I walked around the apartment and tidied away the bowls of popcorn that D.O and I had left on the coffee table from the night before. It was quiet in the apartment since I was alone.

After D.O and I had lunch with some of the BTS members, I had gone straight home while D.O went to the dance studio to catch up with some of the rehearsals he'd missed from going on our honeymoon. The WGM staff had informed us that we had the afternoon off while they went and filmed a new celebrity couple that was taking part in WGM as well.

I sighed distractedly as I threw away some of the rubbish that had accumulated around the kitchen counters. But even when I saw my hands picking up stuff and throwing things away, it felt like I was watching someone else doing it. It was as if I was in someone else's body as I wasn't registering anything that I was doing. My mind was too preoccupied to think of anything else apart from what had happened earlier.

"Nami-ah... you're the one I like."

I shook my head fervently to banish D.O's words, my cheeks heating up as I did so. I was still in shock from D.O's confession. I couldn't believe it. D.O liked me? Why? How? Since when? So many questions whizzed through my mind, faster than I could comprehend. I was at a lost at what to do and how to react.

Earlier, when I heard D.O say those words, I froze on the spot. I was too surprised to say or do anything. I couldn't believe him.

D.O looked at me expectantly, his face showing signs of nervousness as he waited for my answer. I studied his eyes carefully, searching for any signs of him breaking his pretence if it turned out to be another joke. How could I be sure that he wasn't pulling my leg again? D.O was good at acting and, if he was pulling another stunt, I would willingly admit that I was falling for it.

But the longer I stared into his tenacious, round eyes, the more certain I felt that he wasn't joking. D.O was serious. He was telling the truth: he had romantic feelings for me. And I didn't know what to do.

"What-what about you?" he had asked me, his voice shaking a little. "How-how do you feel about me?"

I stood rooted to the ground, unable to move. I even lost my ability to speak. Eventually, I regained my composure and opened my mouth to reply, "I--"

But before I could say anything, Manager-nim had interrupted us and told us that we could leave the restaurant now. D.O gave me one last glance before he started walking in front of me, not daring to look behind or meet my eye. I guess he was trying to be considerate of me by giving me some space to think it over. Either that or he was also too nervous to say anything more.

I finished tidying the living room and kitchen and sighed as I sat down on the sofa. How was I going to face D.O later on? Before he had left for the dance studio, he had briefly told me that tonight was the premiere for his film, 'Pure Love,' and that he'll be swinging by the apartment later to pick me up-- if I still wanted to go. Still feeling awkward, I nodded in reply, not giving him a firm 'yes' or 'no' to his invitation.

As I mulled over on what to do, my eyes suddenly rested on the direction of the kitchen and images of D.O floated in my mind's eye. I fantasized him focused on cooking a meal, his back hunched over as he concentrated on cutting vegetables or washing them under the sink. The expression he wore was of pure focus, his brows furrowed slightly in concentration and his heart-shaped lips thinned into a straight line as he did so.

I imagined him looking up suddenly, as he noticed me watching him and he would smile warmly, his round eyes softening, as they always did, when he saw me approaching him. It was only now did I realise the meaning behind those affectionate smiles.

"You're the one I like."

I buried my head into one of the sofa cushions and screamed into it while flailing my legs about. What was wrong with me? Why did I suddenly imagine that?

"Nami-ah, it's you. You're the one I like."

D.O's words echoed in my mind continuously as different images of him floated in front of me. It was like I was suddenly seeing him everywhere and wherever I looked, a phantom version of D.O would be peering at me. He had invaded my mind and now, I couldn't stop thinking about him.

"Seriously, D.O-ah, why me?" I asked aloud as one of his phantoms smiled at me from beside the sofa. "What do you like about me? I mean, I'm not as pretty as all the idols and actresses you're surrounded by and I'm not good at cooking, nor am I good at singing and acting. So, why me?"

His phantom continued to smile at me, his round eyes softened as he reached out his hand to touch my cheek. Suddenly, I heard his voice caress my ear, "Nami-ah... you're the one I like."

I swatted his phantom away as I shook my head energetically. Gah, I really was losing it. What was I doing speaking to a figment of my imagination?

I stood up and paced around the living room to try and clear my head. I was so lost as to what I should do. And then I thought of a question that I definitely needed to find the answer to: how did I feel about D.O?

D.O had always been there for me when I needed him. Apart from Xiumin, D.O was the only other person I felt comfortable sharing my problems with and I knew I could rely on. He had helped me with cooking and he was always there for me when I was in trouble. D.O was a good person-- he was a good friend. But it turns out that he wanted to be more than that. And I didn't know if I could return his feelings.

Suddenly all his good qualities came flashing through my mind. I remembered how he had offered to help teach me how to cook and how we spent those few hours each day just working side by side in harmonious bliss. I recalled the way he had acted as a barrier between Chanyeol and I when Chanyeol had chased me around with a cockroach and how he had comforted me when I was upset during the photo shoot. I remembered how he had hugged me tightly, his sturdy arms capturing me in his embrace when he saw that I had arrived safely in the dorm, the first time I went missing. His reassuring embrace and his warm hands always held me so gently.

All these memories of D.O flooded my mind and my heart started thumping when I remembered how he felt about me. All that time... had D.O been loving me secretly?

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. I was going nowhere with this and, the longer I sat and thought about it, the more confused I became. I needed a second opinion; I needed to talk to someone and there was one person I knew I could call upon.

I pulled out my phone.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice answered.

"Hey, Hyun-suk."

"Nami-ssi?" I heard his voice suddenly perk up. "Is this really you?"

"Yeah" I replied. "I'm sorry I haven't been keeping in touch--"

"Omo, girl, you have a lot of explaining to do!" he suddenly shouted and I pulled my phone away from my ear immediately. "What the hell happened to you? You disappeared on me for almost two months!"

"I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" I apologised. "A lot of stuff... happened."

I heard Hyun-suk grunt from the other side but then he responded, "Well, whatever. We should meet up and do a catch-up session over coffee one day but, not right now. I've been too busy at work." He paused for a while as if he was thinking. "Anyways, what's up? Why did you call?"

I played on the cuff of my sleeve as I told him, "I need your advice again."

Hyun-suk's voice went up a notch as he responded, "Hmm, sounds like boy trouble." I imagined him shifting into a more comfortable position as I heard shuffling in the background, "Tell me more."

"Well," I began. "Remember how I had a problem with... Ju-pyo and Ji-hoo?" I asked, using the character names of the male leads from 'Boys Over Flowers'.

"Yeah" he replied. "Go on."

"Well... I broke up with Ju-pyo."

I heard Hyun-suk take in a sharp-intake of breath before he exclaimed, "YOU DID, WHAT?!" His loud voice crackled through my phone receiver, grating my eardrums.

I grimaced. "Yeah, we broke up just recently," I told him in a small voice. "But that's not why I'm calling you."

"Omo, Nami-ssi, a catch-up is long overdue! Spill all the beans sister, you have my full attention."

I took a deep breath as I continued, "Ji-hoo... confessed to me that he liked me."

Again, Hyun-suk's loud voice assaulted my eardrums, "OMO, HE DID THAT?!" I listened to Hyun-suk's overly excited reaction as he suddenly went on a very enthusiastic oration on how I should have told him sooner and how he needed to know every last detail of how it happened. Once he had calmed down, he asked, "And? What did you say?"

I bit my lip. "I...I didn't say anything."

Hyun-suk sighed, evidently disappointed.

"I didn't know what to say" I continued. "Hyun-suk, I'm so confused."

"What is there to be confused about? If he asked to date you, all you have to do is say 'yes' or 'no'."

"But it's not as simple as that!" I responded, frustrated that Hyun-suk seemed to be belittling my dilemma. "He's my- he's my friend. And, I-I don't know how I feel about him. I don't know what to say to him so that I don't hurt his feelings."

I heard Hyun-suk exhale from the other end before he spoke. "Are you sure you only think of him as a friend?"

I hesitated. "Yes."

Hyun-suk's voice sounded doubtful as he replied, "You paused."

"I-I was just thinking..."

"You know when it comes to love, your head is the worst person to ask advice from, right?" He paused before saying, "As cheesy as it may sound, what does your heart say?"

"I-I don't know. I don't know what it says."

He sighed again. "Remember what you told me before?"

"Hm?"

"You said that there was another guy, apart from Ju-pyo, that was making you hesitate. That was Ji-hoo, right?"

I managed a small grunt as a reply.

"Well," he continued, "what if, the reason why you were hesitating back then was because you had feelings for Ji-hoo? What if... part of you liked him all along?"

"What?" I asked incredulously, "That's insane!"

Hyun-suk kissed his teeth at my reaction. "Not really. I may not know all the details of why you and Ju-pyo broke up but, you shouldn't dismiss the possibility that Ji-hoo may have been occupying part of your heart without you realising it." He paused as he thought. "I mean, if we use K-drama logic, it makes sense. Ju-pyo was the asshole that you didn't get on with at first but ended up falling in love with while Ji-hoo, who was the good guy who kept supporting you in the background, just loves you from afar. Doesn't this situation sound familiar to you?"

I swallowed and realised that Hyun-suk was right. My dilemma was pretty much a typical cliché from a K-drama. "Y-yeah" I replied.

Hyun-suk resumed, "Well, if we follow K-drama logic, Ji-hoo will never get the girl, in this case, you, because the female protagonist always ends up friend zoning him."

"Hyun-suk, I appreciate the comparison between my life and K-dramas but let's not forget the fact that this is real life and not some romance-comedy. What's your point exactly?"

"My point is," Hyun-suk said sternly, "that you should give Ji-hoo a chance."

My voice was quiet. "I should?"

"Definitely."

"But, Hyun-suk... I'm not sure whether I feel that way about him. I mean, I don't want to raise his hopes only to shatter them in the end. It's not fair to him."

Hyun-suk was quiet as he thought. "Well, the only thing I can think of is that we should do a test so that we can find out how you really feel about him."

I arched my brow. "Not this again, Hyun-suk. I don't think it'll work on me this time. I already know what's coming."

He chuckled, "No, no. I won't be doing the same test. In fact, you'll be doing it by yourself."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"All you need to do is imagine losing Ji-hoo to another woman."

"Another woman?"

"Yes," Hyun-suk replied. "Do you know of any lady-friends that he might have?"

I thought for a moment and couldn't think of anyone in particular. I always hung out with D.O and the other EXO members and apart from Stylist-unnie, I've never really seen D.O interact with any other women. "No" I responded.

Hyun-suk sounded unsure of what to say next. "Well, the idea of the test is to help you find out what you really feel about Ji-hoo. The best way to do so is to imagine him being happy with someone else. After all, you'll only learn how precious someone is to you once you've lost them."

I nodded as I considered Hyun-suk's words carefully. "Okay, Hyun-suk, I'll give it a try."

"Good" he replied. "And you owe me a gossip session!" he mentioned before we hung up.

I looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was nearly time for D.O to come home. I should probably start getting ready, I thought. I had a long night ahead of me.

~*~

D.O glanced at Nami and saw that she still wouldn't look him in the eye. "Will you be okay here by yourself?" he asked her softly as he watched her shuffle on her feet. As much as it pained him to see her so uncomfortable around his presence, he was still glad that she came to the premiere.

"I'll be fine," she told him, her gaze still averted.

Reluctantly, D.O left Nami's side and walked over to his co-stars.

They were finally at the press conference and they had just finished watching the first screening of 'Pure Love.' Throughout the film, Nami had sat silently beside D.O, her eyes glued to the screen, not once turning to face him. Things were still awkward between them but, D.O had tried to talk to her as if nothing had happened. Unfortunately for Nami, she didn't possess the same cool outer exterior as D.O.

Nami gaped at D.O as he strolled away from her to join his co-star, the female lead in the film, Kim So-hyun. She was a pretty, young lady who had the most charming smile and very child-like features. She watched as D.O greeted So-hyun and in turn, she smiled at him back, her eyes radiating with what appeared to be a fondness for D.O. Nami scrutinised D.O's reaction and saw how his eyes softened while he spoke to her. There was something about So-hyun that Nami couldn't quite put her finger on but, for some odd reason, she felt uneasy.

"Omo, isn't that So-hyun-ssi?" she heard one of the guests at the press conference say to her colleague.

"It is! Wasn't she wonderful in the film?" her colleague replied.

"Yes. Don't you think she and D.O-ssi look cute together?"

The two women observed D.O and So-hyun converse with one another before one of them pointed out, "Wasn't there a rumour about those two dating?"

"Omo, really?"

"Yeah. It was a while back but I think I remember them getting caught riding the same car when it was already late at night."

"Omo, do you think they were having those secret car dates? You know, how if idols wanted to date, they would have to do so by meeting up late at night because of their schedules and such?"

The two women erupted into heated whispers as they started compiling baseless evidence that suggested that D.O and So-hyun were actually an item. All the while, Nami stood nearby, unsure of how to react to what she had just overheard. D.O and So-hyun, dating? She thought to herself. Impossible! But then she recalled what one of the women said and she suddenly felt uncertain. They were caught in the same car together late at night. Why did that sound familiar to her?

Nami pondered about this and eventually realised why she had thought it sounded familiar. She recalled watching an interview about D.O helping out a colleague when her car suddenly broke down. Could that same colleague have been Kim So-hyun?

D.O spoke cheerfully with So-hyun as they talked in private. It had been a while since they had seen each other ever since they had finished filming last month. After engaging in small chit-chat, So-hyun eventually noticed Nami glaring at her from a distance.

She whispered to D.O, "Is that the model you're doing WGM with?"

D.O followed So-hyun's gaze and saw that Nami was staring at them. When she saw them looking, she quickly turned away, flustered at having been caught. D.O returned to face So-hyun, "Yes, Nami-ah's my wife."

So-hyun had her eyebrow raised at the mention of Nami's name. "Nami-ah?" she repeated. A confused expression riddled her face, "Wait a second, is she the same Nami-ah that you were talking about before? The one you had a crush on?"

D.O blushed as he realised his blunder. He had forgotten about the fact that he had told So-hyun about Nami, back when he was still confused about what to do about his feelings for her. Back then, he had needed someone to confide in, as he couldn't do so with any of the EXO members. So-hyun became his confidant and he had told her everything. He didn't think it mattered that she knew as he never once considered that So-hyun might meet Nami one day.

"N-no" he stuttered. "What are you talking about?"

So-hyun chuckled, "She is! Isn't she?" Her eyes twinkled with delight as she took a glimpse at Nami from afar. "She's the one who said she'll offer you counsel even though she was the one you were talking about!"

Alarmed at how loud So-hyun's voice was, D.O tried his best to shush her. He put his fingers to his lips, signalling her to tone her voice down, "Shh! Don't speak too loud." He looked over his shoulder and back. "She might hear!"

"Sorry" So-hyun whispered. She took a peep at Nami again and saw that she had gone to speak with one of the guests at the conference. "So? Have you told her yet, oppa? You're on WGM together. This is your chance!"

D.O replied miserably, "I have."

So-hyun registered his dejected reaction. "Oh..." she managed to say. "Did she say 'no'?"

D.O smiled at her weakly. "It would have been better if she had said 'no' rather than not say anything at all."

"What do you mean? She hasn't given you an answer?"

D.O shook his head. "She's still getting over her last boyfriend" he muttered. "Either that or, she's just being kind by not rejecting me flatly."

So-hyun eyed D.O's pitiful expression and felt bad for him. She knew how much he loved her. She could tell from the way he spoke about Nami that he treasured her a lot. And seeing him so downcast made her want to help him. Suddenly, she smiled at him, a cunning glint twinkling in her eye. "Want me to help you out?"

D.O locked eyes with So-hyun. "How?"

She grinned, "Just leave it to me."

Without warning, So-hyun linked arms with D.O and tugged at him as she led him towards Nami's direction. D.O, startled at So-hyun's strength, was dragged away like a lifeless rag doll, unable to put up a fight.

So-hyun abruptly stopped in front of an astonished Nami whose eyes scrutinised their linked arms, a scowl slowly forming on her face. So-hyun noticed this and smiled secretly. "Hi" she greeted Nami sweetly, "You must be Kyungsoo-oppa's onscreen wife." She clung to D.O's arm tightly, making Nami's eyes flare with jealousy.

D.O peered down at So-hyun, bewildered at what she was trying to accomplish by hanging onto him. He looked at Nami. "Er, Nami-ah, this is So-hyun. She's my--"

"Partner?" Nami finished coldly.

D.O noticed a change in Nami's demeanour. "I was going to say 'co-star'" he replied.

So-hyun eyed the pair and continued to link arms with D.O. "I've heard so much about you from Kyungsoo-oppa," she said cheerfully. "And I just wanted to say that I'm looking forward to seeing your episodes on WGM when they air."

Nami replied stiffly, "Oh. thank you." But all the while, she couldn't help glaring at So-hyun for linking her arms with D.O. "I liked your performance in the film, by the way."

"Really?" So-hyun replied. "That's a relief! I thought some parts of my acting wasn't that convincing. I was especially nervous about the kissing scene with Kyungsoo-oppa--"

"Yeah, that part needed a bit of work" Nami interrupted and D.O shot her a look.

"Oh" So-hyun sounded hurt.

Nami realising that she had been too hard on So-hyun, apologised. But seeing her so close to D.O was starting to affect her a lot more than she thought. "Excuse me, I think I need to go for some fresh air--" Nami quickly turned tail and briskly left the main hall of the press conference.

"Nami-ah!" D.O called after her as he tugged himself loose from So-hyun's grasp.

So-hyun held onto him and he turned to face her. She grinned, "I think my work here is done. Go after her, oppa!"

D.O, unsure of what So-hyun meant by that, pursued Nami nevertheless. Once he found her standing alone outside, he approached her. For some reason, Nami appeared upset.

"Nami-ah, what's wrong?" he asked as he drew closer to her. "Why did you leave?"

"No reason" she sniffed. "I just needed some fresh air."

D.O eyed her carefully and knew that something was bothering her. He asked her cautiously, "Why did you snap at So-hyun like that?"

"I didn't snap at her!" she retorted.

D.O was surprised at her defensive behaviour. "Yes, you did. You didn't have to be so rude."

Nami scoffed. "Me? Rude?"

D.O wasn't liking Nami's tone. "I wish you'd stop behaving like this. It isn't like you, Nami-ah."

"Well, that makes the two of us" she snapped at him.

"What?"

"You're so hypocritical D.O-ah. You tell me off for talking to J-hope and Rapmon but then you go off and link arms with So-hyun. Now, who's the one going around flirting with other people?"

"What? Are you seriously accusing me of flirting with So-hyun?" he asked, outraged.

"Well, that's what it looked like."

D.O frowned. "Yah, that was So-hyun's idea. It had nothing to do with me--"

Nami hmphed in disbelief.

"So-hyun's my co-star and dongsae. We work together professionally so it's nothing more than a senior-junior relationship" he explained. "There's nothing going on between us."

"Oh yeah? Then, why was she clinging to you like that?"

"I don't know! Like I said, that was all her idea." He analysed Nami's reaction and saw how unwilling she was to budge on the subject. "Why are you so hung up about that anyway--?" And then he realised something. A small smile formed on his lips as he sheepishly asked her, "Nami-ah, are you... jealous?"

Nami's eyes rounded as she scoffed, "I'm not jealous!"

"Then, why don't you want me to link arms with So-hyun?"

Nami's face was flushed as she answered, "Be-because..." but she didn't know what to say.

D.O's grin grew wider as he prompted her and took a step closer. "Because, what?"

Nami's eyes darted around her surroundings as she searched for inspiration. "Because I..." but she still couldn't think of anything.

D.O took another step closer, almost an arms' length away from her. "Because, what, Nami-ah?"

Nami struggled to think coherently with D.O so close to her. With her mind at turmoil and the added pressure of him pushing for an answer, she suddenly shouted, "Because I'm your wife!"

D.O blinked.

Nami covered her mouth, surprised at what she had said. She could feel her cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

D.O's smile returned but, it was noticeably wider now.

"I-I don't want you getting close to So-hyun" Nami hastily added. "Be-because I'm your wife, right? I mean, we're meant to be married, even if it's just for show. And, it isn't right that you two act so closely with each other and call each other by your first names when even I don't do that."

D.O thought about this. "Then, why don't you?"

"Huh?"

"Call me by my real name."

Nami eyed D.O's serious expression.

"You do know my real name, right?" he asked.

Nami nodded.

He smiled kindly. "Try it. Call me by my real name."

She blushed as she attempted it for the first time, "Kyu-Kyungsoo."

D.O grinned. "There we go." D.O closed the distance between them and caught her in his arms in a warm embrace. He couldn't help himself. Something about hearing Nami utter his real name made his heart flutter and it had a weird effect on him like she was chanting a spell rather than something as simple as his name. His heart leapt for joy.

He whispered into her hair, "You don't have to give me an answer straight away. I know that you may still have feelings for Chanyeol and it was unfair of me to ambush you with my feelings like that."

"Kyungsoo, I--"

"No, Nami-ah. It's okay. I can wait. I can wait until you can give me an answer that you're fully comfortable with." His voice was melancholy as he said, "Even if that answer isn't what I want to hear."

In D.O's arms, Nami's heart suddenly started beating fast and she felt butterflies in her stomach. Even now, D.O was still considerate of her feelings. Suddenly, Nami remembered all the times D.O had held her in his arms during her darkest times. He was always there for her, helping her in any way he could; always quietly supporting her in the background; always looking after her when she couldn't look after herself.

When she saw him linking arms with So-hyun, she felt a pain in her chest. At first, she couldn't imagine D.O with another woman, she had no one to be concerned about, but then, seeing him with So-hyun, made her realise that D.O could leave her side any minute. And she didn't want that. She couldn't imagine her life without him and she finally realised that she couldn't bear the thought of him being happy with someone else other than her.

Nami had finally realised what she felt for D.O.

"You're right. You are unfair, Kyungsoo" she told him, still locked in his embrace.

D.O pulled away to face her. He had a quizzical look. "Huh? Why?"

"Because you're always considerate of my feelings. You never think about yourself." Nami blushed as she smiled at him. "But that's what I like about you." Nami leaned in close as she kissed him on the cheek.

D.O's eyes rounded in surprise.

"I already have an answer and it's 'yes'." She looked at him happily. "Kyungsoo, I like you too."

~*~

Author's Note:

Hey reader, thanks for reading chapter 57 of Our Little Dorm Mother!

OMG, are you guys screaming right now?! Because I am! It's quite funny because I'm totally fangirling over this story even though I'm the author haha.

But anyways, sorry this chapter is really long. I was thinking of splitting it into two parts but I felt that it would break the flow.

What do you think will happen next? Will Nami and D.O finally have their happy ending? Or could there be something or someone else that will pull them apart?

Find out soon!

P.S. Please comment, vote and share!