#439am

She laughs and shakes her head, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. “Don’t be like that. You know why you keep me around.”

"Mm..." An arm is slung around her waist, "No, no I don't. You're cute, sure -- but that's about all you got goin' for you."

"Depends. Is that your thing?"

"Maaaaybe you should see about some sleeping pills?"

    She’s cute.

    That’s his first thought when he sees her, standing up on stage with the rest of the band. He doesn’t go to shows often, but he’s here now, in a tiny venue, packed in among the crowd like a sardine. His only salvation is the bar, where people are a little less rough. Nothing worse than getting your ₩10k beer spilled all over your shirt because you partied too hard.

    Wherever alcohol resides, he’s sure to drink. Tonight is no exception. He orders a few throughout the night, and slowly, the music becomes water rushing in his ears. He’s tuned out.

    Until someone slides onto the stool next to him. He’s only partially aware of her presence, still half-dead to anything but the aftertaste of Hite. She’s probably talking.

    “How’d you get this?”

    There are fingers ghosting up his arm and he bristles, but doesn’t flinch away. They’re not soft, but calloused, and he thinks she looks like the girl from the opening act.

    “Lady came at me with a knife… long fuckin’ time ago, now. Didn’t think ya could still see that one,” he muses, and though he can’t currently recall the incident, he knows it was interesting.