My super hot girlfriend.

Eyes widened and mouth hanging open, my super hot girlfriend stood in the doorway to the balcony as she took in the sight of me in my skivvies.

"M-Ming Zhao, what are you doing here?" My hands jolted in front of my crotch in an attempt to regain some dignity under these circumstances.

"Are you kidding me? My boyfriend took off before the evening really began. I have been searching for you everywhere and I find you in nothing but a tie and... those are some cute undies by the way." She pointed and smiled.

My body heated up in so much embarrassment in that moment, I no longer felt the cold.

"Oh! So this is your girlfriend." Santiago did a double take on Ming Zhao. "Dude, I totally get it, she is fine! Up top!" Santiago put his hand up to receive a high-five I refused to indulge.

Ming Zhao glanced in my new friend's direction then turned back to me. "Uh, who is this guy again?"

"Ah, yes! The name is Santiago," his high-five hand reached out to her "and what would be the name of the second hottest woman I have ever seen?"

Ming Zhao accepted his hand with trepidation. "Ming Zhao. And what do you mean by second hottest?"

"My apologies lovely lady, but numero uno on my hot list would be my girlfriend Scarlet."

"Scarlet?" Ming Zhao took a moment to think. "Oh, Scarlet! The girl from the street photos. Ruby mentioned that was the name of her little sister." She was now shaking Santiago's hand more vigorously. "Wow, thank goodness she had a boyfriend. A handsome boyfriend! So nice to meet you, oh what a relief!"

Relief? Does that imply Ming Zhao was actually a little jealous of Scarlet since those pictures? That would explain why Ming Zhao was glaring when she found us in that...compromising...position out on the street months ago. The idea that Ming Zhao was actually jealous because of me granted me a small happiness despite present circumstances. Speaking of present circumstances...

"Um, babe, where's my coat?"

Attention was on me again. "Oh, I'm sorry Ahab. I started warming up so I left it at the coat check desk. But if you come with me we could get it back."

"Can't you just bring it to me here?"

She shook her head. "Turning it in was no problem but the owner has to claim it themselves. It's kind of like the lost and found rule; proof of ownership and whatnot. I would pick it up for you but it's a men's jacket so they are not going to believe its mine, let alone let me have it. It sounds silly I know but that's just how it is."

"Hold on a second," Santiago interjected. "He's not going anywhere like this." He gestured towards my underwear. "He will be spotted instantly. Plus we already have a plan in motion to sneak him out the front entrance as soon as our friend Ingrid gets back. I think he should stay here until the crowd inside moves further away." He turned to me. "What do you think?"