𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐀𝐙𝐈𝐎 .

he watches as she slides the aspirin over,   the movements achingly slow in his anticipation,   the quiet scrape over the table echoing inside his head.    he wastes no time in reaching to uncap the bottle and debate how many he wanted to take,   almost considering swallowing the whole thing before he opts for two     —     three,   and popped them in,   swallowing them dry.    which was a mistake as his throat was so dry that he nearly choked,   working incredibly hard not to show his struggle.    eyes widen the slightest as he feels her presence enclose in his space,   gaze squinting the slightest,   nodding along with her shushing.         “  i did do it with other people.  ”         one person and a half.    jipuragi firm had its nights,   and mr. nam quit a third of the way in.         “  it ends up being a mistake.  ”        in that nobody knows how to stop.

“  next time it happens,   i’ll make sure to invite you.    but you can’t get competitive.  ”         a heavy sigh is released as he slouches in his seat,   muscles relaxed and practically mush for the first time in so long.    his eyes flicker shut,   though his mind remained alert and cautious,   mostly out of fear for falling asleep where he could be thoroughly inspected by the public eye.    he wasn’t sure he wanted ms. jang to see him in such a different state.    one eye peeks open the slightest,   focusing on her.         “  tell me about this cure.  ” 

yeon-jin likes sharing a meal with other people. sharing drinks, same difference. she doesn’t know how she’d spend her nights if she didn’t have his husband, or the friends she’s made among the tenants. monthly game nights, carousing together into the early hours at toto’s, or stuffing her face with comfort food at the snack bar, there are ample opportunities for them – both inside and outside of the plaza – to join together. 

vincenzo ought to join them, one of these days. when he’s not suffering through a hangover, that is. they can all get pretty loud and fired up. 

@consigleire​ asked:

❛ it’s very rude to stare. ❜

♔‘ﾟ ‣ ❝ 장한서 ❞ → EYES WIDENED , head snapping to stare down at his plate. He must have been too eager to study him in detail during their meal ; it was blatantly obvious that he’d been staring, but his intentions weren’t entirely malicious – actually, there wasn’t malice in his bones at all in this one instance. Out of respect for their encounter, he’d show his resignation before lifting back up to straighten his spine. ❝ Sorry, sir. ❞

        Yet…he went back to staring, eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze never leaving his lips – as if there was something stuck to them. After a moment, he’d fall back in his chair, shaking his head erratically. ❝ I don’t understand it! ❞ This would be followed by body flinging back up and hands coming out to grab hold of his soy sauce glass, once more lifting it to his lips, pausing before he’d take a sip, ❝ Why does everyone call you corn salad when you don’t have any stuck in your teeth? ❞

        Glass lowered before sip is even taken, a divine intervention surely stopping him this time, his attention clearly focused on what was picking at his mind. ❝ I thought that word was English, not Italian. Every time I look it up, I don’t find anything but the food ; it’s like it’s a metaphor, but for what? Corn grows in America pretty well…it’s a cash crop that is used in so much… Are you…corn salad because you’re versatile? ❞

it was his turn to pick the venue for their,   otherwise inconspicuous,   endeavors         —         a local spot nearly an hour away from the city and away from the corrupted.     though the last bit is highly unlikely and he knew well enough that every living soul could be bought from every corner of the earth,   he figures it’s a safer risk from a distance.     isolated,   only small - district enforcers     ...     should anything go wrong,   it was not a predicament he couldn’t evade with ease.     that is,   without considering the wild card that is jang han - seo.     though wild card puts it nicely,   places him in an upper - shelf of a deluded sense of superiority     :     there are wild cards who cannot be contained and therefore untouchable,   and there are those who only get put down.     vincenzo had yet to decide which one the faux ceo aligned with.

a drawn out sigh left his lips as the string of words raked at his brain in the most unfathomable manner,   that small muscle under his left eye twitching.     the only thing the least bit tolerable about it was that he might get to witness the man chug soy sauce,   and that would provide his daily quota of entertainment.     or he was going to go mad.              “  chi non fa, non falla.  ”              is all he says after a moment of pause,   taking his time biting the small fishball captured between chopsticks.     and before the han - seo could even think about filling in the space with his ramblings,   vincenzo held up a finger     :     don’t talk.              “  he who does nothing makes no mistakes.     this may be advice you should take to heart.  ”              not particularly about the situation at hand nor the risk of him ruining his tastebuds with fermented soybeans,   but rather another warning.     the game they played,   the board they landed themselves on         —         it was not meant to conclude with a single victor without sacrifice.

“Mr. Shin. Why are you here? Mr. Shin. Why in the world … why are you doing this to me?”