Come Alive

Amidst the soft hum of conversation and the occasional clink of glasses, Ruìsāng found himself behind the Lunar Lounge’s grand bar, skillfully crafting cocktails under the gentle glow of moon-themed lights. As he meticulously garnished a cocktail with a twist of lemon, Ruìsāng glanced up, catching the eye of an unfamiliar new patron.

“Be with you in a second,” he smiled at the man, finishing up his cocktail and handing it to a blonde girl, who reciprocated with a warm smile before taking a sip of her drink. He threw her a playful wink, before heading over to their newest guest.

“You look like you’re lost. Tell me, what’s the poison for today?” he grinned, grabbing one of the menus from the bar and gracefully presenting it to the newcomer, turning it around so he could look through.

Printed on deep blue paper with silver accents that glimmered like stars, the menu was a work of art in itself. Under the "Galactic Elixirs" section, an array of cocktails beckoned, promising a taste of the stars themselves. The appetiser menu, titled "Interstellar Bites," featured an assortment of tantalising small plates. The main courses, found under "Galaxy Grains," showcased a blend of international cuisines. And finally, desserts, listed as "Celestial Sweets," provided a sweet finale to the cosmic feast.

The man asked what he’d recommend and Ruìsāng looked him up and down with a smirk. “It depends on what you’re looking for,” he answered. He leaned over the bar a little, using his elbows to support his weight as he tapped on a specific part of the menu, drawing attention to the option: Bartender's Choice. The description encouraged patrons to pick a flavour profile—sweet, sour, fruity, bitter, and so forth—and let the bartender concoct something unique, not necessarily listed on the menu.

“So tell me. Are you looking for something sweet? Something strong, perhaps?” Ruìsāng inquired, a glint of intrigue in his red eyes as he flashed a charming smile. He revelled in his role, relishing the opportunity to craft personalised drinks that perfectly suited the desires of his guests.

Sour and strong, the man requested. Ruìsāng hummed softly, half turning around to survey the bottles as he contemplated which concoction would suit the requested taste. Sour and strong. Many cocktails fell into the sour category, such as the daiquiri, margarita, and mojito. Then there were the whiskey sour, tequila sour, vodka sour, Tom Collins, gin fizz...

His red eyes shifted from the bottles back to his guest when questioned about the frequency of such requests.  “Quite. Especially groups, or when they’re a few drinks in,” he smiled. “Regulars like it as well. As do I. It’s an interesting game to see if I can guess what kind of drink would suit you,” he continued, finally deciding on a bottle of bourbon.

“You didn’t ask for sweet, so I’m guessing most of the girl’s drinks won’t do well with you. So I was considering a classic, one of the sours,” he explained his choice as he grabbed a low glass. With deft movements, bourbon was poured into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, followed by lemon juice and simple syrup. After shaking, the cocktail was poured over fresh ice. As a finishing touch, Ruìsāng drizzled some red wine over the top, using the back of a bar spoon.

“A Sanctum Sour for the gentleman,” he grinned, placing the glass in front of him. “Now we’ll find out whether your taste is any good.” Because his drink sure as hell was.