Chapter Text
Taehyung looked around the club. He has been there twice, but it was the first time in daylight. He really liked the place, it was nothing fancy or pretentious, but it wasn’t a hole either, it was clean and the furniture was quite modern. It looked different when there wasn’t blasting music and colourful flickering lights and people all around though.
“Taehyung, nice to see you again! Come, let’s go to my office,” a brunette with a wide smile waved at him.
“Hello, Hoseok-ssi,” Taehyung smiled politely and went to the man that was standing next to a big bar.
He met Jung Hoseok twice before and he had to say that, despite being an owner of such a place, he had a very friendly and calming aura around him. He was glad that someone like him was becoming his boss.
The first time he met Hoseok was in a different club. He was just chatting to a guy at the bar for the past hour, finally getting to the point of inviting him home when they agreed on what they were going to do and for how much. The guy left to get his jacket when Taehyung was approached by a stranger with a friendly smile.
All Hoseok said to him that evening was: “If you get tired of finding random dudes and bargaining with them and you will want something more secure, give me a call.”
With that, the man handed him a business card and left confused Taehyung alone. The brunette looked at the small card with address and phone number on it and in purple writing at the top there was written Purple Moon.
Taehyung went home with the man and didn’t think about the strange encounter since he had different things to worry about, the rent of his shitty apartment was due in few days and he really needed money so he had to focus on making this guy happy.
But days went by and he was short on money, finding a job without education and qualification was very hard and so selling his body was all that was left. But going out every other night and seducing mostly married men was quite exhausting and it wasn’t making him nearly as much money as he needed. It might be enough for a rent and other expenses like food, but it wasn’t enough for drugs. His love for cocaine was very expensive, he knew there were cheaper drugs, but nothing got him going quite like coke so he didn’t settle for anything less.
Then one day he remembered the business card and since he was curious, he found Purple Moon on Internet to see what it was. He wasn’t shocked or surprised when he found out it was a strip club, most likely more than just that. Even though prostitution was illegal in Korea, there were places offering such services. Police usually left them be, as long as they were paying taxes and there weren’t any issues and scandals surrounding the places, they let them operate. Half of the law enforcement in the country was corrupted anyway, Taehyung knew firsthand. He has been arrested quite a few times, so he knew that many policemen could be bribed with money and others with sex. Taehyung always got out without charges and going to court after all.
About a month ago, he went to check out Purple Moon, posing as a curious customer. It was weekend so the place was bursting with people and there were couple of strippers dancing on stages around the polls and giving lap dances in the audience. He didn’t miss few of them leading the clients to a corridor behind the stages so his theory of what this place was were confirmed. He noticed that, unlike most clubs where there were only female strippers, this place was mixed, there were quite a lot of guys as well and everyone was just so pretty. He knew he would fit in.
Few days later, he called Hoseok and told him that he was interested to find out more about the potential job offer. The man invited him to the club and that was the second time Taehyung was there. Hoseok told him some basics about working hours and work ethics, but of course, the money was most important to Taehyung. When he heard that only from stripping and tips he would make more than what he was making on his own, he was very intrigued. Hoseok didn’t tell him specific salary for other services, he just said that they depended on the type and extension of the service, which was understandable. A simple blow job or hand job was surely paid less than some kinky sex, but Taehyung had his fair share of experience so he didn’t really mind anything.
And now he was here in Purple Moon for the third time, about to sign a contract for a month. Hoseok told him that it was a standard procedure, every new employee signed a contract for thirty days to see if all parties were content, then the stripper could quit or they would sign another contract and honestly, Taehyung thought that it was pretty fair.
He followed Hoseok to a corridor behind the bar with couple of doors and they entered his office. It was quite extravagant, but Taehyung thought it fitted his new boss.
“I am happy that you decided to join us, Taehyung, you will soon find out that we are like a family here,” the elder smiled brightly and took out documents from the table drawer.
“I really like it here so far, Hoseok-ssi,” Taehyung replied politely.
“I’m glad to hear that. And please, not so formally, hyung is fine.”
“Alright, hyung.”
“Great, now to the contract, here it is,” Hoseok pushed one paper to Taehyung. The brunette read it carefully, he wasn’t dumb, he always read what he was signing, he knew it was easy to get fucked over and get in trouble when people weren’t paying attention. But everything seemed fine, everything was according to what Hoseok told him before, including the part where twenty percent of what Taehyung made went to the club, which he thought was a reasonable amount.
“Amazing,” Hoseok clapped when Taehyung signed two copies, keeping one and giving the owner the other. The elder said: “For your first week, you will only be learning and dancing.”
“What about other stuff?”
“That you will do in your second week. Working here doesn’t require more than stripping and dancing, if you wanted to do only that, that is fine, of course, you won’t make as much.”
“No, I am fine with anything,” the younger shrugged.
“I knew you would be,” Hoseok grinned and Taehyung couldn’t be offended or blame him, the elder literally met him when he was bargaining prices with that guy in that bar.
“So when do I start?” Taehyung wondered.
“If you can, let’s start straight away. But don’t worry, today you will be just taken around and given information and advice,” Hoseok said: “I would do it, but I believe one of the other employees will do much better job, I have someone perfect for it, come, let’s go meet him.”
Taehyung didn’t have anything against starting today, he didn’t have anywhere else to be anyway and the sooner he started making money, the better.
He followed Hoseok back to the club, it was still closed, it was only afternoon, but when they came, he noticed there were few people that probably came to get the club ready for the evening. He noticed two people behind the bar, probably bartenders and he also saw couple of guys and girls, practicing on the stage their numbers.
“Jimin-ah, come here!” Hoseok yelled and a young man with nice body and angelic face hopped off the stage and came to them.
“Jimin-ah, this is Taehyung, the new addition to the family I told you about. Will you show him around?” the boss asked.
“But what about my number? I gotta practice, hyung.”
“You won’t be working tonight, at least not until you are done with Taehyung, that is your main task. Don’t worry, I’ll pay you.”
“Whatever you say, boss,” the dancer grinned and then turned to Taehyung:”I am Jimin, it’s so nice to meet you, welcome to the Purple Moon.”
“Taehyung, nice to meet you too.”
“I can already tell you guys are gonna get along. Well, I am gonna leave you, I have a work to do,” Hoseok said and left them.
“Alright, Taehyung, let’s show you the place,” Jimin grabbed his wrist and practically dragged him from the bar. Taehyung felt immense energy from the man that looked around his age and his hair was dyed bubblegum pink, he could tell that the energy was positive too and he liked it.
“I assume you took a look around the club already,” Jimin looked at him.
“Yeah, I guess there is nothing new for me to see here.”
“Alright, let’s go to the back then.”
They headed to the corridor where Taehyung previously saw strippers disappearing with clients and he had an idea what was there.
“Alright, so to the right there are rooms,” Jimin said and Taehyung noticed at least dozen doors. The pink haired man added: “I am gonna show you one so you know what it looks like, they are all pretty much the same. There is just one VIP room that is slightly bigger and there is also a bathroom inside, but we use that one only with our most important clients and that doesn’t happen very often.”
Jimin opened the door closest to them and they walked in. The room was pretty simple, there was no window for obvious reasons, but there was a big and comfortable looking and especially clean bed and couple of drawers that were probably hiding supplies and toys that might be useful. Even though there wasn’t much, the room still had cosy and sexy feel to it and Taehyung liked that.
Jimin walked over to a headboard: “Here is an emergency button, remember that. If something went wrong with a client, you just press it and a security will get the signal and number of the room. The rooms can’t be locked so anyone can come in if needed.”
“That sounds very safe.”
“We take safety very seriously here,” Jimin nodded: “Most of our clients are regulars so they are reliable, but some new fucker comes from time to time, thinking they can do whatever they want just because they pay you, Hobi-hyung has blacklisted lots of assholes over the years that are banned from the club.”
“Well, wouldn’t be the first time I had to deal with some stupid fucker,” Taehyung said. Seducing strangers came with risks and he knew that first hand, luckily he was always able to deal with them without any harm. Then he wondered: “What if my hands are tied?”
“Make them tie you up so you can still reach the button, that is why it’s on the headboard. But if I can give you a little advice, don’t do anything that would put you in a vulnerable position with someone you don’t know. In time, you will build a regular clientele, most of guys coming here have favourites so you will feel comfortable with them and trust them. But if you go with someone new, try to direct them into doing something that won’t endanger you. Besides, dangerous practices are banned in the club.”
“Like what?”
“Well, anything that could go wrong,” Jimin shrugged: “Like choking or knife play and stuff like that, weapons are banned from the club anyway, but you never know what someone sneaks in.”
“Alright, that sounds good,” the brunette hummed.
“I have been telling you all this, but I don’t even know if you will be only dancing, I should have asked before,” Jimin eyed the other.
“Well, Hoseok-hyung said the first week I’d only dance, but then I count on doing other work.”
“Okay, just checking, not everyone has stomach for it.”
“It’s not new,” Taehyung shrugged: “I have been fucking guys for money for years.”
“Most of us were before we came here,” Jimin nodded without any sign of judgment: “Well, more accurate would be to say before Hobi-hyung found us, he always finds the employees and gives them this opportunity.”
“For how long have you been working here?” Taehyung wondered, having a feeling that Jimin wasn’t one to get easily offended by any question, he had this cocky and confident aura around him, Taehyung felt like they were very similar. They weren’t sugar-coating anything, they knew what they were doing and that it wasn’t good in the eyes of most people, but that was their life.
“About two years,” Jimin said as they left the room and continued to a small area behind the stages from where the dancers walked out to perform and entered quite a spacious room that served as a dressing room. There were lockers and lots of clothes and costumes and couple of beauty tables.
“There aren’t many people working on week days, but get ready for weekends, the place gets cramped. Over there is a bathroom with a shower and toilette, don’t shower for too long though, everyone wants to take a turn after their shift so be quick about it.”
“Okay.”
“Here,” Jimin said, walking over to one locker and taking the key from it, giving it to Taehyung: “Locker comes in handy, you can put your stuff in there and definitely put some clean underwear in there too, you are gonna need it. As for clothes and costumes to perform in, you will be using what you see here, we have pretty much free hand in what we wanna wear, although it should fit your aesthetic. Since you are new, you don’t have one yet, but don’t worry, you will find it soon.”
“What do you mean?” Taehyung wondered.
“Well, at the beginning, try as many styles as you want and observe what the clients like. I, for example, have a cute and innocent aesthetic, that’s what most guys dig, but there are others that like sexy guys, you know what I’m saying?”
“Oh, I understand,” Taehyung nodded: “I don’t know if cute would fit me though.”
“Like I said, try as many things as you can and you’ll see what people go most crazy for,” the other winked and then scanned him with his eyes from head to toe: “But you seem like a little vixen to me, I would personally see you in some sexy yet mysterious aesthetic.”
“I think I could work with that,” Taehyung smirked.
“Oh, Taehyung, I can already tell that you are gonna fit in here and that you are gonna be popular,” Jimin grinned: “I mean, look at you, you are handsome as hell and you have this aura around you, I bet you are good at seducing people.”
“I mean, I have been fucking guys for money for years and never had big problems to pick anyone up,” the brunette shrugged confidently.
“Oh, you are definitely sexy, your confidence is.”
“You are confident too, I can tell.”
“Yeah, but my cute face is deceiving and if that is what my clients like then I am gonna play innocent,” Jimin wiggled his eyebrows as they left the dressing room.
“How am I gonna learn how and what to dance though? I have fucked people for money but I never performed like this,” Taehyung worried.
“You can give lap dances, right? I mean, that is not hard, you just gotta dance sexily and grind against them.”
“Yeah, I think I can do that.”
“Then you can start with that and learn how to dance on stage and around the poll in time, you would come here before work, I could teach you, I don’t mind, I love dancing.”
“Oh, that would be great, thank you, Jimin,” Taehyung smiled.
“I can already tell that you are gonna be good at it, you look athletic and flexible and seductive, that is a perfect combination,” Jimin smiled back: “Oh, and you have to choose a stage name. I mean, employees usually call each other with real names when clients are not around, but when there are clients, we never reveal our real names.”
“Oh, I gotta think about it,” Taehyung hummed: “What is your stage name?”
“Mochi,” the pink haired man revealed and fluttered his eyelashes, feigning innocence.
Taehyung actually laughed: “Well, I gotta say that it suits your cute cheeks quite well and if your aesthetic is cute and innocent then that is fitting too.”
“Just choose whatever you want, no one really cares, it doesn’t have to be anything stereotypical like Candy, but if you think you are gonna go for a certain aesthetic then it should go well with it.”
“In other words, I shouldn’t choose anything cute.”
“I don’t think that would fit you,” Jimin chuckled and looked over to the bar and yelled: “Oh, Jin-hyung, hi!”
Taehyung looked to the bar, seeing almost exceptionally handsome man preparing everything for the opening. Jimin grabbed his wrist again and dragged him to the bar.
“Hyung, this is Taehyung, new addition to the family, he just signed the contract,” Jimin informed the bartender.
“Hello, Taehyung, it’s nice to meet you, I hope you will like it here with us,” the man smiled warmly: “I am Seokjin, don’t use formalities, we don’t do it here.”
“It’s nice to meet you, hyung,” Taehyung bowed a little to the man.
“Will you make some drinks for us, hyung?” Jimin shimmied in.
“You know Hobi doesn’t appreciate when you drink before work.”
“I don’t work tonight, or well, I am with Tae tonight.”
“In that case I guess it doesn’t hurt,” Seokjin winked at him: “Go take a seat darlings, I am gonna mix something special and bring it to you.”
“You are the best,” Jimin grinned and nearly skipped away to a small table where Taehyung joined him.
“So, Taehyung, I feel like we can talk directly,” Jimin looked at the brunette: “How did you start doing this? Sleeping with people for money, I mean?”
“I just lost a job and I was tired of looking for a new one because I have changed a lot of places,” Taehyung shrugged, not minding talking about it, he had a feeling that most people working here, including Jimin, had a pretty similar experience and path. He continued: “I have always liked sex, I’ve fucked many guys even before I started getting paid and so I figured that there isn’t really a big difference. Should I bring them home just to fuck or should they also pay me?”
“Lots of people can’t stomach the idea of selling their body,” the pink haired man pointed out.
“When you think about it, we all sell our bodies no?” Taehyung pointed out: “We sell our bodies to companies or stores that we work for, this is just slightly different kind.”
“That is actually an interesting way of looking at it, I like it,” Jimin smiled.
“I didn’t mind doing it, I didn’t feel dirty or anything,” Taehyung continued: “It was just embarrassing at first to ask for money out loud, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“But I got used to it and after a while, I just developed this instinct or whatever you wanna call it, I can just tell what types of guys are willing to pay for it. Besides, I am high most of the time.”
“Oh, so that is the reason you need money,” Jimin chuckled: “Well, you are not the only one, most people here are on something. So what is your poison?”
“Not that I wouldn’t take anything else, but my favourite is definitely cocaine,” Taehyung revealed without a shame.
“Oh, fancy, it costs a lot of money.”
“It just works the best for me and why would I settle for anything else?”
“I like your confidence, you know what you’ve got, that’s good,” Jimin grinned: “I really like you Taehyung, I think we are gonna be good friends. How old are you anyway?”
“Twenty five.”
“Oh, we are the same age then! Well, I hope you will feel good here and become part of our family, I might be biased, but this place really is great.”
“Tell me more about it,” Taehyung demanded: “What is it like working here?”
“It is amazing, really,” Jimin reassured him: “I think the best thing about this is security, you have people looking out for you and no one can rip you off, everyone has to pay. Except for tips that we get directly from the customers, all the other transactions are made electronically, we live in twenty first century.”
“Oh, how does that work?”
“You agree on what you are gonna do with the client, then you go and do the deed, of course, while you are at it, things can be changed or added. When it’s over, you go together over there to the terminal and say what you were doing and they pay with card.”
“Very modern,” Taehyung chuckled.
“It’s better than to carry big amount of cash,” Jimin shrugged: “After the club takes the twenty percent like it is in the contract, they send it to your bank account.”
Their conversation was interrupted by Seokjin who brought them colourful drinks.
“Here you go, darlings,” the older man said.
“Thanks, hyung, it looks great and I don’t doubt it will taste great too, you are a magician,” Jimin grinned.
“It’s my job,” Seokjin winked at him and left again.
“Jin-hyung likes to mix and experiment with drinks, but they always come out great,” Jimin told Taehyung.
The brunette looked over to the bar, staring for few seconds at the handsome man whose hair was dyed blonde. He could be a model, Taehyung thought that it was kind of a shame for him to be in place like this. But then again, lots of people he’s seen so far were beautiful and no matter the looks, did anyone deserve to be in place like this? They all chose it though, just like Taehyung.
“What’s up with Seokjin? Does he only work at the bar?” Taehyung wondered.
“Are you asking if you are gonna see him up there on stage or at the back rooms?”
“Yeah.”
“No, you won’t,” Jimin chuckled.
“And did he do it before?”
“Oh no, his boyfriend wouldn’t allow it,” Jimin snorted: “I mean, Namjoon-hyung is very nice and mostly calm, but when he gets pissed off…let’s just say it wouldn’t be nice.”
“Oh, so Jin-hyung has a jealous boyfriend?” Taehyung chuckled.
“Not really jealous, but would you want someone who you are in a relationship with to fuck other people?”
“I guess not,” the brunette hummed.
“Seokjin-hyung doesn’t need it anyway, he is not making bad money at the bar and he’s got everything he asks for from Namjoon-hyung, he can’t say no to him,” Jimin chuckled.
“Who is this Namjoon? Is he coming here sometimes?”
“Oh yeah, he comes here and there to see Seokjin, but he also comes for business, he works for the boss, you see, he is something like his right hand.”
“Oh, so he works for Hoseok-hyung?”
“Oh no, Hobi-hyung is not the boss. I mean, he is the boss here, he is the manager, but he is not the owner,” Jimin revealed.
“I thought he owned the place,” Taehyung breathed out. He had no idea why, he didn’t know Hoseok well after all, but he assumed the place was his.
“Like I said, he is the boss here, Purple Moon is like his baby,” Jimin said as if he could read the other’s thoughts: “But it’s Mr. Jeon who owns the club.”
“Mr. Jeon?” Taehyung raised an eyebrow.
“He owns lots of places and has lots of…other businesses,” the pink haired man replied slightly mysteriously.
Taehyung wasn’t dumb, he’s met a lot of people and he knew the neighbourhood and how things worked and were run. From just this brief conversation, he figured that this Mr. Jeon was most likely a gangster, most of clubs like Purple Moon were owned by one.
He didn’t mind though, that revelation did nothing to him, it didn’t freak him out or anything, he has seen enough shit on the streets to know what this neighbourhood was like. He has seen people fighting and being killed, he has seen people lying on sidewalks, dying from overdose, he’s seen men and women bargaining outside and selling their bodies on plain sight. He wasn’t naïve, he knew what part of the city this neighbourhood was and he was part of it.
“And does Mr. Jeon come here?” he wondered. He has never really met a gangster, he’s seen some people that he was pretty sure were gangsters, but he was actually quite intrigued to see one from up close and maybe even talk to him.
“Every now and then, not very often, but he shows up once in few months. He usually sends his people to talk to Hoseok when he needs something or when he just wants to check how the club is doing, it’s usually Namjoon and Yoongi that come, they are like his right hands. But sometimes Mr. Jeon comes to kinda remind everyone who owns the place and when he is here, he usually takes someone to the VIP room. I have been with him before, I think he has a soft spot for me and I like him too,” Jimin chuckled. From the way he talked about all these people, it sounded like he was quite fond of them.
“And Seokjin? Does he only work in the bar or does he do anything else?”
“He isn’t really in their business, I think mostly for safety reasons, he is not like Namjoon or Yoongi,” Jimin said: “But he does sell their drugs over the counter, Mr. Jeon is one of the biggest suppliers in the city.”
“Oh, he has some stuff?” Taehyung perked up: “Does he sell to the employees too?”
“Yeah, no one really cares what we do,” Jimin reassured him: “Most people here take something, it makes the job easier. The only condition is that it can’t interfere with our work, you can get high, but don’t get completely smashed, it doesn’t look great in front of the clients. And don’t do drugs with them, especially don’t take anything from them, if you wanna get some boost before performing or fucking, just do it in the dressing room.”
“Alright, noted,” Taehyung nodded. He really liked this place so far, what other work place would be so opened to their employees taking drugs? It wasn’t like he was an addict, that was also one of the reasons why he almost exclusively took coke. He knew there could be psychological dependence on it, but it was still better than crap like Heroin, he would never shoot that shit in his veins. He only took it sometimes to feel good. It was ironic, really, because he started fucking people for money to be able to buy coke, but the more people he fucked, the more he was taking. It wasn’t like he couldn’t sell his body if he wasn’t high, it was simply just better. The drug made him feel energetic and happy and horny, that’s what he loved about it. But he could go for days, even weeks without taking it and he was fine, he wasn’t really an addict.
“It’s nearly opening time,” Jimin checked the time when they downed their drinks, that by the way were delicious, and he got up: “It’s a week day so there aren’t gonna be lots of employees, but I should still introduce you to those who are here and then we can watch the performances and how shit works around here so you are gonna get the idea of what to expect.
“Sounds good,” Taehyung nodded and got up as well. He was very sociable, he didn’t have a problem with meeting new people, so he was actually really excited. If this place was really as great as Jimin painted it, these people here might soon become his family.