“Ah, I feel refreshed now,” exclaimed Ji Soo after taking a long gulp of her beer. “As expected, drinking is the best way to unwind after a hectic day."

“Says the person who’s at f-f-fault,” responded Jong In, taking a deep breath before sipping at his own beer.

Ji Soo laughed loudly and slapped him on the back. “Hey, if we don’t follow through with the schedule, we’ll never get done. Who knows where you will all be after graduation. I’m not exactly skilled at hunting people down, you know.”

“You had no problem with me,” chimed in Si Woo as he sat down next to Jong In. He smiled at the younger man who promptly turned away. Si Woo chuckled.

“Oppa," Ji Soo said to Si Woo, having missed the interchange between them. "You answer anyone who contacts you. You even respond to your exes. You’re the easiest person to track down…well, when you're in the country, that is. It’s Jong In here that I am worried about.”

“Oh?” he replied, leaning back in his chair as he glanced curiously at Jong In, who now seemed uninterested in the direction of the conversation.

“Yeah, he’s notorious for not answering unless Ye Jun is involved.” She took a large bite of the green onion pancake that Hwan held out to her. “Thanks,” she mumbled, chewing her food quickly before continuing. “Though he’s been much better lately. But like I said, he tends to just disappear. The only reason we’ve stayed friends for so long is because we all ended up at the same school.”

“And maybe because you are one of the few people who keeps trying to keep in contact with him?”

She grinned, passing Hwan the dipping sauce. “Well, I guess you’re not wrong there. You know how stubborn I can be.”

He returned the grin. “No one more so.”

She laughed. “I’m sure you two would give me a run for my money.” She then gave him a long look before turning to Jong In. “So, have you heard from ‘the prince’ lately? Bastard barely responds to me.”

Jong In put down his glass. “No,” he replied tensely, as though he wished the conversation would steer elsewhere.

"What a jerk," she said, grumbling with her mouth full as Hwan served her another piece of pancake, seafood this time. "No loyalty, that one, I swear. If it wasn't for Jong In I'ff slaff –."

Si Woo, who had been closely watching Jong In, decided to take pity on him. He raised his glass. “Let’s cheer the work we’ve done so far. Ji Soo’s coding abilities and Jong In’s excellent graphical skills. His mood board was rather impressive—cohesive and made excellent use of color theory to match the theme.”

A touch of color appeared on Jong In’s cheeks and his eyes widened slightly, but quickly flitted away when Si Woo tried to catch it. He was so easily embarrassed.

Adorable.

“Hear! Hear! I second that! Let’s drink to our heart’s content!” Ji Soo exclaimed, her mouth finally free of food as she raised her glass with exuberance. Hwan followed her lead, though in a much more subdued manner.

They all turned to look at Jong In, who still sat quietly, his cheeks pink. Meeting their excited gazes, he sighed and lifted his glass to join theirs with a small smile on his lips.

Several hours passed as they continued to indulge themselves in drink, light conversation, and plenty of jokes and teasing. When the clock struck 2AM, Hwan spoke up, gazing at the drunken forms of Ji Soo and Si Woo.

“I think we should call it a night,” he said as he brushed a strand of hair away from Ji Soo’s sleeping face.

Jong In nodded and went to the counter to pay. When he returned, Hwan had already gathered Ji Soo onto his back. “I’ll take her home,” he said, and then jerked his chin in the direction of the other sleeping form, whose head was still somehow elegantly laid on the table. “You handle him.”

“I don’t… knnnow where he lives,” Jong In replied.

“He lives in the Rose Village apartment, room 2304.”

Jong In picked up Si Woo’s bag and slung it over his shoulder. “How d-do you know that?”

Hwan walked toward the exit as he responded. “I had him write it down before we began drinking.”

Jong In nodded, it was just like Hwan to be prepared for everything and anything.

He sighed as he crouched down by Si Woo’s face. He placed his hands on his shoulders and shook him hard. “S–Sunbae. Sunbae,” he called, as loudly as he dared in the crowded restaurant.

Si Woo tossed but did not open his eyes.

“Sunbae. Wake up. It’s t–time to go home.”

“Five more minutes, Dae Ho,” he mumbled.

“Ssunbae,” Jong In shook him again. “I’m nnot Dae Ho. I’mm Jong In, J-Jong In Lee. We're still at the restaurant. Ji Soo and H-H-Hwan have already g-gone home. Please get up. You are t–too b-big for me to carry.”

Si Woo finally opened his eyes and peered up at Jong In’s face, “Ah, it’s you, the straightforward underclassman.”

Jong In sighed with relief. “Yes, that’s right, it’s the s-s-straightforward class–classm-m-m— man.” He turned away briefly before taking a deep breath and turning back to place his hand under Si Woo’s arm to help him up.

“Are we done drinking already?” the sunbae asked.

Jong In sighed again. This man was a bigger bother than he had originally thought. “Yes,” he replied as he led him to the exit.

“I'm too tired to walk. Dae Ho can carry me on his back. Where did Dae Ho go?” he asked. It was evident that he was drunk, but his words were oddly clear. Jong In briefly wondered just who this Dae Ho was.

“He was n-n-never here,” Jong In said, wincing as his shoulder hit the door frame that he was trying to maneuver Si Woo through. Though the sunbae was slim, he was taller and larger than Jong In.

“Ah, of course he's not here. I guess he wouldn’t want to see me.”

Jong In didn’t reply. It was an odd thing to hear from Si Woo when he rarely seemed to take anything seriously. He wondered again just who this Dae Ho was.

They walked for a few minutes in the cold night air. Thankfully, Si Woo’s apartment was within walking distance and though he leaned heavily upon Jong In, he was not so drunk that he was unable to walk.

“You know, Jong In,” said Si Woo, his words slurring slightly as he suddenly pushed himself away and sat down on a plastic chair outside of a nearby convenience store. “I think you’re an incredible guy.”

Jong In didn’t respond.

“I mean, to love your best friend for all these years—” he stopped suddenly. “Do you think loving someone continuously as you do will result in a happy ending for you both?”

Jong In blinked; he wasn’t sure how to respond, or if he even needed to.

But then Si Woo let out a laugh, one that sounded oddly self-deprecating. “Love’s not enough.”

Jong In simply watched him for a little while. He had no desire to discuss this with a drunken man he didn’t know that well. “Who said any…a-anything about l-love?”

“Oh? Was I wrong? Aren’t you in love with the ‘Ice Prince’?”

Jong In didn’t respond and instead fished out his phone to look at the illuminated time on its screen. He sighed again but sat down when it looked as though the sunbae would not budge from his seat.

“You really are incredible,” Si Woo began again. “Your expression was so different that day when he walked in.” He placed his elbows on the table and leaned his chin upon his hands. “Your face is always so indifferent to everything else, and the stark change intrigued me. I wonder—” He reached out a hand and placed it over Jong In’s. “I wonder if I could ever get you to look at me like that.”

Jong In was unmoved, neither flinching nor moving away.

“At first, I thought you were quite plain but the way you act and the way you respond to things just kept making me more curious about you. I couldn’t help but watch you and now I find you adorable.”

Jong In’s fingers flinched several times, but he waited until Si Woo was finished before removing his hand. “What are you trying to say?” There was irritation in his voice but also a hint of uncertainty.

“I am saying,” Si Woo said with a smile, “that I am interested in you.”

“I am saying,” he continued, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other. “I am going to get you to date me.”