Sinb knocked on the door of Sowon’s personal office, waiting for a cursory moment before poking her head in.

“Unnie, are you done?”

Sowon nodded, shutting off her desktop with a press of its power switch. She stood up and grabbed her coat, making sure to take her bag as well. “Sorry for taking so long. Let’s go.”

“It’s fine, we have a lot of time to get to the bar.”

Almost two weeks have passed since Eunha and Sowon met, and it was the day of the gathering. The meeting place was a bar that was close to both the station and SourceM. All of them frequented it regularly due to its convenient location and its chill ambiance.

Sinb and Sowon decided to head together to the bar since they were going straight after work. Yerin would be going by herself from the hospital that was a bit further away, while Yuju, Eunha and Umji would go together from SourceM.

“Did you drive to work today?” Sowon questioned when they reached the car park.

“Yeah,” Sinb replied without a thought, until she figured out why Sowon asked. “Wait, whose car are we taking to go there?”

“If you don’t mind, we can use my car. I’ll fetch you to work tomorrow morning so you don’t have to take public transport.”

“I don’t mind. You’re not planning to drink?”

“Not tonight. We still have work tomorrow.” Sowon unlocked her car, pulling the door open for her. “Unlike you who can outdrink two grown men, I can’t drink alcohol without suffering the next morning.”

Sinb sat on the car’s comfortable seat and stuck her tongue out at her. “’Blame your body for your poor tolerance.”

“What even is your limit?” Sowon ignored her cheeky gesture, getting into the driver’s seat next to her and starting the car engine.

“I don't really keep track...” Sinb pulled a face at the remembrance of the last time she got drunk, which was quite some time ago now that she thought about it. Eunha banned her from drinking past her limit afterwards, rambling about how she got traumatised having to take care of her. “I usually don’t drink up to my limit.”

“I’ve noticed. You tend to stop at around two bottles.” Sowon pointed out as she drove. “Any reasons for that?”

“You thought your drunk behaviour was bad?”

“Is it not…?”

“It definitely is, but drunk me is like ten of drunk Sowon combined.”

“Really? Now I’m curious to know how drunk Sinb acts.”

“Ask Eunha-unnie and she’ll talk your ear off about it.” Sinb pouted, mortified just thinking about it. She never remembers anything she did while drunk, but she heard more than enough about her antics from Eunha.

“Give me a hint.”

“No.”

“Why?” Sowon was actually whining. If Sowon didn’t have to focus on the road to drive, Sinb was sure she would be giving her signature puppy dog eyes to get Sinb to spill her embarrassing actions.

“I have too much pride to say it myself. Ask Eunha-unnie if you really want to know.” Sinb leaned against the car door, looking at the passing scenery to distract herself. Sowon didn’t push her to answer.

It was quiet for a moment, till a persistent tapping noise filled the silence. She searched for the source of the sound. Sowon was tapping her finger on the wheel as she drove, and her face was set into a troubled frown.

“Are you nervous?” Sinb guessed, shifting in her seat to face Sowon more fully.

Sowon flinched. “No?”

“You totally are.” Sinb rolled her eyes, noticing how tensed Sowon’s shoulders were. “Is it about meeting Yuju-unnie and Umji?”

“Okay, maybe I am a bit nervous.” Sowon sighed. “I’m not good at socialising. They’re your friends, and Eunha’s and Yerin’s as well, so I don’t want to mess this up.”

Not good at socialising? Sinb thought of Sowon as otherwise. When they first met, Sowon was charismatic from the get go and Sinb got along with her instantly. “Yuju-unnie and Umji are the nicest people on earth. Unless you’re some kind of an , which you obviously aren’t, they’ll like you. And I doubt anyone could hate you, you’re like—” Sinb paused to gesture wildly at Sowon “—a goddess.”

Wait. Why did I say that? Sinb winced. She always mentally referred to Sowon as either the “baby giraffe” or “goddess” ever since they met. The nicknames were just stuck in her head, but she never expected them to slip out of in front of Sowon herself.

Sowon smiled at that. “A goddess, huh? Are you sure I’m not a baby giraffe?”

Ever since Eunha revealed Sinb’s nickname for Sowon, the team leader had been endlessly bringing it back up. “I lived my entire life with the words ‘baby giraffe’ on my arm, Sinb,” Sowon had complained to her. Sinb could only apologise for alluding to her clumsiness.

If Sinb said it, she might as well stick to it. “Y-you’re both a goddess and a baby giraffe! Just be your usual self, and you’ll see that Yuju-unnie and Umji will like you. And you have Eunha-unnie and Yerin-unnie there too.”

“And you.”

“Yeah.” Sinb fiddled with the seatbelt on her and cleared . “If you’re this nervous meeting our friends, wait till you have to meet Eunha’s family once they hear about you. And my family would also want to meet you.”

Maybe that was the wrong thing to say, as Sowon paled even further. “Me? What? Even your family?”

“Eunha’s parents have been waiting for her soulmate to show up ever since she was a teenager. I think they’ll cry buckets and shower you with love knowing that Eunha finally met someone like you.” Sinb smiled wistfully.

“That doesn’t explain why your family would want to meet me too!”

“The Jungs and the Hwangs are basically one huge family,” Sinb explained, amused by how Sowon was fretting over meeting their family. At least it distracted her from worrying about the gathering. “The short story is that my dad and Eunha’s dad are close friends from serving together in the military. Both our families have been meeting with each other since my family moved back to Seoul when I was eight. We celebrate everything together, New Years, birthdays, things like that. My parents have been waiting for you for as long as Eunha’s parents.”

“Is that how you met Eunha?”

Sinb nodded. “We lived near each other so I went over to her house regularly. Went to the same schools too.”

Eunha and her were huge troublemakers in the past. They always took off by themselves on a merry adventure without their parents or caretaker, sending both their families into a frenzy searching for them. Thinking back to the past made Sinb pity her parents. Their current greying hairs must have been caused by the stress from them.

“It’s amazing, how long you two have known each other,” Sowon said. “And stay so close too.”

“I guess it helps that Eunha-unnie and I aren’t the type to bottle any issues we have with each other.” Sinb shrugged. It was impossible to be friends with someone for so long,live together under the same roof, and not have any arguments or fights. Eunha and her fought, but they always made sure to listen to each other’s side and communicate. “So, um, how’s it going with Eunha-unnie?”

Morbid curiosity. That was the feeling Sinb had, when she didn’t want to know how Sowon was progressing with Eunha while at the same time she needed to know. Eunha had been surprisingly quiet about Sowon. She didn’t talk to Sinb about soulmate matters, so Sinb decided to avoid asking her about it.

Sowon hummed in thought, taking a moment to answer. “Like we both agreed to, we’ve been taking things slow. We met up twice so far? I think we’re comfortable enough with each other to call us friends.”

“That’s good.” Sinb looked out of the window again, recognising the familiar streets. “We’re here?”

“Yes.” Sowon pulled her car into the parking lot near the bar. She parked the car and took her hands off the wheel, taking in a deep breath.

“You’ll be fine.” Sinb reached over and patted her back reassuringly. “Really.”

Sowon seemed to relax slightly, giving Sinb a grateful look. “Let’s head in.”

There was soft jazzy music playing in the background when they entered the bar. Sinb was glad that it stayed the same as ever, dimly lit with an orange glow from hanging light fixtures and patrons minding their own business. Perfect for a night out with friends who were high-profile, especially Yuju.

She scanned the bar for them, eyes flitting over tables till she spotted Eunha’s glaring blonde hair. They were in a more desolate corner of the bar where there was a divider placed between booths to separate tables. Sinb led Sowon to it, who was distracted from looking around.

Eunha noticed them approaching and greeted them with a wave. She was the only one who was facing the entrance, while the rest took up the seats opposite her. The seats were joined together to fit three people, with a table in between.

“The two stray detectives are here,” she announced when they reached. Eunha scooted to the furthest seat, and Sinb nudged Sowon to sit beside her. The team leader stumbled slightly from her push and shot her a chiding look, but she sat down without a fuss. Finally, Sinb sat in the outermost seat.

The person seated opposite her was Umji, who had been quietly observing them ever since they came. Beside her was Yuju, facing Sowon, and lastly Yerin. Sinb awkwardly turned her head away from Umji, uncomfortable with her stare.

“The baby giraffe!” Yuju beamed, and she reached her hand across the table towards Sowon. Sowon shook her hand with a baffled expression, while Eunha buried her face in her arms. “I really wanted to meet you ever since Yerin-unnie told me about you. I’m Yuju!”

Sowon’s eyes widened. “I’m Sowon…but I guess you already know that.”

“Sorry, unnie, she’s been obsessed ever since she learnt that Eunha called you a baby giraffe.” Yerin apologised, but her proud grin said otherwise.

“I’m just amazed at how similar your words are to Yerin,” Yuju released her hand and leaned back against the seat, eyes shining. “They’re both ridiculous. Baby giraffe. Baby chick. Although, Eunha was completely sane when she said her words while I at least was under anesthesia.”

“Are you saying I’m more weird than you?” Eunha balked.

“You called someone you never met before a baby giraffe!”

“You said a baby chick was swimming in your heart! Aren’t chicks already a baby chicken? So are baby chicks baby babies?”

“Are you making a tongue twister?”

“I think we can conclude that both of you are weird,” Umji interrupted their growing banter before it could get out of hand. She smiled at Sowon. “I’m Umji, the babysitter of these two idiots.”

Eunha and Yuju both protested at the same time. “I’m not weird!” “You know you’re as weird as us, Kim Umji!”

Sowon was tense when they went in the bar, but she was loosening up thanks to Yuju’s strange but friendly welcome and Umji’s polite demeanour. “Thank you for letting me join in on your celebration tonight.”

“Yerin-unnie told me you are a fan.” Yuju tilted her head. “What’s your favourite song?”

“You are? I didn’t know that,” Eunha said, and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “That means you have heard the songs I wrote.”

Sowon seemed just as shy. “I like all of your songs.”

“I won’t force you to choose then.” Yuju grinned. “I also wanted to ask—how was Yerin-unnie like when you met her?”

“Huh?” Yerin choked at the side, and she pleaded to Sowon with her eyes to not mention her initial thoughts of Yuju. Yuju remained oblivious to her panic, completely focused on Sowon.

Sowon raised an eyebrow. “Yerin was…eager to meet her soulmate. She wanted to know what kind of person her soulmate was.”

“I bet I blew your expectations.” Yuju poked Yerin’s cheek, and the doctor nodded her head instantly.

“You have no idea,” Yerin said. She pushed the bar’s menu towards them, urging them to order. “Pick your drinks!”

They ordered their drinks and some accompanying food, chattering about random topics ranging from Yuju’s upcoming comeback and more questions directed towards Sowon.

“How’s it like working with Sinb?” Eunha brought up at one point, and Sinb jerked her head up at the mention of her name.

Sowon glanced at her, and she smirked. “She’s stubborn.”

“Right?” Eunha agreed, and the two of them started exchanging stories about Sinb’s bull-headed tendencies like gossiping aunts. Sinb gaped at them in offense.

“Sowon-unnie, you’re even more stubborn than me! I had to wrestle you to the hospital the last time you hurt your head!”

“I don’t remember that?” Sowon faked nonchalance, sipping her non-alcoholic drink.

Sinb sulked and crossed her arms as everyone began to . She looked up and made eye contact with Umji again—who once again was staring at her—and shifted uneasily in her seat. Why does she keep looking at me today?

She raised her drink up to her lips and averted her gaze away just as a group of girls stepped into the bar, their loud voices cutting through the murmurs of other patrons. Sinb choked on her drink, coughing and setting it down hastily. She spotted a familiar face among them, one that she hoped she wouldn’t see again.

“Are you okay?” Umji frowned, witnessing her blunder. Sinb waved a hand to dismiss her concern, but her mind was internally panicking. She couldn’t believe her luck. Of all bars Eunseo could have gone to, she had to come here?

Her eyes followed the group, grimacing when they sat at a table not too far from theirs. The worst part was that Eunseo sat facing in a direction where she could notice Sinb anytime. And if Eunseo knew she was here, she was shameless enough to crash their gathering to talk to her.

Sinb sneaked her phone beneath the table, opening up Umji's chat in her messaging app. Her fingers flew over the keyboard in a hurry. Everyone was thankfully concentrating on Yuju who was rambling about a dog she met on the streets.

Can you swap seats with me?

Umji checked her phone when she received her message, and she gave Sinb a confused look. She followed Sinb's secrecy, texting from beneath the table.

Muji

Why?

I'm trying to avoid someone.

Please?

Why the secrecy?

It's someone Eunha-unnie doesn't know about.

If I ask you outright, she'll want to know who I'm hiding from and I don't want to tell her.

Is this an ex?

Sinb bit her lip and sighed.

Something like that.

Okay.

How am I going to swap seats without them asking why?

say there's a spider and you're scared?

You're more scared of spiders than me???

I don't have any other ideas????

Umji let out an exhale.

"Sinb, can I swap seats with you? I think I saw a spider near my seat." She deadpanned like she couldn't believe the words coming out of .

"Yes!" Sinb jumped up from her seat, and they exchanged before anyone could blink.

"Where is it? Want me to kill it for you?" Yerin asked, and she bunched up some napkins, ready to smash it.

"No, it's fine," Umji declined.

Eunha narrowed her eyes at her. "Sinb, aren't you more scared of spiders than Umji?"

"I—uh," Sinb fumbled for words.

"She's just being a good ex-girlfriend," Yerin teased, before slapping her own mouth. "Opps."

Sinb wanted to thank Yerin and throttle her at the same time. From Umji’s exasperated expression, she probably felt the same. On one hand, everyone stopped focusing on their sudden switching of seats, but on the other hand, Sowon was taken aback by the new revelation.

“Ex-girlfriend…?” Sowon spluttered out in surprise, before reigning back her composure.

“I meant an excellent girlfriend like friends who are girls!”

“She knows I’m markless, Yerin-unnie.” Sinb cut in before Yerin could make up another unbelievable excuse. “Can I tell her?” She mouthed to Umji, and she gave a small nod of consent.

“Umji’s markless too. We tried dating about a year ago, it didn't work out, so we agreed to stay as friends. That’s it.” Sinb concluded simply. Sowon hummed in understanding, and she thankfully didn’t ask for more details. The team leader wasn’t the type to be nosy.

Umji was the only other markless person Sinb has met in her life. Eunha met Umji in the States. They were working on the same project together as songwriter and producer respectively, and became close friends. When they returned back to Korea two years ago, Eunha introduced Umji to Sinb.

Unlike Sinb, Umji wasn’t shy of her markless status. She wore short-sleeves everywhere, uncaring of other people’s judgement when they saw her lack of words. Sinb was attracted to that bravery, envious even. When Sinb revealed her own markless arm to Umji, they naturally wanted to give dating each other a try.

For a brief moment, Sinb thought they could work out—Umji was cute, kind and considerate— but eventually it felt like they were forcing themselves to date each other so they decided to break up. Furthermore, Umji managed to figure out her feelings for Eunha and bluntly told Sinb her heart was clearly somewhere else. It was a very amicable separation, and Sinb still saw her as a good friend.

She didn’t like how Umji was aware of her feelings for Eunha though. She had a knowing gaze whenever Sinb was around Eunha, making her feel exposed.

“They’re the most peaceful exes I know,” Yuju remarked. “It’s like they never dated.”

Umji huffed. “We’re mature adults who can handle a break up.”

“Right, you both are,” Eunha said. “Yuju, you weren’t done talking about the dog.”

“Oh! So, the dog, which I named Ben by the way, I think he was a golden retriever? And…”

Sinb tuned Yuju out. She wasn’t caught up with her story in the first place, and she couldn’t concentrate when she was aware Eunseo was a few tables behind. She nursed her drink, eyes trained on Yuju’s moving mouth but her mind drifting elsewhere.

At some point, her thoughts were derailed by a continuous vibration on the seat she was sitting on. Sinb spotted Yuju’s phone placed beside her on the seat. It buzzed non-stop with incoming messages, but Yuju was either oblivious to it or she was ignoring it.

“Yuju-unnie,” she called, halting the current conversation. “Your phone. I think someone’s messaging urgently?”

Yuju picked up her phone, scanned the texts, and her face fell. Her grim expression didn’t stay for long, and Yuju smiled again as she silenced and tucked her phone back into her pockets. “It’s nothing important. Sorry about tha—”

“Is it the unknown number again?” Yerin interrupted, a displeased scowl on her face. The soulmate pair began to descend into an argument, squabbling in hushed whispers. Sinb caught a few bits of it, and she didn’t like what she discerned.

“Are you being harrassed?” Sinb asked, getting straight to the point.

Yuju sighed. “It’s nothing. I think my number got leaked.”

“Someone’s been messaging her constantly about how much they like her.” Yerin added on when Yuju wasn’t going to explain further.

“We can look into it if you want us to,” Sowon offered, and Sinb supported the idea.

To Yerin’s aghast, Yuju turned down the offer. “Thank you, but it’s fine. I’ll get my company to change my number.”

“You sure?” Sinb asked her once more, wishing that Yuju would agree so they could help. But if the singer really didn’t want to press the issue, they couldn’t do anything.

“Yes. It’s probably just some fan who got my number by luck.”

“If it escalates, you’re telling the company to lodge a police report,” Eunha demanded of Yuju, her voice stern. “I’m serious, Yuju.”

“I will,” Yuju reassured, and she urged everyone to cheer up again. “Let’s move on from this! Aren’t we here to celebrate the release of the songs the three of us worked so hard to make?”

When Yerin continued to grumble under her breath, Yuju leaned in and pecked her cheek, and again when Yerin didn’t react to the first. She finally cracked a small smile, unable to resist Yuju’s little antics. Yerin hooked her arm around the singer’s shoulder, murmuring something to her and they both visibly relaxed.

Eventually, the mood returned back to its initial cheeriness, and Sinb found herself forgetting about Eunseo’s presence as time passed. She regretted switching seats with Umji for one silly reason. Sinb had the front seat view to how Eunha and Sowon were behaving around each other, and it was making the green-eyed monster in her resurface.

It was ridiculous how bashful they both acted around each other throughout the night. Sinb caught them accidentally brushing hands once when they tried to grab the same napkin—and Eunha had stuttered cutely while Sowon froze. They also couldn’t look at each other in the eyes for more than a few seconds for some stupid reason. And maybe Sinb should stop obsessively staring at them, but she couldn’t help it when they were seated right across her.

To make things worse, Eunha was tipsy. Not drunk, but inebriated enough for her to be more reckless. Tipsy Eunha was not only a clingy koala, she flirted like nobody’s business. Sinb reckoned Sowon was going to combust anytime from the amount of compliments Eunha gave to her face, and from how Eunha was slumping lazily against her side without a care.

Her phone chimed with a message, and Sinb stopped sulking to read it.

Muji

You are the most obvious,pining idiot in the world.

Stop staring at them so much or Sowon-unnie will notice.

I’m not pining. I don’t know what you mean.

Umji had a point. Sowon was a sharp detective. She was bound to notice if Sinb kept shooting them sullen looks of envy. Sinb took one last glance at Eunha huddled up against Sowon and stood up from her seat.

“Where are you going?” Eunha whined as she did so.

“Washroom.” Sinb grunted back, and she hurried away from the table. She needed a brief respite before her heart squeezed itself to death from watching them.

Sinb followed the signs to one of the washrooms, letting the soft music wash over her and calm her. She found one located in a quiet area of the bar, reaching out to the door handle. Her whole body tensed when a cold hand covered hers, pulling her from the door and slamming her back against the wall.

“Miss me?” Eunseo purred, her eyes glinting with glee. Sinb shoved her away.

“ off, Eunseo,” she spat, abandoning the thought of going to the washroom and turning to leave. Eunseo grabbed her arm again, her grip tight. She stepped into Sinb’s space, taking a step closer each time until Sinb was backed into a corner.

“I told you we were done.” Sinb glared at her, resigning herself to deal with Eunseo. Eunseo wouldn’t leave her alone as long as she knew she was in the bar.

“You left me a note, disappeared, and ghosted me for two years.” Eunseo pouted, and she trailed a finger down Sinb’s arm. “I don’t get a say at all?”

“We weren’t lovers.” Sinb scoffed. “Why do I need your agreement to call it off? We had fun together, but that was it.”

“There’s still unspoken rules to hooking up with people, Sinb.” Eunseo tsked. “It’s only polite of you to at least say it to me face to face.”

“Fine. We’re done. I’m not interested anymore. Happy now?”

Eunseo’s lips curled into a cheshire grin, and she rested one hand on Sinb’s waist, thumbing the material of her clothes. Her other hand reached up to cup her face, leaning closer. “Are you really?” she asked in a low voice, body pressing warmly against hers.

Sinb shivered involuntarily from her touch, but she snapped out of her daze and slapped her hand away from her face. “I am. Leave me alone.”

Eunseo didn’t back off. “Aw, really? But didn’t you enjoy your time wi—”

She never got to finish her sentence as she was dragged off Sinb and sent stumbling back. Sowon released Eunseo’s shirt collar like she was a stray cat she picked up, stepping in between Sinb and her. Her back was rigid and tensed as she blocked Sinb from seeing Eunseo.

“She said leave her alone,” Sowon spoke, her voice cold and biting. “I suggest you do that.”

Sinb peeked around Sowon’s back to see Eunseo crossing her arms in annoyance. “This isn’t your business.”

“Unnie, let’s just go,” Sinb muttered to Sowon, holding her wrist to pull her away from the rising tension.

“Unnie?” Eunseo repeated. “Ah, is this your new hook up? Can’t say I don’t see why, she’s hot.”

“Shut up, Eunseo,” Sinb snapped, her limit reaching the moment Eunseo brought Sowon into their mess. Sowon glowered at Eunseo as Sinb forced the both of them to walk away rather than pick a fight.

“You know my number, Sinb. It hasn’t changed!” Eunseo called after them, and when Sinb looked back , she made a “Call Me” sign. Sinb hastened her pace.

She didn’t realise she was still holding onto Sowon’s wrist until her team leader gently tugged them to the side, eyes scanning her from top to bottom. Sinb released her wrist in an instant, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

“Are you okay?” Sowon questioned, her voice losing its previous harshness and was instead soothing to her ears.

Sinb rubbed her neck under her scruntinity. “Yeah. I’m sorry you had to witness that. Eunseo’s just..”

“You don’t have to tell me.” Sowon interrupted her when Sinb struggled for the right words. “Do you want to leave?”

Sinb breathed in deeply, forcing her tensed muscles to relax. “No. No, it’s fine. She won’t be bothering us anymore.”

It occurred to her that Sowon definitely knew who Eunseo was to her. Sinb didn’t know when Sowon stumbled upon them, how much she heard, and Eunseo even called her team leader her ‘new hook up’ to the face. It shouldn’t be anything to be mortified about, sleeping around with people, but Sinb couldn’t help but feel ashamed of it.

“About what you saw or heard back there.” Sinb tilted her head to the ground, avoiding Sowon’s attentive gaze. “Can you…don’t mention it at all? To Eunha-unnie and everyone else?”

“I won’t,” Sowon promised. And Sinb trusted her to keep her word, because she never lied to her once.

“Thank you. Also for,um, coming in when you did.”

“I’m just glad you’re alright.” Sowon ruffled her hair with a grin, sending it into a mess. Sinb protested immediately and fixed it, giving a light punch to Sowon’s arm in revenge.

They returned back to the table, which was a scene of chaos. Everyone, save for Umji, was drunk. Yerin was attempting to stack the complimentary peanuts the bar provided on top of each other, making it up to two before it all toppled apart. Yuju was cheering her soulmate on and encouraging her with a loud whoop everytime she picked a peanut up. Eunha was slumped in her corner, mumbling under her breath with a pout on her face.

The only sane individual, Umji, had switched back to sitting next to Yuju. She was watching them fondly, entertained by their actions.

Sinb expected Sowon to slide back into the space beside Eunha, but the team leader urged her forward. “Sit beside Eunha, please. She’s been looking for you ever since you left for the washroom.” Sowon guided a befuddled Sinb to the seat, hands on her shoulders and pushing her down to sit.

Eunha squinted at her, taking a moment to recognise her face. When she did, her pout vanished and she wrapped her arms around Sinb’s waist, tugging her close. “Sinb! My baby, Sinb! Where did you go?”

Tipsy Eunha is gone. Drunk Eunha is here. Sinb patted Eunha’s back, used to her clinginess when she was drunk. It didn’t stop her heart from beating furiously at the feeling of Eunha pressed against her, threatening to jump out of her ribcage.“I went to the washroom, unnie.”

“M’kay.” Eunha mumbled into her neck, and she refused to budge. Sinb sent a cry for help towards Sowon, begging with her eyes. In response, Sowon curled against her side as well, squishing Sinb between Eunha and herself.

“You’re not helping.” Sinb blew her hair out of her face.

“Look, Yerin managed to stack five peanuts.” Sowon ignored her, sounding genuinely interested in Yerin’s stacking endeavours. In the end, Sowon’s move backfired as Eunha noticed her as well.

“Who’s this pretty lady?” Eunha slumped forward and poked Sowon’s cheek. “Ah, it’s Sowon-unnie. Sinb’s cute baby giraffe. Maybe mine too. Who knows. We’ll see. You’re my soulmate, but I l—”

“Okay! Unnie, we should go home!” Sinb clamped her hand over Eunha’s mouth. She didn’t know what Eunha was going to say, but it was her duty to save Eunha from blurting something she might regret. And Sowon was turning into a beet red stone statue beside her. “Umji, can you bring the other two idiots home?”

“I’ll make sure they get home in one piece.” Umji stood up and demolished Yerin’s stack tower with a flick of her fingers, sending Yerin and Yuju into a tearful state.

“You’re so mean!” Yuju sobbed as Umji dragged her and Yerin up.

“Sinb, you see this?” Umji gestured to the two crying soulmates. “This is you when you’re drunk. Except, you’re even worse.”

“Why are you exposing me?”

“Just got reminded of you.” Umji shrugged.

Sowon recovered from her shock and got up as well, leaving Sinb’s side cold. “Do you need help?”

“No, I’ll manage.They aren’t actually that drunk, they’re just being their usual dumb selves,” Umji said as Yuju and Yerin staggered away from the booth, clinging onto each other for support. “Eunha-unnie though, she’s a handful herself. But Sinb’s experienced in taking care of her, so you’ll be fine.”

They bid farewell to the three of them, watching as Umji herded Yerin and Yuju out of the bar. Sinb made eye contact with Sowon, Eunha still hugging her waist, and Sowon decided to lend her a hand. Together, they pried Eunha off Sinb and coaxed her to stand up.

“I’ll drive you two home,” Sowon said after they left the bar, taking slow steps as a quiet Eunha struggled to put one foot in front of the other.

“I know where you live, unnie, and it’s in the opposite direction of where we live. We can take a taxi.”

“No, I want to drive both of you back. It’s—”

Eunha tripped, and both of them caught her at the same time. Sinb kept a firm grip on Eunha’s hand, making sure she won’t fall again.

Sowon held onto Eunha's other arm, continuing from where she left off. “It’s a waste of money to take a taxi when I can drive you back.”

“It’s a waste of fuel to drive in the opposite direction of your home.”

“It’s a waste of time to wait for the ta—”

“Can we just go home?” Eunha cut in from between them. “T-take Sowon-unnie’s car.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Sinb acceded with a sigh while Sowon zipped immediately from Eunha’s authoritative voice.

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A/N: I have no excuse for taking this long to update...regardless this chapter is one of my favourites, let me know what you guys thought of it in the comments! I always read and appreciate them!