Jennie
"Phone down. Mouth open." I lift my eyes. Lisa stands in front of me, holding two tiny tasting glasses.
"I can't." I tell her. "I'm on duty."
"This is official business. And I need your palate."
"Well, sober one, why don't you ask one of the boys for their opinion?"
"You have better taste." Those dark eyes meet mine.
I let out a light laugh and tuck my phone in my back pocket. "Okay." I agree. "A small taste."
Lisa hands one of the glasses to me. I tip it to my lips and take a small sip. The acidic taste of raw liquor hits the back of my throat harshly, and I screw up my nose.
"It tastes like a coin." I tell her.
"Nickel or a penny?"
"There's a difference?"
"Like tinfoil or copper?"
I think. "Copper."
"You're tasting the original stills." She tosses the rest of the cup in the discard bucket and hands off another shot. "Try this one."
A summery smell hits my nose as I put it to my mouth. I daintily sip this one and roll it on my tongue before taking a second taste.
"Well?" Lisa watches me expectantly.
"Better." I say. "It tastes like peaches... a little less smoky."
Lisa turns back to Somi. "We'll reserve a barrel of the peach moonshine for the reception." she tells her.
Bambam and Eunwoo have three times as many empty tasting glasses in front of them. "Take this away from me." Bambam groans. "That moonshine is dangerous. Goes down like water."
"You aren't kidding." Eunwoo laughs.
Lisa's eyes flit over my head, and her expression changes. "Hold that thought." She whisks past me toward the door. I see her greet someone, but I can't see who it is at first, the postcard rack blocks the other's body from view. Lisa smiles widely and goes in for a hug. I see red hair, it's a woman, I know that for sure. Lisa pulls her through the gift shop, with her hand on the woman's back, and I try to ward off this incomprehensible stab of jealousy.
When I see who it is, however, my heart plummets into my stomach.