A/N: Hello! Oh gosh, I suddenly became nervous posting this. Then again, it had always been a normal feeling every time I start or update a story. So, here it is. Finally. Aside from the fact that editing took a long time, I also wanted to post this on my birthday. Which is today! Or at least in my country, it's already December 13... In any case, if you happen to be celebrating it, too, happy birthday to us!=) 

Anyway, as I've warned at the front page, this is cliche. If you're sick and tired of reading stuff like that, then I suggest to not proceed. To those who long for it, please enjoy!

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“Aigoo, my eyes are burning already!” I whined, struggling to bottle up the tears that were threatening to leak out and then cause damage to the make-up that my best friend, Seohyun, had tried so hard to dab on my eyelids.

While I was close to bawling, she was laughing at my state, applying eyeliner to the lower rims of my eyes. “Chae, I can’t believe you’re 18 already, and yet, your face is still of cosmetics.”

18. Yes, I just turned 18. Today. And to celebrate my newly-found adulthood, Seohyun suggested we should go clubbing. Of course, being the nerdy girl that I was, I refused. Vehemently. Partying, drinking and dancing weren’t my thing. Then again, there’s this niggling curiosity inside of me that wondered what’s really going on inside clubs apart from what I’ve seen in the movies. I know it was such a rotten excuse, but I finally said yes, and Seohyun couldn’t be more grateful and ecstatic.

Besides, she keeps on reminding me that that’s where she’ll give me her gift and if I don’t come, I will never have it. Now I wasn’t the materialistic type, but every single time she brings this “gift” up she turns extremely hyper and giddy. Needless to say, I became curious. I just have to see this gift for myself.

“You know, nerds don’t put make-up on their faces,” I reasoned.

“Just because you’re a nerd doesn’t mean you don’t have to. You’re way too caught up with labeling yourself as a nerd, Chae. You get high grades, you love books, you wear eyeglasses, I get it…but you don’t have to live up to the nerd standards.”

“It’s not just that, Seo…” I stalled. “I’m not…I’m not pretty, you know...”

Seohyun, who was coating my eyelashes with black mascara, abruptly stopped and darted me with a gobsmacked expression. “Who the hell told you that?”

“Uhh…me?”

Seohyun’s jaw dropped. “Lee Chaerin! I can’t believe you don’t know how pretty you are! Because you are! And I’m not telling you that merely because I’m your best friend. You are the most beautiful person I know. You, yourself, just have to believe that.”

I would have replied something to defy her testimony, but it was put on hold. She was now wiping lip gloss of whatever shade there was on my lips as a final touch. Then she stared at me, smiling victoriously. Like she won prom queen.

“Are you ready to see yourself?” she teased.

I nodded. A bit nervous. I was afraid from the beginning I’d look like a drag queen, having no confidence in Seohyun’s make-up application skills. (If you see the loud, way-too-vibrant colors she puts on her face, you’d understand why.) But she told me to trust her and that’s what I did. Now here I was, about to see the end result of that trust I gave to her.

“Close your eyes first,” Seohyun proposed, and once I did, she led me to my standing mirror.

A few seconds later, she instructed me to open my eyes up, noticing right away the girl who was staring back at me, mimicking my posture and my shocked facial expression. Except that she looked gorgeous, not just because of the make-up on her face, but also from her long hair which was curled halfway towards the tips. Not to mention that black y dress she was donned in.

“That girl can’t possibly be me…” I uttered slowly, stunned and dazed. “Is that really me?”

Seohyun rolled her eyes. “Aigoo. Who do you think that could be? Come on, Chae, grab your purse and let’s get your birthday celebration over with. Hopefully with loads of fun!”

=/=

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at a club called Paparazzi. My senses swiftly took in the loud electro music, the stench of alcohol and sweat, the sight of dancing people, and the very dizzying movement of the multi-colored laser lights against the darkness. I wasn’t accustomed to such sound and spectacle so my head ached quickly, jumping right to the intensity where I will nearly vomit the dinner I just had back at home.

I haven’t even spent one whole minute inside and here I was, already felt like leaving.

“Are you okay?” Seohyun shouted to my ear. “You look like you’re sick.”

What do you expect? I thought as I looked at her concerned pretty face.

It did feel like I was going to be sick, but after a couple of quick mental chants to relax myself and just enjoy the night, I answered Seohyun with, “I’m fine.”

Besides, I was already here. I might as well go on with it.

“Okay.” Seohyun’s face veered to a cheerful, excited one. “Let’s go to the bar. Get some drinks, and then hit the dance floor, baby!”

And that’s what we did for the next fifteen minutes. The alcohol did exactly what it does to the brain, stimulating every single nerve in my body that caused me to sway my hips, wave my arms and shake my legs. I didn’t know what I appeared at that moment, probably like a monkey who had been out of the cage for the very first time in her life, but I was having fun.

Another fifteen minutes had passed however when Seohyun got steered away from me by some man. I didn’t know who he was and I was sure my best friend didn’t either because I know every guy in her life, so it was safe to say that I instantly got scared for her safety. Especially with the way he was grinding and humping his body onto her. I was no dance expert but I’ve watched a couple of America’s Best Dance Crew episodes, and that—whatever the guy was doing—was far from what you call dancing.

I was close to snatching Seohyun’s arm and tow her away, then again, she was all smiles at him. She was no doubt enjoying the stranger’s company. In any case, Seohyun may look fragile with her young-looking face and slender body, but with the years I’ve known her, she’s someone you cannot mess with. How many times has she tried to karate chop all my bullies at school, I could count no more. So whatever that guy may attempt to do to Seohyun that is beyond her liking, she can undoubtedly return the favor. Only it will be something that will earn him a visit to the emergency. 

Now that I was with the company of no one on the dance floor, it was getting pretty uncomfortable. How awkward would it be if I danced by myself? There’s no way either I will join some other couple or group. That’s just creepy.

So I did the next best thing. I walked off and headed to the bar.

The bar was almost empty when I reached it. And I didn’t wish for anything; I just wanted to sit, rest my legs until maybe Seohyun realizes my absence, comes out of the dance floor to find me, and then either drag me back to dance or go home. So when the barkeeper asked me if I needed a drink, I just shook my head and uttered a measly, dull “no.” I wasn’t even looking at him as I replied, but when his voice registered to my awareness, it suddenly hit me how awfully familiar it was.

So I whisked my head to look at the barkeeper, and right away, my assumption was confirmed.

Seungri. Clad in a black shirt—plain—but fit on his body so stunningly. So devastatingly.

So he works at Paparazzi mixing cocktails? Not that I found anything wrong with that. I guess I just didn’t peg him to be someone working in this kind of environment.

Although he belongs to a circle of friends who are equally as popular as him, likes to party every weekend, and are involved in every school jamboree, he is by and large a quiet person. He exudes this mysterious aura in him that the female population of Silver Spring High find so attractive.

I do find him attractive, too, but not because of the enigma that envelopes him. It’s because I’ve come to know him as a genuinely nice guy. More than once, he would throw a shy smile at me when we meet at the hallway, or open the library door for me when we accidentally stumble upon each other there. Sometimes he would walk up to me if I was at my locker and spurt out a joke just because I easily laugh at it—no matter how corny it was. It , to be honest. But what could I do, I was born with a brain extremely sensitive to humor.

But while I find those things in Seungri attractive, I also know when to put boundaries or where to place myself with my feelings for him. Not only that he will never ever find me desirable but he’s got his mesmerizing eyes already on one girl and one girl only.

Seohyun.

As if the thought of my best friend had served as an alarm, I instantly got up on my seat in an attempt to search for her. I should inform her about this. Knowing how she’d been gushing about Seungri over the past few weeks, she’d be ecstatic to know I found him here in this club.

Ever since I told her how I noticed Seungri has been looking our way, she had been nothing but thrilled. I could be wrong though, but Seohyun’s an eye candy. A worm could stare at her and relish in her gorgeousness. No doubt, Seungri’s drawn into her, too. Of course he’s not making any announcements yet but I know for sure that he likes her. After all, why would someone waste his time staring at someone he doesn’t like to be more than friends with? And why would he defend me against those bullies three days ago? Of course, to get to the girl that you like, you must have her friend liking you, too.

Just as I was about to get off my seat however, Seungri said something that put me to a halt.

“Here, princess, it’s in the house.”

I turned my full attention back to him, seeing him offering me a blue-colored drink. And did he just call me princess?

He had never called me princess. Unless he doesn’t recognize me…

I didn’t realize my face etched of confusion until Seungri enlightened me. “The little crown on your head?”

“Oh,” I uttered, nodding in understanding. Putting on this headband adorned with a little shiny crown was Seohyun’s idea.

I settled myself comfortably on my seat again, taking the drink he just offered me. Initially, I was somewhat hesitant to take it; I wasn’t sure I needed more alcohol in my body. Not that I had too much for the night. I guess I just wasn’t too keen on drinking. It’s enough that I had a taste of tequila that Seohyun and I had earlier.

Either way I took a sip. And I got one of the biggest surprises of that night. “Gatorade?”

“Yeah,” Seungri said through his smile, in the middle of wiping a beer mug with a white towel.

There was something fishy about that smile, leading me to speculate if Seungri doesn’t truly recognize me. Or does he? I mean this was the first time I’ve ever been out of the house looking like one of the female casts of Gossip Girl. And if I hadn’t recognized my own reflection back at my house, there’s no way Seungri could. Right?

“Why would you give me Gatorade?” I probed curiously.

“Because one of you needs to be sober when you get home. I don’t trust Seohyun to be that one.” He pointed at my best friend who was still at the dance floor, dancing this time with a different guy, a cocktail drink notably on her grip. However it got there, I have no idea.

More than finding out that Seohyun was perhaps drunk already, what mostly filled my thoughts was how Seungri could, after all, recognize me.

“Oh,” I replied. “Of course.” I took another sip of the Gatorade before speaking up again. “It’s nice to have someone looking out for Seohyun other than me. She’s a great girl, you know. I mean underneath the pretty packaging, lies a really good heart. I think you’re both lucky to have each other.”

Seungri smiled. Actually, it almost looked like he was going to laugh. I didn’t have any inkling that what I said would amuse him. All I wanted was to help. Maybe all the compliments about Seohyun will finally force him to come out of his shell and ask her out on a date.

Seungri’s smile didn’t progress to a laugh. It was still, nonetheless, a smile. “You really are blind, aren’t you?”

“What?” Now he had me more confused.

Then he darted me with a serious face, his eyes trained onto mine. For a minute I felt woozy, wondering if the Gatorade he furnished me really bore no alcohol at all. But it wasn’t the drink, was it?

It was solely him.

The way he was looking at me, there was something familiar about it.

And then it hit me. All those occasions I caught him staring our way… staring at...

That’s impossible!

Not knowing what to do with the revelation my mind had come up with, I followed my instincts. I jumped off the high chair, carrying the endeavor to run out of Paparazzi as fast as I could.

Unfortunately, before I could even do the running out, Seohyun magically turned up from out of nowhere. She surely looked like she had a drink too many, but to be able to walk here and block me, I’ve come to the conclusion that she wasn’t as inebriated yet as I thought she would be.

“Oh, you’re not leaving, Chae,” she said, holding her arms firmly to the sides.

“Wha—what’s going on?” I asked, deeply puzzled by her behavior.

“I told you this is where I’d give you my gift, right?”

“Yeah… And?”

“This is it. I’m giving you the gift of love.” Seohyun made dynamic hand gestures when she said the last three words, enunciating them in a way Ryan Seacrest would when he's announcing the American Idol.

Before I could express the absurdity of this ‘gift of love’, someone held my hand. Apparently, it was Seungri, who in the middle of my talk with Seohyun must have slipped out from behind the bar.

“This is ridiculous!” I said to no one in particular, trying to remove my hand from Seungri’s grip.

“Is it?” Seungri replied with a y grin. I could have undoubtedly responded to that with a loud and outraged “yes, it is!”, but he swung his attention to the DJ straight away and waved curtly at him.

I didn’t know what the signal was for until complete silence filled the club. If not for the absence of books and long, wooden tables and chairs, I would have thought I was whisked away to the library. Then one by one, the people on the dance floor began walking off to the sides.

“What’s going on, Seo?” I asked anxiously, and before Seungri could pull me to the middle of the now empty dance floor, the only words I heard from my teary-eyed best friend was, “just enjoy it.”

But how the hell would you enjoy something you are totally bewildered with?

One Republic's Secrets suddenly played. Seungri, after gently placing my hands on his shoulders, draped his arms around my waist, his touch instantly sending tingles all the way to the tips of my toes. He started to sway to the beat of the music but I was too stiff to move. Probably because I still find this all too surreal. Too unbelievable.

“Please tell me this is a huge prank that you and Seo decided to play on me on my birthday?” I begged, voice shaking and a little guttural. “Or tell me that this isn’t really happening.”

Seungri sighed through his beautiful smile. “I wish I could, but this is real, princess. And really? Would I want this, you being this close to me, to be a mere fantasy? Because I don’t.”

I fell silent, drinking the sense of his words. And then slowly melting into them.

Ah, but then I suddenly remember I couldn’t melt just yet. This was still too absurd and plainly far-fetched to let myself immerse into this unrealistic reality. This unrealistic reality that also happened to be so romantic I must be dreaming.

“What exactly is this?” I asked. At that point, I didn’t know if I was just confused or clueless. Perhaps both.

“This,” Seungri began to explain, his smile growing to be more alluring and teasing, causing my heart to flip in outrageous proportions, “is the result of conniving with your best friend…to show how far I’d go to prove how special you are to me on your birthday.”

WHAT?! Special...me...

“But…but isn’t Seohyun—”

“An effective actress, wasn’t she?” Seungri cut in.

“So all along—”

“Yeah, it was you. And I can’t believe you’re blind not to see that it had always been you, not Seohyun.”

“But I’m not—”

“Sshh, princess.” Seungri pulled me much closer to his body, pressing the side of my head carefully on his chest. “There's nothing you could say that would make me turn away.”

I smiled at that. It was the sweetest thing a guy could say to me. Heck, this was the sweetest thing a guy could do to me.

But I had to make sure. I had to make certain he’s being sincere. And there was no better way to carry that out than by posing a threat. “Even if tomorrow at school I’d be back as Ugly Betty?”

Seungri cupped my face, grinning. “You can return in any form you want, Lee Chaerin, I know you’d still be the same girl I would love to call mine.”

That did it for me. The attraction I had for him blazed like a phoenix bursting into flames, and it showed in the way I smiled at him—like an utter idiot.

“I know it’s your birthday, princess,” Seungri went on, his voice getting more and more seductive by the word, “but would you be kind enough to grant this poor, unworthy, young man’s wish to give you a mind-blowing, Earth-shattering kiss on your without-any-shadow-of-a-doubt inviting lips?”

I stalled to answer as his hungry eyes flitted over to my mouth. Not because I was mulling over his plea. Who was I anyway to ponder through about getting a kiss from Seungri? I guess I just wanted to take a moment first to let the exhilaration whirl inside of me. Before bracing myself for so much more.

“It would be my pleasure,” I finally answered.

Then without further ado, Seungri drew his face onto mine until our lips touched.

And as promised, the kiss was mind-blowing. Earth-shattering.

Best birthday ever.

~*~

I hope this made up for the lack of romance in Adrift.

Thank you so much for reading.

Have a nice day!

Oh, belated happy birthday to Seungri!

Other than RiRin and Seohyun, I do not own Gatorade, Ryan Seacrest, American Idol, America's Best Dance Crew, Gossip Girl, One Republic, their song Secrets, and Ugly Betty. And if ever a club called Paparazzi does exist in this world, I do not own that either.