Taemin waited around back at the club for Jongin, too nervous to go inside and make an introduction alone.  The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance, he looked up beyond the skyline, dark clouds were rolling in.  He saw the scooter turn down the back alley and he stood up, wiping his palms on the ripped black skinny jeans he wore.  His friend killed the engine and pulled off his helmet, quickly straightening his hair from the short ride there.  Taemin offered him a smile and Jongin just looked at him concerned.  

“Are you sure about this?”  The scooter shifted a little as he swung a leg off of it.  He stood in front of Taemin suddenly feeling like he was the older of the two.  Taemin looked worn out, tired, the shirt he wore hung on his shoulders.  Life shouldn’t be this hard to someone as good as him.  Jongin forced his lips not to curve down in a frown.  

“You’re the one that told me about the job.”  

“I did.  But I also know this isn’t exactly something you’re comfortable with.”

“I’m just not used to it.”

“Do you want to be ‘used’ to it?”  

Taemin looked away down the alley to the backs of the other businesses that lined the side street, this was a decent part of the city but from back here you would never be able to tell.  Water dripped from everything, trash had been blown and settled against every standing surface, and he was certain if he looked hard and long enough the movement from rats and who know what else would be seen.  He belonged back here.  

“Taemin…”

Taemin looked down at his feet and clenched his teeth before he met his friend’s eyes.  “I don’t have much of a choice.”  

Jongin sighed and pushed his hair back.  Taemin noticed how it was gelled and slick, matching well with the dark liner and highlighter on his cheekbones.  He made a mental note to ask his friend for some makeup tips if things worked out at the club, maybe when they weren’t at such an impasse.

“It’s fine.  Really.”  He smiled, genuinely trying to ease the other’s mind.  

“Okay.  I just feel like I’ve somehow pushed you into this and I don’t know...I just…”

“You didn’t.  If it weren’t for this I’d be out on the streets in a week.”  

Jongin knew Taemin wasn’t exaggerating.  This city wasn’t kind to anyone.  Not even to the well off, and it was downright cruel to the misfortunate.  The only people that made it were the ones that bent to its will or the ones that were eaten up from the inside out and were swallowed up into its seedy underbelly.  

“Let’s go.  Wait in lounge for me.  I’ll go find Heechul.”  Taemin followed him up the metal stairs to the back entrance, down a long hallway that opened up to balcony overlooking a dance floor, various stages and three different bars.  “The lobby is down past the main bar.  Be right back.”
He watched Jongin turn the corner up a narrow flight of steps.  

Taemin made his way down, looking around carefully.  It was a decent place.  Dark granite tables, dark shining tile floors, soft jazz played quietly on the sound system.  He wondered how it could look so spotless and classy when he knew what went on here.  At night when this place filled up it was going to look entirely different, the lights would be low, the place lit up by the spotlights on the dancers, bass would thrum through his body from the house music, crowded by bodies, people trying to get their rocks off on what was on stage.  And that was just what happened here, there was the balcony, vip rooms, private rooms…

“Taemin?”

A pale man with long dark hair came into the lounge.  Through his train of thought observing the club before opening hours he had made his way to the lounge and sat on the edge of large leather sectional with a marble table in the middle.  His reflection shined back at him, he could see the unease written on his face even through that.  He cleared his throat and his mind and stood up offering a hand to the man as well as a smile.  

“Yes sir.”

“No sirs please.  Just Heechul.  Please sit.  So Jongin tells me you’re interested in a job here.”

“That’s right.”

“But you’re not interested in stripping.”

“That’s also right.”

“So why do you think I should hire you?”

Taemin had been through a number of interviews at various places around the city.  Most people just looking for cheap labor and someone honest enough that wouldn’t steal or show up faced drunk.  Heechul was bit more upfront, Taemin could appreciate that.  

“I’m reliable.  Hardworking.  I have experience serving and dealing with s.  I’ll work as many hours as you can give me.  And I really need this job.”

Heechul leaned over on his elbows rubbing his brow.  “I’m not exactly comfortable with hiring someone to work at a strip club that doesn’t want to strip.”

Taemin swallowed roughly, his nod barely noticeable.  He hadn’t thought of not getting the job because he was so stressed about working at a place like this to start.  

“But.”  Heechul continued.  “Jongin speaks highly of you.  And I trust his judgement.  I’ll bring you on as a server on a trial bases for a week, if that works out and I’ll train you behind the bar on slow nights. “

Taemin lifted his head, his expression surprised.  “Really?”

Heechul nodded, fighting a smile.  The boy was cute.  Too cute to be somewhere like this.  “You’ll start tonight.  I’ll let you shadow one of our other servers for a couple nights to learn the ropes but after that you’re on your own.”  

Taemin stood and shook Heechul’s hand a mix of relief and dread bubbling up in his belly.  

One week later.

Taemin felt the fingers tighten around his throat, had the man not been completely hammered and could coordinate his attack things would have been a lot worse.  Before Taemin could begin to struggle, the shock of the initial attack wearing off, one of the clubs bouncers, Nemo, pulled the guy off and had him in a choke hold headed out of the front entrance of the club.  

The sounds of the club started to come back into focus and a crowd had formed around the scene.  Taemin winced pushing himself up, noticing the broken glass around his palm, he avoided all the eyes on him and cradled his hand and rushed to the bathroom.  

~

“How’s the hand?”  Heechul sat across from Taemin in what would be best described as an office on the third floor above the club.  The house music thrummed under them but most of the crowd had started to filter out, it was 1am on a Wednesday.  Most people had work and school in the morning.   There was a small folding card table between them and Taemin was pretty sure his chair was about to collapse under him.  

He turned over his hand looking at the bandage.  “Fine.  None of the cuts were deep, more of scrape than anything.”

Heechul raised an eyebrow and sat back.  “Okay then.”

“I’m sorry about the...whole thing.”  Taemin didn’t know what to call it, accident, incident, fight.  It wasn’t entirely his fault but he had set the whole thing in motion, tripping, dropping the bottle of champagne resulting with him and his very soon to be assailant to be covered in the bubbling liquid.  

“It’s fine.  Somethings like that can’t be avoided in a place like this.”

Heechul slid a small envelope across the table.  “Someone up in the balcony saw the whole thing happen.  Asked his waiter to pass this along to you.  Fit the bill for the champagne and offered to take care of your hospital bill if needed.

Taemin sat there, mouth agape.  “I-I don’t understand.  Who would-”

Heechul shrugged.  “I didn’t pry.”

“Had you seen him before?”

Heechul shook his head and started looking at his laptop.  “Go home Taemin.  I’ll see you Friday night.”

Taemin nodded and opened the envelope and inside was a note with a phone number in gold ink and arrow drawn underneath it.