Satruday came and Dara was pressured to finish her work early because her friends had preferred to wait for her rather than letting her just follow them at the resort after she had everything done on her desk. But of course, her friends had displayed their lack of trust in her, especially since they knew Woo Young is no longer available to come with them, and had opted to hang around at the coffee shop downstairs and texting her every hour.

“I promise to go after I finish my report, okay?” Dara had called Hye Sun with their last message of time check already striking her nerve. “I have a car. I can follow you guys there. There’s no need to wait for me!”

“We don’t believe that,” Hye Sun answered. “And even If you don’t have any intention of bailing on us, you would probably get there at the time when we’re already packing to go home.”

“And it’s Saturday for chrissakes!” CL said in the background. Hye Sun must’ve put her on the speakerphone. “Even Chairman is off having a blast somewhere.”

“I can finish this in an hour but you guys are pressuring me!!” She growled on the phone. “Me and pressure don’t work well together!”

She heard them chuckle and Hye Sun added. “We’ll wait until you’re finished. Time check is… 10:45am. Our check-in time at the resort is 12. You’ve got still got a lot of time. Call us when you’re done.”

“Ugh!” Dara hang up and continued doing her report. Honestly, she was looking at finishing her tasks by at least 2 or 3 in the afteroon. She had procrastinated lately which had resulted in her going to the office on a Saturday. The truth is, she was actually too busy going on dates with Woo Young and she felt too lazy to  do the report when she gets back so now here she is.

It’s too bad that Woo Young can’t go with them at this overnight and Dara scowled at the reason why. And who she is blaming at the moment.

Woo Young had been transferred from 2PM Galaxy to LDH Electronics. He had been ecstatic when he invited her for lunch and could barely keep from praising  the company. He was saying he had tried to apply for a job at LDH after he graduated but was rejected. Probably because he doesn’t have any experience yet. Working at LDH was his dream as he had some friends who was raving about the benefits and compensations and of course, with the title.

“I was given a business card,” Woo Young had said showing her that magical business card. An acrylic black rectangular piece of card with his name written in fancy bold ink and the LDH logo. “I was even given my own office. Can you believe it? I don’t know if Mr. Lee Donghae had anything to do with that but my team leader on 2PM Galaxy had recommended me when the manager of LDH was looking for a Circuit Engineer and… next thing I know, I was told I would be working under LDH Electronics. It’s so cool. Even If Chairman Lee doesn’t have anything to do with it, I still would really like to thank him for this opportunity.”

Dara tried not to roll her eyes at the way Woo Young kept on mentioning Lee Donghae’s name with utmost respect. Close to admiration, actually, and the only thing that is stopping her from telling Woo Young that Lee Donghae is a complete is the delicious food they are eating.

But of course it turned sour at the next announcement that Woo Young had made.

“About the overnight… I don’t think I can go. I have a lot of projects and my deadline is on Monday so… I think I have to stay to meet it. I don’t… actually want to mess up on the first project they have given me. I’m really sorry.”

Of course, there’s nothing Dara could say except That’s alright. Go on. Good luck and fighting! but felt disappointed. Woo Young is the only reason she actually agreed going with this overnight trip. In fact, the girls had only set this up because of Woo Young and Dara spending time together and she had been excited for that too. Unfortunately, all that was squelched when Woo Young was transferred to the company of that workaholic jerk who seemed to expect everyone around him to be as workaholic as he is. Hmp.

I called Donghae and he’s not sure if he can make it. He said he had some things he needed to do but he said he will try. Which is actually his nice way of saying he have more important things to do than waste time swimming in a pool. Hye Sun had told her that morning.

One announcement she is glad to hear. Hah. Woo Young is probably doing overtime and can’t be seen or known having a good time because his boss is playing Devil Wears Prada. That’s a good thing if Donghae would skip this overnight trip but felt bad that Woo Young couldn’t either.

It was already close to two in the afternoon when the group arrived at the resort. Dara was able to finish everything that she needs to do. Or at least, she was able to finish the most important ones and decided to leave the small and less important paperworks to work on by Monday.

The resort, as what her friends had called it, is more of like a vacation house for some rich family. It was a monochrome three storey house with a glass pool at the second floor balcony overlooking the ocean. The house was all encased in glass, even the rooms. The only privacy one could actually get is to draw the curtains but it was beautiful. The “resort” was located at the top of the hill so there’s not much people around and the fresh air is refreshing that Dara wanted to breathe it in and take it with her when they get back to the busy life of  the city.

There are five rooms in total, two on the third floor and three on the second. The kitchen and living room are on the ground floor and Dara strolled through the house and picked the room on the third floor where the view is spectacular. CL picked the room beside hers and Bom chose the one on the second floor beside the room that Hye Sun had picked for her and Jae Hyun.

Dara think choosing a room to sleep in would be useless since they would probably spend the entire night talking and drinking.

Hye Sun started preparing their food and Jae Hyun helped his wife while the girls started taking pictures. One that they do best.

“Hye Sun is the domesticated one among all of  us,” CL said when Dara asked if they should help Hye Sun. “We would be more of a disaster than of help if we go to the kitchen.”

Dara shrugged knowing it was true and kept on taking pictures with the view from behind. When they got bored, Bom and CL grilled her about Woo Young.

“So do you think you could really fall in love with him?” Bom asked teasingly as they were sitting at the side of the pool dipping their feet.

Dara grinned. “Possible. I mean he’s really nice and really funny so… I don’t know.” The girls and CL praised herself for forcing Dara to go on a blind date and Bom attributing that successful blind date to her idea of suggesting that dating app to begin with. Dara just listened to them bicker. Yes, she really does like Woo Young but she guessed she was actually looking for something more… explosive. Like those she read about in books and watched in movies. She guessed this is the reality and it’s a little boring compared to her fantasies.

But at least it’s real.

 She sighed feeling nostalgic. What she would give to return to her adolescence when she doesn’t care about anything  other than getting exemplary grades.

Donghae suppressed his frustration as he signed the pile of documents that was sent to him early that morning including the ones that the corporate lawyer had sent him to look into. He checked his watch again and saw that it was already three thirty. Would he still have time to go to that resort that Hye Sun told him? It was bad enough that it was at the last minute that he found that there is a malfunctioning equipment on their main facility that had short circuited and he had to drive yesterday in Mokpo to find out if anyone had been hurt, to talk to the engineers, electricians, the staff, spending the entire night until everything is functioning properly before driving back early that morning to find these piles of documents to work on on his desk. And then his father took that time to appear and think  it was a great time to discuss about business ventures as well as getting an update on the current deals that Donghae had successfully signed on, delaying him on working for these set of papers.

Eunhyuk entered his office with his perpetual smirk and seeing Donghae looking so focused with his signing pen on his hand as he flipped pages off a folder. “Oh, you’re not done yet?” He decided to still ask the obvious.

Andd as usual, Donghae just ignored his friend. Eunhyuk sat down on the sofa and propped his feet on the table as he scrolled though his phone.

“What are you doing here?” Donghae asked without looking up.

“I’m invited to this overnnight trip too, you know,” Eunhyuk said still looking at his phone. “I figured I could just ride with you. Saves gas.”

Donghae just scowled. “Cheapskate.”

“It’s called practical,” Eunhyuk answered smirking.

It was already 5:35 in the afternoon when Donghae had managed to finish all his due papers and closed the last folder with an enthusiastic thump and Eunhyuk was jolted awake on the sofa as he didn’t realized he had already snoozed off. Donghae called for his secretary to get all the papers and loosened the top button of his polo shirt ready to call it a day. And spend time relaxing at that resort Hye Sun had told him. For once, he was actually looking forward to this.

“Alright, are we going?” Enhyuk asked stretching is arms while yawning.

“Yes. You do know where that is, right?” Donghae said locking his computer.

“We have GPS, dude,” Eunhyuk answered.

Donghae just nodded not really listening as he took his car keys from his drawer and strode out of his office with Eunhyuk following him out. He was looking forward to this and confront his… feelings. He doesn’t really know what he would do once he come face-to-face with Dara or what his reaction would be. This is a foreign territory for him and it’s difficult to move without any backtracking reports or analyzation of the subject’s history.

They were already walking on the lobby when Eunhyuk nudged him with a chuckle and Donghae didn’t realize he was already lost in his own thoughts about his current situation until Eunhyuk jarred him from it. He saw Woo Young across from them holding two large coffee cups, his face brightening when he spotted them. He immediately jogged over to where Donghae was and greeted Donghae with a smile. “Good afternoon, sir. I would just like to tell how honored I am to be working here. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”

Donghae just gave him a nod but Woo Young continued, “I won’t let you down. I’ll do my best to finish the task. Thank you again!” He gave Donghae a 360 degree bow and scurried off towards the elevator. Donghae rolled his tongue inside his cheek staring at the space where Woo Young was earlier and Eunhyuk shook his head.

“Woah,” Eunyuk said reproachfully. “You’re really evil. You let Woo Young work the weekends while you steal his girl.”

Donghae gave him a sharp glare. “Dara is not his girl.” He continued walking not wanting to feel bothered over what Eunhyuk said about making Woo Young work the weekends.

Damn, now he’s feeling another emotion that he hasn’t felt in so long.

Guilt.

It was already dark when Donghae and Eunhyuk arrived at the resort. The GPS, which Eunhyuk had trusted so much, made them lose their way and they had to stop and ask people for directions. The cool  night air that blasted Donghae’s face when he stepped out of the car made him relax. Eunhyuk was stretching his long limbs before they took their bags out of the trunk and started to walk up the stone path. Donghae could hear voices and laughter coming from the second floor that is lighted by tall light posts and when they climbed the pebbled steps, Jae Hyun who was leaning on the rails spotted them.

“Donghae and Eunhyuk are here,” he announced with a smile.

They gave them tiime to settle down and since they are the last comers, they were given the last available room with a double deck bed and Eunhyuk immediately called dibs on the lower one, practically diving on it before he could even drop his bag. Donghae just rolled his eyes and swung his bag up on the top bed. His body is calling out for a rest, he could feel it, but he really wanted to confront his emotions right now so he could sleep better. How, he had no idea.

And the fact that the guilt that had started  to crawl inside him is now eating him up over that cheerful smile of Woo Young and Eunhyuk’s damn words.

Or maybe not eating up. It’s just like an annoying chirp inside his brain that he can’t seem to shut up.

He gave a scowl on Eunhyuk’s form lying facedown on the bed blaming him for this before going out of the room and dialling a number when he got to the narrowed hallway. “Austin, is Jang Woo Young still there?”

“Good evening Chairman. Yes, he’s still at his desk.”

“Tell him I’m extending the deadline. He can submit that next week.”

“Yes, sir. Though he’s pretty enthusiastic over the job,” Austin said chuckling.

“Let me talk to him,” Donghae said. He waited until Austin had gone to where Woo Young was and he answered.

“Chairman,” Woo Young greeted cheerfully. “Good evening.”

“I’m extending the deadline for that project. Submit it to me by next week.” Then he added, “You can call it a night and go to this overnight trip.” He can feel all the words he’s saying are coming out of his nose instead of his mouth.

Woo Young paused before answering sounding really pleased. “That’s great news, Chairman. Thank you!”

“Though this resort is really far,” Donghae immediately added. “I’m not sure if you can make it tonight. It took us four hours to get here. Five hours at the most. Amd it’s pretty isolated and you would have no one to ask for directions. And the GPS isn’t working around here.”

“Oh… uh, Dara sent me the directions to the place yesterday.”

Donghae’s mouth turned into a straight line. Dara sent him the directions. That bothered him more than he thought it will.

“But… she didn’t mention it was an isolated place,” Woo Young added a little hesitantly and the lightbulb on Donghae’s brain turned to light, immediately latching onto that one response.

“Yes, very isolated. I’ve been to this place before… 10 years ago, I think and it didn’t change. Still haunted.” The lie sounded so unnatural but since his voice kept on its monotone, Woo Young didn’t notice. Donghae could hear him gulp so he contiuned, “You’re not afraid of anything… paranormal, are you?”He could feel his victorious smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

“No,” Woo Young’s voice squeaked before he cleared his throat. “No, Chairman, of course not. It’s uh… a little uncomfortable… but not… scary.” He gave a nervous laugh.

“Yes, not really scary.” Donghae couldn’t help but goad his fear more. “I just feel like something is watching me in every corner of this place. So if I were you, I would forego going on this trip and just spend a relaxing night at home and you could sleep well without any paranormal interference.” Then he added after a second thought. “But of course, that’s up to you.”

“Thank you, Chairman. I’ll just… uh… I think it’s already late and… I might not make it… and I think it’s a good idea to stay and work on this project. Since I have the free time, right? I’ll just call Dara.”

The smile finally bloomed on Donghae’s face. “I’m sure she will understand.”

“Thank you, Chairman. I’m sorry if I can’t join.”

“It’s nothing at all,” Donghae said. “Have a good night.” He pressed the end button with a wide grin then almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a sudden tap on the shoulder.

“Geezus christ!” He glowered at Eunhyuk who was standing behind him with his eyes narrowed and shaking his head at him while making a tsk sound.

“Evil Donghae,” Eunhyuk told him.

Donghae composed himself and put his phone back in his pocket. “I let him off work, didn’t i? I also told him he can skip working on the project and come here.” Guilt gone.

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