Please read the author's note at the bottom of the foreword if you hadn't! :)

Kim Jongin sat at a dim-lilted booth, one leg propped up on the other and arms resting on the top of the leather seats. His drink was left untouched on the table. He scanned the crowd and sighed the nth time. His group of friends – or hooligans, as he calls them – were out and about partying, dancing and hooking up with girls.

What is the handsome young man that every girl has been eyeing doing sitting and doing absolutely nothing then, you ask?

Jongin, or better known as Kai, simply did not have the mood the party. To be honest, he never liked partying even though he seemed like the type. His girlfriend of two years left him a few days ago. And by leaving, he meant leaving to another country.

Lee Sumin was the most amazing girl Kai ever met. She was pretty and elegant, smart and adorable. Though a little temperamental, she was deemed a goddess not only by Kai himself, but by the rest of the school they were both from. Kai and Sumin were the ultimate campus couple, blessed with good looks and the smarts. They made everybody jealous and yet the same time surprised because they lasted through senior year when people made bets they could only last a month or so.

Kai relied on Sumin a lot; she was his first love, actually, even though Kai seemed to be the jock with tons of fangirls along with his friends. He really loved the girl and she was his everything. They started out like any other sweet couple, going out on dates, spending their free time together, cuddling, kissing, and studying together but they slowly drifted apart even though Kai refused to admit it. After they graduated, things started to get busy for the both of them, so they had less time to spend with each other as their schedules were really different and complicated. Dates were rare, and Sumin changed. Her skirts became shorter and she wore thicker makeup. She rarely replied his texts and calls. He was devastated but he refused to call the relationship off even though it felt like it already ended.

Then, on their second anniversary, she left him a voice message.

“Hey, Kkamjong. I’m leaving to Australia with Jackson, you know that nice senior from our school? Nevermind, you don’t have to remember, but I met him once at a bar and we just hit it off. I realized that we had more in common than you and I did. I’m sorry, and thank you for loving me, I didn’t deserve it. I’m leaving tonight, see you when I get back, yeah?”

After a few days of missing work, his co-worker and friend Byun Baekhyun went over to his apartment and dragged him out of the house, claiming that fresh air would do him good. He ended up at a club with his 3 other friends, Oh Sehun, Park Chanyeol and of course, party-goer Byun Baekhyun.

Lately, his friends found companionship through means of intoxication but Kai felt that alcohol was just cheating on his own loneliness. He hated alcohol; its taste and purpose. After having alcohol because of a bad day was stupid because he knew that after the feeling of being high died down, the original sad and lonely feeling would come back and haunt him, and with a hangover to top it all off. Ridiculous, Kai repeats in his head.

Kai snapped out of his thoughts when Chanyeol slumped down onto the seat beside him. His lips were stained with lipstick and the top few buttons of his shirt was off, tie hanging low off his body. Kai frowned in disgust and threw a napkin at him.

“Hey buddyyyyyyyyyy.” Chanyeol slurred. “Stop being such a wet blanket and get your on the dance floor. There are so many hot babes tonight.” He then chuckled, pat Kai’s shoulder and waddled back onto the floor.

Kai then stood up, assuming it’d take his friends an hour or so to zonk out and then he could finally send them home. Real fresh air was what he needed, and he walked out of the club to take a stroll for a few minutes. He didn’t really take note of where he was going until he stopped by an ad at a bus stop’s bulletin board.

“The Snuggery,” it read. “If you’re ever feeling down, lonely, having problems or need a hug, come to The Snuggery where Jaeli provides private snuggling sessions to help boost your oxytocin level, making you feel better by non-ual, restorative touch. Call now to book an appointment, your privacy is our priority.”

Interesting, Kai thought. He then ripped the ad off the bulletin board and stuffed it in his wallet. Maybe it’ll be of use to him some day.

just another reminder to read the author's note at the bottom of the foreword!

so...what do you guys think? do you like this change?