A/N: Since some of you were curious about Chorong and Bomi's night, I decided to give it to you people ^^ This chapter fully ChoMi centric so to my readers who are ChoMi shippers like me, I hope you enjoy this update ^^ Also, special thanks to a very special person who helped me with lipstick colors since I don't have any idea about it. ^^

CHAPTER 6: ERASE

On the other side of the studio, Chorong was still painfully watching the two from where she was drinking her hurt away. She kind of felt stupid because every shot to ease her agony was immediately refilled the more she stare at Hani who was being extra touchy towards Bomi. Chorong could have just looked away or leave, but for some unknown reason, she can’t.

“Why am I even jealous…” she slurred as she asked for another glass.

It was unbelievable for her too. Sure, she like Bomi but the pang of jealousy that was piercing tells her that it’s something more than mere infatuation. Chorong kept on wondering how is it possible to be this drawn towards someone whom she just met twice, and then she remembered how she used to tease Eunji about Naeun. Is this Karma? Is this the same attraction that her best friend is experiencing towards the famous celebrity? Chorong suddenly thought that maybe this is God’s way of telling her that it is possible: by experiencing it herself. The only difference is that compared to her situation, the other two had some kind of mutual understanding while she’s all alone sailing the ship by herself.  

These thoughts are making her head feel heavy already, and so is her drink. Everything is getting blurry for Chorong already, except for Bomi whom she just saw walked out with Hani. With that, she left her drink and lurched to follow the two. She knows that she’s being nosy, but it didn’t matter to her since she believes that Bomi doesn’t see her at all. Even though intoxicated, Chorong managed to keep an eye on them without being unnoticed.

“Thanks for coming tonight.”  The birthday celebrant expressed her gratitude as she accompanied Hani towards the car that was going to fetch her friend.“Sorry I can’t you home .I can’t drive like this and I have an early work tomorrow.”

“You mean, ‘later’.”  Hani chuckled. "Anyway, I had a good time. Thanks for inviting me. Happy Birthday, Bomi.”

Chorong felt like her heart stopped beating the moment she saw Hani giving the younger girl a peck on the lips. Bomi already turned around to go back inside, but the taller girl pulled her back to give that sweet goodbye. She can’t believe that Hani is just a close friend because it seemed like more than that, basing on what she saw and how they treat each other. She immediately turned around and went back towards the elevator lobby, sighing as she pushed the button going up.

The door was about to close when an arm blocked its way, making the door slide open again.

“Oh. Hello.” Bomi gave her toothy smile at Chorong whose mind went blank at the sight of the latter.

“Hi…” Chorong responded, trying to sound as normal as she can. Her eyes then travelled from Bomi’s eyes; to the peach kiss mark at the corner of the latter’s lips before looking away.

“It seems like you’ve drunk quite enough.” The younger girl tried starting a conversation, pointing out the redness of Chorong’s face due to the effect of the liquor she consumed. Bomi then raised her eyebrows as she got curious about why was Chorong downstairs. “Did you meet with someone at the lobby?”

The older girl just stayed quiet. She is bad at lying, and she really doesn’t want to lie but she doesn’t want to tell Bomi the truth either. Chorong tried to think of an excuse, but every one of it doesn’t really make sense. So she was just like Okay, whatever.

“I was looking for the washroom.” She shyly replied while fiddling with her fingers. She was sure depressed about what she saw earlier but Bomi talking to her right now made it like it never happened. Chorong was never the timid type, but she gets all reserved in front of this woman whom she rarely met. Even with other people that she gets introduced to, she was always hyper and active. She was always considered as one of the boys, but now she‘s like the complete opposite of how she normally is.

“She really is special…” She thought as she stole a glance at Bomi.

“But the washroom…” Bomi pondered for a minute as she thought of Chorong’s answer. The party was on the 28th floor, and there’s a washroom in every floor so why go as far as the ground floor? “I think you’ve drunk too much.” She concluded, as it was the only possible reason.

“No…” Chorong denied, but the younger one wasn’t convinced especially when the latter almost went off on the wrong floor.

“Stop lying.” She giggled, which made the person beside her secretly blush behind her long hair. “Unless…”

“Hmm?” The latter asked, finally looking at Bomi with a face full of curiosity. “Unless what?”

Bomi paused and faced Chorong. “Drink with me.”

Even before she can refuse, Bomi already dragged her back to the couch where she and Hani spent their time together. She also called for the bartender to serve them two bottles of Jack Daniel’s and a single shot glass.

Bomi then poured until half and drank all of it before passing the glass to Chorong. “Your turn.”

“I…I thought you still have work later?” She reasoned out, trying to escape from this challenge.

“Chill…It’s just midnight.” Bomi poured half as well for Chorong, but she paused along the way after realizing something. “Wait, how did you know that?”

She mentally cursed herself once again because of that slip of her tongue. Without any excuse in her mind, Chorong just took the shot glass and drank her part, hoping that Bomi would forget about it. The burning sensation of the liquor sliding down suddenly made her perspire and feel like she was just hit by a frying pan on the head.

She squint her eyes as she carefully returned the shot glass on the table. “Your turn.”

After a while, they already reached their tenth round and no one’s waving the white flag yet. As expected, both of them grew a bit closer and more comfortable, especially Chorong, as they started to share some stories to one another. Bomi mainly talked about the stress of being a young manager of the most complicated and rebellious person she has ever met. Naeun was her first, and she now fears for her life as a manager in the future. She also expressed how she wanted to continue studying in college, that’s why she’s working hard for it. Chorong on the other hand, talked about her college life and some stories with Eunji that she really shouldn’t be telling anyone. Both of them laughed as they go on.

“You’re younger than me and yet you dragged me a while ago?!” Chorong exclaimed, making the other one scared.

“I didn’t know, okay!” Bomi slurred as she gulped another shot. “Besides…you look like a junior high student…”

“Shut up.” Chorong’s instant reflexes of hitting someone came out, but it didn’t bother Bomi and just laughed at the sight of the older girl slapping her arm. She then did a one shot before struggling to refill the glass. “So…are you saying that…I don’t look like a woman at all?” she hiccupped.

“Hmm…” She tilted her head as she observed the fellow intoxicated girl in front of her. “You’re…cute.”

“I am? So…that must be a yes…” The older one pouted and whined like a 5 year old. She then grabbed the shot glass that Bomi accidentally filled up to the brim roughly, spilling some of the liquor on her clothes.

Chorong was about to drink when she felt a pair of warm hands cupping her cheeks.

“Yes!” Bomi nodded after turning the other girl’s head to face her. “You’re cute.” She added as she pinched Chorong’s cheeks like she was playing with a stuffed toy. “I b-bet you have a line of suitors in front of your house every day.”

Bomi exaggerated, but she was right about her having suitors. Sometimes she’ll get random notes slipped through the pages of her book, or at times a rose taped on the door of her locker. But these things don’t excite her, not even a bit that her friends react better like they were the ones who got the gifts. She doesn’t feel anything, not because she’s used to it but because she just doesn’t feel anything at all. Upon gazing at Bomi’s eye smile, she wished that the younger girl was one of her suitors.

“Have you…ever been in love?” Chorong asked without taking her eyes off of the woman, her heart and a bottle of Jack Daniel’s obviously winning over her mind. “Or…are you in love now?” She rephrased the question the moment the bright kiss mark got her attention once again; the kiss mark that she badly wanted to erase.

“I really don’t know…” Bomi answered as she pointed the glass, motioning her to drink it. “Hani though…she makes me…” she took a shot before continuing. “…extra special.”

Upon hearing those words, Chorong grabbed the bottle and poured for herself thrice, thinking that the intoxicant would help eradicate the sting she was feeling deep inside her. It made her lean back on the couch as everything went from bad to worse. Now it felt like she was hit on the head thrice. She then heard Bomi clap in amazement.

“How about you, are you in love?” She also took the drink thrice to be at par with Chorong. It was a challenge, after all. “Who’s…the…lucky one…?” Bomi slurred as she suffered the same consequence.

“I don’t know too.” Chorong just shrugged as she watched the latter who was on the verge of passing out which made her stifle a laugh. “Giving up?” she asked as she threw the empty shot glass at Bomi. Luckily it landed on the couch after it rolled off the younger girl’s lap.

Bomi tried her best to sit up straight as she reached for the second bottle which was almost half empty. Unfortunately, she poured some of the drink on herself first before it went in the drinking vessel. She then showed the full glass to Chorong before gulping it with all her might. “I…I am going to…to win this…” she garbled.

Finally, the second bottle was emptied with Chorong drinking Bomi’s turn, making her the final victor of the duel. She slammed the shot glass on the table with a triumphant look on her face as she stared at the already unconscious woman beside her. It was already three in the morning, and they were the only ones left in the place. Chorong then let herself fall back on the couch as everything started spinning around her.

“Yoon Bomi.”

“…”

“Bomi-ya.”

“…”

“Bomm-ah.”

Chorong then pulled herself up as she continued to stare at Bomi. Her hand moved on its own and gently caressed the birthday girl’s cheeks. She’s not sure if this kind of interaction will happen again, so she grabbed the opportunity to admire Bomi this close. Chorong remembered Bomi’s toothy smile and the eye smile that comes with it, the infectious laugh that came out of her small lips, a bit of her stupid humor and how she sparkled until now as well. She gave a bittersweet smile as she also unwillingly recalled the situation a while ago that she wished she didn’t see.

“Extra…special, huh…” The soft-spoken one sounded a little hopeless at first, but then became determined upon remembering how Bomi cupped her face and told her that she’s cute. She might not be as hot, tall, slim, and alluring as Hani, but that doesn’t mean that she cannot try to win her. She is cute in Bomi’s eyes, and that’s all that matters to her right now.

I have a chance.

She then traced Bomi’s lips with her thumb, and as it reached the bright peach mark at the corner, she pressed it hard and rubbed it off. Chorong replaced it with her own as she planted a peck on the same spot, leaving a mauve smudge. After that, she sat back down and leaned Bomi’s head on her bare shoulder.

I’ll erase her from you. She silently told Bomi before allowing herself to pass out.