❛ ↺ bar

@i. jaebum Luhan strolled down the street after a long day of lectures and the compulsory welcome dinner from the other professors. He had just bid the rest of the team who were all heading home as the next day was a workday still. But the night was still young for Luhan, he had nothing much to do even if he had gone back home, it would just be him and the 4 walls again. His legs involuntary stopped in front of a brightly lit bar. Maybe a drink or two would make the night pass quicker. Without hesitation, he made his way inside and took a seat at the bar counter, between two empty seats. "Bourbon on the rocks."

@k. soonyoung i blink softly by soon's words and actions which makes me coo, my hand reaching over to lightly pinch one of his cheeks. "ofc i'm not gonna tell anyone if you don't want me to hm? your secret is safe with me, love." winks at you with a finger gun. i listen to your words about your uality, looking at you in curiosity. "okay and? that makes you gay. sweetie, there is nothing to be a shame about hm? you're gay so be proud of it." i smile at him as i gently grab his hand to hold it by mines. "tell me, how does it make you feel to finally come out of the closet to someone? good right?"

@e. perrie soonyoung runs his fingers through his hair and nods at everything she was saying before taking it all in. wait, a vibe? does that mean it wouldn’t be too bad that she would be the one that had seen him there? he chuckles lightly before smiling softly to himself, “it’s fine with you? please don’t tell anyone…” he pleads as he pressed his palm against each other and does a slight pout. he shakes his head as turns and intertwines his fingers. she would be one of the first people he would come out to. he didn’t know how he could do it since he never came out to anyone except his parents. he clears his throat before turning to her again, “So, yeah, I like boys? like girls are pretty but i’m not…into them? You got my vibe but i’m just clarifying, i guess.” he groans as he hid his face in his hands, feeling like he just spat out arbitrary words. this wasn’t how he imagined coming out would look like.

@k. soonyoung as soon as i see the person's face, it was soonyoung that i've seen in solace and also my friends talk about him a few times. maybe he didn't notice but i've always seen him sitting on the same spot whenever me and my friends come here. i never really came up to him because it seem he didn't want anyone to mess with him but i was wrong all because of how he spoke to me which meant he was friendly. "me and my friends just partying here but are you sure you're alright? it doesn't seem you are especially whenever i see you here. my friends was surprised you was gay except me, i knew just by the vibe you have." i wink at you with a finger gun of mines, gasps in awe as i see the tall glass of water with lots of ice cubes and a bendy straw all thanks to the bartender who knew my order whenever i come here. i thanked the bartender with a wink of mines before looking at you with a soft smile upon my lips.

@e. perrie he felt a finger gently poke his arm, making him tilt his head to look over for a bit. did some boy think that he looked hot while he was at the state of regret? and he had thought wrong but honestly he’d prefer that than what was about to happen. is he out of his mind or did he just see someone from solace? he recognizes the blonde hair and he was sure that it wasn’t the alcohol playing with him. ? are we ed? his mind started to question why he hadn’t gone johnny depp and wore some weird costume to pretend that he was someone else. his cheeks light up with a faded pink color as he gulps and looks off to the other side. “never been better! what brings you here, love?” he shuts his eyes closed for awhile, his eye slowly peeking as he waited for her to speak up. he just hopes that she wasn’t someone recognizable or maybe she was too drunk to even know that it was him. ‘kwon soonyoung, what the could go wrong?’ he thought to himself before he spins his seat to face her and greets her with a wave as his lips curve into a tiny smile.

@k. soonyoung me and my friends have been partying in the popular gay nightclub for 3 hours thus far, i told my friends that i was gonna get a drink while they continued dancing because i was dancing ever since i got in here. how in the world i'm in here? one day, me and my friends was just walking out at night when someone trying to bring people there to join for free then ever since then, me and my friends has been going there whenever we can despite most of us being heteroual but the people there accepted us. going in front of the bar, i told the bartender i wanted water since i already drank enough alcohol and had to be the one responsible of taking my drunk friends home. while waiting for the bartender to make me water, i sat on the seat booth but i looked over at the person who was next to me. i started to feel concern for the person because they looked either stressed out or mad. without even thinking, i gently poke their arm so they can notice me. "hey, are you alright?"

@e. perrie it was one of those nights where he’d ditch studying for something that wasn’t necessarily needed. studying was too much for him and he wanted to take a break from it, meaning going out to a club and having some fun with a mix of alcohol. it wasn’t what his parents would want to see him doing, but it wasn’t like he had some sort of tracker on him for his parents to know where he was or what he was doing all the ing time. it gets worse that he’s going somewhere that he knew that if his parents did have a tracker on him, he’d be in so much trouble. for tonight, his break would take place in a gay club. he hated this side of him but he knew that he needed it. time with himself was so important to him and drinking was a way to have that. he sat on the tall stool, twisting it side to side as he looked around. the music booming into his ears as he hums to it, watching all the people around him dance to it. he turns his head to see a couple with their lips pressed against each other, he hisses and just takes another sip as he looked at them with his peripheral vision. was that what he wanted? it ing was. he just hoped that he’d stop looking at boys from a far and being too scared for anything to happen that would risk the love he was getting from many. there would be days that he does go out and the next thing you know it, he’s making out with a boy. but that only happened when he was drunk. he groans as he rests his head in his hands. if anyone from school knew that he goes out to clubs to check out boys and sometimes make out with them, he wouldn’t know what he’d do.

@c. mitchel With her left arm slung over Mitch's neck, she mutters a silent thank you to him, embarrassed that they met under this circumstances. Before long, she steps into the threshold of a bathroom stall, barely keeping in the contents of her stomach. Once finished, she wipes with the back of her hand, standing up in a swaying manner but able to trudge through to the sink nonetheless. The cold of the water sobers her up a notch, her eyes closing, welcoming the intrusion of sobriety into the intoxicated state her mind has been subdued under; she remembers the guy from earlier. Veering her head towards him with the sheaf of memories flashing by her (the subtle touches, the sweet toothy grins, everything), the shape of her eyes imprint a much larger one on the small frame of her face. "Hehe," the words awkwardly slip past her, the heaviness of her figure apparent by the way she props her body onto the sink.
Oh god, she thinks to herself. Her hooded eyes looking up towards Mitchel, the debris of water parting from strands of her hair, falling to the red of her dress.

@c. tzuyu Mitchel was almost amused at Tzuyu's current state, but he also knew that it was rather dangerous- and he was even more glad he stepped in earlier when he did- with his hands still on her waist to steady her, he let her pull him closer to her own frame, his eyes gazing down at her once her arms coiled around his neck. He drowned out the noise and actions of everyone else around them while he kept attention on the two of them. As the time went on and as they stood there, the weight of Tzuyu could be felt as she leaned into him more. Mitchel knew he had to get her off the dance floor soon- and as her words processed, he was quick to take action.
"Let's get you to the bathroom, love." He didn't wait for her to reply before almost scooping her up and making his way through the crowd with her, managing to reach the restrooms on the other side of the building. With one arm around her waist, he reaches out and opens the door. He wasn't too concerned that it was the lady's room, he just needed to get her to the toilet- if she was gonna throw up, this was the best place to do it. He carefully moved her to the nearest stall, opening it for her, "If you need to throw up, do it here-"

@c. mitchel Tzuyu squeezes into the mass of bodies blocking their way, not letting go of Mitchel's hands, her steps lurching from left to right. His hands on her are a welcoming show of physicality between them. Wanting to let him know she doesn't feel awkward at all with his hands on her, she pulls him closer to her frame and slips her arms around his neck, the smell of alcohol intermingling with their breaths. Tzuyu barely hears his joke atop the music and cheers roaring in the podium of bodies, her eyes hooded and setting a fast pattern of blinks as she stares into his eyes. "Let's dance!" she belts out, her head lolling in a circular motion as if the strain on her neck is too much. Dizziness is but a thought away reaching for her with much circumspection, her face turning a sickly pallor. Bumping into his body, she whispers, "I think I'm going to be sick."

@c. tzuyu Despite Mitchel's demeanor and overall look, he wasn't always one for talking, sometimes he enjoyed the silence just as much as the next guy. But something about Tzuyu made him a bit more open? Of course he had to continue talking to her to keep the guy from coming back to bother her. Being harassed by any man can really shake a woman up, and despite Mitchel being the way he was, he wasn't a fan of that foolishness. He preferred winning a woman over the old fashioned(?) way? With a small shrug of his shoulder, he drew his attention back to Tzuyu once she shouted her reply, unable to help but laugh at her actions. He wanted to reply after but decided to just let this girl just talk, obvious that the alcohol she was downing was starting to take effect of her.
"cute.." His voice was soft so she couldn't hear him as she clings to his arm, wrapping his fingers gently around her arm to keep her steady before he soon found himself being drug to the dance floor. He wasn't one for dancing, not surprising, but he went along with it anyways- if it made this girl more comfortable and made this facade they were putting on more believable. Once they reached the dance floor, he respectfully put his hands upon her frame in another attempt to steady her, "don't fall." He joked.

@c. mitchel "Hm," Tzuyu starts, conscious that the edges of her vision are being held by an impetuous hand of blurriness. Her head starts throbbing, her eyes blink rapidly in an attempt to wash away the diffusion of colors beginning to scatter in her sight. Tzuyu's speech has been marred by the alcohol content she's downed consecutively, slurring at the sibilance of her words.
"I wanted to have some fun!!" she yells out a celebratory whoop, still shaken from the ordeal but the alcohol she's consumed intoxicating her and infiltrating the clarity of her thoughts. An attempt to stand up has Tzuyu reaching for Mitchel, stumbling at the balls of her own feet. "Oops," she pauses, snuggling into the arms of Mitchel's, unaware that she's doing this because she feels compelled to have any sort of physical affection be wedged into the space in between them. Her attraction is too strong to bear. She tries to stand up again, her stance wobbly, but she's stood her ground nonetheless.
"Let's dance!" Yelling over the music starting to bounce all around them, Tzuyu takes Mitchel's hand, guiding him to the dancefloor, the lights washing away their colors.

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@c. tzuyu The male studied Tzuyu's features, not just her physical ones but also her mental ones. He could tell she was still on edge from the previous encounter, but he knew as long as he remained seated next to her, the guy wouldn't bother her anymore. With an exhale, he took another sip from his glass before opening his mouth to answer the question, "Name's Mitchel. Some call me Mitch for short. Whichever you prefer, really." Mitchel may have been a bit on the tipsy side at this point in the evening, but he has always had excellent control over himself even in the most drunken of states; he guesses it's a self taught trait when you've lived on your own ever since you were young. A thought crosses the male's mind, "So, Tzuyu.. what made you decide to come to a bar- /alone/. I may not be a woman, but even i know that's not the brightest of ideas." At the point, he was just trying to make conversation since he could tell this girl was still visibly shaken from her ordeal- and he was beginning to enjoy the company of this lady he just met.

@c. mitchel Tzuyu feels the blood rushing in to her face, her ears tingeing a reddish pink as the guy asks for her name. Leaning her frame against the island counter, she feigns an aura of confidence and plays with him, shaking the mop of hair that has adorned her vision. The marble tiles feel so cool against her skin. "Tzuyu, and you are?" she returns his question, eager to know the name of the person who saved her plus he makes up for a cute face too. However still visibly shaken, she takes a swig of her drink, pouring the contents of the glass to to wash away the remnants of anxiety that have taken ahold of her. Her eyes dart around the place, his presence somewhat a calming nature that beckons to her own wavelength. Even in the flurry of bodies prancing about in the venue, Tzuyu thinks it must have been fate that brought the two together especially in this setting set aback into the bar in which they didn't know they'd even see each other.

@c. tzuyu Mitchel remained standing his ground until the stranger surrendered and sauntered off back to which he came. The tall male lifted his glass up to his lips and took a sip before nodding his head once Tzuyu quietly thanked him, shrugging a shoulder before setting his glass upon the bar, "No need to thank me, love. I'm here quite often and i see plenty of dudes like that one do like this to girls." He exhales through his nose before moving to take a seat next to the this woman, "I may not be the best guy out there, but i don't harass woman." His gaze finally broke from where he was looking before adverting his gaze to look over at her, a small, reassuring smile gracing his noticeably buzzed face. "So.. since i'm here and keeping the creeps away, the least you owe me is your name." He reached for his glass as he spoke, wrapping his long digits around the cold, sweating glass of whisky before bringing it back up to his and taking a swig of it as he awaited her answer.

@c. mitchel Oh please God not another one, Tzuyu thinks as the voice of another upcoming silhouette stalks through the pungent haze of the club only to see that it was actually a person she knew from the university. Her back straightens in accord, the inflection of her voice rising up a notch and taking a sweet turn, "Hey baby," she says, hoping it's enough to scare the creep away. The eyes of whom rivet from Tzuyu to Mitchel, his hands rising in mid-air as if to surrender, backing away as he sees the menace and confidence emanating from Mitchel's body. Tzuyu watches the creep retreat back into the shadows until she relieves herself of any strain that has taken her body enthralled; she meets the other boy's eyes, muttering a soft thank you in advance before he could think to say of anything. Her eyes search his and his features, the festooned aura coming off him certainly isn't a front, but it's exactly who he is. Looking at him, Tzuyu examines the features making up his face: The sharpness of which does not make for an unpleasant face at all. If anything, it is too pleasant to look at.

@c. tzuyu Mitchel had always come to this very when he wasn't off at some random party or getting high in the seclusion of his own apartment. He was huddled in the corner of the bar with a small group of friends playing cards and drinking, overall having a blast amongst themselves. The male was never one to 'stop his grind', doing whatever he could to make some money, even if that meant playing poker with the clothes on his back and the drugs in his pocket. Picking up his shot of whisky, he downed it in one go, his features barely faltering as he roughly sat the small glass back down upon the round, wooden table, the clatter of it echoing through the area around Mitchel and his friends. Where there was Mitchel, there usually was trouble. Jackpot! Mitchel had found himself winning the very game he was completely unprepared to play. He stood up and gathered the $700 he had just won, stuffing the earnings in his coat pocket before his eye suddenly caught the sight of a woman sitting across the room- squinting a little through his intoxicated state, he had noticed a man with her. Being at the bar everyday, he learned to pick up whether a woman was being harassed or not- and he definitely knew this woman he was seeing wasn't enjoying this other male's company. Once he was finished gathering his winnings, he picked up one of the glasses from the table and decided to head across the room to this woman. His feet practically dragged behind him before he finally reached the two, "hey, babe-" He voiced out loud enough for the two to hear him, "I told you i'd be right back. Who's this-?" He asked pointing at the male in question.

@c. mitchel The place is filled to the brim with characters of questionable reputation and intriguing welfare, but Tzuyu isn't fazed: She's stressed from the swell of homeworks, quizzes, and dramas that seem to follow her in the university; all she needs is a time off. Ordering one whole light drink for herself, her fingertips leaving behind a shadow of a mist in its wake, she downs the whole drink in one gulp. The trail of which the drink has taken can be felt searing through , her face mustering up a disgusted expression even if the alcohol content of the drink is less than 5%. Her fingertips play with the marble tiles of the island counter, tracing the pattern indefinitely for seconds when a silhoutte enters her periphery and a ghost of a hand touches the small of her back. Expecting to see a familiar face, her eyes connect to a bloodshot pair of which has taken a suggestive glance at her body.
The tendrils of panic and fury grip her, but there is no one to call to. With threatening to close up, she says barely above a whisper, "Please leave me sir."

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@k. younghyun shuhua decided that it was better to ignore that slip of endearment into the lad's slurred words, even though she only felt heavier when she heard it. why was it so easy for the two of them to slip back into a routine of the past? why was it so hard for them to let go of what was part of history already, instead of clinging so hopelessly on things that had ended? "you say that now, but tomorrow you'll be stressing over them — as if you're not already stressed over it," she said, even though she knew that brian wouldn't acknowledge her words. never had a drunk brian listened to her, and it was one of the reasons why she never truly liked it when he drank. hopefully, by tomorrow, he forgot everything that she had said tonight. hopefully, when he was sober enough, he would remember to change the speed dial of his contacts, so he wouldn't be annoyed anymore. hopefully, when tonight ended, it would be... easier for the both of them.

but that was impossible, wasn't it? the two of them still had to live together, even when the reason why they started living together had long been buried down by then. that was what made it harder, she thought to herself. they still saw each other — they were so, so close, yet she couldn't touch him. not anymore. that thought was a reoccurring thought, and it was something that she wouldn't be able to let go any time soon, she knew.

she closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself. no, she wasn't going to break down in public — not in front of brian, not in front of a large crowd, not in front of anyone else. no, she wasn't going to cry in front of him, nor was she going to snap right there and then. she was an actress, wasn't she? she prided herself in her ability to be able to mask her true feelings so well she had even managed to fool herself once. she was an actress — she had been ever since she was younger, and so... this should be easier, shouldn't it? this should be easy for her — lying was as easy as breathing for her, wasn't it?

it was supposed to be like that, but brian seemed to have brought out sides of her that she never thought she would have.

"you were the one who called me, weren't you?" she replied quietly, before she opened her eyes once more. rather than hurt, the glint in her pupils was empty, and her expression had eased into a passive one, void of anything. it wasn't as if he would be able to recognize it anyway. he was drunk, and she didn't trust him to be able to read her emotions as well as when he would be sober. "as your roommate, i'm ensuring you don't make a mess of yourself because inevitably it would only affect us as well," she continued on. was this answer cold enough? was this answer able to hide the pain that would have laced her words if she hadn't been able to stop herself?

once the two of them were outside, she let out a sigh, before taking her phone out of her pockets once more. she quickly called for a taxi — too bad, she should have brought her car instead, it would have been easier but... did she really want to risk him puking there? she shook her head lightly at the thought, and once she'd confirmed that one would be coming for them soon, she hid her phone inside the pockets of her sweatshirt.

now... they had to wait. it wasn't as if they needed a casual talk, nor did she expect the other to be able to respond to her words decently. his emotions were far too enhanced by the amount of alcohol he'd consumed, and she herself... wasn't exactly in the best of states as well. so she decided, not for the first time since the two of them broke up, to be quiet instead.

@y. shuhua she was still touching him despite his earlier warning – although it wasn't really a big deal, he couldn't help but remember simpler times, when such an innocent touch was nothing compared to the intimacy they shared everyday at home. shuhua was stubborn, he knew that – she always had been, and she always would be, and he couldn't help but be irritated by that fact. couldn't she just leave him be? she had done enough, hadn't she?

yet, he'd still called her. he knew why – it was because there was no one that knew him like she did, no one that could help him the way she could. breaking up wouldn't change that.

"keeping track of my schedule, huh?" he slurred, attempting to raise an eyebrow in what should be a questioning gaze but ending up with a strange sort of grimace. "just let me ing have this, babe- jesus. i'll worry about those ty ing deadlines later. submitting late isn't the end of the world." it hadn't even registered amidst his drunken haze that he'd called her 'babe' – it was almost like a reflex now, really. he'd hardly ever called her her full name. she'd never been just yeh shuhua to him. even now, when she was supposed to be nothing more than a roommate, a stranger, an acquaintance – it was so easy to fall into the habits that they'd used to have together.

'regret', she mentioned – would he regret this? maybe, but he'd understand. these past few weeks he'd spent in a shroud of pity made him similar to how he'd used to be in the past – he could forgive himself for one night of overdoing it and getting wasted despite his schedule. no, what he would really regret was calling her, both of them having to experience the pain of being so close yet so far once more. but he wouldn't mention that. "then don't deal with my hangover self," he mumbled, waving a hand dismissively. "avoid me. ignore me. we're not together anymore, right? you don't need to deal with me anymore."

the words hurt his own throat as he'd said them – but he knew they were true.

stumbling to rise on his feet, younghyun wordlessly began to follow after her, the world seeming to spin with every step he took. he just wanted to go home now, to pass out in his bed and forget the whole night had ever even happened. he wanted to forget his whole relationship with shuhua had happened as well, but as it turned out, younghyun wasn't that lucky.

drunkenly, younghyun shook his head at the question, eyes already beginning to droop at the sudden pace he'd had to take. "just walked," he mumbled – he liked walking alone nowadays; it gave him time to think, even if his thoughts had been what had brought him to the bar in the first place. "call an uber or somethin'."

@k. younghyun shuhua knew brian was drunk, but being told not to touch him — it sent a pang of pain straight to her heart, and her jaw hardened at his next words. she didn't like this — never had, actually. she didn't like the way he would simply let himself waste time away like this, letting himself get drunk more and more like this. it had been a habit of his when three years ago. she could still remember quite clearly the first few months after they had met for the first time, and her heart became heavier at the sudden flood of memories. she bit her lower lip, but still, she didn't let go of the lad, didn't let her hand leave the other's figure as she listened to his words.

sighing, she placed the bottle far away from the two of them. "stop it, brian," she said, finding that she still needed to stop herself from slipping into her nicknames for him that would often so naturally slide from her tongue. "what do you mean classes? you have deadlines this week, bri! this week!" she was so tempted to just... smack the back of his head, but they weren't close enough for that. not anymore. she didn't like seeing him like this, never had, yet she was the cause of this, wasn't she? what right did she have to complain about it when she was the one at fault? but still — still, no matter how many times that lad might want to push her away, she wouldn't truly be able to leave him alone because... because if she did, then who would take care of him like she would?

but even if she thought of that, there wasn't actually anything she could do if there wasn't anything between the two of them anymore. and that thought stung, and she wondered if this was how brian was dealing with the pain — perhaps it was, but she couldn't say that she approved of it. she planted her hand above the counter, lips curled into a frown, parting to say something, but she froze.

"you broke my ing heart, man."

she inhaled sharply, and she stayed silent for a few moments. she knew that. how could she not, when she broke her own heart in the process as well? but she spoke none of her own pain. she doubted that he would willingly listen anyway. he was drunk and heartbroken, and she was the one that caused that heartbreak. "no," she said firmly. "i'm not going to let you waste your night around like this and regret it the next morning. i don't want to deal with your hangover self," she continued, biting back the words she wanted to say instead. she nodded apologetically toward the bartender, before she held onto brian's arm once again, an attempt to pull him up. "now, come on. let's get you back home."

she didn't have any idea how she was going to drag brian back home when she just... walked. but it wasn't as if there were still many people during this time of the day, as proven by her walk toward here. but still... perhaps she should have brought a car. "did you bring your car, bri? i'll drive."

@y. shuhua the world felt like it was spinning, every split second that ticked on seeming to blur together in a mess of the heart pounding music filling the area and the bitter taste of alcohol on his tongue. this was why younghyun had strayed from drinking after meeting shuhua — it was easy to fall into the habit of letting hours melt away like they were mere seconds, the haze of alcohol making everything so much easier to forget.

yet, how many shots had he taken? how many bottles had he taken several swigs from? how much alcohol had he consumed, and why wasn't he able to forget the weight of his current situation on his shoulders?

his schedule, well — he could handle that, definitely. what he couldn't handle was the fact that his pillar of support, his best friend, the one person he thought would be on his side no matter what — she was out of the picture. sure, shuhua was still his roommate, and he saw her several times throughout the course of the week, but... she wasn't his anymore. he was on his own now, and despite her constant presence, he couldn't just take a break from all his projects and steal her away from her own work for a quick hug the way he used to. he couldn't just stop what he was doing to pull her into his arms anymore. he couldn't even do the littlest things the way he used to, because he'd done them with her. now that she wasn't his, everything felt so much more... lonely.

but whose fault was it? surely not hers — she couldn't help that she'd doubted her feelings for him. no, the fault was his — all his. there was no one to blame but himself.

speak of the devil — suddenly, there was the familiar figure of his ex girlfriend approaching the bar stool that he'd claimed for himself. even with his hazy vision, he could recognize her. how could he not? he'd spent nearly three years of his life with this girl, taking in every little habit, every little mannerism of hers. he knew her like the back of his own palm — or at least, he thought he did. the shuhua he knew would stand by his side through thick and thin, against all odds. the shuhua he knew would never doubt him, and what the life they had built together. the shuhua he knew loved him, and only him.

as it turned out, the shuhua in front of him had to be a complete stranger.

her touch was gentle, firm, insistent — the way it had always been, even back when everything that had happened between them made his heart sing with joy. younghyun missed it, really. he missed the way her hands were so soft, so much smaller in his own palms. he couldn't even begin to describe the ache that began to gnaw at his chest — he missed it all so much. her touch, her smile, her laugh, her scent — all of it. yet he couldn't help but recoil once her hand touched his arm, as if her skin was poison.

in fact, it was the complete opposite. that was why younghyun didn't want her to touch him. she could reel him in with a single word, a single smile. yeh shuhua was his weakness.

"don't touch me," he slurred, far too drunk for the words to sound like a proper warning. he looked up at her then — why had she left the safety of her room, he wondered? hadn't she moved on from him by now? surely, shuhua wouldn't find any problem in leaving her poor, sad, pathetic ex boyfriend lying dazed and intoxicated in a bar he used to frequent? "you'll reel me in with those stupid pretty hands of yours."

she was talking too fast, it was making him tired on her behalf. too many questions, too many concerns, too many problems — it was exactly this that had gotten him into this mess in the first place. "i'm getting ing wasted, duh," he deadpanned, looking up at her incredulously. what else would he be doing here? " classes."

ah, her fussing reminded him of simpler days — back when he'd had the biggest crush on her, and all he'd wanted to do was impress this strangely two faced girl. those days were so warm, and familiar — remembering them just made younghyun yearn for such simpler times. it was almost like deja vu.

except now, there was no way shuhua would be able to convince him to stop. not after what she'd done. not after what he'd done.

" off," he hissed, shaking his head as he blindly reached for the bottle in her hands. "let a guy drink in peace, why don't you? i'm allowed to get faced- you broke my ing heart, man."

@k. younghyun the worry that was written all over shuhua's face was genuine as she threaded the streets of seoul on a late night. see, she wasn't exactly the type to wander off and about at this time of the day — she had bad experiences, too much experiences that she didn't want to go through once again. there was only one major reason why she could never feel safe outside, especially when she was alone: stalkers. to be secure — or as secure as she could feel at that moment, she had worn a beanie and a face mask, and decided that wearing a pair of pants and a sweatshirt on this rather cool season was a good decision, if only to keep her identity hidden from who might be... planning anything. she wouldn't really go out at this time, if not for the call she had received five minutes ago.

it was from brian's phone — the first call she had received from the latter for a while. of course, there was no other reason to call anymore. they were roommates, and more than that... they were...

she faltered in her thoughts, her heart heavy at the route her mind went into. when she had heard that he was drinking — again — she immediately knew the reason why. kang brian had long left his... ah, bad boy days behind, and she knew that he wouldn't just drink away on a school day, especially when the two of them were well aware that he had a morning class the next day and she was willing to bet that he had tons of projects piled up. yet here he was, wasting away his night on liquor.

and she was probably the reason for it.

she wasn't dense nor was she dense enough not to know — she knew that was in fact, the reason for it. ever since the two of them broke up, he'd kind of gone back to how he was before, minus the issues with academics from back then. this was her fault, yet she felt as though she had no right to intervene. how could she, when there was no them anymore? when they weren't 'shushu and bribri' anymore? her heart became heavier with each step she took, and she clutched the bag she brought with her as she kept her eyes down on the cement. she didn't know what she wanted more — for brian to walk alongside her then (she had always felt safer when he was around), or for brian to not have called her at all.

'but you know what that means, right?' her brain said, as soon as she reached the bar. she heaved a deep sigh, and tried to shut her brain up. 'it means you're still on his speed dial.'

she knew. she knew a lot of things, but she did nothing about them. she had no right, and she didn't know whether he would even actually... want it — want her again with what she'd done.

sighing once more, she walked inside the bar, not minding that her outfit wasn't fit for such a place. her eyes quickly went through the crowd, and really, it wasn't that hard to find the man she came here for. her eyes were too familiar to his figure. having a rather bad sense of deja vu, she approached the latter, quietly sliding through the bodies that made up the dance floor. once she had reached the lad, she bit her lower lip, and contemplated pulling down her mask or not. she really shouldn't be seen on a bar, especially at this time, but... she doubted brian would appreciate it if she let her mask on. but could she risk it? what if stalkers were here once again? she wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

she in a deep breath. no stalkers for tonight, shu, she told herself as she patted brian's shoulder lightly, smoothly taking the bottle of alcohol from the drunk man's hand. "now that's enough, brian," she said, loud enough to be heard from her mask and over the music. "i'm taking you home. now, come on," she continued, and held onto the other's arm, trying to ignore the way her heart pounded against her ribs, ignore the words that her mind was trying to distract her with. "what are you even doing here?" she asked, even though she knew the answer. "you have classes tomorrow — jesus, bri, stand up! get yourself together!"

@y. shuhua younghyun knew it was a bad idea to be drinking despite the fact that he had an 8am class the next day, but... right now, he just couldn't help it.

how could he /not/ drink anyway? there was too much going on right now, his classes, his thesis, his numerous plates, his extracurricular activities — truthfully, he was surprised he hadn't turned to alcohol sooner, what with his packed schedule. but he'd never really had the time to indulge in a drink or two, much less allow himself to experience the drunken stupor he was having at the current moment. then, why only now, one may wonder. why was kang younghyun, designated responsible overachiever of the year, wasting his time in a bar when he could be doing so much else?

simple — yeh shuhua.

jesus, younghyun had always, always found himself doing the unreasonable whenever it involved that girl. even back when they'd met, he'd been made to follow along with her whims despite all his protests and problems with her. but that seemed like such a long time ago — now, she'd lost interest in him; had completely forgotten the memories they'd made together in these past few years for some stranger that didn't know her nearly half as well as younghyun did. he'd taken time to win her heart, to get her to understand that he truly loved both sides of her, and for what? to be forgotten the minute he'd decided to make other things his priority?

"yeah, that-" he murmured to himself, vision seeming to blur and spin with every chug he took of the drink in front of him. " this, her- everything!" in a daze, younghyun threw his arms up and yelled, ignoring the heated glares shot his way. he'd been bothering everyone for a while, really — he was surprised he hadn't been kicked out yet.

oh well — the longer he stayed, the more he could drink. and drink, he did, fully intending on consuming enough alcohol to forget about the girl that (still) held his heart in between her palms.