Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Pool Villa
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After finishing a hearty dinner with perfectly charcoal-grilled meat as the main course and cleaning up spotlessly, we gathered in the living room.
"Our stomachs must've settled a bit while cleaning up...!"
How long had it even been since we'd stuffed ourselves? Chae-yeon claimed her belly had deflated during cleanup, her face lighting up like she'd been waiting for this exact moment as she grabbed her bag.
"We came all the way out here—how could we miss this!"
She sliced open the bulging belly of her bag and pulled out none other than green bottles filled with soju.
"Hehehe. I brought a generous five bottles, so let's drink up and get wasted!"
On the way here, I'd kept wondering why her bag made those clear, crisp clinking sounds every so often. Who would've thought it was the booze?
"We're way too young to be drinking already, aren't we?"
"Hmmm... scared? If you're chicken, go ahead and crash first. Later, when we're all drunk and passed out, I'll wake you up for some fun."
I'd just pointed out we might be a tad young for alcohol, but Chae-yeon looked at me like I was ridiculous and threw down the gauntlet.
Hoo. When it comes to booze, it's me through and through—how could she toss out lines like that without batting an eye?
It was intriguing. Fun, even.
"You must knock these back pretty regularly. Since when? What's your limit?"
"Eh...? Me...? I dunno about that. Nah, never."
"......"
She said it so casually, like she'd never touched the stuff, and my head rang like a bell. I was at a complete loss for words.
What? She'd never even had a sip but snuck booze in anyway?
"Pfft, so what? Thanks to you, we've had way wilder experiences at our age already. Hehe."
Sex was already on the table—what's a little alcohol compared to that?
With that, Chae-yeon hauled out all the bottles and set them on the floor.
She grabbed the snacks and drinks Na-young and I had bought, plus some cups.
"Alright, alright. I'll pour—bottoms up!"
Chae-yeon filled paper cups to the brim with soju.
"Hmm......"
Mi-jin wrinkled her delicate brow at the pungent booze stench, lost in deep thought.
No surprise there—the smell alone was this nasty; the taste couldn't be any better.
She tilted her head, expression screaming doubt about whether she really had to drink it.
Na-young mirrored her almost exactly.
If anything, her reaction was even stronger.
Her real parents had lived with booze as their constant companion, abusing her to boot. Her body rejected it on instinct.
Deep down, she trembled at the fear—what if, just maybe, she'd end up drinking like them and acting the same way?
"If you don't wanna, no need to force it."
I'd started pouring into the cup in her hand but stopped short and snatched it away.
"Kuh...!"
The first taste of alcohol since regressing hit like a truck—bitter as hell, but with a nostalgic edge.
"Tasty?"
Mi-jin, who'd been staring blankly at the crystal-clear soju like water, finally piped up to ask.
"Tastes good to me, at least."
Not the most helpful review. I grabbed a snack and popped it in my mouth.
"Come on, Mi-jin, give it a shot. One sip and you'll know if it's good or not."
"Hmm... okay."
Prodded by Chae-yeon, Mi-jin reluctantly brought it to her lips.
"Mmph...! Ugh... b-bitter...!"
Just a tiny sip, and her face twisted like she'd swallowed poison. She spat it right back out.
"That bad?"
Chae-yeon hadn't expected such a reaction and looked a little spooked.
Still, she'd brought it herself—she couldn't back out now. She squeezed her eyes shut and downed it.
"Ugh... b-bitter... so bitter... not tasty at all..."
Alcohol was always bitter and tasteless, after all.
But keep at it, and you'd get used to it—then the real appeal would hit.
"Kaha...! Nice...!"
My booze-virgin body reeled from the sharp kick, but I could already feel the buzz creeping in.
Familiar sensation, yet strangely alien.
I let out a goofy grin.
"Ji-hoon. Here."
I was about to refill my empty cup when...
Na-young beat me to it, pouring eagerly.
"Ah. Thanks."
I took it from her and knocked it back again.
"Kuh~!"
My body put up a fierce fight, though.
It was like it saw the alcohol as straight poison and rebelled hard.
But that resistance? Pure pleasure for me.
Snacking usually calmed the rebellion, so I grabbed another bite.
"Whoa... you're pounding them back. Big drinker?"
Chae-yeon eyed me with admiration, baffled at how I handled the bitterness so well.
"Hmm...? Booze? Nah? First time for me too."
Post-regression, it was true. Pre-regression? Well...
"Really...?"
Something competitive sparked in her. Eyes shut tight, she chugged what was left.
"Ugh...!"
Tongue out, she hacked and coughed—zero adaptation, and it didn't look like there ever would be.
"Ji-hoon. Ji-hoon."
"Yeah?"
Na-young, who'd been refilling my cup on sight, called out softly.
"I wanna try too."
She said she wanted a go.
"Nah. Don't if you don't want to."
Abused daily by parents glued to the bottle? No wonder booze repulsed her—no way I'd push it.
"Still... wanna try once."
Why the sudden stubborn streak?
Plain curiosity?
She'd face it eventually anyway. I handed her a cup and poured just enough for a tiny sip.
"Just this much for now."
"Okay..."
Na-young nodded and tilted the cup.
Her fine brows slowly furrowed.
"Huh?"
Then came the puzzled look.
"Bitter, but... not unbearable. Is it tasty? Ji-hoon, can I have a little more?"
No dramatic reaction on her first go—she might be a natural.
Some kids were built for it.
"Here."
I poured her a bit more, and she downed it straight.
"Still not sure. Just bitter."
"Duh, it's booze. Try some sweet-and-sour chicken with it."
I popped a piece of the chicken we'd bought three boxes of right into her mouth.
"Better now, right?"
Booze plus snacks doubled the flavor magic.
One taste of this, and Na-young might accidentally turn into a drinker.
"Not really...? Feels the same."
Guess no worries there.
"Gimme a bit more."
Mi-jin, who'd been quiet, thrust her empty cup at me with resolve.
"Ugh...! Me too!"
Chae-yeon, still masking the awful aftertaste with frantic munching of snacks and chicken, shoved her cup out too.
"If it sucks, don't drink."
I'd said it for their sake, but they took it as a challenge and shook their heads, urging me to pour.
"Fine, fine. Knock yourselves out."
Hangover hell tomorrow—they'd swear off it for good.
"Wub... uek..."
"Kuh... cough... cough."
What a sight.
Chae-yeon forcing it down, eyes watering, sticking her tongue out after.
Mi-jin barely swallowing, then hacking away.
If it's that bad, just don't.
Sigh.
Making me worry.
"Enough. You two, stop."
"No way...! I brought it, so the bringer finishes it!"
Her face flushed faint red, she yelled.
Drunk already? Off two cups?
"Dad said... you get used to it by drinking more... and you seem to like it... gotta get used quick..."
"Y-yeah... gotta get used..."
They hated it.
But since someone they loved enjoyed it, they couldn't just skip.
Effort to like what I liked? Adorably lovable.
"Aigoo. You idiots."
I slung arms around their waists and yanked them close.
Their bodies and faces pressed in.
I rubbed my face wildly against their soft, baby-fat cheeks.
"Alright! Let's drink till we drop!"
Might as well go all out.
And so we pounded booze deep into the night.
Chae-yeon, barely scraping one bottle tolerance, conked out first from the buzz.
Na-young hit near one bottle, declared defeat, and wobbled to the sofa to crash.
Only me and Mi-jin still clinging to consciousness.
She turned out stronger than expected—we drank straight through till dawn.
"Ah......"
We'd emptied every bottle into empties when my eyelids grew insanely heavy, vision spinning wild. My body tipped sideways.
I flopped onto the cold, hard floor.
"Heh... I... I w-won...!"
Slurring hard.
Grinning at my downfall, Mi-jin scooted over.
She pillowed her head on my arm, shut her eyes, and let out soft snores.
That was the last thing I saw before my consciousness blinked out.