Two men walk inside of a bar in NYC; the midtown area. They are accompanied by two women around their age. They look around and see the scene; many young people starting off their weekends in the bar, just like them. The men escort the women to a table.
Shawn appears to be confident while Kevin looks more nervous than anything.
Shawn: It was nice to get out of the office to unwind for the weekend, right Kevin?
Kevin: Uhm, yeah.
Shawn awkwardly smiles and looks at the two women.
Shawn: So, how do you ladies like America so far?
Sooyoung: It’s different; I definitely didn’t think America was like… this.
Yujin: Yeah, it’s not like how the movies saw it.
Shawn: Is it better than the movies though?
The women don’t answer right away. Shawn clears his throat and attempts to change the subject. Kevin is clearly not feeling this night just as much as the women aren’t as well.
Shawn: If you excuse me and Kevin, we are going to go get some drinks.
The men get up from their chairs and head over to the bar. They stand at the counter as they order their drinks; Shawn leans against the counter and looks at Kevin.
Shawn: You’re okay, Kev?
Kevin: I’m fine, just… never went out with other coworkers like this before.
Shawn: You mean you never been out with female coworkers before.
Kevin: I don’t try to mix business and my personal life together.
Shawn: C’mon, you’ll be fine! We’re just at a bar, after work, getting to know our coworkers and showing them around the city for their first time!
Kevin: *deadpans* You told me last week you wanted to *air quotes* get to know Sooyoung better.
Shawn: *giddy* She’s really cute, huh?
Kevin rolls his eyes as the drinks come out to the two men. They pick them up and head back to the table where the women are seated.
Shawn: Here you go, I hope you guys enjoy!
The women smile as the men give the girls their drinks. Kevin awkwardly hands over Yujin’s drink without saying a word. SHe looks up and immediately takes her compact mirror from her purse.
Yujin taps Sooyoung on the shoulder as she drinks.
Yujin: Come with me to the ladies room, unnie.
The women excuse themselves from the table. Shawn sips on his drink while Kevin looks at him.
Kevin: What if they leave? These drinks weren’t cheap.
Shawn: *dumbfound* Whoever marries you in the future is going to have to understand this worry you carry all the time.
Kevin: It’s not being worried, it’s being realistic.
Shawn rolls his eyes and looks at the people around the venue. He places his drink back onto the table when he looks towards the bar area.
Shawn: See Kevin, you have to just be a little free and fun! Like that person at the bar! They probably don’t have a care in the world; they just came here to have a good time and a good time it looks like they are having!
Kevin turns his head towards the bar area and looks at what Shawn’s looking at. He intently watches the people at the bar surround this one person who’s downing shots with the bartender. Kevin squints harder to see the person who’s doing the shots.
Kevin: Hyung…
Shawn: *gulps a sip of his drink* Yeah?
Kevin: Doesn’t that look like…?
Kevin’s question trails off once the people begin to clear way of the person on the bar counter. He gets a better sight at who they are. Shawn turns his head back towards the bar and widens his eyes.
Shawn: That can’t be.
Kevin: Grace?!
A girl with messy, curly hair is seen drinking shots on the counter, clearly intoxicated and not knowing what’s going on around her. A bunch of people watch her chug down the hard liquor, cheering her on.
The two men watch her, terrified, not knowing what to do.
Shawn: Aigoo, what the hell do we do?!
Kevin: *turns to face Shawn* We need to get her!
Shawn: What about Sooyoung and Yujin?!
Kevin: Hyung, Jamie will kill us before we ever get to see them again if we don’t get her out of here!
The two men get up from their table and race towards the bar. They slither their way through the crowd of people, to finally get access to Grace. Grace looks at him and loudly greets him.
Grace: Shawn! Kevin! Hiiiii guys! What are you guys doing here?
Kevin: Are you okay?
Grace: I’m great! Turn up, boys! it’s thirsty Thursday! *to the bartender* get my friends some shots too, handsome!
The crowd of people are now watching the two men around Grace. Shawn and Kevin nervously look at each other.
Kevin: Grace, come on, let’s get out of here.
Kevin and Shawn try to get Grace off of the counter, to with the lookgoers protest. Shawn looks at the crowd in disgust.
Shawn: Party is over!
The men take Grace away from the crowd, Grace swaying and slurring her words as they walk.
Grace: Don’t be party poopers, guys!
They don’t answer her, but instead look at the two women they came here with come out of the bathroom and cross ways. The two women look visibly disguated that two men are carrying out a drunk women out of the bar, not knowing who she is.
Shawn: Wait, ladies!
The girls leave and Kevin pulls Shawn back towards him and Grace.
Kevin: Forget about them, we gotta get Grace out of here!
Grace: *excited* Ooooo, where are we going?
The men successfully take Grace out of the bar, trying to figure out what to do next. Grace starts laughing and then immediately hunches over to puke. The guys are speechless. Kevin takes out his phone and dails a number.
Shawn: Who are you calling?
Kevin doesn’t answer back, he just looks at Shawn. Shawn raises his eyebrows, understanding what’s happening.
…
Thirty minutes later, Grace is hurled up in a ball on a bus stop bench. Shawn and Kevin try to keep her from falling to the ground. A car comes around the corner and stops in front of the bus top. A man quickly jumps out of the drivers seat, and walks towards the three people.
Jamie’s hair is unkempt, his glasses are foggy from the cold, and he only has a hoodie on, which is not enough to keep him warm at this time of night in the winter. Jamie looks anxious, looking at his friends and Grace just sitting there.
Jamie: What the hell happened?!
Shawn: Hyung, I swear we didn’t come here with her, we were actually on dates with–
Kevin: *to Shawn* Hyung! *looks towards Jamie* We found her here, practically chugging bottles at the bar.
Jamie doesn’t say anything, he just kneels down and looks at a slumped over Grace.
Jamie: Grace?
Grace attempts to lift her head up, but doesn’t succeed. Jamie stads back up and looks at the men.
Jamie: Did you guys drink tonight?
Shawn: Barely.
Kevin rolls his eyes at Shawn’s response.
Kevin: Yes.
Jamie takes a deep sigh and rubs his hands through his hair in frustration.
Jamie: I will take you guys back to your places; I’ll take Grace back to my place and sober her up a bit.
The men agree and attempt to get Grace in Jamie’s car. Once they all get into the car, they drive off.
Letters From Liz. 