Author's POV

"So Dara, how is New York? It has been a long time! I really, really miss you, friend. How have you been there?" Yoona asked excitedly, turning around her seat to glance at Dara, who was sitting behind her. Yoona was sitting in the passenger seat next to Donghae, who was driving the car.

"I'm fine. Thanks, Yoona." Dara gulped the lump in before she looked up at her, giving her an awkward smile. She quickly looked down when her eyes landed on the rear view mirror, meeting his eyes for a split second.

"So how's your ope--" Yoona asked, but Dara immediately cut her off, "Right! I really, really miss you too, Yoona, I'm so happy to see you again. It's been such a long time since the last time we met." Dara stammered nervously, fidgeting her finger. She quickly bit her lip, averting her eyes when she noticed Donghae's glare in the mirror.

"I know right, Dara! I really miss our girl bondings when we were in high school. Good old times," Yoona let out a sigh. "Oh well, its okay though because you promise me you will stay in our house until you come back to New York...remember? We could hang out all the time before you come back to New York, and of course before I become a beautiful wife. Ha! Ha!" she let out a giddy giggle.  "Don't worry Dara, my honey---I mean I already told Donghae you will stay with us until the wedding. He doesn't mind at all. Right hon?" she asked excitedly, shifting her eyes towards Donghae.

Dara and Donghae's eyes met awkwardly, and their hearts started racing. Dara immediately looked down, Donghae quickly averted his eyes on the road. Both gulped nervously.

 "N-no! No, it's okay Yoona. I don't want to bother the both of you. I'm sure you guys are very busy preparing for the wedding. Please don't mind me. I am... um...I'm just going to check in the nearby hotel here. Besides, I... I also lived in Seoul before. I'm sure I can manage." she babbled. She took a deep breath and bit her lips worriedly.

"No, Don't say that Dara. You don't bother us. Besides, Donghae's place is really big anyway. In fact, I already prepared your room.  Momma, I mean Donghae's mom and his siblings are really sweet. They said they will come to our house next week too. They will stay with us until the wedding. Isn't it great?! I really want them to meet you, I'm sure they will definitely like you." Yoona said excitedly. 

"No!" Dara hastily said. She almost yelled, making Yoona flinched a bit.  "I...I mean..." Dara stuttered, trailing off while thinking the right words to say, "...thanks Yoona. I really appreciate it but ---"

"It's okay. You can stay here with us. My hon will be very happy." Donghae said flatly, cutting Dara off.

Dara's heart stopped upon hearing Donghae's words. Stay with them? Those words made her stomach flutter. She slowly looked up at him in the rear view mirror with her wide open eyes, only to see his cold eyes seemingly filled with hatred.

"See, Dara? Hon is fine with it. Don't worry too much, okay? Your stay here would be the best wedding gift you will ever give us." Yoona said, tilting her head slightly to the back to glance at Dara with her sweet smile.

Dara smiled back uncomfortably. She swallowed hard before she spoke again, "Um... B-but I am just staying there for a week before Yu-- I mean your mother-in-law comes there. I'm sure she would be uncomfortable knowing that there are other people she doesn't know around the house, right?" Dara said nervously. Yoona opened and was about to speak but Dara immediately continued babbling, "I mean...um... everyone does. Who doesn't, right? I will try to look for an apartment nearby...your house, right! As soon as possible so I won't be a bother so much. Please?" Dara insisted.

Yoona let out a sigh of defeat before she chuckled, Sighs "Ha! ha! Fine! You still doesn't change at all Dara. You are still stubborn as before. Hmp. But I assure you, Donghae's family is the best! I'm sure you will like them too." Yoona said excitedly.

But...its not that Yoona. Ughh! I don't know what to do. Otoke! Dara thought worriedly, sighing deeply while looking out the window.

==

Arriving at home, Donghae parked the car on their garage but he was seemingly frozen on his seat. He snapped out of his trance when Yoona asked him to help Dara to carry out her luggages. Dara refused politely and said she could manage, but Donghae still grabbed her bags on her hand without a word, making their hands accidentally touched each other. Both of them quickly pulled away, making her bags scattered on the ground.

"Sorry." Both said in chorus before they knelt down to pick up her stuff. "I got all this. You guys could go first." Donghae said flatly without even looking at her.

Yoona looked at them curiously but she just brushed it off.  "Come on Dara! Let's go inside. I'm sure you are tired already." Yoona excitedly said as she grabbed her hand. "Thanks." she croaked out before she come with Yoona.

 This place is just like before. I felt like I was just dreaming, Dara thought while looking around, but a familiar voice snapped her out of her reverie. Reminding her that everything was not just a dream.

"Finally, you guys are here! I already prepared something to eat while wai---" A tall middle age woman said while placing the plates on the table, but she suddenly stopped in the middle, accidentaly dropping the plates when she turned to face them. "What is she doing here?!" she exclaimed loudly.

"Yoona unnie! We are here! I miss---" A cute teenage girl cheerfully greeted but quickly paused when her eyes landed on the woman beside Yoona. Her eyes widened like she saw a ghost. She gulped deeply before she continued, "...you."
 

"Momma! Minzy! I didn't know you guys are already here. This is Dara by the way, my best friend from high school. The one that I was talking about on the phone," Yoona excitedly said, "Dara, she is Donghae's mom. Her name is Yuri Lee. That cute girl is her daughter, Minzy, Donghae's little sister."
 

Yuri, Minzy and Dara looked at each other with their shocked expression. Yoona, on the other hand, looked at their reactions and wondered what was happening. "What's going on? Do you guys know each other?" Yoona asked curiously, her gaze was dancing repeatedly between them.

"N-No! We don't. I'm Sandara Park. Nice meeting you Mrs. Lee, Minzy." Dara said nervously. She quickly looked down when she felt a painful sensation stinging in her eyes. Her heart suddenly constricted painfully.

"Mom?! Minzy?! W-why are you here?! I thought you are coming next week?!" Donghae asked with his shocked expression as soon as he entered the room.

"I decided to come here earlier. I need to talk to you Donghae." Yuri said flatly, still glaring at Dara.

"Did something happen momma?" Yoona curiously asked. 

"No, nothing Yoona. I just forgot to tell Donghae to buy me something for my recipe. You guys can eat now. Enjoy the food." Yuri said with her cold eyes. "Ah.. Okay, momma." Yoona replied. She quickly turned towards Dara to give her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry Dara. Yuri is just probably tired from the trip." Yoona added, looking at her worriedly. "Ah, Minji! Is Siwon also here?! By the way, Dara, Siwon is Donghae's younger brother. They are just one year apart." She suddenly asked.

"No unnie. He is probably coming tomorrow. Excuse me, I'm just going the bathroom." Minzy said coldy.

"Oh. Okay, Minji but come back quick! The food will be cold. Let's eat now Dara? I'm sure you are hungry already." Yoona asked Dara, trying to cheer her up but Dara seemed to be spacing out. She still couldn't believe what is happening. The family that she abandoned, the love of her life and her best friend are unexpectedly on the same roof with her.

What is happening? This is not real. Tell me this is just a nightmare, she said to herself.

"Dara, Are you okay? You're staring into space." Yoona asked worriedly, waving her hand in front of Dara.
 

Dara snapped out and shook her head furiously. She smiled at Yoona and said, "I'm fine. Thanks Yoona. I just need to go to the bathroom."

"Oh. Okay. Just go the left in the kitchen, there is one there." Yoona worredly said, "Are you sure you okay, Dara?" 

Dara nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. " It's just a jetlag. Don't worry I'm fine." 

==

"What is she doing here Donghae?! For God sake, you and Yoona are going to get marry in a month from now. Why did you let her in here?!" Yuri bursted out.

"Mom, calm down. Yoona might hear you. Haist.  You heard Yoona, she is her best friend. I can't do anything about that. She is just going to stay here until my wedding, then she will go back to New York." Donghae said, trying to calm her mother down.

"Yoona's best friend? How did they become even friend? I thought you were her best friend? I don't believe her. Wait! She is what?! She will stay here until the wedding?! Are you freaking out of your mind Lee Donghae?! That Dara must be planning something. I don't trust her. Remember she left you all of a sudden without even telling us. Tell her to leave you alone. Now!" Yuri shouted angrily.

"Mom, I love Yoona so much. I know she is the right girl for me. Dara is just my past. I won't let her ruin my future with Yoona, I promise. Don't worry about her, I know she will leave again just like she what always do, so please don't mind her anymore. Yoona is my present and my future, and that's the most important thing in my heart." Donghae firmly said.
 

"Are you really sure you're feelings for her won't come back?! You've been waiting for her for years Donghae! If Yoona didn't make her move, I'm sure you were still a dumb waiting for that girl to come back!" she added.

"Mom, I promise you, Dara is just a past. She is nothing to me now. I don't even feel anything about her, except for anger and disgust.
Yoona is the one I am going to marry. Yoona is the one that I love, so please mom, can we just forget the past? Yoona doesn't need to know this. I don't want to complicate things with her, especially that we are getting married in just a month from now."
 

"But Donghae, she needs to ---"  

"Mom! This is my life and I want you to trust me! Yoona and I will be happy together and nobody, even her, can ruin it. I only feel hatred whenever I look at her. She is nothing to me now! " Donghae said with a strong emotion in his eyes.

~~

Unknown to them, Dara, was in the bathroom, hearing everything she wasn't supposed to hear. She was covering to force back the painful sobs. Silent tears poured down uncontrollably to her face. She heard everything loud and clear. She felt like those words pierced very deep into her heart, especially knowing it came out directly from her one true love. She inhaled deeply, trying her best to calm down herself, "This is what you want...right Dara? This was all you planned. Then, why are you crying? Why does it hurt so much?"  she whimpered. She suddenly snapped out when she heard a sudden knocked on the door.

"Dara?" knock! knock! 

==

"I'm sorry to keep you guys waiting. Let's eat now. Where is she?" Yuri said, scanning eyes for Dara.

"You mean Dara, momma? She just went to the bathroom." Yoona replied, "But she has been there for so long.  I'm just going to check on her. She said she has jetlag." Yoona worriedly said but before she could stand up Donghae grabbed her hands. "It's okay hon. I'll do it. Finish your food. Besides, I need to use the bathroom too." Donghae said, giving her a reassuring smile.

Yuri's eyes went wide while glaring at Donghae.

"Is it really okay hon?" Yoona asked.

"Yeah, Donghae, Why don't you just sit there and eat with Yoona, I will do it instead." Yuri added.

"Of course, it's okay hon." he smiled at Yoona, "Your friend is my friend too." he said before he glared back to her mother,  "You don't have to worry mom. She just probably got lost in the house. I'll be back." Donghae said and kissed Yoona's cheek before he went back to the kitchen.
 

"Thanks hon!" Yoona smiled back, and continued to eat.
 

==
 

"Where the hell is she?" Donghae asked himself while scanning around the house.

"Dara?" he called out and knocked on the bathroom in the kitchen. "Dara are you there?"

Dara immediately opened the door, making Donghae pulled closer to her. Their eyes awkwardly met but they quickly averted it.

"Yo-yoona," he stuttered, "Yoona is looking for you. She want me to check if you are okay." he said without looking at her. Dara was looking down the ground to hide her puffy red eyes from crying. "Ah. Thanks. I'm okay. Please tell her I'll be there in a minute." Dara said. Her voice was shaky from crying.

An awkward silence occupied the two.

"I..." Donghae started, breaking the silence. He gulped before he continued, "I don't know why you came back and I... I don't know what is your motive being here. I'm just doing all of this because of Yoona. She is the one who healed my broken heart, who completed me, and gave me
happiness. She is my everything now." Donghae smiled unconsciously while saying those words, making Dara's heart shattered into a million pieces.

"The past, our past is nothing to me now. I can't even remember anything except for hatred, but I hope I can get one last favor from you. In return to all those hardships I got from you." Donghae said brokenly as he looked into Dara's eyes.

Dara looked up at Donghae and tried her best to smile. He could tell that that she had been crying just by looking at her eyes.

"Anything." she said weakly. holding back her tears.

 

"After my wedding...." Donghae started, still glaring at Dara.

 Dara quickly looked down when she felt her tears was about to escape in her eyes.

".....please disappear in our life forever." Donghae said coldly.

Dara bit her lips and just nodded, trying to hide the pain from him. "If this is what you want,"  she croaked out. She slowly looked up straight to his eyes before she gave him a sad smile, " Your wish is my command......Fishboy."

TO BE CONTINUED>>>>