Chapter 3.1

Chapter 3.1

A random man’s face popped up over her shoulder. She dropped the phone as she felt random breathing on her ears.

The man gave her a once-over, fixating on her breasts before speaking.

“Wow, you’re looking good. Want to have a drink together?”

Yu-hwa bristled, preparing to give him a piece of her mind, but before she could even open her mouth, the man had slid into the seat beside her.

“Do you come here often? I can’t believe I haven’t seen you before. You’re exactly my type.”

“Stop,” Yu-hwa said, feeling her patience wearing thin.

Suddenly, the ice bucket toppled over, sending shards of ice cascading across the table.

“Ah!! What the hell?!”

“Who did this? It’s freezing! Do you have any idea how expensive my clothes are? My shoes are ruined!”

The man got up and shouted at the bartender. There was a bar counter between them, but the difference in height was noticeable. The man with his wet clothes glared at him still.

Yu-hwa scowled. She wasn’t sure whether the man had spilled the ice accidentally or if the bartender had done it on purpose, but she wished they would both just calm down and let her enjoy her drink in peace.

The man continued to berate the bartender, demanding to see the manager. But something strange happened. As the bartender whispered something in his ear, the man’s face flushed with color and he suddenly bolted from the bar.

What had happened? Was he really that drunk?

Bunch of waiters cleaned up after. Thank goodness. It was resolved more quickly than she thought.

“Phew…”

Yu-hwa sighed and touched the phone on the table. It was a share chart that she opened up without much of a thought, but her finger moved naturally. She checked bunch of chart and the amount it was traded.

She could feel the alcohol spreading. But it still wasn’t enough. Yu-hwa raised her hand. She slowly talked while looking down.

“A cocktail with high alcohol percentage, please.”

“I think it’s best you stop drinking.”

The low tone hit her ears. It was the bartender.

She could completely understand why he wanted to stop her. If she also became drunk, it would’ve be problematic for him as well. But she was hoping he’d just give it to her.

Yu-hwa slowly looked up. She shut her eyes tightly as the light reflected into her eyes. She could still see the yellow light clearly.

Ah, the world was spinning. The residual of the light slowly disappeared, and her eyes focused.

So big.

She was on tall stool but still it took an effort to see him entirely. Tall and wide shoulders, and just big person in general. She could see his physical coming through his shirt.

“Ah….”

It was a shame to just call him handsome. Dark brown eyes. They look like they’re teasing a bit as well. As he brushed his bangs back, she could see his thick brows. Double eyes lids and long eyes. Sharp nose, and his lips were so red.

“Are you an athlete… Or a model?”

“My profession is something else, but for now I’m a bartender.”

“Did I just say that out loud?”

“I think so?”

The man laughed.

Yu-hwa shut her eyes from embarrassment. She must be finally crazy. No, drunk.

“I’ll cancel the last order…”

The man looked down and stopped her again as she reached for a glass. Yu-hwa quickly flipped the phone as he was staring at it. The chart she was looking at was the problematic share.

“Give it. I won’t be able to drink for a while.” She said while looking at the last glass the bartender was now holding from her sight.

Even though the bartender was handsome, even though he tried to stop her, she had to get drunk tonight.

“For a while? Why?”

Ah, I didn’t come here for this.

Yu-hwa stopped talking and looked up.

“I was just curious. Why you’d go dry.”

The man tapped on the table. It looked like he was demanding an answer. His large hand grabbed her attention and in the end, she wasn’t annoyed anymore.

Each time he flicked his finger, his veins on the hands flinched. She wanted to touch it. Thankfully, she still had some sanity left.

“I, I’m busy.”

Yu-hwa felt her nerves get the best of her as she stammered out a response. She realized that her negative feelings towards the previous encounter with the man were now impacting her interaction with the bartender.

She couldn’t help but feel pathetic for coming to the bar in the first place.

“You are. Then you should drink. This is on the house.”

Finally, the 21 questions was over. Yu-hwa smiled at his teasing voice and quickly erased it. Thankfully he didn’t see it.

The man was the employee of the lounge bar in Glint Hotel. He would’ve gotten service training and that pretty smile probably wasn’t for flirting.

Knock knock.

Yu-hwa opened her eyes wide. She couldn’t tell when she had them closed to begin with. In front of her was the man’s hand rolled upward.

What the man gave to her was an odd gold-colored cocktail in old fashioned glass. Yu-hwa asked while staring at it.

“What’s the name?”

“Ban Woo-jin.”

Yu-hwa chuckled as an unexpected answer came back. The man also chuckled as he found it funny. His dimple on his left cheek was a sight.

How can I man smile so prettily?

Yu-hwa stopped laughing on purpose. She had to come back to her senses. She quickly pointed at the golden alcohol.

“No, this.”

“Well you didn’t say a subject. The cocktail’s name is Catharsis.”