24H | SEVENTEEN

"He is right behind them." A voice spoke through the earpiece. "They headed in." The voice spoke again. She clicked her tongue watching through driver's seat of car. "He followed them in."

"You know that I can see it quite clearly than you?" She said rolling her eyes.

"Well, I am doing my job whole heartedly unlike someone." She snorted at the words. Whole heartedly? My ass. "I am heading in too." He said.

"Wait." She said halting his movements. "Why am I partnered with someone like you?" She muttered looking into rear-view mirror and fixed her hair.

"I can understand that." The voice retorted.

"Good then you know how unfortunate I am feeling right now."

"Yah-" He was cut off as she got out of the car and slammed the door shut behind her. "What? What are you doing?" He glowered as he watched her make her way towards the restaurant their subject just walked in. "Damn it." He cursed knowing well that she would never stick to plan at all.

She unbuttoned her suit jacket and folded her sleeves while swiftly picking up the unopened bottle of soju from the costumers table set up outside. She cracked opened the bottle before putting it on her lips and chugging down half of it. "Ahh." She sighed as alcohol rolled down her throat. Spraying some of the liquid on her clothes she screwed the cap back on bottle she peeked inside the restaurant taking in the surrounding.

"What are you planning to do?" Her partner asked. She smirked and tossed the bottle to her partner. "Watch and learn, amateur." She said before pushing open the door to the restaurant. Her partner sighed shaking his head before quietly following her in.

"I was supposed to be on vacation right now."

"Gamsahabnida." Mingyu said to the ahjumma who served their dishes and drinks.

"Ne, eat deliciously!" Ahjumma smiled patting Chan and Vernon's back who smiled back at her.

"I am so hungry." Vernon said picking the chopsticks ready to devour the bowl of noodles. A hand came into the view and picked the soju bottle. "Chan-ah, be cautious with that today." He warned pointing chopsticks at Chan who flashed his teeth cheekily.

"Yah, we finally got to eat like this." Mingyu said with his mouth full. It had been while, they were allowed to go out by themselves. Their label had put a halt on their personal activities for a while and now they finally could enjoy their freedom. Recently there had been various events happening around in entertainment industry so their label had decided to be cautious for the sake of their artist's protection.

"Need kimchi." Vernon mumbled while chewing.

"Ah. Ahjumma, we need kimchi here!" Chan called.

"Ne! Coming." Ahjumma replied while hurriedly preparing a plate of kimchi and serving them. "Mianhae, I forget with all this rush." She apologized.

"It's fine. We understand." Mingyu said shaking his head. "Is it always like this at this time?" He asked looking around. It was a small restaurant with tables almost full. One of his friends had recommended this restaurant long ago so he wanted to try it out and it was near their dorm.

"Ne, this is rush hour for us." Ahjumma smiled. Mingyu smiled back. It was quite late and yet the tables were full.

"Food is so good. No wonder the tables are full." Vernon said between chews.

"Aigoo." Ahjumma laughed slapping his back. "Gomawo." She smiled at their cuteness. "Ahjumma!" A loud voice interrupted, almost everyone looked up at the intruder who walked in swaying with every step. "Omo, what's with her today?" Ahjumma asked to no one in particular.

"Hehe...hey sexy lady." The drunk, foreign woman giggled as she stumble towards ahjumma and put her arms around ahjumma's neck. "I missed you..." She said puckering her lips.

"Arayo." Ahjumma smack her hand on the drunk woman's lips and pushed her away. "Why are you drunk today? And causing ruckus here." She asked.

"Ruckus? When did I cause ruckus?" The woman asked grinning at ahjumma. By now everyone was back to their business except the three heads who were watching the two women converse as they were practically standing at their table.

"Maekju?" Ahjumma asked.

"Ne!" Woman nodded her head. "You know me so well, Jagiya." The woman continued to give a flying kiss as ahjumma who rolled her eyes and went to fetch beer for her.

"Find a seat and don't cause trouble." Ahjumma warned to which the foreign lady nodded her head while giggling.

"Mwoya?" Chan asked staring at the lady who looked around as if searching for something. Her face lit when she found what she was looking for. A stool. She then dragged the stool with her to his surprise, she directly dragged the stool to their table and sat down.

"Hello." She greeted smiling at Vernon who had halted his spoon midway with his mouth wide open. "What a beautiful night, isn't it?" She said casually leaning on the table.

"Ne." Mingyu answered not knowing what to do with sudden intruder. That too she looked foreigner and drunk. How do you respond in such a situation?

"Ahh, I had such a stressful day, you know? Company dinner." She whispered covering her mouth from one side.

"Ahh!" Vernon scrunched his face as if understanding her pain. Chan looked at him with his eyes clearly asking 'what are you doing?' Vernon wink mouthing 'play along'. It is always fun conversing with a drunkard. You don't know, they'll say something so epic that will blow your mind. "Tough night for you, huh?"

"Very." The woman nodded her head. "They kept drinking and drinking while arguing over what? Work matters! Can you believe them? Aren't company dinner supposed to be relaxing after long day at work?" She exclaimed looking at Chan who was little surprise at sudden attention.

"Ne, ne. They are." Chan nodded controlling his laughter. Why are they entertaining a stranger? He thought to himself yet played along.

"And top of that I have such a lousy partner. He is so boring and know it all kinda namja. It's so irritating to work with him. Sometimes, I really want to-" She held up her fist doing punching action while almost falling off the stool if not Vernon who was near her, hadn't grabbed her jacket to stop her from falling.

"Hehe...thanks." She grinned thanking Vernon who looked little worried for not him then she would definitely facepalmed herself on floor. "I am little drunk." She giggled holding up her thumb and index finger together.

"Little?" Chan snorted earning a smack from Mingyu who himself was trying to control his laughter.

"Anyways, I work in big company and it pays well." She grinned rubbing the same fingers together. "So, I can endure little suffering."

"Yah!" The ahjumma returned with her bottle of beer. "Mwo hae?!" She scolded looking at the situation. She grabbed on the woman's arm trying to pull her up. "Jwesonghamnida." The ahjumma apologized to them. "Yah! Get up!"

"Waeee?" The woman whined until her eyes fell on the beer bottle. "Maekju!" She exclaimed snatching the bottle from ahjumma's hand and hugging it close.

"You dumb girl, get up! Stop disturbing my customers." She scolded trying to pull the lady up from their table.

"Ahjumma, gwaenchanayo. We are fine." Vernon said telling her to let the woman be.

"But-"

"Ahjumma!" A call from behind made ahjumma sigh. "Aigoo. I am really sorry!" Ahjumma apologized once again and hurriedly went away to attend other customers.

Three of them turned towards to the drunk woman who was busy trying to open beer bottle. They watched as she struggled to do so even went to the lengths of trying to open it by her mouth. "Yah, yah, yah." Mingyu said stopping her from hurting herself. "Give it to me." Mingyu put his hand out taking the bottle away from her. He placed the cap on the table edge and slammed his hand on it, the bottle popped open.

"Wahhhhhh!" The woman exclaimed clapping her hands, amazed with Mingyu's bottle opening technique. "That was so cool!" She exclaimed loudly. Trio laughed at her excited self.

"Thanks." Mingyu laughed passing her the beer bottle.

"Are you sure you wanna drink that?" Vernon asked looking at the bottle.

"Huh? Why would I ask for one then?" She asked furrowing her eyebrow and then laughed. "Pabo!" She slapped his arm. Chan burst out laughing at that. "Pabo!" He repeated her action and laughed again.

"Right, stupid of me to ask that..." Vernon trailed off as the woman started chugging down the beer. "Woah." She had chugged down the whole bottle in one go.

"Ahhh." She sighed slamming down the bottle on the table and let out a burp before giggling. "Oops! Mian." She giggled. "Not very ladylike." She mumbled before groaning and leaning her head on the table.

"Uh. Don't pass out here." Chan warned poking her head.

"Hmm. Okayyyyyyyy." She mumbled giving him a hand sign. "Oh right!" She suddenly snapped her head up almost scaring Chan. "Hehe. I kept talking about myself. What about you guys? Are you here to celebrate?" She asked, her eyes half closed.

"Ani. Just to eat." Mingyu replied.

"Just to eat. Okay." She nodded her head. Mingyu squinted his eyes, where the hell is she staring at, he thought when she suddenly snapped her head to side.

She narrowed her eyes at the man sitting on one table away from theirs. The man quickly looked away when their eyes met. He glanced up sneakily, she was still staring at him. Was he caught? He panicked, ready to pack up and leave when she looked away.

There were group of three girls sitting right behind them, mobile phone pointed at the boys. The woman smiled and turned around on her stool. She suddenly started posing, flipping arms and legs side to side. "Yah, what are you doing?" Chan asked avoiding almost getting slapped as she continued to pose. If flipping her arms and legs around was not enough, she stood up and removed her suit jacket and slapped it on Vernon's shoulder.

"Mwo? What is she doing? Miss?" Mingyu muttered averting his eyes since her butt was practically in front of him.

"What-woah! Woah! Woah!" Vernon exclaimed when she started unbuttoning her dress shirt.