Today has got to be Dara’s best day in years. She can’t stop smiling like an idiot. She is standing in the middle of the crowd in the elevator and she’s still hiding her smile and feeling unburdened by the people who are pushing her. She doesn’t usually take a full elevator but today is an exception.

She can’t erase Chaerin’s face in her head. She can’t stop repeating what’s happened between them since last night. She can’t believe she finally finds happiness again and she can’t believe the happiness comes from a girl she thought she’d never fall for. And she knows it is very risky and ridiculous to date a nineteen years old girl but for the first time in her life, she doesn’t give a because she likes Chaerin more than she thought she does.

“Good afternoon, Miss Sandara, Harold is looking for you. He has called three times and asked you to go to his office once you’re here.” Dara’s secretary said with an ipad on her hand filled with her schedules and appointments.

Dara frowned, wondering what it might be. Harold doesn’t usually ask to meet her in the morning. It’s very rare but she doesn’t suspect a thing, she has decided to stay positive today.

She glanced at Chaerin who had already been seated on her seat twenty minutes ago. They went to the office together but as usual, Dara dropped her first at the train station. They both look at each other with secretive smile before Dara finally walked in to her office room.

“Hey, how you doing?” Dara showed up in Harold’s office with a fresh smile. She sat on the seat across his organized desk and crossed her fingers. “What is it that you wanna talk to me about early in the morning?”

Harold just sighed. He put down his newspaper and poured Dara a cup of coffee, “Coffee?”

Dara grinned, “Thank you. How did you even know I hadn’t had my morning coffee?” she said with a chuckle. Harold can see it clearly that she is very delightful today and he already can guess what caused it.

“I see you’re late today. What have you been doing?” Harold asked with a cold tone. That kinda surprise Dara but again, she doesn’t suspect anything because she is in the good mood. She just assumed Harold is having jetlag after his flight this early morning.

“Oh. I had a rough night last night. You know I met this girl at the bar and she insisted on staying over so I had to deal with her this morning. I mean you’re the one who keeps asking me to have fun and find a girlfriend or boyfriend. So I suppose you don’t really mind, right? I’ve never been late before.”

Harold just shrugged and light up a cigarette. “I don’t know. It depends what kind of girl she is.”

Dara frowned, “What do you mean?” now she’s suspecting something and get a little tensed up.

“Wh- what kind of girl is she? Is she fun? Is she good in bed? Is she a doctor or an architect like your ex? Or is she a college girl?”

Dara put down the cup she’s been holding and straightened her body. She knows Harold. She knows he is keeping something when he’s not talking clearly or having a pointless conversation like this moment. “Harold? What is the matter? Why did you look for me? You don’t really wanna know about my life, okay? What is it really?”

Harold says nothing. He just took out the envelope Jaejoong gave him this early morning. “This was handed to me this morning by your hateful boyfriend, Kim Jaejoong.” Dara frowned. She is a little bit nervous now. She slowly took the envelope and opened it. She cracked open and she can’t even believe her eyes.

“Is that the girl you had a rough night with? The one who got you late this morning? It’s funny, coz she was kinda late too.” Harold said firmly.

Dara put down the envelope and bite her bottom lip. No words can describe how she wants to kill Jaejoong with her bare hands right now.

Dara took a deep breath. Her mind is trying to find the right words or excuse to explain all this. But it is what is, there’s nothing to explain. All she can only do is just tell the truth and take the consequences.

“Look, Harold—“

“I know you two are living together. I understand the situation. She is practically homeless and she doesn’t want to receive any help from anyone, including me. I talked her out about helping her but she refused. And I believe you can take care of her because I know you can. And she let you help her. But never I thought you two are shagging each other. How can you explain this to me, Dara? What am I supposed to do?”

Dara rolled her eyes. She grunted, “You never said anything about forbidding any romantic relationship with her. I mean, there was no rule! There isn’t even rule about co-workers dating each other.”

“But you’re supposed to watch out for her, to take care and teach her, not to hook up and take her as your girlfriend. It’s messed up!”

Dara sighed, “I can’t believe this is happening the next day after the first time I finally had a real emotional with her after I know the feeling I have is mutual.”

Harold cringe, “Ew, please don’t mention any ual content in this conversation.”

Dara shook her head lightly. She wanted to say something else to explain this situation but she can’t seem to put her words together. So she just lowered her head and lie back on the chair, they both constantly went silence.

The clock is ticking, it’s so silent that they can hear it clearly and Harold almost finished his cigarette, Dara could see he’s setting his eyes at the cigarette pack, wanting to have more.

This is the most awkward conversation they both ever had. Dara can never imagine Harold would find out this soon, exactly the next day she decided to give her relationship with Chaerin a shot.

“You know what? Just tell me what do you wanna tell me, don’t just stay quiet and make me confused. I don’t know what to think now.” Dara said suddenly with her higher voice.

Harold lighted up another cigarette and poured himself coffee. Then he cleared his throat and leaned forward, “I don’t care if you want to date Chaerin. You have the rights to do so. I can’t forbid someone else from falling in love to another even though it is quiet uncomfortable for me to see since she is the daughter of the woman I loved. But will you please, be careful? I don’t want anyone to know about this. You know how this is not gonna sound good if the other employees know.”

Dara nodded her head as she’s completely agreeing with Harold statement. Actually she also had thinking about it, also did Chaerin. “That’s why I won’t let anyone else know about this.” She murmured surely.

Harold sighed, “Someone just took these pictures and tried to blackmail me with them. And he seems like a pretty dangerous person to me, Dara. I’ve never seen him like that before. I think Jaejoong has some problem with his mental health.”

Dara shrugged, “And you’re not the only person who thinks so. But please trust me, I would be very careful. Just allow me to give this a shot. I mean, I haven’t been feeling this happy for a long time and Chaerin really makes me happy.” Dara said pleadingly.

Harold smirked, “Since when do you guys started liking each other?”

Dara is suddenly blushed and she can’t hold her shy smile when asked that question. “I don’t know. It just happened. But I have to admit I was the one who laid eyes on her. I think I had this silly crush on her first and kinda drives her crazy before.” Trying to hide her smile by lowering her head is no use, Harold can see it before his eyes that his protégé and close friend, whom he already considered as his own daughter is truly happy.

“Well, I can’t say no more. Just be careful, okay? Don’t get too excited and start doing inappropriate things in the office.”

Dara smirked. If only she could smack his boss’ head, “What do you think we’re gonna do, Harold? I’m not that type of person, okay?”

Harold shrugged and turned off his cigarette, a smile is drawn on his face, “Who knows? You just fell in love after a long time we don’t know what’s gonna happen when you get a little too overwhelmed.”

Dara just narrowed her eyes and smiled cynically at Harold then she stood up. “Please if you see Jaejoong again, do me a favor, punch him on the face twice. Oh, and maybe kick his balls. I’d be very pleased to see him suffering or maybe I should just kill him myself.” She said gruntingly as she walked away from Harold’s desk.

“Oh dear, we don’t have to see him no more. I don’t think after what happened this morning he’d be welcome in this company anymore.”

Dara is relieved that Harold wasn’t mad. She thought he’d forbid her from dating Chaerin but turns out, he is very understanding of the situation and it just proves how much he really cares about Dara, pretty much like his own daughter.

“Thank you, boss.” Dara said before she left the room.

***

Chaerin quickly dropped her cigarette once she spots Dara’s car approaching. She walked a couple of blocks from the office to have their take out dinner and waited for Dara to pick her up.

“Did you have the salad I asked for?” Dara asked as she started driving forward. Chaerin put on her seat belt and looked at Dara with her teasing smile, “Unfortunately they don’t serve salad anymore.”

Dara frowned, unbelieving what she just heard. “What? Impossible. They have the best salads in town! You’re ting with me, aren’t you?”

Chaerin chuckled, “No. They don't have salads anymore. They told me. Trust me!”

“I can’t trust you, Chaerin. I know exactly