“Are you busy? Can we talk?” Dara asked as soon as Jiyong opened the door. He was surprised at her sudden visit but nonetheless he opened the door wider and let her in.

“Of course.” He answered as they walked towards the living room and motioned for her to sit down on the couch. “Do you want anything—“

“No, I’m okay. This won’t take long.” She said seriously, making his forehead scrunched up in confusion.

“Is there a problem with the engagement preparations? Has the planner contacted you?” he asked as soon as he settled himself beside her. Jiyong saw her back stiffen making him nervous.

“The engagement is off, Jiyong.”

He froze. His mind went blank for a moment as he struggled to recover from shock. Jiyong shook his head a little, trying to make himself believe that he heard her wrong.

“W-what do you mean it’s off?” he asked cautiously.

Dara closed her eyes and inhaled to calm herself. She pursed her lips as she blinked her eyes open before staring directly at his eyes.

“My dad is talking to your father now. Don’t worry, my side will take all the blame. I know your father will definitely be crushed, I really can’t ask forgiveness for that. I don’t want to apologize because I feel I don’t deserve his—“

“Why?” He knew his expression was hard. He can feel the heat spreading inside his body and across his face. She glanced away from him and his jaw clenched harder.

“Because it’s not right. Our reason to get married is wrong.”

He inhaled sharply. Somehow, it felt like a big rock was lifted off from his chest. At least it was not because she loves someone else or something along those lines. The situation can still be fixed.

“Look, Dara…” he went to his knees to level her eyes. “We talked about this already, right? We agreed that this is the best solution. The engagement preparations are almost done. We can do this. We get along with each other well, it wouldn’t be so bad.”

Dara smiled bitterly as she shook her head in disagreement. That is when he started to really panic.

“I… I don’t think it would work. I told you that I don’t want to apologize but—“

“Then don’t!” he gather her hands and enclosed them tightly around his. “Don’t say sorry, let’s go on with the engagement as planned. We gonna be okay, Dara—“

“We won’t!” she strongly replied. Her eyes started to redden. “This is not the best for the two of us. We won’t be happy like this—“

“We will be happy. Come on, Dara.” He held her hands tighter as if they are his only refuge.

“Jiyong, please. Don’t make this hard.”

“You think you can just back out like that?” she looked surprised hearing anger in his voice. “The invitations are already sent out, the media already knew about it, were as good as formally engaged. And you decided to back out now? You can’t do that. Do you realize how serious this is for our family and for our reputation?”

This is the first he had panic like this in his life. He’ll use everything he knows, even intimidation in fear that she’ll really back out.

“I know that.” She answered. “Just what I said earlier, my family will shoulder all the responsibilities. Don’t worry, we’re willing to pay moral damages if you decided to file a case.” There was no trace of sarcasm in her voice. That made everything worse.

“Even so, that’s not enough! What’s happening? Why this, all of a sudden? We were fine together, right? We get along so damn well, we’re very comfortable with each other—“

“Even so, that’s not enough,” she repeated. “It won’t work out, Jiyong.” Dara stood up and walked towards the door. He was frozen in his ground, in daze still on his knees in front of the couch where Dara sat.

He was going to lose her.

He blinked then gathered himself as he dashed towards his fiancée before she could finally walk out of his door.

“You can’t leave me like that,” he hissed as he swiftly pulled on her arm, turning her around.

She was pinned between the door and his body before she knew it. Dara’s eyes widened as she stared back at him, surprised.

Jiyong cupped her face with both of his hands, leaned down and did the first thing that came to his mind: he kissed her. Dara’s hands went up to against his chest to push him away but Jiyong grabbed them to stop her from doing so. He would not let her push him away.

Not from this kiss, not from her life.

He had never been this desperate in his whole life. He doesn’t care if he gets hurt… he did not care if at the end of this, he would find himself in misery.

He just wanted to keep Dara… wanted to be with her. He just could not lose her even if it means to break their stupid pact and that stupid rule. He can take everything, accept everything but not lose her.

Their kiss broke as they both came up panting with the need for air.

“Don’t… leave me. I love you.” He sounded pathetic he knew, but he doesn’t care at all. If he needs to beg her on his knees, he would gladly do it if it's the only way that she won’t leave him. He rested his forehead against her and closed his eyes. “I’m not kidding, Dara. I really love you.”

He felt his cheek sting as Dara’s palm came contact with it. Then she said in soft yet sad voice, “You don’t have to do go that far.” His eyes snapped open and looked directly at her. “I know you want to make your father happy—“

“That’s not it!” he snarled through gritted teeth.

“Maybe you think you love me—you convinced yourself that you do. But subconsciously, Jiyong, it’s all really because you wanted to—“

“Damn it! Don’t treat me like one of your wretched clients and don’t you dare us Psych 101 on me!” he snapped. His hands came up on her shoulders. “I know what I’m feeling, it’s not out of responsibility or the need to make my father happy. I’m doing this for myself!”

Jiyong inhaled deeply to calm himself. Dara seemed shocked by his anger as he calmed himself more before he continue, he doesn’t want to scare her.

“I want to deny it at first and I stubbornly told myself that it was out of responsibility, out of love for my Dad. I…I didn’t want to fall in love. It was not in my plan. I saw how miserable my father was, I know it’s because he loved my mother so much. I never wanted to hurt that much but…” he inhaled once again and bravely continued. “…if it means losing you, if it means not being with you, Dara… then, I’d rather endure all those pains. If loving you would bring me hell later, so be it. I’ll burn happily.”

He pulled her into a hug and let himself cry in front of her. He doesn’t care if she sees him in this state right now but he’s desperate. He’s desperate to keep her by his side. He’s never been this weak in front of someone before but for Dara, he gladly bares his heart for her.

“Even just for a little while, it’s fine with me. I’ll take all I can, just please… stay with me. Let’s stay together as we possibly can. Please…” he pleaded weakly, “…just don’t leave me.”

There he said it all, he said all the words he was so scared to admit even to himself before… the words he swore he would never say even if he die. But he had said them all, bared them all. Now, he is vulnerable and weak, with no defense at all to protect himself.

Yet he did not care.

Jiyong felt Dara move, her hand slowly went up to hug him and it made his knees weak with relief. She did not respond, did not confirm her feelings for him. But it was fine for him. He was not asking her to love him back. If she would let him be with her, it’s enough. Dara is more than enough.

He would not ask for anything more.

He put a little distance between them and kissed her softly on the forehead. They stared at each other silently then Jiyong hugged her tightly again.

--

“So here’s the last question. What made you fall in love with your fiancé, Miss Sandara?”

In his peripheral vision, it did not escape Jiyong’s sight how Dara’s smile stiffened upon hearing the question. He casually draped his arms around her shoulders.

“Hey, how come it’s only her who gets to answer that question? You should ask me that, too” he said diverting the topic to him.

The interviewer gave a chuckle. This month, they were picked to grace the cover of a famous society magazine for their engagement announcement.

“Well, sure. But it seems like you answered it already with the earlier questions.” The interviewer replied.

He did? Are his feelings for Dara really that obvious? He felt his fiancée squeeze his hand, making him look at her.

“He’s really not that hard to love,” he heard Dara said. “As I’ve said, at first, I didn’t like him. We were so different. Everything about us contradicts. He was everything I hated in a man. But as I get to know him better, I realized that he’s not really as bad as I initially thought. He won’t admit it but, Jiyong really has a kind heart.” She glanced at him smiling. “You probably don’t believe it too, right?” she said to the interviewer. Both of them laugh, making Jiyong laugh with them too.

“He’s selfish, yes. But he was just being real.” She continued. “He knows what he wants and tries his his best to get it. Maybe there were few times that he could hurt some people on the way.” She lightly chuckled. “Still, I think I came to like that about him. I suppose, I came to like his guts. Honestly, the more I know him, the more I like what I’m seeing and…”she paused for a bit then smiled, “…well, he made me realize a lot of things about myself—good and bad things. For example, I always thought that I was honest and fair and brave. But when I met Jiyong, when I started to have feelings for him, I found out just how frail, scared and selfish I am. This may sound corny but, I’ve always thought that I wanted to fall in love madly and deeply like in the movies. You know, get through all the hurdles and experience all the pains and heart of love?” she said, laughing at her ideals before.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” The interviewer replied, smiling.

“But when I met Jiyong, I find myself trying so hard not to fall in love. We all know he’s a playboy and all, right?”

“Hey!” Jiyong protested but they just laugh at it.

“I was afraid to get hurt. I knew loving someone like him would be painful so I wanted to run away. But seeing how much he loves his father and how he could do almost anything for him, it made me feel ashamed of my selfishness. I always call him selfish and self-centered, yet, this person is ready to give up his freedom and playboy lifestyle for his father. And here I am, someone who prided herself as kind and at some extent, selfless—yet, desperately trying to protect myself so much simply because I’m afraid to be hurt. Simply because I’m selfish and I love myself too much.” Dara’s hold on his hand went tighter as she continued. “I decided I’d be like him. I wanted to go on with the engagement too for my dad. But it only lasted for two weeks, I decided I can’t go on anymore. Again, I found out that I really love myself more than my dad. I can’t get married to him when I’m so in love with him and I know he doesn’t feel the same way. Once again, I cowered and ran away. Then he did something that made me feel rather ashamed of myself.”

“What was it?” asked the interviewer.

“He told me he loves me.” Dara answered. Jiyong froze at that as the interviewer creased her forehead in confusion.

“That made you feel ashamed of yourself?” Dara nodded and smiled.

“Yeah, because he made me see an ugly side of me. He showed me just how coward I am. He’s someone who swore he’d never want to fall in love hard because it will only bring pain. But then, he bravely and honestly admitted his feelings for me.” She smiled again and looked at Jiyong in the eyes. “I’ve always know that we were opposites from the very beginning but I never thought that we’re opposites this way. And before I knew it… I was already deeply in love with him.”

--

“What you said at the last question earlier, is that true or did you just made that up to make the article a good read?”

The interview has ended an hour ago and they were cuddled up on the couch of Jiyong’s living room. Dara’s back was facing him while her hands are resting on Jiyong’s arms, embracing her. She chuckled at him and his question.

‘Crap’, he said to himself. Is it right to laugh at him when he’s being all serious here? He buried his face on the crook of her shoulders in frustration. He’s determined not to force her to reciprocating his feeling for her. But when he heard all that she said earlier at the interview, he can’t help but increase his hope meter.

Dara turned her body around, facing him as she rests her forehead against him. “It’s true.” She said simply.

He froze in surprise for a moment. His hands then went up to her shoulders, “I’ll take that. Even if you’re just saying that to appease me, I’ll take that. So you can’t take that back anymore,” he replied with a serious tone.

“I won’t.” Dara replied then giving him a soft kiss on the mouth.

Jiyong stared at her directly in the eyes. He wanted to ask her if she’s serious but he can’t seem to do it. He fears that she might say that she’s only kidding.

So instead, he leaned down and kissed her, hoping that somehow he would the answer he needed from her kiss. He kissed her hard and she responded to him with equal intensity and force. He pulled his lips away from her, only to take them down as he bit and her jaw and neck.

“I love you, I really do.” He heard Dara whispered.

He nipped at the pulse at the side of face then brought his lips to her ear. “You shouldn’t have said that.” Jiyong groaned as he continued kissing and biting her neck until it reddened, marking her as his. “Because now that you’ve said it, I really won’t let you go, even if you cry or complain.” Then tugged at her blouse and proceeded on and biting at the creamy white skin on her shoulders.

After that, he stopped and stared at her directly in the eyes.

“That’s a lie,” he said all of a sudden.

“What…”

He smirked seeing the dazed expression on her face. Just the thought that he can do this to Dara to the point that she could not keep track of their conversation—if he can even call it a conversation—felt so good.

“Never mind.” He bent down and captured her lips again.

What he meant when he it was a lie was that he won’t let her go now that she admitted that she loves him too. Because even if she never learned to love him, Jiyong still won’t ever let go of Dara.

After all, they made a pact that they will stay by each other’s side…forever.

--

A/N: Waaaaah! It's done! Love Pact's already done! BUT since this fic received a lot of good comments I decided to post an epilogue after a few days. Thank you everyone for the support and kind feedback. I haven't said all my thanks yet, I'll just include it in the epilogue. Hope you had fun reading this story. 'Till the very last update. :)

P.S: SHOUT OUT TO MY FOREVER STALKER AND BEST FRIEND IN REAL LIFE, insidemyrottenmind! You are very creepy but I still love you hahahaha, comment please! #medyobossy lol okay

xoxo,

Pat Authornim~