"Wow, you're such an expert, gorgeous."
The young woman with long and brown hair giggled while flipping the bottle in her hand. If only she was not at work, she would definitely roll her eyes uninterestedly with the cheap flirt of the man in front of her. She is a bartender who surely has skills, perhaps the temptation is just an attempt to invite her home 'to play around'.
Dream ... ah, even in a dream it will never happen.
Look, that man's hair is already turning gray! Is he shameless? Flirting with her? Just because he has a lot of money, so all women will be down on their knees ...? It will never happen to her.
The woman continues her work, pours the content of the bottle into the glass that is held by the old man, and at the same time, she feels a rough hand slipping into the mini skirt that she is wearing, giving a lustful squeeze on her ass. She straightens up her body again, her cheeks flush out of anger, "What are you doing!?"
The old man ignores the warning, instead, he is getting bolder and trying to touch the two breasts that stand out and beautiful in his eyes, "Come on, you often get it, don't be shy."
The woman clenches her fists.
'Nobody can tease, Gaea!'
Gaea gets ready to slap that hand, but another hand stops him first, her head turns to see who saved her, and her heart pounds knowing that her savior is the man who she likes, "Mr. Eryk ..."
Eryk smiles sweetly, "I think you've crossed the line, there is a rule about not touching the female workers here," he said friendly, "understand?" He gives a firm squeeze as a sign of warning.
"Ugh," The old man groans in pain, "ok-kay."
Eryk releases his grip and immediately the old man runs away and hits some people around him. His blue eyes have direct contact with Gaea's emerald eyes.
Gaea acts as normally as possible. Getting stared like that melts her heart, and don't forget his heroic action just now feels like being in a romantic movie. "Thank you," She said shyly.
Eryk doesn't answer and turns right away, walks upstairs while calling someone.
Gaea is still amazed even though there is no response for her words, no problem, still looking at Eryk's back admiringly, recalling the scene earlier. Even today, Eryk still looks handsome, wearing his usual black suit and not forgetting his blonde hair that is combed back, leaving the bang that is styled sideway.
"Haaah~ Indeed, Mr. Eryk is my dream man."
Gaea nods innocently without any doubt, "Yes."
A laughter follows afterward.
"L-Lola!?" Gaea exclaimed, waking up from her wild fantasy.
The young woman with the long and black hair smiles sweetly; just getting back to reality? "Aww ... it's too bad I didn't bring a cell phone, it would be nice to record~" She teased while winking her eyes mischievously.
Gaea's cheeks blushed at once, "Don't joke around!"
"I don't~"
Gaea rolls her eyes while enduring embarrassment, back to the bar. Why can she become a good friend with Lola? Because she often asks for help, "Back to your work."
Lola is still having fun teasing her, "Okay, Mrs. Enzo."
"Lola, it's enough!" Gaea exclaimed angrily. Although her little heart is over the moon imagining being Mrs. Enzo, "Ugh," She pats her forehead, can't help thinking of her close friend. Why did her mind imagine what Lola said? "do you wish me to lose my mind, huh!?"
"I don't," she replied quickly, a second later her blue eyes hide something mischievous, "but Mr. Eryk might want it."
These words succeeded in making her mind thinks of an adult of seventeen years old and over.
That's Lola. Seriously.
How long does Lola want to tease her? This is why she doesn't want to tell about her feeling to Lola.
When Lola knows it, she won't stop teasing her.
Gaea blames herself because of being too drunk that she exposed her inner feeling about her hidden love for Eryk during a small party to celebrate her 21st birthday at her apartment.
"Lola, me and Eryk will never happen," Gaea said seriously, sorting out the empty and dirty glasses into the automatic dishwasher in the kitchen.
Lola is interested now and sits on a bar chair crossing her legs, "How do you know Gaea? We will never know if we haven't tried it, right?"
"Lola ..." Gaea said reluctantly. How many times should it be said? And how many times must her words become a harsh slap for her? "Simple. Look at Eryk, and then look at me."
"Hm ..." Lola rests on her chin thinking, "Eryk is a man, and you are a woman," she said innocently, "He has a peniβ"
"Stop it!" Gaea cut it off, now she is really embarrassed, "Lola, back to your work, leave me alone."
"Butβ"
"Please?" Gaea asked with a pitiful look.
Lola finally gives in while sighing walking to the stage and starting to dance again although she still has a plenty time of rest.
Gaea returns to work too, fulfilling the orders swiftly, and in heart thanks Eryk because the man who ordered drinks doesn't dare to do anything with her anymore.
Indeed, Eryk doesn't say much or more precisely never pays attention to her, come on, see the reality, she is just an ordinary bartender while Eryk is a successful businessman, it's impossible that the established man wants to look at her, and after all, Eryk brings women to the club sometimesβcrushes her hope.
Gaea can only admire him from a distance, how sad, right? She knows it, but her heart can't stop beating fast for her boss.
Masochist? Perhaps.
Gaea exhales in between putting the glass that she has just dried using a rag to the shelf, stares blankly at Lola who was dancing sexily, who occasionally gives a flying kiss or a spoiled wink when someone throws money to her.
Should she stay like this? Becoming a bartender? Gaea can't wait to graduate from college and dive into the world of research.
Sometimes Gaea wants to find another job, becoming a bartender has a lot of risks even though the security is top class even their names are kept secret, it's because of her love for Eryk she can endure it.
Gaea knows she hasn't got any hope with Eryk, but she keeps enduring it all this time.
How foolish ...
'Perhaps I should find a new joβ'
"Aahhh!"
Gaea is surprised to hear a scream that is believed to come from Lola, her eyes are back to the last place where Lola danced, and no one is there.
There is a crowd there.
She comes out of the bar room to the stage, and she gasps seeing her friend sitting while holding her ankle, without thinking for long she immediately leads Lola slowly towards the women's changing room before the situation gets more crowded, "What happened?"
"When I was about to get down someone tried to grab my ass, I lost my balance and this happened," Lola said then moans in pain.
Gaea sat Lola's body on the black bench, "I'll bring iceβ"
The sound of the door being opened roughly makes Gaea stop talking to turn towards the 'culprit' who had just opened the door so roughly.
A young woman with light brown hair stands panting as if she had run so far, "What's happened to Lola!?"
Lola laughs terribly in the middle of her aching leg, "Ha, ha, I slipped, how careless of me."
"Oh," Gaea's eyes unconsciously fix on the plastic bag that is held by the girl with light brown hair, "Ava, what do you bring?"
"Oh, this?" Ava lifts the plastic which she brings, "I buy drinks for our break~" she said cheerfully, "and also the dim sum that I made~"
Gaea pats her forehead.
Ava is a good woman, too good in fact but not like this.
"The club provides food, you know it, right?"
"Oh ..." Ava mumbles in disappointment she doesn't know because it's her first day at work, her effort is in vain.
"I'll bring ice," Gaea said.
"Before that," Ava stops Gaea's step to get out, "who will dance in the VIP Room?"
"VIP Room?"
Ava nods, "I got order from Ferdinand to ask Lola to dance in the VIP Room," she explained nervously, "but Lola ..." her brown eyes are at Lola's leg then she grimaces. It must hurt.
Gaea glances into her friend's ankle which is starting to turn red. Seeing Lola moaning in pain earlier when taking her here, it is clear that her friend wouldn't be able to dance and if unable to dance, it means getting expelled.
Lola tries to stand up, "I canβ" her words are cut by pain in her leg thus forcing her to sit back on the chair, "ughh ..." she groans weakly.
"Don't push yourself, Lola," Gaea said.
"That's right," Ava agrees.
"But, who will dance if not me?" said Lola frustratedly.
Gaea doesn't answer.
There are other dancers, it's just that the one who is being ordered is Lola, and she knows how perfect Eryk is about job if he finds out that the order is not being obeyed, then prepare to leave here.
"How about you, Gaea?" Ava gives an idea that could be said crazy.