“Yi Soo, get a hold of yourself.”

Yi Soo, who had been pouring soju into her empty stomach, finally collapsed on the table.

She became completely drunk in less than 2 hours of drinking.

“I should have stopped her…”

Ae Ra, who had been patting Yi Soo’s back and shaking her shoulders to wake her up, sat down in her chair as if giving up.

Since it wasn’t that late yet, she thought about waiting until Yi Soo woke up.

“Sigh, she must have been really upset…”

Ae Ra stroked Yi Soo’s back, feeling sorry for her.

As she sipped the remaining alcohol alone with the sleeping Yi Soo beside her, Ae Ra’s phone rang.

Unexpectedly, the caller was Seo Ji Ho.

She had only saved his number to commemorate becoming club mates, but had never contacted him or been contacted by him.

Normally, she would have been excited and answered loudly, but Ae Ra hesitated whether she should answer.

She brushed up her hair, sighed deeply, then pressed the call button.

“Hello.”

[Ae Ra, it’s Ji Ho. Are you with Yi Soo by any chance?]

It was the voice that melted eardrums, which Ae Ra always praised.

Despite such a voice, Ae Ra suddenly felt angry.

‘After eating together and even buying a gift for another woman’s birthday, why are you looking for Yi Soo?’

She barely swallowed the words that were circling in her mouth, unable to spit them out.

‘If anyone should be angry, it should be Yi Soo. It’s not my place.’

Ae Ra took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

“Yeah. But she’s too drunk to take a call.”

[How drunk is she? Is she okay? Where are you now? I’ll come right away.]

His voice was full of surprise and worry.

But it wasn’t easy for Ae Ra to just tell him without asking Yi Soo first.

[Ae Ra!]

When there was no answer, Ji Ho called out again as if urging her.

‘Even if they fight, it would be right for them to meet and resolve it. And I can’t leave Yi Soo like this.’

Seeing Ji Ho worry first in an anxious tone when told Yi Soo was drunk, it seemed right to tell him.

After hesitating, Ae Ra opened her mouth.

“…Alright. I’ll send it to you by text.”

**

“You came quickly.”

Ji Ho, who came running with a worried face, immediately checked on Yi Soo as soon as he arrived.

“Why did she drink so much?”

Ji Ho knelt in front of Yi Soo, who was slumped over the table, sleeping.

Ji Ho brushed Yi Soo’s hair behind her ear and gently caressed her cheek as if handling a baby.

“Did something happen?”

Ae Ra looked at Ji Ho with a slightly dumbfounded expression.

‘No way, this guy who’s taking care of Yi Soo so tenderly was just with another woman until now?’

Ae Ra sighed heavily as if the ground would sink and said.

“Ask Yi Soo directly if you’re curious. You know her house, right? Take responsibility and take her home.”

Ae Ra packed her bag and got up, shaking Yi Soo’s shoulder one more time.

“Yi Soo, wake up. Let’s go home now.”

“Don’t wake her. I’ll just carry her.”

As Ji Ho reached out his arms to carry her, Yi Soo slowly raised her head.

“Yi Soo, are you conscious? You’ve been asleep for over an hour.”

Yi Soo straightened her back at Ae Ra’s words and nodded.

Yi Soo stared at Ji Ho with slowly blinking eyes and chuckled.

“Oh… Who is this. It’s Seo Ji Ho. Why are you here?”

It was unclear whether she was not fully awake or not fully sober.

Yi Soo looked at Ji Ho, who was kneeling on the floor looking up at her, with unfocused eyes.

“Yes, it’s me. Let’s go home. I’ll take you.”

Yi Soo pretended not to hear those words and silently opened a bottle of water to drink.

Her throat felt parched with thirst, but it seemed a little better now.

Coming to her senses and seeing Ae Ra standing next to her, she said.

“Phew. Ae Ra, let’s go.”

Yi Soo’s body swayed as she stood up with her bag.

When Ji Ho tried to support her by grabbing her arm, she shook him off, waving her arm.

“I’m fine. I can go by myself.”

Yi Soo staggered to the counter and rummaged through her bag.

“Hey, I already paid, so just go.”

Ae Ra, who had followed, grabbed Yi Soo’s arm and went outside.

Ji Ho followed with a complicated expression at Yi Soo’s cold reaction.

Ji Ho’s car was parked on the side of the road with its hazard lights blinking.

“You take Yi Soo home quickly.”

“Alright. You be careful going home too.”

Seeing Ji Ho who had come running with a worried face, Ae Ra felt a little relieved, thinking there might have been some misunderstanding.

After saying goodbye to Yi Soo first, Ae Ra headed towards the subway station.

After Ae Ra left, Yi Soo stood by the road waving her hand, saying she would catch a taxi.

“I’ll take you home.”

Ji Ho held Yi Soo’s hand.

“No.”

Ji Ho hesitated when he saw Yi Soo swat his hand away.

“What’s wrong? Are you mad at me?”

Mad?

He appears nonchalantly, as if nothing happened, and says he’ll take her home?

Why did Ae Ra call Ji Ho?

Her heart was churning so much that she felt like she would cry at any moment.

“…”

Ji Ho stared intently at Yi Soo, who was avoiding his gaze with her mouth tightly shut.

She wouldn’t even make eye contact. Ji Ho’s heart sank and he grabbed Yi Soo’s arm again.

No matter how much she refused, he couldn’t let the drunk Yi Soo take a taxi alone.

Ji Ho pulled Yi Soo into his arms and held her tight.

“I won’t let go, so don’t say no. If you want to get angry, get angry in the car.”

Ji Ho forcibly put the struggling Yi Soo in the car and fastened her seatbelt.

Her angry feelings towards Ji Ho were clearly felt.

Yi Soo had her head completely turned towards the window.

“I’ll take you home.”

It wasn’t even that late.

For her to be this drunk at only 9 o’clock meant she had deliberately drank to get drunk, but why…

His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly the entire drive.

His mouth felt parched and burning.

Ji Ho told the apartment security guard the unit number and drove into the parking lot.

Yi Soo had her eyes closed, as if she had fallen asleep.

“We’re here.”

Ji Ho got out of the car, walked to the passenger side, opened the door and unbuckled Yi Soo’s seatbelt.

Ji Ho sat down with his legs folded and held Yi Soo’s hand.

“Yi Soo, look at me.”

Yi Soo opened her eyes and looked into Ji Ho’s eyes, who was looking up at her like a gentle puppy.

It was hard to believe that those eyes had lied.

Ji Ho’s gaze as he looked at Yi Soo now seemed sincerely desperate.

“Are you still very drunk? Should we talk another time?”

How should she respond when he spoke so kindly?

Yi Soo’s heart, which had been troubled all day, softened a little at Ji Ho’s kind gaze and voice.

“Your legs must hurt. Get up.”

As Ji Ho slowly stood up while holding her hand, Yi Soo got out of the car.

Yi Soo pondered what she should do.

Should she simply say ‘Thanks for bringing me. Take care.’

Actually, there were other things she wanted to say…

‘Did you lie to me? Were you really with Yoo Mi for her birthday? Why?’

Feeling like tears would pour out the moment she uttered those words, Yi Soo just bit her lip without saying anything.

“Can I come in for a bit?”

Ji Ho spoke up in place of the hesitating Yi Soo.

After a moment’s hesitation, Yi Soo nodded and walked ahead.

**

After washing her hands, Yi Soo made hot lemon tea and sat on the sofa.

“I made it because I wanted to drink some, try it.”

A sweet fragrance wafted from the steaming lemon tea.

“I’ll drink it well.”

Ji Ho also took a sip of lemon tea following Yi Soo.

A fragrant aroma filled his mouth.

Yi Soo drained her lemon tea to drive away the remaining drunkenness.

She didn’t like being drunk alone in front of the sober Ji Ho.

As the warm sensation spread throughout her body, it seemed both her body and mind became calmer.

“I didn’t get to see properly last time, but looking today, the house seems to resemble you a lot.”

Ji Ho turned his head and quickly scanned the visible space.

It was filled with a neat, calm and luxurious atmosphere.

“I guess that’s because I decorated it to my taste.”

She only made superficial conversation without emotion, burying what she really wanted to say.

That was the best she could do if she didn’t want to cry.

She pushed down to the bottom the doubt and sense of betrayal that had been stirring her heart all day.

She didn’t want to show tears in front of Ji Ho again.

Moreover, crying while drunk like this would be the worst.

“If you’re done drinking, you should go now.”

Yi Soo said without even looking at Ji Ho, just fiddling with the empty teacup.

The longer they stayed together, the harder it seemed it would be to hold back.

“Yi Soo, are you angry with me?”

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t think of a reason.

She wasn’t like this until yesterday, but now Yi Soo wouldn’t even make eye contact with Ji Ho.

“Hm? Are you mad at me?”

He asked again when Yi Soo didn’t give any answer.

“Did something happen today?”

Ji Ho’s expression hardened as he looked at Yi Soo, who was answering with silence.

He felt like his throat was completely blocked. What could be the reason for her sudden change?

Was she so angry that she drank to this extent?

“Did I do something wrong to you?”

Although she seemed to have no intention of speaking, Ji Ho still asked.

He looked at Yi Soo with an anxious and uneasy expression.

“Is it because I contacted you late?”

He wanted to hear some kind of answer, whether through her eyes or gestures.

It felt like he wouldn’t be able to do anything if he left like this.

Ji Ho felt his blood run cold, as this was the first time Yi Soo had openly given him such a cold shoulder.

“Or… did you suddenly start disliking me?”

At those words, Yi Soo tightly shut her eyes.

Ji Ho felt that something was definitely wrong.

He ran his hand over his dry face once, feeling frustrated and anxious.

After heaving a deep sigh, he spoke to Yi Soo again.

“Yi Soo, please say something.”

Yi Soo thought she wanted Ji Ho to feel as upset as she did.

As much as she had been perplexed, as much as her heart had sunk.

She wanted Ji Ho to feel exactly the same.

But seeing Ji Ho at a loss more than she had expected, she didn’t feel good.

“It’s not that.”

Yi Soo shook her head once as she spoke.

It was because she wasn’t confident she could speak without crying, but Ji Ho didn’t seem likely to give up easily.

“Then why are you acting like this? If I made a mistake without realizing it, tell me honestly. That’s the only way I can do something about it.”

There must be a clear reason why Yi Soo suddenly changed, but why wasn’t she saying anything?

The longer it dragged on, the more Ji Ho felt his heart tightening.

How serious could it be?

Was it so serious that she couldn’t easily talk about it?

“Don’t hide it, tell me properly.”

Ji Ho said as he looked at Yi Soo.

Who was telling who not to hide things.

She had intended not to say anything until the end, but with her emotions suddenly welling up, Yi Soo raised her head with a complicated expression.

‘Can I speak without crying? If only I hadn’t been drinking…’

She tightly clenched both her hands.

Looking down at her clenched fists, Yi Soo opened her mouth with difficulty in a trembling voice.

“Why… did you lie? You said you’d be with your mom today. So why…”

Yi Soo’s eyes started to redden.

She wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes with the back of her hand.

This is why she didn’t want to speak.

“The place I worked at with Ae Ra today… was in the same building. Where we first ate together. So I felt happy for no reason and remembered that day, but you… were there with another…”

Yi Soo’s voice shook severely as she spoke longer.

She wanted to speak calmly and composedly, but her surging emotions couldn’t be controlled.

Thinking that Ji Ho had gone there to celebrate another woman’s birthday, her eyes heated up again.

“How could you do this to me?”