Kim Bum stood impatiently at the front door gates of Korea International. He was waiting for So Eun. After finding out about So Eun’s past with Jae Joong, he felt sorry for her, and pity. He knew for certain that he wouldn’t do the same thing as Jae Joong did, if it was him in Jae Joong’s place. So Eun arrived late, and was pulled into Kim Bum’s car as soon as she arrived.
“Where are we going?” So Eun asked as she got forced into the car.
“Shopping.” Kim Bum replied.
“Shopping?” So Eun asked in disbelief, “We’re skipping school for shopping? Oh no… I’m not doing this.” She shook her head, and tried to open the car door.
“It’s important, you’ll regret it if you don’t go.” Kim Bum smiled, and continued driving, ignoring So Eun’s protests.

It was not long before the arrived at a huge mall, on the other side of the city. Kim Bum helped So Eun out, and pulled her into the mall. It was really big, bigger than any malls she’d ever seen in her life. It had glass windows, glass roof, almost everything was made of class, and the lights that lit it up made it look elegant, and grand. “Why’d you bring me here?” She asked as she looked around for people, though there was none. “There’s nobody here!” she whispered, “Let’s leave.” She started to dart for the door.
“Oh no, you don’t” Kim Bum said as he grabbed hold of her arm when she started to leave. “There are people.” He pointed to the cashiers in each of the stores, and turned back to her. “Ready?”
So Eun was scared, she didn’t know this boy really well. What if he was going to kidnap her? Oh No! She thought to herself, I can’t let him kidnap me; I have to find an escape! She started to look around the mall for doors, and open windows she could sneak through without him knowing, but she found no windows but the one on the roof, and no doors, but entrance doors from each of the four directions, North, East, South and West.” But she knew for certain she couldn’t escape. They walked through stores, with the price tags on the items that she could never afford. It was all more than an annual salary of her mother. They walked into a store named “Revolution” and he started to choose clothes for her, dresses in general. He stopped when he spotted a white satin dress. It was strapless, and the bottom of the dress hung under her knees.
“Try It on.” Kim Bum commanded, and handed it to her.
“But…” She protested.
“Just go!” He said and pushed her toward the dressing room. She came out feeling stiff. She had never worn this kind of dress before, strapless, satin. This expensive luxury dress she thought she would never wear, in her entire life, or even the life after that. He took her hand as soon as she came out, and pulled her to a salon. “Fix her hair.” They pushed her into a chair, and the stylist played with her hair, straightening it, curling it, brushing, spraying, almost everything. “Thanks.” Kim Bum thanked the stylist and his assistant and pulled So Eun out of the salon.
“What do you want?” So Eun said as she swung her arm, so Kim Bum had no more grip of it. “You’ve made me skip school for this? I feel like a doll, and you my owner is dressing me up.”
“I’ve got no time for this.” Kim Bum said, his voice was low, and steady, and showed that he was about to get angry.
“I don’t care if you’re in a rush or not, you don’t need to do this to me.” She said.
“You’ll understand when we get there.” He sighed and pulled her once again to his car. So Eun didn’t protest this time, because she wanted to know what he was up to. They ended up at a five-star hotel, in a ballroom. Many people where there, dancing, and chatting, and in the far corner of the room, was Jae Joong chatting with a beautiful girl, probably from a rich family, like he is.
“I can’t stay here.” So Eun said as she started to walk towards the hotel entrance. They were already at the ballroom entrance, and Kim Bum didn’t want to go fetch her again.
“You have me.” He said as he took her arm, and curled it with his on his side. “Let’s go.” He walked with her into the grand ballroom, everyone’s eyes fixed on So Eun as she walked.
“Why are they all staring at me?” So Eun whispered uncomfortably.
“Because you’re Kim So Eun” He answered, and smiled to the people around. So Eun was stiff, but the high heel’s Kim Bum gave her felt like they were going to kill her feet. After a while, she got used to the people staring at her, and she smiled comfortably toward others, and nodded her head to others as a ‘Hello’ to others. Kim Bum seemed to know almost everyone in the ballroom, and he stopped at each of them, and chatted, So Eun still at his side. She soon met most of the population in the room, and had chatted with them, and made friends.
“Didn’t I say you’re going to regret it if you don’t come?” Kim Bum asked. So Eun smiled and said:
“Well, why? Why me? And Jae Joong…” She looked toward Jae Joong’s direction, and looked back at Kim Bum.
“You see that couple? The ones near the stage?” So Eun nodded. “Their Jae Joong’s parents.”
“What? Parents?” So Eun said in shock.
“Did you see the way they looked at you? His mother must be sorry she made Jae Joong break up with you.”
“You did this all for me? I mean the clothes, the hair, so that I could make them feel sorry?” Kim Bum nodded.
“Thank-you, but I really didn’t want something like this to happen.” She said as she left for the door. Kim Bum froze at where he stood, confused.
“I only wanted you to feel better.” He whispered, and walked toward another couple to greet them.

“Hyun Joong.” Hye Sun greeted as she jumped into his car.
“What’s up?” Hyun Joong said as he smiled at her. Hye Sun didn’t answer, because she felt guilty. Hyun Joong understood and said:
“Hye Sun, should we tell her?”
“No, we can’t. It’d hurt her, and if we tell her now, your company won’t get the money.”
“But isn’t So Eun more important?” Hyun Joong asked.
“We can’t care about that now, the company is falling, and it’s everything we have. I can’t let it fall.” Hye Sun had tears in her eyes. “I’ve watched So Eun grow up, and I know she’d be able to understand when she finds out later.” Hyun Joong sighed, and drove off.

“I’ve got to go now; I’ll talk to you later.” Jae Joong said, and darted out toward the doors. He had run after So Eun, wanting to talk to her. He spotted her waiting at a bus stop outside the hotel. “So Eun…” He said when he got close. She turned around, with tears in her eyes, and said:
“What do you want?”
“So Eun… can we talk?” So Eun nodded her head, and followed him to a café close by. “I know I hurt you really bad back then.” He started when they both got seated. “I don’t dare wish for you to return back to my side, but can we at least be friends?” So Eun didn’t reply, and instead, called the waitress over.
“Give me some juice please.” She said. After the waitress had come back with the juice, she said. “I don’t like to remember people who hurt me, nor the unhappy things that had happened in the past. Though Jae Joong, I couldn’t forget you. I… don’t have feelings for you anymore, but being friends, I think that would be okay.” She said as she revealed a smile. Jae Joong also smiled, and laughed.
“Alright, let’s not talk about the past. So, do you want to come to the beach with me and Kim Bum this weekend?” He offered
“Beach?” she asked curiously. Jae Joong nodded. “Okay.” And they both chatted and laughed for the rest of the time in the café.

Kim Bum was walking slowly to his car, after the ball had ended. He thought: should I have brought her here? Was it too much for her? He came up with all these unanswered questions, and drove off.