✓ nostalgia | jungwon

chapter 25.

     Yebin watched their friendly banter, and couldn't help but laugh at their exchanges. It was clear they were so comfortable with each other, and it calmed her nerves to see it. Now, they'd gotten to a discussion about Jungwon's frustrations with Taekwondo.

     "I have at least five tournaments coming up, including the one tomorrow." Jungwon sighed.

     "Don't worry, we'll all be there to cheer you on," Heeseung teased. "We'll bring banners and everything, maybe have your face printed out on it."

     "It hasn't even happened and I'm already embarrassed." Jungwon had this wide smile on his face, and Yebin didn't even realize she was staring until their drinks arrived.

     She mentally face-palmed herself, hoping the butterflies in her stomach would just leave her alone. Looking away, she reached for the drink in front of her and took a sip. It tasted weird, but it went down her throat before she could think to question it.

     Jungwon put his own glass down after drinking some himself. He scrunched his nose up in distate and looked at Yebin, who wore the same expression. They stifled their laughs, coming to a silent agreement to just go along with it.

     "What are you two laughing about?" Sunghoon asked as the two simply shook their heads with knowing looks. He rolled his eyes with a smile. "Well, I'm just glad you guys worked out Jungwon's whole avoiding phase. I honestly didn't think you'd forgive him so quickly."

     Sunghoon's face fell at their confused expression. "Oh, have you guys not... talked about it yet-?"

     The boys all sent Sunghoon panicked looks, and he pressed his lips together in regret.

    Surprisingly though, Yebin waved it off with barely any reaction. Her nervousness had suspiciously faded away, and she was smiling, even. "Eh, what's done is done!"

     "Yeah, I don't want to talk about that," Jungwon  chimed in. "Live in the moment, you know?"

     "Exactly. YOLO." Yebin nodded, raising a rock-on sign with her hand.

     The rest of them exchanged confused looks. Jay, who had just taken a sip of his drink, narrowed his eyes at the contents of his glass. "Now that I think of it, this tastes pretty bland for a cocktail."

     He looked at Heeseung, and they seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Oh shit."

     "No, no, no." Heeseung grabbed Jungwon's and Yebin's now empty glasses, and with one whiff, he knew it was alcohol. "This is bad."

     "This is illegal." Jay ran his hands through his hair.

     "It's fine, they'll sober up sooner or later." Heeseung glanced at the two sophomores who were laughing at absolutely nothing. "Probably later."

     "This is like my birthday all over again." Jake grimaced at the memory.

     Yebin suddenly gasped. "It's your birthday?"

     "Uh, no-"

     It was too late. Yebin had excitedly clapped her hands, linking her arm with Jungwon's and whispering to him, "It's his birthday!"

     "Really?" Jungwon turned to Jake. "Happy birthday, man."

     "Let's sing for him!" Yebin said, lightly tugging at Jungwon's arm. He smiled, and began clapping along as Yebin sung a very loud and out of tune rendition of the birthday song.

     "We have to get them out of here." Sunghoon sighed. "They need some fresh air."

     "There's still so much food left, and we have to wait for the bill." Heeseung said, before noticing two of his friends had finished eating. "Sunoo, Niki, can you- watch them? Just take them outside and let them sit somewhere."

     Sunoo and Niki stood up, tapping Jungwon and Yebin on the shoulder. "Let's go outside, guys."

     "Why?" Jungwon asked, narrowing his eyes.

     "Uh-" Niki cleared his throat, coming up with an excuse they'd understand. "We're going stargazing."

     "Oh okay." Yebin nodded, standing up with Jungwon as their arms were still linked. She looked back at Jake. "Happy Birthday!"

     Jake waved her goodbye with a sympathetic smile. Before the four could leave however, Jay called them back.

     "Sunoo." Jay tossed over his trench coat, motioning at Jungwon and Yebin. "Throw this over them. It'll be cold outside and they aren't wearing any jackets."

    On their way out, Niki furrowed his eyebrows at a group of people in the next restaurant. They were familiar, and he realized they looked like Yebin's soccer teammates- enjoying a good dinner.

     That can't be them, Niki thought. I don't know them anyway.

     He shook the thought away as they walked out into the chilly- thankfully empty, streets of Jeju. Jungwon and Yebin still had their arms linked as they sat down by the edge of the sidewalk. Sunoo did as told wrapped the trench coat around them both.

     "They don't seem like the destructive kind of drunks." Niki watched the two from a distance as they randomly pointed at the night sky and giggled. "They just look- really happy, like way over the moon, you know? They'll be fine."