Rachel stared at the shelves of the gift store, completely stumped. Tomorrow was Niel's birthday, and although the group celebrated Rachel's the week before, no-one could deny to celebrate  the Emotional Voice's day either.

Rachel continued to stare at the shelf of gifts, having no idea whatsoever what to get him.
"Aish, I don't know," she ruffled her hair.
The stop assistant saw Rachel's trouble, and walked over. "Do you need help?"
Rachel looked at the assistant, a pleading look on her face. "Yes please."
The assistant smiled. "What's the occasion?"
"Birthday," Rachel replied.
"Age?"
"18."
The assistant thought to herself. "Does he have any particular hobbies?"
Rachel puffed her cheeks. "Singing."
"Alright, I think we should suggest these..."

***

Emily opened the front door, letting Rachel inside. "Did you manage to get a present?"
Rachel nodded, holding the shopping bag. "You need to help me with it though."
"What is it?" Emily asked, taking the bag and walking to the living room.
"How about you just help me, " Rachel laughed, taking the bag back.
"Why are you so touchy about it?" Emily sat on the chair, looking at Rachel impatiently.
"Because, when I'm fixing it I'm going to sound really cheesy."
"What are you writing, a book?"
"Something like that." Rachel replied.

***

Ricky decided to just keep the door to the dorm open, since everyone was coming at around the same time. The first people to come in was Rachel and Emily.

"Happy birthday Danny boy," Emily said, punching Niel on the shoulder.
"Thanks Emily," Niel replied.
Rachel smiled, and walked up to him. "Happy birthday Niel."
Niel looked at her, a smile appearing on his face. "Thanks Rachel."

Changjo walked out of his room, seeing Rachel and Niel converse. He bit his lip, and reminded himself that he couldn't talk to her, and walked to the fridge, taking out a can of beer.

"Whoa boy, that's not till later!" CAP walked up to Changjo, taking the can.
"Hyung, when is the party really going to start?" Changjo replied.

The rest of the group walked in, Jung-Hwa closing the dorm door.
CAP smiled, handing Changjo back the can. "Now."

-A FEW HOURS LATER-

Niel walked up to Rachel, a small grin on his face. The can in his hand was his second, and he could still think properly but he wanted to have some fun anyway. "Rachel," he said, sitting next to her.

She was holding her own can of beer, taking a long sip. "Yeah?"
"You know, since it's my birthday, do you think we could..." Niel trailed off, wrapping an arm around Rachel's shoulders.
"What? Please don't say what I think you're going to." Rachel looked at him blankly.
"Can we pretend to be a couple?"
"What?" Rachel giggled, taking another sip. She was still sober as ever, but the alcohol helped her to loosen up.
"Please? It'll make me feel so much better!"
"What do you mean by 'couple' though?"
Niel tapped his cheek. "Gimme a kiss Jagiya," he said with a smile.

Rachel rolled her eyes, and leaned in, kissing his cheek. "There."
Niel leaned in, whispering in Rachel's ear. "This can also make Changjo jealous, if you know what I mean."
Rachel smiled. "I like the sound of that."

Ricky saw the exchange, and he laughed, all of his rationality long gone with the third can of beer that was in the bin. "Oooh, you two should play the pocky gammmeeee!" Ricky pointed.
CAP hit the back of Ricky's head. "Yah, pabo, stop talking so loud! We can't get caught."
Ricky whined. "Hyunnnggg!"
CAP rolled his eyes. "Jesus boy, we need to control your consumption."
Chunji and L.Joe chuckled on the couch, both taking another drink from their respective cans.

Seoul, Mizuki, Emily and Jung-Hwa talked amongst themselves unsure of what Rachel was going to say. Instead, they followed the trend of taking another drink.

Changjo sat against the wall away from the couch, watching Rachel and Niel continue to talk. He sighed, and finished his can, throwing it toward the bin which was beginning to overflow, and picked up another, which was sitting beside him already. He opened it, and took a long and thoughtful drink.
"Yah, play the game already," he said loudly. He felt the sting of regret as soon as the sentence left his lips, but it was Niel's birthday, and that was his present to him.

To finally experience what it was like to be with Rachel, while Changjo was stuck doing Ginger's will.

Rachel glanced at Changjo, before looking at Niel. "That doesn't sound so bad, does it?"
Niel grinned. "I think it's a good idea."
Chunji threw the box of Pocky at them, Rachel catching it with ease. "Thanks."
Seoul stood up, watching Niel and Rachel. "Hurry up!"
Rachel opened the box, taking out a single stick, and popping one end in . While holding it with her teeth, she said; "Well, let's do this."
Niel finished his beer, chucking the can somewhere, and wrapping his lips around the other end.
L.Joe smirked."Go!"

The two began to eat their way down stick, everyone's breath caught in their throat as they saw Rachel and Niel inch ever so closer to each other until—

BANG!

The door opened, everyone jumping in shock. Rachel pulled away, looking towards the door like everyone else, while Niel finished the remainder of the Pocky. Changjo tilted his head to get a view of the person who was standing in the door.
"I can't believe you guys didn't invite me!" Ginger whined, walking inside and closing the door. Everyone watched her intently as she walked up to the kitchen bench, taking a can of beer and opening it.
"What?" she asked, looking back at everyone.

Chunji shook his head. "Nothing."

CAP cleared his throat. "Soju shots!" he called, taking the bottle out of the cupboard. Ignoring Ginger and her unlikely entrance, everyone proceeded to the bench as L.Joe lined up the shot glasses. CAP opened the bottle, and filled each glass. Rachel picked up hers, raising it to her lips.

"Drink up!" she said, while everyone tilted their heads back and swallowed the alcohol.

Ginger stood there in silence, watching everyone. She glanced to the side, and saw Changjo still sitting on the floor. She moved to sit next to him, shuffling close.
"Hello yeobo," she said with a smile.
"Ginger." Changjo replied, finishing his beer, throwing it to the bin and opening another.
"How are you?"
"Good." he replied simply. He sighed in relief as he felt the beer move down his throat, the alcohol spreading through his body.

CAP poured their third shot, and everyone drank once more.
"Mm, soju." Ricky hiccupped, a smile on his face.
CAP glanced at him before shaking his head. "Alright, present time, before this one lands flat on his face."
Niel grinned sheepishly, before opening his arms. "Alright, where are my presents!?"

Seoul placed one in his arms, while L.Joe placed another on top, and finally Rachel finished the pile, placing hers on top of the other two.

"Well go on, open them," Mizuki said.

Niel placed the other two on a chair, opening Rachel's present. It was an scrapbook. He opened it to see pictures of himself and Rachel, other pages filled with writing (which he would read when he was sober) , and pictures of Teen Top. "Oh wow, this is amazing."
Rachel smiled. "You're welcome."
Niel pulled Rachel into a hug. "Thanks."

Ginger watched, leaning closer to Changjo. "Oh look, that is already moving on. What are you going to do about it Jonghyunnie? Oh wait, that's right, you can't do anything."
Changjo glared at the opposite wall, attempting to ignore her annoying voice.
"They look pretty good together, don't they?" she whispered again.

Changjo kept silent.

Niel began to open his next present, which was a bottle of cologne from the boys.
"Really?" he asked, looking at CAP.
CAP shrugged. "It was a joke, it fit well with our ROMAN promotions."
Niel shook his head. "But that was directed at the Noonas."
Ricky laughed loudly. "Stupid hyung, we bought it cause you smeeellllllllll."

Everyone laughed at Ricky' s reply.

Ginger continued to whisper into Changjo's ear. "Look at her, she's smiling and everything. She's already forgotten about you Jonghyunnie!"
Changjo took a long drink from his beer, finishing it. His cheeks were rosy, and he saw his vision begin to blur around the edges.

Niel opened the last present, which was a jacket from the girls. "Thanks," he said with a smile, putting it on.
Emily grinned. "No worries."

After the presents, CAP continued to pour Soju shots until he finished the bottle, pulling out another in its place. Everyone was on the border of drunk and tipsy, some already passed out on the floor, like Ricky. Rachel and Niel continued to talk, their close proximity causing Changjo to stand up, annoyed with Ginger's annoying words and take Rachel's hand, leading her to his room. He managed to close the door and grabbed Rachel's shoulders, looking her right in the eyes.

Rachel stared at him, slight amusement in her facial features. "Jonghyun, are you drunk?"
Changjo hiccupped. "No silly."
Rachel giggled. "You're drunk. Your cheeks are all red."
Changjo rolled his eyes. "That doesn't mean anything."
"Why am I in your room?"
Changjo smiled goofily. "You're not supposed to be with Fish-Face."

Rachel laughed. "What?"
"Are you drunk!?" Changjo asked.
Rachel looked at him. "Not really. I can still think straight."
"You're supposed to be with me. I love you!"
"Then why are you with Ginger?" Rachel decided to ask, using Changjo's lack of rationality to get answers.
"Because I'm supposed to marry her!"
"...What?"
"Her parents and my parents made us arranged to be married! She said that I have to listen to her, or she'll tell my parents I've been cheating on her!"
"...go on,"
"And, and...." Changjo trailed off, closing his eyes.

Rachel slapped his cheek. "Stay awake Jonghyun."
"And....my parents don't know about you. If they did, then I'd be in big trouble! I love you Rachel! I don't love Ginger! She's a !" Changjo laughed, before closing his eyes and leaning all his weight on Rachel.
"Are you alseep?" Rachel asked quietly.
Changjo began to snore.

Rachel couldn't help the smile on her face. "Oh, I get everything now. I forgive you Jonghyun."
He continued to snore, his red cheeks and messy hair making Rachel pull out her phone and take a picture. Afterwards, she dragged him to his bed, setting him down on it and pulling the covers over him. She looked at him with a smile before kissing his forehead. "You stupid boy."

Meanwhile, Niel and Ginger were drinking the most, the rest all knocked out from the alcohol. As they both took another shot, Niel looked at Ginger curiously.
"What?" she asked, looking at him.
"Rachel," he said, taking Ginger's hand.
Ginger was too drunk to correct him. "What?" she asked again.
"Can I show you what you really mean to me?" he asked, standing up.
Ginger titled her head to the side, before finishing her drink. "Yeah?"

Niel nodded, and led her to his room. "Enjoy this," he said, before letting her in, and closing the door.