li·ba·tion
[lahy-bey-shuh n] noun
1. a liquid that is poured out to offer a god. 


 

"So my mom doesn't like you guys now," Hyuk said as soon as he walked in on Friday evening. "She thought you were members of the mafia."

"Well, seeing as Leo looks like that," Hongbin gestured to the singer's face, which was making out with a mic onstage. "That's pretty much a given.”

Ken giggled whilst hanging his limbs out of the kitchen window. "I find it funny how you still live with your mom."

The busboy raised an eyebrow. "Why? It's not weird."

"Just ignore him," said Hongbin. "He ate some burnt fry earlier and went loony. Go change into your uniform; I have something to show you."

Hyuk obeyed and walked to the washrooms to change. As he went, he noticed N sitting giddily at a table, using his phone to take pictures of the redhead singing.

In the washrooms, a janitor was taking a piss. 

Ravi looked up from the urinal and pleasantly greeted. "Hey."

"Hi." Hyuk locked himself in a stall and started switching outfits. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Are Leo-hyung and N-hyung a thing?" He grunted as a button got stuck in his hair. "Because I asked about it last time and Ken-hyung and Hongbin-hyung didn't really give me an answer... Ugh, honorifics."

Ravi chuckled a little. "It's hard to tell, right? Leo-hyung lets the bastard kiss him all the time, but he keeps denying it. So I don't really know. Or care." 

Hyuk managed to put his uniform on and stumbled out of the stall. "Maybe I should ask," he murmured while fixing his hair in the mirror. He received a snort in return.

"Good luck with that."

Hyuk slowly opened the washroom door and peeked out onto the floor. N was still at his table, but now Leo was standing in front of him trying to grab his phone. 

"Delete those pictures," the singer hissed, grabbing the other's wrists.

"I won't, you're too cute!" N lifted the cell just barely out of his reach. "Unless..."

Leo stiffened, glancing at his mischievous eyes. "... Unless what."

"Unless you kiss me!" N puckered his lips, prompting the other to let out a groan. "C'mon honey, it takes two birds and a stone to tango." 

"That doesn't even..." Leo sighed tiredly and leaned down to leave a soft peck on his lips. "... There. Now delete them."

N stared dreamily for a moment, and then let out a hysterical laugh. "I can't believe you fell for that!" He clutched his phone protectively in his hands. "I'll never delete these! They're the only times I can see you when you're not around!"

Leo flushed a furious pink when he caught up to speed. "Cha Hakyeon, I will—"

"Kiss me again?" N suddenly pulled on his shirt, forcibly pressing their lips together. The thing was, Leo didn't fight back. They kept kissing until Hyuk awkwardly cleared his throat behind them.

The singer noticed his presence and jerked up, only to be pulled down to a kiss again. N slyly wrapped his arms around Leo's neck, preventing him from rising. Hyuk watched embarrassedly until Leo decided to knee N in the crotch.

"OW!" N let go of him, turning to glare at the busboy. "Excuse me; I was trying to make out with someone here!"

"We were not making out," Leo insisted, fanning his warm cheeks. "He had something on his face."

"You were eating my lips," the boss sneered. "Don't deny that you liked it! Anyway... What did you need, Hyukkie?"

"I uh, just wanted to know if you guys were dating."

"Dating?" N scoffed. "No, nothing as preposterous as that... We're married."

Leo did not hesitate to chop him in the head.

"We are not dating or married," said he, annoyance in his voice. "We are not anything past acquaintances."

The tanned man whipped his head at him. "Why do you always say that? It hurts my feelings!"

"I say it because it's true," Leo was completely expressionless, unaware that N was on the verge of crying. "We are not together."

N stood up, glaring angrily at him. "... Y-YOU'RE AN IDIOT!" He shouted and ran out of the pub before his tears fell. He left behind an awkward silence. 

"... I'm just gonna..." Hyuk awkwardly side-shuffled to the bar, leaving Leo standing there shocked. "... I think I just broke up a couple. Or not, I'm still not sure if they are or were a thing." He half-whispered to an amused Hongbin.

"Don't worry about it. They fight all the time," the brunet ensured. "Boss will come back in half an hour, tops. Now, follow me into the back."

Hyuk worriedly glanced at the panic-stricken Leo before trailing after Hongbin.

The two walked across the kitchen, where Ken was quietly singing to himself at the stove. Hyuk noticed the presence of a black powder on the counters.

"Is that... Ash?" He looked at Hongbin for confirmation.

"Mm, yeah. There was a fire here not too long ago. I guess Ravi didn't clean it all up properly." Hongbin stopped at a door that read 'storage' on it. 

"There was a fire?" Somehow Hyuk didn't seem all that surprised. 

"Stuff happens," he shrugged. "Anyway, I'm promoting you."

The student's eyes widened in surprise. "I've worked here for three days and I'm being promoted?"

"That's what I just said. I'm promoting you from busboy to..." Hongbin paused for dramatic effect. "... Head busboy!"

The excitement died immediately. "... Yes, of course. I am so flattered."

"And you know what the head busboy gets to do?"

"Gee, please enlighten me."

The bartender held up a key. "They get to enter the backroom!"

"How exciting." Hyuk rolled his eyes as Hongbin unlocked the door.

The backroom was very large and cold; only necessary to hold the mass amount of alcohol.

Hundreds of 12-packs took up one corner, and even more boxes of wine occupied the rest of the room. There was hardly anywhere to walk with all the drinks. It was like a drunken wonderland, so much so that Hyuk swore Hongbin squealed a bit when they entered.

"Okay, so in addition to being our lovely busboy," the brunet handed him the key. "I want you to guard the backroom for me."

"... What do you mean by 'guard"? The student vaguely imagined dragons and trolls attacking the wine. 

"By guard, I mean whenever we run out of a certain drink in the front, you have to get more from the back so I don't have to," Hongbin admitted shamelessly. "And... You have to guard this room from N."

The two exited and returned to the kitchen. "Why N-hyung specifically?" He asked.

"The employees know that they're not allowed to drink during work hours, but N usually drinks when he's upset. We can't give him any alcohol, especially from the backroom."

"I don't see what's wrong with giving with one drink—"

"NO!" The cabinet above them suddenly opened, revealing a squished Ken. "You cannot give alcohol to N-hyung. YOU MUSTN'T!"

"What the are you doing in there."

Hongbin ignored the interruption. "No employee is allowed to drink during work. Except for N. He is never allowed to drink."

And it wasn't even half an hour later that the boss approached Hyuk with a pout. 

The store had opened, and happy customers filled in the tables drinking their soju. N had returned ten minutes after he ran away, and now he sat on the opposite side of the store to avoid Leo. He stared at all the people drinking, and decided that he was depressed enough for booze too. 

So he attacked the backroom-key-holder busboy. 

"Hyukkie..." He called in the cutest voice he could muster. "I'm upset."

"Are you now?" Hyuk replied indifferently as he was cleaning tables.

"Uh-huh," N timidly played with his fingers. "And when I'm upset... I want to drink."

"Right... And what does that have to do with me?"

"Well, Ken locked the cabinets with the wines he uses for food, Hongbin won't let me near the bar, and Ravi is watching all the doors so I can't leave to get alcohol," he whined, stomping his feet a little. 

Hyuk felt like he was speaking to a child; a child that wanted to get drunk. "Again, what does this have to do with me?"

N blinked his huge puppy eyes. "Can you please get me a little alcohol from the back? No one has to know..."

The younger let out a sigh. "You know I'm not allowed to give you any." He sauntered to another table, where a group of old men were waiting for their order to be taken. N followed suit, begging and begging annoyingly in his ear. He stuck on like a pest all night, even while Hyuk was working. Taking orders, cleaning up tables, serving food, taking out the trash, it didn't matter. N was there, whining. It was already a given that the busboy had a very short temper.

"Please! You're my only saviour! I need to get drunk! I'm upset!" 

"THEN DON'T BE UPSET!" Hyuk yelled, startling both N and the customers into silence. 

Aware they were being watched, N went down into a whisper. "... How?"

"You make up with Leo-hyung and stop bothering the hell out of me!" Hyuk grunted, going to table one for a break. 

"... But I can't," the boss replied while following him. 

The kid collapsed onto the table and let out a loud sigh. He wasn't sure if the tanned man was annoying or annoying. "You can't... Why?"

"I can't pick a fight with someone and then apologize for it! That's embarrassing! How would you feel?"

Hyuk blinked up at him. He did have a point. 

"... Fine," the busboy stood up and took out the key. "I'll get you a drink."

N could hardly contain his glee as he sat down and waited.

"Hold on," Hongbin stopped Hyuk when he reached the kitchen door. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting N-hyung a drink," he answered, pushing his way through the kitchen.

"WHAT?!" The brunet followed him in. "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Kind of." Hyuk unlocked the backroom and picked up a beer can just by the door.

Ken had overheard and was next to Hongbin, trying to stop Hyuk from making the world explode.

"For your own safety, do not give that can to the boss!"

"I'm going to give it to him." They grabbed onto his arms to restrain him. 

"Ken, what the hell did you do?! Now he's loony!"

"I'M NOT LOONY!" The kid shouted, stomping on their feet so they could let go. In a fearfully calm manner, he faced them. "... Just trust me."

The panicked employees watched as Hyuk went over to the sink, opened the can, spilled all the beer out, and replaced it with tap water. 

Then the kid left with the water-filled can. 

"... We should give him a raise," Ken murmured after a moment of realization. Hongbin nodded in agreement.

That day, the 24 Hours pub was saved from a fire, an explosion, and some other third thing of terror.

guess who decided to change the update schedule? ;D 
I changed up the pics too! You guys like them? I'm thinking of making individual posters for each employee and rotating them b/n chapters.
so the 'god' in the definition is N. LOL 
Once you're done reading this, go watch this week's episode of VIXX TV! If you already watched it, watch it again! TvT
hmhmhmhm any ideas on how N is when he's drunk?
hmmmhmmmhmhmmmhm what exactly is Neo's relationship? 
hmmmmhmhmhmmmmhmmhmhmhhm Hongbin's gonna punch someone in the next chapter?