Chapter #6

Seulgi knew parties were not for her. 

No, it was not the people, it was not the loud music. 

It was herself. She really felt out of place, trying to blend with others in the middle of alcohol, music, and smoke. 

But then there she was, and she couldn't do anything more about it besides to give it a try and enjoy it in the best way she could, and maybe have fun.

"Hey!!! Kang Seul!!" Her new dance team captain spotted her once Seulgi entered the place. She smiled from the distance and walked passing by a bunch of people she didn't know. 

"You came!!! I'm glad you did, I actually thought you weren’t coming." Yeri said offering her a bottle of beer. But Seulgi kindly refused it. "Oh, thanks but I don't wanna drink today…. and yeah." She left out a soft laugh. "I feel this is a good chance to meet the team" 

"Oh okay. Well, you are welcome, let's enjoy the night!!" Yeri said cheerfully. Suddenly in a rush, the girl pulled another woman who was in another group of people. Initially, the latter girl looked surprised "What the…" Seulgi clearly listened to her say, but stopped once she noticed it was Yeri. 

"Seulgi, let me present you to Jisoo. One of the oldest and our best dancer, she is a little shy but I feel like you two will get well along together. Start talking, I will be back after receiving some guests, please enjoy the night!" Just like that Yeri left Seulgi hanging. Not really 'hanging' thought because she had a beautiful girl in front of her that was said to be their 'Best Dancer' but Seulgi really wondered if that was true. 

"She is not coming back," Jisoo said confidently and laughed about it. "So Seulgi right? Hello, I'm Jisoo! Nice to meet you." Grinning the girl in front of her said.

Seulgi was clearly not the best at building relationships with other people but that girl seemed different. "Yes, hello! I-I'm Seulgi Kang. Seulgi! It's also nice to meet you." 

"You are the new member, right? The one that is like a prodigious at dancing or something like that I heard," She laughed. "Welcome to the team, you made the right choice. We always pass a great time, I'm telling you in advance." 

"That's nice to hear, I hope we do as you said… and not really a prodigious but haha thanks I think I'm some kind of good." 

"Wanna catch a drink? And then go and dance a little? There are some other team members you should meet there." Jisoo made signals with her free hand that didn't have a bottle and pointed out some other zone of the crowded place, where Seulgi could see the drinks station from afar. 

Different. Seulgi thought Jisoo was different. There was something in the girls' smile that made Seulgi feel comfortable, she was friendly, nice, and beautiful. Seulgi didn't know anything about her but there was something that wanted her to get to know more of her. Initially, Seulgi didn't think of drinking but now looking at her newest friend's invitation. She could not say no. Not this time. Maybe a little wouldn't hurt, right? To enjoy the night and stop thinking of Joo.. other stuff was the goal of that night. 

"That sounds great!!!" smiling back at her, Seulgi said. "Okay let's go!" Jisoo held onto Seulgi by the arm and pulled her into the crowd of party people. That took Seulgi by surprise because of the sudden skinship but let it pass. 

The night was just starting. 

xxx

It was 11 PM and Joohyun was starting to feel impatient, tired and wanted to leave the place to rest peacefully in her apartment. It was too much sound, alcohol, smoke, and some jokes she seriously didn't care a little about. Also, her anxiety was rising because she had not received a response from Seulgi since hours ago when she sent the message and that was so off from her to do. 

"Babe, do you want another drink?" Bogum asked looking at her. They were sitting down in a small party lounge and chatting with a group of Bogum's friends. "No, thanks. I will go to the restroom."  

Joohyun stood up from the armchair and didn't listen to what Bogum had said back to her because her phone started ringing at that moment. Also because she was not so happy with what he did that day. 

"I will be back!" She simply said and left. Joohyun looked back on her phone to pick up the call. But was disappointed just to see it was not actually a call but instead her phone's alarm. After seeing it, then remembered that last week she had set it because always good snacks and sugar were needed while studying for long hours, and more when she knows Seulgi forgets to eat when she gets deeper into her study sessions. 

Joohyun didn't know what she expected. Why would Seulgi call me, right? She must be at home, sleeping. She walked to the restroom. The place was very crowded, more than what she thought the whole place could handle honestly, but gladly it looked full enough so people could move, dance, and drink. Joohyun decided to pass by the side from where people were dancing since it looked less crowded right there. 

Joohyun sometimes is quiet, sometimes she is a little clueless over things but one of her strengths is how observant she is. Joohyun is attentive and looks to everything that surrounds her, and that includes those around her. She is even more attentive and observant to the ones close to her, the ones she cares for. 

That night, she really didn't expect to observe and see her roommate and her all-time friend dancing so excitedly with another girl. 

Seulgi? 

At first, she doubted herself. Because Joohyun thought that it was not possible for Seulgi to be there at the same place as her. 

I thought Seulgi was falling asleep at home after doing her audition and that's why she didn't reply to me back? But… 

Is that really her? 

The Seulgi she was seeing looked so different to her. She got closer because Joohyun maybe thought that she was seeing things and was mistaking her for some else. 

With every step approached Joohyun could hear the screaming of the people with excitement and could see how almost everyone on the dance floor was having their best time. Without looking very obvious Joohyun got more closer to the side where the DJ was standing at and there just right there where the light was clearer she saw her clearly. 

Seulgi. 

Their bodies moved together as they celebrated, rhythmically breaking into shapes and colors. Their proximity was inches apart, close to zero. Joohyun couldn't believe she was really seeing her. It's really you. But why she couldn't believe it? Joohyun didn't know. Seulgi looked so different. She was drinking, dancing, holding by the waist another girl which had her arms around her neck, between smoke and color lights.

Joohyun didn't know why but she felt something after seeing her like that, close to feeling betrayed, but why? emotions that remained unexplained in her head… or heart, were lighting up. To leave the place was what she wanted the most right now, it was enough of that night. 

Just then Seulgi looked towards where Joohyun was standing, but the latter not wanting to be noticed staring at her turned around fastly and walked away. 

There is no way she saw me. Right? 

xxx

Why are restrooms always so messed up when parties happen? Joohyun questioned herself as she was staring at herself in front of the mirror in the small restroom that barely had space to let 4 people in. Gladly she was alone, so the space was there for herself. 

At least she is having fun. 

Is she very drunk? What if she doesn't reach home safely? 

It was free for herself and her thoughts running one after the other, after the other. That was welcomed once she noticed Seulgi being drunk dancing with a random girl that she didn't know anything about but that could assume it was one of her new friends' thanks to their close proximity. 

Should I go to… No, no, no Joohyun what are you saying. She is a grown-up woman you are not in high school anymore to be taking care of her. 

But...what if she... 

You could really tell Joohyun was having an overthinking session over what to do right now. A part of her wanted to go and take Seulgi home with her to assure she arrived safely. But the other part of her wanted to just let her be, because Seulgi looked happier than what she had looked with her in the last few weeks and that for some reason made her feel… different. 

Joohyun got into one of the 2 stalls the restroom had as she heard people approaching. There wasn't a plan to take and go out there yet. 

"This is pretty fun for just being a small gathering right?" Another girl that Joohyun didn't had knowledge of said. 

A small gathering my . Joohyun thought. 

"It's fun and there are many new people. Did you saw the dance team's newest member? She's so hot!" Another girl, which also was unknown to Joohyun said and her answers just made the older one more curious.

"The one of the pretty eyes?" 

Are they talking about… 

"Yes, her!!! Kang something someone told me she was named, I heard she is so skilled but I didn't know she was also so hot. I couldn't believe after seeing her, her beauty is unmatched."

She is more than skilled you dumb people, and hot… 

"Neither I, but did you see she is dancing with Jisoo right now???"

"What!? I didn't, really??" 

And who is Jisoo? 

"Yes!! Lend me your lipstick, please. I need a retouch."

"Here!"

C'mon start speaking girls. 

"Thanks! Yes. They are so close right there dancing, I wonder if it's only dancing tho… also how many drinks must they have had since they arrived." 

… 

"Damn It's hard to believe but well it's Jisoo. The heartbreaker Jisoo."

Heartbreaker what? 

"I hope the new girl is a good drinker tho because if not she is not gonna have a good start on the dance team."

Elaborate. 

"Yah! don't exaggerate, I bet she will. They must be only having fun."

"What! I'm just saying, you know Jisoo."

"Nah, let's go. I want to get another drink before leaving."

The murmurs of the girls continued as they left the restroom and thanks to them Joohyun's overthinking battle got a fast result. 

I'm not ing leaving without you Kang Seulgi. 

Maybe she was being a little? or too much? overprotective, but she wasn't leaving without her. Not when they once promised together to never leave each other. 

xxx

Joohyun had 2 missed calls from Bogum. Which ended in 3 once she noticed her ringing phone again, she sent a message to him just to let him know and stop insisting. 

(I'm going back to my dorm, got very sleepy. Don’t worry, see you tomorrow.) Without emoji, just that. Simple, short, and exact. The time was turning close to 1 AM, so It was easy for him to get that. 

As expected she got a reply from him very fast. (Tell me when you arrive, sorry.) Sorry? for what exactly? Joohyun thought. She didn't know but it was fine. He buys that. He was not part of her worries right now. Her next move was to take Seulgi with her and go home to rest. But how the was she going to do that when 1) Seulgi is drunk dancing with another girl 2) There is so many people there 3) She is not a member of the dance club and more importantly 4) She isn't supposed to be there anymore. 

You could clearly tell Joohyun was messed up, for something that didn't have to be that messed up but well… it was still messed up. A plan? She needed one. But the first thought that came to her mind was to call Seulgi. She tried once, voicemail. A second time, voicemail. A third time, voicemail. 

Okay, she is not gonna pick up the phone. 

After that, there was nothing more she could do than what Joohyun was about to do next and she hoped things ended up well. 

Taking a little of her courage the woman stepped outside. Took a breath of air and started walking to the dance floor. She was decided but to her surprise, once she reached the place, Joohyun couldn't spot Seulgi and that girl anymore. They weren’t there. 

. Where did they go? 

Joohyun was more impatient now. She made her own way in between all the dancing crowd looking for the younger girl. But nothing. Worry started to rise inside her, she couldn't lie but the talk that happened in the restroom from the other girls had left her anxious. She walked by the dance floor and nothing, passed by the drinks station, and nothing. Joohyun started to wonder if Seulgi had just left the place and more importantly if she had left alone or with that girl named Jisoo. 

Irene not finding her up there at the rooftop decided to go now downstairs, that was the last place she could look up for her. 

Opening the door, she walked down the stairs to reach where the elevator was at, it was seconds until she heard noises.

"C'mon Seulgi let's go, you can't stay there."

Seulgi was sitting down above a bench that was in front of the elevator's door, beside it there was a plant and in front of her, there was her new friend Jisoo asking her questions that clearly Seulgi couldn't listen well, maybe to drink was not really her thing. 

"I tvold yu im okai" Even if it was not her thing, the monolid girl was cheerful, it had that effect on her. The strong liquid made her forget things and enter into a bubble of happiness, but only for a short moment. She was smiling and her hiccups were only starting. 

"You didn't drink much for you to be like this," Jisoo told her. In fact, Seulgi only drank 2 bottles but for the girl, those were more than enough, her tolerance was really not that strong and that was something even Joohyun knew. 

"Shhhh" Seulgi motioned back putting her finger on her own lips. 

"Hey." Jisoo wanted to get Seulgi's attention back. "Where is your home? Let me take you there." 

Taking her last step, Joohyun arrived on the floor and took a sight to where they were standing. 

"You don't need too I can take her," Joohyun said strongly enough so both could listen clearly. 

"Oh juhyn unnie!" Cheerfully the drunk girl said pointing towards her direction. 

"Yuv bad girrl" Seulgi said to her. 

Jisoo turned around "and you are?" questioned. 

"I'm her best friend, I know where she lives you don't have to worry," Joohyun answered back, taking one step closer to get a hold of Seulgi, but stopped once the other girl replied and put herself in between. 

"I can take her myself, just give me the address. Her phone is dead and she is not talking much."

"Thank you, but you don't have to." Joohyun pass beside her and went directly to put Seulgi's arm across the back of her neck and her own in the younger's waist to help her stand up. "We live together, so if you can excuse us."

Jisoo moved aside, understanding what the older girl was saying, but how can you trust people so easily. "Seulgi is that okay? Do you know her?" 

"Yup." Seulgi looked to Joohyun and grabbed her cheeks with her hand "My juhyun unnie!" and smiled back. "Tha-thank u Jisoo!" 

"Okay, but let me know when you arrive home, remember I gave you my phone number earlier," Jisoo told her. 

"Don't worry, I will remind her. Now we will go, thanks Ji-Jisoo." 

Without saying much else Joohyun and Seulgi got in the elevator and went straight home. Thankfully they got a cab fast and the way to their apartment complex was not hard, but Seulgi was completely knocked off once they got off the car. The girl was sleeping like a bear. 

Okay, this is not gonna work, a piggyback ride would do. Ah, Kang Seulgi… 

Joohyun squatted down a little and put the girl's arms around her, with all her strength she got up and held Seulgi strongly. "Seulgi, hug me." It was instant. Even if the other girl was so off she wrapped her hands strongly around Joohyun. 

"Okay now let's go. You are lucky I care for you." Joohyun scoffed and walked straight to the elevator of the building. 

It didn't take them long to reach their door, it wasn't a big building like others, and for their luck, it was very quiet. After Joohyun took some time looking for the keys in her jeans' pocket she opened the door and both were finally able to enter the apartment. 

Lights were off, so of course, it was hard to barely see the insides of their apartment. Joohyun found the light switches and she turned them on, the next thing that followed was to take Seulgi to her room and call it a day. 

Still giving a piggyback ride to Seulgi she walked to the room and once inside cautiously Joohyun took a seat on the bed to put her down. She unattached Seulgi's arms and laid her down. Helped her take her shoes off and the heavy jacket Seulgi was still wearing. Meanwhile, she was doing all that Joohyun could hear Seulgi making weird sounds and her little snores. 

"Okay Seulgi you are now all set," Joohyun said while doing a soft sigh and staring at the latter girl who looked like she had passed out from all of what she drank that night. "Be more careful please Seul…" she stopped her words. 

What would have happened if I wasn't there? She didn't say it out loud but her expression while looking at Seulgi meant it all. Giving a soft sigh she turned around ready to stand up but was stopped by a sudden pull holding her wrist. 

"Don't go" 

Joohyun froze. All around the room did, it was like if time had been stopped. 

"Joohyun I-" Seulgi wanted to say the words but she was too out of herself to even think properly what she was even saying. 

Joohyun turned again to look at the girl. "Seulgi, you need to rest this night was crazy and you-" but Seulgi instead of taking her hand off from Joohyun's wrist, slid her own hand all up until reaching Joohyun's. 

"Just… Thank you" now hand on hand she added "You know you are so important to me" Seulgi took a deep breath to continue, it was as if alcohol had made her be so… vulnerable and what she was about to say next was gonna come from the very deep inside of her heart. "So important that… sometimes it feels scary to even think when the time comes and you are not here anymore" Seulgi softly said.

There was silence. Both girls looking at each other so deeply, Seulgi's rosy cheeks because of the effect of alcohol, and Joohyun's face full of attentiveness. 

Pulling herself closer to Joohyun by using her arm to support half her body up, now sitting down on the bed to see Joohyun closely, eyes now meeting "Can you stay tonight?" Seulgi asked sincerely. In a span of seconds the tears in her soul become soft tears in her eyes. 

Joohyun initially was clueless because of the sudden words. So Different. Joohyun felt different. She didn't know if it was because of the tone of voice with which Seulgi asked or if it was the late hours of the night, but she felt different, that's how she could describe it and deep down inside, really deep down inside she knew what she had to do, she couldn't bear seeing Seulgi like that. 

Joohyun squeezed Seulgi's hand and helped her wipe a falling tear with her other hand. "Seulgi, I'm not going anywhere. Remember what we said? To never leave each other" Seulgi was sobbing softly, not hard but just enough to show she was feeling something. Seulgi's head fell down to Irene's shoulder and as a sudden response, Joohyun pulled Seulgi into a hug to calm her down. 

"Don't cry, let's go to sleep."

That night many things were told but many questions remained unanswered, unknown feelings were starting to discover and old feelings were reaching their limit, that night for the first time they hugged each other to sleep. 

revelux

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Hello! hehe I guess it took me a year to update lol and also I don't know if someone will ever read this but I still want to try to finish this story, I feel bad leaving something unfinished so hopefully, I will keep writing until I finish this one day, take care and love red velvet! peace out aseul :D (I won't take a year to update, promise xD)