I stared down at Seolhyo, her weight warm against me.
.…What's wrong with her? Does alcohol really affect her this much?
I let out a quiet sigh.
I'll just wait until she falls asleep.
Carefully, I rested one hand on her back and the other at her head, slowly caressing her, gentle and steady.
Her body relaxed almost immediately.
"Don't leave…" she mumbled.
"What do you mean?" I murmured softly. "I'm not leaving. I'll stay right here with you."
She rubbed her cheek against me, nuzzling closer like a cat seeking warmth.
"Mhhm… you're so good to me," she giggled quietly.
"Of course," I said, my voice low. "I'm your boyfriend."
Having her on top of me, this close, made my chest tighten in a way that was starting to feel… dangerous.
I took a slow breath, grounding myself, reminding myself to stay calm.
Seolhyo didn't notice anything.
She lifted her head slightly to look at me, eyes half-lidded with sleep, yet glowing with a soft, sincere warmth.
"I want to hear your songs more…" she whispered. "And I want you to sing me when were alone."
Her face was dangerously close now.
Before I could think too much, I leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.
She let out a small giggle.
"I can sing for you anytime," I said quietly.
She smiled and kissed my cheek in return."…Okay. You must sing to me-"
She didn't finish.
Her head slipped forward, resting against my face, her breathing evening out, soft and slow.
I exhaled, holding still for several minutes, making sure she was truly asleep.
Only then did I carefully ease her off me and lay her down beneath the blanket.
She stirred faintly, then curled into it, her expression peaceful almost childlike.
I knelt there for a moment, just watching her.
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
She's so different like this how can a person change so much just because of an alcohol.
Leaning down, I brushed her hair aside and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"Sleep well," I whispered, even though I knew she couldn't hear me anymore.
Then I stood quietly and slipped out of the room, closing the door with the softest click behind me.
When I stepped back outside, the others were still gathered around the table, the fire crackling low and the food mostly gone cold.
As soon as they saw me, every single head turned my way grins, smirks, and teasing eyes waiting like a pack of wolves.
I sank onto the wooden table without a word.
The chatter still buzzed around me, but I only poured myself a cup of soju and drank in silence, the burn grounding me more than the noise ever could.
-
Meanwhile, Park Dong and Irina were already halfway down the dirt road toward the convenience store, the night air cool against their faces.
"Hey," Park Dong started, his grin faintly mischievous, "did you ever hear about the night school?"
Irina shot him a wary look. "What night school?"
"The one that burned down years ago," he said casually.
"They say the classrooms still light up sometimes. And if you pass by too late…you can hear the bell ringing, even though no one's there. A teacher's voice calling out names that don't belong to anyone alive anymore."
"Stop." Irina's pace quickened, her arms hugging herself. "I said stop, idiot."
He leaned closer with a mock-ominous whisper. "They say if you hear your name… you disappear by morning."
"Yah!" She covered her ears, face pale, then snapped. "I told you to stop!"
When he kept laughing and piling on more details, Irina's patience snapped she swung her fist into his gut.
"Ow!" Park Dong doubled over, clutching his stomach as Irina stomped ahead of him, cheeks burning.
"That's what you get, jerk!"
"I'm serious, Park Dong if you don't stop, I'll just go back." Irina's voice wavered, though she tried to sound firm.
Park Dong, still rubbing his stomach, smirked. "Heh, go alone then. Think you'll make it through that pitch dark?"
Irina glanced over her shoulder. The path behind them was swallowed in shadows, no lamps, no houses just endless black. Her face paled. "Y-you… you're so dead."
Park Dong burst out laughing. "Hehe, fine, fine. I'll stop. Such a scaredy-cat."
But as he looked at her again, something caught his eye.
Right above her head, glinting faintly in the moonlight.
"…What's up with your taste in hair clips? That one looks so old-fashioned."
Irina frowned, confused. "Hair clip? What are you talking about? I'm not wearing one."
Park Dong leaned in for a closer look.
And then.
It moved.
"W-WAAAAGH!!" he yelled, stumbling back.
"KYAAAAH! WHAT, WHAT IS IT?!" Irina shrieked, clutching at her head desperately. "GET IT OFF! WHAT'S IN MY HAIR?!"
"I-It's gone!" Park Dong shouted, his eyes darting around frantically.
Before either of them could breathe, a small dark shape fluttered off into the night, wings beating in the silence.
Both of them froze, then let out another scream in unison, bolting a step closer together.
"W-What the hell was that?!" Irina gasped, hands still in her hair.
"I-I don't know!" Park Dong stammered, chest heaving.
Both of them stood frozen, trembling from the shock until they realized they were clinging to each other.
Irina's eyes widened, and she instantly shoved him away. "D-don't touch me!"
"You're the one who grabbed me first!" Park Dong shot back, equally flustered.
They turned away, cheeks burning, neither daring to speak again.
They arrived at the convenience store bought the ice cream and headed back down the dark country road, Park Dong swinging the plastic bag lazily at his side.
he muttered, swatting at the air, "the countryside isn't all sunshine and fresh air. You have to walk forever just to get one ice cream and there are freaking bugs everywhere."
Irina shuddered as she walked beside him. "Ugh… that moth still gives me chills."
Park Dong burst out laughing. "HEH. The creepy part is that it sat on your head and you didn't even notice. How dense are you?"
Irina shot him a look. "Says the scaredy-cat who screamed louder than I did."
"I-I did not scream!" he snapped, flustered. "That was you, dumbass!"
"Yeeees, suuuure," she drawled teasingly. "Whatever helps you sleep."
He clicked his tongue. "Tch. Whatever. What do you want?"
"I want Papico!."
Park Dong rummaged through the bag, pulled one out, and snapped the tip clean off. "The tip's my service," he said with a grin. "Hehehe."
He popped the tip into his mouth like a cigarette and handed the rest to her.
Irina didn't take it.
She just stared at him.
"…What?" Park Dong glanced sideways. "Why so quiet? You're not mad I took the tip, right?"
Her voice dropped, flat and distant."…That's what Kim Kwangwoon used to do. All the time."
Park Dong froze then immediately spat the tip out.
"Ptoo! Ugh, fuck…!!"
Irina still didn't take the ice cream.
They walked on in silence for a while, the night pressing in. Then, quietly, he asked, "That hyung… you still think about him?"
Irina's gaze dropped. "…How could I forget him so easily?"
Park Dong scoffed. "Why waste a single thought on a cheating piece of shit? Just forget about him."
Her tears slipped before she could stop them. "You think that's easy? Even if he is trash… I did like him. After saying he liked me… how could he"
Her voice cracked, breaking into sobs. "how could he do that to me…"
She stopped walking, covering her face as her crying grew louder.
Park Dong didn't say anything he just stood nearby, bag in hand, waiting until the storm in her chest ran its course.
Irina sniffled, wiping at her cheeks, cursing under her breath. "Fuck… why am I crying so much? Is it the alcohol?"
Park Dong exhaled, a short laugh escaping him. "…You done, crybaby? Let's go."
By the time Park Dong and Irina came back, the ice cream was already halfway melted.
Everyone cursed them for being slow, swearing at the sight of dripping wrappers and sticky hands.
After finishing the already melted ice cream everyone decided to call it a night.