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"I'm so excited that we're doing this! I can't wait for you guys to see the inside too."
Jaehyun's grin was as bright as a lighthouse, stretched ear to ear like the Cheshire cat as Leehan watched him bounce in place. Woonhak had been pleading with them since last week that he wanted to go out properly once he was on winter break from school. They'd both agreed easily, especially since it had been Woonhak's birthday earlier in the week and they hadn't been able to properly celebrate it the day of. It had taken Leehan by surprise however when Jaehyun had suggested going to a club, telling them he'd already been to this one a few times and that it was really cool. Woonhak loved the idea immediately and had then used his puppy eyes on Leehan until he'd eventually agreed to it too.
Leehan glanced around at the exterior of the building, admiring the vintage masonry and the neon blue glow of the sign hanging above the front doors— Serenade. He would admit, as much as clubs weren't exactly his thing, he had a good feeling about tonight.
Jaehyun continued on like he was still trying to sell them on the club like they hadn't been waiting in line for 20 minutes already, "My friend bartends here, that's why I know about the place. He and I were in the same program in university so we got close pretty quick. I'll warn you that he's got bit of a sharp tongue but he's cool, I promise! He's only a couple of months older than you Leehanie, I think you'll like him a lot."
Woonhak grinned at Jaehyun with a sly look in his eyes, "I thought you came because of those two hot guys you said work here. You've never mentioned any friend before now, hyung."
Leehan smirked as he watched Jaehyun's eyes widen. It was true, ever since Jaehyun had told them about the club he'd started nonchalantly mentioning these two guys that worked there— Sungho and Riwoo. He constantly talked about how pretty and sweet and handsome they both were with this lovesick look on his face which had just opened him up to relentless teasing from both Woonhak and Leehan over the last few days. Banter aside, Leehan genuinely hoped that things worked out for his hyung. Jaehyun was a kind and wonderful person and Leehan privately thought it was fitting that he'd found not just one but two people he desired to give his boundless love and affection to. But still, it was fun to watch him get all flustered about them in the meantime.
The older frantically tried to cover Woonhak's mouth as he looked around desperately, like his crushes would materialize out of thin air all of a sudden, "Yah! You can't just say stuff like that out loud, Woonagi! What if someone hears you?!"
The youngest pouted and tried to shove Jaehyun's hands away from his face, "I was so vague, it's not even funny! How is anyone else supposed to know who we're talking about?!"
Leehan giggled at his friends' banter but the sound was cut off by a sharp blast of cold wind sending shivers up his spine. He cursed his past self for listening to Woonhak before they left and forgoing a jacket, like he didn't know it was only 4 degrees out tonight. The bouncer waved them through just then, bumping fists with Jaehyun with a familiarity that pretty much confirmed Leehan's suspicion that the older had been here more than just "a few" times.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the warmth inside the club immediately chased off the bitter December chill. Seeming unbothered by the drastic change in temperature Jaehyun led them up to the bar, eyes scanning it for a moment before lighting up as he pointed to the other end, "That's the friend I was telling you guys about!"
Leehan couldn't see the face of Jaehyun's friend because of the way he was leaned forward to speak to someone across the bar but the guy Jaehyun singled out was tall, probably a few inches taller than himself. He did get an eyeful of smooth skin and hard muscle thanks to how low the shirt the guy was wearing cut down at the sides, not an unwelcome sight.
Jaehyun's loud voice cut through the noise with ease as he called out to him, "Taesan-ah!"
Leehan felt his breath rush out of him when the man stood to his full height and turned to look in their direction with a raised eyebrow. Everything about him from his angular jaw and sharp cheekbones to his artfully tousled hair was undeniably hot. So much so that Leehan had to fight surprisingly hard to keep a blush from spreading across his face, clearing his throat and standing just a bit straighter as the guy— Taesan— made his way over to them. He had the most intense set of dark eyes Leehan had ever seen in his life. As if that wasn't enough, he had multiple piercings in his ears that reflected the colorful lights in the club and only amplified his good looks.
Taesan came to a stop in front of them, his biceps flexing as he rested his hands against the bar to lean closer to them and Leehan's fingers clenched against the unexpected wave of want that rolled through him so strongly it nearly knocked him off his feet. Taesan raised his voice to be heard over the music, a smirk on his lips as he looked at Jaehyun, "So you finally decided to stop coming in alone huh? I'm pretty sure Sungho-hyung and Riwoo-hyung were starting to think you had no friends other than me. At least now you might have a better cover for staring at them like a hopeless pining loser."
Jaehyun whined over the teasing while Woonhak burst out laughing, the sounds almost completely absorbed by the throbbing bass that kicked in as the song changed. But Leehan's attention was caught on the way Taesan's hooded gaze drifted over to him and slowly checked him up and down, lingering on the edge of the cropped jersey he was wearing for a few seconds longer than a cursory glance should've warranted before he fixed his stare so that he was looking directly into Leehan's eyes. Leehan bit back a grin at the unsubtle appraisal. The world suddenly felt steadier under his feet again now that he realized he wasn't alone in his immediate attraction if the heat in Taesan's eyes was anything to go by.
A large ring-laden hand stuck itself over the counter at Leehan, "Han Taesan."
Somehow Leehan was able to hear the slightly raspy timbre of Taesan's voice perfectly over the loud music, the sound of it pleasant and addictive. There was also something distinctly soothing about it that sent warm flutters through his stomach. He tried not to think too hard about how very into that voice he already was as he slipped his hand into Taesan's with an easy smile, "Kim Leehan."
Leehan felt like he was in a trance, every nerve ending hypersensitive to the way the cool skin of Taesan's palm felt against his own. He could feel the strength in Taesan's grip— obviously his muscles weren't just for show— and bit his lower lip as his rapidly short-circuiting brain began to automatically fill in all the places he'd like those strong hands to touch him. Leehan wasn't exactly a stranger to things like attraction but he knew without a doubt that he'd never experienced this kind of instant chemistry with anyone before. There was just something about the way that Taesan held himself that pulled at him, the quiet confidence that practically radiated off him more attractive than it had any right to be.
A cough from his left jarred Leehan out of his wandering thoughts and he quickly pulled his hand out of Taesan's, immediately missing the feeling of those long fingers curled around his own. This time he was helpless to fight against the blush that sprung up when he caught sight of Woonhak waggling his eyebrows at him suggestively.
Jaehyun let out a laugh as he glanced between Taesan and Leehan with a teasing look in his eyes, "Well I guess I don't have to introduce you two now." He hooked arm over Woonhak's neck and dragged him closer with a big grin, "This is Woonhak, my and Leehanie's beloved dongsaeng. Our Woonagi just turned 21 the other day!"
Taesan's smirk softened into a genuine smile at that, "Happy birthday, Woonhak-ah. This is your first time here right?"
Woonhak's eyes shone in the dim lighting, expression eager and bright, "Thanks! Yeah, I've never been here before but last semester killed me so I begged the hyungs for a night out now that I'm on winter break. Jaehyun-hyung suggested this place because he's been here a few times before."
Taesan snickered and Leehan noticed Jaehyun cringe out of the corner of his eye, liking he was bracing for something, "He said he's only been here 'a few times'? Hyung's been a regular since I started working here last year!" He leaned in closer across the bar, "He's got it bad for Sungho-hyung and Riwoo-hyung, my coworkers. I swear the first time he came to visit me at work, Jaehyun-hyung literally tripped over nothing when he saw them!"
Woonhak burst into loud laughter again while Jaehyun looked like he wanted to melt into the floor, ears bright red in embarrassment. Leehan tried to hide his own amusement as he reached out to pat the older's shoulder comfortingly. His gaze locked with Taesan's again and he couldn't help but smile at the mischief he saw in those dark eyes. The good-natured teasing went on for a little longer but eventually Jaehyun managed to get the attention off of him, redirecting it towards the youngest.
"Alright Woonagi! What do you want to drink?"
"Ah I don't… What should I get hyung?" Woonhak looked unsure all of a sudden and Leehan gave him a reassuring smile when those wide eyes turned to look at him for help. Woonhak barely ever drank and if he did it was usually just whatever Jaehyun had in the fridge when they would hang out at his place, which tended to be a bottle of soju split between the three of them. Leehan's gaze skimmed along the back of the bar, inspecting the various bottles on display.
He wasn't much of a drinker either but he knew Woonhak's tastes well enough so he turned to Taesan for advice, "He likes sweet things and mint. Is there something you can make with those in mind?"
Taesan nodded, hands already reaching for things behind the counter, "A mojito. It's got lime and mint in it along with some sugar and soda water so it won't be overly sweet. I'll make it with a bit less rum just to see if you like the taste of it first. Gin and tonic like usual, hyung?"
Jaehyun nodded absently at Taesan's question, too busy scanning the dancefloor for something— or someone— to really pay attention. After a couple minutes Taesan handed two glasses over the bar, pushing the light green drink towards Woonhak and the clear one to Jaehyun. Once the pair grabbed their drinks Jaehyun practically dragged Woonhak away from the bar, eyes intent even as a nervous smile played at the corners of his lips. He'd obviously found who he was looking for amongst the crowd. Leehan watched them go, not at all minding being left behind since both of his friends knew this wasn't his scene anyways. He almost forgot he still had company until warm lips brushed up against his ear.
"What can I get you, gorgeous? Besides my number, I mean."
Leehan tilted his head back a bit, smiling coyly when he met Taesan's eyes again. Taesan's gaze was playful but there was a spark there that Leehan found himself helplessly drawn to like a moth to a flame. He let out a breathy laugh when he saw Taesan's eyes flick down to his exposed waist again when he stretched so that he could brush his own mouth over Taesan's ear, shivering slightly at the cool touch of metal against his lips.
"Surprise me."
They stared at each other for a long moment, the air around them charged with electricity that made Leehan's skin tingle. He wasn't usually one to openly flirt with someone, especially not with a relative stranger. Taesan's bold, mischievous attitude and genuine warmth was intriguing though and Leehan had always been helpless in the face of things he found interesting.
Leehan watched as Taesan made the drink with a single-minded focus that was incredibly attractive amidst the chaos that was the club. Briefly he wondered if Taesan should really be lingering with him for so long since there had to be countless people wanting drinks but he couldn't bring himself to care. He had yet to touch a single drop of alcohol but he already felt drunk on Taesan's presence alone. It could have been a minute or an eternity of him watching Taesan's sure movements as he deftly prepared the cocktail, Leehan wasn't sure, but eventually a rather innocuously orange-colored drink was placed in front of him.
"It's called a 'Between the Sheets'." Leehan raised an eyebrow at the suggestive name but Taesan continued like it was nothing, "It's got brandy and rum with a bit of orange liquer and lemon juice. Sweet but a bit out of the ordinary, kind of like you."
There was a look of anticipation on Taesan's face as Leehan took a sip of the cocktail and he hummed in pleasure at the sweet citrusy taste. He grinned at Taesan over the wide rim of the glass, "Do you flirt like this with all of your customers?"
Taesan smirked but Leehan caught a hint of warmth in the expression that made his heart skip a beat, "Only the interesting ones."
They chatted for a while longer, leaning ever-closer into each other's space to be heard over the roar of the club. Taesan was called away a few times by either a customer wanting a drink or to make up orders for the servers working tables. In between those interruptions they talked about nothing and everything from Taesan's record collection and love of Rock music to Leehan's fish and his most recent trip back home to Busan. The longer they talked the more Leehan found himself attracted to Taesan, not just for his looks but his personality too. He had such a cool, chic exterior but every now and then Leehan would catch glimpses of something softer and sweeter underneath it that had him eager to peel back all of Taesan's layers to see what else he could find.
During one of Taesan's trips away Leehan gathered all of his courage. He quickly snatched a napkin from the container on the bar top and unclipped one of his keychains from his belt loop, uncapping the attached pen with eager fingers. Woonhak had teased him for buying it just because it was fish-themed but now it proved to be a worthwhile purchase as he quickly scribbled out a message onto the napkin. He placed it just next to his glass, taking care not to let it touch the condensation that had formed on the bar so that there was no risk of the ink running.
Leehan took another sip of his drink— his second one now, he'd developed a fondness for the taste quite quickly— and he smiled at Taesan when the older slid back into place across from him.
"I should go find Jaehyun and Woonhak. There's likely going to be trouble if I leave them alone for too long." He smiled at Taesan and found the nerve to give him a flirty wink as he picked up his glass.
Taesan's eyes darkened and his tongue darted out to wet his lips as he leaned forward like he wanted to follow Leehan but was holding himself back. He looked too tempting like that, backlit by the lights along the bar with a devastatingly charming smirk. Leehan had half a mind to reach out with his free hand and thread his fingers through Taesan's dark hair to reel him in for a kiss, desperately wanting to know what that grin tasted like, but held onto his resolve. He'd already played his hand, he wanted to see what Taesan's next move was going to be.
"I hope I'll see you again sometime soon, Taesanie."
~
Taesan watched Leehan melt into the crowd, eyes helpless but to linger on his disappearing figure. He wanted to keep talking to Leehan, to hear more of his soft, deep voice. He wanted to know everything about him. What music did Leehan listen to? What foods did he like? The things both big and small that made Leehan Leehan, Taesan wanted to know all of them.
There were heavier thoughts that came after, ones that had his heart racing for a different reason. What would that slender waist feel like under his hands? How far down did that pretty blush of his go? Were his lips really as soft as they looked? Taesan already resolved to message Jaehyun tomorrow and get Leehan's contact off of him, even if it meant he would have to deal with the older teasing him. He knew that Leehan would be worth it.
Still, even tomorrow seemed too far away. Taesan barely restrained the urge to hop over the bar and take Leehan out onto the dancefloor himself— or maybe back to his apartment, if Leehan would allow him to. Sadly he was still working and he knew that Sungho would kill him if he bailed out mid-shift, no matter how good the reason was. As if Leehan wasn't the best reason there ever was with his weird but cute laugh, sweet smile and pretty eyes… Taesan saw Riwoo flag him down from the other end of the bar but just as he moved to make his way over, something caught his eye where Leehan's glass had been sitting just a moment ago.
It was one of their bar napkins but there was something written on it. He picked it up.
You never gave me your number so I figured I'd just leave mine… xxx-xxx-xxxx
I think it'd be nice to talk somewhere with a little less bass, don't you? I'm free all day tomorrow, if you want to meet up just let me know. I'll be waiting~
Leehan ♡
Taesan looked down at the slanted writing, grinning when he noticed the little drawing of a fish in the top corner. He shook his head, chuckling to himself as took out his wallet to carefully tuck the note away for safekeeping, "Where did he even get a pen to write this? So cute."