I CAN SAVE US

@dhwxchiwon

most people would argue that dojun does things out of a whim, that he has the privilege of walking in any social circle that he chooses for the day, that nothing would scream more about his spoiled and being born in a golden crib than dojun playing nice prince charming when his dad needs him to and then deciding to put it away for a moment and then “play” as someone who doesn’t have even half of the money that he actually does, to have his as equally rich friends to hang out and rent five stars restaurants for their dinner and then go to campus and pretend to be an average university student. and well, dojun won’t exactly deny that, because it’s sort of true, even it doesn’t come from a malicious place. 

don’t get him wrong, he does like his rich lifestyle, wouldn’t really trade it for most things because well, he won’t refuse an easy life, but the thing is that dojun does know firsthand how intimidating it can be to interact with someone as rich as he is, someone who screams “young master” as he has heard once. this whole thing isn’t because he’s trying to “explore a world he wouldn’t be able to otherwise” or anything as demeaning, but it’s just— dojun wants to make friends and sometimes he finds those friends when he isn’t in a louis vuitton suit and drinking wine that is older than his grandfather. 

that’s why he’s at that rundown bar now, sipping on a cheap beer and to be honest dojun is regretting it a bit now. he doesn’t know if it’s because he’s used to much higher standards than this or if it’s because the bar is really that bad and only because of that doubt that dojun decides to stay a little longer, hoping that maybe things might change if he’s a little more resilient.

and they sort of do. 

it was never ending, but it was also no big deal to him. 

even if he hated the dark little bar that agreed to hire him, no questions asked. it was fine. it was all nothing to bat an eye at because it helped pay some of the bills. some. he could deal with the sleazy office worker who came in on these friday nights just to bark at him and spill his drink all over the bar counter. and he could turn a blind eye to the woman who likes to sit in one of the back booths too long, probably just to get out of the cold on the impending winter. it’s nothing to him anymore. 

it’s so nothing that he almost doesn’t think twice about answering the question thrown at him, almost doesn’t look at who’s asking it. 

but it’s a chance, a slight mistake that he glances up as he’s pouring a drink and the bottle slips out of his hand before he notices. 

chiwon gasps, scrambling to catch the slippery glass-- just barely missing the floor and now his cheeks are bright red, because of course it’s his luck that the second someone comes in looking nice and put together and attractive he fumbles like this. “uhm--” and then nearly forgets the question. 

“drink!” he snaps, mind going blank for just a moment as he tries to recall any drink, anything really. his apron is now wet from the alcohol. “yeah, uh...” he forces himself to turn, to eye the bottles on the shelves behind him and then turns back to the stranger. 

“yeah, i got straight anything. just name your drink. we have whiskey... burbon-- quality is a little questionable, but it’s... we have it.” he wasn’t about to lie to this guy. he looked too good to be here anyway.