A Stroke of Luck
"Cheers."
"...Cheers."
We used the molecular formula C₂H₆OH to dissolve the stiffness of our meeting. It was a sequence of actions I knew entirely in theory, even if I lacked the practical experience. After leaving the high-end restaurant, we ducked into a street-side pojangmacha—a tented stall—that was just opening as the evening grew dark. It was the polar opposite of the restaurant we’d just come from, a modest little spot run by a middle-aged man. I had been worried about the unwanted attention Yeoeun might attract, but fortunately, the poorly lit tent was nearly empty. The only downside was that the quality of the fish cakes and chicken feet we ordered seemed to be directly proportional to the lack of customers.
Gulp! Yeoeun downed the distilled spirits in one go. Perhaps her tolerance wasn't as high as she let on, because it wasn't long before her cheeks flushed a soft pink and she began to giggle.
"Whew... I don't drink often, but the alcohol really is sweet, isn't it?"
She didn't touch a single bite of the food, just swirled her empty glass. "I try to stay away from it so I don't end up a hopeless mess like my father, but it tastes better when I'm drinking with you, Seungwoo."
"I-is that so?"
"Hmm... is that really all you have to say?"
"Well, I think it tastes better because I'm drinking with you, too..."
"Hey, that's the line I just used!" She burst into laughter. But that volatile, airy laughter died down quickly. By now, it felt like she had only been laughing out of politeness. She kept trying to draw something out of me, but when I remained quiet, a hint of disappointment clouded her eyes.
"Seungwoo,"
"...Yes?"
"Since we're both getting a little tipsy, why don't you tell me something interesting?"
I was at a loss. Much like the power supply situation in North Korea, my brain suffered a blackout whenever Yeoeun asked me a question.
"Then, just one thing..."
"Oh!"
I decided to give it a shot this time. She clapped her hands, encouraging me to keep going, and I struggled to show her something—anything.
"It's something I heard from my department head when I was working overtime..."
It was a joke I’d overheard while passing by at the office. I was desperate to keep up with the flow of the conversation, to meet her expectations and liven up the mood. I was trying to summon all my courage.
"Eh, that's not funny."
"..."
Her assessment, however, was brutally cold. She kept trying to draw me out, yet she didn't seem willing to accept me with open arms, dismissing me with a single, lukewarm remark.
"Ugh... I thought today would be fun."
She slumped over the small table of the pojangmacha. Like a student exhausted from studying, she pressed her cheek against the surface, extended a long index finger, and began drawing circles on the table while whispering to herself. She looked both drunk and thoroughly bored.
"Hmm~ You live a more dull life than I thought, Seungwoo."
"..."
At this point, it felt like Yeoeun’s warning yellow cards had all been used up. She seemed to be muttering that she was tired of giving me chances when I couldn't provide any entertainment.
"Seungwoo, do you have any strengths? Anything you're more confident in than other people?"
It felt like my final chance. The nuance was clear: she’d given me so many opportunities that she’d done all she could.
...I guess it's true that I live a boring life.
Strangely enough, this meeting was a moment of self-reflection. Even at work, my social position was simple: just enough. I was the kind of guy who didn't try to stand out, but ran just hard enough not to fall behind. I was the common type in this day and age—someone who tries to live like everyone else but doesn't harbor dreams beyond their means.
And yet—Gulp!
"Oh~ You have a high tolerance, Seungwoo♡"
I downed the rest of my drink. She kept provoking me, and I couldn't take it anymore, so I drank without even touching the snacks. To be honest, the desire to impress Yeoeun had been boiling over the moment I saw her face again. Any man born would feel the same way when faced with such a beauty. I had only held back because I didn't want to get hurt, or because I feared looking like a fool if I tried too hard to score points.
...So you want me to just go for it?
Since I’d disappointed her so much, I wanted to be honest and win her favor. I wanted to get back at Yeoeun, who had been trying to draw me out—or perhaps just playing with me—even if just a little.
"For me, I'm quite large."
"...Excuse me?"
Yeoeun raised an eyebrow, asking what I meant. Even after saying it, a wave of shame washed over me, but I explained it as calmly as I could.
"You asked for a strength, something exceptional I can claim compared to others. Honestly, from my perspective, this is the only thing that comes to mind."
Ahem! I cleared my throat. "To put it bluntly, I'm quite large down there. I'm fairly confident in it."
I assumed she understood exactly what "down there" symbolized. I knew it—what I just said could be considered sexual harassment in front of a woman.
"..."
"..."
It could be harassment, but we were both drunk. We were adults drinking together, and since she had been the one curious, I was simply answering. Above all—
"Hahahaha... AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Yeoeun immediately doubled over in laughter. She slapped the table so hard the fish cake broth sloshed over the sides. She was laughing genuinely, proving that all her previous laughter had been an act. It must have been a first for her. She must have been hit on by countless men, but perhaps this was the first time she’d encountered this kind of approach, because she laughed as if the world were ending.
Wow... she’s insanely beautiful when she laughs.
I was mesmerized once again by her genuine smile. This beauty with miraculous proportions could shake a man's heart with just a laugh. My mental circuitry seemed to have shifted at that moment. Rather than cowering and holding back, I wanted to make her laugh, no matter what. The desires I had suppressed since entering society began to grow, little by little.
"Haha, haha... I can't catch my breath. Whew... I see. So that's your great strength, Seungwoo."
"Well... you asked, so please don't go shouting it from the rooftops."
"You really got me. I take it back—you're actually quite a fun person."
It seemed I’d scored some points. She even wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, perhaps because the remark was so unexpected. As I watched her, feeling satisfied, I emptied my glass once more—
"Then, I can verify it, right?"
"...............Excuse me?"
"I mean, I have to verify it, right? To see if it's really as big as you so proudly claim, I have to touch it once to prove your assertion, don't I?"
"W-wait, what?!"
I had let my guard down. I’d gone in hard, but I hadn't expected her to go even harder.
"Hehehe♡"
And this was likely due to the alcohol, too. Yeoeun’s naturally free-spirited personality seemed to be the type that, once the mood hit, wanted to go all the way. She stood up from her chair and swayed her hips as she approached me. She didn't bother to adjust the sagging neckline of her dress, which revealed her black bra, and she leaned in, smelling of alcohol.
"Let's prove it."
"..."
I couldn't say a word. No, I didn't *want* to say anything. It was sweet, and I wanted to stay just like this. I loved the scent of her perfume mixed with the alcohol, and the closeness of our lips. Even if it was a short moment, it was fine. I wanted to stay drunk like this for just a few seconds, so I remained still—
Squish!
"Oh?"
"..."
Squish, squish♥
"Oh.............................. oh?"
Let me clarify: Yeoeun really touched it. And she was the one who was shocked after touching it first. She had been giggling, clutching my dress pants slightly, but then her eyes went round with surprise. As if the alcohol had suddenly evaporated, the color drained from her face.
"O-oh... ah, ah! AAAAAH!"
Soon, she turned into a burning sweet potato. She’d actually done it, and she was more surprised than I was, pulling her hand away.
"Hey, hey! I'm sorry!"
She must have thought she’d gotten too carried away with the mood. She seemed to think she’d crossed the line, and feeling apologetic, she backed away and waved her arms frantically.
"I'm so sorry! I'm the type who loses her mind when I'm in a good mood!"
"N-no, it's fine! I was the one who brought it up...!"
"No, I was out of line! I'm really, really sorry, Seungwoo!"
The inside of the pojangmacha tent became a chaotic mess. Yeoeun apologized repeatedly. We both bowed to each other, feeling unnecessarily sorry. Only when we were both exhausted did Yeoeun finally return to her seat. That was when it started. From that moment on, the air between us changed. After that bizarre physical contact, the wall that had existed between us collapsed like a levee hit by a tsunami.
"A-ahem!"
What changed most of all was Yeoeun's attitude. Like a fox that had been playing with a cute, boring rabbit, Yeoeun, who had been in total control, suddenly started being careful around me.
"That... you know."
"It's really fine. Please, feel free to say whatever you want."
"If... if you're really okay with it, I'll add one comment about my impression."
Swish, swish... Suddenly, she was frantically smoothing out her curly side-swept hair. Her hands were busy adjusting the neckline of her dress, which had been showing off a bit too much. Her eyes, which had been brimming with confidence, now darted away, looking lonely. She was making a lot of unnecessary movements. After grooming herself here and there, she said,
"Y-you have every right to be confident♡"
Her cheeks were shyly flushed. Her eyes crinkled with a nervous, awkward smile.
...She's seriously insanely beautiful.
Instead of focusing on Yeoeun's rudeness, I just kept staring at her face. I was mesmerized by the new flavors revealed in her diverse expressions. A shy smile—it was a new flavor. They say there are many kinds of smiles, but in just one day, I had fallen head over heels for Yeoeun.
That was how it began. My desire, which I had resigned myself to thinking would never exist, began to grow. A strange, favorable wind began to blow, very slowly. An unexpected, very heartwarming tailwind.