The puppet master failed to bite back his grin. All that bubbling excitement in your stomach suddenly turned into mush when Yongguk rounded the corner into your VIP booth. A barely audible hello slipped your lips as the tall bronze man spread plum lips into a heart-warming smile. Plopping down next to you with a sigh, his scent filled your nostrils. The same scent of your stolen white shirt only stronger and warmer from the true source.

“Enjoy the show?” he asked, stealing your gin and tonic from the table.

“I never knew you could rap.”

“Well it’s not like I knit in my studio” he snickered.

“I’m sure Egon Schiele and Chinese calligraphy is great inspiration to your crochet creativity”

“Black and white crochet, aren’t I a bland old grump” he laughed out loud

“The studio did smell of elderly, but that’s another story” you waved off as you held back a laugh. That didn’t stop a smile creeping on your face.

“Thoughts on the elderly?” he asked before sipping the stolen drink.

“The best stories are those of the past, their personal stories and their relevance to modern day issues only benefit me with greater insight” you smiled before stealing the drink Daehyun had bought for Yongguk. Daehyun smirked at you two as Yongguk nodded at your response.

“Hyung, great show tonight. I’m sure everyone agrees with me” he winked at you.

“Yeah…I hope so too”

“What’s gotten into you hyung?” Junhong cut in, puppy eyes blinking in confusion he directed his attention to Daehyun “He’s been acting so weird lately…And he even shared a drink with her”

“What? It’s not like girls has cooties”

“Besides that point” Himchan spoke “Since when did you take a gin and tonic?”

“You have it quite strong” Yongguk glanced at you paying his friend no mind.

“I tolerate my alcohol well”

Daehyun clicked his tongue in distaste. “What kind of girl takes straight whiskey on the rocks.”

“My kind.” you swirled the drink to cool evenly “Quality alcohol, this is STAGG right?” your eyes met your friends’ as he shook his head and sighed.

“A girl who knows her alcohol” Himchan nodded in approval.

“Trust me, I know more” you raised your glass to him.

“Alcohol was once my Raison d’tere” the deep voiced man beside your piped up. Curiosity go the best of you as you asked on

“And what about now?”

“Time flies, and people change” he replied nonchalantly.

“And your raison d’tere?”

Onyx eyes turned to face you as he studied your face. “That too”

A slow clap bought everyone to silence. “Well, what do we have here?” A grinning Hongseok strode in, nothing good comes out of a smiling Hongsoek.

“And what news do you bring, brother?”