STICKY!

— COMPANY NOTICE

ZHOU YINUO has joined lime entertainment as of JULY 30, 2025.

ever since becoming a trainee, there's a list of people she hasn't been able to spend time with. the first is her own brother, but changmin seems busy with his own thing ( which she will interrogate him for at a later time, that's a promise ). another person would be @beyinuo, company that she dearly missed—not just because of the puppy looks yinuo would always give her, not because of the way compliments easily stumble out of yinuo's lips as soon as claudine walks into the room either! the other girl has a colorful personality that claudine enjoys being around, it's no doubt that yinuo simply has this aura that brings out the warmth in people—although claudine does like teasing her too.

"i know it's been a while since we met up, and i promise i'll make it up to you," claudine says, gently holding onto yinuo's wrist as she flashes her a smile. "you name it! i'll treat you today, okay? whatever you want. don't be fooled by the fact that most of my income is trainee allowance lately." on top of school and the general trainee woes, she hasn't been able to do much else—claudine is more fortunate than most though, so she has been surviving just fine on her own.

"or are you going to tell me that you'd rather spend your time indoors instead?" claudine questions with a raised eyebrow, remembering how yinuo tried to convince the two of them to stay in the last time they met up. "with how my limbs have been aching lately, i wouldn't stay no to that, and i would've asked you to massage me—just kidding! besides, i meant it when i said i want to make it up to you this time! maybe next time, we could go to a spa together." right now, that sounds like a dream.

"oh? how are you gonna make it up to me?" yinuo teases, her own grin spreading across her face as she makes claudine let go of her wrist, just to hold her hand instead. whatever you want, the other woman promises her, and a mischevious glint lights up yinuo's eyes. "whatever i want? really?" she sticks her tongue out playfully. "are you sure you're not going to regret that? what if i want diamonds? or a five-star dinner? or a kiss? are you gonna say no?" is it still puppy dog eyes if she's grinning wickedly like a cat?

"i would, you know," yinuo can't help but let her fantasies get the best of her, her mind immediately envisioning how soft claudine's skin would be under her hands. "i don't know if i'd be any good at it but i'd do my best!" she laughs, hoping that the faintest hint of a flush is kept hidden under her makeup today. "a spa does sound nice though... maybe next time. i'll be nice to you today and let you have a quiet, relaxing time at home. we can go crazy next time you're free." she holds up her pinky, offering the promise.

< w. @beyinuo >

yinuo is a crazy good bartender, don't get him wrong-- but stevie's been subjected to some...conconctions the older has made. some pretty good, and others that have left him ill in the next few hours. her creativity is impressive, he will admit, but she jumps leaps and bounds behind the possible realms of normal drinking that stevie never expects. he never knows what he's going to get.

it's why his smile's both parts nervous and excited when she pushes the drink towards him with nothing other than a grin that only speaks trouble. is she psyching him out before he even drinks it? one look at the glass she's given him has stevie pausing. he swallows, suddenly apprehensive.

this particular drink, however, isn't one of the bad ones. see, she can be merciful sometimes. frankly, winter as a season is inspiring to her. the way a good strong spirit can warm a body from the inside out, the spices that bring that warm aroma to the nose as well. she can't serve this drink any other time of year and make it make sense.

in a way, yinuo is grateful for the chill in the air. without cold fingers, she may never know exactly what yuji's hand feels like in her own. and, more immediately, the cold air has already turned her cheeks bright red, completely masking the way it warms up even more when yuji oh so tenderly caresses the back of her hand with her thumb. this is nice, yinuo thinks, even though she's still not sure what exactly the nature of this relationship is. perhaps with time, they'll find out. "that's better," yinuo grins as she gives yuji's hand a little squeeze in return, nestled in the other woman's pocket. "you're warm. what if i never let go?"

talks of home feel a bit melancholy this time of year, despite yinuo's refusal to turn to blue feelings. "it is beautiful," she admits. "maybe not the most picturesque beaches in the world but when you look out at the water, way off in the horizon, the sky and the sea start to blur together and it's like... i'm not sure i know the right words. it's just special." her smile gains this distant sort of look, like she's flipping through memories in a photo book in her mind instead of being totally present in the moment. it only lasts a second, and in a blink of an eye she's back to her usual excited puppy energy. "dreamlike is a good way to put it. especially in winter, when there's not many tourists around. it's quieter but the community really comes together."

you're warm. what if i never let you go? yuji swallows. the squeeze to her hand makes her gut swoop in a way that leaves her breathless for a second. a moment that yuji definitely feels the effect of the water sign that yinuo is-- drowning under her effect because she swims her way back up. yuji wets her lips, considering her words before she speaks, quiet and sure-- "i won't complain." it's nice, their hands together, fingers intertwined. the body heat feels soothing, outside and inside. "i like holding your hand." it's a simple sign of affection that always made yuji want to curl up; the closest feeling to butterflies she could ever name. it sounds childish to hear it out loud from her own mouth, her cheeks burning.

yuji imagines the image that yinuo paints for her-- and it does sound gorgeous. picturesque and whimsical. as the younger talks, yuji takes a curious glance at her-- and observes her. yinuo is smiling, but the twist of it raises some caution in yuji's mind that causes a pinch of worry to her brow. but then yinuo switches up, and her smile is back to the bright beam that's contagious. biting her tongue back from her instinct to worry and question, she adjusts her grip on yinuo's hand, tightening a bit so she can brush their shoulders together, inching closer. "i'd love to see it one day," yuji murmurs quietly. you should take me there, is something that crosses her mind to say, but she bites it back. being forward has never been easy for her to be, and she's never had great outcomes for it; with yinuo, she wants to try and do it right.

yinuo's plea makes yuji's lips purse, fighting back the urge to giggle at the younger as she plays the act of taking a moment to think. it's hard to keep up the bit, yinuo's pout too effective and her eyes hard to ignore. and she doesn't want to let go either, attached to the warmth yinuo brings. "okay," she agrees. "can't have you getting hurt now. not on my watch." she'd feel terrible if she did-- what kind of date would that be? especially now, with how bright and big her eyes look staring at her-- how can she let her down like that?

it's an urge she can't contain, a moment of weakness maybe, that has her unheld hand leaving her pocket to come up and gently tap under yinuo's chin with a finger. "cute," she comments, absentminded as she lets her eyes flicker over the woman's features. quick, rapid, greedy, like if she doesn't take the time to look at her now, she won't be able to do it again.

she likes yuji’s calmness, the way she takes yinuo’s boundless energy and teasing disposition in stride. she gives the air of someone cool, calm, and collected, though there’s more beneath the surface yinuo isn’t sure she’s unlocked yet. there’s a depth to yuji that’s alluring, like staring into sparkling, dark water and fantasizing about what’s just beyond the surface, still out of sight. i won’t complain, yuji says, i like holding your hand. the words are so simple, so “plain”, and yet they only make yinuo smile brighter, somehow filled with pride that a beautiful woman says such sweet things to her. yinuo would normally fill the space up with words or actions of her own but for now… she’s comfortable in the quiet atmosphere between them. there’s understanding in the quiet, sometimes.

“i’ll take you there,” yinuo promises easily, without so much as a second thought. “next time i go home, come with me. maybe not at the holidays though, it’s so expensive to travel that time of year.” she doesn’t mention that she doesn’t know the next time she’ll return to her family’s home, or if there’s going to be an opportunity to walk away from them again once she’s there. she loves them dearly, that much is clear, but her life is just starting, just getting interesting, and there’s too much to do and see before settling down at home.

and then yuji puts the poor girl through a whirlwind of emotions. for a moment she’s cheeky, pretending to consider yinuo’s request, before she suddenly turns chivalrous, promising to not let the girl get hurt. and then, quite unexpectedly, yuji teeters on the edge of amorous, with the way her fingertips brush the underneath of yinuo’s chin, a single word on the woman’s lips. yinuo would not call herself the type to get flustered—it’s usually herself making the first move after all—and yet she’s temporarily stunned into silence, her head spinning with the thoughts of how badly she wanted the other woman to kiss her in that moment. and it’s over just as fast as it happened, yuji returning to the logistics of going skating together as if she had never captured yinuo’s attention so thoroughly. “what?” yinuo can only respond dumbly, as if she’s stopped being able to understand the language they’re both speaking. her brain catches up a moment later, too late, and the two are looking for skate rentals and talking about how unbusy the rink is right now.

it isn't something that's completely unheard of, wooyoung's heard it pretty often ( mostly from his father ). and while he's well aware of the fact that he does spoil his little sister from time to time, as he stands in this terribly cold weather, nose red and heat packs not nearly enough to help him feel even the slightest bit better, he realizes just how much he really does spoil her.

she'd mentioned wanting tteokbokki and hotteok after her dance classes, from the christmas market in particular, because she'd loved them so much the first time she'd tasted them, and who was wooyoung to say no to that? her eyes had looked at him with so much anticipation, well aware of the hold she has on her older brother.

still, the line is a lot longer than expected, and he notices that it isn't moving anytime soon. which is fine, really. her classes dont end for another hour-ish, and wooyoung's sure he'll at the very least be able to reach the front before then.

he jumps a little to try and get his body warm, before shivering. a gust of wind blows against his face, and momentarily he wonders if she reeeaalllyyy wants the street food. maybe he could get away with buying her some chocolates instead? he isn't given much time to think though, instead he's approached by a girl who he assumes is somewhere around his age, and before he can truly process what's happening, she's talking about food and asking him to wait and – what?

"i'm back! sorry about that," she reaches to take her tteokbokki back, examining the food quickly and confirming that there had truly been no tampering in her absence. "you really saved me. are you in line? i'll buy your food for you, it's the least i can do for you literally saving my life!" is it an exaggeration? maybe just a little. in the end, yinuo really saves nothing at all by buying a stranger food instead of just throwing this out and buying a new one afterwards. but this is making new friends, maybe. she's never had a lack of them but an outgoing girl like herself is always open to more.

yinuo is a puzzle she's still figuring out. there's potential there--a push and pull she still can't seem to wrap her mind around. one step forward, three steps back. it's frustrating. it's thrilling.

blinking at the younger woman, yuji glances at the outstretched hand, before she reaches out to take it with a soft huff. the corners of her mouth are quirking up, unable to help the smile at the pick-up line. the weather's so cold, yuji's face is already flushed pink, but she's sure it's darkened in response the sly words. "where are your gloves?" she chides, despite her lips curling up, pleased. her movements are gentle, fingers slotting together carefully, but her grip becomes firm. sure. yuji's words are undoubtedly hypocritical, her own hands gloveless-- able to feel how cold yinuo's hands are.

"ah...you should have said something sooner." flexing her fingers around yinuo's securely, she tucks their entwined hands into one of her jacket pockets. safe from the wind chill, yuji's thumb moves thoughtfully over the other's hand. makes a mental note to look around for somewhere that sells something warm.

yuji nods her head in affirmation. "i do." she's no kim yuna, but she has a handle to some degree. all the training she's been doing has been helping out her stability in the long run-- core strength, balance, etcetera. as yuji imagines a whole ocean's worth of ice, her expression turns thoughtful. "i think it'd be...concerning, no doubt." she laughs softly. that's not supposed to happen on the regular, right? "on the coastline though...i bet the view is incredible. almost dreamlike, maybe?"

in a way, yinuo is grateful for the chill in the air. without cold fingers, she may never know exactly what yuji's hand feels like in her own. and, more immediately, the cold air has already turned her cheeks bright red, completely masking the way it warms up even more when yuji oh so tenderly caresses the back of her hand with her thumb. this is nice, yinuo thinks, even though she's still not sure what exactly the nature of this relationship is. perhaps with time, they'll find out. "that's better," yinuo grins as she gives yuji's hand a little squeeze in return, nestled in the other woman's pocket. "you're warm. what if i never let go?"

talks of home feel a bit melancholy this time of year, despite yinuo's refusal to turn to blue feelings. "it is beautiful," she admits. "maybe not the most picturesque beaches in the world but when you look out at the water, way off in the horizon, the sky and the sea start to blur together and it's like... i'm not sure i know the right words. it's just special." her smile gains this distant sort of look, like she's flipping through memories in a photo book in her mind instead of being totally present in the moment. it only lasts a second, and in a blink of an eye she's back to her usual excited puppy energy. "dreamlike is a good way to put it. especially in winter, when there's not many tourists around. it's quieter but the community really comes together."

not everyone is cool with his sense of humor, but he's glad that yinuo is. it makes their friendship feel all the more real, even if he's technically a senior employee to her.

"yeah, a pal of mine whose been in the mainland for awhile sent me some in a care package. he packed up a bunch of cool food-finds and sent 'em my way, tellin' me to fuck around with 'em to see if i can come up with new takes on recipes." thinking of it now, he feels lucky to have such good friends in his life; ones that encourage him to keep evolving as a chef. "i can see if he can send some more, though. he's in the industry, too, so it shouldn't be too hard."

when yinuo speaks of her mother, jindallae half-smiles. he's glad that she can speak so fondly of her mom like that, that she has fond memories of her mom like that. he's happy for her. "i definitely won't beat your mom's, i know that for sure, but you never know. maybe mine'll be decent enough that it'll scratch the itch for you. though, food that's made purely from muscle-memory is the best kind. you know a person's got that recipe in their soul for life in that way."

honestly, he's got quite a few meals he can whip up without thinking. so long as he has the supplies, they come together like magic. most of the menu items at the restaurant are those he considers to be in this category. however, before he's able to nerd out about culinary arts any further, the talk of yuletide decorations and festivities distracts him. the thought of it causes him to take yet another swig of his seoul mule before responding. "what if i told you that we have no budget for this?"

ah, she'll admit to a bit of homesickness though. she doesn't think about it often, she's content with her life here after all, but especially as family holidays approach she can't help but think about all the fond memories of home, the special events they'd put on and decorations they'd hang up at the bar and brewery, the staff who were just as much her aunts and uncles as those who actually share her blood. and yes, the homemade meals. korean food isn't that much different in a lot of ways, but no one here knows how to capture the sentimentality of stewed vegetables cooked just a minute too long so grandmother can chew more easily when taking meals with the family. she's not sure how to describe the heat level her father liked, enough to 'make his mouth happy' without burning for hours afterwards.

she's not one to wallow in negativity, to let the weight of the world push her down. so yinuo tries to shove the homesickness away, back down in the box where it came from, and put a convincing smile on her face. even as close of a friend as she considers jindallae, it's not something she wants to talk about with him. ah, but if only she had the time and money for a trip back home, just for a week or two... no, it's just not in the cards right now, and yinuo can accept that.

the woman doesn't remark further on the topic, but she knows jin will make the dish for her when he has the time. nothing more needs to be said. instead, she hones in on the upcoming holidays. "no budget as in i can do whatever i want and you'll cover it all?" her eyes gleam, anticipation showing through even though she knows, realistically, what her boss means is 'no budget as in you have a handful of change and a dream.' "we can do all out for both, you know. there's no rule about that. and i'll do all the work, you and everyone else can just rest. c'mon, please? it'll be fun."

"that's certainly admirable of you, your excellency," he continues to play along, skipping easily into his best impression of a loyal eunuch plucked right out of a historical drama, even punctuating his tone with a slight head bow and an archaic lilt to color his already present country dialect.

"but do chaeun, jooah, and sumin know they're signing up for dates, and not unfortunately heteronormative hangouts where a single lip gloss isn't smudged?" he sheds his historical caricature and belly laughs, poised to dodge anything solid and tangible that might be thrown in his direction, "because it sounds like you're signing yourself for another triple bout of pathetic sapphic longing, princess."

ah, so she noticed his shift in mood, his own pathetic queer longing worn loud and bright on his sleeves like an avant garden fashion accessory. he has to consider her question for a few long, solemn moments. maybe a distraction would help him recover, recuperate, reenvision. or would it only make him worse at moving on by emphasizing every lack he feels when he wakes up and knows yejun isn't sleeping next to him but across an ocean somewhere? would yejun want him to move on or would he be hurt that hangyeol had even tried to? it doesn't pain hangyeol not to know, but it does pain him that he cannot simply pull out his phone and ask.

"maybe," he answers honestly, not entirely lacking in his normal kind, cheerful air, but certainly colored by a tinge of his solemn contemplation, "as long as he knows that it's 'complicated.'"

ah, it makes her sad that her friends are going through such rough patches. yinuo can't help but absorb their hurt and pain like a sponge, her own face falling into a frown as the subtle movements on hangyeol's face betray the heartache he's going through. she wishes she could just take it all away; she has enough brightness to compensate for the rain clouds around the man. "none of these dumbasses, of course," she reassures him, rolling her eyes at the men behind the bar who have already returned to serving other customers. "hey, this might be a long shot, but i have another regular-slash-friend who's coming out of a breakup and could use some company. if you guys don't want to be 'complicated' together, it might be nice just to have someone who understands... what do you think?"

she doesn't know if either hangyeol or joomi would be receptive to an introduction, but she did feel like a genius in the moment for the idea of the connection. two birds with one stone, or something like that. yinuo herself tends to fall in love quickly, but her one-sided crushes have rarely left her down for more than an hour or so before she's onto the next. she knows she can't fully relate to what these guys are going through, only offer them another drink and a listening ear and hope that she's being as good of a friend as she'd like to be. but maybe she should just start a brokenhearted gays support group for all the men in her life right now.

to be trusted by someone else to paint over her face is an honour like no other. it isn’t the first time that she has, there has been many instances where she would be commissioned to assist in another cosplayer’s make-up. lately, she’s been grieving those days—she can’t exactly keep being active in that scene should she want to keep her career as an idol. but this, helping a friend get ready for a party, is more than enough for claudine. it’s fun—it’s also for fun—but she’s taking it seriously.

yinuo’s sudden question keeps the atmosphere rather lighthearted though, drawing a light laugh out of claudine’s lips. “you’re getting there,” she replies, the bristles of her brush dancing around yinuo’s eyes and leaving colour behind. “even without my help, you would’ve been a masterpiece of your own,” she assures. “but i’m glad you decided to let me experiment on your face. it’s a stunning canvas as is, and i could get used to staring at your features for quite a while.” her words are laced with a teasing cadence as she speaks, but she wouldn’t say things she doesn’t mean.

another truth to the art of make-up is this: when you’re acting as the painter with a canvas, the process can be rather… intimate. it’s for that reason claudine has settled on yinuo’s lap, focused on making sure the other girl glows tonight—in every sense of the word.

“you’re talking so much,” claudine points out, although she doesn’t sound all that annoyed. she doesn’t mind it, finds yinuo’s chatter a perfect replacement to the expected silence. still, she waits for yinuo’s mouth to stop moving before applying the lip tint, so that nothing is out of place. only then, does she formulate a response.

"one more thing," yinuo breaks her promise, "you can stare at my face whenever you want, free of charge. as long as you keep doing it like this," she does indulge her body's impulses this time, locking her fingers together behind claudine's back just enough to keep the girl in place on her lap. yinuo smiles again, bright as ever, but forces her face to relax, lips just slightly parted, as the other woman goes in with the lip tint for real this time. please think about how kissable i look, yinuo prays to the sapphic gods, if such deities even exist. you want to kiss me sooo bad, she mentally manifests; maybe if she thinks hard enough the thought will transfer to the other woman.

her heart flutters as claudine calls her beautiful again, this time while tucking her hair behind her ear. it takes everything yinuo has not to melt into a pile of goo right then and there; she has to have some pride after all, even if beautiful women are clearly her greatest weakness. "why would it be a waste?" she counters, "what's the phrase... beauty is in the eye of the beholder? i don't mind if you're the only one who will 'beholding' me tonight." the girl laughs, pleased with her flirtatious pun. "i'm pretty good at korean now, aren't i?" she manages between the giggles.

with that, he shrugs; hoping that it's not a strange comment for him to make. he's definitely had to kick people out of this place, especially now that he's all but taken it over, so he makes himself responsible. it's what he's used to, after all. he didn't grow up kicking mindeulle's bullies' teeth in for nothing. "i've got some o' that at my house, so i know what you're talkin' about. i've tried fuckin' around with it in certain recipes; it's pretty good."

he notices a slight shift in her energy, and offers a smile to counter it, "how about you come over sometime and we can make some authentic mapo tofu together? obviously my version's already on the menu, but i'd love to try yours. maybe i can make some tweaks to mine, too. i'll learn from the pro." he pauses and wonders if asking her to come to his place is appropriate or not, but figures that yinuo would let him know if it was weird. that's not his intention, but he'd understand if she wasn't into the idea.

"nah, there's no need for any of that. we've never really gone all out for christmas here. owner's not religious, and neither am i, and it's a pain in the ass to set up and take down decorations." does this make him somewhat of a 'grinch'? a 'scrooge'? if it does, he couldn't care less. other than his birthday and halloween, this time of year has never been his cup of tea. "you can do whatever you want with yourself, though. m'sorry if we're a boring crew."

a second wind seems to hit the girl as she sits up a little straighter, eyebrows raising. "you have doubanjiang?" she's shocked, genuinely. "where did you find it? or is it under a different name here or something? i swear i've been looking and haven't seen it anywhere. oh, but i guess i don't have your culinary connections either. anyway, spill." yinuo is no chef, she's not making elaborate meals for anyone, but living alone means she cooks for herself for the meals she doesn't eat here at the restaurant, and an extra taste of home in her cuisine would never go amiss. "my mom's the pro, actually. i'd ask her to send me the recipe but i don't think anything is actually measured out. you can try to do it as good as her, though. i don't think you'll win."

maybe she should be more concerned about her boss inviting her back to his place, but the situation isn't like that at all. yinuo knows jindallae's boyfriend, for crying out loud, and jindallae in turn knows about yinuo's blatant preference for the company of women. there's nothing weird about it, especially when she would consider the two of them friends after working with each other for this long.

a gasp escapes the girl. as much as she joked about a christmas rush and gimmicky decorations, she's shocked and horrified that jindallae won't even try to indulge in the commercialized, secular version of the holiday. "really? no garland? not even a little?" she acts scandalized. "i guess this place really does need a woman's touch. okay, give me a christmas decoration budget and i'll take care of it. i'll do it in place of that extra bonus." it's a missed opportunity, in her opinion, if they do nothing in recognition of the winter festivities. it's a romantic holiday, one often spent between couples and lovers, and what's better than a fancy dinner date? no, doing nothing simply will not do and yinuo has always been the type to take matters into her own hands, warranted or not.

@beyinuo

"alright, that's the one hour mark lady and gents," hangyeol announces, swiveling around on his barstool and raising the bastardized server notepad and its accompanying pen in his hands with a flourish.

"our current tally is: siyoon, two; jinwoo, with a sad, sad zero, step it up jinwoo; yinuo, reigning champion, with four; and little old me with one and a half, because siyoon is a cheater~"

"who's cheating?" comes a baritone retort from the other side of the bar, attached to a hand pouring a large series of cass pints, "you don't even like girls."

"that doesn't mean they don't like me~" hangyeol calls back easily, sliding the makeshift scorecard across the bar for further inspection by his contestants. he takes the brief lapse in tallying to take a generous sip of his own drink, something tart and salmon-colored yinuo customized for him in exchange for his very important services.

"my question is this," he adds, pausing to stir his beverage and to scan appreciatively siyoon's admirable right bicep while he's busy serving customers. if he could admire jindallae for anything, it was how well he seemed to know his customer base, because hangyeol was certain he wasn't the only one partaking in a bit of harmless staring.

"do any of you actually do anything with all these numbers?," he glances at yinuo then, a knowing glint in his eye, "or do you chicken out before you ever actually call anyone?"

still, the girl smiles smugly as hangyeol reads out the scores. "you should know better than to challenge me by now," she jokes with them. "it wasn't even close."

yinuo's love for women isn't necessarily a secret. she couldn't hide it if she tried, her unabashed adoration seeping out every time she sees a pretty girl. and honestly, she has yet to meet a girl who isn't pretty. she falls in love quickly and easily, but that doesn't mean she doesn't feel that love deeply.

"how dare you imply i play with a woman's feelings," yinuo presses her hand to her chest, putting on her best impression of a pearl-clutcher as she gasps dramatically at hangyeol. "i'll have you know that chaeun and i are going out for drinks after my shift is over here, jooah has been sending me pictures of her new puppy, sumin wants to meet for coffee later this week, and... well, yerin hasn't responded but she might be busy!"

yinuo's right, though... like always. the last time he looked in the mirror, he noticed the bags under his eyes and the slight dullness to his complexion. that, and it's been hard to get to the gym over the last few weeks, and that has his mood on the floor. if anything, it's been made excruciatingly apparent to him that exercise keeps him feeling altogether rather "normal." not only does it strengthen his body, but his mind, as well; maybe even more-so.

maybe exerting his body in athleticism better channels the aggression that's always existed inside of him. he takes it out on punching bags, and on his own musculature, instead of on other people. it's a welcome change. "don't worry about me, i never get sick." is that true? not really, but he's practiced concealing any discomforts or ailments he feels since childhood. when you grow up with a sick brother, it's easier to lie and say you're fine.

"once i've had a drink, i'll throw together some mapadubu for you. your bonus will be that it's extra spicy..." he teases, scrunching his nose at her; retrieving the mug she slides over to him. he wastes no time lifting it up and taking a long sip, humming at the burn of the ginger beer and soju. he finally feels like he can relax now. "honestly? i'd be down with that. haven't been able to lift much lately, so it'll be good for me."

the bar is clean—she knows it is because she's the one who just finished wiping it down—so she folds her arms on top of it and rests her head against them. for just a moment, yinuo closes her eyes and revels in the sensation; she hadn't realized how tired she was until she finally got a moment to sit down and take a break. realizing that she probably could fall asleep here if she's not careful, she half sits herself back up, resting her chin on her arms instead, and glances sideways at her boss.

she grins, pleased with his promise to make her dish extra spicy. hot food, both in terms of temperature and spice-level, tastes even better on a cold, autumn night. "at home we'd use doubanjiang instead of gochujang and doenjang," she remarks; the fermented condiment is nearly impossible to find in korea and she doesn't expect jindallae to have any on hand. the korean substitutes are close, but it does make her a little homesick for her mom's cooking sometimes. "you can lift me after i've eaten, though. the extra weight will be good for you." she jokes, unwilling to make herself sad thinking about things that are impossible. maybe she'll try to visit home soon.