April has learned not to buy Wonho’s words when he told her he would try to be home early for the night to unpack their belongings in the boxes. He emphasised the word ‘try’ to not let her be hopeful but even if he didn’t bring his tone higher on the word, April already knows that she shouldn’t wait for him. It has been countless of times that he keeps on saying he would come home early- but he never did. Those are only empty words, but April appreciates his efforts to sound as if he really means to come home early. Or maybe he does. Maybe he does want to go home early, only he can’t, because work has been too cruel to him nowadays, especially when he has been promoted as the head of the financial department in the company he works for.

“Oh God,” Wonho says on the other line, “I am so sorry. I don’t mean to-“he pauses for a second before asking, “You’re not waiting for me, are you?”

April steals a glance on the clock by the table lamp. 10.13 p.m.

“Not really,” she says, propping herself up from the bed. She heads to the balcony, right hand pushes the sliding door open. “How late are you going to be?” She hears scribbling of papers as Wonho replies, “Very late. I have reports I need to submit tomorrow. The people here don’t know how to do their job well.” It sounds almost like a whine, but April doesn’t mind. She likes to listen to him talking.

“I guess I need to be stricter with them. Or else, they will keep giving me a pain in the neck,” Wonho goes on and on. April hums at times, but her eyes are quickly caught by a colourful signboard across the street that reads “X-CLAN BAR.”

“What did you say?” Wonho asks on the other line, startling the petite woman. She doesn’t realize the read the words out loud.

“Nothing. Do you know there’s a bar nearby?”

There is an obvious pause.

“Do you mean the bar? Where drinks are served?” Wonho asks for confirmation.

“Yes. The place where drinks are served. The bar. Do you know it’s just across the street?”

“I do. But, baby…” Wonho breathes, “You don’t drink.”

April acknowledges the fact too well. Her parents forbid her to drink because they are very much aware of their health. They don’t want their only daughter to ruin her liver by drinking alcoholic drinks.

“I know. I’m just going to look. And probably meet some people. I don’t know. Can I go?” April sees quite a lot of people enters the bar as she speaks, and Wonho sighs. He doesn’t really like the idea of his wife going to the bar.

“If you say so, you may go. But stay away from the drunks, okay? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

April nods.

“Call me if anything bad happens, okay? I love you.”

And he hangs up.

April wastes no time as she grabs her denim jacket and her purse from the closet. She manages to check herself out in the mirror – a habit she developed when she started dating Wonho, because the man has always loved the mirror. Once she is satisfied with how she looks, she steps out of her condo for the first time since she moved there two days ago.

The hallway is empty. The clicking of her heels even echoes throughout the space and she quickly pushes down button. Shortly after, the elevator comes with a loud ping. It is oddly cold for a spring night, and April can’t help but to realize how silent the whole condo is.

The elevator stops at 24^th floor, the doors open, revealing a man in his early 20s dressed casually from head to toe. He gives April a small nod and a smile that almost shows his teeth as he enters the cold confined space. April wants to say hello, but she is afraid she doesn’t get a reply, so she stays silent the whole time. Only the sound of them breathing rings in her ears.  

“Have a good day,” the man speaks before he makes his way out as soon as the elevator reaches the ground floor. April replies with a polite “You too,” and she makes sure to remember his face with a reminder in her head – Man from 24^th floor. Brown swiped up hair. Nice.

The moment she steps outside, the fresh smell of spring creeps into her nose, automatically making her smile. April has always loved spring, for its smell and flowers. The street is quite busy but she manages to enter the bar without having to bump into anyone.

The bar is breathtakingly beautiful. The decorations are simple, yet they look so nice. It is cosy yet elegant. The lightings are one of the best she has ever seen – just enough to give off the classy vibe that makes you feel like you’re in a dreamy world. The tables are almost full with couples or even groups of friends and there are only a few unoccupied seats at the counter. April picks the one in the middle, right before the bartender.

“Hello there,” the man behind the counter greets her a little too cheerful. “New beautiful face. First time here, huh? Never saw you.”

April nods. “I just moved here two days ago.” The bartender has cat-like eyes, and he seems friendly.

“Whatcha want, dear? I make the best whisky in town,” he says, wriggling his straight eyebrows.

“Coke, please.”

The bartender pauses. His eyes widen, mouth forming a big o before he goes behind the bar and serves her with a big cup of iced coke. April mouths a thank you silently before taking a sip on her drink. It is then that her ears catch a voice so soothing that she literally stops breathing. She puts down her cup, turning to the stage. The singer is hidden behind the piano he is playing.

April recognizes the song. It is Shape of You by Ed Sheeran, only this is sung by a bar singer who happens to have the voice of an angel. His voice is amazingly nice that even the sound of him taking breaths between the lines sounds so beautiful in April’s ears.

“Such a wonderful voice, don’t you think so?” The bartender asks as soon as the song ends. He notices how April looks mesmerized with the performance. April turns to the counter and nods. She takes another sip on her coke before saying, “I never heard anyone singing this amazing in a bar.” The tall man with red hair lets out a chuckle, finally introducing himself.

“I’m Minhyuk.” He offers his hand, which April gladly shakes it. “April.”

An hour passes by in an instant because Minhyuk talks a lot about himself, and how people love his whisky that they can come all the way from Busan only to taste his legendary whisky.

“Are you sure you don’t want to try it? I can guarantee you’ll love it.” He sounds very convincing, especially when he bends a little to meet April’s eyes. The lady gives him a small smile, saying, “I don’t drink. But I believe you, really.”

Minhyuk then continues to talk about how he turned into a bartender while he was originally a postman. He would excuse himself at times when people ask for more drinks, but after serving the thirsty people their glasses, he is more than pleased to continue his story. April silently makes a note in her head – Minhyuk. Bartender. Friendly. Talks a lot.

“Do you think I’m annoying because I talk too much? Gosh, I swear I tried to stop talking to you like thirty minutes ago. But I can’t. My mouth doesn’t like to stop moving.”

April assured him that it is fine, that she loves to find someone as friendly as he is. Being in a new place is quite hard, but with someone like Minhyuk, April thinks she can at least feel at ease now.

“Vodka, please.”

A familiar voice comes out from the person who took the vacant seat beside April a few seconds ago. As if on cue, her head turns to her right and her brown eyes immediately recognize the man.

He is the man from the 24^th floor.

He offers April a small smile. “We met in the elevator,” he states as Minhyuk comes back with a glass in his hand. The man gulps down his vodka in a shot as if he hasn’t had a drink in days.

“Another one, Minhyuk.”

The lively man comes soon after he leaves, filling the empty glass with more vodka. April scrunches her nose at how fast the man beside her can drink. She isn’t sure why, but amazed isn’t one of the possible answers. His Adam’s apple, however, can’t go unnoticed. The way it bobs up and down when he gulps down his drink bothers April so much.

Oh God.

What is she thinking?

“Are you going to just stare at me or you’re going to finish that drink of yours?” He waves his hand before her face. That startles April, as she doesn’t realize her eyes are fixed on him. She mutters a quick apology before he asks, “Is that coke?”

April turns to her glass.

Why the hell does he make the word ‘coke’ sound disgusting?

“Coke, it is, yes. I don’t drink.”

His face screams amusement, furrowing his eyebrows at her. He sips on his drink and asks, “Then, what are you doing here?”

April pauses. The corner of her eyes see Minhyuk has now found someone else to talk to, and he is laughing with a woman. She doesn’t seem to have an exact answer. “I don’t know,” the truth slips out of her tongue, “I just need some fresh air.” She drinks down the coke until her glass is empty.

“And maybe I want to meet new people.”

The man scoffs.

“So, you think the bar is the perfect place to meet new people?” He props his hand on the counter, smirking. “I’ve heard a lot of cases where girls wake up the next morning with a complete stranger they met in a bar. Are you up for that?” His eyes lit up. April isn’t sure if he is hinting anything, but the man quickly erases her suspiciousness with a laugh.

“I’m just kidding,” a trail of laugh leaves his mouth. “You should’ve seen your face. You look flustered.” He touches her right cheek slightly.

“You’re blushing.”

April touches her cheeks in an instant. Hot. True enough.

“I’m Yoo Kihyun, by the way.”

April looks up to him with a nod. “Lee April.”

“So, you were born in April?” He asks out of common sense and she chuckles. “That is too obvious,” she states. She is about to ask him questions regarding himself when her phone rings with Wonho’s ringtone. She excuses herself before answering the call and leaves the bar.

“See you around, April.”

 

 

*****

 

 

April doesn’t really plan on going to the classy bar the next day, but when she exits the building she lives in, her feet drag her effortlessly towards the entrance of the bar. It is an impulse; she pushes the door open and sits on the empty seat by the counter. Minhyuk is delighted when he sees her face, at least April thinks he does, because he excuses himself from a man two seats beside her and greets her in his high-pitched voice.

“You came!”

Minhyuk disappears behind the bar and comes with a big glass of coke for April even though she hasn’t said anything yet.

“Your coke.”

April gladly takes her drink in her hand, but she feels odd. Her eyes dart around the bar, looking for someone. To her unfortunate, she only spots empty piano by the stage. No one is singing at the moment and she can’t help but to wonder about the bar singer.

“When will your singer perform? I mean- His voice is nice and I’m- The point is, will he come tonight?” Her sentences are not coming off well. She stutters. Luckily, Minhyuk laughs away her awkward question and answers, “Yes, of course. He is always here, only I don’t know when. He will come when he is not busy.”

“Are you still not going to have a taste of my whisky? I swear you’ll love it,” Minhyuk changes the topic. April refuses to politely, saying that she really doesn’t drink.

“A taste won’t hurt,” the man insists but before April can reply anything, a familiar voice says, “Let her be, Minhyuk.”

It is Kihyun.

“We all know your whisky is the best. But you can’t force someone who doesn’t drink to drink, can you?” Kihyun turns to April and flashes her a smile that almost makes his eyes fully close. April doesn’t realize when he comes but she does notice something – Kihyun always appears out of nowhere.

Minhyuk whines at how Kihyun stands up for April while stating that he has known Kihyun for more than 5 years. The red hair man continues blabbering about how his heart crashes into pieces and Kihyun is going to be the main reason why his life ends if he happens to be dead tonight.

“Don’t be such a drama queen, Minhyuk. And give me my vodka now.” Kihyun runs his lean fingers along his hair in frustration. He isn’t going to put up with any of Minhyuk’s dramas as of now.

When Minhyuk finally serves him his vodka, Minhyuk exclaims, “And you also don’t drink my whisky! That is too much, Kihyun.”

The man beside April rolls his eyes, taking a sip on his drink. Then, he turns to his left and asks April, “So, why do you come again tonight? To meet new people again?”

April is debating whether she should answer the truth – that she wants to listen to the singer’s voice again – but Minhyuk already cuts her off.

“She is asking if the singer is going to perform again tonight.”

April doesn’t know if it is only her imagination or Minhyuk does actually emphasise the word singer, but she quickly shrugs the thought off.

Kihyun puts down his glass and furrows his eyebrows at her. The corner of his lips curves upwards as he bends over so that the gap between them is small.

April gulps at how close their faces are.

“So,” he breathes, “You come for the singer.”

Truth.

“Do you think he would come tonight?”

April put her hands on Kihyun’s shoulders and slowly pushes him further before she replies, “I don’t know. Minhyuk told me he would always be here.” Her eyes dart to the counter, looking for the chatty bartender to verify her statement but the red-haired man is nowhere to be found. Kihyun parts his lips to say something, but he quickly swallows the question and gulps down his vodka.

“What’s your favourite song?” The question finally comes out of his mouth.

April seems to be thinking for a while. She lifts her chin without her noticing and her eyes are fixed on the high ceiling. It is a habit.

And Kihyun finds that cute.

The man rests his chin on his palm by the counter and he waits, because April takes quite longer than he expected to answer such a simple question. Well, probably it isn’t as simple as he thinks for her.

“Nightingale by Demi Lovato,” April answers after much calculations. Kihyun almost jumps from his seat and yells, “Finally!” but he manages to control himself. Instead, he grins like a Cheshire cat.

“You took so long to give me an answer. I wonder why,” he keeps it cool. The lady flashes him a glare.

“I never expected to be asked such questions.”

“Why not?”

“Because grown-ups don’t care about songs? I don’t know. I’m not the type of person who socializes a lot. I don’t know what people will ask, besides the weather. I’ve been living under the rock for the past ten months, except the rock isn’t really a rock. It’s called ceiling.”

Kihyun lets out a giggle which shows his dimples. They aren’t really on his cheeks, but they are beautiful. The kind of dimples that makes your smile look gorgeous.

And for a slight second, the thought visits her mind.

Yoo Kihyun is gorgeous.

“Why?” The question catches her off guard. She blinks a lot, trying to comprehend the question. As if he understands the signs, he repeats, “Why have you been living under the rock? Why didn’t you go out and meet your friends? Why?”

April sighs.

“I don’t have friends. I’m awkward with people. And I’m a home person. I don’t like to go out.”

Kihyun scoffs at her last sentence. His dimples are showing again.

“You do realize that you’re here for two consecutive nights, right?”

“But-“April pauses.

He is right.

“Maybe I’ve changed. Or… Am still trying to change. That is why I come here. To meet new people, remember? Throw my old self away from me and find a new one.”

Kihyun looks amused. He is already on his fourth shots of vodka, and his cheeks are becoming red. He looks a lot younger with his reddening cheeks.

“Is going here every night included in your-new-self plan?”

“Maybe yes. Maybe no. My husband doesn’t like the idea of me being here.”

April can see how Kihyun’s small eyes widen, as if he is shell-shocked. He puts down his glass and turns to her.

“Did you say husband? You’re married?!” His tone raises in surprise. A few people from the counter turn to their direction before they decide to mind their own business. April can feel heat rushing towards her cheeks in embarrassment.

He is probably drunk, she assumes silently.

“Yes, I am married.”

She thinks she hears him cursing under his breath, but she wipes the thought away.

Maybe he is really drunk.

“I’m going home. Do you want to come?” April asks as she stands up, leaving a tip on the counter. Kihyun looks up to her in disbelief. He scrunches his nose.

“Come where? To your house?”

“No! I mean…” She pauses, her bottom lip nervously. Her sentence sounds so wrong. And his sharp stare doesn’t even help to ease off the uncomfortable feel in her stomach.

“If you- um- we- um- how to say this?” Words are not coming out of her mind.

“Are you suggesting us to do it? At your place?” He raises his eyebrows. April quickly puts her hand over his lips in response, scared if anyone hears it.

“Hell no, I’m not,” she hisses quietly. Kihyun giggles at her funny response as he pushes her hand away softly and holds it in his hand. He gets up and drags her out of the bar, saying, “Come on, let’s go home.”

April only follows, blinking, realizing that the singer doesn’t show up that night.

 

 

*****

 

 

The exhaustion pasted on Wonho’s face every time he comes home can never be hidden. No matter how much Wonho puts his efforts for his lips to curl upwards when he meets April, he knows that his smile doesn’t reach his eyes at all. It seems so fake.

And April knows it all too well.

She prepares him hot bath and pyjamas the moment he is home late, and sometimes a cup of coffee if he needs to stay up to finish some work.

“You don’t have to overwork your body, darling,” April says softly as Wonho puts on his pants. He looks up to her on the bed, with a small nod.

“I don’t want you to be sick.”

Wonho heads to the bed with his shirt in his right hand. He sits beside April. His glorious abs is now visible under the dimmed table lamp. His fingers then caress April’s soft hair.

“I know.”

April never tells him how she looks forward for his magical touch every time they talk. It feels as if her heart is melting like an ice when being exposed to the Sun.

Wonho is the Sun.

He shines so brightly- or at least he used to, before he got the promotion.

And if April were to speak honestly…

Wonho isn’t her Sun anymore.

“I’m sorry,” Wonho’s soft voice brings April to her sanity. “I don’t spend much time with you.”

April flashes him a faint smile.

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

Those words are too common that she doesn’t even know if she really means them. It seems like a habit – ensuring Wonho that she is fine. Somehow, at some point, she does realize that she is fine. But the thought of her being fine without Wonho scares her.

Because he used to be her everything.

And now, she thinks she can almost be perfectly fine without him.

 

 

*****

 

 

April’s visits to the bar are never close to boring. Besides Minhyuk who always chats with her, Kihyun is also there. The brown-haired man is always late – not that they promise to meet at any time whatsoever. But April realizes that Kihyun only shows up after the singer’s performance. Or later. He is never there during the performance. When April tells him about it, he scoffs.

“I’m not into the singer’s voice like you do,” he says bluntly. April makes an annoyed face, disliking the fact that he mocks her. Kihyun rests his face on his right palm, eyes fixed on April.

“You really want to know why?” He asks suddenly. April nods immediately before he mutters, “You’re quite dumb for your face.”

April look at him in disbelief.

“Did you just say I’m dumb?”

Kihyun lays back, enjoying April’s mad expression.

“Really dumb, I mean.”

“I really hate you, Yoo Kihyun,” April says, pouting, before Kihyun bends over and cups her cheeks with his palms.

“Trust me – I’m the reason you come here every night.”

That kicks April right in her stomach. Her face reddens. She freezes. Her eyes widen. She doesn’t even blink for the whole two minutes. She feels as if she stops breathing due to excessive surprise.

Kihyun is the singer.

The angel voice belongs to Kihyun.

“How can you not notice? My singing voice is not that different from my normal voice.”

“Maybe I am very dumb,” April sighs. The person she longs for is right before her eyes. How can she not notice it?

Way to go, April.

“So,” she breathes, “What else about you that you haven’t told me yet? Because I told you about plenty of things. I told you that I bake when I am depressed. And that is the most secretive thing about me. And you told me almost nothing, except for your name.”

She lets out a sigh. Kihyun’s lips curve upwards, nodding.

“I’ve been a really good listener, if you were to ask me,” he replies, before April hits his thigh quick hard. He winces in slight pain before muttering, “Alright. Um- Where do I start?”

“Your family,” she suggests.

“I’m an only child and my parents are always busy. I own a few hospitals around the country, but I’m not a doctor. I just inherit them from my parents. I also own a few restaurants, clubs and bars. This bar is actually my favourite out of the others. I am single since forever, and yes, a .”

April can’t help but to almost choke on her coke. Kihyun glares at her.

“Easy there, buddy. Just because you’re happily married, you shouldn’t seem so surprised to hear the word .”

April mutters a quick apology for being rude before Kihyun continues.

“Minhyuk has been a friend of mine for almost a decade now, and I personally am not into his whisky. My favourite drink is vodka. But you have probably figured that out already.”

“I HEARD THAT, YOO KIHYUN!” Minhyuk yells on top of his voice, making a scene. April slightly covers her face in embarrassment when Minhyuk starts to argue with Kihyun about how Kihyun’s stupid vodka is not at all tasty, compared to his hella legendary whisky. Minhyuk’s high pitch voice manages to attract the attention of a few people around the counter, and April really wishes she can escape from the scene. The bickering lasts for a good 5 minutes before a man with plump lips two seats from her left snaps his fingers, asking for another round of whisky.

“We’re not done yet, Kihyun,” Minhyuk cutely hisses, backing away from them. Kihyun sticks his tongue out at the red-haired man, saying that he is tired of arguing over the little thing that cannot be changed – his love towards vodka.

“Remind me next time not to let you talk about your favourite drink,” April sighs. This is almost like a nightmare – to watch two grown-up men bickering about liquor. And she doesn’t even drink. That makes it even worse.

“Remind me next time not to let you send me home,” he replies sarcastically. “You seemed so comfortable in my condo it scared the hell out of me. No female has ever entered my personal condo before. And with you sitting on the couch, wearing the cute little puppy face, was not even helping.”

April blinks.

“What do you mean?”

Kihyun shifts in his seat uncomfortably. He then looks at her straight in the eyes.

“Don’t come to my house anymore…” He takes a deep breath. “Or I might fall for you deeper.”

April freezes.

Her eyes widen.

Everything around her seems to be stopping as well, before Kihyun bursts into laughter, showing his dimples and perfectly aligned teeth.

“Gotcha!” He exclaims, still laughing his off. He holds the counter for support and his other hand rests on his stomach.

“Wow,” April rolls her eyes, “That is funny.”

“Hell yes, it is. You should’ve seen your face.”

Kihyun finally gathers his sanity after a minute or two. He then gulps down his vodka before he says, “See you tomorrow then, April?”

She glares at the older man. “If tomorrow exists, then, probably. I am still not over your unfunny joke.”

 

 

*****

 

 

It feels like a dream come true for April to be having lunch with her husband, on Tuesday. Wonho insists they should eat outside, because it is their third anniversary. “It should be special,” he says as he drives his Mercedes along the highway. He claims that the restaurant they are heading to, is very famous, and it serves food from the best quality, according to his fellow colleagues.

The drive there takes them approximately 45 minutes, but the view is worth it. The restaurant is located in a countryside, surrounded by greens and browns and there is a beautiful mini self-made waterfall outside the restaurant.

“Wow,” April mouths. She is amazed.

The waiter takes them to a table for two, and as they pass a few tables by the windows, April thinks her eyes catch a glimpse of Kihyun’s familiar brown swiped up hair. She slightly turns her head to take a look at the man, just to make sure if her instinct is right. As if on cue, the man looks up to her way.

It is Yoo Kihyun.

And he flashes her his beautiful smile.

Different from his usual casual attires, he is clad in tuxedo and his blue necktie brings the beauty out of him.

Wonho squeezes April’s hand before she can reply Kihyun’s smile, making her look forward and realize that they are already at their table. Wonho pulls a chair for her before he takes his own seat. Foods are already served – cheesy garlic breads for appetizer and sirloin steak for April’s main course. Wonho, on the other hand, has lamb chop instead. April looks at him, puzzled.

“Since when do you eat lamb chop?”

He looks up to her expressionless. “I don’t exactly remember,” he answers, munching on the garlic bread. April nods, her lips form a small smile.

His taste in food has changed.

Wonho she knows is not a fan of garlic bread – cheesy or not – he just doesn’t like it. But this man before her, is eating it happily.

How can someone’s taste in food change in just a short moment?

Or maybe, just maybe, it has changed for quite a while now, only she doesn’t know. They barely eat together. How can she possibly know?

They are silent the whole time. April only focuses on her food and replies yes when Wonho asks her if she is fine. Wonho blinks uncomfortably, trying to find topics to talk about. He has stopped talking about work almost a week ago, because his colleague says that he shouldn’t be worrying his wife about his work.

“You look beautiful,” he finally speaks, gazing into her eyes. Blood rushes to April’s cheeks as she smiles slightly.

“You notice?” She asks, slightly biting her bottom lip unconsciously. She has dyed her hair a little lighter than before just for the occasion. She wants to impress him, and makes him fall for her again.

“Notice what?”

April blinks.

Her shines in her eyes become dimmer as she looks down to her food.

“Nothing,” she answers, voice laced with disappointment which Wonho doesn’t quite notice.

“If you’re talking about your make-up, then, yes. I see you put some efforts on your eyeliners,” he quickly says, trying to console her. April forces herself to paste a small smile on her face, “Yes. Thank you for noticing.”

It isn’t long until the waiter serves them desserts. Wonho has ordered a slice of mango cheesecake for April, but then, the waiter approaches them again with a big cup of ice-cream.

“A gentleman there ordered this for you, ma’am.” The waiter points to Kihyun, who flashes April his sweet signature smile. The waiter somehow manages to pass a small written note to April without Wonho’s realization before he excuses himself.

“You know him?” Wonho asks, worried. April nods. “He is a friend of mine. He owns the bar across the street,” she answers.

“Should I be worried?”

Yes.

“No,” she replies. Wonho then takes out his vibrating phone, signalling that he will answer the call for a minute, that it is urgent. April assures him that it is fine. The moment Wonho exits the restaurant to answer the call, April reads the note.

 

Lychee ice-cream with white chocolate and almond toppings – your favourite. As apology for my unfunny lame joke.

Forgive me, please?

P/s: Your new hair colour suits you well ^_^

 

April grins. She is deeply touched.

How can he even remember her favourite ice-cream while Wonho barely remembers that she loves lychee?

But… Above all…

Kihyun notices her hair.

 

 

*****

 

 

Wonho barely has time to talk nowadays. He comes home late every night, but he will be off to work before 7 in the morning. April doesn’t say anything about it because she trusts him and she knows that he is also exhausted. Bringing the matter up will only worsen things between them, especially when they are slowly getting distant.

They only share short pecks in the morning. Phone calls are rare now, seeing that April doesn’t really wait for him to come home. She visits the bar almost every night for the past two weeks, and sometimes she orders soda instead of coke. Wonho has expressed his concerns about her going to the bar, but she assures him that she meets really good friends there and she will be perfectly fine.

“I won’t drink, if that’s what you worry about.”

Wonho sighs. He states that there are always possibilities that someone can put alcohol in April’s drink or even sleeping pills.

“I can’t help you if that happens, baby,” he says softly as April buttons up his coat.

“I can take care of myself, Wonho. You don’t have to worry about me,” April replies, tiptoeing to give him a peck on his lips. When Wonho exits the door, April sighs.

She has a secret she doesn’t want him to know.

And it’s a sinful one.

 

 

*****

 

 

April is a woman of her own words. If she says A, it will always be A until the end of the world. She doesn’t change her mind once she has made a decision. That explains why she keeps refusing Minhyuk’s only wish – to see her taste his so-called legendary whisky. Even when Minhyuk pouts and whines and talks about how no one ever refuses his whisky, April will always say no to his wish.

“I don’t drink,” she says for the umpteenth time.

Kihyun, on the other hand, is effortlessly persistent. He asks April for a dance the moment a soft classical music is being played in the bar, which she politely refuses to, because she is not a good dancer.

“You don’t have to be good in dancing to dance,” Kihyun softly states, offering her his right hand. April unconsciously her bottom lip, thinking of another excuse. She can’t possibly say that she doesn’t want to dance with another man because Wonho is a jealous husband, even though it is the whole truth.

“So?”

April inhales deeply.

“It’s only a dance, April.”

The way his tongue rolls as he calls her name always catches her off guard. It might be his voice, she thinks, the reason why her name sounds so beautiful when it comes out of his lips.

“Okay,” April final gives in. She takes his hand in hers and he pulls her to dance in the middle of the bar, joining the other couples dancing. Kihyun holds April’s petite waist as she rests her hands on his shoulders. She follows his steps nervously, heart beating fast. Her stomach is doing summersaults twice a second.

“Are you okay?” Kihyun looks down to her, checking her out. She weakly nods. To be this close to Kihyun is like a forbidden dream to April, and she thinks he looks better-looking under the dimmed lights of the bar. His skin shines like the stars. His eyes glow up in the dark.

Yoo Kihyun is beautiful…

Until he pulls April closer to his body and tightens his grip on her waist. April fixes her eyes on Kihyun’s face, seeing a hint of smirk pasted on it. He bends over and brushes his lips against her ear. Her body freezes. Her heart is about to jump out of her body.

“Loosen up, April. There’s nothing to lose,” he breathes. The heat transferred from his lips sends chills down her spine, literally making her want to escape from this situation. April hasn’t been feeling this uncomfortably nice for quite a long time. And she isn’t looking forward to feeling it either. At least not with anyone besides Wonho. Not with Kihyun.

The taller man, however, knows exactly how to weaken April’s knees.

His fingers run along her waist in a slow motion, dragging her away from the crowd. April only follows without a word coming out of . It is sealed tightly. She is mesmerized by him that she doesn’t mind to ask where they are now. She doesn’t even ask why. Her mind is blank and empty, like the piece of paper she always takes when she wants to write a story but ends up discarded because the idea is not coming out.

Her mind is too blank to be true. And Kihyun is gorgeous.

“I wonder if you like it this way,” he traps her around his hands after pushing her to the wall. “You and me. Together. Alone.” Kihyun pulls her chin up to make her look at him, but she resists. April’s eyes dart everywhere but on the man before her.

It is then she realizes that they are in a secluded room. It looks luxurious, especially with the crystal chandelier that hangs in the middle of the room. It is more like a lounge, to be exact. And they are the only ones in the room. The air around them grows intense as Kihyun looks at her straight into the eyes. She can feel it – the gaze. It is as if he burns a hole through her with his sharp eyes. The room feels so hot- or is it only her who feels that way? It is as if the sun is right above her. She feels so much harder to breathe, because Kihyun alone can take her breath away, let alone this hotness she is withstanding.

This is too much for her to handle.

“I am not a bad guy, in case you ask,” Kihyun breaks the silence between them. He notices how April breathes unevenly. “And I’ve never done this before,” he states, finally making April to look at him.

“T- This?” she stutters.

Kihyun grabs her by the waist and places his lips against hers in a split second. His sinful tongue slowly explores , tasting her.

April doesn’t resist.

She doesn’t think anymore.

The kiss is mind-blowingly enchanting.

Wonho suddenly disappears from the back of her head.

Her mind is chanting Kihyun’s name over and over again.

When Kihyun finally pulls out to breathe, April gulps.

Her chest heaves as she gasps for air.

She returns to her sanity.

What has she done?

Damn it.

 

 

*****

 

 

April stops going to the bar after the incident. She is afraid of the truth. She can’t possibly love another man besides Wonho. She can’t. It is sinful.

But why does it feel so right?

April tries to stay away from thinking of the kiss but she can’t help but to still feel Kihyun’s strong grip on her waist, pulling her closer to him. She kind of longs for the kiss. Just once, her mind begs. She constantly forces the image of Wonho kissing her into her mind, but what she remembers are only short pecks. She forgets how majestic she used to feel when Wonho locks his lips with hers.

April is stressed out over her own feelings.

And the situation isn’t helping at all, because seconds later, someone rings the bell. April rushes to look at the visitor, only to be surprised at the familiar brown swiped up hair.

It is Yoo Kihyun.

She exhales deeply. She turns around, ignoring his presence. She bets he would go away if she doesn’t open the door. She, however, is very wrong.

Kihyun pushes the bell twice every second, and he speaks through the speaker, “I know you’re there. Open up. We need to talk.”

April paces back and forth in the living room, calculating the possibilities that will happen if she opens the door for Kihyun.

Will they actually talk without April stuttering?

Will Kihyun apologize and pretend as if it never happens?

Will she throw her arms around him and tell him how much she misses his lips on hers?

But…

Who the hell cares, really?

April decides that she will go with the flow.

If Kihyun wants to talk, they’ll talk. But if he’s there to make her turn her back away from Wonho, she is going to push him away.

Slowly, she makes her steps towards the front door and turns the door knob, revealing Kihyun, who is smartly dressed in a tuxedo. He seems like a well-off businessman, only he is not, because he runs the most famous hospital in the city, and he also happens to be running the bar across the street.

“Come in,” April manages to say without stuttering. She steps back to let him in before she locks the door behind her. When she turns around, she feels Kihyun’s sharp gaze on her.

“What?”

She doesn’t get a real answer. Instead, she gets a long passionate kiss. She almost stumbles backwards if Kihyun hasn’t lifted both of her legs so that they circle his waist. She has the wall to support her as she pulls him closer, wanting to taste him more. His tongue is skilfully amazing that she wants to beg for more. Kihyun pulls away for a slight second before April his bottom lip and works wonders on his lips.

April is weak against Kihyun. She can’t resist him. She is helpless and somehow, just somehow, she loves it – how Kihyun has the power to seduce her with no words.

April whimpers when Kihyun abandons her lips and starts to trail wet sloppy kisses along her neck, little does he know that her neck is the most sensitive out of all. She throws her head backwards in pleasure as he takes him precious time to bite and her neck in the most seductive way.

Talking doesn’t actually happen.

The whole day is filled with sinful pleasures.

 

 

*****

 

 

April wakes up from her deep slumber with no strings attached, and a pair of warm arms wrapped around her waist tightly. Her eyes squint a little to adjust to the brightness of the lights. She is in her room.

But the hands are unfamiliar.

They are smaller than Wonho’s, and definitely lighter.

Her heart starts to thump so fast.

Her head hurts, recalling the scenes before she fell asleep a few hours ago.

Oh God.

Tears roll down her eyes when she realizes the fact that she made love to another man besides her husband. Thrice. She sobs, feeling dirty. She has committed a really big sin and she doesn’t think she deserves her husband anymore. Wonho has been so nice towards her – so caring. He is always concerned when she goes to the bar.

And maybe, just maybe, this is the reason why he worries about her going to the bar so much. He is afraid she falls for another man. He is afraid to lose her.

And all this time, she has been so hard-headed.

Now look at what happens.

She is doomed.

“Hey,” Kihyun’s voice is hoarse from the sleep.

“Don’t cry,” he hushes her, giving her shoulder a soft peck. He turns her around, making her look at him straight in his eyes.

“No one will know about it,” he says. “This will be our little secret.”

He leans in for a kiss but April stops him.

“You should go,” she manages to say between her sobs. The look in Kihyun’s eyes screams disappointment, but she doesn’t mind. She is more disappointed in herself than he is.

She cheats on her husband.

Kihyun props himself up from the bed, picking his clothes up and slowly gets dressed. April looks at him secretly from behind. No wonder she melts for him.

Yoo Kihyun is mesmerizing.

“I’ll get going,” he softly states after he is fully clothed. He stops beside April and leans in for a kiss. This time, she lets him.

“No one is going to find out,” he whispers, “if you cover those hickeys with some foundation.” He points at her shoulders before turning around to leave.

April is startled.

She is really doomed.

 

 

*****

 

 

April doesn’t talk a lot after the incident. She bakes and bakes until it is too much for the both of them – Wonho and her. Her husband doesn’t say anything, deciding that he will let her alone for a few moments. He thinks April needs some time to open up her problems. But what she really needs is not time. She needs Kihyun to solve her problems.

“Where are you going?” Wonho asks, looking up from his laptop when he hears April packing the cupcakes she made into two big baskets.

“To the bar. I made a lot. I think I should send them there,” April mutters weakly. She sounds sick. Her eyes are puffy as if she hasn’t had enough sleep for the past week.

“Be safe, okay?” Wonho manages to say before keeping his focus on the numbers on the screen.

April closes the door and makes her way towards the elevator with the baskets in both of her hands. When the elevator finally comes and the doors are open, April’s eyes meet the familiar small brown eyes.

Kihyun’s.

He seems surprised to see April, mouth agapes, but soon after he collects his sanity, he steps back and lets April come in. She hesitates at first, blinking, but Kihyun’s voice kicks her in the stomach.

“I’m not gonna kiss you here. Come on in.”

The doors close after April forces herself to enter the cold confined space. She keeps a distance from Kihyun, afraid if she can’t control herself if she smells his light flowery scent. The way to the ground floor seems to be so long as Kihyun speaks, “I purposely go to your floor these days to check on you.”

“You didn’t go to the bar anymore. It has been four days. I miss you,” he adds.

April keeps silence.

“You don’t have any rights to give me the silent treatment, you know that. I asked beforehand, and you agreed. Thrice. It wasn’t totally my fault.”

April nods nonchalantly.

She is aware of the facts. She can exactly recall Kihyun’s voice when he paused, taking a deep breath before asking if she really wanted it.

“We’ll stop if you want to.”

His whisper still freshly lingers in her mind. She remembers telling him to continue, because she loves him too. Probably. She doesn’t know anymore. What she knows is, that she shouldn’t be treating him this way. However, she can’t do anything to make things right.

“I see you baked,” he states, eyes fixed on the baskets.

“A little,” she finally responds. The elevator stops at 10^th floor and a woman dressed in a short flowery dress steps into the elevator, standing between April and Kihyun. She slightly smiles at April before she turns to Kihyun and smacks his arm.

“What is that for?” He asks, wincing in pain. April sees him glaring at the woman from the corner of her eyes, but she pretends as if she isn’t there.

“For being such an idiot,” she replies. Her voice is quite nasal and low. “Stop asking me to help you with your love life in the middle of the night. My husband thinks I’m cheating on him. Gosh.”

“You barely like someone and then poof, you’re in love with a married woman. What the hell is wrong with you, Yoo Kihyun? Can’t you love a decent person?” She sounds quite dramatic for someone with a poker face.

“Because she is wonderful,” he answers in his soft voice, fixing his eyes on April. “She is mind-blowingly mesmerizing.”

April slowly turns to him. Her heart beats fast as butterflies flutter in her empty stomach. Kihyun flashes her his best smile, continuing, “She might be married but I believe that she loves me too.”

Kihyun inhales deeply.

“Do you?” He asks April.

The woman looks puzzled, stating things like ‘I don’t know, why ask me?’ and ‘I am not the one you love’ until she realizes that Kihyun has his eyes on April the whole time. She turns to April with wide eyes, exclaiming, “Are you thatwoman?!”

April blinks. Hesitantly, she nods to the woman’s question. The elder woman mutters too many OMGs, claiming that it feels so awkward to meet April in the elevator whilst talking about her.

“It is fine,” she assures her.

“You haven’t answered my question yet,” Kihyun states.

“Do you love me?”

The elevator finally stops with a ping before April can actually answer. The other woman whines about how fast they reach the ground floor and that she longs for April’s answer but she has to meet a friend at a restaurant nearby. April clicks her heels, walking towards the front entrance, but Kihyun manages to hold her shoulder.

“Don’t… Leave… Before you answer the question,” he begs, “Please.”

April freezes.

Oh how she misses his touch.

“Don’t you know that a woman’s silence means yes?”

She then heads to the bar to send the cupcakes to Minhyuk.

 

 

*****

 

 

Crazy is all April is at the moment. She is too deeply attached to Kihyun that he is the first person she thinks of when she wakes up. It makes no sense how a person she met in a bar invades her life this bad. It makes even no sense when her mind begs to see him every day without fail. And to make it worse, she is having an affair with him.

“This needs to stop,” April always says to Kihyun, but all he needs to do is gaze at her straight in the eyes to melt her away. Kihyun does that every time April suggests to stop their forbidden relationship. And each time, April finds herself fall for Kihyun deeper.

“You’re all I have,” he whispers, running his fingers along his hair. He lays back, looking at April who stands before the door. He instructs her to sit beside him but she insists that her visit to his condo will be short, and this will be her last time.

“You told me that yesterday and the day before that. But you keep coming back,” he states.

“I know.”

April is well aware of the facts. She, however, promises that this will definitely be the last time she enters his condo. She will end their relationship today, by hook or by crook. She cannot keep on cheating on Wonho and looking at her husband’s face without guilt tugging her heart. She is not that ruthless. She wasn’t taught to be cruel.

“So,” Kihyun sighs, “What will happen to us after this?”

“We’ll part ways. I won’t look your way again. You can find another woman. We’ll live happily by our own,” April memorizes her lines. She doesn’t come unprepared. Of course she has thought of the things she would say, because Kihyun would definitely know that she doesn’t mean any of it if she stutters.

“Will we? Live happily by our own? Is that possible?” He saunters towards April, slighting caressing her hair. April freezes at his touch, but she needs to gather her courage to push him away.

Yoo Kihyun is bad for her.

“We will, eventually,” she replies. Her breathings are uneven, and she is doing her best not to grip the hem of her blouse.

Kihyun stands right before her, taking a good look at her face. His lips curl upwards in a second, muttering how beautiful she is. His hand slowly holds hers, and he can feel how she is startled at his sudden touch.

Kihyun smirks.

“You love me,” he claims softly. Kihyun grips her waist out of the blue, and he pulls her into a kiss. April swears she tries to push him away, but her lips are replying his kiss.

When he pulls away, she mutters curses in her mind, mad at how her lips are of the opposite from her mind.

“Go to your husband,” Kihyun whispers, looking straight into her eyes. “You love me, that is enough.”

April doesn’t know how to react. She blinks her tears away as Kihyun continues, “I read somewhere that to love is not to have.”

“But,” he breathes, “You know where to find me if you ever miss me.”

Yoo Kihyun is mesmerizing.