Kwon just wouldn't stop gazing at her. Ga-in felt uncomfortable. Her best friend Kwon staring at her as if she cast a spell on him. He was her best friend. The friend whom she is closest to, the one who she bickered the most with next to Seulong. Definitely, she wasn't used to his gaze at all.

She looked beautiful. He didn't know why initially. It took him a while to recover his rationalism and realise it was her eyes that looked different. It's still small and slit-like but something is missing.

Unable to bear Kwon's intense gazing any longer, she coughed.

"Didn't you say we are already getting late? Shall we go?" She was about to walk away before Kwon began to talk.

"Y...ya, Son Ga-in, where's your eyeliner?"

"Your friends only recognise the Ga-in with eyeliner on. As long as I don't have my eyeliner applied, your friends won't be able to know I'm Ga-in."

Kwon seemingly not responding to her, she then asked. "Waeyo? What's with that stare? Do I look ugly?" She frowned as she placed a palm on her cheeks.

"No. Um... Ler's go. We're late." He managed to avoid telling her the reason. The reason for his shock. The sparkling blue eyeshadow that replaced the thick eyeliner she was wearing all these years ever since she left high school. It made her like the lovely looking child she was when she was younger. She looked so much younger without her eyeliner. It was difficult for him to think of her as his noona that day.

...

The car stopped before the grandest hotel in South Korea. Kwon left his car first to open Ga-in's door. She stepped out of the car and held Kwon's arm, letting the valet parking attendants take over his car. They walked into the hotel as elegantly as they could, knowing Kwon's potential business partners can be anywhere. Thankfully, there was still ten minutes to the reporting time.

Just then...

"Jokwon-ssi..." an almost inaudible voice was heard from behind. Ga-in who heard it turned around to see a well-dressed Lizzy with a confused look on her face.

Kwon noticed Ga-in stopping to turn around and he looked back as well.

"Lizzy-ssi... what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I smsed you yesterday. Didn't you read my message?"

"Eh? I didn't receive any." He said as he checked his mobile phone.

Lizzy checked her phone. She smiled sheepishly. "Mianhae. My SMS wasn't sent successfully."

Ga-in felt out of place. She felt sorry for Lizzy who came alone and knowing how kwon should be wanting Lizzy as his partner instead, she felt like she should be the one leaving.

"Lizzy-ssi, you go for the dinner with Kwon."

"Mwo? What about you?" She asked guiltily, knowing it's her fault for this huge mistake and inconvenience.

"Gwenchana (It's okay). I'm not really that free today, to be honest. I came because Kwon didn't have a partner. Well, since you are here, I should leave." Ga-in assured her.

"Kwonnie-ah!" It was Kwon's playboy buddy from university, Doojoon. He walked towards them. Kwon greeted him back.

"You are so lucky. You have so many partners with you today." Then he sighed. "My partner abandoned me.I've to come alone."

Kwon had an idea. He told him what happened and doojoon was agreeable to his plan.

"Hello, my new partner! I'm doojoon. You are?"

Ga-in didn't see the need to hide her identity from Doojoon since he is Kwon's buddy. "I'm Ga-in."

"You're Ga-in? That girl with the thick eyeliner? Woah! What a change! You look so much prettier! Woah! Ayyy... y lady~ " His teasing was answered with Ga-in's stoic face. " I see playboy doojoon didn't change at all."

...

The four entered the olympic-sized function hall. They took their seats, waiting for the signal for the start of the event.

Kwon pulled out a chair for Lizzy who politely thanked him and sat on the chair gently. Doojoon did the same for ga-in, except in his playboy manner.

Ga-in saw how Lizzy was treated so well by Kwon , as if he had interests for her. He treated her with such gentlemanly manners which made her feel as if she.herself was just a sister he teases for fun. She was confused. She had always thought he liked her.

Maybe she's just another delusional girl who believes her crush loves her when she's a sister to him, just like in dramas...

...

The tall guy directly opposite Kwon was the rich heir of Gangnam Entertainment. He is infamously known as the most narcissistic student of his batch. Feeling a huge urge to mock Kwon, he resisted. After all, Kwon came with a partner and there was no way he could for not being popular with girls just like the during the alumni dinner a year ago. Being obnoxious, he instead transfered his focus to Doojoon and the lady seated next to him.

"Doojoon-ssi. I see you brought a new face in here. Why didn't your girlfriend, Minjung come with you today? You ditched her? Not surprising for Doojoon-ssi to do so." He jeered without giving Doojoon an opportunity to talk. Doojoon rolled his eyes. Kwon and Doojoon were never at peace with him, not even for a single minute after a huge misunderstanding. He wasn't well-liked by many so most would just ignore him and not let him ruin the atmosphere.

Ga-in heard him from Kwon numerous times. "It must be him Kwonnie was talking about." She thought. She just smiled for the sake of delicacy.

"If I'm not wrong, I must have seen this lady somewhere before. Aha! She must be one of your ex-girlfriend. Am I right? " He teased.

Ga-in was about to reveal her identity to him when Doojoon interrupted. "She's one of my ex-girlfriends. Do you have a problem with that?" He said in sarcasm. It'll be diffficult to explain if they learnt that his partner is the Ga-in they knew. Ga-in could more or less guess what his reasons were so she kept quiet. Kwon also thanked him in his heart.

"What about Kwon's partner?" The rich heir asked, hoping for a way to humiliate Kwon. "You looks young. I assume you are still in university."

"Yes." Lizzy replied.

" How did you know Jokwon-ssi then? I guess you know how Kwon isn't popular with girls."

Lizzy looked at Kwon, a little fearful of the guy, worried that she might say the wrong things. Kwon just nodded subtly, a signal to allow her to speak the truth.

"I'm currently an intern under Jokwon-ssi." She told him directly.

"Omo! I see... an office relationship..." He hinted.

"I don't see a problem with that. It's romantic," Kwon lied. Upon hearing it, Lizzy was pleased.

...

Throughout the night, Lizzy and Jokwon were teased for their compatibility which infuriated Ga-in. She came here just to be with Kwon and then she was stuck with Doojoon who didn't once stop from asking her excessive questions about her huge change in appearance.

"Lizzy-ssi, do you know you are cute? Aigoo... Exactly like Kwon," a friend of Kwon complimented the 'couple'.

"Thanks. You look beautiful and elegant, Miss Park," She returned the compliment. Lizzy got along well with Kwon's friends. All of these were extremely unbearable to the petite girl seated between two men and yet, left alone, observing the couple with undeniable jealousy. As the night went on, her heart felt heavier and nothing she could do to relieve herself from such a feeling. Not when the couple was right in front of her and the compliments the couple received were not at all inaudible. Every conversation held at that table revolved that couple. She could do nothing but to put on a smile.

..........................................................................................................................................................................

Annyeong! Back from my hiatus! 2 weeks instead of 3 since I started the hiatus later and ended it earlier.

I apologise for the short and lame chapter. I do hope it's still enjoyable and that you all like it.

SPOILER:

Her heart sank. She had been contradicting herself these days. She liked Kwon and why did she do this? She regretted her decision but regret could do nothing to help reverse the situation...