TO THE BONE, all of us are dead.

two

ii.

ALL IT TOOK WAS TO BE KNOCKING ON DEATH'S DOOR,
FOR US TO SOMEHOW GET ALONG.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Choi Ho-Sung was always considered to be the literal definition of 'the golden boy'. Ask anyone at Hyosan High, and they'd tell you how the senior could do no wrong. That opinion only became more popular when he climbed up a tree to help a cat down from it and he ended up in the town's newspaper for the day. However, should they look at him now as he stood outside The Last Night club that was tucked away in the twisting alleys of Hyosan, that 'golden boy status' would be long gone. A guy like him shouldn't even be in this part of town, and yet here he stood.

Music blared from within the building and Ho-Sung was convinced the club was shaking because of it. With a sigh, he walked in, ignoring the bouncer since he had his tag draped around his neck. He just needed to find Shin Hee-Jin and drop off the books she asked him for. At the center was essentially a cage, where two people fought till the other dropped whilst people placed their bets and got absolutely drunk.

He eventually found her at the bar, wearing a white button up with a black suit vest on top. The short haired girl nodded at him, gesturing for him to come round back. Ho-Sung followed her like a lost puppy. He had no idea what to do in places like these. "Here you go. You can just give them back to me at school."

She shot him a teasing smile, holding the books in her long arms, "You look like you've seen a ghost." Ho-Sung shrugged, scratching his neck before putting his hands in his pockets. "What? Golden boy never been to a club before?"

Ho-Sung rolled his eyes playfully, "I'm not that sociable."

"You're surrounded by the girls every time I see you," Hee-Jin said.

Ho-Sung shrugged again, running a hand through his hair, "I don't really ask for it." he gestured to himself. "I mean, look at me." Hee-Jin rolled her eyes, putting a hand on his shoulder and leading him back inside. "Jesus, it's always so loud in here."

"It's a club, dumbass, not a library," the Shin commented as she led him back over to the entrance. "I'll have these back soon."

"Keep them for as long as you need," Ho-Sung said, nodding politely. The girl chuckled at him before sending him off and on his way. He took off the tag from around his neck, shoving it into his pocket. At The Last Night, if someone wears a tag like his, it means that they shouldn't be touched. Should someone violate that, well. . . 

Ho-Sung felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his jacket, and he picked up the phone upon seeing who was calling him, his heart rate increasing, "Gyeong-Su."

"Hey, Ho-Sung," the boy's voice warmed his heart. "Can you pick me up from tutoring? I just finished and Cheong-San ditched me for On-Jo and I-sak."

Ho-Sung smiled as he walked down the street, "Sure, but I don't have my car with me. I'll go home and get it, if that's okay with you?"

"Yeah, that's amazing. Can we go to that ice cream place?"