It had been nearly a month since the last time Suho came to Éblouissant. Sometimes, he thinks he misses this place. Éblouissant was a club  Suho opened when he first came back from his studying abroad in America 2 years ago. Kim Junmyeon, or Suho as people who is close to him would call, is the first son of Kim Groups, one of the biggest name in construction industry in Korea, which has now expanded into many other areas in the economy. People says he was born to live in luxury, there’s even a rumor going around that every time he breathes, his bank account got another zero. Of course it’s not true but people still find a shining majesty when they look at him. Above all of them, he is smart. He never failed his father’s expectation in his education and gained respect from all the staffs in the company even at a very young age. You should not be fooled by his handsome and friendly face of an angel, behind it hiding a very clever brain for business. He has everything, money, good reputation, and  he inherits all the beautiful features from his parents. That makes him a perfect man who every girl wants. Daughters of big families lines up to have a meal with him, and try hard to flirt with him whenever he is around.

Suho got off the car. Kris is waiting for him at the entrance and 90 degree bowed to him. Suho smiled and pat Kris’s back:

- You don’t need to overdo it, Kris.

Éblouissant is still Suho’s favorite place. It’s not so big but famous, located in the center of Gangnam district, the most luxurious area in Seoul. He is only 24 years old, but many shopping malls, buildings, recreational complexes and resorts were opened by his own hands. However, Suho still want to keep Éblouissant, like a place of joy.

He bet the business was good, customers were happy, nothing to worry about. He believed Kris could manage this place well on his own. He observed all those people dancing down there. They are just some little pawns in his business, dancing drinking and empty their wallet here just for fun. But what caught his eyes was the some whistle and cheering noise from the left corner of the club’s first floor where the bar located. From the second flood, he noticed people surrounded the bar cheering for the bartender. The bartender, under the flashing light of the club, was swinging the shaker in her hands and arms to the music. She tossed the shake to the air, keeping the audience astonished. Then she stopped, filled the glass in front of her with some liquid from the shaker. The customer in front of her eagerly tasted whatever it is in the glass, while the audience excitedly observed his reaction. The customer emptied his shot at once, he said something that put a smile on her face, and everyone else tried to push him out to take his seat. Just then, she looked up to Suho’s direction, casually nodded her head. The nod was not for him, it was for Kris who was standing next to Suho. He noticed Kris nod back.

- Who is she? – Suho asked.

- The new bartender, she started working 2 weeks ago.

- Is she good?

- You saw that right? They like her.

3AM. Chorong was always the last one left the club for her first 2 weeks working here. Other clubs often closed very late, even at dawn, but Éblouissant is different. No more loud noise, no more dancing, no more drinking. The club strangely became so quite. The only sound came from the glasses and wine bottles clashing against each other together with the slow sweet soothing singing voice of Elliot Smith. She took her time wiping every of the glass gentle under the only light on her bar, trying to keep many wine bottles in order. She loved this sound, just like the way she loved how liquor blended perfectly in cocktails, just like a gift from heaven. Suddenly a man came out from a dark corner of the club as if he has been standing there for hours. She never saw him before, and under a dim light, she could guess from what he was wearing that he definitely not a staff or a waiter.

- Sir, I’m so sorry but we’re closed - She told him from behind the bar wondering how he entered the club at this time.

The man walked to the bar, pulled out a chair and casually sat down.

- Sir…

- Can you give me something nice?

The guy looked at her, said while giving a smile that could melt any girl’s heart.

- But we’re…

- Hey can you turn the music a little bit louder?

The customer seemed to ignore her words and did not have the intention of leaving. Chorong has met many customer like him at this hour before, when she works at her old place. But most of them were passed out because of hours drinking in the club. But this man didn’t.

Chorong shrugged her shoulders. Whatever, she still had time.

Suho observed the girl in front of him picking wine bottles from the shelves. She took a glass out and pour some mixture into it.

- Black Russian? - Suho asked.

- Yes, sir.

- Vodka and Kahlua, great combination. - Suho sipped the liquor in the glass, the coffee odor lingered in his mouth and it feels good. The girl didn’t say anything and back to her work. She didn’t recognize that Suho could not keep his eyes off her elegant finger wiping the glass in her hands, her hair bang nearly cover her eyes when she looked down, and under that, her long and beautiful eyelashes keep blinking, and mostly, that cherry lips of hers.

- Where did you learn that?

- Excuse me? - Chorong finally shifted her eyes from the glass to look at Suho.

- Where did you learn those bartender techniques? Your skill is not something average.

- Thank you - Chorong smirked - I learnt it from an old friend.

- Old friend? Where are they now? - Suho asked.

- Faraway - Chorong replied shortly.

¯ “Drinking up baby

Look at the stars

I’ll kiss you again

Between the bars

Where I’m seeing you’re there

With your hands in the air

Waiting for finally caught…”

Silence came again. Only the music filled the air. Just when Chorong finished cleaning the last glass and hang it on the rack, Suho also empty the glass in his hand.

- Thank you for this - Suho said before pay for it and leave. He disappear quickly to the darkness behind the door. If it had not been for the empty glass on the bar, she would have thought he were only her imagination. Chorong did the rest of her work, locked the club door and walked herself home. Seoul at night was as cold as its people. She could never fit into this place even she was born here, she never felt like she belonged here. Chorong took a deep sigh. It has already been her last year in the university, but she could not focus on studying. Chorong had to work 2 part time jobs a day. She made her own living. But Chorong was not living alone. The only sunlight to her life was probably sleeping soundly on her bed now. She chuckled just thinking about him. Aww, it must be so great to come back home and see his face, hug him and fall into sleep right now. And this thought quickened her steps.