The cold streets of Seoul and soft whispers of the wind welcomed Minatozaki Sana as she stepped outside her company’s building, ready to call it a night and start another night. The Japanese rubbed her hands together before blowing air on it for some heat and warmth very much familiar to herself. She let her hands be clasped to one another for few more seconds before putting each on the sides of her trench coach as she shrugged a little to take the cold air off her body.

 

'Why did I choose to commute again?' Minatozaki thought as she scrolled through her phone, ready to book a cab so she would not way any longer. But then she heard the lady guard right on the building’s entrance call her name.

 

“Yeah?” she looked at her with a small smile.

 

“I just saw a taxi coming our company’s way. No need to book a cab, ma’am.”

 

Sana whispered a soft “Thank God” while rolling her eyes and then smiled, yet again, to the guard and shifted her gaze on the street in front of her. Just about five seconds after, she saw a headlight coming her way, causing her to put her hand up, asking the driver to pull-over.

 

She waved at the guard one last time before going inside the cab and telling the driver, “To The Bar, please.”

 

The guard that was left at the building to look after Sana Minatozaki’s hard-earned company was left dumb-founded, and so she scratched the back of her head with a smile, uttering, “Miss Minatozaki isn’t normally like that. She must have closed another deal and is about to meet her girl friends, that’s why she is in a good mood.”

 

She did not lie though, for Sana had always been seen with either a sour face or a close-to sour face at work.

 

“I wish she’d be like that forever. Our boss looks prettier when smiling.” She thought.

 

And the lady guard did not lie as well about Sana-meeting-her-girl-friends thingy.

 

It’s Friday, after all.

 

Everybody needs a little distressing and a little booze to end the week after being bombarded with the harsh reality of adult life. Or was it just an excuse so Sana and her friends can drink every Friday while partying with people they barely know and dance with guys and girls under the intoxication of alcohol?

 

@minatozaki_ tweeted: So ready for tonight!

 

“Thank you.” Sana said before closing the cab’s door and let her head follow the way it went before crossing the street and standing at the entrance of The Bar. The moment she stepped foot at the entrance, the bouncer nodded his head at the Japanese as a way of greeting their regulars before going back to his job. Sana nodded back, and then picked her phone up to call her friend’s good friend who is now also her friend after quite a lot of friends’ hangouts.

 

“Jihyo-ssi? Where are you and Nayeon? I’m already here at the entrance.” Sana spoke through the phone, making her voice a bit louder thinking the two might be inside already because the loud music playing in the background.

 

Her loud voice caught the attention of some people going inside The Bar to which she slightly bowed as a sign of apology, “Yah! Are you already inside?”

 

“Yeah, Sana-ssi. Just go to the usual.”

 

After Sana dropped the call, which mostly consisted of her cussing the out of Jihyo and Nayeon who was laughing at the background for not informing her beforehand that they are already inside, the Japanese made her way inside The Bar after some what-nots with the bouncer.

 

“No?” no girls? Someone good for me? Someone I can take home? Sana asked at the big guy at the entranced.

 

The latter laughed before shaking his head at the girl, “No.”

 

"Oh, . Might as well go home." She kidded before proceeding inside The Bar.

 

It was Girls’ Generation’s The Boys that boomed Sana’s ears as she walks herself through the club and on her way to her friend’s table. Loud screaming of bring the boys out! surrounded Sana and The Bar together with cigarette smoke and smell of booze.

 

And this included Kim Dahyun and Chou Tzuyu who is sitting at the bar counter, on the other side of The Bar, just letting some time off after their demonstration at culinary school earlier that day.

 

***

@misskimdubu tweeted: cheers! @misstzuyu

@misstzuyu replied: you forced me

@mina replied: why do i feel like alcohol's now running through your veins? 

 

While the two talked about all sort of things in life, Jeongyeon was mixing some drinks for some of the ladies across the counter. And so Jeongyeon thought and asked, “Hey, Kim Dahyun. Still got no girl?”

 

Dahyun scoffed at Jeongyeon, while Tzuyu playfully glared at her. The two received a loud, “What?” with a laugh from the oldest. “Look at that babe there that just arrived. She’s a regular. You might want to check her out.”

 

But Dahyun did not check her out.

 

“Hey, look,” Jeongyeon called her attention, “I am going to give the girlie a shot, saying it’s from you. Shall we see her reaction?” Tzuyu’s eyes widen with an upcoming laughter plastered on her face.

 

“Yaaah, unnie!” Tzuyu exclaimed and stood up from her seat to raise her hand for a high-five. Jeongyeon misunderstood though, and thought she was going to get slapped by Tzuyu so she distanced herself for a little bit.

 

Tzuyu glared at her, still with a mischievous smile on her face, and Jeongyeon understood right away, “Oohh!” she exclaimed and then slapped the hell out of Tzuyu’s hand that has been hanging in the air for almost a minute now before going back to the drink she’s preparing for Dahyun’s girl.

 

“Unnie, you know I can’t.” Dahyun answered, causing Tzuyu to, again, playfully blow her bangs while rolling her eyes.

 

She told Dahyun, “Unnie, you know you can.”

 

“But I don’t want to.” Dahyun rebutted with a timid smile. She sipped on her beer and stared at nothingness before speaking, “You know what I need.”

 

Just when Tzuyu was about to answer because Jeongyeon went fixing the counter, prepping for more drinks, another voice popped out saying, “Money.”

 

It was Chaeyong, Jeongyeon’s sister.

 

“You need money.” she repeated. The blonde girl stood behind the counter, facing Dahyun and Tzuyu with a bottle of beer in her hand.

 

“Bingo!” Dahyun said, pointing her finger at the younger girl, winked, and then flashed her playful grin. The teasing about the babe across the bar did not stop though. And Dahyun’s rejection of their suggestion about getting a girl did not stop either.

 

“Unnie,” Tzuyu called for her attention, but Chaeyoung’s voice was louder, “I have something to offer you, Kim Dahyun-ssi. You might want to check this out.” Dahyun laughed a little inside. She thought, what’s with these sisters and they keep on asking her to check things out.

 

"Come on, Chaeng," Dahyun said, "I thought you know what I need?"

 

"I do!" Chaeyoung replied before sipping another drink, "Money!" 

 

"There! So why are you now suggesting that I check out some girls?"

 

"I haven't said anything yet, Dahyun-unnie."

 

Dahyun laughed at the realization," Oh, right. Must be the trauma from you and your sister for continously forcing me to date."

 

"You're right though." Chaeyoung said, "About the girl part."

 

And so Dahyun started thinking, girls? and then money?

 

"Son Chaeyoung! I have no time for sugar mommies!"

 

" you!" Chaeyoung laughed and then was joined by Tzuyu after, "That's not it! Well, somehow?"

 

"As long as it's safe and no mentions of killings or whatsoever, I'm in."

 

Chaeyoung gulped down her drink, bottoms-up, before saying, “It’s The Book.”

 

***

 

On the other side of the bar, just a little from the counter, it was Sana’s high-pitched voice that covered the table. Fortunately, her friends are already used to her voice that had always been low and serious when at work, hence, her bossy aura and image to the employees. But the complete opposite when drunk and with friends.

 

“What do you mean The Book, Momo? Are you practicing sorcery of some sort?”

 

Jihyo wheezed at Sana before throwing a piece of lemon at the Japanese. “Yah!” the older one clapped back while dusting her clothes off, careful not to get stains on her outfit. Nayeon just rolled her eyes at the two indulged in a commotion about lemons, while Momo was smiling to herself, also watching the two.

 

“Ma’am?” the group’s shenanigans were interrupted when a bartender approached their table. The girls looked at each other with their eyes wide open and hands above their chest as if asking one another, ma’am who?

 

The guy in white polo shirt laughed a little and pointed at Sana who is now busy checking her clothes again from lemon stains. “Sana-ssi!” the Japanese looked up and figured everyone was looking at her.

 

“Why?”

 

“Somebody got this drink for you.” The bartender said before taking it from the tray and then handed it to Sana. The latter, although surprised, accepted it still. The bartender then pointed at the girl sitting at the counter, her back facing Sana’s group with her side profile still kind of showing. “Don’t worry,” the guy smiled, “it was specially mixed by the boss, so rest assured it’s safe.”

 

Sana stared at the drink and heard Jihyo, who is now leaning forward with her legs crossed and head supported by her arms on top of her thigh, asking the guy, “And what if it’s not?” The latter flashed his sweet smile, this time it’s for Jihyo, and answered,

 

“Everything’s on me then. And I’ll owe you – all of you some coffee.” Jihyo leaned back and nodded without looking at the guy.

 

The bartender bid goodbye. Jihyo secretly smiled. And Sana drank the mix in one shot.

 

“Did you get the name?” Momo whispered at Jihyo. The latter nodded and thought about the guy’s nameplate. “Daniel.”

 

When the situation subsided, Sana then again looked at Momo that was seating across her with, perhaps, a serious face, if you want to call it like that, “So what is this Book you are talking about, Miss Hirai?”

 

The older Japanese smirked at Sana, as if saying “See? You’re curious about it as well. You were just overacting earlier.” and Sana knew about that immediately. Minatozaki rolled her eyes at Momo with a small smile on her face before drinking water from her glass. You know, to ease yourself off after lots of drinks and prepare yourself for a lot more drinks.

 

And she was still kind of checking out the girl across who (allegedly) gave her the drinks them through her vision while gulping down that holy water, but failed to get a glimpse of her face.

 

Only that goddamned pointed nose of hers. 

 

“Well,” Momo started, shifting to her seat. She got the whole group listening, especially Sana, anticipating for whatever Momo is going to offer their CEO-friend who seems to be looking for some company.

 

As if her company isn’t enough.

 

"Wait, can I just say? That girl over there looks so good, I wonder is she tastes the same as the drink she gave me. ing tasty as hell."

 

"Sana!" Nayeon said through her laughs.

 

"And please," Sana dramatically sighed, "I wanna bop that nose of hers."

 

The group proceeded then on throwing things and words at Sana, shocked at her words and sudden admiration for a girl she barely met, "So, Momo, what was it again?" Sana said when the situation subsided, not wanting to spend five more minutes arguing if the girl is gay or not so Sana could check on her.

 

“The Book contains lists of people that can be paid to cater whatever the client needs or wants.” Momo shortly explained. “In this case, the client is going to be you.” Momo added, pointing her finger at Sana while looking intently at the younger Japanese with her somewhat, drunken eyes.

 

“Anything?” Sana asked with a voice as if challenging Momo to prove this whatever-she-is-offering is worth her time.

 

“Anything.” Momo answered.