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“This is it”, Mark told himself. Mark is either going big or he’s going home but he might as well gamble himself and go big because ‘yolo’ right? He is seventeen (and he has more than just a dollar from the part time job he has from working in the café nearby his house over the weekend) and he is close enough to him being legal in a year or two. He will be walking into that club he had overheard Yuta, an older friend of his talked about with his group of friend last week when he had joined their table, and with the fake identity card whom he had Taeyong, a design major, made for him, what could possibly go wrong? (“You still look young regardless, you know? Even if you are a genius child who had entered college earlier than kids your age, you are still underage.” Taeyong warned him but shrugged when his roommate, Chittaphon, had only encouraged Mark by advising the younger make to try bottoms up for his first shot to live the life).
The seventeen year old male had dressed himself in mature-looking clothes, nothing too out of place but of course with the courtesy of Doyoung, his fellow ‘beloved’ friend, who had made comments about Mark’s fashion being too non-clubber-like clothing and had offered to be his stylist for the day. Honestly, all Mark Lee had wanted was just to sneak in to the club, grab a drink and maybe head to the dance floor and bust out some move and then sneak back out and head home to rejoice over something ‘illegal’ he has done that he could tick off his bucket list before he turns legal. But now he’s in this leather jacket that’s too large for him and that it probably belonged to Jung Jaehyun, Doyoung’s roommate, who had a general interest for all things leather.
“And that’s it”, Doyoung smiled at his hard work after applying eyeliner on Mark which the younger male had deemed unnecessary. “But really, it’s a bit dangerous but well, good luck. Just don’t call me when you need someone to bail you out”, Doyoung shrugged before he gave Mark a pat in the back before sending him away to that club.
“You’re an asshole sometimes”, Mark pretended to be upset and had even formed a pout to which he had earned himself a grimace from Doyoung.
“I get that a lot but your little sorry ass don’t have rights to call me that when you can thank me for saving your ass later when they let you in for looking ‘mature’, kiddo. If anything, call Taeyong or Taeil if that poor male isn’t dying over his thesis, or whoever is rich enough to bail you out. My sad broke ass self can’t even treat myself to a nice grand meal when I am surviving on instant noodles and cheap but horrible sandwiches from the cafeteria. Honestly, sign me up for some good sugar daddy programme please.” Doyoung rolled his eyes before slumping himself on the couch which was also Jaehyun’s usual inhabitant.
“I can be your sugar daddy, Doyoung-ah” Jaehyun said half-heartedly with a laugh but had also half meant what the male had said.
“Well I totally didn’t need a fill in for your sexual life but have fun being each other sugars. I’m going to get diabetes if I stay here any longer.” Mark shook his head and left the two older male alone to head to the club.
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So maybe Mark had to thank Doyoung after all when the bouncer of the club had not even bothered checking his fake identity card and gave him a free pass after one glance of how the younger male had looked. Though Mark had thought that it was only possible since the club was located in the sketchiest part of the town and there weren’t that many people and he supposed it’s also because the bouncer was all too occupied ogling the crowd of pretty ladies behind him. Regardless, Mark made his way in the club, scanning while moving his way through the crowd that occupied the dance floor to get to the bar.
Once seated on one of the occupant seat, Mark gave another quick scan of the crowd to see if anyone had any suspicion on him before he looked at the given menu, quickly going through it before stopping at the alcohol section of the menu, unfamiliar names of drink in sight as Mark took a while to grasp what was what. The bartender didn’t seem to mind the wait, having other customers to attend to while Mark took his time to decide which alcoholic drink he was going to have (though it’s not like he knew which one had higher percentage of alcohol than the other and wished he had at least brought one of his drinker friend at least since asking the bartender would seem out of question).
“One screwdriver, please”, Mark tried to order without his voice shaking at the thoughts of being caught.
“Coming right up”, the bartender replied, his voice sounded rather manly yet soft as the working male starts making the drink.
Mark tried distracting himself by turning to look at the dance floor, hoping the music would at least ease him from the thoughts of being caught. He liked it, however, whatever he was feeling at the moment. There is something about the atmosphere that kept him thrilled, and perhaps the feeling of being caught yet not. Mark would have continue to ponder on the thoughts of feelings until the bartender had called him to say his drink is served.
The drink seemed oddly familiar in its amber-like colour and it was proven of its familiarity when Mark takes a sip of the served drink. “This taste like orange juice”, Mark called the bartender and told him with a semi-disappointed yet half angered look to his face.
The bartender turned to look at Mark after having to make a drink for another customer who had by then walked away with his partner. The male leaned down, close enough for Mark to hear him and for the blonde-haired bartender to get his message across.
“Kids shouldn’t be drinking alcohol”, Mark flustered from what the bartender had said and even more when the male had pulled himself back to his position behind the bar and flashed the seventeen year old a smile. There are a few things running in Mark’s head: i) he was caught but the bartender decide to humour him by serving him orange juice, ii) the bartender has a really cute smile and iii) he is going to drink this orange juice and his embarrassment away and leave. Mark decided that the third was a good option and had tried hard not to choke from his speed drinking.
“Hey, chill, kiddo. I’m not chasing you away and as long as no one else is bothered, you’re welcome to stay for the music”, the bartender humoured him with another flash of smile as Mark coughed.
“I’m not a kiddo. I have a name”, Mark tried to justify himself with a frown as he stop drinking his orange juice that is half drunk from its capacity.
“And what’s your name? Mine’s Hansol. It says here in my nametag that I am Hansol”, the blonde-haired male snickered as he showed his nametag to Mark, who had shot him a playful glare.
“I can read! Stop treating me like a child” Mark frowned as Hansol had only ruffled Mark’s once gelled hair. “And my name is Mark Lee. And I am a college teen.”
Hansol nodded. “College, huh? Me too. But only you know that. And I guess that’s fair since I know your secret. How old are you though? I doubt you’re even legal but you could be seventeen”, Hansol asked as he busy himself by wiping the vodka and wine glasses as he waited for Mark’s reply.
“As a matter of fact… I am. But I’m turning legal soon and this happened to be my bucket list before I do”, Mark shyly admitted which made the other male laugh.
“Well ain’t that cute. Enjoy the rest of the night then. Consider this act of me not kicking you out as an advanced birthday gift or something.” Hansol leaned down and whispered to Mark before the bartender goes off attending the newly arrived customers that came to order their drinks.
Mark wanted to call Hansol a jerk but he wasn’t for the fact that he didn’t kick him out of the club when the other male was supposed to. Perhaps, this would only urged Mark to come more until he does get kicked out (or if his lucky, until he turns legal where it’s already safe for him to come). He finished the rest of his orange juice as Hansol, who is free at the moment then, turned to Mark but Mark spoke first.
“I’ll be coming again! And until I turn legal… please serve me orange juice whenever I do come, okay?” Mark sort of demanded than requested and before he could even wait for Hansol’s reply, he took his coat (or Jaehyun’s coat) and left after leaving a couple of cash on the time.
Hansol looked as the younger male disappeared off to the exit and then at the table to see the lack of change for the drink and a scribbled note.
“The name’s Mark and I’m not a kid. Remember that.” Hansol read the note before he cleaned the area Mark had sat in, noting that there is a lack of cash for the orange juice. “What a cute kid. I’ll be sure to remember Mark owes me $2 the next time he comes back for more orange juice”.