When we reached the club, It had already formed three lines, just so people could get in. Victoria must be performing tonight, even though Victoria can be very feisty, she can really rule the stage. Her cutie-y style had captivated not only men but also women of all ages, I guess she’s performing an stage judging by the number of men who have lined up tonight, It still amazes me how it spreads throughout the neighborhood about our club. Chaeyoung and I secretly made our way to the back door just so no one can know, It’s a hidden passageway for us performers just in case we need to bail real quick. When we reached the dressing room, Victoria has finished preparing, she wore this y-looking sailor costume. She walked pass by me and I immediately looked down in an instant.

“Hey.” chaeyoung calls. I looked at her direction, her eyes seems to be worried. “Look up” she says, I only manage to give her a small smile. I took a glance to where victoria was, she seems to be talking to a new recruit. Chae tugged my shirt signaling me to come with her, we placed our bags inside her locker and grabbed our IDs. We went out the dressing room and started taking pads and pens for taking orders.

“Thank God you both are here already” Seulgi whispered to my ears. “ I still can’t get used to this kind of crowd whenever she performs” she added.

“Must be really hard, she doesn’t even perform till 8” I commented

“I know! But look at this!” she beamed pointing at the packed place.

I gave her a slight tap on her shoulder and made my way to the customer I saw raising their hands to call us.

“Ah, yes. How may I help you?” I greeted. They were a group of guys all in their mid 30s based on the suits they’re wearing, they kind of remind me of heechul-nim.

“Oh. yes we’ll have two buckets of beer, and can we get those nachos? Yeah. two of them too, also add us some more of those surprise side dishes you serve.”

“Alright. two bucket of beers, two nachos and special side dish”

“Thanks.”

As I was about to leave one of them grabbed my arm, instantly my body began to feel fear.

“You’re Sana right?”

“Yes.. I am”

“I’m sorry, you know heechul right?” he asks again. I nodded in response.

“Can you tell him, his old friend leeteuk is in town”

“Oh. okay I will”

Quickly, I ran towards the bar with my hand on my chest but composed myself since I didn’t want to make a scene. I handed out the order to the bartender without saying anything. I just waited for him to finish without taking any more orders.

“Are you okay?” the bartender asked.

“Yeah. just kinda, overwhelmed with the people” I lied.

“I’m actually new here. I didn’t realize this place gets packed.”

“Yeah. blame victoria for that.”

“Is she the main performer?”

“You could say that.” I gave him a slight smile.

“Hey.”

“Oh chae, you’re here.”

“Yeah, look at this place”

“I know.”

“Oh, chae can you give these orders to those dude with the suits? They kind of heechul-nim’s friends, I need to pass a message.”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.”

I took off the apron I was wearing and placed the pen and pad on the counter before going back to the dressing room. When I came in everyone was gathered in one place and there was constant shouting back and forth that I couldn’t comprehend. I scoot my way in and to my surprise it was Victoria and she was arguing with Heechul-nim.

“You can’t just fire me!” she yells to him.

“Oh yes, I can victoria.” he yelled back.

“This is your final performance.” Heechul turned around but victoria spoke once again.

“I am not going to perform!” she threw her sailor hat and quickly grabbed her coat and bag, without a second glance she was out the back door and gone in our sight. The room became silent, they didn’t know what to do. Should they announce that victoria was gone or would they continue the show without her? I looked at heechul-nim who was already looking at me. I sense a slight of asking for help from his eyes so I made my way to him.

“Hey.” I said softly “what happened?” he shook his head slowly while pinching the bridge of his nose.

“She was dealing drugs. One of our recruits confessed to me” It was news to me too. I never knew she’d do that, She looked fine to me why would she take drugs? For pleasure? Money? But the club gives her almost everything.

“Anyway. We need to continue the show.” he scanned the room and looked at every member before pointing at the new girl I saw talking to victoria earlier.

“Hani. suit up” he commands and she did without hesitation.

“The rest of you, go back to work. Sana come with me” I followed him to his office anxiously.

“So why are you here and not out there?” he immediately says as soon as the door closes behind me. and went straight to his chair.

“Ah yes. Your friend leeteuk was he-”

“Leeteuk?” He wasn’t able to sit down when I mentioned the name.

“Ah yes, he’s out there” He came back towards me and held my hand.

“Did he do something to you?” he eyed my arms and checked me as if I came from an accident.

“Uh- no. why? Who is he?”

“None of your business. Stay away from him. I’ll handle him after the show.” He let’s go of my hands and started rummaging his documents on top of his desk.

“Now, go back to work sana” he didn’t looked at me when he said that, I even nodded in response even though he won’t see it. On my way out I closed the door quietly and sighed deeply. Heechul-nim has been working too hard lately that sometimes I’d still see his office lights on when I come to jog at night even after the performance. I couldn’t muster the strength to tell him to rest since I felt a little distant to him these days. I should’ve not left him alone after all he did to me, maybe I’ll try to talk to him later.

The rest of the night was pretty tiring, we served all night and the guests seems to not lessen as the night grew deeper. Victoria’s performance was replaced with the newbie’s performance, we also announced that Victoria was currently in hiatus due to certain circumstances. The people was disappointed at first but after Hani’s performance, it’s like Victoria was instantly forgotten. I wasn’t able to see Hani’s performance but I did took a quick glimpse in the middle of her performance, she had shown her belly that had a piercings on her belly button, the simple brassiere and ripped jeans she was wearing had captured every guests. She had a gorgeous body to begin with and it was paired with a good facial expression, I wish I had seen it all, for educational purposes.

When the show was over, one by one the guest has started to leave the premises. Almost all of them were talking about Hani, how they've never seen like her and that she was a pretty good dancer and lip syncher. I look around to see chaeyoung cleaning up tables, I picked up a towel and helped her clean the other tables. The table I was cleaning was near the window, there i saw heechul with that guy Leeteuk, they were discussing intimately that I can see Heechul whispering at him with such a pissed face. Leeteuk grabbed Heechul's shoulders and gave him a look before passing by him. All the other men followed him and Heechul was left pinching thr bridge of his nose and sighing deeply. He went inside and I followed him with my eyes and without second thought I hurriedly went to his office. He was surprised by my sudden appearance to his office, he wasn't mad but looked tired even more than earlier.

He didn't say anything, I walked towards him and sat beside him on the sofa.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked. “If it does not concern with me then that's fine. I'll- I'll leave you be” I stood up from my seat and went straight to the door. He didn't say a word even when I took a last glance at him, I was a bit disappointed, I mean I'm not one to tell him what I feel too so what was I expecting? maybe I just wanted someone to lean on me for once? I don't know.

“There you are” It was chaeyoung, she had her bag on her shoulders and ready to go. “You ready?” she asks.

“Yeah.” I brushed off my sad face and gave her a big fake smile. sorry chae.

“Let's have some fun?” she offered her arms to me again to hold and this time I was glad to cling on it like she was.

“Where are we going now baby cub?”

“First, I'd like you to not call me that, Second we're going karaoke so get your voice ready”

Once we got out of the back door, chae had instructed me to wait for her here. As I was starstruck with the numbers of stars there is on the sky, I noticed a shadow behind the dumpsters. I know it would be bad to go but it wouldn't be as exciting if I didn't right? So I slowly walked my way there. It smelled icky and the floor is covered with trash with dead mammals that I don't want to know from which family. The shadow stopped at a corner and to my surprise it was Victoria, I was about to call her out but she started talking.

“So? what did he say?” she said to other shadowed figure that I wasn't able to see who.

“He didn't accept my offer.”

“God damn it! Why can't he just give it up?”

“I don't know. she must be special”

“She is not! she's just some he picked up from the streets like everybody else. she ain't special! I AM! I gave up everything for him and now he thinks he can just fire me over some petty ?”

“Well? what are you going to do now?”

“Just you wait. I'll ruin his life too”

Who are they talking about? Heechul? who is she talking to? and who is this special girl they are talking about?

I was busy questioning myself that I didn't notice that my phone was ringing. ! I looked to see chaeyoung calling me. I was nervously ending the call and hoped that they didn't heard it.

“Who's there!!” Victoria shouts. oh no she did!

“calm down, there is no one else like you who'd go in this dump. plus it's my phone too. Now go” the man says to her. thank God his phone was also ringing.

I hid beside the pile of trash and hope to God that the smell won't attach to me. Victoria walked pass by me and luckily she didn't look around, when she was out of sight I carefully went to see chaeyoung.

“Where the hell did you go?”

“Later. Let's go now!” She was confused but did what I said. Once we were on the road, chaeyoung started the conversation.

“So? why did you came out of the dumpsters”

“Well. There was a cat”

“A cat?”

“Yes. she was cute and I followed her”

“then why were you in a hurry to go?”

“she was rabid. I thought she was going to chase me”

“So a cat, a rabid one, made you run for your life?”

“Yes..”

“Seems like you don't want to talk about it. I'll let it slide for now- If! you enjoy our party tonight”

“I will” I replied to her giggling.