Jiyong laid Dara's body on his bed. Gently, carefully, as if afraid to wake her up. She was still dressed in what he assumed was her Lady Macbeth dress and it's probably not the best clothes to sleep on.

He shook his head as he removed her shoes and socks. He wanted to remove the dreadful-looking dress too but he knew that she wouldn't appreciate him doing that once she woke up.

He smirked. When did she even appreciate him? He couldn't remember a thing. Maybe once, when she said she was thankful for the food he let her eat. He shook his head, even that was sarcasm on her part.

He sighed as he loosened the lacy knots firmly tied around her waist that seemed to serve as her belt. She groaned in her sleep after that, maybe out of relief as her breathing evened, delving back to sleep.

He couldn't help but smile as he sat on the bed near her head. She looked so peaceful in her sleep. Then he remembered something, she once told him that she likes to sleep her problems away which actually made him sad to hear.

That came from him who he thought was incapable of feeling sad anymore.

He didn't know how it happened, or when it began, but he started to care about her. Too much, actually.

He stared at her pink lips, slightly parted from her deep sleep. His right hand slowly reached for her face and gently touched her lips. If he kissed her now, it won't be the first time. He had stolen kisses from her before. At first, it was curiosity, the next ones were something else. And then as if he couldn't control himself anymore, he bent down his head to plant a soft kiss on those lips.

He knew there was more to it than him simply caring about her but he refused to name it.

Her world and his world are just different.

He pulled back from the kiss as he stared at her face longingly, painfully. It was clear to him, she didn't want to know more about him. She refused to ask him even after that incident last Saturday. Even though she was shaken, she didn't ask him. That has been her since the beginning, though. She would talk and talk about herself but would never ask something personal about him.

He could always tell her but he really opted not to. Yes, he could protect her from his world. He clenched his teeth. No, Woojae knows about her now.

He closed his eyes at the reminder of that and among other things that had happened today. He hung his head low as the truth was bitter in his tongue.

Dara is not safe with him anymore.

A curl on his lips didn't even reach his eyes. Too bad. He was already willing to pretend he was normal to the girl, so they could hang out longer.

--

Dara woke up that morning to her grumbling stomach. She was hungry. No. She was starving.

She groaned as she refused to wake up by curling on the softest bed she had ever slept on.

She would stay but the smell of bacon and eggs woke all her senses up. She groaned again as she opened her eyes. A bare room painted in dark colors registered in her mind, she blinked her eyes again, just to realize next that she was not in her room.

Any thoughts of going back to sleep disappeared now as she rose up from the bed. Her eyes widened as she quickly checked herself. She's still dressed in her Lady Macbeth dress, she felt nothing strange within her aside from her hunger, much to her relief.

She heaved a deep sigh as she recollected her thoughts of what happened yesterday. The first part was nice - she studied, rehearsed, missed class, dressed up...and the last part was terrible. She closed her eyes at the painful memory. She was not ready to think about it again. She was tired of crying about it.

She heaved a deep sigh as she opened her eyes again. She noticed a pair of white clothes neatly folded on the bedside table. She didn't think twice about grabbing it as she couldn't wait to get off this uncomfortable medieval dress she was wearing no matter how pretty it looked on her.

She smirked bitterly at the thought that this was probably the first and last time she was going to wear it.

Upon dressing up in her new comfortable pair of sweatshirt and shorts that were too big for her, she scanned her eyes around the room. Bare and dark with little to no furniture in this big room aside from the big king-sized bed in the middle, one bedside table, one medium-sized floor lamp, and a tall plant in the corner. Whoever owns this room is definitely a minimalist.

She smelled food again as she followed the aromatic smell. It led her outside the room, to another dark hallway, to a cozy living room with a beautiful city view, and to an impressive open kitchen where she saw Jiyong busy cooking.

She smiled seeing him even with only his back. Of course, it's him. This is his place. Just bare, dark, and gloomy. Just like him.

Before she could let her presence known, Jiyong already turned around to face her, a slice of toast between his teeth as both of his hands were busy preparing something.

He took one last bite of the toast before putting it back on the plate. He then smiled at her.

"You're awake," he said.

She nodded as she gulped at the sight of the food he was preparing. "I'm hungry." She announced, sitting down on one of the dining chairs, almost begging him with a look.

He smirked as he put two plates on the table which was already filled with toast, bacon, eggs, and some fruits. He put a glass of orange juice next.

She smiled widely at him as she began to dig in her food.

"What time is it?" She asked as she looked around the flat for a clock. She didn't see any.

He sat down opposite her as he answered, "Past 10."

She widened her eyes a bit. "We missed school then."

He shrugged. He didn't care.

She thinned her lips about to say something when she remembered what happened yesterday. That immediately shut down any idea of going back to school today. There's no way she could bring herself to go back today after what happened yesterday. The news would fly fast, probably already happening, and it would be cruel to herself to subject to another humiliation.

She shook her head. Already decided that she would skip school this week, would take a break, and if a teacher confronted her about it. Damn them. It's the school's fault.

She was scowling thinking about it while her chewing slowed down on the food. It still hurt. Everything hurt.

She sighed as she looked up to Jiyong watching her.

She made a small smile at him. "The food is good." She complimented.

He seemed amused. "You're welcome." He then pushed the bread and butter to her direction which she gladly took. "I figured you would be hungry once you wake up." He stated.

She nodded as she munched on the bread. Then her brow furrowed as she remembered something. She looked quickly at him. "Do you know where is my phone? I need to message your mom about why I didn't come to work this morning." She even bit her lip at that.

He just watched her for a bit before he fished something from his pocket and then put her cell phone on the table.

"I already messaged the witch." He said, scowling at the name.

She ignored him as she unlocked her phone quickly and went to her SMS box to look for Mrs. Kwon's number.

Her number was first in the inbox. She clicked it and was immediately horrified at the last text sent.

Sick. Not coming.

It was her turn to scowl at him.

"What?" He deadpanned asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Couldn't be more obvious it wasn't me who messaged her today."

He scoffed. "There's no way in hell I would text that witch, Yes Madame, No Madame, or any of those monotonous shit." He paused. "Though I was tempted to add 'forever' in that last text."

She squinted her eyes on him as she closed her phone. "Don't text using my phone again."

He smirked. "I thought you would appreciate it."

She just shook her head as she knew it was pointless to argue with him in regard to his mother. It can either turn him to getting angry, or him being annoying to her. Both, she didn't have the energy to deal with today.

She just looked around his place as she continued to finish her food. His color is definitely gray and black like most of the furniture, paint, wall frames of different guitars, and appliances in this flat. She knew he could afford a place like this but it still surprised her that he got a place with a nice view of downtown Malcom City. It's probably one of those luxury apartments in the center.

"Hmm. Nice place." She complimented as she looked back at the staring Jiyong.

He smiled. "Thanks. I'm glad you like it."

She nodded as she noticed something. "Though I only noticed one bedroom. Where did you sleep last night?" She asked him, raising a brow.

He laughed at her insinuation but pointed at the gray couch in the living room. "It was surprisingly comfortable."

She agreed. It does look comfortable. Then she remembered something. Her forehead creased right away. "Why did you offer me to live with you if you only have one bedroom? Where do you plan for me to sleep?" She asked, wondering.

He looked at her amused. "The bedroom, of course. I can sleep on the couch."

She didn't like that as it showed on her face. "No way."

He didn't answer he just smiled at her. He then stood up, took her empty plate, put it on top of his, and put it in the sink. He then started to wash them.

She appreciated that as she stood up and leaned on a glassed window overlooking the small city of Malcom. Her thoughts wandered away. A smile was nowhere to be seen on her face. It was only worry and a sigh every now and then.

Now what?

When he joined her, she didn't speak as she just looked outside the window.

"What are you thinking?" He asked after a while, his voice soft.

She heaved a sigh as she answered, "I don't know."

He reached for the loose strands of her hair in front of her face and tucked them behind her ear. He didn't say anything, and neither did she.

They were enveloped in a comfortable silence.

—//—//tbc

a/n: I hope no one here is surprised about Jiyong's feelings for Dara. There were subtle hints before but this chapter is like the nail in the coffin for those unsure ^^ Also, I hope you guys are not confused about GD/Jiyong here. If it's about gang life, he's GD. If he's with Dara, he's Jiyong. If you like actions, don't worry there will be more upcoming. Thanks for reading. Please don't forget to vote ☆