Her Image (NAMJOON FIC)

Trash that has to be taken out

Before  

One night days- many, many days- before Nicole Gray's disappearance, she was just a normal girl going to a club with her friends. 

"Does this dress make me look fat? What do you think?" her flat mate, Gia, asked. 

"Who cares, it's going to be dark anyways," their friend who lived two stories above, Tea, answered. 

"Shut up," Nicole said, "I think you look hot. Try these earrings on," she added, tossing the pair, "they would go really well with that neckline."

"Oh, uh, thanks," Gia replied.

Unlike Nicole, she had not yet reached her nirvana phase of pure, careless radical self-confidence. Her Pinterest board was yet full of links to different diet tips, exercises and the assortment of clothes she had promised herself she would splurge on once she lost those last five pounds. Some nights, though, she dared to wear the dresses she hid at the back of the closet- those she held only fit girls would look good in- and that was one of those nights. She had put on a light green dress with a deep v-neck line that clung desperately to her stomach and her hips. Although she was not entirely satisfied with what she saw in the mirror, she chose to heed Nicole's advice of "fake it until you make it." 

It seemed to be working for her- Nicole was universally known as the "hot friend" in the group. Her eccentric outfits that varied in degrees from "grandma clothes" to "not leaving a single thing up to imagination" had been widely popular in their school days, and even after they had graduated, Nicole still turned heads wherever she went. Pity she's dating that asshole, Gia thought.

The friend group was due for another night of debauchery in the downtown area. Lately, they had been going out a lot more often than before- perhaps to drown out the pain of the day-to-day. Tea was going out in her characteristic baggy clothes taken out of the men's area at the thrift store: she was working a dead-end job and seemingly, drinking until she was unrecognizable seemed to help her cope. Gia, in her special-occasions dress, needed a slight confidence boost after yet another failed first date. Nicole wore a bandana as a top and a pair of jeans- and still managed to look as hot as always- under the pretext that she was just tagging along to be a supportive friend, but everyone knew she was looking for distraction herself, as well. 

"Guys, we should hurry up- Marina says there's a line to get in," Tea announced. 

"Sure, let me finish," Gia said, putting on lip gloss.

"Give me a second, I have to call Jin," Nicole told them, walking out of the bedroom.

Gia and Tea shot each other a dirty look. 

"Baby, it's me- how was your day?" they heard Nicole ask. Gia rolled her eyes.

Most girls had a phase in college where they dated assholes, but most also quickly realized and moved on from it. Nicole Gray, not like other girls, had clung on to her college trash for another three years following graduation. Sure, Jin was good looking and his family was well-off, but anyone around them could see their relationship was extremely toxic and volatile. 

"I thought they'd broken up last week," Tea whispered.

"They're like that," Gia replied in a much louder tone, not caring if Nicole or even Jin overheard, "break up, have post-break-up sex, get back together."

"Sounds awful."

"Yeah, he's awful. He needs to go," Gia added, making her voice louder on purpose. 

Nicole knew all of her friends disapproved of her boyfriend, and sometimes she questioned it too- but he also had such a sweet, gentle side. She knew her friends only knew the side of him that obsessed over her, tracked her down, got jealous- but Jin was also a funny boy with an excellent sense of humor and a sensitive soul. He was just learning, and they both were, so Nicole did not pay much mind to her friends' criticism. They were both in their first relationship, there was still much to learn. 

"Who's there with you?" Jin asked Nicole, after faintly hearing Gia's voice in the background.

"No one, baby, Gia's with Tea right now."

"Oh, Gia. Tell her I said hi."

"Will do," Nicole smiled.

"What are you up to for the rest of the night?"

Nicole did not hesitate for a second. Jin was all the way back in Seoul, living with his parents while working on his father's company. He had no way to prove whatever she told him.

"Nothing, I was just going to watch a movie here," she lied. She was already used to it.

"Alone?"

"With Gia," she said, taking care to make her words sound natural. Sometimes he could tell when she was hiding things from him.

"Okay," he replied, "I guess have fun. Tell me how it goes tomorrow, I won't bother you anymore."

"You're never a bother, sweetheart."

He chuckled. God- it was those moments that made Nicole melt and fall in love with him once again all over. He was such a sweet guy.

"Don't forget to get enough sleep tonight, take care," Jin told her.

"Okay, bye."

"Bye, love," he said before hanging up.