The IT Girl's NERD - 《JENRINA》

10 ~ catharsis

"How much's your alcohol tolerance?" Karina asked as she placed down two bottles of beers and a bottle of soju with glasses to drink from, from the kitchen.

"Not sure. Haven't really tested my limits." He helped take the glasses from her hand.

They were really about to drink alcohol sitting around a matte white squared coffee table. Jeno found it baffling that she was willing to drink with a man she has known only for a month or so.

"Aren't you scared?"

"Of what? You?" She laughed, her head hitting the sofa behind her as she handed him a cup of soju. "Not really."

"You never know what might happen under the influence of alcohol." He stated stoutly.

"Oh my God! Lee Jeno! You are that kind of a man..." Karina dramatically crossed her arms over her chest.

"This woman! You know that's not what I meant." His voice full and defensive.

Karina wasn't particularly planning to get drunk with him but she hoped to stall time and make him stay at least until midnight. It was the 10th of April.

"I know you won't do anything to me anyways." She waved dismissively before chugging down a shots-glass. "I'm not your type after all."

"What makes you say that?"

"Ey! Stop pretending." She moved inches closer to his face as he sat in front of her. "You like them innocent pure types, right! Oh someone like Minjeong!" She pointed accusingly.

"That's..." he chugged down his glass. "Not exactly false."

Karina's face morphed into an annoyed one. The top corner of her lips twitching momentarily before she rolled her eyes at him.

"Then what's it about me that you don't like?" She asked with a bit of frustration. "Do you have any idea how many men would die to be sitting with me?"

"Look at me! Am so lovable!" She went on and on. It didn't make sense to Karina because even the guys she thought were friends eventually asked her out. So in her mind, all men are the same and they all wanted her. Call her conceited but she experiences it first hand every other day.

It was this exact conceition of hers that had him wonder what had gotten her to be so full of herself. Was it the excessive attention she got from guys? Or the constant buttering she received from females?

"Do you like being popular?" He replied with a question.

"Who doesn't?" She looked down with a forlorn expression as she tried opening the can of beer.

Subconsciously, he handed her the beer he opened taking the one she was struggling to open. "Right. We all crave attention at some point."

"Do you think it will be satiated?" She locked gazes with him. "My hunger for attention... that is."

"Mmh. If you are loved right, then probably." Jeno now had his arms wrapped around his shins, his right hand loosely holding on to the can of beer.

"Good for you, you have good relationship with your mother." She chuckled bitterly.

A remorseful smile tugged on the corners of Jeno's lips. It wasn't always like that ; His relationship with his mother. In fact, they fought so much that he moved out right after he startrd university. His first girlfriend from high-school might not be the root cause of the misunderstandings between him and his mother, but she nevertheless caused a lot of rift between the two.

And everytime, like the foolish loverboy  that he was, he would side with his girlfriend. Her toxic comments regarding his financial circumstances only made him hate his family even more so. The main reason behind their financial struggle was Jeno's bedridden father. Jeno didn't try to be understanding of the situation his mother was going through and could only complain.