Chapter 2

Tears were falling on her pale cheeks.

Despite the loud music banging from the speaker on each corner of the room. Among all the pretty faces and vivid colors in the club. He noticed her first.

He noticed her tears.

There, by the jukebox in the corner, all alone with a bottle of beer in hand, stood the most enthralling girl he had ever seen.

Her expression might one of misery and sadness, her tears might seem out of place, but damn she was beautiful. Her porcelain skin. Her jet black hair, with swept-side bangs that almost hid one of her eyes, further amplified the shine of her skin. Her thin lips. Her cute nose. One look and he got all her features engraved on his heart.

His feet moved at their own accord toward her. His heart beat a little faster than usual.

“Oh, I thought the jukebox is working.” Faking a disappointment, he pushed at one of the buttons. He was a regular in the club. He knew that the old jukebox was nothing but an accessory but damn he needed a reason to come close. A reason to start a conversation with her.

“I thought so too.” She looked away, wiping her right cheek with the back of her hand.

“You okay?” He dared to ask.

She blinked.

“I'm sorry. Of course, you're not okay.”

Her eyes were still trained at some spots over the billiard table.

“How may I help you?” He nervously combed his fingers through his hair. Never in Kwon Jiyong's whole life, he had actually felt this nervous before. “You know, to... to bring a smile on your face.”

Still no reaction.

“Alright, I'm sorry for disturbing you.” Jiyong took a step back after a full minute of no reply from the girl. Despite the ache to get to know her better, he could take the hint.

“I'm Kwon Jiyong. I mean no harm. A beautiful girl like you shouldn't cry in the club alone. If you need anything. A ride or a fist to punch someone with, I'll be there at the lounge with my friends.” He pointed at the velvet lounge by the DJ set. “Just call my name, okay?”

“You're friend with that guy?” The girl suddenly glared, pointing at Jiyong's friends with the beer bottle.

“Seungri? Lee Seungri? Yeah. We're friends.”

“Then you must be as much of a jerk as he is.”

“What? What has he done to you? Tell me.”

For a moment, the girl looked like she was ready to explode but she ended up sighing and took a swig from her bottle instead. “No. Just scram, please.”

“Wait here.” Jiyong made a quick beeline to the lounge, grabbing Seungri by the arm and dragged his half-drunken friend to the corner.

“Heyyy, what's this for?”

“What have you done to her?”

“Her?” Seungri stared at Jiyong in confusion.

“Her!” Jiyong nodded his head toward the girl. “Is she with you? Why is she crying?”

Seungri blinked, tilted his head to see better, even rubbing his eyes for good measure. “I don't know her.”

“But she called you a jerk. You must have hurt her somehow!”

“How? I swear I don't know her. I'm not that drunk. Not yet.”

“But-”

“What do you care anyway?”

“What do I care?” Jiyong threw another look at the girl, asking himself why does he care so much. “Aaargh! Are you sure you haven't talked to her at all tonight?”

Seungri tilted his head to the other side, blinking. “Nope.”

“Damn it!” Jiyong his heels, coming back to the girl who still had the remnant of tears on her cheeks. “Seungri said he doesn't know you.”

“He probably doesn't.”

“What? But you called him a jerk?”

“He IS a jerk”

Jiyong stood bewildered on his spot, starting to think that the beautiful girl was probably too drunk. “You need to explain to me here, lady.”

“No, I don't.” Like a goddess she was, the girl set the now-empty bottle on the jukebox and walked away with a full display of ignorance.

Jiyong followed her every step with his eyes, enjoying the view for a few seconds until it seemed like she was losing her balance.

“Whoa, you okay?” He came to her side in no time.

“I'm... I'm fine...” With her palm pressed against her temple, the girl grabbed her falling purse and tried to walk away again. But this time, she actually swayed to the side and fell.

“How many drinks did you have?” Jiyong tried to help the girl up.

“One.” She swatted his hand away.

He flinched.

“I could only afford one beer.” She let out a hollow laugh, pressing one hand on the wall for leverage. “Why are men always so judgmental?”

“I'm not trying to judge you here. I'm just worried.”

“Yeah?”

“This is a club and you seem to be alone and weak. People might take advantage of you, you know?”

“Are you trying to tell me that's not what you're trying to do right now? Taking advantage of me.”

Jiyong shrugged. “No lie here. I do want to know you a little better. You are a very fine looking girl. But at this moment I just want you to get out of this stink hole safely.”

She stared up at him for a long moment before sighing again. “I think I can get out of this stink hole on my own just fine, but thank you.”

The girl straightened herself up, taking