PET

VIII [m]

[Han Jihoon]

Somehow, the cool air that filled the entrance room of the fancy building failed to cool my sweating skin. Maybe it's because I was sweating from anxiety and not from the heat. While my eyes flitted over the luxurious entrance of the club, they settled on Kye who stood behind the welcome desk with a large smile on her face as she made eye contact with me.

Walking up to her, I greeted her with a similar grin. "Hey, Kye. How's the club been for you?"

She readied my white band while responding back with a light voice. "It's been busy. You know how weekend nights are. I like it though; it gives me something to do during my shift."

Her hand slid the white band on top of the countertop in my direction. Taking the band from the marble top, I pushed up my sleeve to place it around my left wrist.

"You here to see him again?" She teased me. "He's been here almost every day. You better get in there quick before he's got you over his knee."

The heat rushed to my ears and I stumbled over my words. "We—we aren't like that yet! I'm...He just gives me this so...so I don't get disturbed by other people."

"Oh really?" She raised a brow at me, skepticism clear on her face. "So it's not there so he can stake his claim all over you and let everyone in the club know that you're his?"

"I'm not his," I whispered out meekly, the uncertainty in my own words present in the tremor of my voice. "We're just...you know."

Her low hum told me she didn't believe me, but she let me go regardless. Throwing goodbyes to each other, I entered the club while she remained at her position as hostess.

Contrary to the previous times I came here, the club was way more packed inside. The dance floor looked like a nightmare from where I stood—crammed with people that looked like they had no room to even breathe without taking in the direct breath of the people next to them. The bar had no more open seats but I did notice Calyssa working the bar again with another man that I hadn't seen before.

The man working beside her was small, smaller than Calyssa. His pale skin took on the colorful tint of the lights from the dance floor and his long straight hair was tied back messily in a half-up-half-down style that fit his lean body in a black vest and white open-collared shirt.

Calyssa, while mixing a drink, raised her head, eyes scanning the club until they met mine. I think she recognized me because she grinned that sort of dangerous smirk and curled her finger, calling me to come over. Turning over my shoulder, looking around in case she was looking at someone behind me, I turned back around towards her and found her grinning, nodding her head when I pointed one finger toward myself.

The rush of bodies collided with mine as I tried to squeeze my way between others to get to the bar. By the time I had made it, I had yelled out more than several apologies and "excuse me's." I stood toward the left end of the bar near Calyssa.

"Here again, pretty boy?" The upward tilt of her lips was teasing. "Can't get enough of the big man himself, hm?"

"Well, I couldn't...I couldn't come this whole week, so I figured I should come whenever I was free again."

The words faltered on my lips when I looked up at the balcony where I met Guanlin, only to find his broad figure standing up at the edge of the balcony, eyes practically glowing against the lights as his gaze never left mine.

"Didn't want him to think I was ghosting him," were the muttered words I threw at Calyssa who, when following my gaze, understood the situation and left to tend to her other customers.