Chapter 2: 1.2

RJ.

Shin Ruijun.

The Shin Ruijun.

My classmate. The most popular girl in school, and the prettiest girl, ever. And she practically bleeds money.

And she is now my customer.

Instead of our school uniform and its restricting knee-length skirt, she is wearing an off-shoulder, navy blue jumpsuit that allows her legs the full range of motion—and it seems that she is taking full advantage of it. Leaning against the white leather couch, her elbow props on a cushion as she manspreads like some of our cockiest male customers.

What the hell is she doing here? This is not a bar for ladies. And why would anybody from our school even be here?

Wait, is she going to report me to the school for working here?

"Yes?" RJ's cool voice snaps me back to reality. "You the server, or what?"

I push my faltering lips back together. That's right; I am covering half my face. RJ does not recognize me. There is nothing to fear.

Ignoring the thumping heart that is threatening to burst out of my chest, I switch to my sickly sweet work voice.

"Yes! Yes, I am! Welcome to Tropic Falls ah, chiobu!" —That term feels weird on my tongue. 'Pretty lady' is what customers call me, not the other way around.— "My name is Cherry, and I will be your server for the night. Let me get you started with some drinks, alright? Here's the menu."

RJ furrows her brows and tilts her head. The large golden loops hanging at her earlobes slide across her bare shoulders. For a moment, I worry that she is scrutinizing me and realizing my identity, but she clicks her tongue and says, "No need lah. Get me two bottles of your finest wine, and a classic gin martini for me. Thank you."

A shudder runs down my spine. Despite being outside of school and out of her school uniform, RJ is still as fierce and intense as ever, maybe even more so. Once again, I wonder what her secret is for being like this all the time. It has to be energy drinks.

"S- Sure thing, chiobu." Oh god, I'm stuttering. Flustered, I add a well-practiced wink before leaving the VIP room.

The moment I close the door shut, I bolt towards the bar area as if RJ's eyes had set my dress on fire. My body crashes onto the table Clementine sits at, and I slump onto the glossy surface.

RJ. RJ in the bar. RJ in the VIP room. RJ, my customer.

And I winked at her.

Sure, that's what I always do to make all my customers feel special, but this is RJ.

I winked at RJ!

Above the deafening roars of my heart, I hear Clementine chuckle.

"So, how is the new customer? Pretty hot, right?"

My cheeks heat up at the question. "She's- She's okay..."

She's my classmate and super pretty and I stare at her every day in class, is what I actually wanted to say.

"Just okay?" The smirk on my boss widens.

Not wanting to actually combust into flames, I quickly change the topic. "Why is she... Why is she here ah, by the way? Do you know?"

"She's meeting with some of our regulars, so they probably recommended this place to her. You know, when she called to make a reservation, I told her about our VIP rooms, and she just went ahead and booked one, like it's nothing."

"Oh, of course lah, she's rich—"

"Oh? You know her?" Clementine's eyes light up.

"Uh, not really, but... yeah..."

"That's awesome!" She claps her hands together, giving me the same wide, eager smile she has whenever I tell her I caught a new regular for the bar. "Please work hard to keep her as a regular, alright? I'm counting on you, Cherry. You're one of the best girls I have."

The taste in my mouth turns bitter as I gulp. "Y- Yeah... Sure..."

"Oh, I love seeing women as customers, you know? They're so rare! When I first started this business back when I first came to Singapore, I actually envisioned this bar to be one that caters to everyone. Alas, my girls are pretty and draw in too many men. Only men, to be honest. Nothing wrong with men, of course, but I want more diversity."

As my boss prattles on about her old business plans, I grab the two wine bottles and order a glass of classic gin martini from the bartender. I do not have the heart to tell her that RJ is never going to become a regular here. She is a top student at the best Junior College in Singapore, and she has a boyfriend. She is probably here to meet some people who happened to drag her here, and after today, she will never return.

With RJ's order arranged on a tray, I trot back to the VIP rooms. A small, shaky sigh leaves my mouth before I force my lips back into a smile again.

"Sorry to keep you waiting ah, chiobu!" I push open the door with my back.

RJ is leaning forward this time. Her elbows are on her legs now—they are still outspread as if she's trying to take over the entire couch—while she scrolls through her phone. As I place her drink next to her, I notice she owns the latest iPhone. It's a little larger than my phone, and it fits snugly in her long, thin fingers.

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"Can I help you?"

My entire body jolts. "No, no, sorry, sorry!" Flustered, I realize that I am using my normal voice, and I turn up my pitch again. "I- I mean, no lah, chiobu, I'm supposed to be helping you lah. L- Let me know what else you need, okay?"

Oh god, why am I stuttering so much? This is so unprofessional!

RJ raises her eyebrows and tucks her phone away. "Actually, I do need something."

"Oh? What do you need?"

She beckons for me to come closer. I frown. I'm already standing next to her. Maybe she wants to whisper a secret drink order to me?

As I inch closer, her dark eyes seem to bore right into my soul. I have never seen her so up close before and it's... captivating. I can see every outline of her pretty face, every bit of her light makeup, and every strand of her dyed brown hair. I can feel her every breath—warm, ticklish, and minty. I can even see my reflection in her eyes, and just how spellbound I look under my crimson mask.

I jolt out of my trance with a yelp when her hand reaches out to my arm. Oh crap, I'm way too close to her. Who let me get this close to her?

"Sorry—" I try to back away, but my foot trips over something on the ground.

RJ's hand tightens around mine, pulling me onto the couch as I fall.

"Are you okay?" she asks. She props her body up next to mine, one hand on the leather and the other still on my arm.

"Y- Yes," I say, despite the fact that I am about to pass out.

RJ frowns. Her eyes dart from my face to my body, and back to my face again. "Who are you?"

"S- Sorry? I- I told you already, I'm- I'm Cherry..."

"No, you're not. Who are you?"

My heart rises to my throat. This is bad. Did she figure out who I am? Nobody is allowed to find out about me. I'll be fired, I'll lose my most profitable job ever, I'll be expelled from school! No. One. Can. Know.

"It's- It's my code name. We're not allowed to reveal our real names here. P- Protocol."

"Is that why you're wearing this stupid thing too?" RJ's fingers—those long, slender fingers that glided across the phone screen—are now reaching towards my cheeks, dangerously close to my mask, to the only thing protecting my identity.

"If- If you remove my mask, you will be banned from this bar forever." I keep my voice as serious as I can. "Protocol."

"Ah, is it?" RJ mumbles. Her fingers are now a breath away from my cheeks.

"Y- Yes. If you don't believe me, t- try lor."

She leans towards me, closing what little gap we had. Her warm, minty breath is all over my face now.

"I want to try leh," she whispered.

I would have passed out right then and there, if not for a group of people barging into the room.

"Aye, RJ!"

Sensing RJ's loosening grip, I immediately slip away from her and dart across the room.

"Ohhhh?" A collective exclamation rises from the newcomers, as their eyes zoom into me and my crumpled dress. A few of them even let out wolf whistles.

RJ smooths the bottom of her jumpsuit. "You guys are so late sia."

"Oh my god, RJ! What is happening?"

"You already having so much fun ah?"

"Eh, don't steal all the best girls leh!"

"W- Welcome to Tropic Falls..." I mutter my obligatory greeting. Among the new group of men, I recognize one of them as Mango's regular who is always bringing a few new people with him. RJ is probably one of them this time.

"I'll- I'll go grab Mango and a few others!" I announce before rushing out of the VIP room, out of the corridor of rooms, out of the bar area, and straight into the changing room.

Holding my chest, I allow myself to take a few heaving breaths. Then, I collapse onto the table and close my eyes.

What was that?

What was that?

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