I couldn't be dead. Sure, the car had hit me but several people survived car accidents, right? I hadn't done enough with my life to be dead. I'd spent most of my life watching k-drama, being part of several fandoms and having several biases. I hadn't truly done anything worth note. I hadn't been to a live BTS concert yet, hadn't bumped into a famous idol, haven't experienced what several fangirls dream of experiencing.

I could feel my heartbeat slowing as the throbbing pain pulsated through my body. Someone shook my shoulders, but their voice slowly dulled and everything went silent.

I woke up with a gasp and was surprised to see myself in an office. I lifted my head from the desk and wiped my drool when suddenly, the computer before me turned on and text appeared.

"Kiara Kinsman, welcome to l'univers de la fantaisie, the bridge between life and death. Here, you must complete the task of making your boss, Jason Park, fall for you by end of day. If you succeed, you have the choice to go to heaven or back to earth, but if you fail, you will be doomed to the netherworld. You have three lives. Good luck."

I read the text several times and was just about to re-read it for the 20th time when someone suddenly banged on my desk, startling me.

"Get back to work, Kinsman," they scolded. "I need that report by end of day." I looked up and my breath was stolen away from me. 

This man... well, he was... wow.

His dark black curly hair reminded me of V, his innocent, young eyes and smooth skin reminded me of Cha Eun Woo, and he seemed to be as tall as Rowoon.

He was breathtaking.

If he was an idol, he would break all of my biases.

And if he was ordering me around like this, that could only mean one thing.

"Are you my boss?"

"No, I'm your best friend who's definitely going to give you a raise for this behaviour," he faked a smile but it was enough for me to see them. Dimples. Like Hyun Bin.

This man was perfect.

He turned and left, returning to what I imagined was his office. How in the world was I going to get him to fall for me? I'd never been in a real relationship, though I'd watched enough k-drama to know what I had to do.

I located a high shelf and feigned work until I saw Jason exit his office. I immediately rushed to the shelf, acting as if I was reaching for something when he finally noticed me.

"What are you doing, Kinsman?" he asked.

"I need something from this box," I said, reaching for it on my tip-toes.

"I'll get it for you," he offered, walking closer to get the box.

Now.

I purposely lost my footing and fell towards him, and just as I'd wanted, he caught me in his strong arms.

"Nice catch," I commended, making sure to maintain eye contact and form some connection.

"You are so clumsy," he said then helped me to my feet, grabbed the box for me and then left.

It wasn't supposed to happen like that. He was supposed to feel the spark and then slowly draw me closer in his arms until our lips met in a gentle, sweet kiss.

Plan B.

I dropped the box and quickly rushed to him, grabbing his wrist so that he stopped, faced me, felt a connection, and then kissed me.

That was what was supposed to happen, but instead, he narrowed his eyes at me, removed my grip around his wrist and said, "are you feeling sick?"

"Yes," I said fast so that he could feel my forehead while looking into my eyes, feel a connection then kiss me.

Instead, he said, "then I give you permission to go home early."

"No, I don't want to."

"Then I'll go home early, I don't want to catch your sickness," and with that, he turned and left, entering the elevator and as soon as it closed shut, I woke up, drooling on the desk again.

"Two lives left, Kiara Kinsman. Good luck." the computer said before Jason scolded me to get back to work.

Okay, here goes again.

This time, I grabbed a heavy box and walked past his office, making sure to make lots of sound effects, and as I expected, he came to help me.

"Here, I'll help," he said, taking it from me.

"I'm fine," I grunted.

He chuckled, "clearly," and took the box from me, his strong arms flexing. "Where does it need to go?"

"The storage room," I said. 

I'd chosen that specific room, the smallest room, to execute my plan.

I followed him into the storage room, closing the door behind me and grabbing the thin string I'd tied around one of the boxes, ready to pull it as soon as he faced me.

He slotted the box and just as he turned around, I pulled the string, and just as I'd expected, Jason noticed the items tumbling towards my head and grabbed my arm, spinning me and pushing me against the wall, safely out of danger. Jason's body was flush against mine, and I willed my heart to calm as his light brown eyes met mine.

"Are you okay?" His voice was husky.

Was I having the same effect on him as he was having on me?

I nodded and then closed my eyes, puckering my lips and waiting for the kiss that—

Someone suddenly opened the door and Jason leapt back from me, a cold breeze following from where his body had been pressed against mine.

"I... came for the mop," the employee said awkwardly, grabbing the mop and immediately leaving.

Jason cleared his throat, "we should get back to work."

"But—"

"Actually," he cut in, "I think I'll just finish working from home."

He turned and began leaving. No, if he left, I'd have one life left. Luckily, I had one more trick up my sleeve.

"No!" I called, rushing and leaping on him.

He spun around and tripped, falling back and wrapping his arms around me. I made sure to line my lips up with his so that our lips collided as we landed and we'd stare into each other's eyes for ages before slowly pulling away. Instead of colliding with his lips, my lips made contact with the hard tile floor, no doubt chipping a tooth.

I groaned in pain. Damn these dramas, nothing like this naturally happened the way they made it seem.

I woke up, drooling on the desk again.

"This is your last life, if you don't succeed you know where you're headed. Good luck!"

"Get back to work, Kinsman," scolded Jason for the third time. "I need that report by end of day."

I felt all my hope crumble. What kind of sick game was this? This wasn't fair, why did this have to happen to me? Tears formed in my eyes and spilled, flowing like a river.

"I... are you okay?" Jason asked, concern in his tone.

"Do I look okay to you?" I sobbed. "Just leave me alone," and he did, giving me the space I needed.

I never thought I'd find myself dismissing the concern of someone as handsome as he was, but I knew he was never going to fall for me. He was my boss after all, and he probably had unreasonably high standards. I was doomed, and that realisation made me too weak to attempt to do anything more.

"Hey," Jason approached me tentatively when work was almost done. "Why don't you go home early today?"

I choked on a sob, "I won't make it home."

"I'll escort you if you'd like," he didn't wait for an answer before he gently took my arm and escorted me to the elevator and—

"Wait!" I yelled, remembering I was claustrophobic and realising I was in an elevator. But it was too late, the doors had already closed

"What's wrong?"

"I'm... claustrophobic."

"Oh... I..." he stammered, but immediately pressed the level just below us so the elevator would stop sooner and we'd continue down the stairs. I started trembling, and Jason, noticing this, took my hand in his. "It'll be over soon."

I nodded, but I couldn't help but cry. Not only was I in an elevator, but I was going to die because this was my last life and Jason hadn't fallen for me and—

The elevator suddenly shook, coming to a stand-still. I thought that meant we'd arrived but Jason suddenly cursed under his breath and pressed a button with a bell repeatedly.

"What's going on?" I asked, panicking. "There's something wrong, isn't there?"

"The elevator mechanics were supposed to come in today but..." he sighed. "Help will be here soon."

"How soon!" I cried, feeling the walls pressing in. "I need to get out of here."

"Kinsman, breathe."

"I'm trying," I gasped, but the walls were closing in too fast.

I lost feeling in my legs and crumbled to the ground, shutting my eyes and holding my head. I shuffled backwards until my back hit the cool wall of the elevator wall, but it wasn't enough. My breathing became ragged. This was it. I was going to die and end up in the netherworld and—

A warm arm wrapped around me, pulling me close.

Jason.

He held me against him, rubbing his hand up and down my arm in a comforting gesture.

"You'll be okay," he said softly. "Don't panic, you'll be fine. Just breathe. Breathe."

I forced myself to focus on my breathing rather than the suffocating walls. Jason held my head against his chest and I was close enough to feel the racing of his heart. Why was it beating so fast?

"You're okay."

"I'm okay," I repeated, slowly opening my eyes and looking up at him. "I'm okay?"

"You're okay, Kiara," he reassured me, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

"Kiara," I echoed. "You don't usually call me that."

"I know."

"Jason," I whispered, and something in his expression shifted and his jaw ticked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just... you don't usually call me that."

"I know," I admitted. "I like the way you say my name."

"Kiara," he said again, and something about his tone made my heart stumble.

"Jason."

He suddenly swallowed, but he didn't look away, and I didn't know if my mind was playing tricks on me or if Jason was actually leaning closer to me.

His lips hesitantly brushed against mine before he brought his hand to my neck and pulled me closer. He parted my lips with his and something exploded inside of me when his tongue brushed against mine.

This was actually happening, he was kissing me, and I didn't want him to stop.

Suddenly, I remembered that this was another common k-drama scenario. Not only had the elevator suddenly stopped, but Jason had calmed me, saved me, the damsel in distress.

I wasn't going to be doomed to the netherworld, but I didn't know if I wanted to leave this world. To leave Jason.