Saturday, November 2, 2013

Chanyeol~

                “Can we go to Exotic plleeeeaasee?” I asked. Usually I had no preference, it was basically the same thing wherever we went, but tonight I wanted to see if Eunmi was working.

                “Why Exotic?” Kai asked. For once, he had agreed to come with us.

                “One of my friends works there…” I finally told him.

                “Sure, why not?” Suho shrugged. “You guys ready?” We all agreed and headed off to our respective cars to drive out. It was after nine by the time we arrived.

                “Readdayy?” DO asked, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

                “Let’s goo~” Sehun called, flashing his fake ID confidently as he walked in. This was getting too easy…

                As soon as we stepped in I headed for the bar. I was greeted with that familiar hair, falling down her back in waves. “Eunmi!” I called.

                She spun around, finally seeing me. “Oh. Chanyeol, hi,” she grinned, walking over. “Wow…this is weird…” she continued, letting out a breathy, nervous chuckle.

                I smiled at her. “I wanted to come visit you.”

                She let a trace of a smile reciprocate my happiness. “Weeell, here’s the bar of Club Exotic, in aall its glory,” she announced, holding up her arms and glancing behind her.

                I laughed. “It’s great.” Closing one eye, I held up my hand so that Eunmi was blocked from my vision. “Mm, it’s not looking so good now,” I muttered. Then I brought my hand down and smiled widely at her. “All better.”

                Eunmi laughed, closing her eyes as she shook her head. “You’re lame. How does anyone buy your ID?” she asked.

                I shrugged. “What? You don’t think I’m cool?”

                “Hardly,” she responded, turning her chin up at me. “So what do you want? Or did you just come to this club for the captivating conversation?” she asked with an amused expression.

                “Oh, it was all for the bartender,” I winked at her, and she let out another laugh. We talked for a while more, her bringing me drinks every so often and me leaving ridiculous tips. She disappeared for a while as she got me a refill, and I noticed her preoccupied with other customers. I took the time to click my phone on, surprised when I realized over two hours had passed. I looked up, trying to find the other guys when I spotted Kai trying to get some girl off of him. She was seriously, literally on him. An idea formed in my head as I saw him walk this way.

                “I don’t want your liver dying too early, so I brought you—“ Eunmi was beginning, glancing down at the drink she placed in front of me. I grabbed her wrist and jerked her forward so she was leaning far across the bar, one arm supporting her on the table the other in my grasp. “Oh. Um…” she gasped, her large brown eyes flickering up to meet mine. Without warning I suddenly leaned in, kissing her firmly. I felt her soft, warm lips tense against mine, then relax. Ever so slightly. As soon as it was there it was gone again, our impromptu kiss ended by her firmly pulling out of my grasp.

               “Yeah. Definitely no more alcohol for you…” she muttered, running her hand through her hair as her cheeks tinted pink.

               “Yah. I just kissed you!” I exclaimed at her calm reaction.

               “Oh so that’s what that was. Thanks for clearing that up, I was getting confused,” she gushed, heavy sarcasm flooding her voice.

               I frowned. “You’re supposed to be upset, sad, heartbroken… So that…So that…” So that she’d go crying to Kai, he’d stop being a douche, and they’d get together already.

               She let out a laugh. “Sorry, sweetie, this isn’t a fairytale, and that wasn’t my first kiss.”

               “No, but—“

               “Chanyeol. So…Eunmi’s your friend, eh?” Kai asked, his voice tight.

               I turned up to see him, and instantly put a smile on my face. “Hey Kai!”

               “Kai.” Eunmi said with a smile of her own, eyes bright.  

               “Eunmi.” Kai responded, his voice just as unpleasant. I glanced back and forth between the two, Kai nearly seething and Eunmi not even really getting it. “So. I didn’t realize you two were like that.”

               “What are you even talking about?” Eunmi asked, confusion clouding her voice as she cocked her head.

               “You know. That type of friends. I’m sure you do know, huh?”

               “Stop trying to sound smart and just spit it out,” Eunmi demanded, rolling her eyes.

               “I hope he’s being a gentleman and using a , wouldn’t want Hyunjoo to get an STD or something nasty like that from his little girlfriend.” Kai hissed.  Honestly, I was shocked at Kai’s cold words. I knew the kid wasn’t exactly rainbows and puppies but I didn’t think he was this…cruel. Mostly, however, who the hell was Hyunjoo and why can’t he respect Kai and Eunmi’s future relationship?

               Eunmi blinked at him, pure disgust in her eyes. “Hyunjoo? What are you even talking about? Have you forgotten how we met already?” she asked. “Or have you hooked up with so many other girls they all just blend into each other?” Wasn’t expecting her cold side, either. Alrighty I should get better at reading people…

               “Oh, don’t sound so shocked,” Kai told her, rolling his eyes. “How long were you planning on keeping it a secret from me? Huh?”

               Eunmi closed her eyes. “Keeping what a secret? God, Kai, seriously, what are you even talking about?”

               “Quit trying to hide your little boy toys from me, alright? You pretend to be so obsessed with me but how many others are there, huh?” Kai inquired harshly.

               Something in Eunmi changed, her eyes clouded and her expression fell. “Like you’re not the exact same. Kai…I- I liked you, alright? I thought you were interesting and I really needed a break from my life at the beginning of the year.  And I tried. I tried….really…ing hard to make…whatever…this is work. But I kept giving and giving and trying to reach you and you just didn’t…care. So I’m done. I’m going crazy trying to get closer to you and you don’t give a damn. So you know what Kai? We’re done. It made me really happy to be around you, but after a certain point…it’s not worth it. And you must be ecstatic. So go throw a freakin’ party. Get wasted and have in the backroom of a club with a cheap date. I hope you have fun.”

               Kai was in too far. I could see the uneasiness in his eyes but he was too stubborn to back down. “I’m not that type of guy,” Kai insisted vehemently.

                “Please, Kai. Don’t lie to me. It hurt enough being ignored,” Eunmi told him, her expression devoid of emotion as she eyed him without backing down. After a few moments of silence, Eunmi turned around, grabbing a few empty glasses near her as she walked away.

                Kiss her. Grab her and kiss her and apologize for ing up so bad… I begged Kai silently.

                When I saw him reach out and grab her wrist, I had a sliver of hope. Until Eunmi refused to turn back around and Kai tugged a little too hard, the desperation evident in his eyes, and a frail Eunmi came crashing into the back of the bar, the glasses shattering against the counter and her hand.  Eunmi let out a scream as drops of bright red stained her left hand, running in uneven races down her arm.

                Kai in a sharp breath, apologies flooding from his mouth.

                A crisp slap cut Kai off, the sound even overpowering the pounding music in the background.  “Would you just stop?” Eunmi shrieked, small tears building up in her eyes. “God, you’re so…selfish. Kai’s happy, the world can proceed, Kai’s upset, everybody please him. Get out. I don’t want to see you, I don’t want to deal with you. Just get out now.”

                Kai opened his mouth, before he was cut off by a tall, middle aged man that looked none too happy. “What happened here?” he growled, grabbing Eunmi’s wrist roughly and pulling her up.

                “I’m sorry,” Eunmi instantly apologized, bowing 90’ repeatedly. “I’m so sorry.”

                “Wait. No, Sir, I—“

                The man shot a crippling glare at Kai, but what spoke even louder was Eunmi’s broken, pleading gaze for us to just get. Out.

                “Kai. Let’s go,” I whispered, grabbing his wrist and pulling him away. At those words, both pairs of eyes left as I heard her boss begin to berate Eunmi.

                “No. Wait…she’s- she’s bleeding. And— and—“

                “And whose fault was that?” I asked him coldly, spinning him around and slamming him against the entrance to the bar.

                Kai winced, closing his eyes. “She—you should have seen her at the library with that guy,” Kai finally said softly, not meeting my eyes. “Calling him Oppa and talking about their past together.”

                “So you were jealous?” I interrogated, not letting up on him. “You were jealous so since you’re six and can’t just talk to her you decided to do that.”

                “Well I wasn’t the one kissing her, dammit!” Kai exclaimed, pushing me back.

                I let out a short laugh. “So you think you know the whole damn story, then, huh? I’ve been rooting for you two since the day I met her. You’re not gonna find someone better than her. Someone who will put up with your bull. I applaud her for lasting this long while you treated her like crap. So yes, that idea tonight was stupid, but no, that does not give you an excuse for what you did. God. I used to pray that you would get over yourself enough to see how perfect she is, but now I just hope she’s strong enough to forget about you because you don’t deserve her.”

                I saw the fire in Kai’s eyes lessen in intensity then finally the fight left completely.  With a resigned sigh and a broken look, he responded. “I know.”