~ I ~

She peeked from above her desk at the empty room. She was once again alone at work doing overtime. It was night outside already and if she didn't hurry up she would miss her last bus back home.

She finished her work. Turned off the computer and stood up from her chair. A sound made her stop before she reached the stairs. She saw a shadow of a man before she saw him come out from the meeting room. He was tall, very handsome and was wearing a black suit - Lee Taemin.

As if he was a creature out of this world he walked out from the light coming from the meeting room and stepped into darkness, walking with firm steps in her direction. She couldn't move, trapped in his gaze and when she put herself together it was too late, he was already in front of her, half his face illuminated with the light from the window.

“Aren't you working until too late?”

She didn't know what to say and her lack of an answer made him smirk.

“You deserve a reward.” He said with a husky voice before he kissed her, his tongue pushing it’s way inside making her lose strength in her legs. It didn't matter because he grabbed her, pushing her against the wall.

You have nowhere to run. Even if he wasn't saying the words she was hearing them inside her head.

That's when Alice woke up.

She blinked her eyes confused. A warm body hit against hers in the bed and she flinched looking at the person beside her. Jinki wrapped an arm around her and grinned kissing her shoulder, clearly oblivious to the dream she had just now.

“Morning.”

“M-morning.” That was the first time she dreamed with another man beside Jinki ever since they started dating and it made no sense to her at all since Jinki was everything she ever needed.

He kissed her tenderly and climbed over her body, settling between her legs. Alice didn't close her eyes watching him kiss his way down from her lips to her neck and chest that was . He her and she moaned softly caressing his head.

It felt weird after the dream she just had and she tried to push him away.

“Hum...morning …” He moaned against her skin and she panicked a little. She didn't mind waking up like that at all, actually it was the best way to wake up but not that morning, not after kissing Taemin in her dreams.

“Jinki stop.”

He complained with a sleepy voice and kept kissing her down her stomach, his head disappearing under the sheets.

“STOP!” She pushed him away, her knee hitting his body and he complained rolling on the bed.

Alice sat up on the bed and caressed his shoulder while he complained, curled into a ball.

“I'm so sorry Jinki.”

“What's wrong?” He asked, his face twisting in pain. “We often have in the morning. Are you on your period? Didn't you have it last week? You didn't have it last night.”

She frowned trying to ignore his comment. Why did men always bring up the period subject when they didn't understand something a woman did?!

“I'm not on my period I just don't feel like doing it now.”

She stood up from the bed collecting her clothes and his from the floor. They were in such a rush the previous night after she arrived to his place that they had clothes all over the bedroom.

“Why?” He asked rubbing his head confused.

“Because…” She blushed. She couldn't possibly tell him that she kinda cheated on him in a dream. Instead Alice sat on the bed and kissed him. “Because you look too cute.”

“Eh?” It made no sense to him.

“I can be y too.” He whispered and her eyes fall on his lips. She knew how y he could be. Sometimes only a look from him was enough to make her desire him. Sometimes, like at that moment she only needed to look at his full lips to want him to kiss her.

If it wasn't for that silly dream they would be having .

Jinki rubbed his nose against hers and Alice closed her eyes. There was no sign of Taemin in her mind and heart at the moment so she let herself give in. Jinki’s lips touched hers and she opened them kissing him back. The sweet and soft kiss was only the start. He was truly like the sun. At first it was warm caressing her skin but the longer she stayed under it the hotter she became. His caresses were gentle and warm at first but he pushed her down on the bed, claiming his position over her again, grabbing her by her wrists and pulling them up her head, making her body burn with the way he looked intensely and passionately at her. He smiled a bit like Taemin did in her dream so she tried to push him away but the grasp on her arms intensified.

“What’s wrong?” He asked before kissing her neck and she blinked her eyes opening to breathe. Nothing was wrong. When he was with her nothing seemed wrong at all. Alice smiled softly closing her eyes.

“I love you too much.”

He moved his lips away from her neck and she fluttered hers open to look back at him.

“There is no loving too much.” He gave her a quick kiss. “And I don't mind. Love me all you want!” He giggled kissing her neck again.

She did mind however. The solo thought of losing him was enough to make her chest hurt deeply. If it happened, if he somehow got tired of her what would she do?!

He sneaked a hand between her legs and touched her oris, rubbing it softly and she couldn't fight him any longer. He knew exactly what made her weak. His lips moved down to her s that he kisses and while he ed her, teasing her entrance once in awhile. She kissed him hungrily, groping his too and soon he was over her again, rubbing his lower body on hers, brushing his against her entrance.

“You are a tease!” She complained grasping the skin of his shoulders and Jinki grinned before entering her in a swift movement that made her raise her back from the mattress.

He moved in and out of her slowly savouring it and Alice couldn't take her eyes from him. She loved the way he looked during , how lost he was in her. She liked to trace the beauty marks of his body with her lips while they made love and that’s what she did, kissing the ones he had on his chest until she could not longer do it, , lost in pleasure.

He rubbed her oris, knowing that he was closer to an than she was, accelerating his movements and matching his caresses with his s and soon she came, opening in a silent cry, arching her body to meet his one last time since he came also, driven to the edge by the way her muscles clenched around him.

They rested in the bed for a while, bodies tangled on each other, his lips on her neck and her fingers on the muscles of his back.

Jinki her neck and she moaned with pleasure before realizing what he was doing.

“DAMN IT JINKI!”

He moved back from over her and ran away from the bed as if he was scared. He wasn't, the huge smile on his face was the proof of it.

“YOU GAVE ME A HICKEY AGAIN!” Alice seemed furious but he knew she wasn't at all. It was her bad temper acting up, the bad temper he loved.

“I like giving you hickeys after !”

“Yes, but then I go to work and people notice.” Last time she had to cover it with a scarf and even though she was careful, a coworker asked her about it.

“Let's tell everyone.” He said approaching her that was now beside the mirror checking the red bruise on her neck, the one he did out of passion with his lips. The thought made her tingle inside but it still upset her. “Let's tell everyone in the company that we are dating.”

“No.” Her answer made him sigh frustrated but she wasn't going to give in. Not yet.

“We are dating for 6 months now. Half a year already. We sleep together, we even spend weekends living together. Why can't we tell everyone? I don't get it.”

She turned to him touching the red spot on her neck affectionately. It was a sign of love that she didn't want anyone to see. She prefered when he did that on her chest. Those she was the only one that could see and admire in the mirror.

“I don't want anyone to look at me in a funny way. I told you already.”

“What funny way?” he groaned. “We are in love. There is nothing wrong with being in love.”

“Yes but you are…” the words died on her lips because he looked at her incredulous. She tried to explain to him that before but he couldn't understand. He was handsome, sweet and everyone loved him and she was...she was an introvert that had a hard time fitting in. “They wouldn't understand why you are with me.”

“I don't care. They don't have to understand anything.” He stood up from the bed. “I understand. I admired you for months until I was able to confess what I felt. I want to scream to the world that you love me, that we are together.”

“I know…”

He touched her arm softly and then pulled her to him and into his arms.

She completely melted against him and not even his lips on her neck leaving another mark just below the other made her untangle herself from him.

~ II ~

Alice was trying to make breakfast for him, as a way to ask him to forgive her cause of her stupid outburst in the bedroom, the way she hit him with her knee in the bed, the secret of them dating and the dream. Now that she thought about it she had a lot of things to make up for.

Why was he even dating her?!

She probably asked herself that everyday but she couldn't find an answer. She didn't find herself that pretty, she had a bad temper, she wasn't very social nor rich. She didn't find herself especially talented in anything either and yet he chose her above all girls.

Alice giggled to herself lost in pink daydreams when she cut herself with the knife.

“Damn it.” She quickly grabbed a paper tissue and cleaned the blood from the cut so she could look at it.

“Are you trying to kill yourself again?” Jinki asked entering the kitchen. He looked so handsome with a white shirt and black pants, his hair still dump from the shower that her heart skipped a beat and she completely forgot about her hurt finger.

“I was trying to make breakfast.”

“Aigo. My clumsy girlfriend!” He grabbed her hand and took the paper tissue away. “I can cook. You can sit and try not to kill yourself for a change.”

Alice frowned. “I'm not. I'm going to help you.”

“With the luck you have you will probably burn the whole house like Alice in Wonderland.”

“Aish.” He laughed with her frustration and then kissed her finger.

“It's going to heal properly with my kiss of love.” He pushed her into an empty seat. “Now be a good girl and sit here while I cut the rest. You can help me after when there are no knives.”

“You are as clumsy as I am!”

“Yup. But I feel very lucky this morning. After all I gave you two hickeys and you didn't kill me.”

Alice touched the thin scarf around her neck, that was covering them and Jinki giggled happily cutting the rest of the vegetables.

She watched him for a while and then grabbed her phone. A new chapter of her favorite fanfiction was out and she was sure it had a scene. She loved the way that author wrote them. It was so hot.

“What are you doing?” He asked after a while placing several dishes over the table in front of her. Alice was so immersed in what she was reading that she blushed deeply not able to answer immediately.

Jinki peeked over her shoulder reading it out loud.

“He pushed her against the door and in a swift movement pulled her down her legs.” His adam’s apple moved and he his lips, his gaze moving from her phone to Alice and back again. “She moaned when he raised one of her legs and wrapped it around his waist. What was she doing? Having with her boss' son in plain daylight at work.”

Jinki placed a hand on the table beside Alice and she stared at his fingers and how he moved them slowly on it. “Well then...you are reading fiction. Interesting.”

“It's not...it's...I really like this story.”

He laughed out loud and pulled a chair to sit beside her. “And we did have in the morning. You are a very y girlfriend.” He was amused. “Tell me what is it about!”

He seemed very curious about it, probably surprised with that side of his girlfriend he didn't know about and Alice found herself actually telling him the story of the fanfiction. “It's about a woman that sleeps with her boss’ son and they fall in love.”

“Hum I see.”

“He is very mysterious and y and he is like a good boy by the day and a bad boy at night with a bike and leather jacket and…” Her voice died when she realized that the main character from the story she was reading was Taemin in her dream.

“And?”

She pursed her lips not knowing what to answer and Jinki frowned. “Good boy bad boy…hum...mysterious and a bike. Like Taemin?”

Damn it. Why was Lee Jinki so smart?!

“What? No not at all.”

He sighed looking away and then stood up. “Let’s eat.”

She thought the subject was going to die there but Jinki turned to her again. “Do you fantasize with this kind of things?”

“What kind?”

“A bad or mysterious guy pushing you against the wall and having with you at work?”

“No…” She was clearly lying because Jinki’s expression hardened.

“Do you fantasize with Taemin?”

“NO!”

He turned around rubbing his chin deep in thought and Alice felt like the worst.

“I don't, I swear. I only realized the similarities today. They both have a bike and…” Jinki turned to her. “I swear I don't. I only had a dream...tonight about Taemin kissing me. Only one!”

He flinched before sitting in front of her at the table.

“It meant nothing.”

“It was enough for you to not want to have with me. Now I see the reluctance…”

“But we did have ! Please Jinki. I swear it's nothing. It's a stupid dream. I love you!”

He raised his eyes from the table to her and a small smile spread on his lips.

“Maybe this is a sign that I need to be more wild.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.“ He smiled to himself mischievously.

~ III ~

Even though they spent most of the time at his apartment and she had several of her things and clothes there; and even though they walked to work together almost everyday they pretended to not be dating at work. He often waited at the end of the street so she would arrive before him and people wouldn't get suspicious.

That was the reason Alice arrived earlier than Jinki that morning and her path crossed with Taemin’s that was already at the top of the stairs listening to music, his headphones on his head, his eyes on the street outside.

He did notice her arrival even though she tried really hard to walk by him silently.

“Morning.” He said offering her a friendly smile and she smiled back trying not to think about the fact that he kissed her there in her dream.

That morning was different. She had a new coworker at the desk next to hers since the other one left to get married and moved to another country.

As soon as Alice placed her purse over her desk, a small woman with a dashing smile and big beautiful blue eyes greeted her.

“Hi! I’m Lee Emi. Please take care of me.”

Alice smiled at her and then sat at her desk. The new girl kept looking at her waiting for Alice to strike a conversation with her which made her feel bad. She was the worst person to do that. She often stick to the essentials, which was very different from Alice in Wonderland that was so curious about everything.

“Your name is Alice. It's a beautiful name. You aren't Korean?”

“I am korean. My mother isn’t and she loved the book too much.”

“Oh I see.” The new girl stood up again and Alice admired her cute blue dress and the way it stick to her body. She had a nice body and big s for such a small woman. Her hair was pretty too, caught with a gold hairpin. “I brought coffee for you.”

Alice wasn't used to that and she shook her head. “I really don't like coffee. I drink tea.”

“Oh I didn't know.”

“It's ok. Thanks anyway. Maybe you can give it to someone else.”

As soon as Alice finished saying it Jinki entered the room. Her eyes light up immediately and she tried really hard not to grin like a lovefool since he was looking her way.

She wasn't the only one enamored and she realized it as soon as the new woman stepped in front of Jinki making him widen his eyes surprised.

“Hi. I’m Lee Emi. Please take care of me!”

She introduced herself to him exactly in the same way she did to Alice but this time she received a warmer welcome and a beautiful smile since Jinki was the most polite and sweet person at the company. Alice was sure of it. He illuminated any room he entered. He illuminated her life and her heart.

“Oh you have coffee for me?” He asked after a few minutes of small talk.

“Ah it was for Alice sunbaenim but she doesn't drink coffee.”

“No. She prefers tea.” He grinned grabbing the cup of coffee. “I love coffee. Thank you. That's really nice of you!”

He left not giving Alice nor the new girl a second glance and Alice glared at him upset with that. Emi sat at the desk beside her and sighed deeply. “Alice sunbaenim can I make you a question?”

“Hum.” Alice grunted still upset because Jinki didn't even look her way and his desk was so far away she couldn't see him well.

“Is Jinki sunbaenim single?”

Alice’s fingers froze over the keyboard and she wasn't sure about what to answer.

“You don't know?” The girl asked again and Alice grabbed her earphones deciding to listen to music and barely talk with Emi.

“I have no idea and I don't care.” Alice lied turning on her music, creating a bubble around her so no one could reach to her, not even Jinki with his beautiful smiles that he obviously offered to everyone.

Idiot!

~ IV ~

Alice avoided Jinki for two days which wasn't hard since they were both busy and she had to stay with her sister because she was sick and needed help. They did talk every day on the phone though and even though he was the sweetest like always she was an awkward, jealous mess avoiding the work subject and only talking about food and silly things.

Even though they didn't talk much at work she didn't miss the several times Jinki helped the new girl with something, how everyone laughed at her jokes and how cute she acted around Jinki clearly flirting with him.

She hated it. She hated that she was the one who decided to not tell anyone about their relationship, she hated that he didn't tell the new girl yet that he had a girlfriend, she hated how he smiled at her so cutely as if she was special.

Alice’s mood was getting worse and worse and the stupid copy machine was starting to get on her nerves since it wasn't working.

“It doesn't have any paper.” Jinki said from behind her and Alice quickly turned around grabbing the sheets of paper she was trying to copy.

“Let me.” he grabbed them from her hand and did it for her, opening the paper tray and filling it with paper before he made the copies she wanted.

While she waited for the machine to finish copying, he placed his hands on each side of her, trapping Alice between the machine and his body.

“W-what are you doing?”

“I miss you.”

She melted with his words and for a second she forgot that they were at work. Only a few seconds were enough for her to remember the way he thanked Emi cutely that morning when she offered him coffee again.

“Why don't you go pick up some coffee. It seems to make you really happy!” she pushed him away and Jinki blinked his eyes confused until he realized what she was talking about.

“Are you jealous?”

“No. As if!” She grabbed the copies from the machine grumbling about it.

“You are.” Jinki followed after her and even though she was walking fast he accompanied her which made Alice worried because sooner or later people would notice it.

“Let me talk with you.”

“Not here.” She mumbled but he didn't seem to give up.

“Where then? Sleep at my place tonight. You said your sister was better yesterday.”

“No.”

“Why?”

Because if she did she would sleep with him again and he would smile at her like he smiled at Emi and she would absolutely hate herself. Summarizing, she couldn't because she was too complicated even for her to understand herself.

Before Alice managed to find something to answer she went against one of her coworkers that also had a pile of copies. The sheets of paper floated in the air for a while before falling all over the floor. Alice and the other guy squatted grabbing them and Jinki was going to do the same when Taemin stepped in to help. He was fast and with the three of them separating the sheets it was done pretty quick.

Jinki watched the whole scene. How she awkwardly apologized to their coworker and then thanked Taemin with pink cheeks.

He didn't say anything and walked back to his desk.

~ V ~

That day was a mess.

After the awful scene with the copies, where Jinki didn't even help her which hurt her a little, she tried to go to have lunch and avoid him.

However, even if she tried to be one of the last ones having lunch, her worst nightmare was happening.

Jinki was in the staff room having lunch with the new girl and a couple other coworkers. They barely noticed when she entered the room and Alice made her way to the microwave to warm up her lunch. One of her older coworkers was there already and she greeted her politely.

“They make a cute couple.” She said much to Alice’s horror since she was talking about Jinki and Emi that were laughing together about something.

“I heard they are dating.” Mika, the coworker she despised the most said joining them in their line to warm up lunch.

! Why was Alice so unlucky?! Why was everyone having lunch so late?!

“Really?” Her coworker asked.

“Yes. Lee Jinki was seen kissing a woman the other day outside the bakery down the street.”

Alice almost let her lunch box fall from her hands.

That day they thought they were alone. She did want to scold him but the way he kissed her was so drama like, so passionate that she couldn't. Their date was clearly witnessed by someone that didn't notice who she was. Of course. She wasn't that beautiful to begin with. Emi was, with her cute dresses, nice body and big blue eyes.

“Oh must be her then. Look at her so pretty!”

Alice followed her coworker’s gaze and to her horror she also thought that they made a cute couple. That's when Jinki noticed her, his smile fading immediately.

She hated it. More than when he smiled at everyone.

Now she was even able to make him sad?! Great! Their relationship was clearly doomed.

The microwave beeped and Alice moved her hand to open the door but touched something warm instead - Taemin’s hand.

“Here!”

Mika released a cute small moan clearly only noticing his presence at that moment and Alice grabbed her lunch from his hand.

“I don't think they are dating.” Taemin said. “I think he likes someone else.” His eyes fell on Alice and she felt her cheeks get deep red something that didn't miss Jinki’s eyes. Unfortunately he didn't know that she was thinking about him and not Taemin.

“Your lunch smells nice.” Taemin added and as if she woke up from a spell Alice moved with her food to the table where she sat the fastest she could, away from Jinki and Emi.

Sadly the table wasn't big enough.

Jinki couldn't take his eyes away from her eating in silence and Alice felt too self conscious wanting to hide somewhere.

Her coworker and Mika sat beside them and Taemin joined after sitting right in front of her.

Great! Couldn't get better!

They started talking about the coworker that left to marry.

“I want to get married this year.” Mika announced after a while her eyes on Taemin. “I have someone in my mind for husband.”

Taemin seemed to start eating faster and Alice tried not to laugh with his reaction to her words.

“I want to have a lot of kids.” Mika added.

“I don't think I will be a good father.” Taemin said ruining Mika’s dreams.

“Oh babies are so cute.” Emi remarked. “I want to have kids.”

“Ah I think that you need to wait for the right person.” Jinki’s gaze moved to Alice. “When you find someone you love then marriage and kids come naturally.”

Did he meant her? Did he meant that he wanted to marry and have kids with her? Alice’s heart was thumping like crazy. She always said she would never marry or have kids only if she fell in love.

“Even if it's only a formality.” He believed. “I think it makes sense. Also having kids…”

Why did he think the same as she did?! Why was he so perfect?!

He ate his food still looking at her, being extremely obvious, as obvious as Emi, that couldn't look at anyone else beside him.

That completely ruined the mood and Alice felt like throwing her lunch box at her head.

As always, her bad temper made her say the most hurtful things. “I don't want to have kids.”

Jinki’s chopsticks fall in his lunch box and everyone looked at Alice as if she was an alien. Why did she seem so serious about the subject. It was only a small talk during lunch.

“I don't want to marry either. I find it stupid and unnecessary since they never last long.” She chuckled. “It only takes a pretty face to show up in their life for men to cheat on you and completely forget what they feel for you. Marriage is a waste of time!”

She couldn't even look into his eyes while she said all that because he seemed extremely hurt with her. Great! Now he knew how she also felt .

Alice tried to eat her food again but it was as if she had a huge knot inside . She was slowly starting to feel ridiculous with everything she said.

“Aish.” Jinki’s voice made her look at him and he stood up, a small stain of food on his shirt.

“You got yourself dirty.” Emi observed stupidly.

“Yes.” he seemed very upset and she knew that it had nothing to do with his dirty shirt.

“I can help you!” Emi quickly grabbed a paper tissue and started rubbing it on his shirt over his chest, Jinki tried to stop her, his eyes on Alice that watched the scene incredulous. She was acting as his wife more and more and why wouldn't she?! She had no idea Jinki had a girlfriend and he didn't do anything to push her away anyway.

Alice stood up from the table, emptied her lunch box in the trashcan and left the room.

~ VI ~

Not even music was cooperating with Alice that day.

Starving a song from Hailee Steinfeld was playing.

She was indeed starving because she barely had lunch and worse she was starving for Jinki. She needed his hugs more than ever, his sweet kisses and whispers.

However she had nothing. No food, no Jinki.

Alice was near tears listening to the music when Jinki stopped by her desk.

She quickly cleaned her eyes but he didn't miss the gesture, and she took off her earphones so she could hear him.

“Can we talk?”

Alice peeked at the desk beside hers. Emi wasn't there, probably busy somewhere else.

“I’m almost finished with…”

“Not work.” He interrupted. “I know that we should wait until the end of the day to talk about this but after what happened at lunch I can't focus. I can't wait.”

Alice gathered all her strength to answer. “Nothing happened at lunch.”

“You said that you didn't want to marry or have kids with me.”

“So?”

“So…” He placed his hand on the desk and moved his fingers nervously like he often did, a gesture that she never missed since she couldn't take her eyes off of him. “Last time you mentioned it you said that you could think about it if you were really in love with someone.”

Alice widened her eyes. “When did I mention it?”

“Once in the first year I came to work here, during lunch.” She was speechless. “What? I told you before. My eyes are always on you. I've loved you from afar for a very long time.”

She wasn't the only one noticing the small things, loving him from afar. He did too.

“What changed?” He asked and she looked down to the keyboard of the computer in front of her instead. “Are you upset with me? Tired of me? Want someone else? You don’t love me?”

She bit her lower lip starting to get angry once again. Shouldn't she be the one asking him that?!

“You don't think that I can be a good father or…”

“Why don’t you marry and have kids with a beautiful woman with blue eyes.” Alice moved her head in the direction of the desk beside hers and Jinki paled. ”She seems to want to have a lot of kids and with you I'm sure you two would be like bunnies procreating.”

Jinki frowned, small wrinkles showing in the middle of his eyes. “You are truly jealous of her.”

“Whatever. Just go back to work. I have a lot to do.” Alice tried to control the pain inside her chest. The last thing she needed was to cry in front of him and everyone in the office. He seemed to notice her struggle because he stepped back willing to give up for now.

“Right.” He turned around leaving her alone and Alice placed the earphones on her ears once again trying to focus on the music playing. She possibly couldn't because every time she blinked her eyes she was scared that a tear would escape. The screen of her computer was starting to get a little clouded.

~ VII ~

Someone needed to stay doing extra hours and Alice volunteered. It wasn't as if she had anything better to do anyway. The only plans she had for that night was to cry, drink hot chocolate, cry, and wait for a possible phone call from Jinki where she wasn't sure what to say to him. She felt as if their relationship was doomed to end very soon.

What she didn't expect was for Taemin to volunteer with her. Jinki did too, probably so he could be alone with her but Taemin was chosen since Jinki did stay more often.

After they left the meeting Jinki cornered her outside making everyone look at them curious. If someone asked she had to make up an excuse and say it was work related.

“Are you sure you don't want me to stay instead?” He asked, surprising her since she thought that he was going to try and talk about the marriage subject again.

“I'm ok. I have nothing better to do.” She answered.

“We could watch a movie.” he whispered and the idea attracted her. She could ask her boss to liberate her that night. They could watch a movie together and maybe forget about the awful last days they had. The last time they watched a movie they end up making out after the first 20 minutes and it was amazing. He was so gentle and sweet with her and her heart was beating fast only by remembering it.

“Jinki sunbaenim.” Emi’s voice ruined everything and Jinki’s shoulder slumped once he noticed Alice’s expression change. “Can you help me with something?”

“I will. I'm busy now.” Jinki’s slightly rude answer made Emi walk away and he groaned.

“She needs you.” Alice smirked. “Ask her to watch a movie with you. I’m sure she will do it gladly.”

Before Alice was able to run away he grabbed her arm and she paled worried that someone might see. He didn't seem to care at all, his neck and ears red. Lee Jinki was upset.

“Do you truly want me to ask her out? Is that why you keep pushing me to her?”

“Pushing you? You don't need any pushing when you spend your day flirting with her!”

“I'm not flirting with her. I told her that there is someone I love. I only didn't tell her it was you because you don't want anyone to know!”

“It's my fault then?”

“Is it my fault that she has a crush on me? What do you want me to do? Be mean to her? If you want I’ll tell her to leave me alone. Will that make you happy?”

“Please…”

“I don't see you pushing Taemin away either.” Alice didn't say anything. “You get pretty red when he is close to you also.”

Alice untangled herself from his hold, which was not hard since he wasn't holding her too firmly.

“You are not going to say anything?” He asked. “I'm not the one dreaming with another woman.” He leaned forward, his face inches from her but Alice couldn't worry anymore with someone seeing them. She had other problems, like the way her body was wishing for him to kiss her, to hold her. “Like an idiot I keep dreaming with you.” He studied her eyes and waited for her to say something but Alice didn't open .

“You are the most frustrating woman i've ever met!” He stepped back and her eyes fell on his lips. “Do you know that?”

“Yes.” She knew. She knew how awful she was but she warned him before they started that relationship.

“You know what?! I'm done!” He walked away and Alice stood against the wall for a brief moment until it dawned on her. Lee Jinki just broke up with her.

~ VIII ~

Alice cried. She had to hide in the bathroom and cry.

Luckily no one was around since she was doing overtime and only Taemin was at his desk when she gathered her strength and got back to work.

She cried at her desk also, sniffing and blowing her nose in the paper tissue in her hand, pretending that she was sick instead.

It worked for one hour until Taemin approached her desk.

“Are you crying?”

“Ah-What?” She raised her wet eyes to him “No. I’m sick...I have an allergy.”

“Oh right.” Taemin didn't seem to believe her and she wasn’t surprised. She was awful at pretending. Instead he grabbed a chair from Emi’s desk and pushed it next to Alice that stared at him. She was never that close to him, well not outside a dream.

“You are dating Jinki right?” The question surprised Alice. Maybe Jinki told him. They seemed to be friends.

“He told you something or…”

“No. He told me he was in love with someone and I'm not stupid. I can see the way you look at each other. Anyone can see. Well anyone with a brain. Clearly not Mika.”

Alice laughed softly and Taemin joined her.

“So you are dating…”

“We are...well we were until a few hours ago.”

“You broke up? Why? Because of the new girl?”

“Obvious right? She is amazing.” Alice looked at her lap “Of course his heart would weaver.”

“Are you sure it's his heart that wavered or yours that is in doubt?”

“What do you mean?”

“I like you Alice. If Jinki wasn't my friend I probably would have made a move on you before.”

“W-WHAT?” Alice was astonished and Taemin laughed at her expression.

“Do you want me to do it?” He pulled his chair closer to her and Alice couldn't tear her eyes away from his. It was exactly like the way he was looking at her in her dream. “Want me to kiss you? You are not dating Jinki anymore.”

The idea crossed her mind. She could make that dream come true but…

Jinki was the one she wanted. He was more than a dream could ever be.

“I can't- No. I don't want to.”

Taemin tilted his head and Alice started crying even if she tried not to. “I love him.”

Taemin smiled. “I know. He loves you and you love him. Nothing changed even with a new flirty coworker running after him.”

“What do you mean?” Alice blew her nose.

“I mean that even if the office was filled with several Emis flirting with him; if he loves you, it doesn't matter. Trust his feelings more.” Since Alice was looking at him amazed with his wisdom, Taemin added. “Jinki told me about this woman he is dating that he loves so much that is damn jealous of him.” He chuckled. “It's annoying to see you two bickering all over the office, stealing glances at each other, jealous over coworkers. You know he is jealous of me helping you too.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It's ok. Sometimes I'm bored and it amuses me.” Taemin stood up. “Anyway I'm done. I'm going home. I’ll lock the door since you are alone.”

Alice stayed a little longer but she couldn't focus and after a while she turned off her computer and stood up to leave. She wanted to speak with Jinki. Maybe she could pass by his house and they could have a honest conversation. Taemin was right. She knew that he was, but it didn't help that she was so insecure sometimes.

Alice grabbed her purse, turned off the lights and turned the knob of the door to leave. It was locked and she remembered that Taemin said that he was going to lock it. She searched inside her bag for the keys for a while and started to panick.

Wait…

She rarely used the keys since she didn't stay overtime often. So the key was probably at Jinki’s place in the pocket of the coat she used the last time she stayed overtime.

“!”

Alice leaned against the door thinking. She didn't have Taemin’s number. She couldn't call her boss and she didn't know anyone else who had the keys beside Jinki.

“Damn my luck!”

She picked up her phone from inside her bag and hesitated. Alice needed to be sitting to make that call so she walked to her desk and plopped on the chair before making the call. It rang several times but he didn't pick up. Of course he wouldn't. They fought that day and he broke up with her.

“DAMN IT!” Alice laid her head over her desk and closed her eyes. She felt so empty and lost.

She was no Alice in Wonderland. She was boyfriendless Alice stuck at the office until morning. What a fairytale!

A sound made her raise her head and she hugged her bag against her.

She turned off the lights before trying to open the door and now she regretted it.

“Who is there?”

“Me!”

Alice stood up from the chair, letting her bag fall over the desk.

Jinki came out from the shadows holding the keys she forgot.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to pick you up. And thank god I came because it seems you are locked in.”

She was so relieved to see him that she completely forgot about the fight and ran into his arms. He hugged her against him so tightly that she smiled feeling like a princess being saved from a tower by a prince.

“I was home, in my bed and I felt so lonely. I missed you so much. That bed is not only mine anymore.” he whispered against her hair and Alice grasped the back of his coat. “I love you Alice. I can't let you go.”

“Don't let me go then.” She asked pulling away just enough that she could look at him “I'm sorry. I know I’m frustrating but, please, don't give up on me.”

He cupped her face, her cheeks were a still wet, and leaned his head against hers. “I won’t.”

“Taemin was here with me and he asked me if I wanted to kiss him but I didn't.” Alice spoke without breathing and Jinki didn't tear his eyes away from hers. “I didn't because I want you. No dream can beat what I feel with you here in real life.”

His lips curved into a smile. “Really?”

“Yes and he then started to act as my therapist and it was very weird but…but...I love you!”

That's what mattered.

Jinki kissed her and Alice caressed his hands on her face.

“I know you broke up with me.” She remarked and he interrupted.

“I didn't break up with you.”

“You said you were done with me.”

“Not with you. With this lie. I don't want to hide it anymore. Tomorrow I’m kissing you in front of everyone. I’m revealing it to everyone, Emi, everyone, that we are together.”

“Oh.” He meant that all along?!

“You are so silly!” Jinki released her. “I won't break up with you this easily.” He took a deep breath as if he practiced what he would say next. “I know that you said that you don't want to marry or have kids and I respect that. I won't lie and say I don’t want that but I want you so much more that for you...for you I think that I'm willing to sacrifice that.”

“What are you saying?”

He pulled her again by her waist to his arms. “If I have you, even if I don't have anything else then I am happy.” He his lips. “Do you want to live with me?”

“Jinki…”

“We don't have to marry since you hate the idea. We can just live together.”

Alice rested her head against his chest and smiled. She didn't hate the idea at all. She said all those things out of anger. The idea of marrying him and having a baby with him didn't seem that bad.

“You truly want me.”

“Of course.”

“Why?” She looked at him. That was something she could never understand. Why her? “I'm not beautiful, my body is not perfect and I'm so hard to understand sometimes.”

“I want you. Why would I want someone perfect when I can have you with your grumpiness and your clumsiness and your random pimples.” He touched one she had on her chin and Alice frowned. “When we get old all this beauty will slowly disappear. Your perfect skin will get wrinkles, hair will be gray and everyone ends up growing old. I don't want to spend my life with a pretty body that doesn't lasts forever. I want to be with someone that is truly beautiful in my eyes, that truly makes me happy not only because of her body but because of the way she makes me feel. I want you, you are truly beautiful to me.”

Alice didn’t know what to say so instead she kissed him wrapping her arms around his neck. The office was empty but she was sure she would have done the same thing even if it was during the day and it was full with people.

“Let's go home.” She mumbled against his lips. “Our home.”

“Does that mean?”

“Yes. I’ll live with you. We are going to fight all the time though.”

“Hum I really don't mind. I'm sorry but I have to try at least once. Marriage?”

“Maybe.”

He kissed her again, moving his hands softly on her back.

“You can kiss me like this in front of everyone wearing a beautiful dress or hanbook.”

She laughed with the suggestion and he raised an eyebrow cutely.

“It's not a bad idea now that I think of it.”

“Emi and Mika could be there and die of jealousy.”

Alice bit her lower lip. He deserved an award for the creativity in making her say yes.

“If you ask me properly then I will think about it.”

“I’ll ask you properly if I'm sure that the answer will be yes.” She rested her head against his shoulder inhaling his scent and the words came out from her lips with no effort.

“Yes.”

“Ok.” He was acting cool about it but even if she wasn't looking at his face she knew he was grinning like crazy. “Only kids left.”

“Please Jinki this is enough.”

She was weak, dazzled with her feelings for him and would probably agree with anything he said.

“A little grumpy girl like you...or maybe a grumpy boy looking like me?”

She peeked at him and he took that chance to kiss her.

“Only one.”

“Ok. I can agree with that. It seems we reached an agreement!” He rubbed his nose against hers. “Can I scream to the world tomorrow that you are my girlfriend?”

“Scream is a bit too much!”

He pushed her against the desk and Alice widened her eyes when he kissed her neck, opening his mouth to her skin. He moved away after his work was done.

“Maybe I can tell everyone I was the one who did this to your neck.”

Alice blushed and shook her head. “Maybe we can simply say we are dating.”

“You are no fun!” His comment made her laugh and he released her.

“Let's go home.”

She turned to grab her bag from the desk but Jinki stopped her and made her turn back to him.

“We are alone, so maybe...that fiction you were reading…I did try to stay with you overnight but Taemin. Argh. I hated him so much even though it wasn't his fault that he got selected to be with you!”

“What do you mean?”

He picked her up by her waist and sat her over her desk.

“Maybe I can give you a reason to smile every time you look at your desk from now on. I know I'll be smiling!”

“I can't believe it.” Alice read the desire in his eyes and he kissed her, his hands moving down her side and under her skirt. Like the character did in the story he pulled her down her legs and spread them, pulling her closer to his body.

“Are we really going to have here?” Alice whispered which was silly since they were alone.

“Yes.” he whispered back. “I guess this is me trying to be wild.”

She giggled before kissing him more intensely, moving her hand down his chest to his pants to him, doing it like the character of the story.

There were many things different from the story. She wasn't an extremely beautiful heroine, instead she was an ordinary woman with her flaws; and Jinki wasn't the mysterious rich hero, he was a normal man, a sweet normal one.

And it was fine like that because that wasn't a story, it was real life and Alice was having with Jinki over her desk at work.

Wild!