“I like you Dara” he said in a voice almost inaudible for her to hear. But her ears were very keen at that moment that it almost knocked her over. She clung on his arms and stared on the floor. Jiyong was still hovering above her lips. His forehead was resting on hers.

“What did you say?” she asked in a whisper.

She heard his low, soft chuckle.

“You heard me.” He stared deeply on her eyes as if staring directly to her inner soul.

Dara shook her head, “No I don’t.”

“I’m not saying it again unless it’s necessary Dara” he muttered and held her steady in place. She was still clinging on to him for dear life as she slowly lifted her gaze on him.

“Babo.”

“What?” he can’t help but laugh at her while shaking his head in amusement.

She removed her hands on his arms and managed to stand by herself. “I hate you.” She mumbled. Dara turned around to go but he stopped her by holding her wrist.

“Wait,” he said and she turned around to face him. Jiyong pecked her lips and tapped it with his index finger while grinning. Then he announced, “This is mine.”

She could only stare at him. “Jiyong …”

“Mine Dara, mine; remember that” he smiled at her and patted her head. “Good night Darong.”

She nodded, “Good night too Jiyong.” Then she went out of his study.

D A R A’s POV

*SQUEALS* Kyaaaahhhhhhhh!!! Oh my freaking gooooossshh. GAAAAH! *insert my super duper mega ultra spazz* what is air anyone?! He freaking kissed me …. AGAIN! Oh gaad! Oh lord!

What will I do to you KWON JIYONG?! I asked him to kiss me and he freaking do it. Oh my gosh! Can I be any luckier? FTW Sandara Park! And did I hear him right? Did he really say HE LIKES ME?! Oh em, I hope I really heard the right thing coz if not, I might go and move on with my unrequited love for him.

Let’s clear things out; he likes me and his liking for me will develop, if my calculation is right. Then he will confess his love to me, he will become my boyfriend, then he will propose to me and pops the question, then we will get married, we will have our beautiful and handsome children and yes, I’m exaggerating.

My phone suddenly vibrated on my bed and when I open the message, it’s from no other than Mr. Kwon Jiyong. Yes honey, he texted me even though we are on the same house. He wrote:

“Good night Dara ;)”

*blink, blink* Did he just sent a message with a wink smiley at the end? Kkkkk~ Let me reply.

“Good night too Mr. Kwon :p”

After I hit send and before I could place my phone on my bedside table, it vibrated again.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me ‘Mr. Kwon’?”

Pssh. “Grumpy”, I reply him. Who cares?

I hold my phone and wait for his reply but it never came. However, I receive a knock on the door that startled me a little. I jump from my bed and open it, and then there came a view of perfect handsomeness. Lo and behold peasants because mighty Jiyong is here in front of me with his pajama on. aaay~

“Hi” there comes my froggy voice. Croak.

He smirks and it took my entire will power not to blush. “I’m inviting you for a coffee right now at the veranda. Come” he announces and instantly gets hold of my hand not even asking if its okay for me or not but hell yeah, it’s perfectly fine for me.

He is half-dragging, half-walking me while squeezing my hand once in a while. When we reach the area, there are two cups of coffee already. Did he make this? Hmm, I am excited to taste his effort. He sits on the chair and ushers me to sit beside him. We are facing the night in front of us with the sky full of twinkling stars. Jiyong hands me the cup and after muttering a ‘thank you’ I sip it carefully.

“Dara, please stop calling me ‘Mr. Kwon’; I really find it annoying” he says, starting a conversation.

I glance at him and warmed my hand with the heat emitted by the coffee. “I really need to Jiyong especially when I am at your company and in front of my officemates too.”

“That’s right; but you are also calling me ‘Mr. Kwon’ even if we are the only ones talking or when we are in here. That’s my rule Dara and you should at least follow it.”

“But it depends on the situation alright?”

“Fine, let me rephrase it again: Stop calling me ‘Mr. Kwon’ when you are out of my company and call me by my name instead. Is that okay now?” he glances at me and waits for my short answer.

“Yes Jiyong, it’s okay now.” I nod and smile at him.

He sips his coffee and turned to look at me again, “By any chance, did you receive an invitation about a 2-day seminar?”

“Yes and that’s what the invitation I was giving to my classmate who was doing her OJT in Lee Company. The two of us are the representative of our school.” I reply and when he heard the name ‘Lee Company’ he immediately grimaces.

“Did you already check your schedule for the two days seminar?” he asks me.

“Hmm, Jiyong you do know that I have only two lives: one is my school life and two is my Jihyun life.” I raise two fingers up.

“That should be three” he says.

“Three? And what would that be?”

“Jiyong life” he grins at me.

What the ! Good bye sanity. He’s so corny!

“That sums up my crazy life” I nod and chuckle.

He let out a laugh.

“I assume you do receive an invitation, too right?” I ask and he nods.

Jiyong put aside his cup and replies, “I receive it this morning but I will not come.”

“Why won’t you?”

“Because my company is more important than that event.”

Yeah, I should have known control freak. Meh.

“Are you done with your coffee?”

“Yeah” I answer and he grabs my cup then put it beside his cup.

“You should go back to your room Dara” he starts to stand up from his seat.

“Of course but I won’t sleep until I’m done with my homework” I stand up as well and wait for him to start walking. I carry the tray with the cups and he looks at me as if I’ve done something wrong again.

“You didn’t tell me that you have some work to finish and you just acquiesced to my request. Babo Dara” he mutters and shakes his head.

Like duh Jiyong. “I was about to say no but I remember that you won’t accept ‘no’ as an answer and besides you already hold my hand and pulled me with you. Say, how could I say no?”

He laughs softly. “Right” he agrees when he realizes what he did. “Want me to help you with your work then?”

What’s up with this guy? He’s so nice and sweet and … corny all of a sudden.

“No thanks”

“I insist” he holds my hand again as he removes the tray from my grip and holds it instead.

“Fine” and up we go to his study.

___

The day of the seminar came. Dara was on her casual attire – knee length skirt and blouse. Jiyong insisted on driving her at least in the university and of course, she can only agree.

They are already inside the car and on their way to his sister’s school. Little Jihyun was playing with her new toy that her brother bought last night while the two other people are caught up with their own little bubble.

“Unnie, am I not going to see you for two days?” Jihyun asked while looking up at her with her sad eyes.

Dara reached out for her head and patted it. “Yes baby; unnie will be gone for a very short while but I will be back tomorrow night.”

“I’m going to miss you unnie.”

“Aww, I too honey. Dara unnie will miss you more too” Dara unfastened her belt and pulled the little girl for a hug. “Be a good girl when unnie’s away okay? And don’t run around the mansion because ahjumma can’t come after you, neh?”

Jihyun nodded. “Yes unnie, I’ll be a very good girl when you’ll be away. I promise!” She held out her pinky finger at her.

Dara entwined it with hers and smiled widely. “That’s my girl.”

Jiyong was watching them once in a while through his rearview mirror and he couldn’t help but smile. They reached her school and they both went out to meet her teacher by the gates. Dara pecked her cheeks and brushed her hair before saying, “Unnie will be back soon neh and please be a good girl honey alright? I love you.”

Little Kwon smiled cheekily while nodding. “Yes unnie and I love you too with sprinkles on top.” They both laughed and Jihyun waved at his brother inside, the latter did the same and gave her a flying kiss.

When she went back inside the car he smiled at her all of a sudden.

“What?” she asked as she fastened her belt.

He shrugged and drove off away from Jihyun’s school. “You look like her mother.”

“Huh? Ah!” she nodded, “Maybe it’s because we really look like each other or maybe I just have this motherly instinct hidden inside me?” Dara shrugged and laughed.

“Maybe yes, maybe no” was his only reply and he focused on the road already.

They reach the university in ten minutes drive with Jiyong zooming on a short cut. Dara got out of the passenger seat and Jiyong got out too. She grabbed her bag from the back seat and slung it to her arm.

Mrs. Song informed them that they will meet in the teacher’s faculty room; Dara assumed that Minhee is there already.

She turned to Jiyong. “Thank you for the drive Jiyong.” She smiled at him gratefully. The man nodded.

“I’ll just leave you here and drive safely” Dara bowed and started to walk off.

“Hey” he called out that made her looked back at him. “No goodbye kiss?”

Swear the paper bag Dara was holding almost fell out of her grip. She blinked once, twice but the guy still stood there waiting for her to give him a goodbye kiss that he asked. She shook her head and headed towards him again and pecked her cheeks. “There, goodbye kiss.”

Jiyong grinned and when he saw from his peripheral view the group of guys back from the stadium with the childish looking boy leading the walk, he pulled Dara close to him that made her eyes widened and kissed her. He saw them ceased in walking and he smirked inwardly.

“Take care Darong and remember you’re mine” he announced and smiled at her.

Dara nodded, “Same to you Jiyong.” Right after she said those words, Jiyong chuckled.

“What? Did I say anything wrong?”

“Nope, but you just said that I’m yours” he said.

“Huh? I didn’t alright!” Dara huffed and walked towards the faculty room.

Jiyong shook his head and before he went inside his car, he stared at the group of guys who were still rooted on their spot; he smirked and proceeded inside his car and drove off.

___

The seminar was held in Gwangju, one of the biggest cities in South Korea. All the invited guests, delegates were accommodated in Holiday Inn and also the said seminar is conducted there too. The first day of Dara and company was good; it was full of new learning, meeting new people, and also meeting some big bosses of the company. It was only Jiyong who’s missing on the line.

The host made a roll call of the invited people and she didn’t wonder why the host didn’t mention or call the name of Jiyong, maybe he already informed the organizers or something. Dara also saw the CEO of Lee Communication Company, Mr. Lee Dong Wook and she tried her best to avoid him or act as though she didn’t see him there.

The first day of the seminar ended well and they all di