with a heavy sigh, she slumps into the first empty armchair, legs crossing at knees and arms resting heavy along her sides. “god… what a day.” she mutters into her chin, sleepy eyes fluttering shut for a moment or two, in a short second of rest.
It was not unusual for clients to find rest in the lounge, was it not a comfortable, luxurious place abundant with many couches and loveseats. Xiaoting quite liked chatting with the clients that were sitting around, often enjoying a good conversation with people in between appointments. This time, she chose to sat next to someone sprawled out on the couch nearest to the door—a face she hadn't seen before. "Hello."
After spending a considerable amount of time outside, Beomgyu decided to come to the lounge to decompress and found himself in this room, immediately slouching on the couch with a sigh as he looked up, nape cradled on the backrest and looking like a tossed rag doll.
Coming in and instantly slumping in a seat after a long day, he heaves out a long and heavy sigh. "What I would kill for a drink and a pearl, right now," he mumbles to himself. A hand of his cards through his hair and very gently massages at his scalp briefly, head hanging low.
@✻ ⋰ san c. Instead of giving him an answer, she only offered him a smile and took the hand extended out to her. It felt strange, feeling his touch—she still couldn't quite process that the person she had loved, the friend she held dear to her heart and yet left stranded without so much as a word, was right there, with her, and a hand in her own to show for it. It felt odd, indeed. Like a dream she would wake up from eventually. Yet, instead of continuing to worry, she pushed it to the side, making the decision to go with whatever he wanted. If this turned out to be a dream, then so be it.
@✾ ⋰ xiaoting s. The sudden waves of his previous emotions for her rushed back in the moment they came in contact but he knew it would be too good to be true after knowing this was her line of job but the male did not judge, after all, she's just making a living as of he. "I don't mind the fees, as a matter fact. Money has never been an issue for me now, name the price and i'd love for you to swing by my room so i can talk to you more..in private." he suggested indicating with his words that there were too many people around for them to be discussing the past just like that, and so San releases her hand from his hold before standing back up right with his right hand extended out towards the female, palm raised, awaiting for her response. "Shall we?"
@✻ ⋰ san c. Her eyes followed every bit of his movements—from the way his lips turned upwards into a smile, the way his eyes creased because of it, and how comfortable he was, lifting their joined hands together to his lips to press a kiss on the back of hers. Her shoulders deflated and her heart ached in her chest, knowing that she was a villain for leaving her closest friend behind without any explanation. While he, as kind as he always was to her, did not hold it over her head. He should, really. She didn't understand why he didn't, half-expecting him to be angry at her. Perhaps it was a blessing that he wasn't, and she should just take advantage of it. She wanted to spend time with him, too. "Just ask," she murmured, offering him a smile that was warmer, more genuine than the last. "I think I can waive my fees for one of the most important people in my life."
@✾ ⋰ xiaoting s. "You know, for someone who had disappeared out of my life. You still at lying." both corners of his lips tugged up to form a smile, although he had been angry with her for leaving him just like that but seeing her now in the flesh, it washed away those negatives and all he could think about now is how close she is to him, without breaking eye contact, San draw her hand up to compress his lips against the back of her hand "I'm sure you're still a pretty good dancer Darling." trying his best to uplift her mood just a little knowing it won't budge such emotion but it was an attempt, he let's out a soft sigh then looks around the room. For a moment he thought they were the only two in there. "I'd love to know more but how can i buy some time with you?"
@✻ ⋰ san c. "You did not have to look for me," she wanted to say, but the bitter taste on her tongue prevented her from speaking. Her heart shattered in her chest as that same wave of emotions she felt when she finally decided to give up her dream returned, and she closed her eyes to hold back the tears that threatened to well in them. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled it just as heavily, then repeating it as soon as she felt something warm slip into the palm of her hand. His hand, she realized as soon as a set of digits laced between her own, and she opened her eyes to look at their intertwined hands. Like a ghost, she repeated to herself. Except, too real, too warm, too familiar. Not a ghost, but someone that once existed in her life, and now once again. In that moment, she regretted leaving him behind. She began to wonder if her life would have been different, if she stayed in London. If she had him. Perhaps not. "You don't have to apologize," she finally said, looking up to meet his eyes with a small, unconvincing smile. "I made that choice."
His gaze softened at the sight of her, seeing as how her body language was he knew that something was off but did not want to pry too much as it's their first encounter in a long time. "I'm sorry, I tried to look for you." he admitted while reaching his hand out to her, slipping his warm digits to intertwine with her own with his head tilting to the side. He felt hurt seeing how gloomy her eyes were despite her beautiful exterior and couldn't help but feel for her and so in hopes to comfort, San brushed the pad of his thumb over the back of her hand since reaching out for a hug would be too soon.
Xiaoting was used to hearing compliments, did she not hear it every day from clients both regular and new. Yet, somehow, hearing it from San felt different. His words made her heart flutter, and in an instant, her expression of confusion and worry shifted to something softer. Maybe even, if San were to look closely, a smile. "Thank you," she murmured, pursing her lips as she listened to him speak. And then, that bit of joy was ripped away from her as soon as she had gotten a grasp of it, because his question was a reminder of her own failure. She shrugged, playing it off. She didn't want anyone in the lounge to see her as anything less than a pleasant, cheerful face. "It didn't work out."
"Okay so first of all. Wow. You look amazing." he propped his elbow over the cushion with his body tilting a tad to face her to show that he was listening and so the male ran multiple questions through his mind before asking "Well if i'm being straight with you, a friend recommended me here and i was intrigued with the whole concept and..scenery. What do you do here Xiao..you were an amazing dancer."
Xiaoting didn't know what he needed to understand, but instead of refusing him, she nodded, gesturing to a couch isolated from the rest before making her way over. She sat down, quietly looking around to make sure no one was looking at her—even though she knew it didn't matter—then looked up at San, an expectant look in her eyes. She drew in a deep breath. "Okay. Ask away."
His arms have now dropped back down to his sides to fix his posture and finally coming to sense that she indeed, is real. "Business, I opened my own clinic a few years ago. I just." not only was stunned about her presence but her beauty struck him to a core that caused the man to become a little bit speechless. "Do you mind if we sit? I am just trying to understand whats going on here." he asked as he gestured his hand towards a couch nearby.
"I meant Korea," she elaborated, turning to him. Confusion marred her features, because he looked too familiar, too real. She wanted to believe that she was dreaming, that this was nothing more than a terrible dream she would wake up from in a cold sweat. But he was in front of her—looking just as he did when she last left him, if not a little older. He had grown into himself. Too well, maybe. "What are you doing in Korea?"
He was taken back by her words causing a crease to his brows while still trying to process everything in his mind at this very moment "I just.." he felt like the cat got his tongue, words were unable to come out like it usually do for him, he took his time with it as his eyes lured from her head to toe then slowly reaching out to place both hands on her shoulders to see if she was real "I um. I was just curious about this place. I didn't expect to be reunited with you here Xiao."
"A ," she finished his sentence with a sigh, looking to him with a hardened gaze. She directed her eyes elsewhere when she realized she couldn't exactly look at him—too ashamed, in too much disbelief that he had found her, albeit by accident. Still, she felt distraught, unable to process that a ghost of her past had managed to find its way back into her reality. "What are you doing here, San?"
both of his hand guiding up to rest upon his chest the moment they made eye contact, he lets out a sigh of relief since he had no idea what had happened to her and through all those years, he could only think of the worse. "You're..alive?" his feet naturally moving towards her, still in shock. "W-where have you been? i mean look at you. You're."
The sound of her own name made the hairs at the back of her neck stand, eyes widening in shock as she looked around for the source of the voice. The moment her eyes landed on him, a face that belonged to a distant memory, her heart dropped. Could it be? No, it couldn't. She hadn't seen him in years.
A figure had just walked right past him causing the man to look twice, everything sort of became slow motion like as there was no way he saw who he could've seen. "Absolutely not.." San mumbled to himself after readjusting to his seat, after shifting his glasses a little as he glued his eyes to the red headed female, eyes widened just a tad in shock. "Xiao-" quickly bringing his fist to his lips while trying to take in at the sudden presence of an old friend.
She had just finished with a client, freshly showered to prepare herself for her next booking. Her hair, which she kept straight for today, was pulled up into a tight, high pony, which showed off the pearl studs adorning her earlobes. As she walked into the lounge, she looked around, not quite recognizing any of them as her usual clients.
