Donghae’s POV
I love seaweed soup.
It’s one of my favourite foods.
And one of the few things I find for my ideal girl is someone who can make seaweed soup for me.
However, Dara doesn’t know how.
But it doesn’t make her less my ideal.
And besides… there’s mom to deal with that.
“Next time you come here, Dara, I’ll teach you how to make it, okay?” Mom tells Dara while stirring the ladle on the huge hot pot.
“Yes, Mrs. Lee…” I heard Dara say while assisting her in the kitchen.
“Oh come on! Didn’t I tell you to call me, omma!” mom cries, trying to make her comfortable. I stayed in the living room playing with Mio and Bada, watching as the two loves of my life bonded over cooking. “In addition to his favorites… he loves seafood too… Any seafood dishes! I better teach you everything so when you get married you already know, nae?”
Mom was completely set apart from the one who was scolding us earlier, now she’s very warm and motherly. She prepared a lovely dinner with all of her signature dishes and the three of us feasted together. It was still awkward between us, I can see how stiff Dara is on the side of my eyes.
After a few hours, it was time for Dara to go home; her manager came to pick her up and before she goes out the door, she bows politely to mom, thanking her for the dinner and for her understanding.
“Be sure to come back again” mom says, hugging her quick.
“Nae, omma” the other blushes.
“That’s more like it” Mom smiles widely, leaving her side joyfully. But when it was my turn to say my farewell, mom was still on sight. “I’m sorry…” I whispered to Dara, brushing her hair back. I’m pretty sure how embarrassed she was tonight.
“It’s okay” Dara smiles, bringing my hand down. “Jjangmae is waiting downstairs, I better go”
No… My head filled with that word alone. No… Like I would let her leave without kissing her?
I glanced at mom to ask permission to let me kiss her even for one last time before the stupid rule starts, and fortunately she was kind enough to allow us. After seeing her bob her head for a go, I immediately pulled Dara to me and kissed her deeply.
It was just a quick one though; with the pair of eyes watching us of course Dara would be shy to dare returning an aggressive fervour.
When she finally have gone and left, we’re back to dealing about the matter that just happened. I started following mom inside.
Slightly desperate.
And begging.
“Omma, please. Take it back” I stood next to her while she ignores me with the dirty plates piled to be washed. “Take back the one month rule please~”
Her ignoring became worse when it’s the frying pan what’s needed to be washed, all the stuck burns on the surface were giving her a hard time to get rid of.
Earlier Dara was about to wash them, but she declined and pushed her out of the kitchen. Now I offered to help her with it, she pushes me away too.
“Just sit there quietly and watch TV”
“No… Not unless you take back the rule.” I continued. “Please ma… I’m sorry about what you saw, we really didn’t mean to shock you…”
Apparently, mom didn’t really intentionally barge inside my room. She just came to the apartment after buying groceries to prepare dinner for me, believing that I’m still out and busy with his script reading session. She found a few things scattered in my living room, messes by Bada and Mio – my mischievous dogs who just can’t stop running around, she then decided to clean up first. Curious on how messy my room is, she opened the door without knocks.
Then bam! She saw what she saw.
“If I didn’t arrive you probably have done it, right?” she asks looking at me seriously, making me tight lipped.
Hmmm… Would we?
Obviously.
How can we not?
I felt like my heart was gonna explode that time; my chest was tight, my throat getting dry, my breathing heavy, my grip drilling on her skin... Imagine, in just those minutes of intimacy, how many sexy and dirty thoughts have already filled my head, how much love I wanna gilve her.
Of course I was no longer in the path of holding back.
I took a big swallow, admitting that fact.
“Yeah... but...” I paused, thinking of what excuse to give. Coming up with nothing, I just flared my arms and tightly hugs mom. “Just take back the one month rule no kissing please...omma~”
My feet start thumping in place. “Don’t be silly, Hae, it’s just a kiss”
“It’s Dara’s kiss, ma. I can’t live without it” I said. Although it’s embarrassing and a little uncomfortable to say such to your mom, I needs to, she’s gotta know.
“I already gave you a chance to kiss her one last time before she left”
“Eh~ but you were watching, of course she’s shy!” I whined, “I swear, I’ll behave!”
“I don’t think so...”
“Do you think we would dare do it again after being caught? Do you how traumatizing it is!?”
Mom laughs out a short chuckle, probably making fun of our shocked expressions, including her own. She glances at me after getting done with her chore, drying her hands with a towel. “So you love her that much huh?”
“YES” I sound a bit whiny, like a child.
“Then kiss her if you want to”
“I can’t. She won’t let me for sure, cause you told her not to.”
“Ahhh... she’s a good daughter-in-law then” Mom smiles, walking back to the living room. “My guts were right about liking her”
My face brighten hearing that positive feedback, I hurried to sit next to her, batting my eye lashes charmingly. “So are you taking it back?”
“No”
“Ommaaaaa TT TT!”
I tried my hardest to convince my mom to cancel her one month rule. For days, I followed her around like a puppy dog. But she never wavered, she really was firm about it and says it’s for our own good.
She even had Donghwa pack up her things from Mokpo and delivered it to my apartment. She was that determined to guard me.
Although, it was nice that she’s the one willing to invite Dara to my place on days when we’re free from schedules, atleast I’m relieved that she really likes her and all.
She says it’s better than dating outside and be possibly be seen, but I sense it was just an excuse to keep an eye on us and prevent us from jumping to that point of attempting to make Lee Cloud again.
I don’t blame her if she was frantic about catching us, she’s my mom, and she’s probably sadden to see her baby boy all grown up… but the punsihmeny is just... I don’t know... It’s hard. And it’s somehow frustrating me.
“Why are you acting with a kissing scene already? Seriously...” I cried out flipping the pages of the initial script for Cold Heart (Dara’s vampire drama). “You’re not even the final lead yet”
Dara just looks at me, taking the stapled papers from my hands. “We’re not even sure if those in parenthesis are needed to be acted, maybe they we’ll just throw the lines” she defended.
Lately we spend our time together preparing for each other’s dramas, we help each other review our scripts and share advices on how it’ll be better and all. And it’s ridiculous to find Dara’s drama to be so different. How things escalates largely, from just exchange of heavy lines turns to an intimate scene.
“What’s the sense of this look test, really?” I complained, still reading the highlighted part that she needed to memorize for tomorrow’s test. “Do you really need to do this?”
Jaejoong is a good actor and quite handsome too, his chiseled facial features, pale white skin, toned bod and fierce stares fits the vampire role so well that it wasnt surprising at all that he got the male lead.
The female spot however is still under critical study for there are a lot of really good candidates who suit the role.
And because of that, the understudy actresses are set to have a look test with Jaejoong. That’s why they are required to visit the KBS premises to undergo several acting scenes to see the chemistry and if they go together with the male lead.
Apparently, one of those candidates is Dara. I’m very proud and happy that she’s doing well, that she has a high chance of being the lead. It’s just that it’s super bothering how Jaejoong can kiss her while I am forbidden to do so.
"Mian… I’m being ridiculous” I heaved a sigh, lifting my legs up on the couch, my knees leveled on my chest.
“It’s okay I understand” she says moving her body forward, resting her head on my knees. “My jagi is jealous…”
I feel pathetic on complaining though, how can I rant so much when she practically is fine with me and Yoona working together.
She reaches one of her hands on my cheek and swept her thumb softly on my skin while she looks at me lovingly “I love you...” she says, making me and my heart smile.
“I love you too...” I whispered, leaning over closer to her face but then…
“Hep hep hep!” Durami walks out of the kitchen and caught us. “Ya oppa… unnie… I’ll tell mom”
“No! I’m not going to kiss her” I defended.
“Hm-mmm?” Durami hummed, her hands on her hips, squinting her eyes for a sterner look. “Then what is this I’m seeing?”
By the way, even if we don’t stay at my place and hangout in Dara’s place instead, mom’s rule is still in strict order. She talked to Dara’s mom and the two joined forces. What a scary turn of events really…
I don’t know if she told Mrs. Park about what she saw or not, either way, I’m being under watch.
“Nose to nose!” I exclaimed, rubbing my nose to Dara’s. I’m actually being honest, that wasn’t just an excuse that I came up with on the spot; I really am just going to give her that and not a kiss.
“Ew. Seriously that’s so tacky~~” Durami wore a horror-struck face and turns around to head back inside, leaving us laughing.
“See? Even Durami says you’re cheesy” Dara says, still not moving from her current stance. I stared at her and she asked me why.
“What if I really dare to kiss you now, what would you do?” I asked, with intentions.
“Nothing. Cause I know you won’t” she mumbled. I asked her how can she tell when I can just simply lean over and grab those lips. “You’re Donghae” she says briefly. “I know how much you’re willing to wait and follow the rules even if you’re against it”
Well it does sound like me but…
“If you were able to wait for me for months even with uncertain results, what is 3 weeks more to you??” she smiles. “It’s not like I’m gonna leave you within those days”
Indeed what am I even worried about? Just look how a week easily passed by without me feeling it. Yes not kissing her kinda frustrates me however if I think about it, our relationship isn’t any less thrilling.
I still love her greatly as before, and I feel that she does too.
I fidgeted in my seat when my phone rings for the 4 o’clock alarm.
“What’s the 4 o’clock alarm for?” she asks me while I throw in my stuff inside my backpack. I told her it’s YG Test to which made her furrow her eyebrows. “They’re still testing you until now?”
“Of course, I still haven’t passed by PSY, SE7EN, Teddy… And YG yet” I stood up.
“Oh come on!” she growled, following me out to their main door, and watched me while I put on my shoes. “You’re shooting a drama tomorrow morning, how can you tire yourself now?”
I know how she’s opposing into it cause she’s concerned with me. But what to do? It’s the rules, we need to follow it, like how we need to follow mom’s.
“Jagi, listen to me…” I know she’s going to tell me a long advice but I have no time for that, I hugged her quick as farewell even if she’s not yet done talking.
“I love you. Bye!”
“Ya… Hae!”
* * * *
Normal POV
In her displeasure about finding out that Donghae still undergoes some silly test under her company. Early morning she went to the YG building, straight to the President’s office.
She was prepared to confront him alone but then Se7en and GD were there too, talking about the new –and unfinalized- Big Bang album.
“What is it, Dara?” entertaining her, despite being busy with the details.
“Uhm...” She scans her eyes around the solemn scene. It’s clearly not a good time. She takes a step backward. “Ani... It’s okay, I’ll just come back again”
“Go ahead and say what you need. You won’t come here so early in the morning if it’s not important right?”
Apparently, it’s not exactly important if you look at it from their perspectives, but it is to her. Despite her schedule occupied for the day, she still made a way. Just look at how she squeezed this trip before heading to the KBS audition hall again for Cold Heart.
But how can she state her purpose if there are others to hear it. As much as possible she wanted to have a private conversation with him. However there’s no such option.
“Go on” he orders her.
Fine... They’ll talk about it anyway after I’m gone for sure. She thought, taking a deep breath, gathering all the courage and the stength she can get.
“It’s about Donghae, sajangnim” she blurted out with her hands trembling on her sides. “Can you stop with the tests please?”
A deafening silence folded in the office. Se7en glances at Dara, astonished to hear her request.
“Why? Did you break up?” YG asks, to which she quickly shook her head and hand to. “Then why?”
“I just think it’s already too much...” she says under her breath, biting her lower lip, her body shaking in place.
“So you want me to abolish the whole YG tests for Donghae?” the man wearing a cap, places down the papers he was holding and crosses her arms on his chest as he leans back on the couch and looks at the girl standing in the middle of the room. “You know I can’t do that, it’s the rules”
“But... he has already done so much for me, atleast I want to take off this burden and no longer give him a hard time”
“Did he say he’s having a hard time?”
“Ani... Of course he doesn’t say but I can see how worn out he already is, and it pains me to see him that way. And to know it’s all because of me...” Dara’s voice cracks, like it’s in the verge of tears.
“Aigoo! Dont cry…” Se7en exclaims, standing up to calm her with a pat on her back. “Don’t worry, YG will consider, nae hyung?”
They both looked at their father figure. “Please sajangnim... This is the only time I’m asking you a favour again. Please be fair to Hae…”
A flash of sympathy flashed on those cold slanted eyes, but then it was gone when they warded off to GD, who sits quietly across him, pretending as if he’s not listening to whatever is going on.
“Let me think about it first, okay?” YG tells her after a heavy sigh.
Despite the consideration, Dara felt a lump on her throat, feeling unsure of whether it’s a good response or not. Why did he need to look at GD? Why?
She looks at the back of her ex-boyfriend for a short while before she marched her way out.
“Is there something the matter?” A person approached Dara while she sits on the side of the room, while the crew prepares the set. The set looks really impressive for a test shoot though, it was designed like they’re in a real park, fresh flowers and grasses everywhere, and staring at it makes Dara lost in deep in thoughts.
She looks at the person who stands near her; she hasn’t seen this face before. And despite her mood she pulls out a beautiful smile she greeted him.
He offered her a canned coffee but she shakes her head. “You sure? You look like in a bad mood…”
“Ani. I’m just absorbing my character”
“Wow. You really prepared for this drama huh”
Behind Dara’s smile, her mind was in chaos in wondering if she ever met this guy and just forgot about him, or did he just really randomly came up to her? Is he a part of the cast?
“I’m Kim Jang Gu from The Fact” he reaches out his hand for a shake.
The Fact? Is that the...
“I’m glad to see you’re finally expanding into acting. It’s been a while since Return of Iljimae, how do you feel?” the man says.
“I’m happy and nervous” she says briefly, slightly uneasy.
“This drama is big too and your competitions for the spot are good too”
“Ah indeed they are all very beautiful and talented” Dara gushes. “But I’ll do my best”
“I know you have this in the bag” he flatters her. “You’ll have no problems acting a mushy scene”
“Ani~~” Dara shakes her hand. Of course she still acknowledge that there’s still awkwardness between Jaejoong and her. He got into a scandal with her before, right? And he was involved when GD went in an outrage.
“Why not? You can just look back on the time when you’re cuddling in a park with him”
Dara’s smile disappeared right after brain caught what he just said. She looks at him, horrifyingly.
“Okay, take your positions! Sandara! Jaejoong!” The Director calls out their names, even the conversation was far from over, the Jang Gu person just smiled and bowed to her.
“Wait!” Dara tried to call but he was already walking away, and a staff comes to her to escort her to the set.
“What are you talking with a press person about?” Jaejoong ask as they both take their position by the built-in street lamp. “Careful noona, this one is one dirty press”
Dara is still clearly out of her senses, bothered by the man’s words. Cuddling in a park with him... Did he see us? Was he at the hospital too? Is he the same guy that approached Hae? Is he going to expose our relationship now?
“Noona...” Jaejoong said worriedly. “Are you alright? Did he say anything to you?”
She didn’t say anything but it’s obvious that something is bothering her. He looks dimly serious and dark as he glances to the guy, what to do? They’re about to start the shoot, Dara can’t be distracted now.
“Ya noona, relax. Even he knows something he just doesn’t release anything yet, he’s the type who likes to tease and torture idols in terror. So you being bothered now is a fun sight to him, so stop.” Jaejoong places his hand on her head and pats it, just like how he did before, reassuring her that nothing bad will happen. “Focus on the shoot for now, and later we’ll kick his butt. I’ll hold him and you throw a punch, nae?”
Dara furrowed her eyebrows. Abwoya... Jaejoong continues to smile lovingly at her, and it’s somehow helping her to be calm. She’s thankful how kind and friendly he is really, if he was another actor, she’ll probably burden him.
Thanks to him that she got back on her game too. The moment the director called that one shout “ACTION!”, she has completely washed what’s distracting her away, GD... That press guy... all her worries.
Everything.
She did her best and prove how she wanted to act for so long, and the idea having a drama with Donghae someday slowly being drawn to her dreams.
The kiss scene wasn’t pushed though, and like what she expected, it is saved for the final lead, which is a total relief, especially to Donghae.
“Hi…” a person greeted when Dara and Jaejoong steps out of the hall to grab more snacks.
“Oh Jagi!” Dara flares her hand up in the air as she walks towards him.
Donghae was waiting for her all this time– despite telling him not to come anymore because he just got from his own busy schedule. “So did you get the part?”
"Not yet, but she’s most likely be it" Jaejoong steps in the scene with an apple on his hand, bitten. "Sup, Hae?"
"Sup" The boyfriend responded, embracing his girlfriend.
“It’s nice to see you two are now a couple.’ Jaejoong says, taking another huge bite. “Careful though, The Fact is here”
Oh crap yeah. Dara immediately unclasped her arms around him.
"By the way, Hae, no hard feelings in case Dara noona gets the part, right?" he says in a teasing tone.
"Of course not but remember I have my eyes on you" Donghae warned, making the other chuckle.
“Ani. Don’t worry, in case Dara noona gets the part, you still have a month or two to prepare on dealing with the intimate scenes” he says, expressing that the production have no plans of any kissing action just yet until the leads are finalized.
"Jaejoong! Dara!" Someone suddenly called from behind them, and from inches gap, jumped to a meter apart, Donghae transfered his clingy hands to his former labelmate. "Ah It's good that you're still here... and..."
The producer-nim sees Donghae.
"Good evening" Donghae bowed politely.
The PD bobbed his head slightly then his eyes turned to Dara who was just looking down to the floor. Then back at him. Probably wondering why he's there. Hmm...
"What is it about, sir?" Jaejoong says, wrapping his arm on Donghae's shoulders, dragging back to why he called them for.
“Ah! Sandara, I would like to congratulate you, you are one of the final two for the lead” he says how they like their shot better than the one with Hyo Joo Han and Jung Yoo Mi. Now her only competition left is Shin Min Ah.
She’s a very tough rival for sure. She thought in worry.
"We need to have you two back next week. To shoot the final test shot."
"Okay we'll be here"
"Practice scene 21... its an important scene so do well okay?" He says and before he leaves he glances at Donghae once again, obviously suspicious but he didn’t bother asking anymore.
With the coast clear, Donghae rejoiced and embraced Dara, congratulating her, feeling very proud.
Jaejoong was the one holding a script, he flips through the pages of paper. And stopped when he found the right page.
He paused for a moment.
Then looks at Donghae wearing such apologetic smile.
“Ooops I guess I was wrong” he smiles apologetically showing the paper to him.
“Cold Heart: Scene 21...” the two read loudly at the same time, and as they read the next line, their eyes widen and Donghae groaned loudly that echoed in the entire hallway.
“NO WAY!!!!!!!”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Author's Note: It's my birthday as an author on AFF. And it's two days away from SYJY's Anniversary! Waaah~ thanks for waiting and reading. I'm sorry if it took days after Sunday, I'm not even sure if the chapter is fine, huhu im sorry but please bear with me, My brains isnt functioning well, I'll make up for it nae? Labyu xx