Clinking Night
Almost two weeks had slipped away since that day, and the two had not crossed paths. Seulgi had once reached out about a club watch party, but Jaeyi had politely declined, citing a packed schedule. It wasn’t deceit—she simply didn’t want to be a regular in the club. To Jaeyi, the club was merely an escape, a refuge she frequented only when duty beckoned or when she craved a brief reprieve from life’s relentless pressure. Excessive effort at the club would spoil the delicate fun for her and what’s more, she really doesn’t feel like knowing that many people unless it’s necessary.
Seulgi didn’t persist either. So, the conversation ends there. Jaeyi didn’t even understand and what was the need for Seulgi to reach out her, when Jaeyi can easily access the club activities from club group? Why’s this girl is so friendly specially with someone like her. If Jaeyi were in Seulgi’s shoes Jaeyi would have definitely ignored her ownself, the present Jaeyi. But also, on the other hand. A part of Jaeyi—small but insistent—had waited for another text for the past few days. Not much, not that obvious, definitely not like a craving but deep down it was a small flame that was flickering in her chest, another word, for another text. But she smothered it, as she always did and she didn’t let the fire get any monstrous by reaching out.
But then another schedule was made. The club was finally having a gathering to welcome all the new members and all the members are joining, even all the famous alumni members are invited. Jaeyi just can’t ignore that. It felt the need to attend specially when she heard a few famous webtoonist making their way.
By the way, it wasn’t Seulgi who reached out to Jaeyi this time. Jaeyi just learned about it from the group chat. And it wouldn’t be a lie if someone say she wasn’t really expecting any text from Seulgi.
On the day of the gathering, by 6:15pm, Jaeyi enters the restaurant where the club arranged the get together. The restaurant hummed with laughter and clinking glasses, the air thick with the smell of grilled meat and spilled soju. She’s literally scanning the room with her eyes, taking every detail in but specially looking for one person if that person is still here or not. And then she spotted her—in a quiet corner, laughing softly with a small group, teasing a cute bob-cut girl with an air of effortless grace. Another girl glanced in their direction from across the table. The type of girl you would say pretty worthy of title campus idol.
And for a fleeting second, Jaeyi ’s eyes met that girl’s eyes. Jaeyi doesn’t get flustered or anything but she take it as a sign to divert her gaze from that table in a way that feels natural, like she was taking time to watch every table to find a suitable one for her.
After finding a table that had a good view for both the small made-up stage in the middle and also a full view of the table where Seulgi was sitting, Jaeyi settles in.
Many people changing table to table to talk with more people but Jaeyi simply didn’t need to do that.
The thing is Jaeyi was somewhat famous already across the campus for some obvious reason ~ beauty with brain. She was one of the top scorers in the CSAT nationwide and she had this cool, composed confident aura with a face where two moles were perfectly placed by the hand of God. Campus didn’t take a week to spread the words about her.
And now time to time many freshers and even sunbae were gathering in front of her asking how she has been, how the campus life going, offering drinks and she was also handling her situation flawlessly. No one can tell she actually hates interacting with people. But she was getting a little tipsy from the drinks.
She didn’t want to reveal but she was kinda lightweight. So, she was slowly, actually losing it plus her mind was in whirlwind where she was thinking the girl, name Seulgi, she seems quite social. Looks like she already made a handful amounts of friends. She didn’t notice me today yet. Good for me, it’s better to keep a little distance~ she thinks to herself but before she could get more lost in her head, a sweet, calm voice bring her to present.
“You’re Yoo Jaeyi, right?” a gentle, slightly amused voice interrupted. It was the girl from Seulgi’s table—the pretty one.
“Yes… and you?” Jaeyi replied, her words slurring slightly as intoxication softened her usually sharp edges. She was barely holding herself together, yet an inexplicable warmth steadied her smile.
The girl takes her seat besides Jaeyi now, “I’m Joo Yeri. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of me—I’m a little hurt, you know,” she teased.
With that name, Jaeyi recalled the whispers: Joo Yeri, the new campus queen, once a child actress and still a part-time model, a name that resonated like a modern myth around campus.
Why she expected Jaeyi to know her name is because, people belives this year campus won by getting both YJ and JY. Jaeyi don’t know what kind of winning it was but she heard all the words. Though she forgot Yeri’s face because it didn’t seem anything important but now, she reconciled the memory once again specially thanks to Seulgi.
“Ahh! JY?” she answers with a soft chuckle.
“Oh! So, you actually know about me. I’m glad and honored” Yeri replies back with an enlighten face.
Before they can talk more that bob cut haired girl and Seulgi also move to their table. And Yeri shift her eyes to them and start introducing them.
“Meet my friends. This is Seulgi we’re both from fine arts. And this is Kyung, Seulgi’s highschool friend, from the law college but Seulgi insisted her joining our club and now we’re besties, right Kyungie?”
“Bestie? Please. You’d need to have a brain cell first.” The bob cut girl snickered. But after fixing the eye glass with her lower thumb as she looks back at Jaeyi, it shows some concern.
“I think she is drunk.” Kyung points out.
“Oh yeah. Are you okay Jaeyi? You look a little tipsy. I think you should stop now,” Yeri ask jaeyi.
Jaeyi listening all the word but head is busy thinking something else. Why Seulgi didn’t say that they already knew each other? Even right now, she’s not saying anything just being like a background character. It’s kind of bothered Jaeyi, maybe because she was drunk. And then Seulgi speaks up.
“I think you should stop for today, Jaeyi. It’s late. We will be leaving too. If you need, we can help you to your place.”
“it’s okay don’t want to bother you people. I’ll also leave after sobering up a lil bit,” Jaeyi insist.
“Actually Jaeyi, I’m your dorm-mate. And we’re almost late for dorm closing anyway. I insist you come with us. This two will also help out,” Yeri insist.
“I won’t bother you guys, right?” her sounds coming slow like a pleading cat. Jaeyi actually don’t wanna bother the friend group, but a part of her logically thinks it’s the best option and she is not that wasted yet. Leaving now with them won’t be much of a bother but she minds ends up in trouble if she stays back and keep drinking.
And thus, they all leave the place together. All four side by side. Kyung complaining about how much she hates Seulgi for introducing Yeri to her. Yeri joking with Kyung by pulling her cheeks. Seulgi trying to shut them up saying the drunkard one is acting more sobered than the both of them and that somehow make Jaeyi smile. Not just a smile, a quite loud chuckle escapes her mouth. And slowly Jaeyi mix up with them.
Jaeyi is not really an introvert, she’s an extrovert who just doesn’t seem to care about people or think nothing more than them as a part of life but that night she felt like one of them, she laughed not because she has to but because it was funny to watch them bickering, it was fun to tease them and it was fun to see Seulgi smile, laugh and chuckle with them.
And somehow when she wakes up next morning with a little headache recalling memory pieces by pieces, she discovers that she’s now part of another group chat. A group name F4, she heard of Formula 1 (F1) but she doesn’t know what does it mean with 4 colored hearts. Each profile nicknamed with a colored heart. Her blue, Seulgi yellow, Yeri pink, Kyung with bright green. Is this some Hogwarts house thing? What’s this stupidity? she thinks while scrolling through 128 messages in amuse. But she doesn’t leave that stupid chatroom.