𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 // The King: Eternal Monarch ✔

chapter 2

Eun-seob and Na-ri enter the 24 hours restaurant and goes to a table for two. After the soju and beer have arrived at their table, they begin to drink.

"Ah, that feels so refreshing!" Eun-seob goes to refill his drink again while Na-ri observes him. "What have I got myself into? Aish..." She sips on her beer again. Looking at him next to her brings back a memory of one night. A memory she still remembers while the other does not.

Flashback to 12 years ago...

"A toast to celebrate the end of our youth!" 

Eun-seob and Na-ri clink their glasses together and chug the beer and soju mix. It's the last day of their high school years, after going through the stress of studying like having only about 3-4 hours of sleep every night to ace their dreading exams and finally came graduation day. 

Na-ri hears Eun-seob sighing. "Everything seems to move so fast, you know? It feels like just yesterday we're in kindergarten together." He says.

She smiles. "Right. We went there together. I still can't forget how you were being such a crybaby during those days." Eun-seob chuckles. "But you were always there to comfort me, though."

"I had to, otherwise they'll pick on you again and again." Na-ri sips her drink again. "And you only have me as your friend."

"I know, I know. You're the most trusted person in my life ever. After all, we've been through together so much, all the hardships and tragedies, you're still there for me. That's why I think you mean a lot to me." Eun-seob says. Na-ri laughs at that. "Wah, I can't believe what I'm hearing right now."

"Tch, you..." Eun-seob glares at her and pours the beer and soju into his empty glass again and swallows them all down his throat. "By the way, where are you studying after this? Are you going overseas?"

Na-ri sighs and nods. "I have to, anyway. I can't just say no to my parents." Eun-seob groans in disappointment. "Do you really have to go? When? When are you leaving?"

"In a week, maybe."

"What?!"

Eun-seob drinks a whole glass again and says, "It's alright, I'm used to being alone, anyway." She frowns at him, taken aback a bit. "What do you mean? Then what am I?"

"You misunderstood me, Na-ri."

Then she realizes. "Ah, what happened to your previous 'lover', Eun-seob? You never told me anything about her. Are you still with her?" She asks to shift the subject. Na-ri has encouraged him to try to shoot his shot on one of the girls in her class that also seems to be crushing on Eun-seob for a long time. After their final has ended, they went on a few dates together.

She sees him finish another glass of the alcohol beverage again before answering, "We stopped dating, fortunately. She's just too full of herself most of the time."

"I think you're being too picky, that's all," Na-ri says.

"Whatever." Eun-seob sighs as he goes another round again. "I don't like her..."

"If you're being so fussy about it, you'll never have a real girlfriend," Na-ri complains then Eun-seob chuckles. "I don't need them. I, have you, Na-ri. You're a lot prettier than other girls." She turns her head in shock at him. Then she notices it. He's drunk already. Of course. "Okay, that's enough drinking. Let's go home, Jo Eun-seob." 

"But I'm not joking and I'm not drunk, Na-ri." She snatches the glass from him before he could drink more and receives a whine in return. She says, "I refuse to believe any of that. Kajja!" They head to the exit of the bar and leaves to their home.