23

The hardest thing about growing up, is the growth itself. If you can always be a child, be carefree, of course everyone wants to stay as a kid forever, no one wants to be a grown up.

Seola always thinks that she is an adult to Eunseo. That was why she sees Eunseo as a child. What she has overlooked all the time was that she was the one who acted like a spoiled immature kid. Meanwhile, Eunseo was the real one who was forced to grow up in this relationship.

It then came to Seola's awareness the pain of growing up. She felt hurt, but the pain she suffered was totally incomparable with the pain Eunseo has suffered over the years.

Losing contact with each other, but Seola paid more concern on Eunseo's personal life than ever before.

Some people say in order to make a correct decision, it requires one's strong heart and mentality. To overcome loneliness, one has to experience being alone themselves, the lonesomeness that most people are afraid of.

Eunseo has been waiting her for so long, so it was Seola's turn to take over the baton. She hoped that her did make a correct choice.

Seola could not tell if Eunseo would be unhappy to see her appearing in her graduation exhibition. After completing a simple briefing in the client's company, she rushed to the exhibition venue. Fearing her suit would make her too conspicuous, she changed to casual wear which she prepared earlier. She put on a cap, and pulled it as low as possible.

The graduation project of Eunseo and Meiqi was based on the theme of sound. The leading film was quite professionally produced. Stepping into the main hall after passing through a curtain, a combination of AI projection and stereoscopic was presented. The skills of AI producing were still lacking, but the overall concept and presentation were very satisfying. Seola could say it was a very high-quality graduation masterpiece. Absolutely something to be proud of when including this achievement in the resume.

There was a board at a side, with the introduction and the description of the exhibition, written by the authors and participants themselves. Seola unconsciously reached out her hand and caressed Eunseo's profile picture. "It's been a quite a while..." The corners of her lips slightly lifted up.

Seola put on the earphones and listened intently to Eunseo's efforts. It was the sound of the sea breeze and sea waves blending with the wind. Closing her eyes slowly, Eunseo's innocent and brightful smile emerging in her mind.

Eunseo has really grown up. She is no longer the little kid timidly hiding behind her and pulling the edge of her shirt.

"What are you doing here?"

The moment Seola took off the earphones, the question echoed from her back startled her. Seola calmed herself down in the fastest speed, trying hard not to look panicked. She slowly turned back and observed tactfully. Fortunately it was Meiqi, not Eunseo.

Knowing what was on Seola's mind, Meiqi directly said, "Eunseo's with another group, improvising some digital content." Meiqi straightened her back, even if she is not as tall as Seola, she could not lose the charisma to her.

Double confirming that Eunseo was not there, Seola let go a sigh of relief, but with little disappointment. Are they really fated to miss each other eventually?

"I'm talking to you, what are you doing here?" Meiqi was very dissatisfied with Seola's haughtiness. Although to outsiders, Seola merely looks blank-minded rather than ignoring Meiqi.

"Sorry..." Seola succumbed. "I'll leave, don't tell Eunseo I came."

"You came here but didn't want her to know? What for? Don't you want to get back with her? Or you're just being remorseful and sorry?"

"I just want to see her for once..." Perhaps Meiqi was right, she was there to repent herself. Seola neglected the moments when Eunseo was willing to share her life with her. By looking at her works now, maybe it could make up the guilt she was holding.

Just like that day... The day when Eunseo invited her to go to the beach. So it was for the intention of recording the sounds related to the sea. What was she doing that time? Why didn't she go with Eunseo?

"Don't pretend to be sympathetic, you don't deserve it."

"Sorry." Seola did not feel offended with Meiqi's aggressiveness, she took a step backward.

She was disqualified to be pathetic. All pathetic people have their own hateful precondition. Serves her right.

In the gaze of Meiqi, Seola strode out the hall.

Taking one last look at the huge posters before leaving, she was upset that she did not get to see Eunseo. However, if Eunseo will be despaired seeing her, it is better not to meet each other.

The girl who still looks at her with a silly smile even when she gets frustrated and irritated, the girl who embraces her, cares about her, tolerates with her, nags her a lot and worries about her, is truly an adult now. Her graduation work was really well done.

Thinking her unstoppable eagerness to see Eunseo, to listen to her voice, even just look at her from afar, Seola shook her head. Desire is endless, she must break off that thinking, fearing her sentimentality will excel her rationality, and breaks Eunseo's heart once again.

24

Seola is a stubborn person. Not giving up the chance to see Eunseo, she hid at an unremarkable corner outside the building, waiting Eunseo coming out from the entrance.

Human beings are greedy. Eunseo finally stepped out. Watching how she has gained some weight, her face getting chubbier, Seola had the desire to pinch her cheek.

Seola slapped her forehead, getting rid of her absurd thinking.

If she could not go closer, it would be fine just to keep her an eye for a while, wasn't it? Within a safe distance, Seola tailed behind Eunseo and her course mates, moving to another place.

Until Eunseo and her friends entered a restaurant, Seola stopped, dared not to follow them into the restaurant.

From the notice pasted outside the western food restaurant, it was reserved for a celebration party, under the name of Eunseo's university faculty for undergraduates.

Seola took an advertising catalog and covered her face, observing silently outside the restaurant.

The frequency for the door to be opened was too little, Seola did not have much chances to see Eunseo's face, so she walked to another spot where she could look into the restaurant from the glass window.

Seola did not know what Eunseo's friend told her, she looked happy holding up the glass in her hand, not forgetting to hit another friend next to her while laughing hard. Her mate who was beaten got furious and stood up, chased her around to fight back.

Everything looked great, Seola chuckled. How Eunseo got along with her friends, how nice to see her smile, without her presence.

Surely the days Eunseo been together with her were unhappy. This silly girl must have given herself a lot of pressure, forcing herself to act mature, trying hard to resemble that person, doing her best everyday in everything to avoid making her angry. Such a terrible and crappy lover she was, that was what Seola perceived.

So glad that Eunseo left her...so glad...

A man's figure flitted in front of Seola, pulling Seola's mind back to her in a second.

"Seo Ho Gi? Why is he here?"

When Seola was at her company earlier that day, she had never heard this colleague mentioning any appointment that evening. Of course, he is not obligated to report his personal affairs to her even though she is his superior.

However, when another man appeared, Seola instantly frowned. "Yoo Woon Ki? What the hell is this lecher doing here?" That fellow is a well-known managerial leader who takes advantages of ladies in the name of business.

"Have they invited people from advertising industry?" Seola looked closely. Her guessing was right. There were several acquaintances from various advertising and movie production companies that she came across before, showed up in the restaurant.

Seola clenched her fist tightly seeing Seo and Yoo walking to Eunseo's direction. "Oh shoot." She told herself.

Could not tell the game were they playing, but everyone seemed to be excited and started to jeer rowdily. Eunseo soon drinking glass followed by another glass.

Eunseo is the type that cannot hold her liquor. Her entire body turns red whenever she drinks. After so many rounds, watching her still being able to stand and chat with others, Seola knew she was overexerting herself.

Where is Meiqi? She was with Eunseo a while ago, where was she now? Seola gnashed her teeth, a wrath starting to boil in her heart.

After searching for a while, she finally saw Meiqi, sitting at another corner. No wonder she left Eunseo behind, she was taking care of another person who was drunk.

Noticing Eunseo was not able to keep her feet straight, Yoo Woon Ki approached and stood beside her. Seola knew his dirty intention.

Unable to hold it back anymore, Seola pushed the door and walked directly to Meiqi.

Meiqi could feel the gaze behind her. When she turned back, she saw Seola was staring at her with a serious look. Before she could say anything, Seola opened first.

"Bring Eunseo here. She should stop drinking now." Seola's sight was fixed on Eunseo, with a mixture of heartbroken and worries?

Meiqi was doubting her own eyes, there is no way Seola would care about Eunseo.

Turned to the direction where Seola was looking, Meiqi almost swore. "What the fff..." Turned back to Luda, with reddened ears, she felt like slapping this girl to make her sober. What a bothersome troublemaker her girlfriend is. "Lee Luda, sit straight! Stop challenging with others! Or else, once we go back, I'll delete all your game accounts!"

Luda, who was still clamoring, stayed awake immediately hearing the last sentence and looked at Meiqi innocently.

Meiqi sighed, cherishingly patted Luda's head. She knew Luda was not truly drunk yet, she was most likely pretended to be so.

Seola gently poked Meiqi as a reminder to her to stop Eunseo in time.

Meiqi walked towards to Eunseo and grabbed her glass away from her hand. "Eunseo, stop drinking."

Eunseo could not see Seola who was standing behind Meiqi from her angle. Seola whispered to Meiqi, "Let me deal with them. Bring Eunseo to your girlfriend's side and look after them. I'll be back to you later.

Seo, who was trying to stop Meiqi from taking Eunseo away, promptly became obedience seeing the person who stood in front of him. "Oh, hi, Ms Kim!"

Yoo, whose intention had been spoiled, touched his nose and squeezed a smile to Seola. "It's been a long time, Ms Kim."

"Mr Yoon being Mr Yoon, so enthusiastic. Why didn't you invite me if you're having an "alcohol" party?" Seola took the red wine bottle and looked at it. She smiled, "I will order Rheingau's Riesling when there are many young people, or Alsace's Gewurztraminer will be another wise alternative. Red wine is good, but quite astringent for them. Young people prefer white wine more."

"That's pretty amazing, Ms Kim. Very knowledgeable. Too bad the wines we brought didn't suit your taste."

Yoo smirked. Seola found his smile wretched and disgusting. Using high-alcoholic red wine fuddling others... Why didn't he offer vodka, it would be more effective. Or perhaps vodka was too obvious and deliberate in such occasion? Shame on you...

"Not really that case, Bordeaux isn't bad too." Seola poured the wine into Yoo's glass, almost filling up the whole glass. Then she poured the wine to those watching them politely before taking one empty glass and poured herself a glass of wine. "Cheers."

Seola bottomed up her wine in one shot, raising her hand gesturing Yoo to finish his.

Yoo stiffly smiled, he knew he has to finish that glass of wine under the watchful eyes of others.

Once he finished, Seola refilled Yoo's and her glasses again, having themselves to drink another glass.

It repeated for rounds, till two of the three bottles on the tables were irrigated into Yoo's stomach. When Seola was preparing to open another bottle, Yoo stopped her.

"Wow wow wow, Ms Kim. I think that's enough for me. I'm too old for this much alcohol."

But not old being obscene towards young ladies? Seola disdainfully pondered.

"My fault. The wine tastes too good, unable to control myself. Next time I'll bring better wine and share with all of you."

After a short conventional conversation with those people, Seola quietly left.

In fact, Seola is not a good drinker too. The distance to Meiqi was not long, but she felt she was stumbling while walking towards them. Fortunately, her mind was still sober.

Both Eunseo and Luda were drunk. That two who could not even open their eyes, were having conversation with each other . The conversation was completely meaningless , as if two infants were murmuring some unknown sounds, yet they were still communicable. Meiqi was so speechless but felt funny at the same time looking after the unconscious two.

Seola softly patted Meiqi on her shoulder. "Did you drink? Are you driving?" Meiqi shook her head. "Can you drive?" Meiqi nodded. "Help me to carry Eunseo." Seola squatted down backing Meiqi.

"You going to carry her?" Meiqi asked in surprise.

"I can let you if you want." Seola turned her head around.

"No, thanks. She is too tall for me. I can't carry her." Meiqi quickly waved her hand, she could only manage to carry Luda who is much smaller than Eunseo.

"Take care of your friend. Let's meet at the open air parking lot outside the exhibition hall."

"That's quite a distance from here, are you sure you can make it?"

"I do exercise sometimes." She has to even if she could not, she has to take Eunseo away from this place no matter what."Is she still staying with you?"

"How do you know..Ah!!" Fine, it was exposed thoroughly now. But how Seola acted as if nothing had happened, she should have known this secret for a long time, there was nothing to hide from her anymore. "No, she moved out. But she stays nearby my place, just the distance of one street."

"Drive Eunseo back first, you can take my car."

"I don't think that's a good idea..."

"Fine, go to your house first. After settling your friend down, we send Eunseo back. Then, you can walk back home."

"Okay. It's better than having your car with me." Meiqi does not want to owe Seola anything, after everything she has done to her friend. She was still holding some hostility against Seola.

Luda, who has been quiet for a while, starting to move around, burying her head in Meiqi's neck.

"I told you to keep an eye on Eunseo, but you played games with others, challenging them to drink..." Meiqi pushed Luda head away.

Luda suddenly opened and said, "Do you know? Most of the alcohol inside our body will be metabolized into the liver, but some will be excreted through sweats. So, people who drink actually stink, not really expelling the wine fragrant as people say. Hehehe..."

"So do you realize that you smell stinky now?" Meiqi rolled her eyes, could not tell if Luda was really in a drunken state or not.

To be continued...