[Encore]

The stare game, other than being awkward, is also annoying. Charlene taps her fingers on the counter and sighs. "Do you want a drink or what? Come on, I'm not paid to watch you idle lifelessly! Get a life!" She's right. Drama can stay out of this place. I'm here to drink. Perla and Daehwa can wait.

"The same." I mouth. Charlene immediately understands and serves me a whiskey and beer. Mixed, of course. I love strong combinations and usually crave for more if I'm satisfied with the result. Alcohol, however, is a dangerous weapon and can turn against me if I exaggerate.

I push the mixture down my throat and gulp, much to the prim girls' disgust. Perla isn't impressed either. As soon as I let out a burp, however, Daehwa bursts into laughter. "Come on, people," she says, "it's just a burp. It's actually polite where I-"

One of Perla's friends, a girl with a long blonde fringe that completely covers her forehead, replies, glaring out of displeasure, "No, it's not. This isn't fucking South K-"

This time, it's me who cuts the little miss off. "Who cares! I bet you haven't touched alcohol in your life." I don't understand why a tee-totaller would enter a pub. Maybe just to torture herself by watching her friends and some random stranger drink the night away?

"It's bold of yours to assume that I don't drink. Anyway, I have some class, unlike you drunkard," she says again, curling her nose out of disgust. I ignore her and ask Charlene for a whiskey on the rocks.

Perla taps the blonde's shoulder and calls her out. "Ivy, that was uncalled for. And pretty much racist." I don't understand why Perla added racism to the mix. The Ivy girl has a point. South Korea has one of the highest rate of alcohol consumption in the entire world. I, of course, am no exception.

I shrug, not caring for a sappy, half-assed apology. "You know what, Ivy? If that is your name, of course. Since you claim you have class and enjoy alcohol, feel free to ask for the next round." My offer is one of those that can't be rejected, but, at the same time, I believe she will because she wants so badly to prove she isn't some savage like, for example, me.

"Challenge accepted. By the way, it's Ivy Kerrigan. Yours?" She winks at me, but I don't pay attention. I switch my gaze to Daehwa, who's already on her sixth shot, and Charlene.

I clear my throat, realizing that I can't keep ignoring Little Miss Blonde all night long. "Sim Daejung." I extend a hand to her, pointing at the bar. "Now, it's time for the round, do you agree?" Her displeasure at my grin matches Charlene's annoyance at the unbearable presence of so many "prim and proper" girls. The Stranger is a tough place.

By the time Ivy places her order, I notice there's another girl sitting at Daehwa's right. She hasn't said a word yet or even taken a drink, which is strange. Her face is partly covered by her long, black-ish hair.

Daehwa nudges her and mutters her something in Korean. More precisely, "왔어요, 왔어요! 어서, 그에게 말해봐!" He's here, he's here! Come on, talk to him in informal language. It looks like the girl is Daehwa's relative or friend from the way she talks to her. But who's him? What are they hiding?

I really hope they're not talking about me.

***

Oh boy, I was wrong.

Daehwa and her little "friend" have been talking about me behind our back all this time! I only realize this now, after my twelfth drink. The three of us, plus Charlene, are the only ones who passed this grueling drinking test. Everyone else, including Perla, passed out or are in line to the bar's only toilet to puke.

I understand them. Sometimes, The Stranger's bartenders add "secret ingredients" to their drinks to make them much stronger. I've always suspected one of said ingredients is Adderall. As I tell Charlene, she chuckles. "Are you crazy, Sim Card? Do you realize I could get in trouble for putting that shit in my drinks?"

"You may not add it to the mix, but I bet some of your buddies do. Admit it." I give her a pointed glare, after which she sighs. Usually I gloat whenever I'm right, but this is a situation where I wish I wasn't instead.

Charlene shrugs. It doesn't look like the possibility of some of her colleagues adding forbidden substances to drinks is a serious issue to her. She states, "I can get them fired, so stop worrying for that. The real issue is between you and these two ladies." She points at Daehwa and the other girl, who both turn to me.

As the bartender disappears behind the bar, my only thought is that I'm in hot water. Daehwa must have a lot of questions to ask me, and the other girl seems eager to get to know me. Still, neither of us can utter a single word. It's all so awkward, so embarrassing. I feel the urge to pee, but at the same time I have to stay or else I'll pass off as a coward.

Finally, I take the first word. "So, it looks like you want to talk to me, Daehwa. And I'm sure your friend agrees, right?" Daehwa nods, after which the other girl tucks her hair on one side, revealing her face, as pale as the moon. She looks familiar... But where have I seen her?

Before I wallow myself, Daehwa intervenes. "Now, Daejung, let's quit formalities, shall we? This isn't South Korea, after all." I'm shocked as to why she speaks to me informally, but I guess I have to get used to it. I mean, it's not like I have much choice.

She continues. "Let me introduce Han Sujin. She also left that goddamn country not long ago. She stays at my place, so that she can get used to life here." Her explanation makes sense, but only up to a certain point. There must be something that I should know but she won't tell me. Maybe this girl, Sujin, knows better than the rest of us.

The latter indeed speaks up for the first time. "So, you are Sim Daejung? It's a pleasure to meet you in person. It's been a long time since-" She suddenly cuts herself off, making me question her. Does she already know me? Did Daehwa tell her about me? If so, when did she?

"Do you know 94_fairy?" asks Sujin out of a sudden. Does she know that creep? How can I be sure this isn't a set up? More and more questions make way through my mind, confusing me when everything is supposed to be clearer.

I nod, then gulp. "94_fairy, you said? She's some creep that kept texting me on KakaoTalk for a long time. I should've blocked her when I could, honestly. She was crazy! She'd go nuts whenever I ignored her text messages. I know it's extremely rude, but she crossed the line on a number of instances."

I've never thought someone would even listen to my ramblings. More so, on such a serious topic. Sujin freezes. It looks like she has a deeper connection to that creep than I thought.

She continues, never keeping her gaze, filled with terror, away from me. "94_fairy..." She stutters, her lips tremble and her face pales to the point that she looks like a deadly ghost. "94_fairy... is..." She bursts into tears. "That's me."

I'm shocked. I can't even describe how I feel now.

Please, let it be a nightmare.