the right person, the wrong time

the right script, the wrong line

the right poem, the wrong rhyme

and a piece of you, that was never mine

- K. Towne Jr

Nights in Seoul are just as busy as the days. Song Minyoung takes a good look of herself in the mirror and brought the ends of her cherry red lips into a slight curve. She angles her head here and there to study her own reflection, wondering if her makeup was as nice as the dress she rented just for tonight's show. Gently, Minyoung ran a hand down the shiny red sequins of her dress - imagining how they would soon shimmer and shine under the sparkling stage light.

"You're up next, Melody. Are you ready?"

Upon exiting her small waiting room, Minyoung turns to greet the person who addressed her by her stagename; a name she had reluctantly agreed to use just to perform inside this club. She smiles assuringly at her friend, Chen, who seemed more than ready to play the ivory keys that always accompanied her sweet voice.

"I'm sort of nervous, actually." She admits, taking a step forward to peek through the thick velvet curtains they were waiting behind. Through the tiny gap she made, Minyoung's eyes instinctively roamed around the club, somewhat hoping she'd find a familiar face relaxing among the crowd that came to see tonight's special show.

Her brown eyes searched through every spot she could possibly think of, and her heart only quickens its pace at the thought of having a certain someone walk-in just seconds before she performed. Not like that was going to be a surprise. After all, his usual seat is empty again.

For now.

Although she had nothing against the sudden appearance the person often made, she would personally prefer to have a quick heads-up on his presence, just so she wouldn't have to go up on stage feeling like a love-struck teenager. In all honesty, Minyoung cannot seem to recall how it all started, but she remembered feeling so mesmerised by the pair of dark eyes that stared back at her so intently - barely making an effort to tear his gaze away even after their eyes had met.

Since then, there was an instant attraction that neither of them could seem to deny. For her, it was more than flattering to have such a handsome man attend to almost all of her shows here; giving her the attention that any passionate performer could ask for.

He used to be the mysterious stranger seated in a dark corner of this club with his favourite drink in hand; healing himself away to the voice of her heart that unknowingly sang its way into his. And it took him just three months to think of a way to sneak in backstage, where a single knock on her door was all it took for Minyoung let him in.

"See anyone you know?" Chen's voice had startled her, but the applause from the crowd behind the curtains distracted Minyoung from giving him a proper response. By then, the host had already announced the final gig for the night and Minyoung takes in a deep breath before exhaling slowly to calm her anxious senses.

"That's our que, girl." Chen informs, taking a second to fix his suit before the two of them walked out to appear on the stage together.

Cheers from the crowd never failed to make her smile. In that very moment, she's the lovely Melody that the crowd knew and adored. Best known for her mellow voice that filled broken and empty hearts like a wakeful dream. At least, that's how they all described it.

While Chen silently made his way towards the grand piano placed in the corner, Minyoung gave her audience a quick bow as a way to acknowledge their presence. Without being affected by the nerves that tried to take over her body, she clears before speaking into the silver microphone that stood tall in the center of the stage she walked up to.

"Good evening, everyone."

As of always, she begins with a brief introduction of herself and the man behind the piano, before moving on to talk about the songs she had chosen to sing for tonight's show.

There must be about a hundred eyes on her right now. All waiting under the dim blue light of the club to hear her sing. Since there wasn't anything else to be said or done, Minyoung signals her good friend to play his part so that she could do hers as well. With a slight nod, Chen's fingers effortlessly glided across the ivory keys to deliver his notes in the most divine way.

When the calm music fills the air, some react to the well-known rhythm while others continue to chatter amongst themselves over a glass of cold beer.

Minyoung slowly tapped her feet to the music, even swaying her petite body sideways under the iridescent spotlight to get herself into the mood. As the soulful rhythm fills her veins, Minyoung held onto the microphone stand as she immersed herself into the music. Once everything falls into place, she parts her lips to reveal her voice.

"Fly me to the moon,"

"let me play among the stars,"

Upon singing, her graceful voice instantly left the crowd in awe. The stage is like an open book for her to tell her stories, both the good and the bad. Such moments in life shaped her to become the person she is today, and she's truly grateful of the music that saved her life. Eventually, she lost all sense of everything except for the rhythm of the beat her heart sang along to.

"In other words, please be true."

Though a song never lasts for more than a few minutes, standing on this stage to share a part of her story made it feel as if it took her a lifetime to get here. Every second feels like forever, and every song had its own little secret.

Her glittered eyelids flutters closed as she belts out the final notes, making sure to savour every last line of the song she was singing. And perhaps it was the overall emotions from the song that made her heart skip an obvious beat or maybe it was her own instincts that urged her to open her eyes again, suddenly aware of being watched by a longing pair of dark orbs from a familiar distance.

Because, finally.

There he was.

In the far corner of this dimly lit club sat the man whose presence has been highly anticipated since the start of her session. It seems as though he just ordered his usual drink; a chilled bottle of Soju to wash away another day's pain.

The semi-darkness made it hard for her to catch a clear glimpse of what he actually looks like tonight, but even from afar, her delicate heart has already fallen to his feet.

Feeling somewhat energized by the presence of her secret lover, Minyoung's fingers curled around the mic stand as she brought her glossed lips closer to the microphone for one last time ㅡ hoping he'd notice the sincerity in her voice as she finishes off the song.

"In other words, I love you."

Once the song finally came to a smooth end, the crowd instantly brought their hands together for a round of applause. With a sheepish grin on her face, Minyoung takes a bow and turns around to see that even Chen was clapping together with the audience to cheer her on.

"Thank you so much, everyone!" She grins, overwhelmed by the response she received for her first song of the night.

Minyoung tries to interact with the crowd before proceeding with the next song, but her eyes just kept wandering their way back to his area as if that was where they wanted to be.

She could've sworn that the man noticed the way her eyes sparkled with glee when they finally met his, and a knowing smile shadows his handsome face as their eyes had a private conversation of their own. He was fond of stealing her gaze, making her wonder if he knew just how much she really loved him.

His eyes were enchanting; flickering in delight each time they held her attention. Sometimes, a wink would also be directed her way. And it was these playful games of his that made Minyoung stutter like an idiot on her own words, sometimes earning an amused chuckle from the crowd that watched her so closely.

Above all, the handsome man was probably the only person in this room that was capable of giving her the strength she never knew she needed. She would often catch the small smiles that appeared on his face as he seemingly healed himself to the sound of her soothing voice, making her love for him grow even deeper with each passing second.

Such a genuine reaction was more than enough to ensure her of how rewarding this job simply was to her. His little smile. Oh my god. It was like an instant energy booster that was more than enough to keep her heart beating towards the end of the night.

Not wanting to waste away another second of her precious show time, Minyoung invites her crowd to join her on the next two songs she was scheduled to sing just before the whole show came to an official close.

And as of always, Minyoung only has one name in mind as she closed her eyes and opened her heart to deliver her songs in most sincere way anyone could ever think of.

Oh Sehun, this song is for you.

The amber glow from the streetlamps he stood under gave the dark strands of his hair a silky touch. Upon exiting the club, Minyoung stops in her tracks to observe the man who brought so much color into her life for the past ten months they've been together. Secretly, she watches him heave a small sigh while brushing a hand against the sleeve of his leather jacket, patiently waiting for she who might've took too long to get unready once her show ended a few minutes ago.

He was leaning against his black motorcycle with his left leg crossed slightly over the other, revealing a decent amount of his knees through the ripped part of his jeans. However, his instincts must've kicked in from the moment he felt a pair eyes on him, because once he snapped his gaze in her direction, it almost felt like he was staring straight into her soul.

Although others might be intimidated by the sharpness of his gaze, Minyoung likes to think of it as another cupid's arrow being shot right into her heart. After all, this was the kind of love that she waited and prayed for every night.

"Are you just gonna stand there and watch me breathe, princess?" He teased, earning an amused laugh from her in return.

Oh Sehun watches as his girl made her way towards him with that million-dollar smile forming on her pretty face. For him, she's the epitome of shy and sweet; mixed together with the kind of confidence that made her the woman that any man would want to be with.

Sehun finds it a little crazy to think about having a woman like her actually wanting to be a part of his twisted life. From head to toe, she was the exact opposite of who he is, and Sehun might never really understand what it is about him that she adored so much.

In other words, Minyoung is like a goddess ㅡ ever so innocent and bright that the thought of tainting such purity sounded so sinful to his ears. But every time he hears her sing, just the sound of her soft voice calling out his name, brought so much ease to the storms inside his heart.

In the end, they were two broken halves that made a whole.

When Minyoung came closer to stare at him with eyes sparkling in delight, Sehun almost smiles. "How was my performance tonight?" She asks, always anxious to hear a response from her number one fan in the crowds. After all, he's never missed a single show of hers since the very beginning. Therefore, here she was, simply watching Sehun prepare his lips to speak.

"Horrible," He says in a low tone, making her heart sink just seconds before he shoots it all the way back up to cloud nine. "It made me feel things I can't explain," Sehun admits, quickly putting on his helmet to hide the playful grin appearing on his face after catching her reaction.

"Good," She retorts, swinging a leg over the pillion to get on the motorbike right after him.

Without another word, she simply locks her hands around his waist to secure herself in her seat, aware that they would be riding off any moment soon. Once there were finally on the road, Sehun feels her body press in — the warmth from her body filling him up as well. Against his back, he finds himself listening closely to the gentle beating inside her chest, but his eyes remain glued to the road ahead of them until he comes to a stop by the red light.

"Can we grab a snack before we go home?" She nudged, softly resting her cheek against his shoulder.

"Sure, baby."

Sehun steals a glance of his girl from the mirror and smiles, though she might not be able to see it through the tinted shield of his helmet that covered his face. He was never the type to enjoy any form of skinship, mainly because his job required him to keep his fingerprints off the bodies he would normally come in contact with.

But this, felt different.

Her touch is something he longed for. It was like a spark to his flame; the fire that constantly kept him going. Deep down inside, he knew he's willing to do everything he can to keep this light burning in the darkness.

About a couple of minutes later, the smell of hot snacks and sweet desserts being prepared in a distance made her excitement grow as they came to a stop by one of the busiest streets in the city.

"Come on," He motions, letting her slip a hand in his once they started walking towards the sea of people flooding the street. There were a number of food trucks and hawker stalls being laid out in the open that Minyoung can already feel the urge to try it all.

After a good stroll around the area, the two of them head back to his vehicle with an extra box full of crispy dumplings in hand.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Minyoung mumbles with a dumpling stored in her cheek.

Not only did they spend most of their time trying out the free samples that were being offered at most of the stall they passed by, but Minyoung was happy she managed to convince Sehun into standing in a long line of people just for a taste of the best dumplings in town.

Thankfully, he’s enjoying it so far, considering the fact that he had willingly gone back in line to buy themselves another box of these fresh treats to be munched on their way home. 

The ride back to their apartment was serene and quiet, since the roads were mostly empty at this time of the night. However, the silence doesn’t last for long when they were greeted by the noise of dogs barking at their vehicle once they passed the dark alley. Almost instantly, Minyoung tightens her grip around Sehun’s waist whereas he navigated smoothly along the narrow road that was bumpy with every turn.

It wasn’t an ideal neighbourhood for youngsters to be brought up in, since this area was considered to be the heart of the dark side in this city.

There were five districts in this area, and each one of them were guarded by a member of the biggest mafias in Seoul. To which she soon discovered that Sehun was a part of.

Nothing in here happens without the ultimate approval of the mafia master, who’s notoriously known as Doctor X.

No one has ever seen him before, apart from the five boys he took under his wings for the sake of maintaining his legacy as one of the most powerful mafias in town. And consequences of going against his orders were brutal too, because Minyoung has heard of stories where the symbol X would be seen marked on the houses of those who failed to follow his orders – serving as a reminder that harmony only exists within those who comply with his rules.

Although the thought of being forced to keep her eyes and mouth shut to any unusual activity around the area made Minyoung feel uneasy at first, this place was still very much better than where she previously stayed in before moving in with Sehun.

Obviously, there was a big reason behind why she was talked in to staying together with him once he started openly going out with her in public. Like any other man of a high profile, he had to keep his assets closest to his control, because leaving them in another territory would clearly result to his own loss.

It’s not that he didn’t trust her, but that was just how things worked around here, and Minyoung took it in as a chance to grow even closer to the person she adores the most.

For some ladies, a gangster might be the number one guy that any parent would beg their daughters to stay away from – out of fear that she may end up in nothing but ruins. Having that said, Minyoung never really was the type to listen to her parents in the first place. After all, her old folks barely became a part of her life, since she remembered being thrown into foster care at such a young age.

On the other hand, dating a man like Sehun automatically offered her the protection a girl would need to survive in the area. Not only was she free from having to pay protection money just for the sake of her own safety, but Minyoung was soon introduced into a small group of tough guys who worked closely with Sehun on a daily basis.

At least, there were now people keeping a close eye on her for all the right reasons.

“Going to bed without me?” Sehun frowns while leaning against the wall to observe his girl tucking herself in on the bed their shared.

“Of course not,” she chuckled, pulling away the covers on his side of the bed to pat on the empty spot beside her. A flick of a switch was all it took for the room to be consumed into a pitch darkness, but the sheer ray of lights peeking through the blinds was enough to help guide him towards the bed Minyoung was waiting on.

“Goodnight, Sehun.” She greets him by snuggling closer to his figure once he laid himself down beside her. Amused by her approach, Sehun plants a small kiss on her forehead before wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her close.

Truly, she was the sweetest dream of his that ever came true, and it was because of her that Sehun was able to fall asleep at night without a single worry in the world. For once, he was eager to wake up in the morning to start anew.

He can hardly recall the last time he felt this way.

Long before she became his, every night of his used to end the same way; his mind replaying the memory of this dazzling star that shined the brightest on stage – with a voice that filled the void in his heart that he was barely aware of. The mornings back then were even more dreadful, because there was simply no joy in having to stare at the grey clouds that often decorated his white skies, at least before the night came, and he could finally see her again.

And now, every single one of his days, starts with her.

Breakfast was something Sehun hasn’t had properly since his mother was taken away from him by the heavens. It’s been more than a decade since he lost her, and she was probably the only woman in Sehun’s life that loved and cared for him more than anyone else in this world. Perhaps resenting to the heavens had graced him this wonderful angel who often woke up early just to crack something up in the kitchen for them to start the day right like a normal couple.

“Eat up,” Minyoung says while pushing a plate towards him across the table. Instead, Sehun props an elbow on the table to rest his chin on his palm, taking his time to stare at the beauty that quietly ate up before him.

“What?” She swallows, unconsciously running a hand across her lips in case she had some bits of her food stuck on her face.

“Nothing,” Sehun shrugs off coolly, finally picking his spoon up to dig in.

Minyoung furrows her eyebrows at his response and curiously eyed on him for a few minutes. Maybe he knew, and maybe he didn’t, but Sehun was moving his face in ways that may have been preparing him for a good shot of his side profile. Not that she had anything to complain about.

She observes the small scar on his cheek, knowing how she adored the little feature on his face that made him look a hundred times more attractive than he already is. Then, there was his majestic jawline that made him seem unreal.

How could anyone be this perfect?

Minyoung doubts she’s ever came across a man with a face sculpted effortlessly to perfection. Not to mention, there was a beauty mark on his neck that offered a slight feminine touch to his manly features.

He was truly mesmerizing in every way.

When Sehun clears his throat to grab her attention, Minyoung’s face warms up at the way he was gazing back at her with a knowing smile playing on his handsome face.

“What?” He muttered, as if to mock her previous attempts on catching him red-handed.

“N-Nothing,” But unlike Sehun, she ends up stuttering like a pink faced fool.

Minyoung makes up for the embarrassment by bringing their finished plates to the sink, allowing Sehun to walk out of the kitchen with a happy stomach. No matter how long they’ve been seeing each other, in addition to the moments being spent living under the same roof; there will always be a new effect of Oh Sehun that she discovers every day.

Once again, it feels as if Cupid has shot another arrow straight into her chest — she keeps fal