Nice to meet you
It started when I was in a bar with my friend. Her mother came to pick her up at around ten, so I was left alone. At least I thought I was alone, but came to find out it was someone else left there. He smiled at me and took an empty seat next to me.
“You must be new here?” he asked, without looking at me.
“Are you talking to me?” I asked.
“I can talk to the bartender, if you want.” He turned to the bar with a slight smile on his face.
I shrugged and he let out a small chuckle. I don’t know what it was, but a chill shot down my spine. I cleared my throat and looked down at my drink. “My name is Lucas. I know we just met, but it would be nice to hang around someone new for a change. Let’s say you hang out with me...”
I took a look at my phone and stood up.. “Unfortunately, I have to go. Nice meeting you,” I walked to the entrance, but turned back around when he called out to me.
“You’re not gonna stay for another drink? After All, I just might pay for yours,” he said with a smirk.
“I didn’t ask you to,” I sat back down, “One drink and I’m gone.”
After seven drinks, I could barely stand. Lucas laughed at my attempts to move. I laughed along, not really understanding how odd this was. He said he would call me a cab.
When it arrived, I struggled to get into the backseat. I heard him snickering behind me, but didn’t offer to help me inside. When I finally got in, he leaned down and looked me in the eye. I couldn’t look away. I was mesmerized.
“I never got your name,” he said.
“Molchalin. Eduard Molchalin.” I half smiled.
“Russian? We don’t have many of those around here.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“...Nothing. Have a nice night.”
“Hey, do me a favor and cover my tab. Thanks.” Lucas laughed again, closed the cab door, and that was the last time I saw him. Or that’s what I thought.
I knew how late it was, but my mother barely notices when I stay out late, until I get home. I don’t have any contact with my father or any of my extended family.My mother is the only one I’m close to, besides the guy she is dating. He and I get along sometimes. We’d moved from Russia to America to South Korea, where my mother met her boyfriend. My father left me not too long after I’d started primary school. I remember him saying he didn’t love her anymore. I think that’s a stupid reason to leave your only son behind.
When I finally returned home, I left my things by the door and tried my hardest to sneak upstairs. I failed. They creaked under my feet and got me caught.
“Sweety, I know you’re home. Come say hello to Luke before you head to bed!”
“I’m okay.” That’s when I tripped up the stairs. “I said I’m fine!”I called out aggressively. “I have to go somewhere tomorrow and the more time I waste…the less sleep I get. See you in the morning. Don’t forget to sleep with your eyes open tonight, Luke.”.
My thoughts immediately went back to Lucas as I stumbled into my room. I should have gotten his number. How does one forget to make sure they have a way of contacting someone who caught their attention? This is what happens when you drink too much. I should have been more careful. Honestly, rational thinking goes out the window when I have a drink in my hand.
I decided not to think about it anymore and took a shower. It’s better I tried to lessen the weight of my hangover I’ll be sure to have in the morning. I’m just hoping my mother doesn’t find out. She’s always on my case about drinking whenever I complain about a splitting headache. Some caring mother she is.
Mom POV
“Don’t worry Honey. He just has to get use to you, that’s all. Give him some time to adjust to someone new,” I assured him.
“I know. It’s just that I’m worried if I will be any good to him. I want to get on his good side and I want to be there through his times of trouble,” he said.
“Like I said give him some time. I just want to know where he is going tomorrow to be going to bed that fast. I guess I can ask him in the morning.”
“Lucas, why do you stay here until it’s time for me to lock up? I hate having to leave my keys with you, because whenever I need them, you’re never around.”
It gets straight to the point, so dumb ppl don’t have to ask questions
Freddie was the bartender at the bar I frequented. He had been one of my closest friends since I moved here. My father left my mother and I behind to marry some Russian chick. He led a colorful lifestyle as a member of the Korean mafia. Because of that, I didn’t want to be further associated with that man. I picked my own life, knowing I could finally be whoever I wanted to be.
“Listen, I’m going to let you lock up tonight. I have a meeting early in the morning. I want my keys when I text you. Tell Sarah I said hey whenever you get home.”
It hadn’t been long after Freddie had gone did I finally leave the bar. Upon entering the house, my brothers, who had been expecting me for dinner, were waiting for me. Johnny, Doyoung, and Jaehyun weren’t my real family. We’d become well acquainted through our parents’ broken friendship. When they’d moved in with me, they’d brought their dogs along. The more the merrier, I guess.
“What’s with you and staying out so late all the time?” Johnny demanded. He was the eldest and the most overbearing.
“I get that I’m the youngest, but this is my house. I honestly don’t have the mental capacity to argue with you right now, so kindly stop breathing down my neck and leave me alone?”
“I don’t get you sometimes. One minute you’re groveling at our feet, then you’re reminding us whose house this is.” He glared at me like that was supposed to get me to beg for his forgiveness.
I rolled my eyes as I stepped into my slippers and pushed Johnny out of my way. I’d had just enough drama for the day. Now was not the time for him to remind me of who had real authority in my house.
“Go freshen up for dinner,” he said.
I let out an exasperated sigh. “Are you ever going to stop bossing me around?”
“You don’t want me to demand anything of you, but you still listen. Make that make sense.”
“So maybe I should change the people I listen to,” I exclaimed.
“Maybe you should. I’m not going to stop you.” Johnny shrugged.
I walked away before he could say anything more. I really wasn’t in the mood to listen to him.
“Babo,” he muttered.
I spun around, “What did you just say?” “First, you forget the time, now you’re deaf?” “I would have heard you, if you weren’t so afraid to speak up.”
“You want to hear it that bad?” Johnny walked over to me, stopping a few inches away from my face. “You’re a fool. You always have been.”
Just as I was about to send him back to his maker, Jaehyun, stopped me. “Guys, now is not the time to be doing this. Come eat. This food isn’t going to eat itself, you know.”
“Seeing how late you waited for me to return home, commonsense says you should have eaten without me,” I muttered.
“I’m gonna hit him,” Johnny growled.
“Don’t.” Jaehyun pulled him away from me. I wasn’t afraid of him. I never have been.
“You know what…” I stalked back over to the front door and stepped into my Timberlands. “If he’s going to act like this, I’d rather starve.”
“Oho...떠나다.나.홀로.남자.” (leave.me.alone) (tteonada.na.holo.namja)
“Now you speak Korean?”
Just as I grabbed the door knob, Johnny yanked me back by my arm. It took everything in me not to let go of the door knob and hit him. “Leave me alone. I’m not going to tell you again.”
“Is running away your answer to everything?” Johnny asked. I sighed. “I’m not going to let you go out like this every time you feel like everyone is against you. It’s a struggle being your brother. I try my hardest to look after you–”
“No, you don’t,” I said.
“I always make sure there’s something for you to eat when–”
“No, you don’t.”
“You always have money when you leave the house, do you not? What do you go and spend it on? Drinks at a bar you just can’t get enough of.””
I snatched my arm away from him and turned around. “Hyung, you’re missing my point. I don’t want you breathing down my neck, sniffing my hair, or holding my hand like I’m incapable of taking care of myself.”
“Sometimes you act like you are. I’m sure Jae and Doyoung can say I do more than enough as your brother.”
