LEE HI - ROSE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff_SuAzll90

You were working on one of your latest sketch when you received an urgent call from Rijin. It had been months since you’ve last seen your old friend and in truth, with things going so well with school and Mingyu, you had forgotten about her. She had insisted that you come out drinking with her tonight because she had been played a fool by one of her recent younger boy toys and needed some consoling. Feeling guilty for not being there enough for her, you agreed.

Mingyu was working out the autoshop tonight so you wrote a note and left it on the fridge for him.

“Out with Rijin for the night, don’t worry about me! Japchae and soondae is in the fridge. Enjoy!”

You pulled over a large oversized grey hoodie and slipped on your running shoes before quickly locking up the door.

Rijin and you met up near Pledis High. There was rows and rows of pojangmacha owned by the older aunties lined up on the streets. Rijin chose the emptiest tent and ordered five bottles of soju all at once with sausages on the side to munch. Your eyes widened at the large request, wondering if she knew her own limit.

“Okay so who broke your heart and where can I find his house to egg it?” You were ready to pounce on the person who would dare destroy Rijin’s bubbly persona.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I want to drink and I want to talk about anything but myself,” grumbled Rijin. She poured the first shot and clunked her glass against yours. “Come on Hari. I missed you so much, so here, cheers to us.” She shot it down in a blink of an eye and poured down a new shot. By the end of the second bottle you were beginning to feel slightly sick. However, Rijin seemed completely normal and could go on and on with drinking all night. She spent the majority of the night complaining about dating apps and how women always met bad men on there and how men only want women for a one night stand.  

Every time she said, “Alright enough of this ranting” she would clink her glass with yours, shoot down the soju and proceeded to continue the rant. You didn’t quite mind, since it was almost adorable seeing her so passionate against the use of dating websites. It was almost like witnessing a rights activist marching for their right of speech and independence.

By the end of the fourth bottle you were ready to knock out. In your pocket, you could feel your phone vibrating. On the screen it blinked Kai.

“Oh, go take it. I need to have my smoke break anyway, I keep talking and talking jeez,” said Rijin, her voice slightly slurred.

“Sorry girl, I’ll be right back!” As soon as you got up, you felt a lot more drunk than when you were sitting down. You wobbled out of the tent and picked up the call.

“Y-yessssss?”

There was a pause on the other line. “Hari-ah, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m out having a drink with one of my girls right now. Whatzzup?”

“Who are you with?”

“Remember Rijin? Rijin unnie? Yeah the one who worked with me at uh, Kyotos Noodle thingy.” You were beginning to find your slurred words funnier by the minute.

“And where exactly are you right now?” He sounded concerned and you were wondering why he didn’t laugh along with you.

“I feel like I sounded really stupid right now,” you started to chuckle some more. “Don’t you think so? You should laugh with me!”

Kai chuckled, uneasily. “I’ll laugh more when I’m with you. Now, can you please tell me where you are?”

“Uh, I’m, Uh… near that place. Pledis! Pledis HIGH!”

“Just you TWO girls are drinking at a pojangmacha? WITH NO ONE ELSE?” You could hear his voice slightly rise.

Oh, it sounded a lot more funny than it was supposed to be.

“I’ll be there in five minutes.” With that, he hung up. You made a face and stared at your phone. “Do people not say bye anymore?”

As soon as you sat down, two shots were already waiting for you. You slapped your palm against your forehead. “Seriously Rijin? I’m pretty drunk right now.”

“Come on Hari, I have not seen you in forever. When do we ever drink together?!” She whined.

You sighed, caving in. “Fine, but after this bottle we have to leave. I’m ready to hit my bed.” You ran your fingers through your hair, st