❈ gangnam

@✻ ⋰ seokwoo k. “Someone else’s office? You’re an odd man—“ A small chuckle tumbles from her lips, the tip of her finger tracing rim of the glass. She felt a bit relieved at least someone knew of her presence, but it did sting a bit. For someone else to know? She flags down the bartender for another refill, humming as the liquor clings to .

Compared to her buttoned up blouses she wore at home, she enjoyed showing skin to her clients. Compared to her reserved persona at home, it was rare for her to meet anyone outside of the lounge. She turns to him, mimicking his stance. Her gaze travels from the ground up, her chin resting to her palm as she speaks once more. “What would I be doing there exactly, sir?”

@✾ ⋰ fumika b. There was a lot to be said about Kim Seokwoo. Some things were true and others weren't, but out of all of those things, people knew that he never forgot a face. He was horrible with names, but he rarely ever forgot a face and he had seen this girl a couple times before. But she wanted to play games, so he'd play games. He wasn't above that - and that was something else that was true about him.

"You wouldn't have seen me around here, no", he chuckled while sliding his money across the counter so the bartender could grab it, lifting his glass to his lips to take a sip, before he turned to face her fully, elbow on the polished wood of the bar, the other hand casually pushed into his pocket. "But that might be because you probably only saw me around /the lounge/. Or.. I don't know... at my office, someone else's office. The like. Still doesn't ring a bell?"

@✻ ⋰ seokwoo k. She waited for a bit, humming to herself. The bartender walking back and forth until her drink was brought to her. Baba flinches as someone spoke, turning to the direction of the sound. She recognized him, but he couldn’t? Maybe it would be fun to play with him. What are the odds of her finding her father’s lawyer here?

Her lips purse together, gaze flickering up and down at the man before her. “No, I don’t believe so?” Her fingers tap along the glass into a steady rhythm, one nail after another. Baba finds herself to shrug, bringing the rim of the cup to her lips. The near bitterness of the rum clinging to , flaming her body in warmth. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around though.”

@✾ ⋰ fumika b. It wasn't very often that Seokwoo found himself in desperate need for a drink and some decompressing after work - and if he did, he had his ways to maneuver around the pretentious, overly expensive and boring ones in Gangnam. And yet here he was after bidding goodbye to his client that day, collecting his papers as the man left the bar and Seokwoo had assured him that he'd stay behind and finish his drink. Which he did, but not without getting himself a refill. It was then, that he was met with an oddly familiar face, his brows shooting up as he looked at the young woman right next to him, a simple question slipping past his lips before he could stop himself: "Don't I know you from somewhere else, Miss?"

@✻ ⋰ seokwoo k. Baba had always enjoyed the way the lights basked over her skin whenever she stepped foot in Gangnam. Tonight, she didn’t know where to go. Between being stuffed in the corner entertaining her mother’s ridicules and being invisible to her father, she was grateful for finding joy in the lounge. But it was her day off and she was circling around, trying to find at least something entertaining to do. With a small sigh, she wanders into the closest bar, flagging down the bartender for a small drink, maybe it could release her bundling nerves.

@✾ ⋰ eunwoo c. Jungkook wanted to kill himself.

No, really.

It felt like somebody had dumped a shipping container of ice water over Jungkook the second Eunwoo stepped through that door; the easy smile he'd had hardened as his eyes met Eunwoo's, able to see that the other man equally as displeased at this turn of events.

ing .

Jungkook never would've taken up this offer if he'd known Eunwoo was the client's .

He remained silent as Ms Han fussed over his fellow Pearl, his gaze carefully trained on the floor as if it hid all of life's secrets within its marble veining. Save for a quiet sigh, Jungkook didn't say a word to Eunwoo as he stalked by; he couldn't blame the younger man for giving him the cold shoulder. But there was nothing he could do, nothing he wanted to do because even entertaining the thought of considering it had his heart racing and stomach flipping.

Sighing, his hand delved into his pocket, taking out a small plastic re-sealable bag; ol' reliable, he never left home without it. If Jungkook was going to get through this soiree without a panic attack, he'd need some help. He swallowed his little yellow pill dry and rolled his shoulders, rolling his neck before plastering his most charming smile and diving headfirst into the lioness's den.

It was going to be a long night.

◦◦◦◦◦

"You've got an order for two Peach Bellini's and a ' on the Beach' (his fingers come up to make air quotation marks)," Jungkook said, voice muffled by a lollipop. One of the ladies had all but shoved it in his mouth, imploring him to accept the sweet by tucking two crisp golden notes into his pocket. Who was he to say no to a free piece of candy and get paid to molest it?

He hadn't needed to stay long with the women; they were all too happy to entertain themselves, Jungkook found. He and Eunwoo were glorified eye candy for the night instead of providing any real intimate experience.

"She," Jungkook sighs, dry as anything, leaning against the counter and pulling out the sweet with a wet pop; it hangs loosely in his hand as he glances through the kitchen door to where a group of women roar with laughter over some joke, "Is a real delight." It sounds sarcastic, but part of Jungkook means it; Ms Han was a rarity among clients: vivacious(a fun new word he'd learned the other day, Jungkook was pleased to have found somebody to use it for), eager for more than just a boy toy to decorate her arm or a quick even though tonight's role was clearly the former.

"How'd you charm her?"

@— ✾ ⋰ jungkook j. born and raised in nice, france, eileen han was once a woman of high ambition. she had dreams of becoming a pro figure skater before she fell in love and moved to seoul with her husband, then ceo of one of asia's largest investment holding firms. years of dinners alone, empty conversations, and less-than-satisfactory were a tell-tale sign that their supposedly picture-perfect marriage was no longer worth the pain to uphold. no matter, since their impending divorce allowed her to freely indulge in her penchant for beautiful things.

cha eunwoo happened to be one of them.

they complimented each other quite nicely. eunwoo balanced out her feisty nature with subdued affection and a listening ear. she would spoil him in return, taking him out to enjoy the finest restaurants the city had to offer and adorning him in her favorite designer clothing. her wonderful takes on life and philosophy always left eunwoo more full than the meals they shared.

—

staring out at the pouring thunderstorm through the cab window, eunwoo pinches his brows in frustration. he’s /always/ on time. today wouldn’t be an exception had the first driver not suddenly stopped dead in the middle of the road. something about an engine failure, he grumbled. eunwoo hops out of the cab once they arrive at the familiar high-rise located in the heart of gangnam. as soon as he opens the door to her penthouse suite, miss han envelops him in a warm hug with kisses to both sides of his cheeks. “eunwoo, my love! i was just wondering where you were.”

“my apologies, the traffic is horrible tonight.” his damp bangs and slacks after a mere few seconds outside, even with an umbrella in hand, should be telling enough.

“you poor thing. there’s a hairdryer in my washroom… oh, and jungkook will be joining us tonight! you two must be familiar with each other, right?” his stomach sinks in fear as she steps aside to reveal his fellow co-host.

“yes, we are.” eunwoo replies with a trained smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

at least, there was a point in time when he thought they were. it was jungkook who had taken him in at his lowest and taught eunwoo what home felt like, leaving him vulnerable enough to lay bare before him both his body and mind. lessons in pleasure seeped through the borders of platonic friendship and left eunwoo with a bitter taste in his mouth. he will always regret coming to terms with those feelings.

thankfully, the conversation quickly dies as miss han is pulled into another circle of tipsy and talkative women. without a word, eunwoo brushes past jungkook as he heads to the kitchen to prepare drinks for the long night ahead.

@✻ ⋰ somi j. if only he'd known better. if only he had took one look at that tattered blonde vixen and run the other way. how could he have known though? it wasn't as if he asked nor wanted the strange woman to put her dirty paws on him and cause trouble on his first ever date out with a client. none of that mattered though. not when poor somi was clearly stressing, on the edge of an outburst if kai dared to say the wrong thing or make the wrong move. there had to be some way to salvage their time together and make her forget all about that horrible champagne lady. yet there was only one thing he knew best in a situation like this; to use his body.

once the pair were carefully tucked away into somi's own special little room it seemed, he stood there with his own brows furrowed in concern, letting his one and only owner of the evening vent out all her frustrations. slowly he reached a hand out to delicately tuck a few light strands behind her ear, careful to rest his palm against the soft squishy curve of her cheek and rubbing his thumb upon her jawline. "everything will be alright, schatzi. i came here for you and you only. the money doesn't mean anything either," kai whispered as he took a few steps closer and brushed his lips along her own, allowing her to feel the heat of his breath. "don't let that vile woman win by giving her so much of your attention. i just want you to have a nice time.." gentle and tender did he lean in to steal a kiss, this time one that lingered and tasted of bourbon-dipped honey. "please? let me make you feel good."

@✾ ⋰ kai h. Tender touches and breathy pleas did little to salve the woman's fiery heart. Nothing had prepared her for this situation, much less one with her most notable foe- making yet another attempt at stealing what was meant to be hers. Gods, would it ever end? Once out of sight from the main events onlookers, Somi shook her head in distaste, schooled features melting to that of furrowed brows and pursed lips. "I asked for one thing, /one/." Her British lilt thickened, no longer mixed with the American one she'd adopted with travel. She didn't want to chastise the younger, but her emotions were a ed up concoction of thinly veiled insecurities and the irrational fear of losing another to Charmaine, even it if were a complete stranger.

'Jeon Somi' read in bold print on a door, and its owner was quick to drag her pup inside with her. She faced him for the first time since the fiasco to take the vodka cosmo, downing half of it in one go to calm the nerves lining every fiber of her body. Her beautiful pearl looked distraught, his state of being probably bouncing off her own distress. And to make it all worse, none of this was his fault. And Somi knew that. "ing Hell..." the blonde curses under her breath and averts her gaze, fingers lightly massaging her temple. If she wasn't feeling like an insufferable before, she sure was now.

@✻ ⋰ somi j. a beautiful match they made indeed, or so that's what crossed the man's mind earlier in the limo on their way to the event as he rushed in the backseat to shimmy into his suit of midnight violet and luxurious silk that surely cost a minor fortune. yet no matter how strange and foreign this world of the elite seemed to be, he could power through it all thanks to the guidance of the darling who chose him. it seemed no one else at the lounge even crossed her mind, no conversation needed, she simply laid eyes upon his porcelain visage that glowed like moonlight and pulled him into her grasp. an interesting evening watching a runway of stunning designs, a goddess at his side, and free booze. what more could he ask for?

well, perhaps he could ask for his life to be spared once somi ambled over to the tramp and her precious pearl looking like a doe caught in headlights. the thumping of his anxious heart soon sunk once sharp glares and petty insults were exchanged, suddenly remembering an earlier mention to avoid some woman at all costs.. charlene was it? champagne? that no longer mattered, he knew he had to act quickly to salvage the situation. "no, i apologize mein liebling. i should've never left your arms." nuzzling his cheek further into her touch did kai release a wispy sigh and ignored charmaine completely, pulling the doll closer so she could better admire dark chocolate eyes that only twinkled for her. "forgive me?" plush lips grazed against somi's inner wrist as he made a show of kissing her buttery smooth skin with tenderness while a hand rubbed up and down along her spine.

before long he was again being dragged off another direction like a ragdoll, quickly finishing off the last few sips of whiskey before snatching her drink off the bar countertop and following her lead in hasty stride. silently he prayed to his god that he survives the night with his first ever client no less.

@✾ ⋰ kai h. Swaying absentmindedly to a gentle beat, it wasn't exactly impossible to find her plus one. In fact, it'd be more difficult to avoid each others sight. Prada's signature violet rays had bathed the doll's strawberry strands with a mesmerizing splash of periwinkle fluorescence. As for her darling of a pet, his pale skin soaked in the rays so beautifully that it illuminated his frame as if /he/ were the one glowing. Somi had chosen well- or had gotten lucky, because she truly didn't know what she'd find in that Lounge today. Fate had not only singled him out to her, but to every individual within these four walls. The stares were looming. Admiration, envy, lust, and others... And she'd be damned to not notice one's leering in particular: Vaughn Charmaine. That /conniving/ witch.

"Darling! Did you get los..." The angel falters off as she scales toward the two, having initially wanted to whisk the poor thing away without much of a spat. But my, did the sight of Charmaine's sickly hand grazing her pearl's thigh set off a simmering need to strangle the wench right there. 'Oh, Sweet Somi! Is this one yours?' Gods, that voice. Akin to a set of poorly manicured nails slicing down a dusty chalkboard. A tight smile and disrespectful flip of silky hair, Somi sidles up to the Kai, cold palm reaching up to cup the raven-haired boy's visage; her claim clear as day. "Yes, but when has that ever mattered to you, dove?" She makes a show of turning to Kai, a feeble pout on glossy tiers and a look of stark pity to match. "Sorry, dearest. The botox she got in grade school must've finally reached her brain. Smooth and free of wrinkles." Before the inferior blonde could reply, the doll waves her hand in dismissal, heels clicking as she tugs her Pearl passed the daft cow. "If you'll excuse us, we've got our own afterparty to attend~"

@✻ ⋰ somi j. a whirlwind evening would be a major understatement for the events that plopped upon his lap the very moment he locked eyes earlier at the lounge with a certain blonde. playing the role of plus one hadn't been quite so easy as looking pretty and flashing a few smiles. mindless small talk with obnoxious wealthy elites and fashion slaves was much more mentally taxing than he'd ever dreamt, heaving a sigh of relief once he was ordered to fetch some drinks by the lovely client he'd been attached to at the hip for hours now. escaping to the bar did kai order a refreshing strawberry vodka cosmo for somi and a whiskey on the rocks for himself, leaning against the counter as he awaited the bartender to mix their drinks.

at the sensation of a woman's dainty delicate touch reaching over onto his thighs, he quickly turns with a smile prepared in expectation that it was somi herself coming to check up on him. yet the smile soon drops into that of twisted confusion, brows furrowed when he doesn't recognize that a /different/ blonde was breaching his personal space; the very enemy he was blissfully unaware had years of bad blood against his poor client... miss charmaine. "oh, uh— apologies. am i in your way?" he reluctantly kept his manners despite the strange circumstance, faking a smile once more as the woman's gaze seemed to pierce through his soul with lust like a lioness ready to pounce of her prey.