The Rowdy Opening Party
Classes were finally over, but the opening party meant I couldn't head straight home. Instead, we all ended up at the bar.
"Cheers!!"
"""Cheers!!"""
Our department had rented out the entire place, so we could make as much noise as we wanted without issue.
"Alright, a big round of thanks to our sky-like senior Haneul, who made this whole bar ours!"
""""Thank you!""""
"Have fun, everyone."
Haneul senior smiled warmly, bowing her head in response to the group's gratitude. She was from a wealthy family and occasionally splashed out like this for her juniors, which made her incredibly popular. On top of that, she was beautiful, had a killer figure, and a sweet personality—rumor had it she'd gotten confessions from both guys and girls.
Confessions from girls, huh... Well, there's one other person like that.
I glanced sideways at Eunji senior, sitting two seats over, quietly sipping her drink. Her cool, boyish look probably drew even more attention from women. The gossip was that she'd gotten several times more confessions from girls than guys—something I'd normally dismiss, but seeing her, it felt totally plausible. Right now, she was just nursing her drink in silence while her female classmates chattered away beside her, like they were desperate for her attention. I chuckled inwardly.
"Alright, drink till we drop!!"
"That girl's gotta take it easy..."
Soyeong loved these kinds of gatherings, so she was in high spirits, downing drinks and playing games. I was just sitting quietly in the corner with the other half-hearted attendees, not saying much.
"Senior~ Don't just stay holed up here—come join the fun over there~"
"I'm good right here."
I was chatting lightly and sipping my drink when Boyeon, the junior, came over. I could see her tense up a bit as she invaded our I-only zone, which made me smirk inside.
"Since you're here, might as well have some real fun."
"This is fun for me... That stuff over there? Not really..."
"Yes!! Knuckle rap! Knuckle rap time!!!"
"Ughhh!! That's too hard!!"
Watching Soyeong lose at a drinking game and take a knuckle rap on the head made me even less inclined to join.
At my age—mentally, anyway—hanging with undergrads feels kinda embarrassing.
My body was 21, but my mind was in the 30s. Blending in and acting like a normal college kid? Yeah, that felt awkward.
"Tch... Call me if you change your mind."
"Sure."
She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance and headed back to her seat.
Now I get why she's so popular.
Other departments called ours the flower shop. With such a heavy female ratio—and most guys off in the military—it was basically all girls. And plenty of them were cute, hence the nickname.
Guys get called hummingbirds, but whatever.
I ignored it, just drank and chatted lightly with classmates and seniors to pass the time.
As the first round wound down, it was just me and Eunji senior left at our spot.
Was it like this before regression?
I didn't remember drinking parties well, but I doubt Soyeong would've dragged me off, leaving us alone like this. I'd turned down both her and Boyeon's invites to join the games, so the situation was a bit different now.
"Senior, you don't wanna go join over there?"
"I'm fine."
"Okay..."
It felt awkward just sitting there silently, so I tried talking, but she gave a curt reply and stayed stoic. Before regression, I'd thought she hated me because of her attitude. She'd barely greet me when we passed, avoiding getting close. With others, she'd respond properly, even chat a bit—but not with me.
Though it was a little more than that, really.
Now I knew why she'd acted that way, but I couldn't just blurt it out, so we sat in awkward silence.
It even flustered Soyeong back then.
Soyeong had thought Eunji senior disliked me too, tried to clear the air and get us friendly, but it was pointless. Eunji didn't hate me, and there was a reason for the distance, so I was just quietly accepting it now.
I figured she'd leave by now, but she's still here... Feels like she's sitting closer, too.
Earlier, she was two seats away, surrounded by other girls. Now, she was practically next to me. The quiet drinkers around us had slipped out or gotten dragged off by the E crowd.
Just like back then, huh.
Looking at her brought back pre-regression memories. The senior who always kept her distance ended up dropping out a few months later. Before leaving, she called me aside, apologized for avoiding me all this time, and explained why.
It hadn't made much sense to me then, but I still remembered her faint smile as she walked away.
Not letting that happen this time.
I knew why she'd quit swimming and drop out, and what her life looked like after. Not as bad as Mom's, but pretty grim. No way was I letting that slide. Call it responsibility or nosiness, but I wouldn't let anyone around me who cared for me fall apart. Even if I got called trash and hated for it later, I'd help them.
First was my aunt—now successfully my masochistic sow mother. But I wouldn't go that far with Eunji senior.
Mom's a special case, so I treat her that way... Senior's different.
Not every woman wants to devolve into a total degenerate sow like Mom. Normal sex, maybe a bit of maso kink, sure—but Mom's on another level.
Though I know one other at a similar level...
I flicked my gaze to the woman who could match Mom's masochism, then looked away. Not time yet—she didn't have Mom's ruin desire, so I'd wait.
Helping them, whatever—it's mostly just what I want.
Even if their futures were messed up, I didn't have to claim them as mine to fix it. But I would, purely out of my own greed. For women who liked me... and who I liked back. My desire to make them mine and help them.
"You sure you don't wanna go have fun over there?"
"Nah, it's fine. I prefer quiet to all that noise anyway."
Eunji senior broke the awkward silence. She never initiated with me, so it caught me off guard.
"Did something happen over break or what?"
"...Nothing. Just the usual."
Mom flashed in my mind, but I played dumb.
Soyeong too, and now senior... They notice my personality shift, huh.
Before, I'd been more hesitant; now I was calmer, so maybe that's sparking suspicion.
"You just seem... different somehow."
"Tried fixing my personality over break—did some thinking, y'know."
"I see..."
Conversation fizzled after that.
"Alright, everyone—on to round two!"
"""Yooo!!!"""
They'd been pounding drinks from the start, so most were already wasted.
"Sigh... Well, I'll head out first then."
"Yeah. I'm going soon too."
Eunji senior, planning to bail after one round, stood up. I went over to Soyeong, who was wobbling drunkenly in excitement.
"Round two... hic... let's go!!"
"Go where? Time for home."
"Eeeh... Don't wanna..."
She was even pulling out cutesy aegyo she never used, staggering around.
"Then we'll head out first."
Soyeong was next to us, insisting on more drinks in her haze, but for someone who loved booze, she was a lightweight—totally smashed.
"Your mom sees you like this, she'll whoop your ass."
She flinched.
"M-Mom?"
Mention of her mom made her avert her eyes, even drunk out of her mind. Still scary, apparently.
I took the wasted girl home. As childhood friends, I knew the place, and Nayeon auntie—Soyeong's mom—knew me well, so no issue dropping her off.
"Sorry, Taesu. Soyeong again..."
"It's fine. Not the first time."
She loved parties and dragged me everywhere, so ferrying drunk Soyeong was routine. The department half-jokingly called me her designated driver, but we denied it.
"Well, I'm off then."
"Got some kongnamul guk—wanna eat before you go?"
"Nah, Mom's... er, my aunt's waiting at home."
"Alright then. Come play next time."
I marveled inwardly at Nayeon auntie—she looked almost unchanged from my childhood memories—and headed home. First time seeing her post-regression. Even before, I hadn't seen her since Soyeong's last screw-up, so longer than with Mom.
Wanted to chat more, but Mom was waiting, so I hurried. Texted ahead to prep, heart pounding as I arrived.
"Welcome home, son♥"
I smiled seeing Mom greet me at the door in her lewd glory.