Lover man (Oh, where can you be)

8

feel better was by having a suitable salary which allowed him, to a certain degree, stabilize his family relationships. Now, he is about to finish a workday, when one of his co-workers -although much closer than the others- approaches him while putting the starting card on the scoreboard. "What do you say about going for a few drinks at the Maison?" Jeongguk looks at the young man, automatically on alert when he hears the Hotel’s name. It’s uncontrollable, but his mind travels until his shared night with V—Taehyung, causing a bit of nostalgia. Two weeks have passed since that day, today is Friday and Taehyung doesn’t work there during the weekends, if his countless visits to the Bar have allowed him to understand some things. Jeongguk turns his eyes to the cardboard, now with his departure hour marked and saves it in the card holder. "And?" Draws Namjoon, leaning against the wall and showing him his dimples. Jeongguk tilts his head to the right side and thinks for a few seconds. It's Friday and he has not been out with his co-workers for the longest time, Alice will not miss him at home and he needs to de-stress. The fact he hasn’t visited the Maison for a while now is an added value because this occasion may allow him to see Taehyung once again. He misses the artist almost incomprehensibly, it’s not as if they knew each other long ago or anything, but he needs him close. "Okay," he says shortly, moving to his locker and storing his last belongings. "I'll wait for you at the door," Namjoon comments hurriedly, heading to the back exit with other co-workers. Jeongguk thinks of the many compatriots who work in the Defense Department, he thinks in the amount of dreams, hopes and diverse realities. If it weren’t for this place and country, they would have ended up like many other friends: kidnapped or killed by German forces. After all, they were part of the new and poor South Korea. Giving a last breath, he closes his locker and leaves the place that causes (him) so much suffering.When they arrive at the Maison, Jeongguk is embarrassed in front of his work colleagues because the man at the door recognizes him. Yes, he goes so often, it would’ve been strange to not identify him clearly. In any case, he blushes deeply and acts quickly because this time he’s not alone, but with people he works with and who don’t know about his common visits to the Hotel. They come in after a few minutes and the atmosphere is a bit different today, observes Jeongguk. The light is equally tenuous, the music is equally soft and low tempo, but there are far more people than every other night, it’s less intimate, perhaps. They sit down and ask for drinks immediately and the waiters watch closely at Jeongguk, but they don’t say anything about it, recognizing their limits and the young worker silently thanks them. When the night passes, he and Namjoon are the soberest of the group, "I've heard there's a young boy who dances and sings very well in this place, he's a rookie." he ends up explaining with his eyebrows raised on his forehead. Jeongguk nods, he doesn’t gain anything with lying about it. "Yes," he sighs a little tired and touches his pants pocket, finding his cigarette box and lighter, desperately needing one. "I've heard him sing a few times, he’s amazing." Jeongguk stands up and shows the others he will go out to smoke.