After the meeting with Starfield Malls, Seunghyun invited Dara for dinner together with his team.

“Can I make a call first before accepting your invite?” She asked Seunghyun.

“Oh sure, I’ll wait for you outside your office while you get your things and make that call. I’ll make a call to our client too while you do that.”

She then went inside her office to get her stuff. She checked her phone and saw some missed calls from Jiyong. She tried to call him a few times but he didn’t answer so she tried to call him again.

At last he answered. “Hello Jiyong, I saw your missed calls. I’m sorry I was in a meeting. What is it?”

“Hello. Oh that was nothing. I think I made a mistake.”

Dara was confused. “Where are you?”

“I’m still at the office. I had to finish some paperworks.” He lied.

“I see. Have you had your dinner yet?”

“I’ll just eat when I get home. How about you?”

“Seunghyun invited me to a dinner with his staff. They’re tired so he wanted to treat them with me. Do you want me to come bring you dinner there instead? We’ll just eat together.” She was hoping he’d say yes.

“Oh not needed. Just go to dinner with Seunghyun and his staff. I’ll be okay.”

She was disappointed. “Are you sure? I can bring you any food if you want.” She tried again.

“No, I’ll be fine. Just go to the dinner with Seunghyun.” His voice became firm.

Dara flinched. “Okay. I’ll go then. I’m sorry.”

He hang up the phone without saying goodbye first.

Dara was hurt.

If Dara was disappointed a while ago. Now she was thinking. ‘Why does it feel like he doesn’t want to be with me? Did I do something wrong?’

The whole time she was having dinner with Seunghyun and the staff, she was wondering. Her mind was elsewhere with Jiyong. Even Seunghyun observed that she wasn’t as lively as before.

“Dara, is there something bothering you?” Seunghyun whispered. “I noticed you are not eating much. You aren’t like that. Is there a problem? You can tell me.”

“No, I’m fine.” She smiled but her eyes didn’t have the same expression. “Maybe I’m just tired.”

“Do you want me to bring you home?” Seunghyun offered.

“No, I’ll just drive home. I have my car anyway. I don’t want to leave it at the office.”

“I’ll accompany you to your car then. Good thing this restaurant is just across LGC. Tell me when you would want to go.”

“Can I go now?”

He nodded. “Come on.”

Seunghyun instructed the manager of the restaurant to let his staff eat whatever they want and just bill him afterwards. He and Dara went back to LGC to get their cars. She didn’t want to ride back to her apartment in Seunghyun’s car so he told her that he will just tail her until they arrive at her apartment building then he will go home too.

Dara didn’t disagree with him anymore so as not to make Seunghyun feel bad. It wasn’t his fault anyway and he has always been very good to him.

When she entered the parking lot of her apartment building, Seunghyun had followed her till they stopped at her parking space. Both of them got out of their cars then he went near her to say goodbye before he leaves.

He held her hand and kissed it. “Dara, even though you don’t say it but I know that something was bothering you back then at the restaurant. I don’t know what it is but you could tell me if you want. I’m just here. You know that right?”

She nodded. “I’m sorry if it bothered you. I never meant to destroy your evening. I’m really sorry.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s okay. It doesn’t matter. What is important for me is how you feel. Before we went out to eat, you were okay. When you went out from your office to get your stuff, that’s when I saw your mood changed. Something happened while you were inside your office. Do you want to tell me what it is?”

Dara sighed. “I’m having a hard time figuring out something. One time I think everything’s fine then the next time it’s not. I’m so confused. I don’t know if I just misunderstood things. I guess what I thought was the right thing isn’t really what it is. I’m starting to think I was wrong all this time. That what I understood isn’t really what I think it is. I don’t know if I’m still doing it right or I should stop.”

He held her chin and caressed it with his thumb. “Think about it, maybe even twice. Try to do again what you think is better. Then if you think it’s not going somewhere else, then it’s time to give up. Maybe that isn’t really for you to have. But don’t worry because something better will always be there.”

“You think so?”

“Of course! You are a good person Dara. You are the best I’ve ever known. You are on top at what you do. Don’t forget about that.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

He cupped her cheek. “I love you so much. You know that right?”

She smiled shyly.

Seunghyun placed her head in his chest near his heart and held her. “I know I’m not the only one pursuing you. I know Jiyong is there too. You and him have a great history that I can’t compete with. But I will do my best to win your heart this time. I may not compete with your past but I will compete to be your future.”

Unknown to them, an old man is smiling while observing them inside his car. He signalled his driver for them to leave the area. He took his phone and dialed. The call was answered after five rings. “Soo Man Lee.”

“Tae Won Choi?” Chairman Lee answered.

“My friend, let’s celebrate! We’re going to be a family.”

...

A week has passed and Jiyong hasn’t contacted Dara at all. Dara was confused and at the same time worried but she never said it to anyone. She tried to call him several times but he wasn’t answering.

Bom hasn’t seen Jiyong visit Dara at her office as well. She thought about what she said to him the last time they met. “Did I make a mistake of telling him what to do?” She said to herself.