Flashing lights. Booming music. Tinkling laughter. Flirtatious conversation. All of it. She disliked all of it. But there she was, dressed in the iest mini dress her best friend could find, hair curled to perfection, face smoothed, toned legs exposed and accentuated by her extra high-heels—the perfect color to offset her dress of course.

Mostly she was just bitter. At least that’s what everyone kept telling her when she expressed her dislike for the flashy clubs filled with an array of people her friends had started dragging her out to.

It will help get your mind off things.

Her mind wasn’t off things. If anything, it was even more active, annoyed by the never-ending parade of people running from their lives. That’s why people came here. To hide from their realities, regardless of whether they were good or bad.

That’s why she was there. She was hiding from her reality.

She was just bitter.

She sighed, watching her friend dance off with yet another guy. They all looked the same to her—tall, dark, handsome, the kind of guys girls daydream of meeting and falling hopelessly in love with. At least she knew her friend was just here for , although she still hadn’t decided whether she should be concerned about that yet. In either case, her friend wasn’t going to change her mind because of what she said to her; already she had forgotten her promise to stay with her, leaving her instead with an all too familiar bartender.

But then, she couldn’t blame her friend. Her friend was free. No commitment to anyone, not yet at least. There of course had been the occasional run-ins with boys who almost made her dreams come true. Chasing a dream isn’t easy though.

She on the other hand, was not free.

I might as well be.

Her face twisted with distaste at the thought as she continued to watch the crowd of people moving to the pulsing beat of the music.

“He’s not coming you know.”

She snapped out of her bitter thoughts, realizing the bartender had been speaking to her.

She registered what he said and let out a small, pained laugh.

“I know.”

He never came. He always promised he would, but as it turned out, they were just empty promises made to appease her strained heart.

At least he made that effort. At least he still cared. But what good would that do them?

“Can I get you another drink? It’s on me.” The bartender spoke again, slowly, softly, as to not disturb the fragile balance he knew she was clinging to.

“Another drink,” She turned the thought in her head. What help would that be?

Don’t be bitter.

She could almost hear her friend’s voice scolding her already. One more drink. One more night.  What help would it be? What harm could it be?

“Sure.” She turned and smiled at the bartender. He was not much older than she was, tall with a fit build, dark brown fringe slanting across his left eye accentuating his perfect features. Any normal day, she would have thought he was handsome. She registered the fact that she hadn’t thought that.

She really was bitter.

“Thank you,”  What was his name? He had said it to her so many nights now, “Thank you Dongwoo.” She finished remembering the name he had introduced himself with last week.

Dongwoo smiled back and nodded his head, watching as she took a sip of her martini.

“Having fun tonight?!” they heard the DJ yell into the black microphone. The crowd burst into cheers and applause. The DJ continued, “Time to take a break and let those couples, or soon to be couples,” he winked sending chuckles through the crowd, “Have a moment together.”

He promptly put down his microphone and changed the music from upbeat to slow and gentle. The type of music that people slow danced to and made promises to. The type of music that people lost their dreams to.

“Oooh martini!” Her best friend giggled, joining her at the bar. She flashed a grin at Dongwoo before gulping down half of the martini and making a satisfied noise.

“How goes the boy hunting?” She asked her friend.

“Good! He went to step out for a second, but I think I’m definitely going home with him tonight!” Her friend clapped her hands together, smiling a little too widely.

“That’s…great Rena.” She smiled, stirring her drink absent-mindedly.

“Come on Leina, why aren’t you even trying to have fun?” Serena tugged on Leina’s arm and pouted. They heard Dongwoo chuckle, and Serena’s left eye twitched slightly in response.

“I am. I’m hanging out with Dongwoo, right?” Leina looked over at the bartender.

He caught on quickly and nodded. “She’s enjoying herself, I promise.”

Serena eyed him, trying to decide whether or not she should believe them. As much as she wanted to have fun, the whole goal was to get Leina to be happy again; she deserved it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a tall guy wearing a dress shirt and pants wrapping his arms around her. The pressed his lips to the edge of her jawline before moving up to her ear, slowly. He whispered something, and Leina could almost see the lust fill her friend’s eyes.

Leina nodded at her friend. She knew the drill already. Serena shot her an apologetic glance before scurrying out of the club, hand clasped in the tall strangers.

“Guess it’s just you and me.” Dongwoo smiled sympathetically. He had seen the same routine before.

“Seems that way.” Leina smiled at her drink, nearly gone now. “Actually, do you mind calling me a cab?”

Dongwoo sighed slightly and pursed his lips.

“You sure you don’t to stay a little bit longer? It might help.”

Help with the bitterness?

Leina forced another smile at the kind bartender. He had been a great comfort in the last week.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to a few of my friends that are here tonight. Might help get your mind off things.”

Get your mind off things.

There it was again. The need to run. Run from her things, her life, her issues, all of it, just forget them and run into this underground world that seemed to numb the reality of the world just outside the doors.

“Oh, I’m really not good with new people.” Leina shook her head.

“I noticed.” He laughed. “Come on.”

He led her down the bar to a group of guys; there were 5 of them, all dressed in nice shirts, hair done, looks to kill.

“Leina, meet Sungyeol, Hoya, Sungjong, Woohyun, and Sunggyu.” She nodded at them respectfully, maintaining her distance.

“It is a pleasure to meet you miss.” The one with brown hair—Hoya was it?—extended his hand to her and placed a gentle kiss on it.

Leina laughed awkwardly, “The pleasure is mine.”

She turned away from them toward the bar again, hoping they would lose all interest in her quickly.

Not free.

Dongwoo shook his head at her as the DJ started playing another slow song, this one dedicated to ‘All the lonely people’ present. She recognized this one. Single by New Kids on the Block. Not exactly the most popular song to be playing at a busy club.

Pretty mama if you’re single, single (You don’t gotta be alone tonight)

She held on to her glass as Dongwoo once again refilled it.

So you don’t gotta be alone. (I’ll be your boyfriend.)

Sunggyu noticed her. He noticed the dress, the heels, the hair, all the obvious. But as she reached for her drink, he noticed the quiet, the innocence, the purity, the girl behind the typical club wear. She was anything but typical. He noticed her as she reached for that drink. He was drawn to her, and he couldn’t be sure why.

Girl, I’ll be your boyfriend.

Sunggyu moved past his friends and toward this girl. He stood close to her and leaned down to her ear.

”I’ll be your boyfriend.” He sang along. He felt her tense at his presence, so close to hers. She was surprised by him. No man had ever been so bold in approaching her. But she had to admit, his voice was like honey, leaving warm and tingling. “Be your boyfriend til the goes out.”

He pulled away just enough to smirk at her. At least that’s what he meant to do. Their eyes locked, and they both felt it. It wasn’t an electric shock or a jolt of energy. It was more like a squeeze. A squeeze of the brain warning them something was happening. A squeeze of the heart warning the same.

Sunggyu smiled at her. It was a small smile, and definitely not the seductive look he was used to giving. He pulled back toward the dance floor, inviting her to dance. Leina knew she should say no. She started to form the words in her head, when Serena’s voice played in her head.

Don’t be bitter.

Before she knew it, she was in the middle of the dance floor, Sunggyu holding on to her firmly but comfortably.

He don’t tell you that you’re beautiful.

Let me tell it to you to the beat.

Leina moved to the music awkwardly at first, trying to listen to her brain and keep her distance from—which one was he? Sunggyu? She wasn’t used to this. Serena danced. Leina observed with a glass in hand, always waiting.

He don’t tell you that he loves you girl,

Let me sing it in a harmony.

Sunggyu knew. Or at least he sensed it. She wasn’t used to this. She didn’t do this. She waited. She was quiet. But she deserved more. He sensed it. No, he knew it. He didn’t know how or why, but he did.

He turned her, back facing him. He moved to the music, mentally ushering her to let go. It worked. Leina started swaying with him, and before either of them knew it, his hand her gentle on his hips, her hand reaching back to him instinctively brushing the back of his head and running down his arm.

They moved together. They didn’t know why, or how.

Be your boyfriend til the song goes out.