Minji and Jinah were now walking aimlessly around the streets of Hongdae. It was getting dark outside and Minji decided that it was time to go home. Jinah, however, thought otherwise. She wanted to go clubbing much to Minji's dismay. 

 

"We're not allowed in clubs, Jinah," Minji tried to change Jinah's mind by reminding her about the freaking laws. 

 

"Trust me, in the club I'm taking you to, we are," Jinah said. Minji was hesitant, the only club she had ever been to was Lovely Day and that technically wasn't counted. And she knew that soju was her weakness.  One time when Ninth Line brought her out for some soju, she drank a little and Jisoo ended up carrying her all the way home. 

 

 

"Hello Jieun?" Minji started. Jinah snatched the phone away from her ear. 

 

"Hey Jieun, I'm bringing Minji to the club. You know, that club. That's okay right? …. Good. Bye" Jinah hit the hang up button and smiled. Minji stood there mouth gaping. 

 

"She said okay. Just not to go home so late because there's school tomorrow. Psh," Jinah waved it off. Then, she pulled Minji towards the club. 

 

~

 

"ID please," This buff guy at the entrance held out his hands. 

 

"Hey Jin," Jinah tapped his chest lightly. 

 

Realising that it was Jinah he quickly added, "Oh it's you. Come on in then," He stood aside and let us in. 

 

Minji turned to Jinah and gave her a questioning look. 

 

"My Dad owns this place so I can get in. I just have to behave and not do illegal things because I'm being 'watched'" She made air quotes when she said "watched". Minji's mouth formed a small 'o' 

 

As soon as they entered, they could hear the pulsating blasts of loud music. Everywhere, there were people dancing and chatting under the flashing strobe lights. Immediateley, Jinah ran towards the dance floor and started doing really weird and awkward moves. Minji couldn't help but giggle. 

 

"Get in the groove," Jinah moved side to side. Minji shook her head, laughing. She always felt out of place in crowded places like this so she found a seat on the bar by the dance floor. She sat there observing everyone. 

 

"Hey there," A voice called from behind Minji. 

 

She turned around to look at the bartender, "Hey there… Yoonggi?" She read his nametag. 

 

"Care for a drink? It's on the house for such a pretty lady like you," He winked at her. She gave him a judging look. 

 

"No thanks, I'm fine," She cleared and played with the menu on the table. 

 

"Nonsense, I'll whip one up for you now," Yoonggi then grabbed a cup off the rack and started mixing some ingredients together. Minji watched, entranced, as he did it so skillfully. In no time, he concoted a lovely looking drink. 

 

"Mind telling me what's in this?" Minji slowly slid the drink to her side of the table. 

 

Yoonggi leaned on the table and grinned, "Strawberry syrup, berry sauce, yoghurt juice, with whip cream and a little alcohol," 

 

"A little?" Minji stirred the drink. 

 

"Yes. Try it," Yoonggi looked at her, willing her to take a sip of his masterpiece. So Minji did. As soon as she did, her eyes widened at the sweet tasting drink. 

 

"This is good," She held up two-thumbs. Yoonggi winked again. 

 

"I gotta go serve the other customers. Enjoy your drink," He then disappeared to the othet side of the bar. Minji sat drinking and watching the dance floor. The drink was seriously so good. She might even consider getting somemore. She scanned the room looking for Jinah but she was no where in sight. Probably off dancing somewhere else, Minji thought. 

 

She sipped the last bits of her drink and frowned. She called Yoonggi over and told him to make her more, which he complied. One more turned into three more, then five more. 

 

At the six drink, Minji was knocked out. She lay on the bar table, whining, "Please. One more, Yoonggi," This time, Yoonggi refused to give her some more, telling her to go home because it was late and she was drunk. 

 

Minji shook her head uncontrollably and slammed the table, "I said please. Why does everything not go my way," Everyone around the bar stared at her and some even fled thinking she might just throw up. Yoonggi decided that he should probably get her home. He called for Jin, the bouncer, and told him to take her out. 

 

"She came here with Jinah, you know," Jin said as he stood beside the drooling Minji. 

 

"Then get Jinah to take her home. She's damaging my business here," 

 

Jin looked around and because of his height, spotted Jinah sitting beside a group of female tourists, sharing a bowl of chips with them. He waved his hand in her direction and got her attention. He gestured for her to come. She groaned, bid goodbye to the tourists and stomped towards Jin. 

 

"It's only 10:45, I know I need to get home early but-" Jinah stopped whining when she saw her friend sprawled on the table. 

 

"What happened here?" She turned to look at Yoonggi and tapped her foot, waiting for an explanation. 

 

"I gave her a drink with some alcohol, she liked it and went crazy asking for some more," Yoonggi shrugged as if it was nothing. Jinah approached Minji and sat her up straight. She was a mess. 

 

"You gave her some more didn't you?" Jinah told Yoonggi. 

 

"I have to give customers what they want," Then someone called for him and he went away.

 

"Just get her home, Jinah. You too should be heading home," Jin instructed Jinah and she nodded. 

 

"God, Minji. How much did you drink?" Jinah could smell alcohol coming from Minji's body. 

 

The problem now was how to get her home. Jinah didn't want to call her family members. She'd get blacklisted as soon as she told them that they'd only met that afternoon and now their daughter was knocked out in a club. She sat up on the bar stool beside Minji's and grabbed her phone from her. She punched in the password, and scrolled through her contacts list. 

 

"Mom.. No… Dad… No… Soonyoung… Please…. Jieun… No… Mingyu?" Jinah clicked on the dial button. She waited for this Mingyu guy to pick up and after 4 rings, a groggy voice answered. 

 

"Hello? Minji go back to sleep it's already 11," Mingyu yawned into the phone. 

 

"Geez, who sleeps at 11," Jinah mused. 

 

"Wait, who are you? Get away from Minji," Not recognizing this different voice, Mingyu shot up from his bed. 

 

"Relax, I'm Jinah. You're friend's drunk, take her home now, will ya?" Jinah got straight to the point. 

 

"I don't know who you are but touch her and you'll die. Where are you?" Mingyu scrambled out of his bed and clumsily put on a pair of jeans and grabbed a jacket, too in a hurry to change. 

 

"We're in Hongdae. In Club88," Jinah checked on Minji who was snoring on the table beside her. 

 

"What the hell?! Hongdae? Okay, I'm on my way," Mingyu clicked the receiver shut and Jinah sighed in relief. She put Minji's arm around her shoulders and struggled out the club. She sat both of them down on the curb and waited. 

 

Soon, a taxi pulled up and a tall boy emerged from the front seat. He was struggling to get a leather coat over his wife beater. Jinah nodded in approval at Jinah's choice of guy friends. He ran towards them and flicked his hair to the side. 

 

"Not bad, Minji," Jinah whispered to her friend beside her, holding up a thumb. 

 

"She told me she was at home 8 hours ago," Mingyu began carrying Minji up. 

 

"Yeah, she's totally at home," Jinah asserted. Mingyu rolled his eyes, already disliking this person. He hated sarcasm. Bending down, he told Jinah to get Minji on his back. Jinah put down her many shopping bags and got Minji to cling onto his back. Easily, he lifted her off the ground and started walking down the street. 

 

"Wait, you guys aren't catching a cab?" Jinah ran, trying to catch up with the long-legged boy. 

 

"Do you have money?" Mingyu called out, not looking at her. 

 

"No. Don't you have money? Who comes out of the house without money?" Jinah said. 

 

"I was in a rush. Who comes out to Hongdae without money?" Mingyu fought back. 

 

"I spent them all," Jinah avowed her bankruptcy. Mingyu shook his head and sighed loudly. 

 

"This girl trusts people too easily. First with some soccer guy and second going out with some lunatic to Hongdae," Mingyu thought out loud. 

 

"Hey, hey, hey. I'm her friend," Jinah pointed at herself, stating her point. 

 

"Hasn't her Mom told her about not trusting strangers?" Mingyu continued, ignoring Jinah. 

 

"Really? How do I know that you're not a stranger too? You could be a stalker or murderer for all I know," Jinah looked at Mingyu and Mingyu looked at Jinah, both of them backing away from each other slowly. 

 

"YAh, I'm not letting you take her home," Jinah started pulling Minji away from Mingyu's back. 

 

"I'm not letting you take her home either," Mingyu ran forward. Jinah followed. 

 

"Stop following me!" Mingyu yelled. 

 

"No, you stop following me! I live there," Jinah pointed towards the neighbourhood in front. 

 

"Oh, man. Don't tell me we're neighbours," Mingyu stomped away. 

 

"Unit 2678" Jinah said quietly. 

 

"Damn it, I'm 2670," Mingyu quickened his pace. 

 

"Wait up, neighbour!" Jinah screamed, laughing. 

 

----

 

"Woah, you've got a nice house. Oh my gosh!! Is that a 40 inch smart tv! Wowwowowo" Jinah shrieked as soon as she got into Mingyu's unit. 

 

"Keep it down, I'm only letting you in because you have clothes for Minji," Mingyu entered his room and laid Minji down on the bed, putting a blanket over her. 

 

Jinah hopped from the living room area to the kitchen. She looked around the place looking for his parents but she didn't find them. 

 

"Hey, Mingyu?" Jinah called out. 

 

"Hmm?" Mingyu came out of the room, taking off his jacket. 

 

"Do you live alone?" Jinah asked quieter than her usual voice. She sat down on the sofa. 

 

"Yeah I do. But it's cause my parent's live in the provinces," He sat down on the small stool infront of Jinah. 

 

Jinah nodded and smiled sadly. 

 

"What about you?" Mingyu asked awkwardly, trying to make small talk. 

 

"Me too…" She was a lot less loud than usual, her eyes glassy and sad. 

 

"Wow, look at the time. I got to go," Jinah got up and brushed her shorts. She took out the pullover and a pair of shorts that Minji would wear and left it on the table top. She secretly put a pair of disney undergarments she bought earlier in between the clothes too. 

 

Mingyu looked at the time. 12:05am. 

 

"You know what, just stay over," Mingyu offered. Jinah's ears perked up and a smile played on her face. 

 

"Really?" She started jumping up and down. 

 

"Yah. Don't think I'm instantly friends with you or anything. I'm letting you stay over because it's late and besides I gotta thank you for taking care of Minji today," Mingyu added cautiously. 

 

"And also because I go to the same school as you guys," Jinah pointed out this piece of information. 

 

Mingyu gave her a thumbs up and went to get some extra pillows for the new guest. 

 

"At least I won't be alone for today," Jinah bounced up and down and lay down on the sofa. 

 

"You're not sleeping in the room?' Mingyu raised a brow as he came out, arms fully loaded with pillows and blankets. 

 

Jinah shook her head no, "I'm okay here." She patted the couch. 

 

"Suit yourself then. I'm gonna be sleeping on here on the floor. Aren't you afraid of strangers?" Mingyu got out a blanket and threw it at Jinah's face. 

 

She caught it and stuck out her tongue, "You're not a stranger to me," 

 

"Yeah sure," Mingyu lay down on the floor. He clapped twice and the lights turned off. 

 

"Goodnight, friend," Jinah mumbled before she closed her eyes. 

 

"Night," 

 

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