Certified Anon.

It was twelve in the afternoon and the entire Eros staff was busy cleaning the entire bar. Zen had been barking out orders between dragging the ladder to clean out any of the vents, “Cannon, make sure the baseboards are completely free of dust! Red, check for anything resembling mold along the drying racks for the glasses. Sunny, check under every table for gum or any other gunk!” From his knelt position on the floor, Cannon grunted, “What do you think i’m doing here, boss? Giving the wall a quickie? Why are you freakin’ out so badly anyway. We shine this place up every Sunday and you sure as hell make sure we go over everything after close.” “I don’t care! Double check everything! The health inspector is coming today and if we get hit with any violations, Sugar is going to have my ass!” Zen exasperated, wiping the metal of an air vent not once, twice, but three times. It was true that he was obsessed with the place being clean but he always got jittery when it came to code violations. He’d rather be safe than sorry, even if they all had to work extra hours. “Zen, this place looks great and it always has. I think we can slow down a bit and just spot check.” Sunny squeaked from beneath a table. Of course she found nothing as she had done this same exact task the night before, “What are you so afraid of, anyway?” Zen screwed the cover back in place, letting out a sigh as he looked down at the woman, “I’m not afraid of anything. I just don’t want any issues. As soon as the inspector can leave, the more relaxed we can all be.” “I’m pretty relaxed right now, honestly. Whoever comes doesn’t scare me. We’ve always passed the health inspection!” Red chimed in as he obediently followed Zen’s orders. He knew better then to complain, since the other bartender always seemed on edge when things like this came up, “But it doesn’t hurt to double-check our work!” Zen nodded with a smile, glad that at least one of them would be on his side, “Exactly! If we do this now, we won’t have to worry about a thing! And also, I promised you guys lunch and dinner on top of being paid for these extra hours! Not a bad gig, eh?” “I’ll take sleeping in over that, boss.” Cannon hissed, but he too knew to just go along with whatever crazy ramblings Zen had. “Lets just finish up so I don’t have to keep crawling around. My legs are starting to hurt.”

The evening finally came around and patrons were about left and right, being oddly busy for a weekday. This worried Zen greatly, since it was even harder to keep things tidy with the flow of business. He constantly had to remind himself that the inspection didn’t really have anything to do with how messy the customers were, but how they handled the clean up. Jingle~ “Welcome to Eros!” Zen called out, flashing a bright smile to the older man that entered, “What can I serve you?” The gentleman waddled over to the bar, a disgruntled look on his face, “I’m Mr. Soo, here to do an inspection. Where is the owner of this bar?” Zen cleared his throat and straightened up, wiping his hands along a towel, “That would be me, sir. Zen at your service! Please take a look around, I’m sure you’ll find-” “Yes yes, I’ll find this place in tip-top shape. That’s what everyone says. Look kid, I’ve had a long day already so don’t try to kiss my ass. I’ll look around and don’t bother me!” Mr. Soo placed his things down on the bar top and wandered towards the back first. Red let out a low whistle once the man was out of sight, “He sure is friendly, huh?” Cannon snickered as he doodled along his order book, “Glad to see that someone else doesn’t put up with Zen’s bullcrap.” “Hey! I was just being friendly. I can’t help it if the guy had a rough day. He’ll warm up to me, they always do.” They all turned when they heard a boisterous laugh come from the back room. The only person there was the inspector, what could have caused him to erupt in such a fit? Zen looked around and turned paler than he already was when he noticed Sunny missing, “Oh no...please tell me she’s in my office.” “Last I knew, she was tidying up the pool tables.” Cannon replied. He seemed to have a homing missile for her location at all times which no one ever questioned, “You should have given her the day off, boss. You know how she manages to screw things up on accident.” “I can go check on them if you’d like,” Red offered, but before Zen could answer the two had emerged from the back. “What was that noise again? How do the pipes sound in the storage closet?” Mr. Soo egged Sunny on. “They go, EEEEEEEEEWWWWOOOOOAAAAPP! I swear! It’s only when its really windy outside, but it scares me. Do you think the roof will cave in?” Sunny responded with genuine curiosity. Although the inspector bursted into another fit of giggles, Zen was having trouble catching his breath. Why would she even think to point out anything out of place? Granted, the pipes had nothing to do with the health inspection but bringing attention to potential issues wasn’t necessarily a great idea. “Show me the bathrooms, Sunny! You really think there’s a ghost in there?” Mr. Soo, pulled her along. “Oh yes! I hear knocking on the windows and walls all the time when I’m in there! Maybe it’s a friendly ghost, though. You know, like the ones of TV. Sometimes I sit in there and talk to them. Just imagine how lonely they get. Maybe they just want friends!” Cannon facepalmed at her ridiculous comments. Who in the world would want to actively listen to her ramblings? Why in the world did he find it annoyingly cute? He sighed loudly and picked up the tray that had been set up for his table, “You two better control that girl or she’ll probably get this place a bad score.” “No no, I think...this will work.” Zen tapped along his chin as he fell into contemplation, “He’s laughing at her because he doesn’t know her all that well. We all shake our heads because we know how naive she can be. Maybe...we should let her run her course. If he gets in a better mood, he’ll be a bit more lenient!” Red chuckled as he filled a few glasses with beer for the patrons around the bar top, “You are putting a lot of trust in that girl. If you don’t recall, she’s single-handedly caused a few of your breakdowns.” “Yes but he seems to enjoy her company! Maybe he’s into that kind of thing, you know? Old guys are weird. They can be into the whole, airhead routine. All she has to do is keep talking and bouncing around the way...she...does…” Zen trailed off, eyes widening as he realized, along with Red, what could potentially be happening. “Maybe he’s a creeper.” They both whispered in unison and without another word, they both scrambled out from behind the bar to run to the bathroom. “SUNNY!” When the door was slammed open, their eyes fell on the waitress who had stood up on the water heater while waving her arms around like wet noodles, “Ghost friends~! Meet Mr. Soo! He’s really nice and wants to be your friend too! Come out and say hello - oh hey guys! You want to talk to the ghosts too?” She smiled at the two at the door, Mr. Soo holding back his laughter at her display. “Sunny, get down from there! You’ll hurt yourself!” Zen snipped at her, walking to help her step down, “There aren’t any ghosts here, what are you talking about?” She held a finger to her lips, shushing him, “Don’t say things like that, you’ll hurt their feelings! Apologize!” “Apologize? What! Sunny, c’mon!” Zen whined, “You have tables to look after, you know.” Sunny pouted as she kicked her feet along the tile, “Alright. It was nice walking around with you, Mr. Soo! I have to go back to work though.” “It’s alright, child. You go on! My my, you’re so sweet, you remind me of my granddaughter. Let’s get this inspection finished up, shall we? I’m in a much better mood now thanks to her.” Zen let out a sigh of relief once the two had left the bathroom, shooting a gaze towards Red, “I told you she would come in handy.” “Be glad that he didn’t get handsy, though.” Red smirked, “I don’t know if Sugar could cover up a lawsuit for beating up someone like an inspector.” Zen waved him off, heading out back towards the bar. He perked when he saw that Duckie had entered, immediately going to fill him a mug of beer, “Hey you! Sorry I didn’t hear you come in. Doing alright tonight?” Duckie smiled as he saw Zen, waving wildly in his direction, “Hey! Yeah, it’s been fine! Finished up a term paper so I decided to stop in for a drink. Who’s the old guy poking around the bar?” “It’s the health inspector. It’s that time of year, you know.” Red answered as he joined Zen behind the bar, “Don’t worry about him. I think Sunny just won us a passing grade.” “Were you worried? This place is always spotless! The cleanest place on this side of town!” Duckie chirped, graciously taking the drink that Zen offered him, “I mean, you are always cleaning something or having things shifted around. I couldn’t even imagine what he would find wrong.” “You never know, Duckie,” Zen said as he started cleaning some dirty cups, “I hate to admit it, but even I’m human and can overlook things.” Cannon gasped as he put his arm around Duckie, “Did you hear that, Ducks? The almighty boss admits to being imperfect? Someone call the doctor! Better yet, the news station! This is truly ground-breaking!” “Shut up, Cannon.” Zen sneered, “As amazing as I am, I know I make mistakes. Such as the mistake of hiring you.” Cannon wiggled his fingers towards Zen, “Oooh, scary~ you sure showed me!” “Come on, guys! Play nice.” Sunny chided as she walked up, handing Red a drink order, “Everyone here is vital to the team and there were no mistakes made!” She nodded firmly and pat Cannon on the head, “Even you, between your harsh words and sour moods.” Cannon blushed softly, clearing his throat as he created distance between him and Sunny, “Uh, yeah. Thanks.” Zen narrowed his gaze on the waiter, watching him fumble around before heading to his tables. His jaw dropped as the light bulb illuminated in his head. Did Cannon have a crush on Sunny? Is this why he was always thrown into a bad mood when the girl would get anywhere near him? His thoughts cycled through the instances he could remember when the younger man would get irrationally angry at Sunny’s closeness, every time she would be garnering comfort or physical interaction with him. “Oh.” The bartender muttered to himself. He instantly felt terrible for the things he haphazardly did that may have made Cannon jealous. Zen never meant to, admittedly he was only trying to protect Sunny from Cannon’s temper. A wide smile spread across his lips as he started to hatch a plan. This could potentially improve relations between him and his employees, and give Cannon a bit of happiness in his otherwise stressful life. “Hey Zen! The inspector wants to speak with you in your office,” Red interrupted his thoughts, “Better go see what the principal has to say.” “Hmm? Oh, yeah. Watch the bar for a bit, I’ll be back.” Zen answered as he went to follow Mr. Soo back into the room. After some time, they came out in good spirits, The older man patting Zen’s back, “You’re alright, kid! Keep up the good work! I expect a good drink when I come back!” “Anything for you, Mr. Soo!” Zen bowed towards him before leading him to the door, “I appreciate you coming tonight, and I’ll make sure Sunny is your waitress when you do come in for that drink!” Other light banter was exchanged before the inspector left the bar, and Zen turned towards Red with a thumbs up, “Passed with flying colors! He thought the place was spotless! Good job everyone!” A rumble of cheers passed through the establishment, Sunny running up to Zen to give him a hug, “See! Nothing to worry about!” He stopped her before she could wrap her arms around him, patting her on the head, “Yeah, I wasn’t worried in the slightest! Hey, why don’t you go tell Cannon that he did a good job? He always says something snarky to me but I really want him to know that I appreciate his hard work.” She tilted her head and looked over at Cannon who was cleaning up a freshly abandoned table, “Okay! He really does work hard, I shouldn’t give him such a hard time.” Once she skipped over to him, Zen made his way back behind the bar and lowered his head towards Red, “Hey, has your brother ever had a crush on someone?” Red raised a brow, “Eh? I think so. He’s too stubborn to believe it if he does, but I know when he acts differently around certain people.” “And is there anyone you can think of right now that he treats differently?” Zen mused, watching the two waiters interact from a distance. Red blinked and followed Zen’s gaze, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, “Say, you think so too?” Zen nodded, and they both stood there watching as Cannon blushed at Sunny’s compliments and affirmations. They looked at eachother, grinning wildly. “You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” Zen asked. “I think I am thinkin’ what you’re thinkin’. Between the two of us thinkin’, we could probably make things happen,” Red replied. “Hey, you two sure are thinking a lot. Want to share?” Duckie leaned forward towards them as he had caught their exchange, “I can keep a secret!” “You really can’t, Duckie.” Red chuckled, “Especially when you drink too much.” He reached for the empty beer glass in front of the blonde to refill it, “Just sit back and enjoy the show.” “Ugh, you two suck!” Duckie pouted, “One day I’ll have a big secret and I won’t tell any of you!” “Yes you will.” Zen and Red, once again, spoke in unison. Duckie grabbed the fresh mug and huffed, “Whatever, you’ll see.”

“We are going to have so much fun tomorrow, Babe! I can’t wait to enjoy the carnival with you.”

“I’m excited! I’ve never been to one. Are we going to ride the ferris wheel? I always see them in the movies and I want to go up to the very top.” “Of course! Oh, what is that? My babe wants me to act out a romantic scene while we are up in the sky? Anything for you.” “It’s not that! I just think it would be fun!” “You’re so cute, I love you.” “I love you too, Zen. Goodnight.” “Goodnight…”

Zen grumbled as he slowly started to wake up from a sleep that seemed far more heavy than usual. “Damn, was I really that tired? I slept like a rock.” He stretched his arms up - every muscle from his shoulders to his fingers pulling endlessly out of the deep slumber that still fogged his mind. The skip in his heartbeat and immediate frown that fell upon his face was brought on once his limbs fell to the empty space beside him.

As much as he wouldn’t admit to it so readily, he hated when she woke up before he did. His mind always fell to the worst case scenario but by now, he knew he probably slept in far too late. “Babe...are you in the bathroom?” He called out loudly, groaning as he forced his body out of the warm comforts of the covers. Still in a haze, he haphazardly dressed himself to go for a jog - his normal routine for the mornings when he was in between roles. Dragging towards the bathroom, he yawned as he leaned against the wall, knocking softly as he yawned, “Honey? Are you in there?” There was no reply so after opening the door and seeing the room unoccupied, he went about his business. He didn’t think much as he washed his face, the thoughts of their plans for the day swimming through his mind. It had been quite some time since he could properly take the love of his life out for some personal time but with the end of his latest show, he wanted to shower her with as much attention as humanly possible. This was their day and he intended to make it the best date she’d ever go on. Now a bit more alert, he wandered towards the living room expecting her to be walking about, “Are you going to get ready while I go for a jog? I won’t take long! Then we can head out!” He slowed his steps when he was met with silence, throwing a small towel around his neck, “Babe? Where are you?” His eyes scanned the space, a sense of dread settling within his chest. Her purse wasn’t there and neither were her shoes. In fact, nothing of hers was in the normal places that he was used to. The books she would read while he practiced his lines were replaced with magazines on his bookshelf. Her laptop that she kept in a vibrant purple bag was no longer stored under the coffee table. The picture they took together on their six month anniversary… Panic began to set in when he started noticing how empty of her presence his apartment had become. He looked in the kitchen and he even climbed up to the roof to see if she was there but he found himself completely alone. His hands started shaking as he sat on the roof, scrolling through his contacts on the phone to find her number. Erased. Non-existent. Even after manually dialing the number he knew by heart he was only met with an automated message dictating the line being disconnected. Was she hurt? Did someone kidnap her? Was this happening all over again? Without thinking, he quickly called Seven knowing he may not even answer but once he did, he spilled out everything that was going on, his speech a frantic mess. “Hey Zen, calm down. Who are you talking about?” Seven interrupted, “You sound crazy, are you still asleep?” “My girlfriend, Seven! That’s who I’m talking about! Have you not been listening?” Zen cried, “Please tell me she talked to you.” The silence that followed made Zen check the screen to make sure the call was still active and when he saw Seven’s icon still lingering, he held the phone back to his ear, “Hello? Do you hear me?” “Yeah, I hear you. Zen, what are you talking about? You don’t have a girlfriend, last time I checked.” Zen’s eyes widened as anger towards his friend began to gather into him, “This isn’t a joke, Seven! I can’t find her. Can’t you be serious for once?!” He hung up in frustration, cursing the redhead whom he felt played far too many pranks. “I’ll just log into the messenger…” He muttered to himself. Although he was hopeful since Jaehee, Jumin, and Yoosung were chatting about, he was found with the same reaction as Seven. [Jaehee] Zen, have slept? You are worrying me… [Jaehee] Your show just ended, you should be getting plenty of rest. [Jumin] How amusing, though. Is he making up relationships for himself? [Jumin] Have you fallen so deep in your loneliness [Jumin] That you have to play make-believe? [Zen] Is this some kind of prank that you are all in on? [Zen] If it is, it’s not very funny. [Jumin] I don’t play pranks [Jumin] But out of the kindness of my heart [Jumin] I’ll set you up on a date [Jumin] Assistant Kang, call up that woman [Jumin] The one that came by the other day and wanted to have dinner with me. [Jaehee] Mr. Han… [Yoosung] Hey Zen, what does your girlfriend look like? [Yoosung] You’ve been hiding this from us? [Zen] You all know what she looks like! [Zen] YES, HA HA. I’M SO GULLIBLE. [Zen] THIS IS SO FUNNY. [Zen] Just tell me what’s going on. I’m suppose to go on a date with her today. [Jumin] Zen, are you serious? [Jumin] I feel like I should now be concerned. [Jumin] You are in no relationship that we are aware of. [Zen] You really are a jerk! His anger only festered as he was convinced that this was some big prank that everyone was in on, and once he logged out of the chatroom in a fury he climbed back downstairs to pace around the living room. “Babe, come on! I know you have a great sense of humor but this is a bit much!” He spoke to himself. He jumped when his phone rang, picking it up desperately answering without checking the caller, “Honey? Where are you?” “I’d prefer you not call me that, Zen. It’s rather uncomfortable for both of us at this point.” Zen scowled as the voice rang through his head, “What do you want, Jumin? I’m not in the mood for this stupid-” “Stop. I am not calling you to mock you. What is going on? You sounded like a mad man in the chatroom. Are you ill? I’m normally not one to worry but if you are starting to be delusional, It’s a serious matter.” “I’m not delusional and I’m not making this up! I went to sleep last night with her in my arms, and we were suppose to go to the carnival today! What is this, I feel like i’m going crazy! Jumin, please drop the joke. Where is she? Is she waiting for me at the park?” Jumin heaved a heavy sigh of concern, “Zen, I have never heard of you having a partner. I promise, on my career and my company...you are a single man as far as I know.” Although Jumin continued to speak, Zen heard nothing as a buzzing rang through his ears. He couldn’t fathom that she didn’t exist. He so vividly remembered them talking until they both fell asleep, his hands brushing through her hair as she laid in his arms. He remembered the smell of her shampoo, and how soft her skin always felt along his finger tips. She still felt so real to him, there was no way it was all a long dream. “Zen? Zen? Are you still there?” Jumin spoke a bit firmly, “I will set you up with a doctor immediately. I am now concerned for your safety. I’ll send Assistant Kang to check on you-” “I just want to be alone.” Zen replied softly, hanging up the phone and shutting it off.

Despite the attempts of the members to try to see him, Zen never opened the door. The days passed and he fell into a pit of despair as he ghosted around the apartment, checking every corner for anything that indicated her existence. The only thing he had to offer any sort of comforts were his vivid memory of her: The side of the couch she favored when she would lay down with her legs across his lap, the space in the cupboards where she kept the mug for coffee, the empty place where she kept a blanket ready for when they would climb up on the roof. Eventually he began to mentally break down. He barely slept and once the groceries in his dwindled, he stopped eating all together. That apartment was his personal hell and he never dared leave, hoping the nightmare would end and she would walk through the door. When he eventually turned his phone back on, he only waited for the familiar number to show up on the screen while ignoring any other call or message.

A few weeks later, as Zen laid on the couch, he was interrupted by loud knocking on the door. He normally ignored this, but the whining voice that came from Yoosung bothered him more than normal, “Zen! Open up! It’s Yoosung! Come on, talk to me! Everyone is worried!” Zen covered his face with a blanket, hoping the boy would go away easily. He growled when the constant banging didn’t stop. He stood up and went to swing open the door, staring down at the culprit, “Go away. I’m tired, I want to sleep.” “Whoa, Zen. You look like hell. Are you sick?” Yoosung said softly, staring at Zen who looked like he was on his deathbed, “Can I talk to you?” “I don’t want to talk. I want to be left alone. Please leave.” “Wait! At least...take your mail. The mailbox was overflowing...how long have you gone without checking things?” Yoosung held out a massive handful of letters and packages, “Zen, we are here for you if there are things going on. We’re your friends, we care.”

Zen looked at the mess, taking it all from him, “Thanks. Bye.” He slammed the door closed with his foot, walking back to the couch to drop all of his correspondence onto the coffee table. He raised a brow at an odd package wrapped elaborately in ribbons, taking it in his hands to unwrap it carefully. A ring fell into his lap along with a letter. He choked out a gasp as he recognized the ring. Tears formed in his eyes instantaneously, remembering the moment he gave it to her; He had saved up as much as he could to buy it for her on their anniversary and he presented it to her on a cool summer night. The moon was full, and she had never looked more beautiful to him. She never took that ring off, and for him to see it now… Opening up the letter, he read through it quickly: “My darling, my everything. If you are reading this, then things went well. I don’t have to tell you what led to this because once you finish this letter, you’ll remember. Keep living, keep walking. That’s all I ever wanted. We cannot exist together in any dimension, and I’d rather you be alive. I love you.” He shook his head, confused for a moment before a sharp pain hit his head. He dropped everything and grabbed the sides, taking deep breaths as it felt like he was being torn in two. But he remembered. He remembered them going on their date to the carnival. He remembered playing the games at the booths long enough to win her a stuffed animal. He remembered how her eyes lit up when she saw the ferris wheel. He remembered hearing the noise as parts of the metal snapped beneath them when they reached the very top. He remembered pushing her to the safe side of the pod so she wouldn’t go crashing down to the ground with him. He remembered that he died. It was like a dream. He was floating in a stream of particles, his sight in a haze as he tried to figure out where he was. His head turned wildly as he heard voices echo throughout the space. “I want him to live! Please, I’ll do whatever you want! I love Zen! I don’t want to see him like this!” “Whatever dimension it is, if he gets too close to you he will die.” “Then I don’t care! I’ll stay away from him, just let him live!” “As you wish…” And just like that, he had woken up that day she had disappeared. He was alive because of her, even if he couldn’t see her ever again. She gambled her own existence so she could turn back time. “Zen...I love you. Please live your life fully. I want you to be happy. Keep going forward. Keep going…” Zen slouched over on the couch, holding the ring tightly in his fist as he began to sob. He wasn’t crazy, he wasn’t imagining things. She was real, but not in this world. “You idiot!” He screamed, “Who told you I wanted to live without you!” He thrashed around, the rest of the mail flying around the room. His belongings were thrown about, smashing against the walls or breaking on the floor. He crumpled to the ground as he laid his head on the coffee table. “How...how do I live without you?” The tears kept coming until he tired himself out, his body limping to the ground as he fell asleep. He woke up in the middle of the night, groaning as his neck was stiff from the position he ended up in. He sat up quickly still, looking around to look for the letter. A tinge of pain shot through his heart as he had hoped he didn’t find it, that it was all just his imagination. He felt around the carpet and as his hand felt the ring, his eyes closed with the realization that everything was real. He spent the rest of the night up on the roof, staring up into the starry sky as he often did with her in the past. He smiled softly as the sun began to rise, “I hope you are watching this too, wherever you are.” “I don’t know how I’d go on if you weren’t around, babe.” “Nonsense, Zen! You just keep going with your head held high! I never wanted to leave you.”

“Sugar, this is your sixth glass, are you sure you don't want to talk about things?” Zen asked, worry riddled across his expression. It wasn’t much the amount that the other man was drinking but the rate of consumption. It had scarce been an hour and Sugar was well into finishing an entire bottle of wine by himself.

Sugar waved his hand in dismissal, “There is nothing to talk about. Simply put, Clicks is once again covering for his sorry excuse for a girlfriend. Now if you will please pour me another drink we can continue on with the night.”

Zen sighed as he did what he was asked, begrudgingly handing his friend the wine. He knew better than to badger him but it pained him to see Sugar in such an agitated mood. He couldn’t blame the other for being in this state: the second day of being in the hospital, Clicks refused to speak of the incident as he told Jumin he would and shortly after was moved from the ICU which allowed Goldie to see him freely. Sugar got no answers from Clicks and let the woman dictate the incident all over again with little resistance.

“Is he at least doing better? I know he was in a lot of pain initially. Wasn’t he being sent home soon?” Zen dared to ask, hoping that talking about Click’s condition would be a better way to approach things.” Sugar sighed, a glossy haze in his eyes, “Mmm, yes. His pain is gone and he was discharged last night. I’m glad as he was getting very anxious being in the hospital for more than a week.” His gaze focused on the glass, running his fingers along the rim, “If he weren’t so damn stubborn, none of this would have happened.”

Jingle~

“Clicks!”

They both looked towards the door, Sugar frowning deeply, “Clicks, what the hell are you doing here? You should be at home resting.” Clicks smiled and said hello to those that greeted him, slowly making his way farther into the bar with his walking aid, “I wanted to speak with you, but you weren’t answering your phone. I figured you’d be down here.”

Zen made his way around the bartop to quickly make his way to Clicks’ side, “Hey! Welcome back! Let me help you to your seat.”

“Thank you, Zen. It may take some getting used to walking around here. At least I sit in the same spot every night, yes?” He chuckled as he allowed Zen to lead him, “But I’m sure I will have no trouble knowing the layout of this place. You’d think I could make it just fine, seeing as I’m here rather often.”

Sugar clenched his jaw when Clicks sat next to him, “It is far too early for you to be up and about, and you certainly shouldn’t be drinking. I am calling a driver immediately to-”

“Clicks!” Sunny cried out from behind them, running to give him a big hug, “I’m so glad you are okay! Everyone was so worried!”

He laughed softly, placing his arms on top of hers that had wrapped around him, “That’s very kind of you to have concerns for me, but rest easy knowing that I am doing much better. Everything should be normal in no time.”

“Except for the fact that you can’t see.” Sugar hissed, “I wouldn’t exactly call that normal.”

Clicks sighed as he hesitantly reached to put his hand on Sugar’s shoulder, “Please, let’s have a conversation. The pool tables look empty, come talk to me.”

Even though Sugar scoffed at the request, he stood up and grabbed Clicks’ arm to drag him to the back. Sunny frowned as they left, walking around the back of the bar top, “I’m glad he’s out of the hospital, but it’s still sad that all of that happened to him.” She wrapped her arms around her torso, “I’m still worried since Sugar has been acting the way he has.”

“Things are a bit on edge, aren’t they?” Zen said as he walked over to her, “I believe that Sugar will get things under control, he’s good for that at least.” He reached his hand over to rustle the top of her head, “Have some faith!”

Cannon had crept around them, standing very close to Sunny, “Yeah, you don’t have to worry about them. They are both being stupid right now so let them fight it out. If it’s not one thing, it’s the other.” He tried to put a hand on her arm in a form of comfort but she brushed him off, “They aren’t being stupid, it was an unfortunate event! Clicks could have ended up worse!” She stepped away from him to get closer to Zen, “That’s really insensitive of you to say, Cannon!” “He didn’t mean it like that, Sunny. It’s really nice that you are worried about them. I’m sure they appreciate you thinking about them.” Zen outstretched his arm to allow her to lean into him if she wished, “Clicks is strong and will get through this!”

Sunny sighed and put her arm around Zen’s waist to hug his now open side, “I know, thanks Zen. I just can’t help it, I want to help so badly!”

Cannon frowned as she took Zen’s comfort over his, “I’m so sorry that I don’t baby people. That’s your job. If they grew a pair, they wouldn’t be in this situation!” He snatched his ticket book from the counter, “I’ll let you two be sappy together, don’t let me get in the way!”

Before Zen could get on Cannon’s case, he was distracted by hearing the elevated volume of Sugar’s voice. He pulled away from Sunny and made his way towards the back quickly. Sugar had been leaned against a pool table, hands gripping tightly along the edge. “You’re really going to continue telling me the same story she tells? The only thing I want is the truth!” “It was an accident, what do you want me to say? I know you want to blame her so badly but It was my fault. I shouldn’t have-”

“You are not that careless!” Sugar interupted, slamming a hand on the felt of the table, “Why are you defending her? I’m tired of this, I really am. I’ve spent these years watching you get dragged down by her and I’ve let it happen because I respect you as a friend. But now? I won’t allow it anymore. I demand you tell me the truth and then I expect you to press charges!”

“Respect me?” Clicks hissed in an aggressive whisper, “The only things I ever heard from you were complaints and unsavory comments about my girlfriend. All I ever did was try to keep the peace but that wasn’t enough for you! It hurts, Sugar. I’ve never gotten support from you when it came to my relationship and I needed it!”

“You want me to support you in having a shitty girlfriend? Fine. I give you my blessing. I hope the many years of a miserable life treat you well. Consider this my farewell because I refuse to associate with someone who has no regard for their own safety.” Zen cleared his throat loudly and stood between them, “Okay, enough. Are you even listening to yourself right now, Sugar? You’re threatening to break off your friendship with him before you can really talk about things! The two of you need to just take a breath and talk things out in a calm manner.”

Clicks shook his head and turned to leave, “It’s alright. If this is how he really feels then I will go. I don’t need him, especially now. If you’ll excuse me, I’m heading home. There is nothing left to say.” As tough as he tried to sound, his voice had a slight waiver in it, “Could you help me to the door, Zen?”

“Wait Clicks, I didn’t mean it...” Sugar said, almost pleading.

“Save it, Sugar. I heard you loud and clear. Consider us completely done.” Clicks said softly, “Goodbye, old friend.”

Sugar staggered back until he collided with the wall, the palm of his left hand rubbed along the bottom half of his face. This wasn’t the first time that Clicks had angrily walked away from him, but this was different - it felt definite. The guilt crept through his body knowing that not only was Clicks going through great emotional turmoil but physical disabilities as well.

The minutes before Zen returned felt like hours as Sugar’s head was weighed with all of his ideas on how to fix everything. He had lost his composure, let his emotions drive him to say things he didn’t really mean. Who was he, Zen? The very thought made him scowl but the moment the bartender’s arm slammed him back into the wall, he was quickly knocked back into reality.

“There are a lot of things I just brush off about you, Sugar. You’re arrogant, bossy, and condescending...but this? I won’t just let it slide. What the hell were you thinking to say those things to Clicks? He has enough on his plate and you ripped into him pretty badly.” Zen growled as he had Sugar pinned, “He not only puts up with shit from Goldie, but from you as well.” “I know, I was wrong.” Sugar said flatly, staring past the other man, “I need to go home. I have to figure things out.” “Yeah, figure it out and fix it! He was almost in tears when I got him into the cab. I refuse to have my friends fighting like that, especially you two.” Zen let go of him, straightening out his shirt, “I don’t care if you own this place, I don’t want to see you in here right now.” He took a few deep breaths and exhaled slowly, “I know you are worried about him, but this wasn’t the way to handle things. If you need anything, you can give me a call.”

Sugar nodded slowly as he gathered himself, “I know I’m not in any position to ask for a favor, but please keep in touch with him until I can smooth things over. If he needs anything, help him. He most likely won’t reach out to me at this point.”

Zen shrugged, “That’s not even a favor for you to ask. I would have done it regardless. Go on now, get out of here.” They both walked out from the back and Sunny tried to stop Sugar to speak to him but he ignored her to head out the door. She frowned, turning to Zen, “Is everything okay?”

He sighed, “Not really, but I hope they will be. Damn, it’s things like this that make me want to have a drink.”

“Excuse me?!” She exclaimed as she stomped towards him, “I don’t think so, mister! I’m watching you like a hawk!”

“It was a joke, Sunny. Relax!” He laughed and put his arm around her shoulders, “I just hate seeing things like this unfold the way they did.”

She huffed as she put her arm around his waist, “Not a funny joke…” Looking towards the door, she frowned, “I hope things turn around too. It’s not the same when they aren’t in here enjoying themselves.”

From across the bartop, Cannon was fuming as he saw them being so friendly. He had no idea what they were talking about but the sight of them with their arms around each other irritated him greatly, “I’m going home. It’s slow, and you don’t need me.”

Zen’s head snapped to look at him, “What? You’re supposed to be here until closing time! Are you feeling sick?”

“Yeah, sick of seeing you two.” He grumbled as he removed his apron, “I should check on Red since he’s under the weather. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Before Zen could further lecture him, he walked out of the bar.

Sunny tilted her head, “What’s his deal?”

Zen let go of her and made his way towards the beer kegs to refill a few drinks, “If I knew, I would be able to control him a bit more.” After he distributed the glasses, he lifted himself up to sit on the counter, “Looks like it’s just you and me tonight, Sunny. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t mind! Don’t think I’m going to forget your little joke. I’m still keeping an eye on you!” She wagged a finger at him, but leaned forward onto the counter with him, “We’ll be fine, at least.”

From the moment Jumin stepped foot in the hospital he was speaking to nurses, their bosses, the head of the medical facility. Zen mostly stood back, almost in awe at how quickly and efficiently Jumin could get things accomplished. The bartender absolutely hated that the other would use his power and money to get what he wanted but seeing him arrange for Jihyun to have a private room and be seen by the best doctors made him let the act slide this time.

Jumin, on the other hand, was not happy that he had to contact his lawyers first to verify that he was indeed allowed to be told of his friend’s condition. After a few quick calls, the waiting game began and as they sat in the lobby all the raven-haired man could do was sigh continuously, “This legal bullshit is what really gets to me. I hate waiting.”

“At least you know that not just anyone can butt in. I’m sure you’ll know everything soon.”

“That isn’t good enough,” He voiced roughly, “I will not be satisfied until I know exactly what happened. I am a patient man, but I don’t like being strung around like this. They won’t even let me see him which means it must be very serious.”

“He’s fine. Everything is fine.” Zen repeated calmly as if he were trying to convince himself. “He puts up with a lot, he can get through this.” He leaned into his chair and laid his head on the edge of the back to look towards the ceiling, “I wonder where Rika is. Maybe she can tell us more.”

“I have no idea. If I can’t see Jihyun, neither can she. She didn’t tell me much on the phone, but she was very upset.” Jumin looked down at his phone, “I’ve spent all day looking at this damn thing. I’m starting to hate time.”

Zen reached over, grabbing the phone and stashing it in his pocket, “Then stop. How about you tell me about that cat of yours? Is it still alive?”

Jumin raised a brow, looking at Zen from the corner of his eye, “Her name is Elizabeth the third and yes, she is alive and healthy. You hate me even mentioning her, why would you bring her up now?”

“I dunno,” Zen shrugged his shoulders, “If it makes you feel better to talk about her, then I’ll put up with the itching that I already feel in my nose.” He sniffled a bit, rubbing at his face, “Just don’t get all weird on me about her.”

“Ha...is that compassion I hear? Even if it’s not, thank you.”

********

Time passed and the nurse approaching them could not come any sooner. Jumin had just jumped to his fifth story about Elizabeth the third and Zen had to all but hold his hands to his face to prevent himself from sneezing all over the place. “Mr. Han? I’m sorry for the delay. We have received the paperwork, and if you are ready to see Mr. Kim I can take you to him.”

Jumin shot up from his seat quickly, placing a hand on Zen’s shoulder in a silent communication for him to follow, at least until he was allowed. They went up a few floors to the intensive care unit where Zen was left at the waiting room while Jumin proceeded to see V. His silent inhale went unnoticed by his friend who lay sleeping in his bed. “He just got out of surgery,” The nurse said quietly, “They kept him sleeping longer due to the incredible amounts of pain he was in.”

“What happened?” Jumin asked, walking closer to the bed where all he could focus on was the bandages wrapped around the top half of V’s face.

“He had severe chemical burns to his eyes and the top half of his face. A doctor will be in soon to further give you details.” She bowed her head and left the room. Without any others around, he finally slumped his shoulders and dragged a chair next to the bed, “How did this happen, Jihyun? I always told you to be careful in your dark room. That’s the only place I can think you’d be around chemicals.”

Of course, there was no response from V, but it still made Jumin a bit more at ease to at least speak to him. His demeanor immediately hardened when he heard the Doctor walk in, a barrage of questions streaming from his mouth. The answers were not what he expected: Loss of eyesight? More surgeries? Possibilities of complications? What got his blood boiling was the suspicion of foul play. He couldn’t fathom what situation would have put V in the hospital but now with the idea of someone else causing this, he demanded to speak to Rika.

As V was still unconscious, Jumin took the opportunity to look for her and finding her in the waiting room of the ICU with an oblivious Zen actually trying to comfort the crying woman, he made his way towards them, “What the hell happened, Rika? Why is Jihyun lying unconscious in a bed with the prospects of being blind? Tell me everything that happened!”

She looked up, with teary eyes, at the man who loomed over her, “H-he accidentally splashed whatever liquid he uses to develop pictures into his face! We had a fight and he got angry with me and I guess he miscalculated his movements and slammed his hand into the tray. He was in so much pain, he was screaming! I rushed him to the hospital once I could get him in the car. It was horrible!”

Zen rubbed her back slowly, “Hey, it’s okay. You did what you could. It’s not your fault.”

“I don’t believe you.” Jumin said flatly towards her, “Even if Jihyun were to get upset, he would never get physical, especially if you were in the room. He is much more composed than what you claim.”

“Hey hey, cut her a break, Jumin. She’s just as upset as you are. Lighten up a bit.” Zen put his arm around her as she clung to him, “Everyone is a bit rattled at the situation.”

“It must be nice to have all the time in the world to feel sorry for those that don’t deserve it. I, on the other hand, have a responsibility to make sure he is safe. So i’ll ask you again, Rika. What happened?”

Rika gripped onto Zen tighter, “I don’t know what you want me to say! I told you what happened! Why do you hate me so much? I was the one that called you to tell you he was here! I knew you’d be worried that he didn’t show up for the gallery opening!”

“Enough,” Jumin growled, “I will simply ask him once he wakes up, given that he is in any shape to speak about the incident. Go home, you’ve done your damage.”

“Whoa, Jumin...come on…” Zen interjected, “Let’s just take a minute to breathe-”

“How can you see him and I can’t? I’m his girlfriend!” Rika cried, standing up to face him.

Jumin smirked, bowing his head slightly, “Seems like you were wrong when you thought you were more important than I was. He granted me authority to see him if he were hospitalized. Hmm...does it worry you that I get to speak to him in private before you can? We’ll see how his side of the story goes without your influence.”

Her hands curled into fists, but she caught herself before she lost composure. Wiping away the tears from her eyes, she looked him dead in the eyes, “I told you what happened. What he will say is no different.”

“I’ll look forward to hearing the story twice, then. There is no use in you staying here any longer. Go home.”

She let out a huff and grabbed her things, “I expect a call whenever I can see him.”

Jumin ignored her comment as she stormed off, looking down at Zen, “Take note of this, Zen. I officially hate one person on this planet.”

“Jumin, those were some bold things you said to her. Are you sure she was lying?” Zen asked as he crossed his arms around his chest, being torn of who’s side to take.

“Of course I’m not completely sure, but the way she acted makes me feel she wasn’t telling the truth. If I find out that she harmed him in any way-”

“You’ll let the authorities take care of it, yeah?” Zen stood up, placing a hand on Jumin’s back, “Let’s just focus on V right now. Poor guy is suffering in that room and the last thing he needs is his best friend to be irritable.”

Jumin let in a deep inhale, closing his eyes to focus himself. In one slow, ragged breath he let the air out, nodding as he sat down, “You’re right. I’ve assured him the most excellent care and comfortable accommodations. I hope he can at least rest easy.”

Zen stretched his arms upwards, “Well, I guess I should get going too since I won’t be able to see him while he’s in the ICU. Call me when I can come say hi.”

“The bar will close up fine without you. You don’t have to leave so quickly.” Jumin said softly, “There’s no real point in me sitting in the room with him if he isn’t awake, so I’ll just be out here until I can speak with him.”

Zen lowered his arms slowly. Was this Jumin actively asking him to stick around? He laughed a bit, sitting down in a chair, “Yeah, I guess so. I’ll stick around for a bit longer but no more talk of the cat! They’ll probably admit me for having an allergic reaction!”

“Fair enough.” Jumin responded, “How about I talk about work?”

*************

A few hours into the night, Zen headed out to get some sleep since he had to open the bar which left Jumin in his own thoughts for a while. He had started nodding off before a nurse once more approached him, “Mr. Han? I’m sorry to disturb you, but Mr. Kim has woken up. He is still in a great deal of pain but the doctor has been managing it as much as he can. You wished to see him?”

Jumin’s eyes snapped open and as if the threat of sleep had never come over him, standing to walk towards V’s room, “Thank you, I remember what room he’s in.”

He stopped at the doorway when he heard V’s soft groans of pain, causing him to walk slower into the room, “Jihyun? It’s me, Jumin.”

Reactively, V turned towards Jumin’s voice, smiling weakly, “Ah, friend. I’m happy to...well...hear you.” His smile faded, “I’m assuming the hospital called you, I hope you weren’t too frantic to get here. I’m sorry for missing out on our plans.”

“Rika called me from your phone.” Jumin sat by the bed, “And I don’t care about our damn plans. What happened? You need to tell me so I can help you.”

V groaned a bit more, “Everything is fuzzy in my mind. I still feel light-headed from the anesthesia.”

“Jihyun, you could be permanently blind! This is no time to avoid my questions.”

“Jumin please.” V begged, “I know you’re worried but at least grant me a peaceful moment with a dear friend of mine. I’m just as anxious as you are.”

Jumin sat back with a sigh, “Yes, of course. I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m glad you’re awake and can speak with me.”

“That’s a proper way to say, ‘I’m glad you aren’t dying’. So am I.”

“I won’t lie and say the thought of something worse happening to you didn’t cross my mind.”

V swung his hand playfully, as he often did, to swat Jumin. Misjudging the distance he didn’t even get close but Jumin leaned forward to make contact with the hand suspended in the air, “You’ll have to work on that if you want to scold me.”

“Cheeky bastard.” V smiled, “I’m glad you came.”

Jumin directed V’s hand back to the bed, “You really think I’d let you get away with standing me up again? That medication really is getting to you. Get some rest, we can talk tomorrow.”

“Mmm, yes. Tomorrow.” V echoed, “May tomorrow be better than today.”

Jumin clenched his fist as he started thinking about Rika again, “Oh, it will be.”

“Boss, can I go home early? This place is dead.” Red groaned as he started to shine the glasses behind the bar for the third time, “You don’t really need me here, yeah?” Zen sighed loudly, “I honestly would let you, but since it is an easy night, I need to try to catch up on some paperwork. Keep an eye out while I’m in the office?”

Red mumbled an ‘okay’ and walked out from behind the bar, deciding to go chat with a few customers at the tables.

Duckie looked up from the books and papers that he had sprawled in front of him, waving to Zen, “Hey, could I get a beer before you leave?” “Sure thing, bud. Why are you studying here anyway?” Zen asked as he poured the drink, “Wouldn’t you be able to focus more at home?” “Well, I have a test tomorrow and I don’t want to get distracted by my games. Plus, it’s pretty quiet here so I can study just fine!” Zen furrowed his brow as he slid the glass towards the blonde, “Everyone keeps reminding me that it’s slow today. It will pick up in a few hours! The night is still young.” “Let’s hope so. I could be working on an essay right now,” Sunny yawned as she had set herself the task to neatly fold all the napkins, “I hate boring nights like these.”

Jingle~! “Good evening, everyone.”

“Sugar!” He raised a brow, looking around at the nearly empty space, “One of those nights?”

“Gahh!” Zen exclaimed, throwing his towel into the air, “I’ll be in the office.” Sugar sat at the bar, watching Zen storm off, “And why is he in a mood?” “He’s being sensitive about the lack of customers. Maybe he’s just getting the itch, eh? I read that people going through recovery can have anxious moments.” Red replied as he came back around to serve Sugar wine, “He’ll be fine.” They both turned when they heard Zen yell something intangible, a sleepy looking Cannon being pushed out the door. He rubbed his eyes, making his way towards the bar top, “Man, he can really kill a good nap.” “Perhaps you shouldn’t be sleeping while on the clock.” Sugar said flatly, sipping at his wine, “I wouldn’t be so thrilled either.” “It’s not like I’m needed out here. Sunny can handle two tables.” Cannon sneered. “And me!” Duckie said excitedly, “I’m here too!”

“You don’t count, dumb ass. You could probably just fill your own glass of beer.” Cannon rolled his eyes, “I meant real customers.”

“Hey, he is a real customer! Don’t give Duckie a hard time!” Sunny chimed in, frowning as she put her arm around Duckie’s shoulders, “Cut him some slack, eh?” Cannon pursed his lips, shrugging, “Whatever.”

Sugar chuckled, “My my...aren’t we submissive today?”

“Shut up! What’s the point in arguing with her, anyway? She’s usually right!” Cannon retorted, crossing his arms. Sunny’s eyes lit up, “You think so? That’s so sweet of you to say!” She moved towards him and put a hand on his shoulder, “See how easy it is to be nice?” “It’s easy to be nice to you…” Cannon muttered under his breath. Sugar’s eyes snapped towards him, smirking as he finally understood what was going on, “Hmm...anyways, I wonder where Clicks is. We were suppose to go to a gallery opening tonight. It’s not like him to be late.” “With Goldie being on a rampage? I would guess he got caught trying to pry her off of him.” Red said, refilling Sugar’s glass, “Of all people, you know how she gets.” Sugar rubbed at his temples as a slight irritation started to cross him, “Don’t remind me. I want to have a relaxing night tonight.” Duckie cleared his throat, frowning at both of them, “Hey, I’m right here, you know.” “I am aware, Duckie. I would assume you would recognize that she acts inappropriately with Clicks. There is no excuse for how she treats him at times.” Duckie let out a sigh, “I know she can do weird things when she’s stressed, but it doesn’t mean that I like when you guys talk so badly about her. She’s my cousin, after all. And she’s done a lot for me! It’s okay if you don’t like her, but could you guys could not be so mean when I’m around?”

“Let’s talk about something else, then!” Sunny clapped her hands, “We could play a game! How about charades? That's a fun one!”

Cannon rolled his eyes once more, “That is the dumbest game. Why do you just want to look like a fool in front of everyone?”

Sunny swatted Cannon away, “Oh shush. Okay, I'll go first!” she stepped back, facing Duckie. She held up three fingers.

“Three words!” Duckie exclaimed excitedly as he played along with her.

She nodded, holding her hand out flat. With her other hand she began making a scooping motion.

“Digging? Rowing? You're rowing a boat?”

She shook her head, then making the scooping motion towards her mouth. Her lips opened wide to accentuate the chewing process, her head bobbing up and down.

“Uhh, dancing? Head bobbing to a beat?”

She let out a frustrated sigh and shook her head once more. She held up two fingers, pointing to them.

“Second word?”

She nodded happily, wrapping her arms around her chest. Rubbing her arms up and down her biceps, she shivered violently.

“You're having a seizure.” Sugar scoffed as he interjected. Sunny turned towards him and frowned, “No!” whirling back towards Duckie, she started shivering again.

“Cold? Freezing?”

She nodded, moving her hands for him to continue with that train of thought.

“Mmm...ice? Snow?”

“Yes!” She shouted, but pursed her lips as she was supposed to be silent. She held up three fingers then.

“Third word!”

Sunny held her arms out, curling her hands into a cylindrical shape. She pretended to squeeze a bit, using one hand to motion something coming out and spraying into her face.

Zen had come out of his office then to witness this, freezing in place as he saw her gestures. Cannon had a hand covering as much of his flushed face as possible.

“A water hose spraying you in the face…?” Duckie guessed.

“That's what some would call it, I suppose.” Sugar mused as he took great enjoyment at how the rest of them were interpreting her.

“Ugh!” Sunny dropped her hands, thinking of how else she could do it. She perked, holding her hand out once more as if she were gripping something. She licked the air, eyes lighting up as if she were enjoying a treat. She faked a frown, making gestures as if something were dripping. Dropping her head, she again licked the air as if she were lapping up whatever was falling.

“Sunny!” Zen exclaimed, his own cheeks starting to turn bright pink.

“What?” She asked when she turned to him, “We’re playing charades!”

“What were you acting out?” Cannon squeaked, the color of his face almost matching his hair color.

Sugar cleared his throat, “Eating ice cream.”

“Yeah!” Sunny cheered, “He got it!”

“That's one lucky ice cream…” Zen muttered under his breath.

“Huh?” She wanted to question him more but noticed a table of hers waving he over, “Oh, I'll be right back! You guys decide who's next!”

Once she walked off, Cannon squirmed and quickly made his way out from the bar, “I need to use the bathroom.”

“Shit, I might have to as well.” Zen replied, rubbing the back of his neck, “How clueless can she be?”

“Perhaps you are just too perverted? It was obvious what she was doing and knowing how innocent she is, you shouldn't have let your mind fall to the gutter,” Sugar responded as he pushed his empty glass towards the edge.

Zen went to refill the glass but Sugar refused, “I won't be here for long. Clicks should be here any moment. You haven't heard from him, have you?”

“Not today. I know you two had a date tonight but you're old enough to not need a chaperone on your ass.” Zen replied as he took the glass to the sink, “Where are you guys going again?”

“A friend of his is debuting their art in a gallery tonight and he asked me to join him. You're still invited if you'd like to come. A three way date would be more fun than this place tonight.”

Zen scrunched his nose in distaste, “No thanks. That's not my thing. A lot of people talking about subjects I don't know and being expected to act high class. There's a reason why I own a bar,” He held his arms out to the tables, “This is my crowd.”

“It's a small crowd you surround yourself with,” Sugar joked, “Anyhow, the offer is still open. If he ever shows up, that is.” He checked his wristwatch before glancing at his phone, “If he is being held up by that blasted woman, it won't be a pleasant night from him.”

Sunny came back around, pointing to Duckie, “since you lost you have to act! Watch out, I'm really good at guessing!”

Duckie let out a sigh and stood up, “Okay, but I'm not that great. I'll give it a try!”

***********

A few hours passed and Sunny had managed to get everyone in on the game, yet all Sugar could do was constantly look at his phone. He slowly became more angry as the time went by, fully convinced that he was stood up due to Goldie.

“The nerve of him!” Sugar exclaimed loudly, the entire staff jumping at his voice, “I am this close to going to his apartment and dragging him out to the street by his neck!”

“Calm down, Sugar. He probably has a good excuse. Or at least...a reason.” Zen chirped as he filled a glass of wine and handed it over, “Just relax!”

“How can I relax when-” Sugar was cut off as his phone rang. Seeing Clicks’ name on the screen he picked it up promptly, “Where the hell are you? I've been waiting at Eros for hours.” He answered sternly. His eyebrow twitched as the familiar female voice spoke on the other line. “What? You have to make his phone calls for him now as well?”

All color drained from the man’s face as Goldie hysterically spoke. “An accident? How...what hospital did they take him to? I’ll be there soon.”

At the mention of hospitals, Zen immediately slid over towards Sugar, “What's going on?”

Sugar downed the entire glass of wine that Zen had previously set in front of him, “I don't know the details but Clicks was rushed to the hospital. I need to go.”

Zen ripped his apron off, “I’m coming too. Close up for me tonight, would yah?” He asked as he waved to Red.

Red nodded, “Sure thing boss. Everything okay?”

“I hope so,” Sugar answered, “Let’s go, Zen. I don’t want to waste anymore time.”

*********

Once they were in Jumin’s car, Zen looked over at him, “Things will be okay, you know.”

Jumin massaged at his temples, “I was so filled with rage, I didn't even think that anything bad would have happened.”

“It’s a natural reaction. Rika has been worse these past few weeks so of course you think she was the reason for him to be late. Don't beat yourself up, okay? At least she had the decency to call you. Maybe she does recognize that you are important in his life?”

“Mmmm. Perhaps. Remind me to thank her when we get there.”

Zen laughed, “You? Thank her? That will be a sight to see. Would you like me to record it as well? When you're old and gray, you'll want to remember when you showed mercy to an otherwise terrible human being.”

Jumin turned to glare at Zen, “Don’t push your luck. I'm not in the mood.”

“There’s my princess, in all of her glory. Just keeping you on your toes.”

“Tch.” Jumin looked out the window of the car, every worry now clouding his mind as they made their way to the hospital.

The typical busy Friday night rolled on at Eros. Both Zen and Red had steadily kept the drink orders coming as Cannon and Sunny kept a good pace to make the patrons happy.

Joe squirmed in her seat as she intermittently checked her watch. Her fingers fidgeted along her drink and when she almost knocked it off the counter, Zen turned to address her, “Hey, Joe. Everything alright? You’ve been nervous since you got here. You aren’t in any trouble, are you? Who do I need to beat up?”

“No no, it’s nothing like that! I’m just waiting for someone and I’m hoping they find the place okay,” Joe replied with a weak smile, “Thanks for your concern though.”

“No problem! I can’t have my favorite customer feeling down!” Zen said, wiping up the bit of mess that she made with her constant turning of her beer.

Jingle~!

“Welcome to Eros! What can we get you tonight?” Zen called out to the woman that entered, flashing her his dazzling smile. Her face drained of color as she saw him, stopping in her tracks as she stared, “Oh wow, she wasn’t kidding. You are Zen! I can’t believe it!”

Upon hearing the voice, Joe turned quickly in the barstool to grin towards the woman, “Hey! You made it! Wait, you really thought I’d lie? I told you I knew him!” She threw her arms around the other and hugged her tightly, “Did you find the place okay? I know you don’t come to this part of town often.”

The woman kissed Joe on the cheek, returning the hug, “No problems with my GPS! It’s a really nice place though,” She pulled Joe’s hair to the side to whisper in her ear, “Can I really meet him?”

Joe laughed and pulled the female towards the bar, waving a hand towards Zen, “Hey! Got a minute? I want to introduce you to someone.”

Zen drummed his fingertips along Red’s shoulder to indicate he needed him to watch the bar for a moment, and stepped towards the two, “For you, my dearest Joe, I have all the time in the world! What’s up?”

“Babe, this is Zen! Zen this is my girlfriend!” Joe beamed as she introduced them, clearly proud to have her significant other next to her. Zen squinted towards the unknown woman, the cogwheels in his mind spinning rapidly. His eyes lit up, holding his hand out for a shake, “It’s an honor to meet you, Mocha! I’m glad you could make it out to our little hideaway. Please, allow me to get you something to drink, on the house!”

Mocha blushed as she took his hand, “O-oh, it’s very nice to meet you too. I am a big fan of your work! But my name is-”

“Nuh uh~!” He chided playfully, “When you are at Eros, you are Mocha!” He reached under to pull a mug, pouring beer into it, “You’ll grow to love the name.” Passing the drink to her, he leaned into the counter, “Your girlfriend here? We call her Joe.”

Joe chuckled a bit and placed her arm around Mocha, sitting her down on one of the barstools, “It’s his thing. I find it rather endearing!”

Mocha nodded, still slightly dazed that she had Zen standing right in front of her, “Ah, you can call me whatever you’d like! I’m sorry, I’m just a bit star-stuck. You know, the first thing Joe and I bonded over was our love for your musicals! Now that I think about it, it's kind of romantic to meet you with her next to me.”

Zen grinned even wider, pushing the mug towards her once more, “You’re too sweet! It always warms my heart to know that people enjoyed my work in the past. It’s been awhile since someone genuinely complimented my talent. I can see why you two get along so well.”

“Oh, no thank you! I don’t drink alcohol,” Mocha moved the beer in front of Joe, “A glass of water would be nice, though.”

“Mmmm, of course! I can understand that. I don’t know if you heard, but I’ve been sober for a few months now. I assure you, our water is the best in town!” Zen chimed as he fixed up a glass, “Still on the house, yah know.”

Cannon, who had walked up during their conversation, scoffed at Zen’s comments, “Nice one, bro. I see how you pick up all the chicks.”

Zen rolled his eyes as he turned to look towards the waiter, “What is your deal? I’m just trying to be inviting to our delightful guest! It wouldn’t kill you to be a bit nicer once in awhile!”

“You’re not being nice, you’re flirting! And it’s disgusting! I would have thought you’d learn after not only losing the supposed woman you love once, but twice! Get over yourself, you aren’t that great!” Cannon practically screamed, his seething words echoing throughout the bar.

The tightening in Zen’s chest stole his breath away from him, and with a swift movement he roughly grabbed Cannon’s arm to pull him towards the office. Sunny, of course, heard the proclamation and immediately followed. She was stopped when Zen glared at her, “Not now, Sunny.” Amidst her protests he slammed the door, throwing Cannon onto the couch, “Listen here. I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately but it’s really starting to piss me off. I can let it slide if you are having issues with your medications again but I need you to quit starting shit in front of the customers! If you have a problem with me or anyone else I need you to pull me aside and talk to me like a decent human being!”

“Have you been drinking again? You only rage when you’re drunk. What a shame, Sunny was really hopeful about you.” Cannon sneered, crossing his arms as he looked Zen straight in the eye.

“I’m completely sober!” Zen roared, kicking over the small trashcan next to his desk, “Damn it, Cannon, what’s going on? There is only so much I can take, you know. Your words...they hurt.” His body slumped in defeat, dragging himself to his chair, flopping into it, “I know you, I’ve worked with you for so long. You say stupid things all the time. I also know when you mean to make it sting. And today, it cut deep. Call me a sissy, call me a pansy. I don’t care. Do you not understand that you go a bit too far sometimes?”

Cannon slowly dropped his arms from his chest and for the first time was at a loss for words. He knew what he said to people had the potential to hurt their feelings but he didn’t think anyone would ever take him seriously. A knot in his stomach began to form as the rise of guilt began to eat away at him. As much as him and Zen bickered, as much as they butt heads - Zen was always understanding and accommodating. Knowing that he had truly emotionally wounded him made Cannon feel like an asshole, “I-Im sorry-”

“Yeah, you’re always sorry. Sometimes an apology comes too late. I know that from experience.” Zen interrupted, his fingertips massaging his temples, “Words start losing meaning when the actions continue. Don’t you get tired of apologizing? When will you get to the point where you don’t have to? I’m too riled up right now, just go. Your tables are probably wondering where you are.”

“I’m...sorry…I really am…” Cannon whispered, getting up to walk to the door. As soon as he opened it, Sunny went tumbling to the ground. He frowned down at her, knowing she probably had her ear plastered to the door to try to hear what was going on. He silently stepped over her and made his way back towards the bar.

Zen raised a brow as he saw the girl, “I’m not really in the mood, Sunny. Could you please leave me alone for a bit?”

She scrambled to get to her feet, dusting off her apron, “I think you should talk about what you are feeling right now. If he really did hurt your feelings you can’t hold it in!”

He shook his head, “I get what you are saying, but I just want some time to think about things and cool off. I promise to call for you if I need to work something out. So please? Just give me some time.”

Sunny puffed her cheeks out. She really wanted to press the issues further but as she had promised him to try to give him space when he requested, she just nodded and closed the door behind her. Looking around, she narrowed her gaze towards Cannon, stomping over to him, “Are you happy with yourself? That was such an inappropriate thing to say! How dare you attack him like that? I expect better from you. He’s been through so much and you can’t even give him the courtesy of keeping your comments to yourself! You’ve really disappointed me today.” Using a finger to poke at his chest, she shoved him back a bit before walking away.

Cannon chewed at the inside of his cheek. That uncomfortable feeling in his stomach only got worse with her lecture. Not only was Zen disappointed but now Sunny? With a lengthy sigh, he continued to tend to his tables.

Red tip-toed over to Sunny who had busied herself cleaning some dishes, “Hey, everything okay?”

“If you must know, Red, your brother is being a really big brat tonight. Maybe you should talk to him so he doesn’t continue to destroy people’s lives.” Sunny pretentiously answered, “Someone needs to control him.”

Red looked over at his brother who seemed quieter than normal as he went around the bar, “Well...whatever you said must have done something to him. He doesn’t seem himself right now.”

Sunny turned around and looked toward Cannon as well, feeling slightly bad that she may have been too harsh. It was odd the way he was acting. Perhaps she was too harsh on him? “I’ll talk to him once things calm down. I can’t get angry, I need to stay objective!”

They both jumped when Zen emerged from the office, taking in a deep breath before he walked behind the bar once more. He pat Sunny on the head and went back towards Joe and Mocha, “Sorry for that, ladies. That’s not a usual occurrence, Joe can attest to that.”

Joe laughed a bit as she shrugged, “Things can get pretty interesting around here. If I may say, your therapy must be going well! I’m happy to see that you can recover and become calm in a timely manner. We are all proud of you.”

Zen blushed softly, looking down at his hands, “Ah, thanks doll. It really has been helping a lot. I just wish I wouldn’t blow a gasket still.”

“Hey, you shouldn’t be expected to just roll over and take everything people say! You’re allowed to get mad, especially if someone says something really rude!” Mocha piped in, “But I agree with Joe. From the stories she’s told me, you’ve improved a lot to move the altercation to a private area!”

He shifted his glance upwards to her, cracking a smile, “Thanks, Mocha. I see why Joe likes you. I hope you come by here more often, even if you don’t drink. I’ll make sure to add more non-alcoholic drinks to the menu. I can’t have sweet customers like you only drinking water.”

Joe leaned over and kissed Mocha’s temple, “She’s pretty great, yeah? I’m glad she came by to meet you. I spend a good amount of time here, I wanted to share the love.”

Mocha beamed proudly, “I’m glad I came too! I won’t lie and say I wasn’t worried about this place being a seedy joint, but I was pleasantly surprised. And I got to meet the wonderful Zen! I’ll definitely come when I can.”

Before Zen could respond to the barrage of compliments that were thrown at him, Cannon sneaked by him and tapped him on the shoulder, “Hey, boss? Can we talk?” The waiter asked softly. Zen would normally shrug him off but hearing the unusual tone from his employee, he nodded and gently pushed him out from around the bar, “Sure, let’s go to the back near the pool tables.”

The room was empty, Cannon thankful that he wouldn’t have to be in this situation around anyone else. Zen leaned against a table, blowing upwards to push the bangs out of his eyes, “What’s up?”

Cannon let in a sharp breath as he started to pace. He knew what he wanted to say, but didn’t know how to say it. The right thing to do would be to just outright apologize but he did consider that it would seem disingenuous at this point. How was he suppose to tell him how bad he really felt for what he said? He wasn’t used to going back on his words but deep down inside, he was aware of what had to be done. Letting out his breath in one slow exhale, he stepped forward and threw his arms around Zen, hugging him tightly.

Zen’s body stiffened so quickly, not knowing how to react. The first thought that ran through his head was that Cannon would try to body slam him into the table but when there was no effort to inflict harm, he was left with even more confusion. “What are you doing?” He squeaked, now trying to wiggle out of Cannon’s grasp.

“You want me to stop apologizing, but I need you to know that I know I was wrong. I did say all of those things just to piss you off and I acknowledge that you have every right to be upset. You’ve had enough shit going on to have to deal with me too. I’m...ugh…” Cannon pulled away and looked down at his feet, “I really am sorry, I was shitty. I’m going to try really hard not to bring that kind of thing up again.”

Zen’s expression softened, his hand going to ruffle Cannon’s hair now that he was free of his embrace, “Hey, thanks for that. Don’t worry about it, all is forgiven. It did bother me a lot but you coming to me calmly really helps. Is everything okay? You know I’m here if you ever need to talk. “

Cannon shifted slightly. How could he tell Zen anything when he didn’t even know why he was flying off the handle so easily? It wasn’t his mood swings being off, he didn’t feel irregular in that sense. He was just upset about anything and everything when he stepped into Eros. “I dunno. I guess I’ve been working too much. Do you think I could take a few days off soon?”

Zen nodded, bringing his arm back to his side so he could push off the table, “Of course. Let me look at the schedule and see what I can do. I’m sure Sunny won’t mind picking up a few shifts to cover things.”

The tightness in his gut pinched again at the sound of her name, “Could you talk to her for me, then? She seemed really mad and I don’t want to deal with it.”

“Sure, I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry about her, either. You know how quickly she forgives. Oh, and by the way,” Zen cleared his throat, “The hug. It was weird. Lets not do that again, yeah?”

“Yeah, I can assure you that it won’t. I wanted to puke while I was doing it.”

“Glad you didn’t throw up on me. I don’t even know how I would explain that to everyone. Go on, take your break. It’s Friday and I need you to be on top of things.” Zen said as he walked back towards the bar.

Cannon lingered around the pool tables for a bit before dodging his way out to the back alley of the bar. He paced, only stopping to kick aside an empty trash can. He had apologized to Zen and made amends but why did he still feel guilty? “Fucking Sunny…” He muttered. Her disappointment in him was still burning deep and that made him even more angry.

“Hey.”

He whirled around when he heard Sunny’s voice, the tips of his ears heating up with embarrassment, “What do you want? Gonna yell at me some more? Go ahead. I deserve it.”

Sunny winced as she fully stepped outside, sitting on the steps, “Yeah, about that. Zen spoke with me. Cannon, I’m really sorry about going off on you. I didn’t know you were already feeling bad about it and I probably just made it worse. I’m glad you worked it out, though. I’m proud that you could be mature enough to be so candid.”

The gross feeling Cannon had now changed to butterflies in his stomach, causing him to turn around so she wouldn’t notice the blush he felt creeping on his cheeks now, “Yeah well...he’s an asshole but you were right, he’s been through so much already. I guess I can give him a break.”

She laughed a bit; the response from him made her feel better that he was back to his normal self, “Hopefully everyone can get along better from now on.”

“Everyone?” He asked, “I don’t know about that. Some people are just meant to stay away from each other. But at the very least, we can shut up enough to get through the work shift.”

“I like to think I get along with everyone! Even with you! I don’t mind the things you say even if you are mean at times.” She stood up and skipped over to his side, putting her arm around his shoulder, “I think we all make a great team!”

“Tch.” He looked away from her, but her actions strangely calmed him a lot more than he expected, “I guess you’re not so bad yourself. At least, in small doses.”

“Really?” She replied quickly, giving him a big smile, “See! I knew you weren’t such a grump! Come on, let’s get inside. They are probably wondering where we are. Cannon, but honestly, I’m sorry.”

He shrugged, reaching a hand to the small of her back to lead her to the back door, “It’s cool, I’m over it.”

“Hey doll, could you grab some ticket books from my office?” It looks like you guys are running low,“ Zen called out over his shoulder towards Sunny.

She didn’t look up from the notebook she’d been writing in, only giving him a subtle grunt, “Get Cannon to do it, I’m busy.”

He whirled around and stared at her with a disapproving look, “Excuse me? You’re cheeky today. Keep that up and I may end up falling in love with you. I absolutely adore sassy women.” With a grin he leaned forward to take a peek at whatever she was working on, “What is this, anyway? writing me love poems?”

This interaction between the two had become the norm for them once he opened up the day he returned to Eros. He was a different type of flirty with her and everyone noticed. It was a gentle tone, the comments not as predatory as before. In his defense, his mannerisms around women had changed drastically. It seemed that keeping sober kept him a bit more calm and reserved.

That’s not to say he didn’t relish in the constant attention - no, he still lived for it. But with the regular therapy that he was attending, a lot of the old thoughts and habits returned to him. He had become very aware that many only concentrated on his looks instead of his personality and that was always a sore spot for him.

But when it came to Sunny, it was different. She was one of the few he knew would accept him in every way possible and every compliment - and criticism - was pure and genuine. This quality was something he needed, something he was starving for, without Scarlet. Naturally, he gravitated towards Sunny to fill the void in comfort.

She let out a frustrated sigh and crossed out a few things from her page, “You wish! I write beautiful poetry! I took a few creative writing courses as electives. My professor told me I had talent and to continue practicing!”

“Pretty sure that’s the nice way to say your assignments were shit.” Cannon snickered as he plopped into the seat next to her, “Did he tell you that to your face?”

“Well, no. He always wrote it on my graded papers! See! I would continuously improve and he always encourage me to keep practicing my craft!”

Zen pursed his lips, trying to hold back a laugh, “Regardless of your talent, I would love to read anything you create. I’m sure you put in a lot of effort into everything you do.” He reached out to pat Sunny’s hand but Cannon’s arm shot between the two as he went to grab a napkin, “I used to write poetry too! I studied literature in college! So I know a thing or two. You should have me read it instead of Zen. Who knows if he can even read.”

Crimson eyes hardened towards Cannon as Zen turned his attention from Sunny, “Of course I can read! How do you think I got through all the scripts? I may have dropped out of school but I did learn the basics. Sheesh.” He looked back towards Sunny with a smile, “I bet your poetry is lovely.”

Sunny blushed furiously, her fingers fidgeting with the pen she was holding, “W-why thank you, Zen. That’s sweet of you to say. Let me, uhh, go get those new ticket books.”

“Cannon, go grab the books for her, they’re in the office. You keep working on your stuff, Sunny,” Zen instructed before walking off to converse with some patrons. She cleared her throat and quickly looked down, continuing to write in her notebook.

Cannon watched her reactions to Zen and a wave of anger surged within him. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, “You know, you two should just start dating and get it over with. The flirting is disgusting and obvious.”

Sunny turned her head sharply towards him and even though she was ready to chide him for the comments, she was stopped by how close they both were to each other. Another inch and she would be locking lips with the mouth she constantly tried to silence for insubordination.

Cannon froze immediately; any sudden movements would cause the most embarrassing scene the bar would encounter. As he stood there, hoping she would back way, he couldn’t help but notice how good she smelled. Was it her shampoo? Her perfume? And those big brown eyes that were hidden by the long lashes every time she blinked. Her button nose twitched as it often did when she got nervous - something he always took note of. Her pink lips that he suddenly had an urge to suck on to make them even more plump than they already were.

“I'm going to get those ticket books, “He spoke lowly, backing away like a frightened animal in the wild until he had ample space to run off into the office. Sunny clutched at her chest, feeling her heartbeat racing beneath her palm.

She had felt this sense of thrill before but the last time she acted upon it, she ended up kissing Zen and making him angry. This time, though, the feeling wasn’t due to pity or sympathy. She had never been that close to Cannon before - mostly out of fear that he’d blow up and tell her to get lost - but there was no vibe of hostility just now.

That look in his eye was strangely familiar, though. Where had she noticed it? “Oh no,” She whispered to herself. It was the same look of carnal desire that she often saw in Zen’s eyes when, in the past, he found a woman he wanted to conquer. Now that their boss had discontinued that type of behavior, did it rub off on Cannon? When she heard Zen clank around behind the bar, she straightened out her shirt and buried her face back down into her work.

“Hey, you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost.” Zen spoke to her as he fixed a few drinks nearby.

“Hmm? Oh, nothing! Cannon was just being weird again, you know how he is! Always trying to get under someone’s skin!” She laughed nervously.

He frowned and leaned towards her, speaking in a serious tone, “What did he say? Did he make you uncomfortable? I can have a chat with him. Sometimes he doesn’t know when to quit. I don’t want him hurting your feelings.”

Sunny bit her bottom lip and looked at Zen, shaking her head quickly, “N-no, no! It’s okay! I don’t get offended by him. I know he just acts tough to try to show off.”

“I’ll still talk to him. He’s been pretty off lately, even for my standards.”

Jingle~!

As soon as Sunny was about to further insist that speaking with Cannon wasn’t necessary, Clicks and Sugar came through the doors, their bickering distracting any previous conversation.

“She was just angry, Sugar! She can’t help herself when she’s like that!”

“There is no excuse for that type of aggression, Clicks. I don’t care if smoke comes from her ears and she starts breathing fire. It was inappropriate and uncalled for.” Sugar huffed as he sat on his barstool, “Wine, Zen. Now.”

“A ‘please’ would be appreciated, Sugar. I’m not your slave.” Zen furrowed his brow and passed the drink tray he was working on towards Sunny, “Can you take this to table six for me? I have to appease his highness right now.”

“I don’t need your remarks right now, Zen. Just get me my damn drink.” Sugar growled.

Shooing her off, Zen turned to stare down Sugar, “I’m not the one that came in here making all sorts of demands. You could always walk your happy ass behind the bar to pour yourself a damn glass.”

Clicks sighed and sat next to Sugar, “Don’t mind him, Zen. We had a small run-in with Goldie at my apartment. You know how they don’t get along.”

Sugar stiffened, jaw clenching tightly, “Small? You call that behavior small? She threw a water bottle towards us! Be glad I dried off before we got here!”

Zen let out a low whistle as he poured the wine, placing it in front of Sugar, “Shit, she threw something at you? I mean, I knew she could say some real nasty things but I didn’t know she got physical.”

“It was a plastic bottle!” Clicks let out exasperatedly, “She doesn’t get physical, it was just this one time! Come on, don’t you get so mad that you want to throw something?”

“Sure, but I’m in therapy for my issues.” Zen said flatly, sliding a whiskey on the rocks over to Clicks.

“That’s different, you were drinking.”

Zen’s eye twitched slightly, backing away from the two, “Yeah, like Sugar said. There is no excuse for that type of behavior. Anger, no matter the reason of provocation, should not cause harm to anyone.”

Clicks’ eyes opened wide as he immediately became apologetic, “I’m so sorry, Zen. I didn’t mean anything in a spiteful way. All I’m saying is that this was a one-time ordeal and once she’s cooled off, I’ll talk to her.”

“You always say you’re going to talk to her but she continues to act up. That or you temporarily break things off. Why bother at this point? It’s obvious that she will always take precedence in your life. I just have to adjust now.” Jumin responded, running a finger along the edge of his glass.

Clicks looked down at his drink, swirling the amber liquid around, “That’s not fair, Sugar. You know I try to keep everyone happy. I thought you understood what I had to do in regards to her.”

“For a while I did. But if you think I’m going to sit back and allow my best friend to be stepped on by some spawn of Satan then you are sorely mistaken. And now she has turned her bad mood towards me? I have half a mind to sue her for assault. Maybe you’ll finally understand how serious I’m being.”

Zen cleared his throat loudly, clapping his hands a few times to get their attention, “How about we all take a few deep breaths, yeah? Calm down a bit? We can talk about this when the threats of lawsuits are dropped. Come on, you two-”

No, you’re right Zen.” Clicks interrupted, “I think we both need time to calm down.” Finishing off his drink, he dug around his pockets for money, slamming a few bills on the counter, “Keep the change. I’m going for a walk.”

Sugar rolled his eyes as Clicks left, motioning to Zen for a refill of his wine, “He’s being irrational and ridiculous.”

“And so are you.” Zen chirped as he poured the drink, “Dude, I get just as frustrated about Goldie but I’m at least tactful. Clicks is sensitive about things and you know he’s trying his best. Cut him some slack.”

“I’ve been cutting him slack for years now, “ Sugar said bitterly, “She has no respect for boundaries or any other human life, for that matter.”

“Hey now, just drop it. Fighting with him won’t make her stop being a bitch so I beg you, please, try to keep the arguments to a minimum.”

Jingle~!

“Hey Everyone!”

Zen turned when he heard Red’s voice, “Hey! What brings you here on your day off?”

“Eh, forgot to ask Cannon if he needed anything from the grocery store. He wasn’t answering my texts so I just stopped by. Where is my brother, anyway?”

Zen opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out as he realized he wasn’t quite sure where his waiter had snuck off to. He took a look around to see if he spotted the twin and when he didn’t, he began to think if he had assigned him a task for the evening. He snapped his fingers once he remembered asking Cannon to grab supplies, “Ah! He’s probably slacking off in the office. That or he went to use the restroom.”

Red shrugged and started walking towards the back, “I’ll find him, thanks!” Knowing Cannon, he was probably taking a nap since business was slow. He rubbed his hands together as he stood at the door, hoping that kicking the door open suddenly would scare his brother.

“I found you-” Red started yelling as the door swung open, but he choked on the rest of his statement when he saw Cannon flail about and cover his lap with a cushion from the couch. “What the fuck, Red? Can’t you knock like a normal person?!”

Red looked around and noticed, on the floor in front of his brother, a group picture of the Eros staff and a few dedicated regulars. “Dude, were you-”

“Get out of here!” Cannon howled, throwing the ticket books he was sent in for earlier. Red ducked and quickly closed the door. He stood shocked for a moment as he internalized what he had just witnessed. When it finally registered, his shoulders started shaking until he progressed to a grand fit of laughter. Barely able to breath, he made his way back to the bar.

“You alright, Red? Hey, do you need water?” Zen asked worriedly, “What’s so damn funny?”

Red went behind the bar, took a few deep breaths to gather his composure, and leaned in to speak in hushed tones towards Zen and Sugar. He was so quiet that even they had to focus to hear all of the words but once he made the obscene gesture with his hand - the one that was universally recognized as a symbol of pleasuring oneself - Zen too burst into a fit while Sugar managed to let an amused smirk cross his lips.

“What picture was he looking at?” Sugar inquired, clearly interested in all the details.

“All I saw was that group picture we took a few weeks ago. You know, boss, the one you have framed on your desk?”

“What?!” Zen cried out between staggered breaths, “Why would he be using that?”

“Perhaps he is attracted to someone in that photograph. Interesting indeed.” Sugar contemplated, now thoroughly distracted from his previous anger.

“I don’t know, but I don’t think he’s going to need anything from the grocery store. Unless they sell pills to reduce embarrassment.” Red chuckled, still clearly proud that he walked in on his own brother.

“He just needs to get laid. Crap, I hope he cleans up after himself. Sunny goes in there a lot and I don’t need to explain this to her.” Zen said, now calmed just in time to see Cannon rush out of the office. “Hey, hope you didn’t make a mess! I work there!” Zen yelled out after him.

The tips of Cannon’s ears turned bright red, his eyes honed onto his twin, “You’re the worst, Red!”

Red burst out into laughter once more, waving a hand as he stepped away, “I need to go before I either die by his hands or of lack of oxygen. I’ll see you guys tomorrow!”

Zen chuckled a bit and turned back to Sugar, leaning himself against the bar, “It’s always something, isn’t it?”

“Yes, something is the correct word.” Sugar sighed as he looked over at the empty seat beside him, “I should try to go talk to him. I know I shouldn’t have lost my temperature when he really is doing everything he can.”

Jingle~!

Clicks came back in silently and made his way over to Sugar. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he motioned his head towards the back, “How about a game of pool, friend? We can talk about things.”

Sugar nodded and stood, leading them both, “Sounds like a good way to spend the evening.”

Zen smiled softly to himself, glad that the two were in better spirits. His attention was diverted, though, when Cannon approached with a tray of dirty dishes. He slide over and put an arm around the waiter’s shoulders, “Alright. Spill it. Who was the focus for you in that picture. I promise I won’t tell!”

Cannon closed his eyes slowly, the annoyance of his boss making him want to smash the tray to the ground. But instead, he let out a slow exhale and looked up with a shy expression, “You mean, you don’t know? It was you. Sometimes I can’t help myself when I’m around you. I have needs too!”

Zen blinked slowly at the response. Cannon had spoken so sincerely that it was damn near believable. He leaned forward and whispered, “For real?”

“No!” Cannon barked into Zen’s ear, “I wouldn’t look at you if I didn’t have to. Idiot.” He shook Zen’s arm off and went to clean the dishes.

Zen let out a flustered sigh, disappointed that he fell for Cannon’s hijinxs.”Fine! Don’t tell me. See if I care!”

“You do care, that’s why it’s even better for me to keep you guessing.” Cannon said over his shoulder, “Always remember, boss - you try to get under my skin and I’ll retaliate twice as bad.”

Zen looked over towards the tables where Sunny had taken to reciting some of her old poems to patrons, then looked back at the smug man bent over the sink. He shook his head slowly, rubbing the back of his neck, “Yup, it’s always something.”