“Are they already—” Heerin’s eyes widened, seeing the two talking sweetly to each other.

“THEY ARE OFFICIALLY DATING!” the other boys grinned, while Heeyeon and JaeEun giggled.

“Finally, Seul’s dream came true.” Heeyeon added.

“Yah! Why are you all guys transferring?” Heechul whined, seeing everybody spread out to different tables, leaving him as the only one occupying the long table. “This is unfair!”

“Heechul-ah, you’re not alone,” Hankyung said from his side, patting him on the back.

“Are we the only ones left? Wow, this is really unfair. Why do I have to be paired up with a guy?”

Abandoning him, Hankyung went to Heerin’s table.

“Hyung, join Heechul-hyung,” Kibum objected. “This table is considered full.”

Unrelenting, Hankyung took the empty seat next to Donghae. “Come on, that guy’s troublesome and noisy.”

Heechul neared Heerin’s table, when he saw Hankyung.

“Heerin-ah, why are you so picky? Hankyung, Donghae, Kibum, can be with you but not me. You’re having favoritism, aren’t you? I asked you earlier but you rejected me.”

“No, it’s not like that,” Heerin tried to argue but was defeated.

“Hyung, we told her not to let anyone else in this table, aside from Donghae-hyung and I,” Kibum butted in, giving her hand on her lap a friendly squeeze.

“You want her solely yours?” Heechul remarked, smirking. “Whatever…just let me stay here. If I join any of those couples over there, I will really feel out-of-place.”

Smiling, Heerin looked at Heechul. “Welcome to the loners club.”

“Yeah but wait, you have a boyfriend,” Heechul responded. “You’re not a loner.”

Chuckling, she raised her drink. “Just for tonight, I’m a loner.”

Heechul grinned, clinking his own glass with hers. “Cheers!” After a sip of his drink, he snapped his fingers. “Let’s play ‘Rock-paper-scissors’ game. But to make it fun, the loser will have a consequence.”

“What is it?” the others asked.

“One set lost is equal to 3 shots of tequila.The loser for the final round will have 13 shots.”

“Call,” the boys including Heerin agreed.

“But you’re a girl,” Donghae said, worrying. “It’s hard liquor.”

“Who said girls can’t drink tequila? I have beer management,” she answered defensively. “Deal~”

“I like this woman,” Heechul grinned. “You’re pretty tough, huh?”

“Maybe?” Heerin grinned.

“I remember Kangin. He loves draft beer,” Hankyung chuckled.

“So here it is: Hankyung versus I and Donghae against Kibum. Each pair will play best of 3, so the person, who wins all three games or at least 2 out of 3, proceeds to the next round.”

“What about me?” Heerin asked, confused.

“Save the best for last,” Heechul answered wittily, giving her a wink after.

 The game went for almost an hour—well, time seemed too slow for a tipsy guy, called Kim Heechul battling with an equally tipsy Kim Kibum. Finally, Heechul came to face Heerin.

“There’s no way I’m going to lose to a girl,” Heechul blurted, all fired up. He ed the cuffs of his long sleeves and folded them just high enough around his elbows.

“Han Heerin, you can do it. Defeat hyung,” Kibum and Donghae cheered for her, rubbing their temples as their heads started to ache.

“Hankyung, aren’t you going to cheer for me?”Heechul asked, looking at the said guy.

“Heechul, it’s a shame fighting with a girl,” he bit back, making the latter’s ear redden in embarrassment.

“And I thought we’re friends…Whose side are you?”

Shrugging, Hankyung stifled a chuckle as he looked at Heechul’s angry face.

“Stop chatting. Bring it on,” Heerin blurted, urging him.

Curious about their game, the other girls and boys have gathered around their table.

“Rinnie, fighting!” her friends cheered in support.

Nearing the two, Leeteuk started MC-ing. “Now, we are going to witness a battle between the two HEE’s,” he uttered, holding a spoon as a makeshift microphone. “As agreed, the loser of this final round will drink 13 shots of tequila.Start."

"Kawi bawi Bo..."

The simple game became an intense fight that made everyone anticipate.

"Rin-ah, give up!" Heechul urged.

"No way," she said seriously, almost panting because of playing.

Everyone around them started betting.

"Wow, five all!"

"Last one to determine the winner," Leeteuk announced.

"KAWI BAWI BO," the two hollered. Time stilled. The victor and the loser were both silent.

"Who won?" Eunhyuk asked, curious.

"Alright… You won," Heechul uttered, accepting his defeat. He subsequently drink all those 13 shots.

"HEERIN! HEERIN!"

"Because I won, I'll play the guitar for you," she said, gaining catcalls from everyone. She got up onstage and test-tuned the guitar available. "Can I ask Heechul-oppa to play the piano?"

Standing up from his seat, Heechul slowly went to the stage and sat in front of the piano. Whispering on his ear, Heerin chuckled. The said guy grinned as he tested the keys. Heerin sat on the chair in front of the microphone and started to pluck the chords.

"Are you going to play a love song?" Eunhyuk asked.

"A good love song," Heechul grinned. “This would make you cry.” He said, ironically.

They started slowly, but then their tempo paced up and became upbeat.

"Baraboneun noonbit sokkeh, noonbit sokkeh

naneun machi naneun micheo mwueh hollin nom..."

Everyone started to dance and sing along with Heerin. The two onstage enjoyed themselves and watched the couples pairing up to dance—Eunhyuk with JaeEun, Leeteuk with Raseul and Heeyeon with Yesung.

After this, as if directed, a slow sweet song was played in the background.  Heechul and Heerin blushed, looking at each other as they stepped down from the stage.

"Can I have this dance?" Heechul asked, offered his hand, smiling amiably.

Returning his smile, Heerin took his hand. They made their way to the dance floor and swayed to the music along with the others—her hands on his shoulders and his on her waist.

"Sorry for being so harsh earlier," he uttered softly, looking into her eyes.

"No, I was also loud.” Heerin admonished gently. Noticing that the latter was silent, she touched his forehead. “Are you still okay?"

Heechul chuckled, pinching her cheek lightly. "Don’t worry I am not drunk...yet. I'm still harmless."

Both of them chuckled. Suddenly, Heechul lowered his head on her shoulders.

"Oppa..."

"I think I feel it coming. I'm sleepy."

Seeing the situation, Kibum and Donghae who were quietly sitting, ran towards them. They assisted him to sit on a nearby couch.

"He had fallen asleep,” Heerin whispered.

"Just ignore him. He is drunk—at least, I hope he is. Otherwise, you're in real trouble," Donghae uttered, staring at her.

"I'll take him to the van," Hankyung volunteered, assisting Heechul to stand up.

"Thank you.”

*  *  *

Watching from the side, Heerin let out a sigh.

"They look so happy," she uttered, smiling as she watched her friends chatting with the other members.

"Well, they are," Kibum responded. “Are you not happy?”

Shaking her head, the former replied, “Of course, I’m happy for them.”

Shifting on his seat, Donghae spoke. "I didn't know that you can play the guitar."

Smiling bashfully, she responded, "Not that good compared to Sungmin."

“I still think that you’re great, for a girl at that,” Donghae remarked.

Kibum bit his lip when he saw Heerin’s reddening cheeks. "What's this song playing now?" he asked, diverting his attention.

"Falling slowly,” she answered him, fiddling with her fingers.

"Will you sing for us?" Donghae asked, hopeful.

 She stood up, got the guitar from the stage and sat in front of them. “My pleasure.”

As soon as she started to play the chords, the two boys were enthralled right away. They stared as her as she begins to sing.

I don't know you

but I want you

All the more for that

Words fall through me

And always fool me

And I can't react

And games that never amount

To more than they're meant

Will play themselves out

When she reached the chorus of the song, Heerin got carried away, singing and strumming on her guitar, passionately.

Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice

You'll make it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me

And I can't go back

Moods that take me and erase me

And I'm painted black…

Throughout the whole song, the boys were just looking at her face, mesmerized.

"Am I falling slowly...for her?" they thought in silence.