“Hey girls!” Ayane, Heeyoung’s wealthy friend, cheered as she walked up to the table Heeyoung and a few of her other friends were sitting at. They had been called out by Ayane and had been waiting in the café for a few minutes now for her to show up with her big news. “Guess who just got paid!?”

                Cheering excitedly, two of the girls, Izumi and Nanami, rose to hug Ayane in their excitement, bringing her to the table and seating her in between them. Once she had seated, all attention was on her.

                “What do you girls want to do to celebrate? I get paid a lot now, as you all know. It’ll be my treat!” she announced, looking over all of the girls.

                “I hear,” Tomoko spoke up, leaning in smugly, causing a chain effect. “There is this host club out in Shinjuku. It is the hottest one in Japan.”

                “No way!” Izumi gasped.

                “We should totally go!” Nanami encouraged, squealing.

                As Nanami shook Ayane’s arm and Izumi cooed persuasively, Heeyoung sighed. She wasn’t in the mood for any of this at all. Her mind was too clouded with thoughts of ‘what if’ and ‘why’ now that her boyfriend had broken up with her.

                Sitting in a café with an iced mocha in front of her, she waited for her boyfriend to show up. He was already fifteen minutes late. Hearing the bell above the door ring, she turned to see her boyfriend bustling into the café and over to her.

                “Have you been waiting long?” he asked, smiling sadly.

                She shook her head, even though it was an obvious lie.

                “What did you want to talk about?” she inquired, quite curious as to why he called her out like this. They were dating, so it didn’t seem to make sense for him to do such a thing when he could just pop over or text her whenever. It ate at her inside, though, because when a boyfriend asks to ‘talk’ to his girlfriend, he is probably going to break up with her. On the way to the café, Heeyoung had been thinking of every little thing she could have possibly done wrong to give cause for a break up, but every time she would tell herself that he hadn’t actually said they were breaking up and pushed the paranoia to the side. 

                “Ah,” he looked down at her question. “Well.”

                He settled himself and ordered before he faced her.

                “I’ve been seeing another woman.”

                Heeyoung’s heart almost stopped. She was right. He was breaking up with her. Nodding numbly, she questioned him.

                “For how long?”

                “A few months now.”

                Silence consumed them as Heeyoung turned that over in her mind. They hadn’t even been together a whole year yet. A few months was almost half of their relationship. She nodded slowly this time as she tried to keep it together.

                “So that’s it, then,” she stated, hoping he would apologize and try to make it up to her, promising to be with her forever.

                “Yes. I’m breaking up with you,” he elaborated gently to make sure the message was confirmed.

                Heeyoung sighed, taking a long, solid blink before turning back to him.

                “Alright then.”

                He nodded awkwardly now, unsure of what to do with himself. Heeyoung, deciding that, since he wasn’t leaving, she would, grabbing her bag and mocha before dismissing herself. The walk home was extensively long that day.

                That was the end of that relationship, and it had hurt. Heeyoung had cried the rest of the day away afterward. She had always thought he was at least a little happy, but he had been seeing another woman for almost half of their relationship. She had nodded along coolly, as if she was okay with it- but that was just shock. There was nothing okay about Heeyoung at that moment.

                Here she was, though, out with her friends the day after that trauma as they were planning to go visit the hottest host club in Japan. Trying on a smile, since it would have sounded like a great idea any other day, she sighed when it felt like more of a grimace. She needed to get over him. He was bad for her, and he must have been a bad boyfriend in some way, but with all these thoughts of how Heeyoung must have been an awful girlfriend, she’ll have to take a rain check on her evaluation of his skills as a boyfriend.

                “Okay! We’ll all meet back here in one hour. Alright girls? Don’t be late! And look y,” Ayane decided officially.

                Agreeing, everyone scattered, hopping into taxis for a swift return home so they could decorate themselves splendidly. Heeyoung, once she was at her apartment, put on one of her iest dresses: it was pure white, exposing one shoulder and being loose on top before becoming a slim fit from the waist down to the end, which was a quarter of the way down her thighs. The slim-fitted section of the dress had predetermined crinkles in the fabric stretching across from one side to the other while the top half was smooth and wrinkle-free. To go with the dress, she had a pair of white hoop earrings and a pair of white, sandal-like wedges that criss-crossed over her feet. She was so glad she had gotten a slight tan this past summer; otherwise the dress just wouldn’t have looked as good.

                Heeyoung had also taken the time to neatly drag her dark brown hair back and to one side before braiding it tightly. She dusted on some makeup, too; some defining eyeliner, some Smokey eyes, and some lip gloss.

                Sighing as she looked in the mirror, he roommate spoke up.

                “Wooh, you are looking good, very good,” she smiled, giving a thumbs-up to Heeyoung’s appearance. “A-plus, y.”

                She was right. Heeyoung did look good. She just wishes she felt as good as she looked.

                Her friend circled around again, asking about the occasion. Heeyoung told her about her little escapade with her friends. Her roommate congratulated her, commenting on how it had been a while since she was so dressed up.

                Heeyoung couldn’t help thinking, “Maybe that’s why he left me.”

                Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she had to get over him. She was pretty sure it was a little early to be getting over him, but it wasn’t her fault her now ex-boyfriend had to inconvenience her nightlife with this break up.

                Grabbing her money-filled purse, she waved goodbye, telling her roommate that she probably would not be getting back until the next day before leaving for the café.

                Back at the café, they made their plan of attack over some caffeine: go to the host club, blow all of Ayane’s paycheck, and then get cabs to their favorite ramen shop before they all went their separate ways tomorrow morning. Committing the plan to memory, they all cheered before shuffling off to the train to Shinjuku together.

 

 

                Arriving in the district where the club was located, they set out walking through the area, taking in the sights and admiring the lights. It was a beautiful night out, and there were many attractive men out on the street trying to bring in customers.

                It was Tomoko who finally saw the sign for the host club they were destined for. Walking towards it excitedly, they were welcomed and led in by a few very handsome men. Getting a table, they went and picked through the host book, trying to determine who they thought would be a good time and who they wanted to pour their money onto.

                “Oh, this one! I want this one!” Izumi gasped, pointing to a host named Naoki. He had natural black hair that framed his face well, piercings in both ears and his tongue, and was advertised as a silver-tongue.               

                Approving, Ayane continued to look for her match as Nanami found hers.

                “I want Youta,” Nanami decided on a bleach-blond with tan skin and a fun-loving image.

                “He’ll be perfect for you,” Ayane laughed at Nanami’s choice before one caught her attention. “Oh my, this one.  This. One!”

                She pointed to an aloof man that was advertised as being over six feet tall, with short, spiked black hair and intense hazel eyes.

                Everyone at the table gasped dramatically, praising her on her good taste.

                “Have you chosen one yet, Heeyoung-chan?” Izumi leaned over to Heeyoung, looking over her shoulder. “How about this one?”

                She pointed to a man with short, black hair tossed to the side and streaked with blond, pale skin, and dark eyes. He seemed to exude cute and appeal at once.

                “He’s foreign, too! South Korean,” she commented, looking at Heeyoung expectantly.    

                Heeyoung was Vietnamese, but she was born and raised in Germany. She moved to Japan to further her studies and ended up staying with her job there.

                “Yeah…” she studied his features further.    

                His single-lidded eyes, rounded nose and shapely lips were definitely attractive. He was perfect for getting over her ex-boyfriend.

                “I’ll take Hyunseung, then,” Heeyoung mumbled.

                “You guys have such good taste~,” Tomoko sang as she came to her final decision. “I’ll take… Ayumu.”

                She pointed to a man that looked more like a gangster than a host, with tattoos snaking up his arms and curling around his shoulders. In his profile picture, he was wearing a pair of black jeans that sat low on his hips, his top shirtless and showing off his built figure and tattoos. His cropped black hair and intense eyes were intimidating, but then again, Tomoko had always had a thing for dangerous men.

                Laughing, everyone playfully called her crazy before they submit their orders for men, food and drinks. They chattered amongst themselves as they waited for the party to start. It wasn’t long before the men came, food and drinks accompanying them.

                “Who asked for the loveable Youta-kun?” a somewhat short, bleach-blond man asked first, holding out the food for his customer.

                “Oh, me, me!” Nanami cheered, stretching her arms out to take the food so he could sit with her.

                “Hello, cutie,” he started, leaning towards her. “What’s your name?”

                The next man had the natural black hair that framed his features, and the piercings in his ears and tongue.

                “Which one of you beautiful women requested Naoki?” his smooth, deeper tone spoke, the sound caressing the girls’ ears.

                “Come here,” Izumi squeaked, her arms reaching out, excited to have chosen so well.

                Slinking over to her, he sat beside her, and wrapped an arm around her waist.

                “And what’s your name?” he questioned, his eyes connecting with hers with intensity.

                “Excuse me,” a serious-looking man attempted to grab the attention of the last three girls, his deep voice rumbling. “I’m Ryouichi.”

                Ayane squealed, extremely pleased with herself as she called him to her. He placed the food carefully on the table before asking for her name. Hearing it, he smiled subtly, making her flush pink.

                One of the last two was about to open his mouth to introduce himself, when Tomoko stopped him.

                “No nonono! I want to guess!” she grinned, looking both of them up and down.

                One was in a black t-shirt and dark blue jeans, his height above average and his hair streaked with blond. The other beside him was most definitely above average, yet not quite as tall as Ryouichi; he was clad in a black and white, pin-striped suit and tie that fit just right, his wrist gleaming with the metal of a watch and the ink of a tattoo was just barely visible at the base of his neck.

                “You,” Tomoko pointed at the man in the suit confidently. “You are Ayumu.”

                He nodded, bringing the food to her and sitting beside her, his posture straight and his hands sitting on his knees.

                “My name is Ayumu, but I would like it if you could call me Ken,” he introduced himself formally, his eye contact with Tomoko almost severe.

                Inquiring why and teasing him, she built a conversation on his red ears and unfitting name.

                “You must be Hyunseung, then,” Heeyoung turned to the last man, waiting for him to agree.

                He nodded, placing the dish on the table in front of her and offering her chopsticks. She smiled as she accepted them.

                “I’m Heeyoung,” she introduced herself.

                He smiled softly.

                “It’s nice to meet you.”

                That night, she had a good time with him, albeit she was drunk, eating, talking, drinking and partying. Everyone had a great time, the men and women singing karaoke and ordering another serving an hour after the first one had disappeared. Heeyoung was so glad she had gone with them. During her time with Hyunseung, she hadn’t thought of her ex-boyfriend once.

After drinking and eating and enjoying the presences of five attractive men with very different personalities, they went on their way to the ramen stand where they discussed the night that had transpired as they saw the sun rise over the skyline. Heading home, Heeyoung passed out once she had gotten out of her dress and into her pajamas, curling up on her bed to dream of Hyunseung.          

 

 

                “What is wrong with me?” Heeyoung held her head in her hands, her fingers combing through her hair as she tried to take deep breaths.

                She had been thinking of him again. Ever since they had gone to that host club and spent time with those men, she would find herself drifting off to think of Hyunseung. At work, at home; she would be writing up a report, or answering a phone, or sleeping, or cooking dinner and she would suddenly think about him. It was mixing her up. She had just been dumped after being with someone for over a year. Thinking about Hyunseung like this was making him into her rebound. But rebounding with a host didn’t make sense, since they didn’t get into relationships. Maybe it is perfect, though. No concrete feelings, just two people having a good time together…

                Heeyoung shook her head. She couldn’t believe she was basically over her ex in less than two weeks. It was absolutely insane. She never thought she could recover that fast. Getting back to work, she focused heartily, and she got a lot done, until she started thinking about when her friend would be getting her next paycheck. Mussing her hair, she groaned. She was going crazy.

                When she got home and was taking her shoes off in the entryway, the landline started ringing.

                “Yuuna, can you answer that?” she called in to her roommate, stumbling out of her shoes into the kitchen.

                “I got it!” Yuuna answered, picking up the phone and speaking into the receiver. “Hello?”

                Heeyoung pulled her purse off her shoulder and her jacket from her back as she stepped over to Yuuna.

                “Heeyoung-chan, it’s for you,” Yuuna handed the phone to her.

                “Hello?”

                “Do you wanna go out to Shinjuku again?” Tomoko questioned smugly through the phone.

                Heeyoung’s heart rate picked up. Going to Shinjuku meant meeting with Hyunseung.

                “Why?” she asked in return, trying to seem as though she wasn’t anxious to go.

                “We are going to that host club again, of course!”

                “Oh? Did Ayane-chan get paid again?” she smirked over the phone, her cheeks flushing in anticipation.

                “That and she wanted to see Ryouichi again.”

                Heeyoung laughed. She knew exactly how Ayane felt.

                “Is everybody going again?”

                “Everyone except Nanami-chan. It’s unbelievable, but she ended up getting a boyfriend, like, on her way home from the club last time.”

                Heeyoung went to sit on the ground, mouth agape.

                “Wow.”

                “Right?” Tomoko sighed. “So, are you coming tonight?”

                “When and where are we meeting?”

 

 

 

                Having met within a few hours at the same café as before, they went to the club, ordering the same men, food and drinks. When the men arrived again, they went to their designated woman, having remembered them from almost two weeks ago. That greatly pleased them.

                As Ayane, Tomoko, and Izumi were busy chatting and drinking with their men, Heeyoung was quietly eating with Hyunseung, the silence comfortable on Hyunseung’s part, but nerve-wracking on Heeyoung’s.

                “I was wondering,” Hyunseung spoke up softly, his voice capturing Heeyoung’s attention instantly. “What brought you here last time?”

                “Oh,” Heeyoung exhaled, getting her heart under control. “Ayane-chan there had gotten paid that day, and she makes a lot, so she took us out to celebrate.”

                He nodded, smiling softly. He felt better now that Heeyoung had started to become comfortable.

                “What brought you here this time?” he wondered with a follow-up question.

                “Ayane-chan wanted to see Ryouichi again, so she brought us all along,” Heeyoung giggled.

                “You have one less person, though,” Hyunseung leaned towards her, his attention more heavily focused on her now.

                “Apparently she met a man on her way home after we came here two weeks ago, and now they are dating,” Heeyoung rolled her eyes. “Her life is something else.” She smiled fondly thinking of her silly friend.

                Hyunseung chuckled. Picking some food up and taking a bite out of the dish, he finished chewing before asking another question.                

                “So, why did you come the first time?”

                She looked at him confused, tilting her head.

                “You told me why you all came here, but not why you did. I want to know,” he wondered, offering a comfortable smile.

                “Ah,” Heeyoung nodded. She wasn’t sure she really wanted to pour such heavy emotions on a night that is supposed to be light-hearted. Glancing back to his encouraging eyes, she sighed. “I was dumped by my boyfriend.”

                Hyunseung frowned, his eyebrows creased together. “Why?”

                She shrugged, stabbing her food with the chopsticks. “All I know is that, for half of our relationship, he had another woman.”

                Hyunseung’s gut roiled with injustice. Maybe it was because he didn’t actually know much about Heeyoung, but he couldn’t see why someone would cheat on her. Not only was cheating wrong, but Heeyoung seemed rather loving.

                Wrapping an arm around Heeyoung’s waist, Hyunseung pulled her against his side. Looking into her eyes intently, he stated, “You better forget his sorry . He’s worthless.”

                Heeyoung’s heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushing under his gaze. His words felt so sincere against her heart, the look he was giving her appeared almost as if he believed she deserved more. Her heart became flooded with warmth; it was soon followed by an icy block in the aorta, though, because there was no way he could actually think she deserved better, and there was no way his words were sincere, no matter how much she wished they were.

                She nodded, picking up some food and stuffing her face so she wouldn’t have to talk anymore. He let her stay quiet, watching as she made sure he would have no other choice. He sighed internally. She didn’t believe him. Of course; he was a host after all. He sells dreams, not realities. As she went to go retrieve more food from her dish, he stopped her, placing his hand over hers and lowering it. He raised his other hand, its chopsticks holding some food on the end and holding it for her to consume. She looked up to him suspiciously. He smiled genuinely, encouraging her. Taking the bite, she giggled.

                Another round of drinks arrived at the table, and they all cheered. The end of the night was near, though; the sun would be up in a few hours, and Heeyoung had work in the morning. She decided that she would leave by midnight, which left her with half an hour to enjoy Hyunseung’s presence.

                “Uhm, hey,” she turned to Hyunseung, whose hand was still around her waist. “Tell me about yourself.”

                His eyes twinkled down at her.

                “What do you want to know?”

               

 

                In that short half hour, she got to know him a little better. He talked about how he had lived in South Korea, but had come to Japan for college. He had ended up being a host when his college bills got too high. He also knew English.

                Heeyoung was sad to leave, hugging him goodbye before walking out to a cab and going home. She couldn’t help dreaming of him again. Now that she knew even more about him, her crush grew even heavier in her chest.

 

 

 

                Everyday, Heeyoung worked overtime, trying to make enough money so she could go visit Hyunseung without needing Ayane to treat her. Ayane had stopped going after the third time, saying that becoming attached to a host was for fools, and that Ryouichi had outlived his interesting points. Heeyoung felt bad for the hosts, especially since she had a feeling some girls were like Ayane in that aspect; visiting only a few times before getting bored with the hosts and stopping their visits. Heeyoung couldn’t imagine what getting bored with a person was like; even more unimaginable was getting bored with Hyunseung. There was so much to learn about a person- how could they ever outlive their interesting points?

                Heeyoung just couldn’t fathom it. She continued to work and work, and then, in a couple weeks, she finally had enough to pay rent and go to the host club.

                “Yuuna, I was thinking about going out to Shinjuku tonight. Do you want to go with me?” Heeyoung asked her roommate as they ate dinner together.

                “Really? I’ve never been to a host club before,” Yuuna smiled gratefully.

                Heeyoung felt bad for not inviting her the first few times. She also felt a little guilty; since she was only inviting her because she was afraid the other girls would judge her for falling for a host. She also didn’t want to go alone.

                She nodded. “Yeah, please.”

                “Tonight, right?” she confirmed.

                “Don’t forget to dress ily,” Heeyoung smirked. “When do you want to leave? I was thinking around seven.”

                “That sounds good! When are we getting back in the morning, though? We have appointments tomorrow at noon, remember?” Yuuna reminded, excitement evident I her voice.

                “We’ll leave the club at midnight, then. Sound good?”

                Yuuna nodded, giving a sound of approval before she continued eating.

                Once they had finished eating and gotten dressed, they soon arrived at the club. Yuuna decided to get Ayumu after Heeyoung explained what each of the hosts she knew were like. Yuuna wanted someone that wouldn’t be overbearing and would help her feel comfortable, since it was her first time to a host club. Heeyoung stuck with Hyunseung.

                “Welcome back,” Ayumu bowed to Heeyoung once he and Hyunseung had arrived at the table. “Welcome to our host club,” he bowed to Yuuna.

                “Hello, Ayumu-san,” Heeyoung smiled at his polite nature. “This is my friend, Yuuna-chan. She’s never been to a host club before.”

                “Hello,” Yuuna bowed in her seat shyly.

                Ayumu smiled back, walking over to sit beside her as he placed the food in front of them.

                “Hello, Heeyoung-san,” Hyunseung smiled as he seated himself beside her.

                “Hello, Hyunseung-san,” she smiled in return. “How have you been?”

                “I’ve been good, but I would be a lot better if you came more often,” he smirked playfully.

                Heeyoung laughed in return, her cheeks flushing pink. Rather than responding, she took to eating, drinking down a shot of sake afterward.

                “Why don’t you come more often? And what happened to the rest of the group?” Hyunseung added, pouting curiously, slipping his arm around her waist and leaning them back against the plush cushions of the couch.

                “Ayane-chan doesn’t bring us anymore, so I have to make the money on my own. I’m not rich like Ayane-chan…” Heeyoung huffed, her gaze traveling the short distance between her eyes and his.

                He smiled down at her, his pink lips gleaming in the dim light.

                “It’s not too hard on you, right?” he asked, picking some food up with his chopsticks. “Making the money to come down here.”

                “I work overtime, but I still get enough sleep, and I still eat. It’s no hassle, really,” she responded, waiting to see if he would feed her or if she was just getting her hopes up.

                “Really? No hassle at all?” he chuckled, holding the food up for her to eat.

                “None!” she answered, looking at the food and then him. He gestured for her to eat with his eyes.

                “That’s good. I don’t want you overworking yourself just to come see me, even if you are beautiful,” he spoke as she ate out of his chopsticks. She smiled at the compliment, making sure she kept her lips closed.

                “I won’t overwork myself. Don’t worry,” she consoled, using her chopsticks to feed him as well.

                “So, why don’t the others come anymore?” he asked again.

                “Ayane-chan said Ryouichi outlived his interesting points, Nanami is dating someone, and Izumi and Tomoko don’t have the money to come,” she explained, sighing and drinking.

                “Wow. I thought Ayane-san had connected with Ryouichi, too,” he puffed his cheeks out, drinking as well.

                “Same,” Heeyoung sighed. “But she is one of those free-flowing people that just let the wind blow and the men come and go. She’s a good friend, though, so as long as she doesn’t commit a crime.”

                Hyunseung agreed, feeding Heeyoung again.

                “Why did you bring Yuuna-san tonight?” he inquired, filling up her glass for her to drink.

                “She’s my roommate, and she has never been to a host club before, so it seemed like a good idea.”

                “I think you made the right choice. She seems to be enjoying herself,” Hyunseung nodded towards Ayumu and Yuuna.

                They were standing, singing karaoke and dancing together giddily.

                “Most definitely,” Heeyoung giggled, glad she had brought Yuuna.

                Laying her head against Hyunseung’s chest, she exhaled peacefully, her hand resting over the one he had around her waist. She knew she was beginning to feel tipsy, especially since Hyunseung felt like the warmest and most comfortable thing on the planet. Closing her eyes, she let his subtle fragrance permeate her senses.

                “Hey,” he whispered to her softly. “You didn’t fall asleep on me, right?”

                She chuckled, shaking her head no.

                “Good. Are you having fun with me tonight?” he wondered aloud, hoping she wasn’t getting bored with him like her friend had gotten bored with Ayumu.

                “The nights I spend with you are my favorite,” Heeyoung muttered as she snuggled into his side.

                His gaze falling on her softly, he smiled.

                “My favorite nights are with you, as well,” he thought, his head resting against the cushions.

               

 

                Every couple of weeks from then on, Heeyoung would save up enough money to go to the host club. After the first few times with Yuuna, Yuuna had to stop, since she wasn’t making enough to go as much as Heeyoung. At this point, Heeyoung was comfortable with the area, so she didn’t mind going on her own. She was just happy to see Hyunseung.

                He would always ask if she was overworking herself, and then scolding her when she grew tipsy and divulged how she would work so late some nights that she would leave work only to sleep. They grew exceptionally close. They got even closer after one visit almost a year since she started going there.

                “I can’t believe I let you get this drunk,” Hyunseung grumbled as he held Heeyoung close to his side; she was so drunk, she couldn’t even walk on her own. “Come on, stay with me now.”

                He paused, propping her against the inside of the elevator in the club.

                “Heeyoung-san,” he called to her softly, waiting for her eyes to open. “Heeyoung-san.”

                “Call me Heeyoung. Just Heeyoung,” she responded, her speech slurred and her accent returning.

                Hyunseung’s heart rate rose. She didn’t want him to use honorifics; that was intimate. He was glad, but he wasn’t sure his heart could take it if she called him by his first name without honorifics. He was also afraid of getting to close to her. He was still a host. His job would still be to please women, even if he started dating her. The pay is just too high.

                “M-Heeyoung,” Hyun he started, his face burning red. “It’s time for you to go home. Can you walk on your own?”

                She shook her head no. He sighed.

                “I figured as much. I’m going to get you into a cab and pay for it, so you just make sure to wake up by the time you get home, okay?” he tried to reach through her drunken haze. “Yah, are you listening to me?” his accent slipped out.

                “Oh! Looks like I’m not the only one with an accent!” Heeyoung slurred, her accent growing heavy and her smile wide.

                “Heeyoung,” Hyunseung whined. “Give me your phone! I’m calling Yuuna.”

                “Whyyyy?” she barked at him in German.

                “What?” he replied in Korean by accident.

                “What? Was that Korean just now?” she questioned in German, her hands holding her head.

                “This isn’t helping,” Hyunseung muttered in Korean before looking Heeyoung in the eyes. “Heeyoung, look at me,” he commanded in English.

                “Okay,” she smiled lazily, her response in English as well.

                “Give me your phone. I’m going to call Yuuna.”

                “Mhm,” she nodded, taking her phone out and handing it to him.

                “Yuuna-san?” Hyunseung called over the receiver, his language of choice Japanese again. “I’m sending Heeyoung-san home in a cab. She’s really drunk. Can you make sure she gets in safely, please?”

                “Wow. Yeah, I’ll make sure she’s okay,” Yuuna replied in astonishment.

                “Thank you,” he thanked her before hanging up and returning Heeyoung’s phone to her purse for her.

                “I told you to drop the honorifics,” Heeyoung continued in English.

                Hyunseung rolled his eyes.

                “Let’s just get you to the cab.”

                Holding her close again, he assisted her into the cab, seating her gently. He instructed the taxi driver on where to drop her off before turning back to her.

                “You are going straight home. And sleep in today. And stop overworking yourself! I get worried about you,” he started, scolding her sweetly. “Eat well, okay?”

                Heeyoung opened her eyes, nodding as hers made contact with his dark irises.

                “Hyunseung,” she mumbled, her hands coming up to caress his face. Her thumbs gracing his cheeks, her fingers combed through his hair as she pulled him closer until their lips met. Reciprocating the kiss, Hyunseung pulled away reluctantly when the taxi driver growled that the meter was running.

                Fixing her hair, he smiled.

                “Get home safely, okay?”

               

 

                Heeyoung and Hyunseung got impossibly closer, with Heeyoung trying to visit him once every week and Hyunseung trying to make their nights feel like eternities. They wanted to see each other all the time, they wanted to know each other even more than they already did, and they wanted to be together. Neither was completely sure if the other felt the same way, but their confidence in their feelings intensified with each visit. At the end of one such visit, they even exchanged phone numbers in private.

                “Hyunseung-kun,” the manager of the club, Hayato, called Hyunseung over. It was five in the morning and all of the hosts were going home.

                “Yes, senpai?” he responded, walking over to speak with him in private.

                “That one customer, what was her name, the one that comes all the time for you?” Hayato started.

                “Heeyoung-san,” he answered.

                “Yes, her. I was wondering, how close are you two exactly?” Hayato served him a sharp look.

                “W-we aren’t.”

                His keen look stayed focused on Hyunseung, the gaze unwavering and discerning.

                “Good! Otherwise I would have to tell you to end whatever it is between you two right now,” he emphasized as if he was directing it as an order. “It’s not good for business- having a relationship.”

                Patting his shoulder ominously, Hayato went on his way to his car and driving home. Finally able to breathe again, Hyunseung decided that he needed to clear his head. He walked home that morning.             

 

 

                “She’s affecting my work,” Hyunseung thought to himself. “But is she really? No, no, she is. When I’m waiting for her to appear, I slack off on my other customers. They don’t have as good of a time, even though they pay more. That’s not how a professional does things!”

                Hyunseung fought with himself as he lay on his bed in his apartment. What his manager said had reached him, and he knew Hayato could see how much he liked Heeyoung. He really liked her. They had become friends- even more, yet they hadn’t started dating or committed themselves to any higher level of intimacy. Hyunseung wishes they would, that they could. He was a host, though…

                “She’s interfering with work. She’s interfering with work,” Hyunseung repeated to himself, holding his head in his hands. She wasn’t good for him. And he wasn’t good for her, just like her ex-boyfriend. If anything, he was ten times worse than he was. Hyunseung has tons of women coming to throw money at him so they can have a good time, and Heeyoung is just one of them. Hyunseung even has with the occasional, high-paying client.

                “I’m no good for her. She deserves better.”

 

 

                It had taken a month for Heeyoung to pay off all her bills and save up enough to go to the club again. She had gotten behind on things like her phone and utilities bill by visiting Hyunseung every week. She just didn’t make that kind of money. She had made the money, though, and she was going to go see the man she had decided she loved. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, and her heart had definitely grown extremely fond of Hyunseung during the month she couldn’t see him. The texts helped, but there were so few, since he works all night and sleeps all day, while she does quite the opposite.  

                Putting on makeup, her iest dress- a short black dress that had a purposeful cut out of the back and left side, revealing her smoothly tanned skin; a cleavage-showing neckline with straps as the only sleeves-, and a pair of matching black wedges, she grabbed her purse and left the house before the clock even struck five. She wanted as much time with him as possible tonight.

                Arriving before six, she waited in a booth for his arrival. It was a Friday and a busy night for hosts. When he finally arrived with the food, he complimented her, requesting she strut in front of him to show off her efforts. Dancing with her slowly and fully enjoying her presence, Hyunseung fought off the vicious voice in his head reminding him that he needs to stop seeing her. When he saw her in the booth that evening, he told himself it would be the last night.

               

                The night was coming to a close, and Heeyoung was running out of money. She still needed cab fare to get home.

                She was lying on the cushions, her head in Hyunseung’s lap as he ran his fingers through her hair and asked her about the past month. They had been drinking water for the last half hour, and were starting to approach sobriety.

                “I really,” Heeyoung muttered once Hyunseung had went silent, reaching a hand up to caress his cheek. “I really, really missed you.”

                Holding her hand against his cheek, he smiled sadly.

                “I missed you, too, even more.”

                “I missed you more,” Heeyoung grumbled.

                “Shhh, I did,” Hyunseung pouted.

                “I did.”

                “You’re tired.”

                “Don’t change the subject!” Heeyoung criticized, sitting up and facing him.

                “But you are. I can tell you’ve been overworking yourself,” he sighed, his eyebrows furrowing as he glared into her eyes lovingly.

                “I have not.”

                He shook his head.

                “Heeyoung, this,” his voice shook. It was time. “This needs to stop. Stop overworking yourself. Stop losing sleep. Stop… coming here. Visiting me. It needs to stop.”

                Her eyes flickered from his right to his left.

                “Look me in the eye and say that,” she demanded, her hands cupping his face and forcing him to make eye contact with her.

                “Heeyoung.”

                “Hyunseung, why would you say that?”       

                He averted his eyes and took a deep breath. This was for her. He was doing this for her.

                Redirecting his eyes to hers, he coated them in steel.

                “You need to stop coming here. You are a nuisance to my work,” he started, his tone icy and casual.

                “How?” she asked, her voice meek.

                “How?” he scoffed. “You consume all of my time and pay me so little. Do you know how many high-paying women come to see me, but can’t because your cheap- is here?”

                His heart broke at the look of utter despair on her face.

                “I don’t mean it. Please, Heeyoung, don’t believe me. It’s not true, any of it,” he thought, desperately wishing Heeyoung could read minds.

                “I thought you liked me, even if only a little bit. I thought that was why we exchanged phone numbers,” Heeyoung stated softly, her voice trembling the slightest bit.

                “I only gave you my number hoping texting you would make you come less.”

                Tears seared the inside of Hyunseung’s trachea as the urge to cry rose from the pit of his stomach.

                Heeyoung nodded, her eyes swiveling from Hyunseung’s face. It was cold, and the emotions she was feeling from his bitter words made it seem as if the coldness of his face nipped at her fingertips. Pulling her hands from his face, she held them on her lap.

                “I’m sorry for being so annoying,” she apologized, her voice quiet, but her words loud and clear in Hyunseung’s ears. She bowed in apology. “I’m sorry for disturbing your work. I won’t bother you again.”

                She stood from the couch, her pretty little form wilting. Bowing in apology one more time, she walked out, paying as she left.

                Hyunseung curled up in fetal position once she was out of sight, his heart a million pieces in his stomach. Tears ran down his face in streams, his makeup running. He wanted to die a thousand deaths for the words he had just destroyed Heeyoung with. She had reacted exactly the same way she had told him she acted when her last boyfriend broke up with her. Hyunseung cried harder, knowing he had just ruined any chance he had of ever being with her- of ever even seeing her again. This would be the biggest regret of his life.

                Heeyoung had returned to her apartment that morning and gone to sleep without the shedding of a single tear. She also went to work that day, and the next, and the next, and not a tear had run down her face. She didn’t cry over Jang Hyunseung, not for years. It wasn’t until she met the man she would end up marrying that she cried. She cried and cried, and that man healed her heart until she could only see him. She married that man, and she never once thought back to Jang Hyunseung.

 

-

 

                Years had passed since then, and Hyunseung was still a host, albeit at the end of his career. His face was starting to wrinkle and his liver was starting to shrivel. He was walking into his early forties, and he was feeling it as he walked around the supermarket buying groceries.

                “My feet ache, my heart burns, everything hurts,” he grumbled to himself as he stocked his kart. “I should have quit years ago before it started to screw everything up.”

                He turned down the bakery isle, on his way to stare at the cookies he shouldn’t buy, since his built form was starting to become all he had left of his youth. At the opposite end of said isle, he saw a beautiful woman with long black hair braided neatly over one smoothly-tanned shoulder. She was wearing a flowing white summer dress and a pair of white sandals. There was also a flower perched carefully in her hair, but he missed that detail when she turned in his direction.

                “Heeyoung…”

                It was as if she hadn’t aged a single day since she left the club that night all those years ago. Her beauty had not faded- in fact; she looked even more beautiful now than she had then. She faced him, though, and their eyes met. Her eyes became cold, the warmth in them disappearing as she registered who he was. His faded eyes crippled beneath her harsh stare. It was the mistake of the century. He wishes he could tell her that, tell her that he had never meant a single word he had said to her when he told her goodbye. He loved her.

                Her eyes left his when a man approached her, slipping his hands around her shoulders possessively as he kissed her lips. That’s when he saw the glittering ring on their fingers. They were married.

                She sparred him one last heartless glance before her and her husband walked out of view. She had moved on. She had moved on to become happy and she ended up with a great man, he could only assume. She was better off this way. Even if she hated him.

                A stray tear fell down his cheek as he smiled. Maybe those cookies would be a good idea after all.

~Fin~

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