Shin Hye stayed up all night making new designs. Her mind was distracted. They were probably not that good. The conversation she heard left her a bit confused. She dragged herself to the office in all honesty. She wasn't even sure how to look at Soo Hyang anymore. That didn't even matter. She lost him already so what did it matter if she got jealous. She only needs to focus on work.

She took the flight of stairs. There were too many and she was sure that she was going to be tired by the end of it. She hasn't ate anything and drank coffee all night. If he didn't take a look at her designs she is going to strangle him. When she reached the top of the stairs, she came face to face with Min Ho.

He looked at her. Her face was as white as paper. He turned back to see why she looked so alarmed but found nothing.

She couldn't look at him, it hurt to. She didn't even prepare herself. She was going to see him in ten minutes, just so that she could have time to calm herself down. She turned around and took a deep breath before facing him again. "Good morning."

"Why were you taking the stairs? The elevator was fine when I took it this morning."

"I wanted to have time to think, so I decided to do this. What are you doing here? I expect that you would be in your office."

"Since people are lazy they do not bother to take the stairs and instead take escalators and elevators. This could literally be a sanctuary. Its peaceful and calm."

She nodded in an understanding manner. She didn't know what to tell him. There was a wall between them. They were just talking as people, not as friends. "What do you need to think about?" Was he going to consider the idea of going out with Soo Hyang?

"That is a question I wish not to answer."

"Why? Does it involve Soo Hyang?" She defied.

His gaze hardened. "I don't know what you have heard from her or the others, but I'm warning you. Don't step on the line, its my life. I do not want other people to meddle in it."

"Your mother called me and she gave me the permission to do so."

"Why didn't you tell her that we aren't friends?! I don't need anyone's help. I already told you that."

"I want to help you. I want to be close to you. I miss you." She whispered softly but loud enough that he heard it.

"But I don't. I don't want you anywhere near me." He feared loving her, one day she doesn't want him and the next she is willing to be with him. He felt used. As if he was secondhand.

She took a deep breath. "Please revise my designs and call me when you are done. I worked on new ones based on what you told me. I know right now we are having personal problems but look at it as if it were someone else's work." She handed them to him.

Their hands touched and he wanted to grab onto it. Beg her to stay by his side. He couldn't understand himself either, he would just give in so willingly to her.

Disappointed, she turned around but he held onto her arm. She made no effort to go and just stood there waiting for him to say what he needed to.

"Why did you change your mind? You told me you didn't want to be with me and that hurt me, but now you miss me and you want to stick by me. Why?"

"I guess I lost everything but I realized that I still had you. And that if I tried, I may have a slight chance of loving and being loved."

"Are you saying you only came to me because you lost what you wanted? And what you prefered was friendship." He tried to piece what she said together.

"You're right. It was what I picked. I chose to sacrifice what could've brought me happiness, just because of my friend. I realized that she isn't willing to do the same for me." Her heart hurt, maybe she was overreacting with So Ra, but since she was young a promise is something sacred. You don't ever mess around with it, especially with people you are closed to.

He turned her to face him. "What's going on? You aren't just trying to get close to me for certain reasons. I think you want to get something off of your chest." The same Min Ho was back. The one he tried so hard to leave behind. Lets just hope that all habits aren't back. If they are, he's not sure he won't end up in a bad emotional state. He couldn't be back he had to do everything in his power to push her away. But how, how to do that when she looked at him this way.

She grabbed onto his hands trying to gain some strenght. "You want to listen to me. I don't want you to feel used. Because sincerely you are important to me."

"I held you back, didn't I?" He gave her a slight smile.

She hesitated and she decided agaisnt it. Anything she said could make him go further from her. It was best if she just forgot about him. She let go and opened the door quickly leaving Min Ho standing there, confused.

"I thought she was going to open up about something." He went after her but it was like she disapeared so quickly. Hidden in one of the rooms in the immense building.

***********

So Ra turned immediately when she heard Ha Neul's voice. She waved at him and he approached her. They were in a room full of people, lights, cameras, and music.

"Why did you wave me over?" He asked. He hasn’t talked to her in the longest. It was strange that she would call him and tell him that they needed to talk. It was defitnetly not because she wanted to congratulate him, but she had a frown on her face.

"Did Shin Hye call you recently?"

"No. Why would she?"

"We had a little argument."

"If it were little, your face wouldn’t look this way."

"Just tell me if she calls you."

"What happened? Is it because of Min Ho?"

"No, there are other things."

"Are you still mad at me?"

"No. She found out either way. I just, I put some trust in you but you were about to spill it. I really thought you were someone who wouldn’t say anything." She sighed.

"So Ra, all I want is to see you happy. I really like you. But I just don’t think that you should try so hard for him, I was there when they were together. Secretely I paid close attention to the things they did. Honestly, I could tell that they both like each other so much. I don’t know if Shin Hye accepted it already but she will. When I saw them together I realized nothing was strong enough to take away what they felt. Now, I’m saying this as a friend. If you don’t want to get hurt, back away from them and let them handle their own business." Maybe he was trying to get her to take her eyes off Min Ho and make her take a chance to look at him, but he wasn't selfish. He said things because he didn't want them to live their life fighting.

"I knew I stood no chance since the time I first saw them together. But everything is worth it, if it means you could love who you want. I know you want the best for me, I appreaciate your intentions." She paused and picked up a box off from the floor. "Shin Hye texted me, she asked me to give this to her. I want to hand it to her personally but she told me she isn't ready to see me. I really value the things that I've gone through with her. I thought of actually letting myself be without her. Friendships are suppose to last longer and they are supposed to be stronger than love but right now, everything is falling apart."

"Did you ever feel envy? Did you want the things that Shin Hye got?" He asked carefully, looking for a slight change in expression. Her expression darkened.

"I was or maybe I am jealous of her. I want things that she could easily get. I hate myself for sometimes wishing her the worst. But she was there when I needed her the most. She is caring and even when I try, its very hard for me." The only person who loved her was her father and he died, later on her mother remarried. Her stepfather was nice at the beginning, but he wasn't too fond of girls, he thought that only boys deserve attention in a household.

He put the things on the floor and hugged her. He didn't expect that he would do it but he wanted to show her that she could lean on him. "You are not caring not because you can't be but because you were never taught how to show care. You felt like the outsider of your family or the unwanted. If you just gave me a chance maybe I could show you what it feels like to be truly loved." He muttered into her hair.

She could only stay quiet. She knew that all these years she has been treating him the wrong way, he didn't deserve it. She wanted him to get away, not only because she couldn't like him back. It was because if he actually pursued another girl who wasn't as complicated as her, then he could be happy. Maybe all this time she just pursued Min Ho because she knew she had no chance.

************

In the cafeteria, Shin Hye plugged her earbuds and listened to music. She didn't want to hear the world, she only wanted peace and quiet.

Soo Hyun was looking for a table when he spotted Shin Hye. He sat down in front of her, but she seemed to not be paying attention. He snapped his fingers in front of her face and she looked up to meet his eyes. He saw the disappointment once again.

She removed them from her ears and put them away. "I want to be alone, that's why I'm sitting here and not over there with the rest."

"I don't understand you, I stop asking you out because you are uncomfortable, yet you still treat me this way."

"That's not the only thing that bothers me. Whenever I'm around I just could feel you like me. That makes me uncomfortable."

"Then.." He paused, his brows slightly rising. "You aren't uncomfortable around Min Ho."

"Why would I be?"

"You can't tell that he likes you."

"I believe that's none of your business." She snapped.

He pressed his lip. If he was going to get closer, he couldn't treat her this way. "You're right. Sorry, I know I'm not in any position to speak about him like that. I just want us to talk like we used to a couple of weeks ago. Besides you knew I had interest before, but you didn't stop that from making us good friends."

"I don't want to hurt you. You are right, we are friends."

"Remember that most relationships start from friendship." He pointed out.

"Why exactly did you sit here? To tell me all about dating. Let me tell you something. I have dated in the past. I know which guys I want and which guys should remain in their spot. You are a cool guy but I have no intentions of making you anything else than a friend."

"You've changed. Working here has changed you."

"I'm still the same, I just realized that not everything could be the same." She saw Min Ho and he stood watching her. Her gaze stayed on him, hoping that he would come over. But from the way in which he was