V The Bar, Z City.
Just as the clock struck 8 PM, the neon tubes spelling the single letter V flicked on, glowing in a vibrant shade of violet.
A beautiful young girl was the first to cross the threshold. She wore her favorite blue jeans and a plain but comfy sweatshirt. It was the same outfit she always chose whenever she came here for her night gigs.
Her band arrived shortly after, and the bar owner poured each of them a drink before any guests showed up. It wasn't just an extra payment aside from the cash. It was also his way of helping them warm up before the performance started.
"Kaija, my lovely star," the owner said, placing a large pint of lager on the table next to the main stage. "How are you feeling tonight, dear? Ready to drill another deep hole in our hearts with that soulful voice of yours?"
"Absolutely," Kaija replied with a grin, taking a modest sip of the lager. "I'm giving you all my best tonight, Vance. It's my last night."
Vance froze, the glass stilled in his hand. Carefully, he set it back down. "Woah, woah, woah, wait," he leaned in, whispering low so only she could hear. "I'm sure we can work something out, angel. Am I not paying you enough? Is it the band? If you don't like the band, I can totally switch them out. Or the drink? Do you want a cocktail instead?"
Kaija scoffed, patting his shoulder casually. "No, it's not that. I got a job offer, and the pay is really good. I can't do this side gig forever. I've got my Hospitality degree now, you know that."
Vance's face tightened, his tone souring. "What kind of job could possibly take you away from me and my place?"
"Flight attendant," Kaija replied with a confident smile.
Everyone in S Country knew aviation jobs paid well. These singing gigs had been giving her about S$800 a month, which was barely enough to cover her expenses during her last four years of college. Still, she knew she couldn't build a life on that. The new job offered S$5,000. There was no way Vance could ever match it.
A long, defeated sigh slipped out of him. "I see, angel," he said, patting her back. "Well… what can I say? It's been a pleasure having you here, bringing life to this shabby place for the past four years. Just know every soul who's ever heard your voice under this roof will miss you. I will miss you."
"Thanks, Vance," Kaija replied with a polite smile. "Thanks for giving me a place to live out my little youth passion." She slipped inside the back room along with the band.
Around 9 PM, when the room was starting to fill up and the show was about to start, a tall man walked in among the other guests.
His features were particularly striking — short, neatly trimmed chestnut hair, and sharp, piercing silver eyes without a single hint of warmth in them.
Unlike the other guests, who dressed in casual shorts and loose beach shirts like they'd only come for nothing more than a chill night, this man was boxed into a tailored black suit from head to toe. Even his expensive-looking black leather shoes were spotless.
He had only visited on one of his random whims — something to spice up his endlessly boring days as a man born with everything yet utterly dissatisfied with everything.
The man quickly found a seat at the bar.
Then he noticed a beautiful girl lingering by the stage, chatting with the band like she was their singer.
Beautiful, she was, with those brilliant blue eyes, deep as sapphire, and her long black hair flowing carelessly down her back. But in the world he lived in, beauty was always in abundance, and for a pair of eyes so used to gems, even a shining jewel could start to lose its luster.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a faint smirk. He'd come for the drinks, as one of his business partners had praised when recommending this place. The singing was merely an extra.
Or so he thought. The moment the liquid in his crystal-clear glass touched his lips was when the girl took the stage. The moment the cold sip slid down his throat was when her lips parted.
And then she sang.
The glass froze in his hand. If an angel could sing, why would she choose to descend into this hidden bar, of all places?
The song wasn't a particularly popular one. The band behind her was just C-class amateur. And yet, with her voice alone, she took the song, polished it into a gemstone, and made it hers.
He looked around the room. It wasn't just him, but every single man present there that night had their eyes glued to her, their face a mesmerized expression.
After five songs, the girl slipped into a room behind the stage. When she didn't come back out to sing again, he went to ask, and he soon learnt that she'd already left. Frustrated, he asked to see the bar's manager.
Vance stepped out a few minutes later, his eyes narrowing when he saw the man sitting at the bar. The man looked strangely familiar, though Vance couldn't place where he'd seen them before.
"How can I help you?" Vance asked, his voice cautious as he eyed the man's expensive suit.
"The singer just now, what's her name?" the man asked.
"Kaija Sepala," Vance replied. "You're very lucky, sir. Tonight was her last performance with us."
"She found a place better than yours?" the man asked with a smirk.
"She got an aviation job," Vance said, still smiling despite the mockery in the man's tone. "She'll soon be a flight attendant for Starlight Airlines. What a shame, but honestly I'm not even surprised. She's beautiful, she's tall, and she's charming. She checks every box they want for the job."
"Give me her number," the man ordered curtly like he wasn't interested in a single word Vance'd just said.
Vance's expression tightened. "I'm afraid that's not possible, sir," he said, displeasure leaking into his voice. "I have a responsibility to protect the privacy of the people who work for me."
The man rose abruptly from the stool, dropped a S$500 bill on the bar, and headed toward the door without another word.
"Wait, sir!" Vance called after him, his face a stunned look. "Your drink was only S$30!"
The man shot him an icy glare over his shoulder, his tone just as cold. "That was for the singing, not your trashy drink." Then he disappeared through the door before Vance could snap back.
Starlight Airlines?
The man's silver eyes narrowed as he made his way down the stairs. He'd never flown commercial a day in his life, but if it meant seeing her, he'd make an exception.
"Kaija Sepala." The name rolled off softly on his tongue, a smirk forming on his lips.
A decision was made. He would have her under his wing, no matter what it cost.