Hacking Seoul

6 - Tips

Song: Bad - Infinite

"Four more bottles of soju comin' right up, masters."

I smiled as professionally as I could, trying to relax my hurting cheeks. Somebody sign me up for Miss Korea, I gritted my teeth before bowing politely and walking away. The amount of smiles I put up for this job just might get me the crown.

"My sweetest darling dear . . ."

My whole body was suddenly pressed against a foreign, smelly, chest, stopping my airflow. I had no time to comprehend what just happened as an arm dragged me into him.

"This is for youuu!" A weighty chain fell onto my neck. I stood frozen and helpless as the man pulled me in once more for an intimate embrace. The smell of alcohol emitted from his body so strongly my only hope at the moment was that he would not throw up on me.

"Thank you, master."

I managed to return his unwanted affection, professionally, despite my consternation. A few of the guys snickered. I straightened up and fixed my apron when the drunk man finally released me and dropped into the leather seat of his booth, tipping over a couple of empty bottles and exchanging a smirk with his friends as they all checked me out brashly.

I pulled my lips into the best fake smile I could muster and crossed my fingers hoping that it would be enough to carry my body and soul intact back to the kitchen. That sixty-foot walk of shame had never seemed this long.

I definitely did not hate my job. I thought it was interesting. A bit of a scare back there just now, but it wasn't all too bad. At least, I hoped it wasn't. I meant, I couldn't tell you much about what I do, yet, because I had just started here. Nothing extremely horrible had happened to me yet, so I was giving this job some benefit of the doubt. I needed the money anyway.

"Nice chain." Jiseo raised her brows as she passed, half a dozen of soju on her tray.

"Thanks." I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, it might be real gold!"

I shook my head and turned the corner to get to the cold storage room at the back of the kitchen. This had got to be the most random tip I got up till now. I looked down at the ostentatious bling hanging around my neck. This would probably make a great gift for Justin Bieber, but now in my ownership, it would most likely never see daylight again after tonight. Unless . . . it was real gold, of course.

Cold breeze greeted me as I walked into the fridge. I was still not used to the culture change. Culture shock, really, and a huge one at that. Everything was different. Take this afternoon as an example, a stranger in a store . . . I felt my face heat up as his handsome face came into mind and bit my lip to clear my head. I could go on for days about my strange encounters here and maybe you had already noticed one, tipping wasn't a common practice in Korea. I could assure you this was a legitimate job though, at a legitimate place, with legitimate licensing, it was just a little . . .

"Inhye!"

I jumped up quickly at the sound of my name, kicking some box I didn't see hard and almost fell over in pain.

"Choi Inhye!"

The door to the cold storage room swung backward to reveal my boss's frowning face.

"Y-yes, sir?" I tried to compose my face in midst of a painfully bruising big toe.

"You are switching with Mina. I need you to go upstairs and take her rooms." He gave me a once-over.

"I guess the thigh-highs can stay. Turn around." He twirled his finger impatiently.

I turned slowly, not knowing what to say at all as awkwardness filled me. My boss apparently found everything to his liking though.

"You look great. Thank God." He muttered more to himself than to me, wiping the sweat off of his shiny forehead. "You are going to wait on those rooms tonight. Mina will come downstairs to take your booths. Those girls upstairs are driving me insane. Do me a favor and don't scream please."

He shook his head exasperatedly and grabbed a basket of soju. "Let's go!"

I opened my mouth and remained stationary. He stuffed the basket of soju into my hands and grabbed another basket full of soju himself.

"They're probably gonna want more," he said darkly. "C'mon."

"I can't go upstairs, m-mister Kim." My voice was hoarse. I could feel my heart rate rising due to growing fear. "I just started working, I've never waited the rooms before, you wouldn't want me to . . ."

"I believe in you. You'll do great. You're beautiful. It'll be a piece of cake for you." He waved my panic away like it was nothing, then seeing my face, cajoled in a luring tone as he turned to walk out of the fridge. "The tips will be good."

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A/N: Omg it's been a while. Are you alive? New readers, SAY HI, because I want to know youu. Old readers, OMG. I. MISS. YOU. SO. MUCH. TALK TO MEEEHH. How long has it been?? I don't even wanna think about it.

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