“Great to see you here again, thought I’d never see you in say, a year or two?”, the man laughs, “Here this one’s on the house!”

He gives her the cocktail and she quickly downs it, the cold and hard liquid going through her again.

“Thanks Key, always great to come here again even if it was on a sudden trip. Had to run some errands for some people.”

“Now, now. Enough with the moping around. How’ve you been Taeyeon? I haven’t seen you since you graduated highschool. Got some stories, eh?”

Taeyeon shrugs, her black jacket hanging loosely on her shoulders revealing some white skin. 

“Been quite well, got some new friends over the other continent but everything is still the same with me. ‘Bout to graduate too next year.” She laughs.

Key wipes the counter and gives another customer a drink, he returns to Taeyeon, “You sound like a saint then, pray tell how many hearts have you broken over there?”, he snickers.

“Not as many as you that’s for sure!” she laughs.

Taeyeon missed this. She was supposed to be with her friends back in their apartment playing video games but a sudden call from her parents required her to travel, she wouldn’t have said yes if it weren’t for Hayeon wanting to have dinner with her.

Oh, she loved her little sis. 

So she agreed. 

After dinner and catching up with Hayeon, the latter making her promise to come and visit them often because she misses Taeyeon so much, she found herself in the bar she used to frequent when she wanted to run away from the stress her family gave her. It was great talking to Key, it reminded her of her younger  years.

Taeyeon met Key when he was still a part time worker on the said bar. He wasn’t from a well off family so he had to work for his studies, Taeyeon was then a junior in highschool. The two clicked so fast because of their love for art and photography and now Key is the head bartender. Talk about how fast time flies.

Taeyeon was too engrossed on the topic of their group chat back at the university. It was about Yuri hitting her car on a lamp post after a night out and there was Hyoyeon sending pictures of her drunk got the whole group laughing. She the exits the application and relaxes on her chair. She suddenly turns on her right and sees a woman who’s enthusiastically talking with the other girl. 

Both were very pretty.

But Taeyeon had to admit the girl with the eyesmile was the one that caught her attention more. 

She suddenly had an idea. She call on Key and asks him a favor.

----
“How about I set you up with a friend of mine tonight and we’ll see how that takes off?”, the blonde grins.

“Shut up, Jessi. I’ve had enough with you guys setting me up to random people and believe me, majority of them turned out to be jerks, so no thank you.” She laughs.

“You’re no fun then. We’re supposed to go crazy tonight since we haven’t met in months. I’m not complaining though because business is actually booming” the girl called Jessi smiles.

Tiffany smiles, “Right, business is indeed thriving. Thanks to that my mood has always been bright.”

The girl drinks, “You and your business Hwang. That’s why I’m so glad to be friends with you.”

“Of course, so you better make more great designs so we can still go higher Jung.”

Jessi.

Jung.

Jessica Jung, Blanc and Eclare’s creative director. Best friends with Tiffany for God know’s how long and a business partner, together they make Tiffany’s fashion production line earn so well. Both are actually like long lost sisters and Tiffany treasures their friendship unlike any other.

They were animatedly talking and gossiping when a waiter interrupts their conversation.

“Excuse me Ma’am, here’s a drink for you” he places it infront of Tiffany.

Jessica looks at him questioningly, “I think you’re on the wrong table, we haven’t called for another drinks yet tonight”, she looks at Tiffany, “Right, Tiff?”

“Uhm, yeah. You can take it back.”

The waiter scratches his head, “I believe I’m on the right table ma’am. The instruction given to me was to hand it over you. And I quote, ‘the girl on the corner table wearing a Louis Vuitton dress’. There’s no other person that fits that ma’am.”

Jessica smirks, “You’re right because I’m definitely sure I’m wearing Versace right now.”

Tiffany shoots her a look.

“What?” Jessica playfully smiles.

“Look, I don’t know anyone here and I might just get poisoned on that”

“You can assure that this is 100% safe ma’am, our head bartender made this upon request. But I’m afraid I don’t know who bought it for you.”

The waiter them excuses himself leaving Jessica laughing and Tiffany questioning the existence of the wine glass infront of her.

“Looks like someone got an admirer.”

“Oh, shut up Jess.” Tiffany rolls her eyes.

“Come on, it could be that hot guy over there that’s been eyeing you for hours! Or that other guy over there, oh wait, he’s too old. Oh! How about that other waiter? It could be anyone Tiff!” 

“Could be my potential assassin, how’s that sound miss?”

Jessica rolls her eyes. “Oh whatever Tiff. If you don’t want it then don’t drink it.”

Tiffany shrugs, “Well, duh.”

The night went smoothly fast for the people in the bar and soon Tiffany finds herself back into the parking lot without Jessica because the girl had some emergency with her sister. She was about to open her car when she hears someone clearing their throat. Afraid that it may be a robber she stealthily holds on to her phone ready to call 911 when a feminine voice speaks.

“Why didn’t you drink it?”

Tiffany was frozen in place. Back still turned.

“I mean, I did not spike it if that’s what you’re worried about.”

She didn’t know what to do, as if she was caught on a paused video. The girl’s voice was mysteriously smooth and soft. Suddenly she found herself facing the person and Tiffany was quite sure she had seen the girl somewhere else.

She turn on to her authoritative voice and speaks, “Well, I don’t accept drinks from random strangers. So if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.”

She then turns to open the driver sit but found herself face to face with the girl.

Damn, she’s fast.

“I’ll let you leave if you do something for me. I was offended that you refused to accept it in the first place."

The girl put her hands on her pockets waiting for her response but Tiffany doesn’t back down.

“That’s not my problem anymore. So go.”

“But it is, darling. Say, how about you tell me your name then we’ll call it a night. How’s that sound?” the girl smirks. Moving closer, blocking Tiffany’s hand from opening her car door.

Tiffany rolled her eyes, “Do you want me to call security? Get you arrested for harassing me?”

“Nuh uh, we shouldn’t go that far. All I ask is a name then we’re good.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“I said no, move.”

“Come on, I’m not even asking much darling, just a name.”

Tiffany was getting irritated by this girl, if it weren’t for her heels, she might’ve kicked her short on the street besides of the pet name ‘darling’ suddenly going on here. And then suddenly she got an idea. 

She knows how to handle this type of advancements. She takes the girls hand out of the car door’s handle while looking directly on the girls eye. She switches their positions and suddenly her back was against her car while the other girl is surprised by what she’s doing. She touches the girl’s cheek as if about to kiss her when suddenly …

She pushes her and quickly gets into her car driving. She looks on the her side mirror and sees the girl grinning while standing up.

She stops the car and rolls down her window and shouts back.

“If you’re so interested how about you find out for yourself?” 

The girl was just standing looking at her with an amused smile. Before rolling up her window she finally says, “Bye, darling!”

She quickly drives away leaving the stunned girl.

Tiffany doesn’t know why she suddenly flirted back but all she knows was she had a great time with Jessica tonight plus the weird but fun encounter with her ‘secret admirer’ as Jessica would say was quite a twist for tonight. She finds herself laughing while driving back to her hotel. 

Deep in her thoughts was that she found herself reminiscing the captivating black orbs of the girl and thinking how’d they meet again.

AN: Took a while before finishing this chapter. Sorry if it’s a bit short guys, I’ll try to have longer chapters or update as much as possible. ( Thank you so much to our new subscribers, you guys are lovelyyyy and don’t forget to leave comments. I loooove reading them. Hope you guys have a wonderful week and keep safe!

PS: The ‘Darling’ reference is actually from the documentary I recently watched and that is about the very talented, iconic, Freddie Mercury. I just really love the way he say ‘Darling’ and it felt very endearing.