Pluto Rooms | Jikook

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"Can I get some more straws! And a new pen! None of these fucking pens work!" Jimin strides behind the bar, where Yeonjun stands dutifully training the newbie Jackson and Soobin struggles to keep up with the drink orders at the bar. Tonight, Radon is flooded--the busiest Jimin has ever seen it. Because of his new position as drink runner, he's constantly rushing around from table to table, answering the raised hands with a kind hello, what can I get for you? and scribbling down orders as fast as possible so he can move on to the next. 

It's hectic as all hell inside--people bump into him and drunkenly sing out above the electronic music pulsing in the bar's interior. Whereas usually the neon lights make Jimin feel like he's working in some secretive strip club, tonight he feels like he's in a cramped sardine can with overly flashy LEDs. Why the bar-goers would want to cram themselves in here to get wasted is beyond Jimin, but he must put up with the lack of space.

"Here, are these pens any good?" Jackson, the newbie, hands him some of his own. Jimin rips them from his hand with a quick thanks before dropping off a lengthy drink order by Soobin and rushing back out into the crowd. He knows his face is flushed with stress, mind racing while trying to keep all of the orders straight. Oh shit! I forgot to jot down the special request on that man's brandy--ugh! Gotta go back-"

"Ouch!" Jimin turns directly into a middle-aged woman, bumping his elbow into her shoulder. He apologizes emphatically--he truly does feel bad, if it hurt his elbow then it surely hurt her shoulder--and moves on quickly without hearing her answer. He has about fifteen other orders to hand out, and many more to take. His boss will get angry if he can't keep up with the customers, and Jimin can't lose this job. It pays better than any other service industry job with all the tips he racks up.

"Hey! Soobin!" Jimin strides over to the drink sheet, scribbling down a specification(only one, not four pumps of cherry syrup--I need to watch my blood sugar levels!)  for the drink alteration of this guy. "I changed the last order on that page, forgot to write it down earlier--only one pump of the cherry shit!"

"Got it." Soobin doesn't even look up at him from behind his station, quickly pouring various alcoholic liquids hastily into colored glasses. He drops a vibrant orange martini umbrella into one of the glasses and mumbles something about how stupid teenagers are before he runs off to hand the drink out.

"Excuse me-"

"Yes! How may I help you!" Jimin turns around and whips out his notepad, readying to write down this customer's order without even glancing up. He can feel his back sweating uncomfortably under the bartending apron and hopes his sweet cologne will last the night. It's been a scorching hot day, almost hitting records in Seoul for the first week of June. All the busy bodies in Radon aren't helping him cool down--plus, he's a naturally very warm person. I wish I had my thinnest crop top on now...

"Do you sell popsicles here...on the side?" The same woman he bumped into before stands next to the counter, staring at a neon sign that says drink up! above the stacked bottles behind him. 

"Yes, we do sell Melona bars separately from the drinks if you'd like." Jimin feels guilty as the woman turns her attention onto him. He was really too rash in apologizing to her before, he should have asked if she was okay before running off. This woman isn't like the snotty young adults who bark at him and boldly tell him he's sexy on some drunken dare. This woman is the epitome of working-class Korea, dressed neatly and without any obnoxious sparkle or jazz. "We have banana, lime, coconut, mango-"

"I'll take one mango and...I guess one banana one. Also-" The woman pulls out her wallet, fishing for cash. "Can I also get two Sprites please?"

"Of course." Jimin doesn't bother to scribble down the simple order. He can quick grab the ice cream bars and the sodas if he's fast enough--and with his skinny jeans tightly hugging his ass--he can be fast enough. "If you'd like I can grab the drinks and ice creams right away and bring them to where you're seated."