Yoong slammed his steering wheel with his hand. “Damn! That car got the parking lot!” He had seen the empty space and was driving round towards it when a flash of red zoomed past him and pulled right into the very lot he was eyeing. He drove by and looked to see who had beaten him to the lot and was surprised to see that it was a lady. Correction—it was a hot and cute lady.

 

He slowed his car to a crawl and took a good look at her. He liked what he saw. It all appealed to him very much—from the short blonde hair to the y luscious lips and her petite yet extremely well-proportioned figure. He made a mental note to look for this girl.

 

If she’s here at this time, she’s definitely working somewhere in this building.

 

Yoong smirked and drove off to find another parking lot.

 

~~~~~

 

Sunny walked briskly to the elevator and got in.

 

“Which level to, Miss?” asked the elevator girl.

 

“Nine thank you.”

 

The lift doors opened at Level Nine and she stepped out of the elevator. She felt slightly nervous. It was after all her first day at a job she really wanted. She closed her eyes and prayed a little prayer for things to go well for her. Then she walked towards the office with renewed confidence.

 

She smiled at everyone she saw, bowing constantly to be polite.

 

“Hi, you must be Sunny?” a rather cute looking man asked her.

 

“Yes I am.”

 

“Welcome to Resort World. I’m Sungmin, you can call me Sungmin oppa seeing as I’m older than you. I’m your mentor in this company.”

 

Sunny gave him a radiant smile that kind of knocked his socks off. “Nice you meet you Sungmin oppa. Thanks for bring my mentor.”

 

Sungmin was a little swooned by her smile but managed to recover and continue his introduction of the office.

 

“The three people who interviewed you are also working in this office. They help to run the place when Yoong, our director, is away on business. Let me introduce you to them formally.”

 

Sunny smiled and bowed at her interviewers who were all grinning cheekily at each other.

 

“Hi, I’m Leeteuk,” said the guy with a cute dimple.

 

“Hi, I’m Heechul,” said the guy who looked like he stepped right out of an anime.

 

“Hi, I’m Yesung,” said the guy who looked cute and boyish.

 

“Hi, I’m Sunny, and thank you for your guidance in advance.” Sunny bowed politely.

 

“Ha… ha you have no idea how much we want to thank you for joining us. It’s our pleasure to have you here. This office has finally ended it drought!” chirped Yesung.

 

“What drought?” asked Sunny.

 

“Have a good look around the office Sunny, do you see a horrible imbalance of nature?” asked Leeteuk cheekily.

 

Sunny swept her eyes across the office. Then it dawned on her. She was the only female in the entire place.

 

“Does the director not like to hire female employees?” asked Sunny innocently.

 

The four guys looked at each other and burst out laughing.

 

“Oh, Sunny… you made me cry… HA… HA… HA…” Heechul laughed so hard that he really was crying.

 

“On the contrary, our director loves females too much to have them in the office. We do employ them. However, they all quit within a month or so. The longest we had seen one stay was a month and three days. We keep a record of it.” Sungmin looked at Sunny solemnly. “You’ll understand what we’re talking about soon enough.”

 

Sunny had gathered quite a bit of information from that chat.

 

He’s likes girls way too much to have them in the office… He’s a player?

 

They all quit within a month… He dumps them after a month?

 

She smirked to herself.

 

What they don’t know is that I’m a player too. I’m game for the game but I’m here to work. He’s not getting into my pants.

 

She looked down at her pencil skirt.

 

Or skirt, rather.

 

~~~~~

 

Yoong finally found a parking lot further away from the elevator. He walked towards that hot and cute girl’s car to check it out properly.

 

Red, fast and topless. Exactly how I like my girls.

 

“I’m definitely going to find you and get my hands on you,” he promised himself.

 

He headed to his office and walked in with a bright smile on his face. His team members stood up to greet him and he high-fived them all the way till he saw an unfamiliar tuff of hair sticking out from what he remembered was a vacant cubicle.

 

The four guys came up to him and clapped his back, congratulating him for a job well done. He shrugged modestly and nodded towards that new member of the team whom he did not know of.

 

“Who’s that? You guys finally found someone suitable to be our account manager while I was gone?”

 

The four guys nodded their heads vigorously.

 

“She’s got an amazing resume and a record-breaking sales record in the past two years that she’s been handling accounts. She’s phenomenal I tell you… definitely a good catch. We interviewed more than a hundred people before we found her. So please… please don’t ruin it for us. Our sales and bonuses are going to be dependent on her. Promise us you’re not going to get into her pants and dump her like all the others, because you’re not going to find another account manager like her anytime soon,” said Leeteuk very seriously.

 

All four guys glared at Yoong intensely.

 

“Promise us to keep your hands off her,” said Sungmin with a death glare.

 

Yoong looked at their serious faces. He backed away from them, feeling slightly intimidated.

 

“Okay… okay I promise… hands off… okay?”

 

“Good. Now we can finally introduce her to you,” said Yesung cheerfully.

 

Heechul called for her, “Sunny! Come and meet your director!”

 

The blonde head in the cubicle bobbed and a cute, aegyo voice stirred Yoong’s loins instantly. “I’m coming, oppa!”

 

I’M COMING?! OPPA?!

 

Yoong was thinking dirty thoughts when he saw the girl he had seen in the parking lot, walking out of the cubicle with a smile on her face.

 

Short blonde hair—check.

Luscious lips—check.

Petite size—check.

Hot figure—check.

 

It’s her!!!

 

His eyes widened and his jaw nearly dropped as he mentally face-palmed himself. He had just promised to keep his hands off the very girl that he was out to get his hands on! And she’s actually working in his office?! How could the guys expect him to keep his hands off her?! Were they insane? Or was this their ploy to torture him for making them work so hard for him?

 

He swallowed hard and summoned all the self-restraint he had to keep from screaming at the four guys who were looking at him solemnly. He was on the verge of ending up with a tent in his pants just by looking at her walk towards him.

 

She stopped in front of him and flashed him a dazzling smile. The blood rushed to his ears in that instant and created such a roaring noise that he could barely hear her as she greeted him.

 

“Annyeong, Director Yoong. I’m Sunny, the new account manager. Please give me your guidance, thank you.”

 

Sungmin nudged his arm. He looked down and saw that Sunny had extended her hand to him for a handshake. He took her hand in his and shook it briefly before letting go. Her hand was warm and inviting.

 

OH MY GAWD! I AM GOING TO KILL THOSE GUYS!

 

He somehow managed to smile at her and walk her back to her cubicle before turning around to shoot a see-I-can-keep-my-hands-off-her glare at the four pairs of hawk eyes who were watching him from their cubicles.

 

Once Yoong had sat down at his desk, the four guys ducked their heads down and talked.

 

“Did you see how red his face was just now? I thought he was gonna explode from restraining himself,” whispered Leeteuk.

 

Yesung snickered. “Yeah, I swear he was on the verge of going ballistic on us.”

 

“How long do you give him before he makes a move on Sunny? She’s much hotter than any girl we’ve ever had before.” Heechul snickered evilly.

 

“Fifty bucks he holds up for a week,” said Sungmin.

 

“Wow, you have such strong faith in him! A hundred bucks says he’s gone in five days,” remarked Yesung.

 

“Two hundred bucks on three days,” said Leeteuk.

 

“Three hundred bucks on three hours,” said Heechul.

 

The four guys looked at each other and nearly choked whilst trying to stifle their laughter.

 

“YA! What are you doing down there! Get back to work!” yelled Yoong from his desk.

 

~~~~~

 

Yul stood on the pavement outside his apartment waiting to be picked up by his ‘girlfriend’ for their ‘date’ at the club opening. He patted down his jacket and slacks, making sure that he looked good. He was aware that he was a good looking guy. His table and locker would be chock full of presents on Valentine’s Day and his birthday from girls who admired him or had a crush on him.

 

He did not take advantage of his good looks to get more girls, however. He was too principled to do that. He dated a few girls who had caught his fancy but nothing much came out of those dates. After all, his top priority was his studies at that time. He did well in school and sports, an all-rounder and was valedictorian of his class in the university. He chose to become a prosecutor instead of taking up the many high paying offers made to him by top law firms as he felt that it suited his character more. He wanted to help to bring justice to those who deserved it.

 

Now, as he stood waiting, he felt a growing, nagging feeling that what he was about to do was really not right.

 

Jessica Jung is a well-known person. If the truth ever leaks out, I might even lose my prosecutor position. Yul… what were you thinking?!

 

At that very moment, a gleaming black limo pulled up at where he stood. The tinted window was lowered and Jessica’s head popped out of it.

 

“Get in.”

 

He took a deep breath, opened the door and got in.

 

She looked at him and liked what she saw. Tiffany was right. Yul was undeniably a very good looking man. His chiseled features and strong jaw line gave him a rugged, masculine look yet at the same time, a refined look as well. His dress sense was good. His jacket was stylish and his shoes clean and well-polished. His lean physique made him look very fit yet not overly muscular. She could find nothing to pick on in terms of his appearance but that was where it ended. Everything else about him irked her. His righteousness and principled mind were things that she neither valued nor liked.

 

“You look good, Yul,” Jessica complimented him with a false smile, trying to break the ice a little.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Have you looked through the file that Tiffany gave you?” she asked a while later, feeling uncomfortable with the thick silence that hung over them in the car.

 

“Yes. I read it all. Don’t worry, I won’t slip up.”

 

“I don’t know anything about you though. I don’t even know what your full name or job is.”

 

“Kwon Yul. Prosecutor,” was his short and curt reply.

 

“Are you going to be like this all night? People aren’t going to believe that we’re a couple with you acting like that.”

 

Jessica was miffed that he hadn’t even looked at her since he got on the car. He obviously saw how she looked as he got in but had made no attempt to compliment her about it. She was used to having guys swoon over her and piling on the praises, trying to get into her good books. This man sitting beside her, however, exhibited no such desire to do so.

 

Yul turned to her with a neutral expression, which irked her even more. “I will be the perfect gentleman at the event…don’t you worry.”

 

~~~~~

 

They arrived at the gala opening in good time. The place was decked out in simple yet sophisticated décor. Beautifully dressed and gorgeous looking people milled about, making small talk, holding mini cocktail glasses in their hands.

 

Yul felt a little uncomfortable there. These were people who were filthy rich and led a very different lifestyle from him. It was evident that they held different values dear as well.

 

Relax, Yul. You can do it. Just be yourself.

 

Jessica was already smiling glamorously at familiar faces who were wondering who that good looking man she was with was. She hooked her arm on his and they entered the club together. Jessica was well-known in most circles due to the reach of her father’s media business. All sorts of industries relied on media to advertise their products and her father was the man who owned them all—from newspapers to magazines, both offline and online, to radio and TV stations. Of course, being the daughter of a man like that had its drawbacks as well, though nobody really knew they existed.

 

As they entered, all eyes were on Jessica and her companion. The guys bristled at the sight of Jessica arriving with a male companion. The ladies were checking Yul out and secretly wishing that they were the one who had Yul by their side. Some of Jessica’s closer ‘friends’ flocked to her side immediately, eager to find out more about who her companion was.

 

“Sicaaa ya” drawled a girl who was decked out in the latest YSL fashion.

 

Yul looked at her and noted her very false smile and shifty eyes.

 

Jessica is friends with people like that?!

 

Jessica returned an equally false smile and exclaimed airily, “Ooo, Haraaa Goo, how was your trip to Paris? Did you get any lucky with any French men over there?”

 

The girl flicked her superbly long and straight hair over her shoulder and laughed daintily.

 

“Oh Sicaaa ya you’re still as humorous as before. I was hoping that you’d change for the better after I got back from Paris but it seems like nothing has changed for you… except for your friend here… he’s new… introductions are in order, I believe?”

 

“Hi, I’m Yul. Nice to meet you,” said Yul, extending his hand politely.

 

Hara batted her long eyelashes and covered as she laughed, totally ignoring his hand.

 

Yul awkwardly retracted his hand and calmed himself down mentally.

 

Ignore her irritating false smile. Ignore her hair raising airy laughs.

 

Let it go… LET… IT… GO…

 

“Ooo Sicaaa ya your friend is so good looking! Where did you find him?”

 

“In a coffee shop,” Jessica deadpanned.

 

Hara looked a little stunned at the reply but quickly recovered her wits and laughed airily again.

 

“Sicaaa ya… what does he do? Which family is he from? I’ve never seen him before.”

 

“That’s for me to know and for you to find out. Yul, let’s get some food to eat.”

 

Jessica tugged on Yul’s arm and headed towards the buffet of gourmet desserts and pastries.

 

“The two of you aren’t friends?” asked Yul in confusion.

 

“Me and her?!”

 

Jessica looked as him as if he had just lost his mind.

 

“Never were friends, still aren’t friends and never will be. She’s a total b*tch. She’ll probably try to find out everything she can about you and then make sure that she gets a better man before flaunting him in my face or better yet, steal you from me and flaunt you in my face.”

 

Yul frowned at Jessica’s language but he felt relieved to know that she had the same opinion as he did on Hara.

 

A clique of couples waved Jessica over. She joined them with Yul by her side.

 

“Jessi! Introduce him to us! It’s been ages since you last brought any guy to our gatherings.”

 

“Amber! Suzy! I didn’t know you were coming.”

 

Jessica smiled happily and gave them a big hug. Her dancing eyes shone radiantly and Yul noticed how different she was with this group of people.

 

Which is the real her?

 

“We saw Hara talking to you over there and were about to go over to rescue you but you shrugged her off so quickly!”

 

Jessica grinned and said nonchalantly, “She’s probably fuming mad from what I said to her but I don’t really care right now. She can do whatever she wants.”

 

“Be careful Jessi, you know how vicious she can get… and…” they eyed Yul from head to toe, “she will stop at nothing especially when your friend here is so good looking.”

 

Jessica laughed heartily. “I trust Yul. He’s not going to fall prey to her. He’s above that.”

 

Amber and Suzy exchanged knowing glances and giggled. They looked at Yul from head to toe again. “Yul, you are one lucky guy.”

 

~~~~~

 

As the night progressed, Yul had consumed more and more alcohol. He had a respectable alcohol tolerance level but all the different mixes were starting to get to him. Feeling the call of nature, he excused himself and headed to the washroom.

 

Hara was waiting for him outside the washroom when he stepped out. He was taken aback by her sudden appearance but he continued to walk and ignored her as he passed her by. She did not give up, however, and reached out to grab his arm. He turned to look at her and asked, “What do you want?”

 

“Mmm… interesting question… if you’re asking me that question… would you be willing to give me what I want?” she asked in return, casting a doe-eyed look at him.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m here with Jessica. I’m not interested in anybody else. You can stop giving me that look of yours.”

 

“Yul… Yul… does my look bother you? Perhaps it is because you are already attracted to me? I can promise you a better time than you’ll ever have with Sicaaa,” Hara cooed while sliding her body up against him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

 

He could feel the soft curves in her body. However, he disliked this sort of invitation which he had experienced at numerous parties throughout his years in college. Just as he was about to extract himself from her embrace, however, he saw her out of the corner of his eye.

 

~~~~~

 

Jessica was chatting merrily with Amber and Suzy whilst Yul was in the washroom. She had not seen them in a while and they were two of the very few people that she felt truly comfortable with and therefore did not have to guard against.

 

When he did not return after a while, she began to wonder if he had lost his way in the place. She excused herself to look for him. As she turned round the corner towards the washroom, she spotted him and was about to wave to him when she saw another figure hugging him tightly. She stopped right there and then. She recognized the other figure. It was Hara, her mortal enemy.

 

~~~~~

 

He yanked her arms off his waist and stood away from her, all the while, holding the gaze of the woman who stood at the end of the corridor. He felt a strange sense of urgency—an urgency to explain that this was not what it looked like. The woman turned and stormed away. He shot Hara a death glare and hurried after the other woman.

 

~~~~~

 

All men are the same. Scumbags. No matter how principled they may think they are. At the end of the day… all they want is…

 

And with that thought, she turned and stormed away from that scene that burned her eyes and scarred her heart. She walked blindly through the crowd, ignoring Amber and Suzy’s beckoning and headed up the first flight of stairs she passed by. The people milling around noticed her dark frowning expression and were even more perplexed to see Yul dashing out from the corridor, following her closely with a tense look upon his face. However, what really set tongues wagging, was the appearance of Hara from the same corridor, sporting a jubilant smirk on her face.

 

~~~~~