”That jerk!”

I felt the piercing stares of everyone inside the bar tent but I couldn’t care less. I was fuming mad and the alcohol only added to my bottled-up aggression. The group of people sitting on the table next to me started to whisper and I shot them a livid look. They stopped whispering at once.

With my left hand, I grabbed an opened bottle of soju and started to drink. I didn’t even bother to pour the drink on a shot glass. To hell with good graces.

To hell with that jerk, too.

I laughed wryly and stared at the half-empty bottle before me. “I spent my birthday in the hospital, and no word from him, until now. I haven’t received a call or a text message from him. No Happy Birthday, not even a hello. Isn’t he such a jerk?!” I rubbed my face in frustration, and groaned. “Mr. Soju, you’re my only friend.”

“So what do you call me then?”

I heard Chaerin’s annoyed voice and I looked at her. I was so consumed in my misery that I even forgot she was with me all this time. I burped out loud and frowned when I smelled my own breath.

God, Dara. You stink.

“You’re my best friend,” I smiled as I said those words and laughed uncontrollably until tears started to trickle down my face. I started to sob, and I clumsily wiped my tears with the sleeve of my jacket.

”You’re drunk,” Chaerin commented as she grabbed the bottle away from my hand.

“I’m not.”

“Obviously, you are,” Chaerin rolled her eyes. “You’ve been saying the same speech the moment we started drinking.” She then started to mimic the way I talked and I laughed. Even to me, I sounded stupid.

Maybe I am stupid.

I saw her reach for her phone and I said dryly, “Don’t bother calling Jiyong. Apparently, he’s too busy to answer.”

“Well, I got to call someone. I can’t send you home looking like that. Your mother will kill me,” Chaerin snapped. That’s right. My mother would definitely kill her if she saw me drunk. She dialed a number on her phone and talked to someone on the other line. A few minutes later, Nichkhun came into view and Chaerin passed me to him.

”Take care of Dara,” my friend said to Nichkhun as she said her goodbye.

Good thinking, Chaerin. With Nichkhun bringing me home, my mother would have no complaints whatsoever. She’s so fond of him; it’s undeniable she wanted him to be my boyfriend instead of Jiyong.

Nichkhun and I grew up together. He has every attribute of a perfect boyfriend—nice, smart, patient, loving, rich, and has that irresistible eye smile. Everyone would think we’re so meant to be. There’s only one problem.

I don’t love him. He’s like a brother to me.

My heart was captured by Jiyong, the person responsible for making me drink more than my usual limit.

I met Jiyong when I switched universities. At first, I honestly thought that we don’t have anything in common—I was majoring in theater while he was trying to get into law school. But I was wrong. He was the most compatible person for me.

Jiyong was not the best-looking guy around but he has his own charms. I fell in love with the smiles that never left his face. He never failed to make me laugh, even on my darkest days. Because of him, I found a reason to smile. He may not be the smartest one in school but he definitely has this dedication to learn things. Even with my eccentricities, he never complained and he always stuck by my side. Jiyong was not swimming in riches but he was hard-working and it’s not like I loved him for his money. He’s not perfect, but he’s perfect for me.

He’s simply wonderful.

So him not calling or even sending me a text message for my birthday was beyond unusual and I can’t help but feel neglected.

Nichkhun lifted me and expertly carried me on his back. He started walking towards my house. I sighed, because all I could think of was Jiyong carrying me on his and it made me remember the day he first carried me on his back.

Jiyong and I had a picnic date on the park. We were chasing each other like kids when my one of my heels snapped, and I asked, or maybe commanded, Jiyong to carry me on his back. He willingly obliged. I have had weirder requests before but he never complained.

On the way home, we passed by a shoe store and I whistled appreciatively at a pretty pair of heels displayed by the window.

“Buy it for me,” I asked him.

Jiyong chuckled and said, “It’s bad luck for couples. They say that shoes must not be bought or else the couple will break up sooner or later.”

I let out a derisive snort. “Just say that you can’t buy it for me.”

“I can buy it for you. How much is it anyway?” We both looked at the price tag. Both of our jaws dropped when we saw that the shoes cost 850,000 won. Even I thought it was too much. He let out a nervous laugh and tried to dismiss it. “See, bad luck.”

Even a simple reminiscing made me yearn for him.

“You know better than to drink beyond your limit, Dara,” Nichkhun admonished. The alcohol was finally taking its effect on me. I felt sleepy and started to regret drinking seven bottles of soju. I only managed to mutter a sorry. Either Chaerin told him or he was just blessed with good intuition, Nichkhun asked, “It’s Jiyong, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Did the two of you have a fight?”

I felt tears coming out of my closed eyes as I said, “He hasn’t greeted me for my birthday. It’s been a week since then, and I haven’t heard a word from him. I also haven’t seen him at the university, and he hasn’t answered any of my calls.”

Nichkhun suddenly came to a stop and I opened my eyes to see the reason why. I immediately sobered up when I saw what made him pause.

It was Jiyong.