[T]he last two weekdays flew by, and before they knew it, it was Yoonjae's (aka. Flame's) birthday.
Yoo Jin-ho, Han-sol, and Yoonjae had gathered outside the Synergy club, awaiting the arrival of the rest of the crew.
Unlike usual, Yoo Jin-ho had gone the extra mile with his appearance today. Not like he was deliberately trying to impress a certain someone or anything.
Yoonjae, taking a drag from his cigarette and passing it to Han-sol, asked, "You think they'll really make it?"
Han-sol, also taking a drag and exhaling a puff of smoke, responded, "Wait up, Ha-eun just texted me! She's on her way."
Right on cue, a taxi rolled up near the entrance, not too far from where the trio was standing. Out stepped Shin Ha-eun, looking fantastic in a sleek black off-shoulder mini dress with frilly sleeves and rocking a pair of stilettos.
Her makeup had this natural vibe going on, and she was wearing a pink lipstick. Her hair, now wavy, was all brushed over to her left shoulder.
She took a moment, scanning around, and when her eyes locked onto them, she started waving like crazy while heading their way.
Han-sol, always the first to greet, gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek. "Hey, Ha-eun! You look stunning tonight!"
"Hehe, thanks!" Shin Ha-eun replied with a shy smile.
Next up, Jin-ho chimed in, giving her a one-armed hug. "Good to see you again, Ha-eun!"
"Hello, Jin-ho Oppa!"
Then it was Yoonjae's turn. He grabbed both her hands, leaning in with a flirty smirk as he gave her an ounce over. "Oh boy, someone's gonna be turning heads tonight!"
"Hehe, thanks, oppa!" She chuckled shyly, clearly flattered by their compliments.
But then, she paused, her eyes wandering as if she was searching for something or someone. Just as she was about to mention her Unnie's absence, another car pulled up, cutting her off.
The sleek black car parked by the club's curb, and out stepped Park Min-ho, looking suave in his black suit pants and open-collar black dress shirt. His hair was slicked back just right, giving him a dangerously handsome appearance.
Jin-ho couldn't help but reluctantly acknowledge that the guy didn't look too shabby.
Min-ho headed over to open the car door for someone else.
When she emerged from the car, Jin-ho's green expression turned into a stunned one, and his heart nearly skipped a beat.
Lee Ju-hee was absolutely stunning. She was wearing a silk black, mini wrap-dress with slightly puffy long sleeves and open-toe stilettos.
Her white hair was elegantly parted down the middle, styled in waves with curtain bangs. Her makeup was understated but enhanced the beauty of her captivating dovish eyes, and her lips were colored in a seductive cherry pink.
As Min-ho closed the car door and locked it by pressing a button on his keys, she approached them with grace.
An abrupt whistle snapped Jin-ho out of his momentary trance of awe, and he realized it was Yoonjae.
"Damn, you're not holding back on your look, are you?" Yoonjae offered a compliment, and Lee Ju-hee simply shrugged, a faint smirk playing at the corner of her lips.
Before Yoonjae could say more, Shin Ha-eun enthusiastically jumped in, embracing Lee Ju-hee into a warm, friendly hug. "Oh my god, Unnie! You look stunning! Seriously, stunning!"
"Ahem!" Han-sol cleared his throat, grabbing everyone's attention.
When Lee Ju-hee's head snapped in their direction, her striking blue eyes, enhanced by that liner that added a hint of mystery to her gaze, fixed on Yoo Jin-ho.
In that quick moment, she had the same reaction he'd experienced earlier when he saw her. Jin-ho was rocking a white shirt with the top two buttons casually undone, black suit pants, shiny shoes, and his hair styled in that messy-but-cool way.
Surprisingly, he looked anything but messy. In fact, he had that touch of decadence to his sharp good looks. Not to mention the subtle accessories he'd thrown in, like an earring in his left earlobe and a stylish watch.
Jin-ho exuded confidence and a laid-back vibe, casually standing there with his hands in his pockets next to Han-sol.
Han-sol had to clear his throat once more, silently patting himself on the back for orchestrating this meeting.
The two of them were so absorbed in scrutinizing each other that they hardly noticed the presence of the others.
"Nice to see you all again!" Lee Ju-hee greeted curtly, never tearing her eyes off him.
Jin-ho just gave a nod of acknowledgement, and Han-sol spoke up, saying, "Hey, glad to see you made it!"
"Ah, it's nothing!" Lee Ju-hee responded casually as Min-ho approached their small group.
Offering a friendly greeting, Min-ho proceeded to casually shake hands with all three guys. "Hey there! Looks like we meet again, huh?" He said before giving a polite nod in Shin Ha-eun's direction.
He then handed a box of treats to Yoonjae, adding, "And this is mine and Noona's gift for you! We weren't sure what you'd like, so we threw in a little something extra..."
Yoonjae, usually the most shameless among them, oddly seemed a bit bashful at the idea of receiving a gift. His expression softened as he mumbled, "You guys are pretty cool, you know?"
As Min-ho subtly stole a glance at Lee Ju-hee, he took charge of the situation, saying, "Well, you guys were kind enough to invite us! We couldn't show up empty-handed!"
Han-sol interjected, "It's not like we invited you two for gifts, you know!"
Meanwhile, Jin-ho remained silent, his gaze fixated on the beautiful facial profile in front of him. Whether she had noticed him or not, she chose to act as if nothing had happened.
A cool breeze swept by, causing Lee Ju-hee to shiver slightly. She had left her coat in the car, and the night's chill was starting to get to her.
After some casual small talk between Shin Ha-eun, Yoonjae, Han-sol, and Min-ho, Yoo Jin-ho suggested, "Let's continue this inside! It's getting pretty cold out here, and the ladies aren't wearing coats!"
Surprisingly, his comment came off as both unexpected and considerate. Lee Ju-hee had felt his eyes on her the whole time, and now, the icy gaze from her eyes was directed at him, as if trying to decipher his thoughts.
Yoo Jin-ho locked eyes with her, an unspoken connection passing between them, before he let out a sigh and led the way to the entrance. The rest of the group followed, still wrapped up in their easy conversation.
"Unnie bakes the most amazing desserts, seriously!" Shin Ha-eun stated innocently. "I can vouch for that!"
Yoonjae chuckled, waving the box he held in his arm. "Are you trying to tempt us to devour those right now?"
Their small talk was abruptly interrupted by the bouncer at the entrance. "Sorry, but you can't bring those inside the club."
Min-ho was about to step in when Yoo Jin-ho spoke up, a touch of annoyance in his voice. "Man, Yo-han's place is really slipping, huh? Can't they recognize whose path they're blocking now?"
Upon hearing the name 'Yo-han,' the bouncer did a double take, his eyes widening as he observed Jin-ho with a hint of recognition. He quickly moved aside.
"Sorry, it was my mistake for—"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Jin-ho dismissed with a casual wave of his hand, his expression firm as he entered the club, and the group followed.
Lee Ju-hee couldn't help but notice that the bouncer kept his head down throughout.
So, this place seemed to be frequented by Jin-ho's associates?
Sharing a few knowing glances, Min-ho exchanged a discreet nod with her and ushered her inside. They followed Yoo Jin-ho to a table with plush, comfortable seats, where the pulsating music and vibrant lights blasted their senses.
Lee Ju-hee immediately regretted accepting their invitation to a club. It was a place saturated with the overpowering scent of alcohol, lingering cigarette smoke, and the unmistakable presence of substances she had always avoided like the plague.
Han-sol and Yoonjae snagged the first seats. As Min-ho and Lee Ju-hee got closer to the table, Jin-ho gestured for her and Shin Ha-eun to sit down first, a gallant move that momentarily made her hesitate.
But before she could settle in a chair, Shin Ha-eun excitedly pulled her by the arm, her chirping voice cutting through the loud music. "Unnie, let's hit the dance floor!"
Sensing potential trouble, and knowing Lee Ju-hee's apparent discomfort, Jin-ho tried to intervene, "I'm not sure this is a great idea. Just give her a minu—"
"Don't overthink it. Ju-hee noona loves to dance." Min-ho cut in.
With a faint smirk, Lee Ju-hee nodded at Shin Ha-eun and followed her onto the dance floor.
Jin-ho narrowed his eyes, shooting a fierce glare at Min-ho, who had already taken a seat. Their gaze locked, a hint of rivalry simmering between them.
"Whoa, cool it, you two!" Han-sol's voice broke through the tension. He urged Jin-ho to sit in an attempt to shift the focus. "And you, take a seat. Why the sudden grumpiness today?"
Disregarding Han-sol's question, Jin-ho confronted Min-ho, "What was that for? She's clearly not comfortable here! Why send hhher to the crowded dance floor?"
"Oh, looks like you know noona hates crowded places!" Min-ho responded with a hint of mockery. His words merely irked Jin-ho even more.
"Then what's your deal?"
"Hey chill out, dude! We're here to have fun, remember?" Yoonjae attempted to step in, hoping to defuse a potential fight between the two.
With a sigh, Min-ho replied calmly, "Just look at her, and you'll understand."
Frowning, Yoo Jin-ho reluctantly shifted his gaze toward the dance floor, where Lee Ju-hee and Shin Ha-eun were.