Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Drunken Strawberry Nights
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#158
After Seo-ah's bombshell remark.
There was a heated debate for a moment about how I managed to dodge the military.
But Seo-ah, the one who'd dropped the news, just clamped her mouth shut, tilting her head with a beaming smile as she invoked her right to remain silent.
As for me, the actual party in question, it was news to me from the start, so the whole thing ended up lost in a fog of mystery.
Leaving just one tantalizing possibility lingering in everyone's mind.
After that, how much time passed?
Everyone started off drinking moderately since it was their first round, but as the mood ripened, one by one, people began getting tipsy.
The problem was...
The drunkest one among them—
"Junu-yaaang..."
Where had that sultry vixen from earlier disappeared to?
Now here she was, straddling my lap, staring right at me in a pose so shameless it'd embarrass anyone watching.
My girlfriend, clutching my face and nuzzling her cheek against it, playing up the cuteness...
Sure, I loved it (?), but it was a bit much in front of the friends—not to mention my junior down there was straining at the seams—so I racked my brain wondering how to handle this.
Once the alcohol wore off, Seo-ah wouldn't turn this into some mortifying black mark on her history... would she? Assuming she even remembered.
I should've cut her off back when she kept begging for more strawberry makgeolli, insisting it was delicious.
Her snowy-white cheeks glowing with a pink flush, beaming innocently in that lispy slur, holding out her cup for another round... before I knew it, I was pouring glass after glass.
Seo-ah wasn't that weak to booze... but there, rolling around beside her, were three bottles of strawberry makgeolli... no, make it four.
—Hmm, looks like I was her accomplice.
Even a judge would've kept pouring, I grumbled inwardly, feeling a bit hard done by—but what did it matter now, with Seo-ah sloshed beyond reason?
Luckily, I held my liquor well. Even after sampling whatever the group pushed my way, it was just a mild headache, nothing more.
"Hey, Lee Jun-woo... uh, what the heck. Her... Han Seo-ah? Shouldn't you tuck her in or something?"
Kim Seung-hyun's tongue was loosening up a bit, so he was tipsy too, but he was still compos mentis enough to fret over Seo-ah.
Looking at her state, I figured it was time to put her to bed and rejoin the group, so I shot a glance at Kang Ji-ah. She got the hint right away and nodded toward one of the rooms.
Sharp as a tack, that one.
Wonder why she broke up?
As that random thought flitted through my mind—imagining her overhearing and charging at me with a liquor bottle—I spoke up, dodging Seo-ah as she swung side to side against me like a pendulum.
"Yeah... urp, Seo-ah. Wanna head to the room and crash?"
I spat out a stray lock of Seo-ah's hair that'd ended up in my mouth by accident and gave her shoulder a gentle shake.
"Uung... Junu... sleepy...?"
"Pfft, yeah. I'm beat, so let's tuck in quick."
"Uuuung... I'll put our Junu to sleep just right, like always..."
...Seo-ah?
Figured the others were too drunk to catch that, so I started glancing around.
Ah, no need.
Until seconds ago, snippets of chatter had bounced between the group.
Now? Dead silence, thick as a grave.
That alone said it all.
I could guess exactly where their eyes and ears were glued.
Thank God Seo-ah was blocking my line of sight.
"You two don't tell me... you usually tuck each other in or... sleep together...?"
"Up you go, Seo-ah. Bedtime."
"Ung!"
"Dodging the draft was legit, you lucky bastard Lee Jun-woo..."
"Seo-ah, you're sleepy, right?"
"Uung..."
"Hey, Lee Jun-woo! If you two start getting all... handsy in my room, I swear it's not okay!? I'm gonna check!"
No way I could brush that off. Check what, exactly?
"We won't! I said we won't!"
"...You got protection?"
"Argh, you nuts?"
Leaving Kang Ji-ah's wild nonsense and the gang's stunned gasps behind,
I scooped up Seo-ah—who was wriggling blissfully in my arms like the happiest girl alive—in a princess carry and headed into the room.
All the while thinking, I'm sober, so why am I the one suffering?
#159
Kang Ji-ah's room for the first time.
Too familiar with Seo-ah's place to gawk like "Ooh, a high school girl's room..."—it was just, Huh. Kang Ji-ah's room.
No way was I flipping on the overhead light; it'd blind her. Fumbled for the desk lamp instead, bathing the room in a soft glow.
Surprisingly, no bed in sight. Guess she was a futon girl.
Couldn't just plop Seo-ah on the bare floor, so I yanked some blankets from the wardrobe. Turned back around and—
"Hyeuk...!"
"Junu-yaa..."
Sure enough, Seo-ah—who I'd parked across the room moments ago—had crawled all the way over to me.
"You scared me... Don't crawl all that way; you're gonna wear yourself out."
"Uung... sleep... with Junu... here..."
I set the blankets aside and crouched down. She grabbed my hand and pressed it to her squishy cheek.
Toasty warm, probably from the booze.
That cheek was even more addictive than usual. I stroked it, gave it a light pinch.
She fiddled with my hand like it was her toy, eyes fluttering shut in bliss as she leaned into it. Couldn't help but grin.
"Feels good?"
"Ung... gooood..."
That velvety touch made me wanna stay like that for hours, but the second her eyes closed, she started swaying like sleep was crashing over her. Hurriedly pulled away and spread out the blankets.
Pat-pat.
I patted the fluffy bedding to beckon her over. She toddled closer on her knees, just like before.
Droopy-eyed and yawning tiny "haa"s while rubbing at them.
Plumped up a pillow by her head. She knew her spot—flopped right down with a pof.
I lay beside her, propping my head on one arm, watching.
"Wanna sleeep..."
Suddenly she threw a tantrum, hugging me tight like she hated being alone.
After all that setup, this girl... Flustered, but I kept my cool.
"What're you on about? You're dropping off."
"When I fall asleep... Junu sneaks out..."
—How'd she know?
Does she read minds or what? Sharp as ever, even smashed...
But that genuinely hurt voice of hers? Yeah, tonight was ending here.
Disappointing? Sure. But Seo-ah came first.
"Nonsense. I'm crashing right here with you."
"Liaaar..."
Not buying it.
"For real. Why d'you think I lay down?"
"No... pillow..."
Han Seo-ah, you are drunk, right?
"...Was gonna share with you."
"Reaaally...?"
After that breathless back-and-forth, peace at last. Sigh of relief as she eased her head onto the pillow.
Spacious for one, snug for two.
Close enough our breaths mingled, noses brushing.
But that was our usual bedtime setup—nothing new for us.
"Hee... Junu smells like booze..."
Wanted to fire back that she did too, but nah—she smelled like sweet strawberry, not her usual fresh one, but still yummy and wafting gently.
Why just me?
"Gonna sleep apart..."
I fake-huffed and started sitting up—
"Waaang! Don't! Sorreee..."
Her tongue tripping over itself, but clinging to my shirt with desperate cuteness. Lost on purpose, chuckled and flopped back down.
"Love... the booze smell..."
Soon as I did, she looped both arms behind my back like she'd never let go, squirming deeper into my chest.
All I could do was wrap my arms around her slender back and squeeze tight.
Was it the booze hitting me late, or just how damn comfy her embrace was?
Eyes shut, sleep hit like a wave. No fighting it—no way out anyway. Just let go.
#160
"...Hey."
"...HEY!"
Morning already? Who's yelling?
Head pounding like someone was hammering it. Forced one eye open—and there was Kang Ji-ah, cradling her own aching skull, glaring down at me.
"...Why're you here...?"
"Argh, why d'you think? It's my room. Get up already—I wanna sprawl out and sleep."
Why's it gotta be your room?
Before I could snap back, my sluggish brain pieced it together: last night's drinks, passing out in Ji-ah's room with Seo-ah.
"Sent the others home, tried shooing you two off too, but there you were hugging like the last people on earth. Let you stay... and I got stuck on the living room couch. Killing me. Wake Seo-ah and scram, please..."
"Sorry..."
"Sorry my ass, just go..."
She sounded more pitiful by the second, flapping her hand like out, now. No comeback for that.
"What time is it?"
"3 p.m. Three. Didn't you have a date today?"
"...Busted."
First Christmas called for the spot with the massive tree. Date? More like hangover purgatory.
"...Seo-ah, c'mon, wake up."
Gave the still-comatose bundle in my arms a nudge—
"Uum...? Uurp...!"
She jolted awake, eyes bugging out, clapping a hand over her mouth like something was surging up.
"Seo-ah, no—not on my blankets...!"
"Crazy talk, blankets now? Where's the bathroom?"
"Right there! Hurry, get Seo-ah there!"
Ignoring Ji-ah's dumb "morning sickness?" crack, I hustled Seo-ah to the toilet and patted her back through it.
That day, my Christmas "gift" was pink snow, not white.
#161
"Waaaaaah, Junu, I'm so sorry... Really sorry..."
December 25th, 9 p.m.
My last Christmas before turning adult? A sorry-plushie present.
One that occasionally came with pink "snow."
"Nah, my head was killing me too. Probably for the best."
"Waaaaaah, I must've lost my mind..."
"I'm fine, seriously..."
Why we were like this?
We never made it out.
After the fiasco at Ji-ah's, Seo-ah insisted we go on our date—couldn't let her ruin our first Christmas.
But the words out of her mouth sent her dashing back to the bathroom. No way I could push it.
Grabbed some hangover cure, force-fed it to the groaning, stubborn girl. Held her close, patted her through endless toilet runs. Four hours later...
She finally clocked it was too late, and here she was: a sniffling, shamefaced sorry-doll in my lap, too mortified to look up.
Sucked missing our first Christmas, yeah.
But the party was a blast, day was golden.
We did spend it together.
Plenty more Christmases ahead. Just one day? No biggie.
Still, she couldn't forgive herself—kept burrowing apologies into my chest. No words helped. Just wait her out.
Maybe she liked that lap-straddling face-to-face hug from the party.
Just like then, her slim legs hooked around my waist as I patted her back and butt in steady rhythm.
Our positions meant unavoidable awkward contact, but she wasn't budging. Fine by me—savor it.
Even slid my patting hand lower to her butt herself. "Touch wherever you like, butt's fine... chest too."
Figured I'd love it. Nailed it.
Chest? No self-control there. Butt only, my compromise.
"Sniff, Junu."
"Yeah?"
She lifted her sniffly face. Eyes met—still glassy.
"January 1st."
"...?"
Outta nowhere with the date. Blinked in confusion, and she went dead serious.
"That day. Absolutely with me. No excuses."
"Obviously..."
New Year's with her, duh. Grinned to say so—
"That day. Hotel. One night, two days. All. Day. Long."
"Wha...?"
O.
Couldn't even ask what she meant by "all day."