Dara stepped out of the hospital, her face a mask of tears. She could not understand why Jiyong was treating her this way. Was she that unattractive that she couldn’t make Jiyong fall in love with her? What exactly did she do wrong?

She did not and could not understand.

Her world was a blurred, bright and unfocused ball of colour as her feet moved automatically.

Out of the sterile hospital doors.

Out of the sparkling glass doors that spelled “Seoul Hospital” in red and bold.

Out onto the street whose lights flashed red and cars were zooming dangerously around.

Dara could not see the red lights, the cars, nor hear their angry honking as they swerved to avoid her, almost resulting in a huge accident on the highway.

“Be careful!” A loud voice near her ear snapped her back to reality before strong arms enveloped her, pulling her to fall on the grey gravel of the street.

A warm and hard body cushioned her fall, a car honked furiously as it sped past the spot where Dara was standing just seconds ago.

Dara’s pulsed raced, her pupils dilated as her mind registered the immense danger she was just in.

“Are you ok?” The same voice asked her gently, removing her off him slowly, his hands holding her shoulders securely.

Dara took a deep, shaky breath to calm herself down and stood up quickly. She brushed her dress swiftly and turned to face her rescuer.

He looked... familiar.

“Thank you for saving me. I’m so sorry. I am willing to pay for all your injuries inflicted from saving me. Here’s my phone number, if you would call my personal assist-“ Dara said in her most professional voice, not betraying the utmost embarrassment she felt inside. People were staring from all corners of the street and all Dara wanted to do was to run and hide.

“Sandara? Sandara Park noona? Is that you?” The man interrupted his face a display of amazement.

The question threw Dara offguard momentarily.

“Umm... Yes, I am Sandara Park. Do I know you?” Dara said hesitatingly as she peered up at the man in front of her.

He broke into a brilliant smile that almost blinded Dara and stepped forward to pull her into a crushing hug.

“Dara noona! It is you! I’m Joon! Do you remember me?” Joon said excitedly, a boyish blush on his face when he pulled away to look at Dara.

“Joon? Lee Joon?” Dara started to catch upon his enthusiasm and a smile broke on her face. “What are you doing here?”

---

Joon had just graduated a few months ago and was looking for an internship or job before he received his results to enter university. He had studied fashion and design as Dara did.

As the two sat at a nearby coffeeshop to talk and catch up on life, Joon spoke with a fervent passion that reminded her of herself. His eyes lit up as he discussed his plans, his hopes and dreams. His smile was innocent yet hopeful.

So much hope.

So many dreams.

So much potential.

So Dara did something she had never done before.

“Joon, I know that you know that I am a model-designer. An important fashion show is coming up in three months and I think I would love to have your opinion on the latest trends and design.” Dara smiled warmly as she leaned back in her seat, her hands resting comfortably in her lap. She gazed at Joon expectantly.

His face paled.

“D..D...Dara noona, I don’t mean it like this!” Joon started to stutter nervously. “I hope you don’t think that I’m approaching you because I want to be your intern. I truly wanted to just talk as a friend or as a dongsaeng. You don’t have to do me any special favours on account of our past!” Joon started to reject her offer, his words coming out in a hurry.

“Wait.” Dara leaned forward and placed one hand on Joon’s hands that were tightly gripping each other such that the knuckles turned white. “I’m not doing you a favour. I still want to see your portfolio of work, but I see your potential, so I am offering you an internship. Before you get too excited, I just want to say that I’m can’t pay you, but I can give you experience and invaluable insight into the industry.”

Joon blinked a few times before he took a deep breath. “Thank you noona, truly. For the opportunity. I actually have my portfolio right now. Would you like to see it?” His demeanour started to change back to boyish eagerness and a shy smile spread on his face. When Dara nodded her head, he quickly turned and dug around in his haversack, producing a large file that was bursting at its seams. He handed it over to Dara eagerly with both hands, his eyes shining with a beautiful light.

---

The silence seemed to drag on for forever as Dara looked through his designs and ideas carefully and slowly. Now and then, she would ask questions, and Joon would answer them confidently.

Dara’s phone rang and she answered it with short and curt answers.

When she put down the phone, her face was serious as she faced her dongsaeng. She closed the file and handed it back to Joon.

He bit down on his lower lip in nervous anticipation and retrieved his portfolio.

He met Dara’s eye.

“Be my intern. Turn up at the lobby of Four Seasons Hotel in three days time and we’ll sign the contract.” Dara flashed a smile at the boy before standing up.

“You’ve really grown up from the boy that I knew. See you soon!” She said before walking away for her next appointment.

---

“...so basically you will be working for me for three months. I will be teaching you everything I know. Please hold the door!” Dara had gone down to the lobby to pick up Joon. They were headed back to her hotel room because the blur her had forgotten to bring the contract down...

The lift doors that were closing slid open again as she hurried towards the lift. She stepped in and looked up.

Her “Thank you” died on her lips as she stared at the man that stood before her.

Jiyong. Kwon Jiyong.

In that moment, Dara almost broke into tears.

Was it fate? Coincidence? Or luck?

No matter where she went, Jiyong was always there.

Her eyes searched for some form of emotion on his face, but no. His face was emotionless, his eyes dead as they looked through her. Not at her, not above or beside her, but THROUGH her. Dara felt her heart breaking all over again.

Joon stepped into the lift and pressed the “close” button. He placed a hand on Dara’s shoulder affectionately. “Noona? You ok?”

Dara tore her gaze away from the love of her life and smiled assuringly at the boy.

She forced herself to turn away from Jiyong to face the door, so he would not see her tears.

It was an eternal silence before the quiet humming of the lift’s system was broken with a cheerful “Ping!” that announced Dara’s floor.

“Let’s go.” She said softly, exiting the lift first, Joon following behind. If he recognised Jiyong or noticed the 180 degree change in Dara’s mood, he did not show it.

---

Jiyong flinched unnoticeably as the doors closed, cutting off his view of Dara. He had 5 men standing behind him that respected him fiercely. He could not show weakness.

Of course he knew that Dara was the one that had shouted for him to hold the doors. Her voice was imprinted indelibly in his mind. Neither time nor any car accident could allow him to forget that. He told himself to he was not good for her. That he should stay away. So he didn’t respond to any of her calls or texts. But when he heard her voice, his first instinct was that he wanted to see her. The desire was so strong that he found himself holding the door for her, if just to see her for one last time.    

He found himself shaking with anger when the man had placed his hand so affectionately on Dara’s shoulder. So he put his hand into his pocket to hide his anger.

He wanted to demand an explanation why the two of them were going to the same hotel room. He wanted to scream and shout. He was about to lose his mind.

But he said nothing as the doors closed.

He closed his eyes tightly to prevent his tears from leaking out.

The doors pinged again and he stepped out.

Room 809.

One of his men knocked on the door.

The door beeped.

It opened.

Yoona. The girl that he was meeting.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi guys!!! So sorry for the slow updates!

Have been super busy and my stupid computer screwed up! Urgh...

Well just a headsup, but I'm thinking of finishing this fic in a few more chapters hee hee

Happy Chinese New Year and thank you all for your faithful support and readership XD