Chapter Text
I pulled out my phone and clicked on the camera. I adjusted my hair and started snapping selfies with the sign “Arrival” visible right above my head. I scroll through my gallery and quickly settled for a picture that looked just perfect, a small smile creeping on my face as I clicked post. My caption, “Home Sweet Home.”
As though right on cue, I heard someone calling my name.
“y/n”
I looked up and I saw them. My best friends. I waved and yelled “I missed you, guys!” I grabbed my luggage and walked towards them rather clumsily. I almost ran over an elderly couple and had to bow down and mutter “I’m sorry” a few times before walking away. The elderly man put his arm around the elderly lady protectively, gave me a stink eye before walking away. I smiled in return. Something about seeing them together warmed my heart, his arm on her protectively, and the way she looked at him adoringly. Then the warmth in me turned hollow. My smile dropped.
I felt someone crashed into me, I staggered a few steps back as I enveloped my hands around Ha Ni.
“I missed you too!” She said as she pulled back. Before I could say anything, the other two, Zara and Ji Eun hugged me from both sides. The hollow feel was gone. My face split into a big grin.
“Let me breath” I complained half-heartedly to my best friends. A few foreigners stared at us as they make way to the departure hall. We were standing right in the middle of the Incheon International Airport, being unnecessarily clingy with each other. Oh well, that’s how friendship works.
The questions started as soon as I was settled at the back of Ha Ni’s car. Ji Eun was sitting at the front passenger seat and Zara beside me.
“Do your parents know?”
“How long is your break?”
“Where are you going to stay?”
“You lost weight. Are you even eating?”
Ha Ni smiled at me through the rear mirror as I was bombarded by questions by the other two. I spoke to Ha Ni on the phone last night and she knew the reason I’m back in Korea.
“No, my parents’ don’t know that I’m here. I’m back for three months and this time I will be staying with my parents.” I ignored the last question.
“What? That doesn’t make sense. Your parents don’t know that you are here but you will be staying with them? How does that work?” Ji Eun was peering at me in confusion from the front, her pink hair fell like a curtain at the side of her face.
My phone pinged and I checked for the notification, it was Zara. She commented on my post on Instagram “Beautiful” with three hearts. I looked up at her and smiled.
“Well, they don’t know that I will be back today. My parents are expecting me to arrive tomorrow at noon to be exact. I wanted to spend my first day back in Korea happily.”
Zara looked up at me from her phone, concern in her eyes whilst Ji Eun tried to reach me to hug but settled with both her hands squeezing mine. “With you guys.” I added softly.
“Is that why you posted your picture in your second account?” Zara asked with a mischievous smile. Her Korean pronunciations are rather cute. Zara was half Korean and half Thai. She decided to further her tertiary study in Korea. Her mum decided to settle down in Korea after her divorce and Zara followed her. It’s only been three years since she came here and became close with Ha Ni and Ji Eun in the university.
“I will post the same picture on my main account tomorrow,” I stated.
“I don’t think your parents check your IG profile.” Ha Ni commented, her eyes on the road.
“Nope, they don’t.” I agreed. “But their secretaries do.”
Ha Ni and I went to the same school and we been closed since then. I have gotten to know Ji Eun and Zara through Ha Ni.
I have always flown back to Korea at least twice a year to spend time with these girls. Of course, my parents had no clue. I left home to the States to further my study. It’s been three years since I saw my parents.
I have a degree in Finance. I will complete the MBA by the end of this year and I’m not very happy about it. I have been contemplating if I should study more, maybe till doctorate. Anything to stay away from home.
The sun has set and dusk has settled over the city. I noticed it is not the road to Ha Ni’s apartment. I frowned, “Where are we going?”
“You know where.” Ha Ni laughed.
Zara and Ji Eun yelled at the same time, “Let’s hit the dance floor!”
***************
“I’m not drunk!” I said out loud for the tenth time, barely hearing my voice.
“Okay, fine, you are not drunk. I believe you.” Namjoon, the rapper yelled back at me. The loud music from The Club was drowning his voice. I tried to move closer to the rapper but he was moving away.
“I’m going to find Jin-hyung. Stay here. Don’t move. I will be back.” Namjoon disappeared into the crowd. Today was a huge day for Namjoon and Jin-hyung. It was an extremely stressful day for both of them. No doubt they were celebrating at the same time as it is not a secret anymore.
Both their names were smeared all over the media this morning and trended number one worldwide, thanks to Dispatch. Though, little did the reporters knew that it was all preplanned by the rapper and his boyfriend. They wanted to go public but unable to do so due to their company policy. They were sick of dating in secret and wanted to be a normal couple.
When BH Entertainment found out about the news, the whole company was in chaos. No one expected this news to leak. Of course, everyone in the company knew about their relationship. Whilst the company was dealing with damage control, Jin-hyung had dragged Namjoon out of the stressful environment. I ran into them when they were sneaking out of the company and somehow I got dragged as well. Namjoon’s best friend, Jackson owns this club, and thanks to him we get to use the back door to sneak in and out. This club is carefully guarded and no paparazzi are allowed. Only those with connections can access this club.
For almost an hour, I was dancing to the beat on the dance floor, forgetting the world altogether. It’s an amazing feeling. Every time I dance in the studio, I will my body to stay in control, in line with the beat and the choreography. I analyze every move in the mirror, pausing, and repeating the same steps again and again until I perfect it. I thrive for perfection when it comes to dancing. However, dancing to the music among the crowd with no reflection staring back at me always felt different. I could move my body with no care in the world. I don’t have to worry about making mistakes and my body doesn’t have to stay in control.
I gulped down a mug of beer and just like that I was rooted on the stool. I knew I have a low tolerance when it comes to alcohol consumption. I just had one mug, I am not drunk. Of course, Namjoon rolled his eyes at me when I said that. I was contemplating if I should go for the next mug of beer. That’s when I saw her.
She was all alone, her face resting on her palms with the support of her hands on the small round table. Her body was kept on swaying to the left and right, her arm was slipping down the table every few seconds. “How drunk is she?” I wondered, for some strange reason I could not ignore her. Every time her arms slip off the table, I jerked, my body moving forward as though to catch her from falling. That went on for a good five minutes.
I felt uneasy and could not ignore her so I stood up, paused made sure I’m just tipsy and not drunk, and went to the girl. I had to move past few passionate dancers, dodging their sudden movements. “Damn, go and dance at the dance floor,” I mumbled to myself. I almost tripped over my own feet before reaching her table. I grabbed the table for balance and said to no one in particular, “I’m just tipsy and not drunk”. The girl looked up at me. I couldn't see her face earlier as it was dark and her hair was covering her face but now I can see her face. She looked almost my age. Her face was flushed red. “Sorry, I don’t dance. I can’t da...” She slurred, waving her hand at me. She lost her balance and almost hit the floor but I managed to grab her by her arms. “Yaah?” I shook her, but she seemed as though she lost consciousness. “Oh, shit” I was staring at the unconscious girl, wondering what am I doing here in the first place.
I looked around and wondered if she’s here all by herself. It’s so dangerous to leave her alone in this condition. I sat on the stool next to her, my hands still on her arms, holding her from falling and hitting her face hard on the floor. As though she heard my mind voice, she suddenly said, “Don’t worry, my friends are here.” I looked at her in surprise. “Are you awake?” I asked her.
“Yes and no.” She grabbed my right arm and rested her head on my shoulder. “What are you doing here?” Her voice was low, I had to lean down slightly to hear her voice over the loud music.
I wanted to answer her by saying I was worried you will fall off the chair so I wanted to help you but it just sounded ridiculous. Why would I be worried about a random stranger in a club?
“Where are your friends?” I asked instead. She snuggled closer as she answered, “Dancing. Dance Floor. They will look for me once they realize i”m gone.” She smiled and sounded very assured. “Thank you for lending me with your shoulder, I just need a place to rest my head. There’re too many things in my head, it’s heavy.” She went on, either she’s not bothered or she’s just not consciously aware that she’s holding tight to a stranger.
“Life sucks.” She spitted out. I tried to look at her face but her long hair was covering her face again. “Are you okay?” I asked, concerned with the sudden mood change.
“I’m not but it’s a secret. Don’t tell anyone. Don’t tell my friends. I wish I’m drunk enough to forget everything.” She rambled on. “You’re drunk as fuck.” I retorted at her.
She looked up at me, her eyes suddenly focusing hard on my face, she smirked. Her arm flailing to the table for balance, another hand still holding on to mine. This girl is definitely having a hard to just sit straight. Like I said drunk as fuck.
“I wish I’m drunk. I wanted to forget everything. I don’t want to keep myself in check and stay in control all the time. I wanted to lose myself but I can’t. I’m drinking and drinking but I can’t. Why?” Her eyes were holding mine with such intensity that I can’t look away. She sounded sad, no she sounded miserable. She looked around the club and then back at me, “I’m jealous of all these people, they seem to have forgotten all their problems and enjoying themselves. And look at me I can’t even escape myself.”
I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. I honestly didn’t know what to say to her. I wanted to assure her that everything will be alright but who am I kidding I know nothing about this girl. I was staring at her like a complete fool when two girls came to our table. “Babe, are you okay?”
The girl with pink hair grabbed her arms, away from me, “Told you my friends would come for me.” The drunk girl stated proudly and then turn to her friends, “Where’s Zara? I think I’m drunk I can’t walk straight.” She declared. I watched her, standing up, clinging to her friends, her voice changed. The emo girl was gone. “Who’s he?” The other girl asked, looking at me.
“Just a nice guy. A nice stranger.” She didn’t look back at me as she walked away with her friends flanking her on both sides. “I partied hard!!! Wooohoooo! Thank you guys I love you!” The girl was suddenly excited and yelling in a high pitch voice. Her friends were equally excited and jumping up and down with her. One of her friends was keeping looking back at me as though she recognized me. I adjusted my beanie in reflex and looked away. Though it was not about being recognized worried me at that moment, it was the sudden change of character of the girl that surprised me. This girl is capable of hiding her miserable self whilst she was drunk as fuck. It got me thinking,
“Was she even drunk?”
“Hope-ah, what are you doing here?”, Namjoon appeared with drunk Jin-hyung clinging on to him.
I looked up at him, “I honestly don’t know.”