Donned with a knitted coat and a flowery romper, Dara was all smiles as she stepped out of Hye Sun’s car who had picked her up that afternoon for that cruise she had invited her to. Dara was close in giving an excuse earlier as she needs to do a lot of things if she wanted to have the Exec VP position but Hye Sun already shut her up even before she opened knowing exactly what is going to come out of it.

Now that she is breathing the fresh air from the Han River, she was glad Hye Sun had dragged her on this little get together. She can literally feel the stress flying away from her body.

The wind kept blowing on her face but she instantly spotted her friends waving cheerily at her from the upper deck by the rails of the yacht. She had only experienced travelling on a yacht once but it was a commercial yacht and it looked nothing like this even if it’s a lot smaller. The lower deck had two parallel stairs on either side of the swim platforms, two white chaise lounge chairs were already prepared for them on it, and the top sides are in light blue color.  She couldn’t see what the main deck looks like but she was excited to take pictures of it.  She waved back at Bom and CL in a wide grin and turned to Hye Sun as she stepped beside her. “How much did Jae Hyun spent on this? Where is he?”

“Mmmm…” Hye sun pursed her lips before answering. “He would probably arrive in a couple of minutes.”

She didn’t notice Hye Sun only answering her last question as she took her camera from her messenger back and took a picture. “This is so beautiful.” She turned to Hye Sun with a grin. “I am glad you force me into this.”

Hye Sun let out an awkward laugh as her eyes caught her husband and Donghae walking towards the dock. Jae Hyun was the one chattering, gesturing with his hands while Donghae just listened, nodding every now and then. Jae Hyun spotted them and waved back.

Dara turned her head to follow the direction of Hye Sun’s gaze and smiled brightly when she saw Jae Hyun but it faltered when her eyes fell on the man walking beside her friend wearing a pair of white shorts and a white polo shirt. He was wearing his sunglasses so she’s not sure if he saw her but she immediately figured out why Hye Sun was adamant in including her on this cruise. She turned her head to glare at Hye Sun. “You guys set me up!” How many times does she have to repeat herself that there won’t be anything between her and Donghae Lee?

Hye Sun looked sheepish but not at all looked guilty. “Of course not,” Hye Sun denied unconvincingly, not auite looking at her in the eye. “He owns the yacht. It’s a given he would be with us.”

Dara fought the urge to stomp her foot like a child. Does she really wanted to face Donghae after all the humiliation she brought upon herself? “I’m going home.” She tried to walk past Hye Sun but she grabbed Dara.

“Dara,” Hye Sun said beseechingly. “Are you that affected with Donghae’s presence?”

“Of course not,” she denied vehemently.

“Then why is it such a big deal for him to be here? He’s our friend too, you know.”

Dara scowled at that realizing her immaturity. Thank you for being so paranoid and delusional. She wanted to slap herself to get her sense of reasons in the right places. Of course Donghae Lee is their friend too. It’s natural for them to invite him. Especially if he owns this yacht. “Why didn’t you tell me Donghae Lee owns the yacht we are using for this cruise?”

“I didn’t think it would be important to you,” Hye Sun responded. “C’mon, Dara. We need to unwind. You need to unwind and I bet Donghae needs to unwind too. Can’t we just enjoy this little trip?”

Dara studied Hye Sun’s face trying to detect any possible deception on her face before sighing loudly when she saw none. “Fine,” Dara said suddenly feeling guilty in thinking that everything her friends do is about her. When did she become so self centered?

Jae Hyun kissed Hye Sun on the cheek while Hye Sun greeted Donghae. Donghae greeted her back with a smile and when he turned his head to look at her, he gave her a nod, his small smile still in place.

Is he laughing at me? What is that smile about? Is he thinking about how I made a fool of myself yet again yesterday? Dara returned his smile with a small one of her own. Or maybe she was just really getting paranoid when Donghae Lee is concerned.

“I’m just gonna talk to the captain,” Donghae told them before walking towards a middle aged man in formal clothing.

“We have a captain?” Dara asked. Of course, what do you think, the ship is gonna sail on its own? Sometimes her brain is her biggest enemy.

Her friends didn’t think that was a stupid question though. “Donghae can man the wheel but he prefers having his captain do the job,” Jae Hyun explained as they started to board. “Captain Kim has been with the Lee family since he was a little boy.”

Dara nodded but barely listening as she got distracted when they boarded and she immediately took her DSLR camera to take pictures, making sure everything is documented though photos. It was absolutely beautiful especially when she climbed up on the upper deck leaving Hye Sun and Jae Hyun on the main deck. CL and Bom were at the side of the rails taking pictures of their own with their phones as the wind blew their hair.

“This is absolutely breathtaking,” Dara commented walking over to them while she was looking out over the river before her. The color of the waters looked bluer as the skies reflected on its sparkling surface.

“I know, right?” Bom said with a wide smile.

She went to the rails and snapped a picture of the horizon.

“Sooo,” CL started coming up beside her. “Donghae Lee is gonna be on this cruise with us.”

Dara gave her a dry expression. “And your point is?” She doesn’t want to start accusing them of setting her up in case they would give her the same reasons Hye Sun did which would make her feel stupid again.

“There is no point,” CL said shrugging but a teasing smile is on her lips. “I mean, all of us are here and I think it’ll be a good idea to get to know each other.”

Dara rolled her eyes heavenward at CL’s attempt of being subtle and knowing exactly who that other that she wanted her to get to know. “You guys needs to stop it.”

“Stop what?” Bom said innocently.

“He doesn’t like me, okay?” Ain’t that a painful truth to swallow. “I mean he doesn’t like me in that way. I don’t like him that way either and we are just two career-minded people who are driven by each goals for success. We are not looking to be hitched. At least, I am not looking to be hitched.” Liar, liar, pants on fire. She knew she’s going to burn in hell for lying to her friends’ face as her brain replayed all her desperate moves to be hitched.

“There you go again with the thought that one date is straight to a wedding,” CL told her disapprovingly.

“Don’t you want to give yourself a chance to have someone?” Bom added.

“I do,” Dara answered honestly this time. Her eyes caught sight of Donghae below walking to the dock to board the yacht as he talked to what she assumed would be the captain. And her brain, again, replayed all her humiliations that has happened in his presence and all the times he blatantly rejected her with  simple phrases of her not being his type. Yes, that really stings. “He’s just not that someone.”

The night cruise Hye Sun had told her yesterday became a day cruise as the captain started the engine and the yacht slowly glided through the waters of the Han River. After placing her bag inside the bedroom she had picked with Bom and CL—a bedroom that made her jaw drop as it looked like a room that promotes minimalism and yet screaming luxury with a king sized bed under a carpeted flooring facing the windows overlooking the sea—she joined the rest of her friends on the main deck seated on the plush beige sofas chattering while drinking some beers and sodas. Dara took a seat on the single chair near the one Bom is sitting on while trying not to look too awkward.

Hell, these are her friends but Donghae leaning on the rails while drinking his beer, barely giving her a glance, is making her feel so out of place for some reason.

Dammit! I should not be affected by Donghae Lee, she reprimanded herself. I am Sandara Park, COO of 21 TV and the next Executive VP. Donghae Lee is just some CEO of a company trying to get 21 Tv’s contract.  

Bom handed her a beer and she shook her head. “No, thanks.” Last time she got drunk, she made a fool out of herself which she is still drowning on and trying to forget. Unsuccessfully. Even if it takes more than a beer to get her drunk, It’s better to be safe. She reached out and took a soda instead while she tuned in to her friends conversation. They were mostly reminiscing about their college life. And what lengths Jae Hyun had to go through to be noticed by Hye Sun.

“I had to pretend to trip on the stairs so that she would look at me,” Jae Hyun said with a scowl which Hye Sun laughed at.

“Oh, I remember that!” CL said with a laugh. “It was in restaurant where we were eating at, I think, Sparky’s is the name, and then we were all surprised when we saw someone rolling down the stairs near our table.”

Bom guffawed loudly. “That was so epic. The stairs only like has, what 4? 5 treads and you cam rolling down with your full body? And we all thought you were such a loser.”

Dara chuckled too at that memory. “Hye Sun was the one who muttered what a loser and then she was the one who got up and helped him.”

“Being treated for possible broken bones is worth it,” Jae Hyun proudly said.

“He was howling in pain like he’s dying and doesn’t want to let go of my hand because he said his ankle is excruciating so I had to ride with him in the ambulance,” Hye Sun said. “And he started introducing himself and saying we share the same Business Management classes.”

“Yep, Jae Hyun is such a loser,” CL said. “I wonder if someone would be a loser for me too.”

Bom hit her with a throw pillow. “You have a lot but you rejected them.”

“Well, they were real losers,” CL defended herself.

“What about you, Donghae?” Bom said trying to include the silent man on this conversation. “Have you ever done anything that is so hilarious just to get a woman’s attention?”

“He doesn’t need to,” Jae Hyun said with a snort.

Donghae just smiled indulgently before reesponding courteously to Bom. “Can’t say I have.”

So arrogant, Dara silently told him trying not to roll her eyes as she sipped her soda.

Hye Sun raised her hands. “I don’t know how many times we have to mention it but we have the female version of you.” Then she pointed her gaze in her direction.

Dara nearly choked on her soda. Oh no. Not this again!

“Dara is like the epitome of All Work and no play,” Hye Sun said like she hasn’t pointed that out in the last 10 years. “Even in high school and college. She always study, study, work, work. I think she had only gone out on a date, like, twice? Three times? In her entire life.”

“I have my priorities,” Dara just said glaring at her friend wanting to convey the message Shut Up.

“Priority to be single forever,” CL added.

“We keep advising her to join that dating site,” Bom said. “You know, that Make Me A Match?”

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