UPLB Ch 7

“Sungbin-ah, what are you up to?”

At the familiar voice, Choi Sungbin tilted his head up. A smile filled his previously expressionless face.

“Noona. It’s been a while.”

“That’s because you went off the grid.”

Hyena narrowed her eyes and sat down next to him. Even though there were plenty of other seats, Choi Sungbin shifted to make room for her. As she crossed her legs, Hyena naturally rested her hand on his knee.

“Did you not miss me?”

“Yeah. I didn’t miss you.”

“You little…”

Choi Sungbin’s eyes softened as he teased her. Hyena lightly tapped his knee with a powerless fist.

“Noona, don’t you have class?”

“I don’t. But I stopped by to see my professor for a bit. So you knew I didn’t have class?”

“Why wouldn’t I know that.”

Choi Sungbin massaged his neck. The back of his neck was tense with fatigue.

“Couldn’t sleep again?”

Hyena placed her hand on Choi Sungbin’s forearm. She squeezed it a couple of times before letting go and patting his back. Yeah, I’m tired. Choi Sungbin made a crying face as if trying to be cute, then laughed.

“You should get some medication and try taking it.”

“It’s a hassle. I just sleep in to make up for it instead. I guess that’s become my lifestyle pattern.”

When he really couldn’t sleep, he would take over-the-counter sleep aids from the pharmacy. He bought them whenever he had a chance to go to the pharmacy, so they were packed tightly on his shelf.

Honestly, he didn’t want to take the medicine. It felt like he was becoming an idiot.

“You’re still something else. You don’t drink, and you work out regularly. You’d think you couldn’t do it when you’re tired.”

“I don’t drink because I can’t handle alcohol.”

“The kids are going for drinks this week, you want to come?”

Hahaha. Choi Sungbin laughed out loud at Hyena for immediately inviting him to a drinking party right after he said he couldn’t drink. He wasn’t annoyed or bothered. It didn’t matter to him. It was a frequent occurrence.

Just as there were guys who would talk shit about him behind his back but would still try to wedge him into any drinking gathering, it was the same with women. They said it was good to have one decent-looking guy among a group of average-looking ones, which sounded like a compliment, but it felt like they thought of him as nothing more than a trophy in a glass case.

What other reason could there have been for him, a person who couldn’t even drink, to be dragged to drinking parties at the beginning of the semester?

Still, being the butt of jokes among women was better than being chewed out in the gossip of men.

“We’ll see.”

I’m not going, though. Drinking parties with all familiar faces, where they just cackled over low-quality rumors, were no fun. It’s only fun if there’s at least someone you don’t know.

“Everyone would love it if you came.”

“Why does everyone only like me at drinking parties?”

“They don’t get a chance to talk to you normally. You’re only really close with me.”

Choi Sungbin nodded with a disinterested look on his face. It’s true I’m only close with Noona. His gaze suddenly shifted. Ah. Would I be a crazy bastard if I said I was happy to see him? It might be better to be with that person than to debate going to a drinking party.

He could see Yang Juwon approaching the building with trudging, listless, and lethargic steps. The weather must have gotten a bit warmer, as the hoodie he always wore had been replaced today with a thinner sweatshirt. Is there really a difference? He should buy some clothes. Why is he always wearing that…

Choi Sungbin shook his head from side to side. Hyena, whose gaze followed his, asked.

“Juwon sunbae doesn’t seem to be very close with his peers either.”

“Really?”

“Aren’t you two close?”

“Not really. We’re not that close.”

He answered without taking his eyes off Yang Juwon. Just then, the man who had been staring only at the ground lifted his head. Their eyes met. The man pushed up the corners of his mouth into a smile. It was truly a strange thing that he could see it. To think he can even make an expression like that.

Choi Sungbin grabbed his bag and got up from his seat.

“Noona, I’m leaving. Hit me up next time.”

“Ah, okay. I’ll call you, okay?”

Choi Sungbin did not answer. Instead, he walked away with wide strides. He approached the man who was dragging his feet as he walked. The man, who had been grimacing just moments before, flinched as he got closer. The corner of his lip was split. What he needs isn’t lip balm, but practice on how to roll his tongue. Choi Sungbin pretended not to see his lips.

“Are you here for class?”

“Yeah.”

Yang Juwon glanced over his shoulder. He mumbled in a voice as small as a whisper to himself.

“I thought you had plans.”

“We were just talking for a moment.”

Choi Sungbin grabbed the man’s forearm as if he were about to link arms with him. When he pulled him closer, the man was pulled along as powerlessly as grass swaying in the wind. As soon as he let go of his arm, Choi Sungbin put his hand on his back. The back, felt through the thick sweatshirt fabric, was quite firm.

“Sunbae, I’m sleepy. Buy me coffee.”

He grinned at Yang Juwon, just as the guys who looked down on him would do when they sneered. He was thrilled at the thought of ripping him off, even if it was just for chump change.

Without a word, Yang Juwon went to the cafe in the building. There, Choi Sungbin ordered a matcha Frappuccino loaded with whipped cream and chocolate chips. He had considered getting coffee, but decided to make him spend more money. As expected, Yang Juwon shook his head, saying he wouldn’t have anything, but unable to resist the pestering, he ordered an iced Americano.

While spooning the whipped cream that was piled high like a building, Choi Sungbin glanced at the man. Yang Juwon took a sip of his coffee and put it down.

“You don’t have class right away, do you?”

“No. I did get here a little early.”

“I’m bored.”

“…Don’t you have class?”

“My schedule is free too. I was supposed to have a lecture at this time, but the professor suddenly announced it was canceled.”

“Ah.”

“Maybe I should have called you. To ask you to come.”

Choi Sungbin said something he didn’t mean. He had no intention of calling him. Being alone was more comfortable than being with the frustrating man, but he was capable of paying lip service.

Choi Sungbin was in a good mood today. He was tired, but don’t you have days like that for no reason? Today was exactly that kind of day. A day where he felt inexplicably excited and wanted to be playful and treat someone kindly.

He beckoned to the man.

“Come closer.”

Without a second thought, Choi Sungbin scooped up the whipped cream piled high in the cup with his finger. Then, he smeared the cream on the tip of the man’s nose. Yang Juwon’s eyes widened, and Choi Sungbin burst out laughing.

“Haha, you’ve got some on your nose.”

“You’re the one who did it.”

Yang Juwon hastily wiped the whipped cream off his nose. If I told him to shove his face in the whipped cream, would he do it? Choi Sungbin had a wicked thought that not even an elementary schooler would have, but he quickly dismissed it. Instead, he held out his index finger.

“Get me a napkin. My hand feels sticky.”

Yang Juwon wiped his nose with his palm and stood up. He returned from the condiment station in the corner of the cafe with napkins and wet wipes. Choi Sungbin hummed a tune as he wiped the whipped cream from his finger, and Yang Juwon busily wiped his nose and palm.

“Should I go wash my hands…”

Choi Sungbin mumbled his thought loud enough for it to be heard. The shoulders of the man across from him flinched noticeably. Huh? Choi Sungbin looked up. He asked again, without a smile.

“Want to go wash hands together?”

Yang Juwon must have understood. Sure enough, his Adam’s apple bobbed significantly. His head froze, then moved left and right in a short motion before he raised only his eyes to meet his. The man, who must have been at least 180 cm tall, acted so meekly.

There must be women who like this type, yet for some unknown reason, he’s been lured by me. It was a pity. Even more so because he was decent-looking.

“I’m kidding.”

Choi Sungbin replied calmly.

“Oh, right.”

Yang Juwon answered nonchalantly, but his hand was hasty as he picked up his cup. He gulped down his coffee and flapped his collar. After letting out a long sigh through his nose, he finally parted his lips.

“But.”

“Yes.”

“I did bring it.”

“Bring what?”

“The mouthwash… You told me to carry it.”

Choi Sungbin studied the man’s face. The man, who had been stammering with a beet-red face, finally bit his lip. Choi Sungbin pushed the cup that was in front of him forward.

“Stop drinking and let’s go wash our hands.”

The man, who caught the meaning, stared at the cup in front of him with a blank expression.

“I’ll go put this away.”

The chair on the opposite side was pulled back.

“Does it taste good?”

At the question, Yang Juwon raised his gaze. Seeing the man looking down at him with bored eyes, he realized he was doing it wrong. His jaw felt like it would fall off, and his unhealed lip stung. How many people must have asked him to do this? With that sudden thought, Yang Juwon nodded, the head of his penis still in his mouth.

“You know it doesn’t.”

“…”

“Lick the front a little more with your tongue. Point it up.”

Whenever his eyes curved into a soft crescent, it felt as if his mind went completely blank. Though he knew it was wrong, Yang Juwon moved closer to him. He opened his throat and took his member into his mouth. The deeply penetrating penis blocked his airway and then pressed down hard.

Gag. He spat out the penis with a choking sound. A long string of saliva stretched out and then broke as he gasped for breath. Yang Juwon gripped his thighs and hung his head low. A menacing shadow was cast by the rigidly erect penis.

His hair at the crown of his head was grabbed, and his head was forced back against his will. Yang Juwon frowned and raised his gaze.

“Want to try masturbating too?”

Choi Sungbin asked nonchalantly. Of course, he had masturbated in front of him before. By gripping and kneading the front of his pants, or by being told to go to the bathroom and take care of it. Though he was sexually reserved, it wasn’t that he didn’t masturbate. Even now, he was fully aroused from sucking Choi Sungbin’s dick.

But to do it in the deepest stall of a public bathroom. Yang Juwon wet his lips with his tongue. It tasted foul.

“You can do it.”

The man replied as if granting a great favor. He knew he couldn’t refuse. If he could have, he wouldn’t be on his knees in a bathroom stall, sucking his cock.

Yang Juwon finally reached down and undid his buckle. As he took out his penis, the man’s sneer rained down on him from above. He gripped his penis, which was wet with precum.

“Suck me again.”

“…”

“Suck me like a whore. I don’t like innocence.”

Choi Sungbin grabbed the back of his head and pushed it forward. Yang Juwon jerked his own cock while sucking his. Each time he thrust back and forth vigorously, his chest heaved up and down. He rubbed the bridge of his nose against the shaft, took in as much as he could, and then let out ragged breaths, letting drool escape.

Even when it felt like his mouth would burst, he moved his head back and forth. There were times when Choi Sungbin would also let out a low breath. His tongue would roll, his philtrum would stretch, and one of his cheeks would protrude and recede with the motion.

As the pace quickened, the wet sounds continued endlessly. Yang Juwon squeezed his eyes shut and gripped his own groin. Just a little more, just a little more.

“Trying to cum all by himself.”

Choi Sungbin shoved his head away. Ugh. A wave of nausea rose, but he endured it, his eyes rolling back. He tried hard to roll his tongue. He strained his cheeks to suck as hard as he could. He let saliva dribble out, making loud, sticky sounds.

Hah…, not long after, Choi Sungbin let out a low breath. He pushed Yang Juwon’s head away as if flicking off a bug. Before he could even spit out the semen filling his mouth, Yang Juwon was able to get away from him. His own hand was already a mess. It was drenched in semen.

Yang Juwon looked up at him, semen still in his mouth.

“Are you going to spit?”

Choi Sungbin asked. Yang Juwon pooled the foul-tasting semen under his tongue. Every time he rolled his tongue, the viscous fluid mixed with his saliva.

“Can you eat your own cum too?”

And he calls me a pervert and whatnot.

Yang Juwon did not want to eat his own semen. He lowered his eyes and tilted his head.

“I get it.”

Choi Sungbin replied with surprising compliance. Did I ruin his mood? He seemed happy earlier. Or was he not?

Choi Sungbin is so difficult. He would be joking around and then suddenly turn serious, or he would get angry, making people self-conscious, and then laugh, saying, I’m kidding. I don’t know what beat to follow. It was the same this time.

“Then at least swallow mine. Don’t spit.”

Should I be relieved that he’s not telling me to swallow my own? Yang Juwon squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed the man’s semen. For a moment, he felt like he was going to gag, but he tensed his throat and held it back. His body trembled, but he endured and endured to not let it show.

Is this what couples normally did? I don’t think it was like this with Youngnan.

This is just.

“…”

Yang Juwon propped himself up with a hand on the toilet seat. He purposefully didn’t even glance at the toilet. In the meantime, Choi Sungbin rolled up some toilet paper. He put the carelessly torn toilet paper directly into his hand.

“Wipe.”

Yang Juwon clumsily wiped his hand and his penis. He shifted his body to fasten his pants buckle. Feeling a gaze on him, he paused and looked over.

“Aren’t you going to wipe mine?”

“Ah…”

It was difficult to keep up with him, who would ask things in a cold voice just moments after being affectionate. Yang Juwon threw away the toilet paper he was holding and quickly grabbed a new wad.

He fluffed up the toilet paper and wiped his penis. Only then did Choi Sungbin pull up his pants.

“I have to go to class.”

He grabbed his bag from the door stopper attached to the top of the door. Yang Juwon picked up his own belongings from the floor. The two stood side by side at the sinks. Unlike Choi Sungbin, who was washing his hands, Yang Juwon took out mouthwash from his bag and rinsed his mouth. I should bring a toothbrush and toothpaste next time, he thought as he swished.

“I’m leaving.”

“Okay.”

With the mouthwash in his mouth, Yang Juwon answered with a slurred voice. Ptooey. He spat out the contents of his mouth. For a moment, his eyes met Choi Sungbin’s in the mirror. The other man, who had been staring coldly as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have, turned away without a word.

“I’ll contact you.”

You never have. But Yang Juwon couldn’t say it. It might be taken as a complaint. He was scared of how his words might be received by Choi Sungbin.

Just like that, Choi Sungbin left the bathroom without a moment’s hesitation.

Left alone, Yang Juwon stared at his reflection in the mirror. The corners of his mouth were split, and his still-flushed face was a sorry sight. He covered his eyes with one hand. He let out a short sigh. Then, he quickly gathered his things and followed him out. The hallway was already empty.

It’s not like I was hoping he’d be waiting, but… I have to get used to it.

“Oh, hello! You’re Yang Juwon oppa, right?”

He hadn’t expected to run into someone as soon as he stepped into the stairwell. Yang Juwon mulled over her name. He didn’t know her last name, but her first name was Hyena. He had often seen her with Choi Sungbin. It even happened today. Do they go on dates behind my back?

Instead of answering, Yang Juwon gave a slight nod as a greeting.

“You were with Sungbin earlier. Have you two gotten close?”

“No, just.”

Although he had rinsed his mouth with mouthwash, he covered his mouth with his hand, worried that the smell of semen might linger.

“Oh. Ah! You know, oppa. The upperclassmen are going for drinks this Friday, would you like to come? To get to know each other.”

She had an easygoing and bright personality. To be honest, she was the opposite of Choi Sungbin. Choi Sungbin was rotten. He pretends to be kind, but deep down, he’s a nasty person. He looks clean on the outside, but if you peel back the wrapping, it’s all mold.

Am I not supposed to say things like this about my lover? It was separate from his feelings for him. He could see him objectively. He liked him, but he wasn’t a good person.

Choi Sungbin would probably go to this drinking party too. Yang Juwon looked down at Hyena. As their eyes met for a long moment, Hyena touched her cheek.

“Did I get something on my face?”

“No.”

“There are a lot of people who want to get to know you, oppa. Me too. You have to come.”

“Okay.”

“You’ll come?”

“Yeah.”

“Yay! Then can I have your phone number? I’ll contact you.”

Yang Juwon took the phone handed to him and entered his number. Soon, a short vibration sounded. Hyena had called him.

“My name is Lee Hyena, you forgot, didn’t you, oppa? Please save it. I’ll really contact you on Friday.”

“Okay.”

“See you then.”

Having delivered her message, Hyena ran up the stairs. Left alone again, Yang Juwon stopped to save Hyena’s name in his phone. What year was she? I’m sure I heard that too. The fact that Choi Sungbin calls her noona means she’s in a higher year than him, but she could have started late… but that seems unlikely.

In the end, Yang Juwon couldn’t input her year and just saved her name.

📝

For some reason, the school atmosphere was always restless on Fridays. Students who enjoyed drinking parties were busy gathering people who were scattered all over.

Choi Sungbin was planning to spend tonight with Yang Juwon. It wasn’t because they were lovers. ‘Lover’ was a grandiose modifier. Would anyone give a pet name to a toilet? It was just because it was convenient. He had become attached to the convenience.

He would give a blowjob without being asked, he didn’t want anything in return, and it was comfortable without needing to weigh the dynamics of mutual communication. If at one point he had found that kind of precarious tightrope walk fun, now it was just… easy, without any thought.

Good morning. I have a lot of classes today.

As expected, a message had arrived. Choi Sungbin swiped up the message to check the man’s schedule. In exchange for keeping his Mondays free, his Fridays were quite packed.

So what. Choi Sungbin had classes on Monday. He planned to call him out. Whether to ask him to buy him a meal, or buy him coffee, or even to tell the man with no classes to sit on a bench and wait for him until his classes were over, whatever it was.

I didn’t know my personality was this childish. Was it because he hadn’t met someone he needed to be this way with until now?

Choi Sungbin sent a short reply.

Okay. Did you eat lunch?

Yeah. I’m eating a triangle kimbap. I have a short break.

He pictured the man eating a triangle kimbap, huddled in a convenience store. He would be sitting there gloomily by himself in that noisy space. Kimbap, triangle kimbap, sometimes a convenience store lunch box. He didn’t understand why a person could be so predictable.

Tsk, Choi Sungbin clicked his tongue and called him. It didn’t take long for him to answer the phone.

—Yeah.

“Why did you take so long to answer the phone?”

Choi Sungbin snapped irritably, but he was grinning. How will he react? Will he be flustered and unable to say anything?

As expected, from the other side of the phone, he couldn’t even answer properly, sounding foolish. Before an excuse could come, he started a pointless argument.

“And why are you eating alone? I was at school. Shouldn’t you have asked?”

—Ah, sorry. I didn’t know we were supposed to eat together.

The man answered with a slurred voice. He could occasionally hear chewing sounds, as if there was food in his mouth. Choi Sungbin didn’t feel bad, but he wasn’t enjoying it either. It was an ordinary day without any particularly outstanding emotions.

“I’m at the park in front of the College of Social Sciences, come here.”

—I’ll be there.

The man didn’t say that he was eating right now or that he had class soon. He liked this part about him. Then again, if he had made this or that excuse, he wouldn’t have even thought of meeting him. The man was well aware of who had to crawl in this relationship.

After ending the call, Choi Sungbin checked his messages at the short vibration. It was Hyena. Since he hadn’t replied properly for the past few days, seven messages had piled up. Only then did the accumulated messages catch his eye.

Can I go to the hotel after our drinks tonight?
You’re not picking up. Call me when you see this. ㅜㅜ
I was thinking of going to the hotel since I couldn’t reach you, but I’ll just go home. See you next time!
Bin-ah, are you at school?
Why are you so hard to reachㅡㅡ
What time does your class end today? Buy me food.
Sungbin-ah, you know we have plans today, right? Let’s go together. The others are happy you’re coming too.

He had been really out of touch. Choi Sungbin quickly sent a reply. It wasn’t that he had been meeting anyone else in particular, it was just one of those times when everything felt like a hassle. The reason he didn’t have a lover was to prevent the unfortunate situation of getting annoyed at times like this.

Because there was no need to console someone when they got sulky because he wasn’t reachable. If they crossed the line and showed signs of being upset, he could say that they were nothing to each other. That applied not only to him but to the other person as well.

Whoever they met, whatever they did, there was no need to feel upset with each other. Since there were no expectations, there was no reason to be disappointed.

I don’t think I can make it today. I can’t drink anyway, so I’m just not going to go.

A reply from Hyena came back quickly.

Why? ㅜㅜ

Noona, I can’t drink anyway. Let’s just the two of us hang out next time.

Can’t be helped then. We’re really hanging out just the two of us next time, okay?

Yeah. As he was finishing his messages with Hyena, he heard the sound of someone stepping on grass. His gaze naturally shifted. It was Yang Juwon. Choi Sungbin slowly scanned him up and down and then spoke bluntly without thinking.

“Sunbae, do you even wash that sweatshirt?”

“Why?”

“Because you wear it every day.”

“It’s a different one. Today this one has on the sleeve…”

“Never mind.”

One moment he called for him, the next he had an indifferent look on his face and shifted his gaze straight ahead. Yang Juwon couldn’t even sit down next to him and just stood there, holding his spot. Choi Sungbin pointed to the seat next to him with his chin. Only then did he sit. He had to be told every single little thing to do it.

“Can’t you just figure it out on your own? Are you only going to listen if I tell you every single thing?”

Instead of answering, Yang Juwon feigned ignorance. Annoyance slowly started to fill his previously neutral mood. How can a person be this frustrating? Should I just tell him to go back?

“Choi Sungbin.”

Surprisingly, it was Yang Juwon who spoke first. Choi Sungbin was too annoyed to even answer, so he just glanced at him instead.

“Did you eat?”

“No.”

He didn’t really feel like eating right now. He was planning to sponge off Yang Juwon later. Whether it was stopping by a restaurant or something else before going to the hotel. Though Yang Juwon would hand over his card with a deathly pale face. That wasn’t his concern.

“I’ll buy you something from the convenience store. Let’s go.”

“I don’t want to fill my stomach with convenience store food.”

“Ah. Right.”

Yang Juwon scratched his head and gave an awkward reply. He felt like he had called him over for no reason. It wasn’t fun, and it was just frustratingly annoying.

Choi Sungbin muttered to himself.

“This is no fun.”

“…”

He felt the gaze on him, but since it wasn’t an incorrect statement, he didn’t correct it. It couldn’t be helped. This man was born to be uninteresting. Boring and dull and frustrating.

It was hard to expect fun from a human who only sat down when told to. It’s not like they were meeting to have fun anyway.

Choi Sungbin let out a low sigh.

“Sunbae.”

“Yeah.”

“Just go back.”

“Huh?”

“I’m going to stay here alone and then go to my lecture, so just go.”

Yang Juwon wet his lips with his tongue. Watching him gently bite his lower lip, Choi Sungbin placed his hand on his knee. This man has no charm. Even though words could pay off a thousand nyang debt, he kept his mouth firmly shut.

What would it have been like with someone else? He wouldn’t have told them to leave in the first place, but if he had, they would have pestered him, saying they wanted to stay by his side. They wouldn’t have just kept their mouth shut and held their ground like someone he knew.

Having the man next to him was annoying. Even when he got on his nerves, there was no real reaction. In the end, it was just him getting frustrated on his own. He could take out his anger on him, but since they would see each other again later anyway, there was no need.

“Sunbae.”

“Yeah.”

He answers well, the stupid bastard.

Choi Sungbin barely managed to swallow the words that were about to pop out of his mouth.

“We have to see each other again later anyway, so just go to your lecture for now.”

“Ah, today?”

“Yes.”

“Do the people there… know… about you and me?”

“The people?”

Choi Sungbin, who had been openly showing his boredom, finally fixed his gaze on the man. He had only asked back because it was an out-of-the-blue statement, but the man’s eyes darted back and forth. As if he were flustered.

“There’s a drinking party today.”

“A drinking party.”

Choi Sungbin mulled over the word. A drinking party. Had he said he was going to a drinking party?

“Yeah. The upperclassmen are getting together for drinks, there.”

Choi Sungbin recalled the drinking party he had turned down just a moment ago. It seemed Hyena, who had said she wanted to get to know Yang Juwon, had ended up inviting him.

Choi Sungbin’s mood turned openly sour. He jumped to conclusions and made drinking plans all by himself, and now he’s using someone else as an excuse.

“Did you say you were going there?”

“Yeah. Weren’t you coming?”

“Without even asking me?”

“Ah…”

He removed the hand that was on his knee. The man flinched.

“Have you ever seen me drink?”

“…”

“Then why are you using me as an excuse for a drinking appointment?”

So while he was acting all pathetic in front of me, behind my back he was thinking of attending a department gathering.

“You were the one who said it.”

He let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.

“That I have a bad reputation in the department. Why would I go to a place like that? I’d just get bad-mouthed behind my back.”

“…”

“Don’t make excuses. It’s annoying.”

It was a hassle, so this turned out well. The morning and evening greetings, the relationship that was tied up under the label of lovers. It was a good catch. Choi Sungbin nodded his head and got up. To be honest, he didn’t know the opportunity would come this quickly.

“Sunbae.”

“…”

“Let’s break up.”

Ah, the man’s lips parted. A shadow fell over his previously calm face.

“It’s ridiculous that you’re going to a drinking party without my permission in the first place, and using me as an excuse for it is…”

“I won’t go.”

The man cut in between his unfinished sentence. Regardless of whether he did or not, Choi Sungbin continued speaking.

“No. Go. Go and drink all the alcohol you like. You’d better not skip it. I’m going to call Noona and ask if you came or not.”

“Then we are…”

“We’ve broken up. It’s over now. Got it? I’m leaving.”

Choi Sungbin turned and walked away without hesitation. It was a good time to end it. For a little over a week, he had dated the man as he wanted.

In the first place, he had dated the man with the intention of ending things, so he had no lingering feelings. Will he stop being a nuisance now? Choi Sungbin didn’t even look back.

Is there anyone to go on a date with today? He searched for someone to meet among the piled-up messages, but no one really caught his fancy.

The biggest factor was that he had gotten a taste of convenience. The precarious power struggle that he had previously found enjoyable had now become a hassle.

With a bored expression, Choi Sungbin waited for the lecture to end. First, I’ll go home… then I’ll think about what’s next later. It’s a hassle.

Tap. At the feeling on his back, he tilted his head. The woman sitting in the back seat held out a neatly folded memo. Choi Sungbin looked back and forth between the hand holding the memo and the woman.

The woman hesitated and urged him to take it. He could feel people around them watching. He wondered if it was okay to do this during a lecture, but Choi Sungbin took the memo and smiled with his eyes. He returned to his original seat and unfolded the note.

I’ve seen you a few times in class, and I wanted to get to know you.
Please be sure to contact me at 010—XXXX—XXXX. I want to be friends.

The moment he received the note, he had expected it to some extent. It was a familiar occurrence. It wasn’t because he was exceptionally handsome, but because everyone else was just so-so. His face wasn’t ugly, so he was bound to stand out.

Choi Sungbin folded the memo back to its original state and tucked it into the wallet that had been on his desk. A new person is better than a familiar face.

When he came out after the lecture, the inside of the building was quieter than usual. As is typical on a Friday afternoon, a certain number of students who had finished their lectures early had already left.

On the way to the lobby, a group of familiar faces was gathered. There seemed to be at least seven or eight of them. Seeing Hyena among them, it seemed that the members of the drinking party she had recommended were them.

Choi Sungbin, who was about to let his gaze pass over them indifferently, stopped in his tracks. Yang Juwon alone towered above the students. He was shorter than him, so he had forgotten, but he was easily 180cm tall. He had forgotten for a moment.

The man in the gloomy clothes felt extremely out of place. He didn’t fit in with them, who were smiling brightly.

“He actually goes when I tell him to.”

He was the one who told him to go, but what is this. It was certain that because he was decent-looking, he stood out more than the other guys in the group. His face must have played a part in why Hyena wanted to get to know him. She said she liked handsome men, even if they were conceited about their looks.

Choi Sungbin started walking. He had intended to pass by indifferently, but he found himself approaching them.

“Oh, Sungbin-ah!”

The first person to acknowledge him was Hyena. He approached her as she waved her hand with a happy face.

“Hey.”

Choi Sungbin deliberately curved his eyes as he greeted her. Yang Juwon’s expressionless face turned glum. Of course it should.

“Are you really not going with us? Just hang out for a little bit and then go. I won’t hold you back if you get drunk. Huh?”

Hyena’s voice was more charming than usual. She seemed to be in a good mood, as if it was a long-awaited drinking party. Choi Sungbin met her eyes and smiled, then looked at Yang Juwon. He met his wandering eyes coldly. The man’s gaze finally dropped to the floor.

I might as well go. What’s the big deal about a drinking party anyway. I need to see Yang Juwon squirm too. I don’t know what kind of drinking party he was looking forward to, but.

“I want to go too, Noona. Is it okay if I don’t drink?”

“Oh, really? Yeah, great. Everyone knows you can’t drink. Let’s go, let’s go together.”

Hyena, her face brightening, grabbed his arm and pulled. Choi Sungbin let himself be led by her hand without putting any strength into it.

His gaze met Yang Juwon’s one more time.

📝

It’s true that I came on purpose. Because Yang Juwon is a pain in the ass.

Unlike Yang Juwon, who sat at the end of the U-shaped sofa, Choi Sungbin naturally ended up sitting in the middle. It was a familiar bar to Choi Sungbin as well. He didn’t drink, but he had been dragged here a few times.

It was one of the bars that the department treated as a regular spot. A place that naturally became a regular spot passed down from seniors to juniors, from generation to generation. In the corner of the bar, which was full of tables, there was a rather stylish sofa seat, and when students from the public administration department came in a group, they were naturally guided there.

“Let’s not drink soju today.”

“Isn’t it better to just order soju at first?”

“Order whatever. I don’t care.”

“Ah. I’m hungry.”

The students who had settled down flipped through the menu or scanned the tablet menu. While they were chattering loudly about whether to get vodka or whiskey, Choi Sungbin moved his eyes. The man who had taken a seat in the corner was sitting with a bored expression. He always insisted on corners like that and hid himself in gloomy clothes.

It was the same on the day he first met him. Among the students enjoying the bustling atmosphere of the new semester, he alone was sitting with a bored expression, sipping his drink.

“There are people here for the first time, shouldn’t we accommodate them?”

Choi Sungbin deliberately looked at Yang Juwon as he spoke. Only then did a few pairs of eyes follow his.

“Ah. Right. Oppa, what kind of alcohol do you like?”

When Hyena followed up with a question, Yang Juwon showed a flustered expression. Yet he sat there stolidly. Maybe I’m the only one who knows he’s flustered. I could see the man’s emotions, but others didn’t seem to know.

Choi Sungbin leaned back against the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. For some reason, there was a red stain on the white ceiling. Can the soup splash that far? he wondered, but when alcohol is involved, what can’t you do.

“I don’t care. I can drink anything.”

A calm voice reached him.

“Hyung, are you a good drinker?”

“He drinks quite a bit.”

The question was directed at Yang Juwon, but Choi Sungbin answered. Seeing him down several bottles of soju, he must be a good drinker.

“How do you know?”

Hyena, who was sitting across from him, asked, and Choi Sungbin replied with his head tilted.

“Because I’m close with Sunbae.”

“You said you weren’t close earlier.”

“I think we might be close.”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t know him well?”

“I do know him. I was joking.”

Choi Sungbin ignored the man who was staring at him.

Perhaps because it was a soft sofa, his body felt more sluggish than usual.

Since everyone except him liked and drank alcohol well, they decided to start with soju and then order vodka later. Since Choi Sungbin was a novice when it came to alcohol, he just went along with it.

Since there were a lot of people, the soju bottles piled up quickly. Staring at the empty plate in front of him, he poured water into a glass and drank. The water stains were the same either way, but the transparent glass was still better.

“Choi Sungbin was playing so hard to get earlier, saying he wasn’t coming.”

Hyena, who had gulped down her soju, said in a voice tinged with disappointment. Choi Sungbin just slightly raised the corners of his mouth and then let them fall. He wasn’t playing hard to get, he really had no intention of coming. Because his original schedule for today wasn’t this kind of shitty drinking party.

“Let’s just eat out instead of drinking. I can’t drink.”

“What did you say happens when you drink?”

“Just. I fall asleep as if I’ve collapsed.”

“What’s your tolerance?”

They had invited Yang Juwon, but the questions were pouring in my direction. There was nothing to call a tolerance. One shot of soju made him tipsy, two shots made him feel hot, and with three shots, he would fall asleep wherever he was. If he drank, the person drinking with him would also not have fun. And since there was nothing fun about getting drunk, he didn’t drink.

When did he find out he couldn’t drink? It was probably in the 2nd year of middle school. His father’s girlfriend got drunk and clung to him. His pride was hurt by her words, Please, just try one shot, so he drank. And then, as expected, he had a hard time.

His father, who was looking at the glass in front of him, watched silently and then took his girlfriend into the room. The door closed, and before the woman’s scream-like gasping breaths could be heard, Choi Sungbin went up to his room. Even though it was only one shot, he clung to the toilet and threw up.

After that, once in high school, and just one more time in college. He tried challenging it, but the result was the same. He thought it was a relief. He enjoyed sex and cigarettes, so if he also drank, wouldn’t he be truly beyond redemption?

In that dark place, Choi Sungbin periodically looked at Yang Juwon. The man answered the words directed at him bluntly and downed his drink. Every time he looked at him, he was downing a glass. It’s not like he’s bragging about being a good drinker either. Choi Sungbin clicked his tongue shortly. Tsk.

“By the way, oppa, why did you have your bangs down at the beginning of the semester? You look much more handsome now.”

Hyena’s attention shifted to Yang Juwon. The man, who was just putting down his soju glass, bit his lip. He shook his head. He swept his bangs back with his hand, tidied them up, and then wrapped his hand around his neck. His voice was like a mumble, but it was delivered well enough.

“Just. I didn’t know how to dress myself up well.”

“Were you trying to grow your hair long? A lot of guys are trying to grow their hair long these days. But I think you look much better now, oppa.”

“No. Not long hair. I missed the timing.”

He said it with surprising nonchalance. Have I been looking down on him too much? He speaks so well with women like this.

“I was the one who told him to cut it.”

I hadn’t intended to say it, but the words just slipped out. It wasn’t because I was annoyed to see the person who fumbles in front of me sitting there with the composed demeanor of a senior.

Only then did Yang Juwon look at me. Not only him, but everyone sitting around the table looked at me, but Choi Sungbin didn’t care.

“You told him to cut it?”

“Yeah. It looked stuffy, so I told him to cut it.”

“Haha, that’s cute. It makes him sound like a well-behaved puppy.”

The female student sitting next to me placed her hand on my forearm and laughed quietly. Choi Sungbin also showed a slight smile and looked down. It was the first time he had spoken to this senior today. I think she was in the same year as Hyena.

Letting it go, he met Yang Juwon’s eyes again. He must know what shame is, as he sat there with a stiff expression. He seemed to be a little drunk too. Choi Sungbin got up.

“Where are you going?”

The senior next to him asked. Um, Choi Sungbin drew out his voice briefly.

“I’m going to the bathroom and then out for a smoke.”

The smell in the bar is always nauseating. All sorts of unnecessarily pungent smells were jumbled together. It was a bar with a separate smoking room, but he went out for a smoke in the fresh air before coming back in.

Choi Sungbin looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He hadn’t had a single drink, but it felt like he had. Are there people who get drunk just from the air? He had a pointlessly silly thought, which was unlike him.

Click, the doorknob turned. Since it was a bathroom used by several establishments, Choi Sungbin checked the person coming in through the mirror without much thought. Yang Juwon. He watched the man who carefully stepped through the door.

“You weren’t coming back. Even after a while.”

“It’s only been a few minutes since I came out.”

“Still. I was worried.”

“Aren’t there plenty of people to worry about over there? You seemed to be doing well, talking and getting a lot of attention.”

Choi Sungbin sneered. It was usually like this when he talked to the man, but it was especially worse today. Yang Juwon bit his lip. He wanted to make an excuse but said nothing. He was like his usual self.

Choi Sungbin knew he was being childish towards this man. If he really didn’t care, he wouldn’t have come to such a boring drinking party.

And that’s what’s more annoying.

Only then did Choi Sungbin turn away from the sink. He crossed his arms and stood with his weight on one leg. As always, the man had his head half-bowed.

“Choi Sungbin.”

“Yes.”

“If you want to go back, you can go. I don’t know why you came, but… you don’t like it. Alcohol.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Just.”

“Speak clearly. Don’t just throw things out there and make me dwell on them.”

“…I don’t know why you came. You said we should break up. Then why…”

“You’re not mistaking this for me coming because I was worried about you, are you?”

Yang Juwon fell silent again. Ha—, Choi Sungbin, who laughed as if in disbelief, strode towards him. He pushed the man’s shoulder with his palm.

“Hey.”

“…”

“Why would I come to a place like this because I care about you? Say something that makes sense. Huh?”

Acknowledging it himself and the man noticing it were two different things.

Choi Sungbin left Yang Juwon and exited the bathroom. Not much time had passed since he had gone out, but the atmosphere was chaotic. Unlike a moment ago, there were also a few familiar but unpleasant faces.

“Oh, Sungbin, you’re here?”

At the voice that feigned closeness, Choi Sungbin openly hardened his expression. He then checked Hyena’s complexion. Even though her ex-boyfriend, Changsu, and the riffraff he dragged around were with him, she had a surprisingly nonchalant face. She showed no sign of displeasure.

“We just came for a second round, and I heard the juniors were here, so I came to see their faces.”

Choi Sungbin ignored his original seat and sat next to Hyena on the opposite side. Changsu, despite being the one who got caught cheating with her friend, also narrowed his eyes sharply.

Choi Sungbin whispered into Hyena’s ear.

“Noona, are you okay? Why are they here?”

“He asked where I was, so I just told him. I didn’t know he would just show up unannounced either.”

It had only been a month or two since they broke up, but it seemed they were in contact again. It could be possible. Hyena always had a boyfriend. It was surprising that she had been single for several months. Also, Changsu… it was none of his business.

Maybe it was because they both cheated with other people while they were dating. They were a well-matched pair.

Changsu raised his voice and led the atmosphere. It was just laughable.

“We’ll pay, so it’s okay if we hang out together, right? It’s been a while since you were here, Sungbin, so it’d be nice to talk. You never join the guys-only gatherings.”

“I just don’t join boring gatherings.”

“How can it be boring. You’ve never even been.”

The man let out a sneer. He was probably drunk from the first round, and though he usually picked fights with him, it was worse today. Whatever. Talking for long with a stupid bastard only led to annoyance.

Choi Sungbin hated being in gatherings with men. The pointless hierarchy and the vulgar jokes were not fun. All they did was rank people and make a string of sexual assumptions.

Choi Sungbin tilted his head down slightly and raised the corner of his mouth. Ha, the sneer seemed to have reached the man, as the man lowered his voice.

“You think your seniors are a joke?”

“Who cares about seniors and juniors in this day and age? People who get along hang out together.”

“Isn’t it not about getting along, but about getting it on for you?”

“So you didn’t come here for a drink, but to pick a fight.”

He straightened his tilted head. Only Seokjun, who was next to the man, looked troubled and fidgeted. I told you not to hang out with him, stupid bastard. He was just ruining his own image.

It wasn’t just rumors about him that were spreading behind his back. It was worse for those loud, cliquey guys. It wasn’t like they were playing high school cliques or something.

“Changsu, stop it. We didn’t come here for this. There’s no need to be on bad terms. You said you wanted to make up with Hyena too.”

Another friend next to him stopped him. Sungbin-ah, I’m sorry. At the apology offered on his behalf, Choi Sungbin just slowly closed and opened his eyes. The man’s expression became even more ferocious.

Ah, this is fucked. Choi Sungbin wanted to go home. Dealing with drunk people was disgusting. Especially a son of a bitch like this.

“Aren’t you going to say anything when a senior apologizes to you?”

“The one who should be apologizing isn’t that senior, is it?”

“Sungbin-ah, stop it.”

Hyena grabbed Choi Sungbin’s forearm and stopped him. I wasn’t planning on fighting. Choi Sungbin gave her a smiling look with his eyes.

Even though he had no intention of continuing the argument, a sense of pleasure followed every time the man’s eyes widened as if he was about to lose it. It was annoying to be picked on, but his emotions didn’t boil over to the point of a fight. He just answered the questions asked of him. It wasn’t worth the emotional energy.

A firm voice reached them.

“You apologize, oppa. You’re the one who ruined the mood. If you don’t want to, then just go.”

“Hey, you too? Do you think I came here because I wanted to?”

“So if you’re not going to apologize, then go.”

What on earth are they doing behind my back that the man softens at Hyena’s single word?

College is no different from the animal kingdom. When young men and women in their prime are always together, it’s impossible for feelings not to develop.

Even lovers who had a falling out would reignite their passion when their eyes met. They would fight like fire and then make up like fire, kissing and sucking.

Ah. The two of them.

Choi Sungbin just let it be. He didn’t understand, but it was possible. You never know how a relationship will turn out.

The man ruffled his neatly styled hair.

“Aish. Hey, Sungbin-ah, sorry. I didn’t come here to pick a fight. I just came to see the others since I heard they were here.”

“It seemed like you came to pick a fight, but okay.”

“Are you going to keep talking like that until the end?”

Choi Sungbin finally shut his mouth after getting an earful from Hyena. Normally, he would have pretended to be nice, but since he wasn’t in a good mood right now, he ended up being sarcastic. A forced smile was his specialty, but he couldn’t even muster a smile now.

Just then, breaking through the awkward atmosphere, Yang Juwon returned to his seat. He seemed to already know the situation, as he didn’t look surprised. Ah. So that’s why he said I could go back. Because he knew it would be uncomfortable.

Such pointless meddling.

“What are you doing?”

Choi Sungbin asked Yang Juwon, who had deliberately sat down right next to him out of all the available seats. Yang Juwon was silent. I’ve never seen him speak properly. Fucking idiot. Why did the atmosphere have to become like this?

Changsu, who was sitting across from them, opened his mouth. While he was hostile to me, he seems to be quite happy to see Yang Juwon.

“Juwon, you never hang out with us. Why are you here?”

“It just happened.”

“I asked him to come. I wanted to get to know him.”

Hyena chimed in. Changsu replied with a half-hearted, Uh-huh.

“We’ll arrange a guys-only gathering soon, so come to that too. We should have a drink.”

So they do talk to each other. Were they classmates? Come to think of it, how old is Yang Juwon?

Choi Sungbin just listened silently to the three of them talk. Yang Juwon mumbled a small, We’ll see, and then picked up a bottle to fill his glass. Is he an alcoholic or something? Is there a reason to pour his own drink when there are so many people here? So pathetic.

Choi Sungbin snatched the liquor bottle from the man’s hand as if to take it away. Yang Juwon flinched. When he urged him with his hand, he picked up his glass. As he poured him a shot of soju, the man across from them also held out his glass.

This son of a bitch. Choi Sungbin raised his head with an annoyed expression.

“Hey, fill me a glass. I apologized, didn’t I? When else would we talk if not now. You’re playing so hard to get.”

He was drunk and going back and forth. One moment he was picking a fight as soon as he arrived, and now he was busy grinning. Choi Sungbin just held the liquor bottle silently and kept his seat. It was then.

“I’ll pour it for you. Don’t order him around.”

Yang Juwon took the bottle from his hand. Then he filled Changsu’s glass. Ha! The man who burst out laughing muttered.

“This bastard acts so high and mighty…”

“Don’t call him this bastard and that bastard. I filled your glass, isn’t that enough?”

Choi Sungbin was so surprised he turned his head. It was Yang Juwon who had cleared up the situation with a firm voice.

When he opened his eyes wide, Yang Juwon let out a small, sigh-like breath. To think he’s taking my side. But the feeling wasn’t so bad. It’s because humans are beings who become more emboldened in front of their allies.

“…Want me to fill your glass?”

When the other three people had clinked their glasses and drank, Choi Sungbin asked Yang Juwon. No, it’s okay. He could imagine the man stammering. But the man just looked at Choi Sungbin without a word. Only then could Choi Sungbin smile. So he wants me to.

“Okay.”

Choi Sungbin poured a drink into the man’s glass. He gave Hyena a glass too and put the bottle down. Changsu muttered a curse under his breath.

“You don’t even treat me like a person, do you?”

“I’m just going to play a little more hard to get.”

“Ha, really.”

Choi Sungbin responded to the man who was laughing as if in disbelief with a smile. His mood had gotten better, even good. It was nice to have someone on his side. Hyena would be in a difficult position. Whatever the reason for their breakup, she would probably want to get back together with her ex-boyfriend.

Choi Sungbin placed his hand on Yang Juwon’s thigh. Flinch, he could feel his body tremble. He leaned his head towards the man and curved his eyes. He thought he would only have a shitty time coming to the drinking party, but it was surprisingly okay.

As the number of people increased, the speed at which the liquor bottles were emptied picked up. They didn’t move to another place and just kept running in the same spot. It was like they were pouring and drinking as if they were running, not drinking. Choi Sungbin leaned openly against Yang Juwon. The hard and rough body of a man, different from a woman’s, stiffened every time he touched it.

Normally, he would have gone home already, but Choi Sungbin stayed put without having a single drink. Yang Juwon didn’t budge and declared himself his ally. When Changsu tried to force him to drink, he drank for him, and when he picked a fight, he told him to stop or filled his glass and forced him to drink.

He didn’t have to do anything. Thanks to that, it was comfortable.

“Sunbae.”

“Uh…”

The man, who had been emptying his glass to match the atmosphere, answered in a voice that was almost a whisper.

“It’s stuffy in here.”

“Huh?”

“Buy me ice cream.”

Ice cream mentioned at a drinking party was just a device to spend time alone together. To get some fresh air and sober up a bit, since he was drunk. The man probably knew the meaning too.

The man, who had been staring without any reaction, finally pulled his chin in.

“…Why all of a sudden?”

He sat down on a chair placed in front of a convenience store. Choi Sungbin, who was sucking on a melon-flavored ice cream, asked with his eyes what he meant. It was a little past midnight, and although there were many people going in and out of the convenience store, there were no one killing time at the tables and chairs.

“You said… we should stop earlier.”

“Yes.”

“But why…”

I don’t know why you’re suddenly acting like this. As soon as he finished his sentence, the man dropped his head.

“Will you forgive me?”

He asked the man who was asking for a reason in return. The eyes that were looking at the floor turned to face the front. He was looking at Choi Sungbin intently, searching for his intention. It’s just as I said. Choi Sungbin shrugged his shoulders and stopped.

A moment ago, he was in a fucking shitty mood, but now he was okay. His heart had softened towards the man who took his side regardless of the atmosphere. So he decided to forgive him.

“Forgiving me, does that mean you’re taking back what you said about breaking up earlier?”

“Yes. If you want.”

“…”

“If you don’t want to, then don’t.”

“No.”

No?

“Yeah, let’s do that. I’m sorry for deciding on my own without asking you. I’ll ask you before I act from now on.”

“Okay.”

Choi Sungbin answered with a slurred voice while chewing on his ice cream. Yang Juwon once again kept his spot with his head down. He’s not a criminal. He had decided to forgive him. He knew himself that it was just an excuse. Why would he get angry over a drinking party? His decision to forgive him was also just a whim.

He leaned halfway against him and tilted his head.

“Sunbae, did you drink a lot?”

“No, I’m not drunk yet.”

“I think you drank at least three bottles.”

“Were you watching?”

“…”

Choi Sungbin’s expression hardened. Unlike his words, which he had tried to ask affectionately, his voice had suddenly lowered.

“No.”

“Haha, right…”

The man laughed emptily.

Stupid bastard. What’s so funny? Choi Sungbin watched him with cold eyes and then turned his head. Everyone was drunk and staggering. It seemed he was the only sober one.

📝

When he returned with the ice cream, the atmosphere was much more cheerful than when he was there. This is why I hate alcohol. They lose their reason over a few drinks and are all laughing amongst themselves. How pathetic it looks when you’re sober. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but that’s how it was.

Choi Sungbin picked up a water cup to soothe the sweet taste in his mouth. He swallowed it down without even filtering it through his mouth.

“Ah.”

He let out the sound that escaped his lips and put the glass down.

“Ah, fuck…”

He finally muttered a curse. As he raised his head with an annoyed expression, Changsu was watching him with a grin.

“Hey, sorry. I was emptying my glass and poured the alcohol in there, but I forgot to tell you. Didn’t you say you can’t drink? You swallowed that like an idiot?”

He couldn’t even hear the man’s words properly. The mushy-looking thing was grinning.

Choi Sungbin grabbed his throat and scanned the table. There were a couple of bottles of vodka on the table. The burning sensation in his throat and stomach made it clear that it was vodka. There was no way he, who collapsed after three shots of soju, could drink vodka.

Apology my ass. He glared at the man who had done a childish act as revenge, his resentment not having subsided.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“No, I’m telling you it was a mistake. Why are you making such a big deal over one drink?”

“Son of a…”

His body couldn’t handle alcohol in the first place. But since he had drunk vodka as if it were water, there was no way his body could take it. His body started to heat up. The seat next to him sank heavily. Yang Juwon, who had said he was going to the bathroom, joined them late. He heard the man’s voice. As always, it was calm.

“What’s going on?”

He asked me, but I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t keep my balance properly and was staggering. I tried to pull myself together by holding my head up, but I sank deep into the sofa.

A headache and drowsiness washed over me. My head was spinning as if someone had grabbed my head and spun it around and around. I felt nauseous, like I had motion sickness. Even one drink was too much for me, but the alcohol that filled the glass must have been at least a few shots.

“Did you make him drink?”

“No, hey, I just poured it out, but he thought it was water.”

He could hear Yang Juwon and Changsu’s conversation. It was the first time he had heard such a cold voice.

“Why would you force someone who can’t drink to drink? What were you going to do if something happened?”

“I didn’t force him to drink. What’s wrong with you?”

“There’s no way he would have just drunk it.”

“I’m telling you I was emptying the glass.”

“So why would you pour the alcohol into his cup?”

“Can’t that happen when you’re drinking? Why are you taking his side? He used to…”