Nari kept her eyes on the road ahead of her trying hard not to smile much or peek at the man driving beside her but it was so hard not do so when her heart was beating like crazy just because he was an arm length from her. She moved her fingers and looked at him.

Not an arm length, it was way less and yet he felt so far away. Mr. Sunshine wasn't even looking at her, his full concentration on what he was doing.

She was never good with the flirting thing but she knew how to do small talk with her customers all the time so she tried it with him. Wouldn't it be weird if she didn't utter any word even though the way back home was short?!

“So you like my candles.”

Jinki chuckled as if her comment amused him somehow and she blushed rubbing her hands on her thighs awkwardly “I mean, you buy them so often.”

“I do.” he nodded looking at her “You make them after your parents died right?”

“You know about my parents?” It was well known around her neighborhood but he clearly didn't belong to it so she had no idea how he knew that. Jinki looked like someone that had a lot of money so he probably lived in gangnam in a fancy apartment.

“Ah I do. My family is an old customer of your store...I am an old customer too.”

She looked at him a little unsure. She couldn't imagine his rich parents coming to buy candles at her small store and yet he did go there often after all.

“After my father died my mother was too weak to do anything.” Nari played with her hands “My mom ended up dying from a broken heart.” That seemed to caught Jinki’s attention so Nari explained “You can die of one you know? Your body produces this stress hormones that can go to your heart and well…”

“I see.”

“Anyway. She lost her will to live and since I was left alone I had to do something. Everyone told me to sell everything and go to college but instead I decided to preserve their memory. I choose to keep the store and the business going.”

“Oh!” he truly seemed impressed and that made Nari smile. Usually when she told her story everyone looked at her with pity or thinking that she made the wrong choice by deciding to keep a dying candle store instead of studying.

“We do everything to keep the memory of the ones we love alive.” he said and she noticed the way his fingers moved on the wheel. They were chubbier than Jonghyun’s and yet so manly. She couldn't even imagine how it felt to be touched by them.

“Don't you feel sad though?” he asked suddenly before he parked in front of her store. “Don't you feel empty that you are following someone else's destiny and not your own?”

She tilted her head wondering what he meant. It was true that that candled store was her father's dream and never hers but it was also true that she never had a real dream or anything she truly wanted to do. In a way keeping his dream became her dream.

“My father's dream is my dream too. Besides I live above my store, it’s my home. I could never get rid of it. I’ll keep it for as long as I can and If someday I feel like doing something else I'm sure my father won't mind. “ She shrugged her shoulders “I like making candles for now.”

“They are pretty.” his gaze didn't move from hers and Nari’s heart raced as if he was calling her pretty instead “your candles are very pretty.”

“Thank you.”

He opened the door of the car and Nari used the few seconds that took him to walk around the car to calm her pulse. Only the way he looked at her, that wasn't much different from the way he looked at everyone else, made her heart beat faster.

Jinki opened the door for her like a gentleman and she came out from the car clutching her dress over her chest. Jinki noticed the gesture and smiled stepping away just enough for her to not go against him.

Nari barely looked at him trying really hard to control her feelings, praying she wouldn't sneeze or say something stupid or worse faint because his smile was too blinding.

“And you are safely home.” he said making her wake up from her daze. What was she doing standing like an idiot beside his car without moving or saying anything?!

Jinki raised an eyebrow, a smile on his lips and Nari peeked at her house frowning.

A curtain from one of the windows on the base floor moved and she was sure Jonghyun was watching, lurking in the shadows, ready to jump on her and make fun of her crush on Jinki.

“Do you live alone?” Jinki asked as if he sensed her uneasiness to enter the house.

“I do, well kinda. I live with two friends.” She omitted the fact that one was a male on purpose. It was already something that people in the neighborhood commented about. Even though Jonghyun didn't sleep in the same floor she slept with Sora people had this weird idea that Jonghyun was the lover of one of them or maybe even both.

When Nari heard the rumours for the first time she find it all amusing -Sora even teased people acting cutesy with Jonghyun outside, much for his despair - and Nari couldn't help but remember the first time she met Jonghyun. The way he awkwardly greeted her how he acted like a fanboy grabbing her hand telling her how much he admired her father, how much he loved candles and how he wanted to write a book about the power of scents one day. He even quoted Perfume, a book she read after meeting him and that made her shiver every time she thought about it.

He was handsome and had a heart of gold but he was far from being her lover.

“It's good that you aren't alone.” Jinki said eyeing his car seeming impatient so Nari gathered her courage and closed her eyes speaking.

“Wanttodrinkacupofcoffeeoneofthesedays?” The words came out like thunder and once she opened her eyes Jinki was looking at her with a clueless expression.

“W-what?”

She took a deep breath and he giggled which in a way made her relax.

“Speak slower.”

His gentle voice was a killer as much as his smile and it didn't help that he was leaning closer to her with raised hands exhaling slowly trying to calm her down.

“Sorry, I meant that maybe to thank you we might, one of this days...go out...for coffee - if you drink coffee - or maybe not...maybe tea or…”

“I drink coffee and sure, let's do that.”

Nari widened her eyes his words acting like an arrow hitting her heart. Worse he had to smile after it, his beautiful eye smile that made her nose so itchy she had to look at the floor or else she would sneeze.

“What's wrong?” he asked trying to peek at her face and Nari looked up at him.

“I have an allergy to the sun.”

“It's night now.” He rubbed his head “Oh! I remember. Last time you also said that.” he laughed amused and Nari smiled softly back, her sudden need to sneeze disappearing completely.

Maybe he could be different. Maybe he wasn't like the other ones that hurt her. He didn't seem bored around her, he even smiled with the silly things she said and he didn't look embarrassed to be beside someone as her. Maybe dramas weren't wrong at all and there is a soulmate for everyone, someone that doesn't care about how you look like and your flaws and loves you exactly as you are.

“Want me to take you to your door?” Jinki offered making Nari lose her grin. Take her to her door? Like in a date?

“It's like... “ She pointed at it awkwardly “there!”

“I know.” He rubbed his nose amused “But you seem a little weak on your knees.”

Nari paled wondering if he was making fun of her, if he could read her so easily to the point that he knew exactly what she was feeling and thinking. She looked at him carefully but there was no sign that he was actually mocking her. Maybe he thought she felt sick.

“I-I’ll be ok.”

Jinki took his phone from his pants pocket and gave it to her “Write your phone number in it.”

“R-Really?” She stuttered feeling her cheeks get hotter.

“Yes, I need to find a way to contact you if we want to have coffee tomorrow together.”

“Tomorrow?” She wasn't expecting it to be so soon.

“You don't drink coffee on thursdays?” He asked smiling.

“I do. I do!”

“Good! Write you number in it and I'll text you.”

She did it trying not to tremble since he was watching her every move making her even more nervous and then gave it back to him.

“Well then, I’m going.” He announced “I'll wait until you enter.”

“It's a very safe neighborhood.” Nari told him and yet he didn't move leaning against his car watching her. It made her heart beat faster and for a few seconds she dared to imagine that he was her boyfriend taking her home. It happened before with others but it was different now, she truly wanted it to be real.

“Goodnight and thank you.” She bowed slightly and walked to her door. Nari peeked at him before entering and he raised his hand moving his fingers in a cute goodbye that made her smile before she completely closed the door.

Jinki immediately let his arm fall by his side and he walked back to the driver’s door his smile fading. He didn't see Nari peeking from the window at all.

He was a little upset with himself actually. He wasn't supposed to get involved with someone so soon and he was tired of the kind of women like her, the sweet and gullible type. Not that he was after the foxy type either. He just wanted to be alone for a while, but somehow she fell into his net and now his friends even saw it. If he backed away now he would hear them making fun of him for days. Usually he wouldn’t care but he could do it with her, she was...interesting. He would give her three dates like he usually did with the others. Some would amuse him enough for him to date them a little longer but he was always careful to not get attached to any of them. It was pointless when he had all his life planned ahead of him already. He was going to make his family company flourish, then marry at 30 with someone they choose for him, someone that would help him in the business world and then he would open his own company. Make his elders proud was his high priority.

Nari would be just another girl in his long list of conquests and he didn't plan to have anything serious with her at all. She was captivating though. She was cute but not dazzling like some of the girls he dated before, she was very small and fragile and a complete opposite of the glamorous girls that often tried to impress him. That was what made her gain some points, that made him want to take her home that night and accept her silly invitation to drink coffee. Nari wasn't trying to impress him at all. She was weird, wearing peculiar clothes that didn't match at all - even though he was bad with fashion she was way worse than him - She also talked about weird thing and the way she spoke about her parents…She was genuine.

Jinki chuckled remembering the way she clutched her chest avoiding looking at him. She was an adorable weirdo. That could be fun.

Sora stepped outside and Taemin followed after her both stopping on the other side of the road from the bar.

He raised his hand to touch her shoulder but she turned around abruptly raising her fist as if she was going to punch him which made him step back surprised.

“Wow, calm down!”

“If you try to do that again I’m going to kill you!”

“Do it? You mean kissing you?” He grinned his eyes sparkling with amusement “It's not like I forced you to kiss me back.”

Sora closed and open a few times clearly taken aback with what he said. It was true that she answered to his kiss but it was only because she was surprised with his actions, only because there was a silly attraction between them.

“I was handling the situation well until you decided to play the hero!”

“Oh you were handling it so well…” He said with sarcasm “If it wasn't for me you would have been kicked out from the bar because of assault.”

“I only kissed you back to pretend that we were together...just that!”

Taemin laughed at her “You change your mind pretty fast! Just now you said you didn't need my help and now you say you followed with my plan.”

Sora took a deep breath trying to calm herself down and he smiled watching her. She was very cute when she was upset and that only made him want to more.

Sora turned her back to him trying to calm herself down, clenching her fists before she turned back to him a little more calm.

“Is your name truly Taemin?”

“Yes. What is yours?”

She her lips. His name was the solo reason she followed after him. In a way it felt her feel less guilty if she knew the name of the man she slept with. There was no point hiding her identity from him anymore.

“Sora.”

He took his time watching her before speaking.

“Sora.” Taemin repeated as if he wanted to hear how it sounded coming out from his lips...and what lips did he have! Sora rolled her eyes trying to scare that thought away.

“Pretty.” Taemin added making her stare at him. Even that made her upset and he smiled with her reaction ready to flirt with her more “You are pretty!” It wasn't a lie anyway and his eyes moved down her body which made her shiver. He knew exactly what she was hiding under her clothes and that thought made her tingle inside.

Oh she was starting to dislike him.

“It was only a one night thing!” She stated making his eyes stop their travel and get back to hers. “We won't see each other again anymore.”

“We might!” He moved his head in the direction of the bar behind him “We frequent the same bar apparently.”

“Well I don't intend to come back here ever again!” She said raising her head defiantly which only made him smile. “They have the worst customers!”

“Shame...I wanted to see you again.” He wasn't smiling anymore and he truly seemed honest which confused Sora time enough for her to not be able to retaliate immediately.

“I-I must go.” And yet she wasn't moving nor was he.

“Goodbye Miss Kitty.” he said still with a serious expression as if he truly regretted not spending more time with her “No...Goodbye Sora.”

“Goodbye Taemin.”

With no hesitation she turned around and started walking down the street. Her back was itching and she was sure he was watching her. She closed her eyes trying to fight the urge to look back, however she was defeated and turned her head just enough to peek at him.

But he was nowhere in sight.

Taemin, the strange man she met and slept with disappeared completely.

It was better that way, better that they never saw each other ever again.

Little did she know that fate had something else planned for her and that was only the start of her story with him.

Taemin woke up with something falling over him and he sat on his bed startled. A tall man wearing an expensive grey suit was staring at him seeming pretty upset and Taemin sighed rubbing his sleepy eyes.

He expected his father to come “visit” him soon so he wasn't surprised to see him, only surprised with the way he woke him up.

“What do you want?”

“Get dressed!” his father said pointing at the expensive coat and shirt that he threw over him while he was sleeping. “It's time for you to grow up and start working. I think I told you before that I expected you to start soon.”

“Which one of them?” Taemin asked raising his eyes to his father “The hotel?”

His father had so many businesses and Taemin wasn't paying much attention the last time they talked about it. He was probably going to push him into one of his hotels where he would pretend to work while other employees looked at him in disdain since everyone knew that he wasn't qualified to be there.

“What hotel! You are going to work at BeBeauty like I told you last time.”

Taemin widened his eyes not expecting that. “Mom’s company?”

That was the only one that belonged to his mother, the one she was in charge to before she got sick.

His father ignored his question as if the solo mention of his mother hurt him. It was more than that. The one that was supposed to help her with the company was his brother not him.

“Are you sending me there because of what happened to Minwoo?” Was he a replacement of his brother now? Did he stop being invisible? Somehow that didn't make him happier.

“I just want you to stop being useless!” His father retorted barely looking at him “You only know how to spend money and go out to drink with your useless friends!”

Taemin chuckled rubbing his head.

“I'll never be like him!” He said in a low voice “I can never be Minwoo…I don't want to be him!”

“Just get dressed and go to work! Don't embarrass your mother!”

His father left the room and Taemin grabbed the clothes he placed over his bed and threw them to the middle of the bedroom before laying down on the bed again.

He closed his eyes tight clenching his teeth before he hit the mattress under him with his fists with all the strength he had.

Even when he tried hard, even when he studied hard in school and showed interest in something, trying to make his parents proud of him he would only be a shadow of what Minwoo was, they wouldn't even care.

He should be the one in place of his brother. He could read it in his parents’ eyes when they looked at him, how they blamed him for Minwoo’s absence and would trade him for him in an heartbeat.

It was no use, completely pointless.

Why make an effort at all when it was easier to match the disappointment they felt when they looked at him?!

Jonghyun was an observer. He liked to walk to the park and sit there drinking his coffee with his notebook in his hands while he wrote small ideas for his novels. Nari called it stalking but for Jonghyun that was field research. He studied people, he wrote about people.

That day wasn't different. He saw Nari leave for her date with Mr. Sunshine wearing her colorful clothes that would probably scare him away, but he didn't tell her anything and instead walked to the park. He wasn't going to change anything about Nari and if someone was going to fall for her then they had to fall for that side of her also. He did a long time ago. She was the daughter of someone he respected, the little sister he never had, the one he would protect for all men population if he had to. They were all a bunch of wolves anyway and Nari was too good for any of them.

He stretched his legs in front of him and inhaled the fresh air with a smile, his glasses falling on his nose. He fixed them and that was when he saw her.

The tall woman wearing black high heels stepped into the park confidently and walked in his direction, her black long hair moving with the breeze.

Jonghyun sat straight on the bench with his mouth hang open.

He read about women like that before, the ones that seemed to levitate, that dazzled everyone around them, too beautiful and divine to be real. A muse…

She moved her fingers on the strap of her black bag passing by a group of old men doing tai chi that also stopped to look at her.

Who was that celestial being?

She smirked at them happy with the attention and Jonghyun's eyes moved from her dark brown eyes and long eyelashes to her stunning lips and down to her body. She was wearing a short tight black dress with long see through sleeves, a black choker with one single white pearl on her neck.

She looked like an actress or a model… no. Definitely a goddess out from all males’ fantasies.

The woman passed by Jonghyun not even noticing him and Jonghyun closed his mouth like an idiot becoming aware for the first time that he was gaping at that vision.

He watched her until she was out of his vision and he could no longer admire her perfect body, her blinding aura.

Who was she? What was her name? Was she even real? Who was that creature that blessed him with her presence for brief minutes.

Jonghyun took out his glasses and his confused eyes found the gaze of the old men doing tai chi that seemed to be as confused as him.

He found her. He found his muse and he had no idea who she was.

Jinki wasn't impressed but he was amused with the choice of clothes Nari made to meet him at the ice cream store for their “date”. He didn't feel like drinking coffee and clearly she didn't care where they went so why not ice cream?

She was wearing a simple purple dress with big blue stripes that seemed to be big on her and a huge red heart hairpin on the side of her head.

It was the craziest mix of colors since her platform sandals were green and yet she looked cute in a “rainbow” kind of way.

She seemed happy also, probably because he didn't say anything about her outfit or run away from her claiming that he did not to know her. It was more than that, he wasn't looking at the other girls even though they looked way better than her in Nari’s opinion.

Instead he was looking at her, while she pretended to be choosing something to eat from the menu, peeking at him once in awhile.

He knew he intimidated her. It was true that Jinki was gentle and often people said he had a soft voice and made people feel warm but he also knew that his deep voice and the way he looked at girls made them intimidated somehow. His friends used to say that since he smiled so often he hypnotized girls with the eye smile to a point that when he didn't smile girls would get nervous wondering what he was thinking. That was also the reason people didn't realize he was upset until he voiced it out.

Jinki rubbed his neck and she raised her eyes to him smiling shyly which made him notice her lips.

Her upper lip was thin and yet perfectly shaped as if it belonged to a manhwa character and somehow very alluring and he wondered if he would go far with her and maybe kiss her. Her lips looked very kissable, soft and delicate.

She cleared and he moved his eyes away from her lips back to her eyes. Did she notice it? He wasn't sure since she was looking at him with a serious expression. She wasn't much different from him actually. When she didn't smile she looked very mysterious also and he had no idea what she was thinking. That was why she was so entertaining.

“Did you choose?” He asked instead. It didn't matter what she thought. If she did well impressing him he would kiss her eventually and then he would know how her lips felt.

“I want this one.” She pointed at a simple vanilla ice cream.

He raised an eyebrow surprised with her choice. He thought she was going to choose one of the cute ones that had the shape of an animal or something way more elaborated and she end up choosing a plain vanilla one. Even he planned to choose something more complicated than that. Was she trying to save money? He was the one paying though.

“Really?”

“Well...“ She placed the menu over the table. “I have some allergies so I have no idea what the others might have. Vanilla is way more safe. Many of these have peanuts also and I'm allergic to those also.”

“You seem to have a lot of allergies.”

She smiled sadly. “You have no idea. My mom used to say when I was little that I was born defective but that made me special.” She hugged her black satchel with a bunch of cute animal badges and other famous actors from dramas against her. “Special, I truly hate that word.” She chuckled playing with one of the badges and Jinki called the waitress.

“Two vanilla ice cream please.”

“Oh you don't have to choose the same I did!”

“I truly don't mind. That's the one I want.” he didn't care much what he ate but he also had no idea why he choose the same one she did when he wanted the strawberry lemon one.

Jinki supported his arm on the table and tilted his head observing the weird creature in front of him. If Tae-Woo was there, Jinki was sure that he would be making fun of her. She was the perfect kind to be bullied, the type of girl that Tae-Woo would call a study material. Jinki wasn't sure if Nari was the kind to play innocent or just simply clueless. When he took her home he had the feeling she was genuine but extremely peculiar and he still had his doubts.

“What happens if you eat something you are allergic to?” he asked curious.

“I can stop breathing. I also have breathing problems. So I might get sick or die.”

“Oh we don't want that.” he said smiling and she chuckled.

“No we don't. That kinda would ruin our day.”

“Just kinda!” He laughed and she tucked her hair behind her ear making her huge hairpin fall from her hair. “Oh…” While she struggled to put in place he stood up and helped her doing it making her heart beat faster. He knew what he was doing. He could see her smithen eyes on him and even after he sat back on his chair and after the waitress put the ice cream in front of them she still didn't take her eyes away from him.

Nari grabbed the small spoon and started eating her ice cream in silence and he did the same taking his time watching her.

It was funny but she wasn't truly the cute type like he thought at first, instead he admired her long neck, her long fingers and the delicate way she ate. Nari was very feminine and he was sure that if she wore different clothes she could be very popular with man. Well if she didn't open and started speaking about weird things.

Jinki smiled to himself eating his ice cream. Meeting her could be more fun than he thought at first. He would give her another date. His eyes fell on her lips when she the ice cream from them. One step closer to kiss her lips also.

“So…” She played with her spoon “Do you have allergies also?”

“Cucumbers. I hate those!”

“Oh me too!” She said excited “We have something in common!”

“Not hard when you have so many allergies.” He said chuckling and she agreed with him a little less happier.

“I also have asthma.”

“Oh really?” That didn't surprise him.

“Yes, but I’m still very healthy!”

He had his doubts. Jinki focused his attention on his ice cream not regretting choosing vanilla. It was actually refreshing to eat something plainer than the usual.

“I'm sorry.” She said making him look back at her “I know that I am boring.”

The thought didn't cross his mind at all. He was actually having fun. She entertained him.

“Oh no not at all.”

“You're just being nice. Once one guy I went out with on a date told me that talking with me made him think of his grandma. Not the kind of praise you want to hear.”

“Really?” He placed a spoon of ice cream in his mouth smiling “I don't mind that…”

“What do you mean?”

He didn't answer and instead he kept eating his ice cream not looking at her so Nari did the same.

She clearly was losing that battle and soon would be time to say goodbye and he probably wouldn't text her anymore. She couldn't blame him when she didn't have anything interesting to tell him. She only knew about scents, allergies and dramas. She wondered what was the last drama he watched. Did he even watch any?! He was probably too busy to even watch tv. What kind of perfumes did he like? Did he have a favorite scent?

“My friend has a band.” He said suddenly “They have a gig tomorrow in a bar close by. Want to come with me to watch?”

Nari didn't answer right away, a little stunned with his invitation, he was asking her for a second date when she thought that they were over.

“Are you inviting me to go out with you?”

“Yes. To see my friend play.”

“I have no idea what to wear.”

He laughed covering his mouth and she wasn't sure if he was making fun of her or not.

“I’m sure you will think of something.” His eyes fell on her dress. “Anything will be fine.”

Nari couldn't eat anymore. Suddenly her stomach hurt and she was so nervous that she didn't even know what to say.

She had a second date. That meant he was interested in her. Right?

He was eating his ice cream again his eyes on the window and she wondered what he was thinking.

Being invited to go out with him made her happy but it also scared her.

Her past experience with men wasn't the best. She was awful reading them and learned to suspect everyone that approached her and she wasn't sure she could also trust him.

Jinki noticed her eyes on him and smiled at her, his warm smile that gave him the nickname of Mister Sunshine and what she loved so much.

Oh she wanted to trust him more than anything, she wanted him to be like the ones from the dramas, the ones that “save” the protagonist from her lonely days, that give them hope that there is more to life than what they know.

Nari resumed eating her ice cream knowing that there was no way she would be able to stop that now, in her eyes he was already that person and she wished with all her strength that she wasn't wrong.

Determinedly she asked “Do you like watching dramas?”

Taemin ended up not wearing the suit his father chose for him, instead like the rebel he was he ended up choosing an older one he once wore at a wedding of a friend. It was less boring with beautiful gold buttons and dark blue.

He spent some time in the bathroom combing his hair until he was satisfied and looked like the perfect ceo.

He could pretend if he needed to and he would be the best of actors just for fun not because he wanted to please his father.

Taemin smiled at his image in the mirror of the elevator and then stepped into the floor where he was going to start working.. Several people came out with him, one women even smiled at him shyly making him happy since he didn't lose his appeal even when trying hard to look like someone from a business drama. Actually he looked even more manly with those clothes.

He walked confidently down the corridor in the direction of where his office was, trying not to yawn and thinking about what he would eat for lunch. He barely had time to eat breakfast and he was a good eater.

Someone he met before at one of his father's boring dinners bowed at him and Taemin pretended to know him greeting him amicably before he kept walking.

Oh it was going to be such a long and boring day.

He rubbed his ear, touching one of his piercings that he didn't take off, of course. It was a part of him after all and he didn't care what others would think.

He stepped into a bigger room with two desks where two women were working, one of them seeming very busy on the phone. He walked to them mastering his perfect seductive smile ready to ask them what the hell he was supposed to do when he noticed someone else, someone familiar and not from his father’s dinners.

She was wearing a black pencil skirt, a white blouse with a bow on the side of the collar and a cute yet elegant pink blazer. Her hair was caught in a ponytail and he realized that the only time she saw her hair loose was when he laid her down on her bed. Damn...she looked so beautiful that night, even more beautiful than she looked at that moment and that was saying something. She truly shined in the middle of everyone else in that floor or maybe he was just relieved to see someone that belonged to his life as Taemin the rebel there.

Sora…

He repeated her name for himself inside his head and stood still watching her every move. She carried a pile of files that she placed over the desk in front of the woman on the phone. He watched her say something to her, her soft red lips moving and yet he wasn't hearing anything she said and then she turned around not even noticing him and walked away.

Taemin’s lips spread into a grin. Jackpot!

He truly hit jackpot. He felt like he won the lottery.

Working there, pretend to be someone else to please his parents didn't seem as boring as it seemed before and only because he had a little kitty to catch.