Jonghun enjoyed his job in the cafe, he enjoyed speaking with the customers, the banter with the regulars, and he especially enjoyed the times Hongki would visit him and they would spend his short break together. However, as much as he enjoyed the cafe, he loved working in the bar. He loved feeling the mood of the bar and choosing what songs to play, he loved getting lost in the music he was playing, and, although the tips were generally small, he loved the way that the more regular customers would request songs for him to play (slipping him a few thousand Won to seal the deal), the way that they would sing along quietly when they thought no one was listening.

"All done for the day, Jonghun."

Jonghun looked up with a smile as the owner of the bar (an older man named Park Jinyoung) approached the piano, usual bottle of water in hand for the musician. "Thanks." Jonghun accepted the water, unscrewing the lid and taking a long drink.

"Jinyoung!"

Jonghun glanced around the bar. It was the first time that he had heard a female in the bar, and he soon spotted her jogging over to Jinyoung, her cropped blonde hair bobbing with each movement she made. Jonghun figured that she must be bar staff, waiting to start the next shift.

"Yes, Sunny?"

"Yong Gul hasn't arrived for his shift." She said hurriedly, pushing her hair behind her ears. "He was supposed to come early today to practice a new song."

"That bastard. He said he was going to quit, but I didn't believe him." Jinyoung said. "Jonghun, how are you at sight reading?"

"Pretty good." Jonghun answered truthfully.

"Yong Gul is our evening musician, who has apparently quit. Can you cover his shift tonight, until I speak to him, or hire a new musician?" Jinyoung asked.

Jonghun nodded, afterall, Hongki said he was going to be late coming home from the office.

"Great, the shift ends at eleven, but we can push it forward if you want."

"I'm okay to stay until eleven, I'll get a taxi home." Jonghun said, cracking his knuckles over the piano keys.

"Here is the sheet music you'll need, it's numbered, all you need to do is play." Sunny explained. "There's a break of 15 minutes between each act, so you can play what you want in that time." She bowed her head to Jonghun, placing the music in his arms and scampering off before Jonghun had time to ask her any questions.

"You're a lifesaver, Jonghun." Jinyoung said, before stepping back behind the bar.

~###~

Jonghun quickly read through the first piece of music, a piece that wouldn't seem out of place being performed by an idol group. Jonghun briefly wondered if there was going to be a vocal accompaniment, before brushing all thoughts aside as Jinyoung gave him the cue to play the song.

Jonghun played the first chord sharply, startling a few of the older customers of the bar, the sound reverberating around the room for two beats before he played the same chord again, shorter and sharper before the chord changed for a third of a beat, the whole sequence being repeated for a bar and a half before the melody joined. To Jonghun's surprise, as the melody began, a singing accompaniment also began.

"Tell me your wish, tell me the wish that is in your heart."

Jonghun managed to turn his head enough to catch sight of a stage area that had seemingly appeared from nowhere, complete with nine ladies dressed in white short shorts and tightly fitted jackets, a captain's hat perched on each of their heads. The crowd whistled as the girls moved on the stage, performing a well practiced and sharp dance routine whilst singing to Jonghun's accompaniment, and Jonghun felt a nagging in his stomach, telling him that this wasn't just a bar.

"Yes, I love you, trust me anytime.
Dreams, passion, I want to give them to you.
I am a girl that wants to grant your wish.
Tell me your wish (I'm a genie for you boy).
Tell me your wish (I'm a genie for you boy).
Tell me your wish (I'm a genie for your dream).
Tell your wish only to me (I'm a genie for your world)."

Jonghun turned his attention back to the music, concentrating on the notes that danced along the stave, rather than the scantily clad ladies dancing across the stage. He hoped that his gut was wrong, that the ladies were just dancers and singers wanting to become idols.

~###~

Jonghun blushed, as he played the somewhat risqué music. The blonde that had jogged across the floor and handed him the sheet music (Sunny, his mind supplied) was moving across the stage in a set of lacy underwear, running her hands over her body as she sang, teasing the men in the bar (Jonghun decided, that no matter how nice they were to him, that they were all erts). He was a little over two hours into the evening shift, and they were on the seventh performance of the night. Once the girls had performed on stage, they changed into slightly less revealing clothing and took to the floor, sitting with the men, allowing them to buy them drinks and slip money into their clothing. The song ended with raucous applause, some men getting to their feet and shuffling over to the stage, slipping notes of money into Sunny's underwear, their fingers lingering a little to long on the singer's exposed flesh for Jonghun's liking.

"How are you getting on?" Jinyoung asked, supplying Jonghun with another bottle of water.

"Fine." Jonghun answered, taking the water and quickly gulping it back.

"How do you like our girls?" Jinyoung continued, oblivious to Jonghun's discomfort.

"They're pretty." Jonghun said quickly. Truthfully, he hadn't been watching the girls, he had been busy concentrating on the music, his mind concerned with how he was going to explain to Hongki that he was working in a strip bar.

Jinyoung laughed, playfully pushing Jonghun's shoulder. "She'll never know." He said, still chuckling as he spoke, "your girlfriend." Jinyoung clarified as he spotted Jonghun's confused expression.

Jonghun force himself to laugh along with Jinyoung. "Yeah." Great, not only did he have to find away to tell Hongki about his predicament, but also keep his uality secret from his employer.

~###~

"Jonghun, you did well tonight!" Sunny beamed as she made her way from backstage, thankfully dressed in jeans and a blouse.

Jonghun nodded as he accepted the praise from the short female, avoiding her eyes. "Thank you."

"You were even better than Yong Gul." Taeyeon (Jonghun's mind supplied) said, clapping her hands together.

"Here is your share of the tips." Tiffany smiled, handing an envelope to Jonghun, "we share the tips on the evening shift equally." She explained.

Jonghun gratefully took the envelope, quickly glancing at the amount inside. "This is just from one night?" He asked. "There must be nearly a quarter of a million Won here."

"We get big tippers." Sunny explained, "it was good working with you tonight." She bowed her head to Jonghun before she and the other eight girls left, leaving Jonghun and Jinyoung alone in the bar.

"Have you got a taste for it?" Jinyoung asked. "Truthfully, you were better than Yong Gul, and I would prefer if you could take the evening shift over the afternoon."

"I need to talk it over with my girlfriend." Jonghun said quietly, silently apologising to Hongki for calling him a girl. "If she is okay, then I'll take the evening shift." Jonghun shifted on the piano stool, if he could earn a quarter of a million Won in tips alone for one night, then in taking the evening shift permanently, he would be able to finally pay half of the rent and bills on the apartment, rather than relying on Hongki.

Jinyoung clapped Jonghun on the shoulder, sporting a wide smile. "Lets get out of here, don't want to keep your girl waiting too long."
 

Now Jonghun and Hongki both have secrets *is evil*

Fact: Yong Gul's character was unnamed whilst I wrote this, he only got named once I finished watching Fashion King and got inspiration :)
 

Character Images:

Park Jinyoung. Owner of the bar.



Sunny. Dancer.



Taeyeon. Dancer.



Tiffany. Dancer.