Let's Not Fall In Love

Chapter 16

Joross had always been supportive of her secret crush. She, on the other hand, had always been supportive of his secret alter ego. So on that first night Dara cried on Joross-slash-Kate’s shoulder. Her friend patted her back until she ran out of tears and her hiccups stopped. 

“Daraling, will you tell your sister Kate what happened?” The nightgown clad man prodded her.

“The unthinkable happened.” Dara whispered. “I told him.”

There was no need to elaborate. “Okay. I told you time and time again that things like that shouldn’t be hidden. Things like that need to be given a chance to see the light of day before it could wither and die.” Her friend soothingly stroked her long locks.

She only shuddered in response. “You survived. That’s a good sign, you know.” 

“I don’t think so because I don’t feel like I want to survive. I want to die. I can’t face him or Kiko. I simply cannot. I made a fool of myself.” She burrowed deeper into Kate’s side.

“What are you scared of that might happen?” Kate the bedroom therapist asked.

“That he’d tell me he didn’t want to be friends anymore. That he’d hate me for being a fraud.” Dara replied, her face still buried underneath Kate’s perfumed underarm.

“Did he?” Kate asked.

“No because I ran out before he could say anything.” She answered.

“You’re a weird girl. A lot of people in the hospital steer clear of Heechul for fear of being humiliated but never have you ever backed down from him. Yet here you are cowering over the possibility of receiving hate from the man who cooks breakfast for you every morning, who cleans up your literal and figurative messes, who understands all your neurotic tendencies, who tends to you when you’re sick, who listens amusedly to you yapping about your WINNER and kdrama obsessive fantasies day in day out, who argues with you yet still is determined to let you explain your side so he could understand you… I could go on and on about all the things that man does to you and it will take all day. After doing and being all that do you think he could hate you?” Kate argued.

“Maybe. Who knows? Have you got eyes, sister? He’s got Kiko and I’m just me.” Dara said still wallowing in self pity.

“Have you got eyes, sister?” Kate sarcastically countered. “You shouldn’t shortchange yourself. You’re beautiful in your own way. Trust me. If I were a 100% male, which I am not, I would choose you over Kiko. I know a lot of guys in the hospital who would give an eye and a leg for a chance to date you but you’re always oblivious. And you can be certain I’ve got eyes. Besides not everything is based on looks. That man is your fucking husband in all but name and sexual relations, unless of course you’re not telling me everything and you’ve gone and done that, too.”

Kate gave a masculine shout of surprise as Dara bit hard on to his side. “Yah! You’re one nasty rabbit.” He pushed Dara away. “Get your rabid mouth away from me. But seriously, Tokki. He does everything for you that is expected from a model husband. If he’s not as in love with you as you are in love with him I’ll introduce myself as Kate to everyone.”

Kate grabbed a couple of pillows and pummeled Dara on the face. Dara threw the pillows off her face and sat up, her slender arms akimbo. “If Jiyong and Kiko end up married to each other, I’m going to tell everyone that the elusive Kate that you’re talking about is not really your twin sister but is just you in full drag queen mode.”

“You’re on.” Kate held out a hand for Dara to shake. “Let’s shake on it and make it official.” 

That was how Dara unknowingly spent her first night under the same roof as Heechul. Dara would never have thought in a million years that she’d find herself sharing a figurative roof with Heechul. If ever she did think of it, she would probably imagine herself strangling the guy in his sleep the first night. But she had slept through the first night blissfully unaware of his villainous presence sprawled on the sofa and the nefarious man luckily survived.