pure imagination || jing yuan, blade, & dan heng

seven

"Double phone calls within the same week, y/n? Must be a special occasion," Gepard said as he smiled. His phone being put on speaker as he set it on his desk.

"Please, we talk all the time," y/n said.

"Right, sure. Anyway, its Wednesday night already, shouldn't you be either working or heading home by now?"

"Well about that.. I took the night off so I could finish that coat I mentioned to you earlier this week."

Gepard hummed to himself as he signed a document, "and what about the money you need to pay Sampo?"

"I- I already have a plan for that!"

"Let me guess, you're going to rob a bank tomorrow," Gepard mused to himself as he joked with her, but the silence was quick to ensue as he paused what he was doing, "wait. You're not serious are you? If you want, I can seriously pay off-"

"No way," she said cutting him off, "the last thing I want is to use you for your money!"

"You aren't using me, y/n."

"It will certainly feel like it though. Besides, I didn't tell you about this whole material and money fiasco because I wanted you to do something about it. I was just telling a friend about a shitty day at work. I swear."

Gepard pressed his lips together and hesved a sigh, "alright, alright. Honestly, you-"

"Oh, hold that thought. I'm getting another call. Huh, thats odd, my boss from that night bar is calling me..."

"So late though? I know its a Wednesday night, but isn't it weird for him to be calling?"

"I'm talking to you, aren't i?"

"You called me first."

She laughed on the other end causing Gepard to smile, "you have a point there! Anyway, i'll talk to you later."

"Sure thing, and be careful on your walk home from your shop."

"I will."

AT STELLARON TAILOR

"What do you mean I'm fired?! Is this about me taking the night off?!"

After she ended her call with Gepard, she was quick to answer her boss, and what happens? She gets fired.

"L- listen y/n. I'm sorry. But we just can't afford to have you work here anymore. I need an employee who's willing to work the stage and in, well, you know .. the private rooms."

"You- you-"

She was at a loss for words, was her boss seriously telling her that in order for her to keep her job she would have to start pleasing men?!

"I'm sorry y/n, when you're up for a full time job, you know where the night club is."

"Wait-"

He hung up leaving y/n without her second job.

Before she could think anymore on the subject, there was a slight jingle at the door signaling someone coming in. Great, now what?

"Sorry, sir, but we're closed-"

Her words were quick to get caught in her throat, her eyes landing directly onto her new visitor.

Blade?

"Sorry for the sudden visit, song bird, but I got worried when you weren't up on stage tonight. Even after I made the effort to go up there and have the full intention of requesting a song."

"Ah, I see, sorry about that," she said with a nervous laugh. Her hands clenching into fists as she thanked herself for being behind the counter. If she needed to get away, the back exit was so close-

"So, will i see you tomorrow night? There's this song I've been dying to hear."

She shook her head, "I uhm- i actually got fired, so I think a song is off the table, anyway .. on to more important questions .. how on earth did you know that I was here?"

"Your boss, I asked him."

"Ah..."

First he fires me and then tells this dangerous guy where to find me?! Is Xiangshi trying to ruin my life?!

Blade took a moment to look around the shop as y/n came to terms to everything. His eyes wandering from item to item.

"Stellaron Tailor," Blade mused to himself, "quite the name."

Y/n snapped out of her thoughts as she refocused back onto the man who came to stop in front of her. The counter being the only barrier separating them.

"Y- yeah, I don't know who came up with it, but I hear S- Stellaron is a brand name that tags stores in a retail chain. In other words, they basically have the same name brand and whatnot. For- for example, there's also the Stellaron Outlet, the Stellaron Sweets, Stellaron Charity, Stellaron Jade, and among other places," she said trailing off.

"You know a lot.. do you know who owns the store chain?"

"Well, they say it originally belongs to- to uhh, I think to a corporation called Stellaron Hunters? But I'm not entirely sure who the one in charge is..."

She didn't know why she was talking about this. She wish she didn't. But who knows? Maybe she was just trying to talk her way out of this situation. Or change the subject. Look for a way out as she went on about stores and chains and who owned them. Talking was never her strong suit, but she thought it was better than dead, awkward silence.

"A- Anyway, Blade ...," she started but he cut her off.

"You know, my offer still stands."

"The one where I sing for you?"

"Thats the one," he said whilst he leaned onto the counter and reached for her. His fingers playing with a few strands of her hair.

"I'll have to think about it...," she muttered.

"You do that. But make your decision quickly. I'm not a patient man."

He stopped playing with her hair as he gave her own final look, "I'll be back tomorrow night, so you better be here. I mean, its not like you have any other job."

She wanted to say something witty right back at him, but her courage died right in throat as he left. The store being empty once more.

What do I do?