[CONTENTID1]Choice: MX1 Ending[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]One seemingly beautiful day, Haera decided to take a light stroll around the area. She had her mp3 player with her as the headphones strapped snuggly to the sides of her head. Her ears were squished between the soft leather and the side of her face as a podcast that related to one of her classes blasted through the device.

She hummed here and there as she did another one of her hobbies — observing humans and anything else that happened in between.

At one block, there was a man by the opposing sidewalk who peered into the pet store glass. His hands were inside his pockets, his shoulders a bit hunched down.

‘Hmm,’ she thought as she stopped to examine him more closely. ‘He must be having a bad day.’ With a shift of his weight to his right side, she revised her initial observation. ‘Or he really wants a puppy but isn’t allowed to get one.’

About thirty seconds later, the man turned to his right and started walking again. This signaled Haera to do the same as she continued to walk the opposite way.

The phone in her pocket gave a little jolt in steady increments which made her stop in her tracks. She pulled it out and on the screen read ‘Umji’. With one swift move, her free hand adjusted her headphones down to latch around her neck, the voice from the podcast becoming inaudible as it mingled through the air.

“What’s up?”

“Where are you?” Her friend asked on the other line.

“Taking a walk. I’m currently by the pet store near the school. Why?”

“There’s a party going to be held tonight and most of the school is going to be there.”

“Another social event?” Haera sighed. She kicked a little pebble out of the way then walked over to the bridge railings that overlooked a stream down below. “Do you remember what happened the last time you invited me to a social call? I out and lost my memories.”

She heard shuffling on the other line followed by a dejected voice. “I didn’t think the rumors and stories were true. I really beat myself up about what happened. I’m truly sorry about that.” Umji’s tone shifted a bit to a lighthearted one as she tried to sell her idea once again. “I assure you though, this one is just a normal party at a local place. No weird legends, castles, or any of those crazy myths.”

Haera was silent for a moment. She squinted as she looked up at the clouds. A flock of birds in a V formation flying and squawking up above her.

“Oh come on, please?” Umji pleaded when her friend didn’t answer. “I don’t want to leave my best friend by herself wallowing in the dorms while she misses a chance to have fun. You never know, you might find your soulmate there.”

Haera clicked her tongue, still not sure if it was an event worth going. “You seriously think that’s going to make me want to go?”

“Seungcheol, Suhyun, and the others are going to be there. We haven’t hung out since the time we met during the Halloween event. Finals are still months away so let loose once in a while. It’s part of college life.”

From what Haera remembered, she didn’t have any pending homeworks and tasks to do for the day. She planned to spend the night reading for leisure. Umji had a point though, it had been a while since she saw her new friends especially since they all belonged in different majors which made it hard for them to cross paths. Perhaps she could make another exception. Hopefully this time, it will be a night she will actually remember.

“Fine,” she finally gave in much to the delight of her friend. The squeals that followed on the other line made her move the phone further from her ear. “What time is the party and where is it?”

“It’s at eight tonight at a club called Middle of the Night. It’s a few blocks from our dorm. So,” Umji couldn’t hide her excitement, “how early are you coming back?”

“What’s the rush?” She looked down at her watch and raised an eyebrow. “It’s still five thirty.”

“Girl, we are going to a club party,” she stressed. “We gotta prepare. Come home and I’ll help you.”

After a few more little exchanges, the call ended leaving Haera to stare at her phone. With one last sigh, she turned around and began to head back to the dorms. But before that, she made sure to make a quick stop at the nearby cafe for a cup of coffee.

‘It’s going to be another long night,’ she thought to herself. ‘What did I get myself into again?’

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“How did you learn about this party anyway?” Haera inquired as she stood in line waiting to get into the club with Umji. She unconsciously grabbed the hem of her body tight dress and pulled it down, shifting her weight between her heels. 

“Seungkwan,” was her only reply before she reprimanded the other. “Stop looking so uncomfortable.”

The black sleeveless dress that Haera wore for the night, courtesy of Umji’s wardrobe, went just above the knees. It was simple yet it hugged her body at the right places. There was a small cut at the left side which showed off part of her leg. Despite the simplicity, the addition of the wavy styled hair and light makeup made it the perfect outfit to match her figure and overall look.

“Sorry,” she gave a shy smile. “I’m not used to wearing dresses.”

Contrary to her outfit, Umji wore a slightly more revealing dress. Her backside was exposed as the dress cut into a U shape down the middle. The silky maroon colored dress revealed a bit of cleavage but it wasn’t as revealing as what the other women wore for the night. 

The both of them smiled at the guard as he let them in. The moment they entered the club, music blasted through their ears in an incredibly high volume. The music was so loud that Haera couldn’t hear anything, not even a single sound from those who were close to her. 

“Oh my god!” She practically screamed. She wasn’t even sure if the words left her lips since she couldn’t hear herself speak. “My brain is about to explode!”

“Suhyun texted me that they rented a booth upstairs!” 

Umji grabbed her confused friend’s hand and started dragging her into the overly enthusiastic crowd towards the winding staircase. She seemed to know where she was headed, making Haera trust her to get to a safe place while she was busy dodging the sea of active bodies dancing under the strobing lights. A few ‘excuse me’s and ‘sorry’s later, Haera heaved a sigh of relief once they reached the second floor landing. The noise was less invasive to her skull and there were fewer people in the vicinity which made her relax a teensy bit.

“You guys made it!” A familiar voice rang louder than the catchy tune that filled the club. How that person managed to make their voice heard was beyond Haera.

“Somin!” Umji took quick steps towards her friend and gave her a hug. Haera followed a little after, giving her a smile. “Of course we’d be here!”

“Actually,” Haera confessed, “Even if it’s a club spot, we haven’t seen each other in a while so we thought we could hang out again.”

“Come, come,” Somin guided them to a door on their left. 

Once they entered the room, Haera mentally thanked the heavens that the sound died down. She could finally hear what the others were saying and for once, was now able to hear herself think as well.

“Hey, ladies!” Seungkwan came from behind the small wine counter and gave each one of them a hug. His rose gold colored long sleeved shirt was rolled by the elbows, creating a clear view of the simple black watch wrapped around his wrist. “So glad you could make it. I’m tending the bar for the night since I lost the game the guys and I played earlier tonight,” he scratched the back of his neck. His face contorted into a mix of being infuriated and dejected from his earlier loss. “What can I get for ya to drink?”

“An apple martini for me, please,” Umji beamed to which Seungkwan winked and gave an okay sign with his hand. 

“Um,” Haera uncomfortably gazed at the both of them. 

“We’re among friends,” he chuckled when he sensed her tense state. “No need to get so nervous. I promise we won’t let anything harm you,” he placed his right hand on his chest while his left was raised as if he was taking a pledge. “Scout’s honor.”

She squinted a bit and tilted her head to the side. “Uh, you guy