IT HAS BEEN eight hours, I can’t feel my legs and I’m thirsty. I search in my bag for water, I forgot I finished it. “Flame, do you have any water?” I stutter to ask.

She sighs and reaches her hand behind her, I hear a cracking sound and it is a water bottle. She gives it to me, I thank her and gulp down the water, and it feels so cathartic.

 

“We’re here,” she stops to the side and switches off her headlights.

“Where are we?” I look around.

“We are in Seoul,” she whispers.

“How’d you know?” I look at her.

She points out to a sign beside us, well that explains it. She hop out of the truck, I do too. I don’t exactly know what to do, this is getting strange. “What are we doing here?” I ask.

“My house,” she opens a slightly crack door, there are fluorescent lights at each corners of the room and there are people. I feel insecure, I elbow Flame, she elbows back and we repeatedly elbow each other. “Stop it!” she whispers loud.

 

“Hey dummy, it’s me.” She says to one of the guard that looks like they are guarding a huge door. His facial expression turns to a shock and immediately let her in, but he stops me as he grabs my arm. “He’s with me,” she tells him and they let me go.

It looks like a night club, people dancing, drinking and even intimacy. We squeeze all our way through the crowd to the further part of the room, where the bar is. “Flame, you made it!” one of the girls working there jumps on the table to reach her into a hug. “It has been days, you met your parents?”

“Not yet, I don’t want to, I don’t know if they’re still alive.” Flame rolls her eyes and scoffs.

“Don’t be like that, they’re good people. Unlike you, you dyed your hair, wear heavy make-up and black clothes.” She looks at her from head to toe. “Anyway, speaking of your ridiculous looks, who is this?” she looks at me.

 

She has piercing on her left ears, a tattoo on her right shoulders and I’m guessing it’s a wild animal. “That thing, is Chen.” Flame points at me.

“Chen, your boyfriend?” she raise her eyebrow, “I’m Jieun.”

We shake hands, Flame punch her shoulder. “No, he was attacked.”

“Whatever floats your boat, Chen, welcome to The Night House. It’s safe here, we are all trained to fight and protect. We are good, no harm.” Jieun winks.

“Hey, what’s up ladies and man,” A guy shows up and his arms around Jieun in a friendly way. I cannot keep up with the beat here, everyone is so open and I think I am the only one shy and a coward.

“Chen, right, I’m Suho.” We shake hands.

“Why don’t you two go hang out, I am sure Chen wants to get used to the place first.” Says Jieun to me, she points out the place.

 

Suho brings me to the other side of the room, the smell of alcohol and sweats are bugging me out. Some girl tries dancing with me but I am kind of glad that Suho back me up.

Eventually we end up drinking, I drink a little and then secretly order a soda. “So, how’d Flame found you?” Suho asks.

“She saved me from a gang fight.” I say.

“Oh, she’s cool huh?” he smirks, “She saved me from drowning, I was alone when someone attacked me from behind.” He tells me a bit of his story. Everyone sure seems to know Flame pretty well.

I wonder who she is.

 

“What’s Flame’s real name?” I ask, I think it is her nickname, she must have a real name.

“Honestly, we don’t know. She just tells us to call her Flame, it’s better that way.” He grins, “Anyway, enough about her. Tell me more about you.” He waves his soju on his hands in front of my face. 

“I lived by myself for years now, this year it is the first time I was actually talking to someone. Flame cured me, I wanted to go on my own but I needed someone who can fight our way together to find civilization.” I pause, “Well, that’s probably much it.” I sheepishly smile.

“That’s great to hear, you have us now. We protect each other, you’re one of us now.” He shoves me carefully. “My sense tells me you want to know about Flame, you’re intrigued right?”
“Is that obvious?” I bit my lower lip.

 

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