“Tracy . . .”

    “Hey, Himchan,” she said slowly and pinched the bridge of her nose. Tracy feared this call was coming, that's why she hadn't gotten in bed yet. She didn't want this call to come, but she had learned to expect it. Every weekend, she really hoped it wouldn't ring. “Where are you this time?”

    “I—hold on—yah! What's this place called?” she heard him scream into the phone. “Club Deco,” he slurred.

    Tracy recognized the name, it wasn't far from her house. “I'll be there soon. Please be outside, okay? I don't want to have to look for you.”

    “I'll be waiting. Thanks, baby.” Himchan made kissing noises into the phone and hung up. Tracy rolled onto her stomach and screamed into the couch cushion. She called herself all kinds of idiot as she sat up and went to the door to put her shoes on. Even as she drove to the club, she told herself again how she shouldn't be doing this. She should not be out in the middle of the night to pick him up. But still, she was. Call it habit.

    Himchan was not outside like he said he would be. Tracy banged her head on the steering wheel and parked her car as near to the entrance as she could and got out. She tried calling him a few times, but he didn't answer. Typical.

    Tracy approached the bouncer slowly and tapped his shoulder. “Hi, I'm here to pick up a friend of mine. Can I go in for just a minute? I promise I'm not trying to sneak in.”

    The bouncer, Jongup, looked her up and down, took in her makeup free face, track pants, hoody and messy ponytail, and nodded. “I believe you. Go on in. Don't stay too long.”

    “I won't, I promise. Thank you,” Tracy said to him as she bowed and walked passed the waiting line of girls. She heard some of them complain, but ignored them. Inside the club, Tracy looked around for Himchan and finally spotted him at the bar talking to a girl. She yanked on his coat and gave him a dirty look. “What happened to meeting me outside?!”

    “Ah! Tracy-baby!” he yelled over the music. Himchan wobbled as he stood and hugged her. Tracy turned her face away as the cloud of alcohol and cigarettes surrounded her. “I'm sorry. I lost track of time. Did you wait long?” Tracy shook her head and did her best to disentangle herself. Himchan kept his arm around her shoulder though, as he turned back around to the girl he had been talking to. “This is my Tracy. Isn't she perfect?”

    The girl looked at Tracy and sent a stiff smile her way. Tracy did the same to her. “Come on, Channie. I told the bouncer I wouldn't stay long.” She tugged at his waist to get him moving. They made their way through the mass of dancing people despite Himchan's repeated attempts to get her to dance with him. Once outside, she told Himchan to stay there while she went to get the car. Back in front of the club, she saw Himchan had his arm around Jongup and was pinching his cheek affectionately. Himchan always was a touchy drunk, she thought to herself.

    Tracy jumped out of the car and removed Himchan from the bouncer's person. Jongup nodded at her with a small smile. “You're a good girl to pick him up.”

    “Good? Nah. My Tracy is the best,” Himchan corrected. He grabbed the sides of Tracy's head, his hands covering her ears, and kissed her sloppily on the forehead. Tracy wiped the excess wetness off and smiled at Jongup apologetically.

    “Sorry about all this.”

    “At least he kissed you and not me,” Jongup said with a smile. “Get home safely. It's a dangerous time to be out on the road.”

    “I will. Thank you!” Tracy called over her shoulder as she wrestled Himchan into the car. She got behind the wheel and waved to Jongup once more before driving off. Himchan played with the radio stations until a song came on that he recognized. He sang along with the ballad in his husky voice and Tracy did her best to not let her heart flutter at the sound. Be still, stupid heart. Shaking off the feelings, Tracy turned the music down. “Where are Daehyun and Youngjae?”

    “In Busan.”

    Tracy nodded and glanced over when she saw him leaning the seat back. “How's the whole roommate thing working out?”

    Himchan shrugged. “I preferred living with you, but they aren't bad. Neither are great cooks, but at least they're clean.”

    Tracy nodded again and tapped her fingers on the wheel in time with the music. She let her right hand fall into her lap as she drove. It was a straight shot to his house from where they were, so she could relax. Until she felt Himchan grasp her hand. “Wha—?”

    “You would always hold my hand when I drove. Or let it lay on my thigh. I miss that,” Himchan said softly. He his thumb over hers gently, even lifted her hand to press a kiss to the back of it. Tracy didn't fight to get custody of her hand back, she just let him hold it for the remainder of the drive. He fell asleep a few blocks later and she couldn't stop herself from looking at him at red lights. He was handsome and boy, did he know it.

    She pulled into a parking space at his apartment building and turned off the engine. Her first instinct was to wake him gently, but she fought it. “Yah, Kim Himchan! Get up!” she yelled in the tight space of the car.

    He jerked and looked around in confusion. “Aish, why all the screaming? You couldn't wake me with a kiss?”

    “No, I couldn't. Come on so I can help you get in bed.” Tracy went around to his side of the car and helped him out. Once he was standing, he hugged her again and pressed his face into the side of her neck.

    “You smell good, Tracy-baby,” he murmured in her ear. Tracy pushed him back gently.

    “Well, you don't. Let's go inside. I'm tired.” Tracy tried to walk away from him, but he held her hand and made her slow down. They held hands on the way to elevator. In the elevator, he pulled her to stand in front of him so that he could back hug her all the way to the 22nd floor. At his door, she stopped and waited for him to punch in the code. “What's the number, Himchan?”

    “You should know. It hasn't changed,” he whispered near her ear and Tracy involuntarily shivered. She punched in her birthday and watched the light turn blue. She couldn't stop herself from shaking her head as she walked in.

    “Go take a shower. I'll make you some tea and get you aspirin,” said Tracy as she stepped out of her shoes. Himchan nodded as he took his shoes off. He stepped around her and took his shirt off, making sure that her eyes were on him. They were. Slowly, to be sure she didn't miss a thing, he unbuckled his belt and let it drop at his feet. Tracy wished that she could look away, but she was mesmerized. She watched his hands as they ed and ped his jeans. Her eyes traveled back up to meet his and she saw the familiar teasing grin on his face. Himchan pushed the jeans down his hips and stepped out of them. He didn't move, he waited for Tracy to get her fill. She cleared and finally looked away. “Pick those up. I'm not your maid.”

    Himchan smiled at her as he bent to pick up the discarded clothes. He watched her scurry to the kitchen with a satisfied grin. He threw the clothes over his shoulder and sauntered into the bathroom to clean up. He was much closer to sober when he came back out of the shower, but he couldn't let Tracy know that. Stepping out of the bathroom in just a towel, he met her in the kitchen and sat down heavily. Taking pity on him, Tracy set the pills and water down next to his hand. Himchan downed them and rested his head on the table. “Thanks, Tracy-baby, for coming to get me again.”

    “It's fine,” she mumbled. “Are you ready for bed?”

    Himchan nodded and stood, making sure to add an extra sway to garner her concern. It worked, because Tracy rushed to his side to steady him. He leaned heavily on her as they made their way to his bedroom. Himchan laid down and kept his hold on her as he went. He ended up on top of her and smiled at the shocked look on her face. “Hi, beautiful.”

    “Himchan, get off of me,” Tracy said in near panic. He didn't move, he started pressing small kisses all over her face instead. He shifted so that he was laying more comfortably between her legs and gently his hips. Tracy slapped the side of his head as hard as she could and pushed him off.    

    “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—” he apologized while he rubbed his head. He saw Tracy get up and rushed to wrap his arms around her from behind. “No, no. Don't go. I won't do anything. I promise.”

    “Himch—”

    “It's almost 3 a.m., and you're tired. Just stay here tonight,” he offered. He felt that her shoulders were still tense so he hugged her a little tighter. Himchan swayed her from left to right and let a aegyo filled 'please' grace her ears. Tracy relaxed in his arms and laughed.

    “I'll stay,” she conceded, “but I'm sleeping on the couch and only for a little bit. I've gotta get home.”

    “No, sleep in my bed. I'll take the couch.”

    “I don't know what's been going on between your sheets,” Tracy said, only partially joking. At the door she looked back at him and smiled gently. “Goodnight.”

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