The hip tunes playing in the club. The bright, timed flashes of colored lights. Bodies glistening with sweat as they dance to the beat of the music. The hot air as breaths and smoke were puffed into the air.

 

Seulgi takes another drag from her cigarette and sighs. So many gorgeous girls in the club tonight. She eyes several ladies as they shimmy to the song currently playing. Mmmm. Interesting. Some of them glance her way, some even wink at her.

 

But Seulgi doesn't flinch at all. She doesn't even want anything to happen. She just stares at them, as she enjoys her gin and cigarette. Vanilla mint. Just like she used to like.

 

Seulgi suddenly shivers at the thought. Her. She shakes her head. She's thinking about her again. Get a grip, she thinks, as a girl in a hot pink minidress and black Christian Louboutin pumps approaches her. Seulgi sets the glass down on the bar counter and smiles.

 

"Hey." The girl says. "I'm Tzuyu." She has a pretty smile; she looks innocent and fresh and young but sultry at the same time. And damn, she's tall.

 

"Hi, Tzuyu." Seulgi grins.

 

There's an awkward silence between them, they're just staring at each other--Tzuyu giggling like some blonde Barbie and her smiling back while her cheeks ing hurt.

 

"You were staring at me, you know." Tzuyu says after a minute of doing absolutely nothing, rolling her eyes playfully. "While I was dancing."

 

Seulgi raises her eyebrows. "Yeah. You have a nice body." The tall girl smiles again, demurely. A little too demurely, if Seulgi's being honest.

 

"Thanks. I hear that a lot." Tzuyu says.

 

Seulgi's eyes wander around the club. There's another awkward session of silence between them, just occasional glances and nervous laughs.

 

Then the music changes into a deep, nocturnal beat and there she is, walking towards her in a stunning, black silk minidress that was cut short by the thighs. Seulgi in a breath in both awe and shock.

 

"Hey, you've been waiting for me here all this time? You should've called me! I was at the other side!" She smiles at her. Her creamy arms, on-point collarbones and flawless legs all in display. 

 

"Irene," is all Seulgi could say.

 

Irene turns to Tzuyu, who's looking at her with the same expression Seulgi has. "Oh, I'm so sorry, were you guys talking? Because I--" "No, no, nah, it's okay!" Tzuyu says and smiles, although Seulgi saw there was a sadness in her eyes. 

 

It's not like she wanted to continue the conversation, anyway. "I have to go, anyway. Nice meeting you, Seulgi." She hurries away into the dancing crowd.

 

Irene sits on the bar stool beside Seulgi's, and Seulgi turns to face her. There they are, looking at each other as if it was their first time meeting.

 

"You're here." Seulgi starts in a sort of whisper. "Talking. To me." "Yeah." Irene snorts. "I had to." She smiles and jerks her head to the crowd. "Was dancing peacefully, minding my own business, then I saw this familiar girl looking so ing uncomfortable while talking to another girl."

 

Seulgi laughs, then takes a sip of her gin. "It was that obvious?" 

 

Irene nods, then pulls out a bill from her black crystal-shaped handbag. She slaps it down on the counter and the bartender appears, unfazed. "One cosmopolitan," Irene orders. The bartender gives a small bow, takes the bill, and goes off to make the cocktail.

 

"So," Irene crosses her legs, and Seulgi tries with all her strength not to look at those same creamy legs, "How have you been?"

 

I been tryna call
I been on my own for long enough

 

"Been good." Seulgi drinks again, eyes wandering off to the crowd again as she averts her eyes from the piercing gaze of the girl in front of her. "Same old . Driving late into the night, sleeping late into the morning."

 

"Like we used to do." "Yeah. But alone."

 

Maybe you can show me how to love
Maybe

 

"I miss you," is what Seulgi wants to say, but she doesn't.

 

Instead she turns back to see the bartender setting the pink drink in front of Irene. "Thanks," she says, and the bartender nods and leaves.

 

Irene takes a sip of her cosmopolitan, and after admiring it, speaks again. "So, have you been seeing some guys lately?" She has a teasing lilt in her voice, and Seulgi immediately gets that's she's trying to annoy her.

 

Which was effective, actually.

 

Seulgi snorts and drinks. "Guys my , Irene." She wipes her lips with her white handkerchief and looks at the smudged, rouge lip print left on the cloth.  "You know I've ever only liked girls."

 

Irene tilts her head to the side as she looks at her and raises an eyebrow. "But I'm the only girl you liked."

 

Seulgi almost drops the glass. Is Irene here to talk about this? Her experience as my ex?

 

Liked. See, Seulgi? She already moved on. Why can't you?

 

Why is she teasing me? Seulgi drinks again.

 

I'm going through withdrawals
You don't even have to do too much
You can with just a touch, baby

 

"Am I making you uncomfortable, Seulgi?" Irene suddenly says, and Seulgi shakes her head. "No. I guess I'm just a bit drunk."

 

"A bit." "Fine. I'm drunk as ."

 

It's the truth. Seulgi clearly drank too much because of what Irene said. The lights suddenly flash too fast and burn too bright. I wanna get out of here.

 

Irene suddenly pulls Seulgi up to stand. "Come on. We're going." "Going? Where?" She asks the smaller girl.

 

She only looks at her. "We're gonna do what we used to do."

 

Soon enough, the two of them are stumbling towards Seulgi's sleek, silver Lamborghini Huracan, one still sober and one half-drunk.

 

"You're driving, Seulgi." Irene opens the car door and shoves the taller girl onto the driver's seat. She sits on the other side.

 

Seulgi feels around for her keys, but suddenly the ignition starts up with a roar, and she's slammed to the seat, wide awake.

 

", Irene!" "I put the keys in. So you just gotta drive." "Where?"

 

"Just take me anywhere."

 

I look around and Sin City's cold and empty (oh)
No one's around to judge me (oh)
I can't see clearly when you're gone

 

Soon, Seulgi drives around the seemingly empty streets of Seoul, Irene beside her, the moon and stars on the night sky watching them. The buildings are a blur and the lights merely streams and strings of electricity as they whiz around the city in the sports car.

 

And that's when she decides to spill everything she's been hiding in her heart.

 

I said, ooh, I'm blinded by the lights
No, I can't sleep until I feel your touch

 

"I miss you, Irene." Seulgi steps on the gas pedal slightly harder as she speaks. 

 

She doesn't care if she slurs anymore, all she wants to do is to let her feelings out. 

 

"I ing miss you. I feel like every time I remember the night you pushed me out of your apartment unit. I just... I am bull. For treating you unfairly. For being so ing selfish." She runs her fingers through her hair. "I'm so sorry for doing that to you. You didn't deserve that."

 

Her eyes stay on the road, but in her periphery she knows Irene is looking at her, staring at her, maybe even glaring at her. 

 

I said, ooh, I'm drowning in the night
Oh, when I'm like this, you're the one I trust

 

"I know, I know, you're probably surprised I'm saying this now. Because I'm not good with words. I'm more of an 'actions-speak-louder- than-words' kind of girl." Seulgi grips the steering wheel harder to keep herself awake--in reality. "I'm not one to speak it out."

 

I'm running out of time
'Cause I can see the sun light up the sky
So I hit the road in overdrive, baby

 

Seulgi shakes her head. "So before you leave, and vanish out of my life again, and leave me alone and miserable again, I just want to tell you one last time that I love you. That's why I never dated anyone after you. No one can replace you." 

She steps hard on the brake pedal at a red light, then turns to look at Irene. The girl in black is looking at her, concern all over her face. 

 

"I ing love you. Only you. Until now."

 

The traffic light shines green, and Seulgi steps hard on the gas pedal again, done talking.

 

So this is what it feels like to talk to someone who doesn't want to come back to you anymore. She bites her lip to stop from trembling.

 

Oh, the city's cold and empty (oh)
No one's around to judge me (oh)
I can't see clearly when you're gone

 

The lights become firm neon lights because of how fast Seulgi drives. She's using speed to distract herself from her thoughts.

 

But it isn't working.

 

Because her thoughts are of the girl beside her.

 

Irene.

 

I said, ooh, I'm blinded by the lights
No, I can't sleep until I feel your touch
I said, ooh, I'm drowning in the night
Oh, when I'm like this, you're the one I trust

 

She's done sharing, and Irene-'s just staring.

 

You lost that war, Seulgi.

 

"Seulgi-ah." A hushed whisper.

 

Irene speaks softly. "I still love you too."

 

I'm just walking by to let you know (by to let you know)
I can never say it on the phone (say it on the phone)
Will never let you go this time (ooh)

 

Seulgi's mind suddenly clears up.

 

Did Irene just... say that?

 

"That's why I approached you today." Irene whispers. "It's been three years since I last saw you. And I've always wanted to give you another chance."

 

I said, ooh, I'm blinded by the lights
No, I can't sleep until I feel your touch
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey

 

"So, no. I'm not leaving. Because I miss you too, Seulgi. I ing love you too."

 

There's a red light and Seulgi stops the Lamborghini in the middle of the empty road. Then she turns to face Irene.

 

"Are you serious?" She asks her. "Three ing years, Irene!" 

 

Irene laughs. "I've always wanted to. I've been trying to call you but I wasn't sure if you'd even pick it up, so I ended it before it could even probably ring."

 

Seulgi pulls her into a tight hug, one that she's sure the two of them have missed. "Welcome back, Joohyun-ah."

 

Irene hugs her back. "You too, Seulgi."

 

They pull back, and without breaking their gaze, their lips meet.

 

It's one of their sweetest, if not best, kisses. Even if they've had lots of that in the past. Maybe even more than that.

 

I said, ooh, I'm blinded by the lights
No, I can't sleep until I feel your touch

 

They pull back from each other, smiling and out of breath. It's what they've missed.

 

"I missed that," Irene breathes onto Seulgi's lips. The younger girl grins. "So did I. But where to now?"

 

Irene winks at her. "I think I'm moving in with you again."

 

"Oh, yes," Seulgi pulls her in again for another kiss. "I'm taking you home tonight, then."

 

"Forever, actually." "Right. Forever."