Temptation

The elevator opened to a bar jam packed with alcohol thirsty students, all the people that were inside waited for the famed DJ to dismount before moving. There was a lot of head turning as she walked to the counter and the few people that made eye contact with choked on their drinks. It made her uncomfortable, so she avoided looking at them. Bad thing was; she can read lips.

The stereo blasted eardrum breaking music but in her mind, all she can hear were the silent whispers of the people around her:

"It's DJ Taengoo!", "I heard she's very snobbish.", "I heard someone started an online protest to get her off air.", "Ya, let's take pictures after she gets hammered!", "Tch! Look at her, she doesn't belong here." 

All she wanted was to forget about Tiffany, at least for one night. It was her first time drinking without her best friend looking after her. She pretty much knows her alcohol tolerance because of the numerous house parties they attended back in Jeonju.

Read: No match for Tiffany.

Yes, that bastard witch was a drinking machine... But why was she thinking about her? Damn. I have to stop this.

There was a big oblong shaped counter at the center of the bar. Since most of the people were either on the dance floor or on their individual tables, that space was practically empty except for the bartends and the waiters that handed rounds of liquor, probably to make sure everyone got drunk as hell. 

Taeyeon went next to wooden platform and raised her hand to call the barkeep. Of the seven attendants inside busy mixing drinks, the lone barmaid was the only one that came to her. She had a familiar face, but she can't remember where. Her smile invited her to come and sit down on the counter. Did she know her? Her apple cheeks were her defining trait... C'mon, Taengoo! Who is she?

"So what'll it be?" She went up to her and pointed at the liquor. Taeyeon stared at the shelves. How can there be so much liquor when they all just tasted the same? "You're no drinker, are you?"

Taeyeon shook her head admittedly. She didn't even know how to differentiate water from Soju just by looking at it. That was how stupid she was at drinking.

"How about I fix you something with a little punch? Not too much though, you seem alone." She said; grabbing some juice and a couple of sherry glasses from under the counter. "So what's your story?"

'What's your story?' Taeyeon thought. Oh, now I remember. She lifted her head, grinning.

"Journ major, right?"

It looked like she hit the right spot because the cute barperson winked at her. "Oh, so you know me?"

"You're my classmate." Taeyeon hoped she doesn’t ask for a name, because it was obvious that her face was the only thing she knew about her. She slipped ten thousand won on the table. "Make me everything you can buy with this."

The bartender gave her a smug smirk. "You sure? Because I might as well pour all the drinks to you, with how the University rented this place out; that kind of money can get you bottomless cocktails."

Taeyeon gulped. "Oh, w-well... Just get me what you feel like."

She nodded as she began pouring some sort of spirit in a cocktail shaker; then she topped it with two more brownish liquids before splashing some lemon juice, 7-Up and syrup inside. She added about four pieces of tube ice in the mixing tin before twisting it shut and shaking. "So, what gave me away?"

"Your intonation on 'What's your story?' You asked because you want to write about it; not because you want to know how I am."

Her smile faded. For the first time, someone saw through the reason of her employment:

Why would a communication student work at a bar? To get inside scoop from their drunk customers, of course! It was a nice little project that she probably did to make sure she can profile people in a single glance. Journalists. Taeyeon made a mental note to be weary of her words.

When broadcasting majors talk, they can tell what your intentions were and how they can steer the conversation to where it has to lead. They can dig out whoever they talk to within seconds. This is because they are always pressured in utilizing the amount of air time they get, which was an extremely expensive investment in the first place. They knew what kind of people was at the other line by the sound of their voice.

"You know who I am, right?" Taeyeon asked.

The girl nodded and made two servings of orangey colored drinks. She placed two paper coasters on the table and laid the cold cocktails in front of them. She garnished them with oranges before pushing the money back to the smaller lady.

"This one is the house. It’s an honor to share a drink with Miss Kim Taeyeon. My name's Sora by the way." They shook hands.

"What do you call this?" She turned her glass around, eyeing how exquisitely it was made.

"It’s a Californian rattlesnake. Give it about ten more seconds. You'll see why." Taeyeon observed how the drinks suddenly shift from orange to different layers of color from red to yellow. "Since they have different densities, the syrup stays at the bottom, followed by the coconut rum and almond wine. The spirit of the Southern Comfort and cola regulates the flavor while the lemon juice at the stop as a sort of chaser."

"You sound like a chemist." Taeyeon laughed.

"Well, bartenders are also mixologists." She said, in a very as-a-matter-of-fact voice.

They grabbed their drinks. "To new friendship?" Sora asked.

Taeyeon smiled, sound of their glasses touching was the only endearing sound she'd heard so far that night. "And old ones."

"Of course." Sora downed at least half of her drink in one shot. She watched her, wide eyed. It's true that Taeyeon liked the mix. She couldn't even taste the usually sting of alcohol. It was like she was only drinking juice. She might even ask her for seconds later!

"So Taeyeonssi, how about a little insider?" The cheeky bartend asked.

"Gimme your best shot." They both looked at each other's eyes.

Game start:

The Sora twisted a clean towel to make a makeshift microphone. "Let us hear your comments on Seoul's LGBT community."

Taeyeon coughed. "That's a… Uhm... Pretty hard question to start, don't you think?" There were no beating around the bush. She plunged right in! 

"What can I say? It’s a rare interview." Sora shrugged. "Your answer?"

"I uhm... I think its okay." Taeyeon pulled her collar with her finger. She was sweating. Was it because of the cocktail? She sipped more of the cold refreshing drink.

"You don't seem comfortable. Are you by any chance...?" Sora trailed.

"I think..." Taeyeon cleared . "There shouldn't be a limit in love. If you can love a person and both of you are happy, then I don't think people should pressure them... Or force their beliefs on them."

Sora took another swing of her drink. Taeyeon was well versed with avoiding questions but she was dealing with a person who can twist her around just as easily.

"How about the allegations of you being into girls?" She continued.

"There are allegations? I've never been in a relationship before. I wouldn't really know." Taeyeon held her hands up. "I am y, free and single since birth."

Sora's fingers made circles in front of Taeyeon's face. "How can I believe that when you're not even wearing makeup right now? You're not here to impress anyone because you already have someone on the side."

Taeyeon shook her head. "Not anymore, I don't." She can feel the drink loosened her up, but she was still in control. Unconsciously, she has been sipping her drink after every answer.

"My end game is to know who that person is. I'm not stopping until you tell me."

"So you want a name? Isn't that too private?" Taeyeon laughed.

"If you keep avoiding me like this, it feels like you're really hiding something."

"Well then, all people can do is assume." Taeyeon grinned. "Assuming makes an out of you and me. Remember that before you publish any of this on your blog."

"How did you know I have a blog?" Sora asked, surprised she even look people up despite bearing probably having the most hectic schedule at work and being politely anti-social at school.

"I do my homework." Taeyeon shrugged, remembering the posts she read. "Your thoughts on online games as a form of mass media are the best, comparing them to stories that readers can write. It’s a very addicting read."

Taeyeon kept bumping her off but Sora wasn't talking any hits. This made the broadcasting major uneasy.

"I'm flattered. Do you think female character designs are more attractive than males?" Sora continued.

"I do, but I only made male characters." Taeyeon sighed. Did she speak too soon?

"Then do you sometimes think it’s much better to be a man?"

Taeyeon giggled. She should have known. She was prying her way in again. "It has its perks but I'm pretty content in being a girl."

"Is that why you're tomboyish by nature? Because you think men have an advantage over us?"

"I'm what I am. I don't think my beliefs have anything to do with how I sit or walk. That's just how I roll."

Sora nodded. "Then do you agree that women can be in same- relationships?"

"I do, as long as both parties are content with what they have." Taeyeon’s smile faded as she stopped to think if Tiffany might be unhappy with their 'relationship' despite their love. Maybe she was... There would be no Siwon and Taecyeon otherwise.

"And how about comparing a straight relationship to a gay one?"

"What are you implying?"

"Just answer it."

"What do you know?"

"Why are you hiding?" Sora asked, their conversation heating up by the second. "I keep pitching questions but you're not catching any of them."

"Why do you think I know the answer to that?"

"All communication students know how to do their research, Taeyeonssi. Just because you're practicing, it doesn't make you any less better than us." Sora leaned on the counter. "I have reliable sources that you have engaged on both."

Taeyeon kept silent.

"Would you do us an honor?" Sora requested.

Taeyeon didn't feel like lying, but she didn't want to tell her that either. Was it because it was too personal? No, that wasn't it. She was scared of something but she didn't know what. She looked at her drink. Empty.

I could use more of these baby rattles. 

They both stayed silent until Sora finished her drink. She knocked on the wooden frame to gain the half drunk girl’s attention.

"You keep blaming her for being afraid... But you aren't ready to go public either, are you?"

Taeyeon's eyes gave her all the answers she needed. This girl is something else. I've underestimated her.

"I hope you think about that before you go kissing other people with those lips tonight." She began attending other customers; but to the blonde, Sora stayed right in front of her, waiting for her to spit the truth out. Taeyeon completely missed her mark. She wasn't begging for information. She was making her realize something: that she was a fool to think she was above everyone else.

Talent grew like wild roses. While Taeyeon was at the heated end of the pole; others kept growing in ways she can never even imagine until she got bit.

Sora. Truly, that girl has her beat. She raised her hand, asking for another drink but the brunette denied her.

"Go home, Taeyeon. No one wants you here." She said. “She’s waiting for you.”

With that, she was back to square one again. Why is it that the road away from Tiffany, just led back to her? All the roads she took... Just had to have that cheating at the other end. It just wasn't fair!

Game over.

Taeyeon looked at the coasters Sora laid. It was partly blurred, but still readable.

Roof... Top? She read.

The small girl scanned the bar for any sort of stairs but found nothing. She got off her seat and walked around the room, searching for the place Sora wanted her to check.

The elevator was the only exit to the exclusive hotel bar but what about emergencies?

There had to be a fire exit somewhere... But there weren't any signs of that on sides of the room. She looked back at the bar. There was a wall on one side to separate the VIPs. She peered closer.

Bingo.

It figures that the emergency exit was here. Save the rich kids first, huh? She opened the door.

A boy was sitting on top of the staircase.

"Leeteuk?" She called, both their hearts jumped at the sound of his name escaping her lips. It seems that their bodies immediately recognized their presence and welcomed it. She ran up to him and hugged him, slightly guilty of the past they shared.

"I missed you." She meant it, but only as his friend. Her heart still, clearly belonged to that redheaded mushroom she would go home to later tonight.

He returned her sincere feelings towards him and all at once. He felt complete again. Taeyeon gave back the biggest missing piece of his life: his heart.

"We fell out of love, didn't we?" He asked.

"Maybe." Taeyeon whispered, still holding on to his shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

"I'm scared." He admitted.

"It hurts." She dug her head to his chest. She can smell the cross scent of his cologne and liquor. It was manly. She felt safe to reveal herself to him. “It hurts so much.”

Leeteuk just let her cry. He kissed her forehead gently. "Is it Tiffany?"

"I don't know what to do anymore. I…" She hiccupped. "I just, love her so much that it hurts."

"Araso." His arms enveloped her, and she felt even more secure. If only she hadn't loved Tiffany, he would have definitely made a good candidate. His arms went to her shoulders and pulled her away. "Go back home to her."

BANG!

Leeteuk automatically pushed her down to a sit. A gunshot? They thought. He saw the remains of a bullet roll to Taeyeon's feet.

He lifted his head to assess the damage on the metal door. The bullet itself was only big enough for a handgun, but it had obviously packed quite a punch.

A Desert Eagle. He thought. They were supposed to be alone in here. What was going on?

'Unnie!' Someone shouted on the other side of the door, it took a second for Taeyeon to recognize it.

Holy crap... She thought as she quickly tugged herself away from Leeteuk and swung open the door.

"WHAT THE HELL, TAEYEON?!" He shouted.

BANG!