PANDORA'S BOX
7:20 PM, WEDNESDAY

3RD PERSONS VIEW。

"Would you like anything else?" Daniel questioned the costumer in which they replied simply with, "No, thank you."

The young apprentice nodded and went behind the counter to fetch them some specified drinks. Upon making their certain drink, he overhears his co-workers talking.

"You did what now?"

"I just– um–"

"No. I heard you." Reiji muttered, "Just why?" he squinted his eyes at him, "The ever so Keiko was taken out for ice cream."

"Told you," she shrugged, "boy wanted to kidnap me or something."

Daniel froze in his spot, "Kidnap?" he spun around to join their conversation.

"Yup." she chuckled, "Apparently... two mafia gangs are after me."

The younger boy stared at her in awe, not getting why she wasn't so shaken up by the fact that there were literal mafia's tailing her. But then again, Daniel had heard stories about Keiko's shameless acts in front of mafia's, it's like it never scared her.

"How exciting." she uttered, sarcasm laced in her tone.

Daniel turned back, opening the cocktail shaker and pouring the mixed drinks into the glasses before preparing to make more. His mind couldn't seem to lay off the fact that there was more to Keiko that was he had thought.

"So, what happened with your uncle?" the boy hears Reiji ask her again.

"Eh, fell asleep when I got home. I don't think he was home either."

Reiji deadpanned, "As expected."

Daniel took a deep breath, mustering up all the courage he has before facing their head bartender, "Cerise."

The said girl furrowed her brows, glancing behind, "Daniel? What do you want?" she questioned.

"Do you know the Mikami Empire?"

Reiji chewed on the insides of his cheek, urging to punch Daniel's arm. Though he was luckily able to fight it off after seeing Keiko's calm approach to Daniel's sudden question.

"Of course," she muttered, a low snigger coming afterwards. "I was a Mikami after all."

"Why do you look so shocked?" the girl laughed after seeing her apprentice with a frown plastered on his face. "It doesn't matter to me anymore, Daniel. It doesn't even look like they care about me at all."

Keiko clicked her tongue, "Better finish those cocktails before your costumer gets impatient." she walked off, making her way to the restricted employees room.

Reiji sighed and ruffled Daniel's hair, "You had such guts to ask her that."

"Was... Why– What happened?"

The older boy glanced at the red curtains before leaning closer at him. "She'll open up to you soon, give her some time tech boy."

"Speaking of, how have you been doing at Univ?" Reiji questions, grabbing a blob of ice and began carving it with a knife.

"I've been learning a lot, honestly I wouldn't be able to know about the Mikami Empire if she didn't ask me to dig up information." Daniel mumbled as picture of the files passed through his eyes.

"It's just– knowing now that she's a Mikami is– Wow."

"Scary things happen in the business world, Daniel. Keiko probably had enough of them already, hence why she acts so... shameless." he stifled a laugh, remembering countless times the girl would aim her gun at mafia members who tried to do shit in her bar.

As the two laughed, Keiko leaned onto one of the walls of the storage room. Eyes casted on the polaroid photo she kept in her locker.

Sighing, she closed her eyes, letting her mind drift off into silence.

.    .    .

"Oh, welcome back." Daniel blinked upon familiarizing two out of three boys. Reiji laced an arm around the younger, "That's not how you do it, Daniel. Be a bit more... enthusiastic." he whispered onto the boy's ear.

Deadpanning, Daniel pushed the older away, facing them with feigned a smile, "Welcome to Pandora's Box!"

Reiji facepalms, muttering words like, "We'll work on that..." before walking off to attend to other costumers.

"Yangyang, Xiaojun, what do you guys want?" the third boy raised a brow as they sat by the counter. "I'll be paying." he stated simply as he rested on of his legs over the other one, eyes wandering around the underground bar.

The head bartender walks out red curtains, first noticing the two familiar faces sitting next to a dark haired boy. A scowl on her face, she approaches them with clenched fists.

"I see you are back." she wiped her hands with a damp cloth, an eyebrow raised up as she eyed the new face. "And you are?"

"Zhong Chenle." the boy smiled at her innocently before proceeding to look around the place. "You have a nice bar." he commented.

"Thank you..." she trails off, voice lowering she spun to grab the needed ingredients.

Chenle watched carefully as she precisely did her work neatly. An amused grin crept up his face, "Wah..." he leaned forward onto the bar counter, casting his elbow down on it as he settled his chin on the palm of his hands.

"Here you go." she says with a smile, handing him over a glass filled with Pandora's Box usual welcome drink.

Xiaojun pursed his lips, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the counter top, "So–"

He got cut off quick when the girl exhaled sharply, "Didn't I tell you to fuck off?"

The boy squinted his eyes, feeling a switch in him turn on as he no longer held a calm demeanor. Xiaojun clenched his fists, wanting to release rage upon her any minute now, but he couldn't. All because Taeyong didn't want her harmed.

Just wait until you lose, Cherrie. A voice in his head said clearly in his mind.

Yangyang sat there nervously as he glanced at the fuming boy next to him. He nudged Chenle who was fairly calm.

With a little smirk, Chenle kept his lips near the glass, "You told our boss to fuck off."

"Yeah, and that means you too." she rolled her eyes, hands now akimbo.

"We just want to play a game, Cherrie." a pout formed on his lips.

Keiko's face twisted in shock, "Game?"

"But first... we need a player–" he points at her, placing down the glass after chugging down the drink, "well aren't you suited for our game."

She scoffed, "I'm not playing whatever fucking game you have in mind."

"Too bad, you're already a player." Xiaojun chuckled dryly at her unfortunate situation.

"Hell no."

Chenle cleared his throat, tossing his black card across the counter top, "Better get ready soon, Mikami Keiko." and with that, the girl froze in her spot the moment she heard him voice out her past name.

"Don't call me that." she hissed and returned his card after crediting the single drink they got.

A playful smirk was now casted on the young one's face, "Thanks for the drink," he stands up with both of his friends, "I want to taste your famous drink next time I pass by."

Yangyang sighed and pulled Xiaojun out the bar quick, leaving Chenle alone to talk to her.

"I just want you to remember one thing."

Chenle walks up close, pushing himself towards her. Keiko sneered, "What." leaning backwards to avoid any contact of the mafia boy.

"You can't escape us."

—