Soo Emi

"Another one!" I yell and slammed my empty cup on the table. "Come on! I can handle more than you weaklings!"

Some boys cheer while preparing me another drink.

"Was she always this fun?"

"No way this is the princess with the rich dad."

"Dude, she's sick!"

Apparently "sick" means good in this realm.

Several more drinks later and I'm feeling as hype as ever. A feeling I can't describe well except that it makes me want to go skydiving and land on a huge trampoline.

"You heard her!" Wooshin snaps for another glass. "You heard Soo Emi! Another drink, boys!"

I down the cup as quickly as possible and went to the dance floor to shake some body parts just like everyone else.

"LET'S GET IT!" I scream out, throwing off my cardigan.

I immediately drew attention with my loud presence.

Everyone joins me in the middle and the area became hotter. Bodies were pressed against me and normally, I would freak out, but the alcohol made me enjoy every second of it. I felt energy run through me and I was having too much fun without any worries.

I dance with a random person, then another, then another. I spin around with some girls and some boys and even a horse....or someone dressed like a horse!

I don't care!

A cutie from afar held out a hand and began fishing me in. I played along and pretended to get reeled in, but I suddenly get pulled away.

"Hoseok?" I narrow my eyes at the tall figure.

I blink several times, so I could make out who just ruined my dancing streak.

Is that really my boss? Wait......OLD boss?

"Why did you disobey me?" He growls. "That is a very wrong thing to do, Emi! You should know that!"

"Disobey you? For your information, Hoseok, I only obey my father."

"How are you obeying your father by doing this?"

"Simple. He doesn't want me to stress about him." I shrug. "He told me before he went to Japan."

He tightens his jaw. "You're drunk."

"Do you hear me slurring? I don't think so!"

"I've been watching you, Emi!" His eyes darken. "I saw you drink like a maniac! I saw you dancing like some drunkie! Look at you with your short skirt and...low...neckline...."

His eyes travel around my body and I laugh.

"A penny for your thoughts?" I lift his chin up with a finger.

"You're going to need to give me a lot more than a penny to know what I'm thinking." He scoffs, showing a slight smirk.

"Look who's being the dirty one. Whatever. Just admit it, Hoseok. I CAN and DID fit into a party like this! No one even cares about my past. They think I'm fun!"

"It's because they know it's your first party! You're like the definition of 'first' right now. With your fancy choice of clothing and innocent face."

"Um, that doesn't matter!"

"You are drunk. You are a completely different person right now. We're going home!" He grabs my hand.

"I am NOT drunk and it is NOT over yet!"

He roughly tugs on my hand and leads me towards the door, dodging past more dancing freaks.

"Yo, Jung Hoseok! I see you finally got ahold of your slave!" A shirtless guy holds up his cup and hollers. "She was getting a little to wild for your comfort, wasn't she?"

"Slave?" My fists tighten.

"Shut up, guys!" Hoseok hisses.

Before he could tug on my hand again, I rip away from his grip. I approach the rude shirtless guy and glared at him.

"I am NOT a slave!" I shout, pointing at him.

"Awh, little girl is mad." A random girl mockingly pouts. "Don't throw a tantrum right now!"

"She needs a little nap. Must have a lot of cleaning to do when she gets home." Another girl giggles.

"I'm sure you have cleaning to do too. I COULD USE A MOP TO CLEAN YOUR PANCAKE FACE-"

A hand pulls me away.

"Emi, that is enough-"

"Enough?!" I shook Hoseok's hand off. "I'm just getting started! Let me come up with something better!"

I try to approach them again, but get pulled back.

"Hoseok-"

Wooshin stands behind me with his hands on my shoulders. "Emi, don't get into a fight."

"Wooshin? Seriously? You were the one giving me the drinks earlier, you sink drain!" I struggle under his strong grip. "What is with your strength!?"

"I'm being serious-"

"Let's go, Emi!" Hoseok shouts from the front door.

I glance at him, then at Wooshin, then at the girls that were bad mouthing me.

Someone walks by and I snatch their drink.

"BUTTFACES!" I stick out my tongue and splashed the smelly alcohol all over them. "Awh, that sucks!Looks like you have a lot of cleaning to do too! BOOHOO!"

I yeet out of Wooshin's grasp and follow an angry Hoseok out the party.

°

I happily skip to the entrance of the house and waited for the slowpoke Hoseok to catch up.

"Seeeeee. I'm not drunk. I can walk normally." I twirl around. "Want to see me walk in a straight line? Bet you can't do that!"

"Just stay quiet." He mumbles, unlocking the front door.

"Why?"

"Emi, I don't know how to express my disappointment in you right now! What you did tonight was extremely immature and you could've-"

"What? Stayed at home and do what? All of a sudden land a career that will help my father enough to get him back from Japan? I don't know what he's doing, what his plan is, or even his phone number! I can't just be worried about him 24/7, Hoseok!"

He stops in his tracks, reluctant to face me.

"You know well enough that I'm scared to death about my father! I have nightmares almost every night about him! And if you must know, my father was very hesitant on giving me a job at his workshop in the first place because he doesn't want me to stress! So, I hope you can imagine how torn I am about helping him!" I stubbornly cross my arms. "Besides, I wanted to prove you wrong."

"Prove me wrong?"

"Yes! And I did! I went into that party and had fun! Some people even said I was fun!"

He chuckles and looks away while shaking his head.

"What? You don't believe me?" I come closer and pointed a finger at his face. "Maybe it's because you were too busy with your girls that you didn't notice how FUN I was!"

"Oh?" He leans down, smirking. "Are you jealous?"

"Jealous? For what? I had just as many girls around me, having just as much fun without you!"

"Whatever." He snorts. "You're drunk."

"I am not drunk!" I scream.

"Emi, I've seen you drink countless cups with my own eyes."

"And?"

"You mean to tell me that you soberly splashed someone with beer?" Hoseok raises his eyebrows.

"She deserved it! They all did! I would've splashed a lot more if you weren't rushing me!"

"I can't believe you. Where is my sweet Emi? Where did you take her?" He spins on his heel, laughing out loud.

What?

Is he not angry?

Wasn't he just "disappointed in me"?

Whatever.

I don't care about him!

I stomp to my room and see Jennie's duffel bag still sitting on my bed.

Jennie!

I totally forgot about her!

Oh, well, this obviously isn't her first party, so she should be fine.

I slide off my skirt and a note falls out.

Is that the receipt?!

Did Jennie steal this?!

Oh, it's a note.

I pick it up and read it.

Emi

I am completely aware that this is suspicious, but please hear me out. I know you do not have a phone, so this is the only way I can contact you.

I have an idea on how you can help your father while he's in Japan. Please trust me.

Meet me at ××××× tomorrow morning.

Wear something nice.