𝐙𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝟏𝟐𝟎𝟔 | 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑶𝒀𝒁

PART IV: THE BERMUDA LINE

2021, January 15

Loud music coming from the speakers filled the ears of all the people inside the club. The people went out of control as they filled the space on the dance floor, grinding themselves on each other.

With his raven hair slicked back, Lee Juyeon remained on his seat by the bar counter. He only watched the people getting immersed by the loud music booming from the speakers around the club.

"Why don't you join the craze there?"

Juyeon shook his head after hearing a question from a familiar voice. "You know that I am not into those," he stated.

Lee Jaehyun, which goes by Hyunjae, let out a chuckle even though he knew that Juyeon's response would be the one that he expected.

"Bro, today is your birthday," Hyunjae tells the latter, leaning himself by the bar counter with his elbows resting onto the flat surface. "Have some fun tonight. Get laid, kiss or make out with someone─whatever you want."

"I am fine by drinking," said Juyeon as he raised the bottle of beer in front of Hyunjae. "I should be sober," he added, making Hyunjae to roll his eyes.

"You're no fun," stated Hyunjae as he stood up straight.

Juyeon only shot a wink on Hyunjae before chugging on the bottle of beer. The bitter taste of alcohol traveled down his throat with him not feeling any burning sensation. His alcohol tolerance is very high, which is an advantage on Juyeon's side.

In a quick sudden, Juyeon was taken aback when someone from behind showed a cake in front of him. Twenty three candles were lit on the top of the cake, flames dancing along with the loud music coming from the speakers.

At first, Juyeon expected it to be someone that he really wanted it to be. But as soon as he saw the hand that was holding the cake, his expectation faded immediately as disappointment washed over him.

"Happy birthday," a male voice greeted from behind.

"Thanks," Juyeon said with a small smile.

The person holding the cake occupied the stool in front of Juyeon. Hyunjae then rested his upper body onto the bar counter once again.

"Blow your candles, dude," Hyunjae told Juyeon. "Don't forget to make a wish," he added after.

"Bet, you would wish your girlfriend to be─" the male who was holding the cake was interrupted when Juyeon spoke.

"Shut up, Kim Younghoon," Juyeon hissed. "I can wish whatever I want."

"Suit yourself," Younghoon said with a shrug as he held the cake closer to Juyeon's face.

Slowly fluttering his eyes closed, Juyeon made a wish with his mouth shut. It wasn't a big deal, but he wanted that wish only to be kept to himself. After a moment, he opened his eyes, blowing the flames down on the twenty three candles.

"But Juyeon, seriously," Hyunjae slightly chuckled. "You expected it to be her, right?" he asks the lad.

It would be a lie if Juyeon shakes his head, or even say no. Both Younghoon and Hyunjae knew how much Juyeon is struggling on carrying his own relationship with his lover just for it not to crash down.

"Yeah," Juyeon responded lowly, voice almost could not be heard because of the loud music inside the club.

Younghoon rested the cake onto the bar counter before crouching down a little in order to meet Juyeon's eyes. "She is taking you for granted, and you know it to yourself," he tells the latter. "You deserve much better, Juyeon."

Hyunjae nodded his head in agreement from the bar counter before sliding a finger onto the icing of the cake in front of him. "Don't settle for less, dude," he added to Younghoon's comment. "If she could cheat behind your back, then do the same. Just like that, vice versa," he finished and smeared the icing on Juyeon's left cheek.

"Cheating," Younghoon huffed, making Hyunjae to squint his eyes and glare towards the latter.

"I mean, why don't you do the same for goodness sake? Revenge some shit after you get hit," Hyunjae said dramatically with his hands up in the air.

Younghoon is shaking his head in disapproval. "Juyeon can't cheat, really," he stated after. "It might be easy for you to say that─oh, bet, you can do that cheating stuff."

"Only if someone did that to me," Hyunjae corrected before his eyes went to find a random person by the crowd on the dance floor.

Both Younghoon and Juyeon looked up to Hyunjae, then they followed where the latter is looking.

"Oh, found him," Hyunjae chortles before pointing a finger on one of the occupied tables beside the dance floor. "See that guy over there making out with a girl on the couch?"

Both Younghoon and Juyeon followed where Hyunjae was pointing at. There they saw, a pink haired guy publicly making out with a woman.

"He has a girlfriend and I've seen him around here a plenty of times," said Hyunjae. "His girlfriend would always watch him whenever he's with her. But when she isn't around, that's him."

"That is Kim Sunwoo's nature," Younghoon shrugged, making Hyunjae gasp.

"You know that guy?!" Hyunjae shrieked. "How come?!"

"He's also a citizen in Zone 1206," said Younghoon.

Hyunjae was intrigued by Younghoon's response, making him to ask another question. "Are  you friends with him or something?"

"In between a friend and an enemy, I guess?" responded Younghoon, quit unsure. "Whatever. Can we just enjoy Juyeon's birthday?" he asked before smearing an icing all over Juyeon's nose bridge, making Hyunjae to laugh at Juyeon's angry expression.