"Come on, Jimin, you have got to see this dressing room. I think it belonged to one of the star singers who worked here."

You open the door with the faded 'Private' sign and pull Jimin with you.

He laughs at your enthusiasm. "How do you know they were a star?"

"Because, when I was here with the realtor, he noticed me looking at the old news clippings from the 1930s tacked to the wall. He said the man pictured was very popular back then, and this was his private dressing room."

Incredulously, he says, "It's 2032, so that's over a hundred years old, and it's survived?"

You giggle at him. "Yes, but wait till you see the articles and photos. They don't look like they were taken a hundred years ago. Amazingly, they are in such excellent condition. The realtor told me it was because this building has always been watertight."

You open the private dressing room door and hold it while Jimin enters. 

He says, "This place not leaking like most old buildings is a blessing."

He gazes around the room and stops. He steps closer to the board hanging on the wall. He looks at the news articles and pictures, mesmerized by how well-preserved they are, other than a bit of dust.

"Wow, sis, did you see this picture?" He points to a newspaper article with a picture of a blond-haired man slightly smiling. "He's very handsome, or as they used to say back in his time, he's the 'cats meow'!" He laughs at his joke.

You stand beside him and agree. "Yes, he is rather cute for a man over a hundred."

"Well, you have always been drawn to older men." He says in jest. But you know he isn't that far off. For some reason, you prefer a man older than you, but not by a hundred years!

"Stop teasing, little brother." You grin mischievously at him and he gives you the side eye.

The newspaper article with his slightly smiling picture flutters, as do the others. You reach out to hold it down while you read, thinking Jimin's hardy laugh at your expense caused them to move. Wanting to know more about the man in the picture, you begin reading as Jimin moves to the make-up table with an old cracked mirror.

You softly speak more to yourself than to Jimin, "This is dated . . ." 

You turn to Jimin. "Jimin, this is dated for today!"

He hops up from the chair and stands next to you, "No, way he is still alive?" he jests knowing that man is not truly alive.

"No, Jimin, you goofball. Look at the date. Today is Feb 14th . . ."

Jimin interrupts, "Oh, happy Valentine's Day sis." He gives you a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, Jimin, and happy Valentine's Day to you, too. I know it's one of your favorite holidays. But look . . ." you turn back to the board and the news article, " . . . this is dated February 14th, 1932, and today is February 14th, 2032. What are the odds?"

"Zero to none," says Jimin as he goes back to the makeup mirror. He picks up an old ashtray and dusts it off.

"Hey, I wonder how much money this could bring. They don't make ashtrays anymore now that everybody vapes. This is an antique. It probably belongs in a museum."

You don't hear him. You're in your own world as you stand in front of the board of pictures and news articles.

You reverently touch the face in the picture and a memory flashes. You lightly trace his features on the aged photograph and wonder what it would be like to know him, to hear him sing. Your heart warms thinking about him. 

You actually feel his warm skin under your fingertip and notice a hint of whiskey and cigars.  But that can't be! You jump back from the board and bump the chair Jimin was sitting in.

"Hey! Watch it." He gets up when he notices your complexion is white as a sheet. "Novi, are you alright?"

He gently placed his hand on your shoulder. "Novi, what's wrong? Are you feeling ill?"

You gather yourself and answer him. "No, no, nothing like that. I'm fine."

Before he could question you more, a familiar voice called out, "Hello, is anybody home?"

 You quickly left the room, followed by Jimin, to the central area of the club.

"Tae. You made it." You smile and he rushes forward, taking you in his arms.

He kisses you. "Hi, beautiful. Have I missed the grand tour?" you quickly step back with a slight eye roll at Jimin.

Tae cutely pouts before stepping away sneezing and sneezing again. He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and wipes his nose. "Sorry, dust hates me and the feeling is mutual." He looks around with a grimace.

Jimin notices and says, "I agree with that look." and they laugh.

Jimin and Tae shake hands. Tae gives Jimin a firm pat on the shoulder, saying, "It's good to see you, Jimin. You've been taking care of my beauty?" Jimin didn't miss the fact that Tae's look shifted to his sister.

"My sister or your car?" Jimin can't help it. He doesn't like Tae's possessive attitude toward his sister. Novi thinks of Tae as friend but nothing more. 

Picking up on Jimin's demeanor, Tae condescendingly says, "Why my car, of course. What made you think I meant your sister?"

 He was not about to get into an argument over Novi today. Later, maybe, but no, not today. Today was Valentine's Day, a day of love. He glances a Novi and wishes if only...

"Oh, here, Novi." He pulls an envelope from the inside pocket of his suit coat and hands it to you with his charming boxy smile. "Happy Valentine's Day." 

"Uh, um, thank you, Tae. You didn't have to get me anything." You open the envelope and take out the romantic Valentine's card. When you open the card, a ticket falls out. 

While you read the card, Jimin quickly picked up the ticket. It was for a horse-drawn carriage ride in Central Park. He looked at Tae with narrowed eyes, and his lips tightened over his clenched teeth.

Tae snatches the ticket from Jimin with eyes shooting daggers at his audacity. You're putting the card back in the envelope as Tae turns from glaring at Jimin to smiling at you.

"You dropped your ticket, Beautiful." He holds it out, and you take it, reading the ticket.

"A horse drawn carriage ride in Central Park? Oh, that's romantic. Thank you, Tae, but I don't particularly like going to Central Park alone these days." 

You turn to Jimin. "Do you want it, I know you love the park."

Before he can answer, Tae reaches out, turns you back to him, and holds out another ticket. "You won't be going alone. You'll be going with me." He smiles confident that you will accept.