Chapter 39
Sarah POV
The road stretched out before me, a seemingly endless expanse of asphalt and concrete that mirrored the dullness in my chest. I trudged along, my feet carrying me forward on autopilot as my mind wandered to the weight that was pressing down.fatigue and bitterness seemed to seep into every pore of my being.
As I turned a corner, a splash of color caught my eye – a restaurant sign that gleamed like a beacon in the fading light. The pole stars outside were adorned with drink logos, and I thought to myself, "This must be the place for those seeking solace in a glass." The prospect of something cold and chilled was tantalizing, and I pushed open the door, stepping into the warm glow within.
The staff greeted me with a courteous smile, and I asked them what they had on offer. "We have soju," they said, and I smiled wistfully, memories of K-dramas flooding my mind. Soju was a staple in those stories, a drink that brought people together in moments of joy and sorrow. But tonight, I wasn't looking for soju. Tonight, I craved something stronger, something that would help me forget the weight that bore down on me. "Something to get me drunk," I said, the words feeling like a confession. I wanted to drown my tiredness and bitterness in a good drink, to lose myself in the numbing haze of intoxication.
- -
I poured a large quantity of the strong drink into the cup, the amber liquid gleaming in the dim light of the restaurant. I raised the cup to my lips, feeling a sense of trepidation mixed with anticipation. The first sip was like a punch to the senses, the burn of the alcohol warming my chest and spreading through my veins.
As I drank, the world around me began to blur. The sounds of the restaurant receded, and my thoughts grew foggy. I felt a sense of the world spinning around me, and I stumbled, my legs feeling like jelly.
I looked around, trying to get my bearings. The restaurant seemed to be tilting, and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me.
The memories of Jo and the party flooded my mind, and I felt a fresh wave of anger and hurt. Why had he done that to me? Why had he kissed her. The questions swirled in my mind, but the answers seemed to slip further and further away.
As I sat there, feeling dizzy and disoriented, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was losing control. The drink had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now it felt like a mistake.
I sat there, muttering to myself, the words slurring together as the drink took hold. "Boys are scam, they're all the same... black or white, doesn't matter," I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. The room spun around me, and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.
I knew I shouldn't be drinking, not like this. But I couldn't seem to stop myself. The drink was a bitter solace, a temporary escape from the pain and anger that had been building up inside me since I saw Jo with another girl.
I thought back to our conversation, to the way he'd asked me out and I'd told him I needed time to think. I hadn't wanted to seem desperate, to come across as too eager. But now, seeing him with someone else, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd made a mistake.
The drink seemed to be amplifying my emotions, making me feel more raw and vulnerable. I knew I needed to stop, to slow down and think things through. But my body seemed to have a mind of its own, and I found myself reaching for the glass again, taking another sip, and another.
As the drink continued to take hold, my words became more slurred, my thoughts more disjointed. I knew I was heading for trouble, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. The room was spinning, and I felt like I was losing my grip on reality.
As I raised the bottle to pour another drink, a figure materialized beside me, swiftly intercepting my actions. The bottle was gently but firmly taken from my grasp, and I was left staring up at the intruder.
"Oh, the piano guy," I mumbled, my words slurring together in a haze of intoxication. My voice was barely audible, and my gaze wandered, struggling to focus on his face.
The piano guy's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in my state, his expression unreadable. "What are you doing here?" I asked, my words tumbling out in a childish, incoherent jumble.
I gestured vaguely to the chair across from me, my hand waving in an unsteady motion. "Sit, sit, sit," I repeated, my voice rising in a slurred, insistent cadence.
As I stumbled to my feet, the piano guy's gaze followed me, his eyes never leaving mine. I dragged the chair out with a clumsy motion, attempting to clean it with a sweep of my hand before motioning for him to take a seat.
My movements were uncoordinated, and I felt the room spinning around me like a vortex. The piano guy's face blurred in my vision, and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me, threatening to send me tumbling to the floor.
I stumbled back to my seat,the room spinning around me like a whirlwind. The drink I had taken was clearly having a strong effect on me, and I struggled to maintain my balance. As I lurched forward, I felt myself crashing into the table, but before I could make contact, the piano guy's hands grasped my arm, steadying me.
I looked up at him, my vision blurry, and smiled. "Oh, you are so cute," I slurred, my words barely above a whisper. I couldn't believe I was saying something like that, but my inhibitions were clearly gone.
The piano guy's expression was a mixture of surprise and amusement, and he held me steady, his hands still wrapped around my arms. I felt a flutter in my chest, but before I could process the sensation, I leaned in closer to him, my voice dropping to a whisper.
"Let me tell you a secret," I said, my words slurred and barely intelligible. The piano guy's eyes locked onto mine, and he leaned in closer, his face inches from mine.
I dragged his ear down to my lips, and as I whispered, he winced slightly, as if in discomfort. "You are more hand...some than Jo..shhhh! Don't tell him" I mumbled, my words incoherent and nonsensical.