Ch.8888. Alone

As the drinking session ripened with time.

“Hyung! So I asked them, ‘What are we to each other?'”

As usual, intoxicated people began to emerge from all corners.

Taeho, who had seized Hana’s seat while she was in the bathroom, was eagerly sharing his love life business stories with Suhyeok.

“But then they…! They…! They were like, ‘Do I really have to say it out loud?'”

“If not with words, then how…?”

“That’s what I’m saying! If not with words, then what? For real?”

Taeho raised his glass high.

Suhyeok responded with a toast.

“Haah… So lately I’ve been having reality checks and mental breakdowns.”

“It’s tough… relationships between men and women…”

“Hyung.”

After downing several shots of soju, Taeho placed his hand on Suhyeok’s shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“Who is it for you?”

“Who am I what?”

“Is it Noona Hana? Or Noona Juyeon?”

A question mark appeared above Suhyeok’s head.

“What’s your criteria for choosing?”

“Ah! Hyung! I’m your direct disciple. Just tell me and only me!”

Taeho felt disappointed.

After spilling so much about himself, Suhyeok seemed ready to wash his mouth and leave.

“Even today, the vibe between you and Noona Hana was no joke, and you’re going to hide that?”

“I don’t think I did anything special though?”

Despite his hazy state, Taeho tried his best to examine Suhyeok’s face coolly.

Was he lying?

Or did he genuinely think that way?

“Really? No, Hyung. Do you honestly think that?”

At Taeho’s question, Suhyeok traced back through the memories of the past few hours.

Just normally laughing and chatting while drinking with Hana… hmm?

Come to think of it, that was true.

Didn’t I barely talk to anyone else today…?

Of course, he wasn’t typically very talkative, but today, despite everyone being together, he felt like he’d only conversed with Hana.

But that wasn’t Suhyeok’s intention; it was just that Hana…

“Ah… I guess it could look that way.”

He could somewhat understand Taeho’s suspicion now.

“It’s not just about how it looks! Hyung! If you see how Noona Hana acts with other people!”

Just as Taeho was about to pound his chest in frustration.

“…What about me.”

The strength in Taeho’s clenched fingers suddenly drained away.

“Tell me, Park Taeho. What exactly am I doing?”

Despite it being summer, a cold wind seemed to blow.

Hana had returned at some point and was standing behind them with her arms crossed, looking down at them.

“Ah. No. Noona. That’s…”

“Get up.”

Taeho jumped up at Hana’s command.

“Go sit in your own seat. Why are you sitting in someone else’s place?”

As she openly displayed her displeasure, Taeho apologized and left the restaurant with the group going out for a smoke.

“Lee Suhyeok.”

It felt like a speech bubble saying “I’m upset” was floating above Hana’s head.

“…Yes.”

“Don’t use formal speech.”

“…Yeah.”

“Do you want to die?”

Though he had tried to moderate his drinking, that damn junior made him want to drink more.

Hana downed her glass and wiped her mouth.

“Hey. What did Taeho say?”

“Huh?”

“You were talking about me with Taeho. What did you talk about?”

Not knowing how much Hana had heard, Suhyeok decided it was wisest to just tell the truth.

“He suddenly asked me to choose between you and Juyeon.”

Hana let out a scoffing laugh in disbelief.

Seriously.

Not even in a private setting, but at a group drinking session, he asked that?

And in a situation where I could return at any moment?

“So?”

While she was certainly annoyed with Taeho, she was even more curious about Suhyeok’s answer.

It’s me, right? It has to be me.

No matter how close he is with Juyeon, we have history together.

We went on a date during the festival.

We watched movies together at your place on rainy days.

He wouldn’t have done these things with Park Juyeon.

“I just asked what his criteria was.”

“And then?”

“Then you came back.”

Hana wished she had returned a little later.

“Hey. If you had to choose now, who would you pick?”

Hana had an answer she wanted to hear.

“Between you and Juyeon?”

“Yeah. Me and Juyeon both fell into water. Who would you save first?”

“I can’t swim. I’d call 119…”

“Aish! Really!”

By this point, Hana was almost mistaking this for high-level push and pull.

You think you can dodge like this?

“Fine. Question change. It’s a weekend with no plans. You can only have drinks—no, a meal—with one person. Who would you go with?”

She said meal instead because she thought he’d refuse drinks, saying he’d throw up.

“Hmm…”

In truth, this was a question with a predetermined answer.

Even if she had said drinks, Suhyeok’s answer would have been set.

“…You.”

Why did this feel embarrassing?

No, ranking friends in the first place felt childish.

They weren’t elementary school kids; why were they asking such things?

“Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why me?”

Though she had to bow down to get this answer, what did it matter?

Hana was smiling brightly as if she had never been cold.

“Well…”

Because I like you, Hana.

“Hana, you probably know more good restaurants?”

“Hmm~ That could be true.”

Between Hana and Juyeon, if asked who would know more about good restaurants, Hana would definitely win.

“Hey! I know this really awesome okonomiyaki place! Let’s go there.”

“Where is it?”

“It’s in Yeongdeungpo area…”

Hana continued to explain her gastronomy theories to Suhyeok from her seat beside him.

“I need to use the bathroom for a moment.”

“Oh! Go ahead!”

After entering the bathroom, Suhyeok took out his phone.

Opening the streaming app, he saw a list of streamers he had subscribed to.

[Yeoni – Offline]

He wondered if she had already ended her stream, but there was no sign that she had started one today.

Looking at this made Suhyeok feel even more uncomfortable.

While everyone was having fun, Juyeon was probably alone in her room.

If she wasn’t going to stream, she should have just come…

Putting his phone back in his pocket, Suhyeok slipped out of the restaurant, avoiding the eyes of his companions.

Entering a quiet alley a block away, Suhyeok took out his phone again.

He called Juyeon.

He was thinking of asking her to join them if she was still free.

The ringtone stopped.

[Hello?]

Though it showed she had answered, no voice came through.

[…Hello?]

[Hehehe]

A loose laugh came through.

[Hello? Juyeon. Are you okay?]

This was different from her usual response.

Suhyeok was getting worried.

[It’s Suhyeokie.]

Suhyeok considered the most rational possibility.

[Juyeon. Are you drunk?]

[Yeah… I’m drunk…]

[No, I mean. We had a drinking session today. You could have just come and drunk with us. Why drink alone?]

There was no answer.

[Juyeon?]

[I’m…]

For Juyeon, who could handle her alcohol well, to be this drunk.

Something was definitely wrong.

[I’m an idiot…]

After all that build-up, she says “I’m an idiot.”

It was a bit deflating.

[Are you okay?]

[…I feel like I’m dying.]

Suhyeok started to feel afraid.

He felt like he needed to go check on Juyeon right away.

[Wait. I’ll be right there in a bit.]

After hanging up, Suhyeok hurried back into the restaurant with urgent steps.

“Lee Suhyeok! Let’s go for round two!”

Hana, humming and thinking about going to a karaoke, waved at him.

“Ah. Hana. I suddenly have somewhere urgent to go.”

“It’s 10 PM now?”

“Yeah… but it’s really urgent. After you pay, I’ll send you the money later.”

Leaving what was almost an announcement, Suhyeok turned his back.

Hana grabbed his wrist.

“Hey! Where are you going!”

Hana’s round eyes met Suhyeok’s pupils.

Suhyeok’s lips wouldn’t easily part.

It was because Juyeon’s words came to mind.

-I don’t think I’d want to date a guy who frequents a girl’s house when she’s not his girlfriend.

“…Sorry.”

Instead of an answer, Suhyeok offered an apology and fled the place.

He felt he could somehow make excuses to Hana later.

But Juyeon had always been the shade for him when times were tough.

When it was obvious she was struggling, ignoring it didn’t seem right.

Especially if it wasn’t because he was busy, but just to laugh and have fun, that would really be…

Even if he had gone for round two, Suhyeok wouldn’t have been able to shake off the discomfort.

Breath rising to his chin.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Reaching Juyeon’s house, Suhyeok wiped away the sweat with his arm.

-Knock knock knock

He knocked on the door.

It was as if no one lived there; no sound came from inside.

-Knock knock knock

As he knocked again, the sound of something breaking came from inside.

The tension doubled.

Soon after, the door opened.

“…Juyeon.”

Bloodshot eyes.

A face that seemed particularly gaunt, though she was already thin.

Meanwhile, her face was tinged pink from the alcohol.

“…It’s Suhyeok.”

“You. You. What’s wrong… What on earth happened to make you like this…”

“Heheh…”

The loose laugh he had heard over the phone repeated.

Juyeon collapsed into Suhyeok’s arms instead of answering.