a little bit of black with a little bit of pink

Double dare

"Sorry I'm late," Lisa drawled as she dumped her handbag on the floor and slumped down onto a chair. "I didn't want to come."

"Yeah, you made that very clear on the phone," Wendy snorted, rolling her eyes as she sorted through the sugar sachets in the pot without actually using any.

Mouth turning down at the corners, Lisa looked at Jihyo, who gave her a small shrug and a sheepish smile. Hanbin was silent beside her, browsing a menu, and Lisa plucked it from his hands, giving him a crooked smile. All of them had already ordered coffee while she slowly dragged her feet toward Noonan's for the pre-arranged brunch she hadn't been able to weasel her way out of. She thought that Wendy might've come and forcibly removed her from her office if she hadn't shown up.

"Well, I came, didn't I?"

"You getting coffee?" Hanbin asked, a warm smile on his face as he cupped his mug between his hands.

Lips pursed, Lisa hummed as she scanned the drinks options, before setting the menu down and giving him a faint smile. "We're all having mimosas. I'll be back in a second."

"I have to take Ella to soccer practice after school," Jihyo quietly protested, "I can't drink."

"Oh come on, Jihyo. Don't be boring," Lisa groaned, "brunch is awful enough as it is; we can at least get drunk to get through it. I'll let you borrow Hector to chauffeur you to soccer practise and home. How about that?"

"You know, that's actually insulting to the present company," Hanbin said, a wounded tone in his voice.

Lisa let out a quiet laugh, patting his shoulder as she climbed to her feet, before glancing around at the three faces turned towards her and giving them a charming smile. "Oh please, we all went to boarding school together. I know you're not boring. You were never as daring as Jessi, I'll give you that - Wendy aside - but a harmless drink never hurt anyone."

As promised, Lisa ordered them all a round of mimosas. And then three more, until everyone was complaining that they'd had too much and she'd had to drink Jihyo's fourth one as it sat there untouched. They'd all ordered breakfast too, except Lisa, who was happy to make her way through two bloody mary's and another mimosa in that time, the alcohol and juice hitting her empty stomach and going straight to her head. She would regret it in the morning, if not by late afternoon, but Lisa was bored. So she drank until she hoped it would go away, only for the conversation to turn towards work, and thus, ruin any resemblance of a good time.

"Let's do something fun!" Lisa complained, pouting slightly as she glowered, slouching in her seat.

"I'm supposed to be back at the office in ten minutes!" Jihyo protested, letting out a short laugh as she gave her a pointed look, "I'm not a billionaire, unlike you three."

Scoffing, Lisa rolled her eyes and picked up her drink and tossing her head back to expose the length of her pale throat as she drained it in one gulp. Primly setting the glass back down, she slung an arm over the back of her chair and rolled her shoulders in a languid shrug.

"I'm your boss. Take the day off."

"Lisa."

Hanbin chuckled quietly beside her as he shovelled the last of his omelette into his mouth, dark eyes warm with laughter as he glanced sideways at her. "We're all responsible adults now. If I drink anymore, I'm going to be in bed all day tomorrow with a horrific hangover and you know it."

"When did you all become so old."

"Please," Wendy sighed, giving her a withering look, "I don't look a day over twenty-seven, sweetheart. Seaweed facials, Hanbin. Try them."