“Dr Bom, in your own words what do you think Mr Kwon and Dara’s relationship is?”  the woman asked in the car.

“Relationship?” Bom asked back, “What do you mean a relation-“

“They’re not in a relationship so you don’t bother asking questions like that later” TOP pointed out.

“I was asking Dr Bom detective” the woman replied, “This is part of my job.”

“Their relationship?” Bom repeated again, “I guess nothing unusual…”

“Nothing unusual in taking in a stranger home?” the social worker  raised her brow.

“She was injured and I think Jiyong was kind enough to help her” Bom furrowed her brows.

“And then keep her with him?” she asked.

“You know Dara wanted to stay with Jiyong” TOP said annoyed, “No one forced her.”

“See that’s what I don’t understand” she fiddled with her pen, “With Jiyong’s reputation in the city it’s hard to believe that someone like Dara would want to stay with him.”

“What are you saying?! Just spit it out!” TOP growled.

“I have eyes detective, and a minute with Dara I could see that that girl has been through hell and back. She was petrified, malnourished and pretty much neglected in every way” the woman explained.

“What does that have to do with Jiyong?” Bom asked.

“Dara is a vulnerable adult and we have to do whatever we can in our power to help her and keep her safe. Her being with someone like Mr Kwon will only make her more vulnerable.” she continued.

“I’ve known JIyong all my life and-“

“And what detective? He wouldn’t do anything to hurt Dara? He definitely won’t be of any help either though. She’s been abused that much I know and right now she needs to be with people that can handle her with care and not with people like Mr Kwon!”

TOP and Bom sat there quietly now, maybe she had a point. For Dara’s own good maybe being with someone like Jiyong wasn’t the best thing.

“Now Dr Bom, can you tell me what you think Dara and Mr Kwon’s relationship is?” the social worker asked again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

“Have you gone bloody mad?! You missed the meeting!”

JIyong scrunched his face up in annoyance, “I had something to do.”

“You also had things to do here like the meeting with the Jeju client today which you ditched without informing me!” Taeyang shouted angrily through the phone, “Do you know how important this deal was?”

“I know!” Jiyong growled through the phone.

“Of course you know because you’re the one who’s been working on getting this project for the past three months!” Taeyang said in frustration.

“Tae, I know!” JIyong repeated, “I’ll come by the office later.”

“It’s the girl isn’t it?” Taeyang sighed.

“Don’t start with Dara again” Jiyong muttered.

“Jiyong, I know you’re worried about the girl but this girl is changing you and you don’t even know it.”

Jiyong didn’t reply but furrowed his brows.

After a deep sigh Taeyang continued, “Look, I told the Jeju client you fell ill and had to go home, but next time make sure you know your priorities JIyong. You only started the business a couple of years ago, now is the time to show people our capability.”

JIyong wanted to shout at him but he knew what Taeyang was saying was right.

He put the phone down and exhaled heavily. He rubbed his forehead, how could he have forgotten such an important meeting. This past week, most of the time his mind seemed to be consumed with thoughts of Dara. He didn’t know what it was that was affecting him so much. Was it sympathy for the girl? Curiosity? The sudden responsibility of a vulnerable girl in his hands? Whatever it was, it was impacting his life in a way he was not ready to accept.

JIyong let out another deep and frustrated sigh and closed his eyes.

“Jiyong?”

Jiyong pursed his lips but remained still. Dara was the last person he wanted to see.

Dara slowly stepped into the lounge and edged towards him when he didn’t reply. He looked tense for some reason she could not understand.

“…are…um…” she stuttered wanting to ask if he was ok but frightened at the same time.

Jiyong leaned his head back on the sofa and tried to let go of this anger.

Dara took a deep breath and stood close to him, “Do you need anything?”

JIyong didn’t reply. The reason he was changing was right in front of him. One side of him was telling him to shout at her and tell her to mind her own business. The other side was reminding him just how scared she is of everyone.

“Jiyong-“

“STOP IT!” Jiyong finally exploded, “I DON’T NEED ANYTHING!”

Dara stepped back nearly tripping over, she held her phone tightly to her chest and held her breath.

“What I need is for you to get out of my sight for just one ing minute!” JIyong growled angrily. Deep down he knew he shouldn’t be shouting at her like this, but it wasn’t easy to let go of his anger either.

Dara looked at him fear stricken and frozen.

“SO GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! GO!” Jiyong pointed towards the door.

But Dara couldn’t move, she was still holding her breath in fear.

Jiyong stood up and grabbed her arm, “I SAID GET OUT-“

*click*

He furrowed his brows, his anger suddenly turning into confusion“…did you just take a picture of me?!”

Dara blinked and looked down at her phone before nodding.

“Delete it” JIyong pointed at the phone angrily.

Dara blinked and looked down at the picture, “I don’t know how to.”

“Give it to me then” Jiyong growled but Dara stepped back, “Yah…don’t you dare think of running away! I mean it!”

Dara bit her lip and that’s exactly what she did.

“Yah!” Jiyong shouted running after her.

“I don’t understand” Dara exclaimed as she ran around the large table by the front door, “Don’t you want me to have a picture of you?”

“Are you mad?!” JIyong retorted still after her, “I just told you to get out of my sight and instead of running away you took a bloody picture of me!”

“But I didn’t do it on purpose Jiyong” Dara tried to explain while running away from him.

“WHY ARE YOU STILL RUNNING AWAY FROM ME?!” Jiyong shouted angrily.

“Because you’re scaring me!” Dara replied nervously.

“Get here right now!” Jiyong grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him but Dara lost her balance and managed to pull JIyong with her.

They ended up both on the floor, with Jiyong now on top of Dara.

Dara’s eyes widened in shock thinking he was going to get mad at her now, “…sorry…”

JIyong on the other hand heard the soft thudding of his heart for the first time in his life. It wasn’t fast, but it was loud deep inside him. His eyes locked onto her frozen face and he felt his breath choke up in his throat. But he suddenly turned looked up when he heard his front door click open.

“I’m telling you there’s nothing going on between the two” TOP sighed as he opened Jiyong’s front door.

“I’ll be the judge of that detective-….are you sure about that detective?” the social worker crossed her arms and looked at the floor in front of them.

TOP and Bom looked to see Jiyong on top of Dara on the floor. Their eyes widened and they both looked back at each other with surprise.

JIyong cringed and quickly pushed himself off Dara. He cleared his throat and straightened himself up while Dara still laid there frozen.

“sh!t” he mumbled before quickly helping Dara up.

“What are you doing?!” TOP hissed as he approached Jiyong.

“We slipped” Jiyong replied bluntly.

“Slipped? That’s the best you can come up with?!” TOP muttered.

“What are you here for anyway?” Jiyong asked back.

“Mr Kwon” the woman stepped forward now, “I’m sure you remember me. We’re here to question Dara.”

“Question her?” JIyong raised a brow while Dara looked back and forth anxiously.

“Calm down JIyong” TOP placed his hand on JIyong’s shoulder, “We just want to know about her that’s all.”

JIyong looked back at the woman now, “You don’t need my permission for that. You need Dara’s.”

“Come on JI, help us out. She won’t talk unless you tell her to” TOP whispered.

“I’m not forcing anyone to talk if they don’t want to” JIyong muttered.

“Then I’ll have no choice but to take her with me” the woman interrupted.

Dara’s hands immediately reached for JIyong’s shirt. She hid behind him slightly afraid that the woman would try to take her away again.

“Don’t waste my time with threats” Jiyong replied, “I know full well you can’t take Dara anywhere without her consent.”

“That’s the thing Mr Kwon, if I feel that she is a vulnerable adult and that she is in danger if she remains in your custody then yes, I do and can take her away.”

“Danger?” Jiyong asked with furrowed brows.

“With your infamous reputation, well known anger issues and what I just witnessed between the two of you a minute ago, there’s enough evidence for me to take her away from you if I want.”

“Is she being bloody serious right now?!” JIyong asked Top angrily.

“I’m afraid so Jiyong” TOP said beside him.

“Look! She doesn’t want to talk about it so leave it!” Jiyong growled now.

“If she doesn’t talk here, then I’ll have officers her to the police station where I will question her!”

“She’s not some criminal” Bom interrupted, “There must be another way.”

“Dr Bom, with all due respect this girl came from nowhere. And by the looks of her she’s clearly been through some traumatic experience. We need to question her so we can find out who did this to her, why they did it to her-“

“But do you have to take her away?” Bom asked looking back at Dara and JIyong.

“From what detective Choi has told me, it seems that Dara has been isolated from normality for too long to know right and wrong. And Mr Kwon may very well be manipulating her because of this-“

“Get her out of my house!” Jiyong growled now.

“See this anger?” the woman asked Bom and TOP, “How can we let Dara stay here-“

“I swear if you don't get out I'm-” Jiyong shouted angrily.

“Jiyong calm down” TOP stopped him, “You’re making it worse.”
 

“GET OUT!!” Jiyong shouted again.

“I’ve seen enough, “I’m taking Dara with me!” the woman approached Dara.

“Stay the hell away from her” JIyong protectively stood in front of Dara who was now shaking with fear.

“Move Mr Kwon before I have you arrested.”

“I said get out-“

“Stop!” Dara suddenly spoke up from behind Jiyong. She gripped onto his shirt even tightly and without looking up, “…I’ll tell you.”

------

Bom placed a glass of water on the table in front of Dara and sat down opposite to her with the woman and TOP.

Jiyong leaned back on the sofa he was sitting on with Dara and sighed heavily while Dara kept her eyes on the ground.

“In your own time Dara” the woman said quietly.

Dara fidgeted with her hands nervously, her heart rate increasing by the second that it was making her head feel heavy with worry.

Jiyong leaned forward now and in a much calmer voice spoke to the woman, “She can’t do it.”

“And until she speaks, I can’t let her stay here with you, I’m sorry” the social worker apologised stiffly.

JIyong exhaled heavily rubbed his neck in frustration.

“…if I tell you…you promise I can stay with JIyong?” Dara asked quietly.

“Well…”the woman began but TOP shook his head at her, “…of course.”

Dara looked up at Jiyong and bit her lip nervously.

“Dara you’re safe here” Bom said softly, “You can tell us.”

“…what… do you want to know?” Dara asked slowly.

“Why don’t you begin by telling us why Mr Kwon found you by the roadside?”

“I…I was running away…” Dara stuttered.

Everyone else looked at each other instantly.

“From who Dara?”

Dara took a sharp intake of air, “Them…I had to get away from them.”

Jiyong looked at her quietly and like everyone else waited for her to continue.

“I couldn’t stay there anymore” Dara shook her head.

“Where Dara?”

“The house” Dara whispered.

“Dara honey” the woman said softly, “Why don’t you tell us about these people you were running away from. Were they your family?”

Dara shook her head, “No. I was their possession.

“Possession?”

“They…owned me” Dara said numbly.

“Owned you?”

JIyong furrowed his brows and sat up more.

“They said…” Dara gulped, “ I belonged to them, that I wasn’t even worth being called a human.”

The woman and TOP looked at each other with a knowing look. Dara had been held captive.

“And what did these people do to you Dara?” the social worker asked.

Jiyong saw Dara suddenly freeze up with fear, her eyes darted around the floor as if thinking of a way to escape.

“Dara?”

Dara shook her head not wanting to say anymore, “I don’t want to talk about it! I can’t!”

“Dara try” the woman asked.

“I can’t!” Dara shouted when Jiyong suddenly held onto her hand.

Dara looked down at his hand but she still shook her head.

[Love is a punishment by K.Will]

“Dara” he spoke quietly.

“You don’t understand…I can’t…please don’t make me” Dara managed to eke out with tears pooling in her eyes.

Jiyong leaned in to her and whispered, “You’re here, where you’re the safest remember.”

TOP looked at Jiyong peculiarly. He’d never seen Jiyong act that caring with anyone before.

Dara looked up at Jiyong too. Her face softened slowly as she felt his strong hand over hers, his voice like a warm blanket over her skin, and his gaze looking only at her ready to protect her from whatever and anything.

Without looking at anyone else but Jiyong, Dara finally spoke, “What do you want to know?”

Jiyong leaned in slightly, “…everything.”

Dara’s eyes wandered away for a moment before returning back to him, “…I’ve been there for as long as I can remember...”

JIyong didn’t say a word or move, he just looked at her and listened.

“Sometimes I get confused whether it’s a memory or just a dream…but I know there was a time before all this when I was happy and safe…” Dara said slowly trying hard to remember, “Deep down…I want to believe that I haven’t always been like this…I want to believe I was happy once.”

The woman was quickly writing notes down in her book while TOP and Bom watched and listened to Dara.

“Remember when you asked me when the last time I held a pen was?” she asked Jiyong, “I can’t remember because they never let me go to school. I know how to write my name…and some words are familiar to me but that’s it…” Dara bit her lips sadly, “…it’s embarrassing isn’t it?”

Jiyong quietly shook his head, “No. No it’s not.”

Dara looked up at him slowly with her teary eyes.

Jiyong held her hand tightly now, “Dara how did you end up with those people?”

“They told me my parents died when I was a baby and that…no one wanted me” Dara’s lips quivered slightly, “They said I should be grateful because they took me in. But Jiyong, I never felt grateful, not once.”

“Those marks you saw on my back” Dara continued, “…if I didn’t make their food on time or made a mistake, they would beat me with their belts until I fainted sometimes.”

Bom closed her eyes and shuddered slightly beside TOP.

“The bruises…on my arms and legs” Dara stuttered, “are from when they came home drunk and wanted to kick someone about for fun.”

Jiyong clenched his jaw tightly but his eyes never left her.

Dara’s gaze wandered down to her hands, “I’d cry and beg for them to help me when I was hurt, but instead while I was bleeding there on the floor they’d step over me and carry on drinking as if I didn’t even exist.”

By now the woman had stopped writing, her pen frozen mid-air and her face furrowed with shock and sympathy.

Top heard Bom inhale deeply and from the corner of his eyes saw her pressing her fingers together. He could tell she felt uncomfortable by Dara’s story and without realising it he placed his hand to cover hers while still looking straight at Dara and Jiyong.

Bom looked down at his hand over hers. Even back at school he protected her and even now he was doing the same.

JIyong watched Dara close her eyes as she shuddered at the memories.

“If the house wasn’t cleaned the way they wanted, they’d lock me up in the closet for days without food or water. If I did something wrong, they’d kick me outside in the garden and throw cold water over me and make me stay there in the cold.” Dara’s breathing was getting shorter now as she remembered everything, “They made me sleep on the kitchen floor with nothing to cover myself with, they’d kick me down the stairs while I was cleaning just for fun! They’d shout at me, pull me across the room by my hair, they’d make me eat from the trash, make me kneel in front of them, keep my head down. If I looked up they’d punch and kick me until I was bruised!!”

Dara stopped finally and held her breath while her eyes blurred over with tears.

The others sat there in complete silence too, not knowing what to say.

Even Jiyong could do nothing but look at her.

“That’s what happened to me!” Dara said sounding slightly angry now, “That’s what they did to me! Did you get what you wanted to know?! That I was treated like an animal! Like I wasn’t worth anything! Well that’s exactly how I was forced to live! That’s-“

Jiyong suddenly pulled Dara into his embrace and hugged her tightly. For a moment she couldn’t understand why he was holding her. Wasn’t he ashamed that she was someone who had lived her whole life this way?

Dara’s lips parted when she felt JIyong’s hand protectively over her head. And that’s when she realised, even in her darkest moments, even when she revealed her most dreaded secrets, he was still her shelter. Her safest place.

Her small hands slowly held onto him and she buried her face into his chest while trying to stifle her tears “…jiyong…can you let me stay with you now?” she asked through tears, “I…told you everything…now please can I stay with you?”

Jiyong felt tightening in his heart as he hugged her even tighter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minzy jumped under the covers of her bed and curled up in a ball trying to keep herself warm. She reached one arm out and picked up her book.

As she started reading where she’d left she remembered what the nurse had said about Young don being way out of her league. Minzy furrowed her brows and looked back at her book.

“Pft, why does my life suddenly seem like it’s from this book?” Minzy muttered annoyed as she carried on reading ‘Fate vs Hate’.

She rolled her eyes in despair, “So I’m the poor girl who falls for the rich and perfect guy?!”

She shook her head and shut the book close, “Nope! I am not going to read to the end! What if it’s a sad ending and I really am just going to seem like a poor gold digger in front of everyone! From now on stay professional with Young don Minzy, stay professional.”

She nodded in agreement and pulled the covers over her head.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JIyong stood in front of the door looking pissed as hell.

“Thank you for your help tonight Mr Kwon” the woman said standing outside.

JIyong gritted his teeth looking like he was going to explode any minute.

“I think we should leave” TOP turned the woman around quickly.

Bom quickly nodded at JIyong without a word and followed TOP out of the compound.

Jiyong watched the security guards shut the gate after them and he slammed the front door shut loudly before storming back into the house.

Angry was an understatement right now. Firstly, that woman had the balls to barge into his house and threaten him and Dara. Then she forced Dara to speak about something that she wasn’t ready for. In fact he wasn’t ready for something that big. In the back of Jiyong’s mind, he always knew that something unjust had happened to Dara. But he didn’t know she had had to suffer at the hands of those men all her life.

He was angry and frustrated. He suddenly felt that Dara was a bigger responsibility than he had initially thought. But instead of pushing her away like he did with everyone, he felt that he had to no matter what make her better. And that’s why he was frustrated. Because now more than ever, he wanted to protect her and this he knew would mean he would be going against everything he had tried to do for the past 18 years.

JIyong raked his hair and looked upstairs before hurriedly walking up. He walked towards Dara’s room and saw the door open with the light dimly lit. Thinking she was awake he opened the door about to say something but stopped short when he saw her curled up at the end of the bed fast asleep.

Suddenly he felt that prickly pain deep inside as he remembered what Dara had been through all her life. His frustration and anger left him instantly.

Jiyong grabbed a blanket lying on the chair and walked up to her before covering her gently with it. He tucked it around her body as she slept soundly.

Dara moved slightly in her sleep and her tiny hand fell out onto the edge of the bed.

Instinctively Jiyong held onto her hand to put it back when he paused, his fingers curiously traced her hand and his brows furrowed. He turned her hand to look at her palm when he felt the roughness of her skin and let out a deep sigh. Her fingers were dry and full of scratches and scars.

His thumb naturally traced her fingers and he could think of nothing but what Dara had had to have gone through with them.

Jiyong stood up and left the room for a moment before quietly coming back, cream in hand.

He knelt down on the floor by the bed and reached for her hands once again. Careful not to wake her up, he gently rubbed the soft cream on her hands wanting to remove all the traces of her sufferings for her.

Suddenly Jiyong remembered Mrs Park crying in the station all those years ago. He couldn’t help but wonder if her daughter had to go through something like what Dara went through.

He let go of Dara’s hand at that thought and abruptly stood up. His breathing shortened and he stormed out of Dara’s room without a look behind.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cl sat there shell shocked as she read the DNA report which confirmed that Seungri was in fact the son of the late Mr Kwon.

“Now that you know, how about you give me back my company?” Seungri asked.

Cl just sat there in a daze, “…appa…why didn’t he tell me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Seungri smirked, “He wanted the company for himself.”

“No” Cl shook her head, “My father isn’t like this!”

“If your father isn’t like this then that means this report is lying, my mother was lying. IS that what you’re trying to say?!”

“I don’t want to hear anymore! Just get out!” CL shouted angrily.

“Shout all you want CL, but at the end of the day my mother is dead because of your father’s greed. And if I have to make you suffer to get to him, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minzy sat up in bed and huffed angrily not being able to sleep again. She flung her covers off and walked to the balcony for some fresh air.

Something was irritating her. Whether it was that stupid book or what the nurses said, she didn’t know, but she was annoyed.

“Don’t spit!”

Minzy furrowed her brows and leaned over the balcony to see Young don casually walking down the street.

“Young don?!”

Young don smiled slightly and lifted the collar of his coat to keep warm.

Minzy suddenly remembered what the nurses had said and pouted, “I mean Dr Young don.”

Young don stopped under her balcony, “Doctor?”

Minzy didn’t say anything.

“What’s with the formalities all of a sudden?” Young don scoffed.

Minzy shook her head, “…no reason.”

Young don kicked a stone near his foot lazily and looked up at Minzy in silence.

Minzy looked away awkwardly “What?”

“Nothing” Youngdon smiled slightly, “I’m just waiting for you to throw water at me or injure me in some way.”

Minzy glared at him angrily, he had no clue how wound up she was because of what those nurses said and on top of that the stupid book.

“Did you just say something?” Youngdon asked.

“No.”

Youngdon smiled slightly, “This isn’t like you Gong Minzy. What’s wrong?”

Minzy leaned her arms on the balcony and sighed, “I’m reading this book.”

Young don waited for a moment, “…okaay. Good um reading is good.”

Minzy rolled her eyes, “No you don’t understand.”

“Ok fine tell me about this book.” Youngdon asked from down below.

Minzy pouted, “It’s called Fate vs Hate and it’s about two types of people that can never be together.”

“Why?” Youngdon asked.

“Because one has everything and the other doesn’t” Minzy replied.

“Well…can’t the person that has everything share with the person that has nothing?” Youngdon asked simply.

Minzy looked back at Youngdon surprised.

“So how does this book of yours end?” Yougndon asked again.

Minzy shrugged, “I don’t know. I don’t want to read it, it’s going to have an unhappy ending.”

Youngdon tilted his head and put his hands in his pockets, “What if it’s a happy ending?”

“It won’t be” Minzy pouted, “Not in the book and definitely not in real life.”

“You know if you only worry about the end, then the end will be as bad as you think” Youngdon pointed out.

“You think the ending is going to be bad too?!” Minzy slightly raised her voice.

“I’m talking about real life” Youngdon replied.

Minzy thought for a moment in a daze.

“Yah Minzy” Youngdon broke her daze and she looked down at him, “Do you want to go on a date with me?”

“WHAT?!” Minzy exclaimed.

“No need to act shocked” Youngdon replied casually, “You owe me that much after kissing me.”

Minzy turned bright red wanting him to forever forget that incident.

“…but you’re a doctor…and there’s no dating between staff and I shrunk your coat-“

“And gave me a black eye and then kissed me without my permission, that’s harassment by the way” Youngdon pointed out.

Minzy cringed wanting to run into her flat and never see him again.

“But then we got talking and I realised my first impression of you was wrong and you’re actually an ok person.” He added.

Minzy raised her brows with surprise “…but why…I mean-“

“Because I want to get to know you more” Youngdon said simply, “Is that not good enough for you?”

“Ani…it’s just…” Minzy bit her lip, “what I said earlier about the book. Well between us…I’d be the one with nothing…so-“

Youngdon looked down for a moment before looking back at her with a smile, “For some reason Gong Minzy, I have a feeling with you, I might be the one with nothing.”