"Good morning Jihae!  You're here early today!  What's the occasion?" Doojoon greeted her brightly as soon as she walked in and she knew that something was up.

"What the hell do you want, Doojoon?" Jihae snarled, knowing better than to answer in the same easygoing attitude.  With Doojoon, you were never to make yourself seem like an easy target.  If you did, you were automatically screwed before you could blink.

Doojoon hushed her and led her to a corner in the back room where the employees of the club hung out during their breaks.  It reeked of cigarette smoke and alcohol.

Before speaking, Doojoon quickly glanced around them to make sure that no one was listening and whispered, "I heard that there's going to be another auction tonight."

Auction?  Jihae gave him a weird look, but did not interrupt.

"And at every auction...there are the Shim twins.  I heard that they've been on even worse terms than before, so can you please cover for me while I'm gone?"

Jihae scoffed and began walking away when Doojoon grabbed her arm and looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Cover for you?  You're a male stripper.  How the am I supposed to cover that?!" Jihae barked, nearly giving Doojoon a heart attack.

"Not so loud!" he begged, now getting on his knees.  "Just tell them I'm sick or something, or that I probably ran into gang trouble on my way here.  Anything but gambling!"

Though Doojoon could have (and would have) done more ridiculous things to get her to agree to it, Jihae only wanted him out of the way as soon as possible.

Through clenched teeth, she answered, "Fine.  But if I'm in the least bit of danger because of you, you're paying me double the amount you earn OR lose."

And so Jihae left Doojoon in the back room, on his knees, with his mouth gaping open.

Like hell would she let him play her without a back up plan.


On her way out, a built body collided against her slim one, and she fell back against a bench in front of the lockers.  If it wasn't for the hand that shot out and pulled her back up, she was sure that the broken locker doors would have split her head open.

"Watch it, ," she snapped, swatting the person's hand away as soon as she regained composure.

"Sorry," Kikwang replied.

Jihae immediately tensed up at the sound of his voice and she could not bring herself to look him in the eye.  Instead, she grounded her heel into his shoe and walked away, faking a smile when she heard him grunt in pain.

Despite her smile, something inside of Jihae made her want to turn around.  Without realizing it, her footsteps had slowed and she stopped in front of the door with her left hand lightly placed on the chipped frame.

If only she could turn around and hug him, to tell him that she was sorry, make sure that he was truly alright and look up only to see his playful yet reassuring smile.  The thought was squeezed out of her mind as soon as it came, and she breathed in before walking out.  There was no time for love.




"Jihae, Junhyung's here to see you," Soomi giggled and twirled her hair.  It was so obvious that she had a crush on him.

Jihae smiled and nodded.  She wanted nothing to do with him for the rest of the day, but she hid this and gave Soomi the opportunity of a lifetime.

With fake guilt, she rubbed the back of her neck and said, "Soomi...I don't mean to be annoying, but can you please stall him a bit for me?  I'm almost done with this paperwork, so I should be out in...oh...ten minutes?"

Ten minutes of peace was more than she could ask for, but it was worth a try.

Soomi's eyes widened and she nodded with slightly open.  "T-t-ten minutes?  S-s-ure, Jihae u-unnie!  I'll be sure to come back by then!"

And with that, Soomi ran out with her hair bouncing behind her.  She was so gullible.

Her ten minutes, however, did not last.  In fact, her peace barely passed a minute when Junhyung stormed in with his most venomous glare.  A glare she didn't know he had in him.

Her heart skipped a few beats when he slammed his hand on the desk with a yellow folder.

Jihae gulped when his face came close.

She was busted.