NSFW trash bc I'm Trash by: Thursdays

Part 3: Alone

Summary:

—The aphrodisiac is interacting poorly with the alcohol. It's going to get worse again before it gets better.
"It's too hot," Cale said. He finished taking off his shirt.
The brush of fabric against his nipples made him woozy again. Cale bit back a moan, embarrassed.
—It's okay, we won't judge you. This isn't your fault.
"They're never going to let me out alone again," Cale said with not a small amount of dread.
If Choi Han, Alberu, Ron—anyone, really—found out about this incident, they would stick to Cale's side all the time and not leave him a moment of peace.
But that was only if they found out.
"Can I count on you to stop me if it looks like I'll hurt myself?" he asked.
—We're a part of your soul. Of course we'll support you.

Cale wanted a nice night out, without his companions around for once. However, when he's slipped an aphrodisiac in his drink, he's desperate for someone, anyone, to be beside him.
It's a good thing that he's never actually alone.Notes:

I'm sure you can see this from the tags and the summary, but someone roofies Cale. He manages to stop them before they get too far, but if this is a trigger, please turn back now.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to come with you?" Choi Han asked.

Cale sighed. Choi Han was blocking the way to the door, which was annoying, but his concerned puppy-dog eyes made it impossible for Cale to get angry.

Instead, he just asserted himself a little more firmly.

"I am," said Cale. "Don't worry about it. I used to go out drinking alone all the time."

Cale just wanted a nice night out by himself.

He loved the family and friends he made in this world, but sometimes, everything felt overwhelming. He was too used to being alone. As Kim Rok Soo, he had been alone before he met his team leader and Choi Jung Soo, and he had been alone after them, too.

The affection and care that Cale's comrades showered upon him felt foreign. He just needed one night alone to readjust.

The furrow between Choi Han's brows deepened, but he stepped aside.

"If you're certain," said Choi Han despondently.

For a moment, Cale wondered if he should invite Choi Han along, seeing him look so sad. But no. Choi Han could live without him for a night.

He shot Choi Han a quick grin as he left. Cale's destination tonight was a popular pub-and-inn combo that opened only recently. Word was that their homebrewed ale was the best on this side of the continent, and Cale was looking forward to having a taste.

Hopefully, he wouldn't be recognized. Cale had asked Eruhaben-nim to dye his hair black for tonight, and since he was wearing more casual clothes he borrowed from Alberu's closet (his hyung had a closet just for disguises), the usual characteristics that the people connected to the "young master silver shield" would be obscured.

The pub was packed when Cale entered. He scanned the area for a seat and luckily found a stool near the wall end of the bar.

Waving over the busy bartender with a coin in his hand, Cale let himself relax. Tonight, he would go all out.

***

Cale's alcohol tolerance was near-legendary, but even he had his limits. Several hours had passed since he first sat down at the bar. After fifteen drinks, he went up on stage to sing, memories of noraebangs in Korea and after-work hangouts ringing in his mind. After another... seven, maybe? Cale lost count, but he could probably get an exact number if he used Record. Anyway, he began to dance with the strangers who asked him to. He wasn't particularly good at singing and dancing, but his good mood and sense of rhythm carried him through.