“This low life beggar lives in this house with me.” Jiyong muttered through gritted teeth.

A sound of a loud sharp intake of breath could be heard from the maids as they panicked that they might have upset Jiyong enough to have them fired.

Dara stepped back a tiny step from Jiyong too in shock. Was she hearing him right?

Mrs Kwon on the other hand stood there, her anger falling away into slight sadness, “Do you have to go against everything I say? Just because I didn’t help look for that girl back then? Am I still being punished for what happened all those years ago?”

Dara suddenly saw Jiyong tense up and his hands curl into balls of fists, “I warned you never to speak of that day.”

Mrs Kwon shook her head, “Jiyong-ah, if it wasn’t for that girl your sister would have been the one-“

“I said don’t!” Jiyong growled now.

“That’s in the past now, even if I tried I wouldn’t be able to do anything!” Mrs Kwon replied, “So stop punishing your father and I now, stop punishing Leehi now!”

“Get out” Jiyong said angrily now.

“Jiyong?” Mrs Kwon gasped.

But Jiyong looked at his watch, “You were scheduled to meet me at 11 am till 11:30am, its 11:33 now. You can ring my secretary for our next appointment.”

“Appointment?” Mrs Kwon scoffed bitterly, “Having to schedule in time to meet my own son. Do you know how pathetic you’ve made me?”

JIyong just clenched his teeth and stared back at her.

“I know what you’re trying to do” Mrs Kwon said, “But pushing everyone away isn’t going to solve anything Jiyong. In the end you’ll only end up hurting yourself.”

Dara looked back at Mrs Kwon now, no matter how she had treated her a moment ago she could clearly see that the woman cared for her son. Dara looked up at Jiyong puzzled, she’d noticed now that everyone was scared of him, that no one wanted to be close to him. Was he a dangerous man? Would he hurt someone? But then why was it that Jiyong was the first person she ever felt safe with?

“On your way out” JIyong replied nonchalantly, “Take the maids with you, they’re fired.”
 

“Jiyong!” Mrs Kwon cried out while the maids gasped in shock.

JIyong abruptly turned and grabbed Dara’s hand and stormed inside.

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

“ah” Dara grabbed her hand and rubbed it once Jiyong let go. She looked up and saw how angry he looked and instinctively she edged back towards the wall.

Jiyong clenched his jaw and stared angrily into space.

“I know what you’re trying to do” Mrs Kwon said, “But pushing everyone away isn’t going to solve anything Jiyong. In the end you’ll only end up hurting yourself.”

Jiyong clenched his fists even tighter and smashed the vase of the table before kicking the table away with force.

Dara covered her ears and fell onto her knees. It was her natural reaction when anything violent happened.

“ARGH!” Jiyong grabbed onto the large book self and pulled it down angrily again.

The books crashed onto the ground loudly and the wooden frames broke into pieces.

“AGH!” Jiyong kicked the books and finally stopped, breathing heavily for a long moment.

JIyong’s eyes furrowed suddenly when he heard a small whimper from the corner of the room. He turned around to find Dara huddled in the corner of the room.

Dara closed her eyes and turned her face towards the wall petrified now. But she couldn’t utter a single sound now, she wanted him to stop because he was scaring her but she couldn’t bring up the courage to stop.

Jiyong’s face fell slightly and he looked around the room at the mess he’d just made. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration not knowing what to do with her.

He pulled his phone out and called Taeyang, “Tae! Bring TOP here! Yes now!” he growled before hanging up.

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

“Has anyone seen Nurse Nam?” Bom asked around the ward.

The other nurses shook their heads.

Bom sighed, “Chincha, where did she go?”

“Oh Dr Park, there she is” one of the nurses pointed down at the corridor.

Bom’s eyes widened when she saw the large burly Nurse Nam with TOP. Wait were they flirting?!

“Oh stop it keke” Nurse Nam fluttered her non-existent eye lashes at TOP, “I can carry them myself.”

“No no, I insist” TOP smiled back as he carried her files, “A true gentleman never lets a lady carry anything.”

“A lady?” Nurse Nam blushed.

Bom rolled her eyes and stormed up to them, “Nurse Nam?”

“Omo!” Nurse Nam startled.

“Where have you been? You were meant to help me set everything up for Dr Song’s surgery.” Bom asked.

“Ah” Nurse Nam cringed when she remembered, “I’m sorry Dr Bom.”

“It’s fine! I did it myself. And you?!” Bom turned to TOP, “Why are you still here?!”

“Chill” TOP replied casually, “I was helping Hyejin carry her files.”

“Hyejin?” Bom asked wide eyed, “You two are on first name basis?!”

“Well yeah we went to grab a coffee and-“

“Enough!” Bom waved her hand in front of her, “Nurse Nam please come with me and you!” she pointed at TOP, “For the last time get lost.”

“At least let me take these files to the nurse station” TOP looked down at the heavy files in his hands.

“Those are confidential!” Bom retorted and grabbed the files from his arm but nearly dropped them.

TOP tried not to laugh as Bom quickly straightened herself up and held her chin high before walking off.

“So I’ll wait for you after work?” TOP called out.

“NO!” Bom turned around angrily.

“I was talking to Nurse Nam” TOP looked at her innocently.

Bom’s mouth parted slightly and looked at Nurse Nam with embarrassment.

“TOP shi you know I have a husband” Nurse Nam blushed like a little girl.

“That’s a shame, we would have been so good together” TOP shrugged while Bom cringed with humiliation.

*ring ring*

TOP quickly answered his phone, “Tae?”

“Come to Jiyong’s now”

“Why? Is everything ok?”

“Just come”

TOP looked at his phone oddly when Taeyang hung up.

“Is everything ok TOP shi?” Nurse Nam asked as she traced her short hair behind her ear.

“Work calls” TOP pretended to sigh disappointingly, “I’ll see you later Hyejin.”

Nurse Nam giggled while blushing.

Bom rolled her eyes in annoyance and looked away when TOP approached her.

“And I’ll definitely see you later” TOP said to Bom.

Bom gritted her teeth and walked past him without another look.

TOP put his hands in his pockets and watched Bom walk away.

[Flashback]

“Dr Park Bom?” Nurse Nam asked back.

TOP nodded.

“What about her?” she asked.

“How well do you know her?”

“I’ve known her since she came here two years ago, she’s one of the best interns in the hospital” Nurse Nam replied.

“She’s clever then” TOP nodded.

“Clever, hardworking, lovely to the patients” Nurse Nam added, “Just too perfect.”

“Too perfect?” TOP raised a brow.

“Neh, too perfect that she’s boring” Nurse Nam replied, “She doesn’t join in on any staff dinners, never does anything besides work and go home, doesn’t joke around.”

“So she’s the quiet type?” TOP asked.

Nurse Nam looked around before whispering in TOP’s ear, “It’s not that, it’s her father.”

“Her father?” TOP furrowed his brows, from what he knew from researching Bom, her parents died on the night of the accident.

“Not her real father” Nurse Nam hissed, “She was adopted you see. But Dr Bom never goes against her father.”

TOP grimaced and looked at Nurse Nam, “Who’s her father then?”

“You don’t know?” Nurse Nam asked back, “Seoul Hospital’s Chief Doctor, Dr Park Jung Woo.”

“Jung woo?” TOP mumbled to himself, that name sounded familiar.

“Remember the big news years ago about the 4 girls that were kidnapped and only 2 were found afterwards?” Nurse Nam asked in a hushed voice.

TOP stiffened slightly but he still nodded.

“Well there are rumours Bom was one of the girls kidnapped” Nurse Nam whispered, “She escaped but apparently Dr Jung woo’s real daughter didn’t.”

“So…Dr Jung woo adopted Bom?” TOP asked.

Nurse Nam nodded, “But he sure as hell makes it clear he doesn’t like her. You should see the way he talks to her in the hospital.”

“What do you mean?” TOP asked again.

“Well you see apparently Mrs Park was so upset about losing their daughter she nearly lost her mind. She started believing Bom was their dead daughter” Nurse Nam said, “so it was actually for Mrs Park, Dr Park adopted Bom. But Mrs Park died 6-7 years ago so it’s just Bom and Dr Jung woo now.”

[End of flashback]

TOP watched Bom walk away and spoke to himself, “Mianhe Bom, I think I understand why you don’t want to talk about the kidnapping but I have no other options. You might be the only one that can help me find Minsook.”

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

Bom slammed the files down on the table making the other doctors in the staff room startle. She glared at the door angrily, just thinking about TOP was making her blood boil.

“He was always the flirt!” Bom muttered before sitting down angrily on the seat.

“Bom sunbae” Young deuk walked in and sat next to Bom, “That new nurse? What’s her name?!”

Bom sighed, “Huh? Why?”

“So I can have report her! Look at this bruise on my cheek!” Young deuk slammed the table with his fist.

“Dr Bom?” Nurse Nam knocked on the door.

Bom looked at her angrily before opening one of the files.

“Ah Dr Bom…I’m sorry about earlier” Nurse Nam bowed apologetically.

“No need” Bom said bluntly.

“Dr Bom-omo annyeonghaseyo Dr Park” Nurse Nam suddenly bowed to Dr Jung Woo who entered the staff room.

The others all stood up including Bom and bowed. As soon as her father entered, the atmosphere changed and everyone could sense each other's nervousness.

Dr Jung Woo set his fiery gaze on Bom while she nervously looked at the floor. The other staff cringed at the sight knowing what was going to happen. But this was something they saw frequently.

“Were you in charge of patient Kim Taewan?” Dr Park spoke with authority.

Bom gulped and nodded, “…neh… Dr Park.”

“On what grounds did you discharge him then?” Dr Park asked through gritted teeth.

Bom’s eyes remained fixed on the ground, “His…his results came out negative-“

“THEN WHY IS HE BACK HERE WITH GASTRIC VOLVULOUS?!” Dr Jung woo shouted in rage.

Bom’s eyes widened in shock, she’d done all the tests on the patient there were no sign of pain in that area.

“YOU STILL THINK YOU CAN BE A SURGEON WHEN YOU CAN’T EVEN BLOODY DIAGNOSE PROPERLY?! Bloody useless” Dr Jung woo threw the file he was holding at Bom and stormed out.

Bom stared at the file that was lying on the floor now. She gritted her teeth and tried not to cry.

“Sunbae?...Are you ok?” Young deuk finally asked.

Bom stood there for a moment before taking a deep breath and turning to him, “Young deuk let’s go see the patient. I want to run some tests on him again arasso?”

“Its ok sunbae, I can do it on my own. Why don’t you take a break-“

“I’m fine.” Bom said bluntly and put on a smile, “Dr Park is right, it’s my fault for not properly diagnosing the patient.”

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

“What happened here?” TOP asked as he walked over half a book shelf on the floor.

“Jiyong’s irrational rage, what else?” Taeyang sighed as he looked back at him.

“What pissed him off this time? Was it the girl?” TOP asked Taeyang and Seungri.

Seungri shook his head, “Nope, he was defending the girl.”

The boys all looked back at Dara who was still sitting in the corner from before.

“The guards told me, Jiyong’s mum was here and she and the maids tried to kick the girl out” Taeyang explained, “Mrs Kwon apparently brought up the past if you know what I mean and Jiyong as usual flipped out and told them that the girl lives with him and that they should get out of his property.”

TOP rubbed his head, “Where is he now?”

“Think of something!” just then Jiyong walked down the stairs.

“About what?” TOP asked confused as Jiyong walked to him.

“About her!” Jiyong answered, “What am I meant to do with her?!”

The three boys all turned to look at Dara who was looking up at them nervously.

“I thought you said she was going to live with you” Seungri asked.

“I said that to…damn it!” Jiyong growled.

“He said it to simply go against his mother” Taeyang sighed and sat down on the sofa.

“Well then what do you want us to do?” Seungri asked.

“I can give the social services a ring, they might be able to find a place for her?” TOP suggested.

Dara looked at the three guys talking amongst themselves. Here she was again, being ignored and treated as if she was invisible. As if she wasn’t human. Why couldn’t they just ask her what she wanted? Her eyes slowly looked up at JIyong now, maybe he isn’t as different as she thought he was. Maybe he was just like everybody else after all.

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

Bom crossed her arms angrily across her chest when she saw CL waiting for her in the hospital lobby.

“I brought lunch” CL smiled apologetically, “Chinese your favourite.”

“You left me on purpose with TOP last night didn’t you?” Bom asked as CL walked over to her.

CL sighed, “I’m sorry, really I am. I should have known it was a bad idea.”

Bom shook her head and took the Chinese before going to sit down nearby.

“He just sounded so desperate, I couldn’t help it” CL said as she sat down beside Bom and took the wooden chopsticks out of the paper bag.

“So…after all these years he’s still looking for her?” Bom asked.

CL nodded, “I wish I could help him, but I don’t remember a thing!”

“I guess he didn’t give up after all” Bom said to herself.

“Huh?”

“Nothing” Bom smiled quickly and looked down at her food.

“Ah, what’s happening with the girl?” Cl asked.

“Yea, I really wanted to go see her but-“

“Let’s go together then, I’ll pick you up after work” CL suggested enthusiastically, “To be completely honest with you, I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her with Jiyong oppa either.”

Bom nodded in agreement as she chewed on her noodles.

“There’s just something not right with oppa” CL mumbled, “Maybe it’s a family thing.”

“Family thing?” Bom asked.

“Hm remember Seungri from last night? The one I'm doing the joint hotel business with?” CL asked, “Well he’s Jiyong oppa’s cousin although I never heard about him.”

“Ah chincha?” Bom nodded, “So is Seungri-shi like Jiyong?”

Cl furrowed her brows, “I don’t know…but something that’s just not right with that guy.”

Bom watched as CL fell into a deep thought, “Maybe you should so a bit of background research on him then.”

“Huh?” Cl looked at her.

“I don’t know, but if he’s going to be doing this massive and incredibly expensive business deal with you shouldn’t you know him a bit better?” Bom shrugged.

CL placed her chopsticks back in the box, “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea actually.”

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

“They’ll be here in an hour to take her” TOP walked back into the room as he looked down at his phone.

“Just make it quick” Jiyong said as he looked down at his watch, “I’ve got to get back to the office.”

“Any other details about the incident come and find me TOP” Taeyang added, “It’s best for the company if Jiyong doesn’t involved anymore, We don't need any bad press.”

“You make it sound like I tried to kill the girl” Jiyong growled.

“Well with your already infamous reputation for being the most feared man in the city everyone is going to think that way” Taeyang replied.

“Just get everything over and done with.” Jiyong frowned before turning to Seungri, “And what are you doing here?”

“Can’t I come and visit my own cousin?” Seungri asked as he sat down on the sofa.

“Don’t play nice Seungri, I know what you’re up to” Jiyong said bluntly.

“Hyung it’s nothing like that” Seugnri shook his head.

“So you’re not trying to ruin the Lees then?” Jiyong smirked.

Seungri stiffened slightly and then laughed, “Hyung I’m not like you. You know I wouldn’t do that. Enough of me, let’s just focus on how to solve this problem first.”

Dara watched the boys from the corner of the room. She was still invisible to them. They were discussing how to send her away right in front of her face. Why wouldn’t they just ask her what she wanted?

She turned to look at Jiyong who was talking to the boys and she felt a pang of disappointment. He wasn’t her saviour like she had thought, he wasn’t different to those men that kept her against her will all these years. Dara took a deep breath and looked at the front door. Before they sent her away to some prison she had to get out of there.

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

“Have you seen a nurse about this high? Short hair? New today.” Young deuk asked at the nurse station.

“Um…” the young nurse there hesitated and eyed Minzy who was hiding underneath the nurse station, “Um…no sorry Doctor.”

“Aish!” Young deuk rubbed his now swollen cheek and stormed off.

“Is he gone?” Minzy peeped over the counter.

“Yea, what did you do?” the nurse asked her.

“Mianhe” Minzy apologised.

“Ani ani I mean what did you do to be noticed by first year Dr Young deuk?” the nurse fanned her face and sighed heavily.

“Young deuk?” Minzy pouted, “That’s his name?”

The nurse nodded, “Isn’t he handsome?”

“He is?” Minzy asked again.

“And don’t you forget it” the nurse huffed, “There’s a line of girls waiting for him, so join the back of the line.”

Minzy scoffed and watched the nurse walk away, “What line? For that arrogant prick? Pft!”

“Arrogant prick?”

Minzy’s eyes widened and she turned around only to come face to face with Young deuk, “AH!” she swivelled back around ready to sprint when she felt him grab her collar and tug her back.

“ACK!” she grabbed .

“Come with me!” Young deuk yanked her with her as she walked backwards trying to free herself.

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

Minzy coughed and straightened her nurse outfit ready to shout at Young deuk when he suddenly threw a coat at her face.

“YAH!”

“That’s for dry cleaning” Young deuk said bluntly.

“Excuse me but I’m a nurse here-“

“A nurse who spat on my head and coat last night” Young deuk interrupted.

Minzy cringed, “About that…mianhe.”

“Mianhe?” Young deuk crossed his arms across his chest, “Yah! Are you talking in banmal (informal) right now?”

Minzy looked up at the guy properly now, he looked the same age as her but considering he was a doctor he had to be at least 2 years older than him. But it was her first day here and she couldn’t risk getting into trouble. She gritted her teeth, put on a polite smile and shook her head, “I’m sorry doctor-nim. I’ll have this dry cleaned by tomorrow.”

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

[Music: Never let me go by Florence and the Machine]

“So you expect us to believe that you signed this joint deal with CL just for business?” Taeyang raised a brow at Seungri as he reached for a bottle of mineral water from the fridge.

“I’ve forgotten about the past” Seungri said as Jiyong and Taeyang eyed him, “I mean it!”

Jiyong sighed, “Do whatever but just don’t involve my company in anyway, got it!”

Seungri nodded uncomfortably and he quickly drank his water.

“Um…guys” TOP walked in, “Where’s the girl?”

Jiyong furrowed his brow, “Isn’t she there?”

TOP shook his head and looked back again just to be sure.

“In her room then” Jiyong said not bothered.

“That’s what I thought until I saw the front door open” TOP added.

“What?!” Taeyang panicked, “You think she ran away?”

Jiyong sipped his drink casually, “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“The police already know we had her here, what are we going to tell them when they get here huh?!” Taeyang asked angrily.

“We have TOP” Jiyong sighed, “Besides, if she wanted to leave let her.”

“That’s fine but what if those men that were after her are still out there?” TOP asked.

“They could get her before the police find her” Seungri added.

Jiyong stopped drinking and looked up at the guys. He remembered how frightened she was that night when those men were looking for her. He remembered the scars on her back, how she was scared in her room that night.

“What do you think will happen to her if they catch her?” Seungri asked.

Jiyong finally remembered how she held onto him and no one else. How she wouldn’t let anyone close to her but him.

“Jiyong are you coming? We have to find her!” TOP asked as Taeyang and Seungri got ready to leave with him.

Jiyong gripped his glass and thought deeply. He promised himself he wouldn’t care about anyone long ago but why was he feeling this way right now? Why did he want to find her?

“Jiyong?!” TOP called out again.

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

Dara rubbed her bare arms as she walked down the road. Her bare feet landed on sharp rocks from time to time making her flinch but she had to get away from them. She couldn’t believe she thought she’d be safe with Jiyong.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Dara turned to see Jiyong behind her, she ignored him and now quickened her pace into a run.

Jiyong stopped slightly puzzled as to why she was running away from him, “YAH! STOP THERE!”

Dara bit her lips and just kept running. He was just the same as everyone else in this world. He was going to send her away. He wasn’t going to protect her like she had thought.

“I SAID STOP!!” Jiyong growled before sprinting to catch up with her.

“agh!” Dara cried when he grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

He grabbed both her arms and shook her slightly, “ARE YOU MAD? RUNNING BARE FOOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! SOMEONE IS COMING TO TAKE YOU AWAY-“

Dara broke free and stepped back while shaking her head. She didn’t want to be taken away. She wasn’t some criminal or a dog that could be just taken away against her own will.

“Aish!” Jiyong growled, he raked his fingers through his hair angrily. Why was he even bothering with her?!

Dara stepped back and turned around, she looked around the empty road not knowing where to go now.

“FORGET IT! IF YOU DON’T WANT MY HELP THEN FINE!” Jiyong shouted angrily before storming off.

Dara watched him walk away and she wiped her tears. Perhaps he wasn’t as safe as she thought he’d be. She turned back around and looked around. Where would she go now? Who was going to help her now? She covered her eyes with her hands and cried quietly as she stepped onto the road.

She didn’t even know how to ask for help? What if they turned out like Jiyong and tried to send her away? She shook her head and wiped the tears from her bruised face as she stood in the middle of the road.

*BEEP BEEEEP*

Startled at the sound of horns she looked down the road and saw a large lorry approaching her at full speed. Her eyes widened and her lips parted in shock but her legs wouldn’t move.

Instead she shut her eyes and hoped the lorry would stop before it hit her. Just then she felt someone roughly grab her upper arm and pull her back until she hit something hard. She then felt two strong arms wrap around her protectively.

Jiyong stared at the other side of the road in shock as he held Dara in his arms. The lorry beeped loudly as it stormed past them but Jiyong and Dara stood completely still.

Finally Dara’s eyes fluttered open and she slowly looked up at Jiyong, she blinked slightly with surprise as Jiyong looked down at her. She felt it again. She felt safe again.