TWELVE

“Do you want to be in love? Look around you, there are so many pretty girls here tonight.”

There were but Yonghwa knew he didn’t notice at all because he was there for only one. He knew he was a goner, he knew he would be whipped chasing this one. He knew what the future would be like letting this passion get the best of him—he knew them all.

But he knew this too. This girl in front of him wearing her constant frown when he’s around but smiles sweetly on her unguarded moments. This girl snapping words with her sharp tongue but laughs heartily at his silliness. This girl pushing him away without knowing it’s pulling him closer. This girl—this was actually what Yonghwa sees.

An everyday with her—that and only that as he focused on her even now that she decided not to look at him again.

Yonghwa was expecting a snide comment, maybe with a shrug or a roll of her big bright eyes but, to his surprise, Seohyun pushed her chair back before allowing him a glimpse of those eyes again. There was this forced smile that lifted on her lips as she stood and spoke pointedly yet gently, “I guess it’s time we both go back to our companies. We don’t want people to get the wrong idea about us.”

“Yeah,” he nodded unsurely, stunned mostly by the suddenness of her leave but he found his voice and he stood, “I’ll see you next time then…”

“Yeah, see you, Oppa.”

With a little wave, Seohyun moved rather recklessly that she even bumped among the other people in the club while Yonghwa stood there hesitant to even walk back to his own friends.  She was running away again and he didn’t know if he was should even follow. He was about to make his final move when he felt a hand landing on his shoulder. Before he knew it, the girl move in front of him so as he was still facing towards Seohyun’s direction.

“Oppa!”

“Hey…” Yonghwa jiggled his brain for a few second before he realized that she was Lizzy, one of the girls he used to hang out with.

“I haven’t seen you around lately…” she pouted.

“I…” he looked over the girl’s shoulder and saw Seohyun looking at them. Suddenly, he felt the rush of heat in his face especially when she caught his eyes and, in a blink, she looked away. The girl in front of him was still saying something but he could no longer hear anything but this drumming in his chest. “I-I’m pretty busy these days…” Yonghwa lamely said watching the other girl from across the room forcing a smile at her friends.

“Oppa, we should—“

“I’m sorry,” he saw Seohyun standing and taking her purse. It was his cue. With a civil tap on Lizzy’s shoulder, he mumbled walking past her, “I have to go.”

Yonghwa crossed the suddenly wide expanse of space ahead and shoving people gently without taking his eyes off her. Thank god for those heels and the alcohol that was probably weighing down her pace towards the private exit. At least he still got a little of his decision-making skills that he managed to stop by their table but hastily extended his hand to Jungshin, “Can I borrow your car?”

Out of tradition, it was Jungshin’s turn to drive them that day so he was the only one with the car and taking a taxi would be dangerous and a big hassle. The tallest guy eyed him with uncertainty then muttered as he dropped the key on his hyung’s palm, “How are we going back to the dorm?”

Yonghwa took out his wallet and laid every single bill on the table, “Take a cab.”

“But—hyung!”

And he was gone before they could even protest.

The exit was located on the right hand corner from the main bar at the basement lounge. Aside from the typical luminescent exit sign, it was covered by a thick maroon curtain with two gigantic walls of bouncers on each side to make sure that there is only one flow of people passing through it. Yonghwa was still a few feet away from her but he could most definitely catch her on the passage way. He was not really familiar with the place but he knew that the exit would lead to the underground parking lot where they parked moments ago.

And he was right, although partly since it was like entering into a tube with sidelights illuminating the main exit. Thankfully, he only noticed her figure moving ahead that he decided to sprint if he wanted to catch her before other people come.  

“Seohyun-ssi!” Yonghwa called but she kept walking until he reached out and touched her shoulder, “Seohyuna…”

She stopped but didn’t turn and he moved one more step behind her.  “Don’t touch me—”

From the distance, the sound of laughter echoed faintly and they both knew that the sound was heading their way. “…” Yonghwa huffed looking around. The main exit was a few meters away and the voices were getting closer. Up ahead, he noticed a door by the left side so he slipped his hand and curled his fingers on hers. Thankfully, she didn’t object as he practically dragged her towards the door. Yonghwa took a deep sigh when the door screeched open and he let her in first before following and closing it gently behind him.

The room was pitch black the moment he closed the door. The smell suggested that it was some sort of a stock room. Yonghwa tried to feel the walls for a switch but to no avail. Sighing, he realized that he was still holding her hand so he moved guessing he would be facing her. Slowly, Yonghwa followed the length of her arm in the darkness until his hand settled on her shoulder and he did the same to his other hand. He swallowed hard when he took one small step and realized that their distance was only an inch away. Taking a deep breath, he leaned closer and proving his theory when his nose dropped on her forehead—her head was obviously dropped down low.

“She’s a colleague,” Yonghwa whispered in the darkness, listening to her controlled breathing and smelling her assortment of sweetness.

“I don’t care.”

He snickered to himself until she shoved his hands away and turned around. Carefully, he d fo