---

The wine that was previously only a bottle, has now increased to three. Harry was not alone in facing Ken. There was Alan who suddenly caught up with them there. The American-Javanese man thought that Ken was having fun as usual. But when Alan got there, the man realized that Harry was just asking for help because he couldn't face Ken's unusual attitude.


Alan scratched the nape of his neck even though he didn't feel itchy. Then he moved his face forward, to Harry who was still staring in surprise at Ken. "Is this how he's been acting?"


"Yep," Harry replied, nodding his head. One hand pulled out the wine glass, raised it, and continued, "He's been like this for about half an hour."


"What were the first symptoms?"

Plak!


"Ouch!" Alan groaned and turned his head. There was Ken who was looking at him with displeasure.

"What do you think I'm sick of?!" said Ken unhappily.

Harry just laughed while his two friends argued there. Coincidentally, the music had just stopped because there was going to be a DJ change. So the three of them didn't have to bother shouting or speaking in a louder tone of voice. Let alone loud, even casual speech sometimes became loud when they were inside the club.

"What have you been doing all this time, it's just not fun," Alan protested.

Ken was getting annoyed. He picked up his car keys, cell phone and vapor on the table before getting up from his seat.

"Where are you going, Ken?" Alan panicked. "I'm just kidding. You can relax a little, right?"

But the man whose full name was Ken Kalandra only responded indifferently. Without saying a word, Ken walked away from the place that operated for twenty hours. He wondered how the people in there could have the strength to dance, drink alcohol and even 'have fun' all day long. Didn't they have so much money or free time, that they had nothing else to do but spend time in a nightclub?

You could say that Ken was familiar with the salt and pepper of the nightlife. Because almost every night, he and his two faithful friends came and had fun in such a place. New York City is indeed a busy city. Many say it's the city that never sleeps. And the darker side of New York City at night was in the places Ken often visited. The man knows discos, alcohol and even night butterflies. Although it started as a fad to unwind, the nightlife has now become a habit. Tight enough that Ken finds it difficult to escape the trapping pleasure.

The last woman Ken dated was named Stefani. She was beautiful, the daughter of rich people who were a bit stingy. But his parents' wealth meant nothing to Ken, because Stefani was just like his bed. And the relationship, which had only been going on for a few days, was already on Ken's list of relationships that ended the same. Get to know each other, like each other, sleep together, and then just break up.

No one was really memorable in Ken's heart. All women are the same in his eyes.

But his memory of last night, made Ken not easily forget Gabriella.

---

"I thought you were dead, asshole!"

"Who are you?!"

"I should be asking, who are you?"

"Huh?"

Ken grabbed his hair in frustration. While catching his annoyed-sounding breath, he pointed at Gabriella on the bed and exclaimed. "Who-the-fuck-are-you?!"

The woman sitting there just blinked her eyes a few times. She looked doubtful, as well as surprised, perhaps shocked to suddenly find herself on someone else's bed. Ken waited, until finally Gabriella moved one hand, pointed a forefinger at his chest and said. "Me? I'm... Gabriella."

There was a pause.

Before Ken finally gave a short snort and stared at Gabriella in disbelief. "I didn't ask what your name was, what I asked was who are you? Why did you suddenly fall on me and pass out, huh?"

After a lot of questions rumbling around in his head, Ken was finally relieved. At least, he didn't have to endure his sleepiness and fatigue, just to wait for the woman who was suddenly unconscious in front of him to wake up.

Gabriella seemed to round her mouth, both eyes unblinking. She looked even more shocked as she looked at the owner of the room she was now in like a monster preparing to swallow her alive.

"So... what did you do there last night?"


Hearing Ken's tone, which was lower than before, Gabriella felt a little relieved. The tightness that had been constricting her throat was slowly getting better. She inhaled as much oxygen as she could before saying, "I'm the girl who wanted to jump off the mall last night."

And Ken couldn't contain his shock. His eyes widened. His mouth opened wide, almost spilling out all the swearing that had accumulated on the tip of his tongue, if only she hadn't hurriedly interrupted him.

"But I'm fine now, I swear!" Gabriella got up, immediately jumping off the bed which was a mess due to her very reckless and sudden movements. She chuckled awkwardly then straightened her blazer for the night. "I'm very, very grateful for your help, but please, forget about last night. Pretend we never met and you never knew that I almost jumped out of-"

"What did you say?" Ken interrupted.

Gabriella was momentarily stunned. Was her request simple enough. It's not like they didn't know each other before, or even since. So forgetting what happened last night should be an easy request, right?


But that didn't apply in Ken's point of view.

"You almost jumped when I was right there. What if you did jump last night, you die and I'm the one accused of murder?"

Again Ken found Gabriella's face looking shocked. She seemed to lose her focus and just stared blankly at the man in front of her.

"Hey?"

"Huh? Oh-yeah, yes. Sorry."

"Just that?"

Gabriella bit her lower lip, unsure of what the woman should do next. That was until a small murmur was heard. "I'm sorry. My mind is stuck and I don't have anyone." At first, Gabriella said that in a sad tone, but suddenly, her expression and tone changed drastically. "But because you suddenly called me, I ended up not jumping and I lost my courage."

"Huh?"


"Tsk. You don't understand yet, do you? Because you helped me, I didn't end up dying and I'm still dealing with this problem alone. Don't you know that I've worked hard to gather that courage over there?"

Ken wrinkled his nose, not understanding Gabriella's nonsense at all. What kind of self-defense is this?

"The point is... it's all your fault."

"Huh? Are you drunk?"