Seungchul was shaken that night.
The second he reached his mansion, he went to the left wing, which was his permanent residence, then washed his face several times.
Get a grip, Jung Seungchul. Get a grip. You're not gay. You had girls before. He's just….interesting, that's all.
Then he realized he stared at the name card he'd been holding for far too long.
He stripped then showered, hoping to rid of the alien thoughts overpowering him.
A hot shower at night usually could relax him. But afterwards, he paced his room like an anxious man on crack.
What's happening to me? He's just a dancer, alright, don't lose your mind.
With jumbled thoughts and emotions, he fell asleep an hour later.
*****
The memories of Helen's magnetic presence hadn't disappeared on Saturday, despite how hard he tried to block it.
He exhausted himself by checking all the reports and forecasts he had to check for the upcoming week. When it's all done, he began checking for the week after that, and so on.
Eunsoo texted him, warning him to, "Stop working. Do you even sleep at all?"
On Sunday afternoon, he couldn't use work as a mental blocker anymore. Everything was done.
So he exercised at his indoor gym until he felt close to passing out.
He appeared on Monday morning at the office looking tired as hell.
"Yah!!! Did you not rest at all during the weekend???" Eunsoo yelled.
Seungchul pretended he didn't hear it.
*****
Bringing him to the VVIP gay club didn't work, Eunsoo concluded.
His boss became even more workaholic than before.
He arrived at 9 AM and left the office at 9 PM after Eunsoo forcefully turned off all the lights at his office.
He began pathetically counting how many bites his boss had at lunches and dinners. Usually only passing 10, rarely reaching 15.
It went on and on until Thursday afternoon, and he began searching for the best psychiatrist in town. Someone who was the best and discreet. Someone who could hopefully heal this obsession of work his boss had.
****
By Friday, Eunsoo gave an ultimatum, "Boss, I'm saying this out of pure concern, as someone who had known you since childhood, ok? If you don't rest this weekend, and appear again on Monday looking like a zombie, I am going to bring a psychiatrist to evaluate your condition. This is unhealthy, and it has to stop."
Seungchul was surprised, and looked at his friend's eyes, in a lucid moment out of work he hadn't done in almost a week.
He didn't exactly say anything, but they both knew he had heard it.
*****
Eunsoo was right, of course. Seungchul lay down on his bed, staring at his ceiling.
He had been moving on auto pilot that week, throwing himself at work to numb his feelings and did well. But when it's his free time, he is consumed by the thoughts of Helen.
Those beautiful eyes, skin, and lips.
The graceful movements when he danced and swirled around the pole like it was a part of his body.
And the feeling of raw sadness that hit him so deep when he danced his first dance, with an invisible partner.
In a moment of sheer spontaneity, he took his phone, and dialed the number of that club.
"This…..is Jung Seungchul. Is Helen performing tonight?"
"Oh, Mr. Handsome," the club owner replied with pleasure, "Yes, Helen is performing tonight."
"Give me a seat to watch him."
"Certainly, Sir. Just text me your email address, so I can send you the bill."
"And I want to—I want to—spend time with him, after the show."
"I regret to say that it is impossible. Another client has reserved his time tonight."
"I'll pay ten times higher."
The club owner chuckled, the sound sounded smug and delighted at the same time.
"Then he's yours for the night, Mr. Handsome."
*****
Woobin wasn't told that the man he's about to spend the night with had changed.
The club owner intentionally kept it as a secret until after his performance was done.
As Helen, he performed a new dance routine again. His new performances were every Friday night, because it seemed to be the night where his audience were the most emotionally fragile from the exhaustion of the real world, and were all more keen to be wilder than usual.
He performed the sword dance that night. In his head, he was an assassin that attacked and cut all the evil people in his life, which were truly a lot. Therefore, he turned to be a devil too.
You can't be an angel in this filthy world.
Devils must be fought by devils as well.
He might have trained too hard. Used his rage too much in his sword dance. By the end of that first part, he was breathless, and the audience were all giving him standing ovations.
And he saw that man again. That rich somebody who also attended the dance exactly the week before.
He wasn't applauding the previous week.
He did it that night.
So he must have done something right.
However, he was parched after the sword dance, and had to drink water first.
"Mianhamnida (I'm sorry), used my energy too much. Give me a few seconds."
Once he felt better, he did the usual pole dance and striptease. A different song, the same outcome.
It had always been ridiculously easy, how he could hypnotize people with his looks and body.
*****
Woobin was told where to go, but still didn't get a name. And he didn't really care. Whoever that man was, the commission would pay for his sister's tuition fee.
Although it was very fancy.
He was told by the club owner to go to Shilla Hotel, and mentioned at the receptionist, "I am Park Woobin. A Mr. JSC invited me."
He did as he was told.
He had decided a long time ago that doing what he was told was the best way to go through this abominable life.
A very polite bell boy walked him to the…..penthouse.
You've got to be kidding me, he cursed inside.
The penthouse of Shilla Hotel?
He had many rich clients before, but that was the first time somebody did the deed at THE most luxurious hotel the country had.
Or perhaps the most old money of all.
Woobin tried to dig his memory of which old client could this be, but he remembered all the five old men present that night, and he damn well knew that although they were rich, they wouldn't be able to afford this level of luxury.
He pressed the bell.
After a short wait, the door was opened.
By that new handsome client.
Who gave him the applause that night.
*****
"Annyonghaseyo. Thank you for accepting my invitation. Please come in."
Seungchul spoke to him so politely that Woobin felt there had to be a mistake.
But no, there wasn't.
So he walked in.
The Presidential Suite in Shilla Hotel felt like a bedroom in The Blue House. Dignified, expensive, and proud. Woobin felt so out of place there, in his shirt, jeans and oversized leather jacket.
It was hard to not look around and stare, but before he admired everything, he was invited to sit behind a dining table set for two.
"I hope you feel like eating, Park Woobin-ssi. Please be my dining partner tonight."
He sat down.
There were steak and pasta, salad and pudding, and wine.
He felt his stomach rumbling.
His last meal was that afternoon, and it was 1 AM by then. His gimbap felt like a lifetime ago.
"If you don't like this, I can order something else."
"This is alright," he said, in his most nonchalant tone.
The man poured him white wine.
"What's your full name? You know mine," he mentioned, a bit more careful than before.
"I'm Jung Seungchul. I will appreciate it if you never mention my name to anyone, though."
That sounded more like his territory.
Of course spending a night with him was something people would usually wish to hide.
"Mr. Jung Seungchul, thank you for inviting me to such a fancy place," he smiled, proposing a toast, which the man accepted readily.
"Let's start eating as we talk. I'm somehow starving," Seungchul confessed.
For a while, as they began eating their steaks, they were silent.
The steak was delicious, but he knew he better eat just a little, knowing what he had to do after this. He usually could only eat afterwards.
"Your dances were really amazing. Where did you learn those?"
"I….have a dance teacher. She teaches me what I need to know."
"I see. But you're very talented."
"Thank you."
What a strange, strange conversation.
Why was he asking about him? It's so unusual.
"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking."
"I'm 25."
"Ah. I'm 27."
They resumed eating, although Woobin only ate a little, and Seungchul was eating a lot.
"If you don't like the steak, just try the pasta, maybe? Or I can call the kitchen and you can order something that you like."
"I can't eat too much before we do that. I'll eat again afterwards."
Seungchul stopped eating.
"Oh. Ahrasseo (alright). You can heat this again later, I guess."
And Woobin ended up watching him eat. He finished his steak, then had the pudding.
Once he's done, Woobin wondered whether he should just start stripping or not.
"Manhi gamsahamnida (thank you so much) for accompanying me. This is easily the best meal I had all week," the man then chuckled after that.
"You will think I am completely insane, but you are so….good-looking up close. You don't even look real. That's a…a praise, of course."
Woobin smiled hesitantly.
"I think this is enough for tonight."
What?
"If I text you, will you feel disturbed?"
Text me? For what? My topless photo or something?
"No, I'll be fine."
"You're very generous," Seungchul smiled with those sparkly eyes.
Woobin blinked, then swallowed nervously.
"You can checkout tomorrow at exactly 12 PM. I hope you'll enjoy your rest."
The man drank his water, got up, said, "Once more, thank you so much. Do you mind doing this again next week with me?"
"That will be ok. Same price, though."
"Of course."
Then Seungchul walked away.
It took Woobin a while to realize what was happening.
He got up and checked the bathroom. It was empty.
He ran to the front door.
Seungchul wasn't there.
What the hell???
He called the receptionist and asked, "Did you see Mr. Jung Seungchul there?"
"Oh yes, he just left."
"He left???"
"Y—yes, Sir. May I assist you in anything?"
"That's alright, gamsahamnida."
Woobin stood at an empty penthouse, paid for the night, with his barely touched steak and the rest of his food at the table.
Did he just….?
Did that guy just rent the penthouse to have a meal with him?
With him?
And instead of throwing him to bed and working him until dawn, he left just like that?
And allowing him to stay there until checkout time?
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS???" Woobin screamed on his own in the empty room.
A text came into his kakao.
"Annyeonghaseyo. I'm JSC. Thank you for the meal. It's nice. I'll see you next week."
Woobin: are you really leaving?
Seungchul: ne.
Woobin: but why? You paid so much!
Seungchul: that's enough. I feel satisfied already. Have a good rest.
"ARE YOU INSANE???" Woobin screamed to his phone.
But his scream got no answer.
*****