The star is mine

IX: Side effects

Wooyoung's POV

Jackson's name appears on my phone screen, I click open the message, 'Hi, would you want to go on a date with me this afternoon?

'Sure, where will we go?', I text him back.

'I'll pick you up, we can go grab a coffee and take a walk in the park'

'Sounds fun'

'Meet you at 3'

I tell him to meet me outside the building where I live, mainly because I'm embarrassed about the inside.

It's almost 3PM and I run down the stairs, standing in front of the building right on time, before a matte black car pulls up in front of me. I open the door and Jackson smiles at me; his smile is comforting.

'Hi, Woo'

'Hi'

I get into the car with him, closing the door carefully. Jackson turns on the radio and starts driving, but it's only 5 minutes before we arrive, parking the car right in front of a small but cute coffee shop, right next to a park.

A few minutes later, we walk into the park with a coffee in our hand.

'I used to come here with my mom and my sister when I was little', I told him.

'I always came to play here with my friends', he laughs, 'did you live close to this place?'

'Yeah, right over there', I point at an alley.

We walk around until we drank our coffee, throwing the cups into a trash can next to a bench and sit down.

'I have to ask you something', Jackson turns to me, reaching into his pocket and taking out a small box.

He opens it, showing a small necklace, 'Will you be my boyfriend?'

I didn't think I was going to be confronted with that so soon, and I like Jackson, but not like that. I don't think I can handle a commitment like that while San is still stuck in my mind.

'Jackson, I- I like you, but I don't think I'm ready for a relationship yet'

'Are you serious?'

'I am'

'So, you were just using me this whole time?'

I hate that he's jumping to conclusions, 'No, I'm just not ready for a commitment that big'

'Stop lying, you were just using me for my money and my dick'

I'm starting to get too mad at him for accusing me like that to stay nice, 'If I only needed you for your dick, I've had much better than that'

'What?', he stands up.

'Did you not hear me? I've had much better', I get up too.

People around us are staring, uncomfortable with hearing us yell at each other.

'Fuck you, Wooyoung', he turns his back to me and walks away.

'Fuck you', I scream at the top of my lungs when he's already a few meters away from me.

I'm left feeling small, everyone around me is staring, but I'm completely alone again. I feel like a failure, San left me, Jackson left me, even my own sister, years ago.

I have to be cursed.

An empty feeling overwhelms me when I'm walking home, opening my apartment door, and throwing myself onto the couch, on the verge of tears.

There's a package on the table.

What is that? And how the fuck did it get in here?

It's wrapped in golden wrapping paper with a small bow on top. I don't wait a second, ripping open the paper and finding a black fabric and a card.

I'm sorry I abandoned you, but I want you to accompany me to a party. You can find formal clothes in the package. I will be picking you up Friday at 8PM. Be ready.

-Choi San

'Wait what the fuck?', I say out loud.

I just went from confused, to depressed, to even more confused.

Why is San contacting me now? And why does he need me to come to his party? Does he just need someone to impress people with? Then why does it need to be me? He can pick up some kind of hot girl.

I never expected to see the words 'I'm sorry' from him. I don't know him that well, but from the few times we'd actually talked, he's not the guy to ever say 'sorry' to anyone.

I stare at the card. It's written by hand, the handwriting is beautiful, I'm sure he didn't write that himself. I read it again, almost laughing at the short sentences.

His social skills must be quite rusty after killing so many people.

I'm wondering if I should actually go, but I realise I don't really have a choice. He's going to show up here, no matter what I decide, and I don't have anywhere else to go.

It's Friday, almost 8 PM and I'm looking into the mirror, dressed up in the suit San gave me. I tried to do my hair from YouTube tutorials, and it doesn't look too bad, I guess?

I look at my phone screen and the numbers change from 7:59 to 8:00, the doorbell rings. I walk up to open the door, assuming I will see the same tattooed men on the other side of it.

But when I pull the doorknob, the only face I see is San's.

'Come with me', he turns around almost immediately, and I struggle to catch up.

'Hi' still isn't in his dictionary.

He leads me out of the building, into a black car resembling Jackson's. I get into the back seat and San still says nothing, he doesn't even turn on the radio, there's complete silence in the car.

Not only the silence is uncomfortable, but he's also staring at me through the little mirror above him. The car smells like cigarettes, just like San and everything around him.

About 10 minutes later he drives into an underground parking lot, and I get out of the car. We take the elevator and rise up to the top floor, once the doors open, it's like we're in a whole different world, a crowd of people all dressed up and holding a drink in a huge, decorated room.

This must have cost a fortune to put together. While I'm looking around, I'm not paying attention to San, and a drink gets pressed into my hand. I take a sip and recognise the flavour; it's the drink Jackson made me that night.

I smile at the coincidence and keep looking around, as if I'm in some kind of art museum, barely even noticing San is talking to someone, until I vaguely hear an oddly familiar voice, 'Choi San, I didn't expect to see you here, you never show up to parties'

'I have my reasons', the only time I've ever heard San be friendly to anyone.

My head turns to the person he's talking to, freezing when I recognise his face and he recognises mine, awkwardly staring at each other for a second before San makes an attempt at introducing us.

'This is Wooyoung, Woo, this is...'