Book 2: Park Jihoon || In a blink of an eye

5. Alternation

Song recommendation: Kei, JOOHONEY - Ride or die.

Lou's POV

We came home from practice and I went straight to my room. I lied down for a second before I decided to change my clothes. While I'm changing, Yoona entered our room.

"Lou, do you want to shower first?" She asked while she fixed her things.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." I answered and grabbed my toiletries.

I turned on the shower and I felt a lot better as the warm water slid down to my body. I've been feeling burned out lately. My training these days isn't good. I keep on flunking the lessons and I always struggle with our choreography.

Plus, Noa has been stressing me out lately. I don't know where it all started or what exactly happened but he changed. He's like a completely different person from the Noa I've met. After cleaning myself, I went out of the bathroom so that Yoona could take her turn.

I was blow-drying my hair when Minji knocked on my door. I looked at her through the mirror in front of me. I turn off the blower so I can hear her.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I was talking to Jihoon then he mentioned that Noa went out and hasn't come back." She responded.

What happened? Where did he go?

"He's wondering if you know where he is." She added.

"I-I don't know," I stuttered out. "The last time we met was in the company."

I suddenly remembered what happened earlier. He insisted on escaping the training for the day and tried to make me come with him, but I refused. He got upset and I tried to explain to him that I can't afford to get kicked out but he didn't even listen to me and simply walked out.

I tried to think where he could go when I remembered a certain place that I'm positive where he is.

"I need to go out a bit, Minji. Tell that to Yoona Eonnie, okay?" I told her while I grabbed my face mask and jacket.

"Where are you going?" She asked me but I already left the dorm before I got to respond.

I rode a bus and jogged to the shop the moment I got off from the vehicle.

I'm right.

The place was empty except for him and Auntie who was trying to wake him up. He was laying his head on the table filled with empty bottles of Soju.

"Auntie." I announced my presence as I walked towards them.

"Oh, Lou! Good thing you're here. He's been drinking for a while already." She stated as she approached me.

"I'll take care of him now." I said as I walked closer to him.

I tried to wake him up by tapping and shaking him but he's not budging at all. I did my best to lift him from his seat.

"Lou, are you sure you can carry him? Even though he's thin, he's still a heavy boy." Auntie said, concerned.

"I don't know actually but I have to." I answered her hesitantly.

"There's a spare room here. You can put him there for tonight." She suggested and led me to the room upstairs. After a lot of struggling, we finally put him on the bed. I put my hands on my hip while panting.

He's a pain in the ass.

"I'll go get warm water so you can wipe him. First, undress him." Auntie said and went out of the room.

"Wait! Auntie, I can't... undress him. I'm a girl." I said but she's already gone.

I stared at Noa, wondering how to undress him without seeing him naked. I decided to stop whining and just do it. Let's do this without thinking of any weird things.