Chapter 2

Mikayla's POV

As the captivating melody begins to play, the vibrations of the deep bass are felt throughout the room, creeping into every corner with an alluring energy. Without realizing it, the music aroused the desire in me to dance and with graceful steps, I began to follow the enchanting rhythm, letting my body feel the freedom of movement that surrounded me. The roar of laughter and conversation all around was drowned out by the music that filled the room, creating a world where I was only connected by the vibrations that brought joy. Now is my time to be grateful for the loss of people who never actually loved me. I realized that I deserve real love, who appreciates and accepts me for who I am. Even though my heart may feel broken for a moment, I don't want to waste my tears on someone who isn't worthy.

I looked around the bar bustling with dancing and laughter, and I felt relieved. Losing Ethan, who turned out to be just village trash, made me even more convinced that I deserved better. I don't want to be trapped in endless sadness. Instead, I chose to enjoy this evening with free dance steps and a sincere smile. I continued enjoying my drink, letting myself be lost in the music that filled the room. I was dancing along to the rhythm casually, but suddenly my attention was diverted. At the end of the bar, the man in the pastel blue shirt was still motionless, looking at me with an intense gaze. Even so, I chose to stay focused on my leisurely dancing, trying to ignore his presence in the corner of the room.

But when the song ended, I felt the urge to return to the bar counter. I wanted another glass of beer, even though it felt like the world was starting to spin a little and I was starting to feel a little tipsy. At that time, the most important thing was my own satisfaction. With somewhat unsteady steps, I reached the bar counter and ordered another beer. Occasionally, I glanced at the man, who was still standing where he was, but his gaze remained locked on me like an irresistible magnet.

“I'd like another glass without ice,” I said confidently to Leo the bartender.

"Don't drink too much, or you'll throw up; this time, you pay yourself." He said with a sour face.

"Yes! You think I don't have any money with me." I then took a roll of banknotes from my dress at the chest and paid for my drink.

“You don't have a wallet?” he asked.

"I don't need a wallet, it's useless to have a wallet, but there's little money," I said proudly, then put my money back into my dress.

I turned my gaze randomly, trying to look at the people dancing happily around me. However, my eyes naturally fell on the man in the pastel blue shirt again. Strangely, among the dozens of people in this bar, I felt as if I couldn't take my eyes off him. The man was also seen looking at me from a distance, his gaze was so sharp and alluring. Even though he didn't move from his spot, his charisma remained in my eyes. I started to wonder why he caught my attention so much of all the people here. Is it possible that he is a call boy who is deliberately paying attention to me to make me interested? The thought just crossed my mind, but I wasn't sure. There was only one way to find out, to approach him and try to understand more about the man.

With a pounding heart, I decided to move away so that the man would no longer look at me. However, my real step towards leaving was walking in a circle, in his direction. With every step I took, I felt closer to my decision to approach him. When I was close enough to him, I saw his head move, as if looking for something. Without hesitation, I decided to suddenly appear in front of him. As I stood in front of him, I straightened his slightly folded shirt and refrained from pulling my hand away from its position. I thought he would be surprised by my sudden appearance, but his expression remained impassive, his eyes staring at me intensely. A question now floats in my mind, am I really this beautiful?

"Are you looking for someone?" I asked, looking back to look for someone, "Who are you looking for?" I asked again while looking into his almond eyes.

The man was still silent, occasionally sipping his saliva from his neck, "Are you thirsty? Here, drink mine.” I then handed him my glass of beer and brought it to the man's lips before he answered yes. He seemed to enjoy every sip of beer from my glass; I continued to gently push the glass until the beer was finished, and then my eyes fell on a bracelet engraved with someone's name, "Rudolf?" I read after looking at the bracelet then looked back into his eyes, "Is that your name?"

He nodded, “Yes.”

"Cool name." My praise.

I walked slowly, leaving the man I had just met, wearing the pastel blue shirt. His name wasn't too strong in my memory, just a vague memory amidst the noisy bar crowd. My steps stopped in front of the bar counter, looking at the glass of beer I ordered which was now empty. With hesitant steps, I reached out to hand the glass back to the busy bartender. My heart was pounding, not only from the desire to take another sip of that fresh beer but also from the fear of how my body would react. I'm not a strong handler of alcohol, and the thought of possibly vomiting at the bar made me anxious. It would be a shame if my good girl appearance had to be tarnished by vomiting beer in front of everyone.

"Again?" asked the bartender.

"No, thank you. I don't want to get too drunk." I said while returning my attention to the place where the man in the pastel blue shirt was originally there. "Where is he going?" I asked quietly to myself.

"Who are you looking for?" Asked Leo the bartender.

I shook my head with a faint smile, "No one."

I noticed the place at the other end, which was now empty; where was the man named Rudolf standing? My mind drifted backward, replaying the brief moments when we talked for just a moment. But now, there was no sign of him there. Am I so drunk that I'm having hallucinations? No way, I thought. Rudolf looked so real, so clear in my memory. I shook my head slightly, trying to calm my confusion. Maybe I was too drunk, I tried to convince myself. However, when I tried to walk back to that place, looking for Rudolf's whereabouts, my heart was filled with anxiety. For some reason, I felt the need to make sure that our brief interaction wasn't just an illusion from the effects of alcohol. When I arrived at the place and looked for his whereabouts, my worries deepened. Rudolf was no longer there. Only the empty bar faced me coldly, leaving me with the nagging question, was our brief meeting just a fantasy, or had he already left?