castaway | kim taehyung

19. young girls

[ PARK SOOJUNG ]

I start believing in my own lies,
like everything will be okay.

After a long night of studying my ass off, I grab my things and stuff them into my bag before heading out. It was already late at night, especially being the last one to leave the library after an intense study session. I could already feel my eye bags sagging, was that a bad thing?

As I walk down the sidewalk, the sound of loud bass and crowds of people turning up to the music distracted me from listening to my own music through my earphones. But that wasn't all. My eyes fall upon a familiar figure, sitting on the cement with her back laid against the brick walls outside of the club.

Although she looked shitfaced drunk, I could only feel nothing but sympathy over how hopeless she looked. She looked like it wasn't her first night back at the club but her tenth time, and she would be drunk with every single visit. I slowly and hesitatingly walked over towards her, as she let out soft drunk giggles. She was looking up at the sky, and she would only burst out into fits of laughter right after.

"Seolhyun-ah, let me take you home."

"Who are you? Are you trying to take advantage of me because I'm d-drunk? Because I'm not drunk!"

"Stop being stubborn. Let's get you home."

"Whatever, stranger. I was never taught about stranger danger. But it doesn't matter, just take me away.. away from everything."

"You look horrible."

She laughs, and I gently pick her up back onto her feet. She groans, and I throw her arm over my shoulders as the two of us started to head back to my place. She was as light as a feather, the only weight keeping me from moving being only my bag. Has she been eating? Has she been skipping her meals?

As we slowly reach my place, she reaches for my hand and squeezes it gently. I glance at her as she gives me a look of guilt. Was she sober? Was the alcohol finally leaving her? Or am I just seeing things?

"Who are you?"

I chuckle, and we reach my porch. As I help her up the stairs, I force her to sit on the bench as I unlock my door. She stares at me with a confused look, and I could only let out another laugh.

"You should know me very well, Seolhyun, you hate my guts."

As we both enter into my place, I bring her up to my bedroom as I gently place her onto the bed. She furrows her eyebrows in confusion, her lost eyes searching through the unfamiliar room. Her eyes fall upon me as I come out of the bathroom with a wet cloth to wipe her drunk face, she reeked of vodka. I sat next to her as I hand her a set of clothes to wear, and she slowly lets her head hang low. I place my finger underneath her chin as she looks at me with the same guilty eyes from earlier, and I wipe her face and forehead with the warm, wet cloth to ease the alcohol from her.

"Soojung."

I raise an eyebrow, surprised that she was slowly coming back to her senses. She stares at me with glassy eyes, and right before I knew it, tears fall down her cheeks.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"