Dara felt everything but good.

She felt angry, sad, confused, exhausted, hopeless and lost.

“I miss him, Ji” she said, her voice breaking as the words were coming out from . She bite her tongue and closed the eyes, trying her best to not burst into tears for the 2nd time since she came back from the rehearsal.

“Dee, I have a question…” Jiyong started, busy playing with the lock of her dark hair “Do you love him?”

She said nothing. Instead she shut her eyes as tight as she could and squeezed the grip harder on her brother’s shirt, her head still resting on his lap. Jiyong sighed and lit up a cigarette, making the perfect rounds of smoke with the first puff.

“How am I supposed to answer?” finally Dara asked as she cried again “What kind of question is that?”

“Dunno” he laughed “Maybe the question you’re asking yourself for long enough now?” with that he patted her head softly “I’m your brother Dee and probably the closest person you have. I know what’s going on in that head of yours”

Dara only nodded as her vision became blurry and the tears were falling down her cheeks. Again.

She was an idiot, she was sure about that. Her current state was only her fault and she could blame no one but herself. She made Sehun and Luhan lost themselves, she lost Sehun and what was the worst - she lost Luhan.

She was, all this time, stupid enough to make Luhan wait while trying to figure out the obvious feelings she had for him, missing out his best friend falling for her in the meantime as well. With that she cried even louder, completely unprepared for the burden she felt and caused.

She could not think of the moment when she came between Luhan and Sehun, it was simply devastating. It was like someone would try to destroy her relation with Jiyong or Chaerin – unacceptable.

Yes, Sehun had a special spot in her heart but it was different from the one she held for Luhan.

She kind of loved Sehun – but in almost the same way she loved Yukwon or Himchan, even Baekhyun. Almost, as she always felt slightly different about Sehun. She wanted him to be her best friend and not one of many she had. She eventually left that idea, seeing that Sehun yes, liked her, but was far away from returning her sympathy completely. He had Luhan after all and he was this kind of person who needed one friend, not more.

Too bad she never predicted he might felt the completely opposite way, developing a crush or more in her instead.

She felt her stomach squeezing when she recalled the moment when Sehun kissed her. What Dara did after that? Yes, she slapped him.

She slapped him and ran away from the roof and later school. It was confusing and it caught her off guard completely, but she felt bad about it. It was like kissing Jiyong – more or less, but still comparable.

But one thing was sure for Sandara Park at that moment – it was all her fault. Even thinking about Sehun and everything she made him go through simply hurt. And the fact that Luhan seemed to disappear completely was taking the whole situation from ‘the bad’ to ‘the catastrophe’ level.

She could not help it – she wanted to see and hear him badly. On the other hand she was not able to dial his number. She could not dare.

Suddenly her phone rang but her head stayed still on Jiyong’s lap.

He looked lazily at the table near the sofa.

“Dee?” he called “Gonna pick up?”

“It’s Chaerin” she muttered in response, fighting the loud sob down in . Jiyong shrugged his shoulders and lit up another cigarette, waiting for the call to end.

Then it rang again, and later again.

Finally he could not stand it any longer as he reached for her phone, his eyes widening upon seeing the caller’s ID.

“Dee, I think you might want answer that”

He handed the iPhone to her and saw her face getting paler while checking the screen. He smiled softly.

Dara blinked her eyes, wiping the tears from her checks and concentrating her seeing more and more.

Lulu

“Just pick up! He called few times already!” Jiyong yelled, making her jump in her spot and looking up at him with terrified expression.

“I-I can’t”

“Dee, for ’s sake, enough!” just when he took the phone away from her the call ended. Jiyong rolled his eyes, not believing the dramatic atmosphere that was flying around “What is wrong with you? You love the guy, face it!”

“So what?!” finally Dara yelled back, standing up and looking Jiyong straight in the eye “So what? I ruined him! Him and his best friend! I destroyed their friendship, Ji! How could he love me back, huh? How?!”

Jiyong’s jaw dropped and he took a step back, seeing her looking away and crossing her arms.

“He’s too good, Ji” she frowned and covered her face, without any desire to show any more tears today “He’s so good that I can’t even imagine losing him someday…And I can’t imagine him hating me now for what I’ve done” with that she smiled bitterly “I can’t face him. He’s an angel and I broke his wings”

Jiyong took a deep breath, not really believing anything he was hearing. He did not see that coming at all. Was she serious? Was the situation that hard?

“Dee” he cleared his throat “I’m sorry but what is between Luhan and Oh Sehun is not your business. I imagine it’s ty but come on, it’s not like you were seducing him or some-”

Suddenly the intercom rang, making them look at the main doors frantically. Jiyong raised his eyebrow and approached the entrance, turning the screen on and seeing the person how was calling downstairs. His eyes widened as he picked up the handset.

“Hi there little deer”

“Is Dara home?” Luhan asked, his stare focused on the camera.

“She is” Jiyong grinned and gazed across the room, observing Dara’s eyes becoming bigger.

“Let me in” Luhan insisted “Or I’ll be standing here till the morning” his voice was very unusual and serious, what made Jiyong chuckle - fortunately he stopped himself from that “Come on Jiyong, you know I’m not joking”

“Huhuhu, just got serious” finally Jiyong lost it, bursting into loud laughter “8th floor”

With that he pressed the button with the key icon, making the main doors to the building open. He turned the screen off when he saw Luhan getting inside.

“What have you done?!” Dara cried as he ran up to him, hitting his chest with her fists “I can’t see him, I cannot!”

“Calm down Dee” Jiyong caught her wrists, making her stop punching him and opening the entrance “You’ll thank me later” with that he pushed her outside their apartment, slamming the doors shut before her face.

“Yah, you just didn’t!” she screamed and started to knock on the wood violently “It’s not funny Ji! Let me in!” she pushed the doorknob – closed “Jiyong!”

Suddenly she stopped, hearing the lift approaching the floor. She looked across the corridor with horrified expression, her stare stopping at Luhan.

Her eyes widened and all she could think of was to run. Too bad her legs were absolutely frozen to the spot, not moving an inch.

“I’ve been calling you” he said while coming closer. Dara only nodded and blinked her eyes, observing Luhan suddenly standing few meters away from her.

“No wonder you don’t want talk to me” he laughed bitterly and looked away, running his hand through his hair.

“It’s not tha-“ Dara answered, sounding like she was about to break once again today.

“I’m sorry for hitting Sehun and for forcing you to choose between us…” suddenly he looked at her again, his lips formed in a smile but his eyes teary “I’m an , I know”

“You’re not-“

“It caught me off guard” he interrupted again, putting his hands down and head high, still looking at her “I can’t act responsibly, I know” and then his voice cracked down completely “But I ing love you and I can’t do anything about it” 

And in that moment she lost it.

There was no point for her to say anything so she just ran up to him, crushed her lips against his and linked her arms around his neck, closing the gap between them completely. Luhan was absolutely shocked but soon after that he relaxed and brought her even closer with cupping her face with his hands and pinning her against the wall with his whole body. Dara’s eyes shot open since the sensation filled her whole body and because she was not expecting him to be so vibrant.

It was not like she did not like it so she ran her hand in his hair, pulling them gently. Finally they parted, gasping for air.

“Wow” Dara whispered while staring at his lips “I always imagined you as a good kisser but I never thought you’ll be that good”

“Ok, so…” Luhan laughed almost across as he leaned down to rest his forehead against hers “It means you’ve been fantasizing about me?”

Her eyes widened and cheeks became red instantly. Luhan chuckled and put her chin up, making her look at him.

“You’ll be getting much more but I have one condition…” with that he leaned down once again, gently kissing her closed eyelids “Don’t you even dare to cry again”

Dara only laughed after hearing his words and nodded her head firmly.

“Gosh, I feel stupid…” she suddenly said “I’m just nodding my head and you talk a lot…”

“Well, yeah” Luhan scratched his nape “I always do that, even if the situation doesn’t need much words…Like the one we have here now”

“But still it needs some words…From me” suddenly Dara took a step back and looked away from him “The thing is that I…I-I love you”

She moved her head gently to stare at him again, seeing nothing but a complete astonishment painted all over his pretty face. And just when she started to feel absolutely stupid and awkward she felt him pinning her against the wall once again and giving her the most passionate kiss she could ever dream of. It lasted for few more moments before they heard another voice.

“Dear God, that was hot! You guys gave me a !”

Dara and Luhan jumped from each other and looked at grinning Jiyong who was leaning against the apartment’s doors.

“You have to be ing kidding me Ji!” Dara gritted her teeth, looking at her brother with disbelief and pure rage “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough” he laughed “And I always thought you two will be that pair with the official confession, couple rings, flowers and ” with that he put his jacket on and made his way to the lift, patting Luhan’s shoulder when he passed by them “I’m gonna get something to eat and meet Youngbae later, have fun kids” finally she winked at Dara “Congrats sis! Score!”

“Jiyong!” she yelled after him but he was already gone, his laughter still heard at the corridor.

Dara shook her head and chuckled as well.

“I’m sorry for him” she said, looking back at Luhan “He was always like this…Once a – always a ”

“Is he?” Luhan grinned and winged his eyebrows teasingly in response. Dara rolled her eyes playfully and kissed her, apparently, boyfriend again while dragging him to the apartment after her. Yes, she definitely will have to thank Jiyong later.

ALMOST MEANTIME

Jiyong left the building and went straight to 7eleven, lighting up a cigarette in the process.

He needed to buy another pack anyway. When he was about to enter the store he felt his phone vibrating. He stopped to unlock the screen and check the message.

From: Choi Seunghyun

Jiyong-ah, the fight is moved from Friday to Monday, for you and for Kai. Enjoy the weekend! PS. The interest because of your ring comeback is insane! Well done.

“ you, hyung” he muttered in response and then he heard some barking. He blinked his eyes and looked down, seeing the small, black and fluffy dog, his dog-lead pinned to the barrier next to the entry “And what the hell is your problem?”

The dog barked again.

“Dude, seriously?”

Bark.

“Oh come on!”

Bark.

“One more word and we’ll talk differently!”

Bark.

“Fine” Jiyong rolled his eyes and stepped on the cigarette , before barking at the dog back. The specific conversation lasted for few seconds before Jiyong heard another voice. This time it was coughing.

“Are you seriously barking at my dog?”

Jiyong froze to his spot before moving his head to look at the shop’s entrance. There he saw Kim Taeyeon, her arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

“Chicken! Good evening!” he grinned widely “He started! You need to teach your dog some manners, you know. He’s quite an ”

“His name’s Ginger” she stated before putting the dog-lead back in her hand “And he’s not…unmannered”

“Oh, right” Jiyong scoffed “Now we should exchange phone numbers or what? Hello Ginger-sshi, my name’s Jiyong, it’s super nice to meet you. It’s actually the first time when I greet a dog!”

“I don’t believe you exist sometimes” Taeyeon rolled her eyes “Oh, how’s Dara? How is she feeling? I heard what happened between her, Luhan and Oh Sehun…Does she need anything? Maybe I can bring her a chocolate or something?”

“Nah, it’s cool” Jiyong waved his hand “She’s currently busy with Luhan. All is fine”

“Oh…” she blinked her eyes before widening them “Oh! That! Ok then…” she blushed madly “I’m glad it’s good”

“Yeah, finally” Jiyong smiled “And how are you, Chicken? No rehearsal today?”

“No, it’s over already” she shrugged her shoulders and showed the coffee in her hand “I’m having some caffeine shot while walking out Ginger and then I’m back to