It haunted her.

She couldn’t sleep because of it. She rolled over in bed, sighing heavily. She glanced over at the small black clock adorning the small wooden table that sat next to her bed. 3:30 am. She read the small red letters and groaned in frustration. How could she still be awake?

Lying there, she looked over at the empty space beside her. The space where he used to lay, back when they would spend almost every night together. She smiled slightly, remembering the way that he would hold her in his arms, keeping her safe while they slept peacefully.

What she would give to have the peace back.

She let her eyes close, willing the memories to disappear.

They didn’t. They were merely replaced by a new one. A fresh one. The one that haunted her.

You don’t gotta be alone tonight.

Leina moved to the song, following Sunggyu’s subtle lead. She could feel his hot breath against her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

How long had it been since she had felt like this?

Sunggyu held on to her. He didn’t understand why, but he felt compelled to protect her, to take care of her, to make her feel like she deserved happiness.

The song ended, and she found herself feeling slightly disappointed. She turned to find Sunggyu smiling down at her, arm still wound around her small frame. Curiously, she found herself smiling back. It was a genuine smile, unlike the many she had flashed in the previous nights.

“Hi.” He said quietly. She could sense the nervousness in his voice. It wasn’t his first time dancing with a girl. Why was he nervous?

“Hi.” She responded, looking down, a smile still lingering on her face. Only now was she aware that her hand was placed against his chest, and his arm was still holding her. It didn’t feel wrong to her. Or to him.

That was wrong. This shouldn’t feel right.

She dropped her hand, taking a small step back as the DJ announced the last set of songs before the club closed for the night.

“I um…” She looked around before glancing up at his face, covered in curiosity before continuing, “I have to go.”

She pressed past the crowd forming around them and made her way to the bar, leaving a confused Sunggyu standing alone.

“Looks like someone had fun.” Dongwoo smiled at her as she approached him. “Where’s Sunggyu?”

“Dongwoo, I have to go. I’ll see you later, thank you so much for the drink!” She grabbed what few belongings she had left at the bar, and made her way for the door.

“Leina!” Dongwoo called after her. Leina turned back to see Sunggyu standing with Dongwoo. She looked at Sunggyu with apologetic eyes and felt her heart squeeze once again before she dashed out.

Be your boyfriend until the song goes out.

Leina sat up in bed and pressed a hand against her pulsing head. Why did she dance with him? What was it about Sunggyu that left her feeling like this? She felt wrong for leaving him like that. Like she owed him an explanation, a reason for why she ran out of the club as quickly as she did.

But then, how would she explain this to Eli? Not that he would ever ask or even learn of it from someone else. Still, she was with him. How could she not feel wrong? She loved him. And she missed him. Dear Lord, how she missed him. No amount of going out, dancing, or drinking would ever change that. No matter how she occupied herself with work, she could not get rid of this overwhelming need to be with him, to be the couple that they were. But they hadn’t been that couple in a long time. He was busy, and so was she. They were crazy to have thought that any of this could work. They should have known better. She should have known better.

She felt the tears begin to sting her eyes again. They came constantly now. For someone who rarely allowed tears, they came often now. Too often. Love was supposed to be great, and magical, it was supposed to make you happier than anything else ever had. But no one ever seemed to mention the emptiness that accompanied the pure happiness experienced.

She pulled the covers closer around her and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t want this. She didn’t need this. She never asked for this. All she wanted was to sleep.

***

“Hey sunshine.” Serena smiled at her friend, joining her at the small table outside the coffee shop. Leina smiled back at her friend, both hands wrapped around the warm cup of coffee that had just been served to her.

“How was your night?” Serena asked waving at the waitress for a cup of tea.

“Not better than yours I’m sure.” Leina teased.

Serena shot her a look. She couldn’t keep from  breaking into a grin however.

“I was so right about him Leina! I swear he was amazing.” Serena closed her eyes and bit the corner of her lip as she remembered last night’s events.

“Oh, so he went down?” Leina asked taking a sip of her coffee and raising an eyebrow at her friend.

“Leina!” Her friend whispered furiously. Serena was open about her life, but there was a time and a place, and sitting in front of a coffee house was definitely not it.

“What? He must’ve if it was amazing.” Leina mocked smiling.

The waitress came back with Serena’s tea. Serena smiled in thanks and glared at her friend.

“You know too much already.” Serena mumbled sipping her tea before smiling back, knowing there was no way she could deny who she was to her friend.

“Well how was your night then?” It was Serena’s turn to raise an eyebrow.

Leina thought about Sunggyu. The way that they had danced last night in the club where everyone ran from their life. Where she ran from her life too apparently.

Leina looked at her friend and smiled awkwardly.

“I left almost right after you did.”

Serena tilted her head, seeing through her friends act. “I talked to Dongwoo.”

“How do you have Dongwoo’s number?” Leina asked confused. Serena seemed to know everyone.

“I asked him for it. He’s hot! Besides, it’s always good to be friends with your bartender!” Serena half yelled. “Not the point though.” She pointed a polished fingernail at Leina. “Are you going to tell me about this guy or am I going to have to chase him down to find out too?”

Leina sighed. Her friend sounded like she was exaggerating, but she knew all too well that then Serena was on a mission, she would stop at early nothing to find out what she wanted to know.

“Do I really need to call Dongwoo?” Serena pulled out her black iPhone threateningly.

“Okay jeez.” Leina pushed down the phone before Serena could dial the number.

“Speak.”

Leina sighed again in frustration.

“I danced with this guy. He’s one of Dongwoo’s friends, Sunggyu I think?”

“You think?” Serena blurted.

“I had just met him okay. I didn’t mean to dance with him, in fact I just wanted to go home, but Dongwoo insisted on introducing me to his friends. I thought they would lose interest in me when Dongwoo served me another drink, but instead Sunggyu came up and sang in my ear.”

“He sang to you?” Serena asked surprised.

Leina nodded, continuing “Then he looked at me and pulled me toward the dance floor and instead of running away like I wanted to, I heard your voice telling me not to be bitter.”

“Oh my goodness!” Serena  clapped her hands together excitedly. “He sounds so dreamy. What happened?”

“We danced, and then I ran out of the club.”

“What?” Serena couldn’t believe her friend.

“I’m not you Rena. I felt so uncomfortable!”

“Seriously, if I didn’t know better I would think you were still a .” Serena grumbled annoyed.

Leina slapped her arm.

“Come on Leina, a great guy sings to you and then gets you to dance with him and you can’t even give him your number? Why? Give me one good reason why not.”

Leina’s phone buzzed from inside her purse. She pulled it out and almost laughed at the irony of the name that flashed on the screen.

“Eli.” She turned the phone to her friend.

Serena shut up and leaned back in her seat. That was a good reason she had to admit.

“Hello?” Leina answered.

“Hey Lei.” She heard Eli’s voice and instantly smiled.

“Hey Eli. What’s up?”

“I’m taking a long lunch today, can I take you out to eat? I was thinking we could go to that restaurant near the company we used to go.” She could almost see the smile on his face.

“It’s been a while.” Leina laughed. “I’ll meet you there.”

“Ask him if he’s with Kevin!” Serena spoke, surprising Leina. Leina looked at her friend sympathetically.

“Kevin isn’t with me. He’s working on a project right now. Tell Serena I’m sorry.” Eli answered before Leina could even ask anything.

“Eli says sorry. Kevin is busy.” Leina reached across the table and squeezed Serena’s hand. If only Serena could have been luckier. Maybe they both would have been happier right now.

“See you soon.” Eli said happily. “Oh and Leina?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Leina smiled. There it was. The three words that could make anything better.

I love you too Eli.