Although Myung Soo had explicitly stated that his gig would start at eight; Young Do didn't manage to make it there until nine. Part of him is glad because it means that he doesn't have to deal with a Myung Soo jittery with nerves and freaking out over performing – he figures that Tan can handle it just this once after skipping out on all of his friendship duties whilst in America – however, the other part of him is slightly pissed. Pissed because he's missing out on viewing Tae Yeon in a different setting, to see if she finally sheds the armor that she dons around Jeguk, and pissed because the reason for his delay is his father.
He'd been scrubbing dishes in the kitchen under the harsh glare of the fluorescent lighting until half an hour ago, after his supervisor had insisted that he stay beyond his hours because he wasn't concentrating and it wasn't up to Zeus' standards.
What standards? Tax evasion and cheating?
Despite his reluctance to be early in order to avoid a Myung Soo craving attention – Young Do knew that hew as just on the verge of being obscenely late, and although it would be incredibly fashionable, it would also probably result in Myung Soo having a breakdown for an entirely different reason. Plus, he can see Tae Yeon in his mind's eye. Arching an eyebrow at his seeming lack of disrespect and support for his friend – and he refused to justify her ridiculous claims against him.
Unless you're right after all. I am probably the worst friend that you could have, I've proved that enough times.
Self-doubt settled heavily in his chest, nestling itself into the cavity where his heart should beat. Even his father's strikes had long ago lacked this particular sting – the wounds are now only superficial and on the surface, Young Do had long since stopped caring enough about pleasing his father for it to have any sort of emotional impact.
He gripped the handles of his motorcycle harder, welcoming the sting as they cut into his palms; raw from where he'd scrubbed at the remnants of food on expensive porcelain.
Surely this only attests to Zeus' standards, the kind of people we host. So careless with their money that they're not even bothered to stomach the entirety of a wastefully expensive meal. Don't you know the hardships that the poor face everyday?
Young Do's thoughts halted.
Since when have I cared about the poor? Cha Eun Sang, apparently you did more than just break my heart.
He accelerates at this, enjoying the drop in the pit of his stomach as he zooms past other vehicles, and by the time he reaches the club his face is whipped cold from the wind and the neon lights and pulsating floor are a welcoming distraction from the rest of the emotions suddenly swarming to the surface.
It unnerves him. He is the master of compartmentalization, neatly filing everything away so that nothing is ever forgotten or lost – merely put away when he no longer needs it. Yet Tae Yeon remains at the forefront of his mind; like a railway spike lodged in his brain.
Because he can't assign her a compartment if he isn't sure what she is.
Not friend, not quite enemy: not when she bantered with him the way she did. Not scared of him, not afraid to fight back; but also not a complete bitch like Rachel or some of the other rich girls in South Korea.
Those were about the only labels that Young Do could assign her. Girl and lives in South Korea. Even her name had him doubting himself, his searches still yielding nothing and it had reached a point of undeniable frustration. Young Do prided himself in his details, meticulously planning everything without fail. Assigning people traits and descriptions to hang under their names and faces in his mind, and although he'd gathered incredible evidence on Tae Yeon's habits; he still had no idea where to put her.
All this uncertainty was giving him a headache, and the haze of smoke and alcohol that swarmed him as soon as he flashed a wad of cash to the bouncer and entered the club alleviated it (but slowly). Far too slowly for his liking.
Young Do managed to navigate through the heaving mess of sweaty bodies until he reached the DJ station, Myung Soo's obnoxiously sequined blazer acting like a beacon in the crowd. One of the overhead lights glints off it and blinds Young Do momentarily, and he feels that telltale vein in his neck beginning to throb.
No, this is definitely too slow. Tae Yeon-ah, I hope you decided not to come tonight. You've messed up my order and dredged up things that are far too ugly to confront. I am not happy.
"Oppa," Myung Soo squeals as soon as he's close enough to be discerned from the rest of the crowd. Young Do's thankful for the loud music drowning out the brunt of the high pitched sound that Myung Soo had just emitted, yet he still winces. Myung Soo's bottom lip juts out in a way that is all too familiar. "You're late."
Don't respect my friends. What bullshit Kang Tae Yeon. If I didn't respect them do you think I would have put up with him all this time?
Young Do couldn't remember the last time he'd fixated on one person this much. Well he could. It was a tie between Tan and Eun Sang. Neither one had managed to break down his carefully constructed compartments. Neither one had managed to hide pretty much all of their personal data from him either.
"He probably came straight from work," Chan Young says from where he's leaning against the countertop. It extends from the bar to wrap around the turntables, changing colours occasionally as the lights beneath it change. The sequence slows down before speeding up and something about the pattern of colours is soothing. No matter how reckless he is, he likes to have order.
There's a glass coke bottle besides Chan Young, taking Bo Na's usual place.
They're no longer attached at the hip, and Young Do wants to congratulate him for the successful removal surgery, but holds his tongue. He doubts that Bo Na would be a third wheel to Eun Sang and Tan – no matter how close the two girls had become recently. She's either in the bathroom, or with Tae Yeon somewhere.
Young Do hopes for the latter, because knowing Bo Na she's wearing something flashy and distinctive, all the better to locate his target.
Young Do makes a non-committal noise in response to his comment. "Chan Young, make yourself useful and tell the bartender that I want a drink."
Before Chan Young even has the chance to mouth his inevitable refusal, Myung Soo is reaching beneath his station to retrieve something and suddenly a can of Red Bull is thrusted at Young Do's chest.
He cocks an eyebrow at the sudden movement, the cold weight of the can soothing his palms, but he cracks it open anyway and takes a swig from it as his eyes slide over the mass of bodies on the floor. He noted the beckoning gazes of a variety of brazen individuals, and promptly ignored him.
Maybe later.
He locates Tan and Eun Sang whispering in a dark corner and acknowledges them with a nod as Myung Soo swaps tracks seamlessly before he explains.
"I am not hauling your drunk ass back to Zeus," Myung Soo clarifies. Chan Young snorts and the drink in his own mouth is the only thing preventing him from scoffing. As if that was a likely situation – chances were he'd be the one dragging Myung Soo. "Plus, Tae Yeon's already embarrassed you once, whilst you were sober. Get piss drunk and you're juts making it easier for her."
"Seems easy for her anyway," Chan Young says.
No one needs you here Yoon Chan Young.
"Sounds like you're encouraging me to even the score," Young Do drawls and he can see Chan Young tense. He wonders if Tae Yeon's from some completely different planet, gifted with superior charm that aids her in gaining an army of knights willing to fight with her at a moment's notice.
"You should leave her alone oppa," Myung Soo says, pausing from grinning at a group of nearby girls who promptly swooned.
You're only furthering my point Myung Soo.
Myung Soo had managed to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry, working his way up through both DJing and his photography until he was something big and everyone loved him. He was famous in his own right, lawyer parents or not. This wasn't the first club opening where Myung Soo had been requested to play, and looking around it wasn't at all difficult to see why.
As Young Do continued to scan for Tae Yeon, he noticed the slick sheen of sweat covering the dancer's bodies. All the visible skin on display was flushed - everyone clearly enjoying themselves.
Despite everyone's criticisms towards Myung Soo: he was talented. He knew what tracks to play to elicit a certain response from the crowd, the puppeteer to the masses. He knew how to manipulate tracks to give the soft rise and fall of adrenaline, having it loud so that blood pounded in your ears, slowing it down so you could catch your breath in anticipation for the next build up.
He did have genuine skill, even if his ridiculous headphones emblazoned with rhinestones in the shape of his initials suggested otherwise.
"Your concern for her is touching Myung Soo-yah."
"More like concern for you," Chan Young mutters and Young Do slams his can down on the countertop harshly. Chan Young doesn't even flinch.
Once again I wonder when I lost my grip on these people.
Young Do prepares to make a snide comment when Myung Soo lifts a hand suddenly, still searching for his next track. His arm's extended and a finger is pointing forwards. "She's over there," he says resignedly. "Just remember that she's proved she's a match for you once, I doubt that things will be much different now just because we're not in school."
The club is Myung Soo's element – Young Do isn't always in the mood to withstand the stupidity of large groups of people all at once – and unsurprisingly Myung Soo is aware of everything. He's correct about Tae Yeon's location, even when he's not looking up. Tae Yeon is standing on his right, dancing and jumping as her and Bo Na try to avoid slipping on the mess of bodily fluids on the floor.
Young Do's nose wrinkles. He isn't sure he can handle the prospect of it without even one shot.
Sure enough, Bo Na is wearing a lurid pink dress with a matching bow in her hair, and Young Do doesn't even have to worry about losing sight of them because Bo Na sticks out sorely in the sea of blacks and reds.
Tae Yeon on the other hand is wearing a gold vest and black skirt, and Young Do knows that both pieces of clothing were filched from Bo Na's closet. And that's not just because as soon as the bell rung Bo Na had grabbed Tae Yeon with one arm – Eun Sang already hooked on the other – and dragged her into the car.
No, they were definitely Bo Na's because although she dressed conservatively in comparison to the rest of the girls eying him, what Bo Na's outfits lacked in shortness, she made up for in tightness.
Tae Yeon was shorter and more curved than Bo Na, and although these clothes might have been the loosest party clothes that Bo Na possessed, they cluing pleasingly to Tae Yeon as her body continued to move to the music.
The two of them were dancing together reasonably well; Bo Na using her signature sharp, rapid hand movements whilst Tae Yeon was more fluid, all slow moves and reaching fingertips. They were both laughing as they moved with the rest of the swarm, Chan Young watching them lazily from his perch.
"I see you're no longer worried about Tae Yeon stealing your girlfriend," Young Do remarked.
"You should be more worried about Tae Yeon stealing your heart."
Unfortunately, this time Myung Soo was too preoccupied with selecting tracks to interrupt their conversation.
I've decided I only like speaking to you when your girlfriend is here to act like a buffer. I'm already planning one offesnvie strike, I don't need to start figuring out another one in order to remind you where you stand.
"You should be more worried about me breaking hers, shouldn't you?"
Chan Young didn't look convinced. "You have a type Young Do. You liked Eun Sang because she wasn't afraid of you, and because she belonged to Tan. Tae Yeon most definitely isn't scared, and she seems to be happy belonging to her friends - everyone except you, really."
Young Do needed a stronger drink if Chan Young was going to continue to provide this type of conversation as Young Do bided his time.
"We're playing together, she's engaging with me. I would argue that she's already mine," he said, moving the can in circular motions in the pool of condensation that had collected on the countertop to avoid looking at Chan Young's incredulous, smug look. "As for her not being scared," Young Do paused. And grinned. "Everyone's telling me that I judge too quickly, so lets reserve our assumptions on her fears for now."
Their conversation ended as Bo Na suddenly leaned down to whisper something in Tae Yeon's ear; higher up than usual because she was dressed in a pair of Bo Na's more conservative heels, and Young Do's attention swapped from Chan Young to his most recent victim.
Eun Sang's probably dressed in the same fashion, I'm sure that's entertaining.
All thoughts of Eun Sang flew out the figurative window when Tae Yeon nodded at whatever Bo Na had said, and then Bo Na was promptly weaving her way out of the crowd, to what Young Do presumed was the bathroom.
Lee Bo Na, I'll buy your favourite chocolates as a thank you present.
Young Do stood straight then, and Chan Young followed his line of sight and scoffed when his eyes landed on Tae Yeon. Young Do clapped Myung Soo on the shoulder, and Myung Soo shot him a warning look that he dismissed.
Your concern for me is really cute Myung Soo.
"Be careful Young Do," Chan Young says. "Or not, I don't mind watching your embarrassment."
Your fake concern for me is really annoying Chan Young.
As Young Do wedges his way through to where Tae Yeon is, he wonders if Chan Young is drunk. Or if he's always this loose with his tongue and has just always been so preoccupied with Bo Na he'd never had the chance to say these things. He remembers Chan Young away from him and Tan on her first day and decides that this behavior is normal for him.
Still, the prospect of a drunk Chan Young is amusing and he decides he might just rat him out to Bo Na later.
A margin of space surrounds Tae Yeon as she continues to sway to the music with her eyes closed. Almost everyone is staring at her as she moves her hair to one shoulder. Young Do had classified the mannerism as a nervous one – yet upon close inspection that appeared to be entirely wrong.
He isn't sure if she's oblivious to all the gazes on her as she continues to dance, fluidly and languidly; or if she knows that they're watching her and is reveling in it.
How lucky you all seem too scared to approach her. I know for a fact that
her words bite.
As Young Do stalks towards her, the crowd takes a collective step backwards in fear. Tae Yeon remains ignorant, continuing to sway at the slower song Myung Soo has switched to. This is Young Do's strike, and he has to make it count. He might have been wrong about her moving her hair being a sign of nerves – but he's sure he's calculated the rest correctly.
That week of silence hadn't been in vain, and he'd observed her keenly. Gathering intel as she walked around Jeguk High, because even though she was definitely aware of his obvious scrutiny, there were only so many precautions she could take to mask her behavior. Young Do was certain that this would work.
He'd watched her with her friends, especially Myung Soo because he was one of the few people who could elicit this reaction from her. He watched how she jumped when people appeared be hind her, how she yelped when people were in close proximity or when people yelled out at her – something Bo Na loved to do in her shrill voice. She jumped at least a foot whenever one of her friends suddenly grabbed her, and her expression had been rather uncomfortable before it melted into a softness that only people like Myung Soo had the talent to bring out in everyone.
Tae Yeon was afraid of people being close to her, and Young Do planned to exploit this fear.
This being said, when Young Do moved behind her to wrap his arms around her waist, pressing his chest to her back (in her heels her head could probably just lay on his shoulders): she was supposed to jolt.
She was a skittish person, as if her ultimate instinct was to flight instead of fly – the telltale sign of someone hiding something. Even when Tan had hidden his mother for so long as a child that it had become second nature, he'd still portrayed the same jumpy behavior. Only Tan was too rich for anyone to question him – especially when Tan had a notable mean streak and liked to target anyone who pissed him off.
Young Do had planned it all out whilst scrubbing dishes for the past week. It had been menial labor that freed up the more complex part of his mind, the simple task helping to let his creativity flow.
So no, Tae Yeon wasn't supposed to not look surprised at all, and she was definitely not supposed to settle back further into his arms and bring her hands up to wrap around his neck.
What are you doing?
Part of Young Do's mind nagged at him. How at ease she'd been with Myung Soo after only two days of knowing him, how she'd barely flinched when he cornered her against the lockers; all of the memories that contradicted his assumption suddenly rose to the surface.
I can't have failed. I know how to torment people, and you'll be no different.
But the proof is concrete and Young Do's not sure what to do.
Her back settles nicely against his chest, and her hands snake further up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. She has to tiptoe to reach, and he can see the lazy smile gracing her lips as she does so from where he is.
This manages to dissuade the rest of her suitors, and they all quickly move away to find other partners to stare at. He hears a girl hiss as she stamps away from them and towards the bar, "It's unfair, two attractive people together like that. Doesn't leave a shot for the rest of us."
He lets her sway on the spot for a while, until people found something else to fixate on. Tae Yeon seems to thrive in front of an audience and he isn't planning to give her that advantage.
Not that my plans have worked out all that well so far.
Nevertheless, he can feel glares burning holes into his back from the direction of the DJ booth and gathers that Bo Na has reattached herself to Chan Young as he disentangles her hands and spins her around.
"After all the embarrassment you've caused me, you have the audacity to be relaxed like this when I'm so close?" Young Do's angled them so that his back is to Myung Soo and Chan Young, effectively hiding Tae Yeon. Whether his strategy's skewed or no, he doesn't really want one of the Scooby Doo Gang butting in.
Tae Yeon's eyes flutter open idly at this and there's only a few centimeters of space between them. She grins a smile that is more genuine than the usual ones she shoots him, a prolonged version of the brief flit of expression that appears on occasion. "Choi Young Do, did you scare the rest of those people away with your eyebrows?" Her hand moves to trace his face, and he grabs her wrists, one hand coming to her shoulders to pull her forward until they are almost flush together.
Young Do's still holding his breath, anticipating the tell tale look of wanting to flee in her eyes. She refuses him the satisfaction once again, and instead wriggles her hands out of his grasp to place them flat across his chest. Tae Yeon's pliable in this state, molding around him and moving herself closer until they are pressed together; pulling him so that they are swaying.
Up close he can see her dilated pupils and the warm flush across her cheeks. He thinks he can just about distinguish the tinge of alcohol on her breath, and soothes his ego with the knowledge that this maybe the reason for her laxed reactions.
Then again, you haven't really lived up to my expectations as of late.
"Myung Soo's really talented," she says and her hands move so that they are on his neck, stroking his aw. They are everywhere with her roving fingers and Young Do doesn't think someone's ever touched him this much. Tae Yeon pauses, as if contemplating something – perhaps an apology for her judgmental comments – but she doesn't. "You seem stressed," she remarks instead, and then she's standing on her toes and miraculously her balance in her heels is unwavering.
Her stance is one of someone practiced at this, and Young Do wonders if he dug deep enough he'd be able to find compromising evidence of Tae Yeon in similar situations with similarly dangerous boys.
If you expect a reaction from me so easily; you're mistaken. Not when I've worked so hard to get something out of you, and you don't oblige.
Young Do keeps his face in different, and Tae Yeon laughs.
Young Do wonders just how much she's had to drink – because he can't imagine any of their friends allowing her to get severely drunk. At least not this quickly.
Perhaps all of them had indulged in a drink in Young Do's absence – even if he can't envision Eun Sang or Chan Na (he's taken to calling them that to save time when his thought process is whirring too quickly) getting drunk, or standing by and allowing Tae Yeon to get this buzzed.
Tan might, if only because he'd find it entertaining.
Or maybe after all your masks and all my guessing, the way to bring you down was easy. Alcohol. It's kind of disappointing to find out that you're such a lightweight.
"I've been waiting for you to strike, you know. After today in school I was a bit disappointed," Tae Yeon continues. She's rambling now, to fill the silence and strike up conversation where most of Young Do's club visits involve no speaking whatsoever other than to congratulate Myung Soo. Her lips are close to his ear so that he can hear her over the music, and whilst normal Tae Yeon is all clipped words and stone faced looks; drunk Tae Yeon is much like the Tae Yeon that Young Do sees her around the rest of his friends. She's loose and talking freely, even if she has to lean up and he has to crane his neck downwards in order for her to continue their one sided conversation.
"But oh," she stops. "That's it, isn't it? Why you're so mad."
Tae Yeon laughs and he thinks that she might topple as her body shakes with it. She's grabbing onto the flaps of his leather jacket in order to keep upright, revealing his white work shirt. He hadn't had time to change before coming – simply grabbing his jacket and keys before heading out. "Who would have thought that someone like you could own work clothes," she says wryly. Her hands smooth over the fabric and how did her hands get there? "Even if they're expensive ones."
Young Do shakes her slightly as they continue to move from side to side as she refuses to elaborate. "What do you mean why I'm so mad?"
Tae Yeon laughs again, and the sound is light and happy yet the spike in his brain throbs at the sound of it.
"This was meant to be it, your counter strike. This morning was just a precursory gesture. You were trying to be polite and warn me." Her giggles grow more incessant and he's sure that by now Eun Sang must be very concerned from where she's watching. "You thought I wouldn't like you touching me, because I'm so jumpy all the time. You thought you could get to me by being physical," Tae Yeon laughs again and they're so close that Young Do is thankful she's not a spittle kind of person.
"That hasn't really worked for you, has it?" She questions, and Young Do has no words to reply to her with. Then suddenly, she angles her hips just so as she twitches them to the side, her hands reaching around his shoulders until they're clasped together to give her better leverage. It looks as if she is about to tackle them to the floor, and Young Do contemplates this possibility – but her hips are still rotating in time to the beat and its awakening something dark inside of Young Do.
I take back what I said about you Myung Soo, you play the worst music at the worst times.
You were playing a dangerous game before Tae Yeon-ah, and I thought that you just craved the adrenaline. Now I've deduced you must be suicidal.
"Tae Yeon," he said, and he halted swaying. Tae Yeon moved one hand down to his hip and tilted it so that he was pressed against her.
"You said I care too much about stupid boys," her breath was fanning across his face and he could definitely smell the remnants of a drink. "You're right. I have a habit of befriending them. But you know what that means?"
Young Do didn't know how long he'd been holding his breath for. "It means I'm not afraid of them. If I was falling back into old habits I probably would have befriended you too. Only I didn't, so I'll let you in on a secret instead. Pretty, pretty boys who slather their hair in gel and flash their money around don't intimidate me – especially not when they get close enough to bite," her mouth brushes his face and Young Do's mind goes blank.
Your audacity is unbelievable.
"Then why don't we? Become friends?"
"I think we both know it's too late for that. I'm already too much of a mystery, and you're already too eager to solve me. Plus we both know that friendships in themselves are more of a myth in your world."
No arguments here.
"It's your world now too," he points out instead, hands moving to her hips to still them.
They must look a sight, the two of them together. Her in someone else's party clothes, and him in his Zeus uniform. Tae Yeon leaning up and grabbing onto him in an attempt to be face to face, their hands on each other's hips.
Tae Yeon still had that drunken, hazed look about her. Young Do knew that this would be the best time to press her for answers. She was right, he was too keen on unraveling the secrecy she'd shrouded herself in. Too keen to concentrate on establishing a friendship with her. He was about to ask one of his strings of questions – yet his father taking advantage of various drunk girls flashed in his mind and he couldn't bring himself to.
There is too much feeling going on, not enough arguing.
Before Tae Yeon had the chance to reply to Young Do's comment, something buzzed in between them and she settled back on the ground. The tension between them dissipated, and Myung Soo somehow managed to choose an appropriate track to play. Slow, so that everyone could catch their breath. Slow so that he could reorganize his strategy and Tae Yeon could register what had happened. Tae Yeon nudged his hand off her hip, reaching for a zipper he hadn't noticed and slipping her hand into the pocket. She retrieved a phone, glanced at the caller ID, and swiftly swiped across the screen to ignore it.
When Tae Yeon looked back up at him, she tilted her head questioningly at his raised eyebrows.
"You're not going to take it?"
Tae Yeon shrugs. "Clubs are hardly adequate places to hold reasonable conversations."
"You seemed intent on trying before." The music is soft and they can hear each other from where they're stood, Young Do's hands shoved in his trouser pockets and Tae Yeon's are crossed across her chest.
"If it's important he'll call back."
"Min Kyung?" Young Do ventures.
Tae Yeon's drunken stupor evaporates slightly at the name leaving Young Do's lips.
The crowd is dispersing, eager to go to the bar and replenish their drunkenness and Young Do knows that this is the part in Myung Soo's set where he goes to grab a drink. He can see the crowd parting behind him in his peripheral vision, Tae Yeon looking around his shoulder to avoid his gaze as she snaps out of whatever they were just engaged in. She must see something in the space behind him, because Young Do doesn't need to be holding her anymore to tell that she's tense.
"Oh he is definitely going to call back now," she mutters lowly.
"What?" Young Do asks, and turns around to see what Tae Yeon had glimpsed but her hands are suddenly grasping his face; keeping him in place.
"Just stay still," she orders. Her voice is low, the drink still softening her words.
Sure enough, the phone begins to vibrate again, and this time Tae Yeon answers it and presses it to her ear.
The transition into the second recovery song happens, and Young Do knows that there will be one ore after this before Myung Soo plunges back into the fast pace.
"Yes?" Tae Yeon calls into the phone.
Tae Yeon is having to speak quite loudly into the phone and she's pressing it so hard to her ear that it's cutting into her face in order to hear Min Kyung. She's keeping her tone polite, despite the fact that she's sort of panicking on the inside.
"What's up?" Tae Yeon can practically hear Min Kyung's smug grin through the phone.
"What do you want?" she asks through gritted teeth, and the pleasant buzz that she had is quickly leaving her as she continues to stare at Young Do, who looks conflicted between bemusement and annoyance.
"I wanted to know how much I mean to you. Blowing off practice for clubs? Ignoring me for your new friends? It's hurtful."
Tae Yeon sighs. There's no real denying it, not when she'd caught sight of Si Hyun behind Young Do. Really, she should've known better. A new club opening on a weekday was exactly Min Kyung's friend's type of scene, especially considering they didn't have much going on during the day. They didn't distinguish weekday from weekends, and Min Kyung had stumbled into her apartment past midnight enough times for her to know that they didn't really care what day it was when they went out to get pissed drunk.
She also knows that Si Hyun knows what she looks like, and that he would've told him about what he saw immediately.
"They asked me to come, and I couldn't say no. it's not like I lied to you, I said I was going out with friends." Young Do's still watching her as she makes her way off of the dance floor, heading towards where their friends are conjugated. Young Do is right behind her, she can tell by the way people are parting for them.
The conversation isn't all that important but Tae Yeon still isn't keen on him eavesdropping. Young Do already knows Min Kyung's name and that's too much information in her opinion. Plus, knowing Min Kyung, the conversation could take a turn into unexpected territory, especially when his friends like Si Hyun are involved.
"I thought you were lying to me anyway, I didn't think you had friends," Min Kyung says and she can hear the grin in his voice.
"Funny," she says, and Chan Young, Bo Na, Eun Sang and Tan come into view, all gathered around Myung Soo where he stands. "I'm going to hang up now. You can bother me tomorrow."
"I plan on it," Min Kyung says and there's music on his side of the line too and she guesses that he's in a similar environment to hers.
Hypocrite.
"Text me when you get home," Min Kyung says and he sounds so much like her brother its ridiculous.
Tae Yeon's joined the rest of their friends again and she sighs into the receiver but its halfhearted at best.
"Whatever."
Young Do is almost entirely sure that the person on the phone was Min Kyung – because so far outside of school he's the only person that he's seen Tae Yeon interact with. What the conversation consists of however, he isn't entirely sure because Tae Yeon's giving reasonably non-committal answers and walking away from him so that he can't hear what she's saying when her sentences are longer. What he does know, is that she ends the phone call just as they reach their friends and it appears to have sobered her up quite a bit.
She leans on the countertop in front of Myung Soo and grins at him, although her actions are more normal now; lacking the complete ease that she'd possessed before.
Who exactly did you see that made you so worried?
"You're doing a great job Myung Soo oppa," she says and Myung Soo beams, playing with the headphones around his neck.
"You really think so?"
Tae Yeon nods, and Myung Soo blushes.
Just how serious were you when you asked her to be your next love?
Bo Na agrees enthusiastically. "This is really fun Myung Soo, I'm glad you invited us," she says as she melts into Chan Young's arms. A now full coke bottle is right there and apparently glaring at Young Do's back was a sport that required rehydration. "Although I can't say the same for some people," she adds, narrowing her eyes at Young Do.
He spreads his hands in defense and clicks his fingers to order a drink.
"I'll have a shot please," Young Do says and Eun Sang rolls her eyes whilst her boyfriend seconds the order.
"And what about the pretty lady?" The bartender asks, and his hair is slimy and his grin sleazy as he looks Tae Yeon up and down, the only girl whose not currently being sheltered from his dirty gazes. Young Do wants to wrap his arm around her too, but Tae Yeon defends herself first; standing up from where she'd been leaning forward and smiling sweetly at him.
"Water will be fine," she says and her tone is cold.
There's something of a lull in conversation then, as Bo Na continues to chatter excitedly and Tan is telling her to shut up because even though the music was loud it wasn't loud enough to drown her out – and when their drinks come they all slam them down, even Tae Yeon gulping down her water in one go.
Myung Soo works on bringing the pace of the music back up, slowly building and layering so that it's so pristine, and so precise it's unreal. When the tracks finally reach their climax again – where it will stagnate until Myung Soo decides that it's time for a change – this is when he emits a high pitched squeal that shuts Bo Na and Tan up from where they're still bickering; Tae Yeon, Eun Sang and Chan Young watching amusedly. Eun Sang looks alarmed, but the alcohol helped to relax Young Do until he doesn't really care anymore.
"Oh my god," Myung Soo says, clapping excitedly until they're all looking questionably at him and he smacks his hand over his mouth.
Eun Sang grimaces.
"What?"
Myung Soo lifts up a shaky finger to point at someone, and all of their heads turn to see what he's pointing at.
"Not all at once," Myung Soo groans and they collectively ignore him.
"Whose that?" Chan Young asks, and Young Do's eyes finally land on the person in question.
It's a girl.
Isn't it always?
She's dressed in a turquoise dress that barely covers anything, with legs that shine under the lights and seem to go on for miles. Her hair's lighter at the ends than at the roots, make up heavy and with eyelashes that are far too long to be genuine. She's definitely Myung Soo's type – so of course she's way out of his league.
Still, the squeal seems a bit overkill, even for Myung Soo.
"What do you mean whose that?" Myung Soo asks, and he's clutching at his chest like he's about to have a heart attack and Tan is cocking his head to the side.
"That's Kim Ha Kyung, right?" Tan asks, and Myung Soo grabs onto him and envelopes him in his arms.
"Yes! Wait," he pulls back. "How did you know that? You're usually so spaced out you don't know anything."
"Her father signed a business deal with Zeus, and they both attended dinner with my father, Tan, Won and I," Young Do says and at that moment Ha Kyung looks over to them and flashes a smile. She says something to her friends and maneuvers her way towards them.
Tae Yeon looks away quickly as if Ha Kyung's teeth are blinding.
"I can't believe she's coming over here," Myung Soo says, now fanning himself with Eun Sang's help as she laughs at him.
Bo Na's eyes narrow even further as she continues to stare at her. "You mean Kim Ha Kyung, the party girl?"
It's then that Young Do notices that Tae Yeon is fidgeting. Her hands are running anxiously through her hair as she adjusts the hem of Bo Na's borrowed skirt. She's looking mildly uncomfortable and although the rest of them had been staring at Kim Ha Kyung, Young DO's pretty sure that she'd only glanced at her before turning away.
So it takes pretty girls to get you flustered. Unexpected.
"Hey," Myung Soo snaps. "She's more than that. She's pretty and smart and talented and ah," Myung Soo exhales and he's looking a little dazed now. Tan and Young Do exchange knowing looks. "And now she's coming over here."
"She probably recognizes Young Do from when her father was negotiating the deal," Tan says and Eun Sang already seems to have grown bored of their rich people politics and acquaintances and is taking a sip from Tae Yeon's water. There's already a bright lipstick stain on the glass from Tae Yeon, but when Eun Sang finishes she leaves no trace on it.
"Really?!" Myung Soo says, and he's pouting again and looking jealous and Tae Yeon is laughing and pretending to smooth away the worry liens.
How is it she became your friend so fast, yet you became my enemy?
"I can introduce you," Young Do offers and Myung Soo jumps up and down – before remembering that the object of his affections is nearby and immediately halting in order to save face. Tae Yeon merely looks unimpressed, and then amused at Young Do's comments. "Some of us have friends."
Tae Yeon scoffs at this, and looks slightly more at east. "Unlikely."
"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Tae Yeon-ah. Just because I know a pretty girl doesn't mean I won't have time for you," he moves to push her hair behind her ear again and she moves backwards, turning so that she's facing the opposite way. Before, she was angled so that she was looking at Myung Soo, face hidden from the rest but now she's standing purposefully where Ha Kyung can see her and it's quite amusing.
As Ha Kyung nears, Young Do braces himself for the forced polite introductions. He maps out the conversation mentally, how he'll get from exchanging niceties to introducing her to Myung Soo, inquiring after her father's business as the two of them know that they're meant to do.
It appears once again his efforts are in vain, because once she's close enough she wraps her arms around Tae Yeon and grins. "Tae Yeon-ah!"
At least Young Do isn't the only one surprised, and he takes comfort in that.
Very little comfort.
Meanwhile, Tan is smirking like the cat who wolfed down the canary.
Myung Soo looks to be in a permanent state of shock.
"Ha Kyung sunbae," Tae Yeon replies, and as she squeezes her arms around Ha Kyung's waist she sports a satisfied smirk and Young Do has to blink a couple of times and wonders if that alcohol worked faster than he thought.
Ha Kyung releases her to swat at her shoulder. Eun Sang's brow is furrowed and Bo Na looks pleased with the turn of events. Meanwhile Young Do's head is now throbbing even more and he motions for more alcohol because Tae Yeon was complex to start with and now it's simply getting ridiculous.
Just as it felt as if Young Do was beginning to construct the final puzzle, Young Do continuously found more and more pieces; and it was made even more difficult by the fact he had no idea what the end product was supposed to look like.
"I told you to call me unnie."
"Ha Kyung unnie," Tae Yeon amends, bowing her head still.
"Better."
No one makes a move to say anything and Chan Young scratches the back of his neck.
"How are you?" Tae Yeon asks, and Ha Kyung's teeth must have been freshly whitened because her smile is blinding and Young Do thinks its preposterous.
"Good," Ha Kyung says, and then she smiles knowingly. She's still ignoring Young Do, and whether or not its on purpose he's unsure. "Ni ne Te Mei ah?"
Everyone's expression suddenly mimics Myung Soo's. The words aren't Korean, and there's no way this is possible because Tae Yeon is already fluent in English and this is seriously ridiculous. Yet here they are with Tae Yeon nodding her head and Ha Kyung – a native Korean and Young Do knows this for a fact – is conjugating Chinese words (Mandarin probably) without any apparent reason.
Tae Yeon laughs as if no one is staring bug eyed at her; when in fact everyone is staring at her. "Wo hen hao, Ha Kyung jie. Ni jin wan hen piao liang."
The words aren't triggering any sort of recognition in Young Do's mind, he has no idea what they're saying and its beginning to bug him. Even Bo Na with her plethora of languages doesn't know Mandarin; and if only Tan hadn't chased Rachel away with his stupid actions she might be able to translate.
All Young Do knows is Japanese, and even that is mostly limited to persuading people into paying copious amounts of money for pretty dodgy work.
Tae Yeon's Mandarin (because it doesn't sound like Cantonese to him), much like her English is without Korean accent; and now that he's thinking about it properly she doesn't exactly look like she was born in South Korea.
He scans her features for more proof.
Tae Yeon is still speaking Mandarin, and to Young Do's ears it sounds slightly rusty in her throat. She's slipping into it slowly, like a second skin as Young Do watches. He remembers her swearing on the first day and assumes that it was in Mandarin, with Min Kyung.
These secrets are reaching extreme lengths.
"Ni ye hen piao liang. Ni de ge ge ne? Ta hao?"
Tae Yeon nods. "Ta hao," she pauses then and when she resumes to speak she's slipped back into Korean.. "I'll tell him to call you."
"Good, I missed him. And you," Ha Kyung Is swinging her arm around Tae Yeon's shoulders and Young Do thinks that if she gets any closer some of the copious amounts of glitter on her face might transfer onto Tae Yeon.
Eun Sang and Chan Young seem to have lost interest, with Tan looking as if this is nothing new. Bo Na however, is still regarding the two of them curiously as Myung Soo continues to look stunned.
"I didn't think I'd see you here. I've seen Min Kyung around, but not you," Ha Kyung wags a finger. "I especially didn't think I'd see you at a club opening on a school night."
Tae Yeon hangs her head and they have to be friends because no way is Tae Yeon this talented in acting. "My friends invited me, and I couldn't refuse."
This catches Ha Kyung's attention, and for the first time her eyes look away from Tae Yeon as if noticing them suddenly. It's not uncommon, ignorance. Especially when you're as rich as Ha Kyung's family. You can get away with ignoring those lesser than you, especially if you find them annoying. Ha Kyung takes in the group standing with Tae Yeon, and then notices Myung Soo behind the turntables.
Their eyes lock and great.
Myung Soo if you faint I will not help you.
"You're doing a fantastic job, by the way," Ha Kyung comments offhandedly but Myung Soo's eyes light up nonetheless. Tan grips his elbow to stop him from swooning.
"Isn't he? Unni this is my friend Myung Soo," she says and Ha Kyung shakes Myung Soo's hand.
I hope for your sake tha tit isn't sweaty.
"I shouldn't known that you were her friend. Tae Yeon has good taste in friends, and her friends have good taste," Ha Kyung winks. "Are you contracted to play here weekly?"
Myung Soo shakes his head and after a few false starts manages to speak. "Just tonight."
Eun Sang and Chan Young are standing further up the bar now and seem to be seeing who can throw the most nuts in the air and catch them in their mouths.
And the upper class weep for you.
"Too bad. If you were a regular I might come here a lot more often," Ha Kyung says and Tae Yeon manages to rescue the conversation before Myung Soo can say something stupid.
"These are my friends: Chan Young, Bo Na, Tan, Eun Sang and," Tae Yeon pauses just before Young Do's name and Chan Young slides the bowl of peanuts away from him at Bo Na's insistent glare. "Young Do."
Ha Kyung shakes hands with all of them, enveloping Bo Na, Tan and himself with a hug. She must recognize them, even if she's never actually met Bo Na before, and smiles winningly. "Ah, you three I recognize. I'm glad that our Tae Yeon has found such good company. How's business going? Good?"
They all give a non-committal nod.
"I have to be going. I'll see you around Tae Yeon-ah. Make sure to tell your oppa to call me."
Tae Yeon nods obligingly. "Of course."
When she walks away, Tae Yeon looks triumphant; although slightly uncertain.
"I need more water," Tae Yeon says when she looks at her glass in Eun Sang's fingers and realizes it's empty.
"Sorry," Eun Sang chimes and blushes. Tae Yeon rolls her eyes not unkindly. She snaps her fingers at the bartender who is busy flirting with his new targets and pays her no attention. Tae Yeon sighs heavily.
"I'll be right back."
Young Do follows her, long strides overtaking hers quickly. She attempts to shake him off – unsuccessfully. "Stalking, much?"
"I want a drink too. And if he's ignoring you, he'll definitely ignore me." They walk and pass the changing venues of conversation from the groups surrounding them. "So, the oppa she was talking about. Was it Min Kyung?"
Tae Yeon's steps become quicker and his strides elongate. "Stop talking about him."
"Why? You've already revealed some pretty interesting secrets. Why not go all out?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Where did you learn Chinese?" He questions, and then he pulls her into a darkened are of the club so that their friends can't see them, and they're shielded from onlookers.
Tae Yeon smiles sweetly and looks as if she's pondering punching him in the face. "In the uterus."
Young Do nods. "Plausible, after all I've decided you don't look all that Korean." He traces the outline of her face and she umps away from him. "What happened to you not being intimidated? Or is that only when you're drunk? Does it take a party girl to sober you up?"
Tae Yeon leans against the wall. "It wouldn't be fun if I gave you all the answers."
"it's not fun if I can never find the answers," Young Do counters. "It's interesting though," he says, tapping his chin thoughtfully and to his delight Tae Yeon caves just a little.
You're close to cracking, I can see the fractures.
"What is?"
"You see, I might not know any Mandarin," Young Do says as he leans down to blow air into her ear. She squirms away from him. "Yet I know just enough to be able to distinguish words from names. And if I'm not wrong, when Ha Kyung asked how you were she didn't call you Tae Yeon. Did she, Te Mei?"
Tae Yeon tenses and he has her.
"Interesting, yes?" His hands are sliding down her jaw now and she doesn't move. "I wonder what I'll find."
She sucks in a shaky breath that he can feel under his palms as they rest on her throat. "Go ahead, look. See if you find anything."
Young Do's mind flashes back to all of his unsuccessful searches and perhaps that alcohol was potent because his aggravation must show in his eyes as Tae Yeon grins. "But you haven't, right? You're angry because you've already tried and failed."
"I haven't been trying with the right name, apparently."
Tae Yeon's eyes flash and he wonders whether it's in her genetics to react badly to intimidation so that she grows more indignant instead. "Go ahead," Tae Yeon says, and she's backing him up until they rejoin the rest of the crowd. He's reminded of a similar maneuver that she'd executed in Jeguk and he just watches. "Search. Just don't blame me if you don't like what you find," and then she's ducking around him and getting a drink from the bartender; before returning to their friends.
Young Do remains there for a while, as people dance around him. Still. Thinking.
I'll like whatever it is, as long as I finally find something useful.
When Tae Yeon wakes up the next day there's a faint throbbing in the back of her skull that is all too familiar from her past. She remembers all the nights spent under strobing lights, drinking until she built up her alcohol tolerance. She remembered being sheltered from boys with roving stares by Min Kyung and his friends with even more roving stares and stony expressions.
From yesterday however, she doesn't remember al that many details. She thinks she can remember Myung Soo hugging her to hide her from a group of boys – which may have been triggered from the onslaught of memories of the last times she'd gone out drinking. She remembers seeing her friends, all of them waiting for Young Do.
Then she recalls dancing with him, her hands roaming over the expanse of his chest: playing with his hair. It all hits her like a concrete truck as she disentangles her legs from the sheets and swings them over the edge of the bed.
It takes her a moment to regain her equilibrium as she stands. There's a glass of water placed precariously on her bedside table that most definitely wasn't there when she collapsed in her bed and went to sleep.
Go Min Kyung, how many times do I have to tell you to be more careful with my things?
She downs it anyway, and it helps to satiate the dryness in her throat. Tae Yeon is pretty sure she wasn't that drunk – after spending countless nights out with Min Kyung to ensure he stayed safe: her alcohol limit was pretty high. Yet the smokiness of the place had been invigorating and she hadn't felt free for such a long time that it was all too easy to relinquish control.
Then the phone call with Min Kyung resurfaces and Tae Yeon groans. She remembers more about Young Do. Remembers him touching her face after Ha Kyung had come over her.
Ha Kyung. Ha Kyung speaking Mandarin to her. Ha Kyung the super rich heiress who had people all over Seoul panting after her, wanting to be her best friend. Ha Kyung hugging her.
Fantastic.
One downside to partying on a weekday was having to face school the next day with a pounding head and a dazedness that made processing any learning whatsoever nearly impossible. An added downside in Tae Yeon's case was knowing that Young Do would have more questions than ever – and now he had witnesses and evidence to justify them.
Telling him to search for you, how stupid can you get?
She tripped over her feet on the way out of the bedroom, placing the glass in the sink before taking a shower to clear her head and completely sanitize it from thoughts of Young Do and how he had felt beneath her hands.
Unsurprisingly, Min Kyung's sprawled across her sofa, jacket flung over the back of it and blanket pulled messily over him.
"What's the point of giving you a bed if you don't use it?" Tae Yeon mutters, flicking his ear before refilling the glass and placing it next to him. She pondered the idea of throwing it in his face. But it was still too early and she really needed a shower to get rid off that grimy smell.
By the time she's dressed in her uniform Min Kyung's already awake, hair rumpled and clutching a cup of coffee. He gestured towards the other one sitting on the table, next to a bowl of cereal. "Eat. Fast. You're not blaming me for your lateness again."
Tae Yeon scoffed. "Whatever." She started to eat anyway, and the coffee did a lot for her tiredness.
"So," Min Kyung drawls. "Si Hyun said he saw you with a boy."
"Si Hyun says lots of crap."
"I don't suppose it was eyebrow boy?"
"Shut up."
"You said that it's hell there, yet you seem to be having loads of fun."
"I told you to shut it."
"You're so touchy," Min Kyung says as he places his dishes in the sink. "It's a miracle you have any friends."
Tae Yeon picks up the pen lying on the table and chucks it at him.
Young Do's at school early the next day, eager to catch Tae Yeon. It's cold and crisp in the early morning light as he sits on a bench, and he pulls out his phone. It rings for a couple of times before he hears the call being picked up.
"Hyo Shin sunbae, I need you to do something for me."
"Have you no manners Choi Young Do?" Hyo Shin asks, and Young Do supposes that in order to sweeten him he could have placed a couple of niceties, but he's in a rush and he can't be bothered.
He knows Hyo Shin, and knows that most of the time his curiosity gets the better of him. Quite like himself.
"I'm sorry. Yes, sunbae. How are you? Good? How's Rachel? Are the two of you very much in love? I need you to do something for me."
"I am fantastic thank you for asking, and Rachel probably still wants to slap you every time she sees you," Hyo Shin says conversationally, and Young Do knows that he is purposefully dragging out his syllables in order to irk Young Do. "What can I do to you?"
His voice is mockingly sweet to match Young Do's and Young Do knows that this is why Hyo Shin is the only senior he's ever paid any semblance of respect to.
"Find someone for me." Perhaps with Hyo Shin's legal connections he can find more information than he could. His pride had stopped him from asking for help to search for Tae Yeon before, and he thought that after yesterday he'd be able to uncover new grounds with a new name.
The dark circles under his eyes paid testament to exactly how well that had gone.
Pride has gone and been replace with desperation.
"No."
Young Do whistles lowly and it carries around the empty high school. The dead body outline is visible from where he's sitting, and he wonders who it represents today.
"You jumped at the chance to help Tan look for Eun Sang, and yet you won't help me." Young Do pouts and knows that Hyo Shin can hear it. "Your favoritism really knows no bounds. Is that how the son of the defense attorney should be acting? Then again it explains why Rachel's so smitten with you. She's rather spoilt."
Hyo Shin deflects his comments about Rachel and perhaps that's why they get along so well. Rachel requires constant attention and Hyo Shin is willing to give it in his own, quiet way. That and they're both incredibly good at pretending they don't feel anything, even if he knows that the way Hyo Shin acts laidback grates on Rachel's nerves.
I'm happy for you, sister. When the two of you get married I'll be sure to buy you the biggest present. I'll make sure it's something to embarrass you, and entertain Hyo Shin.
"Tan was looking for Eun Sang for sincere reasons, your reasons are probably suspicious," Hyo Shin says boredly and Young Do wonders why his senior is even awake at this hour. He's not in school anymore, enrolling in a film school upon graduation without a second care for his parents. It's impressive really, because Hyo Shin's mother makes Young Do shiver, and yet Hyo Shin had somehow managed to shake them off.
He supposes some of it might have to do with the awards he'd won with the film he released on his graduation day, and some sort of threat about their family's reputation.
You're an inspiration to us all.
"Your words hurt me, sunbae."
"I don't suppose the person you want me to look for is the girl Eun Sang was telling me about?"
Young Do freezes.
Eun Sang, I expected this from Bo Na. But not you. Did you really think telling Hyo Shin would help Tae Yeon?
"That depends on what she told you," he says icily.
"She said that you were picking on her and arguing," Hyo Shin says and his voice sounds irritably smug. "And judging on that I'd say you like her."
"Then no, this is not said girl. Said girl doesn't exist. At least not the me liking her part. I'm far more interested in exacting revenge so that she doesn't bug me anymore."
"Young Do-ah, we both know that you hiding your feelings never ends well. It's surprising that Tan hasn't tried to stop you yet. It's been what, two weeks, and you already seem infatuated with her."
"I'm hanging up now sunbae," Young Do says and he is already regretting calling him. "I hope you don't treat Rachel the same way you treat me."
Infatuated with her. Hyo Shin sunbae, I know that you plan to make a career in film, but still that seems a bit overdramatic.
And here I thought I was beginning to ditch the long chapters. Apparently not. Whenever I feel I manage to get a grasp on this and make it shorter, everything conspires against me and goes nope. One of these days I'm going to have to go back over again and rewrite, hopefully shorter, and make it more continuous.
In comparison to the earlier chapters I think there's a lot less of Young Do and Tae Yeon's thoughts, what do you guys think? Want more? Less?
I love reading your comments, both here, on ao3 and the fanmail some of you send on Tumblr. It makes me gush! I'm on break for the next two weeks so hopefully I'll write faster.
I want to thank all of you guys for reading this story, especially because even I can't read it most of the time (this chapter was finished last Sunday but I couldn't edit it because reading it was too much for me). I love all of you!