CH5- There’s a B Side to Every Story

There’s a B Side to Every Story

******************************

Dongwook and his friends are now inside the biggest VIP room in his club, Lucky Seven. He assigned 4 of the prettiest of his serving girls to each of his friends and they were having a good time until Jiyong reminded him of his request a while ago.

“Hyung”, he called “where’s Sandy? How come she’s not here yet?”

Dongwook scratched the back of his head. Earlier, he just answered “Later” but the truth was, Sandy doesn’t like it when she’s being called out to private rooms. It’s actually one of their agreements when she signed up for the job. She has no obligation and has the right to refuse guests. As her boss, he was always pestered by such requests and always had to turn them down. Always. Well, except for this one time when he was the one who asked for her favor.

“Hyunggg ...” Jiyong whined.

He sighed. It looks like he has to beg Sandy again. He had to bribe her the last time just to agree. He motioned with his head for one of his floor managers, Donny, to come near him as he walked near the door. Donny has been standing in attendance for any of their needs and he asked him now to fetch Sandy and explain the situation to her. He didn’t want his friends to hear that he has to plead to one of his employees. “Tell her that this is going to be the absolute last time” he added for good measure, still whispering.

Donny nodded and went out. He radioed the door man to check if Sandy is still in the club. He answered affirmative so Donny went to the dancer’s dressing room but didn’t find her there. He was told that she went to the ladies room so he turned back to the other direction, hoping that she won’t escape him.

********************

Seunghyun excused himself a few minutes after Donny went out of the room. He made his way to the restroom and was on his way back after doing his business when he heard a male voice call “Sandy!”

He turned around and saw the one his hyung was talking to earlier grab a hand but he didn’t see who. He just heard the girl exclaim “What are you doing?!” in a scandalized tone.

Thinking that there’s some kind of trouble, he went near them and saw Sandy backed in a corner with Donny blocking her way saying something he didn’t quite hear except for the words “Dongwook hyung”, “VIP room” and “Please”. He was about to make his presence known when he heard Sandy speak.

“No! He knows my rules.”

“Dongwook hyung told me that this will be the absolute last time”, Donny argued.

“No. N-O” Sandy spelled out. “Now let go of me!”

Seunghyun, being intrigued with the conversation, leaned his back against the wall where they couldn’t see him but he can hear them. What was Dongwook asking Sandy?

“Don’t be such a bitch!” Donny said heatedly. “He’s just asking you to stay for a bit and meet his friends. He even said that he’ll pay you a week’s worth of salary for tonight.”

“I don’t freaking care about his friends. As far as I’m concerned, I’m only paid here to dance and not serve customers.” She said in equal heat. She removed Donny’s hand from her wrist. “If you’ll excuse me, my work is done” she said and started to turn away from him.

“Who do you think you are?” Donny sneered. “You’re acting like your some innocent diva when we both know that it only takes the right amount of money to make you say yes” he taunted.

Dara stopped in her tracks. Does he know? So far, she thought that only Byul and Dongwook know of her escorting job outside of the club. If Donny knows, then it’s possible that the other employees will know about it soon, too.

She sighed. It’s okay, Dara. She thought to herself and rounded on Donny.

“What? You think I won’t find out?” Donny taunted. “You think what you’re doing is classier than a serving girl? What you do is much worse. What were you doing in that hotel with that old man last week, huh?” he accused, coming nearer Sandy. “He’s much older than the Japanese you were with the day before. Maybe because he’s richer?” he accused with such hatred and hurt. “You f*ck senior citizens for money?!”

Dara felt livid. She wanted to slap Donny silly but she stopped herself. She knows why Donny is doing this. He had been her admirer since the first day she started working in the club. He kept on pestering, calling and following her but she rejected his feelings. He was almost like a stalker that she was tempted to tell on Dongwook. 

She needed Donny to stop and she has to make him realize that she’s a real bitch so he’ll forget about her and move on.

“What’s it to you?” she said in a steady voice. “I can f*ck whoever, however and wherever I like. I don’t owe anyone an explanation and you are nothing to me to deserve any answer to your questions! The sooner you realize that, the better.”

“So you just admitted that you sleep around for money” he challenged.

“Think whatever you like. I don’t care!”

“You – you ... whore!” Donny spat.

Dara smirked. “And you, my dear, can never afford me” she taunted and left him fuming.

*******************

Seunghyun heard Sandy coming nearer so he faced the other way so he won’t be seen. When she passed him by, he looked at the back of the girl who’s furiously walking away in what seems to be 5 inch stilettos. He was deeply disappointed and something else he can’t figure out yet, from what he heard. 

Once again, he encountered another beautiful woman who only wants money. He was burned a few times before by women who only wanted either money or fame. He’s jaded when it comes to relationships that’s why he no longer believes in love at the young age of 22. 

His parents were both having affairs when he was young and constantly flaunted their flings to each other, not minding the scandals considering the social circles they belong to. He always wondered why they wouldn’t just divorce each other and live separately. He hated them and his parents did not care one wink on their one and only son. They were selfish creatures who only cared about making more money. He tried to feel sad when they both lost their lives in a car accident when he was in high school but he couldn’t. He didn’t feel anything at all. 

The only people he cares about are his friends, especially his two childhood buddies. They were the ones who took him in when he was orphaned and they are what he considers as his family.

He let out a sigh. It was a good thing he heard what he heard. He better warn Jiyong and Dongwook. Who knows what that Sandy girl is up to? A good thing too, that she refused to meet them. 

Yup. Definitely a good thing.

*************************

What Seunghyun doesn’t know was that Sandy deliberately misled Donny into thinking the worst of her just to get him off her back. She doesn’t care if he’ll spread rumors about her. She’s resigned to the fact that people will always form opinions of her no matter what she does. So why bother explaining? It was just for a while, she wanted to enjoy the fact that when she’s in Lucky Seven, she can just enjoy dancing and not be associated with her other job. Like in Black Widow café, she and the girls just enjoy serving coffee, tea and cakes there without thinking of their escort jobs on the side.

She’s now sitting in front of the mirror inside the dressing room. She started cleaning up her face and removing the smoky make up round her eyes. She then tied her hair in a high pony tail and changed into her usual faded jeans, shirt and sneakers. She lives in a not so reputable neighborhood so she makes sure that she doesn’t wear revealing clothes especially when she goes home at night so as not to invite trouble. Not that she can’t protect herself. She’s learned self defense like karate, judo and taekwondo courtesy of Gummy where all girls under Spider were required to train for protection. 

Just last week, she was able to put one move into practice. This was also one of the reasons why she was adamant in refusing Dongwook’s request. Last week, he and Byul threw a party with some of their college friends and one took a particular liking at Sandy. Since it was the first time that Dongwook requested her to stay for a bit and help him entertain his friends she complied after some pleading and a little bit of bribing.  

At first, the friend was okay but as he got drunk he started feeling up Sandara and began touching her in inappropriate places. Byul and Dongwook were out dancing when that happened so she just left the guy after slapping him. Much to her surprise, the guy followed and pinned her to a wall outside the VIP room and forcibly kissed her. Sandy then kneaded the guy’s groin and twisted his arm and pushed him to the floor and left him writhing, holding his family jewels. 

She didn’t report what happened to her two friends. She was kinda expecting the college friend to tell on her but he didn’t may be due to embarrassment so she just let it go. She didn’t want Byul or Dongwook to feel bad and just kept it inside. It already happened anyway. There’s no use crying over spilled milk.

She’s wary that the same thing might happen again. She knows how guys act when drunk. She’s had many customers before who were always drunk when they had their way with her. Even her last boyfriend was the sweetest person at first but turns into a mean drunk after a few bottles of beer. 

Her father was a mean old drunk as well so she vowed to never be like that. But in her line of work, social drinking is a must so what she does is she sneakily nurses her glass of wine or beer bottle for as long as she can. Sometimes, she gets a new one before anyone notices so it would look like she’s on her next glass. She also makes sure to never drink something that was given to her. She learned the hard way when she was drugged by the devil, meaning her ex-boyfriend. She made a promise to herself to never speak of his name ever again. He will and forever will be referred to as the devil for her. She’s even sure that he’s roasting in hell right now.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts away. She doesn’t want to remember him. Happy thoughts, Dara. Happy thoughts.

She checked her phone and smiled. There’s 1 message from her beloved brother. 

She read: Noona, a girl confessed to me today. She’s my classmate. She’s pretty and smart and she’s close to my ideal type but … I thought of my promise to you that I’ll concentrate on my studies first. T T  … So I politely said that we're better off as friends…

I did good, right? ke ke ke

I hope its graduation already so I can see you! Saranghaeyo! 

Your Panda ^.^

Her mood lifted considerably after reading her brother’s SMS. She, too, can’t wait to see him. Seungri’s already on his senior year in high school and she hopes that he can get into a reputable college when he graduates. She’s been saving money and had to stop going to university herself this year so she can prepare for his future. Aside from that, there are also medical expenses that have to be maintained. Her own dream to be a fashion designer can wait. 

She checked her shoelaces and zipped her bag. It’s time for her to be gone. She doubts that Donny will come for her again but who knows?

The door to the dressing room opens after a couple of knocks.

“Shit”, she whispered.

*******************************

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, modify, create derivative works, or in any way exploit any content of this story without a written consent from the author.

All rights reserved by Ms/Mzbookworm4life. © April 2013.