Lucky Number Seven

01 | The Ice Breaker

Low beats of bass vibrated through Soomin's bones, dark and heady and beckoning her to slide her body against sweaty skin, to loose herself in the hypnotising mixture of music and neon lights of the club.
But her hands were sure as they mixed the alcohols together, throwing the shaker around skillfully before pouring the vibrant blue drink with a flourish into a glass. The flashing lights and writhing bodies all around not disturbing her focus as she finished the drink and put it down on the bar for the customer to take.

"Come on, babe, I'll buy you a drink", the man said, sporting a winning smile and squaring his shoulders some more to impress his object of desire. He held his wrist up to show his black band that held the chip which was used for in-club payments.
Black was an all-access pass. And he seemed awfully proud to have it.
Soomin just gave him a level smile, shook her head so that her high pony tail was gently swaying and turned to the next customer to take his order. If she took up every offer of someone buying her a drink, she would be drunk within the first hour of her shift.
Nevermind that it was forbidden for bartenders to get drinks from customers while working.

The B7 was the place to be in Seoul these days. Or really the last four to five years. And Soomin had been there as a bartender from the very beginning.
Hired from a very young looking Jung Hoseok when he was nothing more but a man with a vision and his last savings put into the club. It was his love and the tight security that was poured into this place that made it flourish with a break-neck speed.
One year in and the B7 had to change locations to a bigger building.
Three years in and Hoseok was barely seen around anymore, busy fighting off enviers and monsters from the underground threatening to destroy what was so dear to everyone working at B7.

These days Seoul was a cesspool of vice and violence. At least when one looked beneath the glittering surface.
The underground had festered and grown until it had undermined everything that the city was.
Nothing was going if not one of the gangs was involved.

B7 was said to be an exception of that simple rule for the longest time. Then the rumours started.
Whispered in hushed voices outside while smoking with eyes dashing around fearfully. Bangtan was uttered like an incantation to invoke the devil incarnate.
Fear laced the voices and expressions of those who dared to speak of the rumours that Jung Hoseok was in fact part of Bangtan and therefore didn't fear for B7 to ever get raided or blackmailed into protection money.

Soomin didn't really care whether her boss was or wasn't part of the notorious gang slowly setting about taking over the entire underground. It was the kindness Hoseok showed his employees and the intense vibe of the club that had her still working there although it wasn't necessary.

Well, that and the side business she had going within the club.

"I'd like an Ice Breaker", her next customer shouted over the deep bass of the music. He was clothed in revealing yet tasteful black and blue colours, material definitely of the more expensive variety. He held his wrist up to show his black band and the piece of paper held between his fore and middle finger. A dangerous smirk on his face.
Soomin nodded and took the piece of paper to put it into a pouch on her belt where it was met with other papers just like it. All contained two things; the name of the client and a request to kill.
It was, after all, a well known fact in certain circles that if one wanted to get in touch with the best hitman of Seoul one had to find the cute bartender Soomin at B7 — supposedly his girlfriend — and order an Ice Breaker together with the hit they wanted to be done.
The pretty bartender continued to make the drink and handed it over. She would see the customer in two days again, ordering an Undertaker this time and she would rely whether or not Ghost would take the job along with a scribbled down sum of what the hit would cost.