“What do you feel about just eloping?” Nayeon asked.

 

“I’m all for it. Pitched the idea to my parents a while back and right now I’m thinking they would be completely fine with it.”

 

“If they are fine, then we can just leave tomorrow and do it, what do you think?”

 

“I think we could go the day after tomorrow because that’s when my parents fly back and we still have to ask somebody to take care of Zaki and Snowball.”

 

“Chae could watch them.”

 

“Isn’t she busy with our house project?”

 

“She’s the interior designer, who is also the CCO of her own company, she doesn’t get busy. Also, her part comes after Hyunnie’s, and that isn’t even starting yet because city hall had that problem with our papers.”

 

“Good point, so we’ll leave the kids with her and then we can elope.”

 

“Are we really disappearing to get married while my sister is still on her honeymoon?”

 

“You having second thoughts now?”

 

“Not at all, I’m just giddy. Also, let’s not tell anyone at all.”

 

“That’s kind of the point of eloping.” Sana giggles, she also got very giddy.

 

“How about we get drunk and enjoy this party, then? My parents are paying me to get everyone drunk and Vivi came down herself.”

 

“If Vivi is here then the drinks are brilliant and we are already behind!”

 

Sana had taken a great liking to Nayeon’s kids, she was used to working alone, and the care the older woman always had for her employees was something she admired. Today the crew dress code was ‘a night in Paris’, Nayeon came up with it, but it was the best way she could come up with to explain what she was aiming for, and they were all flawless. The best part of it had been when mr Park asked about the bar service (the man loved his drinks) and Jihyo said she had already decided who would be chosen, not leaving any room for arguments, throwing the bride card. The man could only agree but said he wanted to get a taste test of what the bartenders could do.

 

Nayeon was called and said they could just head down to the club and Vivi would give them the sample experience herself. Jihyo had been a little apprehensive, but the flashy clothes she saw at night were just for business hours, during the day, everyone was just walking around in tees and jeans. Mrs Park demanded to go too, as she heard they were going to the Vesuvius, and only three of her friends had actually been there before, she wanted to be able to brag that she got an exclusive service there. Mr Park also knew of the club’s popularity, but he had never been to it, this was also a great bragging point for him. One might think ‘but isn’t that their daughter’s?’ and yeah, but they made it very clear that Nayeon’s chosen line of business wasn’t something they wanted to associate with, so the eldest had banned them from the beginning.

 

Nayeon came down to warn everyone that she was making a one afternoon exception only, and exclusively to see the look in her parents’ faces when they learned they had paid her to get their high class friends drunk. Matt 2 was at the door that day, Matt 1 was the head of security because, well, he was the boss, plus, Matt 2 was younger, he was told to act as if nothing was out of order for the moment. Vivi had been checking the stock, and Sorn was cleaning the bar, both were filled in about what was going to happen. The owner bounced back to her office to watch everything happen, she had the best view afterall, just in time too.

 

“Ms Velour?” Jihyo asked.

 

“Not exactly.” Sorn turns with a smile. “But I can get her for you.”

 

“Please. Tell her the Parks are here for the tasting.” Chaeyoung adds happily. 

 

The woman nods and bounces off through a door behind the bar. Mr and mrs Park were clearly displeased about not being treated with some sort of pomp, who were these people to actually be doing their jobs and not waiting for them to arrive. The younger couple noticed, but they figured everything that was about to happen was Nayeon’s doing, so they just agreed to follow along. That’s when Sorn came back, followed by a taller and more voluptuous woman, her hair was a darker and more vibrant shade of red now, it suited her perfectly. Also, Jihyo and Chaeyoung noticed, everyone here looked hotter in their day clothes, despite having an upgrade in their evening costumes, courtesy of Sana, just plain clothes like these were somehow more attractive.

 

“Jihyo, Chaeyoung, welcome!” Vivi greets.

 

“Ms Velour!” Chaeyoung greets, still keeping the act. “I’m sorry we came in such short notice.”

 

“You two know I can handle this. These are whose parents?”

 

“Mrs Velour, these are my parents.” Jihyo introduces. “Mother, father, this is ms Velvet Velour, she is the head of the bar and kitchen here.”

 

Mr and mrs Park merely nod, not looking too happy about this reception they were getting, who was this woman to not know them! Mr Park considered refusing, but he was about to get some very exclusive service at Vesuvius, something not even the most inffluent among his peers had the chance to experience. The need to brag about this, even if it was only possible because of Jihyo, outweighed the rejection himself and his wife were feeling towards this place. They took the seats by the bar, Vivi pulled up a list of the drinks Nayeon had requested (Jihyo and Chaeyoung let her have full reign in this) so they could begin. Sorn would be the assistant today, she would be getting the items Vivi would need and cleaning up as they went. It was a list of fairly simple drinks, mostly based on the same kind of alcohol and with few ingredients, for logistics purposes.

 

If mr and mrs Park had been holding any grudge against their daughter’s choice, it was temporarily forgotten once the women behind the counter started their show. Both worked like a well oiled machine, the years working side by side clearly showed, and the drinks they were putting out looked beautiful, everything was in a small sample glass, about a fourth of the normal one, but still just as impressive. The tasting lasted for about an hour and a half, Vivi and Sorn rushing to get the parents to leave already, they didn’t like them before because o what they did to Nayeon, but now they just saw how unsavory the Parks really were for themselves and wanted them to just leave as fast as possible.

 

As soon as they were gone, Nayeon bounced downstairs looking thoroughly amused about everything. By her looks, she already knew everyone hated her parents, not that they were too keen in making a good impression to begin with, Matt 2 also came in to gossip with the girls once they were all gone and he could close the main door. To the dancer, it was all just very fun to watch, she would comment here and there but just enjoyed watching the trio let out their frustrations. Sana messaged her at some point, saying she was with a supplier and asking Nayeon to pick her up on the way to campus. The older one agreed and asked Jin (the chef) for four meals to go, she might as well take something for tall Chae and Joohyun too.

 

“Thank you for coming, love.” Sana greets with a kiss on the cheek before putting her seatbelt.

 

“Not a problem, honey.” Nayeon beams. “You know you can always call me whenever. I’m just surprised that it took you this long, I thought the meeting started around two?” It was already six.

 

“Well, the man wanted to overcharge, said his leather was too good and it would be giving it away for free if he took my offer.” The japanese huffs frustratedly. “Then I told him it was alright and there would be no deal, but his son begged me to stay a little longer. Then the son took that old idiot out of the office and they talked for too long, and came back without his father. From then on, the son tried to negotiate with me instead, but what they were asking was really too much, so I declared they could either sigh as it was or I’d be moving on and that’s when their lawyer arrives.”

 

There is a very frustrated grunt from the artisan, she hates when people get too greedy, Nayeon just holds her hand a little tighter and waits for her fiance to calm down. Sana takes a few deep breaths and waits a little before continuing, this day had been too frustrating and she just wanted to get through it and get the woman she loves to massage her tense shoulders after a warm bath.

 

“Do you want to continue or just leave it alone?” Nayeon asks softly.

 

“I wanna get it out of my chest and then forget about it.” Sana huffs.

 

“Take your time.”

 

“So, the lawyer gets there and starts trying to convince me of the exact same things the other two guys did. And good thing we decided to take that paralegal summer course back then, because the guy started throwing complicated language around to try and persuade me. I held for a couple of minutes before I cut in and told them that they could either sign the contract as it was or just refuse and I’d walk away happily. But they knew my proposal was great, and that I was being very generous, but they still wanted to push for more money, almost double of what I was offering, which was already above market price.”

 

“Some people just need to have more, doesn’t matter how much you are already offering.” The older woman says sympathetically. “Did they take it, though?”

 

“Oh, I was the one who didn’t want it by the end of it. The moment that damned lawyer stepped foot in that office was when the deal fell through completely.” Sana seems to have calmed down. “I already have a meeting with a new supplier tomorrow. It looks like it will go better than today.”

 

“Well, Jin prepared something for us to eat when we get to campus and both Chae and Hyun are already waiting, looks like Chae has some juicy gossip for us all.” 

 

“Well, then, I can really say no to that, can I?”

 

“And what if I make you an indecent proposal?” Nayeon tries to say sensually.

 

“Oh, my!” Sana plays along, already giggling. “I’m engaged.”

 

“I’m sure your fiance is a wonderful lady, but I didn’t even tell you my proposal yet.” The dancer tried to wink as she parked.

 

“Alright, I’m interested.”

 

“Great, then you’ll have a great surprise later.”

 

“You are not telling me?” The artisan huffs, she was a little frustrated, but the other loved surprising her, so she just accepted.

 

“Now, how about we go in and eat the great food Jin was so nice to prepare for us?”

 

“I’d like that.” 

 

Sana kisses her cheek and they get out of the car. Indeed, their friends had been waiting at their usual table, already with the drinks for whatever food Nayeon said she was bringing. Turned out, Chaeyoung’s gossip was that one of the professors in her department had been caught leaving a motel with an undergrad student. That, in itself, was already very wrong, but then people kept talking, as people do, and Chaeyoung had an amazing gift to have anyone tell her their darkest secrets just looking into their eyes, and she got the whole story. 

 

The teacher had been forcing himself on the student since he had first laid eyes on the girl, he would show interest in whatever she did and make it seem like it was the most important thing in the world for him. Most people chose to believe the teacher was just being nice, despite being wrong in many aspects already, what made everything so much worse was that the guy did have a girlfriend around his age, but decided that the student, thirteen years younger and with her whole life ahead, would be a better arm candy to parade to his peers. Needless to say, everyone was very disgusted about the guy, that was just being a sick ert and bringing down a young woman who wasn’t really in a position to fight all the pressure he was putting on her.

 

That definitely took the couple’s attention from the failed deal that afternoon, they were taking their doctors in psychology, a case like this made their stomach churn, their skin crawl and utter disgust for that kind of person bubble up. The group talked a bit more about it, asking the couple about their views on it, since they were psychologists, Sana specialized in ual deviations and Nayeon in human social behaviours. Sure, there were a lot of problems they pointed out, but ultimately, the couple just said the guy was a creep and the people still defending him was just as much of a problem, either because they were choosing to blind themselves of the truth or because they fell for the fake ‘nice guy’ act without really seeing what was happening.

 

It was the theme for their meet that evening, they were, after all, people who study the human psyche, the groups joined together so each segment could offer their different takes on the matter, it was fun discussing with people who saw things for what they were, even if their takes varied a lot between them all. It was good, Sana looked to be enjoying the discussion a lot, Nayeon knew that, despite their unusual careers, her fiance really loved case studies like this, and to discuss with other colleagues freely. It was heartwarming to watch.

 

Nayeon didn’t forget her plans, however, she came through with tasty pasta and the garlic bread Sana likes so much. It was fun while they were eating, but now the japanese was laying on the couch and groaning because she ate too much and started feeling sick, it didn’t help that Snowball decided her stomach was his bed now and that Zaki wanted to lay on her too and chose her legs for that. Now we have a trapped Sana who is also very uncomfortable, despite loving their pets with all her heart, she really just wanted to lay down and be left alone at the moment. Nayeon came back to this exact scene once she was finished with the kitchen, and couldn’t help but laugh, her fiance not even having the strength to scold her at all.

 

“I was thinking.” Nayeon starts some time later.

 

“Tell me everything.” Sana groans, still feeling like she’s too stuffed.

 

“What do you think about Ireland? For our wedding I mean.”

 

“I thought we were just going anywhere after Jihyo’s wedding?”

 

“That was the plan, but Vivi figured it out, she’s got this scary sixth sense, don’t ask.” Nayeon rambles. “And then she said her sister was living there and that we should, at least, have a small ceremony with just us both somewhere pretty. So I didn’t disagree and started looking.”

 

“You were scared of her.” Sana laughs, but she’s intimidated by the bartender too.

 

“Like you wouldn’t be too! Anyways, I found this small castle that looked beautiful, and they do host weddings, so they suggested a bridal shop too, and then I thought about having a small themed ceremony with just us both.”

 

“You already reserved everything, didn’t you?”

 

“I kind of already got everything ready and we are getting married in Limerick.”

 

“Sounds lovely.”

 

“And we kind of leave the morning after the wedding.”

 

“I thought we would have a little longer?”

 

“That was the plan, but we would need a little longer to find the dresses and I kind of got excited about the idea.”

 

“I’ll marry you under a bridge and wear a towel if you ask me to.”

 

“But I already went off on my own and planned this so we are having a very nice and very private ceremony.”

 

“And I already love it.”

 

“Alright, pack for fall, though. I heard their summers don’t get as warm as ours and the west coast is very windy too.”

 

“How about we pack together and you guide me through it?”

 

“That would be great. Wanna start tomorrow?”

 

“Jihyo’s wedding is in nine days, though?”

 

“And you’re meaning….?”

 

“I have two appointments tomorrow and then I have to go and review a supplier proposal.”

 

“Okaaaay.” Nayeon huffs childishly. “We’ll start in a few days. Only because I’ll rehearse the girls on the new routine and it should take two or three days.”

 

“You’re still working on it?”

 

“Yeah, Soyeon was having trouble with a turn, and I decided to change the whole section to prevent injury.”

 

“That was a smart decision.” The japanese nod. “Now, how about we get some sleep and you can be the little spoon?”

 

“What are you talking about?” Nayeon says with a gasp. “I’m ALWAYS the little spoon!”

 

The couple giggles but moves to bed anyways. It was a little earlier then their usual sleep time, but they didn’t have anything in mind to watch that evening and a couple more hours of sleep couldn’t hurt, could they?!