Normal POV
The entire trip, no one was talking. Only the music from the stero can be heard; mostly they are OPM and songs from YG or FinKL.
Come on, Hae. Speak. He glances over to her side whenever he gets the chance. She was just looking out the window and in deep thoughts. He bites and licks on his lips as he tries to come up with something to say.
The awkward atmosphere starts to be suffocating.
Suddenly, one song in Dara’s playlist started playing.
At first one would find it relaxing and easing with all the guitar accompaniment in the intro.
But apparently the song made things worse.
♪Don’t you know that I want to be more than just your friend…♫
Dara’s eyes glance over the stereo quickly. Oh my God, why does it have to play now? Is the universe playing tricks at me?
MYMP – Say You Love Me
Her gaze slightly turned to him, yet he was just calmly driving. He glances back at her a second after. “Nae?”
“Ani…” she shyly turned her face away. Feeling a bit relieved for he seems to be so focus on driving that he doesn’t hear the music well.
But she just doesn’t know that Donghae was just pretending to be calm. He knows the song too, he has heard and listened to it before, and now he also feels equally uneasy as the song kept on going.
And how it keeps saying ‘Say You love Me’ like encouraging him to do so.
However it was Dara who got the courage to speak up “Hae…” she murmured. “About last night…”
Donghae’s hands grippedd tightly on the wheel, in preparation. Here it goes…
“Uhm… I…” Dara looked down her hands, wresting her thumbs together while her chest starts to tauten in. Ohmygahhhh why is this so hard??? You can do this dee, just ask him about it? “Can you pull over a bit?”
He pulls over to an open road next to an empty open field.
“I’m sorry… I just… could you give me a while” Dara unbuckles her seatbelt and gets off her car. She exhales heavily with her hands covering her face. Omaygahhh I’m not ready… What is this feeling? It’s crazy… I can’t… Ughhhhhhh….
Donghae looks at her worriedly watching her through the window in front. Seeing her that bothered and frustrated makes him feel super bad and guilty.
He steps out the car and stands beside her with one hand in his pocket, and one behind his neck.
“Dara, if you were offended by the kiss, I’m really sorry” he says, head down. “I really didn’t mean to scare you”
“Ani…” she responded, shaking her head and slowly placing her hands down. “I wasn’t offended or scared… I was more confused… and surprised… super…”
“I’m sorry…”
“Stop saying sorry. It just makes me feel upset” she says. “I’m not mad or anything. I just don’t know how to deal with this…”
She sighs again in frustration, Donghae was the same.
With all the silence between the two, they could still hear the song that’s playing inside the car. Dara must have left her door still slightly open.
“Were you just drunk that time?”
“No… I was perfectly fine”
“Then why?” Dara stares at him.
“Do you really wanna know?” He asks. In a way more of like, is she sure she’s ready to hear it?
Dara nodded her head slowly and in uncertainty.
Donghae went silent for a while, gathering all the courage he can get. This is it, Hae. This is the chance. Hooha… His heart was beating in such exaggeration. Just be honest and tell her, “Because I…”
“Dara, I...”
“I lo… ---“
**GRRRROOOOWWWWWLLLLL~~~~~**
Dot. Dot. Dot.
Eh? What was that?
Dara’s face stiffens as blood rises to her face. Omo, why now?
Donghae can’t help but burst out in laughter.
“Ya… It’s not funny” Dara says cutely and embarrassed. “Last time I ate was this morning...”
He continues to laugh to his side.
“Don’t laugh it’s embarassing~”
“Come on, let’s have you fed first” he heads back to the car.
“But we’re still not done talking”
“We’ll talk while eating”
“Aniyo… Hae, this is serious…”
**Growl~~~**
Aish really… this tummy completely ruins the mood.
“I won’t be able to talk seriously with Dara's monster tummy whining loudly like that” Donghae smiles at her, in a tease.
Dara sighs. What can she do? She too won’t be able to concentrate on the topic if she keeps feeling embarrassed how loud her hunger is. Still. Can't we just...
She went to her car seat and silently buckles her seat belt.
"Ready to go?"
Dara looks away. her brows creased and high.
Seeing that places a lump on Donghae's throat.
How do i deal this now?
"Are you guys still heading back to the dorm?” Bigbang asks seeing 2NE1 lead to the main door exit.
“Ani… We’re going home to our houses. We still have a lot to pack” CL responded, hugging Rilakumma tightly to her arms. “how about you? You’re still not going home yet?”
“We still have to wait for sajangnim”
“He’s not coming, his secretary said” Minzy informed them.
“He is. He called us. That’s why we’re here” Daesung says. “To discuss some… matters”
A bell rings in Bom’s mind, and she frees herself from TOP’s embrace. “Hul!~ Where is Donghae?”
“Donghae?” CL asks, why the sudden question.
“Where is Winner? Team B?” The Park alien asks furiously while looking at her boyfriend and the rest of the bigbang members. Some 3 winner boys even showed up in time. “Kya!!”
“Why? Why? Why?” CL and Minzy start to be curious.
“Ah… You’re fast, noona” Taeyang smiles and his eyes too. “He already left with Dara noona”
“Really? So did you get something from him!?!?” Bom excitedly asks, gripping on Seunghoon’s arm flesh hardly so he would reveal whatever they have gathered.
“Ow! Ow! Noona! Ow! Nothing!”
“Liar!” she hits him again.
“Don’t pretend like you know nothing either!” Daesung says. “If I know, you guys are accomplices!”
Accomplices?!
“Hold up! Please!” CL went in the middle. “Can you tell me what’s going on? Seungyoon-ah speak!”
Kang Leader glances at his Big Bang hyungs first to get there permission. And when he got it.
“YG called Donghae sunbae in, noona” Seungyoon filled them with all what has happened. But still leaving the part that he said he loves her.
“That’s why Dara unnie was in a hurry when she heard sajangnim’s not here” Minzy commented, clapping her hands and laughing. “You were interoggating him!”
“It was found out that it seems Donghae is the one Dara noona is seeing recently” TOP says, pretending like doesn’t know anything.
2NE1 remained silent. BUSTED. They know they were going to ask about it sooner or later but the group haven’t planned out how they would respond to it ever. Now they’re stuck and blank.
“See I knew they were accomplices!” Taeyang laughs and threatens to tell them on YG.
“Big deal? So what if they were? They’re just going as friends…” CL defended.
“Friends? Are you sure?” Daesung smirks.
2NE1 were in wonder. Do they already know that the two seems like going more than friends?
CL looks at the unusually most quiet today. Seungri and GD on the side. She knows these expressions. A Seungri that’s tight lipped, and a heart broken GD.
“Donghae says he loves Dara” TOP was the one who blurted it out because he knows his girlfriend would be the one most delighted. “In front of all of us”
The ladies' jaws all have dropped open.
“HUL!!!!!!!! REALLLLLLLYYYY!!?!? KYAAAAAAAHHHH!!!” Bom turned to her usual alien self and started dancing. Even humming the HAPPINESS song that's from the other company. La la la la la la la. She pulls Seunghoon in and forces him to dance with her.
“Noona please, I know how much you want to be with me but not here. TOP hyung is watching”
Way to go to ruin the fun. Bom pushes him away and goes back to TOP. “Hul here we go again. Tabi please clean him up now”
The gang laughs for a minute before turning back to the conversation.
Why are things going so fast? Last night we were just talking to super Junior that we will let them be and now he already confesses? Or they already know of his feelings? And were just tricking me?
Aish those oppas…
The fierce leader curled her knuckles together.
“Now we know how he feels, what’s next?” Minzy asks.
The guys raised their shoulders. They were going to ask him if he plans to court her but Dara jumped in the frame and took him away. And because they weren’t able to, no one knows what’s next.
“We wait” a very distinct raspy voice that almost everyone have mastered imitating came in to join the circle. His hands were on his back.
The kids greeted their President together. Even the rest of the winner and team B boys who were inside the practice rom went out.
“We wait for what, sajangnim?” Seungri cared to ask.
“For Dara’s response. If she returns his love and wants to be with him then we’ll proceed with the dating exam”
“We’ll just let him go out with her or court her???”
“Yes. We can’t have him go through all those physical, mental and emotional exams if in the end they’ll be just friends, right?” YG says slightly glancing at one person on the side (GD). “We’ll make a move only if he wins over Dara”
Everyone was in silence and in wonder.
“I’ll go to my office now, you boys go up there in 10 minutes, ill have my coffee first. And 2NE1… your manager is waiting outside for a long time,”
2NE1 wore ooopsy expressions and bid farewell to everyone. They were too carried away with conversation, they pretty much forgot about leaving. Even inside their van, they were still talking about the same topic.
Discussing about Donghae’s bold confession about his feelings for Dara.
“I still can’t believe he did that! Like OMG. And with Jiyong in front of him” Bom exclaims. “Do you think he would confess to Dara next?”
“Maybe, they’re together now right?” Minzy says. “I wonder what will Dara unnie say if he did”
The eldest and the maknae cheers excitedly.
Bom notices CL’s silence from her seat. So she asked her if something’s the matter.
“I’m just bothered about something…” she shared.
“About what sajangnim said? Which part?”
“He said ‘We’ll make a move only if he wins over Dara’”
“Then?” the oldest and the maknae asked in unison. “What about it?”
“He was looking at Jiyong oppa…”
All of them even the manager who is just eavesdropping on the conversation mummed as they contemplate. It does sound bothering, it seems like there’s something deep in those words. And to look at GD?
It looks like the two will hit a rocky road again.
When will it ever end?
Bom takes out her phone and start dialling. CL asked who it is.
“In order to protect them two, don’t you think we need back up?”
Back up?
“Annyeong! SIWON-aa!”
* * * *
Donghae’s POV
“BOSS!!! OH! DARA NOONAAAA!” Goon shouted in joy when he sees us enter the back door, heading to my office.
I signalled him to sush. For someone is in an awful mood.
“Prepare us something to eat” I said, following Dara inside.
She sat and rests her head down to the table with her arms crossed… She was pouting and her eyes are closed.
“What’s wrong?” Dana whispered to me. “You got into a fight?”
“Something like that” I whispered back. I asked her to give us a minute alone first… And so while we wait for the meal we can talk.
I took another chair and sits on one side of the table.
"Are you mad...?" I said poking my finger to her arm. "du dun~~"
Someone suddenly opens the door and disturbs. I flicked my finger away from Dara and looks at Ken. "What?"
“I’m sorry, Hae but can you be specific on what you want to eat?”
I turned to throwing-a-fit-Dara and asks her but she just stays there unanswering. I asked her again.
“Ya… you need to answer so we'll know if there's any...”
“Why would I? Like you even answer my question…”
Hayyyyyy….. Stubborn kid…
“Let’s just have the special ones. With extra rice and 2 iced teas” I ordered and had Ken go away.
“So this is how Dara when she’s in a tantrum huh?”
“Hmf”
A smile curved on my lips still for it was such a cute sight.
It’s my fault anyway, I was almost answering but I dodged quick on the topic just over a simple tummy growl. Imagine how much bravery she needed to even bring the topic up... Even if I was in her place, I would feel disrespected or hurt.
I leaned on the table, also with the same stance as hers.
I stared at her.
“Do you really wanna know?”
How many times should I ask that? Of course she wants to. She won’t be like this if she doesn’t. I can see in her face she was having the same thoughts as I am. Her brows furrowed, as if in her mind she’s saying how foolish I am to ask her that again.
“Fine… I’ll tell you… But first, look at me” I said.
But she didn’t. She really didn’t move. She stayed still but I know she’s listening.
"Hmf..."
I mustered all the courage that I had earlier. This is it, there’s no turning back.
Although this is far different on how I imagine I would confess. As a romantic person as myself, I always think that we’d be under a rain, starry sky, or around with a great view, above the playground slide (like in their Kiss Note scene), and there I would say I love her and then kiss her after.
But things got complicated, I kissed her in the wrong time.
And now things feel kinda wrong.
Or maybe this is just me being a coward…
Or maybe I'm just being...
“.. I love you…”
Complete silence.
We stayed like that for long seconds. But then compare to her expression before, her face starts to soften, her brows are no longer furrowed.
My heart was beating loudly. I can’t believe I did it. I was waiting for her response.
Eagerly.
Without much expectations.
I don’t want to get my hopes up. But I always wonder how she would react when she hears it.
Slowly her eyes start to open and gazes at me. There was not even a bit of surprise written all over her face, it seems like she was expecting that all along. But those eyes, I haven't seen those before...
They're gentle..
Her mouth gears up to answer.
And I was ready.
But then,
“No…”