TMFS Chapter 3 (Part 3)

It was obviously about Yoon.

The way Turner had sprinted out of there was enough proof.

Just then, his phone vibrated.

[Didn’t cause trouble.]

A simple, concise message.

Very Yoon.

Lucas exhaled, pulling off his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes.

At least she had gotten out of the meeting without any immediate issues.

But the real issue?

The drinking.

Lucas already knew what was coming.

Even the strongest of men tapped out when drinking with those two.

Turner and Yoon had an infamous reputation for never stopping once they started.

The mere thought of it was enough to give Lucas a headache.

Still, he typed out a response.

[Don’t overdo it. Go home at a reasonable hour.]

Not that she would listen, but it was better than saying nothing.

Originally, he had planned to ask her more about what Lowe had said tonight, but that could wait until tomorrow.

Rolling his shoulders, he reached for his coat.

Turner had practically bolted out the door like a puppy seeing snow for the first time.

And Lucas knew why.

The past week had been brutal.

With the organization expanding rapidly, the sheer amount of paperwork had become overwhelming.

Naturally, as Lucas’s secretary, Turner had been drowning in it.

It was the first real break he had gotten in days.

Lucas wasn’t heartless enough to stop him.

As for himself—

The exhaustion was catching up.

He had barely been sleeping, running on three hours a night, and his body was finally feeling the toll.

Tonight, for once, he was going to shut everything off and sleep like the dead.

Reaching over, he turned off the desk lamp and stretched.

Then, he stood, grabbing his coat and heading out for the night.

* * *

The sign above the entrance read “Spero Spera.”

Yoon pushed open the large wooden door and stepped inside.

Almost immediately, soft, mellow music greeted her ears.

Her gaze swept across the space, taking in the bar’s unexpected size and luxury.

A bartender offered a polite nod, which she returned with a small tilt of her head before subtly scanning the staff’s faces.

No Rachel.

Yoon wasn’t sure why that left her feeling… disappointed.

And that—the fact that she was even feeling disappointed—was what truly caught her off guard.

Did that mean she had been expecting to see her?

A quiet chuckle escaped her lips.

“Tch. That’s new.”

Shaking off the odd feeling, she placed her order.

As she sipped her drink, she didn’t miss the way the bartender kept throwing her discreet glances.

The man was clearly taken aback.

He had never seen anyone order such an expensive bottle and drink it like water.

Sure, some customers bought bottles and kept them stored here for later.

But this woman?

With the way she was drinking—she was going to finish the whole damn thing tonight.

And this wasn’t just any alcohol.

It was strong.

Yet, not even ten minutes in, she was already on her fourth glass, completely unaffected.

The bartender was stunned into silence.

If she becomes a regular, our sales are going to skyrocket.

Swallowing his shock, he focused on preparing extra side dishes, sneaking them onto the counter with practiced precision.

Yoon, noticing the growing number of plates, raised an eyebrow at him.

The bartender flashed her a bright salesman’s smile before pushing another plate closer.

Before she could comment, her phone buzzed.

[Don’t overdo it. Go home at a reasonable hour.]

Lucas.

Yoon glanced down at the dwindling golden liquid in her glass and smirked.

“Too late for that.”

She was enjoying this drink way too much to call it an early night.

Just as she was about to put her phone away, more notifications flooded in.

[Escaped from overtime!! Do you know how long it’s been since I left work on time?! ㅠㅠㅠ]
[HORROROROROLO it’s booze time!!]
[DON’T finish the bottle before I get there. I’m serious!!]
[BOOZE!! BOOZE!! WHAT BOOZE?! EXPENSIVE BOOZE!!]

Yoon sighed, flipping her phone over.

But despite her silence, her drinking pace noticeably slowed down.

Then—

A gentle tap on her shoulder.

She tensed slightly, already irritated by the idea of someone interrupting her.

Suppressing the urge to snap, she turned around—

And for a split second, her breath hitched.

Rachel.

Dazzling as ever.

For the first time in her life, Yoon understood the meaning of the word breathtaking.

Rachel’s radiant smile beamed at her before she suddenly pulled her into a tight hug.

Yoon’s pupils dilated.

‘Did… did she just…?’

She had been expecting maybe a greeting.

Not this.

Rachel’s warmth enveloped her, soft and undeniably close.

Yoon’s body instinctively stiffened.

Rachel’s affection wasn’t unpleasant—it was just completely foreign to her.

It wasn’t discomfort keeping her frozen.

It was uncertainty.

She didn’t… mind it.

She just didn’t know what to do.

“She’s… really soft.”

The thought entered her mind before she could stop it.

Still, for some reason, she didn’t pull away.

She simply let Rachel hold her.

“I’m so happy right now! You actually came back to see me!”

Rachel’s voice was bright with excitement.

Yoon cleared her throat, feeling uncharacteristically awkward.

Rachel, completely oblivious to her internal struggle, pulled back just enough to meet her eyes.

“Order anything you like! Or would you like me to recommend something?”

Yoon, still processing everything that had just happened, could only blink.

“Oh! You’ve already started drinking!”

Rachel’s eyes sparkled as she took in the sight of the expensive bottle on the counter.

Noticing the array of appetizers set before Yoon, her smile grew in satisfaction.

Without needing to ask, the bartender had already provided top-tier service.

Rachel shot him an approving look.

“Good job, Danny!”

“Of course, boss. You think I’ve been doing this for years for nothing?”

A silent exchange passed between them, both clearly pleased.

Settling smoothly beside Yoon, Rachel eagerly poured her a fresh drink.

Yoon, feeling mildly overwhelmed by the unwavering warmth in her gaze, let out a small cough.

For a brief moment, she hesitated, wondering if she should pour a drink in return.

Thankfully, the bartender efficiently set things up before she had to decide.

Then, Rachel turned to her, eyes shining with curiosity.

“…Can I know your name today?”

Yoon’s fingers paused against her glass.

Rachel wanted to know her name.

Of course, she did.

Rachel had already guessed Yoon wasn’t an ordinary person. She had even tried asking the suited men who had accompanied Yoon last time.

They had responded only with silence.

So now, she was trying her luck directly.

Rachel’s hopeful gaze remained fixed on Yoon.

Yoon remained silent.

Something about saying her name out loud felt too permanent.

Like it would create a connection that shouldn’t exist.

A civilian like Rachel had no reason to be tangled up with someone like her.

Yoon wasn’t the type to ruin people’s lives.

And she had a feeling that knowing her would do exactly that.

Just as she parted her lips—to refuse—

The doors slammed open.

“YAAAH!! YOON!!”

A familiar voice shattered the atmosphere.

Like a gust of chaos, Turner came sliding into the bar.

“Would it kill you to answer your damn phone?! Do you have any idea how many texts I sent?!”

Without stopping to breathe, he launched into a rant.

Yoon, sighing, pinched the bridge of her nose.

Turner, too lost in his complaints, suddenly froze.

An odd chill slithered up his spine.

His instincts screamed at him—

Something was wrong.

“…Hey.”

Yoon’s voice, calm yet deadly, made Turner’s entire body stiffen.

“Uh…?”

Slowly, he turned to face her.

“That mouth of yours…”

Yoon let out a deep, frustrated exhale.

Her black eyes gleamed ominously, pinning him in place.

Turner, sweating, held up his hands in surrender.

Then—

A soft giggle.

Turner blinked, the unfamiliar sound drawing his attention.

And then—

“Holy shit.”

The words left his mouth before his brain could even process them.

For a second, he forgot how to breathe.

He had been exhausted, his eyes sore from endless overtime.

But now?

He felt reborn.

Like his vision had been miraculously restored.

Because in front of him—smiling—was an actual goddess.

Rachel.

Turner’s jaw slightly unhinged.

He wasn’t even aware he had stopped blinking.

Just as Yoon was about to curse him out, she caught the completely vacant look on his face and exhaled sharply.

There was no saving him.

His eyes were gone—completely lost in whatever fantasy had just swallowed his brain.

“…Ugh.”

Scrubbing a hand down her face, Yoon watched as Turner, still in a stupid daze, took a hesitant step forward.

Then another.

And another.

Until he was standing right in front of Rachel.

“Y-your… n-name… no, wait, number—?!”

His voice trembled.

Turner fully intended to ask for her name like a proper gentleman.

But the second Rachel smiled at him, his brain short-circuited.

Yoon had never seen him look this useless in her life.

Sick of the spectacle, she grabbed him by the back of the neck and yanked him down into the seat beside her.

Turner yelped, struggling for a brief moment before realizing resistance was pointless.

With zero mercy, Yoon slammed a glass of liquor in front of him.

“Shut up and drink.”

Her voice was low, threatening.

A single glance from her and Turner could already hear the death sentence behind those words.

It wasn’t a request.

It was a final warning.

Turner, lips twitching, reluctantly picked up the glass.

Pouting slightly, he muttered under his breath—

“She’s literally an angel, though…”

Yoon just sighed.

This night was going to be exhausting.

* * *

Nevertheless, Yoon couldn’t completely avert her gaze from Rachel. Turner, sipping his drink with a disappointed expression, widened his eyes at the fiery sensation sliding down his throat.

“Holy shit!”

His face lit up with joy, while Yoon, unimpressed, shot him a cold stare.

‘This idiot is so simple.’

She didn’t bother hiding how exasperated she was with him.

Once the two of them seemed to have calmed down, Rachel carefully spoke up.

“…So, I suppose your name is off-limits today as well?”

Although the new arrival had revealed Yoon’s name, Rachel hadn’t received permission to call her that yet. So, she cautiously observed Yoon’s reaction.

Hearing the subtle disappointment in her tone, Yoon clicked her tongue before sighing.

“That moron already spilled it anyway. Just call me whatever you want.”

At her reluctant approval, Rachel’s face instantly brightened, while Turner choked on his drink.

S-she was speaking politely?!

Turner turned to Yoon, utterly shocked.

“What are you staring at?”

Yoon casually downed another sip, unfazed.

Still trying to process what had just happened, Turner accepted a glass of water from the bartender and gulped it down.

This was Yoon.

The same Yoon who had no problem mouthing off to their boss without a second thought.

Hearing her use polite speech was like witnessing an apocalypse.

“You can just speak casually like before!”

Rachel’s face flushed slightly as she eagerly suggested it. She liked the way Yoon spoke normally—it suited her.

Yoon, who had no patience for formal speech, was inwardly relieved.

She instantly switched back.

“Suit yourself.”

Rachel blushed again.

Even the rough way Yoon spoke sounded cool.

Meanwhile, Turner, who had been sipping his drink in silence, cautiously asked—

“If it’s not too much to ask, may I know your name?”

“Ah! I’m Rachel. What about you?”

Rachel smiled warmly.

“I’m Turner!”

As soon as he wiped his hands on his pants and reached out to shake hers, Yoon slapped his hand away.

“Stop screwing around and drink.”

Her tone was cold and firm.

Turner scowled, rubbing his stinging hand.

“…You treat me like some kind of thug.”

“Aren’t you?”

Yoon sneered, disbelief dripping from her voice.

“I am not!”

Turner huffed.

“So all those women you introduced me to—should I assume they weren’t actually women?”

“Hey! That was strictly for business, okay? I had to keep in contact with them—”

Turner’s loud protests gradually softened when he noticed Rachel watching him with an amused glint in her eyes.

His gaze flickered around before he aggressively chomped down on a piece of fruit.

Not even a second later, Rachel’s refreshing laughter rang through the air.

“You two must work together, huh?”

“Ah… not exactly. I work an office job, while this guy handles the… physical work.”

Turner waved his hands, clarifying the difference.

Yoon smirked before tilting back another shot.

“It’s not even comparable. A guy who just files paperwork can’t be put on the same level.”

“Ha! And you’re just some brute who only knows how to throw punches!”

Turner scoffed.

“See this? Look at this!”

He shoved his head forward.

“My neck is probably bruised from all the times she’s grabbed me!”

Yoon, looking utterly disgusted, pushed his head away.

Rachel, watching them quietly, smiled and softly said—

“You two must be really close.”

Yoon and Turner both spoke at the same time.

“We are not.”

“Absolutely not.”

The firm rejection, spoken in perfect unison, made Rachel blink in surprise.

Turner, as if waiting for the moment, immediately spoke in rapid succession.

“It’s business. Strictly business. We only meet up to drink.”

Rachel, looking slightly taken aback, turned to Yoon, but she simply nodded, not bothering to deny it.

The way both of them stubbornly refused to admit to any kind of closeness made Rachel chuckle.

No matter how much they denied it, the two of them clearly had a strong connection.

Even their constant bickering seemed comfortable, something Rachel found herself envying.

“Yoon, do you have a girlfriend?”

“…What?”

Yoon had just taken a sip when she nearly choked, staring at Rachel with wide eyes.

The question caught her completely off guard.

Even Turner, in the middle of chewing, froze with his mouth half open.

‘Wait… what kind of question is that?!’

Wasn’t that usually something a woman asked a man?

Had Rachel mistaken something…?

No—her hopeful eyes were locked directly onto Yoon.

Turner, brain working overtime, suddenly came to a horrifying realization.

His expression turned into one of pure disbelief as he looked between them.

“No way…”

His hand shot up to cover his mouth in shock.

Rachel, watching Yoon like she was waiting for her answer, only deepened his suspicion.

‘I WAS BLINDED BY MY OWN BIASES!!!’

Turner let out a silent scream before immediately downing his drink.

Food lost its taste.

His world had been shattered.

‘Why did I just assume she liked men?!’

He hadn’t even had the chance to compete before getting rejected!

Swallowed by despair, Turner stared blankly as he poured himself another shot.

“Yoon, of all people… Yoon! What the hell does that brute even have going for her?!”

Muttering like a lunatic, Turner failed to notice Yoon shooting him a deeply unimpressed look.

Finally, she spoke—slowly.

“…I don’t have a girlfriend, but…”

Her eyes searched Rachel’s face, still confused.

‘Where is this conversation even going?’

Growing up in an environment full of musclehead men, Yoon had never had a normal conversation with a beautiful woman like this.

It was completely uncharted territory.

Rachel’s expression brightened.

“Then how about me?”

For the first time, Yoon wanted to look away.

Rachel’s eyes were too eager, glowing like a lovesick puppy.

They were pretty—but also intensely overwhelming.

“Uh… you mean, like, as a friend?”

Yoon, still unsure if she was understanding correctly, hesitantly clarified.

“No! As a girlfriend!”

“…”

Yoon momentarily fell into a stunned silence.

When she didn’t immediately answer, Rachel, growing desperate, began listing off her qualifications.

“I know it’s weird to say this about myself, but I’m actually a really great person! I can give you free drinks whenever you want—I’d be a way better drinking buddy than him! And most importantly, I’m rich!”

Rachel grabbed Yoon’s hand, eyes pleading.

Yoon, feeling herself spiraling, instinctively nodded before her brain could process what was happening.

“Oh my gosh!! Thank you!! We’re going to be the best couple ever!”

Rachel let out a squeal of joy before throwing herself into Yoon’s arms.

Yoon’s face went blank as she once again found herself buried in soft warmth.

‘Wait… what…?’

Her thoughts were scattered.

But then—

‘Well… having a rich, generous friend who buys good booze isn’t bad… And she’s… really soft…’

Maybe it was the alcohol.

Maybe it was something else.

But all Yoon knew was that Rachel smelled really nice.

Feeling strangely comfortable, she lazily wrapped her arms around Rachel’s waist and closed her eyes.

Rachel, slightly surprised by the unexpected hugging back, let out a soft chuckle.

Watching Yoon settle against her with a content expression, she gently stroked her hair.

‘Cute. So damn cute! I thought she was just cool, but she’s cute too?!’

Rachel couldn’t contain her excitement as she gazed at Yoon.

Meanwhile, the bottle in front of Yoon was completely empty.

That absurdly strong liquor had been finished in record time, so it was no surprise that the effects were finally kicking in.

Turner, who had been silently watching the entire scene unfold, suddenly shot up from his seat, pointing an accusatory finger at Yoon.

Somehow, another empty bottle had found its way near him too.

The two of them had been drinking at a monstrous pace.

“YOUUUU—!!! Yoon, you bastard!! No wonder you never showed interest in guys! So it was this all along, huh?! And another thing—I am your first drinking buddy! Don’t forget the friendship we built raiding liquor storages together! If you find good booze, you’re supposed to drink it with me first!”

BAM—!

Turner flopped forward, his face hitting the table with a dull thud.

Rachel, startled, instinctively reached out to check on him—

But Yoon’s arms were still loosely wrapped around her waist, preventing her from moving.

Sensing the chaos, the bartender cautiously tried to wake Turner.

Nothing.

The man was out cold.

The bartender glanced at Rachel, unsure what to do.

Rachel hesitated before gently placing her hands on Yoon’s shoulders and pulling her away.

That’s when their eyes met.

Yoon’s pupils, slightly hazy from the alcohol, reflected the dim lights of the bar.

Rachel forgot how to breathe.

She had thought this before, but—

Yoon’s eyes were really, really beautiful.

They were like a night sky, deep and dark, scattered with hidden constellations.

Unlike the sharp, cold gaze from their first meeting, tonight, Yoon’s expression was strangely soft—almost drowsy.

The gentle flush on her cheeks, the relaxed curve of her brows, the slightly parted lips—

Rachel was completely mesmerized.

She had been staring way too long before finally snapping out of it.

Quickly, she released Yoon.

Yoon, blinking slowly, reached into her pocket and pulled out a card, offering it to Rachel.

Rachel, however, simply tucked it back into Yoon’s coat.

“I told you—tonight’s drinks are on me. Consider it my way of repaying you.”

Then, without hesitation, she grabbed a pen and scribbled something down.

“And this is my number!”

Rachel neatly folded the slip of paper and slipped it into Yoon’s pocket.

“Friends should at least have each other’s numbers, right?”

The smoothness of her actions left Yoon momentarily stunned.

Her head tilted slightly, processing the situation—then she gave a small, automatic nod.

Rachel beamed, clearly pleased.

Now fully focused on the mess in front of her, Yoon moved toward Turner and roughly shook his shoulder.

Nothing.

He wasn’t getting up anytime soon.

Annoyed, Yoon hauled him up.

Turner’s entire body wobbled like an overcooked noodle.

Yoon groaned, a string of curses slipping from her lips.

Her own head was spinning, and dealing with Turner’s dead weight was not helping.

“Get your damn legs working, you idiot.”

Her voice was sharp and cold.

Turner, still semi-conscious, groaned pitifully.

Days of overwork, combined with his emotional devastation, had completely broken him.

Yoon leaned in close and muttered—

“If you keep acting like a weakling, I’m never sharing my booze with you again.”

Turner’s eyes snapped open.

“Ssshhh—! I’M AWAKE. I’M TOTALLY AWAKE.”

The sheer determination in his voice made Rachel stifle a laugh.

The man clearly had alcohol, not blood, running through his veins.

Yoon sighed, shaking her head as she pulled out her phone.

“Someone get in here. Our beloved secretary is wasted.”

—[Understood.]

Not even ten seconds later, a subordinate entered the bar.

Without hesitation, Yoon dumped Turner onto him.

Even after all the whiskey and gin she had downed, Yoon still had more control over herself than Turner did.

Which meant this wasn’t just the alcohol.

Turner had been completely drained from overwork.

Unfortunately, that meant she was stuck dealing with the aftermath.

The subordinate tried to support Turner—

Only for Turner to groan loudly and thrash like a child.

“Nghhhh—! No! I don’t wanna go home with some musclehead!”

The entire bar fell silent.

Rachel covered her mouth, struggling to hold back her laughter.

Yoon, however, let out a slow, dangerous sigh.

A vein popped on her forehead.

SMACK—!

Turner collapsed instantly.

The subordinate, unfazed by the situation, swiftly caught him before he hit the floor and carried him bridal style out of the bar.

Rachel, who had been watching in a daze, blinked in shock.

“Um… Was it really okay to hit him that hard? He might bruise…”

“He won’t die.”

Yoon’s voice was utterly unbothered as she turned to Rachel.

“Anyway, thanks. I had a good drink.”

Rachel was about to protest—no, I should be the one thanking you!—but before she could, Yoon spoke again.

“Rachel.”

Rachel’s pupils trembled.

A sharp inhale slipped past her lips.

Yoon had never said her name before.

Her hands instinctively flew to her mouth, overwhelmed with a sudden rush of emotion.

‘…She said my name.’

Rachel’s heart pounded.

Desperately pushing down the giddy warmth rising in her chest, she forced out a bright, cheerful voice—

“I should be thanking you, Yoon! I’m so glad you came!”

Her happiness was unmistakable, practically radiating off her.

Yoon, seeing Rachel’s entire body glowing with joy, let out a small sigh and gave a faint, reluctant smile.

That one smile was enough.

Rachel was done for.

Without thinking—without hesitating—she threw herself into Yoon’s arms again.

And this time—

She did not let go.