Leina took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed. She stood, back pressed against the door, cold wood cooling her warm skin. Exhaling slowly, she opened her eyes and dropped her keys in the clay bowl by the door, the faint sound sweeping into the empty room.

 

There was something uncomfortable about being home alone. She had always lived alone, but since meeting Eli she had grown accustomed to his company. She glanced around grimly, dislike for the apartment she had once loved growing. She shook her head, walking down the hallway to the spacious bedroom, dropped her bag by the door and collapsed on the bed.

 

Disappointment had a way of draining her energy. She curled up on the bed, burying her head in one of the plush pillows. She didn’t know why she continued to wait for him, why she always believed he would be a man of his word. He used to be. He had always been loyal and caring, always taking time to make sure she knew he loved her. And she did. She knew he loved her and because of that, she found it difficult to understand why things were like this.

 

How had they gotten here? Through everything that had happened, they had remained together, finding strength in each other. Now they barely saw each other, consumed instead by their work. She wasn’t naive enough to think they had the perfect relationship. She knew he was from a good family and she wasn’t the girl they wanted for him. She knew they tried constantly to put him with someone else, someone who would benefit them. It was no secret to her that his father disliked her, despite his polite demeanor anytime they crossed paths. She knew there were flaws and problems, but she wanted more than anything to believe that they would be able to overcome all of them.

 

Instead, here she was, alone on her bed missing him like crazy and tired from being disappointed.

 

She rolled over, closed her eyes, and willed the heaviness that had set in her chest to disappear. A wave of exhaustion washed over her body, and she quickly began drifting off to sleep. Faintly, she heard the ding of her phone letting her know she had a text message. She ignored it, too tired to care who it was. She barely heard the next one, registering in the back of her head but not fully processing. It wasn’t until the ringing sound pierced the quiet that she groggily reached out with a groan and probed the soft surface for the ringing contraption. Locating it, she answered, voice deep from tiredness.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Leina, where have you been, I’ve texted you for the last hour!”

 

Leina glanced at the clock on her nightstand, bright red letters glowing in the dim light of her bedroom. She had fallen asleep for about half an hour. Serena had a way of exaggerating.

 

“Rena, its been half an hour. What do you want?” She groaned grumpily, annoyed her nap had been disturbed.

 

“Hey, don’t take it out on me just because your boy ditched you for lunch again. I told you not to get your hopes up.”

 

Leina closed her eyes, feeling the slight sting of Serena’s words. She was right, but it wasn’t exactly what she needed to hear from her best friend.

 

“I’m not. I’m just tired.”

 

“Like hell you aren’t. Anyway, get dressed, we’re going out tonight.”

 

“No.”

 

“Lei come on, you had a bad day, time to have a good night.”

 

“No.”

 

“Lei-”

 

“I said no Serena. I don’t want to go out to some bar, I don’t want to watch you dance with some guy, and I don’t want to come home feeling just as tired and upset as I did before. It doesn’t help. Its a bad idea and I don’t want to.”

 

There was a pause, and she could tell she had hit a nerve.

 

“Lei I know you don’t like it. I know you hate the clubs, and the music, and the people. But I love you, and I can’t stand to see you sad. I’m not trying to make you dance, or get you drunk, or have you hook up with someone. I just want to distract you for a little bit, to spend time with my best friend and enjoy at least the company for the night. I refuse to let you sit at home drowning alone.”

 

Leina didn’t know what to say. She understood where her friend was coming from. She did spend a large majority of her nights laying in bed fluctuating between bitter resentment and overwhelming loneliness.

 

“I’ll wear the red dress.”

 

“Yes! Okay, I’ll pick you up at 9!”

 

Leina could almost see the way her best friends face must have lit up. With a light chuckle and a small shake of her head, Leina hung up the phone and dragged herself out of bed. Whether she just felt bad for her best friend or just wanted a reason to stop feeling sorry for herself,  Leina decided it would be best for everyone if she got ready and at least attempted to have a good night.

 

 

 

 

 

Serena knocked on Leina’s door promptly at 9 o’clock like she said she would, Dongwoo handsomely at her side. Leina raised an eyebrow at her friend, but refrained from commenting. Serena was a hard one to keep track of, and even harder to control. That was part of the reason they got along so well, they balanced each other perfectly.

 

Serena linked arms with Leina, and Dongwoo led them down to the waiting cab.

 

“We’re going to have fun.” Serena smiled.

 

This isn’t fun.

 

Leina stood at the bar 30 minutes later, three shot glasses filled with alcohol lined up in front of her. Serena and Dongwoo had thought it would be fun to give her shots in order to ‘loosen her up’ as Serena had put it. Dongwoo watched unsure as Serena pushed another one toward her friend and proceeded to drink the glass in one large gulp. Leina grimaced, but complied, following the first with the last shot glass.

 

Leina’s head was pounding. She didn’t know if it was because of the alcohol, or because of the flashing lights and pounding music. Either way, she could think of a million places she would rather be than there. Needing a moment to take a breath, Leina excused herself, and stepped out toward the balcony patio. Dongwoo gave Serena a concerned look, but Serena just shook her head, knowing all too well her best friend needed to take things at her own pace, walking instead onto the dancefloor with Dongwoo.

 

Leina pulled out her cell phone and scrolled through the contacts until she found his name. She hesitated, finger lingering just above the screen. He had canceled their lunch date for work reasons, according to his text message. She hadn’t replied or spoken to him since. Now in the midst of all the noise and carefree atmosphere, she found herself wanting to talk to him, but she knew it would just end in another fight. She was upset with him, and his seemingly increasing indifference upset her almost as much as how little time they spent together.

 

She tapped the screen, and brought the phone to her ear before she could convince herself to drown alone in her sorrows. A few rings, and a deep male voice picked up on the other end.

 

“Oh, hello Mr. Kim.” Leina spoke surprised.

 

“Oh Leina. Eli’s busy right now.” He said indifferently, almost annoyed to hear her on the other end.

 

“I’m sure he is. Will you please tell him I called?” Leina twisted her face in annoyance.

 

“He’s inside waiting for you.” She heard him mumble. His voice was muffled, as if he was covering the phone with his hand. She heard a faint ‘thank you Mr. Kim’ followed a light girly giggle. Leina raised an eyebrow. Who was he talking to?

“Mr. Kim?”

 

“Huh? Oh yes of course. Goodbye.”

 

Leina heard the dial tone and sighed, clicking off her phone. She went to the bar on the balcony and retrieved a drink from one of the bartenders. She was glad Dongwoo worked here. Leina saw her best friend huddled with Dongwoo and a group of what looked like his friends, probably the ones from the night before. Leina shook her head, knocked back the drink, and once again had it filled.

 

“I thought you were supposed to take it slow.” Leina heard from next to her. The voice sounded familiar. Leina turned, glass tinkling and met eyes with Sunggyu. He gave her a small smirk, noticing the way her eyes filled with confusion. Leina didn’t think she would see him again, especially considering the way she had run out of the club the night before. Realizing she hadn’t said anything, she cleared and turned back to her drink.

 

“Slow is for the people who can’t handle it.”

 

“I didn’t peg you for a drinker.” Sunggyu chuckled, looking out over the balcony.

 

“All I do is drink.”

 

Sunggyu laughed, and Leina’s face flushed red as she stumbled over her words.

 

“I mean I don’t really dance. I come with Serena and drink by the bar.”

 

Sunggyu nodded, smirk still firmly placed on his milky complexion.

 

“Sunggyu, why are you here?”

 

“So you do remember me.” He laughed. Leina turned to him, her face serious.

 

Sunggyu glanced over at her. Leina hadn’t said it with a tone of anger or annoyance, although he did sense a biting edge to the question. Why was he here? He wasn’t really sure. Dongwoo had mentioned her and he’d found himself gravitating toward the figure leaning against the bar on the balcony in the red dress, alone but confident. There was so much more to her and he wanted to know.

 

“I want to be here.”

 

“We don’t know each other.” Leina shot, eyes piercing.

 

“We don’t. But it doesn’t mean we can’t get to know each other.”

 

Leina looked away, feeling his eyes on her sending a light chill down her soft skin. She wasn’t the kind of person to sit and chat with random strangers about her life. She wanted to tell him he was wasting his time, but she could hear Serena’s voice telling her not to be bitter. She glanced back at him, his gaze shifted toward the class in his hand, as if he too was trying to understand. He looked back up at her, meeting her gaze with soft eyes, disarming Leina’s intended rejection.

 

There was something about him that intrigued her. She couldn’t explain what it was, but despite knowing she should walk away, that she had someone else, that she wasn’t the type to meet a stranger and make friends at a club, she found herself wanting to stay, to talk to him, have a few drinks and enjoy herself.

 

But she couldn’t. She was with Eli. She loved him. And although there was something comforting, something that felt right about staying and talking to Sunggyu, she couldn’t help but feel guilty.

 

Leina bit her lip, not wanting to send him away. There was no reason they couldn’t be friends. She was friends with Dongwoo, and Sunggyu was as well. She could already hear Serena’s speech about how she was allowed to have friends and she was supposed to have  fun and enjoy herself too. She even knew that Eli wouldn’t mind her having a friend.

 

“Friends.” Leina decided, putting a hand out to Sunggyu.

 

He looked down at it. Friends was a good start he decided. He smirked again, shook her hand lightly and replied, “Friends.”