Old Fashioned

☾︎✯☽︎

I always preferred bartending at pubs to nightclubs. I was used and accustomed to the loud and crowded atmosphere nightclubs normally have, but something about the cosy and welcoming atmosphere pubs always have with its warm lighting casting a golden glow on the wooden tables and chairs. The air is always infused with the scent of malt, and you always feel a sense of relaxation wash over you.

The pub itself was a beautiful wooden structure, polished to shine and adorned with bottles of every colour and shape. The room is filled with gentle murmurs of conversations and soft clinking of glasses with subtle music playing in the background. I was stationed to bartend at one of the small pubs in the Coup Detat instead of Pink Venom for the whole week.

My shift was going smoothly just like any other night. I was serving drinks and chatting with a few customers here and there. Some of my old customers from my previous work managed to find where I worked and decided to visit me.

"I was bummed when I found out that your old boss cut you off," one of them said. "he should have realised that he shot himself in the leg throwing away an asset like you."

I chuckled at his sentiment. "How's the old boss man these days?"

"Not too good, sadly. He had to close down his business when the number of customers started to decline. It got worse when the bartenders he did keep started resigning." He shook his head. "Truly a shame."

I hummed in concession. "Indeed."

As my shift continued, my mood suddenly changed when I saw the person I never thought I'd have to see again – the rich man who was with Lisa in the VIP room at Pink Venom weeks ago.

"This man really chose the worst days to come to see Lisa," I heard Jin mutter beside me.

"Then why is he here at this pub?" I asked, staring hard at him as he took a seat at the bar.

"Only one way to find out," Jin said before proceeding to nudge me in the man's direction.

"Why me?" I retaliated.

"Because I am not dealing with his trifling ass at this God-forsaken hour. I love my handsome face free from bruises and a black eye, thank you very much."

"That's going to be the least of your worries when I have your head on a silver platter, asshole!"

"Look, hyung. Out of the both of us, you're the most calm and level-headed. This night will end with me getting froggy and putting hands on that son of a bitch if you leave me to handle him."

I grumble begrudgingly and walked over to the man. "Hello and welcome. How can I help you?" I greet him with my best professional voice.

He smiled as he gave me a look of recognition. "I remember you. You work at the club, no?"

I nodded stiffly. "That I do, sir."

"How come you're here and not the club?"

"We have a weekly rotational roaster. I'll be here before I have to rotate to a different pub for the whole week."

The man hummed and nodded his head.

"Anything you'd like to drink?" I asked a little impatiently. I really didn't want to be in this man's presence more than I had to.

He leaned back in his seat with a thoughtful look on his face. "I'm in the mood for an old-fashioned."

"Coming right up."

I deftly selected a glass and created a soothing melody with the sound of the ice cubes clinking into the glass as I filled it up. I reached for a bottle of bourbon, its rich amber colour glowing in the amber-lit room. With a steady hand, I splash the right amount against the ice like a gentle waterfall. Next, I added a sugar cube and dissolved it into the concoction. Finally, a twist of orange peel was squeezed over the top. With a quick stir, I pushed the cocktail in front of the man.

He lifted the glass and brought it to his nose, taking in the aroma before taking a sip. He hummed satisfied and nodded his head in approval. “I gotta say, you really improved my mood making an old-fashioned this good.”

“I take pride in giving my customers the best drinks and service,” I answered.

Even if it’s rich assholes like you.

“Say, have you heard from Lisa?” he asked.

I clenched my jaw and said nothing.

“The stripper I was with last time you saw me.”

I almost said ‘I know who you’re talking about. I’m not fucking stupid,’ but I caught myself. “Can’t say that I have, but I can guess that she’s unavailable at the moment. She does have a life outside of her work.”

“Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“Afraid I can’t help you with that, sir. I don’t know her schedule.”

“Can you get a hold of her and tell her that she has a client waiting for her.”

“She’s a dancer, not a sex worker.”

“Stripper. Prostitute. Same thing.”

I felt my annoyance wash over me like a sea on the ocean coast. I’m not one to be violent unless in situations that require me to defend myself. But I felt the biggest urge to knock his teeth out of his mouth for the way he was talking about Lisa. I was honestly surprised at the amount of self-control I had at that moment.

The man grunts as he pushed the empty glass toward me. “I was really looking forward to seeing her dance for me again,” he said. “She really knows how to hold a man’s attention. Not to forget sexy.”

He smirked. “Wonder if she’d be a good fuck just as she is a good stripper.”

I stoically stared at the man and sighed, taking his glass.

“I take it that you have a wife and a kid or two with a well-paying job that provides a stable income?” I said. 

The man arched an eyebrow. “Well colour me impressed. How did you guess?”

“Well, I’ve been in the service industry as a bartender for about nine years. You meet a lot of different kinds of people.” I shrugged as I began fixing his drink.

“Okay, but why suddenly bring up my family?”

I nodded my head towards his ring finger that adorned the golden band. “The ring you’re wearing is a symbol of a promise you made to love, honour and cherish your wife the day she put it on your finger,” I told him. “and here you are in this establishment breaking and dishonouring that promise.”

The man’s smile faded as his expression became dark and grave. I could tell that I hit him in a sore spot and struck a nerve.