The next few days were really good- lots of family dinners, shopping, girl talks and real family talks. Siwon’s mum and dad asked me about Arata. it was a difficult conversation, but I had to tell everyone the truth. Arata was a man who saved me during my difficult times. He was my guardian angel. We spoke about SImple WONders and the works we were doing. It was very special to discuss some business matters with everyone. Suddenly Mr. Choi dropped a bomb, “ I wish Dara, you would work with Siwon on Neon Lights again. I’d like that.” Whao!

“ Dad…. Dara has her business in Dubai and it is doing really well. Besides I have my work too. I can’t leave my partner like that.”

“ I understand Siwon. its just an old man rumbling. Don’t bother.”

The subject was changed, however, the comment he mentioned still lingered within me.

It was the day before our departure date. I wanted to pack up all the stiff. It feels like we bought out entire Seoul’s shopping malls. Siwon and me got busy with stuff out suitcases. We were 20 kilos over the prescribed airline luggage limit. Yes we were flying business, but we were still over weight with our luggage. We did not know what to leave and what to carry. All thanks to my future parents in law who thought that we were starving in Dubai and the country did not have any Korean food.

After almost pushing everything into our bags, Siwon went for a run and I decided to just relax around. “ Dara…”  heard Siwon’s mother at our door.

“ Yes mama, please come in.” I invited her in.

“ Are you all packed? I just came to check up. When is your flight again?”

“ Our flight is at 2.00am. Such an odd hour. Hopefully they wont charge us extra fro our over weight luggage.”

“ Ill ask Siwon’s dad to talk to the airport officials. Im sure he will know someone.” She said.

After a few minutes or so she took my hand in hers, “ we will miss you. We will miss Sasi. I don’t really bother about Siwon, because I know he is better hands than me.” she said and laughed.

“ We will miss you too. I don’t know what to say…this trip has been such an awakening one. If there is anything I have done or said wrong, please forgive me.” I said.

“ Oh darling, you have just brought happiness to us. And Sasi…she is just amazing. I don’t know where Sasi gets her energy from. She is always jumping.” She laughs.

“ You have no idea how I deal with her. Eating is a major problem, but Siown takes care.” I confirm.

“ So Dara, has…umm…..if you don’t mind,……”

“ What is it Mama?”

“ Has Siown not asked you to marry him yet?” I was a bit surprised by the question. Honestly both of us have not really thought about this at all. We decided to live in the moment because we just want each other.

“ No mama, he has not. But this is mutual. I mean we have not really thought about it. We have missed so much we just want to take things as it comes.”

“ Sure darling…what ever you both think is right. But you are our daughter in law. You are a Choi woman. Don’t forge that.” That was a confirmation of a fact than a statement.

“ Yes ma’me.” I said.

“ Where is Siwon’s dad?” I asked.

“ He is taking his walk.”

“ Oh, really? I thought this was news hour. Does he not see the news?”

“ He does not really….after what happened to the company, he does not really watch it. He cant really watch the shares fluctuating so much.” she said. I bow my head down. It is my fault.

“ I’m sorry.” I whisper.

“ No darling…it just happened. So don’t apologize.” I just nod…

“ God it was stuffy toooodaaaayyyy oookkkeeeyyy……am I interrupting something?” Siwon sentence was in a sing song way.

“ Dear lord Siwon you will just not leave us alone. I try to talk to her, and you are right behind!” his mother scolds him.

“ Well, ma, she is tied to me. Cant deny that, besides you ladies had more than a week and you have still things to talk about?” He asks. His mother just shakes her head and leaves. I sit there with my eyes wandering anywhere and everywhere.

“ What happened? Did my mum say something?” Siown asks. When I look at Siown he is kneeling on the floor in front of me.

“ No…we were just talking about our departure and you dad. Your dad does not watch the news and she told me why. I just felt bad.”

“ Hey hey…don’t feel that way… things will fall into place. I spoke to the CEO and he seems to be having a few idea up his sleeves. So things will get better soon.”

“ Are you not angry with me Siwon? I do have a part to play in all this.”

“ Yes you do and so do i. if i am angry with you, then I will be angry with myself too and let me tell you, I was but you were the one who made me forgive myself and move on.” how can one person love me so much. this is way beyond what I could think of.

“ I love you.” I whispered. He kissed me.

“ Now go have a shower. You stink.” I said and he got up on his feet.

“ Why? i thought you liked me sweaty and hot.” And he slowly peeled his shirt over his head and stood with his half body where his rippling abs were coated with shining sweat and his collar bone deliciously standing out.

“ I hate you.” I said. He slowly tugged his thumbs inside the elastic of his shorts.

Siwon just laughed. “ Stop whatever you are doing and go shower.” I said and turned the other side.

Still laughing he went to shower. Crazy fellow can get without even touching me!

After I showered, I went back into the room and noticed Dara standing by the window overlooking out back yard filled with flowers and grass. I gave her a back hug and I could feel her body so tense and rigid. Her mind was brewing something. I trailed soft kisses down her neck to her collar bone with the intension of relaxing her.

“ Baby…im…..bleeding.” she said. I gave out a laugh.

“ I did kiss you to get laid, but to relax you. You seem very tensed, I can feel it.” I whispered into her ears. She turned around to look at me.

“ Will you miss it here?” she asked .

“ Dara, as long as we are together, I will not miss any place.”

“ And Siwon I love you for that. But this is your home town and your parents place.” I looked at her trying to understand where this is coming from.

“ What is it?” I asked her.

“ Its just…I feel I’m taking you away from everything that blongs to you to a place new to you just for me.”

“ Dara I chose you and you my future. I always go for my future. That is the smartest thing to do.”

“ Choi Industries seem to be doing….. not so well without you.”

“ As I said the CEO is well experienced and he knows what he is doing. Of course, due to competition, he is having hard time but that is why we are paying his the big bucks.”

“ Neon Lights…”

“ Dara, Dara Look at me.” I shook her holding her arms. She looked up. “ What ever happened has happened and nothing can done about it. It is the past and now we have to concentrate on the future. Our future is in Dubai. If this is all about something my dad said a few days back, then just drop it. It’s the past and we need to look at the future and plan for it.” I kissed her and she kissed me back. She relaxes in my arms and not completely. I know it.

The next day we were pretty busy packing and my mother bough us some more stuff and Dara was fighting hard with the suitcases. It was funny to watch her and she even went to the extent of scolding me and my mother- as a tease of course. That day we went out for a lunch and we had a relaxed evening. 2am was our flight back to Dubai.

“ Here you go…Sasi come on have your favorite strawberries.” My mother served us tea and fruits.

“ So all set?” my mother asked me

“ Yup, I think so….. I don’t know how much we are going to pay in the airport.” I showed my concern. Dara was lost in her thoughts. May be she is thinking the same hassle we may meet in the airport?

“ Don’t worry. I don’t think Choi Industries’ charter plane flies that far, you know up to Dubai.” My mother said.

“ Its fine mum. We can handle it, cant we Dara?” I said and brought back Dara to reality.

“ Huh? What?”

“ What happened sweety? Is everything ok?”

“ Yeah….sorry….its just…im fine. Its alright.” She takes a strawberry and eats it. By this time, Sasi has gobbled half of the bowl.

“ If you have space in your suitcase let me give you…

“ NO!” Dara and me said simultaneously. My mother looked at us with wide eyes.

“ Fine! jeez!” she exclaimed.

We continued with out small talk and Dara withdrawn again. Travel cannot hold her back this much. What is brewing in her mind? Even though my dad was talking to me, I could not take my eyes of Dara and that troubled face of her’s.

Suddenly she looked up and said, “ Sir, will you let me work on Neon Lights again?”

WHAT?! Woah! Hold it! Did Dara just say, she wants to work on Neon Lights? What is this?

“ Dara?” I questioned her.

“ Siwon sorry, I know I should have spoken to you about this earlier, but I don’t know. I just feel it’s the right thing to do and I really hope you will support me on this, because without you I cannot do it.”

“ Dara look, I will support you in anything you do. Even if you want me to go to hell to get the devil’s spike because it goes with your fashion concept I would go. But this is ridiculous.”

“ Why? I know Neon Lights and no offence its really in a bad shape. I need to fix this. We need to fix this.”

“ Why are you doing this? I told you, Neon Lights is past. SImple WONders is your future- our future Dara.”

“ Don’t say that Siwon, how can I just leave Neon Lights to die off like that when I see it gasping for its last breath? Just like SImple WONders I put in my energy for Neon Lights. Besides you know how significant it is. Neon Lights is not past Siwon, we need to do something.”

“ Are you doing this because you feel guilty? If that’s the reason, then it’s a stupid one.”

“ I’m not going to deny that I feel guilty, but that’s not entirely true. I mean yes, If I had just not left it abruptly the brand would have been number one. But I did. That’s an issue, then Neon Lights means a lot to me. We did so much. Remember the things we did together for the company.”

“ That is the most silliest thing I have ever heard. Dad say something. Please don’t let her do this.”

We both waited for a few minutes as my dad thought and then spoke, “ Siwon, I’m am as shocked as you are. I know I said something like this to her a few days back, but if that’s the reason she has taken such a decision, then I’m truly sorry to both of you. But its your decision Siwon and Dara. I mean, I don’t go to the place anymore and I just believe what my board says. So it is something you both have to speak and decide.” My dad stayed neutral.

“ Siwon, please…lets od this together. I need you with on this. We are an incredible team. Please.”

“ Dara then what about SImple WONders? Are you willing to leave Dubai and all that and come back here? its like moving backwards Dara.”

“ No Siwon its not…it’s like picking up where we left off. It’s like breathing life, its doing things right. SImple WONders is also important for me. I mean I built it. But I have a good leader and she is doing absolutely well without me.”

“ I don’t know Dara.” I ran my hands through my hair. I don’t know what she is doing.

“ Please Siwon… its my chance to make things right.”

“ See…that’s exactly what I’m saying. Don’t do this because you want to right your wrong, because you never made a mistake in the first place. Do this because you want to help the company or something. But I would not allow that either.”

“ Ok fine, im not doing this because I want to right my wrong, but I’m doing this because Neon Lights is important to me.” she looked needy. She stood up and then firmly looked at me and said, “ I don’t know how to make you understand but this is what I want Siwon.” The last statement she said was so determined that told me she would go any lengths to do this.

I am not against Dara’s idea but all I want is that she should not be doing this because she feels guilty for the state of the company. I mean yes, things have fallen apart after she left, but that was not her fault. The reasons are different and she should not feel the gut and take the burden. But when she said the last statement, I decided to team up with Dara.

I stood up and meet her eyes, “ alright then, guess Neon Lights is getting its Creative Head and CEO back.” I said and the sparkle she had on her face is unbelievable. She hugged me tight.

“ Will you be moving here? To Seoul?” my mother asked with shyness in her voice. In a matter of a few minutes we went from going to Dubai to coming back to Seoul to work on a project- life changing!

“ I guess” Dara turned around to my mum and said.

“ Wow… this is all just….wow.” my mother whispered.

“ Mom, you have no idea how many time she makes me say this. Dara is just full of it…my Dara is…” I resisted the urge to kiss her in front of my parents.

“ Dara, again, I know you have made your decisions, but I am asking you, do you really want to do this? Is this what you want?”

Dara sat next to my mother and held her hand, “ yes mama… I’m doing this not because I feel like a reason to let you down, but I want to do this. This company has so much potential and we need to make use of this. After seeing all this, you think I can work better in Dubai? Or even Siwon for that matter? No. Both of us cant. But Neon Lights is something very special to me-to us. And I can’t see it dying. I need to do this. I hope you will give us your blessings.”

My mother caressed her face and said, “ We are so lucky to have you. You will always have our blessings.”

SImple WONders: 10.00 am Dubai

“ So you feeling ok….after all that you saw and heard?” I asked Dara. She looked different and very fresh. She told me everything in detail form day one she arrived in Seoul. I saw her expression change from shocked to stunned to happy to sad and various other expressions I cant put my fingers on.

“ I’m doing really well. I guess this was a much-needed trip. Not all my ghosts were encountered, but I did face my fears and guess I was just simply fearing. There was nothing to be worried about and… and… Nancy, it was great.” Dara smiles widely only a few times, and this open has to go on the books because it was one wide smile.

“ And Nancy, a few decisions were made.”

“ Ok I was expecting.” I knew she would have something for me. But what is the worst that could happen?

“ We as in Siwon’s parents and us…we spoke about Choi Industries and…..Neon Lights.”

“ okkkkaaaayyyy….”

“ And Nancy, its doing really bad. I mean it’s headed by their Chief Commercial Officer. He is turning everything commercial there. Its just all money and no fashion. The essence is not there and it is definitely seen.” Wow. That is bad. I have seen how hard Dara worked on this damn company. I mean because of this company we got to meet. I still remember my first phone call with her. She seemed to be so genuinely interested I fashion and not just fort he money part of it.

“ Really? That’s a shame! Did you offer your help to Neon Lights?” I asked her and her reaction made me laugh. She was all wide eyes that her eyeballs could pop out and literally open.

“ What?”

“ Well Dara, I’ve seen you work your off for that company and god damn it you got Rosa to get out from his shell. I mean that’s an achievement right there and to see all that slowly go down the drain is painful. So you should have offered your help or something. You did right?”

Dara fell back on her chair and started laughing- like really laughing.

“ What” I asked her.

“ Oh god Nancy I really love you!”

“ okay..i love you too and stop laughing like that. Its scaring me!”

“ Ok alright.” She calmed down “ well a decision was made…or rather I made the decision. I could not see Neon Lights slowly dying so I decided to return as their Creative Head an Siwon as CEO.” Woah! That’s one heck of a decision.

“ So Nancy, we are friends, but this is business and we need to do things like that. We have a share of 50-50, now, I would like to give my shares to you and make you the sole proprietor of SImple WONders. You will from on own this company.”

“ Wait hold up! You can’t do that. Besides have you decided that you will move to Seoul forever? I mean no coming back to Dubai?”

“ I don’t know Nancy. I really don’t know what the future holds for me and honestly I don’t plan on thinking about it. But as for now, I will be moving to Seoul to get Neon Lights on its feet and I would like you to look after SImple WONders. I trust you on this.”

“ Dara, you don’t have to tell me look after it, I mean its my baby too….but this whole moving part is very….sudden.”

“ I know and I’m sorry for just bombarding all this….but hope you understand. Neon Light is as important as SImple WONders. Its very special to me and I cant just see it die. SImple WONders has you and I know, no matter what I know things will be perfect. Trust me on this Nancy.” Dara has made her decision and its again on her profession. I’m sure she knows what she is doing. Besides she has Siwon, her strongest power beside her. I can sleep without fear.

“  One week I leave you and you come back and tell me one heck of a choice you’ve made. Fine,…if that’s what you want. But im not letting you give all your shares to me. lets do 30-70, because I want a part of this company to be yours too!” Dara smiles and then nods her agreement.

“ What about Siwon? Has he told Ethan?” I ask her

“ He will talking to him today.” Dara gets up from her chair and walks to the window that looks towards Downtown Dubai, “ I will miss this.” She whispers. I go to her and hold her hand. “ we will miss you too… but I think Neon Lights missed you a lot more.” I said and she hugged me.

wow, I’m really going to miss my friend.

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Help me, Support me!

I Will... to any extent.

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Hey everyone!

Here is an update for you.

Dara has finally decided to retun to Neon Lights.

What do you think about that?

Will her past ghost haunt her?

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To Be

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Continued