A Promise I Shouldn't Have Made

I should have told you sooner. No matter how sweet a whiskey tastes, Balvenie 30 Year has an ABV of 47%. If you drink an entire bottle of that, you'll end up in the hospital, not a hotel. On top of that, the 12 Year I drank has a fruity aroma, but the 30 Year is closer to dark chocolate and caramel sweetness. It's much more expensive, but it might not even be the kind of sweetness women usually want.

I snatched the bottle from Cha Soyeon's hand and headed to the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"Just wait a moment."

Before I reenlisted and went back to school, I had some free time and worked part-time at a bar near my house. It was simple stuff—cleaning the hall, washing dishes, organizing the kitchen. There was a bartender hyung who made great cocktails and we got along well, so we became close during my time there.

"There are tons of simple cocktails you can make. I'll teach you a few, so learn them."

"Why would a regular person need to know that? Wouldn't knowing the right soju-to-beer ratio be more useful?"

"You little punk. Do you have any idea how many points you can score with girls ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if you serve them a pretty cocktail that suits their taste? If your face wasn't so hard to look at, you could've taken someone home that very night."

He taught me a few, and there really were some simple ones. The ingredients were easy to get, so I even used them to lower the alcohol content of cheap liquor. I needed lemon juice, syrup, and egg whites, so I opened the fridge. There was syrup and eggs, but no lemon juice, so I pulled out some lemonade as a substitute.

I found the whiskey glasses and lined them up on the island.

"What are you making?"

Yeoreum must have been curious because she asked while watching me gather ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the ingredients.

"I'm making a cocktail. This liquor is 47%, so drinking it straight will get you drunk fast. It won't take long, so just wait a bit."

I poured the Balvenie, syrup, and egg whites into the shaker and shook it vigorously. The lemonade had carbonation, so I had to mix it in later. I added ice to the whiskey glasses and poured in an appropriate amount. Drinking it on the rocks like this would let the ice melt and lower the alcohol content even more.

"Whoa... that's so cool...."

The girls' eyes sparkled. Even Cha Soyeon was watching with interest.

"It's called a Whisky Sour. It's easy to make, so if you ever drink whiskey later, try it. You'll get way less drunk than drinking it straight."

"Soyeon unnie gave it to him to make him drunk, but Manager-nim is making it so he won't get drunk instead."

"Why would I help you girls with a seduction ploy? This way of drinking creates a much better atmosphere."

"So... we're not at the level where we can pull off a seduction ploy yet?"

Only then did I stop what I was doing and look up at Yeoreum. She had a look that said she regretted speaking, but somehow she seemed sad. It looked like she, just like Cha Soyeon, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠started thinking strangely whenever I was involved.

"Why are you saying something like that? The seduction thing was just Soyeon-ssi throwing it out there, so don't pay it any mind."

"I'm sorry. I said something unnecessary."

It was a good day, but seeing her so deflated didn't feel right. Wanting to cheer her up, I lightly spoiled a bit of the future I'd seen.

"Let's make it with all five of you as a complete group and do a proper comeback. Let's line up the music show wins we couldn't get with our second album and hit number one on the charts, then do interviews. If we climb all the way to the top tier like that, I'll make you a seduction ploy—not just a regular one, but even a seduction ploy grandfather if you want."

I shouldn't have said that last part. Yeoreum's mouth hung half-open as she froze completely. Even I realized I'd messed up the moment I said it.

'If we reach the top tier, it sounds like I'm saying I'll seduce her myself.'

'Shut up.'

Yeoreum's eyes, which had returned to normal, were now blazing with fire. She looked like a hero standing before the final battle with the Demon King.

"You promised... you just did."

I told you that's not what I meant! The way Cha Soyeon's eyes narrowed behind her... was probably just my imagination.

*

The kids must have really liked the cocktail because they kept emptying their glasses one after another. As the alcohol kicked in, their tension rose in a smooth curve, and both Cha Soyeon and Yeoreum were laughing brightly as if nothing had happened, clinking their glasses together.

"Unnie, you're so nice... but you're in such a high place I can't even look up at you."

"You'll all be climbing up soon too, right? Juwon-ssi promised to make you shine. And Juwon-ssi always keeps his promises."

"But still... we're such failed idols... ugh."

"What does that matter? That's nothing to Juwon-ssi. He saved me, and he brought you all here from that storage-room-like place. He cleaned out that cult den and even rescued Sera and Chie who were being held captive. Do you really think someone like him can't take you to the top tier?"

"Unnie... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thank you so much for saying that... I love you."

Yeoreum, who was quite drunk by now, hugged Cha Soyeon tightly. To anyone who didn't know them, they looked so affectionate they might have been mistaken for sisters. Lina and Chie had fallen asleep on the floor holding hands, and Sera was dozing off in the corner. Yeoreum was also making soft breathing sounds beside Cha Soyeon. It was time for the party to wind down.

"How are you still so sober, Soyeon-ssi? Everyone else is like this."

"You even made me a cocktail so I wouldn't get drunk. It would be rude if I got intoxicated."

Beyond politeness, she was excessively clear-headed. Did she always hold her liquor well?

"You didn't get drunk either, Juwon-ssi."

"That's because I spent more time making the cocktails than drinking."

"Then we must be short on alcohol."

"No, well...."

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"Second round."

*****

Sitting on the wooden platform of my rooftop room, she looked around with an amused expression. The second round location Cha Soyeon mentioned was my own rooftop room.

"You never invited me, so I had to come like this. How could you make a woman wait so long?"

"I said I'd do the housewarming first. We just finished it."

"Then you should have invited me right away before I even mentioned a second round."

What kind of woman is this impatient?

"Well, you're here now, so it's fine."

She tapped the wooden platform with her fingers, looking fascinated.

"What an interesting house. The outside is so spacious, but the place where you live is smaller than my fitting room."

Aaaagh, my nest is smaller than Cha Soyeon's closet!

"If it's uncomfortable, just say so. I gave the officetel to Red Blossom as their dorm, so I still have a gift left for you, Juwon-ssi."

"I told you before. I live alone, so I don't need a big place. I'm comfortable here."

With my current income, this was just right. It was also the place where I'd received God's Grace. Where else would I go?

Cha Soyeon seemed to read my expression and didn't press the matter any further.

"You said we were short on alcohol. Let's have a toast, just the two of us."

"I don't have any expensive liquor like before."

"Why would two people drink expensive stuff? You have beer, right? Grill some sausages too. I've been craving that a lot."

After setting up the burner, I opened the fridge to take out the beer and sausages.

'Oh no.'

There were sausages, but the beer was all gone. The convenience store was quite a walk down the alley.

'What now...'

'I told you there's no beer.'

Following the Divine Spirit's instructions, I took out five hundred milliliter glasses from the cupboard.

'Why water of all things...'

A scene came to mind, so I couldn't finish my sentence. I took out the water jug and filled the glasses to the brim. A small vortex swirled up from the bottom, and the color of the water began to change.

'I-It really turned into beer!'

Thanks to the Divine Spirit, I was spared the trip to the convenience store.

*

The sausages were sizzling deliciously on the grill. As I cut them one by one with scissors, Cha Soyeon watched with a bright smile.

"What are you smiling so much about? It's just cheap sausages and beer."

"It's so much better than drinking wine at an expensive restaurant. I don't even know why it feels this good."

I chuckled and placed a well-grilled piece on Cha Soyeon's plate. We clinked our glasses and I took a long sip. The taste was so good it made my eyes fly open.

"What kind of beer is this? Where did you get it?"

"It's just draft beer from the local chicken place...."

I couldn't tell her it was a miracle from the Divine Spirit, so I gave a vague answer. The chicken shop owner had agreed to serve this beer every time I came by in exchange for not buying his place outright.

We went back and forth until we'd emptied the water jug the Divine Spirit had transformed. The alcohol must have started hitting her because a flush rose to her cheeks. She rubbed her eyes and let out a pretty yawn.

"I think I'm drunk. Is it okay if I lie down here for a bit?"

"The floor is hard. I'll get a pillow, so wait a second."

"Can't you just lie down next to me and let me use your arm as a pillow?"

How could I say no when she looked at me with those eyes? I quickly cleaned up the area, lay down, and spread my arm. She quietly lay down beside me.

"Is it uncomfortable?"

"It's nice. It's warm... and it feels like being in His arms."

We lay like that for a while, staring up at the night sky.

"There are so many stars."

"Shooting stars pass by sometimes too."

"I hope one passes right now. I want to make a wish."

Come to think of it, that was how God had granted my wish that day. I'd shouted at a passing shooting star to let me get a job. And as a bonus, I'd even received a Grace. It was an incredibly profitable deal.

"Someday... please tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"How you met Him, what kind of ability you received, what you're trying to do...."

Even though she knew I'd received a Grace, Cha Soyeon had never pestered me with questions. She'd been considerate of my situation, but it seemed her curiosity was unavoidable. Hearing her say she'd wait like this made me feel like there was no need to hide it anymore. Since she'd met God too, she would probably believe anything I said.

"It was... a night just like this one...."

I was about to tell her what had happened that day when the Divine Spirit spoke up.

When I turned my head, she was breathing softly in her sleep. Her voice had sounded drowsy even when she first lay down, so she must not have been able to hold on any longer. I tried to lift her gently to carry her inside, but she let out a soft "mm" and burrowed into my chest. The sight was so adorable that I carried her in my arms as I slowly walked around the rooftop. It was a night when the rooftop I saw every day looked especially special.

*****

The studio must have liked the housewarming video because they sent the edited version just two days later. I thought it was good enough, so I uploaded it to the channel that afternoon.

It didn't even take an hour for the reactions to explode.