Bartender || Ateez P.SH ✓

sad.

"martini, please." a woman in her forties, looking very stressed, ordered. seonghwa nodded with a smile and proceeded to get the drink. he handed it to her and the woman gulped it down in one go before walking away.

seonghwa was used to these types of people. they would be either looking stressed, sad, guilty or way too happy.

he worked in a small pub. well, it's not just any pub. it was a mini-bar which was somewhat hidden since it was a bit different. the place opens 24/7 and allowed anyone from ages 18 and above to enter, but only a few people know about it. the owner was quite young himself.

he shook his head and cleaned the counter as one of the customers was too drunk to hold a glass and spilled liquor.

the bells on the door suddenly chimed, indicating a customer coming in. it was a girl.

it wasn't any girl. it was jeon jihae, one of the most popular people in kq university (you've probably seen this name a lot of time but please bear with me) along with her brother, jeon jungkook and his friends. she's the type of girl everyone found cute. her personality is something that anyone can get along with. no would dare hurt since anyone who does will turn the entire school against them. her brother would also beat them up if he wants.

this time, though, she didn't look like her usual self. even though it was very hard to see with her head down, she had a frown on and really sad eyes.

she proceeded to the counter where seonghwa was, sitting down on one of the stools, and rested her head on her hand while pouting.

"can i have a shot of whiskey, please?" she asked really politely which made the bartender hesitate for a bit. "um, hello? are you all out?" the girl's voice made him realize that it was his job to comply with her request. "wait one moment."

she just hummed in agreement, while seonghwa took a shot glass and poured the alcoholic drink in it. "here you go, miss."

"thanks."

seems like she doesn't recognize him even though they go to the same university. i mean, why would she?

she immediately drank the alcohol as if it was water.

there was a reason why seonghwa was wary of giving jihae the drink.

last year, everyone was invited to a party held by cha eunwoo, one of the school heart robs and jungkook's friend. jihae was still a freshman and of course, her brother had to let her join. she ended up being very drunk and everyone started to ask her questions. she would answer them in a blunt but adorable way that no one could just take offense in what came out her mouth. apparently, someone filmed her and it went viral.

after that incident, he never really saw her at parties. probably because she's too embarrassed or jungkook won't allow her anymore.

after a couple more shots, she became very tipsy. she was now visibly miserable. he couldn't help himself but ask,

"rough day?"

jihae turned to him and gave a sad smile. "mind me ranting?"

"not at all. my shift's almost over anyway."

she exhaled deeply. "it's a wreck at my house." there was a pause as seonghwa tried to comprehend. "my brother and dad are fighting again. my mom can't really do anything but shout. my sister and i were told not to stay there tonight." she lifelessly chuckled.

he studied the girl for a bit. "seems like you're having a hard time."

"i know it seems like i'm not thankful for everything i have, but i am! i truly am. it's just that... i don't know, i want all of it to stop. i'm so selfish." she let out a long sigh once again.

they kept quiet for a bit. he wanted to ask why drink? she could've just talked to her best friends, jeong yunho and jung wooyoung.

ah, yes. the 3j's was a famous triad in school consisting of yunho, a kind goofball, wooyoung, a social butterfly, and jihae.

then again, if he were to ask that directly, she would be curious as to why he knows them so instead, he asked, "don't you have any friends?"

she laughed. "of course i do, silly." she was drunkenly smiling now. "they're the best." still smiling, she placed her head on the counter, not answering his question.

he shrugged it off as he looked at his watch. his shift was over.

11:00PM

"uh, hey. where are you going after this? you said you're not going home." the bartender tapped the almost passed out girl.

jihae, closing her eyes, still managed to answer, "i'm going to wooyoung's." says without any context.

"and how are you gonna get there?"

the girl just hummed, which made him sigh.

he knows it's none of his business and he shouldn't be snooping around but, the idea of a 19 year old girl being alone in a mini-bar, drunk late at night, with no idea how she would
get to her friend's house, isn't so
pleasing to him.

so, what he did was text one of his best friends, san, to tell wooyoung, who was his classmate in culinary, that he saw jihae in the bar, drunk.

when san replied that wooyoung would come and pick her up, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. still, he decided to wait with her.

her phone buzzed a couple of times but she didn't care to see who it was.

after a few minutes, the bells chimed again. "jeon jihae! where are you?!"

a silver haired boy arrived. he scanned the area, searching for his best friend, spotting her in an instant. he stormed up to her.

seonghwa didn't try to show himself, but he didn't hide either. wooyoung was too worried for jihae to even spare him a glance.

"jihae, what the fuck?" her best friend sighed.

"youngie! you're here!" the girl exclaimed standing up to hug him but stumbled backwards.

wooyoung held her up. "let's go home, yeah?" he turned around and piggybacked her, which made her giggle.

"thanks, woo."

"just don't go drinking without me again."

jihae rested her head on the blonde's back, falling asleep, leaving seonghwa pondering if the girl would be safe or not.