𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗘 ⨾ vernon

03 | 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗲

I have anger issues.

"Who?" I ask, half-expecting him to understand that I haven't been at school since last Friday. The fight with the bullies costed me my attendance. Mom can't know. I have been acting sick since then. Mom can't care. Not anymore.

Everything in this universe seems to get my situation and stay away from me. But I am prone to danger. I am prone to all those things you wouldn't want to think about.

Yes, I do care what others think about me, but it's not exactly their fault when they look at me and make a dirty face. Nobody wants to fucking speak to the kid whose Dad is a nutcase.

I quickly pave my way towards the noraebang Wonwoo texted me the address to. It's at Seogyo-dong. He could just tell me that. I'm not a fool.

Or well... I might be. A bigger one than you'd actually expect.

It's raining and my umbrella is in my room.

The Gods have smirked. I can't get back in there, Mom could wake up any minute.

I pull up my hoodie, and brace myself for the cold as I step into the night, the water rushing down on me.

I try staying under shades as much as I can and take a taxi from the main road. Even at night, the city sings along with the season. It's hard not to look at the streets, not so empty, not so full, not so lively, not so dull. It's just eye-catching, the way the lights shine on the cars, the trees accompanying the lamps and standing along.

That's friends, I think. That's how friends might be like.

The driver drops me off at the bar and I thank him before getting off. I thank myself for saving the bus money of this week, but I'm equally disappointed at myself that this is what I had to spend it for.

Well, I guess helping my seemingly drunk cousin counts as a good deed, so I'll perhaps not regret this later. Ha, what can I say, I thought the same thing when I chose to be friends with Yeonhee.

I'm so disgusted at myself for still thinking of her. This is what my free mind does. I need to keep doing something. I need to keep walking.

Which booth? I text Wonwoo, and get no reply.

His phone. It must be switched off.

I scan the area and push the glass door to enter the bar.

It's empty, mostly, with just a couple of people hanging around the counter. A TV blasts KPOP music and some tables opposite to the counter are occupied by drunk college students. It doesn't even look like it's 4 o'clock in the morning. The students are slacking off and they don't mind a little KPOP in the background, since they are singing along to Oh My Girl's Dolphin.

"You're standing in the middle of the way." I turn around to face a tall guy, wearing beige overalls and round glasses, holding a white umbrella. He screams vintage. When I look at his face, I don't have to think twice to realise who Wonwoo was talking about on the phone.

But if he's here, why would Wonwoo call me? Is this some kind of a trap? Is he pranking me again or something?

"Lady, can you step aside so I can go?" The guy puts a hand in his pocket and points another toward the booths.

"Lady?" I ask, incredulous. Why is everybody drunk today?

He's definitely my age. And he's definitely knocking over my anger tolerance levels.

He looks at me like I've asked him the multiplication tables to 16, his face going blank for a while. He blinks at me and looks around. "Umm, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you. But... isn't that how you address older women?"