After spending so much time doing nothing inside her office with just the thoughts of Donghae on a date with his ex, Dara finally decided it's time to get over this stupid feelings she's starting to have. And what could be a better way than actually telling him that she likes him? With his rejection, it would definitely bring her back to being normal.

She knew he would reject her. And that's fine.

This is exactly what she did with that guy in high school--she already forgot his name. The only way to gain space and momentum is the sound of rejection. This is the only thing she needs right now so she could separate her professional feelings to her personal ones.

But she didn't realize she would be this nervous. So much that she is starting to doubt if this is a good idea. She almost back up and pretend to only discuss about work but seeing him, standing right in front of her, looking at her... she knew this is the only way.

Because she realized how much she wanted him to say yes.

"I know i've probably shocked you," Dara continued her eyes looking down. "And i didn't... i didn't mean to... to blurt it out like this but... i just... i just wanted to know if... there would be a chance." She let out a small laugh. "I feel crazy... to be honest. I... have no idea what i'm doing, i just... i just really feel so... bothered when i see you with... with another girl and i realized that... that i really like you. That.. everytime i see you... everytime i'm with you... i really want... i really want--"

"Please stop."

The words died in and she lifted her eyes to look at Donghae who looked much more indifferent than he could ever be.

"If this is not a joke, then I would pretend i didn't hear all that, Miss Park," Donghae said. "You should go home now, it's already late."

He gave her a nod before turning to leave and Dara's brows furrowed at how easily he dismissed her. It wasn't just a rejection. It was a dismissal. She had gathered up her courage to tell him what she feels and he's just going to leave after saying he will pretend she didn't just told him she likes him?!

"Ya! Lee Donghae!" She angrily called out and he stopped. She marched over to him and stood in front of him, her face set, her eyes glaring. "Is that all you can say? You would pretend i didn't say all that? You couldn't respond with... with an appropriate rejection? How about just telling me, No, i'm sorry. I can live with that. But you saying that you will pretend you didn't hear.... You're making me feel like what i feel is so insignificant."

Donghae's eyes watched her for a moment, silence deafening between them before he spoke, "No, i'm sorry."

Her jaw ticked. That's it. The rejection she was expecting. The rejection she was asking for. It's done.

But she didn't know it's going to hurt. It pinched her chest as she stared into his eyes knowing that he wasn't just rejecting her. It was a rejection that is brought by indifference. He only said that because she told him to say that. He really did felt nothing to her. Not even a pint. She was just... she was just nothing to him. Not even a friend like what he was saying.

"I never meant for you to feel that way for me," Donghae continued in his flat tone.

"You never meant for me to feel that way?" Dara retorted her eyes tearing up for some reason as she remembered all those times that Donghae had been so nice to her especially that night when she didn't get the promotion. "You're always around... being nice and... asking to eat together... how do you think i would feel?" She is feeling so pathetic now.

"I only meant to be friends," Donghae said. "I thought it would be a good way to start off in a good terms. I didn't know you would perceive it in another way."

Okay, now he's making her feel so pitiful. He's such a jerk! She vaguely remembered Hye Sun telling her not to ask Donghae about anything if the truth will scare them. And here it is. The real truth.

And it hurts much more than she thought it would. Not just the rejection, the indifference. But the humiliation and embarrassment. Why did she think this was a good idea?

Dara nodded then smiled blinking her tears away as she looked up at the stony face of Donghae who was just watching her. "I understand. Silly me. I feel really stupid." She sniffled. Time to exit now befire she turned into a puddle. "Well, thank you for clarifying that for me and... i would expect that you would be good on what you said." She continued when a look of confusion settled on his features. "That you would pretend you didn't hear me say all that." She put a hand in her pocket for her car keys picturing herself sprinting out of there. "Good night, Mr. Lee."

She gave him a nod before leaving, going to the direction of where she parked her car and Donghae watching her as she left.

Once safely driving on the highway, Dara let the pain and hurt of that rejection settled on her. She pulled her car to a stop on the side as she let the tears slide down her cheeks. She leaned on her car seat and she wiped those running tears on her face.

The rejection really hurt this time just as much as the thought that she would probably end up dying alone.

The hurt remained in her for some reason. Accumulating with each day she tried to be nonchalant about it. And the fact that in three days, she had never seen even a shadow of Lee Donghae. Just his assistant, Lee Eunhyuk, visiting her office to discuss about the equipments and him saying that Lee Donghae had been busy with a new project. That jerk. What happened to pretending he didn't hear what she told him?

She tried to return to her usual activities but that rejection was probably the last straw in her 34 years of life. She felt so desolated and hopeless now. Figuring that it's probably the time to accept the fact that she's going to end up with no one. Single for life.

Her CEO had called her in his office that morning and she found CL inside. Dara remembered CL asking her about a budget for a certain program and she told her to discuss it with the chairman. CL's look was scrutinizing when she said that since Dara always takes care of things in 21 TV but she didn't ask her what's wrong.

They turned into a discussion and when Dara thought it was over, the Chairman asked her to go in a meeting with LDH Electronics at three since he had a prior engagement.

"Chairman," Dara said as respectfully as she can. "You have just asked to me to revise a contract with a new CF deal, turn in a report for the month's income, work on a new marketing strategy, meet with Director Jung for updates on ratings and now you want me to go in a meeting with LDH Electronics? I'm sorry Chairman. I could no longer accommodate that request as much as i would like to. The meeting with LDH would need your direct input. LDH would not want a messenger to take note of what they wanted on this agreement and i'm pretty sure 21 TV is professional enough to have the CEO meet with LDH President himself. It would be considered rude for a Chairman of a big corporation to send someone less of the same caliber to a potential business partner."

There was silence. CL was staring at her with an open mouth and her CEO looked surprised at what she said but she didn't take it back. Hell, if she's gonna get fired today, then so be it. She's done.

"You're right," her CEO agreed after a minute. "You're absolutely right. I never thought of that."

Dara blinked as the chairman rang for her secretary. Woah, she really thought she's gonna get fired.

"Thank you, Dara. That'll be all," her chairman said with a smile.

Dara hesitatingly nod, not sure if this is some kind of a trick or a trap, before leaving the office, her mind whirring at her chairman's easy agreement to what she said. He usually resorts to coaxing by means of promotions whenever Dara tries to get him into a meeting. Well, he probably knows there's no more promotions he can use to make her agree. But still, that made her a little nervous.

After making a call to the marketing department, she focused her attention on  the report trying to fill out her empty feeling with loads of task to mask it out. She looked up when her door opened and CL walked in with a calculating look on her face. Dara sighed because she knows exactly what CL is here for.

"What is up with you?" CL said taking a seat at the chair in front of her desk.

"I have a lot of work to finish," Dara answered.

"That's nothing new," CL said then leaned forward. "You seemed really kinda down the past few days. We're not just saying anything because we thought you're really busy but... i really feel that it's not. Is it still because of the promotion? What's up?"

"Nothing is up," Dara answered. "And i'm already over not getting promoted. I told you, i just had a lot of work to do and i'm getting stressed out."

CL's eyes narrowed then her face brightened. "You know, we should really go out of town. Hye Sun is planning to go to Jeju Island. Are you down with that?"

"Sure," Dara just said.

CL looked surprised at her quick agreement but too happy that she did. "Alright, i'll tell Hye Sun. Donghae is letting Jae Hyun use his house in Jeju for us soooo..." her voice turned teasing. "...i might be thinking that Donghae would be with us out of town too."

Dara's eyes went to CL's grinning face and the memories of her rejection instantly resurfaced. Her shoulder's slumped and her breath whooshed out of . CL's teasing face turned into puzzlement at the change of Dara's expression.

Dara leaned back on her seat as her eyes turned watery again. Gosh, she wasn't even going out with Donghae to react like this. They weren't even dating for god's sakes and yet she looked like she hasn't gotten over him after dating him for more than 10 years.

"What's wrong, Dee?" CL asked looking really concerned now.

Dara pursed her lips as she really couldn't take this alone anymore. Feeling the pain and hurt alone is too much for her. And the stress is building up inside of her she feels like exploding. "I got rejected."

CL tilted her head. "On?"

Dara looked down at her hands as she quietly told CL, "I told Donghae i liked him and he rejected me."

CL's mouth fell open twice that day and her hand went to with her eyes wide trying to process what Dara said. "Are you serious?" She couldn't believe it. But then, Dara really had confessed with her crush when they were in high school. Dara is not really one to hold  back. And that one in high school was probably her first heartbreak but she didn't look like this as far as CL remembered.

Dara lifted her head to look at CL with in a downward turn. "You know what's really getting to me? Is that i feel... i feel like i'm not worth it. I feel like i don't even have a woman's worth. I mean... is there something wrong with me? I feel so... miniscule. So... tiny compared to everyone else in the world."

"You are tiny," CL said empathically.

Dara glared at her friend. "CL!" She baring her emotions here. Her innermost fears!

"Sorry," CL apologized looking sheepish. "It just came out."

Dara scowled. "I don't know what i should do anymore."

"Look, Dee," CL said gently. "It's  just one rejection. And if Lee Donghae really didn't see the prize that you are, then he is not worth it." She never should've encouraged Minzy and Hye Sun to pair up the two. Or even tease them if this is what's going to happen. Lee Donghae, that jerk. How can he reject Dara?

"It's not just about his rejection, okay?" Dara said in resignation then fell silent as she tried to gather up her courage to tell CL the exact truth. "I don't want to be alone," she said in a quiet voice.

"You're not alone," CL comforted her. "We're here."

Dara exhaled in exasperation. Her friends don't get it. "I know all of you would be there for me but there will come a time when you guys will start your own family... I mean... Hye Sun and Bom already did. And you? You wouldn't have any difficulty getting someone and marry him.... I mean, i don't understand why it's so difficult for me to find someone like Hye Sun found Jae Hyun or... or Bom finding TOP. I mean, why is it so hard for me?" Her eyes started watering again. "Am i that difficult to like?"

"Dara...."

"I tried everything but i only ended up getting humiliated," Dara continued sniffling. "Why am i so unlikeable, CL?"

"You are the most adorable person on the planet," CL said. "And Donghae for rejecting you. all those guys who didn't see you the way we do."

CL's words made her tears run incessantly on her cheeks. She really appreciate having friends like hers. And she knew she have to take advantage of the remaining time she have with them because she knew pretty soon, she would be the only one left in this little circle.

"Tell you what," CL said brightly. "I'll tell Hye Sun to set up this out of town--not Jeju--we don't want Lee Donghae there, that jerk, so you could de-stress and... you know cheer up. Or maybe it'll be better if we go out of the country for a while. We can go to Thailand! You've always wanted to visit their beaches, right?"

Dara stared at Cl and felt guilty that she hasn't been entirely honest with them when they have always been honest with her. Dara wet her lips as she decided to come clean. "I joined the matchmaking site a month ago. That's how i met Donghae."

She told CL everything right from the beginning of the whole fiasco and being duped into thinking Lee Donghae was really the person she will meet in that Make Me A Match site, being humiliated so many times, explaining what happened at the yacht, even that night when the CEO announced the promotion, right to that fateful night when she decided to tell Donghae she likes him and being rebuffed.

CL listened attentively only looking slightly shocked at what her friend has been secretly up to but didn't judge and it made her understand the fear that Dara is going through that resorted to her joining the dating site. Dara had always been the uptight one in their group and CL knew joining the dating site despite her successful career and notable position in a big company made her swallow her pride. It's not really about Donghae's rejection. It's really about her fear of being left alone.

Dara just liked the idea of being with someone rather than the idea of actually liking someone out of that fear.  

"I should probably give up, right?" Dara asked CL after her detailed recount of what happened to her after she joined the dating site.

CL shook her head. "Where is your fighting spirit, Dee? Never lose hope." She grabbed Dara's phone and opened it going to the dating app. "Leave this to me. I am the dating master."

"No, CL." Dara knew what's CL is going to do. Being set up to numerous strangers would make her feel more desperate. Which she really is anyway.

"Dee," CL said sternly. "What did i tell you about taking chances? If you fear the risks, you wouldn't be able to find that chance. If things didn't work out the first time, there is always the second time. Numbers aren't only restricted to the first count. We have endless numbers to take and it's about time you started counting. You feel me?"