Your Atmosphere 

CHAPTER TWO:

+ Out of Reach + 

Jonghyun’s POV

“Hey I need two shots of patron for table eighty-two please!” 

“Two shots of patron coming right up,” I called back, glancing up briefly to see Taemin stride to the computer next to me and punch a few buttons. He looked slightly frazzled and I could distinctly make out sweat glistening off his forehead. “Busy out there tonight?” I queried, pouring the shots he had requested before moving on to a larger order of ten margaritas for the ladies that had sat at the end of my bar, batting eyelashes at me all night. Taemin nodded his head absentmindedly, eyes concentrated on the screen in front of him as he punched in what appeared to be a rather lengthy order. 

I shrugged, not actually needing an answer. In all honesty it wasn’t that busy, not for 11:00 on a Saturday night at least, but he was one of Club Zero’s newest servers- hired for the Christmas season -and to him, the pace of our club was obviously a bit stressful. 

Music thrummed through the speaker system at almost deafening volumes. At the moment it was a mixture of electronic-dance and Egyptian, setting the tone for the girls on stage. Club Zero was not a strip club by definition, however we did have live shows a couple nights a week, and some of them were a bit more on the sleazy side as was this one. I was fine with it though. It set the tone for a looser atmosphere, which meant more alcohol was sold, and higher tips were made. Besides, the dancers themselves always ordered copious amounts of booze and tipped generously. I would begin sending shots back to the dressing rooms within the hour. 

“Here you are ladies,” I spoke, placing the spirits before the women at the end of my bar. “Top shelf frozen margarita, strawberry margarita, lime...” I continued on, calling out the drink names as I set them before each of the girls. They all giggled as I set them down, saving the last for the woman I could tell was going to be my highest tipper. She was blonde, a little older than the others- around thirty-five if I had to guess, and decked out in copious amounts of gold jewelry. “Cherry lime margarita, top shelf with an extra shot on the side,” I pushed the drink towards her, not missing the splash of pink that colored her cheeks as I leaned unnecessarily close to her and winked. 

“Oh,” she timidly glanced down at the extra shot I had placed before her. “I don’t think I meant to order an extra shot.” 

“Oh I know,” I smiled, reaching across the counter and tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “It’s on the house. Just for you darling.” Her baby blue eyes widened as red now enveloped her facial features, and I almost laughed at the way opened and closed stupidly a couple times. 

And just like that, another hundred made. 

I thought to myself, checking on the refreshments of the other guests at my bar. It was so easy. Women were all the same after all. They all wanted the same things, lacked the same things, and were thereby won over by the same things. All it took was a little one on one attention and a little extra alcohol in their system, and I had a little extra pocket cash. 

“I don’t know how you do it man.” I glanced up from the glassware I was now drying, smirking at the scowl that graced Taemin’s features as he glared past me at the squealing women. 

“Make such high tips?” Modesty had never been one of my talents. The boy’s scowl grew, and once again the thought hit me that he looked like a child too young to be in Club Zero, never mind be on staff here. 

“No.” He sighed in irritation. “Get every girl that comes here to like you.” I laughed, pouring another beer for one of my regulars. 

“Think of girls like robots Taemin.” The boy frowned. “You just have to know which buttons to press. They all respond the same eventually.” I turned, cashing out a couple and pouring another round of beers. 

“How can you say that?!” I shrugged, a response that always irritated him. “Have you never had anyone special in your life?” His tone sounded angry. 

“No he has, once.” I paused what I was doing, glancing up from the martini glasses in hand, to glare at the newest member of our conversation for the reference he had made. Minho shrugged in my direction, unfazed by the anger I was sure was prevalent in my eyes. No. Taemin glanced back and forth between us stupidly. 

“Really?!” The blonde barked. “I’ve never heard of this! I can’t believe Jonghyun could be won over by a girl.” I gritted my teeth, feeling suddenly volatile. Minho was the only person I had known before I began at Club Zero. He was the only person that knew...

Don’t. Don’t you dare. 

Minho smirked at me, an irritating look of amusement on his face. “Oh he can be,” the server turned back to Taemin, as if instructing him, and bile rose in my throat. “Just ask him what happened four years ago. I’m sure Jonghyun would love to tell you all about her.” The statement was punctuated with a triumphant smirk thrown in my direction. 

“Minho.” I gritted out, as a sort of nausea began to grow in my stomach. It was a feeling I hadn’t felt in years and one that I had never wanted to feel again. “I’m not making any drinks for your tables for the rest of the night.” He shrugged lazily, a smirk still plastered to his face as he strode back to his tables. “And you,” I set the shot glasses down and snatched up the Blue Agave, glaring at Taemin. “Get back to work, before I stop making your drinks too.” Not a moment was lost before he was gone too, scurrying back to the kitchen, whilst retightening the ponytail in his hair. I sighed, happy to be rid of another crappy conversation, and free to carry on with business as usual. 

I was the bartending supervisor after all, of one of Las Angeles’ largest grossing clubs, and the job never allowed for a dull moment. Drink after drink, guest after guest, night after night... it had been like this for four years, and not once had I taken a vacation. I was, what the servers in Club Zero liked to refer to as a “workaholic”, but the accusation never fazed me, mainly because it was true. It was a good job, and an incredibly high-paying one for someone of my... lacking educational experience. As a teenager I had dropped out of high school and never bothered to go to college. I had never been a very motivated kid, as I found that there was nothing much I wanted from this life. Nothing but peace. I was saving money to buy a house and thereby gain a little stability, but now that I was nearing my goal, it was nothing but an intensifying reminder that soon I would reach it and have nothing left to want. 

Nothing but her. 

I shook my head to clear my mind for the fifth time that night since Minho had brought it up. Stop it. I chastised myself, doing a once over of the bar before flicking off the neon lights. It was four in the morning now, and my shift was finally done. I waved to the general manager before stepping out into the cool night air, and striding briskly to the car that was already running, waiting for me in front of the club’s door. I scowled, hopping in the passenger side and throwing a look in Minho’s direction. 

“What?” he laughed, pulling out of the parking lot and heading in the direction of our apartment.

“You know what.” I growled, retrieving the bottle of rum from my coat pocket that I had snatched, and taking a long swig. It burned the back of my throat, so I took another. 

“Oh common it was a joke!” He rolled his eyes, grabbing the rum from me and taking a long drink himself, before passing it back. I glared at him, choosing to take another drink rather than speak. “It’s been five years Jonghyun.” 

“Four.” He gave me a look, and I gave him one of my own. “What? It’s been four years.” The boy sighed, parking in front of our apartment, and shutting off the ignition. “Look, all I’m saying is that it didn’t work out between you two and she’s in New York so unless you want to buy a plane ticket and bring her a bouquet of flowers, you need to let it go.”

I grimaced at his choice of words, pissed that I was being forced to talk about her again. “Whatever man,” I chewed out, chugging back what was left of the rum and hopping out of his car. As much as I hated to admit it, Minho’s words rang true. I had done everything any normal man would do to “move on”. I had changed jobs and become incredibly successful, and I hung out now with a new crowd of people who all thought of me as the life of the party. I had even had girlfriends since- all rich and beautiful. I could get any woman I wanted, and have as often as I wanted with just a quick phone call... any woman that is, except her. 

It was stupid really, the only thing that had ever made me feel alive- feel anything at all -was the one thing I could never posses. I sighed, digging our apartment keys out of my pocked and unlocking the door. 

She was far away now- impossibly out of my reach, and after four years, it was likely that she had forgotten I even existed. 

+ + +

Your Atmosphere. Chapter 2. Out of Reach.

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