KNOT 24 - HIS SMILE

"There is nothing we can do. Sandara Park is going to die on the coming full moon", the hadana muttered, desperation laced in her voice. The two former deities are completely unaware that the topic of their conversation is hiding behind the tree.

Dara was frozen on her spot; Bom's voice resonating in her mind. Sandara Park is going to die on the coming full moon. Is the hadana just being poetic and metaphoric again, like how she always was? Maybe the two are discussing something that is completely unrelated to death. Or perhaps...she really is going to die. A soft whimper escaped her lips, catching the attention of the two.

"Who's there?" the jursa asked in alarm. He hurriedly strode towards the source of noise and was dumbfounded to see Dara leaning on the tree, her face almost devoid of color. "Dara", he mumbled. Upon hearing Dara's name, the hadana immediately followed him. Her heart sank when she saw Dara in her current state.

"Is it true?" Dara asked, darting her eyes between the two former deities who were unable to say anything. "I-I will die soon?"

"Dara, please lis-...", Bom touched her shoulder but Dara quickly shrugged her off.

"Tell me the truth." She demanded. "Please...tell me the truth."

The jursa sighed in exasperation and hung his head low. He is a trickster deity and he is used to seeing the misery of the destined couple assigned to him brought about by the misfortunes that he himself casted to strengthen their bond. But his situation now is nothing like when he's hidden in the realm of deities, unseen by humans. He is used to seeing pain and suffering but seeing that pain in the eyes of one of the destined couple while looking at him directly in the eyes is entirely different. Jiyong also looked at him with those eyes before. It is suffocating.

"Yes", hearing Bom's shaky voice, his head turned towards the hadana, noticing her hands tightly curled up in fist. "Yes, Dara. You heard us right."

"Hadana Bom..." Seunghyun said. He reached out for her and enclosed her fist with his hand, squeezing it.

"Then, is there a way to save my life?" Dara asked.

"We are not sure", the hadana replied.

"W-What?"

"We became mortals for the red string to be untied", she continued. "Our combined ethereal orbs are the reason why you and Jiyong became physically tied by the red cord. After that, we learned that you were supposed to die and it was the red string that was hindering your death. However, it does not mean that the ruler of the underworld is incapable of taking your soul forcefully. We had no choice but to become temporary mortals and give up our powers so that you two can be untied because...", Bom swallowed hard, holding back her tears that are threatening to fall, "...because death is absolute. Jiyong cannot be tied to a corpse"

Dara's knees wobbled and she slumped on the ground, unable to believe what she's hearing.

"Your soul was supposed to be taken a long time ago but an oath was made so that you can have more time in the human world. But your time is running out."

"Stop", Dara whispered hoarsely. "Why-..How can this be happening?", she asked while looking up at the two former deities. "Am I supposed to be thankful because I was given more time to live?" she asked and chuckled bitterly. "You have to be kidding me. You two messed up and tied me with a complete stranger and now you're telling me I was supposed to be dead if not for that stupid red string?" Dara stood up and stared at Bom directly in the eyes.

"Then, you should have untied us sooner and let my life be taken! Do you think I'm afraid to die? Why did you have to prolong it? Why did you wait until I became part of Jiyong's life?" Dara furiously wiped the tears that were streaming down her cheeks while taking a deep breath. "You two are so cruel", she muttered with disdain. "If you knew this would happen, then you should've just tied me with someone else."

"Dara-.." the hadana's words were cutoff when Dara bolted out of there hastily, leaving the two behind.

Everything around her seemed to have faded and the only thing she can hear is the steady beat of her heart hammering inside her chest as she roamed around aimlessly. Death is something she yearned when she was left alone in this world. Her parents passed away when she was young and her relatives did not want anything to do with her. She might be smiling outside but her heart was heavy. After those long years of pain and uncertainty, she finally found the place she was searching for. She finally found the reason to genuinely smile. That place beside Jiyong, that was hers. Why is fate toying with them?

Dara's steps slowly halted and she lifted her eyes to stare at the night sky, oblivious to the curious eyes of people on the street who were walking past her. The stars were glittering beautifully. With the vastness of the sky, she felt very small.

Sandara Park is going to die on the coming full moon.

Her heart squeezed as she recalled the hadana's words. What is she going to do now? The situation she's currently in reminds her of the drama that she watched wherein the heroine, who was in a coma, was given a chance to fulfill her unfinished business by letting her soul borrow her sister's body. It was a beautiful story of love, loyalty and friendship.

But she hates the ending of that KDrama...the heroine died.

_____________________________________________________________

CL's POV

When Seungri is smiling like that, someone's reputation is about to be ruined.

"Sweetheart!" The vagina chirped as soon as he saw me entering the hotdog restaurant where he's working.

"Don't call me sweetheart!" I shot back and stomped my feet towards the nearest available table. I have told him a million times not to call me using that 'term of endearmeant' even though I'm quite certain I will be ignored. He also told me that I should call him 'sweetheart' because he's cute. Whatever Seungri.

"Awww, so grumpy. What brings you here?", he asked as he occupied the seat across the table where I was sitting.

"To eat lunch", I replied as I placed the order to the waitress who was doing everything in her power to get Seungri's attention, which totally irks me. Why would anyone want Seungri's attention? I mean, okay, there's nothing wrong with his face. He doesn't have any disgusting pimples that merges into one, making one giant pimple. He's actually good-looking by the society's standards. Still, I can't quite fathom why anyone would be attracted to a flirt like him. He's the type of guy that mothers tell their daughters to stay away from.

"Sweetheart, her bill is on me", the vagina told the waitress and winked at her, making her swoon. I had to look somewhere else to endure the wrongness. HE CALLS EVERYONE SWEETHEART!

"You don't have to do that", I said.

"Do what? Wink at her? Oh sorry, are you jealous?"

"I meant, you don't have to pay for my bill", I hissed. You crazy bastard. I clicked my tongue and leaned back on my seat. Every time he opens his mouth, he brings a little damage to my sanity.

The vagina chuckled and rested his chin on his palm while looking at me with puppy eyes. He probably thinks he's adorable when he does that.

"You're so cute when you're pissed. Did you meet up again with the weirdos from that speed dating, Francesca? How's Optimus Prime?"

"Don't start with me, vagina", I warned him. I want to completely erase that speed dating fiasco in my memory but it's proving to be a challenge because Seungri brings it up at every possible chance he gets.

"Fine, I'm stopping. I don't want you to puke all over our table."

"Seungri!"

"Alright", he threw his hands in surrender before I could leap at him and tear his head off his neck.

I sighed heavily and crossed my arms over my chest. "Please, just sit there and don't add up to my stress. Dara and Bom are already giving me enough headache."

"Why? What happened? Did Banana Bom say anything weird again?", he asked curiously.

"TinkerBom always say something weird. No, it's not that. I think the two had a fight. This morning, I heard Dara talking to the phone and asking for a day off from the office saying that she has to take care of something. I'm not sure where she went afterwards but Hadana Bom looks guilty."

"Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe Bom said something about Lee Minho, who knows? She probably didn't realize that Dara is the captain of the Lee Minho command center."

"You really worry a lot about Dara, don't you?" he remarked while peeling the plastic off my straw and putting it on my drink. It was weird for me before but I got used to it. I noticed that he's really the type to be attentive to everyone's needs even if he acts like a moron most of the time.

"Of course. She's my roommate since college. And Dara has no one else but us. If Jiyong dares to make her cry...", I paused and glared at Seungri. No words is needed to describe the galaxy of pain I'm planning to inflict if anyone hurts Dara. She has been through a lot when she was a kid and even her past relationships ended up in failure. Perhaps that's the reason why I'm protective of her. I've seen how she forces herself to smile and act like there's absolutely nothing wrong even when everything falls apart. If someone tells her she's going to die tomorrow, she'll just probably go through the day cheerfully and make sure everyone that she loves are going to be alright even without her. That idiot.

"That's highly unlikely", Seungri replied and placed his hands at the back of his head; staring at the ceiling. "It's really fortunate that they met each other, those two. Dara is the bridge that connected Jiyong hyung to the world."

"How poetic", I remarked. Seungri chuckled and straightened on his seat, clasping his hands on top of the table. "Honestly, the Big Bang guys are more scared that Dara will be the one leaving Jiyong hyung. As you know, he's not the most amiable person on earth. His robotic tendencies kick in from time to time."

"That's highly unlikely", I said. "Have you seen Dara when she's around your hyung? 'Hubby! Hubby!' Seriously, I don't know how Jiyong tolerates it without his toes curling up."

"They're really cute to watch, though. With the presence of Dara noona, Jiyong hyung becomes a cute little yellow Care Bear", Seungri remarked and cocked his eyebrows at me, making me laugh. I just cannot picture Jiyong as a yellow Care Bear - 'yellow' being the operative word.

"But listen, what's the deal between Seunghyun and Bom? Seunghyun drops by the apartment often. And he and Bom seems to be always talking in hushed tone, like they're sharing some kind of military secret", I said.

"I'm not sure either. Don't you find it weird whenever they talk? I once asked Jursa Seunghyun to hang out with me in the club where we usually have a gig and then, he got drunk. He started talking like a medieval warrior and started challenging every person who happens to pass by our table! He then told me something about his realm that is apparently better than human realm. Oh brother, whatever that realm he's talking about, I sure as hell wanted to shove him back there when he suddenly yelled that he is going to invade the club. People were staring at 'our' realm, probably wondering how we escaped the asylum."

"Banana Bom doesn't need alcohol at all. She just spontaneously go crazy anywhere."

"I'm seriously wondering on which planet they came from. Are there any more of them? They talk like ancient people", Seungri mused.

"It makes me think that their birth certificates are carved in stone", I added.

"And that they just recently discovered the use of fire."

"I'm gonna miss them if they go back home", I sighed. I do feel attached to those two crazies.

"Same here", Seungri nodded.

"The two of them makes a cute couple."

"Yeah. You know who else makes a cute couple?" Seungri asked.

"Who?"

"Us", he muttered in a serious tone.

"Oh, shut up", I muttered. I sipped my drink and averted my gaze when I noticed that Seungri is still staring intently at me; which is weird because why would I be awkward around Seungri? How's my make up? Is my hair alright?

_____________________________________________________________

SANDARA's POV

It was still almost the same as it was in my memory. I roamed my eyes around as I entered the gate of the children welfare institution where I spent a few years of my childhood. I'm not sure why my feet brought me here as I thought of the things that happened in my life. I should be in the office but I can't face Jiyong at the moment. To be honest, I'm slightly in doubt if what Hadana Bom told me will happen or not.

The loud shrieks coming from the playground pulled me back to reality. A smile broke on my lips when I saw some kids running, followed by an exhausted woman.

"Miss Nam!", I called out and waved at her. Miss Nam adjusted her eyeglasses and looked at me in bewilderment. It took a few seconds before she finally recognized who I was.

"OMO! Dara? Is that you?", she exclaimed and hastily approached me. She held me by the shoulders and roamed her eyes on my face while smiling. "As expected, you've become a very pretty lady", she gushed and hugged me tightly. "I'm so glad to see you."

Together with the two kids that she's currently taking care of, we entered the church adjacent to the children's dorm. The kids practically attached themselves to me and wouldn't let go of my skirt, making Miss Nam laugh.

"Jongin, Sehun, let go of Dara noona's skirt and sit like a good boy", Miss Nam said as we sat on the pews facing the altar. The kid named Jongin, shyly climbed on the pew and sat next to me while Sehun stubbornly slumped on the ground, not letting go of my skirt.

"Sehun-ah.."

"It's okay, Miss Nam", I interjected.

"Dara, can I leave these two to you for a few minutes? I'm just going to help our new staff with the kids she's handling. I think they ran out of the gate."

"Sure"

"I'll be right back", she said and hastily left.

I smiled at the two cute boys who are around 4 to 5 years old. "Noona, you're pwetty!", Sehun exclaimed making Jongin giggle.

"Thank you", I smiled at him and ruffled his hair. Jongin was clearly jealous because he suddenly presented his head to me so I can pat him just like Sehun. Chuckling, I did the same to Jongin. It must be great to be kids. They can show their feeling without regard to what will happen next or what will others think of them. Jongin beamed at me after I ruffled his hair but Sehun's cuteness is far from over.

"I have a new toy", Sehun informed me. "It's new!" He repeated with wide eyes as if asking for my approval.

"I have a new toy, too! It's in plastic and a box!" Jongin chirped.

"Oh, you haven't opened it?" I asked.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh. We tried with scissors. We can't."

"We need a bwomb", Sehun informed him.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh. We need a bomb", Jongin agreed. I giggled as I listened to the two plotting some sinister ways of opening the damn toy that won't open. Clearly, Sehun is the evil mastermind and Jongin is his loyal subject.

"Are you going to live here, noona?" Jongin suddenly asked.

"No, I'm just visiting."

"Why?" Sehun asked.

"Because I used to live here. I wanted to see how things are."

"Why?" Sehun asked again, expecting me to give him a magical answer that I can't quite comprehend.

"Uh", I paused and scratched my head. I forgot how it was to reason with kids.

"Because....I'm searching for something?" I said carefully. I'm not sure why I said that. Am I searching for something?

"Why? What did you lose? We find it!" Jongin offered.

"No, I did not lose anything." Crap. I'm not exactly sure where this conversation is going.

"Oh, you break something?" Jongin asked, almost in a whisper. What? I am totally losing grip of what we're talking about.

"Uh, yes. Yes, I broke something that's why I came here", I mumbled in uncertainty.

"It's brokened? We fix!" Sehun excitedly exclaimed.

I chuckled while shaking my head. Perhaps, it's true. I am indeed broken at the moment and perhaps I thought, coming here will ease my mind.

==

Walking along this path is a bit nostalgic. I took a deep breath and savored the cool breeze as I walk down the dirt road where I used to roam around whenever I sneak out of the institution at night. Miss Nam used to take care of me and I cringe in embarrassment when she started recalling the things that I did when I was kid.

A soft breeze blew and the leaves of the tree rustled. I shut my eyes for a moment and when I opened them, I saw an old man with a tattered brown bag walking towards me. I frowned and stared at him curiously. The old man seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. I'm quite sure the street was deserted a while ago.

When he was about to walk past me, the old man slowly glanced in my direction and gave me a kind smile. Just then, a car passed by us which caused me to close my eyes because of the dirt from the road.

"Miss Park?" I was startled when someone called me. I looked at who it was and was shocked to see Mr. Lee Soo Man sitting inside the car. I immediately bowed at him as he got off and approached me. Oddly, when I tried to look at the old man again, he was nowhere in sight.

"What are you doing here, Miss Park?"

"I was just taking care of some personal matter, Mr. Lee."

"I see. I am also done with my business here and on my way to eat lunch. Would you like to join me, Miss Park? I also wanted to talk to you about my son", he said.

The ride towards the restaurant was awkward. I'm not sure what exactly he's going to talk to me about Jiyong. We occupied the table at the corner of the restaurant and as we waited for our order, my anxiety is mounting. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and cleared my throat, waiting for Mr. Lee to open the topic.

"Aren't you curious why I granted the interview appointment that you requested when you were still in the university?"

"Is it because of Jiyong?"

"Yes. Before I granted that interview, I saw you with Jiyong at the stairs of the building. You were singing something to him and surprisingly, he smiled when you were not looking. I can't recall the last time when I saw him having that expression. I can't even remember if I saw him smile at all", he sighed and clasped his hands on top of the table while my mind wandered back to that moment. So, I was not mistaken. Jiyong did smile after I sang the Cuppycake Song.

"Jiyong is my son but I was never a father to him. I wanted to secure his future that's why his mother left him in my care. He was very smart even when he was young. But I know so little of my son. He distanced himself to everyone and studied profusely. He barely interacts with people and even when he does, he was very cold. I know I am to blame for his attitude."

"When you did the interview with him, I felt like I was looking at a different person. And when both of you entered the company, I was anxious and happy. I tried to convince him a lot of times to work at the company I built for him but he strongly refused. I don't know the reason why he changed his mind but I'm extremely grateful that he did."

"Do you know that he recently called me 'Dad'?", Mr. Lee paused, as if reminiscing the moment. "He said, Dad, we won the bid. I don't know if it just slipped his mouth but hearing it made me realize how much I longed for it. He always call me 'Sir' or 'Mr. Lee'. I know we have a long way to go to settle our differences but this is a good start. This is something that you brought about, Miss Park."

"Me?"

"He started to open up to people when he's with you. He started to smile and laugh because of you. For making it possible for an undeserving father like me to finally see his son's smile and hear him call me 'Dad', I'm really thankful, Dara."

"Y-You're welcome, sir", I mumbled, unsure of how to respond. Am I really the reason for Jiyong's smile?

The door chimes caught our attention and when I looked at the door, I saw a group of kids entering together with their parents. The kids were playing tug of war using a red cord. I was suddenly reminded of my situation seeing that string.

The hadana said that I was supposed to die but it was hindered. Why didn't they just let me die early instead of prolonging my life? Why do I have to meet Jiyong and fall in love with him? I looked at Mr. Lee who was eyeing the kids with a smile on his face. It was my first time seeing him with that kind of peaceful expression.

I felt like the heavy weight in my heart was suddenly lifted, but was immediately replaced but a different kind of weight. I don't want to die. I want to grow old with Jiyong. I want to have kids who will call me 'mommy', who will call Jiyong 'daddy' and who will call Mr. Lee 'grandpa'. I want to have that kind of future. But if that future is not destined for me, I'm at least happy to have fulfilled the wish of a father.

If the reason why my life was prolonged is to make Jiyong smile, then that reason is good enough for me.

_____________________________________________________________

The river glistened as it reflects the moonlight. It has been a very long day for Dara. So many things were running through her mind as she walked gingerly along the park. The noise of people around her somehow gives her a sense of comfort. It's reassuring.

She was lost in her own thoughts when suddenly, an old man sitting on the ground beneath a tree called out her name.

"You look troubled, Sandara Park", he said. Dara looked at the source of voice and was surprised to see the old man whom she encountered at the dirt road.

"How did you know my name?"

"How can I not know your name? I am the owner of the red string."

"You're the owner of the red string?" Dara hurriedly approached him and sat beside him. "Are you a deity too? Do you know Hadana Bom and Jursa Seunghyun" she asked in a whisper.

The man chuckled and shifted his eyes to the people around them. "Those two are a handful, are they not?"

"So you knew..." Dara swallowed hard as she stared at the old man, unable to believe having that encounter. "A-Am I really going to die on the coming full moon?"

The moon was covered by a dark cloud, forming a big shadow on the ground. Her heart pounded painfully as she waited for his answer. There was a long pause before the man spoke. "Death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely. Have you lived wisely, Sandara Park?"

Dara bit her lips upon hearing his words. She's going to die soon. There were a lot of questions in her mind but she doesn't know which one to voice out. She's going to die soon. How can that happen? Why her? There are so many things she wanted to do. Why now when she's finally looking forward to a future that she wanted to have. A future with Jiyong.

"What will become of Jiyong?" she mumbled as tears brimmed on her eyes.

"He will be a lonely man."

"Then why did you let me meet him? Why was I tied to him?!"

"Because beside him is where you needed to be", the old man said somberly. "I tried to prevent this kind of future; but it was inevitable. Fate indeed has a cruel habit."

The old man waved his hand and suddenly, sparkling red strings became visible which are tied to the pinky fingers of the people roaming in the park. Dara's eyes widened in awe as she slowly rose from the ground and darted her gaze around.

"A lot of people don't realize how lucky they are to at least know how to love someone. A lot of people look at the thorns instead of appreciating the roses. And some waste their strength in despair coveting the future that they cannot have instead of making the most out of what they currently have", the old man stated in a faraway voice. "The next full moon is coming and on that day, for Kwon Jiyong, the word happiness will lose its meaning. What are you going to do, Heloise?"

Heloise...

Dara's eyes fluttered open and the first thing she saw is the ceiling of her room. Feeling disoriented, she sat up and massaged her forehead while frowning. A dream? She was about to pull off the blanket covering her when something caught her eyes - a short red string was tied on her pinky finger. Her eyes widened as she stared at it, various thoughts filling her mind. Then, Dara grabbed the pen and paper on her bedside table and hurriedly scribbled something.

_____________________________________________________________

Jiyong has been sensing the creepy cheeseball aura emanating from the other desk but he chose to ignore it. They have a lot of work to finish because Choi Jin-hyuk (the bastard) has been making a lot of ridiculous demands for the amusement park development.

Just when he thought that Dara had given up on giving him some cheeseball signals, an instant message popped up on his laptop screen.

Cheeseball: Do you have a band-aid?

Jiyong looked at Dara curiously and saw that she was pretending to be busy while waiting for his reply.

Jiyong: No. Why? Are you hurt somewhere?

Oh brother. Here comes the Super Aegyo Instant Message Attack. He should've known that no amount of cyborg barrier can ever repel Dara's miu miu power.

Cheeseball: Hubby?

Jiyong: Yeah

Happy Cheeseball: HUBBY!!!

Jiyong: Are you done with your corny pick-up lines?

Serious Cheeseball: Okay, I'll stop. Did you feel the earthquake just now?

Jiyong: No. Maybe you just accidentally bumped your desk.

Cheeseball: Oh, nevermind. I think it's your fault. Because you always ROCK MY WORLD *kyahhhh!!!* \(*o*)/

Jiyong: Let's break up.

Cheeseball: I think my heart has a sore throat...

Jiyong: LET'S BREAK UPPPP!!!

Cheeseball: Because it has been screaming your name all day!!!

Jiyong: (=_= )( =_=)

Cheeseball: Miu miu miu...

Another deep sigh escaped Jiyong's lips. He felt like he needs to take a shower with all his clothes on. Dara's continuous cheddar attack makes him feel sticky. Where did she get these from? It has the mark of the 70s written all over it.

Cheeseball: Hubby, I think something's wrong with my eyes.

Jiyong: What?

Cheeseball: I can't take my eyes off you.

Boss Jiyong: Get back to work.

Cheeseball: I can't. I feel sick. I even went to the clinic.

Jiyong: Dara, I swear..

Cheeseball: The doctor said I'm lacking Vitamin U. *squealssss*

Frustrated Jiyong: Dara...

Cheeseball: On a scale of 1 to 10, you're a 9.....AND I'M THE 1 YOU NEED! wheeeee!!!!! *runs away*

\(*o*)/ Jiyong: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!!

U&I Forever: Fine, I'm stopping *grumble grumble grumble*

Hubby: <-- happy now?

Cheeseball: Yes!! *throws confetti!*

Finally. Peace and quiet at last. If his Big Bang bandmates see Dara's pick-up lines, he will never hear the end of it. They will use that against him FOREVER. He can totally picture Seungri memorizing every available cheesy line to annoy the living crap out of him.

The peace and quiet lasted for just ten minutes. "Hubby", Dara called out, rolling her swivel chair towards Jiyong.

"Mmmhm?"

When Dara did not respond, Jiyong looked up from the documents that he's reading and eyed her curiously. She was beside him but she just kept on staring at him.

"What? Do you need some cheeseball time again?"

"I need to smell you."

"Huh?" Jiyong frowned, wondering what kind of stupid KDrama gave her that absurd idea.

Without uttering another word, Dara leaned towards him and buried her face on his chest. "You cheeseball", Jiyong muttered in defeat as he wrapped his left arm around her, letting his girlfriend sniff him. "You come up with the silliest ideas", he said.

"Hmmm, you smell good!", Dara exclaimed and beamed at him, puckering her lips. Jiyong sighed and placed a soft kiss on Dara's lips, making her squeal. This is what he has to deal with every day.

"Cheeseball time is up. I have a meeting about the bid project but I need you to stay here and wait for Miss Jung. She is going to hand over some documents that I need." He quickly stood up and gathered the papers.

Dara's face crumpled upon hearing Jesscia's name. "Okay", she said in a dispirited voice.

"Don't throw toddler tantrums again like last time", he reminded her as he strode towards the door.

"I won't. You locked yourself in a room with that woman last time that's why I sent those messages!"

"I told you we were just talking about the bid project. I don't want to be disturbed because I bargained for some ridiculous demands to be strike off the contract."

"She's flirting with you! If Mr. Choi Jin-hyuk asked me to be in a locked room with him-..."

"I don't want you anywhere near that bastard, Dara." Jiyong said in icy tone, making her stop. He let go of the door knob and turned around to walk towards her, his eyes fixed on Dara. "He was about to take you inside his hotel suite in Jeju and I don't even want to imagine what would happen if I wasn't there. Do you know the rumors about him? Once he sets his eyes on a woman, he will do everything that he can to have her. A number of sexual harrassment cases were filed against him but all of them were dropped because of his money."

"Jiyong", Dara stepped back as he continued to approach her, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Those women said Choi Jin-hyuk drugged them that's why they were not able to refuse. Some were tied to the bed and he even filmed them. Do you now understand why I don't want that bastard to look at you? Why I'm doing everything that I can so that Miss Jung will always be the one who will negotiate with us instead of him? I admit, I'm overly accommodating when it comes to her but that's because I'd rather deal with her instead of having Choi Jin-hyuk come to our office!", he yelled.

"Hubby..." Dara placed her hands on Jiyong's chest to calm him down. "Okay, I'm the one at fault. Let's not fight", she cooed.

Jiyong inhaled deeply and ran his hand on his face. "I'm sorry, I don't what got into me. It's just..", he sighed and stared at her tenderly, "I dont want you anywhere near him, cheeseball."

"Alright. I'll avoid him. So, calm down. Mmmhhmm?" She said while rubbing his chest. He smiled and touched her nose with his forefinger.

"Look what you do to me", he mumbled. "I'm going to be late for my meeting", he spun around and headed towards the door once again. "When Miss Jung drops by, tell her I miss her."

"WHAT?! JIYONG!" Dara shrieked but the cyborg already closed the door behind him.

During the meeting, Jiyong can't help but smirk whenever the instant messages that Dara sent him crosses his mind. He was covering his mouth with his hand to hide his smile when an instant message window popped up in his laptop screen.

Cheeseball: Are you busy?

He is almost certain this is one of her girlfriend's corny pick-up line. Shaking his head lightly, Jiyong typed his reply.

Hubby: Yes. You've reached your cheeseball quota for the day, Dara. Save your pick-up line next time.

Cheeseball: Mr. Choi Jin-hyuk is here. Not Jessica Jung.

Jiyong immediately stood up and excused himself, bolting out of the room. His heart was clenching in worry as he ran towards his office. That bastard better not pull some weird shit on Dara. He better not.

==

Dara eyed Choi Jin-hyuk warily as he paced back and forth while darting his eyes around with a creepy smile on his lips that makes her want to call the cops. She was standing behind her desk after greeting the unwelcome visitor, silently praying for him to immediately leave. She's not sure if Jiyong has read the instant message that she sent because he did not reply.

"Nice office", Jin-hyuk said and stopped a few distance in front of her desk. "Here are the documents that Jiyong requested. Can you check if they are complete, Miss Park?" he asked while holding the papers. Dara looked at the documents that he was waving and glanced back at the guy's face. After what Jiyong told her, she can't help but feel uneasy with just the two of them in the room.

Dara approached him and was about to get the papers that he was holding but Jin-hyuk playfully moved his hand out of her reach. "Say, Miss Park. Care to join me for a drink after your work?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Choi. I already have plans", she politely refused.

"It felt like you practiced to refuse my invitation", Jin-hyuk remarked and slightly pouted. "Can't you spare me a bit of your time later? I even made a trip here just to see you."

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Choi. I'm afraid I cannot accompany you." Because you're a psycho.

Jin-hyuk sighed dramatically and finally handed her the papers. "Alright, then please check these thoroughly", he instructed stonily. Dara received them and strode towards Jiyong's desk. She then hurriedly checked the documents, comparing them one by one with the list that Jiyong drafted.

"I'm not giving up on you yet, Miss Park", Jin-hyuk whispered on her ear, making her gasp in surprise. The door swung open and Jiyong walked in with long and steady strides, his eyes fixed on Jin-hyuk who was still standing behind her.

"Mr. Kwon!" Jin-hyuk exclaimed. "I thought you had a meeting", he said and took a step away from Dara.

"And I thought Miss Jung will be the one to deliver the documents", Jiyong retorted.

"I had a business within the area...", Jin-hyuk replied and glanced at Dara meaningfully, "...so I decided to deliver them myself."

"We appreciate it, Mr. Choi. Miss Park, please give those papers to the Marketing Department", Jiyong said and Dara immediately complied without uttering a word, sensing that her boyfriend is just a thread away from losing his temper. As soon as Dara left the room, the two men stared at each other, as if sizing their opponent.

"Miss Park is really pretty, isn't she?" Jin-hyuk remarked as he slowly walked past him. "What was it that you told me in Jeju, Jiyong? That you're going to crush me?"

Jiyong glanced at Jin-hyuk who was about to head out. "Well, you better make it fast", Jin-hyuk said and gave him a mocking salute before shutting the door.

_____________________________________________________________

Jiyong is clearly not in the mood because of the brief encounter with Jin-hyuk but Dara was not deterred. She insisted on hanging out in his apartment after office hours. She is a cheeseball with a mission after all.

Jiyong grabbed a drink from the ref and was startled to see Dara smiling behind him. He went to the dining table and Dara merrily followed him. Come to think of it, she has been following him around ever since they entered the apartment. Jiyong stole a glance at Dara who was now standing close to him and was following his every movement with her gaze, as if she's expecting him to do something amazing any moment. He started to drink a glass of water and while doing that, Dara suddenly tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. Yep, she's up to something.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Nothing", she blinked at him innocently.

He stared at her suspiciously but decided to let it go. He then started striding towards the bedroom and as expected, Dara was right behind him. He opened the door and spun around to face her, "Why are you following me around?"

"Because my teachers told me to follow my dreams!" she gushed. Oh God. Those corny pick-up lines again. Jiyong just rolled his eyes and proceeded to his bedroom to get some documents that he needed to study. That bastard Jin-hyuk is clearly up to something and he needed to be one step ahead of him. The contract that Jin-hyuk's side drafted for the bid project is really unfavorable for the Lee Group of Companies but since they are in a bind, they had no choice but to agree to their demands.

He sat on the couch in the living room and his girlfriend plopped herself beside him. He then reached out for the tv remote and gave it to her. One thing to shut her up and stop her from doing weird things is to let Dara watch her KDrama. They sat silently on the couch, doing their own thing, when the silence was finally broken by Dara.

"Hubby, do you want a cookie?"

"Okay", he said.

"Here."

Jiyong lifted his gaze and opened his palm to receive it but was dumbfounded to see Dara biting a cookie and offering it to him. She bridged the gap between their faces and tried to feed her with the cookie protruding from her lips. What the...

"I don't want cookies anymore", he stated lazily.

"AahhHh, hubbyyy ~ ~"

With an exasperated sigh, Jiyong leaned forward and took a bite from the cookie. Before he could pull away, Dara suddenly gave him a quick peck on the lips and giggled giddily. He can just shake his head in amusement at the weirdness of his girlfriend.

"This doesn't look good on you", Dara suddenly remarked while straightening the creases of his shirt. Jiyong frowned and followed her gaze, not understanding why she suddenly became interested with the way he dress. "You know what looks good on you?", she asked.

"Wh-..Oh no.."

"ME!" Dara shrieked and clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and climbing on his lap to straddle him. Where the hell did she get all those corny pick-up lines from?!

Jiyong wrapped his arms around Dara's waist as the latter buried her face on the crook of his neck. "What is up with you? Why are you so corny today?" Jiyong asked.

"No reason", Dara said and smiled at him. "Don't you have any pick-up line for me?"

"None."

"Oh come on!"

"I don't have any."

"Pleaseee!! Make my toes curl, hubbybybybyby!"

"Fine", Jiyong sighed in exasperation. Seriously, she does everything that makes his life apocalyptic. "Are you google?"

Dara chuckled while staring at his cringing boyfriend. "No, why?"

"Because you have everything that I'm searching fo-..I CAN'T DO IT!" Jiyong exclaimed. "I feel like killing myself!"

"You're doing great, hubby! Let's try it again."

"No. I really can't. Spare me, please", Jiyong pleaded.

Dara pouted and wiggled free from his hug. She was about to climb off him but Jiyong securely wrapped his arms around her once again.

"Alright, alright", Jiyong said while securing Dara in his arms. "Argh! Why are you my girlfriend?", Jiyong sighed in defeat as Dara beamed at him expectantly.

"What's your height?", he asked.

"Uhm..I think around 1.62 meters. Why?"

"Then my heart must be that big. Because you are..inside...my heart." KILL.ME.NOW. Jiyong's lips twist in disgust as he uttered the cheesy pick-up line. "Cheeseball, please. Enough."

Dara didn't utter a word as she stared at Jiyong. "That was really sweet, Jiyong", she mumbled, cupping his face with her hands. When the sun's rays hit her face, Dara squinted and glanced at the window. "Look, hubby. The sun is about to set", she said and sat beside Jiyong while watching the sunset. "The sky looks like a painting", she added.

Without uttering a word, Jiyong reached out for her hand and lifted it. He then placed his hand on top of hers, interlacing their fingers while the setting sun casted a light on their hands.

"It fits", he murmured. Dara smiled as he brought her hand on his lap and caressed it. She snuggled closer to him and Jiyong enveloped her on his arms once again. A contented sigh escaped her lips but she yelped in surprise when he suddenly bit her shoulder. She whipped her head towards Jiyong but his face remained unreadable, as if he has absolutely no clue who bit her. Then, he stuck his tongue out at her causing her to chuckle.

"I have one last pick-up line for you", Dara said.

"Oh no. There's more?"

"This is the last one, I promise!"

"Okay, go ahead. Let's hear it. Make me puke."

"Hubby?"

"Mmmhhmm?"

"I will shout to the world how much I love you", Dara mumbled while staring at him. Jiyong glanced at her and cocked his eyebrows, a smile pasted on his lips. "Really?"

"Yeah. Are you ready?"

"To the whole world, huh?"

"Yup. Don't smile! I'm serious!"

"Alright", Jiyong faced her and waited for her to shout. He willed himself not to smile even though it's proving to be a challenge. "I'm ready", he said in a serious tone.

Dara leaned forward and locked her gaze with him, affection written in her eyes. "I love you very very much", she whispered.

"I thought you're going to shout it to the whole world?"

"You are my whole world", Dara replied softly. There was a long pause as Jiyong blinked at her in awe. Then, a boyish grin started forming on his lips. He was unable to contain his smile anymore. "That is so corny", he said.

"But it's true."

"Damn it", Jiyong mumbled and squeezed her tightly, breathing her sweet scent. "I'm so happy", he whispered on her ear.

To Do List

1. Tell Jiyong that I love him in the corniest possible way.

Writer's Note:

Follow me on twitter!! We spazz!! @huntress2021

A few more chapters to the end...and beyondddd!!!!

Cheers!

huntress ^_^