I won’t stop until you’re mine

The words kept on replaying in her mind as she stare wide eyed at the man sitting across from her casually taking a sip of his coffee like he didn’t just shock the out of her.

“Wh—wha—what are you—“ She couldn’t find the words as her brain probably shut down on its own.

Donghae looked at her as he placed the cup down on its saucer. “LDH Electronics has always been one of the top Manufacturing and Distributing companies in the country for 30 years. We had never disappointed our clients and our services has always been more than superb. As much as I don’t believe you would let your first impression on me cloud your judgment on my company, it never hurts to compensate the rudeness you had witnessed.” His mouth stretched in a small smile. “And I would do everything to get your account with us.”

Dara just sat there gaping at him like an idiot, his words washing over her again and again before she finally understood what he meant by I won’t stop until you’re mine. A tinge of disappointment went down her spine as she restrained herself from making a face but fixed him with narrowed eyes.

“So you’re tyring to bribe me?” she said a little too coldly. Idiot! She told herself. He meant the contract! He wants your approval for the contract so our account woud be his. Not anything romantic. Why does it have the same term with a different meaning anyway? Who invented this vocabulary words?! “I guess I’m your best option because you can’t do the same with my boss.”

Apart from the fact that your boss is a man and it’s going to be too awkward for me to send him flowers, the COO is the mouth and brain of 21 TV’s CEO.” He looked at her in the eyes as if challenging her to deny it.

She smirked. “Yeah, it’s a tough job sometimes.”

Donghae smiled at that. “I would like to take you for a tour at our main facility in Mokpo so you would be able to see for yourself how we manufacture our products. Are you free tomorrow?”

He’s good. He didn’t ask. He just stated it like it’s imperative for her to go. She lifted her cup nonchalantly and took a sip. “I’ll check my sked,” she answered. “I’ll have my secretary call you when I’m free.” She made a show of looking at her wristwatch before smiling at him. “You have to excuse me. I have someone to meet. Thank you for the coffee.”

Donghae stood up at the same time she did. “You’re welcome. I hope to see you again, Ms. Park.”

She just gave him a small smile before nodding her head and exiting the coffee shot. She went straight to her car and drove off.

Where?

Where else could it be but her mother’s house to stuff herself and drown in misery.

True to his word, Donghae really did everything to make her his. Everyday, she found herself signing for a flower arrangement delivery to the point that her office started smelling like a funeral parlor. Sometimes she would receive invitations lunch or dinner which she graciously declined. Of course, even in business, she wasn’t easy. And she is mainly declining for professional reasons. She’s not someone anyone can just bribe! Even if that someone is very good looking guy like Lee Donghae, she would still be strict on her business etiquette.

“Woah, you admirer is still at it for a week already.”

Dara made a face as the delivery boy placed another flower arrangement at the table of the sofa she is seated at. Bom and CL was already there, talking up a storm and gossiping as if they didn’t see each other last night.

“Is this still from Mr. Lee Donghae?” CL asked teasingly as she took the card from it.

Dara rolled her eyes as she sat down on the sofa next to them propping her feet up on the table as she snatched the card from CL’s hand and read the message.

Good morning Ms. Park. Hope this brightens your day.

“Apparently, yes.” Dara flicked the card to the table with a wry look. Because she is positive Lee Donghae’s assistant was the one who gave this message. She wasn’t stupid. For the week that she had met Donghae, be it meetings or accepting his coffee invitations, he wasn’t the type to be jovial. In fact, he wasn’t the type to even send flowers. He’s too serious to even consider being carefree and joking. When she met Eunhyuk again, she knew the messages is more like his. He was just following orders from his boss. She doesn’t have any proof, but she always trusts her instincts.

And her instinct is telling her that Lee Donghae is as sincere as a rock. She felt griping about that. In such a short time, she had him pegged as cold, emotionless. One who doesn’t care about what’s happening around him other than himself. He’s not really egoistic but he’s more like too… engrossed with what he can get out of something that he disregards everything else.

“Tell us the truth,” Bom interrupter her thoughts with narrowed eyes. “Are you going out with Lee Donghae?

Dara rolled her eyes again. “For the umpteenth time, not in the way that you are thinking.” She had told them countless times about this but her friends seem to dwell on its non-existent romantic side of the story. They’re adding more on her disappointment! Even if she was already turned off by Lee Donghae’s attitude. The mere fact that he didn’t even find her interesting apart from what her position can bring him is bruising her ego. Damn him. “He asks me out to sway me in telling Mr. Yang to sign LDH Contract for 21 TV. Can you just put my answer in a recording so we wouldn’t have to repeat this conversation?”

“Girl,” CL said. “Lee Donghae is the epitome of everything. He’s rich. Intelligent. Serious. Really hot. Why don’t you just go and seduce him?”

Bom laughed at that. “I like that idea. Look at what happened to Hye Sun. She successfully seduced Jae Hyun and end up marrying him.” Hye Sun is another one of their friends working in the US for two years now and had just gotten married to Ahn Jae Hyun three months ago.

“Duh!” Dara retorted. “They got married because Jae Hyun was practically drooling for Hye Sun to seduce him. Maybe he already asked Hye Sun to do that.” She shivered as she recalled the way Jae Hyun was blatantly staring at Hye Sun during one of their lunch dates when she came to visit. They still weren’t together then but they are practically slithering towards each other like snakes. They are the worst couple in the sweetness category for bitter single ladies like her. She’s happy for her friend of course. But that also means, the single ladies in her group is slowly dwindling. CL is also single but always on dates. Her?.... She doesn’t even want to dwell on status she is right now.

“Why didn’t you want to try Make Me A Match?” Bom asked. Dara refrained herself from making a reaction at that question. “I swear it’s really safe.”

“I can attest to that,” CL said. “I tried it last week and end up getting a date tonight.” She was grinning.

Bom gawked at her and so did Dara. “You what?!” Dara really can’t believe it. CL, the self proclaimed bad producer on 21 TV joined a dating site?

Bom laughed and playfully shoved CL’s shoulder. “You ! You kept on telling me it’s nonsense!”

“I just thought it would be fun,” CL said shrugging her shoulder still grinning. “And I can’t say I was disappointed. My chat-date is really very interesting.”

Dara just listened to CL descibe what she thinks her date would be like and how they started chatting from the time she joined the Make Me A Match and a surge of jealousy engulfed her. Why is it so easy for them to have a life outside of work? Or even be so cool as to publicly say they’re looking for dates or joining a dating site? Why are they so chill and her so stiff?

It’s probably because of her position. She can’t go around telling people she joined a dating site while she is the COO of a big company. Bom, Cl, and Hye Sun doesn’t have the name of a corporation on their back. She nodded to herself over that reason she gave.

“Just try it, Dee!” Bom said when Dara tuned in. “See? It’s really easy. Even CL, the second perfectionist after you gets to find a date.”

Don’t she know it? “I am happy with my single life. I really don’t care about getting a guy when I am all enough to make myself complete.” Why God? Why???

“Pfft.” Bom and CL both scowled at her.

“I’m a strong independent woman,” Dara told her scowling friends. “And why are you here anyway? Don’t you have any work to do and job to fulfill?”

“We’re slacking off,” CL said with a smirk.

“Do you want me to suspend you?” Dara asked with raised brows.

“Do that,” CL responded leaning on the sofa comfotably. “So that I would be able to rest. Can you make it a week?”

“Just suggest an overtime,” Bom told Dara with a smirk.

“Don’t even think about it,” CL warned Dara lifting her index finger on Dara’s face. “What’s the use of having a boss for a best friend if you can’t utilize it?”

“I can’t you’re abusing my power,”Dara said before standing uo. “I have to go meet Mr. Yang.”

Bom and CL both grabbed each of her wrists “You’re not gonna tell on us, right?”

“Dara, you would be my child’s godparent,” Bom said. “You wouldn’t do this to the mother, right?”

“Shut it.”She shook them off with a frown. “I need to consult sir Yang about something, okay.” She scowled at her friends before leaving them to laze around in her office and went to her boss’ floor. He was talking on the phone when she entered and he motioned for her to sit down. He ended the call a couple of minutes later.

“Yes?” He asked.

Sir, I just want to follow up on LDH’s invitation to visit their facility in Mokpo?”

Her CEO looked at her blankly and Dara suppressed a sigh. She knew it. He wasn’t listening to her when she brought up Lee Donghae’s invitation.

“Lee Donghae had invited us to go to their main facility to see for ourselves how they manufacture their products?”

“Ah, right, right.” He nodded his head finally remembering. Dara waited for him to continue but he was now looking at his computer, drumming his fingers on the computer mouse. Dara made a wry expression. Sir, I didn’t sit here just so I could see your face. “Sir?”

“Yes?” His eyes were glued on his computer monitor.

“Are we going to accept LDH Electronics invitation?” She tried not to sigh.

“I don’t know, what do you think?” He threw the question back at her without peeling his eyes off the screen. There must’ve been something really important he was analyzing. Better make this quick.

“I think sir that it would be a good idea to visit their facility because we did the same thing with the Jeong-Su. We have to weigh in our options and see if getting a new contract or staying with the old one is beneficial for the company. We also have offers from other companies asking for a meeting.” She laid the folders on the desk.

“Okay, okay,” Mr. Yang said dismissively. “If you think it’s a good idea, go ahead.”

Dara paused. “Huh?”

“Go check out LDH. It’s the only company I can consider for a new contract. Submit a report after. Or better yet, talk to me when you get back.”

“Sir, I think it’ll be a better idea for you to come with us so you can assess it better.” That was her initial proposal.

“Are you saying that I shouldn’t trust your assesment?”

“Of course you should sir,” Dara responded immediately. “I’m just saying that you might have a different… outtake… on LDH.”

Mr. Yang nodded. “Your outtake is mine. Go for it.”

Sheesh. Dara scowled then smoothed her face immediately when her boss turned to her with a serious expression. “Does Instagram have a web version?”

Dara blinked and was lost for a moment, gawking at her boss over his question. “Huh?”

Oh my god, my time had been wasted! She spent almost 30 minutes trying to explain the difference between the Instagram and the PC version of Instagram with her boss and how you can only upload images on the app but not on the web version. Why is he getting mad at me for that? Am I the developer of Instagram? She was scowling as she rode the elevator down to her office. When it comes to her boss, she really doesn’t know where to place herself. If she would be serious or display a business-attitude or a friend-attitude. That’s one of the reasons why she prefers talking to herself than her boss. Her intelligence and wit all fly out the window when she’s talking to her boss.

“Contact Mr. Lee Donghae,” she informed her secretary. “Inform him that we can visit the LDH facility by Friday.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Donghae picked her up at 21 TV the next morning. Her boss, Mr. Yang, is once again incommunicado and didn’t even gave her any instructions. He is really leaving her to make all the decisions for the company. The burden to make decisions for the company. Donghae, as courteous as ever had greeted with a small smile as he opened the car door for her. She slid in with a small courteous smile of her own and silence followed as they drove through the highway. It’s gonna be a very long ride.

Dara was gazing out of the window as Donghae rode before she couldn’t take the awkward silence anymore. “Mr. Lee, I would like to thank you for the flowers that you have been sending me non stop for the last week.” She tried not to sound sarcastic. “But I would appreciate it if you would… stop.” She turned her head to look at him. “Or you can tell your assistant to stop.”

Donghae glanced at her before returning his attention on the road. “Okay, I’ll tell him.”

Dara bit back a scowl. The prick didn’t even deny it. Not even I thought you would like it or What would you want me to send you instead?. Lee Donghae Is the perfect example of a person that only exists for the sole purpose of his business. Even his attiude is so business-like. Still professional even if they should’ve already dispensed formality by now. She suddenly wanted to start the interrogation now about the contract and the kind of services their clients provides. Just to see him sweat. But she bit it back. Of course, she needs to witness the way his facility workds before she can jumpstart her vocal chords.

She narrowed her eyes as she imagined the look on Lee Donghae’s face dotted with perspiration as she grill him. Her company trusts her. Her CEO trusts her. So it’s reasonable that she pay the utmost attention even to the tiniest detail. Donghae better be sure his staff are all in perfect condition including his machineries because there is no way she’s going to ignore even a nail lying on the floor.

“Have you had breakfast?”

She was slightly surprised at that question because she wasn’t expecting it. . In fact, she thought they were going to ride in full silent mode.

Not to mention that she’s lost in her own musings/

“Uh… yeah,” she replied. Then she asked after a moment. “Are you hungry? We can stop over a restaurant or get something to eat somewhere, wherever….”

“No, that’s okay. I just thought you were hungry. How about some coffee?”

“No, I’m good,” she automatically answered.

The conversation stopped there. And Dara didn’t attempt to start one. It waz already noon when they arrived and she is already craving for coffee. Donghae drives like a maniac and by the time she opened to tell him if they can stop for coffee, the coffee shop has already whizzed past. And she felt ridiculous if she would ask to stop for coffee when she already declined the offer to begin with.

She sighed silently as the car went past a big wide gate the guards had opened for them. She stepped out of the car looking around. The area looked neat and almost at the outskirts of the town. The wide building was made of concrete and aluminum windows and a wide glass door for the entrance. The name LDH Electronics was embedded on its wall. Donghae guided her towards the entrance and Dara had to admit, the inside is in total contrast of the outside. It’s all glasses and very modernized.

That is probably Donghae’s queue for his spiel as he started talking beginning with how LDH was formed while he’s leading her. She listened attentively as she looked around nodding occasionally. She was also introduced to the manager running the facility and some other people. They all followed as Donghae took her to the underground laboratory. There were about, probably, four storeys below the ground floor. They looked in on the LDH workers wearing white robes with masks on their mouths as they worked ardently on each of their tasks, unperturbed by the management watching through the glass windows.

It looks exactly like what she had witnessesd when she went to the Jeong Su Company. As High Tech and as clean without even a speck of something to criticize on.

“This floor is currently working on tweaking our latest—“

Dara