[Sim Daejung, Lee Daehwa and Han Sujin]

How is it possible? Why does my past has to haunt me all the time? Why can't I just live my life in peace, without facing the issues that led me to leave what was supposed to be my home country behind? I can't answer these fucking questions, and it hurts.

"So, you were 94_fairy? The girl who would text me every hour of the day to the point of near harassment?" As I ask Sujin this question, I raise my voice, almost making her jump off her stool. Daehwa, on the other hand, side eyes me. What does she want? Does she want to set me up with this creep? It's like both of them have ulterior motives.

Do they want to play? Fine, I'll let them, but I set the rules. It's not like they can fool me easily. I continue. "And, before you say I ghosted you, yes, I did. I was embarrassed. How could I say 'no' to you without passing off the bad guy?" I scratch my chin. "You definitely look like the kind of girl who won't take a no from a man."

I expect Sujin to take courage and confront me. Instead, she just stay silent, only giving me a coy smile. What is she trying to do? I can recognize mind games. She looks scared and at the same time wants to tease me. She's doing it all by herself. I doubt Daehwa spoon fed her the strategy to use with me.

"Come on, tell me the truth. Did Daehwa tell you to contact me? I won't be mad at you for that, don't worry. I have other reasons to be." I lie. The bottom line with Sujin and Daehwa is that they're desperate. Whether they reach their goal or not, they both know I'm the perfect prey.

Sujin nods, confirming my suspect. "Yes. She told me about you, citing that you are the closest to my ideal type." Tall, broad, secretive, straightforward and blunt? What a coincidence... Oh no, it can't be. If it were, she wouldn't know my weakest point so well. Daehwa has definitely spilled everything about me.

"Please, forgive me. I don't know about Daehwa unnie, but I have good intentions." Sujin's plea is more convincing than she shows. Usually, I don't like anyone texting me obsessively to the point that it turns to borderline paranoia. I also hate when someone makes me look bad for not wanting to answer straight away.

But I guess I can make an exception this time.

***

"We have to take Perla back home," I say, pointing at the line in front of the toilet, which has only got longer over the last twenty minutes. "That is, when she's done throwing the fuck up." Daehwa chuckles, but uneasiness clouds her face, making her chuckle sound sinister.

"You sound weird, Daehwa. Is everything okay? Don't do any other shit you might regret." These words are extremely inappropriate coming from me, since I'm the one who attracts trouble like a magnet. When will I ever learn to shut up?

"Oh, nothing. It's just you have such a suggestive way to use words," she answers, flashing the most fake smile ever. How she makes it obvious is a mystery to me, though.

"How about we drag Perla out of here? This isn't a place for her or her posh friends. The Stranger has different standards." As I put the emphasis on this specific word, I hear Charlene clear her throat. Has she been listening to us all the time?

She approaches the line and gasps out of horror. "My new specialty caused a disaster, didn't it? Be honest, Sim Card." I don't understand why she addresses me. It's not my fault if all those people don't know sense of measure.

"Maybe try not to sneak absinthe or Absolute Vodka in your drinks next time. They're not for the weak, you know?" I deadpan. Charlene winks at me, catching my provocation. Even though we don't know each other that well, she has a knack for reading into other people's personalities. Including mine.

"I think I can call 911. But I'm not sure I'll do, not straight away. I want to see if someone can get back on their feet on their own." I don't know what Charlene means, but if this spares Perla a trip to the emergency room, it sounds like good news.

"By the way, Daejung, how do you know I added Absolute Vodka to some drinks?" Pure intuition, of course. I mean, some glasses literally reek of that shit. Charlene continues. "Absinthe, though... Where did that come from? I don't know what you're talking about?"

I frown as I notice that Daehwa tries to cower away. What does she think she's doing? There's no more room for hiding. I turn back to Charlene. "Why don't you ask your friend? She has something to tell us, do you agree?"

Daehwa turns back to us. Her mild frown turns into an ice cold glare. She retorts. "You're the last person who can talk about secrets, Sim Daejung. Stop telling me to come clean until you do so yourself." What a hypocrite. Her attempts to deflect are pathetic at best.

"Shut up, Daehwa, I mean it! I should've known—you didn't change at all! You're still desperate to set me the fuck up. Come on, admit it!" My words are a mixture of poison and blood. Her face is a mask that slowly cracks as I talk, exposing her weak points.

In the mean time, Charlene finally gets to pick Perla up. She still fights the urge to throw up more as her face turns grey. This is the worst hangover she's had since I met her. I'm surprised, since she has always shown signs of handling alcohol well. Charlene really fucked up with the Absolute Vodka.

Daehwa turns back at me, followed by Sujin. The two of them give me yet more pointed glares. I don't recoil. I look at them straight in their eyes, my head high. No. They won't make me budge. They can't paint me as the monster. This is what they want. They can't get away with their mind games.

I suggest. "If you come at my place, I'll spill. And we'll try to make amends once for all. This isn't an offer you want to decline, trust me." The last two words are actually inaccurate. Those two girls are so suspicious that they could easily make me pass off as a heinous criminal. The point is, not having the last laugh is a crime to me. It's not my fault if they can't take a simple, direct no.

***

I walk out of The Stranger, wondering if Charlene will take Perla home or will find an excuse to leave her somewhere else. Daehwa and Sujin follow me like shadows, never keeping their eyes off the pavement. They know what I'm going to tell them is extremely painful and will cause extra sufferance on both parts. They know this shit has gone on for too long and needs to stop.

But, most importantly, they know they overstepped boundaries, which means that, from now on, there's no more going back. What's done is done.