Paper Cranes | Park Jimin

14: Alcohol

THIRD PERSON

The sound of chatter, laughter and utensils clinking against each other filled his ears as soon as he opened the glass door to the restaurant bar. His eyes immediately wandered in search of her—the reason why he was here in the first place.

"Oh, that's him. Park Jimin!" the girl called, waving her arm to catch his attention, and the guy perked up. He approached the long table near the corner of the restaurant bar.

"Uh, hey." He gave her a nod of acknowledgment, and then to the people around them who was looking at him. "Where's she?"

"You came for Haneul?" another guy, who he assumed was her senior, asked and Jimin sheepishly smiled in response.

There were around seven of them, and the used plates, utensils and glasses showed that there had been more people who had probably already left.

"Gujo-sunbae, we tried calling her friend Hira, but she has hospital rounds requirements, so she couldn't leave," said one of the girls.

After so, the girl led Jimin to where Haneul was. Her head and arms was sprawled atop the table, obviously deep in slumber. Jimin studied how her shoulders heaved up as she breathed.

"You need help bringing her home? One of us could accompany you," said the girl whilst Jimin warily observed as the girl sat Haneul up, but only ended with Haneul's upper body swaying towards the other girl's way. She gently slapped on Haneul's cheek, but nothing happened.

"No," answered Jimin. "I think I can handle it."

"Haneul told us beforehand that she wouldn't drink because she's not good with alcohol. Honestly, it's weird that she even drank," the girl said while helping Jimin carry Haneul. He scooped her up, princess-style, securing her petite body.

But at the same time, he found it uncanny that Haneul would do something like that, especially when she had initially mentioned that she wouldn't.

"Maybe she got the wrong glass?"

"I don't know. But things like this shouldn't happen next time."

Jimin overheard the conversation as he exited the restaurant. Once outside, he dropped Haneul on her feet for a moment, draping her arms on his shoulder to get his keys and unlock his car.

"Ugh," Haneul groaned. "What's going on?" she stretched on her words with a croaky voice. Her left arm swayed as Jimin adjusted her stance and held her waist firmly.

Jimin gingerly laid her inside his car, making sure she was in a comfortable position before shutting the door close and climbing on the driver's seat.

During the drive back to Haneul's apartment, Jimin's focus had gone back and forth between the road and Haneul who was then lying peacefully at the back. From time to time, she'd let out a soft whimper.

Carrying Haneul to her apartment was no laborious task for Jimin, but finding her key was. Or so he thought, because that was actually just the first part.

Minutes of finding later, they entered her unit and Jimin opened the door to her room. He paused just before he made a step, hesitant of entering Haneul's room. But he had no choice.