Goo Seo Jin's POV

I walk slowly. I've been on the site for around half an hour now. My strawberry-red nose could smell the dead cold air of winter. I can't help but to muse not because of the white smoke coming out of my nose and mouth, but because of the colorful lines cutting off the dark solid waters, which I thought is quite captivating. But despite these instances where I appreciate some nonsensical things, I still have this poker face I always had; and this freezing temperature would never be as cold as the facade I had built.

I continue walking, neither enjoyed nor bored. And with the help of my ever expensive pair of eyeglasses, I see the figure of a woman at a distance, about 20 feet from me, standing before the railings. Her hands are tightly gripping the handle bar. One thing that I could clearly notice is that she's leaning too much that she might fall.

I do the most logical thing I could think of for my ego and continue walking as if I haven't seen her. Well, I really don't bloody care if she trips there or what the heavens decide for her.

Now I am just about 10 feet away from her. She still doesn't see me.

90...

97...

102...

What the... I notice at the corner of my eyeglasses that my heart rate is suddenly shooting up into the danger zone. My gaze, however, is still fixated at the woman not far from me, who is now leaning deeper into the end of the railing.

117...

123...

134...

I start convulsing and choking. I clutch my neck and grasp for some air. Panting, I let my hands travel in the inside pockets of my suit, looking for my MP3, just as my knees give up all its strength. I end up kneeling on the cold metal floor of the bridge.

"What's... happening?" I say weakly, almost a whisper. With remaining energy, I seize my neck once more.

145...

"It... can't... be..." my hands, which held my neck so tight, now falls in front of me and brushes the cold ground as I lose control of myself. What the hell is happening?!

149.

Everything right now is a blur. I could feel my breathing almost stop until I see someone running towards the woman. Upon reaching her, he snakes his left arm into her shoulders and turns her to face him.

148...

130...

102...

At the corner of my eyeglasses, my MSP slowly goes back to its normal rate. What had just happened?

98...

90...

"Jae Nin? Are you alright?" his deep soft voice is overflowing with concern, even though I could barely hear them. He briefly scans her face.

I close my eyes, and catch a deep breath. I'd better stop thinking for a while, and let myself relax. I take slow deep breathes. Still kneeling on the ground, I hear footsteps moving away from me.

When I finally caught all of my consciousness back, I open my eyes once more, and I see the woman with a tall man, helping her walk with his arms still on her shoulders.

I start to get up to my feet but my face suddenly becomes itchy. I scratch my cheeks where my nails that-had-grown-overnight-after-being-cut catch a soft tiny thing. Darn it, I was bit by a mosquito! Seriously?!

But as if having a weird feeling of being followed by someone, the woman turns around slowly, briefly scanning the place.

Through the bright skylight, I get a glimpse of her features.


Jang Jae Nin's POV

"How'd you know that I was there?" I ask the man driving the car.

The city is colorful, building lights illuminate the road we are taking on our way to Wonderland.

"Jin Joo told me." he answers, his gaze not leaving the road.

I look at him. "You know Jin Joo unni?"

He nods. "Since when we were in Las Vegas."

"I haven't met her yet but I do know her. When did you arrive here then?" I immediately ask him a follow-up question.

Actually I have so many questions about this guy beside me.

It's not like he is a complete stranger to me, but I haven't known much of him, too.

A few things I know of him is that his name is Doctor Yoon Tae Joo. Yes, he is a doctor, a neurological doctor. If I'm not mistaken, he's 25 years old. A young and dashing bachelor, I must say.

"Hmm, today?" is he answering me with another question?

I hit him lightly with my elbows. "Ey, seriously?"

The traffic light turns red and he takes this opportunity to stop the car and face me. "Yes. Se-ri-ous-ly."

I narrow my eyes to him suspiciously at my realization. "You're following me, aren't you?" Ha! Did he actually follow me all the way here?

A doctor from John Hopkins Hospital, he treated me for about 3 and half months after my accident. To tell you, he used to visit my room almost every day, even in his day off! I must say we became good friends then.

"You've been living your entire life being deceived, haven't you? I've been assigned here in Seoul, for your information."

I narrow my eyes even more. He suddenly flicks my forehead with his index finger.

"Ah! That hurts." I annoyingly rub my forehead. Haist, he still didn't change, even a bit.

"You'll also need someone to take care of you. You can't even reach your baggage on the upper compartment of the plane." he then gives me a small smile.

I gasp. So... he was with me during the flight?!

The traffic light turns green. That's when he starts driving again.

Tae Joo is like a brother to me. He took so much care of me even back in Las Vegas, especially when my father died just a few days after my accident. Right now, I'm just more than thankful knowing that I won't be facing this new world alone.


Goo Seo Jin's POV

I just came out of the bath room when Secretary Kwon comes running in, with a notebook in his hands.

"Good morning, Sangmunim!" he shouts with a wide grin on his face as he opens the door. Why is this man so cheerful early in the morning?

I roll my eyes at him.

"Have you told Dr. Kang about my dream the incident and yesterday?" I ask him while pulling the zipper of my newly-ironed pants up.

"Yes." he replies while placing the notebook in my bedside table. "She said she'll call you as soon as she's done with her lecture." he proceeds to my dressing room, grabs a clean white polo from the cabinets, and swats it into the air.

He walks towards me and dresses me in my polo. Lastly, I slide off my shoulders in my water-resistant Smart Suit from Rogatis. I, Goo Seo Jin, am also a Rogatis model, for everyone's information (insert a mocking smirk from Sangmunim). Well, that was just once, after I went to a shopping mall and some Rogatis staff saw me. Don't ask me for further details, I won't be elaborating more, anyway.

We talk about my dream in the car on our way to the Wonderland. I am convinced that it wasn't me who was in my dream. I mean, would I give a damn in putting myself in danger just to save someone else? Hell no. And the fact that my MSP went over 150 in my dream: it makes me feel anxious.

"By the way, Director, the newly appointed leader of Wonder Circus has already arrived, and there was a little commotion earlier in Wonderland. Actually, a big thing caused the small ruckus." Secretary Kwon suddenly blurts out, ruining the silence inside the car.

"Commotion. Ah." I repeat the word, rather than asking, while buttoning my polo. The word tastes bitter in my mouth. He knows what to say next.

"A gorilla, owned by the circus team, seemed to have escaped from its cage."

"And what's with that new Circus Ring Leader? The late Circus Leader's replacement?"

I tried not to sound curious.

"Yes sir. I've already brought her profile in your office for you to see."

I nod with appreciation just as the car parks in front of Wonderland, my very own property. I am Goo Seo Jin, Wonderland's 29-year-old-and-oh-so-handsome-but-you-can-never-have Executive Director. Oh, and let me add: Wonder Group of Company's next C.E.O.


"Jang-ssi just came from Las Vegas." Secretary Kwon starts blabbing off as soon as I took my seat at my office.

I reach for the white folder lying asleep on my desk.

"She impressively transformed the dangerous incident into a complete unexpected turn of events by taming the 6-footer gorilla earlier this morning! They say she used to take care of it since it was born." What food on earth did he eat this morning that made him so talkative?

I flip the folder open and scan the bio-data inside it.

A colored 2x2 picture is being revealed on the upper part of the paper. A lady with milky-white skin, pinkish cheeks, hazel brown eyes and eyebrows, and pink lips that are like that of a cherry blossom flower is on a white background print. Her most outstanding feature though is her auburn hair.

Jang Jae Nin.

27 years old.

I stop right there. I flip it close, feeling uninterested with the contents.

Wait a second.

I hurriedly thumb the folder open once again.

I freeze in shock, and look intently at the picture.

Isn't she the woman in the bridge last night?

"Sangmunim?" Secretary calls me out, but my attention seems to wander.

It was a bit dim last night, but I'm pretty sure that it was her. That face, it was definitely her.

"Jang Jae Nin? Did she arrive yesterday?" I ask Secretary Kwon with my eyes still focalized on the paper.

"Yes sir. She was from Las Vegas." he replies with a court nod, still standing in front of my glass table.

This was definitely her, no doubt.

"She was there at the Angel Bridge when my MSP spiked up to 149." I say to him.

I hear him gasp. He was clearly dazed at my response for he conceals his mouth with his hands.

"You must have been shocked to be in the dark that your MSP have been pretty high." he tries to convince me.

Right now I can't even hide the anxiousness, but the curious side of me took over.

"It wasn't because of shock."

"Excuse me?"

"My MSP didn't get up to 149 because I was in shock of the dark."

The scene then plays back on my mind.

With the help of my ever expensive pair of eyeglasses, I see the figure of a woman at a distance, about 20 feet from me, standing before the railings. Her hands are tightly gripping the handle bar. One thing that I could clearly notice is that she's leaning too much that she might fall.

I do the most logical thing I could think of for my ego and continue walking as if I haven't seen her. Well, I really don't bloody care if she trips there or what the heavens decide for her.

Now I am just about 10 feet away from her. She still doesn't see me.

90...

97...

102...

What the... I notice at the corner of my eyeglasses that my heart rate is suddenly shooting up into the danger zone. My gaze, however, is still fixated at the woman not far from me, who is now leaning deeper into the end of the railing.

117...

123...

134...

I start convulsing and choking. I clutch my neck and grasp for some air. Panting, I let my hands travel in the inside pockets of my suit, looking for my MP3, just as my knees give up all its strength. I end up kneeling on the cold metal floor of the bridge.

"What's... happening?" I say weakly, almost a whisper. With remaining energy, I seize my neck once more.

145...

"It... can't... be..." my hands, which held my neck so tight, now falls in front of me and brushes the cold ground as I lose control of myself. What the hell is happening?!

149.

"It was when the woman was leaning too much into the water that she almost fell from the bridge." I enunciate while running my thumb in my lips.

My statement left his mouth hanging open. Ha! I almost wanted to laugh my butt out at his open mouth, but something inside me forbids me to do so.

"Is she someone you know?"

I haven't seen her in my entire life yet, that I could assure.

"No. Not at all. And that's what's so strange about it. It's not like I'm the one who's going to fall from the bridge."

Why would I even care for someone whom I don't know? That is so not me.

"Yeah, that's strange..."

It is really strange. Strange, but there is yet one thing I could do to confirm this enigma.

"That woman, bring her to me."


Jang Jae Nin's POV

"Yes Auntie. I had a sound sleep last night."

"It's good to know that you're having a good time there, but why didn't you call me after you've arrived?" she coolly says through the earphones.

It's still 8 AM in the morning, and here I am, walking around Wonderland. The beaming overhead letters that spell the amusement park everywhere welcome me like a warm hug.

Yes. It's my first day at work.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you Auntie, I almost blacked-out after arriving yesterday."

"What?!" here she goes again. "Are you alright then? Are you hurt anywhere?"

I walk my way to the Circus tent.

"I'm fine. It was just a minor head-ache."

"If it was just minor, how come you almost blacked-out? Have you already gone to the hospital?"

"No, but Tae Joo took a look at it yesterday."

"Tae Joo? Doctor Yoon Tae Joo?"

I totally forgot to tell Auntie that Tae Joo came, tailing me.

"Ugh yes Auntie."

"Hahaha!" she bursts into laughter. What's gotten into her? "Hey, I knew that boy was up to something. He had his eye on you since you were here in Las Vegas!"

Haisht, here she goes again, acting like Cupid.

"Whatever you say, Auntie."

I walk faster; the circus troupe must already be there.

"Ah, by the way Auntie, I have some things to take care of. I just arrived at the circus."

I am about to reach for the door knob when I suddenly hear someone calling out my name from behind.

"Jang Jae Nin?" a man in his late forties standing at the doorway calls out my name.

"Excuse me Auntie." I say in the phone and turn to face the caller. "Yes?"

It is a man with curly hair, a notebook in his chest, and dressed in a casual pair of suit.

"Will you please come with us?"

At this very hour? Don't they think it's a bit early?

"To where?"

"Director Goo would like to see you."

"Director Goo? Who's that?"

"He's the person in charge of Wonderland."

Ey. I just arrived here at the Circus and now they want me to go somewhere else? How exasperating.

I talk back at the phone. "Aunt Mi Rae, I'll call you later. I've got some things to do."

"Sure. Take care, my little girl." I could just imagine her smiling warmly at the other end.

She is annoyingly lovable as ever. "I am not little anymore" I hiss before ending the call.

I ended up following the man going to that Director Goo anyway. Who is he? Person in charge?

I had just arrived, so I had not much idea of the people here. Is he my boss or what?

If he is the person in charge, he must want to talk to me about the incident earlier this morning. I was just back from putting Bing Bing back at his cage.

"I am Kwon Young Chan, by the way. Director Goo's Secretary. I'm sorry I wasn't able to intoduce formally earlier." he reaches out his hands.

I take them and shake it lightly. "It's fine. I'm Jang Jae Nin."

Not later, we arrive at the Director's office which is just inside Wonderland. We take a long passage until we reach a brown wooden sliding door which has another door in it.

This place is too secured, why would they need so many doors, by the way?

Secretary Kwon knocks at the door twice and opens it. As we got inside, I see a tall man with a neat hair cut, cleanly-shaved face, in a white polo and black slacks. He is standing right before his table.

"Director Goo." Secretary bows at the man, points at me.

Shoot! Do I need to talk now? Isn't he the one who needs me?

I bow anyway and introduce myself.

"Hello. My name is Jang Jae Nin, the newly appointed leader of Wonder Circus. I'm the late Leader Jang Pil Sung's daughter."

He gestures to Secretary Kwon which urges him to scramble his way out of the office, leaving the two of us alone.

"You must have been shocked earlier. I just came from Las Vegas myself-"

I abruptly stop my speech. He just stares at me, from head to toe, without saying anything. Does he know how to speak? Or does he think that I look like an alien?

He still doesn't talk; instead he clicks on something somewhere in his belt, and slowly walks closer towards me.

In a jerky movement, he grabs me by the sleeves of my coat and yanks me close. Really close, like a kissing distance, without so much as a word of explanation. Our eyes meet as we inch closer. Fuuu! My heart, it starts beating fast. What does he think he is doing? Is he a maniac or what?

Man can only be saved by man himself.


A/N:

1. Instead of the gorilla scene, I wanted to have Seo Jin and Ha Na's first encounter scene to be in the Angel Bridge. I think it is more sentimental though I am a big fan of Bing Bing. This scene will also take part at the ending in my mind.

2. I made Yoon Tae Joo to be Jang Jae Nin's personal doctor back in New York. His character will be elaborated more on the next chapters.

3. Seo Jin is Rogatis' model. Hahaha. It just popped out of my silly mind.

4. Please don't hesitate to review my work. I really want to know your opinions and suggestions.