Chapter 2: The Vodka
Shape Of You | #michaeng"Come over and start up a conversation with just me and trust me I'll give it a chance now."
Who are you? I need to know.
Chaeyoung gets whatever (and whoever) she wants. Taking the lead, playing the game of chess with all the right moves, feeling the pride overwhelms her as she yells checkmate.
So when her steps falter and her heart race at the near sight of the mysterious lounge singer, she realizes tonight is going to be an exception.
This woman, in her heavenly voice and graceful glory, has gotten the notorious player Son Chaeyoung bouncing on the balls of her feet. The anxiety is a strange feeling.
Like a lioness eyes her prey, Chaeyoung observes her target from close in front of the stage. She was busy talking to the guitarist, possibly instructing him on what to play for her next song. When she turns back to the audience, their eyes met once again.
This time it lasts more than a second.
Ignoring the loud thumps of her heart, Chaeyoung smiles. Her dimples afloat.
The woman's initial unreadable expression breaks into another signature smirk.
If this is a movie, I'm Jackson and you're Ally.
The guitarist starts to play his guitar, follow with the woman's soulful voice, together delivering a slow ballad.
I'd like to say we gave it a try
I'd like to blame it all on life
Maybe we just weren't right
But that's a lie, that's a lie
And we can deny it as much as we want
But in time our feelings will show
Cause sooner or later
We'll wonder why we gave up
The truth is everyone knows
Chaeyoung doesn't remember when is the last time she enjoys a live performance this much, let alone captivated by a complete stranger, drawn by her voice. And the fact that the singer brazenly holds her gaze while she sings, like they're the only persons each can see in this dark sea of audience.
Almost, almost is never enough
We were so close to being in love
If I would have known that you wanted me, the way I wanted you, babe
Then maybe we wouldn't be two worlds apart
But right here in each others arms
And we almost, we almost knew what love was
But almost is never enough
Chaeyoung's eyes never leave the singer even when she finally steps down from the stage among loud hoots and claps, and heads for the nearest table.
This is it.
Bold as a brass, she slips into the booth which is already occupied by the singer alone.
"I figured," the singer tilts her head in mild surprise.
Chaeyoung leans her body forward and folds her hand on the glass top, "Am I that obvious?"
"You're not hard to miss," her chuckles literally melt Chaeyoung right on that stool. Her voice when she talks is a whole new level than her singing. It reminds Chaeyoung of ringing bells in Christmas and water running in the stream.
"Likewise," Chaeyoung replies. Spotting a nearby waiter, she signals for him to come.
"What can I get you, miss?" he asks with a bow.
Chaeyoung directs the question to the woman across her. Her voice firm, "I'm buying you a drink."
The latter didn't reject, "I'll like three shots of vodka. Han."
"Going hardcore now, are we?" teases Chaeyoung, which the woman responds with a shrug in a challenging manner.
Chaeyoung nods at the underlying message, "I'll get the same."
Chaeyoung is pretty sure she's a great drinker herself. That's why she doubts the woman's drinking ability. But then again, she looks so confident when the shots are served. Her eyes twinkle in excitement.
"Don't blame me if you lose control," raising a glass, the woman shoots her another smirk.
"You," Chaeyoung emphasizes, "have made me lose control."
Together, they tip their drinks all at one shot. The clear liquid leaves a fiery trace down along Chaeyoung's throat, threatening the tears to spill from the corners of her eyes. She clenches her fist tightly around the shot glass, waiting for the burning sensation to subside before her senses recover.
"The glass might break," Chaeyoung opens her eyes to see th
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