Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: On Lunar New Year's, It's Yutnori and Booze!
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Just like that, to celebrate Lunar New Year's, a Yutnori board was set up.
I teamed up with the President.
Uncle and Auntie formed the other team.
The losers would buy dessert after dinner.
"Oh, it's a geol!"
"Ah, nooo...!"
When three of the yut sticks landed white-side up, Uncle let out a cheer.
A strangled cry escaped my lips.
Our horse, which had been ahead, got thoroughly eaten by their team.
Uncle got another turn and tossed the sticks again...
Degurrr—
"Yut!"
"Hing...."
This time, all four came up white—a yut.
Then a gae followed, and one of their horses that had pulled far ahead crossed the goal and vanished.
I could only hang my head in dazed defeat.
They already had two in the goal.
We'd barely managed one.
The gap had widened considerably.
Woo, earlier when the President threw, we scored so smoothly.
I really must have bad luck.
I should've just let her keep throwing.
"P-President. Why don't you throw...?"
"No, it's fine. You throw it, Da-jeong. We're only one behind—nothing to worry about."
Even now, I offered her the sticks, but she smiled and urged me on.
Maybe because I mentioned it was my first time playing Yutnori.
Al-right. She believes in me, so I'll give it a few more tries.
Whish—
"Do... a do...."
I psyched myself up and threw with determination, but the lowest roll came up, and I deflated again.
We had no horses left on the board.
A new one sat all alone, just one space from the start.
Defeat loomed thick in the air.
I should've just handed it off...
Whish—
The moment my shoulders slumped, Uncle threw.
Two whites flipped up—a gae.
"Da-jeong, if they get a gae here, grab it and go again. Don't sweat it—throw."
"Y-Yes! I'll do my best."
Buoyed by the President's encouragement, I flung the sticks.
One white appeared—a do again.
I was starting to zone out, wondering if do was all I could roll, when—
"Yes! A do! We'll snag theirs and go!"
"Eh?"
The President cheered, moving our existing horse to eat their piece ahead.
Oh, right.
You could capture with a do too, not just gae.
Our first capture ever!
"Okay, Da-jeong. Throw again."
"Yes!"
With newfound confidence, I tossed them.
Degurrr—they rolled feebly, like me tumbling endlessly on the bed.
"Whoa?! P-President! It's mo! Mo!"
"Ooh!"
Despite the weak toss, they lined up neatly, convex sides up.
The highest roll in Yutnori—a mo!
"Da-jeong, throw again."
"Ah, right... Sorry. Hehe...."
I was so thrilled about the mo that I forgot my extra turn and handed them over.
I gave an awkward smile to Uncle, who kindly passed them back with a gentle grin.
Ehehehe....
I'd never rolled a yut or mo all day, so I'd totally blanked on extra turns.
Flick—
Good, aim for gae this time.
I'll leave moving to the President.
Her strategy's key here.
"Hmm... Da-jeong, let's place another gae here and combine for a mo push."
"Yes, sounds good."
She pondered like a war general, stroking her chin.
I nodded without hesitation—whatever she said.
Our horse gained a gae buddy and surged far ahead via mo.
Great, if this one goals, we take the lead!
"Pfft... Honey, look at excited Da-jeong. She's adorable."
"She'd be wagging a tail if she had one."
I caught them whispering about me, voices too low to make out.
Strategy huddle, probably.
Flick—
Huddle over—Uncle threw.
Degurrr—all whites—a yut!
Ah, no way?!
He'd just rolled one, and another?
Uncle's got golden hands...!
B-But our horse is way ahead.
They can't catch it in one...
"A geol here and we're snagged...."
"Eek?! R-Really?"
...Nope.
Total crisis.
Please no geol, no geol.
Whish—
I watched my prayer-filled toss soar.
It hit the floor—a gae.
We slipped away by one space.
"Grr, no geol...."
Uncle clutched his forehead in regret.
I secretly sighed in relief.
Phew, getting caught there would've crushed my spirit.
Okay, just run from here on.
Too low a roll and they might catch up...
At least a geol.
Flick—!
Determined toss rolls.
'Please mo!'
Three concaves—I prayed inwardly.
But one flipped limply—a do.
I went dead-eyed.
"Whoa?! Back-do! Back-do! Da-jeong, you did it!"
"Huh? B-Back-do...?"
Yet the President was thrilled, scooping me into a spin-hug.
What's a back-do again?
Oh, right.
A do, but sends you back one space.
Looking where she pointed—a blue marker X on the flipped side.
That one makes it a back-do.
In a race to goal...
Normally a trap card.
But their horse was right behind ours.
"We'll eat good! Whew, stuffed!"
She cheekily slid our combined horse back, devouring theirs.
Toward her parents, no less.
"Aigoo, Da-jeong rolled a back-do."
"She sure did. Our Da-jeong's a natural."
"I-It was just luck."
They praised me, ignoring her.
I felt truly like their daughter, scratching my head with an embarrassed grin.
"Our maknae exploded with luck at the end."
"I-It just happened. Hehe...."
After that, my two yuts and a gae let us merge three horses and glide to victory.
We wrapped up the epic comeback.
Post-dinner, we hit a café for Uncle and Auntie's treat—delicious desserts.
Mine: whipped cream-loaded frappuccino.
Hehe, frapps are the best.
Night brought a casual drinking session.
The President could hold her liquor, as far as I knew.
Her genes? Obvious source.
"You, with Da-jeong here—ease up."
"Okay, okay. Just this last one."
"I-I'm fine."
Auntie patted Uncle's back, scolding as booze endlessly poured in.
He shrank but persisted.
Amazing.
So much, yet no flush?
Speech normal too.
"Da-jeong doesn't drink? No need to stand on ceremony."
She spoke as I sneaked snacks.
I hadn't touched a drop.
She thought I was being polite around adults.
Close, but...
Not politeness—just scared of messing up.
"Our maknae can't hold it. Don't force her."
"Who said force? Sounds bad."
"N-No, I can have a little."
"Oh? No pressure."
"Ehehe... On a day like this, one shot's fine."
Refusing too hard looks bad.
And I kinda wanted to.
Great mood today.
Pour—
"Da-jeong, don't overdo it. Got it?"
"Yes, don't worry."
She fretted, but I boldly sipped her pour.
Didn't forget cheers with all.
This booze smells amazing.
Plum notes...
Sweet tang—doable even for weak me.
"Oh, Da-jeong handles it well? Another?"
"Y-Yes. Just one more...."
Uncle offered the bottle.
One felt skimpy—two it was.
Heat crept from my core, but two shots won't get me drunk.
I'm an adult, after all.
Sipping the second, fork slips on cheese.
Poke-poke.
Why won't it stick?
Ugh, sneaky cheese.
Wings now?
Grabbed by hand, nom.
Cheesy savor mixed with booze—yum.
"Da-jeong, okay? Tastes good?"
"Uhhe... Yummy. Plum juice...."
"...Da-jeong?"
Thumbs-up to her query.
Her face shifted.
Uh? Face?
Weird...
Why two Presidents? Three now.
"Ehehe, three Presidents...."
Squish—
Three means triple hug bliss?
I dove into her arms to test.
Hehe, feels good.
Not sure the difference from one.
But President's hugs rock.
Rub-rub—
"Is Da-jeong drunk?"
"Looks like. Didn't think two shots...."
Woo... Not drunk.
Why say that?
Drunk means head not working.
Mine is.
See? Arms heavenly.
Frapp yummy.
Members sweet.
Cherries good too...
Ung, weird.
Dunno. Staying put.
President's arms best.
"Drunk or not, still cute. Some wives beat husbands when tipsy... Gah?!"
"Shut it. Haneul, take Da-jeong to bed. I'll clean up."
"Got it. Buzz hitting me too."
Pat-pat—
"C'mon, Da-jeong. Bedtime snooze. Okay?"
"Yesss... Ung...."
Her kind voice guided me somewhere soft enveloped my back.
Ung, nice... but not as good as before.
Where was it...?
"Wait. Da-jeong? President needs to wash up...."
Ah, this. This.
Holding this calms me most.
"Woo, nooo... Don't gooo...."
I yanked the retreating pillow into both arms.
Where you going?
You're my pillow now.
Stroke-stroke—
"...Okay, not going anywhere. Sleep easy."
"Uhhehe...."
Some gentle voice, soft head pats.
Pillow resistance faded, yielding comfy-like.
All that comfort lulled me.
Like drunk on something, consciousness sank as I breathed thin and steady.
That night, I dreamed something super nice.
Can't recall details.
But felt like flying, hugging clouds galore.