Chapter 4 - The drinking game

When the waiter comes back with a pack of cards, Emma starts to shuffle like a pro. "How are you… where did you learn that?" Seunghyun asks. "Let’s just say, I like card games because they can be turned into drinking games. Want to play?"  Despite the shock of how good Emma is, they are excited to play a new drinking game. Emma quickly explains the rules of the game. "It’s a three part game, the first is an open card game with four questions, so don’t worry about keeping your cards hidden just yet. When it is your turn, I will ask you a question about the card before I hand it to you. The first round I will ask you black or red. If you get it wrong, you drink and if you get it right, you pass. The second round is higher or lower, so the second card I will give you, is it higher or lower and again, wrong, you drink. The third round is in between or out. Which means is the next card in between the numbers of your current cards or outside of it. And lastly what is the symbol. That is the first round, got it?" The guys look at Emma as if she is an alien. "What? Did I go too fast?" "Emma-ah! I told you, we are going to get along fine!" Hongki says happily. "It’s not difficult so let’s start!" Jonghun is already liking the game, while Seunghyun is filling shot glasses up with soju. The first round Jaejin, Hongki and Emma herself end up taking a shot. The second round it was again Emma and Jaejin joint by Seunghyun. The third round was Jonghun and Minhwan, while the last round all the guys had to take a shot with Emma looking around and smiling.

"That was the first round, now take your cards in your hand." While talking Emma is laying the cards in a way that it forms a pyramid on the table. "The bottom row, which is also the longest –six cards– is worth one shot. When I turn a card and you have that one in your hand, you place it on top of the one already on the table and you get to hand a shot to whomever you want. And like that we work our way up the pyramid. Each row means more shots per card, so the second row is two shots, up to the sixth row, which is six shots. Your aim is not just to hand out shots but also get rid of the four carts because there is also a round three, which can be hell." The second round also finishes quickly with most of the drinks going to Jaejin and Minhwan, because as Jonghun explains to Emma, they are hilarious when they are drunk. At the end of the round, Seunghyun and Emma end up with both two cards, while the rest has none. "That means Seunghyun Oppa and I need to enter the bus." Emma says while sighing, again laying down cards while she starts to explain the third round. "So, this is also not a hard thing to understand, the big problem is getting it right. This row of seven cards, we need to say if the card that is closed is higher or lower than the one that is open. For each one that is wrong you drink the amount of cards before it and start again. So if I get the first to right, but fail the third one, I have to drink three shots and start a new row." Seunghyun lets Emma go first so he can see how she does it. Emma who has experience, is pretty good at guessing the right card and finishes the row without failure. Seunghyun on the other hand, failed at the third card, the second card and again on the third card before he get the row done. After playing the new game for a while, they are getting a bit tipsy. "You still okay Emma? You’re pretty good at keeping up. How did you get so good at drinking?" Jaejin asks. "I had a time that I would drink a lot, when I was 18 or something." Emma replies quietly, while putting the cards to the side. She turns back to the guys and says happily; "I’ve taught you one of my drinking game, now it is your turn."

After a few hours, they decide that it has been enough for today. They start to get their things and leave. Minhwan insists on taking Emma home, saying he is going to sleep over at his Noona anyways, as it is closer. Emma, slightly drunk, is okay with it because now she doesn’t have to figure out the taxi system. When the taxi pulls up before the restaurant they say goodbye to the other, by now severely drunk, guys and get in. During the taxi ride, Emma tries to sneak looks at Minhwan to see what he is thinking. Do you like what you see?' Minhwan asks, repeating the same comment that Emma said in her office that morning. Not letting him surprise her, "Then shouldn’t I like my view?" making Minhwan looking at her in shock and slight amusement. "Take a picture it lasts longer." Emma says, getting a bit uncomfortable with him looking at her. Before she realizes it, he takes out his phone and snaps a picture. "Yah! What are you doing?" She tries to grab his phone, but he is too quick for her. While she tries to grab the phone, the taxi takes a sharp turn and Minhwan falls against Emma, with their faces close to each other. Close enough that just a little movement would have their lips connect. "We’re here." After a few moments, the voice of the taxi driver takes the two out of the spell of being so close to each other. Minhwan quickly pulls away and takes out his wallet. Seeing this, Emma get out of the car as fast as she can and tries to get her heart to slow down, before she looks at him again. While gaining her posture back, Emma sees the same group of girls standing behind the bushes again, but before she can think about it Minhwan already opens the door of the building for her. Being a bit awkward with what happened in the taxi, the two don’t talk until they arrive at Emma her floor. Minhwan walks Emma to her door, despite her saying she can walk those 5 meters on her own. When she opens the door, she awkwardly bows to him and thanks him for taking her home. Instead of replying, he pulls her into a hug and lets her go again before she realizes what is happening. "See you tomorrow! If I am up early we can drive to the company together." And with that Minhwan walks away, leaving a stunned Emma in her doorway…