999<3 | ONESHOT [ ✔️ ]

PROMO: jAZZBAR

TAG: perhaps we are similar, thinking the same thoughts

jihoon sings nightly at an underground, fairly unknown jazz bar. life is pretty mundane. until his eyes meet a stranger's one night.

THE BOOK IS ON MY PROFILE!! 🤩 spent a good four??? days on it <33 i think this is longer than the mafia one 👁👁

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UNIVERSE_FACTORY (이지훈)

The channel text is loud and clear in bold, hanging over the multitude of videos on music, production and just short clips of self-made tracks. Lee Jihoon closes his laptop after checking up on his channel. He's doing fairly well, but at this point, it's just a hobby. His regular salary comes from 'Serenity', an underground jazz bar he performs at.

The bar loves him. Though there are not too many people, Jihoon still gets paid well. Leading them into closing, he's been doing shows every night without fail.

Jihoon likes the lesser amount of people. They don't bother him, but it's nice to just sit and sing without audience pressure.

He prepares for the night with a dark red suit, small diamonds embedded into the pinstripes at even spacings. His hair is styled neatly and he decides to do some quick and simple makeup. Just for a show.

He arrives at 6:30pm to dine a while before he starts at 8:30pm. Taking short metal steps down, a neon sign springs to life just as he walks past. The light blinds him a little and he almost trips. One of the waiters also enters with him, "Oh, hyung! Be careful."

Jihoon sighs and laughs it off, "Thanks, Seungkwan. I'm fine." As they walk in, Seungkwan notices the suit and comments on it. Other staff also do the same, "Woozi-ssi!" One of the girls exclaim, words stuck in her throat. "Wow, look at our celebrity Woozi~" Another waiter, Jeonghan, cheers.

Jihoon gets a little embarrassed and flustered, "Guys..." He squeezes his eyes with an embarrassed smile on his face as more compliments get thrown his way. He leans on one of his hands at the bar while flustered laughter keeps hiccuping out of him. "Hey but seriously, those diamonds are something else," Serenity's bartender, Junhui, finishes out. Everyone else leaves to do their job.

A soft smile spreads on Jihoon's face. He does feel fucking great. "When you get up there, your suit's gonna shine. I bet that was the intention?" Jihoon clicks his tongue and points a finger gun at Junhui, "Spot on." The bartender laughs, "Alright, what d'you want? Get on over to the lounge. Mingyu's surely got your favourite ready."

After his meal, he enjoys the music streaming in from the speakers. For Serenity, live music only comes in at 8:30pm. Jihoon is their one and only performer. The owners of Serenity are Jihoon's long-time friends, Choi Seungcheol and Jeon Wonwoo. So it's obvious they would've roped him in and kept him as their only live performer.

As it gets closer to show-time, Jihoon adjusts his outfit and make-up. He thinks of starting early, since he's been preparing a special set for a while.

Time rolls quickly while he sits and sings. There's a live band as well, and the energy of the bar is delightfully calming. It's always been like this. Serenity has always been Jihoon's second home.

"Thank you." Jihoon smiles as the instruments behind him fizz out and pre-recorded music slides in the speakers. As he hops off stage, his eyes lock with someone from the audience.

« I feel your eyes, endlessly entranced by my humming. You give me sweet looks.
느껴지는 그대 눈빛 // 내 흥얼거림에 한없이 빠져서
보내오는 달콤한 눈빛 »

He sits alone, clad in dark blues and blacks. His hair is styled to a deceivingly good looking center part, blushed lips forming almost a mocking smile, his eyes sharp as a knife, cutting straight through Jihoon's core. He can't tear his eyes away. But alas, he has to. His steps quicken while constantly, and shyly, glancing back to that man.

When Jihoon reaches the bar, he looks winded. After attending to a couple a few seats away from him, Junhui gets a drink for him. "Jihoon-ah, you okay? You look... dazed." Jihoon looks wide-eyed at Junhui, "Is it obvious?" The bartender has to laugh, "Quite, I must say." Jihoon sighs, sipping his drink.

"There's- There was this... guy in the audience. After I finished up the first set, I just locked eyes with him and suddenly- I don't know- I just felt so... Like there was some connection? I don't know how to explain this, Junhui." Jihoon's eyes are exploded wide, eyebrows furrowed with stress.

Junhui stares back with a blank expression, "I..." He shrugs. "No clue either. That's weird that it just happened." He receives a few glasses back from Jeonghan and thanks him. "No... No, I've seen him before. He's a little familiar."

Jihoon sighs as Junhui starts washing up. "I don't think I'd be able to forget a face like his..." He murmurs. "What?" Junhui asks over his shoulder. "Nothing!-" Jihoon responds.

Jihoon goes back for his second set. This time, he feels a little distracted and hopes he can get back into the mood again. Key thing about being as experienced as he is, he can sound like he's fully immersed, even when he isn't. As he looks out over the small audience, his eyes feel like magnets to that same man's. They seem to hold eye contact for forever and suddenly, the song's over.

Jihoon takes a swig of water before directing the band to the next song. And they start.

Jihoon swears he's seen this man come in almost every night, it seems. He isn't very sure though. Something about him feels like he knows him...

« Oh, I like you. Do I know you? »

When Jihoon snaps back to reality, he realises his gaze has lingered on this man for the better part of two songs. People paying attention must think he's crazy. This time when he looks closer, he sees some kind of emotion in that man's stare. It's like he's trying to communicate something like wonder, or awe.

Or like he's calling out to him, beckoning Jihoon to the edge with dark, innocent eyes. And Jihoon wants to fall in.