Hoseok clutched the glass in his hand and balled his other hand in his pocket. He was simply trying to keep face for another hour and then he could leave his work function. He had plans for after. The same plans he'd had for the last several weeks.

Hit up a few of the regular clubs. Stay for about an hour each. Keep alert for one thing.

Ara.

He hadn't seen her in weeks. She responded to his texts but only with vague responses. He got a lot of 'stop worrying' and 'I feel fine'. No one had seen her, not even the bartenders.

He had never liked seeing her in the bars and clubs too much. He clung to it now. He waited to see her hands reach above her or her hair stick to her forehead. He just needed confirmation that she was alive.

He was drowning in his thoughts about her. He pushed them down only when he heard his name.

"Hoseok! It's good to see you! How have you been?"

He greeted his coworker happily and carried on with conversation. The minutes ticked by while he made casual small talk. He was good at focusing on the task at hand, though thoughts of her still filtered through occasionally.

He rejoiced internally as the time finally came when he could make his exit. He still had to do one more round of goodbyes, mostly to his seniors, and then he would be in the clear. He approached one of the assistant managers and bowed deeply, giving his formal goodbye.

"Hoseok, before you depart, have you met the Director's date? She's quite the enchanter."

"Nonsense. I'm just a regular gal that ended up in a fancy gown."

That voice stopped him dead in his tracks. He couldn't quite believe his eyes. While he had been searching club after club for her, here she was. At his work function. With dyed blonde hair. And a gown that truly showed every perfect curve. Her eyes widened slightly as they met his.

"Oh. Hoseok."

His name fell out of her mouth like a whisper.

"You two already know each other? I should have expected as much!"

Hoseok barely glances at the man he works with. He's to stunned to reply and certainly to enchanted to really look away from her.

"Hoseok and I are old schoolmates. We attended high school together."

She smiled with her mouth closed. Schoolmates. He considers the word inadequate.

"I must be off to find Felix now. I'm sure he's lost without me."

She gives a slight bow. Her eyes linger on him for just a moment before she turns. He watches her back as she drifts into the crowd. This sight is so different from anything he's seen.

She's completely changed. Her hair is the same long length and beautifully frames her face, but it's now a bleached blonde. Her body is still the same curvy shape, but the dress on it flows all the way to the ground with long sleeves. Her face is as beautiful as ever, but it has more makeup than he's used to and the smile on her face doesn't reach her eyes.

He can't wrap his head around seeing her in this kind of crowd.

It takes several moments for him to regain what he'd lost. He moves toward her, desperate to hear her voice again. He needs to hear her talk to be sure this is real.

He finds her cozied up to one of the older Director's side. She's wrapped around his arm. She says something with a sly smile he can't quite hear yet and the group of men around her laugh. He feels something hard bubble in his chest. He quickly pushes himself into the small group.

"Director Yi, you have to tell us where you found a gem like her."

"That's easy. She found me"

Ara rolled her eyes. "You boys talk as if you've never met a woman."

"Not one quite like you."

"Or maybe you just haven't treated one quite right."

"Aish." The man clutched his chest as the group laughed again.

Hoseok has seen this side of Ara plenty of times in clubs. She was a natural charmer. But this was still different. This set him on edge. She wasn't supposed to be here, like this.

Her eyes linked with his. She seemed ruffled that he was here again. He tilted his head to signal her that he wanted to get away. She bit her bottom lip before giving the smallest of nods.

"If you excuse me now, gentlemen, I'll be back in a few moments."

They all gave her low bows and grumbled 'come back soon'. She bowed slightly back and gracefully walked away. Hoseok followed, leaving just enough space. He sighed as he realized where she was heading.

She placed a hand on the cool marble of the small makeshift bar. She ordered a glass of wine and then turned to him.

"What can I do for you, Hoseok?"

He felt his world tilt again. She sounded normal. Her voice wasn't as light as it was earlier and she was so blunt. Hearing his name in that tone did awful things to his heart. She never called him Hoseok.

He licked his lips. "What happened to your hair?"

"I bleached it."

"Why?"

"Is this really why you pulled me away?"

"Ara," she held her hand up and his words got caught in his throat.

"I needed a change. So I changed my hair."

His eyebrows furrowed. Needed a change from what? He attempted to swallow but his mouth was dry.

"I apologize for stumbling into your company. I won't come back."

"How did you get here?"

She shrugs. "I had a blind date."

"At a party like this?"

"No."

Hoseok exhales heavily through his nose. He knows she's dancing around his questions. He can see in her eyes, as she scans the room, that she's about to run from him. He can't let that happen.

He reaches for her hand on the marble and takes it firmly in his. He's been at this venue before and he knows exactly where he wants to go to get real answers from Ara. He guides her through the hall. She protests slightly, pulling back on her hand, but gives in as she doesn't want to make a scene.

He leads her out of the main room and down a hall. Finally, they reach glass doors that open up to a small balcony. Hoseok closes the doors behind them. She pouts and crosses her arms.

"Hoseok, why would you do that?"

He inhales slowly, taking one step toward her. "This is the first time I've seen you in weeks. You look completely unlike yourself. You are putting some kind of act up around everyone in that room. And you keep calling me Hoseok."

"That is your name."

"Ara, cut it out."

"Or what? Will you call my parents again?"

Her words slice him. After her incident in the club, he had reached out to her parents. He was worried and he thought they could help.

"Will you tell them how I need to be watched more closely? How I need to get married? No need to worry, Hoseok. I'm here with a date and he is doing exactly what you wanted."

"What do you mean?"

"I got set up and now I'm somebody's trophy. Congratulations for ruining my life, yet again."

"That's not what I wanted."

"It's not what I wanted either, but look at where we are."

Her eyes burned with tears. She refused to let them fall but he could see them.

"I should get back before he looks for me."

"Let me,"

"Don't."

"Ara."

She shakes her head and pushes past him. She pauses at the glass doors, giving him one last glance. "There's no fix to this, Hoseok." Her voice is low and broken.

And then she's gone.

Hoseok stays on the balcony for what feels like hours. He tries to process her words.

Date. Married. Trophy. No Fix.

Then he thinks of the words she didn't say.

It's all your fault, Hoseok.

They repeat with no end. The woman he cared about more than anything in the world is now completely out of his reach. Because of him. He felt empty.

Hey Guys! I hope you're all enjoying this fun ride. This is taking an interesting turn from what I originally planned but I think it's going to be good. Please leave me a comment? I would love to hear what you think.