Chapter 3

I will be crazy if I decided to stay away from you because you love someone else.

I'm still here, enjoying looking at you every moment.

I enjoy these forbidden stares that I would never deprive myself of.

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͂͂͂͂ The narrator ͂

He was sitting on the chair relaxingly while his fingers were messing with the glass making circles on the edge. He remained looking around to the house he had designed carefully though his regret that the one lived with him was that girl instead of his girlfriend.

That house expressed his calm personality in a great extent. The black walls mixed with dark purple overwhelming the furniture. He wore a white shirt with the first three buttons unbuttoned in chaos and it was exhausting for the eyes. His pink lips were mixed with the whisky he was drinking.

It was a good evening cut across by a strange memory occurred that morning, when his girlfriend told him that Yeon Hee went out of the house the moment his car arrived. His eyes roomed the place and never founded her.

It seemed that she became excellent at disappearing from his sight everyday. This is very good for him not to feel her existence in the house as she stays out a lot. She didn’t tell him anything and he doesn’t care to know where she is. He never cared about anything about her.

San Hee noticed his straying as if he was sucked in a giant vortex, so she knocked lightly on the table, trying to take him off of it. He did nothing but a little smile. He asked her not to ask him about what was in his mind.

" What? Are you alright?" she asked quietly as the atmosphere couldn’t stand any loud voices.he nodded reassuring.

She is the one who is always worried about him. With her, he feels like a baby. He spreads his concerns to her without complaining. She always tries to cheer him up.

" eat your food"

" I'm full. The drink is enough". His words were enough and he came back to his trance once again while his eyes remained centered on the door.

Seconds later, she said in whiny voice: " Yeon Hee told me she is staying over."

" I don’t care" he replied returning his eyes on the glass. He tried to hold the fork to eat anything fron the plate. Then, he heard a loud thud coming from the garden that freaked them both out.

" What's this?" she said in fear so he quickly stood up and opened the door. He went around the house examining the whole garden, while she was outside holding onto his arm.

" It seems to be outside, San Hee"

" But the sound was really close"

He felt her trembling, so he turned to her and placed a caring kiss on the forehead.

" I'm with you, don’t be afraid. Let's go to sleep. I'm tired." He smiled to her,so she did shyly and held his arm to get inside.

Once they closed the door, the door in the garden leading to the old warehouse opened.

" Jesus, I was about to get caught." She exhaled deeply before she went out. She tried to wipe the dust off her clothes.

" Come, dear" she spoke to the ladder, pulled it out and rubbed it gently.

" Sorry for dropping you and falling upon you, my friend. Please, let's climg quietly, I want to sleep".

She started climbing and tried to focus. She knew the reason for her absent-mindedness and falling down. It was that handsome she met that morning.

Oh Hyun Ree.

His name carries a musical note. She tasted it when she heard that name called by Jeon Soo one day when she was following him.

He was very tall and his body was flawless, but this didn’t attract her. She was attracted mostly to his features while looking closer at him. She only saw him from a distance. His features were sharp but with strange purity that can be easily felt.

He seems to be a good friend.. an understanding boyfriend.. a protector.

She would never stop analyising individuals through their features.

She found him looking at her with his bright smiling eyes while his arms were fully around her waist. Due to this gesture, she felt her heart flutter. She straightened up suddenly in two minutes trying to fix her hair and clothes.

" You know who I am?" he asked after uttering his name. she found him wandering for a while as if he was thinking.

" Are you Jeon Soo's wife? I'm sorry I didn’t recognize you. I couldn't attend the wedding." He said conveniently but he restored in her two memories she never wanted to think of while having serenity. The first one was her marriage and the second one was the wedding that sounded more like a condolence where she bid farewell to her heart.

She wanted to tell Hyun Ree how thankful she was for not attending that wedding.

Why does he look so handsome and polite? She was in great silence not knowing what it was until he started talking.

" I came here to express my desire for making designs for our new company product. Do you work here?"

" Oh, it's my friend's company and I work with him here" she said embarrassed to find the coy lady inside her was set free, so she tucked her hair behind her ear.

He remained contemplating her fingers doing nervous actions till she whispered" go ahead".

His smile was the last thing kept in her mind all day. She was very short for him.

She was thinking about details, strange things, even the way he held her.

That day, she made sure how much she was deprived of any emotion. She used to live a cruel empty life. She never expreienced simple things or feelings addressed to her instead of depletting her feelings only in giving.

She found herself uncontrollably reeling till she fell on bed, making a relatively loud noise. She was afraid that Jeon Soo might hear it. She didn’t bother changing her clothes. She even fell asleep deeply as if there is no tomorrow.

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Beautiful music comes from a very dark place. Inspite of the darkness, she doesn’t feel afraid.

She found her tied hair into a messy bun before sleeping flowing on her shoulders. Her clothes that she didn’t bothered changing them had turned into a black silk dress. She could recognize the color of the dress despite the complete darkness!

She looked forward to find a quiet slight light dispelling the darkness around her. She also found a face, that always brought assurance to her heart, came close to her. A step closer, so her smile widened gradually with each step he took closer towards her.

He stood in front of her; she hesitated a bit before she raised her hand in fear. She was afraid that he might disappear if she touched his face. However, her hand landed lightly on his cheek. She sensed his skin. She had no idea why her tears started to fall down clearly, yet she was smiling. But her tears were streaming out of her eyes, not believing he was here.

Touchig him.

Sensing him.

When he raised his hand to touch her hand on his face, these tears flew more and she groaned because her weeping began to be intense. She didn’t lose her smile though.

" Don’t leave me."

She heard it with his tender voice that she never heard in reality. But her subconscious mind could professionally imagine his voice.

It was the last thing she heard before opening her eyes at the usual sight. The only difference was her face full of tears.

It was one of her dreams where she found her only condolences in order to regenerate her love vow to herself for him. Despite the sweetnes of such dreams, they make her crumple then and for other days later till their effect disappears. She becomes normal once again.

She stretched her hand aimlessly searching for the phone. She looked with her sleepy eyes to find out the weekly disaster.

Today OFF, he's home.

Today, she will get out.

Today, she will see him.

Although this encounter is unpleasant for him, it is lovely only for her.

She stood up doing her routine, looking from the window, watching him eating breakfast with her in the garden.

She whispered to herself with a face full of love: " God, his pinkshirt is so beautiful."

" May God put a rat into her bread, so she may suffocate and die; finger crossed" she stated while closing the curtains angrily.

She was about to go to the bathroom but her phone ringing interrupted her. She took a look to see Hyun Ree's name on the phone.

" Good morning" his sleepy voice was mixed with morning activity.

" Good morning, Hyun Ree."

" Are you available today?" he said abruptly. She still remembers last night when Hyung Min made her in charge of the huge Ad campaign series as he trusts her.

She still remembers that gentle smile on Hyun Ree's face secretly while looking at the papers when Hyung Min took this decision.

That smile.

Even asking her if she was available satisfied her feminine and sent her strange goosebumps.

When you feel that someone cares if you're available or not, need something or not…

Not someone treats you like one of the couches in the house, or a ghost. At least, he sits on the couch.

She found herself uncontrollably replying:" of course, today is a holiday"

" I know but we're working together. We should strengthen our relationship to work comfortably. I can ask you for breakfast, can't I?"

" Sure" she said with ecstaty spread in her veins inciting her to accept. Something tickles her feelings that crave for attention.

She hung up the phone and went to choose something to wear. It was weird anyway to think what she wanted for the first time.

She took a black wide-leg pants with white decorations and a white cotton shirt to wear, while letting her long hair down over her shoulders. She only put a little shimmery blue gemstone necklace. She took out her marriage ring and looked at it in trace. Wear it or not? She was thinking but the answer was "No" as if many people repeat it in her mind. So she threw it in the box.

She picked up her accompanying pack bag. She stood in front of the door silently, feeling that if she opened the door, she would find something scary behind it. Why the hell she fears him?

She does not.

She is afraid of his glances full of disgust towards her. She is afraid of any hatred word or look from him that may break her heart and spirit all day. But she made up her mind; she would go off to the garden without lookingat him but the gate that seemed for sure far beyond the seventh Heaven at that time.

She held the doorknob and opened it slowly. She went downstairs; there was no one. She feared that they were back inside. She went out from the door balcony overlooking the garden.

Her heart stopped beating.

Why it beated again. It was racing again until it may stop.

He was laughing really hard.

Each voice coming from him while laughing was taking her breath away. She couldn't breathe.

Plan A didn’t work, and there was no plan B.

Her arms were hanging down her sides.

She cares about nothing. She wants to see him much longer and fulfill her eys with his smile.

There was no tears in her eyes. Her eyes had tears and her gazes were full of grief about something she woul never get. Grief for a broken heart that has no cure but him.

Her sad looks.

They belonged to someone tried to smile and accept the sacrifice while knives twisting her guts.

The dream she saw last night came back to her mind. She wishes she could touch him and feel him near her.

Suddenly, he turned his face when he felt pair of eyes looking at him from afar. He stopped laughing. He frowned, so she could do nothing but take her eyes away, even her body entirely away in order to carry out plan A and go fast towards the gate.

The gate far beyond the seventh Heaven.

Meanwhile, San Hee and Jeon Soo's eyes were following her.

" Did you see her at the morning coming from outside?" said San Hee, Jeon Soo denyied, and he was thinking how strange it was.

Why she was standing there staring at him. Why?

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" Sorry, I'm late" said Hyun Ree embarrassed, stretching his hand without sitting, so she quickly stood up to shake his hand with both hands as a matter of public decency.

" Sorry" he said but she waved her hands awkwardly.

' No, no, you didn’t. I like coming early".

͂ I can't stand staying at home, thank you ͂ It was an additional sentence she really wished she could say.

" You didn’t order anything?" he said quietly, then he smiled and raised his hand to the waiter.

" I would like to have a pineapple juice and a piece of chocolate cake. What about you?"

She cleared her throat in embarrassment for that situation. He was so nice that she was really confused.

" A cup of coffee with creamer and a piece of cake like you" she said in a low voice. She was messing with anything in front of her and bowed her head.

The waiter left, so Hyun Ree lowered his head in order to meet her eyes. It worked as she bounced back in fear when she found him staring at her.

" Sorry"

" Never mind, you look nervous"

" No, not at all"

She tried to calm herself down a little so he wouldn't feel she was a freak.

" Well, Mrs. Kim, I …"

He didn’t complete the sentence for being interrupted by a firm tone of voice: " Yeon Hee". She said firmly as if she was defending someone else, something else.

" Excuse me!"

" I'm not Mes. Kim. It's just Yeon Hee"

͂ I never owned this surname ͂ this sentence stucked in her throat, like others, indefinitely.

She could feel the smell of his curiosity and amazement; she smelled it. It was intensively increasing. She feared that he might ask but he smiled instead!

" Fine, Yeon Hee. Our company works increasingly in more than one field regarding women. 80% of our work include fashion, cosmetics and skin-care products as well. That's why, I'm exited that the one I'm working with is a woman who could understand what's in women's minds. This is the first way to right marketing, don’t you agree?'

He stated while staring in her eyes. Shw nodde her head seriously and her embarrassment was gone and replaced by her passion for work.

She didn’t notice his extended hand. She shivered for a second before raising her hand from under the table. She stretched it to his hand which held her waist last night. It held her little hand tight today.

He took her hand, as if he refused to set it free. He lightly squeezed her hand and said with a strange smile:

" So, let it be the beginning"

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" God, I'll really have a heart attack"

She freaked out when she got into the house at night and found him with the same pink shirt. He stood there waiting for someone. It can't be her!

She stepped forward a little with fear; a dark aura like walls surrounded her. She felt that energy in his eyes.

She tried to ignore him and run upstairs but before she opened the door of the room, a hand opened it and pushed her infirmly. She was about to fall.

What is it now?!

She knew who was behind her but she was afraid of looking at him. However, his voice turned her fear into horror.

" I'm standing behind you by the way, and I know you know. Why don’t you look at me?" he said coldly as ice with a voice pounding mercilessly. But she turned her face quickly and her fear turned into the same coldness as his.

" The great Jeon Soo gave me the honour and visited my room. I should have prepared for it, sorry" he stated it in a sarcastic way which made his eyes spitting fire.

" Wretched"

" Some of what you have". Her unruly tongue became out of control; it seemed it wouldn't shut up unless by cutting.

It was no distance between them, so he didn’t bother walking towards her. He grabbed her arm instead.

" Don’t talk to me that way"

Talk to him! Is she talking with him at the first place??

Why is he the only one who has the right to hurt her that way?

She moved his hands away roughly as someone hurt trying not to lose her dignity and seeked help.

" What do you want, for God's sake, what do you want? I didn’t come closer to you" she yelled strongly and he answered more violently:" Shut up, don’t talk to me like that. What gives you the right to yell at me?". He screamed and his voice was about to break down the walls.

He grabbed her hair and headed to the mirror. He whispered in her ears with a voice froze her. She saw his eyes looking at hers with hostility. " It seems you thought you're a girl with dignity. Your family have sold you for deals and money. You and prostitutes don’t vary much."

At the last sentence, just the last one, she felt her soul go out of her body. It is smack talk from the one you gave him your soul for nothing. The one you wanted just a look from him, a respectful look. This increases the pain four times. This enables pain to destroy any wall you fortify yourself with one day.

After his words, she wasn’t affected by her headache when he was holding her hair. Pain was meaningless after disclosing how he sees her.

She though a lot.

He considers her a victim.

Guilty.

But a b*tch!

" Wear the dress on the bed. There is a party for business leaders and my father will be there." He said while taking his hand off of her hair roughly, but she was frozen.

No life, no feeling, nothing but listening forced to the steps of his black chunky shoes ringing in the room.

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He didn’t do even the simplest things and aspects he should do at any party like holding her hands during entry, he did nothing.

Everyday, she felt she was alone while confronting that world. She considered not leaning on someoen is a good thing. However, sometimes, you need a partner to hold his hand, to put your head on his shoulders when exhaustion beats you, and when the world gets to you in an unequal battle.

She was looking at him talking diplomatically with other businessmen at the party but with a smiling face, opposite to what he shows her.

She cursed herself. After all he did, she is still staring at what he wears. She was poundaring with the feeling of fiery possessiveness inside her, and the desire to tell the whole world he belongs to her.

He was at his finest with this white shirt and black suit mixed with ruby red which suited the glass of wine teetering in his hand. It also suited her dress color that was sleevless and strapless exposing her shoulders. While her alabaster shoulders are covered by her long hair flowing over her body.

She was standing alone as usual like a child waiting for her parents, until something distracted her.

" Yeon Hee" he said quietly beside her ear, so she turned around and found him.

Tonight's saviour, Hyun Ree ͂

The moment her eyes fell on him, a verse of the song that filled the party's atmosphere rang out her ear:" You're not alone, I'm here with you".

He looked into her eyes too long.

That hand stretched again.

That hand which held her waist, that shaked her hand that morning to hold a treaty.

That hand that told her his request:" May I have this dance?"

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