She put on more makeup than usual. She walked out of the elevator to the lobby, looking around casually. His schedule wrapped up around noon and he had the rest of the day off. She smiled as she walked around the lobby and sat down on the couch. She took a magazine from the table, flipping through the pages, *The Internet's New Sensation: Cha So Woon the dream man*
"Of course, of course dream man", she scoffed as she flipped another page to open a double page full length photo of the man dressed in a Beige Burberry jacket and pants. *I didn't know he looked this handsome. Or did I?* she thought as she flipped to the next page and another photo.

"You're early.." he said as he walked to her, ".. and apparently admiring my beauty" ,he said looking at the magazine in her hand. She closed it instantly, throwing it back on the table.

"You're here? Where's Mr. Hyun Sik?"

"Don't worry, he will reach the car, let's go", he said as he brushed past her, shortly holding her hand.

***

"Sam", he called as he waited in the back seat for Hyun Sik. Samairah turned to face him. He wrapped his hands around her face, kissing her softly. She pulled away almost instantly, "someone will see", she whispered as she looked around.

In the distance, from the Porche parked opposite to the Maserati, she looked at the two having their share of fun.
"Not for long.." she said to herself.

***

They had taken the liberty of going on a date with the rest of his free day.

"Here, two VIP tickets for the only English movie playing right now", she handed it over, pulling his hood over his head. "I'll get the popcorn and drinks, you go sit", she smiled as she joined the queue to buy snacks.

***

The amusement Park was the least crowded. It either lost its charm over the years or was never interesting to begin with. Most rides lay still on a weekend.

"This looks more like an abandoned park", he said as they held hands and walked around the footpath beside the play area. The ferris wheel was slower than usual, but a ferris wheel is a ferris wheel. They decided to give it a go.

"Ah we have faster ones in Seoul. If things get better I'll take you one day"

"I don't know if I can leave this place that easily", she said looking out. The reason, she couldn't elaborate. *It would be safer for him to not know* she thought as she shook her head and put her hands into her pocket.

"Give me your hands", she said as she opens a tiny box with a thick platinum bracelet. The letters 'forever' was engraved on the inside. She put it on his hand. He smiled.

"This is a first for me", he said as he touched the bracelet admiring it.

"What is", she asked looking serious.

"You", a handsome smile spread across his face, "you are a first for me". He moved and sat beside her. He pulled out a box from his pocket, taking out a necklace with three embedded diamonds in it. He unhooked it and wrapped his arm around her, putting on the necklace for her. He smiled as they leaned in.

***

"Oh cotton candy", he exclaimed as he held her hands and ran towards the stall. He walked across to the seller and whispered something to him, handing him an unnecessary amount of cash.
He stepped back and sat beneath a tree, "Ah people in love can be so stupid".

"He just called us stupid " she said widening her eyes and looking at the seller.

"It's fine, come here", he pulled her as he gives her two sticks and turns on the candy machine. They took 15 minutes making 2 giant balls of cotton candy. The seller sighed yet put up with it as the payment for the materials wasted was already given to him.

***

She entered the office and barged in. "Mr. Akin. I have heard a lot about you", she said as she threw an envelope on his table.

"However what brings me here is something else", she grabbed a bottle of wine pouring herself a drink.

"Who is she?" she screamed as she sits down on the couch, pointing to the envelope. Akin opens it, taking out photographs and looking at them.

"I see, Ms. Mi Ran", Akin said as he touches his chin and then smiles, looking up at her.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"I need her gone", she said as she poured herself another glass.

"Let's see. She's my employee and I can't just get rid of her. Come to think of it we want the same thing. You want her gone and I want her.." he stopped midway, smiling and taking a deep breath. "Help me fire her and she'll be gone far from your sight", he promised. She took another sip and smirked, "Deal".

***
15 years ago

"Sam, take it slow. You're already working four jobs. Moreover you quit college. Shouldn't it be enough to last you and your mother?" the young girl in ponytails spoke as she washed the dishes in the sink.

3 years after her father was gone, her mother had suffered a stroke. To support the bills she had to quit college and start working.

"I need this more than you can imagine", she finished cleaning up the tables and handed over the keys to the girl, taking off her apron and clocking out. "See you", she said as she watched Samairah run out.

She walked past the narrow alleys, and walked faster as she reached the lane near her house. She passed by a bunch of teenagers running away in the same direction. Something was off. The murmuring voices and the siren of the ambulance echoed in a distance. She ran to her house. She knelt down at the sight of the single storeyed house. The nurses carried the stretcher, blood dripped down the hand of the body through the slit on her wrist.

"Maa-", she cried as she knelt down. The neighbors looked on.