Being in a place faraway from home should have been nice, at least that what Dasom thought before she entered the plane. However, after staying in Milan for few weeks, she felt a bit disappointed.

Living there with strangers around you, speaking strange language, even buying unusual food, all of them made Dasom missed home more. In addition, Donghyun was very busy, or to be exact, made himself busier.

It was like Donghyun became awkward with her. Their interactions were not like what Dasom imagined. It was not romantic at all, not sweet at all. Donghyun focused on his work all day. And she still could not figure out why.

Dasom knew she couldn't cook, she was not that good in doing house chores. That made her afraid that Donghyun would realized how useless this girl was. She was used to live easily, where everything was already arranged for her, every food was already cooked and served prettily without her even moving her fingers. But now living without such luxury, she had to suffer in order to make a simple dish.

Living only with Donghyun, happily cooked for him every day, now was just a fairy tale for her. The reality was cruel. Donghyun would come late everyday. He even used his weekend to check on the company. While Dasom, was pretty much being alone and confused.

Donghyun would wake up early and leave before Dasom woke up. He did not want to trouble her, he said. He became weird. It was like living with a stranger.

Like today, Dasom already spent the whole day to make a perfect spaghetti for their dinner. With several errors, she finally succeeded in making two plates of carbonara sauced spaghetti.

He said he would be back at eight, that was why Dasom had served the dish at seven fifty five, so it would be warm when he was home.

Dasom looked at the wall clock in the living room of their shared apartment. It was 10:50.

She had called him several times, but his phone was inactive. Worried. Not of the food, but worried of him. Why wouldn't he get home by now when he said he would come early?

Phone. Dasom looked and play with her phone, tried to distracting herself from the bad thoughts that would make her panic. She opened her chatting application and looked at her contact photo.

A couple was smiling brightly, with a blue sky as the background. It was the picture that has been taken the day they arrived in Italy. They looked so happy, Dasom thought.

Her finger tapped and moved around her phone screen. Donghyun's contact photo was exactly the same photo that she used as her.

Smiling bitterly, she scrolled over her contacts. Hyunseong, she took a look at his contact name. His profile, the picture was a scenery of Eiffel tower. Did he go to Paris?

Dasom suddenly remembered once Hyunseong told her he wanted to go to Paris with her after they get married. She hasn't heard more about him since the last time he brought Donghyun home. She only knew from Donghyun that Hyunseong went for a trip.

Would it be better if she chose Hyunseong? No, she said to herself, shooking her head.

Almost tapping the "call" button, she cancelled it, thinking that he might not want to answer her. She rejected him, choosing Donghyun over him.

Where was Donghyun?

Even though she felt so sleepy, she waited and waited for Donghyun. She felt her eyelids were really heavy, but she insisted to wait in the living room. She watched TV, but there was nothing interesting enough to keep her awake. She then played games in her phone, until finally she dozed off.

-- 

Donghyun entered the house, looked around and questioned why the lights were still on. Two plates of cold spaghetti were seen on the table. He came to the dining table, observed how nice it was served and how Dasom had learned so hard to cook the food.

Donghyun turned around. There, on the couch, he saw the love of his life was sleeping soundly.

A regret hit his heart. He had been ignoring her for a long time. Walking slowly towards her, he realized how much he loved her.

Also, how much he restrained himself not to be too close to her for a stupid reason.

He carried her to her bedroom. She looked so tired even in her sleep. Putting her on her white bed, he realized how she worked so hard to cook and do house chores.

There were band-aid on her two left fingers. Her nails were short and clean, without any nail polish that she always used. He only saw their engagement ring instead of other fancy hand accessories.

He knew his choice changed her. His choice turned her to be a totally different person. And he was changing her again that moment. He knew he must have hurted her by acting awkward and avoiding her.

"I'm sorry for avoiding you," he muttered while putting the blanket to make her warm. "Wait until I can settle the business down."

Before he stood up, he leaned closer to kiss her forehead. He turned off the light and left the room, not wanting her to wake up because of him.

--

The next morning, Dasom woke up. She only remembered she was waiting for Donghyun last night. But now she was in her new bed, the bed that was sent from Japan.

The house was silent. Dasom could only sigh, knowing that Donghyun might have left for work. Again, it was the same every day, she thought while washed up.

Did he get bored of her? Did he finally realize that she was not perfect, that she was only a childish girl who always wanted to be with him? Did he lose that spark? Did he lost the love they have shared? Did he feel tired because he had to build the company only to be with her?

All bad thoughts were running in Dasom's head as she walked down the living room. Hair around her face was wet after she washed her face.

A person came up from the kitchen, Donghyun Oppa, she thought.

"Good morning," he greeted her. He had already dressed in a casual office suit, a black shirt and gray trousers. He drank his water while looking for his work bag.

"G-good morning," Dasom stuttered. She wanted to run to him, to scold him, hit his arms because he was so cold towards her these few weeks. She also wanted to hug him tight, saying she missed him, but she could only stand there.

"I gotta go," Donghyun spatted quickly, avoiding looking at her face. He walked fast to the front door.

"O-oppa," Dasom called him, finally succeeded in grabbing his arm.

"Yes?" Donghyun asked, a bit awkward.

"Have a good work," she said, frustated looking at his reaction before.

"Um," he replied, "bye." And he went out.

When the door was closed after Donghyun left, she sighed, felt defeated.

She started up the work, at least that would kept her busy and not thinking too much about Donghyun. When she ran to the kitchen, she saw the plates last night had been removed, and the microwave had been used. Perhaps, did Donghyun eat it?

A smile plastered on her face when she thought about that. At least he ate it, right? She realized she became a fool for him, but what else she could do... 

She gathered the used clothes in the plastic basket to be washed. In her mind, she remembered how Donghyun usually was so warm towards her, but now he became cold again, like when he avoided her earlier.

While waiting for the washing machine, she grabbed her phone and sat near the door of the washing room. She needed someone to listen to her story.

She doesn't have any close female friend. Partly because she could always rely on Donghyun on every single thing in this world, that she felt she didn't need anyone.

Her finger ran through her contact list again. Hyunseong. Could she talk about this with him? Plus, she was curious about his whereabout too. So asking where he was wouldn't hurt, that was what she thought.

--

Dasom : Hyunseong...         11:46 

Dasom : where are you now?   11:46

It was delivered. Yet, there was no respond. Dasom sighed and put her phone away.

She was getting the clothes from the machine when suddenly her phone beeped, signalling an incoming message.

Hyunseong: I'm in Paris now. :) 12:05

Dasom quickly typed before Hyunseong left his phone again.

Dasom: What are you doing there? ^^ 12:05

Awkward question, Dasom thought. She hit her forehead for that lame question.

Hyunseong: Refreshing 12:06

Hyunseong: You're in Milan with Donghyun hyung? 12:06

Dasom : Yes. ^^ 12:06

Dasom : Actually,… I want to ask and tell you something. 12:07

Hyunseong : What do you want to tell me? :o  12:07

Dasom sighed. Should she told him about her problem? But if she didn't, who else would listen to her?

Hyunseong : Dasom? 12:07

Hyunseong : Is it important? 12:08

Dasom : Can I call you now? 12:08

Hyunseong : Sure. I'll be waiting! :) 12:08

She called him.

"Yeobosaeyo?" asked a familiar voice. His voice was still nice, Dasom thought.

"Dasom-ah?" Hyunseong called her.

"Hyunseong," she was still hesitated to tell.

"Is there any problem? You and Donghyun hyung?"

"Yes," she answered.

She told Hyunseong everything. Donghyun's weird act, her feeling, and also her fear. She even cried when she told him.

"Dasom-ah, don't cry. I believe hyung has his own reason." he said to comfort her.

"You're lying only to make me feel better, right?" she asked in an anxious tone.

"Kim Dasom," Hyunseong sounded stern, "if I want to lie, I would say he doesn't love you anymore and I would take you from him now, " he sighed.

"Try to understand him."

"But what is the reason?", she asked, sobbing.

"I don't know, but I will ask him. How about I call him?" His tone became soft again.

"That-that's a good idea, tomorrow afternoon." Dasom said, remembered that the next day was Saturday, and Donghyun would stay at home at least until lunch time. She could ask Donghyun afterward.

"Good, so, with the same time area between Paris and Milan, I'll call him at 11, Okay? Don't cry, Dasom-ah."

"Okay. Thank you, Hyunseong." Hyunseong swore he could visualize her bitter smile on his head just by listening to her voice at that time.

Hyunseong also didn't understand why Donghyun acted like that again.

--

The next day, Dasom couldn't keep her eyes stop looking at the clock. She wanted to know what Donghyun would say to Hyunseong.

It's 11:03, and Hyunseong hadn't called Donghyun. Dasom peeked at Donghyun's room only to see the man she was worrying about was working on some documents.

She sighed quietly. Was it a must to work on weekend?

She observed Donghyun for the next five minutes. Why she had to fall for him? Why she could love him that much?

If she didn't hold herself at that time, she was sure she could jump and hug him from the back.

The next thing almost made her jump. Donghyun's phone rang. Dasom wished that would be Hyunseong.

"Yeobosaeyo, Hyunseong," he talked after receiving the call.

There! Dasom had this beaming eyes just by hearing Hyunseong's name.

"Where are you now?" he asked the younger.

"Ah, that. Anyway, why are you calling?"

Go straight to the point, please, Dasom thought.

"Uhm, yes," Donghyun said with a doubt in his tone. He then talked softly, almost like a whisper.

Dasom really wanted to know what they were talking about. She listened more.

"you know, with all of this, I can't stand that………" his voice faded. Dasom couldn't hear more.

But, what thing he couldn't stand? Was it Dasom?

"I know, but you have to understand. It's not the same anymore, with only the two of us," Donghyun explained to Hyunseong.

"You will understand when you experience it by yourself," Donghyun said with a hint of disappointment.

What was it? Dasom was afraid Donghyun would tell Hyunseong that he didn't love her anymore. Because he finally realized that she was not interesting?

Tears threatened to escape from her eyes. Before Donghyun could her sobbed, she went away from his door.

She quickly wiped her tears and washed her face. When she went out Donghyun was standing in front of her room.

"Dasom," he called her.

"Mm? Yeah? " she said, avoiding his eyes while saying those.

"Let me cook for lunch," Donghyun stated, trying to get close to her.

Dasom avoided him and took her phone and wallet.  She didn't want him to see her cry.

"Uh, oppa, I need to go shopping. Have lunch without me, bye!" she quickly wear her shoes and got out from their apartment before Donghyun could say anything.

She avoided him because she was afraid that she would explode anytime soon. She would burst in tears in no time if she stayed.

Now, she doesn't have any place to go to calm herself. She started walking slowly.

Dasom walked around their neighbourhood. She walked past the restaurants on that block, and she kept walking while calming herself down.

If Donghyun didn't love her anymore, what would she do?

She almost bumped into someone but luckily she realized it before she hurt the person or herself.

She realized she was a foreign people walking in a street of Milan, without knowing how to speak proper Italian.

Her feet kept dragging her along the street until she knew where was she going.

She was going there, to a small coffee shop where she enjoyed her first coffee in Italy with no other than Donghyun. He brought her there after a long time in plane before they went to their new apartment.

She sat inside after ordered a hot chocolate, since it was the easiest thing to order using her English. It's comfortable and she can read the English books there.

Sipping her warm chocolate, she read a magazine to avert her mind from Donghyun. However this cafe reminded her of him.

The first time they got here, they shared a slice of cheese cake together, with laugh and smile towards each other.

That brought sadness to her. Why did he change that way?

It hurted. After going this far, would it be the end?

Dasom mentally shouted to herself. You should stop thinking otherwise you will cry, Dasom, she thought.

--

Donghyun did not understand what was going wrong. He initily wanted to cook for lunch, to let Dasom rest this weekend because lately he had been ignoring her.

He did not want to cook for or even eat lunch anymore. Not when he was the one who's going to eat.

At that time he realized Dasom might feel the same. So many times Donghyun skipped dinner at home.

Did Dasom skip dinner everytime he called her to have dinner on her own? Like this too?

Did he let her down by always going home late?

No matter what, he had no other option, except to avoid himself being too close to her. He couldn't be like that.

He wouldn't be able to restrain himself if they were close.

--

Ta daaah~~ ><

So sorry for letting my subbies waiting and waiting for a long long time ><.

/bows/ >< Jeosonghamnidaaa...

A long story as a bonus for my loyal subbies >w<

Thank you for your understanding and please wait for the next chapter(s) ^^

<33 Satsuyue