The Wrap Party
"Ah, it's Ga-eul."
"Hyung, over here!"
"...Yeah, yeah."
The chicken joint beer hall was a twenty-minute walk away. Even though we still had more than ten minutes before the appointed time, three of them—everyone except Gyeo-ul's friend—were huddled together in front of the door.
"Why aren't you guys going in?"
"Haneul sunbae said it'd be better if we all went in together, so we're waiting."
"Oh... ah. Yeah, that makes sense."
...Really? The retort nearly slipped out, but I barely held it back. Whatever... if the team leader wants it that way, who am I to argue?
I didn't feel like saying anything more to our team leader, who'd boldly declared herself the drink buyer only to backpedal with a trembling voice, begging us to just pay for our own drinks since she'd cover the chicken.
"Hyung, you got here early too?"
"I'm the fourth one here—what are you talking about?"
"Ah, Min-ji and I were nearby, so we came right over."
"Ahaha..."
And now these juniors were starting to act like we'd been buddies forever. ...It didn't sit right with me at all.
No, you guys know my situation.
"...You picking a fight or something?"
"No way~?"
Are they playing dumb, or do they really believe it wasn't what it looked like? Could that scene be interpreted as anything other than what it was? ...A guy and a girl going into a motel together and coming out? That's exactly what it was. You've done it too, right?
"Didn't hyung say you had a girlfriend? Back when we were working part-time."
"...I did back then."
"Ah..."
"We broke up because I cared more about my little sister than her."
"Gyeo-ul... right? Sunbae's little sister."
Everything they said started sounding like sarcasm, like I was paranoid or something, and I snapped back without thinking. ...This is driving me crazy. I haven't even had a drink yet—what the hell?
Calm down... calm down. If they meant any harm, they wouldn't be acting like this... probably.
"Yeah. You guys know too. We worked together—don't you remember?"
"No, no, we remember. You and Gyeo-ul came in together... and left together..."
"...Anyway, I broke up with my girlfriend, so don't tease me. You know how lonely I am."
"Come on, how could I tease you? You're like a distant sunbae."
Am I overreacting? Do they really think we just took a nap at the motel or something? ...But after it happened, they clearly noticed—they had that look. Or are they rationalizing it now, like siblings wouldn't do that?
Part of me wants to just ask outright...
"Nael's not here yet... Should I call her?"
"It's not time yet. She'll come."
"...Yeah, yeah."
Maybe it'd be easier if someone like Shin Haneul was just blatantly awkward about it. Of course, I still wonder why she recruited someone she finds so intimidating into the group.
While my peer clutched her phone and tapped away, the last member of our group was hurrying toward us from afar.
"Haneul unnie~!"
"Ah, it's Nael. Nael!"
"...Everyone's here, so let's go in."
...Haa. I prayed desperately that I wouldn't give in to the temptation of alcohol. Please, let nothing happen. With that, I stepped into a place where beer was just an arm's reach away.
Oh... You scan your wristband here and pour your own beer. Cool. I should come with Gyeo-ul sometime.
"This deducts automatically, right?"
"Yeah, hyung."
"I've had dark beer plenty. This time, maybe an ale..."
I naturally started pouring ale into my glass, then froze and stopped the tap in shock. ...Pretty pricey? Just over 300mL is 7,000 won? 500mL would be about 10,000. If I go for my usual 2,000 calories worth... 40,000 won?
"...Hey, what the hell? Why is this so expensive?"
I glanced at the junior pouring a different beer beside me, spooked by the drink prices. He'd barely poured 400mL, and it was already over 16,000 won. ...If we mix these, five people could rack up 300,000 or 400,000 won easy.
Now I get it. No wonder our team leader gritted her teeth and insisted we pay for our own drinks.
"Ah, this peach one's so good—really tasty. Hyung, try some."
"...I'm allergic to peaches, so no thanks."
Trembling slightly with my not-that-heavy beer in hand, I returned to the table. The three girls were sitting side by side, chattering away, engrossed in their beer and chicken.
"Excuse me. Oh Min-ji. You ignoring me?"
"Ah, sorry. The chicken looked tastier."
"You're crossing the line."
After shooting the bickering couple a pitiful look, I turned my eyes to the chicken too. ...It does look pretty good. Chicken, bread, cheese. Packed with calories. The kind of thing you'd need hours at the gym to burn off.
"...Let's eat."
"Ah, sunbae! We gotta toast first! Toast! Unnie's the leader, so give the toast!"
"Me? Um... To celebrate finishing the project—toast!"
"Yes! Everyone worked hard! Toast!"
With the team leader's toast and the freshman's cheers, all five of us clinked glasses and downed our beers—glug, glug, gluuuug... gluuuuggg.
...I ended up drinking it. Just a trace left in the glass.
But coming here and not drinking would've killed the vibe. College is like society lite. Can't be helped.
"Ga-eul sunbae, you okay with a lot of alcohol...?"
"Ah... I'm weak with booze, so just this one and I'm done."
"I heard from Gyeo-ul too. Said you're super weak with alcohol."
My mind, which had wandered off savoring the craft beer, snapped back at my little sister's friend's words. ...Gyeo-ul told her. Just a little alcohol.
One more unfilled glass right now, then stop—should be fine.
"Gyeo-ul said if you get drunk, let her know~ Ah, was I not supposed to say that?"
"Eh, that's just how she is..."
"Ga-eul, you're weak with alcohol...?"
My peer across the table fixed me with a meaningful look and tossed the question my way. ...Ah, she knows how much I can drink, right? Last time with my cousin noona, I had a ton of soju and barely got tipsy...
"Yeah. I'm weak."
"...Ah, I see. Drink in moderation."
...So what? It's way past the point of feeling guilty over a white lie or two. Not with family, anyway.
...I'm so thirsty I might die, so I had one more. Downing almost the whole first glass in one go was my mistake.
But I can't pay 3,000 won for a canned zero cola, right? So really... I filled up on dark beer and had just one more.
If the chicken sucked, I could've held out without drinking... but that combo? Impossible not to love.
"So anyway, unnie. Me, Nara, and Gyeo-ul together..."
Across from me, my peer and my sister's friend were chatting animatedly, facing each other. ...Makes sense—they're friends with an unnie and dongsaeng friend dynamic too. Plenty to talk about; they look like they're having fun.
"Hey. Give me the cheese. Gonna have it as a side."
"It's all hardened. I'll eat it."
"Hardened is prime cheese. Gimme."
And next to me and across were the juniors, a bit tipsy now, deep in their lovers' quarrel. ...What a sight. So enviable it's pissing me off.
I can't even brag...
"Ga-eul sunbae. Tell me about Gyeo-ul. Gyeo-ul."
"...Me?"
"What does Gyeo-ul do at home these days? She always ignores my texts."
I narrowly avoided being sidelined in the group and Im Na-el turned to me. Reason Gyeo-ul ignores texts... Busy because of someone, obviously.
"She's never been close with her phone—ignores a lot."
"She wasn't like that in high school... ah... she was, huh."
"Gyeo-ul doesn't even pick up Mom's calls much."
"What? Really?"
We got into a rare shared topic and chatted amiably for a bit, but my peer across started fidgeting with her nails, visibly anxious. ...Haa. Why'd Gyeo-ul impulsively tell her of all people.
She sucks at hiding her expressions. I know pretending nothing happened isn't easy.
"Hey, don't steal my beer. Buy me a new one if you're gonna."
"If you're my boyfriend... just once!"
...Watching those two pretend nothing happened felt awkward too. It's my fault for getting caught, fuck.
I nearly drank from an empty glass when my phone buzzed right on time, saving me. Not mine... ah, one of Gyeo-ul's friends'.
"Ah, call from my boyfriend. Be right back."
"Yeah."
...She has a boyfriend? News to me.
"Yeah. Oppa. ...Oppa? Can't hear well. Airplane noise...?"
Well, yeah... at her age, having one is more natural. Same age as Gyeo-ul. Peak of life. ...Thinking that way makes me miss her already. Hasn't even been an hour.
"...Ga-eul."
"What."
As I thought of Gyeo-ul, my peer—who'd been shooting me uncomfortable glances—finally spoke up.
"Um... is Gyeo-ul doing okay?"
"...Yeah. Why?"
"...Just worried."
...Worried? I don't think they're close enough for that... but I get hearing stuff makes you worry inevitably.
"Your dongsaeng's friend is fine—no issues. Don't worry."
"...I see."
"...Just don't worry about it."
But her worrying doesn't help anyway. ...It's between me and Gyeo-ul. No, our relationship's fine. It's between siblings and Mom—outsiders meddling won't fix shit.
"...Um, sunbaes."
"Yeah?"
As I silently nursed the dregs of my beer, Im Na-el returned from her call and addressed us all. ...What?
"Um... could you do me one favor?"
"...What is it?"
"My boyfriend's in the military..."
...What? That call earlier was from a soldier? Airplane noise, so I thought why's she at the airport these days—but air force, huh. Wonder why he went there. Three more months of service... ugh, how do you even endure that?
"He got super anxious when I said I'm drinking, so... video call? Could you all just show your faces once?"
"...Us?"
"Yeah. He didn't ask, but if oppas anxious, I get anxious too..."
...She seems different somehow. This friend. Such pure, devoted love. More effort than Gyeo-ul calling her big bro every weekend? Birds of a feather, I guess.
"I don't mind~"
"Me neither~"
The pre-enlistment guys agreed without hesitation.
"I'm fine too."
She nodded along casually.
"...Should I step out?"
"Huh?"
"Nah, won't her boyfriend get anxious with so many guys?"
"Ah... but I already told him five people..."
"...Well, then whatever."
...I tried thinking ahead, but it was useless. Should've stuck to not trying new shit. Got all sentimental from my military days for nothing.
"Thank you so much. ...I'll call him then?"
As Im Na-el dutifully video-called her soldier boyfriend, the couple kept bickering—do this for me when you're enlisted, when did you ever take care of me—being all cringey.
...Yeah, that's normal now. If I were the soldier—hate to imagine, but anyway— and Gyeo-ul video-called me, it'd reassure her if sketchy guys around me vanished.
That's why I suggested it... bad luck today.
"Hello? Oppa. What, why's your face on screen too? Can you use cameras in the military?"
"It's fine, fine. No big deal. But why call again? To show your face?"
...True, no issue if not caught. But isn't this too brazen?
"Oppa was so anxious... Showing him my team project sunbaes. No need to worry, oppa. It's a wrap party, wrap party."
"Nael, you don't have to go that far... ah. Hello..."
Im Na-el turned her phone toward us, introducing her boyfriend.
Hm... short hair. Normal-looking. I remember the name. I had... a friend like that too, right? Dumbass went air force and vanished for a bit.
"...What the hell, Kim Ga-eul?"
The world sure is small. A guy I saw on leave just recently—why's he in my phone screen?