Start-Up

Girls Night Out

In-jae sat in her office alone, as her entire team had already called it a day. She absentmindedly twirled her pen as she reviewed the business plan on her screen.

"Hey, In-jae!" She looked up in surprise and saw Dal-mi at the door. "Sa-ha and I are going for drinks. Do you want to come?"

In-jae was taken aback at the invitation, since she didn't really have any friends. But she had to admit, it felt good to be invited. And it would be a nice change of pace.

She nodded at Dal-mi with a smile, "Sure, I'll meet you guys downstairs."

Reaching for her phone, she texted Ji-pyeong, "I'm going out for drinks with Dal-mi and Sa-ha."

Almost immediately, his reply came in. "Great! Text me the address, I'll pick you guys up after and get you all home safely."

She smiled as she packed up her things. It almost seemed silly now, how she had worried about losing her independence by being with Ji-pyeong. She practically lived with him now, although she still kept her apartment. In all the time that she had been with him, he had never questioned any of her plans or prevented her from doing anything. She was still the same strong and independent In-jae, only now she was enjoying having someone to come home to.

Ji-pyeong was proving to be more than that too. Not only could she talk to him about her thoughts and feelings, they also spent many nights consulting one another about work decisions. They respected one another as professionals, and she valued his opinion very much. They were both headstrong, both fiercely independent, but they were partners in every way.

Soon, In-jae found herself at a nearby bar with Dal-mi and Sa-ha, quickly getting drunk as they giggled over food and drinks.

"In-jae, you need to tell us what Mr. Han is like as a boyfriend!" Dal-mi demanded, and Sa-ha clapped her hands in delight. "Oooh yes! Spill!"

In-jae blushed and replied shyly, "He's really caring and attentive."

"Give us moooore!" Dal-mi banged on the table, clearly getting tipsy from the drinks. "Does he use his dimples to get you to do stuff for him??"

In-jae and Sa-ha laughed, and In-jae admitted, "I do get weak in the knees whenever he brings out those dimples." Dal-mi crowed in approval and In-jae laughed harder.

"Well what about you," In-jae asked her sister, "How are you and Do-san doing?"

Dal-mi groaned, "Long distance relationships are haaard! I can't wait for them to come home!"

"At least you're in a relationship," Sa-ha pointed out, "I'm just fangirling over Chul-san's vlog."

"What did happen to you guys, anyway?" Dal-mi asked, and Sa-ha sighed. "Right before they left, he had told me to stop confusing him because he was old-fashioned. I didn't get to explain to him that I was just confused about how I felt too."

"And now? Do you know how you feel now?" In-jae asked her.

Sa-ha shook her head then buried her face in her arms. "All I know is I watch his vlog and I miss him," she said, her voice sounding muffled.

"Well, then tell him!" In-jae said, and she and Dal-mi started to drunkenly chant, "Tell him! Tell him!"

Sa-ha looked up and shook her head. "I'll only know how I feel for sure when I see him right in front of me."

Dal-mi snapped her fingers and said, "We should summon him."

The three girls began to chant Chul-san's name, and this was the scene that greeted Ji-pyeong as he walked into the bar. He had decided to check on them after not hearing from In-jae for a couple of hours, and it was clear now that they'd had a lot to drink.

"Ladies," he greeted them, and was surprised when they groaned upon seeing him.

"We summoned the wrong guy!" Dal-mi said dejectedly.

"Han Ji-pyeong, why is it you?" In-jae slapped his arm, and he hid a smile.

"Chul-saaan!!" Sa-ha wailed then buried her head in her arms again.

"Okay, it's time to get you guys home," Ji-pyeong declared, and went off to pay their bill.

He went back to their table and asked, "Can you guys stand?" He stifled a groan when the three of them just looked up at him blankly.

"Oh-kaaay one at a time then," he said, helping In-jae up first. He helped her walk to his car and got her settled in the front seat, before going back for Dal-mi and then Sa-ha.

"Are we going to San Franciscooo??" Sa-ha asked drunkenly as Ji-pyeong drove. In-jae and Dal-mi collapsed into a fit of giggles.

"Chul-saaan!!!" the three girls chorused, and Ji-pyeong shook his head, wondering what that was about.

"I miss Do-saaan," Dal-mi wailed, then started slapping her sister's shoulder. "You're lucky you have your boyfriend here!"

In-jae turned to face Ji-pyeong and poked at his dimple with her finger, "Lucky, lucky!"

The three girls laughed again as Ji-pyeong parked in front of Dal-mi's house and rang the bell. With their mother's help, Ji-pyeong got Dal-mi and Sa-ha into the house and settled in Dal-mi's room.

"Take care of In-jae?" their mom asked as she walked him to his car, and he nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

She waved him off, and Ji-pyeong drove home with In-jae, who had fallen asleep while waiting for him. It was an easy drive home, and it strangely felt like deja vu as Ji-pyeong carried In-jae out of his car and up to his apartment.

He set her gently on his bed, then removed her coat and shoes, tucking her under the covers. Ji-pyeong left the room and started getting ready for bed too, turning off all the lights in his apartment and grabbing some honey-water from the kitchen before going back to his bedroom.

Setting the honey-water down on In-jae's bedside table, he joined her in bed and held her close. "I love you, Ji-pyeong," she murmured sleepily, and he planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm lucky to have you too," he said, closing his eyes and falling asleep with the love of his life in his arms.