The private room of the bar smelled faintly of polished wood, faint citrus from Tina's mocktail, and the subtle tang of cocktail bitters Andrew had left behind from preparing drinks earlier. Tina flopped onto the plush sofa, mocktail in hand, her legs swinging lightly over the edge. Miyu, sitting beside her, kept her posture straight, hands neatly folded, but her fingers tapped lightly against her glass, betraying her nerves. Andrew was behind the bar, leaning slightly against the counter, arms crossed. His eyes flicked toward Tina constantly, sharp and wary. Luna and Kai lounged near the doorway, pretending to be casual, but their smirks betrayed their anticipation. They'd been here long enough to know that anytime Tina was around Andrew, chaos would follow—and they wanted front-row seats. Tina's eyes sparkled, the kind of glint that usually meant she had some mischievous plan brewing.
"You know."
She began casually.
"Andrew here… has a lot of skills. Not that I'm bragging, or anything."
Andrew froze mid-motion, brow raising.
"A lot of skills, huh? Care to enlighten everyone, Tina?"
His voice carried a perfectly measured sassy tone—mock outrage, curiosity, and that little spark that always set Tina off in delight.
"Oh, I will."
Tina said, leaning back with exaggerated flair.
"Like, the way he mixes drinks—it's not just alcohol, you know. It's art. Precision, flair, style… And don't even get me started on the sass. He could serve the Queen of England a mocktail while performing a monologue and still make her laugh."
Luna laughed, elbowing Kai.
"I knew he was good, but that good?"
Kai grinned.
"Seriously, Andrew, are you hiding this from us? That's—wow."
He mockingly, clearly teasing Andrew.
Andrew groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead.
"Are you seriously bragging about me in front of my friends?!"
He sounded outraged, but the faint blush creeping up his ears betrayed his amusement. Tina tilted her head, blinking innocently.
"I'm just stating facts. You can't deny reality, Andrew."
Miyu's jaw tightened slightly, and she sipped her cocktail calmly—or tried to. Her eyes darted between Tina and Andrew as she noticed the playful glances, the subtle leaning closer, the way their energy bounced off each other. She clenched her fingers lightly around her glass, trying to hide the jealousy simmering just beneath her composed exterior. Andrew's gaze flicked to Miyu, noticing her tense posture and the slight flush on her cheeks. He smirked faintly then he turned back to Tina, voice low, sassy, but tinged with amusement.
"You know, this is all your fault. Bragging in front of my friends like this—are you trying to make me blush?"
Tina leaned closer, grinning.
"Maybe I am. Maybe I love it."
Luna burst out laughing.
"Ohhh, definitely noticed the chemistry. Andrew, you're flustered—admit it!"
Kai snorted.
"I never even like chemistry back in school but you guys' chemistry is out of this world, Look how flustered you are."
Andrew groaned, throwing his hands up.
"Flustered? Me? Never!"
But he couldn't hide the twitch at the corner of his lips, betraying that Tina's words had hit their mark. Tina tilted her head toward Miyu, voice sweet but teasing.
"See, Miyu? He's incredible. You can't argue with facts."
Miyu's lips pressed into a thin line. She forced a polite sip of her mocktail, trying to hide the twinge of jealousy.
~Why do they make it look so effortless?~
She thought. Her eyes kept flicking from Tina's sparkling grin to Andrew's sassy, playful glare. Andrew muttered under his breath, his arms crossed.
"Impossible…"
The room was filled with laughter, teasing, and tension. Tina sipped her drink, eyes sparkling, while Andrew's sassy energy bounced off the walls. Luna and Kai exchanged amused glances, and Miyu tried desperately to maintain her composure. Tina leaned back, stretching one arm along the back of the sofa.
"Honestly, Andrew, I might have to brag about you everywhere I go. Just to remind everyone… how incredible you are."
Andrew groaned loudly, pressing a hand to his forehead again, half-exasperated, half-amused.
"You're impossible."
Tina twirled the straw in her mocktail, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You know."
She said, leaning forward slightly.
"There was also this one time, Andrew—he was in the middle of a rush, and a bottle slipped right out of his hand. Everyone thought it was going to crash… but he caught it mid-air and didn't spill a single drop."
Luna's eyes widened.
"Wait… seriously? That's… wow."
Kai chuckled, shaking his head.
"Andrew, you sly perfectionist. You've been hiding that skill from us?"
Andrew groaned, pressing a hand to his forehead.
"That's so exaggerated, Tina. Just stop bragging."
His voice was sassy, dripping with mock frustration, but the faint twitch of a smile at the corner of his lips betrayed him. Tina leaned back, blinking innocently.
"Oh, I'm not bragging, Andrew. I'm just… giving people the facts. You can't deny them."
Miyu's fingers tightened around her glass. Every playful glance between Tina and Andrew made her stomach twist. She sipped her drink, trying to appear calm, but the little flare of jealousy in her chest was impossible to hide completely. Andrew shot Tina a look, half warning, half exasperated.
"You just love embarrassing me in front of my friends, don't you?"
"Maybe I do."
Tina whispered conspiratorially.
"Anything to make you squirm."
Luna laughed outright.
"Oh, this is amazing. I mean, you two are practically vibrating with energy. It's like… you can't even hide it!"
Kai leaned back, smirking.
"Seriously. This is hilarious. Andrew, you're flustered, and she's loving every second of it."
Andrew groaned, throwing his hands up.
"Never!"
But he couldn't hide the twitch at the corner of his lips. Abdrew muttered under his breath, still keeping his arms crossed,
"Impossible…"
Tina, noticing the little murmur, tilted her head.
"What was that, Andrew? Did you just mutter about how impossible I am?"
"I—uh—never mind!"
He waved a hand, clearly trying to maintain his dignity but failing spectacularly. Luna chuckled.
"Oh, we heard that. Did you just admit she's… impossible?"
Kai laughed.
"Or maybe he means he can't handle her."
Andrew threw a mock glare at them, though his eyes twitched with amusement. Tina leaned back casually, twirling her straw. Andrew groaned again, shaking his head, though the corner of his lips betrayed a twitch of a smile. The room buzzed with laughter, teasing, and subtle tension. Tina's sparkling eyes, Andrew's sassy energy, Luna and Kai's amusement, and Miyu's quiet jealousy all mixed together into a perfect storm of chaotic intimacy. Tina grinned again.
"Honestly, I love bragging about you."
Andrew threw up his hands in mock defeat.
"I give up! I cannot compete with your… your… relentless bragging!"
His sassy tone filled the room, bouncing off the polished walls. Luna and Kai exchanged amused glances, Miyu tried to hide her irritation, and Tina… well, Tina was in her element—chaotic, playful, and completely victorious in this little bragging battle. Tina leaned forward slightly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Well."
She began, voice teasing.
"I saw Andrew working today, he was serving two tables at once, talking to both of them, and somehow… he didn't spill a single drop. Not one."
Andrew froze mid-motion, brow raising.
"I—uh… multitasking perfection, that's all."
His voice carried that sassy mix of mock exasperation and faint amusement.
"Oh, multitasking perfection?"
Tina tilted her head, grinning.
"So you're saying… everyone saw your brilliance in action? That's what you're calling it?"
She leaned just slightly closer, letting her elbow brush against his arm. Andrew flinched at the touch, eyes widening slightly.
"I—well… precise execution, maybe. But I definitely wasn't trying to impress anyone!"
Luna grinned.
"Oh, come on, Andrew. You looked amazing. Tina's right—handling two tables, talking to two people, and not spilling a single drop? That's talent."
Kai smirked.
"Seriously, Andrew. Don't pretend it didn't happen. You've got skills you don't even admit to."
Tina laughed softly, her hand brushing lightly against Andrew's as she shifted slightly on the sofa.
"See, Miyu? He's incredible. Even if he tries not to be."
Miyu's jaw tightened. She tried to sip her mocktail calmly, but her eyes kept flicking between Tina and Andrew. Every subtle glance, every playful touch—it made her chest tighten with jealousy.
~Why does she look like she enjoys getting so close to him~
Andrew noticed Tina's mischievous grin and the faint brush of her fingers. He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling through his nose in mock defeat.
"Okay, okay! I see what you're doing. You're trying to make me blush while pretending you're just stating facts. Brilliant strategy, really."
Tina leaned closer, voice low and teasing.
"Strategy? Oh no… this is just natural talent. I can't help it if you make it easy."
She gave him a pointed look, eyes sparkling. Kai laughed, nudging Luna.
"I told you! Chemistry! You can't hide this!"
Luna shook her head, smirking.
"He can't even deny it. Look at that sassy glare—blushing and all."
Andrew groaned, folding his arms.
"Blushing? Me? I would never ever! This is… tactical embarrassment!"
Tina giggled, leaning back slightly but keeping her gaze locked on him.
"Tactical embarrassment, huh? You mean… secretly loving the attention?"
Andrew's eyes widened, giving her a pointed glare, though the twitch of a smile betrayed him.
"Absolutely not. That's… ridiculous."
Miyu's jealousy flared again. She set her glass down with a soft clink, hiding the little flare of irritation she felt with every glance between Tina and Andrew. Tina leaned back with a playful grin. Luna and Kai exchanged amused glances.
"Yep. Totally noticed the chemistry. Can't unsee this."
Kai murmured. Miyu tried to hide the pang of jealousy in her chest, but her cheeks betrayed her. She glanced at Tina, then Andrew, realizing just how natural their playful energy was together. Tina leaned forward again, letting her hand brush Andrew's as she gestured toward her drink.
"See, even your friends agree—your skills are remarkable. Don't deny it, I've got witnesses."
Andrew flinched at the touch, then smirked, letting his sassy energy take over.
"Remarkable? Fine, but I expect a medal for multitasking like that, okay? And maybe a trophy for surviving your endless bragging."
Tina clapped softly, eyes gleaming.
"A trophy? I like it. Maybe I'll make one myself—gold, glittery, engraved with 'Andrew: Master of Drinks and Sass.'"
Andrew groaned dramatically.
"Gold and glitter? Really? This is exactly why I can't win with you."
Tina leaned back, laughing softly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You're not supposed to win, Andrew. You're supposed to entertain."
The room hummed with laughter, teasing, and tension. Tina's playful exaggeration, Andrew's sassy comebacks, Luna and Kai's amusement, and Miyu's quietly building jealousy combined into perfect chaotic intimacy. The private room buzzed with playful chaos—Tina teasing Andrew, Andrew's sassy comebacks, Luna and Kai's laughter—but then Miyu's hand tightened around her glass. Her jaw clenched, and her eyes flicked between Tina and Andrew one too many times. Tina noticed the shift immediately.
"Miyu… hey, are you okay?"
She asked, concern lacing her voice. Miyu didn't answer. Her fingers trembled slightly as she set the glass down, then abruptly stood.
"I… I just need some air."
She muttered, voice tight. Before anyone could react, she stormed toward the door and vanished down the corridor. Tina froze, panic rising in her chest.
"Miyu!"
She called, pushing back from the sofa.
"Wait! Come back!"
Andrew blinked, caught between confusion and mild irritation.
"… what just—?"
Tina didn't answer. Her heart was pounding. She grabbed her coat instinctively, ready to chase after her best friend. Miyu's sudden storm had left the room silent, the playful energy evaporated, replaced with worry.
~Something's wrong... I have to make sure she's okay. ~
The door clicked shut behind Miyu, and Tina's hand hovered over the handle, hesitation gripping her. The room felt strangely empty, the unresolved tension hanging thickly in the air.