When we arrived home, Kat and I were given a time to meet up with Henry and the boys.  We asked if we could bring anything, they refused. 

At 9pm, Kat and I found ourselves knocking on the door of 1211, with the distinct feeling of apprehension.

“Is it super impolite to refuse alcohol?”  Kat asked.

I merely shrugged my shoulders, not having an answer to give.

The door opened.  Sehun’s beaming face greeted us.

Nice to see that surly-looking kid with a smile.   

“Welcome noonas!”  He gestured us inside.  Behind him stood a grinning Tao, whose smile widened at the sight of my blonde companion.  I took the opportunity to survey the place. 

The living room looked like it had been cleaned in a hurry.  It held a large sectional sofa in the shape of a gigantic “L”, (if squished together, all eleven guys could probably fit.)  Xiumin and Chen were currently lounging on said sofa, they nodded hello from their seats.   Lay was sprawled out on the floor, a pillow beneath his head.  He jumped to his feet at the sight of us, bowing.  The sofa faced an enormous flat screen; it sat above a console containing various gaming systems and a DVD player.  The collection of games and DVD’s housed on shelves on either side of the television was immense.

Their kitchen was set up pretty similar to ours, except they had an extra fridge.  Makes sense.  The kitchen looked… well loved.  It, too, looked to have been hastily cleaned.  Over the kitchen counter hung a banner that read “Welcome Noonas!” in bright red marker.  It was cheesy, but I appreciated the thought.

Henry and Kai waved their hellos from where they stood behind the counter.  The counter held a plethora of food and beverages; beverages that looked to be mostly of the alcoholic persuasion.

“Hank?”  I looked towards my friend, who was grinning at me from the kitchen.  “Are you trying to get us nice, impressionable, young ladies inebriated?”  I asked, innocently.

He chuckled.  “I know you girls don’t party, but I never got to have the college experience.  And these guys need a distraction before tour starts up again.”

I frowned, not realizing they’d be leaving so soon.  “When do they go back on tour, exactly?”  I asked.

“Not them, you.”  He motioned to Kat and myself, in addition to the Exo members in the room. 

“We get to go on tour too?”  Kat squealed, excitedly.

“As far as I know.”  Henry shrugged his shoulders. 

“Awesome!  I don’t even know what that means, but I’m excited nonetheless!  Now, I’ve only counted six Exo’s.  Where are the other five?”  Kat inquired.

Henry gave an exasperated sigh.  “Honestly, woman.  Don’t you read the schedule?”

“I did!”  I raised my hand like an eager school kid. 

“Yes, Allison.  Would you like to share with the blonde what you’ve learned from it?”  Henry teased.

“Luhan and D.O are filming for movies.  Baekhyun’s said ‘Singing in the Rain’, I’m guessing that means he’s doing the musical?”  Henry nodded.  “And Chanyeol’s schedule just said ‘Roommate’.  What’s that mean?”

“Roommate is TV show.”  Kai supplied.

“Yeah, what he said.”  Henry pointed a thumb in Kai’s direction.  “It’s basically ‘The Real World’ but Korean celebrity edition.”  He explained.

“Oh…” Kat and I chorused, heads nodding.

“Anyways, back to what I was saying before.  These guys need a distraction.  Plus, what better way to get to know each other than an evening in with the boys?”

“I am convinced that soju is the beverage of demons!”  Kat slurred, passionately. 

It was almost one in the morning.  Kat and I had taught the boys how to play beer pong, except they decided to spice things up.  They added a few cups filled with soju interspersed with the usual filled with beer.  The combination of alcohol and competitiveness had proven to be lethal. 

I looked around the room, surveying the damage.  Lay was sprawled on the floor in his earlier position, this time drunk and snoring.  Chen was passed out on the sofa.  Kai and Sehun were sitting on the floor next to the table, giggling about nothing in particular.  Xiuimin and Henry were engrossed in a debate over who was older.  Tao was asleep, his head on the table next to Kat who was eyeing the empty bottle in front of her as though it were her worst enemy. 

“Where is Suho?”  I asked, suddenly realizing the leader had been absent that evening. 

As if awoken by my question, a door to one of the bedrooms opened.  A grumpy looking Suho stepped into the hallway.  He’d definitely been asleep.

“Yah!”  He shouted.  I flinched.  So did Kat. Henry and Xiumin quit arguing and turned to stare at the fuming leader.  Tao was so startled he fell off his chair onto the floor.  He landed next to Sehun and Kai, who again, burst into giggles.  Lay snorted from his place on the floor and rolled over.  Chen didn’t budge.

Suho shouted again.  Kat’s and my head snapped toward Henry for translation.  He belched loudly, snickered, and then began.  “He said we’re being too loud.  Blah-dee-blah.  Something about schedules, being irresponsible… blah blah.  Calling Jin, blah…. AHH!” 

It was if saying the name “Jin” aloud had sobered him. 

“Yeah, that means it’s time for the boys to go to bed and you girls and I gotta go.  Like now.”  He said, with urgency.

“What?  Why so soon?”  Kat whined.

“Yeah!  Why not call Jin?  I’d love to have a drink with that guy!  Maybe it’d get him talking a bit more.  He’s like a puzzle.  A great big puzzle with teeny tiny little pieces.  I’ve put together the edges but the middle pieces are missing… so frustrating…” I trailed off, my words beginning to feel incoherent.

“Yeah, so not going to happen.”  Henry replied.

“Aw… you’re no fun!”  I whined.

“No, I’m fun.  Jin… if he found out about this… he’d be downright scary.”  He shuddered.

“Noona?”  Tao called to Kat from the floor.

Kat stared down at him.  “Yes, darling?”  The alcohol definitely talking.

“Is party over now?”  He asked, sadly.

“Yes, dear.  It is.  Allie and I have to go home now.”  She replied, voice equally sad.

“YAH!”  Suho screamed at us again, apparently angry that no one had responded to his earlier threats.

Xiumin and Henry rose from their chairs, speaking politely to Suho in Korean; probably letting him know the party was over. 

I got up and began picking up trash.  Xiumin intercepted me.  He removed the empty cups from my hands and motioned towards Henry with his head.  Henry was helping a tipsy Kat to her feet and heading towards the door. 

“Thank you, Xiumin.  I had fun.”  I smiled at him.

“Nah do.”  He grinned and went back to picking up. 

I waved goodbye to the only other conscious members, which happened to be Kai, Tao and Sehun who still sat, giggling on the floor. 

Henry, who seemed to have sobered some, helped me get Kat across the hall, inside and into her bed.  She began snoring softly the moment he head hit her pillow.  I followed Henry out to the living room, closing Kat’s door behind me.  He made a beeline for the couch, on which he sprawled, kicking both feet up on the coffee table and closing his eyes.

I stood, hands on my hips, frowning at him.  “Don’t you have a home to go to, little boy?” 

He stuck out his bottom lip, pouting, his eyes remained closed.  “I don’t think you’re in any position to call me little.  I’ll have you know, I’m eight inches taller than you.”  He said with a grin, proud of himself.

“Hey, my height is average in the this country.”  I said, with a pout.

“Not in Canada.  Or the U.S. for that matter!”  He said with a laugh.

“I never said I wanted to be tall anyway.” I said, still pouting.  I could feel myself being childish, but somehow the alcohol wouldn’t allow otherwise.

“I’m just teasing.”  He smiled and pat the cushion next to him.  “Come here.”

I heaved a sigh and sat beside him, legs crossed.  He put both arms around me and pulled my back towards his chest, his chin resting on my shoulder.  I normally would’ve felt slightly uncomfortable with this arrangement, but I was buzzed and sleepy and Henry was warm and comfortable.  I sighed again.

Hank, your arms feel muscley…

“Are you still pouting?”  He asked, his voice very close to my right ear.

“No.”  I grumbled.  He chuckled and I felt the vibrations against my back until his breathing steadied.

After a few minutes, I broke the silence.  “Henry, where do you live?  I’ve been here, what, three days now?  I still don’t know where you live.”

“The Suju boys and I have a place.”  He mumbled, sleepily.

“Yeah?  Where?”

I blinked a few times.  I could feel a phone vibrating nearby.  I could hear it too; a soft irritating buzz.  I shifted, only then realizing that Henry’s arms were still draped around my torso lazily.  He was holding one of my hands, our fingers intertwined.

I frowned, trying to recall what had occurred the previous night.  I winced.  The dull ache beginning to grow behind my eyes helped me remember. 

“Soju is the beverage of demons…” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. 

The vibrating continued.

“Hen.  Wake up.”  I nudged him.  He didn’t move.  “Henry, your phone is ringing.”  I said a little louder.  Nothing.  “Hank!  Get up!”  I whined.

He stretched, yawning and opened his eyes finally, looking at me. 

Damn, you’re cute in the morning.  The thought flashed through my brain before I could stop it.  I shook my head to clear my train of thought.

“Your phone.” 

“Huh?”  He eyed me, sleepily, crossing his arms over his chest and snuggling down into the couch.

“Henry, your phone is ringing but I’m not going to go fishing for it in your pockets and give you the wrong idea.”

He closed his eyes.  “I wouldn’t mind…” He trailed off. 

“Hank!  Your phone!”

“Oh!”  His eyes flew open and a hand shot into his pocket retrieving the offending object.  He looked at the screen.  “!  ty !”

“What?” 

“It’s 9am!”  He looked alarmed.

“Yeah?  So?  It’s a Sunday.” 

“Idols don’t get Sundays.  I’ve missed four calls from my manager.  I’m two and half hours late.  Jin is supposed to be picking you guys up in thirty minutes.  If he sees he me here, I’m toast!”

“Why would Jin care?”

“He’s… traditional.  Which I respect, don’t get me wrong.  I am too.  I wasn’t thinking clearly, I totally shouldn’t have stayed last night and I’m sorry for that.  But Jin is sort of everybody’s big brother that nobody wants to disappoint and definitely never piss off.” 

“Gotcha.”

“Alright.  I’m out.”  He stood, stretching.  I caught myself peeking at the strip of abs that appeared when his shirt rose.  Before I could scold myself for staring he surprised me.   

He leaned down, kissed the top of my head, and abruptly disappeared through the front door.

Apparently this is becoming a habit…

“Um, did I just see what I thought I saw?”  Croaked a voice from the hallway.

I turned to see Kat staring, open-mouthed.  She was looking at me through squinted eyes.  She was obviously feeling the effects of the soju as I was.

“I don’t know how you saw anything.  Your eyes aren’t even open.”  I said, snarkily.  “Jin is gonna be here in thirty minutes.  We gotta get ourselves looking alive and presentable… and un-hungover.”

“I’m not sure if that’s even possible, but I’ll work on it.  I’m going to shower.”  She turned to walk towards her bathroom but paused in the doorway.  “Don’t you think I’m going to forget what I just saw.  I just need to be thinking more coherently to berate you about it.”  With that she slammed the bathroom door shut. 

I winced at the sound.  “This is going to be a very long day.”