The initial launch of the Monroe Project had made its mark on the world as the company had planned and the only thing left to do was to see it through to the end. But monitoring a seventy-billion dollar marketing project, that had been two years in the making, was far more difficult than even Yunho had realized. With meetings upon meetings and conferences upon conferences, Yunho found himself so swamped with work that the night of the singles mixer a week ago had all but almost disappeared into the back of his mind. Along with the thoughts of the nice young man, he had met that day.

 

He had been disappointed when the Vice-President of Marketing, Mr. Choi, had called him. Not so much because there was something wrong with one of the secondary contract’s paperwork for the project but simply because he didn’t want to end his night so suddenly. For the first time in a very long time, he had found someone that had piqued his interest. A man named Joon. And he didn’t even get the chance to get his contact information before he had to rush back to work.

 

With a deep sigh, Yunho thumbed through the updated financial reports for the Monroe Project’s initial accumulated earnings data. Mentally comparing the projected long-term cost analysis against the projected gains as he sat quietly in his spacious office, completely lost in his own little world of finance and numbers.

 

Reaching up and pinching the bridge of his nose, he leaned back in his chair and let out another sigh. As he gripped the positive report in his hand lightly, he silently thanked those on high that the project was going so well even though he was completely exhausted.

 

Suddenly, a gentle knock echoed through the room. Pulling his eyes away from the ceiling where they had inadvertently settled, Yunho looked at his office door and noticed his secretary, Mrs. Noh, peeking in.

 

“Mister Jung?” she questioned gently.

 

“Yes, Mrs. Noh, what is it?” he answered as he pulled off his glasses and tossed the report in his hand onto his desk.

 

“Sorry to interrupt, Sir, but Director Shim is here to see you,” she informed respectfully.

 

“Min...” sighed Yunho as he glanced down at his watch and noticed it was nearly five o’clock.

 

“Send him in.”

 

“Very well, Sir,” she replied before disappearing behind his office door.

 

A moment later, the door opened once more revealing the visage of Yunho’s only best friend; dressed in a dark grey suit jacket over an ed and tieless white dress shirt and matching grey slacks; smiling back at him.

 

“Hey,” smirked Changmin as he entered fully and closed the door behind him.

 

“Hey, Min.” nodded Yunho with a smile. “Looks like you’re done for the day.”

 

“How can you tell?” Changmin asked curiously.

 

“The tie,” answered Yunho with a gentle scoff. “You can never wait to get that thing off, can you?”

 

“Hey just because I’m a businessman, doesn’t mean I have to like wearing the blasted things.” retorted Changmin as he plopped down, on one of the leather sofas in the middle of the room, and stretched out his ungodly long legs across its cushions. “They’re annoying.”

 

“True enough.” chuckled Yunho slightly. “So why are you here?

 

“Oh?” he responded questioningly. “I was just wondering if you wanted to have dinner together?”

 

“I don’t think I can...” he replied. “I still have a few reports to look over tonight for the stockholder’s meeting on Monday.”

 

“Yunnie...” sighed Changmin disappointedly.

 

“You’ve done nothing but bury yourself in your work for over a week,” he added almost accusingly. “You’re here all hours of the day. You rarely eat while you are here and when you do go home, you’re only gone for a few hours before you’re right back in that chair. You need a damn break, man.”

 

“I don’t have time for breaks.” defended Yunho. “I have to make sure that everything is on schedule.”

 

“That the productions, distributions, and marketing strategies not only stay on track but also that the revenue streams stay within our projected marketing plans. If anything were to happen, and I wasn’t here to fix it in a timely manner...the whole project could fail.”

 

“Bull.” dismissed Changmin with a frustrated wave. “You know good and well that there are secondary initiatives already in place to combat any failure within the system. And that there are teams already set up to monitor everything about the project. You’re just using it as an excuse to stay tied to your desk, rather than going out and having a life outside the office.”

 

“That’s not it.” countered Yunho.

 

“Yes, it is,” interjected Changmin knowingly. “And you know it.”

 

“I don’t know why you always do this to yourself.” sighed Changmin. “You’ve been like this for almost five years now. Never doing anything unless it’s work-related. Never going out and just having fun. Never meeting anyone new... Never trusting new people...Never dating...”

 

“You need a social life, Yunho.” declared Changmin softly. “I’m not going to be around forever, you know?”

 

“Not going to be around forever?” questioned Yunho. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“Are you and Erin planning on getting married or something?” he added questioningly as the thought of Changmin’s long-time partner popped into his head suddenly.

“Not anytime soon.” chuckled Changmin. “They still have another year before they finish their doctorate. But, after that...yeah, we do plan on getting married.”

 

“That’s why you need to find someone new...” he added pointedly. “So when Erin and I get married, I will be able to live my married life happily knowing that you have found your own happiness too.”

 

“But I am happy.” justified Yunho.

 

“Oh, bull.” scoffed Changmin with a dismissive wave. “No, you’re not.”

 

“I don’t need to have a lover in my life to be happy Min.” justified Yunho. “Work is all I need.”

 

“Really?” questioned Changmin with a mischievous look on his face. “Then what about Joon?”

 

“Let it go, Min.” sighed Yunho.

 

“Why should I?” he questioned. “You told me yourself that he seemed pretty nice when you two met. And might I add, you also said he was pretty good-looking too?”

 

“So what?” scoffed Yunho pessimistically.

 

“Maybe you should try and talk to him again?” Changmin answered. “You never know. Maybe you two will hit it off and end up together.”

 

“You’re wasting your time, Min.” sighed Yunho.

 

“What do you mean?” he questioned immediately.

 

“Joon...or whoever he is...isn’t like that,” answered Yunho bluntly.

 

“How would you even know?” questioned Changmin. “You said it yourself. You didn’t get a lot of time with him before VP Choi called you and interrupted your night. So how can you be sure that Joon wouldn’t be interested in you?”

 

“I just know, ok?” replied Yunho with a deep sigh.

 

“Initial attractions are rarely wrong, Yunho,” Changmin said bluntly. “You can’t deny the fact that you two seemed to hit it off almost instantly. Even if he’s not into you like that, it doesn’t mean that you two still couldn’t be at least friends.”

 

“Don’t be so damn dismissive, man.” sighed Changmin. “You never know.”

 

“Well, all of this is a moot point anyway,” replied Yunho with a sigh of his own. “There’s no way to get in contact with him to test which is true and which isn’t. So just let it go, ok?”

 

“No, never,” answered Changmin. “I won’t let it go. And yes there is a way for you to find out. All you have to do is go back to the Wolf Moon. I mean, he did say he was a regular right?”

 

“He did.” nodded Yunho.

 

“Then just go back to the bar,” concluded Changmin with a nod. “If you go back, you might run into him again, and in doing so give yourself an opportunity to get to know him better.”

 

“Besides...” he added gently. “How do you know that Joon hasn’t been waiting to see you again all this time? He may be waiting for you to return right now.”

 

“Why are you always so optimistic?” sighed Yunho.

 

“Because you are always so pessimistic.” chuckled Changmin. “I’m your equalizer.”

 

They fell into silence for a moment as Yunho contemplated everything that Changmin had said to him. Even though he didn’t want to admit it openly to anyone other than Changmin, he had really felt something for Joon when they first met. Joon seemed to be a nice guy, with a great personality. He was good-looking, somewhat confident, easy to talk to, and even subtly seductive in some ways. But even at their first meeting, Yunho had felt a slight tinge of wariness with the man.

 

Perhaps it was simply because Joon was a stranger, someone new, or perhaps it was his own inadequacies and lack of confidence rearing their mischievous little heads. Yunho didn’t know, but even with the feeling of unsureness he felt when it came to the beautiful brunette, he couldn’t deny the fact that Joon had intrigued him.

 

“I suppose your right.” Yunho conceded with a sigh.

 

“So, you’re going?” questioned Changmin encouragingly.

 

“Yeah.” nodded Yunho. “I’ll go... If anything, just to prove you wrong. But you have to promise me that if it doesn’t work out...if he is not there...that you will let this go and not bring him up anymore.”

 

“I promise.” nodded Changmin confidently. “As long as you promise that if he is there you will give him a proper chance. No dismissing him or the possibilities, without getting to know him better first.”

 

“Agreed?” he questioned.

 

“Agreed.” nodded Yunho.

 

“Good.” smiled Changmin.

 

Long after the sun had fallen past the horizon, Yunho sat quietly in the back of a quiet taxi. As it made its way towards the Wolf Moon, he silently cursed his best friend’s uncanny ability to make him do whatever he wanted under his breath. In Yunho’s world, there was only one man who had the undeniable and unrivaled talents of being so intellectually persuasive that a person could get wrapped around his finger so succinctly with just one word. And that man was definitely Shim Changmin.

 

Yunho had learned from a young age, quite soon after they first met in their first year of high school, that Changmin was very charismatic and manipulative. His gentle nature, his unparalleled intellect, and his entrancing debonair smile were each wielded with a tinge of tact and grace. So flawlessly that no one could resist no matter how strong-willed they were. And poor Yunho had been spellbound from the very first day. The man’s charms were just too good, to resist.

 

When the taxi came to a stop out in front of the Wolf Moon, Yunho suddenly felt a slight flash of shock. When he had ventured to the bar a little over a week ago, the exterior had looked almost barren. Empty white privacy tables had sat unoccupied, covered in a slight sheen of rain, and there were no signs of its patrons –save for the nice lady who had greeted him at the door. But tonight, something was dramatically different.

 

Yunho couldn’t recollect the last time he had seen so many people in one place. Though the -out windows of the bar allowed no inclination to the goings-on inside, the exterior of the bar was jammed packed with people. From all walks of life and of every social standing, all waiting in line to get in. At the door, stood a tall and burly man that Yunho had never seen before. He dressed in the bar’s signature wolf-baying-at-the-moon t-shirt, dark shades, and a pair of dark slacks. Alongside him stood a thin young woman; with unbelievably long black hair and dark red lips; that was dressed in a sleek full-length, black dress and holding a clipboard.

 

“What’s going on?” wondered Yunho aloud.

 

A gentle and amused chuckle echoed within the taxi’s interior.

 

“First time?”

 

Pulling his eyes away from the crowd of people, Yunho looked up at the taxi driver and noticed the man was smiling at him over his shoulder.

 

“Excuse me?” questioned Yunho.

 

“The Midnight Moon Festival... is this your first time going?” responded the taxi driver as he put the car in park.

 

“Midnight Moon?” questioned Yunho softly. He wasn’t sure what the young man was referring to.

 

“Ah, I see.” nodded the driver. “It looks like you didn’t know.”

 

“Didn’t know?” questioned Yunho. “What are you talking about?”

 

“The Wolf Moon...” chuckled the driver as he nodded towards the establishment. “It's well known around here for their live music nights. But what they're really known for is their once-a-month Midnight Moon Festival. They have it every full moon. It’s super popular, as you can see.”

 

“Oh?” said Yunho softly. “I see.”

 

“That’ll be $32.50.” added the driver.

 

“Oh, ok,” answered Yunho as he pulled a fifty from his wallet and handed it to the man. “Thanks for the info and keep the change.”

 

“No problem.” responded the driver. “Have a great time.”

 

Without another word, Yunho climbed from the taxi and shut the door behind him as he watched the people outside the bar. Suddenly a flash of insecurity flickered across his mind. Would he even be able to get into the bar tonight? There were so many waiting.

 

Shuffling off his unsure thoughts, Yunho crossed the expanse of the concrete sidewalk and walked up to the man standing at the door. At first, he had thought just to ask the bouncer to let him in, on a whim. But after a second thought, he decided to act like the President and CEO he was and just walk in. The second he got within arm’s reach of the man and woman by the door, however, the bouncer stopped him.

 

“Hold on a second there, Mack.” warned the bouncer in a deep and nearly menacing voice as he looked Yunho up and down.

 

“There’s a cover charge tonight and a waiting list,” he added as he let go of Yunho’s arm. “You’re going to have to wait like the rest.”

 

“How much is it?” questioned Yunho as he looked up at the man confidently.

 

“Twenty bucks a head.” responded the man.

 

“Then here,” mumbled Yunho as he fished out his wallet and began to grab a twenty.

 

Suddenly, the bouncer's hand shot out and grabbed Yunho’s wrist. Tearing his eyes away from the wallet in his hand, he looked up at the man and instantly noticed that his expression; once hard and unyielding; had changed into something more akin to surprise. Without a word, the man released Yunho’s wrist and snatched the wallet from his hand.

 

“What are you doing?!” demanded Yunho instantly.

 

The bouncer said nothing, for a moment, as he stared at the interior of Yunho’s wallet somewhat perplexed.

 

“Well, I’ll be damned.” whispered the man.

 

“I beg your pardon?” questioned Yunho incredulously.

 

“Are you...” questioned the bouncer, immediately looking up from the wallet in his hands to Yunho’s face. “Are you really Jung Yunho?”

 

“Yes!” growled Yunho instantly. Snatching away his wallet as the seemingly awestruck bouncer offered it back to him.

 

Turning to the woman beside him, the man grabbed the clipboard from her hand and immediately began flipping through the pages. As the first page flipped over, Yunho caught the words ‘guest list’ printed at the top.

 

“Holy .” whispered the man.

 

“What is it?” immediately prompted the woman standing beside him.

 

“A...” stammered the bouncer. “A VIP. A real...honest to goodness...VIP!”

 

“VIP?” questioned the woman, her face marred with shock as she snatched the clipboard from the bouncer’s hand and skimmed the page.

 

Suddenly a wave of whispers began to echo throughout the awaiting crowd of patrons.

 

“A VIP, really?”

 

“That’s not possible.”

 

“She said it...he’s a VIP!”

 

“No way! Wolf Moon never has a VIP guest list.”

 

“Why would he be a VIP?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Do you think he’s a celebrity?”

 

“Oh, could he really be?”

 

“Please allow me to apologize for Bruce’s manners, Mr. Jung.” said the young woman, suddenly apologetic, as she bowed to the man before her. “We meant no disrespect.”

 

“I...” stammered Yunho, unsurely.

 

“He was only doing his job...” she added. “Please forgive his rudeness. He was unaware of who you were, Sir. “

 

“It’s alright.” dismissed Yunho, still wondering what was going on. “Is there a problem?”

 

“No, Sir!” she responded.

 

“You are on our VIP guest list, Mr. Jung,” she informed as she glanced down at the handwritten notes written on the paper beside Yunho’s name. “If you will follow me...I will you to your private table.”

 

“Private table?” whispered Yunho completely dumbfounded. “What are you talking about? How am I on the list?”

 

“I’m not privy to that information, Sir,” she responded. “The owner compiles the guest list. We only enforce it.”

 

“Follow me, Sir,” she ordered gently.

 

“What the hell is going on?” he wondered.

 

As Yunho reluctantly followed the young woman inside, he couldn’t help but feel wary. Something was definitely up, but what?