[center][h3][color=lightsteelblue]Aoki Reyna Sandström[/color][/h3]
[i]Early Friday[/i][/center]

Fridays were framing days for any restored paintings. It was also one of the easy-going days during the whole week for her, which was a nice change of pace after restoring and painting over old pieces of art. This week's restoration had been an [url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1400%E2%80%931500_in_European_fashion#/media/File:Rogier_van_der_Weyden_(workshop_of)_-_Portrait_of_Isabella_of_Portugal.jpg]oil painting[/url] from the 15th century. It was a portrait of a lady in a red and golden dress. When she first had the painting assigned the colors of the oil painting had been darkened, and the gold looked more like a mustard yellow. Aoki felt bad for the piece of art, but now she stared at it with the gold staring back at her. The lady even looked happier with her restoration finished. Now all the needed to get done was examine and frame it then let her supervisors inspect it before giving her the green light to send it to shipping. 

After two hours of examining every inch of the oil painting, Aoki decided it was finally time for the framing. The clients had chosen a dark wood frame with floral designs on the corners, an excellent choice for such a beautiful painting. She spent another hour mounting it and securing the oil painting. When she was done her boss, a nice older man with greying hair came in to examine the painting one last time. Of course, he didn't take as long as Aoki did. He knew her work, and he knew she was a perfectionist, he would trust her judgment. With the painting approved, Aoki sent it to shipping, and she went to her office to finish paperwork on the finished painting. 

During luck, Aoki sat with her friend. A younger woman, just out of college with long blonde hair and thick rim glasses. "Are you going to the club today? It's open mic day." 

"I'm not much of a singer, and you know I can't hold my alcohol," Aoki said, piercing a boiled carrot and bringing it up to her mouth. "Besides, I'm not much of a club person. I'd rather go to a bar or stay home."

"Oh, don't be like that, Aoki! It's Club Aether!" Her friend insisted with a grin. She hadn't been eating since she started taking to Aoki about the club. "I'll go with you! We haven't been out in such a long time! Please please please please!" Her friend gave her those puppy eyes.

"Okay okay!" Aoki laughed and took another carrot into her mouth. She swallowed and shook her head. "I'll go! Now finish your food before lunch ends." 

[center]___________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/center]

[center][i]Later that evening.[/i][/center]

Aoki had arrived at the club at seven. She was supposed to meet up with her friend at seven thirty, and she still hadn't heard from her. After checking her phone for the hundredth time, Aoki finally ordered a beer as she watched the stage from the bar. A few people had gone up to the stage to sing. Many of the people in the club seemed to be enjoying the music and their various drinks. A few people were dancing in the dance floor as the music resumed after the last singer finished his song. 

Aoki's phone vibrated in her hand, and she quickly looked down at it. [i]I am so sorry! I won't be able to make it. There was an emergency at home. I swear I will make it up to you![/i] Great. Just great. Aoki sighed and took her beer as she downed half of the alcoholic liquid. She had been waiting for her friend in a club she had been almost dragged to, and now her friend wasn't even going to show up. Aoki might as well enjoy a night by herself surrounded by people who were with their friends and who were enjoying themselves. 

"Great..." Aoki sighed and slumped against the counter bar with her beer sitting between her hands. She had even put on her nice [url= https://i.pinimg.com/564x/82/f1/b2/82f1b21098971168f96ccd06f373b1ba.jpg]black dress and leather jacket[/url], she had even done her cat-eye look. Something that had taken her an hour to accomplish finally. Although if she was a painter, doing her make up was something Aoki still struggled with. No matter how much she practiced or how often she attempted to do the cat eye look.

Behind her, she heard a slower song that didn't quite fit the vibe of the club. A few people took their seat, and some stayed on the dance floor to show their support for the man singing Say It Ain't So. He was good, Aoki decided as she drank and watched the man sing from her bar stool. By the time the song was done she had ordered another beer and was in the process of drinking. She quickly put it down the beer and clapped along with the rest of the club. "Good song!" She shouted, clearly the one beer had already begun to affect her.