A Night In LA Oneshot | Fluff | AU  -  March 10, 2020, 1:04am

The warm breeze of LA greets her by the afternoon. A little jet lagged and exhausted, she took a good nap to combat the stress. But she had those types of naps that when you say you just want a quick 10 to 20 minute nap it soon turn to not knowing what day it was already. 

She was disoriented for sure but atleast now her impending headache won’t bother her anymore. She scrambled to her feet showering what was left of Seoul in her body and changed into a different outfit for the night. 

Sure this was a work trip but her best friend slash manager booked this for her especially because she needed the rest. She’s been working her off for months on end apart from juggling her growing clothing business, she was also in a midst of healing her heart from a recent heartbreak. 

She was in the middle of deleting their couple pictures on her phone. She can’t blame it from showing her an accumulated amount of their photos together bound for 4 years of failed relationship. 4 years was far too long.

“Enough of that.” She shook her head in thoughts bringing her phone face down by the table as she waited for someone at a nearby restaurant from her hotel. 

Her best friend sure knows how to organize it well for her even if she was also busy with her own life back in Seoul. She didn’t want her to waste time traveling only to have a 20-30 minute meeting. She needs more time for herself now more than ever. 

 

And there they were. Her best friends already on the verge of a mental breakdown seeing how she hasn’t updated anyone that she had arrived in LA 4 hours ago.

 

“What will I do without these two?” She snickered reading the exchanged messages on their group chat. 

 

 

They still feel unsettled with their best friend’s choice of getting married. It was all too soon and too fast. 

 

 

Another message came in but it was from an old high school friend of hers. 

She knows what to do with the rest of her night now. 

 

Didn’t quite notice the time difference until one says it. It’s 7pm now in LA and it’s just 11am back home. The day is just supposedly starting so she’ll make the best of what LA has to offer tonight. 

 

 

There was growing crowd inside Bambam’s bachelor pad in LA, various music producers, artists, influencers and friends alike. It was his media company’s first anniversary party so they have a handful of established people in the room.

“I heard Red is on the works in producing their next collection..” Jisoo gushed beside her boyfriend who was happily drinking a cup of rum coke in hand. 

“Didn’t you just bought one from their last collection?” Jinyoung queried not knowing how the fashion scene works. 

“Yeah and? It’ll be for a good cause anyway. Fashion for a cause! You’d get to donate.” She retaliated.

“You always say that excuse baby.” He let out a chuckle knowing he just needs to let her be right after she gave him a snarky expression.

“Arasso arasso.” He cooed caressing her head to ease down her irritation with him. He didn’t want to end this night with a fight. 

“Anyway, where’s Jackson?” He then asked as they both craned their necks to find their friend. 

Apart from being his manager, Jinyoung is also his best friend first. They were in LA for work. They were meeting up with a lot of producers as they cook up Jackson’s next album. 

Jisoo saw him by the dj booth expecting him to be jamming along with some artist friends but found him at a standstill. 

“Found him.” Jisoo announced over to her boyfriend beside her. 

“Busy?” He queried his status by the booth still not getting a good glimpse of his best friend. 

“His eyes are.” She pointed out. 

They both trailed to where here Jackson is locking his gaze to. 

She was a newcomer. She wasn’t any familiar either. But the hosts seems to know her very well enough to be joking around with as she graced every guest with a beautiful smile. 

“He’s at it again.” Jisoo muttered. 

“You know he usually doesn’t have the time fooling around with a girl.” Jinyoung defended. 

“Or he forgot how to approach one..” Jisoo smirked now finding herself walking towards where the newcomer was. 

Jinyoung trailed closely behind as they both filled each others red cups for another round of drinks. 

 

 

“I still can’t believe you’re a music video director now.” Irene expressed over to the host of the pad who was accompanied by his best friend and business partner beside him. 

“I still can’t believe it either noona. I mean to think this guy has that creativity in him?!” Yugyeom said with complete sarcasm. 

“Ya! I told you college shaped me and my interests.” Bambam explained. 

“Can’t imagine you two be such successful media company duo’s now.” Irene said. “And you were my baby brothers back then in high school. You were this tall!” She added gesturing a height around her waist area. 

“And now look at you twin towers!” She concluded gazing up to the two tall boys in front of her. 

“I was already tall noona. This one took his sweet time in the bathroom.” Yugyeom cocked his head over to his best friend insinuating a lewd act. 

“YA! Aishh” Bambam hissed at him making the two laugh at his reaction. 

“You can give it to the YugBam duo who just can’t make a good impression..” Jinyoung spoke from behind teasing the two boys. 

“Ya this noona knows us back in high school so we don’t need to make a good impression.” Yugyeom defended. 

“Sorry, hi. I’m Jinyoung and this is my girlfriend Jisoo.” Jinyoung introduced themselves. 

“We thought we’d might save you from impending doom if you get stuck with these two.” Jisoo continued to tease after her boyfriend. 

Irene giggled. “It’s alright, I’m pretty much used to their mess.” She expressed breaking both Jinyoung and Jisoo into giggles. 

“I’m Irene by the way.” She then introduced herself giving them both a handshake. 

“Irene..?” Jinyoung trailed looking for a last name. 

“Bae. Irene Bae.” She completed for them. 

Jisoo was in thought in hearing her full name. It sounded very familiar for her. 

“Noona here owns a famous clothing brand you guys probably heard of.” Bambam shared to the couple. 

Jisoo’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh my god! Red?! Red Clothing? You’re Irene Bae, CEO of Red Clothing Label!?” She then narrated.

Irene was in shock of Jisoo’s knowledge of her brand. She shyly and politely nodded in reply. 

“Wahh~ noona. I think you got yourself a fan.” Yugyeom teased. 

“Of course. Oh my god. I’m such a huge fan. I didn’t recognize you. I only read articles about you.” Jisoo continued to express her feels. 

“I didn’t want those articles be about me so I always refuse a photo..” Irene shyly shared. 

“Right. Because what matters is all your advocacies. I mean.. wow. You’ve done such a great feat in the fashion industry in such short time. You’ve became a powerhouse in the likes of Givenchy, Fendi and Chanel to name a few.” Jisoo explained. 

“Stick with her and you’d get access to a lot of shows.” Bambam added. 

“Don’t overwhelm noona.” Yugyeom grew protective over Irene. 

“It’s alright.” She uttered. 

“You can just—“ 

Irene stop midway when she saw who was approaching her. She can never forget that rugged face, strong jaw, and glistening eyes. 

“Oh my god..” She uttered as he approached. 

“Thought I should join in the fun here?” He said to the group. 

“You know him noona?” Bambam queried questioning Irene’s familiarization of this new guy with a tease. 

“Hi I’m—“ 

“Jackson Wang from China.” Irene completed still in daze in front of him. “Of course, how can I not know you. I’m a huge fan.” She disclosed smiling shyly as she reached for his hands for a shake. 

Jinyoung and Jisoo shared secret looks with each other. 

“Jackson here is one of the artists we’ve worked with.” Bambam proudly shared. 

“Really???” Irene furrowed her brow. 

“What music video did you work on?” She asked. 

“Can you guess?” Bambam challenged. 

It didn’t take a second for her to blurt an answer. “Dawn of Us.” She answered confidently. 

“How come?” Jackson said trying to hide his amusement towards her quick-wit. 

“It was shot in a Yacht and if I could guess another, it was also set in one of the islands of Thailand.” Irene explained.

Jackson and Jinyoung broke to fits knowing Bambam’s tastes. 

“So it’s a universal thing about him and Yachts, huh?” Jackson added.

“Oh yeah. Last photo I remember of him on instagram was him partying on a yacht over to Hawaii with a bunch of girls.” Irene teased. 

“It was for research!!” Bambam defended himself while the others chuckled along. 

“He even asked me if I was around the area once. I asked why and he said if I could spot him out on the sea since he was on the yacht.” She disclosed more.

“Right?!! He did that to me too!” Jackson cackled aloud at the shared memory earning more laughter from the group. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get your name?” He found himself asking Irene again. 

She smirked before she proceeded. “823-406-8829” 

Everyone thought she was saying random numbers but Jackson caught on with a growing smirk on his end.

She’s not too shabby with this pick up line. He thought to himself. 

“It’s Irene.” She then disclosed. “But the number is real though.” 

Everyone caught on with the joke obviously amused with Irene’s wit. 

“Look, I have a survey for work that I hope you’d be able to help.” Jackson said as he fished for his phone inside his pockets. 

“We do?” Jinyoung tilted his head wondering what it was. Everyone else was in confusion as well. 

He handed his phone over to Irene only to find its “New Contact” page opened for her to fill in. 

Irene scoffed seeing how he caught up well with her. Everyone else was rolled their eyes at the cheesiness. 

“Aishh~” Bambam hissed again while Yugyeom was clearly amused. 

“That was smooth hyung. You two might make a great pair.” He expressed with a chuckle. 

It was already at midnight where the party continued on playing random songs and the ever growing crowd inside. 

Irene found herself enjoying the music as she danced along with some of YugBam’s friends. 

“Hey..” Jackson caught up with her in the middle. 

“Hey! What’s up?” Irene greeted still high off the from dancing. 

“I just want to say it was nice meeting you.”

“Leaving already??” She couldn’t help but sound dismayed. 

“We still have a flight to catch..” He disclosed. 

“That’s too bad. Night is still pretty young.” 

It wasn’t. It was 11pm nearing 12. But for Jackson, he still had a load full of schedule the next day and another 12 hour flight. He needed to rest. 

“Wish I could stay longer too.” He expressed. 

The duo approached him seeing how he’s been saying his good bye’s to the people he just met. His team was also in the distance as they bade goodbye. 

He caught a glimpse of Irene still having fun with some new found friends before the door closes in behind him. 

That’s another girl I let by so quickly.. He thought to himself as he followed Jinyoung and Jisoo out of the halls and to the elevators. 

Jackson noticed a pretty sharp and glossy Harley Davidson bike parked right by the street after they got out of the lobby. He noticed some pretty luxurious cars parked right along its side knowing these are probably owned by Bambam’s guests. 

There was a pizza parlor right below the building. They decided to eat something while they waited for their ride. Hunger struck them as they got a good whiff of the 24 hour pizza parlor baking a fresh batch. 

Two bites in, Jackson noticed a familiar girl walking towards the Harley fumbling with her phone. 

It wasn’t too long to notice her features. She wore her boyfriend jeans tucked in a black leather ankled boots. Her red long sleeve cardigan fell just above her hips while her long black hair loosely curled falls seamlessly along her back. 

It struck him with curiosity seeing her fumble on the seats of the Harley so he didn’t waste time to send her a message. 

 

 

She smiled on her end seeing a message popped up her screen. She didn't have to guess who's cheeky message it was from. 

 

She glanced around the area trying to see where he was hiding. She even tried looking over to some cars thinking he might be inside. 

 

True enough, he spotted Jackson along with his crew eating inside the restaurant. Jisoo was already resting her head on to Jinyoung’s shoulder to even notice Jackson waving over a girl outside the street. 

 

She snickers between their messages while she got the helmet unlocked by its handles. She didn’t get a reply from him so she assumed he’d decline. 

She then wore her the leather jacket she had on her hands before she hopped in on her rented bike. 

 

 

Her eyes trailed over to Jackson who’s now looking hesitant with the offer. She let out a scoff inside her helmet before she replied. 

 

Jackson was at crossroads if he should go in with her. He wanted to ask his manager beside him but the two were dozed off from exhaustion for the night. He debated with himself that he hasn’t gone out without permission and let alone riding a bike.

“ it.” He uttered as he silently left his two friends alone and headed for Irene outside. 

 

 

(Now Playing: 13 by LANY) 

 

 

Irene placed the key to the engine, revving up its power. 

“Didn’t know a kidnapper would ask if I want to get kidnapped.” He said as soon as he reached her. 

“Consent is key.” She winked in reply as she handed in another helmet for him. 

“Where will you take us though?” He queried as he held on to the helmet. 

“What’s the fun in knowing?” She smirked. 

Jackson still look a bit hesitant to wear the helmet. “I don’t know..” 

“You sure you don’t?” Irene asks. “I’m pretty sure when you’ve stepped out of that pizza place you already said yes.” 

Jackson grew a smile on his face. She keeps getting interesting and interesting for him. 

“Good point.” He uttered. 

“So.. do you trust me?” She asks again. “Princess Jackson..” She added with a tease referencing a Disney movie. 

He scoffed as he wore the helmet he had on his hand. Irene opened the steps on the side of the bike for him to ride behind. He was a bit wobbly before he fully settled on his seat. 

“Testing.. can you hear me?” Irene spoke through his ears. 

The helmet had a headset function inside where you can communicate with the rider. This clearly amused him. 

“Woah.. Y-yeah.. I do.” He replied. 

“Alright. Hold tight.” She declared. 

Jackson wasn’t sure what to do. “Where?” He asks. 

Irene fished for his hands behind before pulling it towards her waists making him hug her from behind. He was surprised by the sudden skin ship but he tried to keep cool. 

“Wow I feel really manly..” He says with full sarcasm.

Irene cackled in his ears before she revved the engine again. She soon gassed the bike forward and with the jolt making Jackson a little nervous. 

She sped up pretty fast while Jackson screamed frightened in her ear. Irene had a good laugh hearing him be frantic behind her as he kept his tight hold around her waist. 

“Jackson you don’t want to suffocate the driver..” She kids. 

“Well you’re driving really really really fast!” 

“I’m sorry.” She chuckles at his demise. “It’s a beautiful night and there are no cars on the road. It’s the perfect time to have a good run.” 

“I don’t want to die yet Irene!” 

Irene broke into fits of laughter again.

She thought he should give him a break and slow down a little. 

“There. So you could appreciate this ride more.” She said. 

“I thought I did earlier but then you started driving me to the pits of hell!” He sneered. 

The only good thing about this for him is that he gets to hug her. 

“I’m sorry! There.. I’m driving slowly.” Irene continues to chuckle. 

“LA is so beautiful at night.” She shared. 

“I wouldn’t know because my eyes are closed.” He revealed. 

“Ya! I’m driving slow already! You should see the view!” 

Soon enough, Jackson found himself opening his eyes around to see what she’s been saying. The cold night wind breeze through them as they drove off the long roads of Sunset boulevard passing through the infamous palm trees.

LA was still wide awake tonight with bars and clubs still open around the corner. Jackson noticed they’ve been passing by open establishments for awhile now and yet they still haven’t reached a stop. 

 

 

Irene drove the bike down on a dark alley and parked it on a nearby post. 

“Alright. We’re here. Get down.” She instructed. 

“Where.. are we exactly?” He says as he obliged stepping down the bike while he unbuckled the helmet by his chin. 

“You’ll see.” Irene smirked as she locked the bike on the post along with their helmets. She got the keys and placed it inside her pockets. 

They came across a tall open red brick building with a locked metal rolling gates  

Jackson watched her kneel down and key in the padlock by the floor. He glanced around suddenly conscious to his surroundings. 

“I-is this legal?” 

“Relaaax~” She assured him while she lifted the gate up mid-way. 

She cocked her head ushering him inside. He was still hesitant so she entered inside for him first. 

“Hey wait for me!” He scrambled on to follow her behind. 

She snickered seeing him crawl down the pavement to enter the establishment. 

“Thought you’re too scared.” She teased. 

She could distinguished his sneer even under minimal light. 

“Are we allowed here?” He continued to probe. 

“Relax. My friend owns this place. I couldn’t visit it by the day since I was busy so I asked for a favor.” She explained as she her flashlight. 

She snickers as she felt him clutching in on her jacket while they made their way inside. 

“Now.. where is that..” She mutters to herself. 

When she found what she was looking for, she turned the knob upwards to fill the room back with lights. 

They were greeted with eccentric art installed at every area of the room. Every crevice of the establishment lead to different interactive rooms.

“This exhibit is by one of my best friends from Seoul. She’s an established art curator and artist.” Irene narrated. “Yerim always had a very beautiful mind and she spent all her energy into creating her imaginations to life.” 

Irene says as they headed to one of the interactive rooms with a lot of mirrors. 

 

 

“Kaleidoscope.” Jackson read the exhibit’s name out loud before he followed Irene. 

“She always told me that she’s been limited by her paper and notebook as canvass. She always think big. She wanted to show the world what she’s capable of..” She shared on. 

“Did you know she didn’t create these exhibits until last year?” She added.

Irene paused by one of the mirrors adjacent to Jackson’s. The whole room was out right confusing when you’re inside. It felt like a big confusing maze. 

 

 

“Why?” Jackson queried confused if he’s looking at Irene’s real reflection or a duplicate. 

“Heartbreak.” Irene explained with obvious pain in her eyes. 

Jackson didn’t want to think too much about it, he must’ve just felt differently since he’s seeing duplicates of Irene’s reflection everywhere. 

“There’s beauty in pain, I once told her.” She started again this time finding herself walking deeper into the reflective maze while Jackson tried to follow behind. 

“Her boyfriend limited her abilities. He was her favorite canvass. She didn’t know she needed a new page when he showed his true colors. She was suffocated. She saw reflections of herself mirroring her faults over and over in her head and she decided that she had enough.” Irene shared on. 

“She discarded every mirror in her house and she lived for 365 days without seeing a reflection of herself.” 

Jackson looked genuinely surprised. “Really?? How about the reflections of herself when she passes by a store window.. or.. a spoon.. or even when you pick up your phone it will reflect first on a black screen right?” He queried intrigued about the whole set up. 

Irene shakes her head dismissing it. “She found herself joining a convent in Thailand. Living amongst monks and learning how to live sim`ply.” 

“Like that movie..” Jackson thought to himself aloud. 

“Live laugh love.” Irene answered for him. 

“Then what happened?” Jackson probed on. He was still unsure on where Irene was inside the confusing maze because he had lost her somehow. 

He was following her reflection now trying to get through the maze himself. 

“She was given a personal task by a monk. To sketch or paint one thing that she loves each day of her stay. She didn’t question it, she loved art so she obliged to find one thing she loved during the day and put it into a canvass.. It was her favorite homework, she says.” Irene proceeded on. 

“And?” Jackson said turning through a different path finding himself lost somehow but he could still see Irene’s reflection. 

“Then one day, her very last day.. she somehow.. found it hard to draw her last piece thinking she drew everything she could possibly ever loved and remembered during her stay.. And realized she was missing one thing. One very important subject..”  

Jackson grew a little irritated being lost inside the maze while Irene was now standing still somewhere in the room. He thought he was going in smoothly thinking he could get in and out in a blink but he lost himself through the confusing reflections of him. 

He paused his tracks trying to calm himself from panic before he realizes that the floor wasn’t cracked unlike the covered mirror walls mounted before him. He gazes down, following his feet and the smooth path of mirror below him before he arrived seeing Irene’s boots planted on the surface knowing it wasn’t her reflection anymore. 

“Sorry.. got a bit lost there.” He apologized once he reached her. 

“What was her last subject?” He asks continuing Irene’s story. 

Irene smiled and cocking her head at a full bodied mirror before them. Unlike the rest of the room with geometric mirrors aimed to confuse an audience, this body mirror was as smooth as the pathway beneath them. 

“Herself.” Irene answered staring at Jackson’s full reflection. 

“The way you got lost in the maze somehow made you feel blinded. You were looking ahead but you weren’t really seeing the path provided that’s there for you all along..” She continues. 

“Yerim’s life on that convent was like that. Trying to find herself again. Through every sketch and view she loved.. she forgot something more valuable than a scenery. It was herself. She was out on a lake and saw a reflection of her face. She looked more younger, glowing, healthier than she ever was before. Her whole stay was a journey in finding herself again like this smooth mirrored path that’s there all along. She didn’t realized it sooner. She was loving herself again. And she was her last subject before coming back to Korea.” 

Irene told her friend’s tale as honest and as genuine as she could. This brought Jackson’s senses back to life noticing how beautiful she was as she narrates the story. She felt her friend’s pain and he could see it in her eyes.. as if.. as if she has been through it. 

“That’s beautiful..” He found himself uttering out loud. 

Irene questioned if he meant the story or was he talking about her? He was staring unknowingly long and it wasn’t through their reflection but straight into her eyes that’s making her a little bit shy.  

She blinked trying to avoid the growing tension before smiling back at him and exited the installation. 

Her phone beeped in indicating a message. 

 

 

That one word made her eye roll making her instantly lock her phone and shove it back inside her pockets. 

And that was it. Jackson’s confirmation. Just by the caller ID and message, he knew that message was from someone who was once special in Irene’s life. That message was the pain in her eyes that he’s been seeing a few moments back. 

He pretended to ignore it as he walked alongside her through another labyrinth installment. 

 

 

This time, it was less confusing than the mirrored maze they went through. The whole area was a colorful light labyrinth tinted on a transparent glass. There were were two paths by the entrance, Irene took the left and Jackson challenged himself in taking the one on the right. 

“So what’s this story?” He queried on the other side of the glass as they mirrored each others pathway walking inside the labyrinth. 

“This was her suppressed mind. The year after her stay with the monks, she’s finally seeing colors in her life again. She found herself completely on a new routine, going to the gym, eating more healthy, meeting her friends, reaching out back to her family and.. painting more..” Irene shared on her end while Jackson still amusingly listens well as he too went along the labyrinth on a different side. 

He noticed her feeling bothered with her phone constantly vibrating in he