Dara drank the last drop of her coffee, wiped her lips with her tongue then slowly put the cup down feeling nervous. She had never felt this nervous since she graduated pre-school. But here it is. So nervous she thinks she might pass out. Bo had just told her CEO Siwon is asking for her to go up in his office late that afternoon.

This is it. If Mr. Kraz didn’t fire her, Siwon probably would. She threw the cup in the small trash bin under her desk then stood up slowly already thinking of her monetary responsibilities. Dammit. She’s can’t do anything if Siwon fired her. She knew she deserves it but maybe she could beg Siwon to let her find another job first or give her recommendation or something. She mentally smacked her head. She messed up a production and she is expecting a recommendation? She is beginning to be as stupid as Donghae.

She thought she had gotten away from trouble. When she went up again, Mr. Kraz laid off her, shut up  in his office and didn’t even call her again to continue his yelling. Instead, he kept pacing inside talking to Mei and Bo and Dara could see make out the vein popping in his neck as he yelled his grievances to the two people who was obliged by their position to listen. Some of the other trainees are whispering and Suzy, as usual, shook her head at her, narrowing her eyes in consternation. Dara just lifted her shoulders in question as if to ask what did i do? .

Well, she had to give it to Donghae. He really did save her from Mr. Kraz. All throughout the day, he didn’t speak a word to her and she could see him glaring at her at the corner of her eye but unable to voice his hatred so he kept it to himself and now he’s close to erupting, raging in every inanimate objects, yelling for a slight error. But it was never directed at her. She have just realized that Mr. Kraz is the most kiss- person alive.

Now, the only thing that could actually counter Donghae’s power around here is the chairman himself and she suspected Mr. Kraz might have even offered to tell on her, maybe even suggesting her to be fired. Probably making up a few lies of giving him laxative, snubbing the client, always taking overbreaks. Well, it was true but until proven guilty, they were considered as lies!

She trudged heavily towards Choi Siwon’s office, her walks becoming slower as she comes closer to his door. She can’t even smile at the secretary when she said Siwon’s in. Okay, she needs to face it like a man… or like a woman. An honest woman. She did mess up but who doesn’t? Who doesn’t??

Okay, that was a good defense.

Or she could blackmail him with the deal, threaten him that she will post it on the internet the same way she had threatened Donghae.

But Choi Siwon being scared of a blackmail? He doesn’t seem like the type. He would probably offer to post it himself just to get rid of anyone trying to best him. Besides, it would be downright vile if she would be using that scheme on him when he had done nothing wrong to her except be Donghae’s friend.

Breathing in for some calmness, thinking of her mom, her brother, medical bills, utility bills, rent, school payments…. She wanted to rip her hair off, all her stress from this morning is coming back to her in a rush. She squinched her eyes shut before gathering the courage to open the door and walking in like she’s in for the firing squad. Which she really is. Figuratively, that is.

Siwon was sitting on his desk and he looked up when she marched in looking stiff and tensed.

“You were looking for me?” She said trying to hide the sudden panic that Is crawling up on her spine.

Siwon hid his amusement at the robotic tone she had, her back ramrod straight, both hands in perfect alignment at her side. He motioned for her to seat down and she sat down, her back rigid, bringing her hands together in silent prayer that Siwon would give her another chance. She cannot lose this job. She cannot be unemployed again!

“You do know why I called you here, right?” Siwon asked, his eyes narrowing a little.

Dara swallowed and nodded looking at Siwon with pleading eyes. Well, at least she hoped it was pleading.

“One of the directors came to me,” Siwon started. “Then I called Kraz.” Then he slid a stapled paper on his table. “Can you explain to me what this is?”

Dara can guess the paper is the script she stayed late last night for. No excuses for her now. Might as well go with honesty.

Then apology.

Then begging.

A lot of begging if that’s what it takes.

“I am so sorry—“ Dara started.

“Cut it out, Siwon, she’s ready to cry.”

Dara whirled around at where the voice had come from. She had been so caught up in her plight that she didn’t even notice there’s someone else inside the office other than Choi Siwon.  

“Kim Jaejoong!” She uttered. He’s standing near the window, a coffee in hand, smiling. Or probably laughing at her.

He started to chuckle and she scowled when she turned and saw her CEO chuckling too. Her shoulders relaxed a little, though she didn’t realize it was rigid in stress.

“The world is full of insane people,”Jaejoong said casually walking over to her. “You need to be insane too to keep up, right?”

Dara’s scowl deepened as Jaejoong threw back what she had advised him the first time she tried to . “That is a load’a bull,” she retorted then immediately covered her hand with . She just cursed in front of the client in front of the chairman!

She looked at Siwon who was chuckling on his desk. Should she ask if she’s gonna get fired?

Siwon, still smiling, tapped the paper he had slid on the table looking questioningly at her. Should she begin her apology again?

“I am so sorry,” Dara repeated then all the words tumbled out of in haste wanting Siwon to understand she didn’t mean to delete the folder. “I was editing the script, looking for some errors, you know, the usual and I don’t know what happened, what I was thinking, I hit enter and then I accidentally deleted the folder and I was so panicked, I couldn’t get a copy of the original, I know Mr. Kraz is gonna burn me alive so I can’t think of anything but to try to write it on my own and… and… I really don’t know what I was thinking, I just thought that I need to—“

“It was really good,”  Siwon said.

“—get it right somehow and I just did it to—Say what?” Dara looked at Siwon when his words managed to permeate her already distressed brain.

“The director came to me and handed me the script,” Siwon said. “Says it was not the concept he was thinking of nor does it match the sequence he received.” Then he smiled. “But he liked it. Especially that new segment you have added…” He flipped the pages looking for it. “Uh… this swapping members of the team and seeing who best matches with who.” He smiled at Dara. “That was a good idea. The director liked it and went here to run it by me. I called Kraz and he told me you wrote the entire script.”

Thoughts run through Dara’s head. Mr. Kraz probably thought he was telling on her and didn’t have the faintest idea that she was going to get complimented for it. Because if he thought it’s going to be perceived as a good idea, he would hog the credit.

Then Siwon lifted a printed paper with raised eyebrows. “Donghae?” It was the logo that Donghae re-created.

Well, that one she couldn’t take credit. She could but if Siwon suddenly asked her to make logos for other shows, he would see she wasn’t the one who did it as she in creative designing.

“Yeah, he helped me with the logo,” Dara said. “The logo was in the folder I somehow managed to annihilate with an accidental tap of the keys.”

Siwon chuckled. “How late did you made the script?”

“Uh… until 2 in the morning, I guess…”

“And did Donghae stayed up just as late?” Siwon said looking dubious at the thought that Donghae stayed up late helping her.

“What can I say? That guy is a total fool over me,” Dara said shrugging.

She heard Jaejoong snorting softly but Siwon just shook his head as he laid the logo down. “Well, I just want to congratulate for a job well done.”

“You sure don’t want to work for me?” Jaejoong suddenly asked her still smiling.

“Hey,” Siwon told Jaejoong. “No stealing my staff.” Then he turned to Dara. “Good job. I’ll be assigning you to work on the script for this program. Min will be the person you will report to on this. You will still be under Kraz but for this program, you need to report to her.”

Dara couldn’t believe her luck. She came in here to be fired but she gets an assignment! And another boss! Min, she believes, is one of the managers and she is in a higher position than Mr. Kraz. “Thank you so much.”

Siwon nodded at her and she stood up, her smile reaching from ear to ear as she couldn’t hide her glee and she walked out of the office practically skipping. When she reached the writer’s floor, it seems like Siwon already called Mr. Kraz and informed him of the change as he announced the news with a glare as if someone stole something from him.

But who the hell cares what he thinks! She’s so happy no one can dampen her spirit. She gathered her things at 7 with Suzy telling her they should celebrate but seeing that she doesn’t have any money, Suzy said she’ll treat her instead and she agreed heartily but Suzy needs to be on a late night filming so they agreed to meet at 8 at the sashimi restaurant Dara wanted to try. She decided to go there first and just wait for her. She met Jajeoong in the elevator as it was going down.

“Any chance you would treat me coffee to celebrate your first responsibility as a scriptwriter?” Jaejoong teased.

“Sure,” Dara said. “If I have the money. But I don’t.”

The elevator door opened and they stepped out. “Maybe I could ask Donghae to buy me a full course meal when he gets back,” Dara said musing to herself.

Jajeoong looked at her as they walked. “The bet still on? I thought it would only last a week or something?”

“We got into a new arrangement,” Dara said waving her hand in dismissal as she tried to think on what she should command Donghae to buy her.

“Arrangement?’ Jaejoong asked.

“Oh,” Dara said seeing the puzzled look on Jaejoong’s face. “He’s my slave at the moment.” She snickered. “We have a slave contract.”

“Slave contract?” Jaejoong repeated.

Dara took hold of Jaejoong’s arm and looked at him earnestly. “Do you know that Sashimi Restaurant there at the next block?”

“Uh… yeah?”

“Treat me to a Prawn Tempura and I’ll tell you all about it,” Dara said before pulling Jaejoong out of the building and purposely striding over to where the rastaurant is.

“What?” Jaejoong said in amusement.

“Suzy’s treating me for dinner but she won’t be coming until 8 but I think I need some appetizers first before a meal. And besides, a client needs to reward an employee for a job well done, don’t you agree?”

Jaejoong just looked at her before chuckling at her brash demenanor but let her lead him out.

Dara already had 2 servings of Prawn Tempura when she had finished telling Jaejoong on how the deal she had made with Donghae started, how Donghae won but with her conditions. And what she is ordering him to do every chance she gets. Jaejoong laughed at some, shook his head at others and just watched Dara as she laughed hard, slapping the table with enthusiasm as she describe the look on Donghae’s face everytime she tells him to do something he doesn’t want to do but being forced to do because of the deal. And her threats.

“He had this expression on his face like it’s being twisted,” Dara said still laughing as she told Jaejoong she ordered Donghae to pick up a sanitary pad in the convenience store.

“You know, I would really hate to be your enemy,” Jaejoong said as he took a sip of his coke.

“This is the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” Dara said. “Maybe I should thank him for making the bet.”

The conversation stopped when Dara’s phone rang. It was Suzy. “Hey, where are you?” Dara answered then her smile dropped when she heard Suzy’s answer. She sighed after a moment. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow then.” She sighed again as she put her phone back in her bag, looking like she just received the worst news. “Suzy won’t be finished with filming until 11 for some new program or something. I was supposed to meet her here.” She gathered her bag gettign ready to go while Jaejoong just looked at her, noting her disappointed face then glanced at the empty plates she had eaten as appetizers, then back at her face again. Then he called for the waiter.

“I think I want to try their Sashimi before leaving,” Jaejoong said as he received the menu the waiter had handed to him. “Don’t you?”

Dara’s face brightened but she shook her head again. “No, I think I’m already full,” Dara said pursing her lips while shaking her head. Her eyes round betraying her current state.

“Really?” Jaejoong asked as he scanned the menu, his face intent. “Well, I’m hungry. I thought I could buy you dinner but if you were already full—“

“Really?” Dara said cutting him off, her eyes intensely looking at him like he was saving her or something. “You would buy dinner for me? I mean, I’m already full, so you didn’t have to do that.”

Jaejoong hid his smile at Dara’s hopeful face. “I would suggest The Tuna and Salmon Sashimi,” Dara suggested. “And… if you want to try the Chopped Scallop Roll… “ she hedged then added in a rush. “But of course, it’s your call since I wasn’t that hungry anyway.”

“I’ll try your suggestions then,” Jajeoong said trying not to grin too much as he rattled off his order including those which Dara mentioned.

Jaejoong just looked at her in awe as she finished all she had ordered after the waiter had served the food. Where in the world is she keeping all that she eats? She’s so skinny he would never even thought she eats much more than he does. Dara wiped off with a napkin then noticed that Jaejoong was watching her.

“What?” Dara said.

Jajeoong glanced at the empty plates on the table then back at her. “It’s a pity you weren’t hungry, huh? You could’ve enjoyed the Tuna Belly.”

“Yeah, well maybe I’ll try that next time,” Dara said already feeling her stomach overflowing. “It’s so difficult to savor the taste with a full stomach.”

Jaejoong just laughed at what she said. After he paid the bill, they went out of the restaurant.

“You know,” Dara said looking forlorn. “I really wanted to eat here for a long time but… I couldn’t find anyone to eat with.” Then she faced him. “And I’m so thankful that you are here to share this wonderful moment with me, buying the food and everything.”

Jaejoong looked puzzled at what she is suddenly saying. He was about to tell her it was no problem when Dara said brightly, “Okay, I’ll be going now. See you tomorrow!”

“Uh…I can take you home,” Jaejoong said as Dara started to walk away. Her temperament is changing so swiftly it’s getting difficult for him to keep up.

“No, that’s okay,” Dara said turning her head to him as she walked. “And remember what I told you at Starbucks. The world is insane so you had to be one too to keep up.”

Jaejoong’s frow furrowed not really sure what Dara is saying.

“If you keep falling for my acting, maybe I could make you buy me a house,” Dara said then waved at him. “Thanks for dinner boss! Don’t be so gullible next time!” Then she turned and Jaejoong could hear her laughter trailing behind her. Then Jaejoong finally understood and he chuckled at himself as he remembered Dara’s disappointed look after that call, that look like she wanted to eat but saying that she wasn’t. That girl was good.

He just got tricked in buying her dinner.

Jaejoong was already eating his bacon when his grandmother came down for breakfast the next morning. He had only meant to visit her when he came back in Korea but she insisted he stay in her house as he doesn’t have any permanent residence in the country