Dara sniffed and blinked the tears that were pooling on the rim of her eyes. She was unconsciously remembering what happened fourteen years ago and it just made her cry again. She gripped the necklace on her hand with the hanging silver ring. Would she ever see her brother and father again?

 

On her other hand was the crumpled, black-and-white, torn picture. She tried to smile looking down at her mother who had the baby Dara on her lap. Suddenly, a gush of wind passed through and the picture slipped on her hand. Frantically, she stretched her arm and reached for the picture, leaning forward across the waist-high railing. Fortunately, she was able to reach the picture.

 

“Ha! I caught it,” she breathed a relief, her hand still stretched out and body still leaning forward across the railing. She chuckled in celebration. Her heart was going to burst out of her chest if the picture was going to be flown away by the cold night wind.

 

Suddenly, a pair of arms caught her by the waist and they were thrown to the ground. Dara, still clutching on the picture, sat up and looked down on whoever ruined her moment.

 

“YA! What were you thinking?!” Jiyong burst out, looking up while he was panting and lying on the ground.

 

“What?! Shouldn’t I be asking you that?!” Dara asked back.

 

“Why would you ask me that? I wasn’t the one trying to take her life by jumping from the rooftop,” Jiyong ranted.

 

Dara looked at him incredulously. “Who’s jumping from the rooftop?”

 

Jiyong sat up, confused as she was. “Aren’t you?”

 

Suddenly, Dara burst out laughing, clutching her stomach dramatically and wiping the tears she pretended to be coming from her laughing too much, when in fact they were tears that remained from her crying a while ago.

 

“Aigoo, Jiyong can be so stupid sometimes,” she said, laughing maniacally. “Jumping from the rooftop? HA! Me?! HA HA HA!”

 

“Ya! Stop laughing, will you?” Jiyong ordered.

 

Dara opened her eyes while still laughing, when she caught Jiyong’s face, she remembered something. She crossed her arms over chest and turned away from him.

 

“Hmm? What is this now?” Jiyong asked curiously. He poked her shoulder but she just shook his finger away. “Ya! Why are you being like that?”

 

“I am not talking to you,” Dara said.

 

“You just did though,” Jiyong shrugged, chuckling at his own joke.

 

“Hmp!” she raised her chin to the air and remained stubborn.

 

“Ya! Ya! Ya!” Jiyong repeatedly poked her just to receive a smack on his head by Dara before she went to her stubborn position. Jiyong rubbed his head and frowned at Dara. “You’re that jealous of Yoona?”

 

Dara frowned at that.

 

“There’s nothing to be jealous with. She’s nothing. Like I told you, she’s a fling. I don’t even know how she found where I lived. And I already tol—“

 

“I-I’m not mad because of that,” she whispered, confused by herself. She didn’t even know what she was mad about. She thought back to what happened a while ago. Was it because of Yoona declaring herself as his girlfriend? She wasn’t sure herself.

 

“Wha… then, are you mad because I told you I didn’t want anyone in school knowing that you’re my sister?”

 

Dara slumped on her seat. Was it because of that? Did she mad because he said he didn’t want anyone from school know their relationship? Or was it because of Yoona? She wasn’t entirely sure. Her mind was too confused that she couldn’t help but frown. She didn’t know what she was mad about, that she was sure of.

 

Maybe it was both? Maybe it was either of them, but she wasn’t sure which? Maybe neither, but what?

 

But thinking back, she didn’t have any reason to be mad about those reasons. Why would she? Like what she and Jiyong said, she’s his sister. There was no reason to be jealous. But maybe it was just her sisterly instincts? Because like what she said numerous times, she doesn’t like Yoona for Jiyong. Well, yeah, that’s it.

 

And how about the second reason? She was mad because he didn’t want anyone from school knowing their relationship? Well… that was more feasible, because she had been wondering this for years already.

 

“Halmeoni,” Jiyong’s voice interrupted her trail of thoughts.

 

Dara turned to him and asked, “Who are you calling Halmeoni?”

 

Just then, Jiyong caught Dara’s face in between his hands while he cupped her small face. “You, idiot. I’m calling you, Dara Halmeoni. So stop frowning or you’ll get older fast.”

 

Dara stared at Jiyong’s soft eyes. She blinked and fought back the tears. Somehow, Jiyong’s hands cupping her face brought an unexplainable surge of emotions inside her. But that one emotion that stood out was longing. The warmth and comfort she felt with his hands cupping her face reminded her of the moment when her dad cupped her face while he was explaining how he was afraid of neglecting them.

 

She shifted her gaze down as she felt tears flowing from her eyes. How could a pair of hands feel the same like what she felt years ago? How could these hands feel so warm on her cold cheeks?

 

Seeing this, Jiyong was about to pull his hands back when Dara put her hands over his.

 

“Stay,” she muttered, closing her eyes. “Your hands are just as warm as my father’s used to be.”

 

Jiyong stared at Dara as tears fell from her eyes. He wanted to wipe them off but Dara’s cold hands were over his, while she was feeling the warmth he was giving. It was her first time mentioning about her family. Suddenly, Dara’s eyes opened.

 

“Why is Jiyong Harabeoji’s expression so serious?” she asked, smiling.

 

Jiyong smiled too. “My seriousness was caused by me wondering why Dara Halmeoni’s cheeks are flushed and cold,” he said playfully.

 

Dara pouted and dropped her hands from over his. She cupped Jiyong’s face then. “Why are you so warm?”

 

Jiyong felt the coldness of Dara’s palms and the sadness from her voice. Just then he squeezed her face. “Ugly Halmeoni needs to smile,” he said.

 

“Wot?! Ho are yo calling uglee?” Dara asked through squished face.

 

“Ugly Halmeoni, ugly Halmeoni,” Jiyong chanted. In revenge, Dara also squished his face. Just then, Dara laughed.

 

‘Good job, Jiyong,’ he thought to himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dara walked through the gates of the university alone again. After a few seconds, Jiyong’s motorbike drove past her. She sighed. “I still couldn’t understand,” she mumbled to herself.

 

Lazily, she walked into the university building, eyes on her shoes. She didn’t notice that there was someone in front of her and so she bumped into him. When she looked up, she immediately bowed in apology. The guy just scampered away as if he was scared for his life now since he bumped into Dara. Dara just scratched her head in confusion.

 

Just then, she noticed everyone in the hallway staring at her and chattering between them. She stared at them all and immediately felt crept out by the sudden attention she was getting. She was used to be ignored, to be a ‘nobody’ in their school.

 

When she entered her classroom, her classmates quieted down and stared at her. She shivered at it but chose to ignore it. She sat on her desk and waited for the bell to ring. Suddenly, she heard the gossips around her and they mentioned her name. She looked towards her and saw the girls were crowding Yoona.

 

Dara was too busy being a ‘nobody’ that she didn’t even notice that she had one subject where she was classmates with Yoona.

 

Yoona was staring at her and she smiled. She stood up, leaving her friends on their desks and walked towards Dara.

 

Dara stared from left to right, thinking maybe it wasn’t towards her that Yoona was smiling and walking. But she stopped in front of her.

 

“Hello, Dara,” she greeted.

 

“Dara?” Dara asked, confused. ‘Why was she calling me so casually?’ she thought. “Hi?”

 

“What are you going to do later? Let’s go shopping?” she asked.

 

Dara furrowed her brows. “Why would I go shopping with you?”

 

Yoona looked perplexed with Dara’s response. She chuckled awkwardly and flipped her hair to the side. “What do you mean why, Dara? Of course, I want to spend time with my future sister-in-law.”

 

Dara’s brows rose. ‘What the hell is she talking about?’ She stared around her and her classmates were all silent and leaning forward while anticipating Dara’s response. Seeing this, one side of her lips lifted.

 

“Um, for your information, Yoona-ssi,” she said, emphasizing on the honorific. “I won’t ever be your sister-in-law, because my brother told me you’re just nothing but a fling.”

 

Yoona’s eyes widened, totally shocked with her response. In a second, their classmates went running towards Dara’s desk, shoving Yoona away like she was just like what Dara said – nothing.

 

“Dara-ssi, then it’s true?”

 

“Dara-ssi, your brother is so hot. You’re so lucky!”

 

“Dara-ssi, here is a box of chocolate, please tell your brother I love him.”

 

Dara-ssi. Dara-ssi. Dara-ssi.

 

Dara stared at the flocks of her classmates crowding around her. She didn’t even realize that they knew her name. She was a ‘nobody’ back then and this sudden change totally brought chills to her spine.

 

 

 

 

 

Dara immediately ran off towards the door when the bell rang signaling the end of their class. When she was able to get out of her classmates’ sight, she sighed in relief. She then walked towards her next class – Chemistry.

 

“Hi,” she greeted simply to her lab partner, Youngbae. In this university, it was only her lab partner who she talked often because of Chemistry stuffs. However, unlike usually, Youngbae didn’t greet back but he just turne his back from her.

 

Dara tried to peek over his shoulder and ask him what was wrong but Youngbae left his spot and sat on another student’s chair.

 

Dara scratched her head in confusion. “What’s with everybody today?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the classes ended, Dara dragged her feet towards their meeting place. She was too tired, going around the school, being chased by Jiyong’s fangirls (and a few fanboys) while they were pleading for her to be introduced to her brother. She was carrying some baskets of chocolates on her hand and on the other was a bear. Under her arms were flowers.

 

When she arrived on their meeting place, she lifted her head to meet Jiyong’s gaze.

 

“You look awful,” Jiyong commented.

 

Dara frowned. How could he notice how she looked like instead of the things that she was carrying?

 

“What’s all those?” Jiyong asked finally.

 

“Oh, nothing, just a fourth of the gifts from your fangirls and fanboys. The others are still in my locker, crowding, that I had to throw some of my books. These are nothing, really,” Dara said sarcastically. “I don’t really understand why all these are happening suddenly.”

 

Jiyong’s hands formed into tight fists on his side. “Throw all of them,” he ordered.

 

Dara furrowed her brows. “These are gifts for you.”

 

“I don’t care.”

 

She stared at him incredulously. “What? Are you going to throw all of these to waste? They gave this to you.”

 

“I said I don’t care!” he yelled.

 

Dara flinched, hugging the bear closer to her chest. “What’s wrong with receiving gifts?”

 

Jiyong raked his hair with his fingers. He exhaled exasperatedly. “This is why I told you I don’t want anyone from our school knowing about our relationship.”

 

Dara blinked rapidly. “Do you really despise the fact that I’m your sister?”

 

“What?! No. it’s not that!”

 

“Then, am I such a burden for you that you hate people seeing us as siblings?”

 

“No. you’re just the one saying that.”

 

“Then why?!” Dara yelled, throwing all the gifts to the ground.

 

“I just don’t like people seeing us as siblings,” he simply said.

 

Dara’s hands balled into fists and she turned around, leaving Jiyong calling for her.

 

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thank you totoree for the poster!