it is a rainy sunday night when aki gets a call from Ivy House, the local bar a couple blocks down from her apartment.
"hi. aki?" a squeaky female voice on the other line greets.
"oh. hey stella." she exhales, continuing on without hesitation. "jeongguk passed out again?"
"sort of. well, he's mumbling some incoherent words under his breath - not too sure. i'm really sorry, aki. boss was watching and i couldn't really refuse to serve him."
"it's okay. thanks for watching over him again. i'll be right over."
with that, aki grabs her yellow raincoat off the coat hanger, chucks a couple dollar bills into her bag – jeongguk never stays sober long enough to pay the bill – and heads over to Ivy House, a mere ten minute walk away from her apartment. it's a little higher up on the hill she lives on, and definitely not an easy walk when it's uphill and the rain is soaking her beat-up sneakers.
when aki finally reaches the bar, she's sniffling and numb from the cold. the warmth of the bar engulfs her whole, and she wants nothing more than a couple drinks herself to warm her body.
"aki!" stella calls from the bar, and aki can't help but break out in a smile at the sight of her friend, all curly auburn-dyed hair and big bright eyes that seem to sparkle even in the dimly lit room. "he's over there."
aki follows her gaze to the corner of the bar, where jeongguk is passed out in an uncomfortable position on the sofa. the table is littered with too many empty glasses, but it's not a surprising sight.
"thanks again, stell. you're a lifesaver." she replies, handing her a couple bills before making her way over to him.
"jeongguk." she sighs, taking a seat at the edge of the sofa and giving him a shove. he doesn't budge. "jeon jeongguk. get your drunk ass up."
still no movement.
"okay. then i'm leaving." aki declares once more, going through the motions of standing up and grabbing her bag off the table. "i'm going home, okay?" when she takes two steps away, he grabs her hand.
"you wouldn't." jeongguk mumbles in his drunken state, eyes still shut. "you know you wouldn't."
even sloshed, he understood exactly how to pry at her heart and wrap her around his finger. he was right - she knew she wasn't going to leave him from the moment she stepped out of her house into the downpour.
"god, i wish i could leave you, you idiot." she says. "now get up and lets go home. you look like you haven't showered in days and not to mention you fucking reek of alcohol."
jeongguk lets out an annoyed grunt but manages to sit up nonetheless. aki drapes his arm over her shoulder and helps him up, the two of them stumbling slightly as jeongguk struggles to regain his balance.
thankfully, it stopped raining while they were inside, and for this, aki is grateful. she doesn't know how she would've made the walk home if it were raining and jeongguk was leaning against her.
"what happened this time?" aki mutters to herself, grunting as jeongguk presses more of his weight on her. "at least you don't look hurt today. i guess this is better than getting into fights even though i always have to come pick you up and pay for it all ..."
"aki." he suddenly says.
"hm?"
"you smell nice. like vanilla."
it's definitely not something sober jeongguk would say, and it catches aki off guard. she knows he doesn't mean it in a romantic way – it's just something someone drunk would say – but aki takes what she can get.
"thanks. you don't, but."
but i love you anyway.
-----------
i lov jjk
also he's supposed to be badass but he turned out more like a baby pup
