Eight

Dinner this Friday. 6pm. Till then, Miss Park. Think of me.....

Sandara stared at the blurred figure through the tinted window from the cab, open mouthed. Did he just ask? No not ask but he told her so. Not even asking her if she want to. Not even waiting for her answer and just assumed she'll agree and closed the cabs door in her face. Just like that. 

This is not what she expected. After everything she told him. She expected not to see him, ever again. Seoul is too big for the two of them. There's only a 50-50% of seeing each other. Well not that they belong in the same circle. Nope. She's way way too far close from the circle he was in. She's just a simple office girl who just wanted to have a baby of herself. Nothing special. 

The next morning, Sandara went to work with a little headache thanks to Seunghyun for stopping her last night, from drinking too many glasses of alcohol or else. She was damned. But first she must face her friend who was staring at her way, glaring. Uhhh-ohh. 

Gain rounded on her desk and placed her hands on her hips, eyeing her from head to toe. "What happened to you yesterday? God! Sandara! Did you know I called the police last night? Because I can't close my eyes thinking what if something bad happened to you! You don't answer my text and calls. If not for JoKwon for giving me sleeping pills just for me to get to close my eyes for an hour or two." 

Sandara smiled. She forgotten to check her phone last night. She didn't know what happened to her and did not check or even send a message to her friend that she's alright. She even called the police. Gosh! How stupid could she be! She made her worried but even cause her sleepless night. Even from the start. She knew Gain is one of the truthful friend to her, maybe now proved how their friendship had grown strong. 

Sandara didn't speak and just took a step closer and embraced her friend. "Thank you, Gain. I know I made a mistake for disappearing and not bothering to send you a message that I'm fine. I got you worried about me and I'm so so sorry. I promised I won't do that again." She said when she released her and gave her a sincere smile.

Gain stared at her for a moment before she threw her arms around her neck and squeezed her. "You little! I thought I would get a heart attack if you wouldn't walk through that door for another 20 minutes! Seriously, Sandara?" 

Sandara laugh and squeeze her back before taking a step back. "Uhm. Sorry?" 

Gain slapped her arm, playfully. Her smile fell and looked at her straight in the eye, giving her a serious face. "Ok but don't do that again. You have your phone with you. At least call or text me." She said and turned to her desk again, shaking her head. 

"Poor JoKwon." Sandara heard her friends murmur. 

She can only guess how much JoKwon had suffered last night being harassed by this petite woman who look like an angel and a devil inside. She smiled at she walked passed Gains cubicle and head towards hers to place her purse and turn her computer on. 

As usual she spent her day in her desk. Facing bundle after bundle of papers. Sometimes Gain would talk to her about her wedding preparations. Thank God. She didn't ask more about what happened. 

Dinner this Friday. 6pm. Till then, Miss Park. Think of me.....

"Aughh!" 

Gain knocked through the thin wall separated them. "Hey! Dar? Are you alright?" 

Sandara scoffed. Right. She's feeling great except thinking about a certain arrogant man who ask her. No. More like ordered her to have dinner with him.  

"Yeah. I'm fine. I was just getting ready to go." She answered. Right like she's going to the dinner. She thought, rolling her eyes. 

******

NO. 

N.O.

Sandara confidently told herself. Nope. She's not going to the dinner. She could pretend she's not home. Well, she could stay longer at the office and just pretend that she forgot the time or even forgot the dinner. 

Gain tapped her wall. "Yow! Earth to Dara. Earth to Dara." 

Sandara blinked. Damn. For the following days, her mind was so messed up. That stupid dinner. Nope. Her decision is final. She's not going. 

It's 2 in the afternoon of Friday when their boss told them they could go home early. He had a family reunion in the next day in jeju and wanted to leave early, ask not to disturb his weekend so he could spend time with his family and hoping his employees would enjoy their weekend too. 

Great. Just great. Sandra thought. It is really that or it's just fate wanted her to come? To that dinner? What? She didn't know. 

Sandara was shaking her head when she reach her cubicle. "No. No. I'm not going. It's just a dinner. Yeah. But I don't know him. No. I'm not gonna change my mind." 

"What's not gonna change your mind?" Gain ask her curiously behind her.

A few hours later. Sandara arrived at her house with a few bags in her hands. She groaned. When Gain learned that some guy ask her to a dinner, she practically squealed in delight and hurriedly picked her purse and drag Sandara out from the building and drive straight to the department store to buy for her outfit tonight. 

"Oh. My. Gosh! I can't wait. I think this calls for us to go....Shopping!" Gain exclaimed. 

Now. Watching herself from the mirror. She felt like more herself. It had been a long time since she had gone shopping, went to a salon to get her a mani and pedi done and color her hair. 

She look. Like 10 years younger. Gain even ask a make up artist to do her make up and told her its on her. Her gift. For a new found beginning for her. 

Sandara couldn't thank her friend enough. The shopping and the little pampering, she needed it. Thanks to Gain. But what she was wrong was, it's not a beginning. If she only knew who she was having a dinner tonight. That she doesn't even plan to go to. 

She was just about to place the shopping bags down on her bed when her doorbell rang. It's only 5:40 when she checked her phone. She shrugged. Maybe it's her neighbor or something. Seunghyun wouldn't be here this early or really pick her up. Right? Nope. Maybe he forgotten their dinner. Besides, he didn't even know where. He just said he'll pick her up.

Sandara paused at her doorstep, her heart beat wildly beating inside her chest. No. It's not him behind that door right? How could he even knew where she live? Sandara laugh. She's just assuming things. She knew he was just playing with her that night and the dinner thing isn't really true. What could a man like him wanted from her? Right? He's a very busy man too. So he has no time.  Sandara wanted to convince herself. 

She took a deep breathe and watch through her pinhole and saw a tall figure, wearing a black tuxedo and a hat, keeping his face hidden from the hole. Whoever it is. Sandara don't know him. Or did not even know her neighbor dress like that. 

The man looked up and Sandara saw his face. She released a loud sigh when it wasn't Seunghyun's face appeared. She could feel her hands shaking when she reach her knob. "Who is it?" 

The man outside had some white hair but still look handsome despite his old age. Maybe 50? She guess. "I'm looking for Miss Sandara Park." 

"What do you want?"  Sandara asks, still afraid to open the door. Whoever it was, she's not sure what he wants nor his plans. His identity. What if he's some psycho who wanted to dress like that and kill people. She wouldn't take chances. 

"I'm Randy Han, Ma'am. Mr. Choi Seunghyun sent me here to pick you up. For your dinner tonight." 

Hearing his name, she opened her door a little, still not trusting the man. He could be someone, pretending. Well, not that everybody knows she's having dinner with Seunghyun. Seeing her doubt. Randy as he calls himself, took his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. 

After murmuring softly to the phone, He looked at her with a soft smile and the phone between them and put it in speakerphone.

"Miss Park? This is Choi Seunghyun. I'm sorry I can't pick you up for our dinner so I sent my driver instead, our meeting took longer than I expected. But I won't be late more than 10 minutes. Don't worry Randy is such a gentleman and he's been working for my family for 25 years now. You can trust him." 

Sandara looked at the phone and to the man in front of him then to the phone. She was about to say there's not need to pick up who because she not going when he speak again. 

"Drive safe. I'm still in the middle of my meeting. See you later." He said and the call ended. Crap. She's dead. She's so dead. 

Randy put his phone away and place it back inside his pocket and offered his arm. "Ma'am. If you're ready. We can go now before we got stuck through the traffic. " he said with a gentle smile. 

"Uh.. About that.. I just got home. And... I'm so sorry Randy. But you could go home and tell your boss I can't go...." 

"Miss Park. Mr. Choi is expecting you. He's rushing his meeting to..."

"No. I mean. I can't go. He didn't even ask me if I wanted to have dinner with him. He just told me so. And I can't, I don't want to. I don't know him." 

Randy's face softens and took a step back and Sandara grasp. She just took noticed at the shinny limousine parked in front of her house. He really wouldn't give her any choice, does he? 

"I understand. I've been working with their family for years now and I know Mr. Choi since he was a young boy. He's stubborn and couldn't take a NO for an answer either. What he wants, he gets. But I assure you, Ma'am. He's a good kid." He said and gave her a smile. 

"But I'm afraid if you can't come with me tonight. If I go to the restaurant empty handed. He'll surely fire me. His orders. Take you with me or pack my things and leave." He continued. Sandara bit back a curse. Is it because of the thought of seeing that jerk again or. Ok, she had to admit she had been anticipating this day, this particular dinner since that night. Even though how much she understand a guy like him is a big No. No. But the guy really has the power to persuade her does he? Even betting the job of his long time employee. The old man had work for almost half of his life in his family and he is willing to fire the man if he wouldn't do his work, which is to get her to come with him to the dinner. To the restaurant where she'll meet him because he couldn't. 

Gosh. She hate him. 

He told her he'll pick her up.