It was 3:00 AM
The bustling club had finally come to a close. Alex, Leo, and Mel stood by the entrance, ensuring all the staff had left before locking up. A group of talent gathered around Alex. They wanted to mingle with him, this is not new to Alex, the girls in the club always do that after the work starts or finishes, he has a striking appearance and he is very handsome. That's why most girls had captured their attention. Each woman came from a different corner of the world – Romanians, Costa Ricans, Americans, Brazillians, Russians, Filipinos – they were recruited from their country and signed a 6 months contract to work in Paradise night club in Tokyo, Japan, where they danced, sang, and charmed the elite patrons of the city. Serenity, Lavinia, and Candy were amongst the group who were Filipinos, their time at Paradise Club drawing to a close as their six-month contracts near expiration. Serenity, the star of the club. Despite the flirtatious advances of the girls, Alex maintained a courteous smile, accustomed to such attention. Meanwhile, Tencho, the club manager, intervened, directing the talents to the van waiting to take them home. Relieved, Alex bid them farewell as they departed. Leo, unlocking the club's door, Alex felt a sigh of relief when they all went home "When women will stop doing that, I hope all like you Alex," Leo said jokingly after locking the door. "I feel tired, what a long night" Alex sighed. "Oh yes, it's really a long night, that Octopus Tiger is very tiring, I hope he will not come back," Mel mused. "Do you think he will not come back? It seems like Lavinia likes her flirting," Leo chuckled. When they get into the facade of the club, Alex looks around. 'Have you seen Serenity?" he asked. "Yeah, I saw her with Lavinia and Candy, they went to a convenience store," Mel said. "I will catch up to her," Alex said as he was rushing to go there. Mel and Leo followed him. "Oh, come on Alex, why are you chasing her, she has a boyfriend already, right?" Leo scoffed. "Just a boyfriend, she is not married yet, and besides,"
"Suyoshi is not the right person for her, he is bad, you know that." Alex defended as they walked towards the store. As Alex, Mel, and Leo entered the convenience store, the fluorescent lights hummed above, casting a sterile glow over the aisles. Serenity was engrossed in browsing the shelves, her fingers lightly brushing over items as if searching for something beyond the physical. "Hi Serenity, how are you?" Alex greeted her with a warm smile. Serenity's eyes lifted, holding a hint of appreciation. "I'm fine, Alex. Thank you for your help earlier," she replied, her voice soft like a whisper.
With a bottle of cologne in hand, she headed to the counter to make her purchase. Just as Alex felt a surge of courage to express his feelings, a sleek black car pulled up outside. Serenity bid farewell to Lavinia and Candy. "See you later in the apartment," she called out. "See you!" Candy and Lavinia nodded. Alex saw Suyoshi kissing Serenity inside the car, he took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging within his chest. Leo's voice broke the tension, "There's a lot of women who want you Alex, find somebody else," offering practical advice, but Alex's determination remained unwavering "I can't, I fell in love with her the moment I saw her," Alex recalled. Lavinia and Candy approached them, their presence a temporary distraction. Lavinia made a bold offer, "Love me instead Alex, I will leave my boyfriend for you," she said in a flirtatious way. "I'm so sorry but my heart will go with her," he replied politely, declining her advances, Alex walked away, Mel and Leo falling into step beside him.
Lavinia's heart burned with envy. Her eyes, usually filled with warmth, were now pools of rage, simmering with jealousy that threatened to consume her from within. "I will do anything to make you mine, Alex. Anything," she whispered to herself. Candy noticed Lavinia's turmoil and couldn't help but comment, her voice laced with amusement, "Alex is the most handsome guy I've ever seen in person, you know. And I think Serenity is his match, they are the perfect combination." Her giggles only served to fuel the fire that raged within Lavinia. With a clenched jaw and fists trembling with suppressed anger, Lavinia turned away, leaving Candy behind. "Hey, wait for me, Lavinia," Candy called out as she hurried to catch up with her. But Lavinia was lost in her own thoughts, her mind consumed by the burning jealousy that threatened to consume her whole. She walked on, each step echoing her inner turmoil, her eyes a storm of emotions as she distanced herself from the source of her pain. The world around her seemed to blur, her focus solely on the one thing that eluded her - Alex's affections.
Love
Back to their apartment. "I hope Alex will like you someday, who knows?" Candy remarked, her voice soft and contemplative. Lavinia, with a confident smile, replied, "I will assure you that before our contract finishes, he will be mine." Candy just smiled. Curiosity sparked in Candy's eyes as she asked, "Well, how much tips did you get from Octopus Tiger?" Lavinia slyly revealed a wad of cash, causing Candy's eyes to widen in surprise. "Oh, that's so big! Can you share some with me?" she joked, but Lavinia quickly stashed the money away, declaring, "No, I have a date with Gino tomorrow." Referring to her Filipino boyfriend who is working as a "hosto" in another night club. Candy's gaze turned thoughtful as she probed further,
"What about your family in the Philippines?" Lavinia waved off the question, "My family? They don't need it, they are rich back home," claiming her parents were wealthy, though the truth is, her family is struggling every day to make ends meet. Unfazed by potential consequences, Lavinia boasted about her interactions with Octopus Tiger, brushing off Candy's concerns about going on dates with clients. "I will not come with him even if he asks me," Lavinia sternly said. "But you can never say no to him?' Candy assured her. "Going out with a customer for a date is not in our contract," Lavinia defended, but deep inside her, she is willing to go with Octopus Tiger once he asks her to go out, in exchange for a big tip. The conversation shifted to Serenity. "But you know, this is only between you and me, the reason why Serenity has remained on the top is because she is always going out with the customer, she is a hooker," Lavinia gossiped. "But she only went out with Suyoshi, right?" Candy asks in disbelief. "Serenity is my best friend, she confides in me anything, she engages in more intimate transactions with clients to secure her status as the club's star, that's the truth about her," Lavinia sternly said. "Now I know why, she is disgusting," Candy said as she shook her head. The room buzzed with hushed whispers and subtle backstabbing as Serenity walked in. "Oh, I thought you were with Suyoshi?" Lavinia remarked, her tone laced with curiosity. "Yeah, we just grabbed some coffee, but I told him I wanted to head home," Serenity replied, collapsing onto her bed. After a brief nap, Serenity got up to freshen up. She changed her clothes, her figure accentuated by the movement. Lavinia's eyes followed her from head to toe, jealousy flickering in her gaze. Serenity's radiant beauty stood in sharp contrast to Lavinia's petite frame and dark skin, though Lavinia herself had a beautiful face. Once ready, Serenity approached Lavinia. "I wanted to thank you for what you did earlier, but I'm worried about you dealing with Octopus Tiger. Are you okay?" she asked, concern etched in her voice. Lavinia simply smiled, a serene expression settling on her features. "That's nothing to worry about, Serenity. I can handle him," she assured. "I took care of it because I knew you might struggle with that type of customer. It's all taken care of now." Despite her nonchalant demeanor, she smiled, feeling concerned.