A/N: You wonderful readers that haven’t given up on my story (even though I haven’t updated for 1 and ½ month).

Here’s a present to you. (Two chapters in two days!)

The Auction

It was surely a beautiful day. The sun came out from its hideout behind the cloud, and was high up in the clear blue sky.

A perfect day to relax.

But no…life doesn’t work in anyone’s favor, at least for Dara.

Instead doing any of the aforementioned, She was stuck in a small, itchy maid uniform and carrying a tray of champagne glasses. A fake smile plastered across her face as she offers her appetizers to the elite members of the high society.

In other words, she was stuck catering to the appetite of stuck up rich snobs.

Her maid uniform dress- which besides being extremely short,-is very irritating with its ruffles that chaffed her skin, especially in sensitive areas. Ahem, you know what she’s getting at right?

How the heck is she gonna last all day in this?

“Dara. Tough up! This is for a good cause. We’re here on a mission!” Dara pep-talked herself.

Suddenly, the tranquil classical tune playing was off, and the spoke man’s voice was loud and clear through the speaker, demanding everyone’s attention, “Dear lady and gentlemen, we now commence the Annual Jewelry for Charity Auction event, hosted by the ever so lovely and generous Ms. Gina Choi-CEO of the Choi Jewelry Co.- in honored remembrance of her husband!”

Everyone cheer.

At this point, anyone could guess  that, Yes, this elite function was hosted by no other than her dear stepmother, in the name of charity and loving memory of her father.

Gag. So much irony in a sentence she wanna puke.

So how the hell did Dara got stuck being a servant at her own family’s party?

Well, her stepmother would no way in hell allows her in as a guest, so what choice did she have? She needs to be here to reclaim the necklace.

Though, It’s faintly amusing to imagine what would happen these people ever realize that the supposedly mistress of the Choi’s household is serving them drinks.

But Dara knows it’s impossible, her surname and inheritance was stripped away from her the moment her father passed away.

The husky voice that came through the speaker caught Dara’s attention, she knew that voice anywhere, it belongs to no other than her lovely stepbrother.

The younger girls, even some older women, gaze on to him with hearts in their eyes. Dara rolled her eyes in ridicule, sometimes girls are stupid, it’s sad for her to admit that about her own gender.

But it’s true.

Dara looks at her stepbrother, assessing his appearance for the first time that day. She has to admit, he is looking dashing in a tailored black Armani suit (she would know the brand because she was forced to iron it 3 times). His confident manner and appearance exudes masculinity and -appeal. 

She caught his gaze, and felt uncomfortably trapped under his intense deep irises, even though he was at least 15 yards away, and on a stage.

A tap on her shoulder divert Dara’s attention, she turned around to find Dan- the buter of the Choi estate- with 2 trays full of appetizer balancing on each of his hand.

Immediately when she fully faced him, he slipped the tray on to her hand and said quickly, “Give this to the guests once the speech is done.”

Dara sighed, “Work…”

Seunghyun was now clapping along with everyone else to welcome the hostess of the event.

Dara sees her stepmother stepped up, a humble smile (as fake as the faux-fur coat draped around her shoulder) was plastered on her Botox-enhanced face. She then said in an irritating, honey voice that she was deeply thankful and honored  for the tremendous turn out, and assured everyone all profits will go to charity. 

“My . Only if her plastic surgery fund was a charity” Dara muttered under her breath.

The oblivious crowd clapped enthusiastically.

Once the cheering stop and the guests of honors stepped off the platform, Dara knew it was her cue. She was nervously trying to balance a tray in one hand, while walking in stilettos.  

How the hell do models do this?

She penetrated the crowd of people next to the stage, fake smile was back on blast as she offer them appetizers.

Amidst all this, Dara thought she was doing excellent for a “first-timer/noob waiter” considering all the food on her tray was gone. Well, props to the fat man next to her who horded most of the appetizers and keeps chatting her up. He's definitely drunk, as he helped himself to most of the champanges as well.

As she excused herself by saying she needs to go back to refill the empty tray, he responded with a whine, “No why. Stay here to keep me company.”

“I really gotta go sir. It’s my job”, Dara turned and tried to walk away.

Suddenly she froze, she felt his hand groping her . Surprised, she turned to slap his hand off, but instead tripped and fell knocking the food all over the fat man.

No…...

The tranquil atmosphere was ruffled and now everyone was staring on amusingly. The fat man has fallen first on to the ground, cocktail sauce and shrimp splattered all over his previously neat white pressed shirt.

Only with Harry Potter’s magic wand could Dara hope to clean this mess up.

The man was fuming as he struggling to get up, his meaty frame made it a mighty task for him.

It might have been comical if the circumstance wasn’t so serious.

“How dare you to have dirtied my suit!” he bellowed, “This suit cost more than 10 years worth of your salary, you stupid girl!” The man started yelling insults at Dara.

Dara tried to stand up. A sharp pain shot through her left ankle and she wobbled to the ground.

Damn these stilettos.

She feels like a deer caught in headline, wherever she looks, snickers and questioning gazes greeted her. 

“What’s going on here?” said a familiar, husky voice.

Chills shot down her spine, Dara knows this voice anywhere.

His tone and presence exude such absolute authority that the crowd grew completely silent.

The fat man stutters momentarily, “W-well… Your clumsy maid ruined my suit, and humiliated me in front of all these people. How could you dare to hire such unprofessional service?  I demand compensation!”

“Your humiliation is self-administered. If you haven’t touched her inappropriately in the first place then none of this would have happened.”

Instantly the whole crowd silenced, and the man’s face has become beet red with embarrassment.

“I suggest you lower your voice if you don’t want to humiliate yourself further,” Seunghyub said coolly.

 “And you. Come with me.”

Oh no.

***

Dara limped after Seunghyun, her short legs in high heels struggled to keep up with his broad strides. Suddenly, sharp pain shot down her ankle  and she slipped and fell to the ground. She felt his figure towering over her, afraid to look up since she thought he was angry with her. Suddenly , she  let out a suprise yelp as her small frame was hoisted up and thrown over his broad shoulder.

 “Put me down”, she thumped his back continuously with her fists, but his steady strides were unceasing.

Her heart was beating so fast, so many thoughts racing through her mind... did he really just stood up for her?

Dara found herself inside the building as she saw cooks and waiters rushed past her.  He threw her roughly on a cushioned chair, and she moaned softly at the impact it had on her already aching ankle.

“What the hell are you doing?” Dara screamed but instantly shut up as she found herself staring in to two stormy dark pools of anger that were Seunghyun’s eyes.

“I should be the one asking you that” his voice stung like daggers, Dara winced at his tone. 

“It wasn’t my fault!” Dara retaliated heatedly. Did she choose to get molested by some old creep? Hell nah he was going to blame this on her.

“Wait for me to come back,” he began to walk briskly out of the room, “Do not move.”

“Like hell I can!” Dara yelled after.

She was so ing pissed.  Yeah, partly because she has a busted ankle, and was molested by some fat greasy rich bastard. But what bugged her most was Seunghyun’s attitude. Why does he always act like everything was her fault?

Flashback-

“You’re a cursed child! A witch! You killed your whole family and now you killed my dad too!” the little boy screamed at the small girl standing in front of him, “Everything is your fault! I hate you!!!”

Kneeling on a white mat next to the coffin and dressed in black and white funeral attires, he looks like an angel of death as he screeched those words in agony at her.

She could never forget his expression that day…

End of flashback-

 “-hear me? Ya!”

Seunghyun’s voice snapped Dara out of her reverie, the impact of the memory was still there, like knives mutilating an old wound.

“Give me your leg”, he said as he pulled a chair opposite of her and sat down, throwing a white box at his feet.

“Huh?”

“Aish!” he cursed and to Dara’s shock grabbed her injured leg and place it on his lap.

“Hey-!”

“Stay still for one moment will you?”

He opened to reveal the content of the box-which turned out to be a first-aid kit.  Then, as she watches in awe, he expertly maneuvered the gauze pads and tapes, (and a sweatband?) in to an impressive makeshift cast for her ankle. All in a matter of minutes.

Dara felt her stomach flutters as she watches him intensely focusing on tending her wound, she whispered in an uncertain small voice, “How did you know how to do that? Why did you help me?”

She thought he didn’t hear her, but he did after all when he answered, “ I was in boy scout.” He then continues, " You can't walk two feet without getting in trouble...bird brain ."

Foul-mouthed jerk, Daracursed mentally. But in truth, she was touched, and awed. He hasn’t spoken this much to her in years.

 “Keep it elevated, and ice it”, he said as he finished, stood up and walk away without glancing back.

Dara could only gape at him speechlessly as his back disappears outside the door.

Once again, Seunghyun has successfully messed with her head.

 And something weird is happening to her heart too, and she’s hoping it’s not his doing. No thanks, one vital part of her body was enough, not the other one too.

“Wait… , at this rate I’m gonna miss the auction!” Dara thought, she then frantically hopple with one leg toward the door, ignoring all of Seunghyun’s advices to keep her broken foot elevated. She could hear the clapping of the crowd, signifying that the auction has already begun. She needs to know where the necklace will end up...

***

Choi Seunghyun’s POV-

.

The auction has started when he was away with Dara. Standing behind the stage, he tried to think of a plan.

He overheard his mother talking to Mr.Wang, and he was smart enough to know why Dara is here.

So naturally, he volunteered that he would be helping at the auction.

He doesn't know why he did it... but he just didn't want to let her go out of sight, she was too much a magnet for trouble.

 And he was so right, not 1 hour in to the event she has wreaked havoc.

But this time was different, he was enraged.

He usually is very composed, but when he saw that fat man touched her... He felt like beating the out of the bastard.

Trying to focus on the task at hand, he realized its impossible now to retrieve that necklace, which was the next item up for bidding.

" This diamond necklace is exquisite and extremely valuable item, being the first and original piece of the famed 'Thorne Rose' collection. Only The finest line of necklace designed by the deceased Mr. Choi himself,” the host narrated.

“$100,000”

“115,000”

“$130,000”

“Do I hear a $150,000?”

“$175,000”

“$200,000”
“Do I hear a 210? Going once!”

Seunghyun’s mind is frantically searching for a solution, but he couldn’t find any.

“Going twice!”

The host was holding the hammer in the air, ready to slam it down.

“Three Hundreds”
Seunghyun’s eyes darted toward the crowd to see where the voice came from, it sounded oddly nostalgic. His eyes stopped on a familiar face, framed by a pair of smiling eyes filled with mischief which he knew so well. He felt as if he just saw a ghost, a ghost from the past-

No ing Way.

***

As Dara hopped in to the clearing, her heart sank at the cheering noise of the crowd. No…

She has lost her last, and most treasured item, of her family…

“And the “Thorne Rose “necklace goes to”, Dara dazedly look on as the host paused to look at the name on his placard, “Mr.Kwon Ji Yong!

***

Words Count: 2279.

A/N:

Congrats that he has finally made his appearance…kinda, well we haven’t officially seen him yet, but we heard his voice. 

I promise you’ll see more of him next chapter. So excited Jiyong is finally here.

-Oh, and I remember a lot of comments saying it was unlike Tabi to watch the one he love suffered. But it was just his character, he has grew up like a rock, impassive toward most things because he witnessed so much atrocities at a young age. He simply didn’t care, and the fact that he actually made an effort to help Dara in the last chapter was a vast improvement.

This signify a giant leap forward in his character, he has taken matter in his own hands (all he needed was a little catalyst).

You guys will understand more once I reveal more about their pasts.

A little clarification: There’s no way a 4-carat diamond necklace costs this much, it was rather the sentimental value that it has with it. And I purposely did that for dramatic effect, GD sounds WAYY cooler saying “1 million” than like “$50”. 

Anyway, I really appreciate you guys reading my story. I just feel so honored xD 

Sorry about the grammatical errors, and honestly sometimes my writing really . 

Until next time~