AUTHOR'S POV

"Okay, let's try one more time. Try to look in row number 5? Can you see those letters?"

Dara squinted her right eye, trying her hardest to focus on extremely blurry letters on the eye chart. She let out a disappointed sigh and weakly shook her head from left to right. "I can't read it. I think it's too small. I just couldn't see anything in the dark." She said with no energy on her voice. Disappointed look was written all over her face.

"That is alright, Dara. Your eyesight is actually better than I expected." Dr. Yang pulled the machine away from Dara before he turned the lights on.
"Tomorrow, we will do CT-scan and MRI just to examine your condition further." Dr. Yang said while browsing Dara's record.

"But Doc, I don't think I'm gonna get better at all. My eyes are actually getting worse. I don't think I need all this examinations if in the end, I will still end up being blind." Dara said in a broken voice.

"I understand what you are going through, Dara, but you have to be strong for yourself and your family. Your father told me you're experiencing a bit of a headache and some dizziness lately, but that's quite normal in this stage." Dr. Yang explained.

Dara let out an exasperated chuckle, rolling her eyes and said, "Quite normal?" She repeated. Sarcasm pierce through her voice. "How can that be normal?!" Her eyes immediately filled with tears, but she tried to hold it back by looking up the ceiling.

"Dara...", The doctor paused and let out a sigh before he continued, "...you know before I came here in US, your father and I are very good friends in Korea. Your father is the most loving and dedicated son I have ever known in my life. I could actually see him in you, Dara. He had lots of dreams in life, but he sacrificed everything for the sake of his loved ones. You know, it was only a year left before we could graduate in med school when your father decided to drop out to take care of your grandmother. Your grandmother had the same condition as you, Dara. At that time, he had no sources, no money, he didn't know anything about that disease. He sacrificed his future just to send your grandmother to a better hospital, but now you--"

"But now I...what doc?" Dara cut him off immediately, "I'm in a better hospital? Yes, I am. I'm in the U.S and has much better sources? Yes, I have. But, how will this change everything?! There is still no cure for this disease. I'm still going blind at the end. Most of all, I will never have my own family!  I rather suffer and die alone than let my own children go through what I am going through now. I will never let that happen." Dara immediately bit her lower lip as she tried to hold back her tears, but she couldn't contain it anymore. Her heart was extremely in pain as the images of Donghae and their dreams appeared in her mind.

"Don't say those words, Dara. Don't give up hope. You can still have your own family. Right now, many scientists are working on this disease in correlation to genes. I know, currently there is no cure for retinitis pigmentosa, but some treatments to delay the disease are now available here in U.S. In fact, the progression of the disease can be reduced by the daily intake of 15000 IU of vitamin A. In recent studies, it has shown that proper vitamin A supplementation can postpone blindness by up to 10 years or more in some patients in certain stages of the disease. I know just to delay it is not enough, but we are trying our best, Dara. We are trying our best to find a cure for your condition so please don't give up and give us a chance. Give yourself a chance to continue and fulfill all your dreams in life. Please don't lose hope and give your life at least one more chance."

~~~

"Why? Why did you leave me?" Donghae asked in a broken voice while holding Dara's arm very tight. His eyes were filled with regret and sorrow as he looked into her eyes.

Dara's eyes, on the other hand, was fixed on the floor as she couldn't dare to look at him. She couldn't think straight as no matter how prepared she was for that question, her heart couldn't help crying in pain from hearing that question directly from him.

What lies should she tell him now? Was that really important for him to know the real reason why she left? Would it do anything good for him? How about if she told him the truth? Would he still forgive her because he was still in love with her or only because he would pity her in her condition? Those were the questions playing on her mind repeatedly.

"Answer me, Dara! Why did you leave me just like that?!" Donghae said in a desperate voice. He grabbed Dara's both arms very tight, leaving marks of his hands on her fragile skin. "Why? I want to know the reason. I want to understand you. Don't you think I deserve an explanation after everything that you did to me? Am I really nothing to you? Answer me! Just this one, please? Why did you have to leave me?" He pleaded in a broken voice while looking directly into her eyes. His face was almost an inch away from hers.

Dara slowly looked into his eyes as if she was about to say something, but she just couldn't let it out. They were both looking into each other's eyes with regrets and longing for each other. Their hearts were crying in unbearable pain.

Dara's hand slowly reached Donghae's face, but before she could touch him, she stopped halfway.

"I am sick. I will get blind and it will be passed to my children, and to their children, and to the next, next generations. That was why I left you! I don't want you to suffer with me. Most of all, I don't want you to suffer because of me. Now...", she bit her lower lip, trying her hardest to hold back her tears. She breathed deeply before she could manage to continue, "Now that you know...Will you stay by my side and leave everything behind? Will you give our past one more chance?" Dara blurted out in a broken voice. She was looking at Donghae with a pained expression on her face. Her eyes were filled with tears that was trying to escape down onto her face.

Donghae gulped hard from what he just heard. His brows seemed to meet in confusion as he was trying to understand what he just heard from her.. His eyes was about to bulge out and his face became extremely pale from her sudden confession. He felt like there was a sudden knot tied down in his stomach all the way up to his throat that keeping him to find his voice. His surprise expression was written all over his face.

"Wa-wa- what did you say? Is -is that true? Ha- how? How did it happen?" Donghae managed to choked out words, but they sounded broken and strangled. Somehow, Donghae felt weaker and heavier as he absorbed those words from her. His hands that was tightly holding Dara's arms before were starting to slid down weakly. He put his both hands up over his forehead like he was in deep thoughts. He turned his back from her, walking back and forth like he was lost in that small space.

Dara's confession repeatedly playing back on Donghae's mind like a broken record. He couldn't believe what he just heard from her. He was very shocked and confused at the same time.

Did she really say she was sick? How come he never noticed it? Why didn't she never tell him about it at all? Was he really not good enough for her to trust him to take care of her? Was he really that bad for her to think that he would only suffer because she was sick? Was that what she was really thinking of him all along? She left him because she thought he would only suffer because of her sickness. After all his sacrifices to show her that he only wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, she never really trusted him that he would rather suffer with her than to suffer alone without her in his life.

As a guy, Donghae didn't know what to feel at that time. It was hard for him to know that all this time she was only thinking of him all along, but at the same time it pained him to know that she never really trusted him at all. He felt very lost like everything around him was strangely different all of a sudden. He leaned his head against the wall as he felt dizzy from all the thoughts in his mind. As soon as he closed his eyes, his past memories with Dara flashed back on his mind, but Yoona's face suddenly appeared in it too.

He let out a deep sigh many times, unable to think clearly when Dara started to let out an ironic chuckle, "Puhahahaha! What kind of reaction is that? Don't tell me you really believe me?" Dara said in sarcastic voice. "You still never learn from your mistake before. Don't you dare trust me again, Lee Donghae." She added.

Donghae immediately looked at Dara like he was about to kill her. His eyes were red and filled with anger, confusion, and frustration. She had never seen Donghae like that before. He was like a different person as he glared at her with those fiery eyes.

Dara immediately averted her eyes away from Donghae's glare. He said nothing, but only glared at her. A cold glare that pierced her heart into billion pieces. Dara let out another sarcastic chuckle while pretending to fix her hair in the mirror, "Ha! ha! Why are you looking at me like that? You don't think that joke is funny? Or did you really think I was telling the truth? How many dramas have you been watching lately, huh, Lee Donghae?" Dara asked in a sarcastic tone, but Donghae didn't respond at all. He still glaring at her. A glare that could definitely penetrate million of skulls in one shot.

"Ca-can we just stop this joke now? I'm really tired right now. I want to take a shower so would you please leave me alone." Dara said nervously while avoiding his intimidating gaze.

Dara didn't know what she was thinking at the time she suddenly blurted out the truth. Anyhow, she felt a little relieve to say what she had been wanting to say all along, but her heart suddenly stopped as soon as she saw how Donghae reacted to her confession. She finally snapped back to the bitter reality. It was just so much complicated from what she imagined. She couldn't help but to feel very burden when he looked very confused and hurt. Her heart felt like it was being stabbed slowly but very painfully when she saw his troubled expression because of her confession.

"Will you give our past one more chance?" That scene kept repeating back in her mind repeatedly. When he turned his back from her, she felt like her chest was being squeezed painfully that she couldn't hardly breathe. Her heart was actually scared that despite of what she just confessed, he would still choose the present that he has now. She was very scared to find out that he would choose to be with Yoona if she waited for him to answer her question.

Bit by bit, Dara realized the answers to all her questions in her mind. She did realize that the truth didn't matter anymore as they cannot bring back the time they had already lost. She would just ruin his future. His chance to be happy with someone much more deserving than her. 

Dara let out a deep sigh to remove her unnecessary thoughts. She quickly put on her bathrobe, but before she was able to tie it around her waist, Donghae suddenly stepped closer and grabbed her both arms. He then forcefully pinned her against the wall.

"Damn it, Lee Donghae, what now? let me go!" Dara snapped, struggling against him but he just pinned her tighter with his body. Donghae scooped his head down an inch away against Dara's face while glaring into her eyes. "Do you really think that was funny?! Okay fine, but I'm just starting to get to know you better. Why don't you show me your real self from now on, huh, Sandara Park?" Donghae huskily whispered in her ear. She could feel his warm breath all over her face. He suddenly brushed her hair out of her eyes and tucked it gently behind her ear. Her heart was beating so fast like it was about to burst.

Dara tried her hardest to avoid his stares. She moved her head to the side and swallowed a big lump on , but before she could manage to speak, Donghae teasingly blow warm air on her ear. Dara felt a shivered going up her spine. "Stop it, Donghae, please. Let me go." Dara begged weakly while struggling hard to escape from his arms.

"I said let me go!" She repeated in a broken voice as she tried to held up her tears that were attempting to fall down again. She could feel her knees was about to drop anytime soon. Her heart was constricting in so much pain that she couldn't hardly breath. The pain for so much wanting to be with his arms, but she couldn't even tell.

"You like this, don't you?" Donghae whispered, teasingly. He began to kiss her neck, leaving a trail of his wet kisses on her skin. "I may not know the real you, but I'm still sure of one thing...your weakness. Now, I know something in you hasn't really changed, Sandara Park." Donghae seductively whispered in between his kisses. He was about to kiss Dara's jaw line when he noticed she had no reaction at all.

Dara suddenly stopped struggling away and just stood there quietly like a statue while looking into nowhere. Her heart just couldn't take the pain anymore. Her heart felt very weak and exhausted from pain. Her tears immediately fell down one by one when her eyes met Donghae eyes. "Why did you stop? Continue what you are doing. I'll just treat this as my punishment for leaving you. Come on, Lee Donghae. Don't get shy on me now. Do you want me to take the lead?" Dara said sarcastically, but her tears wouldn't stop from falling down.

Donghae looked up the ceiling to hold back the tears he was struggling hard to control. He then let out an ironic smirk before he pinned her both arms more tightly against the wall. "Is this really what you want?!" Donghae asked in a broken voice, but before Dara could answer, he crushed his lips into hers and started to kiss her violently. Dara was shocked from his action. It was their first kiss after five years, but it felt very different. It was far away from what she was longing for. Her heart continued squeezing in so much pain. She had no energy to struggle away so she just stood like frozen on her spot as he kissed her aggressively from her lips down her jaw line, neck, and almost near her . Dara bit her lower lip as she felt the pain when he started to violently against her skin, leaving marks on her body. As he made his way deep down aggressively, something suddenly fell off her robe down to the floor.

Dara immediately pushed Donghae away when she saw that certain thing suddenly fell off from her pocket. She quickly wiped her tears on her face and bent down to get the thing on the floor. She quickly hid the thing back in her pocket while trying to avoid his eyes filled with questions she knew she couldn't answer truthfully.

Donghae eyes suddenly widened like he just saw a ghost from the past as soon as he saw a necklace on the floor, but Dara quickly hid it away. He looked into her eyes while finding his words to say, "Wa-why do you still have that necklace?" Donghae asked, his brows met in confusion when he noticed her strange reaction about the necklace. It was Dara's necklace with a star pendant that fell out from her pocket. Donghae was taken aback to see that she was still keeping it. He suddenly remember the time when he gave her that star necklace. It was to guide her from the darkness long time ago.

"Don't think too much. I was about to throw it away." Dara immediately said.

Donghae let out a somewhat disappointed chuckle. You could tell that his eyes were deeply hurt and confused. "Oh, then give it back to me. I will throw it away instead." Donghae responded back.

"This is mine so you don't have to bother by it. I'll throw it away on my own." Dara refused, avoiding his gaze.

"But I was the one who gave that to you. Since that necklace has nothing to do with you anymore, just give it back to the real owner." Donghae insisted. He gave his hand out to Dara but she ignored it and brushed it away, so he just quickly stole it out from Dara's pocket instead. Dara quickly grabbed it back but it accidentally fell off the toilet bowl.

"Haisssssssst! Look at what you did! Argggh!" Dara bursted in annoyance, stomping her feet while looking at the necklace under the water in the  toilet bowl. Donghae back off a little bit from Dara's intimidating voice. He bit his lower lip, blinked few times like a kid who was afraid to be scolded by her mother.

"What's the big deal?! You said would throw it away anyway. Just flush it down. Oh, you don't have to thank me for helping you discard that garbage." Donghae said in sarcastic voice, but quickly bit his lower lip afterwards.

Dara just couldn't handle herself anymore. She tried so hard to compose herself back but she couldn't help it. She suddenly bursted crying and hit Donghae's bare chest with her hands as hard as she could.

"You don't know why I left you?! Because you are the most horrible jerk I have ever met in my whole life! I really, really despise you, JERK! I don't want to see your face again! Go away and leave me alone! Do not show your face to me ever again! I really hate you!" Dara shouted, bursted out crying while hitting and pushing Donghae towards the door. Donghae couldn't even manage to say a word as Dara repeatedly saying those things while hitting him very hard. But before they could reach the door, a sudden flash of light hit the dark sky outside, only to be followed with a very loud sound of a thunder.

BOOOOOM!!!!

Everything suddenly turned black. Darkness immediately overtook the whole house.

Dara's heart almost fell down from that loud sound of the thunder. Without thinking, she cringed from fear and quickly wrapped her arms tightly around Donghae.

Donghae stood like frozen on his spot, awkwardly. He gulped nervously as he felt Dara's soft body against him, causing his body to respond.
He cutely bit his lower lip as he was unsure of what to do at that kind of situation.

Dara was shaking from fear, still sobbing quietly like a little baby. Donghae could feel that she was very scared. He slowly put his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Still unsure if he should at least tap or caress her back to comfort her, but he still did it...just awkwardly.

Donghae pretended to clear his throat before he asked, "A-are you okay? It's just a thunder. You don't have to be scared." He asked while tapping her back gently.

Dara snapped out of it and immediately pushed Donghae away. She shook her head slightly while cursing herself in her head. She then started to bite her nails from embarrassment. "I'm not scared. I was just taken aback from that loud thunder." Dara defended herself.

"Ahhhh..." Donghae nodded, awkwardly. He gulped down and averted his eyes into the darkness. A sudden awkward atmosphere overtook the bathroom.

"Ahhh?! What Ahhh?! Haist! I know what you are thinking, Lee donghae! I told you I'm not scared! Why are you so annoying, huh?!" Dara said in annoyance, but Donghae could tell that her voice was a little shaky.

"I know you are not scared. You are very brave. Ha ha. Fighting!" Donghae said to cheer her up, but to Dara, it seemed like he said it with sarcasm.

Dara just let out an annoyed sigh. "Yeah, right. Whatever." she said.
The truth was she wanted to hear his voice more because she was really scared of the dark. She tried to make their conversation longer even it was very awkward for them.

"I... I think Yoona put some candles inside the closet here. Let me light it for you before I leave so you could see better." Donghae started to change the topic. He took out his phone from his pocket and turn on his flashlight app on his phone. He began to look for candles but find nothing. He asked Dara if she could move a little so he could take a look inside the closet behind her. Dara moved a little, groping her way against the wall.

Little did Dara know, Donghae was secretly observing her as he noticed her odd reaction to darkness. He knew she couldn't see clearly in the dark, but something was really bothering him. "I don't think they were here. She probably used them already when there was blackout the other day." He sighed. "I will just get you a big flashlight. I know you couldn't see clearly on the dark. I'll be back in a few. Just use my phone for now as your light." Donghae said, putting the light from his phone directly into Dara's eyes. Dara could see the light but to her sight, it was very small like a tiny dot even though he was just a feet away. Dara tried to her way near Donghae, only to bump onto his chest.

"So-sorry. I didn't realize..." Dara was about to say something but Donghae immediately interrupted her.

"A-about your eyes...your night blindness? Have you seen a doctor for it?" Donghae worriedly asked while looking at her. She quickly faced sideways, leaning back the faucet as she could feel Donghae was looking at her.

"Huh?" Dara was taken aback by his sudden question. "O-of course, I did. They said its natural. I was born with it. It's nothing really." Dara lied, her voice was shaking. Her heart felt like it skipped a beat.

"Ahhh, really? But it seems like its getting worse than before." Donghae replied back worriedly. He bit his lip as he couldn't remove himself worrying about her. "Anyway, I'll get you a bigger light. I'll be bac--"

"Can you just stay here with me until the light comes back on?" Dara suddenly blurted out before Donghae could even finish his words he was saying, making Donghae looked at her with shocked expression.

"Huh? I thought you want me to leave. Yo-you're joking again, right?" Donghae asked in confusion. His heart just skipped a beat when he heard her words that she wanted him to stay.

"Ac-actually...actually, I'm really scared." Dara said hesitantly. "I'm really scared right now. Can you just stay with me?" Dara said and reached her hand out to Donghae's hand, blindly in the dark. "Just until the light comes back on." She added. Donghae gulped hard when he felt Dara held his hand. He looked at Dara, confusion was written all over his face. Dara immediately looked down as she tried to hide her tears escaping her eyes. Their hearts were beating very fast.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! I knew you are still scared of the dark." Donghae just awkwardly laughed when he felt his tears was about to fall. He turned  and leaned back to the faucet like what Dara did.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! I know, right? How about you? Are you still scared of ghost? Ahhoowoooooo!" Dara joked and awkwardly laughed too. Both just awkwardly laughed at their awkward situation.

"Me? No way! I'm not like you scary cat, little tokki, such a cry baby." Donghae teased.

"Yah! You are too much already!" Dara pretended to hit his arm jokingly, but she really hit him very hard.

"Ouch! No, you are too much already! Like how may times you already hit me? More than hundreds already! It really hurts you know!" He said while caressing his arm.

"You deserve all of that. Tsk!" Dara responded back and both bursted out laughing.

"Sorry for what I did a while ago." Donghae suddenly blurted out of nowhere. Dara stopped laughing and immediately bit her lower lip. Her heart somehow felt heavier at what he said. Tears was starting to filled her eyes again. "Ha! Ha! You really know how to ruin the moment." Dara awkwardly joked.

Donghae smiled sadly and turned to his side to look at Dara. Her hand was still holding his hand. "About what you said a while ago, it's not really true, right?" Donghae asked hesitantly.

"Wa-what did I say a while ago? That you are a jerk? Well, that is kind of true." Dara jokingly answered. She couldn't see him but she felt that he was looking at her. She quickly looked down to hide her guilty eyes from him.

"No, that's not it. Haist! The thing that you said about you...being sick and you are going blind...that's...that was why you left me. It's not true, right?" Donghae asked worriedly.

Dara quickly bit her lower lip upon hearing those words right from him. She wished it was not real neither. Her heart was in so much pain as she couldn't say the truth to him.

"Of course it's not real. Duhhh? That thing only happens in Korean dramas, right?" Dara lied. She paused for a second before she said, "I'm sorry too...fo-for leaving you. I left because I know, I couldn't make your dreams come true. I just couldn't, ba--but I wish you your happiness, really. I'm glad that you are able to find it." Dara added stuttering, tears starting to fell down as she couldn't contain the unbearable pain anymore.

Donghae stared up the ceiling, trying to hold back his tears. Hurt evident in his features. He let a deep sigh before he managed to say, "Me too. I'm glad that I finally found my happiness again." Donghae said as he slowly intertwined his fingers with hers.

To be continued>>>

Preview>>>

"Dara, are you there in the bathroom? I want to show you something. Hurry up and open this door." Yoona excitedly said.
"Try this pink bikini, Dara. I want to see if the size is correct. Hurry up and change. I'm really excited for our Jeju trip over the weekend!"

"Don't you dare take a peek, Lee Donghae or I will really drown you in that tub."

"Wow, you are so y, Dara. I knew that would fit you! I am so excited to see Siwon's reaction when he sees you with that! Let me take a picture of you one second. Wait, what is that thing on your chest? Is that a kiss mark?!"

Finally, I updated:) Enjoy!