Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Everyone knows the cliches.

The bartender, the guy (or girl) who rolls out of bed at 3PM, has bourbon and cereal for breakfast, and then drags his sorry ass to work two hours later. Obviously, at work he performs an insane display of juggling, shaking, stirring and mixing. And it’s so fucking impressive that people will come up and say, “That is one fine display of working flair, have a bill, keep the change, I’ll be back for more later.”

The beautiful boy (or girl) at the end of the bar is equally impressed and feels so inclined to slide their number over the counter, while very slowly mouthing the words “Call me”, before winking and mysteriously walking away.

And of course the amazing, the mixer, the shaker, bartender slides the number into his pocket, winks back, and coyly moves on to serve his (her) next customer.

It’s the job!

Nah. Not really. Sure, these things do happen. But not as often as movies or series make it seem. The bartender is the guy who gets shot at, actually, make no mistake there. Also the guy who happens to know more or less what’s going on (‘more or less’ because sometimes a brain can only focus on serving the damn drinks). It’s the guy who works the 5PM to 2AM shift but only leaves at 3AM. But most of all? The bartender is the mystery.

One of the best parts about being a bartender, though? Totally having his days free to do whatever he wants. He doesn’t have to wake up to an alarm clock (so damn nice!) and instead of sitting at a desk all day, he can go outside and feel the sun on his skin and the wind on his back--and then get a cold because freaking Yoo Kihyun is a hermit.

But not just a hermit, oh no; he’s a nocturnal animal.

A vampire? Well, sometimes--joking, joking. He just really loves The Nights. And he’s living his best life, the life that fits him, the life he had to work for (believe it or not) and, well, he’s sorry for being everything his parents despise and glad for being all of the things they never knew they wanted their son to be.

So, what does freaking Yoo Kihyun do every day when he gets to work? Get a double espresso because life sucks and he needs that caffeine. No milk, no sugar, just pure bean.

Who even drinks milk, anyway? Lattes, the stuff of nightmares.

And then he greets his family, because that’s the thing about being a nocturnal animal, his colleagues are his family. Every co-worker in this place? Family.

So, this is it; 

Welcome to MyStar.

---

The rush always comes when people least expect it. One minute, the bar is empty and everyone is casually filling up the ice wells--not everyone, really, just Kihyun and Jooheon. The next minute, the bar is three rows deep, cocktail orders are backed up, Jooheon has gone to the bathroom and one of the kegs has just run out.

So, Kihyun stresses, because of course he does. And he walks into the bathroom and opens the damn stall to will Jooheon to hurry the fuck up-- who takes a shit during rush hour, anyways ? He’s lucky Kihyun cleans those bathrooms, or he wouldn’t be sitting on those toilets with a clean conscience or a clean, well, anything.

But then things calm down, and the strippers roll in, and that’s when it get a little interesting. Well, interesting(er). Like the two, almost three hours of rush weren’t enough.

There’s a small bachelorette party in a booth decorated in bright pink, giggling among themselves and watching the strippers every time they pass by before whispering and giggling some more. There’s not much to the people who come to places like this; they want something they don’t normally get, that’s it. Some look cocky, smug, like this place owes them that (but hey, at least they spend their money) and some just look nervous. 

It’s a very open club. Kihyun sincerely doubts there’s a single dancer here who is completely straight, so nobody minds who they dance for, really, as long as they pay. 

At the moment, a nervous looking man is tapping at the counter and blushing every time he sees Hoseok (here, known as Wonho) walking past. He has a simple brandy and coke and fidgets. Kihyun sees at last three of these a day.

The man pushes his now empty glass out and catches Kihyun’s eye, smiling shyly. “One more, please.”

Kihyun smiles a little and takes the glass with one hand and the brandy with another. “Double or single?” he asks. This guy could use a double, to be honest.

Wonho sits down next to him and the man squeaks a, “Double.” Hoseok smiles at him and he blushes, but Hoseok just keeps smiling.

“Is this your first time at a place like this?” Hoseok asks, and Kihyun notes he’s wearing his lace outfit again. Poor top, completely stretched out at this point, but Hoseok makes it look good.

Kihyun scoops some ice into the glass and raises an eyebrow (without looking, it’s rude), smiling as he pours the brandy and later the coke.

“Yeah,” the guy admits, wincing. 

“Weeeeell,” Hoseok says, slipping off the chair. “I have a show, soon. Will you come watch?”

The guy blinks. “On--on the stage?” And Hoseok nods. “Okay…”

Kihyun glances at Hoseok and then at the guy. “Here,” Kihyun says as he places the glass in front of the man again. Hoseok just smiles, though, walks to the dressing rooms behind the stage, and Kihyun takes the man’s card and stamps it before writing ‘B&C’ on the little square.

“How does this…” the man asks, clears his throat. “Work…?”

Kihyun raises an eyebrow and grins, “What, the brandy? Well, depends. How much of it will you be having? I recommend one more of those if you’ll be doing what I think you’ll be doing.”

The guy shrinks a little on the counter. “They’re just--all so pretty… You too, it’s terrible…”

Kihyun huffs a laugh, “Thank you.” He sees someone else get closer to the counter but Jooheon quickly takes that order so Kihyun stays put on his side of the bar.

“Do you… strip, too?”

“Do you want me to?” Kihyun asks as casually as he can, shrugs and grabs a few drinks to put them back on the shelf behind him--keeping things organized is key.

The guy blushes crimson. “I--I mean, I don’t--I don’t not --” he groans, hides his face. “Oh god, why am I here…”

Kihyun sighs softly and turns to the man, reaches for a shot glass and places it in front of him, takes the vodka and pours it full. “On the house.”

He peeks through his hands. “Thanks…”

The club’s lights change to blues and purples, and Kihyun can see Hyunwoo and Minhyuk leaving their current ‘targets’ and head to the bar. It’s the way of things; the dancer on stage is ‘advertising’ himself or herself, so the others make sure not to distract. Minhyuk (known here as Minnie) stands out in any case, with his platinum blonde hair and heavily made up eyes, dark against pale skin. Where Hyunwoo (known here as Shownu) is nearly completely naked, topless with leather pants, Minhyuk is more of the… temptress type. Wears pretty things but doesn’t show much, tempts people to get him to. Hyunwoo doesn’t need to do that, much, so he doesn’t. 

“Whoo!” Minhyuk whoops loudly when Hoseok steps out on stage to do a routine they’ve all seen just… so many times before. The guy, though, stares, wide eyed, and Minhyuk giggles, gives him a small push. 

“Go sit by the stage!” Minhyuk urges and the man almost stumbles on his way there, sits at the counter all the way around the stage. The stage is literally just two poles and a chair. Other props are welcome, but those are the basics. And Hoseok does it really fuckin’ well .

But Kihyun is not here to watch Hoseok. Honestly, after all this time, he knows Hoseok’s stage more or less by heart (the white crop top is new though). Kihyun is here to serve drinks and convince people they want more drinks. Some don’t need convincing, others do. Like everything in life.

He is, however, also here to keep an eye out. Because sometimes things get a little tricky and while most of these strippers can stand up for themselves, it does no harm to be alert for certain types, which are rare but existent nonetheless.

The club is owned, to the surprise of most, by a woman. A lesbian, at that. ‘A gap in the market’, Sunmi had said is why she’d started the club. She’s here, in her office, greets people coming in and takes their entrance fee and explains the prices. But she’s not here to keep the customers in hand, even if Kihyun knows she could most likely kick anyone’s ass.

Hoseok finishes, in barely more than a bright pink thong, and smiles at everyone. The shy man from before holds out a note that Hoseok takes by squatting in front of the poor him and instructing him to put it in said bright pink thong.

What a life.

That is also when Minhyuk and Hyunwoo scatter again, and Hyungwon, the DJ, turns the volume down on the music and the lights back from their blues. It’s also, though, when Kihyun sees Sunmi walk through the front doors, in smiling conversation with a dark haired boy.

Kihyun’s eyes move to Jooheon when he serves a colourful caterpillar of cocktails. Kihyun fixes his black tank-top, tucks some loose ends back into his black jeans and moves on to serve a girl who’s waving three cards at him.

He looks back up when Sunmi gets closer. He slides the girl her drinks at then reaches for the cloth nearby to wipe his hands. 

“Can I get you anything?” Kihyun asks, throws the cloth over his shoulder, eyes moving between Sunmi and the pretty boy next to her.

Sunmi smiles widely, a hand on the boy’s arm. “This is the new dancer I told you about,” she says cheerfully. The boy smiles, lips in a line making his cheeks dimple, hand up with a little wave. 

“Oh,” Kihyun blinks. You look… young. “Kihyun,” he greets, extends his hand over the counter and the boy shakes it. “The bartender, obviously. One of them, Sunmi collects us like legendary Pokémon.”

Sunmi cackles. “True, I do.”

“I’m--” the boy says, voice surprisingly deep but he looks unsure. “I’m Changkyun…? I don’t know if you meant stripper name,” the boy laughs, ears red. 

Kihyun smiles and looks down. “I’m not a stripper, so I just meant I go by ‘Kihyun’.” He reaches for one of the sliced lemons and brings a slice into his mouth. “Doing the ‘learn on the job’?” he asks, eyes coming up to Sunmi.

Sunmi smiles, nods. “It’s the easiest, really.” She looks to Changkyun. “I’ve told you pretty much all you need to know, the rest is just… testing the waters. You good with that?”

Changkyun nods. “Yeah! I mean, yeah. I just--didn’t think you’d hire me on the spot so I don’t have--” he laughs, clearly a little nervous. “Anything to wear? Or not wear…”

Kihyun raises an eyebrow and looks between them. “Well, ask the boys, I’m sure something… will fit. Maybe Minnie?” He shrugs and grabs a glass, scoops some ice into it and then asks, “Do you like chocolate vodka, Changkyun?”

“Uhm,” Changkyun says and Sunmi laughs.

“I’m going to let you do your thing, Changkyunnie,” Sunmi says, already walking away. “Have fun, okay?”

“Okay,” Changkyun blinks, looks back to Kihyun. “No idea, never had it… Sounds nice, though.”

Kihyun turns to grab the ‘changed’ Smirnoff and places it over the counter before glancing at Jooheon to shout, “Hey, Joo? Where’s the chocolate powder?”

Jooheon does a little spin to point to the top shelf. “Boom.”

“Really?” Kihyun deadpans. He turns to get the powder and then starts preparing the drink. It’s one of those they don’t serve to people because Jooheon and Kihyun literally prepare the chocolate Smirnoff at home, but it’s usually something they share with the rest of the family.

Changkyun smiles again and sits down, looking around. “Thanks,” he says, glancing around. “Who’s Minnie?”

Kihyun glances up and places a glass of iced chocolate vodka in front of Changkyun. “A hurricane, really.”

Changkyun reaches for the drink, smiling as if to himself all the while. “That’s a lot to… Well, I don’t wanna say ‘compete with’...”

“You are competing, though,” Kihyun says. He raises an eyebrow and watches Changkyun’s face for a moment, there’s gold on his eyelids. It suits him, in the way it contrasts with the black of his hair. “You’ve got a nice face, you’ll be fine.”

Changkyun scoffs, slurps at his drink. “Thanks… Didn’t realise everyone else here was so, well. Fit , so thanks.”

“Don’t worry too much about that. Minhyuk would fly if the wind blew too harshly. And yet, he’s the most well paid bitch I know. Puts me and my hard work to shame.”

Changkyun pouts. “You don’t get a lot of tips? You’re really pretty, though.”

“Yeah, but I don’t strip,” Kihyun scoffs and then shrugs. “Well, only to the cats. At home. Away from prying eyes.”

“I do both, apparently,” Changkyun smiles.

“And it’s appreciated,” Kihyun says. “The world would perish without you.”

Changkyun throws his head back in a laugh. “I’ve not even taken my clothes off yet!”

Kihyun looks up and then glances at someone who’s getting closer to the bar. “You don’t need to. I can tell…” he says as he walks closer and smiles at the girl who flashes him one look before quietly ordering a drink.

Minhyuk, bless his soul, spots Changkyun and grins like the devil before wandering closer and draping himself over the counter. “Hello, newbie…” is how he greets Changkyun.

Changkyun has his lips wrapped around the straw as he looks at him, before popping off with a smack of his lips. “Hello, veteran.”

Minhyuk turns to Kihyun and says, “I like him.”

“Join the club,” Kihyun scoffs.

“Cute. So,” Minhyuk turns to Changkyun. “Would you like to follow me? We’re going to dress you up and then we’re going to have fun.”

“Oh,” Changkyun actually perks up a little. “Really?” 

Minhyuk shrugs and leans back. “What, you don’t wanna?”

“No!” Changkyun defends. “I’m not--not shy or anything, I just--that’s so nice, thank you,” Changkyun pouts, finishing the drink and nodding. 

“Come on, then,” Minhyuk says as he takes Changkyun’s hand and tugs, Changkyun staying in place long enough just to finish the drink completely before letting himself be tugged. As they pass by, though, Minhyuk winks at Kihyun and Kihyun just rolls his eyes.

Jooheon scoots closer, like he’s trying to own the word ‘scoot’ and scoot he shall. “Did Minnie just pull a client or is that the fresh meat?”

“Fresh meat, my man,” Kihyun scoffs, takes Changkyun’s glass and throws the ice away before turning to put it inside the washing machine, finally closing it for its second round today. It’s a big washing machine. It takes a lot of glasses.

“Huh.” Jooheon squints at thin air. “He’s… hot. Good for him.”

“Minhyuk finally has proper competition,” Kihyun says as he wipes his hands.

“For the guys like you whose type isn’t all--” Jooheon gestures to Hyunwoo. He looks oily? Good for him. “That? Like you. You look at them and you’re dead behind the eyes, bro.”

Kihyun snorts and shakes his head as he crosses his arms and leans his weight on one leg. “Look, I admire the… work they put into it. When I try to workout all the work goes to my chest for some reason. It’s pointless, really. So… hey, kudos to them. But beefy isn’t my type.”

“So,” Jooheon grins. “If you walked in here as a client… You’d ask Minhyuk for a dance?”

Kihyun blinks very slowly and tries to forget he actually knows Minhyuk. “Yes…”

“He’ll be so chuffed,” Jooheon sighs wistfully. “Do you know if this kid’s danced before?”

“Who, Changkyun?” Kihyun asks, gives Jooheon a look and then glances at the dancefloor. “Nah, don’t know him. Sunmi only vaguely mentioned him a few times, that’s all.”

Jooheon looks over to a guy leaning over the counter in an attempt to get his attention and scoffs, moving away and over. “Maybe ask him for a dance!” Jooheon calls over, grinning in that way he definitely learned from Minhyuk, as he mixes a drink for the guy. 

Kihyun rolls his eyes and smiles in amusement as he watches the crowd wild up for the next song. If he’s going to waste money, he’ll pay for a drive home (he takes the uber home, sometimes).

Eventually, after a few Aperol Spritz, Margaritas and the occasional Moscow Mule, Minhyuk emerges again, Changkyun in tow. His hair still looks fluffy, but Minhyuk has gone and styled it away from his face. Is that a piercing? Yep. Piercing. Minhyuk darkened the boy’s make-up, too, but kept the gold. He’s wearing a top Kihyun didn’t even know Minhyuk had, a black crop top with lace peeking out over the boy’s exposed stomach and his arms. Kihyun recognises the pants, though, just… leather. But for some reason, it looks tighter on Changkyun than he’d expected, and again, Kihyun sees lace peeking out from the pants. 

What underwear did Minhyuk put this boy in?

Kihyun isn’t at all surprised when he sees a few heads turn already. And well, good on him, really. Changkyun needs those eyes on him if he wants to make money. Hopefully, Minhyuk won’t take it too personally.

One of Minhyuk’s regulars (Kihyun recognises him immediately) walks in, and Minhyuk grins, whispers something in Changkyun’s ear and rushes away, jumping into the man’s arms who immediately leads him to one of the private booths. Changkyun glances around and smiles at Kihyun before training his eyes on the two guys already staring at him from the end of the bar, and walking over.

Kihyun swears he can see the difference between this boy, this walk, and the boy Sunmi had escorted in here. Changkyun barely talks to them, too, just lifts himself up to sit on the counter, a foot coming up to prop at the backrest of one of the guys, who looks entirely pleased by this.

Of course he does.

Kihyun glances to the side when a girl calls over, followed by a group of people. Why suddenly people decided to order five Appletinis in a row is beyond him but he’s stopped questioning his clients not long after his first month here, and he’s been here for years . 

Well, three years is years , right? Right.

“Hi,” the guy Changkyun is currently wooing greets.

“Mm, you can do better than that,” Changkyun says and--Jesus, even his voice sounds different. Deeper, like dark chocolate.

What .

The guy looks to his buddy and then to Changkyun. “Can I offer you a drink?”

“Let me see,” Changkyun says, moving the guy’s hand with the glass closer to his mouth to lean his head back for a small sip before moving him away, licking at his lips in a very deliberate way. “Sure,” Changkyun smirks. “You have good taste.”

The guy smiles and then glances at Kihyun, “One more of these!”

Coming right up.

“What will you do for ₩170 000?” the guy’s buddy asks, leaning into his friends bubble and grinning.

Changkyun clearly can’t help the way his eyes go a little wide, before he grins, reaching over to run a hand through the guy’s hair, tugs him a little closer. “Pretty much anything, darling.”

Kihyun blinks for quite a while before quietly getting closer just to place Changkyun’s drink by the counter and taking the man’s card to stamp it. They talk for a while, Changkyun sipping at the drink and flirting in a way they seem to believe, despite where they are...

But Changkyun finishes the drink and the guy grins and reaches to touch at Changkyun’s crotch, Changkyun smacks his hand, gives him a level look. “Not that.”

“Then,” the other guy says, “Can we go to a booth and you strip and dance for us?”

Now, there’s an image.

Changkyun slips off the counter, shorter than both of them but still turns them both around, gives a small push. He looks to Kihyun, then, leans in and speaks lowly, “How long for that much money? I can’t remember the rates.”

Kihyun shrugs. “Thirty five? Forty five, if you’re feeling generous.”

“Hmm, thanks,” is all Changkyun says before Kihyun watches him confidently saunter past both the men and to a booth, beckoning for them to join him before he closes the curtains with a wink to Kihyun.

“Hey,” someone says as he drapes himself over the counter and wave at Kihyun. “Two beers, please!”

Oh, they said ‘please’. Today is a good day.

About an hour later, a row of shots and a few Margaritas later, Changkyun comes back, plopping down on one of the bar stools, face red and smiling like he's… Proud? He should be, really. He ruffles at his hair and looks to Kihyun, laughs a little. 

"Do you have, like, water with ice? I'd murder for water with ice right now."

Kihyun finishes serving a beer and then raises an eyebrow at Changkyun. "Water is free," Kihyun says as he scoffs a laugh and shakes his head. He grabs a glass and fills it with ice before reaching below to grab a bottle of water and open it.

"Even better!" Changkyun smiles, draping himself a little over the counter. "Thanks."

"Good first day?" Kihyun asks as he places the glass next to Changkyun, who drinks about half of it in one go. 

"It's only been an hour," Changkyun scoffs. "Yeah, though? That was a lot of money… They even paid for more time… Damn, I had no idea."

"Told you, you'd be fine."

Changkyun smiles something small, almost shy. "It's just… Confidence and acting. Just glad people seem to like me so much..."

"Don't you?" Kihyun asks. He glances at Jooheon who's now emptying the dish washing machine, glasses so warm they'd burn his skin off if he wasn't using that cloth. "Like yourself much, I mean?"

Changkyun narrows his eyes. "I do… I just don't really make a habit of looking at myself in a mirror like, 'damn, definitely wanna jump that' ." 

Kihyun laughs and looks at Changkyun. "No, but knowing how you look to other people makes wonders for the job. If you know how you look, how you can look, then you can get whatever you want out of them," Kihyun gestures at the crowd and then smiles when a few girls wander closer to get more drinks.

"Do you have foooood?" one of them asks as she drunkenly drapes herself over the counter and then turns to look at Changkyun.

"Toasts, chicken wings, hot dogs," Kihyun mumbles. He shrugs. "All the things that will clog your arteries within a month of eating too much of it."

"Is it expensive?" she asks and her friends giggle. Kihyun just frowns because she asked that while looking at Changkyun.

Changkyun turns in his seat to gape playfully at the girls. "It? Wooooow , that hurts."

The girl hides her face and giggles before looking at Changkyun again. "Are you expensive?"

"I'm whatever you want me to be," Changkyun winks. 

Kihyun snorts and rolls his eyes. "Stealing my clients, I see…" 

"I'm being attacked from all sides, here," Changkyun jokes. 

"I wouldn't call it 'being attacked'," Kihyun says as he gives Changkyun a look.

The girl leans back to look at her friends and one of them gives her a bill that she then rubs lightly on Changkyun's face. "Will you dance with me, handsome?"

"Of course, beautiful."

Kihyun huffs a laugh and tongues at the corner of his lips before glancing at the girl. "Do you still want food?"

"Chicken wings," the girls says. "But only if I can share them with him," she giggles, hands Changkyun the money.

Kihyun quirks an eyebrow up and then turns to walk into the kitchen at the back. "Chicken wings, then."

"I love this job," Changkyun mouths to Kihyun as the girls talk among themselves. 

Kihyun just chuckles and keeps walking, pushes the door to the kitchen open. Chicken wings, chicken wings, chicken wings.

Everyone loves the job but not everyone stays forever. Most people think they'll like it but then can't deal with it. Others settle down with people who don't think highly of this life. It's kind of funny, though, because those same people will require this type of service but then look down on those who provide it.

Maybe Changkyun will stay for a while. He seems like a natural. Minhyuk and Shownu did, too, back in the day. And maybe they stayed because they've got each other and understand each other. Others weren't so lucky. And others, like Wonho, are still rather new at it.

In the end, they're out there in the open. Some because they like it and others because they need it. But they're no mystery. Even if all they tell is pretty stories, even if it's all a facade. The true mysteries of the night are the ones serving the drinks.

---

Closing hours. It sounds good, right? It’s finally over, time to go home…

Except they have to clean up and leave things ready for later. And no, not the strippers. It’s really just Kihyun and Jooheon, always, all the time. But they get it done. They always get it done. Even if it ends with Jooheon using a mop as a standup mic, singing to ‘ You Don’t Mess Around With Jim’ by Jim Croce.

Hyungwon is always the first to leave. DJs got it easy. And he doesn’t even come on Sundays, because Sundays are not busy enough for him--picky guy.

Kihyun likes to clean the bar (and the bathrooms but no one speaks about the bathrooms, the demogorgon lives there after midnight). So, last but not least, Kihyun tidies the kitchen and then brings the industrial trash bags into the corner.

“Leaving?” he asks Minhyuk when he sees him stroll to the door. “Where I’m from people say ‘goodnight, see you tomorrow’.”

Minhyuk scoffs, looks over his shoulder at Kihyun, speaks and it’s just… grossly sugary sweet. “Bye bye, darling, I miss you already~”

Kihyun rolls his eyes, “You talk and I get diabetes, darling.”

Minhyuk winks and cackles, does a swing of his hips as he closes the door and Kihyun hears something fall in the dressing room, followed by a small, “Oh no.”

“Who’s destroying my bar?” Kihyun shouts to the back even though he keeps his eyes on the trash bags he ties together.

“I’m not!” he hears Changkyun squeak. 

Kihyun glances back over his shoulder and raises an eyebrow. “Need help?” he asks, snorting when Jooheon attempts the Moonwalk as he mouths the lyrics to whatever his headphones are shouting into his ears. That mop is his girlfriend, for sure.

A pause. “I dropped some makeup,” Changkyun says, and Kihyun hears some more scuffling. “It’s fine, I’m fine, it’s fine, I’m fine ,” Changkyun says just as he walks out of the dressing room, face red and bare as he smiles sheepishly at Kihyun and hovers to look at something on his phone.  

Kihyun blinks. “Oh, well…” He blinks again and then glances at the bar. Right. Trash. So, he turns to pick the bags of trash and then turns to the door and shouts, “Joo, you can’t hear shit but I’m taking the trash out!”

It’s fine outside, under the starlight and the silvery moon. Not much light here, really, if not for the big neon letters that flicker so much sometimes that they’d scare the shit of any imaginative kid below ten.

Climate change and all that, ‘fine’ is what Kihyun gets mid June, now. It used to be hot before, sometimes. Now it’s all heatwaves and then coldass weeks, no more proper heat. So, ‘fine’ has to suffice. Because, honestly, taking out the trash after the big trashcan has been toasting all day under the scorching sun isn’t the best thing in the world.

Kihyun walks back inside to give things one last check and to grab his wallet, keys and jacket from his locker, but almost bumps against Changkyun in the process, who only then looks up from his phone, looking confused as to how much time may or may not have passed.

“Hey, er,” Changkyun says, biting at his bottom lip as if in thought, eyes on Kihyun. “How do you guys get home..?”

"Well," Kihyun looks over Changkyun's shoulder and sees Jooheon rushing into the locker room, "We walk. We live together and close by so we usually just walk… You?"

Changkyun pouts at his phone. “I’m trying to get an Uber. Like I said, I didn’t think I’d be working tonight so I’m making shit up as I go.”

"Oh… Alright. Well, Imma go get my things. Lemme know how that goes. Worst case, you sleep over."

Changkyun makes a face and then laughs. “Sleep under the dressing table? Maybe. But thanks,” Changkyun says, starts walking.

Kihyun scoffs and reaches back to lightly grab at Changkyun's wrist, quickly letting go. "I meant at our place, dummy. It's no big deal. Plus, I make great pancakes." 

Changkyun blinks down at his wrist before up at Kihyun. “I--For real?”

Kihyun raises an eyebrow. "Yeah? You're not walking home alone and if you don't wanna waste money or, hell, go through the hassle, you're more than welcome."

Changkyun pouts and taps his pout with his phone. “You’re too nice,” he smiles, then. “I’d… like that. I can’t find any Ubers anyway…”

"Alright, then--"

"Dude," Jooheon says as he walks over with Kihyun's belongings, "Gotcha, let's go, I'm starving!" He pauses and smiles at Changkyun. "Oh. Hello! I'm Jooheon."

Changkyun smiles brightly, bows his head. “Hello! I’m Changkyun. Sorry I didn’t greet you earlier, you looked busy and I was, well, busy. It’s nice to meet you!”

"He's staying with us," Kihyun informs as he takes his jacket and throws it over his shoulder.

Jooheon blinks. "Huh? Oh," he looks at Changkyun, motions for the two of them to follow him out, as they do, "Cool. Do you like pancakes?"

Changkyun laughs, looking at Kihyun. “These must be some seriously kick-ass pancakes.”

Kihyun feels his jacket pockets for his wallet and keys-- yep, all here-- and then turns to make sure Jooheon closes the club properly this time. It’s always weird when Jooheon wakes up in the middle of the night (read morning) and makes Kihyun rush to the club to check if the door is locked. 

Living close by isn’t always a good thing.

“So,” Jooheon says as he straightens up and pushes his hands into the pockets of his denim jacket as he begins walking. Kihyun is still busy getting used to the cold feeling of the leather to shove his hands anywhere. “Changkyun, the new guy. What brought you to our humble establishment?”

“Er,” Changkyun ers, raking a hand through his own hair and then frowning at his hand. “The money,” he laughs. “And hey, it’s actually kinda fun, so, whoo .”

Jooheon scoffs and gives Kihyun a knowing look, one Kihyun retributes. “Sounds like Minhyuk, remember?” Jooheon asks and then shivers as he grins, shoulders coming up. “That damn opening shooooow…”

“Oof,” Kihyun jokes.

“Right…”

“Yeah, I saw him dance on stage, he’s…” Changkyun whistles lowly. “Really good.”

“The word you’re looking for is ‘sensual’,” Kihyun says and then gestures at his own hips, “He does things with these.”

“So do you,” Jooheon snorts.

“Shush.”

“So do I,” Changkyun joins in and scoffs. “Just kidding, I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Kihyun raises an eyebrow and leans forward a little to look at Changkyun. “You kidding? You’re like a natural at this. I was actually impressed.”

Changkyun, quite obviously, flushes. “Th--Thanks…”

“Yep, totally didn’t see it coming, what with the--” Kihyun does a little spin to keep walking backwards and gestures at Changkyun’s face, “Cute thing you’ve got going on. Is it on purpose?”

Changkyun frowns. “What? No. What?”

“Chill,” Kihyun scoffs. “It was a compliment...”

“No, I know,” Changkyun says, hand up. “You think I’m cute?”

Kihyun glances at Jooheon who seems to be purposely keeping himself out of the conversation, and then looks at Changkyun again. “Depends… like, right now? Yeah.”

“Huh,” Changkyun says, looking ahead and looking all thoughtful. “Minhyuk said he’d teach me how to dance with a pole tomorrow. Apparently Sundays are quiet, so, might as well bruise my ass.”

Kihyun scoffs and turns around. “Will be surprised if that’s all he teaches you.”

“Don’t scare him,” Jooheon laughs.

“I was in a booth with Minhyuk table dancing, to observe ” Changkyun scoffs. “Nothing scares me anymore.”

“Yeah, yeah, wait until the creeps spot you.”

“You said, ” Kihyun laughs, “‘Don’t scare him’ and then you go and say that…”

“Are there many of those?” Changkyun asks, conversationally. “I mean, I can handle it, but still.”

“Nah, I mean…” Kihyun shrugs. “Some people get bold but you can shut them down pretty easily. Still, if anything happens, just come to us. We usually keep an eye out for red flags but there’s the rules and… we’re also busy and the security at the door rarely leaves the door so… Anything you think feels weird or… anything going wrong, just let us know.”

“That security takes his job pretty seriously,” Jooheon adds conversationally as well as he nods.

Changkyun smiles down at his hands, pulling his black hoodie over them. “Everyone’s been so nice… I had no idea what to expect but… I’m really glad.”

“We’re a family,” Jooheon nods. “So, if you stay, that’s what you get.”

“We’re a very dysfunctional family,” Kihyun laughs. “But yeah, what he said.”

“Any family without old people shaming you for your choices, I’m in,” Changkyun says, smiling at both of them. “This is my first time doing literally anything like this and I… honestly didn’t even think they would hire me. Especially not on the spot like that.”

Jooheon shrugs, “Sunmi has a good eye.”

“That she does,” Kihyun says, finally shoves his hands into his pockets and glances at a flickering light. Creepy… It’s how all the creepy movies begin, a silent night and a flickering lamp or a long hallway in a sinister science lab.

“Don’t expect to make tons of money all the time,” Jooheon says. “But there’s always something so… you’ll be fine. And the better you get at seducing them, the more money you make.”

Changkyun mumbles something under his breath, and it sounds a lot like, “I made ₩500 000 tonight…”

And you’ll make much more in the future, sometimes, Kihyun thinks to himself.

Jooheon looks down at the sidewalk and kicks an invisible rock before glancing up the moment the 7-Eleven sign comes into view. “Does anyone wanna take drinks home?”

“Yes! I’ll buy!” Changkyun says, already rushing forward. Kihyun watches him go, only stopping next to Jooheon once they’re closer to the store.

It’s a nice night out. Kihyun would love to hang out if he wasn’t also starting to feel a little tired, eyelids heavy whenever they come down.

“I like him,” Jooheon chirps out of the blue.

“Hm?” Kihyun blinks at him.

Changkyun is on the other side of the glass, inside the store, holding up a Mountain Dew and a Pepsi with a question in his eyes that’s clearly, ‘Which one?’ so Kihyun just raises his hand, forefinger and thumb in a circle to give him an okay, gesturing a little more towards the Mountain Dew, and Changkyun rushes away to do god knows what.

“He seems the shy, bubbly type,” Jooheon says and then yawns.

“You say one thing,” Kihyun scoffs, “And your body does another… Charming.”

“Me? Never.”

A few minutes later, Changkyun has a bag of food in his hand, the drinks in a bag in the other. “I got Doritos! And jelly babies!”

“God,” Kihyun says as he makes grabby hands at the Doritos, “Marry me.”

Changkyun giggles and hands the bag over. “Go on, consummate.”

“Y’all have some weird kinks, watching me like this,” Kihyun jokes as he pinches both sides of the bag of Doritos and pulls them open. “Look at that.”

“Nasty,” Jooheon scoffs as they all begin walking again

“I should just dress up as a big ass Dorito,” Changkyun jokes, reaches in for a few chips. “ Spicy .”

“Depends, if you want to impress me then yes,” Kihyun says, offers Jooheon the bag and gapes as he takes out a handful. “Rude!”

Changkyun just laughs again, hand over his mouth as he chews, cheeks a little puffed. “How, er, close do you guys live? My legs are kind of killing me.”

Again, Kihyun and Jooheon just exchange a look and say, at the same time and in completely different tones, “That’s what she said.”

“Or he,” Jooheon nods.

“Them,” Kihyun nods, too.

“Balls.”

“Itchy.”

Changkyun cracks up, bending a little as he laughs, hand over his face as he wheezes out a, “ Smooth .”

Kihyun coughs a laugh. “God, too much info.”

Changkyun just keeps laughing. “This is a strip club, everyone’s smooth!” 

“Speak for yourself,” Jooheon snorts.

“God, I wish that were me,” Changkyun sighs as if wistful.

Kihyun raises an eyebrow. “Wait until they start growing. Then you’ll know what ‘an itch’ feels like,” he says as he stuffs his mouth with Doritos.

“Wait, you already got your dick out?” Jooheon gapes. “It’s your first night! You wild!”

Changkyun blushes and shoves lightly at Jooheon. “Oh, shut up!”

“Nakey dancey for two guys,” Kihyun informs.

“God,” Changkyun groans, before just laughing again. “It’s weirdly easy because they all are just-- so eager ,” Changkyun giggles, face entirely red. 

“That guy was eager, alright,” Kihyun scoffs. “Handsy little shit…”

“Why do you think I made so much money,” Changkyun rolls his eyes, smiling. 

Kihyun shivers. “Ugh. Good on you, Changkyun. Good on you.”

Changkyun does a little bow. “Thank you, thank you.”

“I swear, you’re all goddamn super heroes,” Kihyun mumbles. “I’d punch anyone breathing down my neck, never mind the money… Major respect.”

“Ah, I guess,” Changkyun shrugs. “I guess it’s just fine for me because… I don’t know, they think we’re selling sex but this isn’t sex , it’s barely even the idea of it. So there’s this divide between that and this so I’m fine, really.”

Jooheon nods, “Until the creeps start requesting them makeout sessions.”

Changkyun blinks. “Them what now.”

“Whoops.”

Kihyun laughs. “Oh, it’s nothing, really…”

“Basically,” Jooheon says, conversationally, “They pay you to makeout with the other guys. Careful, dicks might touch.”

Changkyun goes a little wide eyed. “Oh. Does it--I mean, it pays well, right?” Changkyun laughs, seemingly a little nervous.

“Literally the most expensive thing ever,” Kihyun nods, glances over. “And you don’t have to agree to it. It’s just good money so it happens every now and then.”

“But aren’t Minhyuk and Hyunwoo like… a thing?”

“Yeah, and?”

“I didn’t mean anything bad,” Changkyun says, hands up. “Just… it’s kinda funny? They make out all the time, so it’s like… A freebie?” Changkyun laughs again. “Something like that…”

Kihyun shrugs. “You’ll find out, sooner or later, that it’s difficult for people in your line of work to… settle while maintaining the job. They’re lucky, really, because they both do the same thing and… well, they get it. Someone else wouldn’t.”

Changkyun pouts, looking down at the ground as they walk. “Yeeeeeah, I kinda accepted that bit when I signed up, really… I mean, it’s fine! I’m happy being alone, but who doesn’t wanna… Well, you know. Love and stuff.”

“That’s why I got him,” Jooheon points at Kihyun with his thumb. “Collected him when we were about this size,” Jooheon brings his hand down to his waist, “Latched on like a leech and never let go.”

Changkyun looks between the two of them, eyebrows raised. “You two are together?”

“Yes,” Jooheon nods and then snorts. “Very--” he laughs. “Sorry. Yes, as friends.”

Kihyun smiles and rolls his eyes, “He sneaks into my bed for cuddles but that’s all. He gets scared easily, you’ll find out soon, really.”

Changkyun nods, fiddling with his own hoodie ‘sweater’ paws. “Do you not… date? I mean, you’re not strippers, you just work there.”

Jooheon points to himself, “I’m committed to my cats. And--” he points to Kihyun, “He’s a hopeless romantic. I know, I know, surprised the hell out of me, too. The pragmatic little shit is actually a romantic…? Hell. Jesus is real.”

Kihyun blinks slowly down the road and sighs. “And he keeps on insulting me…”

“I like it,” Changkyun smiles, shrugs. “I’m one, too.” He holds up a hand for a high five. “Solidarity.”

Kihyun raises his hand to slap it against Changkyun’s, “Thank you!”

Jooheon scoffs a laugh and then glances at Changkyun to ask, “Are you allergic to cats?”

“Life wouldn’t be worth living if I was.”

---

“Meet Gucci and Yoshi,” Jooheon says when, the moment he opens the door to their flat, two tiny cats come out meowing and start rubbing between their legs.

This morning, Changkyun had woken up nervous, unsure, hopeful (in a desperate sort of way) and now all his muscles hurt and he’s in two near strangers’ house, cooing at their cats. Which he does, wholeheartedly. 

“Babies!” Changkyun coos, ignores the burn in his thighs when he crouches down to pet the cats. “They look like twins! Like cat twins!”

“They are,” Jooheon says in a prideful tone as he walks in and places the keys over the small dresser by the entrance. “Come on in,” he says.

Changkyun scratches behind the one cat’s ear before frowning, looking and getting up to follow Jooheon inside. “Er, no offense but… What’s that smell?”

“The smell of disgrace,” Kihyun deadpans. And then shouts from the living room just ahead, “Joo! They pooped on the couch again!”

Changkyun pouts. “Don’t be mad, they’re just babies…”

“I’m not mad, I just--” Kihyun walks back and stares at the closed door in front of him before pointing at it and glancing at Jooheon. “You left the door to the kitchen closed…”

Jooheon blinks. “Whoops?”

Kihyun frowns. “Goddamn you…” He rolls his eyes and groans as he shrugs off his jacket and throws it over Jooheon’s head before walking back into the living room. “It’s the second time, Joo. The second time.”

It’s a nice place, though, despite the smell of cat poop. It’s clean (again, despite) and tidy, and Changkyun feels like he’s getting far more of a reading of these two’s personalities just with this. There’s posters and art and… plants? Cute.

Jooheon opens the door to the kitchen and the cats rush in, one straight to the bowl and then other to the litter. “I swear… it wasn’t on purpose… I’m sorry, babies!”

“You should be,” Kihyun grumbles as he walks by with a bunch of cushion covers in his arms and gives Jooheon a glare.

“No offense,” Changkyun laughs. “But you two sound like a married couple sometimes. The mark of a great friendship, truly. Can I help at all?”

Jooheon snorts and shakes his head, gestures at Changkyun and at the living room, “Nah, go in. Let’s crack open a window. Kihyun likes to do things himself and I’ve learned, over the years, that it’s better to just let him or he’ll complain that you’re not doing it right.”

“Ah, the perfect man,” Changkyun scoffs, shrugging off his hoodie and pointing a finger to Jooheon. “Say nothing about the shirt. Minhyuk did this.”

Jooheon gives Changkyun a look but snorts and pushes him into the living room. “Alright, alright, no comments.”

It’s a small living room; a couch against the wall, a coffee table at the center, a shelf with a TV and a PS4, and a small bookshelf next to it. There's a few plants by the window that seems to lead to a small balcony.

Jooheon quickly opens the window and a soft summer breeze runs in. It's nice, it's relaxing and it makes the house feel even more cozy.

"Sit, sit," Jooheon urges, "Just leave the couch to Kihyun. He'll take care of it."

There’s an armchair, so Changkyun takes it for himself, melting onto it. It’s instant relief, not having to use his muscles for once tonight. “I am not moving a muscle for the foreseeable future, thank you very much.”

Jooheon takes the bag with the drinks and sits on the floor by the coffee table as he brings everything out. And Kihyun barely spares him a look as he walks in to pick up the cushions and disappear out the door again.

And that’s fine, because it means Changkyun can curl up in the sunlight like a proper cat. The life . It’s not sunlight, it’s moonlight, but the point still stands. There will be curling and basking. 

Honestly? Changkyun is kind of happy he didn’t have to go home; he lives far away and it would cost a bunch. The only way he’d gotten to the club in the first place was being dropped off nearby by a friend of a (sort of) friend, just… hoping he’d be hired and then find the friend again, but instead, he had to turn to hoping he’d make enough money in this job he knows nothing about to afford a ride home.

Bartenders? Nah. Angels. Angels sent from above.

"Kihyun!" Jooheon calls. "The pancakes!"

"Can you please wait?" Kihyun shouts back. For some reason, it just makes Changkyun laugh softly, nuzzle further into the couch. 

Jooheon reaches over and hands him a Mountain Dew, though, "Here you go. Do you live far?" 

“Yeah, stupid far,” Changkyun scoffs, sits up a bit straighter to handle the drink without spilling all over himself. “A shoe box down south.”

"A shoebox? Damn…" Jooheon opens his own drink and takes a sip. "Well, I like you. So, the couch is yours whenever you need it."

Changkyun smiles soft, feels his heart go all warm. These people! Are so! Nice! “I… At this rate, I could get my own transport soon, but… for now? That would be… great, really. I won’t be in the way! I’m smol,” Changkyun puts his legs up, makes himself as small as he can.

"In the way of what," Jooheon scoffs. "Kihyun's massive dick? Nonexistent."

Changkyun narrows his eyes, ignores his blush. “What… does that have to do with literally anything…”

"Oh, nothing," Kihyun mumbles as he walks in. "He just likes to assert dominance. Were you talking about my dick again? I swear…"

Jooheon grins but says nothing, just sips.

“I’d share, but you’ll see soon enough,” Changkyun scoffs, leaning back into the couch and taking a sip. So refreshing, damn .

"You're taking the cushions to the laundry--"

"I know," Jooheon says as he makes space for Kihyun to sit next to him. "I will. Don't be mad."

"I'm not," Kihyun sighs and reaches for his own Mountain Dew. "I'm washing the covers, anyway."

Jooheon gestures vaguely at Changkyun. "He lives in a shoebox."

Changkyun sips. “That’s true, I do.”

Kihyun frowns as he takes a drink and then reaches up to ruffle at his hair. He's been wearing it styled away from his forehead all night. But now he just sort of combs it back down. 

It’s not the first time (or the second, or the third, etcetera etcetera) that Changkyun thinks it, but wow , Kihyun is pretty.

"Hm," Kihyun hums. "Ah. Do you want to take a shower? I'll make pancakes and then we can all just die to the world with full tummies."

“That sounds great , honestly,” Changkyun gets up, stretches his sore muscles, hands up to the ceiling. “I should get some--” he glances to the couch, pillowless, unsleepable. “Er…”

Kihyun blinks at him and then at the couch. "Oh. Shit…" He almost choked on his juice. "It's fine, I'll sleep with Joo and you take my bed."

“Ki,” Jooheon says, eyebrow raised. “You’re small, but you’re not that small.”

Kihyun rolls his eyes, "You sleep in my bed and he sleeps in yours, goddamn it."

Changkyun drops his hands (ow ow ow) and rolls his shoulders. “Sorry… For kicking you out of your bed…”

"He loves cuddling," Kihyun scoffs and stands up. "Don't be sorry for him. Follow me." He passes by and glances over, "Want Magnesium supplements? It helps with the muscle pain."

“God, please,” Changkyun whines. “And it’s going to be soooo much worse tomorrow.”

Kihyun laughs softly. “Yeah, it will. But you’ll get used to it, in time. Come on, come on. I’ll give you towels and so on. I’ll change the sheets on Joo’s bed for you while you shower. And then pancakes.”

“You’re… sure you’re not some guardian angel sent down to take care of me?” Changkyun laughs, ears a little warm as he follows Kihyun. 

“Taking care of people is like… my true calling,” Kihyun scoffs. He pushes a door open and gestures at a bathroom dresser. “Towels are in the bottom drawer. And there’s--” he points at the shower, just a glass between it and the rest of the bathroom, “Gel, shampoo and conditioner if you wanna go all smooth for your pillow.”

“Why not, the pillow deserves it,” Changkyun smiles, crossing his arms as he glances around the bathroom. “Seriously, though… Thank you.” Changkyun directs the smile at Kihyun. The whole night, Changkyun had felt confident and sexy and all that, but this is so different, this is just… soft. And he feels special, and liked. And even though this, specifically, doesn’t pay the bills, it’s just such a nice way to feel.

Kihyun gestures vaguely at the bathroom and steps aside for Changkyun. “I’ll lend you some of my shirts.” He looks at Changkyun’s shoulders and narrows his eyes, “The baggy ones should fit… We’re more or less the same size, I suppose.”

Changkyun smiles and takes a small step forward, moving his hand from the top of his own head onto Kihyun’s. “The exact same height, I’d say.”

“Alright,” Kihyun says and starts to move away as he closes the door. “Don’t drown,” he says just before the lock clicks and the door closes.

It’s the best shower Changkyun has had in years. Shoeboxes, in general, have terrible water pressure and a barely functioning geyser which makes every shower feel like just standing in some lukewarm spray. He has the cheapest, well, everything. Soap, shampoo, lotions. All the cheapest, so everything he uses now to clean himself with feels like a damn luxury.

Afterwards, he finds a towel, finds the clothes (all soft and wonderfully baggy) and notes that the bed (Jooheon’s) looks crisp as fuck . What five star hotel is this!?

Changkyun is still ruffling at his damp hair when he walks into the living room and immediately blinks at the smell of weed. Right? That’s weed. Changkyun has never had weed but the guy in the shoebox next door certainly does.

Changyun’s brain fizzles a little when he looks over and sees Kihyun with a joint between his lips, one that he takes out after a drag and passes to Jooheon, eyes on Changkyun. That was… Hot. Fizzle fizzle .

“You look fresh,” Kihyun says and then gestures at the coffee table. “Pancakes? There’s chocolate and syrup.”

“I ate two,” Jooheon says, props his elbow over the coffee table and holds up two fingers at Changkyun, “Twwwwwoooo.” 

“The number to beat,” Changkyun smiles, sitting down on the floor by the table. “Are you guys smoking weed?”

“Why,” Jooheon asks even as he smiles and passes the joint to Kihyun, “Are you the cops? Ford Police Interceptor Changkyun.”

Changkyun laughs. “That’s a great stage idea, thanks. And no , I was just asking. Smells weird.”

Kihyun takes a drag and frowns. He leans back against the naked sofa, eyes on Changkyun and offers him the joint. “After a while it just smells like chicken to me.”

“Everything in this galaxy smells like chicken to you, Yoo Kihyun,” Jooheon scoffs. “Alright, Changkyun, Imma prepare you a pancake Lee Joo style,” he says as he pulls one of the plastic plates closer and pokes two pancakes with a plastic fork.

Changkyun smiles, lips pursed as he reaches for the joint, raises an eyebrow. “I’ve… never done this before.”

Kihyun shrugs. “I’ll close my eyes so I don’t feel like laughing when you choke,” he says and then does close his eyes.

“God, no, please do,” Changkyun laughs. “If I fuck it up, I might as well make someone laugh.”

Kihyun opens one eye only and smiles a little. “Oh… I like that.”

Jooheon scoffs. “Yeah, you do!”

Changkyun looks at Kihyun, eyebrow raised as he puts the joint between his lips and inhales. He manages a straight face for a little over one (1) second, before the burn in his throat is just too much and he coughs and then just can’t stop coughing .

Kihyun just “Pffft”s at him and turns his face away to laugh, arms crossed and legs coming up as he turns into a ball. And Jooheon laughs, too, even though he’s busy dressing those pancakes with too much syrup.

Changkyun spots the bottle of Mountain Dew and literally just grabs for it, opening the cap and drinking. Oh, god, the relief. Still, when it’s bearable, Changkyun shrugs and takes another drag. He coughs again, but much less. Maybe his throat doesn’t even exist anymore, who knows.

Kihyun grabs the little ashtray next to him and places it between him and Changkyun, just as Jooheon puts down a plate with more syrup than pancakes in front of Changkyun.

“Thanks,” Changkyun says and knows his voice sounds super fucking raspy.

“Oh, that’s sexy,” Jooheon says and he crosses his arms over the coffee table and rests his chin down on them. Changkyun starts poking at the syrupy pancakes with his fork before lifting a considerably amount into his mouth. “Damn, this summer breeze is lulling me to sleep…”

Outside, on the small balcony, Changkyun spots the two kittens chasing each other.

They’re just… so cute.

“Think the water has heated up already?” Jooheon mutters. “Need shower.”

Kihyun shrugs, takes the joint from Changkyun and drags before putting it out. “Probably, he didn’t take that long… Give it a try.”

“And then sit down on the floor all nakey nakey while I wait?”

“Obviously.”

“Fine,” Jooheon says and sighs. He stays still for a moment longer and then gets up. “Might snore today, by the way,” he says as he walks out of the living room.

“Oh, great,” Kihyun deadpans.

Changkyun keeps staring at the cats. They move so fast, what are they doing. “I don’t snoooooore.”

Kihyun’s nose scrunches a little and the sniffles. “I do… not loud, but… Unlike Joo, I have a sensitive sleep… I wake up easily.”

Changkyun frowns over at him. “No, that’s me, I do that.”

“It’s a curse,” Kihyun scoffs.

“Or a blessing!” Changkyun says, finger up. “In case of incidents .”

Kihyun grins a little. “Why do you think we’re fattening you up with pancakes, Hansel?”

Changkyun beams. What the hell is this weed? “So I’m nice to hold?”

“Aw, that might be true…” Kihyun narrows his eyes at the TV. “Hm…”

“I’m nice to hold right now!” Changkyun defends with a small whine. “I’m soft!”

“Seal skin,” Kihyun nods. “Minhyuk recommends olive oil, by the way. For the sensitive bits.”

Changkyun giggles, falls onto his side and giggles some more. “Sensitive bits!”

“They usually are,” Kihyun says like he’s complaining.

“People aren’t allowed to touch my sensitive bits,” Changkyun giggles, brings the plate down onto the floor next to him.

“No, but they’ll be allowed to see them. Besides, sensitive bits is an understatement because people are sensitive in places they wouldn’t even think.”

“True,” Changkyun says, shoves a bunch of pancakes into his mouth, talks around it. “I‘ve a sens’tive tummy.”

“Interesting exchange of information, stranger,” Kihyun jokes. “I’m still trying to pick which is mine… there’s a lot, I don’t even--Where do I even begin, hm…”

Changkyun giggles, wincing at how sweet the syrup is but he still loves it so much . “Guess we just get reeeeeal honest when we’re high.”

“I’m real honest all the time.”

“Told a man he was handsome tonight,” Changkyun mumbles. “That was a lie.”

“Maybe… but that’s your job. To pretend you’re enjoying all of that, even when you’re not. Although, think of it this way… all the compliments you’ve heard tonight? All true.”

Changkyun pouts up at him. “He wanted to paint me like a French girl.”

Kihyun raises an eyebrow and looks at Changkyun. “Tell him to bring the canvas? Charge a thousand per quarter. You’ll walk out rich as fuck!”

Changkyun giggles again. “Ah, I’m gonna get such an ego!”

Kihyun snorts and shakes his head before he lets it fall back against the naked sofa. “Maybe. We won’t let you, though. We keep each other humble.”

“Good,” Changkyun nods, and his pancakes keep getting less and less for some reason. “How do you stay humble?”

“I live with Jooheon.”

Changkyun barks a laugh. And then just keeps giggling. “Oh--” Changkyun giggles. “Oh no this is how I die--”

Kihyun laughs a little, too, and then just sort of sinks further down and props his calves over the table. “Stop laughing, asshole.”

“Everything is funny, though,” Changkyun giggles, falls to his back on the floor and looks at the ceiling. “You take good care of your ceiling, it’s very clean.”

“Mmm,” Kihyun sighs. “My mother used to say that… you treat your house the way you treat other people. I don’t know why but I always thought it was so fucking metaphorical… I had to, y’know, work on it. Makes sense, why her house was always so spotless. Then again, it’s a very… ‘keep up appearances’ kinda thing. She was always like that… I don’t even know what I’m talking about,” Kihyun snorts.

“Keep up appearances,” Changkyun repeats. 

“Yeah, y’know… Seem all good and… respectful? When they aren’t, not really. But that’s everyone, I guess. Everyone is always so worried about appearing ‘good’ that they forget what being ‘good’ actually is about.”

Changkyun pushes himself up enough to sit, leans against the empty couch’s armrest. “You’re good, though… Really good.”

“You met me today,” Kihyun says with a soft giggle. “You can’t know for sure. I mean, we’re totally feeding you, Hansel.”

“For the right reasons,” Changkyun giggles, turns his face to look at Kihyun. He’s cute, ugh . “I get the feeling I’m going to sleep reeeeeally well tonight.”

“That’s the point,” Kihyun says. “I think I have… a new toothbrush in a drawer somewhere, I’ll find you that and… You can roll into bed.” He flattens his hands on the floor and pushes himself up, arms flexing a little. Mm, arms . Aaaarmssss .

Changkyun holds his hands up, pouting. “Help me up?”

Kihyun raises an eyebrow as he stands up and then reaches for Changkyun’s hands. “Yes, yes, baby, come on.”

“I’m baby,” Changkyun mumbles, lets Kihyun pull him up to his feet, blinking slowly once he does. “Stage name, Baby.”

“Like the movie?” Kihyun asks with a grin as he lets Changkyun go.

“Nobody leaves Baby in a corner,” Changkyun nods. “Unless that’s where Baby wants to be.”

Kihyun walks into the kitchen to grab something and then meets with Changkyun again in the small corridor. The door to the bathroom is open and there’s steam rolling up to the ceiling. Even so, Kihyun walks in and rummages through a drawer, brings out a toothbrush still inside its pack and then tosses it over.

“There and here,” he says as he walks closer and drops a pill in Changkyun’s hand. “Magnesium. I’d tell you to take it in the morning but… Do it now, you’ll need it.”

Changkyun smiles and bows his head a little. “See you… later today, then.”

“See ya,” Kihyun says with a little smile before he turns to knock at his bedroom’s door. “Dicks covered, I’m coming in!”

“One sec!” Jooheon shouts from the bedroom.

“Keep squeaking and the neighbors will call the cops,” Kihyun mutters even as he walks in.

“I said! One second!”

Kihyun snorts and closes the door.

Changkyun wonders if he’ll ever get a friend like that. Wonders, and hopes. But he was right on one account; he sleeps just… really fucking good .

---

There’s pancakes for breakfast, which happens at 1PM. But this time there’s also warm coffee, cold coffee, eggs and bacon. Not just that, but Changkyun gets to eat breakfast while staring at two half naked boys; Kihyun, dark brown hair all fluffy and wavy, just in sweatpants, and Jooheon, orange fluffy hair, just in shorts.

And stare Changkyun does. Because for some goddamn reason , Kihyun is literally, exactly Changkyun’s type, and it’s terrible . Kihyun looks squishy, is, a little, but he’s got like… chest . And when he moves, the squishy looking arms show toned muscle and… hnnnnn .

Changkyun realises he’s been chewing on the same piece of bacon for quite a while. So he swallows, looks away. This isn’t a strip club, Changkyun, get a grip. 

And yeah, his muscles hurt a bit, but it’s easily manageable thanks to Kihyun’s advice. He has a feeling it’ll just get worse, though, before it gets better. Before his body gets used to all this dancing and squatting and poles .

“Not used to being the most dressed in the room,” Changkyun notes idly.

Kihyun looks up from his plate, sleep pasted to his face, and blinks slowly at Changkyun. “I can put on a shirt,” Kihyun says as he leans back and makes to get up, probably to do just that.

“That’s not what I said,” Changkyun scoffs, ears warm as he finishes up his eggs. Fluffy .  “I think the two of us are pretty used to half naked men at this point…”

Kihyun slumps down and sighs, “Sort of… Depends on the man.”

“That is a mood,” Jooheon mutters as he takes a sip of his cold coffee.

Changkyun looks at Kihyun again and has to agree. Not out loud, of course, that’s why he fills his mouth with food before it can even think about betraying him like that. 

Kihyun frowns a little. “Still at it?”

“Not my fault,” Jooheon mutters, puts his coffee down and picks up his fork to poke at his eggs. “I see him every day, it’s not like I can just quit my job.”

Changkyun blinks. “At it…” He blinks again before his eyes go wide. “You have a crush on one of the dancers?!”

Jooheon’s face goes red and he blinks at his eggs, meanwhile Kihyun just chokes a little, turns his face and hides it in the arm he folds over the table. Birthmark… spotted.

“Who…?” Changkyun asks, looking between the two of them. “I mean, if you wanna tell me, I don’t wanna pry but I do.”

Jooheon frowns and then sighs. “It’s not serious. Don’t get all excited…”

Kihyun lifts his head a little and sniffles, “God, I think those eggs went the wrong way…” His eyes are all shiny with tears. “I think… there are eggs in my nose…”

“Dude, gross!” Jooheon complains.

“Oooh,” Changkyun giggles, “Blow your nose and see if any eggs come out!”

“M’laying,” Kihyun laughs as he reaches for his napkin and blows his nose.

“You finally turned into a chicken,” Jooheon says as he leans back.

“His final form,” Changkyun giggles.

Kihyun rolls his eyes and then leans back to squint at the napkin before folding it and blowing his nose again. “Ah, feels weird…”

Changkyun just smiles at Kihyun, but looks away when Jooheon notices. 

Unfortunately, a few minutes later, Kihyun is dressed completely, fluffy hair styled back again, makeup on, and they’re off to work. 

Changkyun watches them turn on the lights (there are no windows in a place like this) and Kihyun starts readying the bar, so Changkyun slips into the dressing room. He prefers to do his makeup and clothes here, because it feels like a safe place to go a little ‘extra’ on the sexy. This makeup is too damn dark and sparkly to do in a stranger’s bathroom, and these pants far too tight. He leaves his hair without any product, though, so he can actually touch it.

At least the lacy underwear is actually comfortable. It barely exists, after all.

He walks out and it’s crazy, because it could be any time at all. There’s no way to tell, but the atmosphere screams ‘nightlife’, even if they’re still the only ones here. And, that being the case, Changkyun is well within his rights to sit by the bar and do absolutely fuck-all until clients start arriving.

“Did you check the stock?” Kihyun asks as he absently twirls a pen in his hand. He’s looking at a list as he leans over the counter. “Should text the provider, check when they’re bringing the kegs…”

“I did,” Jooheon shouts from the kitchen, “Two left. Should be enough for today. It’s Sunday.”

“True…” Kihyun mutters, pokes his frown with the back of the pen. “True…” He sniffles and then sighs. “Then ten of each… Plus, the bottled ones, Maekju… Gangseo...” He scribbles something on the paper.

“Another perk,” Changkyun mumbles. “No admin.”

“Huh?” Kihyun blinks up. “What?”

Changkyun gestures to the notepad. “Responsibilities. All I need to do is shave.”

“Oh,” Kihyun looks down and nods. “Right. Well… Not really, but I get it. You also have to squat seductively and all that… Did we order the Cass Lemon, too? I have all of them minus the Cass Lemon!”

“Uh…” Jooheon hums from the kitchen. “No idea, man. That’s your job, not mine.”

Kihyun rolls his eyes and sighs. “Whatever…” He looks up at Changkyun. “But yes, squatting seductively. Couldn’t do that to live.”

Changkyun smiles, rests his cheek on his hand. “I don’t think I’ve squatted seductively in your presence as of yet.”

Kihyun blinks and then snorts and looks down. “Please, don’t. Unless you really have to.”

Changkyun laughs. “You sound like you’re honest to God scared of me squatting .”

“I’m only human, Changkyun,” Kihyun says. “Only human.”

Changkyun feels himself blush and look away. “Aren’t we all…”

“Some people more than others,” Kihyun says before looking up and narrowing his eyes at Changkyun. “It will be chill today, by the way… So, don’t get sad if you don’t make as much as you did yesterday. Saturdays are wild.”

“Ah, it’s okay,” Changkyun waves a hand. “Gives me time to practise. I’ve mostly just been winging it.”

Kihyun raises an eyebrow. “Well, if that was winging it, then I don’t want to see you serious and practiced.”

“I will take that compliment,” Changkyun laughs, wiggles in the bar stool. “I have loose hips,” he teases and then laughs at himself, forehead to the counter.

“Jesus,” Kihyun laughs. “Okay. Thank you, for that information.”

“I’m just being honest,” Changkyun laughs into his arms before resting his chin on his crossed arms, eyes on Kihyun. “Not as loose as Hoseok’s. Jesus Christ.”

Kihyun tongues at the corner of his lips. And even though he’s not smiling with his mouth, he’s smiling with his eyes. “He was the newbie until last night. Although, I don’t think he’ll be staying for long.”

Changkyun frowns. “That’s fine, but why not? He looks happy enough, but I haven’t really talked to him much.”

Kihyun’s eyes drift to the side for a moment and then he tilts his head as if to point. When Changkyun looks over his shoulder, he finds himself staring at the DJ’s mixer.

Changkyun blinks, frowns. “Hyungwon..?”

“Hyungwon,” Kihyun says like it explains everything.

Oh . “He’s in love with Hyungwon… But--” Changkyun blinks some more. “Hyungwon works here, he should know it’s not like that, right?”

“There’s a difference between rationally knowing ‘it’s not like that’ and managing to deal with whatever your brain pulls from the abyss to slap you with. Besides, he’s a DJ. Not a stripper.”

Changkyun pouts, lying on his arms again. “Now I’m just sad, thanks.”

Kihyun raises an eyebrow. “Because…?”

“I wanna fall in love, too…” Changkyun says, like it explains everything.

“Well…” Kihyun frowns and looks down, shrugs. “Look at Minhyuk and Shownu. It works for them. So… it’s not all lost, is it?”

“Only strippers date strippers,” Changkyun mumbles before looking around when he hears the door open, Minhyuk singing something Changkyun doesn’t recognise at the top of his damn lungs.

Kihyun shrugs and mumbles, “Not necessarily…”

“What’s up, Beauty and the--” Minhyuk gestures to Kihyun. “Bleh. Nice day out, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know, I am clearly a vampire and the sun hurts me,” Kihyun says as he pushes away from the counter.

“Beauty and the Salt Creature, apparently,” Minhyuk scoffs, turns to look at Changkyun. Changkyun notes that he looks pleased.

“You know the sugar in me only increases as much as you speak, baby, so you better keep talking,” Kihyun says as he waves at Minhyuk without looking at him.

“Nah, I’m done with you now,” Minhyuk laughs, ruffles at Changkyun’s hair. “I like this, you look boyfriend.”

“Thanks, that’s the point,” Changkyun says, sticking his tongue out at Minhyuk.

Kihyun scoffs from the other side of the bar and Changkyun sees him pick up the phone and dial a number. Before Kihyun turns turns to walk away, though, he looks up, catches Changkyun’s eye and winks at him (quite casually, actually).

It startles Changkyun enough to blush, distracts himself by looking Minhyuk up and down and noting, “You’re already dressed for the job, I see.”

“I wear it with pride, honey,” Minhyuk scoffs.

“Yes,” Changkyun scoffs. “Yes, you do. Do I wear the boyfriend look with pride?” Changkyun asks, pinching at the material of his loose fitting white tank top.

Minhyuk shrugs. “I don’t know. We’ll ask Kiki, next time. Now, follow me, boyfriend. I have things to teach you.”

“Oh, boy.”

---

It’s not a lie that not only strippers date strippers. Just like not only bartenders date bartenders. But it’s true that, whichever the case, working in the night industry does put a strain on intimate relationships with people who don’t belong in it.

And it’s not even about the jealousy, sometimes. Though being touched by others (in a stripper’s case) and being surrounded by alcohol and as many hot people as not so hot ones handing in their numbers (bartender’s case) can make anyone jealous.

It’s about missing out on things. Because the rest of the world lives during the day. It’s impossible to see people all the time, unless they have night shifts. It’s impossible to attend certain events because those tend to happen before midnight. So, friends and family? Tough.

Still, Kihyun has found, it’s got far too many perks. He barely sees his family and they probably thank him for it. And all his friends work the night shift, too. Plus, it’s good money. It makes traveling a lot easier, which Kihyun likes to do with Jooheon, every now and then.

So, rush hours aside, chill days like Sunday nights are when Kihyun gets to enjoy his job the most. Because he’s not pumped with adrenaline, practicality kicking in, and he can actually enjoy it, serve drinks calmly without stressing about stamping cards and actually seeing the cash coming in.

Or well… that would be it; chill, if he weren’t currently trying to figure out what the fuck Minhyuk is doing with Changkyun on stage. Meaning; it’s disturbing in far too pleasant ways.

And this is after Minhyuk had taken Changkyun to one of the private lap dance rooms and taught him god knows what .

Minhyuk is the best on pole work, among everyone who works here, he makes it look fluid and effortlessly sexy. And that’s something Changkyun seems to catch on to, even if he struggles with the more complicated tricks, he makes just… moving look good. Changkyun takes steps around the pole, fluid. Kihyun doesn’t see Minhyuk do it, but he sees when Changkyun holds both hands on the pole and spins himself without letting go, back to the pole as he slowly squats down, head thrown back.

Jooheon slowly scoots closer and crosses his arms in the same way Kihyun has his, says, “Want a drink…?” and doesn’t need to look at Kihyun nodding faintly to just blindly slide two glasses with ice closer and pour whatever the fuck that is.

Kihyun takes a sip and it tastes like Bourbon.

Once on the floor, Changkyun puts a foot on the pole and stretches his leg up against it completely, the other leg firmly on the ground. Even Minhyuk looks impressed with that. Changkyun is flexible. Great . Good for him.

Probably the worst thing is something Kihyun recognises from seeing Minhyuk do before. Changkyun lies on his back, hands on the pole to pull himself up in a smooth tumble, lands on his knees with his ass right up against the pole, keeping it there as he slides his hands out in front of him until his cheek presses to the floor, looking at Kihyun with a small smile.

Nope.

“The kegs,” Kihyun mutters as he looks down at his glass instead. Ice, so much ice. “The providers will be here in an hour, I’ll need your help to bring them in through the back.”

“Sounds good,” Jooheon mumbles and then frowns. “Damn, he’s hot.”

“I’m trying not to think about it, Joo. Thank you.”

Kihyun hears Changkyun laugh from the stage, and when he looks up, he’s--he’s upside down on the goddamn pole, legs crossed around it and Minhyuk holding his torso up just before Changkyun lets go and lands somewhat clumsily on the stage.

“Ow,” Changkyun laughs, starfishing. Minhyuk helps him up with a wicked grin that he aims at Kihyun.

“How does he look, Kiki?”

Kihyun takes a long drink. “Like,” he swallows and puts the glass down. “Right now? Or overall? You need to specify, Minnie.”

Minhyuk narrows his eyes, grin in place and Changkyun is just standing there, cheeks pink, eyes between the two of them. “On stage.”

Kihyun looks at Jooheon. “Don’t know, what do you think?”

Jooheon shrugs. “I mean, right now he’s just flustered…”

“Right, but like, on stage.”

“Hm, I’d say… With a bit more practice he might be better than some people.”

“Right?” Kihyun turns to Minhyuk. “He’s got more potential than you!”

Changkyun opens and closes his mouth like a fish out of water and Minhyuk smiles like he just made his mind up about something.

“Now, off stage,” Minhyuk says, tugging at Changkyun’s shirt to get him to follow. “Come on, Kiki, we need a guinea pig.”

Kihyun gapes. “Excuse me?” He looks at Jooheon and pushes him. “You go. I have people to serve. And the kegs. Kegs. Lots of kegs. ”

Jooheon shrugs, “I mean, I don’t mind…”

“Ohoho, no, that’s in an hour, I heard that,” Minhyuk says. “Come on, Kiki, don’t offend the new kid.”

Changkyun flusters. “I’m not offe--”

“Shhh, sweetie.”

“Dude,” Kihyun looks to Jooheon.

“Dude?” Jooheon snorts.

Kihyun pushes himself against Jooheon to push him away and mumbles, “Why is it always me that he tries to mess with? I am fragile. I am fine with looking but--”

“Dude, you think I know?” Jooheon snorts, whispers, “I wish he’d pick me but apparently I’m invisible.”

“Shut up, you’re not invisible.”

“Pretty sure he thinks my name is ‘Honey’...”

Kihyun pauses. Well, that might be true. “But--”

“Can’t I do it?” Jooheon asks louder as he looks at Minhyuk, finger pointing at himself.

“No, because I said so,” Minhyuk says, and Kihyun sees Changkyun a little wide eyed before they disappear into a table dancing booth, Minhyuk closing one of the two curtains.

“I am not walking into one of those with you,” Kihyun says, glances at a few people that look over from their table and then giggle between them. Goddamn it.

“Yoo Kihyun!” Minhyuk yells from the booth. “You’re being rude!”

“Do I get something for bringing him in?” Jooheon shouts and then laughs and shrinks away when Kihyun slaps at his arm.

“A kiss on the cheek, honey!”

“You really don’t--” Changkyun tries again.

“ Shush .”

Jooheon looks at Kihyun and Kihyun knows, in that same second, that he’s got no other choice. He might be able to win at arm wrestling against Jooheon but he can’t win at body wrestling. So, Kihyun has no choice but to let himself be dragged and then thrown into a booth, Minhyuk giving Jooheon a loud kiss on the cheek.

Good gracious.

He almost falls face down but then flinches when he realizes where he is and just stands there as straight as a pole-- funny, considering...

It’s moderately intimidating, with plush couches folding around a table with a pole through it, dim, flattering light on the ceiling, a mirror covering the wall. It can seat about… eight people? But Kihyun gets quickly pushed to the seat at the head of the table.

“That’s the best seat,” Minhyuk cackles, Changkyun sitting cross legged on the table, looking at himself in the mirror.

“This,” Kihyun says very seriously, “Is bullying.”

Changkyun bites at his lip, looking at his own reflection. “I don’t wanna do it if he doesn’t wanna be here,” Changkyun says softly, giving Minhyuk a look and hugging his legs a little closer.

Kihyun takes a deep breath and glares at Minhyuk. Stupid Satan spawn. Also, stupid me for being the way I am. Helping people, somehow, kind of comes with the curse of not wanting them to be sad about stupid shit. 

“It’s fine…” Kihyun says. It isn’t. “Besides,” Kihyun raises an eyebrow at Changkyun. “Aren’t you supposed to convince me that I want to be here…?”

“Well, you did just agree to,” Changkyun says, smiling somewhat. 

Kihyun crosses his arms. “Sure…” Bad idea.

Minhyuk closes the other curtain and sits down, crossing his legs. “Alright, do what I taught you. Honey! Turn the music louder!”

“Wait, one sec,” Kihyun says, peeks at Minhyuk, “I know you know I am sensitive, so take that into consideration. Just in case you need to call an ambulance.” He’s not that sensitive, but working here and requiring this place’s services are two very different things.

Changkyun laughs behind his hand before standing up on the table in front of Kihyun, immediately reaching for the pole to steady himself just as the music actually does go louder, a speaker behind Kihyun now playing ‘Myself’ by Bazzi.

‘ I think I’m losing my mind ’.

You and me both, Bazzi. And, really, it’s not about the seduction of it all. Kihyun can deal with that, deals with it on the daily. But one, this is someone he is actually somewhat attracted to already. Two, Jooheon was right, Kihyun is a romantic. So, professionally? This is fine. On a personal level? Help...

Probably entirely on purpose, the first thing Changkyun does is slide slowly into a squat facing Kihyun and smirk over his shoulder, arching his back towards the pole as he raises himself up without raising his head, legs entirely straight, ass up. And Kihyun just tries to keep the swallowing and the frowning to a minimum as he leans back, arms still crossed for protection, an armor against this… this dark magic.

Changkyun’s pants slide down a little in the movement, revealing lace. Very little lace, at that. That is… definitely a g-string. Imagine walking into a shop to buy that...

Clearly a practised move, then, when he spins himself around the pole, Minhyuk giving a small ‘whoop!’, and lowers himself down to the table before he starts crawling over the table to Kihyun, reaching out once he’s close enough to take Kihyun’s wrists and pin them above his head.

Totally so not fine.

Again, Kihyun tries to keep the frowning to a minimum when he looks up at Changkyun-- not down, not down, Yoo Kihyun. Which is difficult, considering Changkyun moves himself around to put a foot on either side of Kihyun, legs spread on the table in front of him.

Kihyun takes a breath and blinks once, then lets his eyes wander down and away, to Minhyuk, I am going to kill you, bitch.

Changkyun lets go of his wrists, says, “Stay,” and lies back on the table, feet pressing into the couch Kihyun is sitting on, raising his hips as he undoes the fly of his pants, and yep-- lace . 

“Jesus fucking Christ…” Kihyun groans softly as he sinks down.

He actually hears Changkyun giggle before he works the pants down his thighs, finally lifting his legs to pull them off entirely, throw them so the side. From this angle, with his ass raised like this, Kihyun can barely see that damned lace g-string. Changkyun just looks… naked, if not for the tank top.

“I’m not rich enough to afford this,” Kihyun mutters, melting some more where he sits. Maybe if he makes himself as small as possible, it will be better.

Changkyun spreads his legs again to sit up, turns around and slides down the table and right onto Kihyun’s lap with a little smile. Kihyun literally just raises his hands like there’s a gun pointed at him.

It’s more of a call for help, really. There’s a lot of… butt. But he tries not to focus on that, or the little arch on Changkyun’s lower-- oh my god. It’s just going downhill. Literally!

Changkyun reaches back for Kihyun’s hands, puts them on his hips before moving them up to take the tank top with it until that gets thrown into the corner, too, Changkyun guiding Kihyun’s hands back down his sides before draping himself on the table, lifting his ass as he crawls back onto it.

Never mind that Changkyun smells really good, never mind that he feels really smooth, there’s far too much information being pushed into Kihyun’s brain. 

Kihyun has seen people do this once or twice. Hell, he’s seen Minhyuk do it more than once. And Minhyuk is a type. But Kihyun has never really been this close. And Changkyun is just… well, Changkyun. Which just makes Kihyun feel all sorts of guilty for the tingly feeling at his lower abdomen.

“This would be so much easier with alcohol…” he says.

“For you, maybe,” Changkyun laughs, standing up. Tattoos . 

“Definitely for me, really.”

“It’s a small table, I’d fall off if I was drunk,” Changkyun says, moving to hold the pole again.

“If I’m drunk enough I might not even notice, so…”

Changkyun giggles again, a hand moving down to hook into his g-string, hips moving to the beat up and down the pole as he runs a hand up his chest, over his throat and down to his stomach, into his underwear.

Minhyuk just… isn’t here anymore. Fucking when?!

Kihyun clears his throat, eyes panicking and going up to Changkyun’s face. “Between one and ten, how red am I right now?”

“Eleven,” Changkyun grins.

“Knew it was hot it here,” Kihyun mutters. He can’t feel his ears anymore.

Changkyun just lowers himself to sit, legs crossed with the pole between his legs, cheek squished against it. “That’s all I learned…”

“All,” Kihyun nods. “ All, he says.”

Changkyun laughs softly. “Well, I am supposed to take this off, too--” 

“We’re fine,” Kihyun stresses as he raises one finger. “We’re fine.” So not fine.

Changkyun smiles, holds out a hand. “Wanna give me my clothes?”

Kihyun blindly feels for Changkyun’s pants and top and hands them over. “I’d pay, but unfortunately I don’t have my wallet on me. So… pancakes will have to do.”

Changkyun shakes his head. “Don’t worry, it was… nice to practise with someone I trust.”

“Touched,” Kihyun mumbles, glances up.

“Yes, I was.”

Kihyun rolls his eyes and takes a deep breath before just… melting under the table. “Bye.” He crawls on the floor and exits through the other side before standing up. “For the record, first time I had anyone in my face like that.”

Changkyun smiles sheepishly. “Hope you liked it..?”

Kihyun looks down at his pants and then shivers. “Oh. Yes. Totally.”

Changkyun giggles, hides his face. His ears are all red. They weren’t even a little red when he was dancing, though. “Does the bar have coffee, too?”

“No… Not officially, no.” Kihyun sighs and shivers again before pushing the curtains open and glancing over his shoulder. “Want a cup?”

“Desperately.”

“Ain’t that a mood.”