“What do you think i could get him for christmas?”

Dara was at a mall with Bom somewhere in downtown Seoul. Bom is doing her last minute shopping and dragged her out of the house. Dara felt relieved she could go somewhere other than her room, their living room, and their dining room but felt panicked when Bom told her where they are going. It’s the day before christmas and she hasn’t had any idea on what to give Donghae. She was too busy trying to take advantage of him that she overlooked the holiday. And his birthday apparently.

They were at the Men’s section and Bom was sifting through clothes after clothes to find which looked best for her husband. Dara was doing the same but she honestly couldn’t think that a shirt would be the best gift for Donghae. She felt like it wouldn’t be enough to demonstrate her joy in spending the holiday with him.

“Are you sure you don’t want to give him a shirt?” Bom asked while studying a dark blue coat worn by a dummy.

“No, it feels too... bland.”

Bom snorted. “ Of course, you wanted to give him something ostentatious.” 

“Well, i haven’t seen much of him these past couple of days. I didn’t even know he already celebrated his birthday last week and Mrs. Rey had to tell me. I think i need to give him something much more than... this.” Dara absentmindedly the sleeves of the coat Bom was looking at as she racked her mind on the best gift to give Donghae. He had gone incognito the past couple of days. He was always somewhere else and Dara had a firm suspicion it might be because of her. She wryly recalled what happened after that wretched conversation they have had.

After the day she had brought him dinner at his office, she woke up really early the next morning to cook him breakfast with, as usual, Mrs. Rey’s help. There he was again just looking at her like she was crazy when he went down from his room already dressed for work. He only glanced at the food on the table and muttered he’s not hungry before walking straight out of the house. But that did not deter Dara. She sprinted after him catching him by surprise as she practically jumped on his back when he was about to open his car door. She kissed him on the cheek before Donghae could turn his head and told him to be careful driving and he shouldn’t miss any meals at the office. She waved her hand goodbye before entering the house and closing the door on Donghae’s dumbfounded expression.

The same night, she was playing with what Bom had informed her as an X Box. Bom had dropped in again that day and taught her how to play it when Bom saw it under the TV. She was beyond amazed and didn’t even notice it was already late at night. She had just realized it was when Donghae got home and walked in the living room as she was yelling when she was shot. Or the character she was playing was shot. He had flatly refused when she asked him if he want to play with her. She just shrugged, for once not bothered by his lack of response and continued playing. It was after an hour when she realized Donghae was behind her leaning on the wall, drinking a canned soda, watching her yell that is so unfair! during every game she lost. He had changed into sweats that hung low on his hips and a white shirt. Dara could feel herself blushing when she returned her attention back on her game ad tried to focus but she got worse than before if that was even possible. She couldn’t get how Donghae looked so handsome in a white shirt out of her mind. Why does he looked so snugly? He should’ve gone into bed so she could focus on her work here. Bom had already slayed her countless times at this game.

Her heart did an overdrive when Donghae sat on the floor next to where she is sitting and took the controller telling her how it should be done. Truthfully, she couldn’t understand a thing Donghae was saying as she was too busy trying to refrain herself from squealing like a girl who got noticed by her major crush. She was looking at him probably with a gooey expression on her face when he asked, “You got all that?”

She had pretended she did of course and he had gave her the controller again and walked out of the room. She bit her lip as her heart somersaulted.

The morning after that, she woke up feeling so tired after having slept for only a couple of hours. With her thinking of ways how to master the game and thinking about Donghae alternately, it’s no surprise her adrenaline was high last night. Now she felt drained. She trudged down the stairs and found Donghae sitting, already finished with breafast and drinking coffee. She greeted both him and Mrs. Rey and thinking nothing to it, she leaned down and kissed Donghae full on the lips as her way of greeting him a good morning like what her mom used to do to her dad when she was little. She could taste the coffee he was drinking. She took a bit of a french bread and announced that she thinks she need to go back to sleep again with Mrs. Rey trying to hold her smile and Donghae looking like he was hit with paralysis.

Now he is barely at home. Barely in his office at Hits. He comes in very late at night, and go out very early the next morning. He is always somewhere she doesn’t know how to go to and she couldn’t even find out any information from Lee Hi because Lee Hi doesn’t know where Donghae runs off to as well. But Dara won’t let that hinder her. He can’t avoid her forever. The man had to go home someday and seeing that tonight is Christmas Eve, he can’t spend the day in the office. Everybody is already on a holiday, for god’s sake.

“I think this would look good on Seung Hyun,” Bom said referring to the coat on the dummy.

Dara tried to imagine the lanky Seung Hyun and couldn’t picture him with the bulky coat. “Uh… maybe you should just get him a sweater.”

A short man wearing a suit and tie walked up to them bowing to Bom. “Ah Miss Bom, found anything you like?”

Bom bowed to the man too and pointed to the coat. “Do you have this in brown? Or black? I think Seung Hyun looks much better with those colors.”

“Ah yes,” the manager nodded and called one of the women at the counter telling her to get all the colors available for the coat. The manager turned back to Bom smiling widely. “Is there anything else you want?”

“None as of yet. We’re still looking,” Bom answered smiling.

“Just call me if you need anything.” The man walked off smiling brightly.

Dara was looking at the man in amusement. She turned to Bom. “Do you shop here often?”

Bom shook her head as they walked towards a line of sweaters. “No, it’s my first time here at this store.”

“Then how do they know you?”

Bom pulled out a fluffy sweater with a bunny on the front. “Seung Hyun owns the mall.”

Dara stared at Bom. “What? Seung Hyun owns this?”

Bom looked at Dara then probably remembered her affliction. “Ah yes, of course you wouldn’t remember. Seung Hyun owns several businesses, malls included. I think he owns about 6 of them in this country alone. Don’t you remember his parents when we were in high school? They had invested into some trade industry, whatever. They made it big and now they’re one of the biggest name in the business world.”

“Wow,” Dara said in amazement. Seung Hyun has already been well off during their high school days but she had never imagined them as this well-off. Then she looked at Bom with one of her eyebrows raised. “You only married him for money, didn’t you?”

But Bom didn’t answer her. She was looking at the front with a soppy smile on her face. Dara looked at where she was looking at and saw a tall man, dressed in a suit, walking towards them. He looked oddly familiar. As he gets closer, Dara could make out a chiseled jawline, prominent nose, and eyes which could probably hypnotize any woman. And these eyes were looking directly at Bom.

fell open when the man pecked Bom on the lips.

“I thought you had a meeting?” Bom asked smoothing the lapels of his suit.

“Yes, I’m just dropping by. My mom told me you were here.” Then he looked at Dara as if realizing she was just there. He smiled politely. “Hi Dara. How are you?”

Oh. My. God. Realization dawned on her. This couldn’t be. “You’re Seung Hyun!” Dara exclaimed. She remembered a nerd, with round rimmed glasses and tall, lanky, clumsy boy who looks so awkward even by just standing next to a water dispenser but not this… man who looks like a god personification.

Seung Hyun chuckled. He nodded. “It’s been a long time.” He turned back to Bom and talked for a couple of minutes before Seung Hyun walked out.

“That’s Seung Hyun??” Dara couldn’t still believe how major his change was. Like really major.

Bom grinned at her. “Yes. And yes, I married him only