a question of sophistication | i love yoo.

one.

Four glasses was her limit. Beyond that, she wasn't responsible for anything that she might do during this drunken state. Why is gulping down a fifth glass then? Maybe it has something to do with this date of hers, his hands wandering places they shouldn't be and Hye Soo was forced to swear by her parents earlier that evening that she wouldn't do anything to offend him. He was that important of a person.

They were sitting in a booth at one corner of the room, Hye Soo with her friends and her date with his. She had been told to socialize and so here she was. She knows her place was supposed to be upstairs, by her parents' sides, where basically all the adults were. The people downstairs collectively made up of teenagers and people in their mid to late 20's who still feel like teenagers. She didn't fit the bill with either one but she decided this was fine. Beats being at home alone.

Her siblings were nowhere to be found. They're probably doing God knows what and she was supposed to be supervising them. She should look for them now. That's a convenient excuse to get out of her date's talons.

Hye Soo was about to excuse herself and wiggle out of the booth when one of her friend, So Hyun, spoke. "Isn't that guy at the bar Mr. Hirahara's son?"

All eyes on the table turn to the bar at the head of the room and landed on a head of ginger hair. By this time the alcohol was settling in and Hye Soo can feel it. A lot of things aren't going to make sense in a few minutes. And so she grab another glass and drank it. She didn't know why she did but it really won't make a difference if she knew. She was past her limit and one more glass didn't seem like it could worsen what's to come. But turns out, it did make it worse and she was about to find out in a few hours.

"That's the Kousuke guy I've been hearing about?" Hye Soo asked as she put down her sixth glass.

"No, no, I don't think he's at this party at the moment. But that's the other son. The one with the complicated name or whatever."

"He looks alone. Someone ought to keep him company."

For some reason, Hye Soo thought that suggestion was directed at her. "I should?"

The others considered her for moment, unaware that the booze was taking in effect. "Well, your father has business with the Hiraharas, right? It'll be appropriate to be in their good graces." Min Ji suggested.

"You should go flirt with the guy. His back is quite attractive, maybe his front is too." Sung Hwa giggled and then sipped at her drink. She was this kind of person when drunk.

Hye Soo wasn't sure who she was agreeing to but she said, "I should!" and stood up. Her date was all sorts of surprised and he was pulling her back down to sit but she slipped away. Out of the booth, she turned to their group and winked. "Don't wait up for me." Oh, she was really drunk now, all right. The look on her date's face was hilarious though and Hye Soo thought it was worth it.

What was her plan exactly? She just wanted to get away from that sleazebag. She could go find her siblings. But then her friends were expecting her to go approach this guy and their booth has a clear view of the bar and Hye Soo can see they were all waiting.

Soon she was walking towards the bar and Hye Soo remembered thinking, "This may as well happen."  She wasn't going to remember half of what's about to happen anyway. She just prayed that she doesn't do anything crass or embarrassing. It's all going to be irrational actions tonight but a girl can hope.

Upon reaching the bar, Hye Soo tapped the ginger-haired guy on the shoulder and when he turned around she just exclaimed. "Oh my god, you're a child!"

This was interesting turn of event. Yeong Gi's week hasn't been the kindest and he was bummed out to say the least. He doesn't usually drink but he was at the moment and for a second he actually liked the taste. That's how he knew how stressed out and miserable he was, to find comfort in a drink he wasn't even comfortable in the first place. He downed another glass and ordered a new one.

Yeong Gi doesn't know where his alcohol tolerance lies, seeing as he doesn't particularly liked drinking, and just how many glass was his limit. He was about to find out, though.

When a woman approached you at the bar out of the blue, nudging your shoulder to get your attention, a guy was supposed to be flattered. But with a comment accompanying it stating you like a kid, not so much flattery in that. Yeongi, polite as ever, muttered a soft "Excuse me?" and turned fully to the woman.

She was tipping into the "wasted" chasm at this point. "How old are you? You shouldn't be drinking!" Hye Soo snatched the guy's drink away, clutching it to her chest.

Yeong Gi had enough people in his life telling him what he's supposed to do and not do and he's honestly getting tired by that time. "I'm old enough to do what I like, lady." This was one of the few instances he'd snapped at someone other than his brother. And this was definitely the alcohol's doing because, as anyone would say, he was usually nice and polite.

"You're sad. I mean, you look sad. Why are you sad?" Hye Soo plopped down on the stool next to him. "You sure you're not a minor?" The guy just looked back at her, unamused. "All right, I'm trusting you. But just one more drink and that's it. You just look like you could really use one." She put down the drink and slid it towards him.

He stared at the glass for a few seconds before picking it up and bringing it to his lips. That was his third drink and, apparently, his limit too. As he'd said, he was not a drinker.

"You want to talk about it?"

Yeong Gi turned to the woman—she was leaning on the bar, chin resting on her propped up arm, and was observing him. It wasn't a scrutinizing look. She actually looks like she genuinely cared about how he feels. This complete stranger was interested in his woes. Yeong Gi had a hard time letting that sink in.

Hye Soo had a tendency to be emotional when she's drunk. She'd been told she was sympathetic and consoling a number of times by her friends whenever she'd downed alcohol past her limit. But that was a good kind of drunk, right? Hye Soo liked to think so.

"Forgive me for my bluntness but it's none of your business." The moment the words leave his mouth, Yeong Gi cringed at himself. That sounded an awful lot like his brother. Huffing, he raised a hand to beckon at the bartender. He needed another drink. But before the bartender can notice him, the woman had slap his hand down.

"What did I tell you about that being your last drink?"

He'd shaken off women in the past, and did so politely. Kousuke really ought to take a page off his book. But Yeong Gi didn't have the energy today. "You know what? Just leave me alone." He slumped his head on the counter, bringing his hands to rest on the back of his head. He was waiting for the scrape of the stool but instead and he felt a hand pat the crown of his head.

"There, there. You look tired. I mean, not physically but like in general so don't mind me. I don't want to drain you further. If you do want to talk though, I'm right here."

Looking up, he was met with a another glass of alcohol. "This is your last drink. And I mean it this time. Just stop being so sad, you're making me give you alcohol." The woman nudged the drink into him and he took a swig.

After that one, everything just came pouring out of Yeongi Gi. It was definitely the alcohol but maybe it was also years of keeping these things to himself and, for some reason, stranger who wanted to listen.