Dara can’t focus. She’s been sitting for hours, staring blankly at the manuscript she’s supposed to be working on-Minji’s manuscript, which should be a huge deal- but her head is still filled with the events of yesterday night. Something about yesterday bothers her, or rather, everything. First, Jae’s actions. Whenever Jae messages her to come to his place, it’s always to have alone time together, so the fact that he denied it felt like a direct stab to the heart. Second, his ‘friends’. She doesn’t even know where to begin with that one: the fact that they’re all females or the fact that they were entirely wasted and shamelessly hovering their hands around her boyfriend. Worst part? He was totally on board with it. To say she was hurt was an understatement. She felt betrayed. And yet, another side of her tells her that she’s just overreacting, she should be mature and not let her mind run haywire, and just trust him. That’s what relationships are all about: trust and loyalty. But doubt is eating her alive and she doesn’t know what to do.

With a loud sigh, she lets go of her red pen and hits her forehead on the desk, trying to clear her head and failing miserably.

“Alright, what’s wrong?” Dara hears Bom’s question, she’s just not sure she wants to answer her. She slowly lifts her head up and stares at Bom, who’s throwing her a questioning look.

“Nothing. Why would you think there’s something wrong with me?” she replies dryly, waiting for Bom to drop it already, but, she’s not having any of it.

"Well, Jinwoo pathetically fell down his chair and everyone laughed their asses off but you didn't even notice, Minzy was screaming her lungs out about a cockroach she saw in the ladies room just minutes ago and you didn't bat an eye, and," she pauses and points a finger at the manuscript Dara was working on, or, at least, attempting to work on. "You've been sitting here for almost two hours and you've barely gone past the preface." Bom crosses her arms around her chest and gives Dara a daring look.

"I'm fine." She waves her hand around, trying to get Bom back to her place, but, if there's anything more sticky than glue, it's Bom.

"Sure, and I have small s."

"What?"

"Oh, I thought we were stating obvious lies." Dara rolls her eyes at Bom’s snarky attitude. God, as much as she respects Bom for being great at her job, she absolutely hates her meddling into everything and anything. They’re not even that close and yet, Bom seems to know more than what she entails about Dara’s life. Eventually, she purses her lips and gives up.

“Nothing to worry about, just relationship stuff.” she tries to keep it vague, but Bom is never one to back down easily.

“what kind of stuff?” Bom probes, and Dara is so close to smashing her favorite coffee mug, and that’s how she knows she’s in a seriously irritated mood. Before she could let her anger consume her, Jiyong’s loud voice comes and saves the day.

“Dara! I need to see you in the meeting room, pronto.” She immediately jumps from her seat, deeply thankful for the interjection, and runs to the meeting room. Once she’s inside, Jiyong closes the door behind them and gives Dara a suspicious look, but she doesn’t notice.

“So, the proofreading of Minji’s manuscript is going great” she randomly says. “I’m almost done with the third chap-”

“What’s going on, Dee?” he instantly shuts her up and she stares at him, flabbergasted.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing, I’m peachy, I’m over the moon, I’m-”

“You and I both know you would never use those words in your daily life, so just tell me what’s wrong.” She huffs a sigh and leans against the wall, feeling all kinds of irritable emotions that she just wants to let it all out and scream all these doubts aloud. And she does.

“I just don’t understand how a guy like Jae would casually invite all his female friends-which are all from completely different departments and work in different floors, so I have no idea how he got to know all of them.” she starts calmly, but then her vision darkens and her voice gets higher “And no single male friend! Seriously?! You’re telling me that you have no guy friend in the entire company? 1000 employees and no male friend!” she chuckles darkly, her aura emitting every hostile vibes there are in the universe, but Jiyong remains rooted to his spot and calmly listens to her outburst. “Like, I don’t want to be that type of girlfriend who is jealous whenever her boyfriend is breathing the same air as another woman, but when it gets handsy and touchy-feely, that’s where you cross the line!” she continues yelling, venting everything in her system. “And then he says that he did it for me. He did it so he could introduce me to his colleagues, but you don’t just call me your girlfriend in front of everyone and then go off and start flirting with each one of them!” she sighs heavily and angrily sits down, resting her head on the table. “I just don’t understand” she mutters faintly, feeling dejected and emotionally drained. “Am I reading too much into this? Am I being too hard on him? I am, aren't I? ugh, I feel like the worst girlfriend ever. I should trust him more, but I feel so bothered. I just don’t know what to do.” Jiyong takes the seat next to hers and puts his hand on her back, patting it gently.

“let’s get one thing straight, you are not the worst girlfriend ever, that would be my ex, who casually waltzed into my meeting with the chief editor with a megaphone, and announced to everyone that she wants to break up with me because I was horrible in bed.” He states bitterly, and Dara can’t help but giggle at the anecdote.

“Everyone in the office made bets on why she called you that. We all agreed it was because you were too quiet while doing the do and that frustrated her.” Dara proudly says and Jiyong groans.

“The fact that you would discuss my life in the office is highly disturbing.” he puts his arm around her back and gently runs a reassuring hand through her arm. “Anyway, my point is, don’t be so hard on yourself, Dara. You are allowed to have doubts, nobody’s perfect, but you have talk things through with him. That’s what being in a relationship means.” He gives her a pointed look and she nods hesitantly.

“Alright, I will. Thanks a lot, Jiyong.” She says softly and he gives her an encouraging smile. “although, I’m surprised you didn’t diss Jae.”

“Yeah, well, you kind of did it yourself, so, I let it pass.” He states and takes him arm off her back. “Plus, I’m trying to be civil. As much as I don’t like the guy, I don’t want to be on your bad side. You're really scary when you’re angry.” he confesses and she grins devilishly.

“Well, as much as I hate you as a partner at work, I don’t hate you as a person. You’re a great guy, Jiyong.” He tries not to let her words get to him, so he keeps a serious face and nods in acknowledgment. But deep down, his heart is doing somersaults and dancing in giddiness. God, the effect her words has on him is immense.

“Too bad, editor Jiyong is back, and he wants you to get back to work on that manuscript, he needs it by tomorrow.”

“Ugh, fine. God, editor Jiyong is really annoying.” she gets up and marches back to her desk. He sighs to himself and takes a few deep breathes before he gets back to work himself. He seriously wants to choke Jaejoong right here and there and yell at him for being a complete to Dara. That jerk probably doesn’t realize how lucky he is to be dating the most beautiful girl the world has ever known. He’s so damn lucky and Jiyong is so frustrated with himself that he can’t do anything about it. He knows Jaejoong is a classified douchebag, and he knows that he will hurt, and he’s desperately trying to prevent that but Dara won’t let him. She puts a lot of faith in Jae that it makes Jiyong a bit hurt. He gets it. Sometimes, when you’re in love, you turn a blind eye to every red flag there is. But he wants Dara to wake up and realize that she could do so much better. She is better than him in every possible way and she deserves someone better. Someone like him, maybe, because he’s sure as hell he would never hurt her, ever. But that will never happen, at least, not in real life. His train of thoughts is rudely interrupted by a loud obnoxious cough. He turns around to see Bom smugly smiling at him.

“So, lover boy having love problems in his love town, huh?”

“Go away, Bom.”

“If you ever want to talk about it, I-”

“Bom!”

“geez, ok, I’m leaving.” she huffs as she stomps back to her desk and he lets out a long tired sigh. “But seriously, I’m all ears-”

“Oh my god, GO!”