Would this guy be considered pretty sketchy to most people? Of course he would. But I was desperate for a job.

“Where are we going?” I asked, avoiding the disapproving stares from people on the street.

“A nearby club,” he replied.

“A c-club?” I stuttered. “But I’m not even eighteen.”

“You got in the bar, didn’t you?” he asked.

“Well yes, but-”

“Then you should be fine,” he said. “Besides, we’re already here.”

We easily got passed the bouncer and headed inside the club. I definitely was not used to the bright lights and music blaring throughout the place. I was wondering why we never stopped walking – it seemed like an endless hall.

The man took hold of my hand, but I quickly retrieved it and stepped back. “Yah, watch it.”

“Everything will be okay, kid,” he chuckled. He knocked on the door and a woman dressed in scandalous clothing opened the door.

“Baby!” she squealed, wrapping her arms around him. “It’s about time you got here. Who’s the girl?”

“She’s desperate for a job. I figured you could help her out?” he replied. “She’s kind of young, so be nice.”

“Alright,” she nodded. She dragged me inside the room and said, “Let’s get you ready.”

I looked at her up and down. All she wore was a pair of mesh stockings with strappy stilettos, and a lacy corset.

“So...what exactly is your job?” I asked, looking around the room full of similar outfits to what the lady was wearing.

“Look, I don’t have much time for talking. We’re on in a few minutes, so I have to get you dressed quickly,” she sighed, shoving me in a change room.

“On what?” I asked.

“Yah, what did I just say?” she snapped. The lady slammed the door, and tossed a red one-piece corset alone with knee-high black boots over the door.

“It might be a little snug, but I guess the tighter the better, right?” she replied. I could hear her gnawing on her gum and tapping her nails on the wall.

I looked at the outfit and peeked through the slit in the door, “Um...are you sure I should wear this?”

“Hurry up, damnit!” she snapped.

I sighed and put on the outfit. I don’t know how others did it, but I could barely breathe wearing the corset.

“You done?” she asked. I opened the door to find her over at the vanity mirror putting on another layer of lipstick.

“Do you have anything less revealing?” I asked – although I knew the answer would be ‘no’.

“Ugh, kids,” she grunted. “Alright, sit down.”

She pushed me towards the vanity mirror and had me sit down. Talking was definitely not an option, as she started caking on tons of makeup on me. By the time she finished with my hair and makeup, I couldn’t even recognize myself – in a bad way.

I tried touching my cheek to see how much foundation and other crap she actually put on my face, but she slapped my hand away.

“Don’t touch it!” she yelled. “You’re lucky I just bought a new bottle of foundation. I thought teens were supposed to have youthful and flawless skin, geez.”

“Sorry,” I muttered.

She looked at her watch and gasped, “Crap, we’re late! Hurry, we have to get out there now.”

She grabbed my hand and ran to the stage at the front.

“What do I do?” I asked.

She walked towards a pole on the stage and looked at me, “Just dance.”

“You want me to dance...with that?” I asked, pointing at the pole.

“If you want to get paid,” she replied.

I tried copying the way she dance, but it was honestly the most awkward thing I’ve ever done in my life. Looking around at all the guys with looks made me want to gag. I tried ignoring it, but a few guys started coming up to me and slipping bills in my shirt.

“Woah, what the hell are you doing, erts?!” I shrieked.

“Giving you your salary,” one of them chuckled. “You’re new to this aren’t you? Did you actually think you were going to get a legitimate paycheque?”

I wanted to break down and cry. What was I doing with myself? How am I ever supposed to confront Kikwang or his parents about this?

I ran off the stage and shoved my way through the huge crowd of people. I’d never walk into that place again. I didn’t know exactly where I was going to go, but I kept running as fast as I could in my boots. I couldn’t let Kikwang see me like this.

As I continued running, I could sense that there were people following me, and seeing what I was wearing, it was pretty obvious why.

“Hey, wait up!” a man said groggily. Great. I was going to get in the middle of the night by a drunken bastard.

“Hey!” another voice called. I didn’t know how it started, but I just began crying.

“Yah!” It sounded like the same person.

“Go away, you ert!” I shrieked. With my luck, I tripped over my own feet while running in the killer heels and fell on the pavement.

I felt a pair of hands touch my shoulders, and I immediately started flailing my arms around.

“Calm down!” he yelled.

“Don’t touch me!” I shouted, bursting into more tears. “Please!”

“Hyosung-ah, it’s me, Joon,” he said.

I looked at him, and wiped my eyes. “Joon? Oh my gosh, I’m so happy to see you!” I leaped over and wrapped my arms around him and started bawling my eyes out again in his shoulder.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he whispered.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” I sobbed.

“Let’s go home, okay?” he said, helping me stand up. I stumbled over, trying to stand on my broken high heel.

“Agh...” I winced in pain feeling the wind burning against the cuts on my knees.

“Get on my back,” he said, bending over. I didn’t feel like protesting anymore and just did as he told me.

“I’m a pathetic loser, aren’t I?” I mumbled.

“No, you’re just confused,” he replied. “Save your energy. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do when we get to my house.”

We were able to catch the bus that dropped us off at Joon’s street, and got home without any other troubles. Joon set me back down on the ground before opening the front door and helped me limp my way inside.

“What if your parents see me like this?” I asked.

“They’re barely home,” he replied. “They’re usually on business trips or have to rent a hotel room near the office if they work late. Don’t worry, you won’t get caught.”

After changing into comfier clothes, I went to the kitchen where Joon was already brewing a pot of coffee. He handed a mug of coffee to me and sat down at the table.

“Thanks,” I said, taking a sip of the coffee.

“So, what exactly happened?” he asked. “I was heading to Kikwang’s house to see if you were there, but instead I find you running on the street half .”

“It’s my new job...” I mumbled.

“Not anymore,” he snapped. “I don’t even know how you got into that place, or how you got the job.”

“Well this guy at the bar said he could-”

“Okay, hang on. You went to a club with a random guy from a bar?!” His voice was clearly being raised, and his eyes were bulging.

“I was desperate, okay?” I frowned. “I couldn’t get a job anywhere.”

“I thought you had more integrity than that,” he sighed.

“I thought I did too...” I muttered.

“What were you thinking, Hyosung?” he snapped.

“If I wanted to be yelled at by my mother, I would have just stayed at home!” I yelled, storming off.

“Hyosung, wait!” he called, following behind me.

“I don’t want to talk,” I hissed, rushing towards my room. Joon managed to hold the door open before I had the chance to lock him out.

“Look, I’m sorry,” he said, in a much calmer tone. He opened the door and walked inside my room. “I just care about you.”

“I don’t understand you, Joon,” I frowned. “I mean sometimes, you’re so kind, and then other times you’re a pain in the .”

He looked at me with gentler eyes, “Can I tell you something?”

“As long as you won’t ridicule me,” I snorted.

“I’m sure it’s pretty obvious, but I really like you. In fact, I think I love you, Hyosung,” he replied.

“You do?” I asked with wide eyes.

“I think you’ve realized it for a while now...you just never said anything,” he said.

“Well, I mean, that’s nice of you, but I’m kind of dating your best friend,” I said, letting out a small chuckle.

“I know,” he said smiling. “To be honest, I was hoping that you staying over here every weekend would develop into something, but I thought about it more, and I couldn’t do that to you and Kikwang.”

“So then...what now?” I asked.

“I really hate to say it, but it’s best if we stay friends,” he replied. “I always thought I’d hear it from you first, but you’d be a lot happier with Kikwang. He really deserves someone like you.”

I pondered over the whole matter for a moment and realized it was the right time to tell him about his parents’ deal with mine.

“While we’re on this topic of you liking me, you should know that you’re parents paid my parents to try and set us up,” I said.

“That’s so typical of them,” he chuckled. “I knew they had good intentions, trying to keep me away from someone like Jiyeon, but they can go a little overboard sometimes.”

“So what are we going to do about it?” I asked. “I’m pretty sure my parents already spent the money.”

“I’ll just dip into my own savings and give the money to my parents. I’ll tell them your parents no longer want to be part of the deal,” he explained.

“How do you come up with these ideas so quickly?” I laughed.

“Crazy things happen to you when you’re in love,” he sighed. “Sorry...I’m not quite used to this friendship thing yet.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I smiled. “I think I’m going to go to bed now, okay?”

“Alright.” Joon leaned over to peck my cheek. “Goodnight.”

Even though I thought I would feel awkward about it, I just touched my cheek and smiled. It wasn’t love, that was for sure. And although Joon probably didn’t realize it yet, I think I just found my best friend.

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LOLOLOLOLOL I'm sorry, I kept laughing at how cheesy I just made the end of this chapter xD I think it's my worst chapter yet, I'm super super sorry LMAO -hides from readers-

Maybe I'll get some sympathy since it's my birthday in a few days..? 8D I just really needed to get past all this mushy friendship stuff with Joon and Hyosung so things could get (sort of) back to normal :\

Thanks for your support everyone! And I started my new story and have the foreward and chapter one saved on my computer, so I should be posting it either near the end of this story or right after it. I'm thinking of a DoojoonxHyosungxKikwang triangle? Or should it be Yoseob instead of Doojoon? Hm... :s

- Liana