ROAD RAGE | Jaywon

Chapter 29: tipsy lamb

JUNGWON

Dinner was a lively affair, with Jake's cooking the centerpiece of the evening. The table was filled with laughter and chatter as everyone dug into the delicious spread. I found myself seated with Sunoo and Niki beside me, while Sunghoon and Heeseung were across the table, with Jay sitting directly in front of me.

The tension between Jay and me was visible. I could feel his eyes on me from across the table, and every time I glanced up, our gazes would briefly meet before he quickly looked away. Each time this happened, a pang of discomfort shot through my chest, leaving me feeling unsettled and frustrated. I tried to ignore it, focusing on the conversation around me, but his behavior was hard to ignore.

Sunoo, ever perceptive, noticed my unease. He leaned closer and whispered, "Looks like someone can't keep their eyes off you,"

His words caught me off guard, and I felt my face flushed slightly. "It's not that," I muttered, trying to maintain a casual tone.

His grin widened, clearly enjoying my reaction. "Oh, come on. I saw the way he was looking at you. There's definitely something going on."

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't shake the warmth spreading across my cheeks. "Stop it."

As we finished our meal, Niki suddenly perked up. "Hey, there's a bar nearby. We could go check it out after dinner."

Jake shook his head, his expression resolute. "Nah, let's keep it low-key. We have plenty of drinks here. We should just stay in and get a bit wasted. Less hassle that way."

There were a few murmurs of agreement, and soon the conversation shifted to plans for the evening.

Heeseung leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms. "Alright, we need drinks. Sunghoon, you up for a quick run to the store?"

Sunghoon nodded, pushing his chair back. "Sure thing." Then he turned to me.

"Jungwon, want to come with me?"

I hesitated for a moment. It would be a good chance to clear my head. "Yeah, sure," I said, standing up.

As I got up, Sunghoon draped his arm around my shoulder. Glancing around the table, I noticed Jay's eyes flicker with something, and his eyes narrowed. His jaw tightened slightly, and he quickly looked away, but not before I caught the look in his eyes.

Was he jealous? The thought sent a strange thrill through me, mixed with confusion. Why would he care if Sunghoon was friendly with me?

Sunghoon and I headed towards the door, the cool evening air hitting us as we stepped outside. The walk to the store was quiet, filled with the comfortable silence.

We reached the store, the fluorescent lights flickering slightly above us. Sunghoon grabbed a cart, and we made our way to the liquor section. I tried to push aside my thoughts about Jay, focusing instead on the task at hand.

"Alright," Sunghoon said with a grin, "let's stock up. We don't want to run out halfway through the night."

I nodded, and he began to grab bottles of everything: vodka, rum, whiskey, tequila, and various mixers. The cart filled up quickly, and Sunghoon's enthusiasm was contagious.

"How about some strawberry wine?" I suggested, grabbing the pink bottle and putting it gently in the cart. Despite myself, I really love strawberries, because they can be sweet and sometimes sour. It compliments my taste.

"Good call," he agreed. "We should get some beers too."

We moved to the beer aisle and started loading the cart with different brands. By the time we were done, the cart was overflowing with bottles and cans, and we must have looked ridiculous pushing it towards the checkout.