Fateful Luck and a Drunk Captain
Jeong So-ra, sprawled out on the floor— "Then, Hwan-oppa, see you next leave! Merry Christmas!"
"...Yeah. Merry Christmas."
After hanging up, Seo Joo-hwan lay there in a daze for a while. A memory he'd briefly forgotten had resurfaced, stirring up his heart.
About an hour later, he bolted upright, headed to the bathroom, and splashed cold water on his face.
"Ugh. Finally coming back to my senses."
Seo Joo-hwan dried off the water and shook his head vigorously. There was no point in wallowing in old memories like this. If it hurt, he could change it. He'd regressed back in time—what couldn't he do?
"It's not like there's anything I can do about it right now anyway."
He still had plenty of time. No need to get depressed this early.
"Let's see here."
Seo Joo-hwan pulled out his phone and opened the browser. There was something he wanted to search.
Jeong So-ra's fetish: Fat Admirer. He was curious if it really meant what it sounded like.
Fat Admirer: Also abbreviated as FA, refers to someone who admires overweight bodies. In porn, it's categorized as BBW (Big Beautiful Woman) or BBM (Big Beautiful Man).
"Oh..."
He hadn't believed it, but it really did mean someone who praised obesity. Of all things, that was Jeong So-ra's fetish.
It was rated as lower tier—wonder what level of chubbiness she liked.
"This is... should I be grateful or what?"
He never imagined a day would come when he'd be thankful for a fat body.
With that question settled, another curiosity arose. What was the mid-tier fetish marked with a question mark?
"No way it's masochism or sadism, right?"
Masochism, also known as masochistic tendencies, refers to deriving sexual pleasure from abuse in specific situations. People with this trait are called masochists.
On the other hand, sadism is the opposite—sadistic tendencies—where one derives pleasure from inflicting abuse.
Surprisingly, low-intensity masochism and sadism are relatively common fetishes that appear regardless of gender.
"Nah, no way."
He felt goosebumps creeping up his arms anyway.
*
Seo Joo-hwan read web novels until the appointed time. Revisiting old works after regressing brought fresh emotions.
After reading for a good while, he only noticed the darkening sky outside when he finally climbed down from his bed.
"Time to head out."
It was time to execute his plan.
*
For all his talk of a grand scheme, Seo Joo-hwan's plan was mostly flimsy, relying on pre-regression memories and luck.
According to those memories, Jeong So-ra was on a blind date with a guy in Yeongyang-eup today. And inexplicably, the guy dumped her.
Afterward, she went into a barbecue joint alone and downed a hefty amount of booze. That was the future he knew.
He knew this because Captain Park Kyung-soo of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Company—3rd Company commander—had spotted her there.
Park Kyung-soo was notorious as the biggest gossip in the 1st Battalion, so naturally, word of Jeong So-ra spread like wildfire.
In a place full of guys, a beauty like her getting dumped was prime gossip fodder.
'It was Haesikdang, right?'
Haesikdang was an Italian restaurant with high prices—way out of Seo Joo-hwan's budget. That's why he'd delayed leaving his lodging.
Instead of going in during the day, he planned to circle the area after dark and find Jeong So-ra drinking alone.
'She should be boozing it up at the restaurant by now...'
It was just past 8 p.m. He'd heard she'd downed over two bottles by 9, so she was probably starting in earnest.
He had to find her restaurant before she finished her drinks.
'Where the hell is it?'
Unfortunately, he didn't know the exact name. He just guessed it was near Haesikdang.
"Haa. Am I really gonna find it like this?"
After wandering for a while, Seo Joo-hwan sighed and scratched his head. He realized just how recklessly he was operating.
Even in a small town, with some info, the odds of stumbling into her by checking every restaurant were slim.
And even if he found her, that came with problems. Flaunting being AWOL from his garrison area—given her strict personality, she might even slap him with discipline.
It'd probably end with a written apology at worst, but it still made him nervous.
That's when it happened, after about 30 minutes of wandering.
The message popped up at the same moment.
"Seo Joo-hwan?"
A familiar voice called from behind.
"Gah?!"
"It is you, right?"
Jeong So-ra stood there, looking shocked. But meeting her didn't fill Seo Joo-hwan with joy. He'd been desperately searching, but this sudden encounter wasn't what he wanted.
"Knew it was you. But what are you doing here?"
Her face sharpened as she spoke. Narrowing her eyes, she fixed him with a stare.
"Didn't you say you were staying in a lodging in Uljin-eup?"
"W-Well..."
"Don't tell me you jumped the gun?"
"......"
"Hah. Of all people, you, Seo Joo-hwan! I might doubt the others, but I trusted your word..."
"I-It wasn't like that..."
"The company commander is very disappointed?"
"...Sorry, ma'am."
Flustered, he couldn't muster a proper excuse and just apologized. As he started to bow his head, the message appeared again.
In that instant, beyond the message, his vision caught a sturdy-built man. Someone he'd seen at the base just yesterday.
He gasped involuntarily and blurted out the man's rank.
"Gah. 3rd Company Commander?"
"Huh? What? Captain Park Kyung-soo?"
Seo Joo-hwan's words startled Jeong So-ra even more; she whipped around, then snapped back just as fast, nearly twisting her neck.
She knew Park Kyung-soo's type too and wanted no part of him.
Locking eyes briefly, Seo Joo-hwan and Jeong So-ra nodded. Without a word, they silently agreed and hurried off in the opposite direction from Park Kyung-soo.
But after a few steps, Jeong So-ra had to stop.
"Ah, I didn't pay..."
"Pay?"
"I stepped out for some air mid-meal. My clothes and bag are still inside..."
Her face was quite flushed as she spoke. She reeked of alcohol—clearly, she'd already had plenty.
'Isn't this a golden opportunity?'
To Seo Joo-hwan, the situation felt perfect. The message had called it luck, after all. His half-baked plan was falling into place thanks to the succubus god's blessing.
"Ugh. Of all places, I went into his restaurant. Hate getting tangled with that guy." Jeong So-ra paced anxiously, debating whether to go back in.
Seeing her like that gave him conviction. With sudden resolve, Seo Joo-hwan declared,
"Company Commander, I'll get it for you."
"Huh? You, Joo-hwan?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"You could get caught going in there—might cost you your leave. You know how much of a hardass he is, right?"
Maybe because she was tipsy, her tone was lighter than usual—like a neighborhood noona.
Grinning, Seo Joo-hwan replied,
"You've already caught me AWOL, ma'am. If I bring it back safe, you let it slide... deal?"
Her eyes widened in that "who does this kid think he is?" way.
"Seo Joo-hwan, you've gotten bold. Haggling with your company commander."
But she didn't look offended. Proof came in her smiling response:
"Fine, bring it back safe. I'll pretend I saw nothing—and I'll treat you to something tasty tonight."
"Roger that. Won't disappoint you this time."
With their playful banter done, Seo Joo-hwan tugged his cap low and headed inside. Getting caught by Park Kyung-soo would be bad, but somehow, he felt zero worry.
Today was his lucky day.
*
Seo Joo-hwan slipped past Park Kyung-soo's notice and emerged with Jeong So-ra's stuff unscathed. She greeted him outside with a bright smile.
"Thanks, Joo-hwan."
"Haha, no biggie. So you'll overlook the AWOL, right?"
"Of course. And I'll treat for a tasty dinner."
"Oho, something to look forward to?"
"Yeah! Look forward to it!"
Her voice was lively, probably from the booze lifting her spirits. But that cheer soured quick.
"What if we run into someone else? Kinda anxious."
"...What are the odds? It's pretty far from the battalion. Other units are even farther."
Seo Joo-hwan did his best to reassure her. He couldn't lose this hard-won chance.
But she wasn't easy to convince, still looking worried. After pausing to think, she clapped her hands like an idea had struck.
"Joo-hwan, let's go to your lodging."
"Pardon?"
"You booked around here, right?"
"I did, but...?"
"Then let's grab snacks and booze and head there. You drink, right?"
"Uh, y-yeah! Sounds good!"
After a beat of surprise, Seo Joo-hwan nodded furiously. Talk about manna from heaven. He'd never known luck could taste this sweet.
An irrepressible smile crept onto his face.
*
True to her word about something tasty, Jeong So-ra bought all sorts of sashimi and sushi for snacks, plus three bottles of sake at 50,000 won each. She even grabbed two bottles of soju "just in case"—they'd be up all night to finish it all.
She burst into the lodging, set out the snacks and booze, and started prepping. But her setup looked shaky—unsteady.
Unable to watch, Seo Joo-hwan snatched the booze and snacks, taking over.
"Ma'am, you've had a lot already?"
"Mmm~ A little?"
She held up her index and thumb slightly apart. Cute, but Seo Joo-hwan shook his head.
He'd seen two bottles on the table when he went in—one empty, the other half-gone. For some people, that was plenty; her flushed face said it all.
She'd already popped a piece of sashimi and was pouring sake with gusto. She filled his cup too, then held hers out.
"First round's a shot, got it?"
"Haha, yes, ma'am."
"Cheers! Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas!"
They clinked paper cups with a Christmas toast and downed them. They chatted about old times—plenty of stories from their shared army days.
As Jeong So-ra refilled, her voice buzzed with excitement.
"Hahaha! Here! Discharge celebration pour—nice and full."
"Already celebrating discharge? Whoa, it's overflowing!"
Seo Joo-hwan slurped the spillover quick. Emptying her cup, she continued,
"When else we gonna drink and celebrate like this? Wasn't planned, but you've helped me a ton, Joo-hwan. Wanted to chat."
"...I helped you?"
He sipped thoughtfully, a strange feeling bubbling up. Sure, he'd shone in this training by his own measure. But before...?
Wasn't he just the unlucky guy everyone avoided? In fact, his pre-regression low self-esteem stemmed partly from army life.
Yet Jeong So-ra nodded like it was obvious.
"Duh! All the help you gave me?"
"Like what?"
"Hmm. When I first arrived, you were a private first class, right? Called on you the most."
"Ah, yeah, I got dragged into a lot. Thought you hated me."
"What? No way! You were the best at it. The sergeants and corporals back then... y'know?"
"Oh yeah. Total mess, honestly."
"Hahaha, right? So I piled it on you. You got unlucky, but you always delivered. Sorry for working you so hard."
As they talked, bits of the past resurfaced. Yeah, the 4th Company's upper ranks were trash—nearly derelict. So he'd and Private Lee Jeong-hoon shouldered almost everything.
Especially him; knowing his bad luck, he'd hustled extra for recognition.
'Recognition... why'd I obsess over something so trivial?'
He mused inwardly, but to him, it was huge. Not just in the army—post-discharge too. Bad luck meant triple the effort for any nod.
And maybe it still was. That's why her words rippled gently in his chest.
Seo Joo-hwan smiled faintly and held out his cup.
"...Thanks, ma'am."
"Huh? Oh, uh, sure. Thank you."
His sudden shift threw her; she tilted her head, flustered.
Army tales fueled round after round. Nothing pairs with drinks like army stories, huh? Never thought he'd share them with a woman—let alone her.
Jeong So-ra's face was fully flushed now, tongue starting to slur—she was properly drunk.
"Ma'am, you seem wasted. Maybe call it?"
"Nah, I'm fine. And quit with the 'ma'am' already. Discharge soon—call me noona!"
Her words screamed hammered.
"Can't do that. Still a month till discharge."
"Wha? That's an order. Drink this and call me noona?"
Giggling, mimicking some drama line—peak drunk.
Seo Joo-hwan chuckled.
She was showing sides he'd never seen pre-regression, when she seemed all ice. This felt more human, more appealing.
He downed her pour and played along.
"Alright... Noona? That work? Feels super awkward."
"Huh? Didn't say drop formal speech?"
"Sorry, Company Commander."
"Ugh, kidding. Don't be boring."
"Haha, dropping it then?"
"Already did. Whatever~."
She laughed with a slight slur, eyes crinkling prettily.
"Gonna hit the bathroom quick."
"Yeah, go ahead."
Jeong So-ra stood. He watched her head to the bathroom—blouse and H-skirt hugging her voluptuous figure, captivating.
Staring blankly at the door, it suddenly burst open.
"Joo-hwan, two toothbrushes—mind if I use one? Trying to sober up."
"Uh, y-yeah, help yourself."
"Thanks."
She emerged moments later.
"Ahh, feels alive. Joo-hwan, sobered up—let's drink more!"
Determined to polish off the soju too. Seo Joo-hwan gave a wry laugh and stood.
"Before that, my turn."
He needed to sober up too—nearly two bottles of high-proof sake solo had him buzzing.
Whoosh... Brushed teeth, relieved himself, cold water splash—booze fog lifting a bit.
With clarity came a thought.
'...Is just drinking enough? How do I set the mood?'
Fun as it was, he'd forgotten his goal. First time alone with a woman drinking—no clue how to build atmosphere.
'Ask if she's single?'
Honestly, lost. No better ideas coming.
'Whatever—just go for it.'
Stepping out—
"Zzz..."
"Uh...?"
Jeong So-ra lay passed out on the floor.