Ch.72Chapter 72. Want to Stay the Night?

The reason for gathering at the company was nothing special.

It was just to announce that the project had been scrapped and the team would be disbanded.

In less than 20 minutes, the office began to sink back into silence.

“Should we go for drinks?”

“Sure.”

“Let’s do that.”

There were no objections.

We went outside one by one, scattered, and when we returned, everyone was carrying something in both hands.

Beer, whiskey, vodka, and other alcoholic beverages piled up in one corner of the office, and the massive table made by pushing desks together was lined with food that looked artery-clogging just by looking at it.

“What’s this? Apple juice? And what’s this… sports drink?”

“We’ll need something for the hangover too, won’t we?”

“Come on. We’re not going to drink that much. Go return all of this.”

“Manager, I actually know how to make cocktails.”

“Really? Is that true, Jinsoo?”

I’d briefly learned cocktail mixing from a friend in prison.

He taught me a bunch of recipes, and while I couldn’t remember them all, I’d learned the basics of combinations or whatever, so even if I just threw things together by feel, they probably wouldn’t taste terrible.

Back then, I got caught making several types of moonshine to make cocktails and got a good beating…

I wonder what that guy is doing now and where.

Anyway.

Soon the drinking party was in full swing.

“Manager! Fuck this shitty company, just quit! You’ve got companies lining up for you!”

“It’s not quite like that, you guys.”

He said he wouldn’t drink much.

But in less than an hour, everyone seemed pretty drunk.

Somehow the dinner had turned into a consolation party for the manager.

“Ugh… fuck.”

The manager suddenly climbed onto the desk with his glass in hand.

That guy is really drunk.

“Hey. Wake that guy up. Yeah, that’s it. Everyone, attention!”

“…”

“This year… though it’s not over yet, anyway, everyone’s been really busy. Except for that bastard Jinsoo.”

“Hahaha!”

“You all worked hard. Despite limited time and resources, we created something beyond our capabilities. We just fell short.”

“…”

“We kept our integrity and failed. I guess those who succeed are the ones who throw their conscience to the dogs. But up there! In space, those tricks don’t work. Jinsoo would know since he’s been there. So opportunities will come again. When that time comes, I’ll probably gather you all again… would that be okay?”

“I think that might be difficult for me, Manager.”

I removed the ridiculous ribbon that was taped on and came to the desk saying that.

“By then, I’ll probably have quit working and become a househusband.”

“I wasn’t asking you, Jinsoo. Why would I call you when there are so many top talents here?”

“Hahahahaha!”

“I’m kidding. Haa… It would be nice if we could all gather again.”

The manager gave a bitter smile.

Even if that opportunity came, it was unlikely that everyone here would gather again.

Maybe even the manager might not be there.

Though I said it as a joke, with the manager’s demotion, it wouldn’t be strange if I got fired anytime.

“The mood’s getting too heavy. Let’s make a toast. Anyone have a good toast?”

“How about ‘sunggibalgi’?”

“Sung-gui… what?”

“It’s Korean. It means wishing for success and development.”

“That sounds good. How do you pronounce it?”

“Sung-gi. Bal-gi.”

“Not too difficult. Everyone ready to twist your tongues?”

“Hahaha! Ready!”

“Then, sunggi!”

“Balgi!!!”

We raised our glasses high for the toast.

I helped the manager get down from the desk and then had to return to my bartending duties.

“Can you make a martini?”

“How could I? Look at what we have here. Pick something and I’ll mix it for you.”

“I don’t know what to choose. Just make me something. Anything’s fine as long as there’s no mint.”

“Alright.”

The variety of alcohol was too limited.

And the juice selection was too narrow.

So most cocktails you could get at a bar were impossible to make, and it ended up being some unidentifiable mix that I arranged on my own.

“Whoa… what is this?”

“What? Don’t like it?”

“No, that’s not it. It seems like there’s a lot of whiskey in it, but it’s really sweet. Wow, it hits you later! Damn! This is amazing, Jinsoo!”

“…”

Judging by the reactions, they looked like they were on drugs.

If someone passed by and looked into the office, they might mistake it for a wild drug party.

I spent time making cocktails for quite a while, occasionally drinking some myself.

Once the whiskey ran out, I couldn’t continue my business.

“The time… damn.”

When I checked my phone, it was already past 7 o’clock.

Had we been having this wild party for over 5 hours?

We even brought in a projector and watched a movie in between, but I didn’t realize we’d been at it for so long.

I thought I should head home soon.

“Manager. My kid and girlfriend are waiting at home. Is it okay if I leave first?”

“Why are you asking? Everyone’s so wasted they wouldn’t notice if you just disappeared, haha!”

Though everyone drank very slowly, the amount they consumed was substantial, so most were completely drunk.

I deliberately paced myself, so I was just a bit tipsy.

“Why don’t you just sleep here at the office? They won’t like it if you come home reeking of alcohol.”

“I didn’t drink that much.”

“Stop lying! I saw you drinking plenty while making those cocktails!”

“I just sipped the leftover whiskey here and there.”

“Those sips would add up to about 2 bottles!”

How did he know?

I thought he kept passing out, but apparently he was conscious.

“You should get some rest. I’ll just clean up the empty bottles and quietly disappear.”

“No, no. Just go. Thanks for making those lousy cocktails. We’ll clean up when we get up.”

Looking around, everyone was completely out.

There were a few nodding and taking small sips, but most were sprawled out sleeping everywhere.

I grabbed a slice of cold pizza, took a bite, and left the office.

“Whew. Drank a lot.”

It had been a while since I’d gotten this drunk.

But not so drunk that I couldn’t drive.

As long as I didn’t zigzag while driving, I wouldn’t be pulled over by the police.

I slapped my cheeks a few times, grabbed the steering wheel, and drove with two or three times more concentration than usual.

Maybe it was the alcohol affecting my sense of time, but I felt like I arrived home really quickly.

“Jinsoo, you’re back?”

“Yes. I had some drinks.”

“Ugh. I can tell.”

Juliane, who had come to the entrance, frowned.

I must have smelled strongly of alcohol.

I thought I wouldn’t get a kiss, but Juliane slowly came into my arms and stood on her tiptoes.

“You drank a lot.”

“So what? Give me your lips. Quickly…”

It seems Juliane wanted the kiss more.

I stood at the entrance for a long time, mixing tongues with Juliane until

“…”

I finally broke the kiss when I made eye contact with Cuss, who was glaring at me from the living room.

Why does she seem to be in a bad mood all day lately?

I approached Cuss, roughly ruffled her hair, and gave her a tight hug.

“There, there. Did you have a good time with Juliane?”

“Ugh. You smell. Let me go.”

I had to let go because Cuss was making such a fuss.

I don’t know how time passed after that.

After drinking plenty of water straight from the bottle and coming to my senses, Cuss had already gone to bed.

Somehow I was sitting in the quiet living room, holding hands with Juliane.

“Was Cuss well-behaved today?”

“Yes. She was good. Oh, and we went out for a bit. Holding hands. Hehe. She finally let me.”

“That’s progress.”

“I know, right?”

Juliane leaned on my shoulder with the happiest smile in the world.

“Am I… doing well?”

“Are you asking me?”

“You’re right. That’s not a question for an inexperienced father.”

“I think you’re doing well. Better than me, at least.”

In terms of showering unlimited affection, Juliane is probably much better than me.

The question is whether that would still be possible after knowing Cuss’s true identity…

“Juliane.”

“Yes.”

“What if… what if…”

“Hmm… Yes, yes. Go on.”

“What if a child you truly loved and cherished turned out to be an alien? How would you feel?”

“…”

The conversation stopped.

Juliane kept her mouth shut for a while, then nuzzled her head against my shoulder.

She seemed to be finding a comfortable position.

“Oh. I thought it was something else, but that’s Superman.”

“Well… it just came to mind.”

“I don’t know. It’s a subject I’ve never thought about…”

“I suddenly asked something strange. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s interesting. Why not? It’s good to think about these things in advance so you’re less surprised if it happens.”

“…”

While Juliane giggled, I couldn’t bring myself to laugh.

“Hmm… an alien. It must be quite intelligent to mimic humans.”

“It might be smarter than humans.”

“That’s true. Hmm… I’m not that rational of a person, Jinsoo. You know those frustrating characters in movies who protect monsters and get cursed at by the audience? I think I’d be that kind of person. Even if I make all sorts of plans in my head, I end up acting according to my heart. So to answer your question… I don’t think I could turn that child away.”

Taking it all as a joke, Juliane answered with occasional laughter.

She couldn’t turn the child away…

That was good news.

Of course, that didn’t mean I was going to recklessly tell Juliane the truth.

This was just a hypothetical conversation.

How Juliane would actually react when faced with reality was a completely different matter.

I just felt a little more at ease.

I gained hope that if Juliane accidentally discovered Cuss’s tentacles, persuasion might be possible.

“Should I… stay over?”

A sweet whisper reached my ear along with her breath.

“Why?”

“Well, I actually had some alcohol. So I don’t think I can drive…”

“Sniff, sniff. I don’t smell any alcohol?”

“I, I did drink. One can of beer…”

That’s like drinking a glass of soda.

Even if we asked a passing police officer, they’d probably say the same thing.

“Come on. You can’t be too drunk to drive from that.”

“I’m weak with alcohol… I don’t think I can drive.”

“There are buses too.”

“They’ve probably stopped running by now.”

“Isn’t LA 24 hours?”

“…”

“Any more excuses?”

“Ah, really… I want to stay over. I just want to. There, happy now?”

“See how nice it is when you’re honest.”

“So annoying… I’m going to shut that mouth of yours.”

Juliane climbed on top of me and covered my mouth.

But she didn’t give me a chance to insert my tongue, just repeatedly breaking the kiss and reconnecting.

The sound of smooching kept coming.

“Heh. Hehehe. Driving you crazy, right?”

“…”

“That’s how I felt whenever you teased me. Do you understand now? So now, reflect on—mmph?!”

I grabbed the back of Juliane’s head and pulled her in for a kiss.

With a slurping sound, Juliane’s saliva flowed in.

The weight of her large buttocks pressing against my thighs felt good.

It was a sensation I could never feel from hugging Cuss.

But the clothes she was wearing were Cuss’s…

It felt like I was doing something I shouldn’t.

“Your hands seem broken.”

Juliane grabbed my trembling wrists that were floating in the air and pulled them inward.

Then she placed them on her voluptuous breasts.

“What? Feeling guilty like you’re touching your daughter?”

“That’s not it…”

“You pervert… a pervert lusting after his daughter. That’s it, isn’t it?”

“I said that’s not it…”

My denials were losing credibility.

While kneading Juliane’s breasts, I shared another intense kiss.

Looking at these clothes kept giving me strange feelings, making me lose the initiative to Juliane.

I needed to undress her quickly.

“Let’s go to the bedroom.”

“What? Ah… yes…”

Just one suggestion, and Juliane’s face turned bright red.