The days after having a flashback episode were the worst. A reminder for her to take her pills. It was a while since she had one, more than three months perhaps. That's why it caught her off guard, making her return to that hell once more. Afghanistan. The shit hole she was held as a prisoner. She couldn't sleep the night yesterday, only to stare at ceiling in the bed of her room, at the penthouse. Yeah... That penthouse itself was a reminder that how much progress she had made through years, comparing herself to the times when she and her comrades were still in Moscow. At least that was something that reminded her how shitty it used to be back then comparing to now. She had a coffee today, a tone of cigarettes, and now at 9pm she had enough Whiskey to make her head spin and she couldn't get enough either. The amber liquid burned pleasantly down her throat as she stared at the empty glass, the smell of stale cigarette smoke clinging to her military coat. She wasn't particularly thinking about past actually, just that the past left its signature on her body - the faint scar tissue visible on her hands as she reached for the bottle. She thought about something else. Or to be more specific someone else... That girl she'd been unable to get out of her mind lately. That minx, would make everyone weak to their knees. She wasn't the most attractive maybe, but she had something else in her that made her hot. A manipulating seduction, a charm, an irresistible charm. One single look and she would get what she wanted. And the fact she had successfully made her way under Balalaika's skin, made her wonder how. How could she possibly let some girl to crawl under her skin so easily, breaking all those walls she built around herself carefully, brick by brick. "ugh... Too much thinking again" she growled loudly to herself. Then, she stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the hardwood floor as she fixed her skirt and slung her military coat over her shoulders. "Chat Noir probably has some good music to listen... Might be a good distraction" she said to herself as she left her office, the sound of her heels echoing in the empty space.

Chat Noir, 9:55 pm She ordered Boris to leave, not wanting him to wait since she didn't know how long she'd stay, and besides, she needed to be alone with her thoughts. The bar was dimly lit, a cozy and elegant area unlike Roanapur's usual dive spots - a hidden gem where the jazz played softly and the whiskey was top-shelf. The sound of a woman's smoky voice singing Ella Fitzgerald filled the air, creating an atmosphere that was almost soothing. She made her way to her usual spot on the second floor VIP area, her heels clicking loudly against the stairs. Some patrons turned to look, their gazes a mixture of curiosity and unease - the usual reaction to her imposing presence. She didn't care about their stares, her focus already scanning the room. But then something caught her attention - a familiar face across the room. There she was, sitting at a table with Chang and another woman, a soft smile playing on her lips as she held a cigarette between her fingers. Despite the smile, her eyes looked sad in the dim light. For a moment, Balalaika paused, her hand hovering above the banister. Should she approach or ignore, pretending not to see her? For the first time in years, she hesitated. "fuck it..." she muttered under her breath, straightening her coat as she started walking towards the table.