Sora tried to hide her grin but she was too elated to be inside that office that very soon will belong to her.

Her eyes darted from the big modern black desk to the window behind it from where a part of Seoul could be seen.

Ever since the day she entered that company she dreamed having that office for herself. At first it was only a way to reach her objective but now it was way more than that, it was a verification of her hard work, of her competence as a worker at that company.

The soon to be ex Sales and Marketing Director sat on his chair and looked at Sora appreciatively.

He wasn't a bad man but had the awful habit of checking every woman out in a very obvious way. Sora didn't mind, she felt so powerful that day, beaming with confidence. If he wanted to look at her then be it. She looked stunning with her red blouse that showed a bit of her cleavage and black pencil skirt.

“I called you here because as you know I’m leaving the company at the end of this week and after a deep reflection I decided on who should replace me.”

She pursed her red lips and waited for it, for the glorious words.

“You are one of our exemplars employees and there is no one inside this company that deserves a promotion as much as you and you are my first choice.”

Sora’s lips broke into a smile and she bowed “Thank you so much!”

“However…” She looked up “However I'm not the one making the final decision and orders from above came.”

Orders from above meant the last floor, where the ceo of the company was.

“I'm not being promoted?”

“Well not exactly. They decided to give you another responsibility.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“They just decided to create a new job position. A new young man is coming to work here. He is your dongsaeng and will be the new Sales and Marketing director.”

Sora looked at him speechless “But I-I work here for a while now. I gave my all for this company.”

“That's why they choose you to help this young man to do his job. He is still...fresh. He needs the guidance of someone with more experience than him.”

“I am going to babysit, is that it?”

The man chuckled but Sora didn't feel like laughing at all.

“Well you can call that in a way but with a very good paycheck and if everything goes well maybe you will be promoted also.”

“I'm not going to babysit and throw away all the overtime I did for this company.”

“There is always one solution.” He moved on his chair and grabbed the phone “We can call the accounting office and ask for them to see how much we owe you.”

Sora swallowed hard knowing what that meant. She couldn't be fired. She needed the money and above else she needed to be inside that company.

“I'm sorry. I'll do my best.”

The old director smiled and she left the office without a second thought and walked to her desk.

Sora opened the first drawer of her desk and took out a small red stress ball that she squished quickly trying to control her frustration and anger. She wanted to punch someone.

The young woman grabbed her handphone and tried to call Nari but no one answered. She was probably working, doing candles or napping.

Sora groaned frustrated and placed the handphone over the desk.

She could truly punch someone. That new guy should pray for his safety because she wasn't sure she would be able to control herself and not kill him.

After work she needed to go to the gym to use all those negatives energies.

Nari aligned a set of candles and then walked between the shelves with candles running her fingers on the old wood pretending to be checking the prices and the way the candles were placed.

It was all a disguise, since she spent half that morning doing exactly that and she knew everything was right on it’s place. It served as an excuse for her to follow Jinki, The Mr. Sunshine customer from afar.

He was a few shelves away with a green candle in his hand.

It was funny how he always took his time at the store smelling several candles when he always ended up choosing that same one - an old one that had a fresh tree scent.

His eyes were on the candle that he moved in his hand. It wasn't that special visually, it had a faint green color and small sparkling glitter.

Nari’s father was the one who came up with it to sell during christmas. They didn't even celebrate christmas like western people did and yet he said that it would sell a lot once they had more tourists coming in.

Never happened since their store was small and not on a main street but they had their fair of loyal customers enough to keep the business running.

Nari watched his back biting her lower lip admiring his broad shoulders and the way his dark blue sweater fitted him perfectly. She leaned her head against the shelf, her eyes on the back of his neck where he had two cute birthmarks which made her smile. He turned around with the candle and she hid before she followed after him hiding behind the shelves until he reached the counter for payment. The part time worker she hired wasn't there yet so she ran to the desk and smiled at him shyly knowing that he would smile back at her. She longed for those moments and like always she froze looking at him briefly before grabbing the candle from his hand, the tips of their fingers touching briefly. He didn't even notice taking his wallet from his pants’ pocket while she tried to say something coherent.

“Hi.”

He opened his wallet searching for his money and raised his eyes briefly to her “Hi.”

It was a short movement of his lips, a short exchange of looks and yet she melted inside grasping the desk in front of her.

“Want me to wrap it?”

He always asked her to wrap it for a gift and she always wondered who was the lucky person that deserved a candle almost every week.

Offering candles was the same as offering blessings. Her father always said that. Not only you were giving someone a source of light but you were also giving a chance to manipulate emotions only through the sense of smell.

“Yes please.”

She stepped away so that he could see the wrapping paper behind her and like always Jinki hummed in thought before pointing at one he liked, this time it was a beautiful pink one with white dots.

“Perfect choice! She is a lucky girl!” Nari said awkwardly hoping that he couldn't notice in her voice that she wanted to be that lucky girl.

Jinki watched her while she wrapped the candle which made her extremely nervous and she did her best, finishing up the small package tying a dark pink bow around it.

She then gave the package to him and Jinki smiled widely at her, the smile reaching his eyes “Thank you. It looks really petty.”

It wasn't even the first time and it probably wouldn't be the last also and yet her heart jumped in her chest and her nose itched badly. It was always like that when her emotions betrayed her body and made her act like a fool. And when it came to Jinki, to her Mr. Sunshine, like Sora called him, she couldn't control herself at all.

Nari placed a hand in front of and sneezed loudly making Jinki chuckle.

“Oh that was big. You sneeze a lot. Do you have an allergy?”

She raised her eyes to his gentle ones and it was way worse because he did seem truly interested in her. Men didn't usually got interested in her, and when they did things never worked well.

Nari took her hand away from her lips and swallowed hard biting her tongue so she wouldn't tell him all about her many allergies.

“I-I….the strong sun makes me sneeze often.”

No one is truly allergic to the sun but some people would truly sneeze if they were under it and she did.

Jinki frowned slightly seeming confused with her answer and then he looked briefly at the ceiling before looking back at her “There is no sun here though.”

Nari wanted to bury herself in the middle of her candles and hide her pink cheeks but that was impossible at the moment so instead she hoped that he wouldn't notice it.

There was someone way more brighter than the sun inside her small candle store. Someone that made her body go crazy like a broken compass.

She was so lost in his cute expression that it took her a while to realize he was offering her the money he owned for the candle. She took it thanking him and and he bowed at her before leaving.

She watched him walk away and even leaned over the counter so she could see him disappear at the corner of the street.

Her heartbeat slowly decreased and she sighed eyeing the empty store now.

“You are an idiot!”

Nari took a deep breath and turned around to see Jonghyun looking at her, wearing a sleeveless white top and black track pants. He looked like he just woke up but she knew that he probably haven't even sleep yet. He usually spent the whole night writing and slept during the mornings.

“Aish go away!”

He didn't move crossing his arms over his muscled chest and leaned against the door of his bedroom.

“You are going to be single forever if you don’t confess to the guy.”

“Go away! Go write! Go sleep! Go cry over something somewhere else!”

He furrowed his brow upset “I wasn't crying with that movie, something truly got into my eye.”

“Sure!” She rested her head against the desk where his hand was before and sighed.

“This is why you watch movies. You are such a ert. Are you going to rub yourself where he touched?!”

“Aish!” She turned around and walked to him pushing him back to his bedroom but he resisted grabbing the doorway.

“I'm only stating the facts!”

“GO BACK TO YOUR CAVE!”

“It's not a cave. It’s my bedroom! My writing retreat!”

“Right, a cave.”

He ended up giving in although Nari would never be able to push him in, she was so thin and weak. It reminded him of a doll. Actually he always saw her like that, fragile and pure. Even though he loved to and he knew she watched those silly Japanese movies he knew that she longed for the romance more than the . There was a reason Nari watched so many romantic dramas.

“Well, at least while you obsess over a guy that doesn’t know you exist you aren't going after idiots like the ones you used to date.”

That was it.

Nari placed her hand on his face and pushed him inside his bedroom closing the door on his face before she walked back to the armchair beside the counter where she sat over a pillow holding one of the cute soft toys she was learning to sew against her chest.

Jonghyun could be the silly scented enthusiast that she met once and end up living at her place but he was also one of her best friends, the only man in the world that knew who she was, that never betrayed her and cared for her.

And he was right.

Jinki could have glanced at her, he could have smiled or profess some words of courtesy to her but the reality was that once he left the store holding his candle he forgot all about her, about her face or the fact she sneezed or the love in her eyes.

She did not exist to him and that is far worse than being rejected.

How can you dare to dream with someone that doesn't even recognize your existence when you are right there in front of them?

Taemin stood motionless beside his mother’s bed, his eyes on her hand over the bed. She was thinner again and it's been days since the last time she left her bed.

He wasn't sure about what else to say to her. At first when she started to get depressed he would climb every day to her bedroom to visit her and he would tell her about his day and try to make her smile. After some time he gave up and now visiting her was painful.

Taemin grabbed her hand hesitantly which made her open her eyes to look at him.

It was hard to believe that his mother that once used to practice dancing and liked to go for a walk every morning was now that pale person that barely reacted to anything around her.

“How do you feel?” He asked knowing exactly the answer she would give to him, the same one she did every single day since the first day that whole nightmare started.

“I'm tired.”

He wished that he could say that he was also tired, that he could tell her what he felt and accuse her of living only for a lost son, letting herself fall into pain when he was there needing her and suffering with her absence.

Instead Taemin walked to the big window of the bedroom and opened the curtains letting the sun bathe the room, something that didn't happen in days.

His mother complained covering her face from the sunlight but Taemin didn't care.

“It's morning. You rested enough already.”

His actions probably sounded and seemed cruel but it was also cruel how his parents treated him ever since the accident happen.

His father didn't even sleep in that bedroom anymore, completely abandoning his wife, focusing on work, and his mother was like a living corpse that didn't even ask about her son.

Taemin bit his lower lip before he jumped on the bed like when he was a kid and sat by his mother side pulling her hand away from her eyes letting the sun touch her eyes which made her close them tight.

“Don't you want to go outside? Let's go for a walk together.” Just like they used to before, when she would ask him about how was school going, if he had a new girlfriend, what was he interested recently.

“No. I want to be alone.”

Words sometimes can hurt you more than actions and Taemin released his mother’s hand and stood there watching her. Even though the mood in the bedroom changed, even though she probably knew what kind of face he had she didn't dare to open her eyes and Taemin gave up.

He slowly got up from the bed sent her a last look and then left the bedroom.

He didn't close the curtains on purpose and after a while his mother could hear him outside with his dog Adam going out for a walk.

She the bed so that her face could be in the direction of the window and she watched the blue sky outside, silent tears running down her cheek.

Sora sat beside Nari on her bed and stared at her. She didn't even seem to notice that she was in her bedroom, Nari’s eyes on the tv where a drama was playing while she ate rice crackers.

Sora shifted her eyes from Nari to the tv and back to her waiting for the question.

“How does it feel to be the Manager at last?” Nari asked giving a noisy bite to the rice cracker.

Sora cried laying over Nari’s lap dramatically and Nari looked at her finally.

“What happened?”

“They didn't give me the damn promotion!”

“Why not?” Sora was happy to see that Nari was no longer paying attention to the drama and sat up on the bed “They gave it to someone recommended by the ceo I believe. Someone younger and with less experience than me! They want me to babysit! It's crazy!”

“Wait babysit?”

“Yes. They said they want me to monitor him, to help him. What a joke!”

Nari pursed her lips “I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted this promotion.”

More than wanting, it was important for her plan to work out.

“But see the bright side of it…”

“What bright side?!” Sora hit her fist on the bed frustrated.

“Everything has a bright side right? So...maybe this new guy is very handsome and you two will spend a lot of time together and maybe something will happen and you will fall deeply in love with him!”

Sora frowned but Nari didn't seem to notice.

“Like in dramas, that happens all the time. Sometimes something that seems bad becomes a blessing…”

Sora grabbed Nari’s pillow and hit her with it making the young girl complain.

“This is not a drama! Aish! I don't want a boyfriend I want my promotion, my hard work to be recognized!”

“I was only trying to help.” Nari grumbled biting her rice cracker.

“Besides most of the times the ceo’s son is like a lazy proud that isn't even handsome.”

Sora sighed before wrapping her arms around Nari, back hugging her.

“Ah Nari you are so cute!”

“What the…” Nari didn't try to get free and instead laughed “Are you bipolar? You hit me just now!”

“I just love you so much!”

Nari grabbed her arms pulling them away and turned to face Sora “Ok what do you want to ask me?”

“I know you have a marathon of dramas to watch, Jonghyun told me but….I'm sad and needy and….” Nari’s expression softened and Sora knew she had won “Will you go out to drink with me?”

“I knew it!”

“But I do love you!” Ever since they met due to unfortunate events, Sora and Jonghyun became Nari’s family and to Sora she was like a younger sister.

“But there will be a lot of episodes I’ll miss.” Nari complained weakly.

“Linna pleeeeease….you can watch it online tomorrow.”

“I'm working during the day you know that.”

“Aish watch on your phone during dead hours!” Sora pulled at Nari’s sleeve before she started tickling her, both falling down on the bed and she was so persistent that Nari end up saying yes because she couldn't breathe anymore.

“Are you two being gay again?” Jonghyun asked from the door.

“Ah come on. Don't be jealous!” Sora said kneeling on the bed while Nari tried to find her lost rice cracker in the middle of the bed covers. “Jump in bed with this two hot women!”

Jonghyun laughed and then scanned the whole room as if he was searching for something. “Where are they? I can't see any hot women in here!”

Sora grabbed the pillow and threw it at him laughing “Oh please! Do you want to be punched that badly!”

“Are you coming to drink with us Jonghyun?” Nari asked sending a sad glance at her drama on tv before turning it off.

“I can't. I'm very inspired right now so I'm writing. I’ll pick you up when you get drunk.”

“I'm not getting drunk!” Nari protested but both of them ignored her.

“I'll call you to pick her up.” Sora told Jonghyun patting his shoulder.

“Why are you two like that to me?!” Nari complained opening her closet and taking a green sleeveless dress with a black bow around the waist and tulle at the end from her closet. It looked like something an idol would use on stage but Nari’s fashion sense was questionable.

“We just love you!” Sora said passing by Jonghyun to go change.

“As if…” He mumbled but he didn't move watching Nari search her closet for a coat to go with her silly dress. She ended up taking a white one with small glitter stones around the wrists.

“Something wrong?” She asked when she noticed his eyes on hers.

“Nothing. Just take care of Sora.”

He left and Nari shrugged her shoulders. Why did she have to take care of her unnie?

“You are lucky,” Tae-woo one of Taemin’s friend said “At least your mother doesn't pressure you to marry.”

He wish she did but Taemin didn't say anything instead he grabbed the bottle of soju and poured more in his glass.

Jinki, one of his other friends present was by the window watching the movement outside. That apartment belonged to him - bought with his money - and often served as a hideout for all of them. It was weird how he choose to live in that poor neighborhood and get such a small apartment but no one questioned his reasons. Jinki was sometimes a little peculiar on his choices and a mystery to them.

“Things changed.” Taemin said making Jinki turn to look at him. “My dad wants me to work at one of his companies. It’s ridiculous.”

“Wow Lee Taemin in a suit. I can't imagine!” Tae-Woo chuckled and Gyu Seung, another of their friends laughed with him. Jinki took a pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket and lighted one.

“You said you quit!” Taemin remarked.

“I reduced it but this week was very stressful at work.”

“I can never be like you!” Tae-woon observed “Going to work everyday and actually be happy about helping at the family business.”

Jinki smiled “I always liked video games. It's not a pain at all to work at a company that commercializes and develops them.”

“Leaves you less time to have fun.”

“Oh he still has a lot of fun!” Taemin chuckled “Do you have a new one?”

Jinki shook his head negatively “I’m alone right now.”

Tae-Woon seemed surprised “Are you on a break? You have a different girl every week.”

“Hey you make it sound as if I’m a playboy.” Jinki put out his cigarette on the ashtray and sat beside his friends on the couch. “I just get tired too quickly and it’s better that way. I can’t stick to one person for long. It’s pointless to date anyone seriously since I'm going to end up marrying whoever my parents choose in the end.”

He didn't even seem upset about it and Taemin didn't get it.

The idea of spending his life beside someone he didn't have feelings for was something he repudiated and he was sure Jinki wasn't that indifferent to it either. He truly loved his family but he had feelings and Taemin was sure that when the time came Jinki would make sure to at least marry someone that he also approved even if he didn't love.

“That doesn't mean you can't have fun. He loves to play hard to get. Makes all the girls go after him.” Gyu Seung said “I wish I was like you. I'm always the one running after the girls.”

“It's the smile.” Tae-Woon said and they all laughed. “That’s the trap that makes all the little cute mouses fall for it.”

“No one interested in you?” Taemin asked and Jinki looked at his glass thinking. There was that funny girl from earlier, the one from the candle shop. She watched him for a while now and he was sure she had a crush on him but...

“No, not really.”

Taemin looked at the window bored. Maybe he should pass by that bar from the previous night. The memory of Miss Kitty laying over her bed, her eyes filled with desire on him made him swallow hard.

“Someone new for you?” Jinki asked back pulling Taemin away from his memories.

“No. I did meet someone interesting but was a one night thing, I don't even know her real name!”

“You had with a girl and you don't even know her name?” Tae-Woo seemed positively impressed and Jinki frowned smiling to himself.

“We both needed it so…” Taemin stood up and grabbed his leather jacket.

“Where are you going? Not sleeping here?” Jinki asked.

“I'm going out!”

“We will go out with you, we need to catch some fresh air.”

Sora and Nari probably should stop going to that bar since they always end up sitting beside their “friends” drinking the night away so that they could try to ignore the amount of crap they said.

Nari went to the bathroom leaving her bag with Sora and that was the moment when it always happened.

“Is she dating anyone?” One asked, her eyes on Sora that did not answer. It was pointless to.

“Even if she is I bet he is interested in everything but her.”

They all laughed and Sora drank half her glass of beer, her eyes on the bar where Taemin was the night before. Tonight there was a woman there instead, flirting with a man.

“She was the one that dated a man that was gay and only used her to pretend he was straight right?” another one asked.

“Maybe I should introduce a guy to Nari, what do you think Sora?” Sora stared at her biting her lower lip trying to control herself because those were Nari’s old classmates “Well now that I think about it you are one year older than Nari, you should be getting married also.”

“I’m focused on my career right now.” .

“Anyway who is gonna date her? Even if I introduce someone to her she scares them all away with the way she dresses and how she only talks about dramas and boring things. I introduced my cousin to her and he only dated her until he had to introduce her to my aunt. Didn't go well!” She laughed.

One woman with a red dress that was sitting in front of Sora leaned over the table laughing “Remember when Nari dated that guy that took her to a hotel and took her money and left her there?” They all laughed as if that was a good memory and Sora stared at them incredulous. That was one of Nari’s most painful memories. She was going to sleep with a man for the first time, with a guy she trusted and the only thing he wanted was the money he asked her to lend him. He actually got her drunk, took the money and left her alone inside the room hotel. Sora would have killed him if she knew were he had gone after that. Jonghyun still looked around for a while probably wanting to do to him the same Sora wanted but they never found that piece of . It was too late anyway, he had hurt Nari deeply already.

“Are you ing kidding me?” Sora cursed making all women on the table freeze. “Are you truly laughing at something like that? Don't you have a heart or brain or…” She stood up grabbing Nari’s bag to leave but then turned around and looked dangerously at all of them that watched her apprehensively.

Those women weren't her friends. She only tolerated them because it was the solo connection that Nari had with her past, with the time when her parents were alive but that was too much. She couldn't call any of them Nari’s friends either.

“Nari lost her parents when you were all painting your nails, worrying about getting a boyfriend. She used all the money her parents left her to rebuild her family store. She didn't go to college and she worked her off. Doesn't matter how she dressed up or how weird she is. At least she isn't a like you all, you bunch of fakes.”

Sora turned around before any of them had time to speak and instead marched in the direction of the bathroom. She froze almost bumping into Nari that was leaning against the wall and for a few moments Sora worried that she might have heard everything but Nari smiled softly at her and grabbed her bag.

“I forgot it, thank you.”

“Let's go. I'm tired of this bar.”

“Is something wrong?” Nari asked but Sora dragged her outside not even giving Nari time to wave at her “friends” “Wait we didn't pay.”

“Let them pay! They deserve that and more. I should have drunk my weight in alcohol.”

Nari didn't say anything and Sora released her, both walking side by side slowly down the street until Sora stopped and turned to her.

“Maybe you should stop hanging out with them.”

“Why? They all live in my neighborhood and I've known them since I was little.”

“They aren't good people Nari, and you know that. I’m sure you must have some good childhood friends instead.”

Nari grasped the handle of her bag thinking but Sora wasn't paying attention to her anymore.

A tall man with dark hair wearing a leather jacket came down the street and in the direction of the bar. He raised his eyes moving his fingers on his hair and looked at her.

Sora froze and the man did it too both looking at each other.

“What is wrong?” Nari asked again but Sora didn't answer.

That was the man she slept with the night before and for a brief second she had the feeling that he wanted to go and greet her, however he didn't and instead walked inside the bar.

“I didn't think I would see him again.”

“Who? That guy from yesterday?” Nari saw him too.

“Let's go back inside.” Sora suggested but Nari didn't move.

“You just told me to leave the bar and now you want to go back inside. Why? Because of that guy?” Nari frowned and a mischievous smile lighted her features “Do you have a crush on him?”

“What crush. I don't have those things.” Sora crossed her arms over her black top defensively “You are once again building fantasies based on your dramas and…”

“And he slept at my place last night, in your bedroom.”

Nari’s clever and truthful observation made Sora speechless and Nari widened her eyes.

“Oh he really did? I wasn't sure cos when I opened the window of my bedroom this morning I had the impression I saw a man leave but...you did.” Nari grabbed Sora’s arm and she knew that a long list of questions would be made.

“What's his name? How old is he? What does he do for a living? I thought you didn't know each other!”

Sora rarely hide things from Nari, the problem there was that she didn't know what to answer to any of those questions.

“I-I did not. I don't know.”

“What do you mean?”

“I might have slept with him without having all that info.”

“Oh My God!” Nari covered perplexed “You had with him without knowing his name? You were drunk?”

“No. I wasn't I wanted to do it ok? You don't have the right to judge me.”

“I'm not judging but that could have been dangerous. It was a big risk. So that was why Jonghyun asked me...he also senses something.”

Maybe Nari was right but Sora didn't see her actions like they were a bad thing and worse her friend was sounding a lot like her mother and she hated it.

Her mother always criticized everything she did, the way she dressed, the music she liked, everything. It was as if Sora was never good enough and that was the reason she left home.

“Don't act like my mother. It's not like being like you is good either. You don't risk anything Nari, you only talk about dramas and candles and you are just…”

“Weird?”

Sora bit her lower lip knowing that she was being mean, her friend was only worried with her.

“No Nari I don't mean that...it's more like different.”

Nari chuckled. It all ended up being the same in other people’s eyes.

“I heard it. I heard it all. I know who I am and they are right. I’ll hardly find someone being like this.”

“Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you defend yourself?”

“What for? They are the daughters of my parents friends and my customers and I should respect them like my parents did. Besides all they said is true anyway. I was tricked out of money, used by another and I truly failed the in-law’s test.”

“That's ridiculous, they don't have the right to judge you and I’m sorry, I didn't meant to hurt you.”

“Just go after him and find out his name. Don't dare to follow me!” Nari warned “I wanna go home alone.”

Sora tried to call her but Nari didn't stop and walked down the street.

She watched her feeling powerless and wanting to kick herself. It was indeed true how you always end up hurting the ones you love the most.

Maybe the one who was truly judging her was herself.

She turned around and entered the bar decided on asking the man she slept with his real name. It wouldn't change anything but maybe she would feel better about all of it.

It took her a while to see him since he wasn't by the bar, instead he was on a empty table his eyes on her.

It made her shiver and she walked in the direction of his table moving her fingers nervously on each side of her. It was ridiculous because she was rarely nervous when it came to men but that one did seem to move her.

Sora was only a few steps away from his table when a woman with short hair sat on the empty chair in front of him.

Sora didn't hesitate and passed by the table not even glancing at him and sat on the empty table behind him.

So he had another woman already. He was clearly a playboy.

He turned slightly on his chair to glance at her and Sora moved her fingers on her ponytail and pretended to be checking what Nari’s friends were up to.

Nothing as usual. They were very boring.

“Do you need a drink?” A male's voice made Sora look away from the girls and a good looking man sat beside her placing two glasses of alcohol in front of her. “No lady should be alone and without a drink here.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and Sora stared at him trying to decide which approach would be better to scare that guy away.

She was way more interested in the man at the table in front of her that by now moved his chair to watch the scene curiously.

Nari walked down the street trying to hold in her tears. She wasn't upset with what the other girls said inside the bar she was more hurt with Sora even though she knew she was right. However it wasn't as if she wasn't doing her best to try and not be an awkward mess, she was just unlucky with the type of men she met.

She was going to cross the street when an older man stumbled in her direction. He seemed sick, placing his hand on the wall of the building to support him and Nari walked to help him. She wasn't sure if he was sick or just drunk but once she approached him and was going to talk with him he curved to the front. She didn't have time to move but luckily someone pulled her out of the way and the man puked all over the floor and not over her like it was going to happen.

Nari turned around to avoid that vision and that was when she saw her saviour. Her Mr. Sunshine customer was looking at her his hand still on her upper arm.

“Ah...you!”

The fact that he recognized her made her lose her balance and he hold her arm helping her steady herself.

“You saved me.”

He chuckled since that was a very unlikely situation to save someone but it was true and by the way Nari’s eyes were shining looking at him he looked like a prince out of a fairy tale saving her from a dragon.

The drunk man behind them stumbled to stand up and before any of them offered to help he walked away as if nothing happened.

“That was a very disgusting situation. Let’s leave this place.”

He didn't release her and pulled her softly to the other side of the road. Nari followed after him feeling her head light, her heart beating faster. He was never that close to her, his fingers touching the skin of her elbow softly. He smelled nice, a clean fresh smell that she would analyze like the professional she was if he didn't step away from her releasing her and putting a safety distance between them, much for her disappointment.

“Thank you Jinki-ssi.” He widened his eyes since he had no idea she knew his name and she blushed deeply realizing she made a mistake.

“I-I--You made a client card at the store. I work at a candle store you see and you...”

“I know Nari-ssi.”

She lost all her ability to speak and instead stared at him wondering how in the world he knew her name. It made sense she knew his but the opposite was unlikely and yet it was real.

“The store is called Nari’s Candles.”

“Oh right! She laughed awkwardly realizing how stupid she was. Of course he knew the name of the store and made the connection. It could not be her name though but it was “My dad named it, he was awful at giving names to things...well at least he named the candles well...some…”

“Hum.” He looked away from her and she knew that sign. It was what every other men did when they were out of things to say to her, when they wanted to leave and found her boring. However Jinki was simply searching for his friends that were with him before he tried to be a gentleman and now disappeared. It was weird. Did they leave him alone with her on purpose? He didn't even want to seduce anyone that night. He was truly on a break and too busy at work to date.

“Too much information, I know.” Nari said making him steer his eyes back to her.

“What?”

“Nothing.” It was over. Her short conversation with the man she had a crush on was over and there was no point tying him up there when he clearly wanted to leave. “It's late, I should go now.”

It hurt her deeply to say that but it was the right thing.

“Ah yes. I was going home too, I was out with friends.”

“I see. I was with my girl friend also.”

He played with his car keys not moving even though she gave him an excuse already. “You are going alone? Do you live far? Want me to give you a ride?”

Nari blinked her eyes a few times trying to understand what was happening. Lee Jinki was offering to give her a ride. Did he mean it or was being just his perfect gentleman self?

She was probably making him uncomfortable with her deep stare because he looked at the keys on his hand before looking back at her. “I really don't mind.”

“No I'm ok. Thank you. Good night.” She bowed to him and then turned around walking down the street again.

She lived close by anyway so a car ride was pointless, besides he probably didn't mean it.

She sniffed remembering the lousy night she had, how Sora screamed at her, what those girls said inside the bar and then stopped.

Even if he didn’t meant it, even if it was for a few minutes it didn't matter, she still would let herself be selfish, she was still beside him a few more minutes. Wasn't she allowed to dream with the impossible? To risk a little bit?

Nari turned around and walked faster following Jinki that was now beside a black car opening the door. He noticed her and stood there waiting probably wondering what she wanted now.

Nari stopped in front of the car and gathered all her courage.

Just because she met a lot of idiots that hurt her, just because she was a total mess as a representation of the female population it didn't mean that someday someone would truly fall for her and would actually see far beyond the clothes she wore and her weird habits. Right? At least she was trying again, at least she tried. Jonghyun and Sora would be proud of her. Hell, even her parents would and above else she would.

“Jinki-ssi can you give me a ride home after all?”

He smiled softly closing the door of the car “Sure.” She walked to the passenger’s seat side and he opened the door for her.

He closed the door once she entered the car and was going to walk to the other side when he noticed Tae-Woon a few meter away with Gyu Seung both watching him. The first one raised a thumbs up to Jinki congratulating him on his new prey and mouthed some words for only him to see “It's the eye smile!”

Jinki giggled to himself before sitting beside Nari inside the car.

Sora’s eyes were on the man she slept with the previous night before she turned to face the annoying man that sat beside her.

“I'm not thirsty.” She said grabbing his arm and taking it away from her shoulders. “And I'm alone because I prefer it that way.”

“You can't possibly mean that.” The man insisted placing his hand over Sora’s tight over her skirt and she stared at his hand before raising her eyes to him. Oh he was so going to die! Sora grabbed the drink he brought to her ready to splash it on his face when the man with dark hair sat on the other side of her on an empty chair.

Sora peeked behind him at the woman he left alone at the table and then her eyes locked with his. What was he doing?

He bowed his head slightly looking at the man beside her “My name is Taemin, I'm Miss Kitty's boyfriend.”

Sora placed the glass over the table a bit abruptly, some of the liquid splashing the table and the man beside her took his hand away from her leg.

Taemin, was that even his real name or a fake one also?

“Really?” the man asked. He didn't seem that convinced since Sora was looking at. Taemin very surprised.

“Yes really! We had last night!” Taemin chuckled and his smile slowly disappeared when he noticed a faint blush on Sora's cheeks. There wasn't much light inside the bar, just like the previous night inside her bedroom. After they had she also looked like that and it was very attractive to him.

The man beside Sora leaned on the table to look at her and she moved away from him slightly not saying anything.

“Is this guy acting as your knight? Or is he saying the truth?”

“I really don't need your help.” Sora mumbled facing Taemin and he shrugged his shoulders and instead grabbed her hand over the table pulling it closer to him. She tried to take her fingers away startled with his actions but he didn't release her.

“She is mine so piss off!” He said it so firmly with a husky dangerous voice that made Sora tingle inside.

He did seem to mean it and she felt her skin got hotter an insane desire to be his again assaulting her.

What was happening to her? Why did that stranger have such a strong impact on her?

“I may give up on her but I don't believe for a second that you are dating.” The man said and yet Taemin didn't release her and Sora struggled to get free. “I don’t think she even likes you!”

“Please this is ridiculous. He isn’t my boyfriend and I’m not interested in you! I’m not interested in any of you!” She bit her lower lip trying to believe her own words and then dared to glance at Taemin that was looking at her amused.

“You want a proof?” He asked his eyes on her before he turned them to the man so she had no idea if he was talking about a proof that she was his girlfriend or interested on him. Either way she became nervous with his words.

“Oh please….” She tried to say “I'm going home.” Both men were on each side of her blocking her way through. Instead of asking Taemin or whatever his name was she asked the other man “Move or I’ll make you!”

The man chuckled drinking from his glass and Sora saw red. Was he mocking her?!

“You don't believe I can make you move away?” She would probably be kicked away from the bar after slapping that man but whatever.

Sora needed her right hand that was imprisoned in Taemin’s, under his warm fingers so she used her left hand to pull his hand away from hers - he didn't resist much his eyes the whole moment on her making her nervous - and finally freed both her hands.

“Well then prepare yourself.”

“Proof!” Taemin announced, suddenly raising the glass she was going to throw at the man drinking it in one go, making her hesitate. He placed the empty glass over the table and then stood up.

Sora and the man looked at him wondering what he was going to do and Taemin grabbed Sora’s wrist pulling her up and to him and then crashed his lips against hers.

She blinked her eyes wanting to slap him instead but slowly the grip of his hand on her wrist softened and he caressed her skin so softly like he did the night before making her melt against him. He wasn't holding her anymore or forcing her into the kiss and she could slap him, push him away or do anything. However she closed her eyes and kissed him back, tasting the bitter taste of alcohol on his tongue and yet wanting more and more.

Just like sleeping with a man she didn't know his name, that was a first for Sora. She never kissed anyone like that in front of so many people.

She didn't know if Nari’s friends or other people noticed the scene besides the annoying man beside her but she didn't care. Sora wrapped her arms around Taemin's neck and he pulled her by her waist to him against his body as if they had no time to lose.