Kiku raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as he stood in the back, all of the workers now in the main dining room as their boss was describing some sort of event. Apparently it was the Lunar New Year soon (not that he celebrated such a Chinese holiday, he was a purebred Japanese man) and they were going to be having some sort of big celebration.

"Everyone will be working on these days." The boss announced, proceeding to announce a certain amount of days, the waiters getting excited at the thought of more customers. That merely meant more tips for them. The chefs didn't seem all too interested, Yao busy texting on his smart phone, possibly having gone through this enough times. Kiku gave a snort and raised an eyebrow at him. Didn't he have enough respect for his father to at least listen to him? Apparently not.

Kiku worked hard enough as it was as a bus boy, but he got very little pay. Even though Lunar New Year was going to be the busiest times of the years for the restaurant, he knew right away that he wouldn't be getting an increase in the money received. The bus boy didn't get any tips, the waiters and waitresses did. Maybe that was also the reason why most of the chefs didn't seem to care for this either. It was just going to be a regular day, with more money in their paycheck at the end of the night.

It was about twenty minutes long that the boss talked for, most of the employees growing bored. Eventually their boss had finished speaking, much to everyone's delight. Now they could get on with their lives…

"Wait." He stopped them suddenly as everyone began to stand and stretch out their legs, either standing or sitting for a long period of time. Kiku let out a soft groan, the stump of his leg hurting greatly from the uncomfortable prosthetic. "Since all of you are gathered here, it's the perfect opportunity to introduce you to our new chef, Ivan Braginski."

At this Kiku paused, raising an eyebrow and glancing towards the boss, a very tall and slightly intimidating man walking over to them, standing beside the boss. His amethyst eyes glistened with something Kiku could not recognize, what was it? Though, there was something there…what was it? It was bothering him to no end that he couldn't put his name on it. Even though he had never met Ivan, there was something present in his eyes that were so sickly familiar, it sent chills down Kiku's spine.

The large man - Ivan, apparently - chuckled darkly, looking around at his new employees. "Privyet." He greeted softly, Yao lifting his head and blinking in surprise at the sound of the Russian greeting. Kiku also blinked. A Russian was working in an Asian restaurant? Ivan bowed respectively towards them, knowing at least something about Asian culture. "It is my honor to be working with you all. We will have a great time working together, da?"

Everyone nodded stiffly, as if they were thinking the same things as Kiku was. Kiku watched the man as he continued to speak and describe a bit about himself, which no one seemed to care about. Though, Kiku didn't know what, but there was something about Ivan that just wasn't right… eerie feeling wafted off Ivan. It was so unsettling.

Kiku panted as he slurped down another shot, leaning back in the seat with a grunt, chuckling giddily to himself. What number shot was he on? He lost count. Either way, drinking like a drunken idiot - which was the current state he was in - was refreshing for a change.

Lazily, Kiku glanced over his shoulder, blinking stupidly at the other wasted men in the bar he was currently in. Brown almond-shaped eyes scoured the perimeter curiously, wondering what other workers he would meet here. Yao had offered to take everyone to the bar right after that meeting where they discussed the Lunar New Year and had been introduced to Ivan. It had been his treat to go to the bar and pay for everyone's drinks. Kiku wasn't exactly invited, but Yao was too busy singing a song he had never heard of while dancing on the table. So technically he was off the hook. For now, at least.

Kiku should have known that it would be a horrible idea to go to a bar with his colleagues after work. Especially with the option of not having to compensate for the amounts of alcohol consumed, it was an equation for disaster. It baffled Kiku at how there was a fairly nice bar right down the block from the restaurant.

Though, Kiku didn't feel the normal pain he felt at this time of day, the many shots he took in dulling and making his pain fade. For the time being, at least. Giving another laugh, he looked for the coworkers he loved oh-so-very much.

Aran and Linh were deeply engaged in attempting to chew on each other's faces in the booth nearby, moaning and groaning loudly. Kiku swore he saw a bra fly across the room from that direction. Making a face with distaste, he continued to look around the room.

Yong Soo had pinned the wallflower Xiang against the side of the booth, grinning like a complete idiot at him. Xiang, busy sipping his bottle of beer, scowled at his Korean acquaintance, attempting to turn away from him. Though the taller one wouldn't have that, smashing their lips together in a fiery kiss, Xiang surprisingly putting his beer on the table and kissing back without any hesitation. At seeing this, Kiku blinked slowly, his eyebrows disappearing behind his bangs. So they were gay as well? Or was it just the alcohol acting up?

Kiku blew air out of his nose quickly, reaching for the shot glass that seemed to never be empty. Taking it in with a loud gulp, he sighed loudly, slumping down against the counter of the bar. Men were laughing as they drank, finding flaws in science. At the moment, Kiku felt like such an outsider, which made him feel very awkward.

Another shot of alcohol soon flowed down his throat, the effects of the drink soon dulling his mind. Kiku blinked slowly, seeing everything spin slightly, his better judgment being clouded. He giggled again for no reason, watching everything with curious eyes. Feeling like one of those popular, rich young men for once, he stood up and sauntered over towards the stage where karaoke was going on. His prosthetic groaned and creaked, the cheap model straining.

Yao had migrated from the table to the makeshift stage, singing loudly into the microphone. A light blush dusted the chef's cheeks from alcohol and the stuffiness of the small bar, sweat beginning to drip down his brow. He had begun to do some very seductive dances involving his hips, making some of the girls swoon and whistle in delight.

Kiku, much to his own surprise, whistled the loudest at Yao, leaned against the stage, trying to give off that 'cool' appearance. What surprised him even more was when Yao acknowledged his presence by cheering loudly, "Honda! Kiku Honda!"

"Wang! Yao Wang!" Kiku cheered back, grinning stupidly at him. Yao stumbled back from dizziness due to alcohol consumption, his long hair sticking to his face and his neck from sweat, his hair tie long since abandoned. The old wood of the stage creaked and cracked under Yao's weight, though the other did not notice.

"Come up here and keep me company bus boy aru!" Yao singsonged, sauntering towards the Japanese man, onlookers hooting and cheering for them. Kiku was completely dumbstruck, even in his drunken, hazy state. Surprised that Yao had acknowledged his existence and had actually wanted to be near him. Didn't he remember the soup incident...?

"Hey! Didn't ya hear me~?" Yao purred, kneeling down beside the man and offering his hand, the scent of alcohol wafting off him. Kiku blinked slowly again, then grinned finally, grabbing Yao's hand, the man on the stage hoisting him up.

Kiku staggered slightly, once on the wooden stage. He looked at Yao, who was grinning at him. Eyes gazed over with a drunken haze, figure appearing a bit tipsy...Kiku still found himself being attracted to this rich, snobbish chef.

"Come on kid!" Yao laughed, dropping the microphone (which proceeded to make a loud, high pitched screech) and grabbing Kiku's hands. The other man blushed heavily as Yao began to sing at a loud volume, a drunken-written song, and dance with him.

To Kiku's surprise, he had begun to join him, both men laughing and singing and dancing as if there were no tomorrow. It had to be the drunken haze instructing and leading them on. It just had to be. This normally would never happen to him at all.

But Kiku did not know how to react when Yao grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him closer. So close their hearts beat simultaneously as one as their chests were crushed together. Their heats and breaths merged together to form one. Fingers fisted and clung to one another's clothes. Bodies molded together perfectly.

Yao's lips smashed against Kiku's own, causing time to stop for the Japanese man.

Why was God so cruel to him?