Dear diary,

My companies have changed.

'Whatcha writin'?'

'Hey!' Joohyun's hair tickled my arm. I immediately leaned away, holding my diary protectively to my chest. 'Nothing.'

Joohyun giggled, shaking the bag of crisps to get the last few sitting in the bottom corners. 'Okay then.'

'Companies' plural. Joohyun is constantly in my company. Is this what it's like to have friends? Hanging out 24/7? Because that's what we're doing.

My company become more laid-back. There is only 1 reason I can think of why - our decrease in popularity.

I don't know what kind of orders my father is giving our employers, but suddenly they don't really care what we do anymore. Our company is getting less and less attention, resulting in everyone simply being less and less bothered, funnily enough. One sign of bankruptcy and motivation decreases rather than increases. Our work hours decreased. We were allowed out at nights. Nobody cared if we were late to our shifts or if we ended them early. Sometimes even Dahyun stopped showing up.

All this only started to happen since we visited Park Brands as well. That business is soaring and completely outshining ours. We're being left in the dust, like Nokia.

'Do you wanna go out tonight, Seul?' Joohyun asked, crumpling up the crisp bag and tossing in the direction of the bin (and missing.)

I hesitated. 'Out.... where?' I ask carefully. Knowing Joohyun, she can be a bit unpredictable.

She stretched. 'Clubbing?' She said it like it was obvious. 'All the other interns do. They don't seem to care. The watchers.' Her nickname for the employers, because it feels like they're always 'watching'.

Her nickname for the employers usually made me giggle - she says it in this tone - but now I could only feel a twinge of anxiety in my stomach. I'd never been out clubbing before, as much as I am slightly ashamed to admit. I'm 22 and I have never had a sip of alcohol. How lame is that?

I desperately tried to stay as cool and as calm as possible. 'Sure. Whereabouts?'

'I dunno. Wherever the others are going. I'll go ask.' She was off the bed and out the door before I could blink twice.

Great.

Not only was I about to go out to a club with my brand new friend and my mediocre skills in makeup, but I was about to go to a club with the interns.

I already couldn't wait for the night to be over.

I moaned, covering my face with my hands. I don't wanna go.

My phone suddenly beeped and I jumped.

+82-8-257-2000:

Go!

I stared at the text message. Who..?

'Seulgi!' Joohyun burst back through the door. 'Let's go get ready!'

-*-

An hour later and I was just about done.

'Okay! Finished!' Joohyun stood back holding a fluffy brush, admiring her work. 'You look amazing, if I do say so myself.'

She held up a mirror and I gasped. I could hardly recognise myself. I was all cat eyes here and sharp contour there.

I looked.... good.

'Oh Seulgi, you should really do your makeup more often. You have the perfect eye shape and lips for it. And your cheekbones!'

I looked at her and she smiled shyly. 'Sorry. Do you have an outfit ready?'

I shook my head and she led me to her wardrobe, her hand gently grasping my sleeve. It was so delicate I barely noticed it.

'Pick anything you like,' she said softly, looking directly at me. I looked into her eyes, inches away. We were standing so close. Her brown eyes were so deep and loving, eating me into their chocolate sea, her pink lips slightly parted. I swear I felt her lean in....

....and make her way around me back to her desk.

I felt myself let out the breath I'd been holding in.

-*-

I hung onto Joohyun in total fear as we followed 3 other of the interns towards the booming club entrance.

'Ah no, I hate this place,' said one, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Her hair was short and brown, very recently changed from long and blonde. I recognised her youthful, fresh face. She was wearing a black dress, quite sophisticated.

'This is the only one with decent music.' The one speaking now had soft brown shoulder length hair, arm in arm with the shorter brunette. 'Plus they keep an eye out for drink-spiking.'

'Exactly!' the other one answered in protest, only receiving a giggle from the other two. 'But the guys here are douchebags.'

'Guys!' The third one, who I knew as Seungwan exclaimed,'Come on, it's freezing and I am not walking another 10 minutes to the next club.' She was the only intern even remotely nice to me.

She was right, it was freezing for March and I was in a pretty revealing dress thanks to Joohyun, turning my skin into goosebumps. My hair was up so my neck was getting a good dose of the cold as well.

We ended up going in, much to the short brunette's reluctance. As soon as I walked in, loud, thumping music and the deafening sound of a thousand people chattering incoherently hit me in the face. The lights were so bright I had to squint and I could feel the music in my chest. Not to mention the obvious smell of alcohol.

'Hey, we need to see ID, please.' A buff security guy stopped us.

'Ah crap, I forgot!' the brunette moaned.

'Nooo, Saeron!!' the shorter brunette wailed.

Luckily, Joohyun had warned me to bring an age verification so I brought my driving licence (I have yet to buy my own car, but as we sometimes have to deliver by truck everyone was required to take a driving test). The short-haired brunette girl insisted Saeron was over 18 and the guy just gave up and let us through. So much for ID requirance.

My senses were being overwhelmed and I was glad I had Joohyun to hold onto. All I could see were colours and people and I could barely hear myself think. I was pretty sure I felt my phone buzz against my thigh through my handbag but I was too distracted to process it.

'Alright everyone, drinks on Seungwan,' the brunette announced.

Seungwan frowned. 'I thought it was Saeron's turn!'

'No, Saeron is a dumbo who forgot her entire purse, let alone her ID.'

'Well too bad, I'm not paying, so it's on you, Yerim!!' Seungwan pointed at the short haired brunette.

Yerim, clearly already a bit drunk, staggered against Saeron as the sudden backlash left her with nothing to say.

'Come on, Yeri,' Saeron said, unhooking her arm to put it around Yerim's shoulders. 'Let' get the drinks. No point in arguing.' She led her off towards the bar, Yerim's wails retreating with them.

Seungwan shook her head, laughing as she turned to us. 'She's hopeless.'

I smiled politely but Joohyun joined in the laughter like they were good friends. Are they?

'She had at least 2 glasses of vodka before we left.'

I frowned. Joohyun got ready with me. We didn't even see the others until they left.

Seungwan was so nice she just went along with it, despite the fact Yerim might not've had any vodka at all. 'Ugh, I can't stand vodka. Makes me feel sick.'

'I don't mind it as long as it's mixed with something. But I'm definitely a tequila sort of girl.'

'Yes! I love tequila.'

I stood there dumbfounded, with my total lack of experience with alcohol.

Then I remembered.

'Joohyun?' I spoke up. 'I thought you told me you never had alcohol before?'

Even in the bright moving lights I could see Joohyun's face turn a definite red. She stammered, opening , trying to find an answer but not having one.

She lied,

'Joohyun?' I continued, frowning. 'Did you lie to me?'

She stood rigid, opening and closing like a goldfish. I looked past her beauty, her innocent face into the real person she was, a person lying to fit in. It was relatable but it was.... it felt..... wrong.

But I never got her answer because suddenly two hands gripped my arms from behind, nails and clammy skin digging into my flesh.

I screamed; Joohyun and Seungwan were swept away from my vision as I was yanked and jostled through the crowds. People grunted and drinks spilled and my feet, unused to high heels, constantly gave way underneath me. Finally, we came to an abrupt halt and I was spun around to a familiar grinning face.

'Joy!'

'Shh!' She grabbed my arm again, more gently this time, and pulled me through some more crowds. I was just filled with so much happiness of seeing her I didn't even care where she was taking me.

She stopped us in a quieter corner, away from all the people.

'I can't believe you're here!' I started babbling excitedly. 'We seem to keep bumping into each other in the unlikliest of places, I swear these coincidences have me-'

'Shh,' she whispered again, putting a finger to my lips, but it was her cold, enticing eyes that shut me up at once.

'Wanna get a drink?'

I could only nod like I was in a trance, her eyes controlling me. She smiled, took my arm, brought me to the bar. I followed obediantly. I noticed Yerim and Saeron still at the bar, holding drinks. I guessed they'd had a few refills.

Joy gave her order and turned to me. 'What would you like?' Her voice was whispering into my ear and it made me shiver.

Whatever part of my brain made for conjuring up an alcohol drink in a second failed on me. 'Whatever you're having,' I replied quickly. I looked into her eyes. Her eyebrow twitched, looking unimpressed, and I knew I'd said the wrong thing and I wanted to kick myself. She changed the order to two and the barman began getting our drinks. I didn't even know what she was having. I'm so stupid.

I focused on watching the barman pour whatever brown alcohol beverage into 2 tall glasses because the thought of talking to Joy just made me so nervous. She stood close beside me, admiring her nails. My eyes slid down to her hands, her delicate fingers, the fake nails making them look even longer. I imagined taking them in mine, holding them to my chest, looking into her eyes, sealing her lips with a kiss-

Stop it stop it stop it.

'Now ladies, two glasses of craft beer,' the barman said with a smile, setting our drinks down in front of us. Panic rose inside me.

'Thank you,' Joy smiled, taking the two glasses. She turned to me and handed one over, looking at me with a sly grin of anticipation. I tried to hide my nervousness with total confidence by taking the glass with a loud thank you and immediately taking a sip. It was a shock at first, with a strong grain flavour, but it wasn't that bad. I would call it tasty, if it weren't for that lingering, sharp taste of alcohol. I couldn't hide my shocked expression and Joy burst out laughing.

'You, my dear, have never had alcohol before,' she concluded proudly.

I scoffed. 'Haha, no. I've had it before. I've just never had this.... beer before,' I said carefully.

Joy raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. She sipped her own drink, exhaling loudly after from the hot grainy taste. Suddenly I felt awkward. I have no idea how to initiate conversations, and even less idea of how to make friends. I really want to be friends with Joy.

Suddenly the music changed to a popular song I'd heard a lot on the radios recently and Joy's eyes widened mid-sip. She hurried to swallow her drink.

'I love this song!! Seulgi, dance with me.'

She grabbed my unfinished glass and placed them both on a random table beside us, grabbed my hand and dragged me to the dance floor. I didn't mind as I knew for a fact I was quite good at dancing. Finally, I thought to myself, I can show Joy I'm more than just some sad little alcohol who stalked her in a garden.

She strutted confidently to the middle and immediately got into the beat, her outstanding presence already receiving a cheer. I stood back shyly, watching her. She laughed, shaking her hips, flicking her hair, throwing up her arms. They were long and sturdy and oh boy was she fit. It was only now I realised what a good body she had. I couldn't stop staring to the point it was plausibly very obvious. She was so attractive it was ridiculous.

I watched Joy among the small crowd she was drawing in. The guys wolf-whistled and the girls cheered. I could hear comments all around me but I couldn't draw away my attention. All I could see was Joy, her smile, her hips, her arms, all I could hear was the music, all I could feel was sickly sweet with this strong feeling I couldn't describe. It grasped me, pulled me under, and left me feeling delirious and dizzy. I couldn't think of anything at all. My heart thumped and thumped and thumped, my skin heated, the world was so easily forgotten. Until....

'Wow, your girlfriend is gorgeous,' a voice beside suddenly said to me. Now, if anything could grab my attention, it was that. I pulled myself back out of the haze and whipped my head around in surprise.

'My what?'

'Your girl.' She raised her glass in Joy's direction. 'Well, it's obvious you're in love with her.' She laughed. 'Go get her, girl.'

My mind tried to process her words as she disappeared with a group of friends. Her words went round and round in my head. I found myself asking the same question again.

But now I was for sure I had an answer. I looked back at Joy, beautiful and radiant in the bright lights, her laugh echoing through my brain and lighting it up.

I am in love with Joy.