Yeah, he was having fun alright. Donghae was slumped in the couch drinking his wine while Eunhyuk, Heechul, Kangin, Zhoumi, and Henry with his girlfriend are all gathered at Siwon’s rec room. Eunhyuk, Siwon, and Heechul were playing pool and the rest are just sitting on a stool talking and laughing while drinking. They kept teasing Henry as Henry will introduce his girlfriend with his family and they needed to go now.

Donghae glanced at the wall clock in front of him. He closed his eyes in agitation when the clock read 11:20pm. He had the urge to blinfold himself as his eyes always wander at anything which exhibits the time of the day. His watch, his phone, the wall clock, the time on the dashboard of his car when he was driving here. He needs to stop thinking about this. He should be there bantering with his friends but here he is, looking like a dark cloud had settled on top of his head and he couldn’t get it off him as much as he tried to. He already told himself that he will forget about everything tonight, for once have fun on this Christmas eve. But he couldn’t get the urge to go home out of his nerves. He already kicked the thought that Dara is waiting for him. She is probably snoring when he gets home.

He honestly couldn’t tell what thoughts are running through that girl. Everything she did for the past couple of days had thoroughly shocked him and he had resorted once again into avoiding her in possible ways that he can to stop himself from telling her to hell with the divorce. What will happen when Dara regained her memories? Then it’s to hell with him as she signed the petition and run off with the man she really wants to be with.

He sighed in frustration and tried to recall those times he waited for Dara on every holiday and being disappointed time and time again. This is the only way he knew to keep him from shooting his head off.

“Yo, Donghae we gotta go now.”

Donghae looked up and saw Henry with his girlfriend waiving good bye to him.

“Ah yeah,” he answered. He shifted in his seat starightening his back. He didn’t realize he was alredy slouching. He was about to drink when his phone rang. It was from an unknown number. He picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Merry christmas,” a voice greeted.

Donghae smiled. “Ah Mrs. Rey, Merry Christmas. How’s your sister?”

“She’s still lumpy and fat. Tell Dara to heat the container I have left in the fridge. It’s best served hot.”

“Uh… okay. I’ll tell her when I get home. But it’s best if you could call her too, I might forget.”

Mrs. Rey was silent for a moment. “You’re not at home?”

“No, I’m with Eunhyuk and the guys.”

“And what time are you going home? It’s already 11:30.”

“Probably tomorrow.”

“Lee Donghae! It’s Christmas and you should be spending this with Dara!”

He opened his mouth but Mrs. Rey ranted on. “She is waiting for you. She was really excited to spend Christmas with you. What is wrong with you, huh?”

“Since when did you become her fan?” Donghae retorted.

“Since I met the girl you can’t shut up about. Go home.”

Donghae sighed. “I’ll go home tomorrow. You can tell her to go to sleep. If she’s even still awake.”

“Donghae—“

“Mrs. Rey, have fun with your sister, okay. Tell her Merry Christmas. I already called Mom earlier and she told me to greet you too. So Merry Christmas from Mom and Dad. See you when you get home. Bye.”

He hit the end button to disconnect the call. He was putting his phone back in his pocket when he realized his friends stopped what they’re doing and are looking at him.

“What?”

Siwon shrugged his broad shoulders. “Nothing man.”

“I think you should go home,” Heechul said. “Not that we don’t want you here but I think you should be spending this with Dara.”

Donghae glared at Eunhyuk who was looking sheepish. “Since when did you become a gossip girl?”

“Hey, i didn’t told them… much.” Eunhyuk aimed for a ball on the pool table and it missed.

“Yeah just go home.” Donghae looked at Kyuhyun behind the bar pouring himself a glass of wine. “You’re looking like you’re at a funeral.”

“What we are trying to say,” Zhoumi chipped in. “Is that you are here but your mind’s somewhere else. Have you realized you have been sitting there looking so glum for the last 4 hours?”

“And you keep looking at the clock,” Kangin added.

“So now you’re watching my every move?” Donghae felt himself getting irritated with his friends. He was here to forget about his troubles and they were ganging up on him.

“Yes,” Eunhyuk said. “Because you look like a fool sitting there really looking like he wants to go home.”

“Dara already lost her memories so why don’t you show her who she really married?” Zhoumi said.

“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation,” Donghae said.

“We have been friends since high school,” Zhoumi said. “We watched you fell head over heels about a girl you met in Jeju, how you married that girl. And how you tried to make her happy. We admit the Dara we met is a little bit cold—”

“A little bit?” Heechul repeated.

“Really cold,” Eunhyuk supplied. “But that was after the Jiyong scandal. Before she was just a little bit.”

“And we can see how she seems to be so independent and doesn’t need anyone…” Then Zhoumi shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m saying these things. Leetuk is much better at this advising stuff.”

“Leetuk!” Heechul exclaimed. “See? He’s happily married. Why don’t you call him and ask for advise?”

“Donghae,” Eunhyuk said leaning on the pool table. “Who you were living with now and waiting for you at home for christmas is the girl you have really gotten along with, not the woman you had asked to marry you. Dara might have lost her memories but she won’t lose her memories she made during this time if she got  her memories back, you know what I’m sayin’?”

Siwon nodded. “That’s right. You would always have this What If questions with you. What if I tried this, what if I tried that. If she regained her memories and realize she really doesn’t want you, at least you already tried, right?”

Eunhyuk glowered at Siwon. “You are not helping.” He turned to Donghae. “Why don’t you do it this way? Take advantage of her. Take advantage of her lost memories. So even when she gets her memories back, at least you got even with what she had done to you in the past, right?”

Heechul guffawed along with Kangin. They put up a thumbs up sign nodding. “That’s a good idea,” Heechul said.

Donghae sighed as his friend made fun of his situation.

“You’re a coward.”

Donghae’s head snapped up to look at Kyuhun. The guys all looked at Kyuhyun too who is now sitting next to Kangin on a stool looking so relaxed.

“You are scared of what will happen when Dara gets her memories back so you don’t want to take chances. You just sit in there thinking but you never really take the risks. You don’t even want to try. Why? Because you are scared. And you are just proving Dara right by thinking she married the wrong man. You might have fought for her but the battle did not end when you gave up. You gave up because the battle didn’t .”

They were all silent, staring open mouthed at Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun who is always playing games on his computer and doesn’t seem to be interested in dating.  Donghae had always thought Kyuhyun’s life was easier out of all of them. But maybe he had gone through something they didn’t know if he could say things like that. He stared hard at Kyuhyn who is drinking the wine. He was right. He already gave up because he is so tired of fighting. He was scared thinking that Dara wouldn’t want him when she regained her memories. So scared of taking a step forward because he was afraid of tripping. Now he realized he is hurting Dara in the process of protecting himself. If he keeps this up, once Dara gets her memories, she would realize she was right by thinking she was a .

“Wow Kyuhyun,” Kangin said looking surprised. “I didn’t k