Eleven

New Year, New Us?

Jisoo is alone in her apartment, binge-watching the Reply series while stuffing her mouth with potato chips. She has been watching since morning and she's already in Reply 1988 by now. Her whole body and eyes are tired from doing nothing but she doesn't care.

It's not even nine in the evening but she's already in her favorite polka dot pajamas and oversized shirt, her childhood blanket is wrapped around her whole body. She's freezing but didn't bother turning down the air conditioner's thermostat. If she does, she will feel hot and it will defeat the purpose of her sweater and blanket.

Jisoo is barely watching Reply '88. She knows it by the heart and just the sound of Teak's and Deok Seon's voices, she can tell which episode it is without looking. So instead of giving her full attention on her TV, Jisoo is busy scrolling down Instagram.

There's nothing much different with this night—a usual scene on Jisoo's life. Except for one thing.

"Happy New Year." Jisoo grunted seeing all her friends' New Year's posts.

It's New Year's eve and Jisoo is right here, alone on her apartment while the rest of the world—or the country, time zones, you know—are out there partying kissing the year goodbye and welcoming the new year with a bang.

Jisoo reached for the bag of Lays on her lap only to realize it has long been finished. She grunted before pausing her TV. She stood up and went to the kitchen to throw the empty bag of chips in the bin.

She took a detour before going back to her couch and check what she has on her fridge. She hadn't had a proper meal since breakfast and it's probably time to make some food. She opens the fridge and found nothing but leftovers and packed food from the parties she had and attended for Christmas.

She felt like crying. She's actually hungry—for the first time this day—but didn't have anything good to eat. She closed the fridge and opened her food cabinet to grab a cup of noodles.

She heated water and prepare herself a glass of wine while waiting for it to boil.

She sighed heavily. Anyone who will see how miserable she looks right now will either cry in pity or laugh at her misery.

You see, Jisoo isn't much of a loser on a regular day. If things went well, Jisoo could actually be in one of those New Year's Eve party at this very moment and not care about anything at all except to be fun. She even planned to kiss a stranger at midnight to tick off one of the things on her bucket list.

But all her hopes were turned into ashes when her one of her best friends, Lisa, bailed on her last minute. They're supposed to go to a party but turns out, her Lisa's boyfriend invited her to his family's New Year's party and she couldn't turn it down. Jisoo, being the good friend that she is, said it's okay and her best friend shouldn't mind.

Jisoo tried contacting her other friends but all odds are in her favor as all of them have plans—mostly with their significant others. Way to kill a twenty-something single.

She is sipping her wine—the one she got as gift this Christmas—when her doorbell rang. Her heart skipped a beat in fear and surprise. Who is it? Who could be knocking on her door on New Year's Eve?

It could be anyone, really. Maybe Lisa's mind changed? Maybe her other friends are being nice to accompany her tonight. She can't tell, there could be a lot of other safe maybes but she opted for the worst—it's probably a murderer or something.

She turned the stove off just before the water boils, avoiding any other noise.

The doorbell rang once more.

She bent over her kitchen sink and took a frying pan. She tightened her grip on the pan as she walks past her couch to the door.

Jisoo's heart is beating fast, so fast it can jump out of her chest. What will she do when she opens the door? Will the pan be enough to hit the person and knock him out of consciousness? Then what? Shall she run out? If she got murdered tonight, no one will even hear her scream because everyone is busy partying. Or should she lock herself in her apartment while waiting for everyone to be done with their parties so someone can save her?