The clock just struck four in the morning and Dara just woke up. She sat up, finding herself in her room. Quickly, she ran towards the door and out to the hallways. She looked from left to right but there were no people around. Maybe they were asleep. Tiptoeing, she went towards Jiyong’s room. She slowly opened the door.

 

She poked her head in and saw Jiyong still sleeping on his bed. Sighing, she entered the room and went towards him. Carefully, she sat on the edge of his bed.

 

As if automatically, her eyes were filled with tears. She roamed her eyes around his bruised face and then his bandaged and equally bruised body. Her hands reached out, carefully touching the bruises with her fingers, as if by the mere light touch would make the wounds healed and gone. But sadly, no.

 

She choked down a sob. She withdrew her hand and covered to silence herself, afraid to disrupt Jiyong’s rest. She bowed her head down as she stifled her cries.

 

After a while, she lifted her head and grabbed Jiyong’s hand. She clasped it in between hers and brought it to her lips. “Please get better soon.”

 

After half an hour, Dara stood up from her spot and decided to let him rest for a while. While she walked towards the door, she wiped her tears. She then lifted her head and was shocked to see her brother by the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes focused on her.

 

Dara gasped. “Sanghyun.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Do we have to talk out here? It’s so cold,” Dara said, hugging herself, looking around her – the rooftop where she usually stayed when she wanted to be alone. The sun in the east was about to rise but the wind blowing was still cold.

 

“This is the only place where we can talk without the fear of being heard by others,” Cheondoong said. “Take a seat,” he said as he motioned to the bench.

 

Dara did and she stared at her brother. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to treat your wound,” she said, her eyes on his bandaged arm. She carefully grabbed his arm and inspected it.  “Did it hurt? You should have been more careful, you know.”

 

“And let Jiyong-hyung be stabbed? I couldn’t let that happen.”

 

Dara nodded and faced forward. “Honestly, if I were on your place, I would have done that too. I couldn’t let that happen to him too.”

 

Cheondoong stared at him and furrowed his eyes. “You must really care about him that much eh?”

 

Dara nodded. “He had been beside me all this time, protecting me and taking care of me. It would have been the last thing I could do for him.”

 

Cheondoong breathed deeply as he heard this. After a while, he heard TOP’s voice inside his head. “You’ll have a hard time pulling Dara away from us, especially from Jiyong.” There was just something in TOP’s voice and smug smirk that made him scared of Dara’s reaction to what he was going to say next.

 

“Noona, we need to get out of here.”

 

As expected, Dara’s head whipped to his direction. “What do you mean?”

 

“This ‘family’; they don’t do you any good. You’ll be more in danger, having to stick to this bunch of assassins.”

 

Dara shook her head. “That’s not true.”

 

“You’ve seen what happened today and tonight. You nearly got hurt. You might have died on that explosion today. I might not have met you.”

 

Dara blinked rapidly and looked away while shaking her head. “I… can’t…”

 

“Noona, you’ll be better off living with me. Let’s go home to Jeju. Let’s live with Omma and Appa. We’ll have a better family there. A safer one.”

 

Dara shook her head again. “I don’t want to…”

 

“NOONA!” Cheondoong’s voice raised but tried to stop himself. “Noona, please…”

 

“Sanghyun, how about you live with me? I don’t want to leave them. I can’t.”

 

“And leave my family back in Jeju? I’ve left my foster parents for three years already. I promised them I’ll be back once I found you. I promised them you’ll be a part of our family.”

 

“Okay then, bring your family here,” Dara said, her voice was desperate. She didn’t know but she felt that this would not end well. “We could form a better and bigger family, if you want to bring them here. It’s alright. I’m sure my brothers will agree to that.”

 

“And bring them to danger too? I can’t risk that.”

 

“They won’t be. This family is safe, believe me.”

 

“You don’t know what you’re saying. I almost lost you tonight.”

 

“Yes, that’s true. But because of Jiyong, I’m safe. I’m here with you. I can stay safe as long as I’m with him.”

 

“Is this about Jiyong?”

 

Dara’s eyes furrowed.

 

“It’s not because of your brothers, noona. It’s about Jiyong.”

 

“No, it’s also about them. I’ve lived with them for most of my life. How could I separate myself from them?!”

 

“Noona!”

 

“I can’t separate myself with them, Sanghyun! They’re my family! Teddy-oppa, Kush-oppa, Seunghyun-oppa, and Jiyong.”

 

Cheondoong’s hands balled into fists and without thinking, he grabbed her by her shoulders quite roughly. “Tell me, noona. Do you love him?”

 

Dara’s eyes were wide, shocked at the younger guy’s reaction and the look on his face. “Sanghyun…”

 

“Do you see him more than a brother?!”

 

Dara squirmed. “Sanghyun, let go…”

 

“You clearly see him more than a brother, noona. Don’t you deny it. I can see the way you look at him.”

 

“Sanghyun, I don’t understand.”

 

“You don’t?!” Cheondoong’s voice rose again. “Jiyong-hyung. You love him, don’t you?”

 

A lump formed in as she looked at her brother. Her heart was thumping real hard against her chest. It was a question she had never asked herself all this time. But why was it that there was already an answer inside? Why was it that she couldn’t say it? Why couldn’t she open and say no to her brother? Was it because the answer wasn’t a ‘no’?

 

Dara looked away and a tear escaped her lids. “I… I don’t know.”

 

Finally, Cheondoong let go of her. “TOP-hyung is right. You’re the only one who doesn’t see it,” he said. “Whatever you may feel for him, we need to leave this place. This is not a choice I’m giving you, noona.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dara had her head bowed while Teddy prepared the table and Cheondoong beside her. Kush was in front of her and TOP beside him.

 

“It’s true. We treat Dara really well. I always cook her favorite food,” Teddy said quite proudly.

 

Cheondoong smiled and nodded. “You must really fancy my sister.”

 

“Dara is really adorable. We cannot not fancy her. I remember when she came here, she had this really cute dress and I just wanted to buy more for her,” Teddy said.

 

“Really? I wish that liking on her wouldn’t go to the extent that you’ll see her as more than a sister to you,” Cheondoong continued, his gaze diverting to TOP who looked away.

 

The atmosphere in the dining room became tensed as Cheondoong finished talking. The fork Kush was holding when he planned to snatch a hotdog from Dara’s plate was floating midway. His eyes were on Cheondoong. Teddy’s eyes were too.

 

Dara felt the tension so she elbowed Cheondoong.

 

“Of course. I know you won’t see her as more than a sister, right? I can trust you at that, right?” he asked.

 

Teddy laughed awkwardly. “Of course. It isn’t like feelings developed between…” he trailed off to cough. “… any of us.” Teddy then slumped on his chair. “That isn’t possible, right, TOP, Kush?”

 

TOP straightened and stared at Teddy.

 

“Of course, that’s ridiculous. It’s like… ,” Kush said, continuing to eat his food.

 

“Oh, noona. Eat. You need to gain more weight. I don’t know why you look so thin. Are you sure you’re getting the right nutrients here?”

 

Teddy’s hands tightened on his spoon and fork. He breathed deeply, not liking how Cheondoong’s words implied something.

 

“Don’t worry,” Teddy gritted his teeth while speaking. “I’ll buy more meat for her from now on.”

 

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” Cheondoong said, waving his hands. “I’ll bring her home at Jeju. I’ll be sure to feed her the nutrients she needs. I’ll be sure that she’ll be safe and I’ll protect her as her brother.”

 

“W-W-What do you mean?” Teddy stuttered, his eyes wide.

 

“You don’t mean that…” Kush trailed off, not wanting to say the exact words.

 

TOP, on the other hand, had his fists clenched under the table as he glared at Cheondoong.

 

“Yes. What you’re thinking right now is correct. I won’t let her be with a family of assassins like you,” Cheondoong finished, a smile still on his face.

 

Dara couldn’t help it and with her head bowed, tears started falling from her eyes.

 

Teddy, although angry, wasn’t able to react violently. How could he? Cheondoong had all the rights. He was her brother, the true family. They were only the foster family. He wanted to shout at him, to say no, to say that he didn’t want that, to say that Dara was a part of their family. But he lost all the will reminding himself of the place of the guy telling him all these. With that, he stood up from the table and left.

 

Kush had his mouth open, a piece of bacon falling from his mouth. After a while, he followed Teddy, not knowing how he would have reacted if he stayed long.

 

TOP had the most violent reaction. He stood up angrily, causing the chair he was sitting on to crash backwards. He had a fork in his hand and he tightened his grip on it, being tempted to throw the thing on the younger guy, especially that the latter had his eyes on him too, and a smug expression on his face. His eyes fell on Dara, who still had her head bowed. Seeing this, he assumed that Cheondoong was able to convince Dara, although he believed that she wouldn’t agree to it. He had to admit, he was disappointed. His eyes then diverted back to Cheondoong. He let go of the fork and left the place, following the older brothers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was nighttime when Dara decided to visit Jiyong again for the nth time that day. All day, she stayed beside him, leaving once in a while to eat or rest for a while. She didn’t want to meet any of her foster brothers. She didn’t have the face to see them. She didn’t know what to do. So, with Jiyong still asleep, she decided to stay with him all day.

 

She walked towards the bed and sat on the edge. Unknowingly, a tear escaped her eye. What if she would be leaving him? What if she wouldn’t be seeing them anymore? Could she live without him? Without them? She was used to have him around her and it hurt her knowing that she might leave them anytime. Cheondoong gave her time to say goodbye and besides, it was still unsafe to go out of the confines of the house.

 

Also, she had this dilemma within her for a while now. Cheondoong’s words this morning, they kept on ringing inside her head. Was what he said true? Does she really love him? She didn’t really know until he asked. This feeling she had with Jiyong, her heart always thumped hard in her chest whenever he shows he cares, or when he acts sweet to her. But she didn’t really mind it, telling herself that it was nothing, that it might be just because they were close. And he also had this issue of him being always sweet to her, always protecting and taking care of her, always scolding her when she makes him worry, always telling her to be careful and all. Maybe it was just because he was her brother, she thought.

 

She was confused.

 

Dara’s hand reached out and his face. “Jiyong…” she was about to stand up, finally deciding that before she could even feel attached to him, before it would be more difficult for her to decide, she need to have a fixed mind that she had to leave them. She didn’t want all these confused emotions. She didn’t want to have all these uncertainties. Maybe it was for the better. But, Jiyong caught her wrist, making Dara gasp. “Jiyong?”

 

Jiyong’s eyes opened and with a hoarse voice, he said, “I was waiting for you.”

 

“You’ve been awake?”

 

Jiyong weakly nodded. “I was expecting you were beside me waiting for me too. You disappointed me.”

 

Her eyes weren’t still cleared of tears. But seeing that Jiyong was already awake after hours of making her worry, she jumped into him and entrapped him into her arms.

 

Jiyong her back and hair as he just listened to her sobs.

 

“Were you worried?” he asked.

 

Dara couldn’t answer as she kept on crying, her face buried on the crook of his neck, forgetting that she was hurting the patient, who was in turn letting the woman crush him under her weight.

 

“Sssh. Don’t cry,” he whispered.

 

Dara pulled away, her face now tainted with her tears. “I was worried to death, you idiot. How could I not cry?”

 

Jiyong laughed. “You’re still as cute as ever,” he said, pinching her nose. “Do you want to lie down here?” he said, patting the space beside him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dara sniffed again.

 

“Are you still crying?” Jiyong asked, looking down at the woman who had her head lying on his arm.

 

“I’m scared,” she whispered.

 

“I bet you were. Don’t worry. I’m sure you didn’t kill him,” he said.

 

“Screw that. I don’t care if I go to jail,” she said.

 

Jiyong gasped. “What a tough girl.”

 

“I could have even killed him if I really learned how to shoot. I could have shoot him dead straight on his skull,” she said, chuckling in the process. “I wasn’t scared of that you know.”

 

“Really now? Then why were you scared?”

 

“I was scared because I thought you would die,” she said, her voice so soft it was impossible to hear, but Jiyong was able to hear her because of their close proximity. “I was scared you would leave me. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to see that ugly face of yours again, that I wouldn’t be able to hear your girly voice, that I wouldn’t be able to hear your annoying laugh, that in the morning, I wouldn’t be able to see your face and scream at it…” she trailed off to choke down a sob. “I was scared because I might lose you.”

 

“Dara, I would never leave you,” he said, hugging her tight to himself.

 

Dara lifted her head, staring at him straight into his eyes, not caring that they were too close to each other that they could feel each other’s breath fanning on their cheeks. Her eyes were still tearful.

 

“What if one day you will? You can’t really be sure of the future, can you, Jiyong? What if you’ll get sick of being here with me? What if you’ll get tired of protecting me? Or taking care of me? What if one day, you’ll have your own family and you have to protect your wife and the kids? You’ll eventually forget me,” she said.

 

“Dara, I would never leave you. NEVER. That’s a promise. Was there a time that I broke a promise?”

 

“Jiyong, you can’t be so su—“

 

Dara was cut off when Jiyong pressed his lips against hers, sealing the words with a kiss. Eventually, his lips moved against hers and she responded. It wasn’t hungry or desperate. It was sweet, passionate, and slow.

 

After a while, Jiyong pulled away from her. “There, I sealed it,” he said and then gave him another short smack on the lips. “I would never leave you, no matter what happens.”

 

Dara had her eyes wide as another tear escaped her lips. She stared back into Jiyong’s orbs who finally realized what he did.

 

Jiyong gasped, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—“

 

He was cut off when Dara wrapped her arms around his neck, once again burying her face on the crook of his neck.

 

You’re making it hard for me to leave you, she thought, now certain of how she felt for him. I love you, Jiyong, you idiot. You made me fall for you.