Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Hotel
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"Clink."
The two clear glasses bumped together with a bright, crisp sound.
It had been about an hour since we'd walked into the bar and grabbed a table for some daytime drinks with Lee Soo-yeon.
We locked eyes, toasted, and tossed back the liquor without a second thought.
The cold soju burned down my throat and spread through my whole body the instant it hit my stomach.
"Ahh, that's good."
The sharp alcoholic bite on the tip of my tongue, followed by that sweet aftertaste.
It was cheap diluted soju loaded with sweeteners, but it wasn't half bad for getting buzzed.
Throw in some snacks, and you get why adults love this stuff.
"Min-jae. Here, let me top yours off."
"Whoa, it's spilling everywhere. You too, Soo-yeon."
We filled each other's empty glasses.
Pouring back and forth like that, we were getting drunk at a rapid clip.
Before long, Soo-yeon's face was bright red.
I hadn't noticed when she was nursing that half bottle solo with the spicy braised short ribs, but she must be the type who flushes fast when she drinks.
Of course, I'm probably no different.
It's not just my face turning red—the edges of my vision are starting to blur a little.
My tongue feels weirdly thick, too, slurring my words.
"Ugh, I'm already drunk..."
"Come on. What if you get wasted after just this, Min-jae?"
What the...? Soo-yeon looks totally sloshed already.
She's hammered, but she's the one lecturing me about getting drunk.
"Min-jae. You know I make a killing with money?"
"Wouldn't surprise me. You're a hotshot doctor and the hottest YouTuber in Korea right now."
"The YouTube stuff's all thanks to you. But I was talking about my real job as a doctor. Not some basic pay-doctor salary, okay? You know how much revenue my clinic pulls in? Last month's net profit alone was..."
Lee Soo-yeon ticked off the digits one by one on her slender fingers, reeling off a specific number.
My jaw practically hit the floor.
Booze is a funny thing.
Conversations I'd never dream of having sober just pour out effortlessly.
Feels like the locks on my reason and emotions just snapped open.
A blatant brag about money she'd never let slip normally.
Yeah, she's definitely wasted.
"Impressive. You're basically a walking small business. Deserves that 'director' title."
"It is a small business. We've got twenty staff at the clinic."
"Whoa, that's way more than I thought."
That's legit small business territory.
"Right? I've got skills. But what's the point of all that money if there's nowhere to spend it?"
Lee Soo-yeon propped her chin on her hand, gazing at me with hazy eyes.
Her fingers twitched on the table.
Then her eyes roamed over every inch of my face.
Maybe it was the booze, but her stare felt stickier than usual.
"That's why. I've got a pretty firm type in mind."
"Your type? What kind?"
"Yeah. Older... but sometimes acts younger. That kind of guy."
Lee Soo-yeon reached across the table, her fingertips brushing my cheek.
Her cool fingers felt nice against my flushed skin.
"Too boyish, and there's no reliability. Too mature and stuffy, and it's no fun. Just the right balance."
"Picky conditions."
"And the most important part."
Her touch trailed down my cheek to my jawline, stroking softly.
Like petting a cute puppy.
"Someone who'll indulge me when I wanna act spoiled and younger. I make the money, so he just stays by my side, calling me pretty and loving me."
She's beating around the bush, but anyone with half a brain gets it.
She's saying it to me.
Lee Soo-yeon refilled my empty glass with a beaming smile.
"A guy like you, Min-jae."
Her straight ball hit me out of nowhere, leaving me speechless.
I fumbled awkwardly with my glass, no clue what to say.
She giggled at my flustered reaction and proposed another toast.
"Come on, drink up. We're going all the way tonight."
"You sure you're good?"
"That's why we drink on weekends. Weekdays I'm too busy for this. Right?"
Can't argue with that.
Screw it, might as well since we're already buzzed.
Tomorrow's problem for tomorrow's me.
And so we kept pouring and chugging, emptying soju bottles one by one.
Green bottles piled up on the table like bowling pins.
The topics got deeper, and our physical distance shrank.
Before I knew it, we weren't sitting across from each other—we were side by side, shoulders touching, sipping away.
My hand had somehow ended up on Lee Soo-yeon's thigh.
"Min-jae."
"Yeah?"
"I'm not going home tonight."
"You gotta go home sometime."
"No way. I wanna drink myself to death today."
We kept pounding soju and beer.
That's when the power cord in my head got yanked out.
"Ugh..."
I forced my heavy eyelids open.
No idea how long they'd been shut.
Why did my head hurt like this? Why was my mouth so dry?
First thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling.
My apartment ceiling's old and tacky, but this one was spotless and luxurious.
Soft indirect lighting glowed gently without stinging my eyes, and the AC blew cool, comfortable air.
"Definitely not my place."
I sat up and looked around.
A spacious room.
Plush carpet on the floor. Fancy furniture.
High-rises visible through the window.
Anybody could tell it was a hotel room.
A ritzy one, too—the kind where one night's stay costs more than my monthly grocery budget.
Twin beds.
I was sprawled on the left one, and on the right...
"..."
Lee Soo-yeon slept soundly, oblivious to the world.
She looked peaceful, curled up under the white duvet up to her neck.
Her breathing was steady and rhythmic.
I stared for a second before snapping out of it.
It was like a bucket of cold water—sleep vanished.
Hold up. Why am I here?
I crossed my arms and tilted my head.
No matter how hard I wracked my brain, nothing came up.
Last thing I remembered before the blackout was her saying she wanted to drink to death.
Total blank after that.
Not even fragments.
Did I do something stupid while drunk?
Hmm. Doesn't feel like it.
Luckily, I was still in yesterday's clothes.
Jacket off, but shirt and pants intact.
I patted my pockets—wallet and phone were there.
Wallet safe in the back pocket, phone in the right.
Nothing missing.
I checked my phone first.
No missed calls, but a few texts from Eun Ha-min.
[Puppy. Busy today?]
[Why aren't you checking texts, my puppy?]
[Call me when you wake up.]
Normally I'd reply right away, but that wasn't priority now.
I glanced at the time on top.
2:13 PM.
"Hah..."
I blinked, doubting my eyes.
2 PM?
Not 2 AM?
We started drinking around 3 PM yesterday.
So, daytime binge, blackout around dinner time, came here...
And slept straight through without waking once.
"Insane..."
My precious weekend just vanished into nothing.
Felt like Saturday got erased entirely.
Missed the whole EXP event window, too.
I crept over to her bed and shook Lee Soo-yeon gently.
"Hey. Soo-yeon. Wake up."
No response.
She slept like the dead.
I grabbed her shoulder and shook harder.
"Soo-yeon, the sun's high in the sky. Checkout time's probably passed."
"Ugh..."
Finally, she groaned and stirred.
She rolled over, and the duvet slipped right off.
"...Ahem."
I caught my breath.
Her outfit under the covers was anything but ordinary.
Gone was yesterday's cool beauty celeb look—she was down to a frilly sky-blue bra and panties.
And the thin fabric left her curves blatantly exposed.
I whipped my eyes away, fixing them on the window.
"Umm... Min-jae?"
Her sleepy voice drifted over.
Laden with drowsiness.
Lee Soo-yeon rubbed her eyes and sat up.
A whiff of her warm, soft scent wafted my way with every move.
"You're up? What time is it..."
"Past 2 PM. Way past."
Her eyes went wide at my words.
But she didn't seem flustered.
If anything, her lips curved up as she eyed my reaction.
"Whoa. Slept a ton."
"Uh, your clothes..."
"Oh, this?"
Lee Soo-yeon glanced down at herself and chuckled.
No hint of embarrassment.
Quite the opposite—she owned it.
"Why? It's fine if it's you looking."
"Still, guys and girls should keep some distance..."
"I always sleep in just underwear. My body runs hot, and I hate feeling confined. Do it at home, too."
She hopped out of bed casually.
Her smooth bare legs and thighs on full display.
She gathered her scattered clothes and outerwear from the floor and started dressing.
I sneaked peeks at her while rolling my eyes around.
"Min-jae. Wanna look?"
Her teasing voice came from behind.
I glanced back—she'd lifted her skirt hem slightly, striking a sultry pose.
Her thighs, whiter than a Caucasian's, shimmered right there.
"H-Hurry up and get dressed."
It'd be a lie to say I wasn't tempted, but I didn't want things getting awkward.
Not unless it's fully on the table later.
I cleared my throat loudly and looked away.
Her clear laughter rang out from behind.
"So cute, seriously."
Once dressed, Lee Soo-yeon plopped down on my bed.
She patted the spot next to her, inviting me to sit.