In this book within a book, plunge into the escapades of Satine Fontaine, who's on the run from her tumultuous past. The vibrant streets of New York beckon her, and fate conspires as she stumbles into Brooklyn's dingiest bar, encountering the enigma...
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STAR: 3:0
Flashback, 1st April 1997, 2:46am
It was particularly stormy that night.
Everybody loved those kinds of evenings in New York where the rain would batter down, the sky would blaze with a flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder could be heard miles and miles away.
Those were the types of nights where something poetic happened, or something really fucking bad.
On one side of Brooklyn, Satine lay exhausted after being fucked rather roughly by Mingyu. He had resorted to sex and an unholy amount of whiskey to help him cope with DK's leave. Which, of course, was nothing new.
Hoshi was the same, though he couldn't remember the last person he'd slept with since falling for Satine. He just stuck to alcohol, lying with his forehead plastered against Dynaco's bar top, waiting for Wonwoo to join.
Wonwoo was on the other side of Brooklyn leaving his apartment for the very last time, mentally going over the route to Dynaco. He may have taken the whole drinking thing too far this time. It was no real secret that he suffered with his mental health, but that day it was particularly hellbent on eating him alive. Fifteen shots of vodka, plus a very mean out-of-date bottle of rum, brought him right to the edge of sanity.
The articles constantly circled his head: the bold black letters, and the array of high school photographs. He had come home from the library the night before to try and sleep on it, to work out what the best course of action would be, but it always came down to loyalty and Mingyu had his.
He couldn't lie, there was still a part of him that wanted to call Diana. She used to be his confidante, always there for him late at night when he needed to vent. But now, she was part of the problem. Half the reason he found himself stumbling along the bank of Newtown Creek, wasted and lost.
He was there trying to work out how to tell Mingyu about his revelation, knowing the weight of his words would forever shatter his friend's existence.
Wonwoo wasn't sure why he was drawn there of all places as it was two miles in the wrong direction. It probably had something to do with the happy memories of rebelling with his schoolmates or spending one too many nights passed out there with Hoshi. Whatever the reason was, he felt at peace hanging his head over the railing, letting the pelting rain sober him up. A drunk Wonwoo and the truth never mixed well - this was something he was going to have to explain sober-ish.
He was trying to do better, if it was any consolation. He was trying not to be a fuck up and spend the rest of his life relying on alcohol, but he needed to take the edge off this time, it was important.
Wonwoo focused on the raindrops hitting the creek with a mad sense of ferocity. He had always loved the rain; it was the only thing apart from Hoshi that could clear his head. He thought of his best friend for a moment, feeling calmer already. He couldn't wait to see him; to have someone there for support after he destroyed Mingyu's life.
"I'm coming, Hoshi!" He directed his slurred call in what he thought was the direction of Dynaco. "Just give me a minute to prepare! One needs to be ready before they fuck up some more shit in their life!"
A sudden scrape of shoes caught Wonwoo's attention, but honesty, he had no desire to turn around. It was probably just a homeless man or a crackhead, and he was convinced he would actually make friends with at that point. He needed somebody to talk to; somebody who didn't know anything about the mess he was about to inject himself into.
"I have no money!" he yelled over his shoulder. "Just the secrets of the world! But don't get your hopes up, I'm not going to tell anyone before I tell Mingyu!" He ended up laughing at how stupid he sounded.
There was no answer from the person behind; not until their breath warmed the back of Wonwoo's neck.
"I'm sorry, he just can't find out yet. It'll ruin everything."
Wonwoo's head whipped around, his eyes widening to the point of near-extrusion from their sockets.
"Holy s-" Before he could even question their presence, the iciness of the canon pressed against his temple.
Then not even half a second later, the sound of the gunshot rattled through the air and Wonwoo's secret was sinking to the bottom of the creek along with his body.
***
A/N
💔
Do you know how hard it was to off Wonwoo? Shit broke my heart.
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