NEO CULTURE TECHNOLOGY
MAD CITY BASE
7:23 AM, THURSDAY

"Keiko that's not how you crack the eggs." Mark muttered as he watched her try all over again. Keiko shot him a bitter look, "As if you know better."

He gasps out loud, lightly hitting her arm, "Mean!"

"Why are we cooking breakfast again?" Hendery questioned with sigh, eyes scanning the kitchen only for it to land on Kun who warned him with a certain look.

"Simple. Because two brats decided to leave the base without any permission or notice at all." Kun crossed his arms in front of his chest, slitted eyes glaring down at the Chinese boy and the Japanese girl.

Hendery flinched slightly, a sheepish smile set on his lips as he avoided the older's gaze, quickly nudging Keiko who stood beside him, "Your fault." he murmured.

"Shut up, you had fun didn't you." she retorted making him pull up a bitter look.

Hendery rolled his eyes before snatching away the eggs. "You're not doing it properly."

"Are you sure it's alright to let them cook?" Taeil asked worriedly as he walked into the kitchen, "I mean- they might burn down the whole place."

Hendery and Keiko shot him an offended look, a frown on their faces. "Hey! We can hear you, you know!"

Taeil narrowed his eyes at them, snapping his fingers, "It was meant to be heard, brats."

"What's cookin– why the hell are you making Mark cook eggs?" Renjun said as he peeped inside the kitchen.

Mark scowled, "I can cook eggs!"

"No you can't. Proven and tested. Why are you even helping them?" Donghyuck retorted, scoffing comically as he remembered the time Mark was the one who cooked eggs.

"Like you are any different, Haechan." Yuta spoke behind him making the said boy flinch, a sheepish smile cast on his lips.

"Never let Haechan cook again if you don't want the kitchen to burn down." Sicheng noted, nodding his head as he agreed with Yuta.

"Okay, this is their punishment, why are y'all here?" Doyoung interrupted and started pushing the others who weren't Hendery and Keiko outside.

"Okay, okay, sheesh. We're leaving."

Jeno walked past through, earning a deadpan from Doyoung. He shook his head, "I just... need to get the milk box."

Doyoung sighed, "Fine, hurry up."

"Oh? Jeno." Hendery was the first one to notice the boy, giving him a simple wave. Keiko peered up from the pan, nodding towards Jeno's direction, "Oh, hi."

As Jeno grabbed the milk carton from the refrigerator. He turns around, eyes lingering onto Keiko for a bit. Noticing how she occasionally pushed back her hair for it to avoid getting into her way.

Placing down the carton on the countertop, he tapped the girl's shoulder making her avert her gaze onto him. "Uhh... You need something?" She asks.

Jeno stretches out his arm, showing her his wrist making her furrow her eyebrows in confusion. "Um, is there something wrong with your wrist?"

He stifled a laugh, shaking his head as his eyes curved into crescents as he smiled, "Take the hair tie, I think you need it."

"Oh, I- Uhh, thank you." She mumbled quite surprised. Sliding off the black hair tie from Jeno's wrist, she brushed her silver hair together before tying it up in a ponytail.

Jeno sent her another warming smile before leaving, "You're always welcome." He stated, walking out of the kitchen.

"Is this enough for everyone?" Keiko asked Hendery, pointing down at the platter of food they have started with. Hendery shook his head, "I don't know but I don't think so either."

"Ugh let's just eliminate people if there isn't enough."

Hendery cackled, "Wow very helpful." He replied sarcastically, trudging towards counter, "Let's just make extra," he shrugs before noticing the carton on the counter. "Uhh, are we gonna use this milk for something?"

Keiko shook her head, "No? Why'd you even bring that out."

"What? I did not." He mutters, returning the milk carton back in the refrigerator.

.      .      .

PANDORA'S BOX
9:45 PM, THURSDAY

"Has he contacted you or anything?" Keiko asked as she twirled the jigger in between her fingers before pouring the bittersweet alcoholic drink back into the mixer.

Reiji shook his head, "Nope. Nothing."

"Well shit, is he seriously not gonna show up anymore?"

The male bartender hummed simply, "Probably? I don't know. If he does I'm seriously gonna give him a beating since your mafia friends won't do it."

"Or I should spike his drink... hmm which do you prefer?"

Keiko snorted, "You do you, Reiji."

"Here you go, Trigger the fever." The head bartender grins widely at her customer, sliding the cocktail glass over the counter confidently.

"Thank you, Cerise, right?" The girl cocks a brow up before taking a sip of the blue hued drink.

"Your welcome, hmm... Heiryung, right?"

Heiryung chuckled, "Glad to know you remembered my name."

"Girl, I always try to remember or get to know my customers. So that I can whip up a drink to their liking." Keiko stated, eyes trailing onto her customers jacket. "Wait- You go to Sangkyun Uni?"

Heiryung looks down at her jacket, seeing her school logo visible. She nods with a small smile, "Yup, it's a good school- though things have been quite...crazy recently."

"Oh, right! Daniel works part-time here, doesn't he? He's been...I don't know...gone? For the past few days- his girlfriend has been worrying."

Reiji nearly choked, eyes growing wide as he snapped his head towards the girl, "Daniel? Girlfriend? What- when?"

Keiko sneered, nudging Reiji, "Reiji, not the time to gossip with customers, a bit rude..."

Heiryung waved it off, "Nah, it's fine. But, is he here? Minyoung has been worried sick."

Keiko frowned, shaking her head, "Sorry, but we've been wondering that as well."

"Jeez, that boy, seriously. Well, thank you for the drink! I'll stop by again sometimes if we found something about Daniel." Heiryung bids goodbye before walking out of the bar.

Reiji scrunched his nose, baffled by what they had just heard.

"Did I hear that right?" Keiko mumbled, looking at Reiji.

The said boy nodded, "Yeah- dear Daniel has a damn girlfriend- why don't we know!?"

Keiko hissed, "Not that!" huffing, she crossed her arms as concern washed over her. "Daniel has been missing..."

"Maybe he's been taken hostage... or well, maybe he agreed working under that Lee Taehui."

Keiko gritted her teeth, seething as she rummaged through the little basket by the counter that filled numerous of business cards. "Remember that invite we got to a grand party?"

Reiji pursed his lips, recalling to a few days back and he nodded, "Yeah- why? Are you gonna accept it? I mean- that was from your grandfather..."

Keiko chuckled, waving the thin plastic in front of Reiji's face, "I am, I think I know where this is leading."

"Jesus, Keiko, I thought we won't ever accept any invites?"

"When there is a Mikami Eiichi, there is a Lee Taehui, you know what I'm talking about." She shrugged, placing the card down.

Reiji snickered followed by rolling his eyes, "I smell drama, I smell a family clash gonna happen." He points a finger at Keiko, a serious look on his face, "There better be popcorn."

—

hmm why did jeno do that :0
daniel has a girlfriend oof and it's minyoung too 👀

heiryung...hmm...who could that be 👁👄👁