Friday night saw the pair of friends at one of the hottest clubs in Hongdae, where university students and foreigners made up most of the crowd. It was less trashy than the clubs in other areas with people stripping and dancing , or making out all over the place even while sober, but only slightly.

Taehyun was sitting alone at the bar and, unlike Mino, was not particularly fond of the idea of squeezing between the sweaty bodies out on the dance floor. The older male had spotted friends shortly after they entered the club and had “gone over to say hi”, – how he managed to spot them in this throng, Taehyun wouldn’t know – more like dumped him alone at the bar with some drinks, but at least the music was good.

He had gone to a club only a handful of times before, when he had just turned legal and was eager to experience the fast life. It had been a few years since then, but a club is a club, and it was still pretty much the same as Taehyun remembered. Flashing, coloured strobe lights, booming music so loud it was difficult for you to even hear your thoughts, and a dance floor packed with people grinding against each other; some just trying to have fun while others were looking for a lay for the night.

The bar was on the second floor, all the way at the back of the club, with the VIP tables just in front of it. From where he was sitting, Taehyun had a pretty good view of the people dancing out on the floor, as well as the double doors that served as the entrance and exit of the club. It was already past two in the morning, but it seemed like the party was just getting started as there were still groups of young, well-dressed people coming in through the doors from time to time.

The bar counter was full with people who were either waiting to get their drinks, or also sitting around like Taehyun himself. The music was a bit softer over at this end of the club – just enough for people to not have to burst a blood vessel screaming over the music to hear each other – and he sat, just observing the surroundings, or rather, the people around him. He was in no hurry to approach anyone just yet. No longer a curious and hormonal teenager, 25 year-old Nam Taehyun was going to take his time with his pick.

“First time here? I’ve never seen you around.” The bartender who’d sidled up next to him since god-knew-when leaned a little over the counter and asked. Taehyun looked around him, wondering if the guy might be talking to somebody else, but strangely found his direct neighbouring seats empty. In fact, the bar area was relatively less crowded than a moment before. Since when did the people clear out without him even noticing?

The bartender was dressed in a fitted black V-neck, was tall and seriously attractive. He had finely chiselled features, all high cheekbones and angular jawline. Godlike, Taehyun wondered. A quick look at his nametag told him the bartender’s name: Lee Seunghoon.

Taehyun nodded once, trying to think of a witty response but ultimately failing. He wasn’t really good with situations like this, carrying a conversation with new people. This was the time he wished Mino was here; that guy would know exactly what to say that would be both funny and could keep the conversation alive.

“Not much of a talker, are you?” Lee Seunghoon asked again with a hint of a teasing smile as he wiped down this part of the bar counter, and Taehyun could only smile awkwardly back. He was so bad at this, he’d really need to think of a good opening to say to whoever he was going to pick as his prospective boyfriend. Speaking of which, he should be looking.

He gave a little nod of acknowledgement to Seunghoon and turned around to look at the groups of people standing and sitting around the round tables with high stools in as nondescript a manner as he could manage. It was actually too dark in the club for him to really get a good look from this distance, but he had to make do with what he had.

There was a group of boys – possibly high school graduates or university first years, before military service – around one; one of them lay slumped over the table, clearly knocked out from the alcohol while his friends were pissing themselves laughing as they doodled all over his body with a permanent marker. Nope, Taehyun thought, his eyes skipping over to the next table, too young and too rowdy.

The man at the next table was much older, but was too busy eating the face off a skimpily dressed girl for Taehyun to even get a good look at him. Well… Obviously straight… He thought, letting his eyes drift again, following the beam of green strobe light that fell on the tables for only a split second.

There was a man in a biker jacket sitting at the next table. He was alone, relaxed in his seat and calmly sipping his drink, also people-watching, just like Taehyun. He looks young enough, around his own age, give and take a couple of years. The man’s eyes cast over the chaotic dance floor every now and then, but made no move whatsoever. He was almost like a predator seeking out his prey, just waiting, and watching.

“Interested?” Taehyun jumped a bit when he heard the voice next to his ear. Apparently, his intense gaze did not go unnoticed by Seunghoon. Taehyun’s eyes fleeted over to the bartender’s immediately. He might be here to pick someone up but he didn’t want to be that obvious. Seunghoon only chuckled at his reaction.

“Might not want to start so high up the rung for a first-timer, if I were you.” He commented casually with a knowing smirk as he mixed a drink with well-practiced .

“What do you mean?”

“No offence, but you don’t look like the sort for a one night stand or a fling and, well, he’s all of that. Kang Seungyoon.” The handsome bartender handed him a highball glass filled with a greenish-tinged liquid and some stuff that looked suspiciously like leaves.

“On the house. What’s your name?”

“Taehyun. Nam Taehyun.” Taehyun had always considered himself to be more of the cautious type and wouldn’t usually accept unidentified drinks from a stranger or give his name away this easily, but he was too distracted at the moment to care.

He turned back around in favour of observing the man called Kang Seungyoon again, but instead found a pair of ladies by his table. They were dressed in short, tight dresses and high heels, not-so-subtly touching him on the shoulder and thigh and laughing in a way Taehyun found unreasonably annoying. Kang Seungyoon waved them away with a light smile, politely signalling his disinterest. To Taehyun’s surprise, the man turned to look right his way, catching his eye.

“Is he straight?” Taehyun quickly turned to ask the bartender who was still standing behind him, watching the entire sequence unfold.

“I don’t think he cares, really.” Seunghoon shrugged and actually gave a little wave to Seungyoon.

The subject of their conversation smirked and got out of his seat, drink in hand, walking towards the bar with confident strides and eventually sliding smoothly into the empty seat right next to Taehyun.

“Who’s your new friend, Seunghoon-hyung?” He said to Seunghoon, then to Taehyun, “You’re new here, right? Can I perhaps buy you a drink?”

His voice was thick and low and had a bit of a gruff quality to it, which Taehyun found strangely pleasant to listen to. Now that he was this close, Taehyun could see all his features quite clearly even in the dim light of the club.

He had typical mono-lidded eyes that were lightly lined in black, full red lips stretched into a charming smile, and a straight nose that fit just right in his face. Not Seunghoon’s godlike standard, admittedly, but pretty damn good-looking enough. His black biker jacket looked worn around the seams, and seemed a tad too large draped over his thin frame. Taehyun was about to answer when Seunghoon beat him to it.

“Play somewhere else, Seungyoon-ah. Taehyunie here is not your type.” The handsome bartender held back a chuckle seeing how fast Seungyoon was going in for the kill. It’s not that Seunghoon usually cared who Seungyoon chose to , but Taehyun just didn’t fit into this equation. He didn’t want to leave the first-timer emotionally scarred for life either.

“Taehyunie?” Seungyoon’s eyebrows perked slightly, that smile still on his face as he stared into Taehyun’s eyes rather intensely. There was something about those dark orbs that seemed to be drawing Taehyun in, making him feel like he was going to fall into the endless depth of Seungyoon’s gaze. It was magnetic; everything about Kang Seungyoon was magnetic. His voice, his eyes, even the way he walked, it attracted all of his attention even without him noticing.

“Fine~” Seungyoon broke the eye contact and said, “Well, see you when I see you then, Taehyun-ssi.”

With that, Kang Seungyoon downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and turned to go downstairs, already disappearing into the crowd by the foot of the stairs.

“No, I– Well…” Taehyun wanted to say something, anything to make him stay. That he is totally Seungyoon’s type even when he knew he isn’t, that yes, he can buy him a drink and maybe they can go dance to one or two mixes on the floor.

“Wow, he actually left without anyone tonight…” Seunghoon mused quietly, eyes following Seungyoon’s back until he eventually left the club.

But Kang Seungyoon was no longer there.

A.N.: And enter Seungyoon! ;) 

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