episode_0608

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“…Hey. You should tell me what you and Jiyoon talked about.”

“It’s the same conversation I had with you on the way home earlier. We talked about various things, like what would be good, remember?”

“Ah, that…”

“We decided to try it if it seemed feasible after reading the room a bit.”

“…I’m not sure. Does it seem feasible? To you?”

“Yeah.”

“Haa… …Then, I’ll really do it…?”

“…But, for me to pounce on you is a bit…”

“There were easier options, weren’t there? Don’t overdo it, do what you think you can.”

“……Okay.”

608

Even if things go wrong, if Unnie’s memory cuts out, it’ll be like nothing happened.

—Unlike Jiyoon’s subsequent remark, memory loss from being completely drunk is just a convenient device used only in novels or comics.

While it’s not a completely baseless claim as it can occasionally be seen in daily life, it’s a symptom that usually only appears when one drinks so much that alcohol, not blood, flows through their veins.

In other words, it means she would have had to drink enough to be sprawled on the street, or even to the point of needing to go to the hospital, not just chatting merrily here. But Hayoon isn’t at that point yet…

This means that, assuming no major changes, Hayoon will remember everything happening right now.

The subtle atmosphere between Seo Woojin and me.

The brief, embarrassing massage that just happened.

And the soft rolled omelet Hayoon just made and brought out.

All of it.

“You said you were sleepy, but you managed to make this? Unnie?”

“Things like this rolled omelet, or steamed egg, or ramen… these are easy and I make them all the time. The only thing I was worried about was whether it was seasoned right or not…?”

“Wait a minute… …It’s good. This is enough. Oh, I’ll get some ketchup.”

So, no matter how much groundwork had been laid, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Even if I could just end it by saying ‘I fell for Seo Woojin because he treated me so well,’ how could I say that in front of Hayoon?

Moreover, the plan to pounce on Seo Woojin in front of Hayoon… that’s completely the opposite gender preference from Seo Woojin’s own taste, isn’t it?

It seems not only Hayoon but I also need to get really drunk to do this…

Haaa…

It’s probably better to stick with the easier options…

“…I’ll eat well.”

“Uh-huh. Eat a lot… Haaahmm…”

They say it’s better to take the beating first [a proverb meaning it’s better to face unpleasant things quickly], but regardless of right or wrong, it’s not something to say in this situation.

For now, the priority is to wait for Hayoon to get as drunk as possible.

Once that last beer can is empty, then I’ll carefully bring up the topic.

With a brief resolve, I also *hiss*-opened a new beer can.

“I guess we really drank a lot today… I’ve never seen anything like this in my life? Hehehe… So many beer cans in our house…”

It would have been more plausible to just wrap things up appropriately.

If Seo Woojin hadn’t been here, if it had just been a gathering of friends, it definitely would have ended like that.

And after this, whether it was a drunk Hayoon or a sober Jiyoon, they would have been enjoying their time with Seo Woojin.

…Unfortunately, this time, that pervert set up a perverted scheme, which is why we’re over-drinking.

“Now I can drink with Woojin more often… I always get drunk too fast, so I felt bad about naturally leaving the cleanup to him when we drank together…”

“…What, you were even thinking about that?”

“Uh-huh… How could I not think about it…”

“I’m really fine. I drink with you because I like it too, Noona.”

“Heheheh… Then tomorrow too…?”

“Tomorrow we need to prepare for Monday. Do it next week. It just so happens you said you’d have a drinking contest with Jiyoon.”

“Ugh… I really don’t want to… I don’t want to go to my internship…”

…He can speak so gently in front of Hayoon, so why is he so different in front of me or other women…?

Hayoon naturally leaned her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder, unaware of my true thoughts.

As I gauged her swaying drunkenness, I opened my mouth after a brief contemplation.

“…I want to drink too. ……Alcohol.”

If I speak cautiously, trailing off my words like this,

it will add a bit more plausibility to the ‘incident’ that will follow.

And Hayoon, hearing it immediately, won’t feel particularly displeased.

“…Oh, right. Dabin must really want to drink too… Uh-huh…”

“…….”

“If you need it, just say so… I’m not much of a drinker, so it might not be fun with me, but Woojin is a good drinker… I’ll lend him to you, at least…”

“…You’ll really lend him?”

“Of course… It’s you, Dabin, not just anyone…”

But I didn’t want such an overly cautious reaction.

It seems my breakup with Baek Jiho is still bothering her a lot.

…Unaware that the reason is your own boyfriend.

“Even if it’s your feeling, can you really lend me out like an object?”

“…Oh, hmm, now that you mention it, a little… In that case…”

“I just hope we can gather like this again next time. All four of us.”

“Oh, really…?”

“And Dabin-ssi and I have become quite close recently.”

“Uh-huh. It seemed that way… Though there were still a *teensy* bit awkward moments…”

“I told you it’s not that awkward.”

“Pffft… Still, that surprised me a bit… I didn’t expect Dabin to play around with breasts…”

That I,

With your boyfriend.

She doesn’t even know what I’ve done.

“…Oh, right. Dabin-ssi, what’s your alcohol tolerance? You seem to have drunk quite a bit, but you still look fine.”

“She *really* doesn’t get drunk… I haven’t seen her get drunk once either…”

“That’s just because Hayoon gets drunk early, so she hasn’t seen it… …I just drink a bit more than average.”

“Is that so? Then by now, roughly…”

“…I’m slowly starting to feel dizzy.”

“Mhm.”

Half-sincerely, half-falsely, I described my current physical state, then *clink clink* shook the beer can I was holding.

To be honest, I thought I’d drunk quite a bit, but judging by how it still seemed more than half full, I guess I really am a little drunk.

It’s just that Hayoon is right next to me for comparison, but I’m probably in a state where I keep bumping into things with my elbow.

After checking if there were any other dishes nearby, concerned.

“Well, still, it’s just Dabin-ssi and us here.”

“…….”

“As Noona said, it might be good to drink a lot and forget about it?”

“…….”

Pretending to know nothing, I *clunked* my can against the beer can Seo Woojin held out.

“Oh, me too. Me too…”

And with Hayoon, who was snuggled right next to Seo Woojin.

And with Jiyoon, who was just now opening her beer can and sipping slowly.

“Next time, with Seoyeon Senior too…”

“Seoyeon Senior…? …Ah! The one you met with this time…”

“…I’m not sure about that Senior’s alcohol tolerance…”

“I heard that I’m quite a decent drinker…”

Towards Seo Woojin, who was chatting and smiling kindly,

All sorts of curses.

And the exact opposite of those curses… all sorts of fantasies.

Fantasies that I thought Hayoon might curse about.

…And the plans I discussed with Seo Woojin.

Only muttering them to myself.

“…….”

One sip.

Two sips.

The heavy beer can grew lighter,

Until the snacks in front of me were almost gone.

I clunked my can against the beer can Seo Woojin held out, again and again.

“……*Snore*…”

“…Oh.”

…Of all things, Hayoon fell asleep within just a few minutes of starting.

Even though the carefully prepared plan was completely ruined.

“Hey, Seo Woojin. Unnie really seems to be asleep, doesn’t she?”

“…It is about that time. She always sleeps at this hour normally.”

“Unnie. Are you really asleep? Lee Hayoon?”

“Uh-huh…”

Hayoon, leaning against Seo Woojin, was nodding off to sleep.

Jiyoon approached her side and waved her hand in front of Hayoon’s eyes, but, as expected, there was no reaction.

Even when poked on the cheek with a finger, all she did was whine cutely as if telling them not to wake her up.

After all, Hayoon was the only one who truly enjoyed the drinking session as it was.

…The other three, on the other hand, were just plotting how they could possibly do something naughty.

“…Should I have done it a bit faster? Like, that drunken confession… or another plan… Or should I have just pounced on you…”

“No. How could you easily bring up something like that? I didn’t have high expectations anyway, so let’s just clean up for today.”

“…….”

As I hesitantly expressed my apology, Seo Woojin placed a leftover piece of snack on my plate, as if telling me not to worry.

Among the messy pile of snacks scattered on the table, it coincidentally was the potato chip snack I had picked myself from the convenience store.

It was a popular snack that everyone, not just me, liked.

…Even my childhood friend Baek Jiho doesn’t know things like this.

Did he give it to me knowingly, or was it truly a coincidence…?

While I briefly doubted, Jiyoon spoke to me.

“Dabin Senior. I’m sorry for touching your chest earlier. I was trying to steer the atmosphere in a somewhat naughty direction…”

“…Oh, no. It’s fine. I was already touched a lot last time anyway…”

…So that’s what that was about.

Yes, no wonder. I thought Jiyoon seemed a bit different from usual.

I, who had accepted the apology nonchalantly, stood up for now.

Anyway, today is over.

So shouldn’t I move Hayoon, who’s sleeping uncomfortably, to the bedroom first?

Besides, Seo Woojin and Jiyoon… well… they’ll want to do ‘that,’ anyway.

There’s no way I can just leave Hayoon right next to them.

If she wakes up from hearing sounds, it would be a huge, huge disaster.

As far as possible, room, living room, room. Blocking the noise twice like this would be good.

Therefore, it was while I, likely the strongest among them, was preparing to move Hayoon.

“…….”

…Whether I had truly been influenced by Seo Woojin,

Or if I was just a little drunk and acting this way,

Something I would never have thought of if I were my old self.

A truly bad idea popped into my head.

“…Excuse me. Seo Woojin-ssi.”

“Why?”

“I don’t particularly like it… but something came to mind that a pervert like you would really like…”

I lightly *tapped* Seo Woojin’s shoulder as he was neatly collecting the empty beer cans and asked.

“…By any chance,”

“…….”

“…The feeling of ‘I secretly pounced on Hayoon while she was asleep’—”

“…….”

“…The feeling of ‘and then I got caught’—”

“…….”

“…Is that not good?”