(Bella) 

I looked at myself in the mirror. Cindy had gone all out to make sure that I looked incredible. She had loaned me one of her dresses, a skintight fuschia sheath that hugged my body all the way to the top of my knees. It was not my usual style of dress, but I had to admit that it looked good on me. She had also insisted on doing my makeup. "You're already drop-dead gorgeous, but we want to enhance that just a little bit. Guys don't appreciate layers of makeup. It's like a bait and switch."

"I don't know about being drop-dead gorgeous," I said doubtfully.

"Oh, stop it! No one likes it when a beautiful girl says she's not beautiful. Why do you think that twerp can't leave you alone? He wouldn't be hovering around you if you were a butterface." She fluffed out my light brown tresses with a comb. "I love your hair. Let's leave it loose. It will make boys think about running their hands through it, which leads them to thinking about grabbing it during sex." She scoffed at my disgusted expression. "There! You're done! Hey, wear the strappy heels. It will make your butt stick out. That'll cause his eyes to fall from his face."

I sighed. "Whatever. If you're ready, let's get this over with. It's already almost ten. When I give you the signal, we leave. Okay? Remember the signal?"

She nodded. "The signal, yes. Let's go!"

We walked carefully along the sidewalk, grateful that the courtyard was well-lit. I raised my hand to knock on apartment 707, and the door swung open.

"Oh, hi!" It was Jimin's roommate, Taehyung, the one with the deep voice. "Bella! It's so good to see you!" he said with a cute boxy smile.

"I'm sorry we're so late," I said. "I know Jimin said nine."

Taehyung gave a little frown. "Nine? We've been here since seven." Then he brightened up. "But come in! Come in!" He held the door open for us. "And you brought a friend." He looked closer at Cindy. "I know you."

"You remember Cindy," I said. "She was my roommate at the dorms last year when..." I stopped abruptly before I said Jimin's name. Taehyung had been there when Jimin and I had our acrimonious break-up. "...when you saw her," I finished awkwardly. " Cindy, you remember Taehyung."

"Ohhhh, yes," she purred and moved so close to him that they were practically breathing the same air. "I remember very well. How are you?"

Tae's eyes widened before his smile returned. He placed a hand lightly on her back. "I am much better now that you're here," he said and guided her into the apartment. I hoped Cindy would take it easy on him. Taehyung was really a sweetie. I'd never heard him say anything mean or improper. He seemed a lot younger than he was because he was so nice. Why none of that had rubbed off on Jimin, I didn't know.

I stared after them. The lighting was dim, and I couldn't see others clearly. At least the music wasn't loud. I could hear people talking and laughing. I glanced behind me wondering if I should escape and go home before anyone saw me.

"Hey! You're Jimin's girl. Bella, right?"

I turned to see a tall guy walking toward me.

"Uh, hi. But, no, I'm not," I said, and he frowned.

"Your name's not Bella? I could've sworn that was your name."

"Yes, my name is Bella. I meant I'm not Jimin's girl. We're friends."

He smiled, and the most adorable set of dimples appeared on his face. "Friends. Cool. Do you remember me?" he asked. "I'm Namjoon. I don't think we actually talked very much before. My hair used to be, oh, some other color, I guess."

"Yes, of course I remember you," I said. "Your voice...it's very unique." His voice had a deep, raspy quality that made it memorable.

"Thank you. You were also very unique. I can see why Jimin didn't bring you around more. He didn't want you to know that there were better guys around." He gave me another dimpled smile. "What a sneak."

I shrugged. "Oh, I don't know about that. Things just happened."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I suppose. But it's so good to see you here. You certainly brighten up the place. May I get you a drink? It would be my pleasure."

"Uh, okay."

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable? Be careful with those shoes. I will take care of anything you need. Just tell me what you want. I love your dress, by the way. You look extremely beautiful in that color. Alluring, I would say," he spoke so rapidly that I had trouble following along. "Sit down and just wait for me a second."

And, just like that, he disappeared into the darkened apartment.

I had been standing in the foyer and now made my way slowly into the living room. This apartment seemed bigger than ours. Each step I took allowed me to see better. People were sitting on two oversized couches set at a right angle to each other. Two upholstered chairs faced the couches. The long coffee table held an array of bowls filled with snacks.

"Bella!" Jimin said loudly, jumping off one of the couches and rushing toward me. His eyes looked me up and down. "Wow! You look so amazing! You're beyond beautiful! That dress--wow!" He placed his hand arm around my shoulder. "I'm glad you came. Come sit with me, babe. Can I get you a drink?"

"Uh, thanks, but Namjoon already said he'd get me a drink," I said, trying to shrug off his arm. "I wish you wouldn't--"

"Ha! Namjoon. Was he making the moves on you already?" he said with a sharp laugh. "He likes girls in tight dresses. Or I should say out of them. He probably just wants to nail you. Don't run off with him."

"Of course not!" I exclaimed indignantly. "Why would you even say that to me?"

Jimin threw his head back and laughed again. "I was joking!"

"It wasn't funny. You don't have to say such things out loud," I admonished him, wondering if he was already drunk. I could smell alcohol on his breath. His arm on my shoulders felt heavy, and I finally managed to slip it off.

"Aren't you going to introduce your guest?" a voice called from one of the couches. It had a rich melodious tone.

Jimin turned toward the speaker. "No!" he snapped a little rudely and grabbed my arm. "She's with me. After all, she's got taste." There were a few laughs.

I wriggled my arm away and wondered if I should remind Jimin that we were not together, but I didn't get the chance to speak.

"Too bad," the same voice said.

A tall young man unfolded himself from the couch and walked slowly toward us. It seemed as if the entire room went quiet and the people were holding their breath. He was dressed all in black, but it was too dark to make out his features until he was right in front of me. When the light hit his face, I couldn't stop my sharp intake of breath. 

He was quite possibly the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on. He didn't seem real. His body seemed to engulf the space around me. His dark eyes were steady on mine, and his incredibly, impossibly full lips were turned up at the corner in a half-smirk.

I was mesmerized. It was like a scene from a movie where everything else falls away in the background leaving only two people facing each other. Time seemed to be moving in slow motion.

"If you had better taste, you'd be with me," he said. "My name is Kim Seokjin. The pleasure is all mine," he said in a voice like silk floating over my body, then he leaned closer.  "But it could be yours as well."