Chapter 1 - Improvisation
The PlotA demure dimple appears on her face as she smiles at the picture she placed as her wallpaper on her phone. A simple tap and the screen flickers off, the blonde hair and wide smile that had been there an instant before disappearing with it. Looking up at the tree in front of her and instantly getting lost in her thoughts, the young girl wonders how on Earth she is going to keep her promise. She unconsciously relaxes her stance, and sighs as her body gently hits the wall behind her. Her hands clasp together and she starts playing with her fingers, her mind racing ahead of her - trying to come up with possibilities of people who would fit her mysterious friend's purpose.
A breath of wind whooshes past, tugging a lock of long, wavy hair along with it, yet leaving the impeccably arranged bangs on her forehead untouched. The same breeze whispers through the trees, rustling leaves and making the flora sway as it passes. Chae Ni purses her lips and keeps her gaze on the moving leaves, letting the gentle gust cool and calm her down. People are needed, and she has to find them. It won't help anyone if she admits that she has no idea who to look for, or even where to start looking. She made a promise, and now she has to keep it.
Chae Ni lets out another breath of air and pushes herself off from the wall, using her momentum to break into a brisk walk. The grey skies and the increasing frequency of the gusts of wind could only mean one thing - that bad weather is just around the corner. She had full plans to get well away from the storm and seek shelter long before the first drops of moisture land on the pavement. Flickers of thought continue to play out in her head - names, faces, abilities, probabilities and considerations half forming before they are discarded. At the same time, she keeps up her swift pace, half in her own world, filled with her own thoughts.
She needs someone who needs her, someone who can use the money her friend can give as a reward. Yet, it also has to be someone who can act well, and think on her feet - more likely a person to pull off this kind of crazy plan than any other. Someone who isn't afraid to mingle, and who can make others feel insantly comfortable, but also someone who doesn't instantly develop strong ties with people. To whom relationships are mostly casual. But still, most important is that the person has to be willing to go along with the crazy plan, no questions asked.
Although the chances of finding such people are extremely narrow, to someone as well-connected as Chae Ni, the answers are so obvious that she felt like slapping herself for not figuring it out earlier. Instead, she settles for a simple eye-roll at herself, while she quickens her pace towards an interesting little place as the sky turns darker. The wind picks up, and a particularly strong gust whips her scarf up into the air. Shivering, she hastens her steps into the little pub, the first drops of rain already hitting the pavement. She's not an instant too soon.
Within minutes, it's pouring.
Chae Ni allows herself an instant to stretch her muscles and shake the cold from outside off as the warmth of the place washes off on her. It's a relatively high-end pub, but modest in its design. The dark walls and smooth jazz playing through invisible speakers serve to create a cool, perhaps even mysterious effect - all the while allowing privacy for the customers. And maybe to lull them into even more of a state of comfort so that they cough up more, she thinks with a smirk. The artistic lighting, cast strategically at certain areas in the pub, added to the high-class tinge in the aura of the pub. The atmosphere was light, calming, yet had that underlying tone of intrigue. Anything can happen here.
Chae Ni allows herself an instant to stretch her muscles and shake the cold from outside off as the warmth of the place washes off on her. It's a relatively high-end pub, but modest in its design. The dark walls and smooth jazz playing through invisible speakers serve to create a cool, perhaps even mysterious effect - all the while allowing privacy for the customers. And maybe to lull them into even more of a state of comfort so that they cough up more, she thinks with a smirk. The artistic lighting, cast strategically at certain areas in the pub, added to the high-class tinge in the aura of the pub. The atmosphere was light, calming, yet had that underlying tone of intrigue. Anything can happen here.
Right now, though, so soon after opening, the pub was hardly crowded - the peak hours after dinner and before midnight hasn't yet approached. Chae Ni lounges in her isolated chair in a dim corner of the room and surveys her surroundings, a smile tweaking her lips as she appreciates what she sees. A flurry of movement catches her eye, and her attention is diverted to a curtain near the end of the bar counter, from which a young woman emerges. Chae Ni assumes that there is another room beyond the curtain, probably reserved for special customers. A flash of curiosity worms into her head - who could they be? - before she is once again distracted by the young woman's approach.
"Aren't you a little young to be here?" she asks, her honeyed tones masking the flash of annoyance in her eyes at the sight of the underage customer - but it's there all the same, and Chae Ni notices it.
The lady stands rigid in front of her, her back straight as a ramrod. Her eyes cut into the younger girl's own as she narrows them at her. The slightly yellow tinge to her skin is obvious even in the pale light, which denotes her Chinese heritage, although her features show that she is also of Korean decent. Her short caramel hair is stick straight, and its tips just brush her shoulder. Her body is long, and her thin, straight frame adds to the aura of strictness around her. Despite herself, Chae Ni is ever so slightly intimidated by the pokerfaced woman in front of her. She's fit to be a lawyer, she thought. Then she noticed a particularly rebellious streak of crimson in her hair - one lock of caramel had been dyed to match her name, Crimson.
"I'm older than I look," Chae Ni muttered, rolling her eyes once again and acting nonchalant. "I'd like a can of soft drink, if you don't mind."
One raised eyebrow was enough to convey Crimson's skepticism to her. Other than that one perfectly arched eyebrow, the rest of her face remained unchanged. A true pokerface. "You realise you just contradicted yourself, right?"
Scowling, Chae Ni glares defiantly back at her. "What, is it illegal to want to get out of the rain?"
"It's illegal for an underage girl to be in a pub like this," Crimson replies in a soft voice.
Taking the hint, Chae Ni also lowers hers, although none of her defiance has dimmed. "It's before peak hours, nobody is here, I'm not asking for alcohol, and the rain will soak me to my skin if I'm outside as of now," she lists, matching Crimson stare for stare.
A man marches through the door leading to the kitchens and appears behind the troublesome waitress. His eyes alight on Chae Ni's young face, and a ghost of a grin appears. "Having rather young customers here, aren't we?" he mocks, directing a glance at Crimson, whose face doesn't bely any trace of emotion. A nametag tells Chae Ni that he's the manager, and probably Crimson's boss.
Chae Ni never meant any trouble. She casts an apologetic glance at the young woman, before directing her gaze out of the room at back, signaling to her that she was willing to leave if necessary. A slight shake of the older's head stops her from making a dash for the door.
"I'm sorry, sir. She's just my cousin, and she's here because her parents are busy, and it's raining cats and dogs outside. I'd never in my right mind give her alcohol, but would it be okay if she hangs around here while the rain continues? I swear I'll kick her out before peak hours," Crimson says, smiling at her boss.
He glances from Chae Ni to his employee, obviously trying to make a decision. "Fine, but just this once. She's out before peak or after the rain stops - whichever comes first. And you stay here with her," with that, he turns and stalks around the pub, ensuring his other employees are working smoothly before reentering the kitchens.
Crimson lets out a stream of words in a different language before she abruptly turns away and marches towards the bar counter, beckoning the bartender over to pass her a can of Coke. Then, she returns and drops herself into the chair across from Chae Ni. The latter is shocked to see that she is capable of doing so as elegantly as she had always held herself. Crimson levels the young girl with a glare and pushes the can firmly towards her, muttering in her strange language as she does so.
Chae Ni doesn't have to ask before Crimson bursts out in Korean, "You do realise I have a job, right? And that my one good deed has cost me about an hour's wages? Don't expect me to become a good Samaritan because of you - you'd better have the money to pay for that drink, by the way. As if I don't have enough problems with that crazy friend of mine and her party on the very day important customers are coming and I can't get out of work, when I promised -" she seems to realise, finally, that she's not alone, and she zips up again.
An idea starts forming in Chae Ni's head. "So, you're in a dilemma?"
Crimson studies the girl's face before deciding that there's no harm in telling her more about her situation. After barging in and making life difficult for her, it's the least she can do by listening to her rant for a little while.
"I can pay for this measly can of Coke, by the way," she adds, clearly affronted.
"That's the least of my problems right now," Crimson replies tetchily, a hint of a smile on her face. "You see, I promised this overly annoying, worth-more-trouble-than-she's-worth friend of mine," she speaks of the girl with affection despite her harsh words, "that I'd go with her to this party on the weekend to which she wouldn't otherwise be allowed to go to. And whoop-de-doo, it's on the very day that there's this huge customer coming in here. I tried negotiating to get out of it with my boss, but I have a reputation as the most professional bartender around - one that I'm proud of but which I find isn't very convenient at times like this - and that means I have no way of getting out of this commitment. And now I'm stuck. But, life's a bish sometimes, and you just have to deal, right?"
A sardonic smile replaces the previous one. Chae Ni pouts sympathetically, her mind still reeling with possibilities. So far, her new improvised strategy can work, but only if she plays it well. And after that, she'll still have to explain the sudden change in plans to her own crazy friend. But, that is a problem she can deal with in the future. Currently, Chae Ni mentions, "I bet you'll do anything to get out of that."
"Oh, I will, if only there was a way."
"What if there... what if there is a way?"
Crimson's eyes widen, just slightly. "What do you mean?" she says sharply, her eyes scanning Chae Ni's face for signs of mockery.
"You see, I have this friend..."
"I'm listening."
The younger girl continues, playing with her fingers to keep up the act of nonchalance. "She's around your height, and she can look like you if she wears a wig. She needs money quite desperately, you see. And she's free on nights. Also, she's about your height, and size, so you can pass for each other to a certain extent. What do you think?"
Crimson seems to be studying the plan. Her eyes lose focus slightly as she analyses the cost-benefits of doing such a thing. Eventually she looks back up at Chae Ni, who's finished her soft drink by this time.
"It's stopped raining," she remarks.
Chae Ni twists in her chair to glance outside. "And so it has. I guess I should go then. Nice to meet you, Crimson," she says, holding out her hand with a smile, and standing up.
Crimson follows suit. "Thank you. And is it possible for me to meet this friend of yours?"
The dimple reappears on Chae Ni's face as a real smile shows up. "Sure, meet me tomorrow night at the park down the street. I'll introduce you to her, and you both can talk it out."
"Deal." Crimson takes her hand and gives it a firm shake.
"I'm Chae Ni, by the way."
"Pleasure to meet you." With that, Crimson turns on her heels and walks back through the curtain she had first come out from.
The girl opposite her just flicks her hair out of her face and puckers her lips in response to the question Chae Ni posed to her and her friend. Her intelligent eyes are dulled with the vague sense of disappointment. Her streaky hair brings out the colour in her eyes - it's not completely black as one might have thought on first sight. She's slouching, her hands in the pockets of her jeans with just the long black nail of one thumb visible over the edge. Her mullet hair falls neatly into the hood of her white hoodie, which is slung back. "I'm sorry, Ni ah, I'm busy."
The girl opposite her just flicks her hair out of her face and puckers her lips in response to the question Chae Ni posed to her and her friend. Her intelligent eyes are dulled with the vague sense of disappointment. Her streaky hair brings out the colour in her eyes - it's not completely black as one might have thought on first sight. She's slouching, her hands in the pockets of her jeans with just the long black nail of one thumb visible over the edge. Her mullet hair falls neatly into the hood of her white hoodie, which is slung back. "I'm sorry, Ni ah, I'm busy."
"Don't call me that! It sounds so weird!" Chae Ni whines, before catching herself and forcing herself to remain silent. "And, well, it's okay if you're busy. It was just a favor, is all," nevertheless, she looks slightly disheartened.
Elexis shoots her a glare. "Don't give me that pouty look - it has never, and will never, work on me."
The girl rolls her eyes, and Elexis nearly bursts out in rebuke again, but the remaining girl interrupts. "I can make it, but -"
"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou," Chae Ni interrupted, trying out some cute poses to gain sympathy from the two older girls. Elexis responds by playfully smacking the younger girl on the wrist. She, in turn, pouts and turns to the other girl with a pleading look.
However, Hanyeon immediately conjures up a puppy-dog look of her own, which is far more effective than Chae Ni's on account of her large almond shaped and colured eyes. The mascara ringing them did nothing to enhance her short, almost boyish lashes. Yet, the perfect blend of make-up had made her look even older, more sultry than she normally looked. Her loose clothes hang well on her willowy frame, so similar to that of Crimson's. Comparing the two, Chae Ni can see that Hanyeon would make a better doppelgänger, not just because she was of both Korean and Japanese descent, and hence closer to Crimson's own features, but also because their figures were much the same. With a wig to cover the straight long raven hair that dropped to her waist, and Crimson's uniform, Chae Ni realizes that there would be very little difference between the two. In other words, Hanyeon is perfect.
"But what do I have to do?" she asks, a smile on her face at seeing the younger girl so excited. She exchanges glances with her pal Elexis, who shrugs and grins back. Both are curious to know what had the girl jumping up and down so maniacally.
"You like bars, don't you?"
Elexis laughs. "What kind of question is that?"
Hanyeon waits for the answer.
"Well... let's just put it this way. If you like bartending, and you're up for getting a sum of money in return for a fun-filled few hours, I'd appreciate it if you did me a favor," was Chae Ni's mysterious reply.
"You just want me to tend a bar? I'll be paid?" Hanyeon asks, incredulous. Elexis hides a smile - normally Chae Ni's requests are far more outlandish than that.
But Chae Ni nods. "Just that, though Isabella said that it was bound to be adventurous."
"Isabella?" Elexis and Hanyeon chorus simultaneously.
Shrugging, the younger clarifies, "Yeah, it's her idea. And you know how fun-loving she is. She'll explain her plan to you tomorrow!"
Hanyeon is about to say something when Elexis cuts in, this time with, "Isabella's ideas of fun are a little different from ours, you know. So I'm not going to go along with any of this. And since that's the case, and also since I'm so late to my dinner, I'd better leave and get home before my mom really considers murdering me."
"Bye then!" Hanyeon and Chae Ni wave, before returning to their conversation after Elexis has turned the corner.
"She's sometimes a stuck up old hag," Hanyeon teases. "But it's true - Isabella's ideas of fun aren't normally 'fun' so much as 'daring'."
Chae Ni twiddles her fingers again, itching to get back home and eat - it's late enough already. "Come on, Hanyeon-unnie. If you don't want to do it -"
"Who said I don't want to do it?"
"But, I thought..." Chae Ni sputters.
Hanyeon giggled. "Don't worry. Just because it's daring doesn't mean I'm not in the mood for a bit of dangerous acts every now and then. A girl needs a little excitement in life."
A/n: INTRODUCING:
cainistella - Oh Chae Ni
imsosofia - Crimson, otherwise known as Sofia Amaranth
ilove4min - Elexis Vang
pandaxpikachu - An Hanyeon
4 new characters out of what, 32 applications? *groans* And it's still open, by the way. *think I've gone mad* But yes, these characters are going to be here in the next chapter, (and maybe the one after that), and I'll just keep adding characters in and taking them out as I go along. I have to be fair to everyone, but the main characters obviously get more parts in the story. But please, even if your character disappears for a chapter or two, doesn't mean they're gone forever. And characters aren't introduced in any particular order, just what I think will fit the story.
Thank you so so so so so much for all your lovely comments! Only a teaser and a chapter, and I have 32 applicants and nearly 40 subscribers. You guys are love and I love you. I hope you like this chapter and please comment and subscribe~ <3
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