— jade noraebang.

@✽ renjun h.ˡⁱᵏᵉ ᵃ ᵐᵒⁿᵗʰ⁻ⁱˢʰ relaxing comfortably in her seat, doyeon hummed softly to herself. eyes squinting slightly at the way his lips quirked up into a shy smile and the way his cheeks bloomed into a pretty hue of pink, doyeon let out a satisfied low squeak. subtly trying to cover as she did not want him to glance at her and see how weird she was for smiling out of nowhere; doyeon hid a grin behind a fake cough— hoping it sounded real enough for him not to notice. she was really happy to see him in his element; hopefully, he'd start to smile even more now.

resting her hands back on her lap, doyeon couldn't help but wonder what time it was. surely their little bonding session hadn't taken such a long time to go over, right? she knew it was at least around the evening or so when she clocked out to have her regular break, but perhaps it didn't take that long for them to reach this point? slightly shaking her head, doyeon raised her head just as she eagerly waited to see his next words.

glancing over to him when she heard a 'thank you' escape his lips, doyeon gave the boy a thumbs-up before taking her phone when he offered it back. doyeon figured if they got to tidying up the room fast, she could invite him for dinner or something. it was the least she could do after the stressful day he had endured! quickly typing up a reply, doyeon handed her phone to him before rising up from her seat— walking over to a nearby mop and bucket, doyeon opened the staff door leading them to the main hallway of the place. gently smiling at him, doyeon raised a hand to urge him.

这是一个谎言！都是你，仁俊。你让这个地方看起来更加愉快和干净。所以，谢谢你们的服务！别担心——你需要帮助，所以我在帮你。好了，带路吧！(that's a lie! it's all you, renjun. you make this place look more pleasant and clean. so, thank you for your service! do not worry about it— you need the help, so i am helping you. okay, now, lead the way!

@✽ doyeon k. Chaeyoung’s phone was already in her hand while Doyeon was thinking up a response. She had her notes application open, ready to speed-type anything her future employee would say, and she immediately mirrored the taller girl’s smile, knowing that she was about to speak.

She listened intently, her thumbs making gentle tapping noises on the digital keyboard of her phone as she took everything Doyeon said down word for word. She was planning to respond anyway right after she finished her typing. After her eyes glanced at her ‘Doyeon Stuff’ note in full, she finally answered with her lopsided smile. “Dang, you’re a year older than me? Doyeon-unnie it is… bread is always a good answer, I coordinate with local bakeries for food, so you’ll have lots of that. Um um, a Sag? Interesting, well I’m a Taurus. No idea how astrology works, I think we’ll just get along if we do and…” she scrolled down the notes app, glancing to read. “Junbug, cute. The name, not your dad.” she commented, clarifying her statement and then laughing. She leaned back on the couch, her hands relaxed on her thighs. “Fast, handy, and a good communicator, perfect— oh. You can’t handle the alcohol smell, hm?” Chaeyoung paused to think, this girl was good on paper aside from her weakness against the scent of alcohol so she wanted to think of a good remedy. “We’ll just have to get you a heavy duty mask when serving alcohol to people, no worries!” She reached into her pocket, the folded physical contract already in there, but she kept her hand inside, giving Doyeon one more question. “How great of a singer are you?” Though it wasn’t a requirement by the government, nearly all of Chaeyoung’s employees, past and present, had to sing with her at least once to loosen up.

@✽ doyeon k. Renjun rested his head against his hands, sighing out as he thought for a moment. How was he going to thank doyeon for all of this? Really, she had done such a selfless and kind act and he really wanted to repay her. She had been in here before he came in so he could only assume she was either on a break or on lunch. That meant she had been using her free time to talk and comfort the male. Renjun felt horrible at that regard, knowing how important a break is, especially when working such late hours like these. He’d spend his next free time thinking of a way to thank her.. maybe he could treat her to a meal or maybe he could just make her something- he was pretty good at cooking.

Shaking away his thoughts, he stared back at his coworker. He watched as she lifted her hands up, chuckling softly at the action. “Good.” He mumbled out, weakly pointing at her with a small nod. Now staring at her, renjun didn’t realize exactly what his coworker looked like. She seemed well awake, maybe a little tired, but she appeared fine. She had a small smile on her lips that felt comfortable and left renjun mirroring one back. She was also slightly taller, just a few inches, but it still left him lifting his gaze just the slightest bit. She had a vibe to her, one that seemed trustworthy and bright. Was his judgement off since she was literally comforting him right now? Maybe, but he didn’t care.

Taking the phone once again, a bashful smile tugged on his lips. He was never good with receiving compliments, always getting flustered over the smallest positive feedback. A shy laugh escaped past his lips, shaking his head a bit as he read the translation. She was really willing to help?? He glanced over at her, brows raised slightly and mouth parted in a small ‘o’ at the offer to help him clean. He mumbled a small ‘thank you’ before typing away. He wasn’t good at expressing himself at time, but he really was so thankful for the help. He hummed, content with his reply before handing the phone back.

당신은 여기서 최고의 직원이 아닌 것처럼 말합니다. 당신은 항상 이 장소를 매우 즐겁게 만드는 사람입니다. 그리고 당신은 정말로 가장 많은 고객을 데려옵니다. 나에게 한 마디 해줘? 아마도 .. 그래도 돈을주고 싶지 않아요 .. 받아 들일 수 없습니다. 도연아 고마워 진짜.. 너무 고마워. (you say that like youre not one of the best workers here. youre the one thats always making this place so enjoyable, amd you really bring in the most costumers. put in a word for me? maybe.. still, i dont want you to give me money.. i cant accept that. thank you doyeon, really.. I appreciate you so much.)

@✽ renjun h. to see him brighten up a slight bit after the little comfort, she provided to him made doyeon smile, her eyes drooping in sheer gentleness as she caught on to his subtlety— though choosing not to comment on it. doyeon rested her palms against each other, leaning far back against her chair as she gave the other space to write at his own pace. sure, the majority of her break time had been used up, but she was either way used to this and sudden events occurring during moments of peace. obviously, she could have acted as though whatever he was going through would pass, but that wasn't doyeon.

humming softly to herself, doyeon took her time to admire his physique. brows scrunching up, doyeon noticed the bags near his eyes. how his hair was the least bit neat, and his body language was the most tense. of course, she was glad to have lifted some pressure off of him; however, doyeon would have had to do something much more to ease renjun and his mind. nodding slowly to herself, doyeon was soon caught off guard when the other began being frantic at the thought of her giving him money.

chuckling softly to herself, she raised both hands up in defense— the last thing she wanted to do was stress the other out. giggling softly at his choice of words, doyeon eagerly waited for him to return her phone so she could read his thoughts over. merely seconds after, doyeon was handed her phone back. skimming over his words, doyeon's eyes strayed over to the 'beer' bit. silently shuddering to herself, doyeon closed her eyes for a few seconds. she couldn't allow her dislike for alcohol to get in the way of friendship! letting out a deep sigh, she soon typed away before giving it to him again.

我真心的。真羡慕你努力工作、勤奋工作！有一天，您将不得不在两个小时内教我如何唱卡拉 OK 台词。嗯，那也许我可以对女士说些什么。彩瑛？啊！好吧，如果你确定的话。如果您感到不舒服，请不要担心。如果我没有钱，我不会给它。哈哈。
哦……啤酒？肯定的事！我绝对可以帮助你。我们去吗？( i really mean it. you work so hard and diligently, i get so jealous! you will have to teach me one day how you manage to clean a row of karaoke rooms in under two hours. hm, then maybe i could put in a word for you to ms. chaeyoung? ah! well, if you are sure. you don't have to worry if it inconveniences me, i wouldn't be offering if i did not have any money haha. ah... beer? sure thing! i can definitely help you. shall we go? )

@✽ doyeon k. Watching doyeon quickly bow left Renjun startled slightly. He quickly shook his head, hands coming up to wave away as he stumbled out pleas of ‘no, stop!’, ‘it’s okay!’, and ‘please stop doyeon!’. He didn’t want her apologizing, even if he was offended and hurt at first. He doubted she really tried to hurt him, it was probably all an accident and he just let his sour mood take over himself. He wasn’t used to this, having people be apologetic for what they’ve done and he didn’t know how to respond to it. All he could do is freeze up slightly and quickly reassure her all is fine. He’d just hope something likes this won’t happen again- or at least not where others can see. The idea alone left him groaning.

His body tensed up at the sudden hand on his shoulder, eyes quickly glancing at doyeon before looking away, cheeks burning as he blinked away any other stray tears that threatened to fall. Renjun already knew his coworker had a bright personality, but he never realized how comforting she was. She was quick with actions and she seemed to worry and care for anyone. The hand on his shoulder already helped him relax, shoulders releasing tension and his head falling down just the slightest bit.

His eyes followed her hands, watching her type away before he took a glance at her. He quietly hummed, a faint smile ghosting over his lips as he took the phone. It was obvious she was being overly careful now, but it was cute and funny enough to just respond with a soft chuckle. His eyes glanced over the words, biting his lip in concentration. Had his work been obvious? He really didn’t think so but being told that did bring a small sense of pride to him. He quickly paused at the mentioning of money. He quickly shook his head, turning to doyeon before shaking his finger. “No! No money! Okay? Please no..” he couldn’t even think about it. He didn’t want to take or borrow money from anyone, not wanting the feeling of burdening to weigh on him. He shook his head again, pouting a bit as he read on. He could tell his classmate that, they were busy and renjun respected that. The only real offer renjun would take was cleaning the karaoke room. He smiled a bit before giving her a thumbs up. “But both, okay? Us two, okay..?” he hummed a bit as he typed, frown long gone as he handed the phone back towards his coworker.

그걸 의미 한 것이 였니? 아니면 그냥 기분이 나아지려고 하는 건가요? 아 절대 아니다! 나는 여기서 그렇게 오래 일하지 않았기 때문에 인상을 요청할 수 없습니다. 아니요! 절대적으로하지! 돈을 받을 수 없습니다. 정말 죄송합니다! 나는 매우 감사하지만 할 수 없습니다 .. 할 수 없습니다. 그들은 가족 문제를 다루고 있습니다. 게다가 나는 이미 그들에게 약속했습니다. 아, 도움이 좀 필요할 것 같아요! 그냥 토하는 게 아니라... 거의 긍정적인 맥주가 바닥에 스며들었습니다. (do you mean that? or are you just trying to make me feel better? oh absolutely not! i havent been working here for that long now, i cant ask for a raise. no! absolutely not! i cant accept any money, im so sorry! im very thankful, but i cant.. and i cant, they are dealing with family issues- plus i already promised them. ah, i could use some help! its not just puke though... im almost positive beer has been soaked into the floors.)

@✽ renjun h. covering with a hand, doyeon bowed with much fervency towards the other for her indecency. they weren't best friends to be showing their anger towards each other over the situation they were going through anyways! so why did she care so much? that one glare from the other left doyeon to sulk in her seat; her lips creasing into a pout at how badly she made herself look. even despite moments later, she was forgiven, she couldn't help but worry how her action must have been extremely weird to the other.

determining that another heartfelt apology would set them both on the right track, doyeon earnestly smiled to herself before looking at renjun one more. yet, this time, she was held frozen in place. was that, a tear she saw??? was she seriously that strong to have hurt him?? blinking with a fast pace at how things escalated so quickly, doyeon rest a hand on his shoulder— hoping it would bring him some comfort as he typed away, even despite the awkwardness.

eventually releasing her hold on him, doyeon took the phone from his hand— wholly expecting him to tell her not to meddle in his business. but instead, her eyes softened at the words written. words that were simple yet spoke many volumes. words that tugged on her heart— the feeling was all too familiar; because she was living that life. it may not have been the exact same thing, word for word, but she understood him. she knew there wasn't much she could do, but she had hoped the following words she spoke (wrote) were at least enough for him to lean on to. typing away on her phone, doyeon made sure to gently hand over her phone to him— definitely not wanting a repeat of the previous event.

好在你不必为不是你的错的事情道歉。
《Jade Noraebang》的用心可见一斑！作为这里的员工，您有很多事情要做。你认为你可以要求加薪吗？如果那行不通……你能给我一些钱吗？这足以支付几个月的房租，直到你找到一份真正好的工作。
告诉他们对你的同学生气！好吧，反正他们也不值得你的好意。
要我帮你清理呕吐物吗？我工作得很快，所以我可以快速完成并休息！你还好吗？(renjun, it's okay. you don't have to apologize for things that weren't your fault. your hard work in "Jade Noraebang" can be seen! as an employee here, you have done so much for this place. do you think you can ask for a raise? if that doesn't work...i can give you some money? just enough to pay rent for a few months until you find a really good job or apartment complex. oh yeah, tell your classmates to do their own work if they can't help you! hmph, they don't deserve your kindness anyways. and uh, want me to help you clean up the puke puddles? i work fast, so i can finish it in a jiffy, and you can rest! sound good?)

@✽ doyeon k. A pained ‘oh’ left the male’s mouth as the phone was shoved into his chest. He took a step back, feet slightly stumbling over each other as his free hand went to cover the now sore spot. He winced a bit as he shot his coworker an unamused glare, brows furrowing slightly before he grabbed onto the phone. His eyes read over the words, snorting slightly at the mentioning of seeming like a mother. Was she acting motherly at the moment? Maybe with all the worry and now talking about being there for him. It did remind him of his mother in a way, how she acted before leaving him and his father.

He waved away her apology, mumbling back a stuttered ‘it’s okay’ before rereading the words. It made him a bit emotional, someone actually caring about him and his emotions. He hadn’t had someone like that in his life for almost 10 years now, his mother gone and father practically gone as well. He had learned to keep his emotions inside, to just be passive and work around with whatever happens. ‘I’ll listen anyways’ is what sent him, a small tear falling before he rushed to wipe it away. The last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of his coworker, but doyeon was simply too nice. He couldn’t remember the last time he talked to someone about his day and here she was asking- not because she had to, but because she must have wanted to. It brought a small smile to his face, sniffling slightly as he typed back.

미안해, 네 말이 맞아.. 나는 적어도 사람들에게가 아니라 나 자신과 내 감정을 표현하는 데 익숙해졌을 뿐이야. 집세는 점점 비싸지고, 반 친구들은 계속 쪼개지고, 그리고! 5번 노래방이 난장판이 되었어요... 두 소파에 모두 토한 것 같아요. (im sorry, youre right.. im just nit used to expressing myself and my emotions, at least not to people.. just, nothing has been going correctly. rent is getting more expensive, classmates keep flaking, and! there is a huge mess in karaoke room five... i think they puked on both couches.)

He handed the phone to her, shoulders dropping as he remembered he still had a whole disaster of a room to clean. Maybe if he got lucky enough, that would be the last thing he’d have to do tonight and then he could be free of work worry. He let himself think, eyes focused on doyeon as his thoughts changed back to her. Had he interrupted her break? He felt bad, making a mental note to treat her to something eventually, maybe coffee or a dessert run (if she was into that- another mental note, get to know his kind and amazing coworker more).

@✽ renjun h. 好吧，对明显正在经历的人友善是一种犯罪吗？哦对不起！我不想听起来像你妈妈。我有点担心你的幸福。
你想谈谈发生的坏事吗？关起门来表达自己会感觉更自在。我们可能是陌生人或熟人，所以我不必考虑它是否会影响我的后果。反正我会听你的。(well, is it a crime to be nice to someone who is clearly going through it? oh sorry! i don't want to sound like your mother. i'm a little worried about your well-being. do you want to talk about something bad that happened? expressing yourself behind closed doors can feel more comfortable. we may be strangers or acquaintances, so i don't have to think about whether it affects me or not. i'll listen to you anyway.)

if she was being honest with herself, doyeon had enough of it. she was here to help a friend out and she just couldn't bear to see him shut himself out from the world. it was a coping mechanism she was all too familiar with, and no way in hell was she going to allow another repeat of that scenario. furiously typing on the translator, doyeon was chasing against time that she honestly did not care if her words made any sense or not as long as he got the general idea of it.

frustration started to build up inside her— who would dare to make the other feel this way? did their regular customers do something to him? or was it a 'woke up on the wrong side of the bed' situation here? regardless, she was determined to see through to the end with this. not realising her sudden strength, doyeon slammed her phone against renjun's chest with a hard smack. gasping at what she had done, doyeon could only hold her hands firmly together as she profusely apologised with the bow of her head.

@✽ doyeon k. having the phone handed back to him, his eyes once again scanned over the translated words. His brows furrowed over a few of the translated words, eyes glancing up at doyeon. She wanted to hit someone? A slightly shocked expression painted his face as he have his coworker a quick look over. She seemed strongish, but would she really punch someone? Or was she trying to threaten him? “You want..?” As quickly as he had asked the question, his brain had put together what she must have actually meant. She was probably saying she’d beat someone up for him. A small ‘Ah’ left his mouth at his own realization, eyes crinkling up slightly as he snorted.

He started to type away, biting at his bottom lip as he concentrated on what exactly he wanted to say in reply. Even with how sweet is and was being, renjun still didn’t want to bother her too much. She was his coworker, and while they got along well, he didn’t want this to be lasting memory, with him all emotional and looking like an idiot. He thought for a moment as he stared at the screen before typing yet again.

이제 당신은 나에게 친절하게 대하고 있습니다 .. 당신은 스트레스와 피부에 대해 이야기하는 어머니처럼 들리기 시작했습니다. 그 멍청한, 정말 .. 당신이 상상할 수있는 모든 나쁜 일이 일어났습니다. 여기 와서 혼자 있으면 자유로워질 줄 알았는데 솔직히.. 더 갇힌 기분이야 (now youre just being nice to me.. youre starting to sound like my mother talking about stress and skin. its stupid, really.. everything bad you could imagine happening somehoe managed to happen. i thought coming here and being on my own would be freeing, but honestly.. i feel so much more trapped)

@✽ chaeyoung l. surprised by the range of questions thrown at her, doyeon slowly blinked at the other— trying to process the whole procedure without trying to look like any more of a fool than she probably already did. clearing , doyeon gently brushed away bits of dust off her outfit. resting a finger against her chin, doyeon hummed softly before glancing at the other with a determined smile.

well, you already know my name, haha! i am currently 23 years old and please just call me doyeon— or anything you see fit, ma'am! hm, it sounds pretty basic, but my favourite food is bread. can't go wrong with a classic~ and, i think i'm a sagittarius? oh! and er, uh, uhmm... my dad's name is kim junhwa! but the old ladies in this town apparently love to call him "junbug" haha.
hm, regarding strengths, i'm quite quick on my feet. so, if you need me to do a bunch of chores or errands in a specific amount of time, you can definitely expect me to finish it within that reasonable timeframe. when i do my work, i do it with much enthusiasm, so you can expect the best quality from me! i am also a pretty good hands-on kind of person. so, if you need anything fixed, i could definitely get it repaired with my own tools and all. oh! communicating with others is also another strength of mine. but in terms of weaknesses... i'm a little particular when it comes to alcohol and the smell of it— and i understand that usually, in places like this, it's inevitable so, i think i could try to suppress any urge if it requires to me! other than that, i don't have much of a problem. sorry for uh rambling, hah... i hope i didn't miss any questions! is there anything else?

@✽ doyeon k. Chaeyoung snorted softly as she opened the door to room 101, amused at hearing Doyeon’s slight panic after she talked about napping at work. She had used her master room keycard that had access to all the rooms, shoving it in her pocket after the door was unlocked open. The medium-sized noraebang room was decently lit with the sunlight coming in from the door’s side, but she flicked on the lights anyway. Chaeyoung plopped on one of the sofas, the cushions making a little squeaking sound, and she tapped the space beside her for Doyeon, her manicured nails, tapping the upholstery.

“Okay, so so so!” she started, leaning back in her seat with her arms spread at the sides and one leg crossed over the other. “Let’s get this interview done!” Her phone was in right hand, her thumb skillfully opening her notes application which had all her usual interview questions for past employees and former prospects. “Before I ask anything specific, um, tell me about yourself, age so I know how to address you, favourite food, Zodiac sign, parents’ names, whatever you want! I prefer to get to know my employees somehow even if I’m the boss.” she spoke, having the first question easily in her head. “And next, tell me what your strengths and weaknesses are? In general but also as someone who’d probably be manning the cashier, waiting the rooms, cleaning, maybe going out during opening hours to get food from restaurants!” As big and well-made the noraebang was, Chaeyoung thought it was unnecessary that they have in-house orders, she did not want to bother hiring a cook for the job. There were tons of food-related businesses near her, a lot being her friends, so she’d always source her food from there.

@✽ renjun h. cringing slightly at her forwardness, doyeon didn't think to at least explain what she was doing— though, admittedly, what could she have said to the other that wouldn't have had her resort to flailing her arms around to make her point in wanting to help out her fellow coworker. hoping it didn't seem too out of the ordinary, doyeon subtly tilted her head to the side, trying to decipher the expression on his face before breathing out a sudden sigh of relief when he finally understood her motive.

happily handing over her phone to the other, doyeon nervously tapped her foot against the hardwood of the floor— mentally noting to herself to get something for renjun that would hopefully cheer him up. what did he like anyways? was he just as obsessed over food as she was? perhaps once she found the root of the problem, they could hang out later. lost in her train of thought, doyeon was back into reality once the other had finished typing up his answer. taking the phone from his grasp, doyeon did a once over before pouting slightly at the first couple of choice of words. though she couldn’t fault him. humming softly to herself, the girl speedily typed up her reply before shoving it to the other. she sure hoped that the translation gods were on both of their sides today.

无聊的？？仁俊，你永远不会让我厌烦！我认为情绪化是可以的。不要压抑自己的情绪。对你的皮肤不好！
如果你想谈谈今天发生的事情，我很乐意倾听。如果我想打人，我也可以。(boring? ? renjun, you never bore me! i think it's okay to be emotional. don't suppress your emotions. not good for your skin! if you want to talk about what happened today, i'd love to hear it. if i want to hit someone, i can too. )

// "if i want to hit someone, i can too" is actually supposed to be "if you want me to beat up someone, i can do that too" but google translate said nO. so work with that however way u want uvu

@✽ doyeon k. Hearing another voice startled the male, jumping slightly in his spot before turning around. A curse was caught between his throat as he saw his coworker standing right next to him. Had she been there the whole time? A wave of embarrassment washed over him, cheeks heating up at the embarrassing display she must have saw from him. He muttered out a quiet ‘sorry’, eyes glancing down at his hands. He made a fool of himself in front of his coworker.. another thing to add on to the ty day. He wanted to wave her off so he could he could just release his steam.. but seeing doyeon had already brought a slight wave of comfort over him. The girl seemed to have a gift, being able to bring the vibe and mood up by simply being there.

“Uh..” he couldn’t finish answering before doyeon was pulling out her phone. His brows furrowed in slight confusion as he stared at her, slowly letting himself sit down at her request. What was she doing? As much as he enjoyed the woman’s presence, he couldn’t he,p but admit she could be rather unpredictable. His thoughts were soon answered as her phone was brought to his face. He blinked at the screen for a moment, eyes roaming over the translated words before his lips parted in an ‘o’ shape. She was worried about him? Of course it was human nature to care for people, but the simple gesture left him a bit emotional. With the mental and emotional weight today had, this simple act left him slightly teary eyed. He grabbed the phone, switching the translation before typing away an answer. A soft curse escaped past his lips as he handed back the phone, praying and hoping the translation was correct- or at least easy enough to understand.

널 지루하게 하고 싶지 않아.. 게다가 그냥 감정적일 뿐이야. 오늘 진짜 여기 온 이후로 최악의 날이네.. (i dont want to bore you.. besides, im just being emotional. today, really, has been the worst day since coming here..)

@✽ renjun h. frowning slightly, doyeon stayed firm in her position. she worried that if she made any sudden move, it would trigger the shorter male into acting out more than what he was doing now. however, with an ache in her chest, she couldn't just leave him like this. she couldn't go about her business and ignore him, acting as if she was given no choice but to let him wallow in his pain. thus, breathing out a hesitant sigh, doyeon slowly made her way over to him, picking the battered piece of rag up before glancing over at him.

uhm, uh. something... wrong?

internally cursing herself, doyeon fished out her phone from the side pocket of her pants— at least hoping that some translating site could save her. she knew physically using her hands to sign was no use, so at least using a site that would butcher up her words than angering him further may provide them with some peace of mind. urging him to sit down, doyeon followed after typing up her choice of words and hoping google translate did its job.

仁俊，怎么了？你想谈谈吗？(renjun, what's wrong? do you want to talk)

@✽ doyeon k. Working at jade noraebang had become renjun’s saving grace. The pay was decent and being able to score working at night left him able to find work during the daytime. Of course working three jobs by now had started to put a toll on the male, and adding his classes and now tutoring lessons, he was starting to realize he might be doing too much for him to handle. Often working here left him usually pretty content though, usually not having to worry about his other jobs since he was busy cleaning karaoke rooms and helping drunk people find their way out. His boss was kind and he usually got lucky working with another employee by the name of Kim doyeon. He thought of her very fondly, a true friend in the making. Even with the language barrier and the difference in personalities, doyeon continued to be a shining light. While their communication was limited, they were able to speak enough through actions and facial expressions. The only thing renjun could find weird about her were the strange hand gestures she’d make at him at times. At those times he'd just return a confused stare, awkwardly smiling as he nodded.

Despite his kind boss and coworker, today had been falling apart for the young Chinese male. The rent at his small box apartment was being raised and his work hours at the convenience store were being cut in order to train a new employee. He couldn’t even be mad, knowing that of course there would be new employees eventually and that his hours weren’t always secured. That had been fine enough, pushing it aside to deal with later. During his break he had received a message from his classmate, letting him know that he had not finished his side of their project due to family issues. Fine, that’s fine. Renjun waved that off as well, understanding family came first. He could finish it, but the stress was starting to get to him. He was starting to get antsy, muttering curses to himself in his mother tongue everytime he went over his list of things to do. But at this moment, he had finally reached his breaking point. He had just finished cleaning one of the karaoke rooms, tidying it up before a group of young adults told him they were leaving. He bid them a quick farewell and ‘come again!’ Before making his way to the break room. There inside was the worst mess the male had ever seen in his life. Props thrown on the floor, a few possibly broken. Food laid scattered on the table and floors and.. was that beer seeping into the flooring?? Renjun wanted to scream.. or cry, whichever came first. His shoulders dropped before he turned around, shakily speed walking back to the break room. Just a quick vent then he’ll go back to work. So with that he pushed the door to the break room open, a few curses slipping past his lips as he threw down the rag that was still in his hand.

@✽ renjun h. after a few weeks of working in jade noraebang, doyeon could confidently say that she was at the top of her game. or well, almost. apart from her who was a frequent worker at the establishment, there was one other person. huang renjun. he was doyeon's ideal definition of a friend who had model characteristics and qualities. the fact that she was even near his presence made her feel comforted and at ease. though, despite their constant friendly greetings towards each other, nothing much came of it due to the language barrier.

doyeon was a fine specimen that learnt the art of sign language, but evidently that was not enough as she once tried and got a strange look from the other. decidedly, she just chose to stick to smiles and waves for the timebeing. though, this day, as the evening came closer and the rush started to seep in, doyeon spent her time cleaning their break room. she would finally be able to rest; however, before she could find a seat to rest on, the break room door opened with much swiftness. glancing over at the cause for it, doyeon's eyes widened at the scene that presented in front of her.

@✽ chaeyoung l. to think doyeon was nervous about finally meeting her soon-to-be boss was an understatement of the year. she was sweating literal pits to the point anyone would have gotten the impression that she ran a whole marathon.

as she continued to ring the call bell absentmindedly, doyeon was given a fright when a head peaked out from the bottom of the desk. letting out a vocal screech, doyeon frantically covered , bowing deeply towards the other in a silent apology for screaming. doing a once-over of the owner, chaeyoung; doyeon followed after the other, simultaneously glancing around the venue before making herself comfortable in the room where the interview would take place.

yup, yeah— you can just call me doyeon, though! sorry for ringing the bell so much, haha. i guess i was just a little nervous. oh! no worries. i probably would have done the same as well— uH, obviously after opening hours though, haha. but uhm, yeah. i'm ready whenever, boss lady!

@✽ jaehyun j. Finally, some peace and quiet, she thought. Well, as much peace and quiet as one can get in an open and functioning Noraebang at night. Chaeyoung was just scribbling on her notebook, as no orders or calls were coming in from the rooms. With her head propped up with one arm, she continued this for a few moments, chewing on the fresh mint-lemon gum she had on hand. Working late at night barely gave her time for dinner, but she was used to it. She was stuck in this trance for a while, drawing little stars, some old cartoons from her childhood, and even ugly logos drawn from memory.

“Holy cr—” A slight thud on her table pulled her out of her thoughts and she glanced up, chewing on her gum still. She set her pen and notebook aside, leaning forward slightly with her manicured nails tapping on the wood of the front desk counter. All she heard was a “You,” through this person’s teeth. She glanced up, taking in his face for a split second. She had no idea who the this man was but it was strange for a random customer to address the owner of the place with just a “You,” Not even a hi? No hello? No Miss Chaeyoung can you help me with the singing machine keycard? What did this dude want?

“Hey there! Need any help? Do you guys want an order for the room? We do have call buttons for that in each room, by the way. No need to come all the way to the desk—” she spoke in her usual slightly loud voice, punctuating her statement with her laugh. She eyed him silently, though not in a creepy sense, mostly just because of him being there. Man, this guy was sweaty.

@✽ gyuri j. “It’s overreacting for other people, but for me I’m just reacting!” Chaeyoung smiled, grinning at the food her friend prepared. Gyuri was a miles better cook than she was, and she always anticipated her lunch boxes or when she would hang out at Florestrellia (obviously paying for Gyuri’s cooking). She nearly gasped at the sheer amount of food, gawking at it with her head in a slight tilt. “Girl… that’s a lot… are you feeding me just to get me plump for an oven?” she blurted out without thinking.

The noraebang owner felt touched, Gyuri was always there to save her in the nick of time and she poked her finger right below her eye, pulling it down slowly as if a tear fell, showing that she appreciated her friend’s gesture. “Yeah, they’re kind of a lot tonight. It happens with recreational businesses, I got used to it!” She did not get used to it, she hated being touched without clear consent from creepy men. She experienced that as a trainee and no way in hell was she tolerating that bull now. She took the chopsticks and spoon that Gyuri laid out, picking up a piece of bulgogi beef and putting it in , chewing with a clear satisfied expression. “As expected, Master Chef Gyuri…” she muttered, nodding and chewing. “Did you eat dinner already?”

@✽ doyeon k. Normally, Chaeyoung was the type to go home right after work, remove her makeup, change into her pajamas, all that jazz. But the night before was absolute hell for her, the Jade was packed from opening to closing, full of old men, teenagers, college kids, and even tourists. She was still short on hands and she could barely function after she closed up shop and she totally forgot that she had an interview with a possible employee the next morning. After “closing” she had decided to take a nap, lasting 5 hours, on the floor behind the front desk. She normally did that anyways if things were busy or she needed rest, and she had a small cushioned mattress positioned on the floor as she slept. She hated sleeping in the back room anyway, too musty.

She was sleeping peacefully, not a single sound coming out of her, but she was suddenly jolted awake at the sound of the front desk call bell. She sat up quickly, cursing and her head hit the underside of the front desk table. “What the —” she whispered, getting up, rubbing her eyes and fixing her slightly disheveled hair. Bless her waterproof makeup routine that never smudges even if she accidentally falls asleep, her eyeliner was still perfect, even if she was in last night’s clothes. She got up and looked over the desk, her eyes squinting from the fresh awakening.

“Oh. OH. Oh hi, hey! You must be Doyeon, right? Kim Doyeon? We’ve been texting and stuff. I’m Lee Chaeyoung, the big boss lady. Hi!” She reached over the front desk, sticking out her hand before suddenly pulling it back and just bowing. “Sorry, for shaking the table, I was just napping. Let’s hold the interview in room 101, right there!” she spoke loudly, though her voice was raspy from just waking up. Chaeyoung gestured to room 101 which was just a few paces away from the front desk.

@✽ chaeyoung l. the way her best friend called her by those names that chaeyoung only said whenever gyuri came over to save her life, only to have her shaking her head and laughing at the reaction. "oh please don't overreact–" she took out the food one by one with all five containers that have different food. from the side dishes in once to the big rice, fried chicken, stir fry vegetables and bulgogi beef, just simply for chaeyoung.

"nah, more of you being stuck here with no food and i can see few drunk ahjussis walking past my place," gyuri reacted how the people walked past her cafe and being drunk yet afraid the moment she locked her cafe and head over. each time customers come over and walking out when they are done, gyuri helped over the counter while making sure that chaeyoung get her proper food to eat properly knowing how much she didn't get to eat much whenever she work at night.

@✽ chaeyoung l. // sorry it took forever to post a starter T__T hope it's good enough!

one thing was for certain, doyeon was going to catch that bag for sure.

doyeon was accustomed to all the random and odd jobs that even regular ones seemed so foreign to her. heck, the number of times she had worked overtime or just, in general, worked accumulated to a severe point that if anyone were to take on the amount she has, they might as well have dropped dead.

as she chuckled to herself, doyeon needed to remember that she was doing all of this for a reason. a good reason, to be quite honest. arriving early for an interview session, she was able to snag at jade noraebang, doyeon waited behind the front counter, ringing on the lonesome call bell that would eventually lead to her doom.

@✽ sungchan j. Chaeyoung broke into a big smile when he reminded her that he still knew how to handle things because he did work here. “Okay, you know what to do, I trust you. Let’s do it fast and meet at the front desk, okay?” She hopped up quickly, giving him a peck on the lips before sprinting out of the room like she was an athlete, heading to the front desk to check the bill and change count, keycards and quickly locking everything important in the drawer as she usually did while Sungchan did his work in the rooms.

@✽ chaeyoung l. sungchan sighed shakily when she asked him, and he nodded a few times before carefully helping her back onto her feet and taking a step away from her. he ran a hand through his hair and gave her a small smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "let me help you, noona. i still remember how to close up, and i can check the rooms and wipe everything down while you count the money."

@✽ sungchan j. She let out a little whine, a little annoyed that he pulled away, but her expression changed at his words, softening as she looked down at him with a smile. Her right hand caressed his cheek before suddenly her mind registered their surroundings. Before she could say anything, he spoke first as if he was reading her mind. “I feel the same way about you too, life just got in the way… my house is a three minute walk away. I’ll close up shop quick?” Even with her lower half connected to his body in a dirty way, she couldn’t help but cup his cheeks and give him an innocent peck before unhooking her legs and settling down on the ground again, ready to do a record-breaking closing speed in the history of the Jade.

@✽ chaeyoung l. sungchan couldn't help but moan when their tongues touched, and he coaxed her tongue into his mouth to gently on it before pulling away with a heavy pant. "lee chaeyoung, god the things you do to me." he whispered breathlessly, holding onto her tightly, and he blinked a few times before realising they were still in the noraebang. "maybe we shouldn't do anything more in here, i don't know if i'll be able to stop myself and i've been wanting you for years. in more than just a physical way."

@✽ sungchan j. Chaeyoung felt herself get lifted up and she adjusted her standing position so that it would be easier for him, letting Sungchan move her legs up higher and she tightened her legs around his waist for stability. Bless her for being a dancer with strong core muscles, this was easy for her. There was silence around them as the song finally ended but she didn’t even notice because her attention was elsewhere. She let out a quiet moan, slightly more open as their tongues danced with each other, a hand in his hair and the other lightly massaging the side of his neck. “Jung Sungchan…”

@✽ chaeyoung l. sungchan fumbled with the microphone and turned it off before letting it clatter on the table, mumbling a soft apology into chaeyoung's mouth before his hands held firmly onto her thighs. he used his strength to lift her up to his height before pressing his chest against hers, his hands guiding chaeyoung's thighs up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. the music stopped in the background but sungchan paid it no attention as he slowly his way into , sliding his tongue against hers.

@✽ sungchan j. Chaeyoung’s back was pressed fully against the wall and she gripped Sungchan’s sides tightly, only after her microphone-holding hand let the device go by setting it down on the table that was right beside them. She felt his laughter enter , and she tilted her head to the other side when he did, matching his pace. This lasted for a few moments, feeling empty once he pulled away to give them a chance to breathe. She looked up at him, smiling softly at his words and mouthing a silent, “Me too.” before quickly grabbing his face just as he leaned in, following the same intensity he had with her kisses, an almost inaudible groan coming from and going into his.

@✽ chaeyoung l. sungchan's other hand slid down from chaeyoung's neck so he could hold onto her waist with both hands, unable to stop himself from pressing slightly forward so she was fully against the wall. he let out a breath of laughter into before tilting his head slightly to deepen the kiss, parting his lips and nipping at her bottom lip before swiping his tongue over it to soothe the sting. "i've been wanting this for a long time, chae." sungchan couldn't help but mumble as he broke the kiss for a breathe of air, and he leaned back in to kiss her again, this time open mouthed and filthier.