#since1765

*

It was almost midnight, and Kwon Jiyong just spent his last four hours overthinking about Kim Taeyeon and Byun Baekhyun’s night of chilling. Why was he making such an effort to disturb their date night? He’d been texting her, and even made attempts to seek for her call. When half an hour passed and his plan did not work, he became even more restless, tossing and turning in his bed. The thought of such a young kid violating Taeyeon truly disturbed him. Does he even know how to make love right? I bet he's terrible in bed. Otherwise, why would Taeyeon be so uptight?

When finally his phone rung, revealing the beautiful photo of his fiancé, he felt so glad that Taeyeon finally called him. In the middle of ing up that Baekhyun. And so Jiyong continued his childish and very desperate call for her attention.

“Sad and hurt? Why?” Kim Taeyeon inquired in the other line. Kwon Jiyong only sighed at the question, keeping mum. She asked again, “Hey partner, what’s going on? Why are you sad and hurt?”

“…because my fiance's cheating on me,” Jiyong finally answered, his back flat on the bed, while his face looking up the ceiling. Yeah, you’re cheating on me, hon. I have the gods as my witnesses.

But the moments passed and Taeyeon did not answer. Surprised, Jiyong got up and rested his back on his headboard.

“...yah, I said my fiance's cheating on me. What should I do?” he egged. He finally realized that he got her unnerved too, which probably caused her silence. He smiled to himself.

“Get back at her. If she's cheating on you, then cheat on her too. That's how a fake engagement works,” Taeyeon finally spoke, and she sounded sarcastic and irritated.

At least you’re riding the joke... he thought. Although Taeyeon’s cruel bluntness appalled him, he still felt glad that the young woman engaged on his coy play. Just when he was about to stretch out his attention-seeking, it was as if the gods were on his side. The very help he needed came in the form of a call-waiting.

Beep. Beep. Beep. When he saw the name My Auds reflected on his mobile phone screen, he silently rejoiced. Never mind that his ex-girlfriend was calling for the first time since their breakup weeks ago. He didn’t even notice that. All he saw was a chance to finally get back at his cheating fiancé.

“Oh would you look at that? An opportunity for my revenge just came...” he teasingly told Taeyeon.

“What do you mean?” she questioned, sounding stunned. Jiyong enjoyed the hint of uneasiness in her tone.

“Someone's calling me from Japan. Maybe it's my ex-girlfriend... Hmmm... Should I answer it?” Jiyong further teased. When it took time for Taeyeon to answer, he confirmed that the woman was affected.

“Why shouldn't you? That's your booty call. I'm sure your fiancé’s more than happy to allow your infidelity.”

“You think so?” asked Jiyong, challenging her. Audrie kept calling. Beep. Beep. Beep.

“I know so. Now goodbye mister, I'm currently making love with my bae.” Click.

Taeyeon just hung up on him, appalling him. He observed his phone, which now loudly rang to make way for Audrie’s call. He ignored it at first, and instead talked to it as if it was Taeyeon. “Making love? How pitifully romantic. Don't even call it making love when that youngster’s just looking for a good time.”

Ring. Ring. Ring. Finally, when he realized that it was Audrie’s photo looking back at him, the reality frightened him. He began to panic. He wasn’t ready to talk to her. Not when the last thing he said to her were desperate cries for her to stay. He even kneeled in front of her, asking for another chance. She turned her back on him. What do I say to the person who treated me like a fool?

He breathed in and out, calming his heart and mind. He didn’t even realize that Audrie has now caused him to self-meditate just to affirm his esteem, and remind himself that she wasn’t her everything. Life had to go on, even if she left. Jiyong needed to continue breathing, living, even if Audrie was gone. I am safe and sound. She can’t hurt me anymore than she has. But Jiyong knew he was only fooling himself. Of course, Audrie Kiko Daniel could hurt him, even if she was thousands of miles away.

“Hello?” he answered with so much trepidation. It felt as if he needed someone else, a trusted friend maybe, to coach him through the conversation.

“Hi there.”

Even if she only muttered two short words, Audrie’s voice still managed to send electricity down his spine. Was he happy? Was he sad? Was he hurt? Was he angry? He didn’t know for sure. But if there was thing Kwon Jiyong was certain about, it was that she still put him on the edge of his emotions, whatever they maybe.

“Auds... h-hi.”

“I'll be in Seoul in the next few days. The guys and I are meeting up in Octagon. Do you have time to join us?”

How can she be so casual about meeting up with me? If Jiyong could avoid it, he wouldn’t want to see her in the near future, unless they were getting back together. It was painful to be in her presence. He wanted to avoid such intoxicating feeling whenever she was within reach. He knew that if he saw her, either he’d beg like a pathetic fool once again, or cry like a pitiful loser. How do I reject her invite?

“I'll check, and I'll let you know,” he answered nervously. He didn’t have the courage to directly turn down her invitation. “When w-would it be?”

“Friday night, around 10. I really want to see you. I miss hanging with you.”

Audrie knew just the right suggestion of seduction to lure him in. She even hung up on him, as if making him yearn for more. He was left breathless, torn, confused. His first instinct was to call a friend, and the first person in his mind was Kim Taeyeon. Jiyong didn’t have the time to wonder anymore why he thought of his fiancé first, of all people. He just dialed, agitated. Taeyeon wasn’t answering the call. He tried and tried, but still she ignored him. Finally, he just decided to text her. He was desperate for a friend to talk to. But why didn’t he call Youngbae? Or Teddy, Kush, Hyuksoo, Seungho, Daniel, even his manager. There were much better choices to choose from, ideally the people who witnessed all his history with Audrie.

But I only want to talk to you, Tae. Please answer. Hon please… Finally, he gave up calling and just sent her a desperate message.

You: Need to talk to you… she called me… she’s inviting me to drink… help!!! EMERGENCY!!!

*

Do you really have to rub in my face that your dear Audrie's inviting you to get drunk together? Taeyeon read the message while shaking her head. Was it even true that Audrie called him, or was he just pretending to cheat back? She silently scoffed, in disbelief at how far Jiyong was pushing his play.

KJY: Partner please… Need some advice here, hello?!

Trying to make me jealous... As if... hmpf! I won't stop you from chasing your ex-lover. Jiyong texted and texted with desperate pleas, but Taeyeon was overcome with mild anger. She erased all his voice messages without even listening to them.

KJY: I'm serious partner. Audrie wants me to party with her. Me. Her. Alcohol. Not a good combo. Help me please!!!!

Just now, Taeyeon realized what Jiyong was doing. He was desperately trying to get her to be jealous first. Surely, if she stopped him from going to that woman, he’d about being possessive and envious. Jiyong was definitely playing a game, and she wasn’t about to let him win. Huh, I know you too well now Mr. Kwon. You think I’ll show you I’m jealous? NEVER.

You: If you love her, what's the doubt about it? You said so yourself, you want your chances of getting back together with her. I say meet up. Go partner, you can do it. Chase her and get her back.

Have all the you want, ert. I’m not the only one cheating in this engagement. Taeyeon abused her touch screen by texting rather enthusiastically. She was even squinting her eyes in resentment, and whispering hearsays about her annoyance of Jiyong’s play. Her mood has now turned unexplainably sour. But really, why was she so affected?

“Babe, want to take this to the bedroom?” she heard Baekhyun ask. She looked up and saw that the young man has let go of his game consoles. The television set and the entertainment system have all been turned off.

“E-eh?” Taeyeon clarified, suddenly nervous about the word bedroom.

“The games are boring me. I want to spend some real quality time with you,” Baekhyun explained, his eyes sparkling with a boyish spirit.

Fueled by her desire to end the conversation with Jiyong, and also to outwin him in his own game, Taeyeon surprisingly accepted Baekhyun’s invitation. When the man held out his hand to her, she took it. Together, they stood up and left the living room. Without anyone saying a word, they walked towards the bedroom.

Don’t ruin my fantasies, Baekhyun. Please don’t do anything to ruin my ideals…

She silently prayed. Because if Byun Baekhyun forced her to make love, then she might have to break up with him. After all, she was a certified motae sollo, and she intended to keep it that way until her wedding night.

*

The music was loud, and so were the people. The air stank of alcohol, nicotine, and . Everyone was pumped up and lively, but Kwon Jiyong was not in the slightest mood to level with the people’s energy. An hour after his arrival, he has only drank a bottle of beer. His friends heartily welcomed him, and they openly showed him their excitement about possibly meeting Audrie tonight. However, he declared his intention to depart the place even before she came.

Yes, he accepted her invitation to hang out with their friends. But no, he still wasn’t ready to see her in front of everyone. Knowing Audrie, Jiyong knew she would arrive fashionably late, and so he decided to come early to spend some time with their friends.

“You sure you're not staying?” asked Lee Hyuksoo, his model and actor friend.

Jiyong nodded, and shared to the table, “I can't be spotted here when she's also here.”

“You haven't been hanging around lately,” commented Yang Seungho, Jiyong’s stylist friend. “What's up with you lately?”

“Remember bro, you broke up with her, not with us,” reminded Daniel Lee, one of Jiyong’s businessmen friends.

“Stay! You agreed to be civil for our sake,” begged Madamesoille Yulia, a female DJ who just finished her set in the same club. “She’s not even here yet. Just hang with us some more!”

Of course Jiyong couldn’t turn down their female friends, what with his good-brother-complex. He always had this secret desire to impress the people closest to Audrie, and Yulia was one of them. And so were the couple Verbal and Yoon. So when the couple also egged him not to leave, he couldn’t say no.

Jiyong wished he did, because after a couple more bottles of beer, it had become impossible to get up and leave. Two and a half hours after he arrived, Audrie finally came. Their friends cheered and happily greeted her. Jiyong was facing opposite the entrance, and so up until now, he still hasn’t eyed her. He wasn’t sure he was ready to. He finished his fourth bottle and sighed deeply. There was no avoiding her now. He turned around, and the first thing his eyes landed on was the strange face of the man holding Audrie’s hands.

“I’m glad everyone’s here!” Audrie gleefully remarked. “This is Jake, my friend. He's also a model from my agency. Jake darling, these are my cool friends.”

Jiyong watched her introduce Jake to the rest of their friends, including him. He smugly shook hands with the model, and he felt how the table held their breath while they were being introduced. When he looked at Audrie’s eyes, she was wearing such a haughty expression, as if silently taunting him about being the first one to rebound from their breakup. Never mind that Jiyong was being embarrassed in front of their friends. He really didn’t care about his reputation. He was just too overwhelmed to confirm that Audrie still had more ways to hurt him. When he thought she couldn’t hurt him any more than she already has, she did this tonight.

Kwon Jiyong’s heart broke yet again.

But pride and self-respect prevented him from walking out the door. He chose to stay, and put a face of happiness. While Audrie and Jake were getting intimate, he just exchanged stories and jokes with their friends. He did his best to ignore them, as well as the growing pain in his chest. More of their friends came, and Jiyong was just glad that the other people’s presence drowned the sight of the two kissing and whispering to each other.

“Hey Ji, I heard you were seen in SNU with a woman?” Hong Jonghyun, a model and actor friend, asked.

“W-what?” Jiyong inquired, surprised at the factual rumor that he was asked.

Kush also added, “My friend also saw you last weekend in the Myeongdong university circle with a girl!”

Pretty soon, the table have heard the story, and now Jiyong became the center of attention. Even Audrie looked up from her intimate session with Jake, and Jiyong could tell she was awfully curious about the gossip. Their friends began to ask questions about the mystery girl.

“Wow man, are you dating a college babe?”

“He's gone college confidential, say what?!”

“Who's the bae?”

“Man, you two are moving on fast,” commented Seungho, laughing and addressing Jiyong and Audrie.

“Yeah we sure are,” Audrie answered quite confidently. She then looked him in the eye and muttered, “Aren’t we, Jiyong?”

Jiyong just looked down, because Audrie’s gazes had a trace of a challenge. He refused to play her games that night. He was done, what with bearing his broken heart for the last hour. The guys kept bugging Jiyong about his ‘college babe.’

“Why didn’t you bring her?”

“When are we going to meet her?”

“Invite her to Yulia’s club next weekend!”

“This is not her type of crowd,” Jiyong shared, speaking only of the truth. The ‘college babe’ was no other than his fiancé, Kim Taeyeon. That woman would definitely not set foot in such a noisy and dirty place.

But sharing that much information about her only opened the table to assumptions about her. The next comments did not sit well with Jiyong, and they made him heated.

“So she's a college nerd? Man, boring!”

“She hates parties or clubbing? Dude, that's not your type!”

“Since when did you go for such marys?”

“Hey shut up,” he blu