Secrets of Attraction

Six: JOOHYUK

Subin and I lurked in front of Union, watching as groups of couples walked up the steps into the building. For such a small university, it fit an endless mass of people. All dressed up. As in, not in jeans, like us. Every so often we'd get a look that made me feel like I should be holding out a donation cup or something.

"This doesn't look like the dort of dance you can just show up to, Bin," I said.

He craned his head to get a better look into the vestibule. There was a table with two girls sitting behind it. Two very dressed-up girls.

"There's a sign that says it's fifteen at the door," he said.

"Per couple, which we are not," I said. Let's just get outta here, hit a movie or the diner." I started walking toward the car, which I'd parked about a block away, but slowed down when I realized Subin wasn't following me.

"Dude, we're here," he said, waving his arms around. "We might as well figure out a way to get in, or stand by the gym door."

"I'm not standing by the gym door to hear Galaxy," I said, walking back to him. I'd felt pathetic enough the night Hyoseop caught me sitting in the car trying to avoid him and Sungkyung. No matter how curious I was to hear their sound, I wasn't going to freeze my heads off and risk the humiliation of getting caught lurking.

What the hell were we doing here?

"When the crowd thins out, I'll go in and chat up the ladies," Subin said. I laughed but his face determined. 

"Oh, you're serious?"

"Why not? I'm sick of waiting for shit to happen," he said.

He'd made an effort - his usual hair down is combed to the side. And he reeked of some shower gel stuff he claimed was supposed to smell "exotic and spicy." I'm sure whatever that was supposed to smell like wasn't something you needed to brace yourself against. Subin was surrounded in a formidable cloud. 

"Fine," I said.

We waited a good five minutes until the front door was dead. Subin loped up the steps and opened the glass doors to go inside. He shoved his hands into his pockets as he stood there, and both girls looked up at him. There was no way they were letting us in.

The one girl whispered in the other's ear. She gave Subin a once-over. He gestured toward the door - toward me, I realized in horror - and shrugged, arms out to the side, hands up. They kind of squinted, one girl shielding her eyes from the overheard light like she was saluting someone, and looked right at me. I wasn't sure if they could see me in the shadows, but I slunk back behind the fence. One of the girls shook her head and smiled. Subin walked out.

"Not an open dance. We need a Union student," he said trotting down the steps.

"Well, that settles it, then," I said, turning. He grabbed my sleeve.

"I think you should talk to them," he said.

"And say what?"

"I don't know, something that will get us in."

"Why would they listen to me?"

"I didn't really try that hard. Hyuk, come on, you're a handsome man, start acting like one. These girls would be pressed against the stage for you. I've seen it. Just, you know -"

"What? Sing to them? This is a stupid idea."

"Sure, a stupid idea, like finding a developer or taking off that fucking wristband, or anything that means leaving her behind."

Every so often, Bin would cut to the chase. You'd think he was clueless and goofy and then, there it was - a spot-on revelation. But the developer thing - both guys were good. It felt like choosing one over the other would be shutting down a world of possibility. Although in my gut I thought I knew which choice would be the best for us.