“What?! He did that to you?” Haesoo exclaimed, anger overcoming her features. “Oh god, I didn’t know he’s a mean jerk too. I thought he just looks indifferent and all, but he’s just a handsome .” Yes, she could still call the devil handsome even if she looked angry after I just confessed to them what happened.

I was grilled with so many questions because they found it unusual that I went home so early today when for the past week I normally went home at an ungodly hour.

“He’s an . I didn’t think he’s just like every other guy.” Sojin said. My eyes widened when she slapped the empty beer can  to the table and crushed it with her hand. “How can he say you’re not talented when he haven’t even tried you—“

“He didn’t say it like that—“

“Still, he’s practically judging you without any basis!” she shouted. Sojin was unstoppable when she was angry and well… drunk. I sighed, nodding at her.

I hugged my knees to my chest, feeling really troubled. What happened this afternoon at the office still bothered me. He humiliated me in front of my seniors. I didn’t think he would do that, but how could he? I did everything he ordered me to do, I ran their errands even if my body was tired and begged to rest, but why didn’t he see that? How could he say such mean things to me when he didn’t know me?

“If I see that guy the next time, I swear I’m going to wring his next with my bare hands—“

I hardly heard what Sojin was saying since my phone rang on the table. It surprised me since it was already two in the morning and nobody called me like this at this time.

♫ I’ll search the universe ♫

♫ Until I can find you again ♫

I looked at the screen and frowned when I saw an unknown number flashing. Who would call me at this time and an unknown number at that?

“Who is it?” Haesoo asked, craning her neck to get a glimpse of the name of the caller. “Why don’t you answer?”

I shrugged, showing her that it was an unknown number. “I don’t know. It’s an unknown number.”

♫ I won’t let go, even the smallest memories ♫

♫ Memories engraved in the seasons ♫

Sojin leaned closer to take a better look at what was flashing on the screen and scrunched up her eyebrows. “Who calls at an ungodly hour?” she muttered. That’s what I am saying.

“Aren’t you going to pick up, though? What if it’s an important call?” Haesoo mused, obviously more interested than me to answer the call from the unknown number.

♫ They come and go several times ♫

♫ But I will still call out to you ♫

Sojin took the phone from my hand, shaking her head, and then placed it back on the table. “No. No. That can be a prank caller for all we know and you’re just going to waste your time. Com’on let’s just drink and ignore it.” The call ended on the sixth ring, silencing the phone. I silently agreed with her this time. “Turn off your phone if that bugger bugs you again.” I nodded.

We were halfway finishing our sixth bottle of soju when my phone rang again. I looked at the screen and found the same unknown number showing. I frowned at the caller. Why was this unknown number persistently calling me?

I looked at Haesoo and Sojin who were giggling to themselves. Haesoo was leaning onto Sojin’s side, barely able to move her limbs in drunkenness. On the other hand, Sojin was the one to provide entertainment by making up not so funny jokes that a drunken Haesoo would laugh at any day.

“Do you know what kind of animal makes the best movie director?”

Haesoo giggled, snuggling closer to Sojin. “A lion?” she said, giggling again. Sojin shook her head, making Haesoo whine in frustration. In an attempt to get the answer, she added, “A dog can bark! Or maybe a chicken! Oh! A starfish!” Sojin burst out laughing, shoving Haesoo away.

“You got it all wrong! How can you not get it, you stupid Haesoo?!” Sojin exclaimed, still laughing at a pouting Haesoo, who tried glaring at her but failed on maintaining it.

“You’re so mean,” Haesoo whined. “Is it not really a dog, horse, chameleon, fish or lion? I think that’s the closest answer!”

“Nu uh!” Sojin shook her head and showed Haesoo a drunken grin. “It’s a cat! A cat, you blockhead!.” She pushes Haesoo’ temple playfully, making the latter giggle and clap at Sojin’s lame joke.

I shook my head, deciding I had enough of them. I picked up my still ringing phone and stood up to go outside and give myself some privacy to pick up the call. When I answered, I didn’t expect to hear a not so familiar voice, however, that mirrored my friends’ drunken state.

“Ah—ah—stupid girl! You finally answered,” the male voice slurred and laughed. Someone said something in the background, upsetting the unknown caller. “Shut up! I’m on the phone with her! Why can’t you be quiet when I’m on the phone with her?” I raised my voice at the demand. Who was this prank caller and who was her?

Some other person laughed in the background again, saying, “you’re drunk! You can’t be serious that’s Lee Seoyeon you’re calling! Didn’t you delete that girl’s number a long time ago?” I furrowed my eyebrows, confused as to what they were talking about. Now, the name ‘Lee Seoyeon’ being mentioned finally caught my attention.

“I’m calling her now! You don’t believe me? Here—“ There was a moment of silence until another voice read every syllable of the same name that I had as if he was a four year old just starting to learn how to read. “See? It’s her. She picked up. Right? Lee Seoyeon?” He chuckled, saying some gibberish in the background to the people he was with.

“You got to be kidding me,” someone huffed from the background. “You’re very drunk, Oh Sehun.” My eyes widened at the name. Oh Sehun? What was Oh Sehun doing, calling me? And how did that rude guy get my number? “You can’t just call and pester anyone at this time. We need to get you home, so get off that couch! You too, Park Chanyeol! Stop puking on the poor couch!—“

“H-hello?” I tried, not really sure what I was even doing with revealing myself.

No one answered, but I could hear something shift. Perhaps the phone being adjusted to his ear. “You finally answered!” He chuckled. It was really Oh Sehun, but was he drunk? “I don’t really want to call you but I got your number saved!” he told me as if he was proud of his achievement.

“Okay?” I wasn’t sure how to answer him. “You got my number saved. How?”

He chuckled again, which was definitely weird. A normal Oh Sehun wouldn’t even dare smile. “It’s a secret!”

“Fine,” I sighed, not really wanting to talk to this drunk Oh Sehun. “But why are you calling me at—“ I looked at my wrist watch and continued, “—two in the morning? Anything you have to say?”

“I do,” he answered without hesitating.

“What is it?” I asked impatiently, rolling my eyes.

“Can you tell Jongin I’m not drunk?” I snorted. “He’s coming towards me to snatch the phone away—“

Before he could even finish, it looked like Mr. Kim successfully snatched the phone away from him. “You’re not helping me in any way, Sehun. Get off the couch. Kyungsoo’s already trying to bring Chanyeol out of the club—“ Someone whined at the background, cutting him off. “Stop whining like a kid and get off the couch. I also need to go home, you little—aish! I shouldn’t have let you drink!”

“Hello?” I tried again. I would have laughed at the situation, only if Mr. Kim didn’t sound so distressed.

Something shifted again and I finally heard a different voice. “Sorry if we woke you up and bothered you at this hour. My friend doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s really drunk. I think you should just hang up—“

I interrupted him, not letting him finish. “Mr. Kim?”

“Oh—“ he seemed surprise and confused. “W-who is this?”

I sighed. “It’s Lee Seoyeon.”

“Lee Seoyeon?”

“Yes,” I told him. “The Lee Seoyeon from Manager Oh’s team.”

“Y-you’re the one that he called?” He seemed even more shocked, but I avoided letting my mind question for what reason he was reacting that way.

“Yes. I think I heard him say he saved my number—“

“That’s a relief,” he said, not really listening to what I was trying to say. “I thought he called that—oh, Sehun, seriously. Stop hugging me. Are you a monkey? Oh my god.” I felt sorry he had to handle this obnoxious and drunk Sehun. How could that stone cold Oh Sehun transform to this annoying drunkard?

“Let me talk to her! She can hear me over the phone, right?! Why are you trying to stop me from talking to her?!” Sehun kept whining.

“I’m so sorry you have to hear that. He’s really drunk.”

“It’s fine. We all get drunk,” I told him, pointing out the fact.

“No. No. No. You don’t have any idea how wasted he is. Sehun doesn’t really drink. He avoids it as much as he could since he doesn’t really like it. It’s the first time in a while that he actually drank, so this version is wors