"See you then!"

The girls giggled and skipped away, leaving L and his friends dumbstruck at what had just taken place. 

"You're so getting...."

"Shut up," L scoffed, though a smile played on his lips. He pushed Woohyun away as the latter laughed and followed him inside the hotel.

"They were cute!" Woohyun exclaimed. "I know you found them cute!"

"Non-living stuffed animals are supposed to be cute," L said, his signature monotone ringing with the alternative emotion of sarcasm. Woohyun rolled his eyes and clapped his racing partner's back. "Be a little happy, yeah?"

L smiled at that. Happy? He had always been good at making others happy. His parents had always loved him for being the perfect little kid and what with his recent promise to marry the girl they had found for him back home, they were the happiest folks on the planet. Nothing could be happier than this. In fact, L thought as he glanced at his reflection in the mirror, this was his happy face. 

"What's going on in there?" Woohyun teased, tapping his friend's forehead. "Looks like you're going to kill someone."

"Oh well", L sighed and entered the bathroom to freshen up.

                                                                                            *********************************************

"Remind me why I'm coming with you," I sighed. Krystal stopped fixing her hair, giving me a sour look from her reflection.

"You're kidding me, right?" she scowled. I shook my head, making her groan in frustration.

"Amber!" she said and tugged at my wrist. I stared at her, waiting for the blackmail to start.

"You promised me!"

There it goes.

"I know," I agreed and pulled away, walking out of the room. Krystal smiled and followed me. She secured the lock on the door and seconds later, we were out of our dormitories.

"It will be fun!" she chirped, hanging onto my arm. "Plus those racers will be there," she continued, quirking her eyebrows. I scoffed and pushed her away.

I couldn't help but smile. Yes, it was true. Even the super studious girl who had been studying on a decent scholarship away from home had the tendency to get a little excited about boys. I blamed it on my all-girls schooling for seventeen years and shook my head.

"I doubt I would catch anyone's attention though." I played with my short hair that was struggling to brush my shoulders and sighed. 

"Don't say that," Krystal pouted and pulled my cheeks. I smiled and walked with her towards the much-awaited bonfire party.

                                                                                 *************************************************************

"This is.... "

L widened his eyes then smirked. Woohyun and him exchanged glances.

"Party time," the two chanted and suddenly, starting hooting like wolves. Around them their fellow racers joined in, offering them drinks and chugging on them like water. 

"Told you it'd be fun," Woohyun chuckled, already a little high on the local whiskey one of his seniors had offered him. L shook his head and gave his partner a light punch.

"You better be sober enough for tomorrow," he grinned. "I don't want to see you drive yourself off a cliff."

Woohyun rolled his eyes and muttered, "Yeah right." He spotted someone and quirked an eyebrow. L recognized the look in his friend's eyes and before Woohyun could say anything, raised both his palms up. 

"Go do your thing," he said. Woohyun gave a toothy grin and walked towards the bonfire, fixing his messed up hair. 

L snickered at his friend's desperation and turned around, only to bump into someone. 

"Oh sorry," he said, lifting his glass to avoid any mess. He looked down at the stranger and before he knew it, time stopped.

                                                           *************************************************************

"I'll get us a mocktail." Lifting myself off the chair, I trudged towards the refreshments table. My heart hammered against my chest as I tried to avoid all the drunk men around me. 

City boys, I thought and shivered. I suddenly grew worried and turned around to check on Krystal, only to trip on something.

"Oh sorry," the man said. I looked up, only to find the man staring at me. No, not at me, through me. 

The man wasn't particularly handsome. He had soft features and he was the kind of man Krystal would probably throw herself on. But it was his eyes that caught my attention, grasping me so tightly that I felt no longer the need or the will to breathe. They were the very embodiment of a black hole and I wondered whether all the stars in the universe would, instead of being forcefully warped into the dark energy, willingly fall into it. 

I felt like a star, ready to drown myself inside him.

"Hey," he said.

I blinked and smiled. "Hello."

The man spun around then looked back at me. "Would you like to...."

"Uh..." At that point of time, I hated my age. "I'm sorry, I'm from the school..."

I pointed at the boring Victorian structure behind me and meekly rubbed the back of my head. The man nodded and I feared that whatever little interest he had in me, was lost by the confession of my age.

"That's okay," he smiled. He placed his glass on the table and turned to face the bartender. "Two glasses of Tropical Paradise."

"Make it four!"

I turned around and my jaw fell slack. Krystal grinned and ran to hug me, the man next to her confused at seeing the one I had just met. 

"He's cute," Krystal whispered, referring to mine. I nodded, not being the type to make my thoughts obvious. I glanced at hers and reeled back. The smell of alcohol was anything but subtle. 

"That's Woohyun," she whispered and made a face. "I'm only with him because he promised to buy me free drinks all night."

"Krystal!" I hissed in shock. She shrugged and flashed a smile, pulling Woohyun away from us. 

"We'll leave you two!" she chirped and ran towards the other table. I bit my lip, trying to prevent my face from getting red. But when I saw his face, he too was suffering from the same. We exchanged glances and after a moment of silence, laughed.

"Oh well," he said, handing me my drink. I lifted my glass and smiled. 

"Cheers?" I said. The man smiled. 

"Name?"

                                                                            *************************************************************

"Amber," she said. 

"Myungsoo," I smiled, a little too hesitant upon revealing my birthname. It had been quite some time ever since I had used it. My high school friends had given me the name L after the Death Note character and from then on, it had stuck. Apart from the fact that it was a great conversation starter with girls.

But Amber didn't seem like the type to try hard for. I didn't want to try hard. I didn't want to make the extra effort. Everything was comfortable, her smile, her words, her gestures. I had never felt at such ease with anyone new or if I dared to say, anyone at all. My own parents were rarely able to discern my emotions and if I ever had any relations with a girl, they could only be defined as flings. Hey, don't judge me. I'm a guy afterall.

With Amber though, everything seemed clearer than before. As we both stood in the dark, the light from the bonfire reflecting the warm lull in her gaze, I did not want to think anymore. Right at that moment, all I wanted was to be with her. We were already in the middle of a conversation, but I was torn between wanting to admire her and wanting to know more about her. The conflict must have shown on my face, for while she spoke, she stalled.

"Are you fine?" she enquired, a furrow in her eyebrows. My feelings fell into repose as I realized her concern.

"Not... exactly," I smiled and looked down at my feet. She raised her eyebrows and looked around. 

"There's a medical room on the ground floor, if you want.."

"No, no," I waved my hand. I straightened up and shook my head. "I'm fine, just... "

Amber looked on curiously, waiting for me to finish. 

"You're beautiful," I breathed.