‘Aish, chincha!’ Il Woo placed his hands on his waist, unsure of what to do. ‘Ya, Lee Min Ho. Stop it or I’ll call Dong Woo hyung.’
Min Ho frowned at the mention of his manager and shook his head wildly ‘No! I don’t like that ahjussi! Call Shin Hye. Park Shin Hye. Call her, pleaaaaase.’ He sat up and turned to Il Woo. Min Ho placed his hands on Il Woo’s cheeks. ‘Park Shin Hye. I need her.’
Il Woo immediately reached up to remove Min Ho’s hands from his face. ‘Ya. She’s your girlfriend. You call her.’
The bartender’s eyes widened and he mouthed, ‘girlfriend?’ to Il Woo. He just nodded in response.
Min Ho let out a loud sigh. He spotted his empty glass and grabbed it. He extended his arm to Hyun Woo. ‘More,’ he said groggily. Hyun Woo reluctantly took the glass from him and instead of filling it up, hid it under the sink. Min Ho turned to a sullen-looking Il Woo. ‘I… I can’t call her,’ he shook his head. ‘She doesn’t like me. Call her, Il Woo-yah. Chaebaaaaal.’
Il Woo closed his eyes and hung his head low. This wasn’t how he expected the night to go. He just wanted to hang out with his friend, but now, he had to deal with a drunk Min Ho. It has been years since the last time he saw him behave this way. Min Ho was one of the worst drunks he’s ever encountered. He usually gets really loud, and very stubborn. He needed to get him out of there before he causes a scene. Il Woo looked up and saw Min Ho’s eyes watering. Panicking, his eyebrows creased as he quickly leaned closer. ‘YA. What the hell are you doing? Don’t you dare cry here,’ Il Woo whispered.
Min Ho bit his lip and put his head on the bar again. ‘Call herrr. Call Shin Hye. Make her come,’ he said, although his words were muffled.
Il Woo took another deep breath and reached for his phone inside his pocket. ‘I can’t believe you’re making me bother her at this time of the night,’ he mumbled. He scrolled down his contacts and found Shin Hye’s number. He placed his phone beside his ear and observed his friend. He was a mess.
‘The number you have dialled has been disconnected.’
‘Meoya…’ Il Woo hit Min Ho’s arm lightly. ‘Ya, did she change her number?’
Min Ho didn’t respond and turned his head to face the other direction.
‘Aish, this namja.’ Il Woo tried again but it was no use. He reached for Min Ho’s phone inside his jacket pocket, only to find out that he had changed his password.
Il Woo let out an exasperated groan and looked at Hyun Woo. ‘Hyung, ottoke?’
Shin Hye always knew when she was getting tipsy. Usually, it was her cue to stop drinking, but tonight, she wanted to drink some more. She looked around the table and saw that her eonnies were far tipsier than she was. Her stylist was clearly drunk now, singing a sad song to herself. At least she wasn’t crying about being single on Valentine’s Day yet. As much as Shin Hye wanted to get wasted, someone had to be the responsible one.
‘Eonnie, where’s the restroom again?’ Shin Hye asked. Maybe she could sober up some more after splashing some water on her face.
‘Downstairs. By the bar,’ her assistant replied woozily.
As Shin Hye was about to stand up, her stylist held her wrist. ‘Shin Hye-ah, dangerous,’ she paused. ‘Dangerous! Eonnie can come. Eo? Downstairs I come help.’
Shin Hye laughed. ‘Eonnie, I’ll be fine,’ she said as she took her handbag. She was careful going down the stairs. As she approached the bar, she looked down at her bag to check if she also had her phone with her. She hasn’t checked it since she arrived and her manager must have called and texted her several times by now.
She clutched her phone and took it out. She was about to check her messages on her way to the comfort room when a man bumped into her, and quite forcefully. She was pushed back a step, and she mumbled in annoyance. Drunks.
When Shin Hye looked up, she gasped audibly. Omo. She wasn’t prepared for who it was, and she was unable to speak for a few seconds, just staring at his face. What is he doing here?
‘Op… oppa?’
‘Shin Hye!’ Il Woo exclaimed brightly. ‘Ya. I’m so glad you’re here,’ he hugged her briefly, surprising her. ‘I was about to go crazy. He refuses to leave if he hasn’t spoken to you.’
‘Eh?’ Shin Hye’s heart started beating fast. Her throat felt dry all of a sudden. She was still trying to make sense of what Il Woo had just said, but she already had a hunch, and it wasn’t good.
‘Did he call you? Or did you already know he was here? I tried to contact you, but it says your number was disconnected.’
Shin Hye just stood there, unmoving and incapable of replying. Oh my God, this isn’t happening.
‘Dwaesseo. I’m just relieved you’re here. Let’s go, before people start noticing that he’s the guy passed out at the bar.’ Il Woo held her arm to lead her there.
‘Meo?’ That was all Shin Hye could say. She should be running away, but for some reason, she let Il Woo continue to drag her. She looked up at the man’s concerned face instead of looking at where they were going. She was too scared. She wasn’t prepared to see him. Not tonight, and not like this.
Before she knew it, she was standing by the bar, but looking in the other direction. She tried to steady her breathing.
‘Ya, Shin Hye, what are you doing? Come on, help me.’
Shin Hye slowly turned around and saw Min Ho knocked out on the bar. Her heart lurched at the sight of him. If it weren’t for the surroundings, he almost looked like he was sleeping peacefully. But he was a lot thinner than when she last saw him. His face was gaunt, and even in the dark, he looked exhausted. She felt something welling from inside her. She fought the urge to run to him and hug him. I’m not supposed to feel this way. I’m supposed to be angry. But all she felt at that moment was longing. She missed him so much. And even after everything that happened, she still loved him. She couldn’t help but feel pain looking at him in that state.
‘Ya. Lee Min Ho, wake up. She’s here. Shin Hye’s here.’
Min Ho roused at the sound of her name. Shin Hye held her breath as he raised his head and looked around. When he turned to her, he rubbed his eyes and took a closer look. Convinced that it was her, he smiled. ‘Shin Hye-ah, you came… you really came.’
Shin Hye looked away, hating herself for feeling a little glad seeing his smile again, and hearing him say those words. Min Ho tried to stand up, but his knees buckled instantly. Il Woo was quick to catch him, and Shin Hye wheezed a little as she stepped forward to take one of Min Ho’s arms. Il Woo had no choice but to let him sit on the stool. Min Ho rested his head on his arm and passed out again.
The bartender scratched his head. ‘Mian. He demanded for another glass when you got up,’ he told Il Woo. ‘He was almost shouting so I just gave it to him or else he might have caused a stir.’
Il Woo raked a hand through his already tousled hair. ‘What are we going to do with you, Min Ho-yah? Aish,’ he paused before looking at Shin Hye. ‘Did you bring your car?’
‘Me?’ Shin Hye asked. She was still dazed, standing there, and looking at Min Ho. She realized she was still holding onto his arm. She quickly let go. ‘No, I didn’t bring it.’
Il Woo nodded his head. ‘Arasso. Why don’t you drive Min Ho’s car instead? I’m okay driving him home, but we can’t leave his car here.’
‘Eh?’ Shin Hye was wide-eyed. Okay, this was not the plan at all. ‘Keunde oppa… I’ve had a few drinks.’ Wrong. You should have said you have no intentions of helping him out, babo. Run away!
‘Chincha? Let’s check your blood alcohol then. You look sober.’
Hyun Woo was quick to get the breathalyzer. He handed it to Shin Hye and smiled brightly. ‘I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Ji Hyun Woo. Breathe here,’ he pointed to the mouth of the device.
It was all happening too fast and Shin Hye wasn’t even sure why she was still there. But she found herself following the man’s instructions.
‘Point five,’ Hyun Woo said after looking at the breathalyzer. ‘It’s fine. You can drive.’
‘Okay, good,’ Il Woo spoke, putting a hand on Shin Hye’s shoulder. ‘Let’s just figure out a way to get him out of here.’
‘Ya, Ji Min! Come here,’ Hyun Woo called a waiter near the comfort rooms. He quickly came over, and the bartender looked like he gave him instructions to man the bar. ‘Il Woo-yah, let’s bring him out the employee’s exit. We have our own elevator leading to the parking lot. Kaja,’ he took off his apron and got out of the bar to help Il Woo lift Min Ho. Thankfully, Min Ho was still able to walk, albeit difficultly.
Shin Hye hesitantly followed as they rode the elevator down, and walked to Min Ho’s car. She could easily just walk away and leave Il Woo to his own devices. But she couldn’t do it. Maybe it was because she didn’t want to explain to Il Woo that she wasn’t there for him, or that they haven’t had contact in two weeks. Min Ho obviously hasn’t told him they’ve broken up yet, and considering he was his best friend, he must have a reason for keeping it from him. Or maybe it was because of how pitiful Min Ho looked. Even if they weren’t together anymore, as a human being, she should still help out.
Or maybe – and it was hard to admit it that this reason was the closest to the truth – she still felt the need to take care of him.
Before she knew it, she was behind the wheel, tailing Il Woo’s car with Min Ho in the passenger seat. As she drove, she stole glances at him, thinking about how silly this situation was. She had done everything she can to avoid the man who broke her heart, and yet here she was – driving his car, with him inside, headed to his home. At least he’s unconscious, she thought. Shin Hye leaned back and drew out a sigh.
Miraculously, they were able to reach the door of Min Ho’s pad without major problems. But it wasn’t without difficulty. Shin Hye almost laughed at Il Woo’s f
‘Aish, chincha!’ Il Woo placed his hands on his waist, unsure of what to do. ‘Ya, Lee Min Ho. Stop it or I’ll call Dong Woo hyung.’
Min Ho frowned at the mention of his manager and shook his head wildly ‘No! I don’t like that ahjussi! Call Shin Hye. Park Shin Hye. Call her, pleaaaaase.’ He sat up and turned to Il Woo. Min Ho placed his hands on Il Woo’s cheeks. ‘Park Shin Hye. I need her.’
Il Woo immediately reached up to remove Min Ho’s hands from his face. ‘Ya. She’s your girlfriend. You call her.’
The bartender’s eyes widened and he mouthed, ‘girlfriend?’ to Il Woo. He just nodded in response.
Min Ho let out a loud sigh. He spotted his empty glass and grabbed it. He extended his arm to Hyun Woo. ‘More,’ he said groggily. Hyun Woo reluctantly took the glass from him and instead of filling it up, hid it under the sink. Min Ho turned to a sullen-looking Il Woo. ‘I… I can’t call her,’ he shook his head. ‘She doesn’t like me. Call her, Il Woo-yah. Chaebaaaaal.’
Il Woo closed his eyes and hung his head low. This wasn’t how he expected the night to go. He just wanted to hang out with his friend, but now, he had to deal with a drunk Min Ho. It has been years since the last time he saw him behave this way. Min Ho was one of the worst drunks he’s ever encountered. He usually gets really loud, and very stubborn. He needed to get him out of there before he causes a scene. Il Woo looked up and saw Min Ho’s eyes watering. Panicking, his eyebrows creased as he quickly leaned closer. ‘YA. What the hell are you doing? Don’t you dare cry here,’ Il Woo whispered.
Min Ho bit his lip and put his head on the bar again. ‘Call herrr. Call Shin Hye. Make her come,’ he said, although his words were muffled.
Il Woo took another deep breath and reached for his phone inside his pocket. ‘I can’t believe you’re making me bother her at this time of the night,’ he mumbled. He scrolled down his contacts and found Shin Hye’s number. He placed his phone beside his ear and observed his friend. He was a mess.
‘The number you have dialled has been disconnected.’
‘Meoya…’ Il Woo hit Min Ho’s arm lightly. ‘Ya, did she change her number?’
Min Ho didn’t respond and turned his head to face the other direction.
‘Aish, this namja.’ Il Woo tried again but it was no use. He reached for Min Ho’s phone inside his jacket pocket, only to find out that he had changed his password.
Il Woo let out an exasperated groan and looked at Hyun Woo. ‘Hyung, ottoke?’
Shin Hye always knew when she was getting tipsy. Usually, it was her cue to stop drinking, but tonight, she wanted to drink some more. She looked around the table and saw that her eonnies were far tipsier than she was. Her stylist was clearly drunk now, singing a sad song to herself. At least she wasn’t crying about being single on Valentine’s Day yet. As much as Shin Hye wanted to get wasted, someone had to be the responsible one.
‘Eonnie, where’s the restroom again?’ Shin Hye asked. Maybe she could sober up some more after splashing some water on her face.
‘Downstairs. By the bar,’ her assistant replied woozily.
As Shin Hye was about to stand up, her stylist held her wrist. ‘Shin Hye-ah, dangerous,’ she paused. ‘Dangerous! Eonnie can come. Eo? Downstairs I come help.’
Shin Hye laughed. ‘Eonnie, I’ll be fine,’ she said as she took her handbag. She was careful going down the stairs. As she approached the bar, she looked down at her bag to check if she also had her phone with her. She hasn’t checked it since she arrived and her manager must have called and texted her several times by now.
She clutched her phone and took it out. She was about to check her messages on her way to the comfort room when a man bumped into her, and quite forcefully. She was pushed back a step, and she mumbled in annoyance. Drunks.
When Shin Hye looked up, she gasped audibly. Omo. She wasn’t prepared for who it was, and she was unable to speak for a few seconds, just staring at his face. What is he doing here?
‘Op… oppa?’
‘Shin Hye!’ Il Woo exclaimed brightly. ‘Ya. I’m so glad you’re here,’ he hugged her briefly, surprising her. ‘I was about to go crazy. He refuses to leave if he hasn’t spoken to you.’
‘Eh?’ Shin Hye’s heart started beating fast. Her throat felt dry all of a sudden. She was still trying to make sense of what Il Woo had just said, but she already had a hunch, and it wasn’t good.
‘Did he call you? Or did you already know he was here? I tried to contact you, but it says your number was disconnected.’
Shin Hye just stood there, unmoving and incapable of replying. Oh my God, this isn’t happening.
‘Dwaesseo. I’m just relieved you’re here. Let’s go, before people start noticing that he’s the guy passed out at the bar.’ Il Woo held her arm to lead her there.
‘Meo?’ That was all Shin Hye could say. She should be running away, but for some reason, she let Il Woo continue to drag her. She looked up at the man’s concerned face instead of looking at where they were going. She was too scared. She wasn’t prepared to see him. Not tonight, and not like this.
Before she knew it, she was standing by the bar, but looking in the other direction. She tried to steady her breathing.
‘Ya, Shin Hye, what are you doing? Come on, help me.’
Shin Hye slowly turned around and saw Min Ho knocked out on the bar. Her heart lurched at the sight of him. If it weren’t for the surroundings, he almost looked like he was sleeping peacefully. But he was a lot thinner than when she last saw him. His face was gaunt, and even in the dark, he looked exhausted. She felt something welling from inside her. She fought the urge to run to him and hug him. I’m not supposed to feel this way. I’m supposed to be angry. But all she felt at that moment was longing. She missed him so much. And even after everything that happened, she still loved him. She couldn’t help but feel pain looking at him in that state.
‘Ya. Lee Min Ho, wake up. She’s here. Shin Hye’s here.’
Min Ho roused at the sound of her name. Shin Hye held her breath as he raised his head and looked around. When he turned to her, he rubbed his eyes and took a closer look. Convinced that it was her, he smiled. ‘Shin Hye-ah, you came… you really came.’
Shin Hye looked away, hating herself for feeling a little glad seeing his smile again, and hearing him say those words. Min Ho tried to stand up, but his knees buckled instantly. Il Woo was quick to catch him, and Shin Hye wheezed a little as she stepped forward to take one of Min Ho’s arms. Il Woo had no choice but to let him sit on the stool. Min Ho rested his head on his arm and passed out again.
The bartender scratched his head. ‘Mian. He demanded for another glass when you got up,’ he told Il Woo. ‘He was almost shouting so I just gave it to him or else he might have caused a stir.’
Il Woo raked a hand through his already tousled hair. ‘What are we going to do with you, Min Ho-yah? Aish,’ he paused before looking at Shin Hye. ‘Did you bring your car?’
‘Me?’ Shin Hye asked. She was still dazed, standing there, and looking at Min Ho. She realized she was still holding onto his arm. She quickly let go. ‘No, I didn’t bring it.’
Il Woo nodded his head. ‘Arasso. Why don’t you drive Min Ho’s car instead? I’m okay driving him home, but we can’t leave his car here.’
‘Eh?’ Shin Hye was wide-eyed. Okay, this was not the plan at all. ‘Keunde oppa… I’ve had a few drinks.’ Wrong. You should have said you have no intentions of helping him out, babo. Run away!
‘Chincha? Let’s check your blood alcohol then. You look sober.’
Hyun Woo was quick to get the breathalyzer. He handed it to Shin Hye and smiled brightly. ‘I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Ji Hyun Woo. Breathe here,’ he pointed to the mouth of the device.
It was all happening too fast and Shin Hye wasn’t even sure why she was still there. But she found herself following the man’s instructions.
‘Point five,’ Hyun Woo said after looking at the breathalyzer. ‘It’s fine. You can drive.’
‘Okay, good,’ Il Woo spoke, putting a hand on Shin Hye’s shoulder. ‘Let’s just figure out a way to get him out of here.’
‘Ya, Ji Min! Come here,’ Hyun Woo called a waiter near the comfort rooms. He quickly came over, and the bartender looked like he gave him instructions to man the bar. ‘Il Woo-yah, let’s bring him out the employee’s exit. We have our own elevator leading to the parking lot. Kaja,’ he took off his apron and got out of the bar to help Il Woo lift Min Ho. Thankfully, Min Ho was still able to walk, albeit difficultly.
Shin Hye hesitantly followed as they rode the elevator down, and walked to Min Ho’s car. She could easily just walk away and leave Il Woo to his own devices. But she couldn’t do it. Maybe it was because she didn’t want to explain to Il Woo that she wasn’t there for him, or that they haven’t had contact in two weeks. Min Ho obviously hasn’t told him they’ve broken up yet, and considering he was his best friend, he must have a reason for keeping it from him. Or maybe it was because of how pitiful Min Ho looked. Even if they weren’t together anymore, as a human being, she should still help out.
Or maybe – and it was hard to admit it that this reason was the closest to the truth – she still felt the need to take care of him.
Before she knew it, she was behind the wheel, tailing Il Woo’s car with Min Ho in the passenger seat. As she drove, she stole glances at him, thinking about how silly this situation was. She had done everything she can to avoid the man who broke her heart, and yet here she was – driving his car, with him inside, headed to his home. At least he’s unconscious, she thought. Shin Hye leaned back and drew out a sigh.
Miraculously, they were able to reach the door of Min Ho’s pad without major problems. But it wasn’t without difficulty. Shin Hye almost laughed at Il Woo’s f
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