yoseob continued, his voice low. “I know it’s scary. Taking risks takes a lot of courage, but like I said, I’ll be here.” He paused shortly, taking a moment to reflect before continuing. “I’m not saying that everything will be perfect. There are inevitable obstacles in life and there will be ups and downs, but you have to take those as learning experiences. Things will be hard, but we always have to get back up and move on. You can’t live life without taking risks, noona.”

For the umpteenth time Daphne stared at Yoseob, uncertain at how such a young and carefree person could conjure such profound notions that struck such an immense chord with Daphne. She had always viewed Yoseob as a kid, almost immature even, but the more she delved into his personality, the more she realized that he was anything but a child. In fact, Yoseob taught her more valuable life lessons than any one had ever done. He showed a maturity that not even some middle-aged people had experienced, and it completely awed her. Yoseob was no longer a kid in her eyes, but a man.

“I trust you,” stated Daphne timidly, her eyes a bit skeptic. However, once the last syllable rolled off of her tongue and the words echoed in her ears, her statement only reaffirmed as the doubt left her. “I trust you, Yoseob,” she repeated once more but with a certain boldness that exerted her confidence.

Yoseob’s heart filled with warmth as he allowed the words to fully sink into his head. It was the truth; the way her eyes gleamed told him everything he needed to know and it was more than enough to confirm his beliefs. Despite his sudden burst of happiness, Yoseob couldn’t find the words to express it. All he could do was stare at Daphne, watching her eyes search for any kind of meaning in his, confusion and worry etched in her facial expression.

They sat against the walls, neither of them speaking a word as they turned away from each other, letting the awkwardness sink in. She could hear his breathing audibly, seeing his chest heave up and down out of the corner of her eye as her shoulder and his barely touched, teasing each other. His head was stationary; using his peripherals, his eyes lingered toward her direction, hoping that she would say something. He mustered up his confidence and decided that it was best if he started.

“Daphne,” he uttered her name, breaking the silence, tilting his head towards her. It was the first time that he refrained from using the word ‘noona’, and it sounded pleasant to his ears. Yoseob saw her do the same and his heart began to flutter as she stared so intently into his eyes.

“Yes?” she managed to say hoarsely, her heartbeat gradually increasing. His face was merely few centimeters away from hers as he brought his face closer to hers, their noses nearly touching. Yoseob didn’t know where this new-found confidence came from, but it just felt so right.

“Can I...” he began softly, his hot breath tickling her lips teasingly, “kiss you?”

Her large brown eyes widened, unsure of what to say. She wanted to say yes so badly, but the word was caught in . She stared at his eyes longingly, as she felt his warm hands clasp carefully around her cheeks comfortably, yearning for her permission. His touch was gentle yet so electrifying, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. At last, the words finally escaped from .

“Y-yes,” she whispered.

She felt his eager lips press upon hers immediately after she complied, and she felt herself become lost within his touch. It felt like bliss to her. It was bliss.

“So is this a yes?” Yoseob asked after detaching his lips away softly from another lengthened kiss, brushing a stray hair away from Daphne’s face.

“What?”

“Is this a yes?” Yoseob repeated, a large grin on his face, not bothering to hide his elation. “We’re...we’re serious about this? This is happening?” Their conversation unexpectedly dipped into silence, which unnerved him, his confidence lowering.

After a long pause, Daphne let out an amused sigh and looked at him incredulously. “Of course, silly. Why would I have kissed you then? What do you take me for?”

“A beautiful girl who needs to start believing in herself.”

A familiar blush reached her cheeks, unfamiliar with the praising words. “Yah, I’m your noona--not just some girl.”

Yoseob let out a hearty laugh and nodded, pulling Daphne closer as he s his arms around her shoulder, eliciting a smile from Daphne. “Yeah, whatever, Daphne.” He glanced at the clock across the wall and suddenly jumped as reality hit him. “Oh, crap, we have to be out in twenty minutes.” Reluctantly, Yoseob unwrapped his arms from Daphne and slowly stood up, disappointed that their time alone was over.

Daphne let out a groan as she tilted her head against the wall, unwilling to get up.

“Come on. Let’s go.” Yoseob smiled, grabbing a hold of her hands and lifting her up. The momentum of his pull forced Daphne’s face to be close to his, the close proximity obvious but somewhat comforting, reminding them of their first encounter in the practice room. Yoseob chuckled softly as he recalled the memory. Lowering his head, he kissed Daphne softly once more, missing the feel of her lips against his already. “Come on,” he urged again, tracing his thin fingers along her cheeks, “we need to get you to Sunhae noona so she can fix your makeup.”

Still slightly dazed from his touch, Daphne nodded, almost forgetting that she had smeared her makeup while in the midst of sobbing. That thought lightened her mood, showing how despite all of the obstacles and tribulation that came, Yoseob still managed a way to make her feel better, for which she was entirely grateful.

“Yoseob-ah,” Daphne whispered.

“Hm?”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile on her face, lacing her fingers with his as she leaned up to kiss him.  Comfort. That was the only way to describe their relationship and it was the best choice.

A/N: And finally, the moment you've all been waiting for! Twenty four chapters leading up to this moment, heheheh. :3 I was planning to end the story here (with one or two chapters after) but I decided to lengthen it, teehee. Since the chase is now over, the next few chapters will be about Yoseob's and Daphne's developing relationship. :) So I just finished my last round of midterms and I am so happy! I get to rest for a few days before I have to study again for finals, bahh. Let's hope I can get through 3 more weeks of school! Hehe, next update will probably be next week ish--unless I can manage to finish a new chapter early. Hope you guys are all having a great weekend!

BTW I am totally loving Beast's new album, ahh. I fangirled and spazzed like crazy on Twitter this past week...sigh. Our boys<3.