The Boy Next Door

33.

Chaewon's POV:

I walk into my regular bar, I always go to, just to grab a drink alone to keep myself sane from everything that has happened. Should I really just forgive Jiwoo? Am I being annoying?

I enter and the door bells jingle like usual but I turn my head to 6 familiar figures, all with their heads on the table except one.

"Chaewon." I hear that voice I was avoiding. Heeseung. What is he doing here? And why is he drunk? I thought his 'drinking habit' was a joke. He doesn't like drinking, why is he drinking?

I mean. What do I care? We are not friends.

"Namjin? Boram?" I say while shaking their arms. Nothing. I yell into all of their ears but all I get is a groan or movement of their head at most.

"Their long gone. They were drinking so much." the owner says to me with a bright smile.

"Oh. Great." I say. I sit down from exerting the little energy I had, and rub my temples. Do I leave them? Bring them?

"Yah, look. All their wallets are on the table." I hear from a group of boys in high school uniforms from another. I watch as they make their way to the table where the idiots are asleep.

"Excuse me? Those are my friends." I tell them while making my way to them again.

"Oh, really?" one says, while looking me up and down.

"Yes, and I'm going to take care of them." I say out of nowhere making me surprised. Huh I will?

"How old are you guys? Are you even allowed to drink?" I say while peeking over at their tables.

I watch as some of them turn nervous and put their heads low.

"We're 17..." one of them admits loudly, getting some bad looks from their friends.

"How old are you?" one of them asks.

"21. So don't try to pull any tricks. My friends are already drunk as is." I say while rolling my eyes at them.

"I'll call all your parents and tell them you were drinking. How does that sound?" I say sarcatically but they take it seriously.

"We're sorry noona!! We'll do anything please don't call our parents!" they say, sparking an idea in my mind. These kids look harmless, and a bit gullible.

"Okay then. Can you do me a favor?" I say.

~

"Ayy don't drop him!" I scold to them as they carry my friends. I hold my my laughter and watch as these high schoolers struggle to carry them.

Namjin and Boram don't even move around and they carry them like their dead bodies. The guys on the other hand are snoring and shit.

"My house is just up ahead." I say while leading them to my house.

"Noona you live in a nice neighborhood!" one of them exclaim. I smile and unlock my door and wait for them to get here.

"Wow. My back! My back! Cramp!" one of them says while dropping Jay on my couch.

"Okay, thank you! I'll let you off this time! Don't drink kids! Now go home and sleep." I say while sending them off. They bow and run off like little kids. I wish I could go back to that time. Gullible, childish.

"Okay. Now." I say out loud while finding the spare key to Heeseung's house. He lives next door and I'll just drop him off. That's it. As a human, this is normal. Yea.

Heeseung starts tossing and turning on the couch so I just leave him so I can get his door open before attempting to drag him there.

I unlock his dead silent house and walk in to feel chills run down my back. I peep my head in and see that the lights in the kitchen are on but it's out of view.

I guess they hired another maid. Before I can leave again I hear a loud voice roar and bounce across the walls.

"Son! Heeseung!!" I hear his dreadful father's voice, slur his words. Of course. He's drunk.

"Sorry Mr. Lee, it's me, Chaewon." I say while slowly backing out of his house seeing his father approach me.

"Oh! You! You're the one who's ruining my sons marriage! Aishhh, you little bitch!" he screams and before I can even process it, his hand is on my cheek.

My legs go weak and I can barely stand as I touch my heated cheek and one tear falls down my cheek.

I feel my cheek getting hot to the touch as my nervous system goes crazy. My first instinct is to back away and shut the door on his face and run into my house.

I get back to my house and lock the door, and I finally get to think. I can feel my cheek becoming swollen and my eye is barely open now.

Ruin the marriage? What did I do? Did I do something wrong?

I sit with my back on the door until I lay my eyes on Jukyung, Sunghoon, Jay, Heeseung, and Boram sitting with their back on the couch. Right.

I forgot about them.

I quickly get up with my shaky legs and shallow breathing to go to the bathroom. I wash my face and finally see the big red splotchy spot on my cheek.

Great. I have to cover it up somehow so no one gets worried or worse, Heeseung might find out.

I grab a pack of ice and put it to my cheek giving some relief. I lean on the counter as my legs give out and find something off.

My parents would be screaming and chasing me around right now if they knew I was home. I check my phone and realize my mom left a text.

'Hey honey, we want to be home and with you so badly but we have so much work to go through and we sadly have to stay overtime! We are one call away so if anything is wrong, just call me. Love you honey. Ps, we might not be home until tomorrow :(' she writes.

Well I guess it's better for me anyway. They would freak if they saw my unconscious friends just laying in the living room.

Okay, suck it up Chaewon. One slap isn't going to do shit.

I stare at Namjin and Boram for a bit while I think. Okay. They are the lightest, and the easiest to me.

I carefully grab Namjin and lug her to my room as she stays soundly asleep. She's quite light so it's easy to put her in my bed and pull the sheets over her.

I quickly go back to the living room and do the same with Boram, who snores into my ear as I take her to my room.

Her hot breath on my cheek makes me realize how painful it is. I quickly shut my room door and run to the kitchen for the ice pack. I put it against my hot cheek and feel relief right away. I groan and as it starts to get a bit better I get back to work.

I decide on a plan to put Jake and Sunghoon in my parents bed, and cause their breathing and sleep talking is the loudest. I do not want to hear another second on how cute Layla is or how pillows are the best invention.

How the hell do I carry them? Do I drag them across the floor? Maybe I'll...

"Chaewon..." I hear a groggy voice from behind me.

I quickly dart my head up and turn around to see Jake mumbling to himself again. I walk towards him and pat his head but he doesn't wake up.

"I love you my darling." I hear him mumble making me jump back in shock but I don't let it get to me.

~

Word count: 1304❤️❤️❤️