“This is an international organization approved and promoted by the government, so rest assured that your money will not be wasted. 5000 won per month, Ji, and you’ll be able to help feed numbers of children. It’s for a good cause, you should try it.”

Dara tried to convince Jiyong while they walk towards the mall exit.  Yes, people of the entire humanity.. the almighty queen of equality and justice is on the loose again.

“You really don’t run out of ideas to pester me, do you?” Jiyong rolled his eyes, the grocery bags dangling from his hands.

“Hey—“

“Hey, careful” Dara was cut off midsentence when Jiyong swiftly tugged at her elbow before she hit the wooden post in front of them. “Watch where you’re going.”

The mall they frequently go to for grocery shopping is currently under renovation. Wooden posts are here and there. Even the ceiling above them is exposed.

“So what happened last last night?” Jiyong inquired as they walked along the parking lot. Dara’s brows furrowed. He was avoiding meeting her eyes.

“What about last last night?” Dara asked back instead of giving him an answer.

“You left the bar earlier. Where did you go after that?” Jiyong is still not meeting her eyes. She shrugged her shoulders at him.

“I…I got drunk because of that damn tequila. I didn’t know it was that hard. So I went home earlier much to Bom’s protests. Good thing Seunghyun was also there. He took me, he’s really sweet.” Dara smiled sweetly as she remembered Seunghyun taking care of her that night.

She looked at Jiyong and saw a dark expression plastered on his face. He walked faster, leaving Dara behind.

“Hey, why are you so grumpy all of sud—“ Dara stopped when her eyes darted up to the ceiling hanging just above Jiyong’s head. Her eyes widened when the undone ceiling is about to fall off.

“Jiyong!” she yelled when she finally found her voice back and her body instinctively moved to its own accord.

Everything happened fast. He was just walking, annoyed and irritated at Dara because of her freakin’ short story of how sweet that Seunghyun is. Afterwards, he heard Dara shouted her name out of the blue. The next thing he knew, a body pushed him and he felt something fell from above.

Then he was on the ground… and Dara was lying beside him. Unconscious with blood dripping from her forehead. He immediately sat up then removed the wood from the ceiling that covered Dara’s tiny body.

Jiyong was so sure, right at that exact moment, his heart froze and stopped beating.

--

“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?” Dara flinched as Jiyong shouted madly at her once again. She gaped looked at him in disbelief.

“Me? Well, saving your life as I remembered.” She retorted, obviously annoyed at Jiyong’s behavior.

God, what is his problem? She just saved him and this is she gets as a payback? A simple ‘thank you’ would have been more appropriate. But no, the moment she opened her eyes until the pain killers the doctor gave her finally wear off, Jiyong’s loud voice and ranting welcomed her. He looks like he just got back from hell.

She was still lying on the hospital bed and here he was, hovering above her like some almighty god.

“Did I ask you to save me?” he spat then glared so hard at her that Dara swear she can almost feel her skin melting.

Dara stared at him squarely. Her hands gripped on the bed sheets tightly as her blood rises on her body.

“Well, I’m sorry. I deeply apologize for being so stupid and not stopping my body to move on its own just to prevent that damn wood from falling on you!”

“You really are stupid! You’re the most stupid person I’ve ever met!”

Her last strand of patience finally snapped. That’s it! Dara had enough. She would not put up with this. Definitely not! Who does he think he is, huh?

“Fine!” she spat. “You know what? I’ve had enough of this! Can you please, just leave me alo—“

“Don’t do this again.” Dara was startled when Jiyong suddenly gripped her on the shoulders. His eyes looked deadly serious.

“What—“

“Promise me you won’t do this stupid thing again.”

“What are you saying…?”

“Don’t let yourself get hurt because of other people. Don’t do this again, you understand?” Jiyong was gripping her shoulders a little too tight. His tone was threatening like he’s saying, ‘Disobey me and you’ll be sorry’.

Once again, his words never failed to irritate Dara. One of the things she hates the most and can’t tolerate in this world is someone domineering over her and acting like he has the power to control her. She is not a puppet and she most definitely not ‘his’ puppet.

“Who do you think you are, huh? Acting like a boss telling me what I should do. Nobody tells me what to do! If I want to save a stray cat from being run down in the street, I will even if I get myself hurt.” Dara yelled angrily as she freed herself from his grasp. “Don’t you ever dictate me, Jiyong! No one has the right to do that.”

They glared at each other, wanting the other to back down. Jiyong’s jaw tightened and it didn’t escape Dara’s eyes. She knows he is mad but she could not care less.

‘Freaking dictator! Womanizer! Chauvinist! Capitalist!’ Dara inwardly screamed.

‘Stupid! Stubborn! Annoying! Naive!’ Jiyong yelled inside his mind.  

Jiyong ran a course of his fingers on his hair. Then glared at Dara some more before angrily stepping out the room.

--

Jiyong’s not even ten steps away from Dara’s room when he suddenly stopped on his tracks.

His right hand found his forehead then rub it. Damn, he was still shivering out of mixed anger, annoyance, relief and frustration. Jiyong sighed then sat on the chair bench beside him.

, he was still shivering. What in the world is happening to him?

It feels so foreign. This kind of feeling… he rarely feels it. It has only been three times that he felt it. Those two times that his father was rushed to the hospital and earlier when he saw Sandara lying on the floor unconscious with blood on her head.

. Jiyong ran his fingers again on his hair. Whenever he would remember the scene earlier, it feels like bile rises on his stomach. Damn, that really scared the hell out of him.

Even though the doctor informed him that Dara’s injury is not serious, just remembering how she looked unconscious and bleeding…

“, this is not good…” he muttered to himself. A part of his brain is slowly coming into realization of what Dara is to him. “Definitely not good…” he hissed.

--

Jiyong kicked the door of the hotel room closed and proceeded kissing Ahn Sohee.

“Jiyong…” she moaned as she started to his polo and undress him.

Jiyong opened his eyes and looked at Sohee. He pushed her to the bed and went on top of her. He slid his hand inside her blouse and tugged it up to reveal her milky white skin.

Just like of Dara’s.

He and bit Sohee’s flat stomach until he saw it redden. He unconsciously toushed the skin he just marked. If he would Dara’s skin like that, would it also look like this?

Jiyong continued to kiss her up to her chest. Sohee’s s were ample just the way he wanted. He never liked women with small s like Dara. Dara’s s were too small for him and her legs are shorter compared to the girl before him.

He also likes girls with hair color, Dara’s hair was raven black. Jiyong also much preferred women with thin lips and Dara’s lips were full. He likes voluptuous, but Dara’s curves are too unnoticeable. She looked more like a child. Petite, small s, big mouth…

‘She’s demanding, she’s stubborn, she’s nosy, she’s annoyingly straight-laced, she’s—she’s… she’s Sandara… .’

He closed his eyes and abruptly stopped what he’s doing. He sat up and inhaled deeply.

Damn it. He gritted his teeth as Dara’s face flashed inside his mind again. Sandara, Sandara, Sandara…

“What’s wrong, Jiyong?” he heard Sohee whispered as she s her arms around his torso from the back then started giving him kisses on his shoulder. Her hands went down his pants and touched him.

Jiyong tried to put his attention back to what Sohee is doing and let himself be drowned with the sensation he should be feeling. But much to his own disappointment, all he could think of at that moment was that Dara would probably never touch or kiss him like this. Jiyong then bursts out in sarcastic chuckle because of his foolishness.

“Sohee, I’m sorry I can’t do this…” He shook his head and opened his eyes. He removed her hands from his body and stood up to pick up his discarded clothes and dress up.

“W-what do you mean?” she looked at him bewilderedly. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Yeah, that is my biggest question also. Jiyong smiled sarcastically to himself. Though he has an idea of the answer to that dreading question, he chose not to entertain it and feed his self lies. He’d die first before he admits it.

These one whole week that passed without seeing Dara, he felt like his head is going to explode. Wherever his eyes would land, all he can remember is her. When he did his grocery shopping, Dara would always pop in his mind. Whenever he’s reading the newspaper and would see articles about , abandoned children or even employee maltreatment cases, he would always see her and hear her in his mind. Even the can of pineapple juice would affect him and Dara would instantly flash in his mind.

Somehow, one way or another, Sandara would find a way to penetrate the calm electrical waves of his brain.

But no, he would never admit the reason. Definitely not.

He would not admit the reason why whenever he would try to have with other women these past few days, his mind will be invaded by Dara’s comparison and differences from those women… and thus ruining everything. He would stop at the second base because he could not stand the reverberating thoughts of Sandara swirling madly in his head.

No way in hell would he ever admit for the reason behind that.

“I’m really sorry, Sohee. I have to go now,” he said apologetically.

“Wait!”

He stormed out of the room before Sohee can any more protest. He immediately went inside the elevator and rests his forehead on the cold mirror.

What the hell should he do? He didn’t see her these past few days with the thought that he needs to save his self. But ever since that day from the hospital, this whole week has been a pure torture for him.

He heard his phone ring and lazily pulled it out from his pocket. Dara’s father’s name flashed on the screen. Jiyong suddenly felt nervous. It was already past twelve midnight, why would Mr. Park call him at this time of the night?

“Uncle,” he greeted.

“Jiyong, I’m sorry to bother you this late but can you do me a favor? It’s Dara—“

“What happened to Dara, uncle?” he blurted out before he can stop himself, cutting off the old man.

“No, no, it’s not like that. She’s still in the office, probably still working on some unfinished cases. I was just a little worried. It’s late and Dara didn’t bring her car. So if it’s not too much to ask, can you please fetch her, Jiyong?”

“Sure, uncle.” He said calmly. He would never admit but his heart really beats fast upon hearing Mr. Park’s request.

“Thank you, Jiyong. I really appreciate it. I’m not feeling restless anymore knowing that someone is going to be with her. These last days, Dara seems a little tired and week. She has lots of work to do.”

“It’s okay, uncle.”

“Then thank you again, Jiyong.” And Mr. Park was the first to hang up. As soon as the door opened, Jiyong found himself walking fast toward the exit. He felt his blood rushing in his body.

He was going to see her!

Not that he really wants to see her but… since Mr. Park asked him for help, she is now his responsibility. So technically he is not violating rule no. 1, which is to avoid seeing Park Sandara.

Another thing, it’s late and Dara has an injury so as the gentle man that he is, it’s just right to fetch her. It was not like he’s excited to see her or something.

No, definitely not.

--

When Dara is finally finished with her report about a case, she found her mind wandering back to that irritating person who had not been showing himself or even calling her for one week now.

She frowned when she remembered him again. So what if he’s not calling? So what if he’s not showing up? Yeah, for hell she does not care!

Dara stood up from her swivel chair and did some stretching. She stopped abruptly and inhaled deeply.

What is really his problem? As far as she can remember, she did not do anything bad to him to the point of avowing her. She shook her head and leaned on her table. Dara took the cold sandwich that was poorly resting on top of her table. Completely forgotten and untouched. She took a bite then placed it down again.

Strange. This is the first time that every food tastes like rubber for her.

‘Arggh..’ It’s that guy’s fault. Thank to him, now her system is totally upset thinking that she really did something bad to him that caused him to avoid her severely like this.

“Did I really do something wrong to upset him?”

Though it has only been a short amount of time that she knew Jiyong, she confident enough that he’s not the type to get upset and get angry without any reason. If anything, he was the most rational person she had ever met. He was very business-like, he always has reasons for everything he does. So she’s sure that there is a reason why he’s mad at her. But what is it?

She sighed for the thousandth time today. If he’s upset just because she saved him and ‘causing a little injury on her part then it was really such a petty reason to completely ignore her like this. He’s just too much and it’s frustrating her.

But should she just contact him first and apologize to him?

Her phone went ringing ‘causing to jump a bit. It was already past twelve and as far as she can remember, there is only one person she knows who is so inhuman to call her at this wee hour and annoy her to death. She quickly fish out her phone and answer it.

“Yes?” she greeted. There was excitement in her voice.

“Hey, it’s me, Chaerin.”

“Oh…Chaerin.” Disappointed was laced on her tone.  Dara talked to Chaerin for a few minutes about the last details about their high school small gathering tomorrow night. She heard a soft knock on the door, Dara bid good bye to Chaerin and ended their conversation. She walked towards the door and opened it.

“Dara, you’re done there? You can go now to the function room, we’re starting the packing there,” Seunghyun told her. She sighed and lightly nodded her head.

“I’m done. Come on, let’s go.” Dara lazily said and went out of her office.

Why is she so disappointed? It’s official, Kwon Jiyong made her go insane.

--

A/N: Hello! Sorry for the super late update. I hope you enjoyed reading this. Uhhh, this fic will only have a couple of chaps, probably 10+ epilogue. So I guess we are nearing the end. Hit the subscribe and vote button to support Love Pact! Thank you!