She was true to her word and Saeroyi couldn’t help but smile as he walk back towards the pub. Yiseo called him that morning, informing him that she managed to land Danbam a spot on a live broadcast, a tv show that has every bit of potential in enabling their pub reach greater masses. He remembered the time Yiseo handed him a proposal, he didn’t even know what that was at first nor what it was for. She explained it to him then and he couldn’t even express the awe he felt for her. He was so amazed. Not once did it ever cross his mind to do what Yiseo did and there’s no way he could do it like she does. She was just extremely capable and talented. She really knows what she's doing.

Looking down at the plastic bag he’s holding, he thinned his lips, a small smile he’s letting out as he thought of the little celebration the crew was having that night with Yiseo’s accomplishment and obviously a new step towards success for the pub. 

To say that everyone was exhilarated is an understatement. He was greeted with loud music and some sort of screaming from inside the pub when he entered. Scanning the place, he saw his crew having a group hug, their arms over each other’s shoulders, as they turn in circle, chanting altogether. 

He was elated. He was happy. And he was grinning. 

Seungkwon caught sight of him and hurriedly pulled him in their hug with which he happily obliged to. He was placed beside Yiseo and he comfortably put his arms over her shoulders as they circled around once more with him now chanting along with them. 

Everyone finally lets go after a full minute but Saeroyi unknowingly laid rest his arm over her shoulders, letting it linger there a little bit more, pulling her closer to him, caressing her arms. He looked down at her and she was laughing at what Seungkwon just said, though he didn't really hear what. His smile was so wide his eyes did that little squint it usually does. Shifting his gaze to others, he caught sight of how Geunsoo was looking at his arms over Yiseo’s shoulders that he instinctively pulls it down to his side. 

“What do you guys have here, huh?” he walked over to the table now filled with foods, his tone bright. 

“Hyunyi cooked for us to celebrate! Isn’t that great?” Seungkwon replied, basically shouting, shaking Hyunyi’s shoulders until he was smacked at the back of his head by her. 

“You’re way too loud already and we aren’t even drinking yet” she said in a low tone, shaking her head in feigned annoyance. Turning to Saeroyi, she said, “We’re gonna have a double celebration for tonight that’s why I prepared more food than the usual. We’re planning on drinking till’ we drop tonight! Yeah!” 

The rest screamed their agreements and high-fived each other.

“Double celebration? What for?” he asked, confused. 

“Yiseo finally got her own place,” Hyunyi answered with her chin up, looking so proud as she looked over her shoulders at Yiseo. “Isn’t that great?” 

“I’ve always known she’s great but to think she’s already capable of affording her own place at that age, wow, it’s making me speechless. What have been doing when I was your age? Ugh, you’re really amazing Yiseo” Seungkwon added, giving Yiseo two thumbs up before running towards the table. “That’s why, you’re gonna have to make a toast. Our awesome manager got us a spot at a live broadcast and she also got her own place, you gotta have to make a toast for that girl,” he said, pouring her a drink. 

Yiseo chuckled at Seungkwon’s usually crazy antics but happily grabbed the drink from his hands. When she did, everyone else placed themselves around the table, each grabbing themselves a bottle of beer, looking and waiting for Yiseo to make a toast. Saeroyi couldn’t help but be reminded of that day where Danbam first tasted success in its reopening day with Yiseo and Geun-soo. Everybody thought that his pub wouldn’t survive the two-month suspension given how it’s practically dead even without it. To everyone’s surprise though, Danbam became even more successful in its reopening and it’s all because of Yiseo’s help. He wouldn’t be able to forget that day, not even in a million years. Yiseo literally pulled their pub out of its devastating state. 

Just like tonight, Yiseo was the one who made a small talk before Danbam’s reopening that day, declaring that success is headed their way. Looking at her gaze at everyone with joy in her eyes, he couldn’t help but smile. 

“Our boss once said that Danbam will be a bigger franchise than Jangga Co.,.” she started, eyeing him with pride b in her eyes. She then turned her eyes at the others, letting it linger for a few seconds at each of their faces. “With all of us here, I say we’re gonna make it. We’re gonna go bigger and we’ll be achieving far greater things than what Jangga Co. has accomplished in all these years. We will make it happen. And Danbam Pub appearing at a live broadcast is just our first step. This isn’t the end of it, there’s more to come and we’re not gonna stop until we become the best in the food industry.” 

Turning her eyes back at Saeroyi, her fiery gaze made him subtly take in a deep breath and straighten his back, as he felt the determination and the sheer will she’s emanating with her whole body. “We’ll make it happen...” she smiled and said, “...together” 

She then raised her glass as theirs meet hers. “Together!” they all cheered. 

They heartily pulled themselves a seat, still chattering with one another. What Hyunyi prepared for all of them looked like a feast and their eyes were full even before their stomachs were. 

“You really went out your way, Hyunyi, I just love you” Yiseo grinned as she leaned her head on Hyunyi’s shoulder. 

“Do you, really?” Hyunyi teased as she put a large chunk of meat on Yiseo’s bowl. 

“Of course! That’s not even up for question” replied Yiseo to which everyone laughed. They started eating but the chatters and bickerings didn’t stop. The crew was alive more than ever and their decibels were at its peak with how elated they all are. 

“You know, you may be rude at times but you’re really, really amazing Yiseo” Seungkwon said and Yiseo raised an eyebrow at him teasingly. “Who would’ve thought that Danbam—this pub—could change so much and that’s not even it! We’re gonna appear at a live broadcast! A live broadcast!” he shouted, bumping his fist on the table. 

“If you don’t look so harsh and cold everytime, and if you're not being rude for the most part of the days, I would’ve think you’re an angel,” Seungkwon added. His hands numbing at the realization of what he said and what it was implying, he dropped his chopsticks midair. He was frozen on his spot, not meeting anyone’s eyes. Feeling Yiseo’s gaze at him, he coughed and he hurriedly grabbed himself a glass of water.  

“If I’m not an angel,” Yiseo started and he once again was frozen on his seat. “What am I then?” Yiseo dared, crossing her arms on her chest while Hyunyi has her hand on her face, hindering herself from bursting into a laughing fit. Leaning her head on Yiseo’s shoulders, she watched Seungkwon’s reaction. Yiseo, on the other hand, tilted her head a bit on the side, her lips tightening as she fought the urge of grinning widely. She forced out that annoyed-slash-bored look her face always wears. In a normal occassion, it'd probably be her more genuine reaction but she's just in a very good mood right now that she wanted to play a joke on him. Out of all the crew, she loved teasing Seungkwon the most. She absolutely enjoyed how frustrated and dumbfounded he was when she didn't hire that girl he liked. It's not like she did it just to annoy Seungkwon, but with his reaction, it's a win-win situation for her. The feelings are mutual though because he loved annoying her to death as well. 

“Well,” Seungkwon started and both Geunsoo and Tony snorted, failing miserably at holding their laughters in. Seungkwon side-eyed them before flicking his eyes at Saeroyi who’s just silently watching them but is clearly being entertained with what’s happening. He looked at Saeroyi, pleading with his eyes, but he just shrugged at him before pouring himself a drink. Turning his eyes back at Yiseo who’s smirking at him he said, “Well I didn’t say you’re not, you know. You could be—you are an angel... just with the darker clothes and all. A unique angel, a cool one.” 

Everyone finally lets go and bursted into a laughing fit, Geunsoo and Tony even applauding and giving him a standing ovation.

“You got yourself out of that one” Geunsoo said, laughing. 

“Neat, that was pretty neat. You saved yourself” Tonny added. 

It’s been three hours since their celebration started and everybody was out of themselves already. Seungkwon, like how he always does, started annoying Hyunyi who was busy pushing his face away from hers in disgust. He was singing loudly in her ears and his voice could easily annoy even the most patient person in the world. Geun-soo and Tony was busy talking among themselves while frequently laughing at Seungkwon and in helping Hyunyi get away from him. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you found a new place already? I could’ve helped you move” Saeroyi said lowly towards Yiseo. 

With him at the head of the table, he could easily lean in so Yiseo, who’s sitting on his left, could hear him despite the loud noises everybody else makes. She turned at him, her eyelids a bit droopy, and smiled. “You’re already busy as it is, I don’t wanna bother you.”

He opened his mouth to say she isn’t a bother when she cut him off, waving her hand sloppily in front of her. “After all, I can take care of myself” 

“Still,” he said, emphasizing his word by leaning in a bit. “You should’ve told me”

“Alright, alright, the next time I move I will tell you. You’re the boss” she replied, rolling her eyes playfully at him before chugging down the rest of her drink. 

“How was it?” 

“Hmm?” she turned to him so fast she squinted her eyes when she felt dizzy. “How was what?” 

Saeroyi chuckled before replying, “Your place, Yiseo. How was it? Is it far from here?” 

“It was fine, I guess, at least for now it is. I could get a much bigger place you know, when our pub’s already more successful than what it is now”

“Our pub” he whispered to himself, thinning his lips into a small smile before drinking his beer. 

“Hmm?” Yiseo asked. 

He met her eyes and he let it roam around her face. He didn’t have any idea what his face is showing now but Yiseo leaned back a bit, tilting her head to the side, meeting his gaze with a raised eyebrow. “Nothing,” he finally replied, shaking his head as he smiled. “Don’t worry. You are gonna get a much bigger place in just a few years time” 

Smirking, she put her glasses on her lips. “Oh I know,” she said before drinking the rest of her liquor. 

She then smiled at him briefly before turning her full attention at Hyunyi who was ranting at her. He studied her for a while before reaching his hand out to caress her hair. She turned at him with a questioning look in her eyes and instead of answering her, he just smiled. 

“Are you seriously petting me right now?” she asked incredulously, with a hint of amusement in her tone. She even raised an eyebrow at him and with her eyelids being a bit droopy, she looked totally different than how cold and indifferent she usually looked. “You also did that to me when Hyunyi’s food finally tasted good” 

Saeroyi just shrugged his shoulders and pulled his hand back, resting it on the table, “Petti—what? I don’t know” he said, puzzled. “What does that even mean? I’m just... uh... I just thought that you did great that’s why I did what I did” he added, his voice faltering at the end of his sentence when he saw the teasing look on Yiseo’s face.

He didn’t know where the urge to explain himself came from but his brain suddenly came up with an excuse. He was never really expressive. Everyone knows how socially inept he is and how he can’t really express himself in words, much more in actions. He wasn’t the type to be verbal yet alone be physically affectionate. That’s why he most definitely suprised himself the moment he reached his hand out to caress Yiseo’s hair. Why did he do that? He’s never done it to anyone before. 

“So..” Yiseo started, squinting her eyes at him. “..you did it then and you’re doing it now because I did great?” she asked and there’s something in her tone that makes his gesture sound bad when it wasn’t supposed to be bad in the first place. He was confused with how contradicting Yiseo’s words are with what her face is showing. Her tone was filled with disbelief but then she has this playful glint in her eyes and her lips are pursed as she appeared to be trying to constrain a smile. 

Yiseo might’ve seen the confusion in his face that she started laughing while clapping her hands. 

“That’s petting!” she said in between her laughs. Saeroyi felt embarassed when he doesn’t have any idea what it was that’s embarassing him. What’s so funny with what he did to her? Isn’t it supposed to be like a nice gesture? Why was she openly laughing at him? 

Yiseo then took in a deep breath to calm herself and wiped her now tear-filled eyes from all the laughing that she did. “Wow, you really have a way of surprising people” 

“What?” he blurted out, confused, and Yiseo looked at him pointedly, amusement was more evident in her eyes than ever. 

“And here I was assuming you’re incapable of making skinships, no—not skinship—just uh, gesture, yes a nice gesture. I didn’t know you’re capable of a nice gesture but here you are petting me all of a sudden and I don’t think you even know what you’re doing yourself” 

“What I did, is it... a bad thing?” he asked, his words slow as he was imminently confused. He just don’t get it. 

“I just wannna know one thing” she started, ignoring his question. “Is this the first time you did this to someone?” she asked and he nodded his head, his brows deeply furrowed with how baffled he was. He didn’t know why but she looked like his answer mattered. Her smile widened and then she closed her eyes, leaning her head a bit towards him. 

“Hmm” she said. When he didn’t move, she looked at him teasingly, beckoning him. “Hmm,” she said again and all his confusion dissipated. Yiseo was happy with his gesture, that he’s sure of. 

Grinning, he shook his head in amusement and reached out his hand and caressed her hair once more. She lifted her face a bit and met his eyes, giving a much bigger smile, and more than ever, Saeroyi was pleased with himself.