It was already four in the morning . . .

Ela had already tossed and turned in her bed for more than thirty times. She suddenly sighed. No matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't sleep. She carefully got out of bed, and quietly changed her night gown into a short evening dress.

"Unni . . . where are you going?" Iqah asked while keeping her voice down. She didn't want to wake up Nab and Daniaa.

"I can't sleep. I'll just go downstairs and grab a drink . . ." Ela replied.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Iqah asked.

"No, It's okay. Just go back to sleep. I won't stay out too long anyway. Just rest," Ela said with a smile.

"Unni . . . something's bothering you . . .I can tell. Do you want to talk about it?" IWah asked with concern.

Ela smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll be all right. A little drink will surely clear up my head."

Iqah stared at Ela. She wanted to say something, but she just decided to keep it to herself.

"Go back to sleep Iqah," Ela said again.

"Be careful, Okay . . . Unni. Are you sure you would be okay . . . alone?" Iqah asked again as if really making sure.

"I'll go now," Ela said as she carefully left the room.

Iqah just silently watched as her friend left. She knew exactly what was bothering her friend. She wanted to help her. But she also knew that Ela was the only one who could actually decide and solve her own problem. She knew she needed some time alone to think.

Iqah closed her eyes. She silently prayed that her Unni will find the answer to her problem.

Ela went down to the bar downstairs. She needed a drink. She needed to drown out all her problems . . . her fears and doubts.

As she silently sat down near the bar . . . drinking a glass of red wine.

"Can I join you?" a man's voice suddenly asked.

Ela slowly lifted her gaze, and was surprised to see who was standing in front of her. "Jaejoong? What are you doing here?"

Jaejoong smiled. "We suddenly decided to stay here for a few days. We already told our manager about it, and he easily agreed. He was even the one who booked the room for us."

Ela looked at her glass, while trying to control her emotions. "Why? Why are you guys staying here?"

Jaejoong slowly sat down beside Ela. He then ordered a glass of wine for himself.

"Aren't you guys busy? Why are you suddenly taking a break all of a sudden?" Ela asked after taking a sip from her glass.

Jaejoong took all the content of his drink in one shot. Then he ordered for another one. Somehow he wanted to make himself drunk so he could have the courage to express all the things he wanted to say.

"I never thought you were such a heavy drinker," Ela commented as she watched Jaejoong hold on to the newly refilled glass of wine.

"I don't really drink that much . . . It totally depends on the situation," Jaejoong uttered.

Ela smiled. "Really? Can I ask why are you drinking now? What kind of a situation are you in . . . that you suddenly want to drink?"

Jaejoong took a deep breath. He was trying to build up all his courage to answer Ela's questions.

"Why am I drinking? Frankly . . . the reason is you," he suddenly answered.

Ela suddenly looked at Jaejoong, and their eyes instantly met. She felt an instant connection . . . an explainable feeling that was surging through her entire body. She quickly looked back at the glass in front of her. She totally disliked the fact that she couldn't control the emotions whenever she was around Jaejoong. Even her own emotions were now betraying her.

"You're kidding right? How could I possibly be the reason for your drinking?" she asked.

Jaejoong took a deep breath again. "I'm drinking because . . . I want to have the courage to tell you how I truly feel about you. I've never been good at courting . . . especially when I've only met the girl once. I know it's quite crazy and unbelievable . . . but I think . . . I think I've fallen in love with you," Jaejoong bravely uttered.

"Fallen in love? How can you possibly say that you've fallen in love with me . . . When you just met me a few hours ago? I'm sorry . . . but I really can't believe what you're saying," Ela said as she quickly drank all the remaining contents of her glass.

"Don't you believe in love at first sight?" Jaejoong asked weakly.

"No . . . I don't," Ela immediately replied.

Jaejoong felt his heart was slowly being torn out of his body.

"Why are you being so cruel to me?" Jaejoong asked.

Ela lightly laughed. "cruel? I'm not being cruel. I'm just being realistic. Don't you find it weird that you're actually trying to persuade an older woman to have a date with you?"

Jaejoong seriously stared at Ela. "Is that the problem? You're rejecting me because I'm younger than you?"

Ela took a deep breath. Somehow she couldn't lie anymore. She wanted to at least be true to the real reason why she couldn't accept him.

"Yes . . ." she said with a low voice, as she continued to keep her eyes on the glass that she was holding. She didn't want to look at Jaejoong. She was afraid that he would be able to read what was running through her mind, if she looked at him.

Jaejoong gently touched Ela's hand that was holding the wine glass.

Surprised, she then stared at him. "Why are you doing this?" she weakly asked.

Jaejoong then took Ela's hand away from the glass she was holding, and tightly held it. "I'm doing this because I like you . . . I want you," he answered bravely.

Ela's heart started to pound very hard. "Please . . . let's just stop this. . . before it complicates both our lives," she said while staring deep into his eyes.

"Please . . . give me a chance to prove myself to you. Please don't make our age a big reason for us to deny our feelings. I can see it in your eyes that you feel something for me too. Please let me have a chance to love you," Jaejoong uttered lovingly.

Ela felt like she couldn't breathe. Her mind and her heart were both fighting on what was right and what was wrong.

She then gazed at Jaejoong's hand as it tightly held her hand. She felt the warmth emanating from his hand. It was somehow compforting her. She also felt like their hands were perfectly fitted for one another.

"Let's pretend . . ." she suddenly said as she looked at Jaejoong's face.

"Pretend? What do you mean?" he asked, quite confused.

"Let's pretend . . . even just for a few hours . . . Let's forget our age, our social status, our differences. Let's pretend . . . to be lovers. . . Let's see where our hearts will lead us," she boldly said.

A sweet smile suddenly appeared on Jaejoong's lips. He then nodded. "Yes, let's pretend. I will gladly pretend . . . even if it takes forever . . . just as long as I can have you near me."

Ela smiled. "For the next few hours . . . I'm yours and you're mine. Let's make new and wonderful memories that will last us a lifetime."