Divine Voice

With this change of mindset, Kang Jinha found himself relaxing bit by bit. If he could be completely honest, this kind of boisterous and dark environment relieved him more than any quiet could ever do. The only thing that bothered him a little was the thunderous music that sent his heart leaping and pounding with each beat of its rhythm, and a subtle scent that sizzled along with the heated air. 

Somehow, it was both heady and… dangerous. 

But it was nothing he couldn't handle – this minor inconvenience wasn't even worth mentioning compared to all the hardship he had endured in the past. 

Nodding to himself, Kang Jinha surveyed his surroundings for a while before making his way to the bar. As for the dance floor… let's keep it aside for now; he still needed a little more push if he wanted to challenge that area. 

Behind the counter, the bartender was in the middle of mixing drinks for the customers before him. Kang Jinha's eyes unobtrusively scanned over them, taking in their dyed hair, yellow teeth, muscular bodies, bold tattoos coiling around their arms, and the sleazy look in their eyes. They looked like local thugs. 

Without even needing to think, Kang Jinha immediately decided to keep some distance between them and opted to sit beside another person lounging lazily in the corner instead, leaving an empty stool between them. 

As he waited for the bartender to finish dealing with the four thugs, he couldn't help but take notice of the man beside him. 

Seriously, what kind of person would bundle themselves up from head to toe in this kind of place? Even wearing a mask to boot!

But then, as soon as this question crossed his mind, Kang Jinha was suddenly reminded of his own outfit. He had not only donned a jacket and a mask, but also a hat on top of that! He, of all people, did not have the right to judge the other person as he was way worse! It seemed like the two of them were oddballs in this place where people competed to reveal as much as possible. 

Somehow, the thought brought him a subtle yet inexplicable sense of relief. 

"May I take your order, Sir?"

The bartender's inquiry forced Kang Jinha to drag his gaze away, depriving him of the chance to observe his neighbor more. He was, after all, a full-fledged twenty-nine-year-old adult on the inside, so he managed to compose himself quickly despite the fact that he had never visited a bar before. 

"Do you have a… soju on the rocks?" 

"Sure!" The bartender flashed a grin. "One soju on the rocks coming right up!"

As he worked, he struck a conversation with Kang Jinha out of habit and curiosity. "First time here?"

Again, Kang Jinha thought with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. How did these people tell? Did he have 'newcomer' written in big capital letters on his forehead or something? Kang Jinha wasn't keen to find out nor was he interested in making small talk with others, so he merely let out a grunt. 

The bartender continued with a series of basic questions like 'where do you come from' or 'what brings you here' but Kang Jinha took advantage of the boisterous noise to pretend as if he heard nothing. 

Over the years, his nature had become more taciturn and indifferent. Except for his family and close friends, few could pull a reaction out of him. Furthermore, he did not come here to socialize. He simply wanted some time for himself, preferably in an environment which could make him feel at ease.

He was like an arctic wolf, exuding an icy yet lonesome aura that deterred others from getting close. 

Catching the cue, the bartender cleared his throat and silently sped up his movements. Soon after, a small chilled glass arrived in front of Kang Jinha, filled with crystalline soju poured over perfectly clear ice cubes. 

"Enjoy your drink, Sir," he flashed one last smile before turning to attend to others. 

Kang Jinha mumbled out a 'thank you' as a courtesy, not really caring whether the other person heard it or not. He raised the glass, watching as the ice clinking and the liquid glimmered under the scattered lights before tugging his mask down and taking a small sip. 

The first taste was clean and sharp, with a subtle sweetness that lingered just enough to soften the edges of its bite. Cold tendrils of alcohol warmed his throat as it went down, leaving an intoxicatingly burning sensation in its wake. 

A faint groan escaped Kang Jinha's lips, his eyelids fluttering shut. Yes, this is it… he narrowed his eyes in satisfaction like a cat who got the cream. I really need this tonight. 

Done savoring the aftertaste between his lips and tongue, Kang Jinha took a few more sips afterwards, though he was careful not to overdo it lest he becomes drunk out of his mind here. He still remembered how he needed to return before sunrise. No one, especially not his aunt and cousin, could find out he was here tonight. 

In this noisy and chaotic bar, the corner he was sitting in seemed particularly peaceful and serene. At a time like this, Kang Jinha couldn't help but feel a little grateful for his silent neighbor although from the way the man's body slumped over the counter motionlessly, Kang Jinha could not quite tell whether he was minding his own business or simply too inebriated. 

Just as he was about to zone out, the song in the bar switched, and Kang Jinha keenly sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere. Even the wildly flashing lights seemed to become more mellow and subdued. Yet at the same time, the air was suffused with a hint of suppressed thrill and anticipation, like a firework with its fuse ignited, just waiting for the right moment to explode. 

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the DJ's excited roar cut in, nearly causing Kang Jinha to flinch in surprise. "Let's welcome the star of tonight— RYU!!!" 

Along with those words, high-pitched screams and cheers erupted loud enough to overturn the ceiling! 

The ruckus had Kang Jinha's brows furrowed in irritation – it was really too noisy. Just as he was wondering whether it's time for him to get out of here and spare his eardrums from the torture, all the lights in the bar dimmed simultaneously, leaving only a single spotlight that fell on a tall figure dressed entirely in black, standing atop the platform. 

Due to the distance, Kang Jinha failed to discern the other's appearance clearly. He could only tell that it was an extremely tall and long-legged man with a bass guitar slung over his body. 

In the next second, there was a sharp intake of breath and then—

The man opened his mouth and began to sing:

In the glow of shadows, where neon flickers away, 

I found a madness, a love I can't betray.

Kang Jinha instinctively straightened up, a flash of surprise flickering in his blue eyes. 

Wow… that voice was just so— so smooth, so riveting and velvety that Kang Jinha was utterly caught off guard. As soon as the man sang the first verse, goosebumps crawled along Kang Jinha's skin, giving him a faint shiver. It felt like a jolt of electricity had shot up his spine. 

It was good— no, 'good' was an utter understatement. 

Even amidst the shrill screams in the bar, he could tell that the man's voice was divine. It was unlike nothing he had ever heard before. The pitch alternated between highs and lows, yet the man pulled it off perfectly as he strummed the bass guitar along. He hit the high notes almost effortlessly like a desperate cry to Heaven, yet his low notes sounded more like husky, intimate whispers between lovers, dripping with sensuality that sent people's heart racing. 

In mere seconds, he had the entire bar under his spell.

It was addictive, electrifying, and… maddening.

A faint blush colored Kang Jinha's cheeks without him realizing, though he couldn't tell whether it was due to the alcohol or the heated atmosphere lit by the singer. 

Had he been living under the rock all this time, or had bar singers always been this talented? 

Your eyes, like fire, they set my soul ablaze,

A storm of longing in this endless maze. 

Kang Jinha's eyes scanned over the dance floor where people moved their bodies to music without a care in the world, and all of a sudden, an unprecedented impulse seized his heart. At this point, the chill in his body had been completely swept away, and a different kind of fire was set aflame, blazing and roaring under his veins – tempting him to let go, to unleash the madness in his heart. 

Without giving himself a chance to hesitate, he downed his soju in two gulps, took off his hat and mask, and joined the dance floor.

Kang Jinha was a ballet dancer, and his sense of rhythm had always been impeccable. Amidst the sea of wildly twisting bodies, his every movement carried a kind of grace and fluidity that rendered people unable to look away once their eyes landed upon him. It took no time at all for people to start cheering and whistling around him, but Kang Jinha was already immersed in his own world, surrounded by nothing but his own heartbeats and the enthralling voice of the singer. 

Touch the night, let the darkness speak

In this midnight tryst, where we're both in sync.

Your voice, a siren, pulling me inside,

A reckless heart, with nowhere to hide!

The song ended far too quickly, leaving the audience craving for more. "Encore! Encore!" They cried out, with some bold women even shouting, "RYU, I LOVE YOU! MARRY ME!!!" 

Kang Jinha, who had already sweated it out, was already more than satisfied. He ran a hand over his damp hair and weaved through the crowd to make his way back to his seat, feeling his head buzzing pleasantly. In a good mood, he even hummed the earlier song under his breath. What could he say? It was truly addictive! 

I should search it up when I get home later, he noted to himself. And also all the songs by this person. RYU, isn't it? Why haven't I heard of him before? 

Alas, his good mood did not last long. 

He signaled to the bartender and was about to order a glass of sparkling water when the man approached him himself and handed him a glass of blue-colored alcohol. 

"This is a treat from the gentleman over there, Sir," he added with a wink.

Kang Jinha followed his line of sight and caught one of the local thugs from earlier leering at him from across the area with an intensity that was downright creepy. When their eyes met, he made a flirtatious gesture and licked his lips, showing off his teeth that had yellowed due to prolonged smoking. 

In an instant, Kang Jinha's mood soured. 

He had seen far too many similar looks from his fellow inmates in prison that the mere sight was enough to make his skin crawl. They saw him as a prey and took pleasure in subduing him as though he wasn't a human being but a trophy to highlight their masculinity. 

Without hesitation, he pushed the cocktail back and told the bartender, "No thanks." His tone was cold enough to form glaciers on the ceiling, not even bothering to hide his distaste. "Tell him that I'm not interested. And give me sparkling water, please. Thank you."

Drinks getting rejected and invitations being refused was no longer an uncommon sight around. Like a breeze, the bartender left to relay the message before preparing Kang Jinha's order. 

But alas, something in Kang Jinha's expression must have rubbed the other person the wrong way, because before Kang Jinha could even enjoy his drink in peace, a large shadow loomed over him from the side, followed by an obnoxious voice tinged with suppressed lust and desire,

"Do you not like the drink? Should I buy you another one?"

Kang Jinha paused with the rim of the glass on his lips, his gaze darkening. Why did some people were just so hellbent on provoking him? All he did was mind his own business, for God's sake! Whether it was this bar or the prison, this type of annoying person existed all the same. Someone once said that prison was a segregated society on its own, and Kang Jinha couldn't agree more with it. 

Upon finding no reaction from Kang Jinha, the man grew even more displeased. "Hey, I'm talking to you. Are you fucking deaf?!" he barked out, his sour breath assaulting the air around Kang Jinha akin to biohazardous gas. 

The man's three buddies gathered behind him, flaming the flames, "Damn it, you've got guts to ignore our Hyung!"

"Do you even know who he is? Ask around! Does anyone here dare to offend him?!"

"What are you acting all holy and indifferent for? Weren't you so slutty just now, swaying your hips and ass to everyone on the dance floor? Why don't you dance for our Hyung this time?"

They burst into wicked and nasty guffaws. 

Kang Jinha's expression might not have changed much, but inwardly, his mood had plunged deeper than the Mariana trench. 

Should I kill them? he wondered, his knuckles cracking. 

He could tell that these people hadn't had blood in their hands before. Crudely speaking, they were just a bunch of uneducated gangsters swaggering around the streets while talking big to intimidate the citizens, but when the police came, they would still be the first to scatter like headless flies. They couldn't even measure up a finger to the psychopathic death-row prisoners whom he had fought tooth and nail with before. 

It wasn't worth making a mountain out of a hill lest he attract more unwarranted attention to himself. He should have ignored them like he always did, then maybe they would grow bored on their own and leave him alone. 

But why did it feel particularly hard to control himself tonight? Why did he feel his blood boil at their vile and provocative words? 

It must be the alcohol, he mused. The alcohol was finally getting to his head.

This is not good. 

Kang Jinha had a hunch that things would continue to go downhill if this kept up, but before he could think of a countermeasure to slip away, the mass of slumbering shadow beside him – his inebriated neighbor – finally moved. 

"Seriously…?" a deep, raspy yet not unpleasant voice chimed in, sounding as if the speaker had just been disturbed awake. His tone carried an undercurrent of gloom and irritability, yet the way he said it was like he was cracking a light-hearted joke, 

"Which century are we living in right now? Do you think you're an Emperor who can freely snatch up beauty from the streets?"