[Chapter 1: Meet Lee Ara's Best Friend]

Lee Ara sighed as she closed her diary. She reflected a bit before checking the time and she gasped.

"Shoot!" Ara scrambled out of her bed and then got back under her covers. "Bitch get the heck up."

Ara sighed. She wanted to go get her finger scanned, but it was so much work just to do so for one small thing. Maybe this app thing wasn't a good idea after all.

"Ara!" She yelled at herself. "We do this for Jimin!"

Then all of her motivation left her again. She hit the mattress underneath her. She felt stupid. Completely and utterly stupid.

She grabbed her phone amd called the one man that made her do activities like this, the one, the only, Park Jimin.

"Jimin-ssi," she mumbled.

"Ara-noona? What are you not doing?" She heard Jimin but she couldn't process his words.

"Huh?" She mumbled.

"I'm on my way," the phone call ended with a click. Ara rolled on her face and sighed into the pillow.

She didn't realize she fell asleep until she was dragged by her wrist out of bed. She tried pulling back, but she ok only pulled herself forward and fell out of her bed.

"Jimin-ssi, I need to go to the Love place for my finger print and swab sample," she mumbled on the floor.

"Ara, get the hell up before I dump water on you," Jimin huffed trying to help her up. She reluctantly got up. She swore she was still a teenager while this happened.

"Eomma, feed me," she joked and pushed Jimin away.

"Noona, I'm not your eomma," Jimin chuckled.

"I know that. I was just messing around," she said and hugged Jimin.

Jimin pushed her away almost instantly.

"Put on deodorant please. You smell ripe," Jimin gagged.

"Sorry, I haven't showered in like two days," Ara giggled, intoxicated on making Jimin feel pain.

"Ara, I'll run the shower for you. You said that yesterday and the day before and the day before that," Jimin frowned. "When do you see your therapist again?"

"I didn't tell you? The clinic closed down like two weeks ago," Ara sighed, following him to the bathroom.

"No, you didn't," Jimin sighed. "I'll start looking at other clinics."

"Jimin-ssi, I should be taking care of you," Ara said as she settled herself into the shower.

"You should, but you can't take care of yourself. I on the other hand can take care of both of us, noona," Jimin replied.

"Jimin-ssi, you're noona's best boy," she giggled while washing her hair out.

It was normal for them to hang out in the bathroom together while Ara showered. She loved his company, in a platonic way. She wished for nothing more than his friendship in her next life. If what ever upper power there was would let her have one.

Ara quickly showered after she told Jimin to go prepare something fast for her. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. She either slept or was using her phone and laptop. That was all she could do because she didnt have to leave the safety of her bed. She got money from the government to pay her bills because she was on disability and wasn't really allowed to work. It was tough for her.

When she stepped into the kitchen, Jimin had made her a bowl of cereal. She ate a couple bites without really tasting it. She didn't like food that much. She never really had an appetite in her life. Her depression only made it worse.

"Alright! Time to go!" Ara giggled loudly. She was on her way to the door when her couch looked very inviting. She took a turn and plopped herself onto the couch.

"Noona!" Jimin scolded her. "Aish. That's not the door."

Ara whined and barely got up to go to the door. She had her hand in the knob and slowly twisted it. The sun slightly blinded her.

"Oh my! The sun shouldn't be this bright," Ara hissed.

"Goodness, go to the car," Jimin ordered her.

Ara tried going back inside her apartment, but Jimin pushed her out amd locked it with her keys. To Ara, Jimin seemed like a traitor, but she understood what he was doing.

Jimin tugged at her dainty wrist and took her to the vehicle. He opened the door for her and strapped her in. She then felt herself getting drowsy again and snuggled into the seat of the car. She felt like a precious baby being taken care of.

Jimin muttered something, but Ara was to comfortable with the seat leaned back.

"Ara!" Jimin yelled.

"What?" She purred.

"The seat is not your bed. Get it straight," Jimin told her.

"Jimin-ssi, I'm tired though," Ara snuggled in more into the seat and Jimin just cursed himself for trying to deal with her antics.

"Well, we're almost there. It's really not that far," Jimin quietly explained to his noona.

"I guess I should collect myself," she whimpered.

"Good girl, time to wake up a little more," Jimin smiled. His smile brightened Ara's day. Nothing could compare to her best friend.

Ara leaned forward and took the back of the seat with her. She whined at the slight discomfort from leaning up. She stared out the window and watched the cars move through the busy streets of Seoul. Should was truly a beautiful city. The skyscrapers, the people walking along the street and sight of a couple sleek cars were just breath taking to her. She wished she could live in a little bit more luxury. She wished she could work, but her disability and her depression held her back.

It was a horrible excuse, but the depression made it hard to leave her house and the disability made it impossible to find a nice job. It's not like she didnt have the credentials, she definetly did. She had a degree in biochemical engineering and software engineering. She was incredibly intelligent but unable to apply it to her daily life. She felt useless. She wanted to be someone great as a child. Her dreams were crushed, quiet litterally.

"Ara," Jimin called for her, snapping her out of her thoughts. "We have arrived."

Ara looked out te window to see that they were in a parking garage for the Project: Love headquarters. She smiled slightly.

She climbed out of the car amd told Jimin to go shopping or something like that because she had a meeting with a supervisor too to talk to her about the beta testing program. Her smile slowly fell as Jimin's car left the garage. She headed toward the elevators and a wave of anxiety washed over her. She decided against the elevator amd took the stairs despite her fatigue. She had to get something done today. Otherwise that would actually prove her useless.

After two flights if stairs, she walked into the headquarters of the company. Everything glimmered amd shouted at her that she wasn't anything in the world. At least, not yet. She took a deep breath and walked to the front desk. The receptionist smiled at her, but Ara could tell she was being judged greatly by her appearance.

Ara barely noticed her own hand go to the jagged scar on her neck. When she did realized what she was doing she gently waved at the receptionist and smiled with her eyes.

"Hello, I have an appointment. My name is Lee Ara," Ara bowed in respect. Ara missed a slight smirk on the receptionist's face.

"Of course, let me check the data base, and could I see an ID?" She asked.

Ara gave the receptionist her ID and waited patiently. The lady grimaced before handing it back to her.

"Please wait in the seating area while I go make a quick phone call," she said.

"Of course," Ara replied.

Ara took a seat and noticed the receptionist make a couple calls. Time ticked by, and soon, she checked her phone. Her appointment was at 3 PM and it was now 3:17 PM. Ara grew worried. She'd gotten there about 20 minutes early. She'd been waiting for a little more than half an hour.

A man in a suit walked by and the receptionist stood up and bowed. Ara looked at him with melancholy. She wished she could have been like him. She was so close to achieving it too. Now, it was like a slap in the face.

"Where is my client?" The man asked.

"She hasn't arrived yet sir," the receptionist told him.

Ara watched as they spoke to each other.

"Tell me when she gets here," the man turned around and made eye contact with Ara for a brief second.

"Hello miss, are you here to see someone?" The suited man asked.

"Yes, I'm here to meet with a supervisor about the beta program," she gulped. She felt like she was about to crumble as the man's face changed expressions.

He turned to the receptionist and the receptionist was on a call again. He walked behind the desk and whispered into the lady's ear. She scrambled up and left the building.

"Follow me Miss Lee Ara," the man smiled at her.

"Yes, sir," she said and quickly got up, only to stumble on the table before her. She regained her balance quite fast. She wanted to ask about the receptionist, but she felt rather timid at the moment. It wasn't a good time either. The man's aura had one of a business man.

"Follow me," he requested.

"Of course," Ara shook her head trying to regain her thoughts as she followed him.

They stopped at the elevator. He pushed the up button, and like before, anxiety crawled up Ara's spine. When the doors opened he stepped inside and she was left in a daze. Staring at the walls of the elevator. She just couldn't seem to understand what was happening.

[Published Feburary 23rd]