Lots of people thought that Kyungsoo was a good girl, and she really was a good girl most of the time. She tried her best to remain kind and polite. She was never late and she never ever slacked off. Kyungsoo followed the rules and she never talked back to authority. She was a good girl and that was something she really took pride in. It’s also why it’s complete surprise to people when they find out that she hangs out with men almost ten years older than her and enjoys drinking beer in her free time. Her alcohol tolerance was definitely something she inherited from her dad.

The bar they’re at is rustic and homey, something out of a slice of life scene in a Japanese film. Kwangsoo had rented out the small place to celebrate his casting but only invited his handful of close friends. Kyungsoo is one of the girls in this high profile friend group. The other regulars include the actresses Gong Hyojin, Lee Sungkyung, Song Jihyo, and Kim Sohyun. Tonight though, Kwangsoo’s date, fellow idol Yura, is also accompanying them.

The beer was running freely and Kyungsoo could already feel the buzz in her veins. There was low chatter and laughter and Kyungsoo felt strangely happy. This is the type of scene she enjoyed, something quieter and smaller, surrounded by people she is comfortable with. The club was never her thing. Too loud and too many strangers and sweaty bodies pressed up together. Bars and pubs were always more intimate to her even though there was rarely touching or groping going on. She chugged down the last of her mug and held it up for a refill.

“Not going slow tonight huh?” Insung sat down next to her and held up his own mug for a refill too.

“It’s been a long day,” she told him, smiling at him with her eyes closed. She considered him one of her closest friends in the acting industry, despite their more than ten year . During her first drama filming he had been so helpful and so willing to teach her everything there was to know about a set. In a moment of high anxiety and nervousness she had broken down in front of him but he had been understanding and supportive and that opened a gateway for a friendship that Kyungsoo wouldn’t trade for the world. Insung looked like a serious man but he was also dorky at times and his sense of humor fit right with hers. They liked the same foods and the same shows and traveling with him had never been a bore. He had become someone she relied on a lot and sometimes that scared her.

“You didn’t text in the group chat all day,” Insung commented as they both accepted their new, full mugs of beer.

“We had a festival and then company dinner,” Kyungsoo explained. “Barely had time to breathe let alone check the phone.”

“Want to talk about it?” Insung asked, knowing that there was something else bothering her. He always seemed to know just when she was feeling off. He called her an open book sometimes and Kyungsoo had to agree. When she was guarded, she held her walls up high but once she let someone in, it was hard to hide things from them. Kyungsoo sighed and took a swig of her beer, swallowing the bitterness down.

“I ran into my first love today,” she said, drumming her fingers against the counter. “And he asked me for advice about his new relationship.” Hyunsik had been eyeing a senior girl group member and was ready to make a move.

“Do you still love him?” Insung asked. Kyungsoo laughed before taking another sip.

“God no,” she said with a hiccup, “I got over him a long time ago.” Jongin had made that pretty easy with his handsome smile and clingy behavior. “It just made me feel a little sad because he’s ready to start a new relationship and I’m still here just waiting around.”

“Waiting for who?” Insung , poking her side, “Your prince charming?” Kyungsoo laughed at how ridiculous that sounded. Prince charmings didn’t exist in real life, only stupid boys who broke hearts.

“Do you like someone right now Kyungsoo?” Insung asked her. Kyungsoo shook her head. She just didn’t like Jongin; she loved him. But she wasn’t drunk enough to spill that tidbit of information to anyone. And even if she were drunk, she had never been an emotional drunk, just a blank drunk who liked to peel of screen protectors and sleep in the corners of walls.

She loved Jongin to the point of getting her appetite screwed while watching him interact with his perfect girlfriend. It had been the first time she had actually seen the two of them together together and the sight had made her physically sick. Chaeyoung was taller than her, and skinnier than her. She had been performing longer than Kyungsoo had and was more conventionally pretty. She also knew Jongin way longer than Kyungsoo had and probably looked better next to Jongin than Kyungsoo ever would. She had been so ready for the dinner party to end and when she had gotten Kwangsoo’s text message she had never typed ‘yes’ faster in her life. She needed more time away from Jongin.

Loud laughter broke Kyungsoo from her inner monologue and she turned to look behind her and saw that everyone else had migrated from the bar area and to the pool table in the back. It was only her and Insung still at the counter.
“Care to join them?” Insung asked her, raising a hand towards the back.

“I want to play the next game,” Kyungsoo smiled, getting off her stool. They usually played in pairs and she and Insung were an unbeatable match. Currently playing were Kwangsoo and his date Yura against Kim Kibang and Cha Taehyun. Kwangsoo and Yura were losing horribly due to it being Yura’s first time playing and Kwangsoo being an awful teacher.

“Do you think they’ll last together?” Hyojin nudged Kyungsoo’s hips with her elbow, heading pointing towards the couple’s direction. Kyungsoo examined them. Yura missed the cue ball completely and she could tell that Kwangsoo was getting frustrated even through his friendly smile.

“She’s his type,” Kyungsoo laughed, “but she just has to learn how to deal with him.” She had run into Yura a few times at music shows but never really gotten to know the girl.

“I give it another week,” Sungkyung strolled up to them, arms crossed over her chest. “He can’t handle an idol.”

“They are demanding,” Hyojin agreed, “No offense,” she added looking at Kyungsoo.

“None taken,” she nodded her head. Their schedules were way more intense that actor’s.

At that moment Kibang shot the eight ball in and there was a mixture of cheering from most of the group and one lone cry of defeat from Kwangsoo.

“Who’s next?” Taehyun asked, setting the table up. From across the dark room, Insung raised an eyebrow at Kyungsoo and she winked back at him.

Kyungsoo was drunk and she could barely walk in a straight line. Usually she didn’t let herself go this much on weekdays but after she and Insung had won the pool game, they had all decided to play beer pong. Sohyun had been her partner for that and they had absolutely at it. She was barely coordinated sober but doing it with alcohol in her system had really screwed her up.

Insung helped her into his car, a black Ferrari, and he buckled her in making sure her strap was tight before getting into the driver’s seat. The drive was smooth and Kyungsoo would have fallen asleep if her stomach hadn’t protested.

“I’m hungry,” she demanded, suddenly grabbing onto his wrist. The action startled him a bit but he didn’t lose control of the car.

“What do you want to eat?” he asked her. “It’s past three in the morning so all your favorite restaurants are closed.”

“Chicken,” Kyungsoo said moving her hand back, “Fried chicken.”

“No more beer for you,” Insung laughed as he watched her eyes close, “Your manager won’t let you hang out with us anymore if I bring you home even drunker.”

“No beer,” Kyungsoo agreed, nodding her head, “Just cider.”

He pulled over into an empty parking lot near the river and ordered chicken on the phone at Kyungsoo’s recommendation. He wasn’t surprised to hear that she wanted to eat the chicken that EXO endorsed. Even drunk, she was still loyal to her group. While they waited for the deliveryman, Kyungsoo flipped through Insung’s CD collection and found an old album her dad used to play at home all the time. She popped it in and began to drunkenly sing along to a classic song. She wasn’t screechy and obnoxiously loud like most people, but she mumbled along, body swaying softly to the melody. Insung smiled at her and couldn’t help but pinch her nose. She scrunched it up but didn’t stop singing.

When the knock on the door came, Insung grabbed Kyungsoo’s abandoned facemask off the console and slipped it onto his face. Kyungsoo leaned her head against her window inside the car and watched as Insung paid for the chicken and cider. The deliveryman was obviously very curious about the fancy car but didn’t press on and left as soon as the box was out of his hands.

“I’m starving,” Kyungsoo said reaching over for the box as soon as Insung opened the door. She opened it and the heavenly aroma of fried chicken entered the car and she grabbed a wing.

“Pour me some cider,” she asked before she bit into the chicken.

“My car is gonna stink now,” Insung complained jokingly as he grabbed some napkins. “And I don’t have cups. You’re gonna have to drink from the bottle.”

“But that’s gross,” Kyungsoo complained, grease all over her fingers and mouth.

“You’re gross,” Insung laughed as he leaned over to wipe . “I swear you can be such a child sometimes.”

“I am twelve years younger than you,” Kyungsoo reminded him, reaching over for another piece of chicken. “God this tastes amazing.”

“Didn’t you eat at the company dinner?” Insung asked her, also grabbing a piece of chicken.

“No,” Kyungsoo answered, trying to twist the cap off the bottle but failing miserably. She let out a frustrated whine and held it out to him. “The atmosphere was y so I didn’t want to eat.” Insung grabbed it and twisted the cap off the carbonation sizzling up. He took a drink first and Kyungsoo pouted, grabbing it out of his hands and chugging a fifth of it down in one gulp. She set it down and let out a tiny burp before giggling. Insung laughed with her before leaning forward and grabbing her chin lightly.

“We just indirectly kissed,” he , using a new napkin to wipe her sticky mouth. Kyungsoo’s eyes locked with his and even though she was drunk she could see him so clearly.

“Yeah,” she whispered breathily, “maybe we did.”

Nearing five in the morning, the door finally buzzed and Jongin jumped out of his seat on the couch. Everyone else had already been sleeping for hours but he had been up waiting for Kyungsoo to come, making sure that she actually came home. He was dead tired too and he knew that they had an intense practice coming up later in the day but he couldn’t go to bed knowing that Kyungsoo was still out there. He looked into their monitor and instead of seeing Kyungsoo standing there he saw actor Jo Insung peering into the camera. Jongin pressed the button for the speaker.

“Can I help you with something?” he asked.

“I’m here to drop off Kyungsoo,” was the response, “she’s sleeping and I didn’t want to wake her up.”

“I’ll be right down,” Jongin said.

“No I can carry her up,” Insung said back, “I already have her here.” He backed up and Jongin could see Kyungsoo, deep asleep and cradled in his arms.

“Seventh floor,” Jongin muttered into the speaker, “fifth door on your right.” Insung nodded and Jongin pressed the button to allow him into the building. The screen went blank and he paced back and forth by the front door, waiting for the buzzer. When it finally came, he opened the door and gave the actor a quick bow before taking Kyungsoo out of his arms. Jongin adjusted her in his grip and thanked Insung for bringing Kyungsoo home safely through gritted teeth. He wished the actor a good night and before he could even get a response back, he kicked the door shut and walked away from the front door. He was supposed to feel better once Kyungsoo was home but now he felt even ickier. He didn’t like that she out that late alone with some guy way older than her.

Kyungsoo mumbled something in her sleep and shifted in his arms and he looked down at her. She looked so peaceful, her hair falling slightly into her face and her arms curled against her chest. Jongin took her to her shared room with Minseok and quietly opened the door. Minseok wasn’t a light sleeper but she wasn’t a deep sleeper either so he would have to be quiet still. He lightly dropped Kyungsoo onto her bed and took off her slides. Her cap and mask were nowhere to be seen and he thought that she probably left them in Insung’s car. He tucked her blankets around her and her hair out of her face. Kyungsoo wrinkled her nose at his touch and then her eyes slowly began to flicker open.

“Jongin?” she asked, confused as she looked at him.

“Go to bed,” he told her, bopping her nose lightly, “you came home very late.” He pulled the covers up to her chin and was about to leave when she grabbed onto his hand.

“Stay,” she whined quietly, the drunk her even knowing that Minseok won’t be happy to be woken up.

“Why?” Jongin turned around and asked her, ignoring how warm her small hands were around his wrist.

“Because,” Kyungsoo sighed, eyes wandering around the room, “because I’m cold!” Jongin chuckled at that and shook his head.

“Kyungsoo you have your hoodie on and your blankets,” he reminded her, kneeling next to her bed and pulling the blanket back over her again.

“I’m still cold,” Kyungsoo said, snuggling into her blankets. “My legs are cold.” Jongin couldn’t help but chuckle again. Drunk Kyungsoo was adorable whether she was peeling screen protectors or acting cutely.

“Fine,” he gave in when he looked into her wide eyes. “I’ll stay.”

Kyungsoo scooted over and Jongin got under the covers with her. It was awkward then, neither of them touching each other. Jongin sighed and moved his leg just an inch and he could feel how icy cold Kyungsoo’s legs were. He moved closer to her then, intertwining their legs together to warm them up. Kyungsoo seemed to relax then, resting her head against Jongin’s chest, arms curled up in between them.

“You’re warm,” she yawned as she nuzzled into him.

“And you’re drunk,” he told her as he tried to calm his heartbeat. They had done this hundreds of times before, fallen asleep together in the same bed.

“I ate chicken without you,” she decided to confess out of nowhere. Jongin laughed before taking a hand to pat at her back.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, eyes slowly falling shut.

“It’s okay,” he whispered as he rubbed her back softly. She was asleep seconds after that and Jongin found his exhaustion finally catching up to him too. Three hours later, he woke up to Kyungsoo’s head tucked in between his shoulder and neck and their legs still tangled together pleasantly. Her soft hair tickled his chin and he felt himself smile bitterly as he separated himself from her. Kyungsoo didn’t make a move, still curled up in fetal position. Then Jongin left and went back to his room, flopping onto his bed and burying himself under a mountain of blankets. Last night didn’t happen and no one else would ever know about it.

Author's note: Don't hate me but I actually enjoyed writing that Insung/Kyungsoo scene :|