Hui lives a rather peaceful life, studying composing and working in a café by day and in a club by night, where he meets new people and learns new dance moves, although his job of a bartender strictly bans him from doing something not connected to m...
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Hwitaek enters the club silently, trying to hide from the manager's eyes hungry for scolding him as he always does on his daily basis. He was late. Not late as in "late", club wasn't even open yet, but he was late for the consultations before opening and even though there was nothing to talk about, Kim Soohyun, his boss, has insisted on attending those meetings.
When he turns around, the first thing he notices is the interior decor. The second thing he notices is his boss. The third thing he notices is his angry face and then it's too late to run away.
"Where have you been? You're late. Again!" Mr Kim shouts, ignoring his employees getting startled by his sudden outburst. By now they should have got used to it.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't leave café till 4 pm, my shift prolonged because my friend couldn't come replace me for his shift. I'm genuinely sorry," Hwitaek bows in an apology.
"This is the last time, I'm warning you," his boss scoffs and walks away. Hwitaek sighs already exhausted and grabs his new uniform. He observes the shirt's neckline, the fancy cloth softly touches his skin. 'Not that bad,' he thinks.
It takes him good fifteen minutes to change into his uniform, fix his hair and cover the imperfections on his tired face. When he's about to leave the locker room, an arm appears in front of his face spraying perfume on his clothes.
"Man, don't forget where you are. This is a fancy place, not that shabby café you work at in your day working hours," Shinwon, one of his best friends, says dramatically. He sniffs him afterwards and pushes him approvingly towards the bar counter.
"Thanks, I guess," Hwitaek laughs and watches his boss open the front door of the bar.
¤
The night is wild, Hwitaek watches his co-workers sweat their souls out, while he's on his fourth break, although it's only 11 pm. These nights always tire him out, but he enjoys them secretly. Young people dancing to the music playing from the speakers fill him with energy and make him want to join them. But he can't. He can only watch from afar.
"How are you still alive?" Shinwon asks him, sitting down next to him in front of the counter. "I'm hungry and I don't feel like waking up in the morning."
Hwitaek growls. He has a morning lesson to attend to at 8 am, there's not such an option to sleep in for him. In addition, the last time he ate was in the morning before school.
"Don't even remind me of that. I won't be probably able to come here this week anymore. You know, the midterms are coming and I spent too much time in work," he pouts at his friend and closes his eyes.
"You sure work too hard. You have no life considering the fact you're the music major. I'd say music majors party every day and have hook-ups all the time, but you prove me wrong. When was the last time you got laid? The last time you enjoyed yourself?" his words strike Hwitaek right to his heart. But Shinwon isn't wrong, as much as Hwitaek hates to admit it, he's not wrong at all.
"There's no time for such things, though," he tries to reason, but even to his own ears it sounds ridiculous.
"I think you would have time if you didn't work your ass out all the time. Look, come here on Friday. But not for work, just come here to relax, I'll accompany you," he winks at him and Hwitaek pretends to gag disgusted by his friend's attempt to tease him.
"No, thank you. I need to pay the fees and bills and there is no money when there is no work," Hwitaek looks at his watches and sighs when realising he should go to the other side of the counter and serve the customers.
"Just think about it," Shinwon replies, his face expression dead serious, and that's where their conversation dies down.
When Hwitaek's watches say it's 3 am, he decides to put the end to the suffering. His eyelids stay barely open when he changes into his regular clothes. Shinwon left an hour before him, blindingly obvious that he's a human being who's not capable of working with his eyes closed and mind asleep.
On his way out he bumps into a few people, but none of them is sober enough to say anything. The streets are strangely quiet, but Hwitaek doesn't really think about anything. He's too tired, so when he arrives in his dorm room he shares with his long-time friend Myungjun, his mind and body crave for only one thing, his bed. He doesn't even change into pyjamas, he throws away his parka, puts off his shoes and falls onto soft duvets of his not so comfortable bed. There is no time for complaining though, when his mind has already left his body to the dreamland, and when he is supposed to wake up in less than three hours. He should indulge those three hours of sleep at least. Being sleep deprived isn't anything what his dictionary doesn't know, but once in a while he needs to gain some energy.
The last thing he thinks of before falling asleep is Shinwon's suggestion of enjoying themselves on the upcoming Friday night. Maybe he'll give it a chance once he's fully awake for making decisions. Maybe. And maybe not.
