Dami was discharged from the hospital the next day. It wasn’t serious according to the doctor. Jiyong insisted of letting her stay longer in the hospital, asserting that she would be more under the eyes of the doctors 24/7 if she was here. But Dami talked him out of it. Well, actually, it was more of me who talked him out of it.

While Jiyong was paying the hospital bills, I was sitting by the bench with Dami. I could have come with Donghae, though, to lessen the tension between me and Jiyong. However, Donghae left for an overseas work. That one commercial film that they cancelled before, it turned out they were still looking for budget. Now seemed the time.

“So… while I was sleeping, you two decided to—“

I cut her off. “Since when did you have your asthma?”

She pouted and looked down. “I don’t want to talk about depressing things. Because of my health, oppa always looks tired.”

I stared at her, concerned. “You should have taken care of yourself then.”

“I do. I don’t know. My lungs are too weak that even the tiniest bit of dust and smoke from smokers could trigger my asthma.”

I shut my mouth after. I don’t know. Even though I wasn’t directly the cause of her having asthma, I still felt guilty, since I was a smoker myself.

“So, are you two—“

“No,” I said, firmly.

“Dang, I thought Taeyeon-unnie decided to—“

“Decided to what?” Jiyong appeared, interrupting our conversation.

“Decided to finally—“

I covered Dami’s mouth even before she would say more. “Let’s go home,” I said, chuckling awkwardly.

After Dami and I had unpacked her things at one of the units in the condominium, I let her sleep and rest and then I left the room. Today, I was supposedly going to start practicing but I had to help Jiyong with Dami too.

I closed the door behind me and headed to my room, deciding to get my purse and then look for a place where I could practice playing the piano. However, while walking, my mind wandering off, I bumped into someone.

Out of habit, I bowed in apology only to find, when I looked up, that it was Jiyong.

“You going somewhere?” he asked.

“Mind you—“ I cut myself off when I remembered what Taeyeon said. No fights. I sighed. “I’ll get my purse and then look for a place to practice,” I said then walked off.

He followed behind though. “Oh, so it’s true that you’re going to work with the wedding music.”

There was a tight clench in my heart hearing the word ‘wedding’ from his mouth. It seemed like it was alright for him, me working for his wedding with Taeyeon, while I was here, working for their wedding despite the fact that I didn’t really want to, if not for Taeyeon. There was still a part of me wanting to hope for the both of us. But I know I was being a fool for thinking about it in the first place. Anyway, Jiyong had agreed to the wedding.

I nodded slowly, trying not to appear affected.

“You don’t have to force yourself, you know,” he said.

I stared at him sharply. “Who says I’m doing this even though it’s against me though? Don’t worry, I love what I’m doing,” I said then turned away, leaving a stunned Jiyong on his spot.

“So, you’re looking for a place to practice,” he said, catching up, like I did not say anything.

“I already mentioned that, yes,” I said. Why was this building so wide and the corridor so long that it would take me this long to arrive to my room? I wanted to get away already.

Finally, when I arrived, though, preparing to open the door, Jiyong spoke again, “You could practice with the piano in our room.”

My hand stopped midway. “I shouldn’t,” I said quietly, unsure if Jiyong heard.

“Why?” he asked, getting closer, until my back was almost touching his chest. “Are you scared?”

I faced him, which was actually a wrong move as I came face-to-face with his hard chest – the chest I once laid on, the chest I once buried my face, and the chest to which I once listened the heart.

I lifted my head to meet his gaze then. And since I was short, when I did, my nose almost brushed on his lips as I felt his hot breath on my cheeks. I backed away, feeling the limit of the space and the door on my back. My backing away didn’t really help at all as I was still close to him. And I had my eyes widened as I was nervous.

I cleared my throat before speaking. “FINE!” I shouted, hoping that the loudness of my voice would cover up for the loudness of the beating of my heart. “I will practice in your room. I’m not scared, why would I be, anyway?”

He smirked. “Fine then,” he said and leaned away. “Follow me.”

Although I originally thought that Jiyong would really challenge me of me being ‘scared’ (I knew what he meant by the way), he just came to me with all his kindness – offering me a cup of coffee, telling me to rest if I needed to, telling me to eat if I got hungry, etc. I couldn’t really understand him. One second, he was arrogant, the next, he was kind.

So as I was practicing and trying out pieces which I could play on the wedding, I hadn’t really noticed the time, until I saw that it was already past 12. I wasn’t feeling sleepy at all, but I was getting tired. I had been working for more than six hours and I hadn’t even accomplished one thing.

I stood up from the piano chair and stretched up. Deciding to make myself a cup of coffee, I turned around. But when I did, I was welcomed by a sight – Jiyong sitting comfortably on the couch, his elbow propped up on the armrest, his chin resting on his fist, and a smirk on his lips.

“I missed hearing you play,” he said. “You’re still as amazing as ever.”

I looked away and walked past him as I made myself a coffee. Thinking that it was rude, I decided to make another one if he wanted to drink. If not, then he could tell me otherwise.

I returned to the living room, the cups on my hand. “Do you want to drink?”

He nodded and replied a thank you. I then settled myself back to the piano and played a few pieces I had in mind. But it wasn’t close to something that was usually played in weddings. It was too fast and the bride or anyone who would march would look like he or she was running. I tried another one but it seemed slow and very boring.

Frustrated, I groaned and hit my fists on the keys, causing a sound echoing inside the room.

“Whoa, there,” a voice interrupted me.

And I forgot that Jiyong was there. Now what was he still doing here anyways? He should have slept already.

I turned around and saw him walking towards me. I thought he would walk past me though, but then he sat beside me on the piano chair. Now the chair wasn’t that wide enough for two people to sit comfortably. One of them would be uncomfortably sitting. And in this case, I was that one. I don’t know, I could have stood up and left but I seemed to be glued on my spot.

He pressed some keys and then looked sideward at me. “How about this?” he asked.

“What?” I asked, blinking, meeting his gaze. I flustered and looked away.

He repeated the same keys. “Isn’t this a good piece though?” he asked while still playing.

I nodded. “But I don’t recognize it. I can’t play it.”

He smiled then. “I can help you,” he said as I stared at him in shock.

The night went on as he taught me the piece. It was awkward though. But I preferred it that way. I might become too comfortable that what we had before would return and I didn’t want that. Not now that everyone was already busy doing their respective works.

Jiyong had written the notes on a music sheet which I could play and practice. It was a pretty good one, though, like I said, I didn’t recognize it. I had a nagging feeling that it was self-composed, once again proving himself that he was very talented.

So, Jiyong had left my side as he went inside. I didn’t know what he did but he must have slept already, while I was still here practicing and familiarizing the piece. Sure I could play the piece with these music sheets, but I still need to familiarize it so I wouldn’t make a mistake, thus ruining the wedding.

After several failures, I sighed and stretched my arms upward, now tired and sleepy.

JIYONG’S POV

I watched her as she stretched her arms upward. She yawned loudly and then leaned her head on the keys of the piano. It was reminiscent of her habit she had back then when we were still in high school, when she would be waiting for Daddy-Long-Legs (a.k.a. me) to visit her in the piano room but eventually fall asleep while waiting. It was amazing how she still had the same habit of sleeping on the keys though. For all I know, she still had the habit of sleeping everywhere.

With that thought, I chuckled. I went inside the bedroom and got a blanket.

I wasn’t sure yet if she was already asleep, so I peeked over her shoulder to make sure. And there she was, her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips. I kneeled beside her, just staring at her face. She looked really peaceful sleeping and I missed those times watching her sleep. She sure hated it but I loved it. While sleeping, she would mumble my name. However, that was before. I wasn’t quite sure if that still happens today.

Actually, there was a reason why I offered help to her. It wasn’t that I already accepted the fact that I was marrying her cousin, and not her. It wasn’t the fact that I had moved on and let go. In fact, this little action I just did implied how much I had not let go yet. In this way, I could get closer to her. In this way, even if it won’t take long, I could spend time with her. This simply implied how I still hoped that by these, Dara and I could go back to the way we were. And it may sound and look bad, but I was also hoping that by these, Dara and I could make a way to break off the wedding.

I sighed deeply as I thought of how these actions could bring a lot of consequences to the people around us. Besides, there was that last will that Grandma left me. I didn’t want to not fulfill it. It was her last will and not fulfilling it would mean I didn’t respect her. But I wanted to be happy, and that would mean, me and Dara and no one else.

I sighed once again. This sure was a complicated situation that I just wanted to get out of.

I was about to wrap the blanket around her when I thought better of it. So, I stood up and went on to put my arms under Dara’s legs and arm. I carried her on my arms and settled her on our bed. As I fixed the blanket over her, I inspected her face once more. It seemed so long that I last seen her, even though for these couple of days, we were together, of course with the presence of our family.

Suddenly, I found myself sitting at the edge of the bed, my head leaning forward and my lips almost touching hers. I haven’t even realized it until I felt her hot breath against my lips. I blinked, shocked at my actions. Thankfully, Dara was still asleep.

But why couldn’t I lean back? I was stil closed to her lips, inches from mine, no, centimeters from mine. I’m sure if she moved, we could have kissed.

Yes, sure, I missed her. I missed kissing her. But was this right?

With that thought, I leaned away. I pulled on my hair. What was with right or wrong? Was anyone even following it anyway?

I stared back at Dara’s state. She was still sleeping. I sighed and leaned forward again. This time, though, I planted a soft kiss on her forehead and then left.

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thank you for the poster, foreverdaragon