The One with Club Dresses, Favors, and Heartbreak

“Minsoek,” the girl called, immediately reaching out for his hand as she ran up to him, pressing herself into him and him into the rail, huffing. “I’m so sorry; I ran to catch the bus. If somebody in my class didn’t stop asking questions, I wouldn’t feel so lightheaded.”

Minseok looked down at her attired, frowning. “Where’s your coat? Do you know how cold it is outside?”

“Well, considering I ran across campus and down three city blocks, I don’t really need it,” she huffed, rolling her eyes, “It’s probably back in my class; I’ll find it later.”

He shook his head, before pushing her forehead. “Well, at least you’re wearing sweat—are you wearing my sweatpants?”

Yeri’s eyes looked up at him in shock before pulling her hair hat off to fix her hair. “Oh… yeah. I stole a few items from your closet. It’s really unfair that men’s clothes are nice and warm, and women have to pay forty bucks for a t-shirt made out of tissues.”

“A few?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, “I’m keeping the hoodie, I’m keeping the scarf, I took these, I took a t-shirt, and I’m pretty sure I took a cap of yours.”

Minseok couldn’t tell if he was upset or not because he honestly had been praying he would see her in his clothes. He sighed and rubbed his temples before placing his hands on her shoulders and sighed. “Which t-shirt?”

“Oh, the black one with that smiley-face with Xs for eyes.”

“That’s my favorite t-shirt! I want it back!”

Yeri stuck her tongue out before wrapping her arms around his waist; who became rather tense seeing her chin on his chest. “I’ll give it back… but it looks way better on me than it does on you,” she joked before sticking her tongue out and pulling away, her hands wrapping around his once more, “Now, c’mon! I need to find the perfect outfit for my birthday!”

Minseok has been finding himself often unable to say no to Yeri. He didn’t know why, but the girl had some sort of secret power over him that made it literally impossible for him to refuse any of her wishes; if she wanted to cuddle a certain way, or if she wanted to sit on the table, or even if she felt like cooking, he would allow her. He was unsure if this is what being attracted to the girl was supposed to do, because he was even more unsure if the girl was just comfortable around him or pressing his buttons.

Oh, how much she enjoyed pushing his buttons. Any other guy would have immediately ended ties with her, but he couldn’t. There was too strong of a bond between them for him to do it without possibly breaking down.

Man, she has me whipped, he thought, watching her look back at him with a smile on her face.

“Ah, you know what you could do for my birthday?” she said after she was greeted by some workers when she entered their store. “You should wear that red vest and suit combo. I feel like that would be great club gear.”

“You want me to come to a club with you on your birthday.”

“No, I want you to celebrate with me at a club a few days after my birthday. My birthday is in the middle of the week,” she explained as she immediately started to look around for something she’d like. She picked up a top and examined it before putting it back.

“Why not have a nice dinner on your birthday? I don’t like the idea of you going to a club… especially if you’re going to wear something…” He paused, watching her face as she looked up at him, daring him to say the word. “… Silly.”

She smirked, “You just don’t want to babysit me when I get really smashed.”

Minseok let out a sigh before he took a step closer and reached out to hold her hand. It shouldn’t have been a bold move as often as they would hold hands with each other, but Yeri felt her heart race when his chest was grazing her arm, pausing her from her hunt.

His voice in her ear sent lovely tingles down her back, and it was impossible for her not to feel his hand on her back. “Yeri,” his voice timbered, “I just want you safe. There will be guys at the club who’s main goal are to pick up girls, take them to their place, and make them do things that would bring tears to their mother’s eyes. I don’t want to punch a guy for making you uncomfortable.”

She looked up at him, a small smile on her because she couldn’t help feel the warm and fuzzy feelings that made her heart swell and the butterflies in her stomach race around. She squeezed his hand, rubbing her thumb against his skin. “As long as you’re there, I’ll be safe.”

He didn’t think that those words would make his heart thump with happiness; however, he was trying to hold strong. He felt that he needed to be serious, to show the college girl that he was absolutely clear. His gripped her hand harder before he sighed. “What if I’m not there? What if Heechul or his girlfriend isn’t there?”

“Don’t you know that a pack of drunk girls who take in a birthday girl are the best protection from men?” Yeri tried to joke, taking her hand out of his grip, feeling a bit anxious of how close he is.

And as persistent as he was, he followed, keeping her within elbow’s reach. “I’m serious Yeri.”

“Well, I don’t know how to ease you,” she shrugged, pretending to look at clothes while trying to walk away from her manager. “Tell me what will put you at ease. However, I will let you know, I am planning to drink at least five shots, dance until my body hurts, and maybe make a guy wish he had me under him.”

Minseok had to pause for a moment before rubbing his temples, letting out a major sigh. You mean like I do every night? Yeri giggled, before pushing the pile of clothes on her arms into his before grabbing a dress make of sequins that changed color when she rubbed her hands on it. Her eyes lit up at the dress before looking at the name tag and pushing it back in. She then pushed him towards the dressing room and made him sit on the small chairs that were provided while she tried on the clothes.

She would come out to show him some shirts, skirts, and odd outfit choices. However, at one point, she came out wearing what looked like a normal long sleeve dress that stopped midthigh, a little form fitting, until she turned around; the only thing that kept the dress from sliding off her shoulders was a sparkly chain, showing the entire plain of her back that left so much to Minseok’s imagination, it helped fit a few pieces to his erted puzzle.

He had to squeeze his thighs together and shake his head. “No… no… Definitely not.” The college girl pouted before wanting to know why, and he tried to claim that not wearing the dress would put him at ease. When she once again wanted a better reason, because, as she revealed, this was a very similar version to what she wanted to get, Minseok had to swallow his nerves for a moment before he stood up and walked closer to her, leaning down into her ear. “If I didn’t know you, and you walked into a club wearing that dress, I’d try my damnedest to be the guy who’d try to get you under me. Because of that, I know others will do thing the same thing, hence, it will put me at ease if you don’t wear the dress.”

When he pulled away, Yeri looked up at him, blushing a lovely noticeable pink before biting her lip. She pulled a piece of hair back behind her ear before nodding and closing the door, so she could take it off.

He headed back to his seat; Minseok felt oddly calm for practically revealing to the girl he wanted to bang her—okay, it wasn't really a revelation, but a hint of one.

Irene had totally forgotten about the contents of the colorful bag that she threw on the couch when she got home, stealthily taking her bra off and changing her work pants to sweat pants. She tackled the bed and began to bask in the glory of being the only person home right now as she rested her eyes, claiming that she probably would have been sleeping already if her fiancé was home; before admitting to the air that they probably would be too busy kissing and testing the boundaries for her to sleep.

As she held unto a pillow, Irene stared at a framed photo of the two in the museum, sitting right on her dresser. She hugged the pillow even tighter, feeling elated that she had one thing going right. She wondered if her life would have been any different if her parents weren’t just teenagers when she was conceived, and if she was actually adopted. She wondered if she would have actually wanted a wedding to dream alongside with a mother.

As she started to wonder, she turned her body on her back and faced the ceiling, liftig her hand up to stare at her ring; thoughts drifting and wondering if they would have met sooner if she had used her cheat to more of her advanatage. Would they have married already? Would Joonmyeon have still been this loving and y gentleman?

Then her eyes drifted to her arm; bare skin staring right at her. She couldn’t place when the last time she had her arm decorated with sharpie and paints, but now, she felt inclined to.

Sitting up, she searched for a sharpie and opened it with the cap between her teeth. She looked down at her arm and paused for a moment on what she should write. It took a few seconds of leg shaking wonder before she finally wrote on her left arm: get home safe with a heart.

She watched the ink dry on her skin before she placed the cap back on the sharpie and threw it to the side, hugging the pillow close to her. She felt embarrassed for doing that, now imaging the words appearing on his skin during an important meeting or having him surprised while he drove home. She pushed her face into the pillow, wiggling about because she’s so used to be seductive and sarcastic for her fiancé. Cuteness wasn’t her thing and she firmly believed it.

However, her embarrassment went away as she watched the thin black ink show up in scratchy writing on her right arm, and feeling a wave of contentment when the words faded unto her skin, reminding her how sweet and unexpected her future husband was: For you, always.

Joonmyeon had come home an hour later and found his fiancé sleeping, her eye mask placed firmly over her eyes and cuddling the pillow. Smiling, he leaned over to kiss her forehead, watching her twitch as she turned a little towards him. He placed another kiss on her left cheek, watching her breath in suddenly, her brows crinkled together in confusion before he kissed her