clairo / flamin' hot cheetos

“Damn it.”

I swore under my breath as I closed the editor’s door. He was making me stay late to help again.

I fished through my bag to find my phone. I swiped through my contacts, and held my phone against my shoulder as I slipped back into my desk chair.

“Hey, Jisoo.” I greeted as she answered. I listened to her talk for a little bit as I dragged attachments into an email, a little difficult to do without full range of movement. “Yeah, I can’t come right away for dinner. I’m sorry, I have to finish up here.”

I apologized again and hung up. She sent a picture of Lisa with a handful of groceries and said they’d save a plate for me.

“Was that your roommate?” Hanbin popped up from the copy room.

I nodded.

“A new girl just moved in so they’re throwing a welcome party for her tonight.”

“Jimin asked you to stay after all?”

“Yeah… that devil.”

“Well, I appreciate you helping me out with this anyway, Hayi.” He pat my shoulder. “If we work hard you might be able to leave early.”

“Okay.” I agreed with a smile and blind optimism.

As expected, we didn’t finish early. We barely even finished on time, even with Jimin frantically rearranging pages and murmuring about death and deadlines.

“Sorry, Hayi.” Hanbin apologized as we left the building together. The sky that had been a clear blue when I came to work was now dark and freckled with stars.

We stopped at the same restaurant we always went to. It was open late, cheap, and greasy. Exactly what we needed after a hectic deadline.

“Is it too late for a beer?” Hanbin asked through sips of his drink.

“Maybe, but we deserve it.” I sighed in tipsy content. My whole body hurt, but I felt warm.

Hanbin and I were the only ones in the restaurant. We ate mostly without speaking, but it was still comfortable.

“I’ll walk you home since it’s so late.” He offered, and I accepted with a smile.

We rode the bus in another easy silence, watching the lights go past us in the night. We walked up to the convenience store past the stop, its neon lights flickering. I saw Jisoo before she saw us, her delicate features were pretty unmistakable, even when it was dark.

“Ah, it’s my daughter!” Jisoo warbled with pride. She wrapped her thin arms around me in a tight and drunken hug.

“I’ll leave you with Jisoo.” Hanbin said graciously, giving me an amused smile before walking back down the road.

“What are you up to so late?” I asked her and she held up her bag, its contents clinking around like windchimes. I should have known.

“Are you tired?” She softly pat my head. “Did you have fun with Hanbin?”

“Yeah.” I sighed peacefully. “Did you get the flowers Seokjin left this morning?”

“Don’t bring him up.” Jisoo groaned.

“Is the party still going?” I changed the subject obediently.

“Only for me!” Jisoo giggled, and the bottles clinked again in chorus. She quickly straightened up as she caught my disapproving eyebrow raise. “I’m kidding, you know I just like making late night booze runs and then passing out as soon as I get back…”

I laughed. She had too much self-awareness sometimes.

As Jisoo had said, the house was still when we returned. Jennie was already asleep as I crept into the room, quie