Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Always Drink with Adults (2)
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"Mm."
Legend tilted back his head and poured a full glass of soju down his throat, his face scrunching up right after.
The faint stickiness of ultra-chilled alcohol slid down his throat.
Adults actually enjoy this stuff?
The harsh, coating burn unique to booze made him cough involuntarily.
"Kuhhh...! That's the stuff. Man, I was really craving a drink today. Feels great."
"Oh...!"
Unlike me, Yeona sis was practically shouting her delight with her whole body, while Myth stared at the now-empty glass, her eyes sparkling.
"...Ugh. This is supposed to be good?"
"Dunno why, but it kinda tastes good? And I feel a bit buzzed, too."
"Heh heh, Legend's still too young for this."
"I'm 27, you know?"
"Your heart's still a kid's. Stuff like this is all about... Eh, never mind. Here, eat some snacks. Your stomach must be burning from downing that first shot on an empty stomach."
"Got it."
At Yeona sis's words, I grabbed one of the many side dishes on the table and popped it in my mouth.
They say spicy stuff goes with soju and greasy with beer—and sure enough, the spicy chicken feet settled my stomach a bit.
Whoa, booze turns your gut into something that only spicy food can fix?
Terrifying stuff, alcohol. No wonder office workers end up with stomachs like tripe.
"Sis, one more for me, please."
"Myth's handling it like a champ. Good, and honestly, filling it to the brim isn't great anyway, so I'll pour normal amounts from now on."
Yeah, filling it to the top never made sense.
The soju stopped at the two-thirds mark.
"What's the average person's limit like?"
"Hmm... Varies by person and job, but around one bottle on average, I'd say."
"How many shots is that?"
"Check this out—a standard soju bottle like this is sized for about seven and a half shots."
"When it's full to the brim?"
"Nah, based on two-thirds full, like this."
Yeona sis finished pouring, and the bottle emptied neatly.
She and Myth got perfect amounts, while mine was a tad less.
"People drink seven and a half shots of this...?"
"Heh heh, the taste of booze comes from the vibe. With good company, good atmosphere, and good snacks, it just keeps going down. Hold on."
Yeona sis grabbed the TV remote and fiddled with it.
The screen changed channels until it landed on Nutube, playing a video called "Top 50 Bar Karaoke Hits."
"Oh, nice speakers. Sounds booming."
The overwhelming speaker sound filled the living room with music in an instant.
What was it like? It naturally created a bit of a bar atmosphere.
"That's why bars always play music. Pros like me don't need it, but since it's your first time, sis here will set the mood."
"No need to go that far, sis..."
"Nah, it's fine. I'm doing it 'cause I want to. Booze is best when everyone's enjoying it together."
Yeona sis started bustling around.
She dashed to the power switches, flipping them this way and that, hunting for the perfect lighting.
Flicker, flicker—the flashing lights made my stomach queasy.
"Tch... No proper bar lighting. Hold on. Legend, mind if I grab something from your room?"
"Go ahead, but what?"
"Just some lights."
"Huh?!"
Before I could offer to help, Yeona sis darted into my room and hauled out the streaming lights from earlier.
Man, all this setup just for some drinks?
"These let you adjust the color."
Under Yeona sis's touch, the lights shifted hues.
From harsh blue to soft yellow, then soon to cozy orange.
"Oh, perfect."
Yeona sis nodded in satisfaction and sat back down.
Sis, you're way too enthusiastic.
Myth, loving the vibe, clapped like a seal.
"Whoa...! Feels like we're actually at a bar."
"Right?"
"What do you think, Seol? Nice atmosphere, huh?"
I took in the mood calmly.
Dark room, soft warm light over the table.
Tasty food and soju bottles on the table.
Maybe from the one-shot, or 'cause it's my first time with booze—a slight buzz rising.
Music flowing out, across from me the million-sub Nutuber Yeona sis.
Next to me, the five-million-sub Nutuber and world's top VTuber, my girlfriend Myth.
'This is nice...?'
It was nice.
Yeah, saying it wasn't would be a total lie.
I tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't hide my upturned lips.
"Whoa, he smiled."
"Heh heh, Legend. You think chances to drink with two beauties like us come often? Come on, glasses up."
"Ahem. Sure."
"Alright, how about Legend gives a toast this time?"
"I'm no good at that stuff..."
"Don't worry, we'll cheer no matter what. It's all about the energy! Quick!"
A toast?! This sudden?! What do I even say?
I blurted out the first thing that popped into my head.
"To a bright tomorrow!"
"Pfft hahaha! What are you, some cult leader?! Yeah, to a bright tomorrow!"
"Nice one, Seol. To a bright tomorrow!"
Luckily, they played along without complaint, keeping the vibe good.
Glasses clinked, booze slid down again.
I braced for that awful taste, but something different hit my tongue.
"...Huh?"
Cool, and sweet.
No way—the bitter nasty stuff from before tasted good now?
Glancing over, Myth was just—
"Hehe."
Grinning ear to ear in bliss as she gulped it down.
Maybe picking up on my reaction, Yeona sis chuckled knowingly.
"See? Tastes good, right?"
"Yeah, suddenly it does."
"Told you, it's all about the atmosphere."
I raised my glass.
"Let me pour this time."
Myth grabbed the bottle and filled my glass.
When Yeona sis did it, no big deal—but getting poured by her? My heart's racing more than I thought.
I'll pour for her next.
With that in mind, I brought the glass to my lips—
And that was my last memory of the night.
One hour and thirty minutes since they started drinking.
Yeona eyed the dwindling soju bottles and frowned.
'Drank too fast?'
One bottle per person in an hour and a half.
Of course, she'd drunk a bit more in her excitement, so Legend and Myth hadn't quite matched her.
But both had kept up the pace so well that it felt like they'd chugged them down.
"Seoliii~."
"What, Myth?"
"Feed me that one, that one."
"This?"
"Yeah. Ahhhh~."
Well, look at them.
Not even noticing she was there, going at it with the lovey-dovey stuff again.
Myth opening her mouth, Legend feeding her.
Cute and sweet to watch, but... something felt off.
A sense of wrongness.
A very strong one.
'What's bugging me so much?'
Normally, Yeona would've clocked it instantly, but after a day of third-wheeling their antics, fatigue had set in.
The slight dizziness from the booze was clouding her judgment a bit.
Her limit was nearly four bottles, so one was nothing usually—but the great vibe had her buzzing faster.
'For now, Legend looks fine, and Myth seems half-drunk already.'
Time to test it.
"Hey, Legend...?"
"Yes, Yeona sis? Something wrong?"
Clear.
His voice was clear as a bell—uncannily so.
Chillingly perfect.
But too early to suspect.
Some people get sharper with a buzz.
"Uh, what's 4 times 7?"
"Like a drinking game?"
"Y-yeah, kinda. Go on."
"28. Too easy."
Yeona kept firing questions.
"Myth's debut date?"
"January 1st, seven years ago."
"Know my age?"
"Six years older than Myth, right?"
"Your nickname?"
"QWER. Though I spilled my real name like an idiot today, haha."
Legend answered everything flawlessly.
Spookily fast and accurate.
Tch.
Yeona rolled ice in her mouth against the nagging unease.
The chill sharpened her mind a touch.
...Just my imagination? He's way too sharp.
"Uh, how many floors in the department store where we first met?"
"Four—"
"Uuuunh... Yeona siiiiis... Stop quizzing Seoliii... He's miiine..."
Flushed-faced Myth interrupted, barging in.
She burrowed into Legend's arms, nuzzling around.
"Yeah, yeah. He's yours."
"Hehe, Seollie~."
"Yeah, Myth."
Legend smiled softly, stroking her hair.
Damn it.
Seriously, what's off?
Couldn't pinpoint it.
Legend's reactions were perfectly "normal."
"Ah, Yeona sis, Myth. Let's have a round."
Legend grinned brightly as he poured for everyone.
Two-thirds.
Perfect pour. Steady hands, not a drop spilled.
That guy—I'd seen someone like him at a drinking party before.
Couldn't recall the trait.
Definitely left a bad impression, explaining this nagging feeling.
'Imagination?'
...Yeah. Don't overthink.
If it was real danger, no way I'd forget.
My instincts wouldn't dull from one bottle.
"Alright, Myth, Yeona sis. Cheers."
"Cheeeers!!!"
"Cheers. If you get too dizzy, speak up, Legend. Myth, we'll stop if you're too drunk."
"Okaaaay~!"
"Thanks for worrying. Yeona sis."
Myth raised both hands in a V, cheering, while Legend winked.
Damn it.
Seriously, something's weird.
Yeona drowned her doubts in a shot of soju, as the night deepened.