Ten; 

When I returned to work the next day, I found that several things had changed in the few days that I was in Busan. For one, Jongin had dyed his hair. What used to be a mop of dark chocolate brown was now blond, so light that it was almost silvery.

Upon seeing my shocked face, Jongin grumbled, “Sehun made me do it. You should see his hair. It’s a ing rainbow. Stop staring at it.”

Chanyeol bounded out from behind the counter to add his two cents. “I think it looks great! I saw his friend Sehun here yesterday, and it’s really rainbow. But it looks kind of nice at the same time. A nice rainbow!”

I had almost forgotten how hyper Chanyeol could be.

When Baekhyun came in to eat at Kamong the next day, he took one look at Jongin and sighed. “I was going to dye my hair that color too,” he whined. “But now I can’t because I don’t want to copy stupid Kim Jongin.”

“I’m going to go talk to Yixing today,” I said, trying to distract him.

Baekhyun perked up. “Should I go with you?”

I shook my head. “I’ll tell you how it goes. I want to go by myself.”

After work that day, I ducked out while Jongin was still in the back room and headed for the metro. I thought about telling him that I wasn’t going home today since we had been taking the bus together lately, but I wasn’t sure if he would care. It wasn’t like we agreed to go home together after work every day; it just happened because we were going in the same direction.

Baekhyun’s Yixing hyung was two years older than us. He was a college student by day as an exchange student from China, and a bartender by night at Club eXo. He was a bit quirky, but always willing to share wisdoms or funny stories.

I got to the club while it was still relatively early. The bar area was empty of patrons, and there were three people behind the bar. One of them was my target. Yixing was pouring sometime pink from a cocktail shaker to a martini glass.

“That doesn’t look like a manly drink,” I said, sliding into a seat at the bar.

Yixing jumped a little, almost knocking the glass over. How someone so clumsy even end up as a bartender working with glass was beyond me.

“Oh, hi Inna, haven’t seen you for a while. I was just mixing something new as an experiment. I thought you’d be here with Baekhyun last week for my birthday but I didn’t see you.” He didn’t sound angry, just curious.

“I was out of town so I couldn’t come. I’m so sorry, but happy belated birthday.”

“Thanks.” Yixing let out a gentle smile, and one dimple appeared on his cheek. “I heard from Baek that you got into all the top schools. I’m proud of you, Inna.”

“Yeah, that’s partly why I’m here. My birthday passed a while ago. Can I work here with you since I'm legally old enough?”

“Bartending? Are you sure about that?” Yixing frowned, setting down his creation.

“I need the money and I’ve watched you make so many drinks. I know how to make almost everything too, don’t I? Will you put in a recommendation for me?”

Yixing studied me for a moment, then sighed. “You have to deal with a lot of nasty back here,” he warned. “You have some nice customers, and some rude ones, and you have to smile back at everybody no matter how much you want to pour a bottle of Everclear on them and introduce them to a lighter.”

“Setting customers on fire is bad, always smile. I got it.”

Seeing that I was serious about it, Yixing finally agreed. “Come back tomorrow a little earlier, before the club opens. I’ll take you to meet the manager and vouch for you. I think we’re needing another female bartender so it shouldn’t be a problem. You’ll have to do a day of training with me.”

“Yixing, you’re best!” I launched myself over the bar and wrapped my arms around Yixing’s neck. He laughed, not trying to fight me off.

“Is that your girlfriend?” One of the other bartenders called over, teasing us. I knew him as well, vaguely. He was one of the older bartenders, Donghae or something, who knew perfectly well that I was like a little sister to Yixing.

“What do you do when you want to light a coworker on fire?” I asked pointedly.

Amidst Donghae’s peal of laugher, Yixing shook his head again, keeping a straight face. “Also frowned upon in this establishment.”

When I got home that night, I found Jongin outside, sitting on his doorstep. He was holding three leashes in his hands, but Jjangah, Monggu and Jjanggu were all wondering around freely.

“Hi,” I said, pausing by him. When he didn’t reply, I dug through my purse for my keys and had them halfway to the door when he finally spoke up.

“Where did you go?” he asked, sounding annoyed. “I thought you were going to wait for me so we could go back together. I waited for you for fifteen minutes before Chef Ryeowook told me you already left.”

Jongin had waited? For me?

“I…um…didn’t know you would wait,” I replied lamely, hand dropping down to my side. “I just…I was th