“Rin, I just can’t do it. Please, don’t make me do it.” Sandara begged Chaerin for the nth time that night.

“Unnie, it’s just a rehearsal. It’s not like you’re going to walk down the aisle with Jiyong oppa. Well, you were supposed to, but I don’t want to ruin my own wedding so I asked Youngbae oppa to just let Jiyong oppa stand beside him the whole time. And think about it...the more you beg, the more time we waste. Unnie, my wedding’s tomorrow already! And I don’t want to look ugly in my own wedding! Let’s get this over with. Now, get out of the car!” Chaerin said as she pulled Sandara out of the car. Being only 40 kilograms, Sandara was pulled out by Chaerin easily.

Chaerin hooked her arms with Sandara so that the latter couldn’t escape. As they walk towards the church where the wedding would take place tomorrow, Sandara noticed a lot of familiar faces and some unfamiliar ones.

“Omo! Why is Wheesung oppa here?” Sandara whispered to Chaerin.

“Didn’t you know? He got back with Gummy unnie and they’ve been married for 2 years already! They’re expecting a baby soon!” Chaerin said in a hushed tone. She then proceeded on introducing all the unfamiliar faces to Sandara.

“And that girl beside that Seung-rat is Anj. They’ve been dating for a year. And there are Sean oppa’s kids! They’ve grown already right? God! They’re already trainees, did you know that? And that’s...” Chaerin paused for a moment. Sandara saw that Chaerin’s face darkened. “That’s Mari... she’s Teddy oppa’s wife and those two kids are their children.”

“Oh Chaerin! Was that the reason why you cried when you called me 3 years ago? I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

Sandara frowned. Ever since she left, it was like she burned bridges—she cut ties with everyone else. She felt like a bad friend, not even knowing that her bestfriend suffered too much pain.

“But it’s okay now unnie. I’m over him! If I weren’t, I wouldn’t be getting married tomorrow.” Chaerin flashed a smile, showing Sandara that she was indeed okay.

The rehearsal started and ended with a blur. Sandara, not even wanting to give Jiyong a chance to talk to her, excused herself after the rehearsal and lied something about having dinner with her brother, Sanghyun and his girlfriend Mushy (A/N. OMG! Thundermuff is my OTP! Sorry to my sissy! I support PecSung more!). But in truth, she went straight back to her hotel room and sulked the whole night.

The next day, Sandara woke up a little bit earlier than she planned to. Maybe it was because she didn’t really have a good sleep at all. And so, she rose up from her bed and took a long bubble bath.

After what seems like an eternity, she found herself looking at the busy streets outside the massive glass window of her room. She took a deep breath before she wiped the imaginary dust off her dress and went out of her room.

Fifteen minutes after—five minutes if not for getting caught in traffic—Sandara arrived in the church. Still feeling awkward around the people she left five years ago, she immediately looked for Chaerin. While walking around the church, she called Chaerin to ask of where she were and judging from the voice of the younger girl, she was feeling nervous—well, beyond nervous. Dara spotted a door and she figured out that it’s where Chaerin was.

As she got in, she almost laughed at the stiff looking Lee Chaerin.

“Unnie, I can’t do this. Should I cancel everything? God... I don’t know why I’m here.” Chaerin blabbered. Panic was obvious in her voice.

To calm her nervous friend, Sandara hugged Chaerin.

“Rin, just calm down okay? This is your wedding day. Don’t ruin it. Youngbae is a good guy and he will take care of you. And if he doesn’t, I’m make sure he dies in a painful way.” Sandara joked but you know what they say, ‘jokes are half meant.’

Sandara felt Chaerin relaxed and she smiled.

“Unnie, what would I do without you?” Chaerin as she straightened out her gown. A few minutes, she was a nervous wreck but now, she was just a glowing bride. That was when Sandara felt her eyes sting.

“Omo! Unnie, don’t cry yet! It would ruin your make up!” Chaerin said before she hugged Dara.

Sandara suppressed her tears before she responded. “I just can’t believe you’re all grown up now. My Baby Rin is getting married.”

Even before Chaerin could answer, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Honey, it’s time.” Chaerin’s father said as he peeked through the door.

Sandara helped Chaerin to strengthen her gown again and the older girl checked if everything was perfect with the bride. Not wanting to make the groom wait, they went out of the room not long after.

A few minutes ago, Sandara was trying calm down a nervous Chaerin, but now, she watched as the beautiful bride walked down the aisle with her father. As the bridal song played, Sandara wanted to suppress her tears, but she failed. Bom, who was standing beside her, handed her a facial tissue to wipe her tears.

Sandara turned her head slightly and she looked at Youngbae. It was as if Youngbae stopped breathing as Chaerin walked towards him. Jiyong, who was beside Youngbae, poked his bestfriend to remind him to breathe or he would faint in his own wedding.

Seeing the scene before her, Sandara couldn’t help but smile.

The wedding ended without any bad thing happening. It was so spontaneous—and full of tears and laughter.

If this wasn’t Chaerin’s wedding, Sandara would have left immediately after Chaerin and Youngbae exchanged I do’s. But since she loved her bestfriend, she found the decency to stay until the wedding reception ends.

But now, she regretted that decision.

Sandara was watching the newlyweds dancing on the center, when all of a sudden, the official emcee of the night (Lee Seunghyun who had an evil smirk, that Dara just wanted to erase, on his face) announced that the maid-of-honor and the best man should at least dance even once.

The next thing she knew, Jiyong was standing in front of her, offering her his hand. She just stared at his extended hand before she heard him say “Let’s just do it. It’s just a dance for God’s sake.” And so, she accepted it. But as she heard the music changed, she figured out that she had been making bad decisions ever since she got here.

Hello boy it’s been a while

Guess you’ll be glad to know

That I’ve learned how to laugh and smile

‘Oh God!’ She said to herself as Jiyong lead her to the dance floor. She turned her head, making sure that she won’t face him as she placed her hands on the back of his neck. She then felt his hand snake around her waist, pulling her close and closing the gap between their bodies.

Getting over you was slow

They say old lovers can be good friends

“Funny. It’s like the song is talking to someone.” Jiyong said. Sandara was still looking sideways but her peripheral vision tells her that Jiyong was just looking at her. ‘Oh God, this is harder than I thought.’ She said to herself.

But I never thought that I’d really see you...

I’d really see you again

“Why wouldn’t you stare at me Sandara? It’s not like I’m so ugly that you couldn’t even stare at me.” Jiyong said, trying to provoke Sandara—and she was. She wanted to show him that looking at him means nothing to her but blame in on the song.

Just as she looked at him straight in the eyes, the chorus played.

I go crazy when I look in your eyes

I still go crazy

And then, she just lost it. She pushed Jiyong off her and ran out of the hall. She ran towards the elevator and she was glad that it opened just when she needed it too. She got in and immediately pushed the button to close it, but a hand stopped the door from closing.

Jiyong got in the elevator and closed the door. He grabbed Dara’s wrist, not because he wanted to hurt her but to prevent her from getting out of the elevator before it fully closed.

“Why do you keep running away from me? Did you know that everytime you get out of my sight; I lose a piece of my sanity? If you runaway again, I might truly lose it!” Jiyong said to Sandara as the door closed.

Sandara didn’t want to face Jiyong and so, she turned her back on him.

Jiyong, surprised Sandara and himself by hugging her from the back.

“Ji, stop doing this... just stop. I’m going back to the States tomorrow and my decision’s final.” She said as she tried to get Jiyong’s hands off her. But he was stronger and she couldn’t get it off her.

“Remember all those sad movies we watched before? When the girl dies and leaves the man behind? I thought that I’ll feel the same pain as the man in the movie when you left me. But you left me willingly... it hurt a thousand times more. But I don’t care if you left me in the past, I’ll forget about it. Just... just don’t go. Please, stay. I didn’t stop you the last time. But this time, I’m begging you... please stay.” Jiyong said to Sandara.

“Do you know why I left? I left because I freaked out. You proposed to me and all I could think about was walking down the aisle alone. Our father left us Ji! And he left without saying goodbye. And I feel like a loser for not having a father who would walk down the aisle with me and not having a father who would give me away.” Sandara said as she began crying.

“That’s it? You left me because of that?” Jiyong said with disbelief. He let go of Dara and at the same time, Dara faced him.

“What do you mean that’s it? Don’t you know how important it is for a girl to have a father? When I saw Chaerin being given away by her father earlier, I felt like my heart was taken out of my chest and have been stomped by a thousand elephants. Do know you how much that hurts Ji? Can you imagine what I’ll feel if I walk down the aisle alone? Even just imagining it hurts already...” Sandara said as she began to punch Jiyong on his chest.

“If you could have told me these 5 years ago, we could have saved our tears... we could have planned our wedding differently... we could have made this work Dara!” Jiyong said as he stopped Dara from punching him.

Sandara looked away to wipe her tears. There were new tears forming in her eyes but she pressed her lips to stop her tears from falling.

“Stop this Ji! Just stop this. You’re just hurting yourself. Stop loving me... Can’t you accept that we’re over? We’ve been over since I walked out of your life...”  She said with a straight face but her voice began to break.

Jiyong pressed a button and the elevator door opened.

“What makes you different from him? What makes you different from your father? You left me... just like how he left you...” And with that, Jiyong went out leaving Sandara behind.