Chapter Text
“1 negroni” he says as he sits on the bar stool, unfocused and rummaging his bag for his newly bought camels and a lighter.
“Here you go, nice taste” the bartender says as he gives him his drink, the other smiles as a non-verbal ‘thank you’ and takes a sip.
“This is good, I’ve tried a lot of negronis but this might be my favorite” he says in awe, looking around the bar, it’s his first time here.
The bar has a nice dim ambience with music playing, it’s his type of place, he pays attention to the people around him, it’s a weekday so it’s not busy. Actually, it’s just him and the bartender, with nothing else to look at he then pays attention to the bartender, hair slicked back, glasses, black shirt with the bar’s logo on the right chest, dress pants, the typical small bar bartender fit, but he makes it look good.. too good.
“Well it’s not a hard drink to make, equal parts of everything and a nice vermouth is the key” the bartender chuckles and throws him a wink, the bartender goes back to doing whatever he’s doing and the other can’t help but stare.
“Hey finish your drink” the bartender points to him and the neglected negroni. “Ah.. sorry..” he takes another sip, still amazed by how good it tastes.
He’s sitting in silence savoring the taste when his favorite song plays.
Strangers in the night by Frank Sinatra
He hums to the song and the bartender notices, “Frank Sinatra fan?”
“Of course, you too?” He asks back, “Of course, I’m in charge of the music here when the band isn’t playing but you’re new here so you wouldn’t know” he slips a little chuckle and continues “Where’d you find out about this bar dear stranger?”
The bartender has his brow raised, attractive, he notes.
“A good friend, Taesan by the way” he introduces himself as he puts out a hand in hopes of starting a connection, “Riwoo” the bartender introduces himself back and shakes his hand.
“So you’re the bartender here, Riwoo?”
“That’s a silly question, why would I be making your drink if I weren’t?” Riwoo laughs, “Ah right..” Taesan scratches his head and takes another sip.
“So, what’s your problem?” Riwoo breaks the silence, “Problem?” Taesan asks, confused.
“It’s 10 PM on a Thursday, you don’t look like a frustrated corporate dude that needs to drink to get through his days, and you don’t look like someone who drinks for fun, so why are you drinking?”
Riwoo is right, Taesan is out of place in this dim lit jazz playing bar, he’s wearing a band shirt and ripped jeans. He doesn’t even know why he’s here in this bar, he doesn’t have a problem, he doesn’t have any particular reason as to why he’s drinking on a weekday, or does he?
“A friend told me about a small comfy bar and labeled it as a must try, so I thought I should check it out” a simple reply from Taesan, “So?” Riwoo asks again, “So what?” Taesan asks back.
“So what do you think about the bar?”
“It’s nice, I like the ambience, I used to party and go to clubs but I’ve found comfort in just sitting back with a little drink and music playing” Taesan explains, Riwoo nods as he makes a drink.
Taesan, not wanting to disturb Riwoo, takes a couple sips from his drink, almost finishing it. Taesan thinks after he finishes his negroni he should go home, but before he could empty his glass Riwoo gives him another one.
Taesan has a confused look on his face, why wouldn’t he be confused? He just received a drink he didn’t even order.
“I don’t think people like you just exist, drink some more and tell me about yourself”
“What do you mean people like me?” Taesan asks.
“I’ve been a bartender for 4 years and people like you don’t just drink, I have a feeling there’s something wrong, love?”
“You’re a bit nosy for a bartender” Taesan shakes his head and finishes his negroni.
“Listening to complaints is part of my job, so what’s wrong?” Riwoo pushes Taesan, it’s a weekday in a small bar located in a quiet area, he’s bound to get bored.
“Well there’s this guy I like, I don’t know where I am with him..” Taesan pauses to take a sip, “This is amazing, what is it?”
“It’s just a long island, are you new to drinking?” Riwoo lets out a small chuckle while running his fingers through his hair. Hot, Taesan thinks.
“I’m not, I just haven’t explored much, as I said I used to party so it’s usually just spirits and mixers” he feels like a clueless cat in front of the cute bartender.
“Tell me more about the boy you like”
“Oh yeah.. well I’ve been friends with him for a few years, it’s been all good until last year when we started getting closer, I know everything about him and he knows everything about me, I feel like the only thing he doesn’t know is that I’m hopelessly in love with him” Taesan sighs, he opens his pack of camels and lights one. “We’re best friends but we don’t just do what best friends do, at least I don’t think so, I take him everywhere and he sleeps at my place a lot, no dirty stuff, we just cuddle and rant about our lives”
“No dirty stuff?” Riwoo shoots him a look of disbelief.
“We kissed, twice, we were drinking both times” Riwoo looks at him weirdly, “Wait no it wasn’t non-consensual or anything! We were at a party and the song playing just fit, we joke about it sometimes but that’s it, he doesn’t want me the way I want him, It’s frustrating” Taesan explains, he takes a sip and a puff.
“If I confess it’ll ruin our friendship but if I don’t I might die” Taesan continues.
“Well a ruined friendship is better than death, you better not die or I’ll lose a customer!” Riwoo jokes.
“What makes you think I’ll come back here?” Taesan jokes back.
“Well you’ve been looking at me with heart eyes since you first came here and you opened up to me so I guess that you feel like you can trust me even though we just met, you also like the drinks I make, what makes you think you won’t come back?”
He’s right, Taesan has been eyeing Riwoo the whole night, it’s hard not to when he looks like that.