Mesugaki and Booze
Whew... Dinner was delicious... Did I wolf down that meat too fast since it had been so long? My stomach's a bit bloated, and for some reason... for some reason... I feel great. Meat really is the best.
"Hehe... I can go alone though~?"
"It's dangerous for a guy to wander the night streets by himself, y'know?"
"Is it?"
After dinner, Park Jaeyeon insisted on escorting me home, so we were walking together. Honestly, I didn't need an escort. But she kept persuading me that it was risky for a guy to walk alone at night, so I had no choice but to go along. Not that it mattered much—I had the stream on, so no one could mess with me easily anyway. And hey, she bought dinner, so I was satisfied. Saved some cash... hehe. Gonna buy cup ramen and cola with this tomorrow.
"This is my place."
"Here, huh..."
Even from outside, the rundown villa was obvious. The kind of place where people like me, who couldn't afford high rent, ended up living. The facilities sucked, and the soundproofing wasn't great, but at this point in my life, I had to be grateful just to have a roof over my head. If not for this, I'd probably be sleeping on a cardboard box in the subway.
"Thanks for joining the stream today."
"I had fun too."
At first, her bigger build had surprised me and made things awkward, but after she treated me to food and acted so kindly, she didn't seem like a bad person. Even I, who never bowed to women apologizing, dipped my head low to thank Park Jaeyeon unnie.
"Well, I'm heading in now. Say bye to the viewers!"
Ugh... That stuff's kinda scary. Better end the stream before the house shows up even a little. Random women showing up at my place? I wouldn't get a wink of sleep that night.
"Anyway! If you guys saw it, I'd be screwed... so stream's ending! Time to sleep and grow taller."
[Stream has ended.]
"Phew... Good work."
"You just ended the stream?"
"Yeah, just now. Well, I'm heading in..."
What now at home? It's not even 10 yet. Play some games? Tekken? Or Monster Hunter? Anything to heal this tired body...
"Hey!"
"Huh?"
As I was about to head inside, Park Jaeyeon unnie called from behind, so I turned with a grin. Whatever, we're not meeting again anyway—might as well end on a good note.
"What?"
"Uh? W-well... um, by any chance..."
By any chance? Did I do something wrong? Wait, had she been eyeing the watch on my wrist the whole time and finally called me out? Phew... I didn't steal it, so I'm innocent, right? Even in this weird country, attempted theft wouldn't stick without evidence.
"By any chance... do you like booze?"
"Booze...?"
Booze. Back in my old world, cracking open a bottle every night and chugging it made everything better like magic. Since my body changed, I'd never touched it to save money, so just hearing the word made my mouth water. I'd held back even during gamjatang to pinch pennies, but now blood rushed through me.
"Booze?"
"Y-yeah... I'm still a bit hungry, and booze sounds good... wanna join me? N-not that I'm asking for anything weird!! If you're okay with it..."
"You got snacks?"
"Of course."
"Somaek?"
"That works, or we can hit the beer hall up ahead if not."
I'm losing it. Just hearing booze and snacks had my body reacting. What to do... Drinking with a woman seems like trouble... but with Jaeyeon unnie, maybe it's safe? No, she's alpha female— the second I black out, straight to a motel...!
"I'll cover everything. Please?"
Everything...? So I just show up? The thought of chicken and beer after so long took over my brain. Chicken... crispy chicken...
*Nod.*
"Huh?"
"I'll go... just one drink and I'm out..."
She smiled, catching my quiet mumble, lips curling up. Probably thrilled to have a drinking buddy. Excitement was building. First booze in this world, and crispy chicken texture... Everything I knew was wrong. No, gamjatang wasn't the real deal—chicken was. Gamjatang was, nicely put... like a deep kiss? Following her closely, I started anticipating the feast ahead. I'd just had gamjatang, but booze and chicken? No holding back.
"How's this place?"
Turbo Chicken—chicken joints are the best...! The aroma leaking out already had my mouth watering. Can't hold back—this is the real deal, pure bliss.
"Let's go in."
"Gulp... Yeah..."
She went first and held the door. With her taller, buffer build opening it, it felt like I had a bodyguard. Smells so good... Even on a weekday night, tons of women were laughing and drinking.
"What do you wanna eat?"
"W-well..."
Too many choices to even speak. What to get? Crispy fried chicken? Or sweet-spicy yangnyeom?
"F-fried!"
"Fried... and beer, right?"
"Draft!"
"Got it. Hey! Order here."
Beer, chicken, beer, chicken... My heart pounded like crazy. Like middle school, first confession heart-flutters. Didn't last long back then, but that fresh thrill, the pounding of first love—I felt it again. This wasn't hunger. It was love.
"Here's your fried chicken and two 500cc drafts... Um, miss?"
"Yeah?"
"C-can I see your ID if you have it?"
Here we go. ID check. Kinda lame to say, but my looks in this world often passed for high schooler. Got busted at PC bang past 10 once, and heard aunties whispering about a kid shopping alone.
Slowly fished my ID from the frog coin wallet in my right pocket—more coins than bills, easy find.
"Here."
"Yeah, one sec... age... Huh? 23?"
"Good now?"
"Th-thanks..."
Duh, I ordered beer—should've clocked that. Kinda pissed, I muttered quietly.
"So heojep..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing~?"
"Got it..."
The staff lady slunk back to the counter, shrinking. I got it from my old part-time days dealing with karens, but... that's the pecking order. Customer's king.
"Hmph... Can I dig in first?"
"Go ahead, eat as much as you want. Drink too."
"Thanks!"
Jaeyeon unnie was so straightforward and cool—sexy as hell. Who buys booze and food for a stranger? Gotta repay when my stream blows up. Reached slowly for the long-awaited chicken. Leg first.
*Crunch!*
"Mmm! So good..."
"Cheers with some beer."
"Yeah...!"
Aimed my glass at hers for a toast.
*Clink~!*
Downed it right after. Gulp... gulp...
"Ahhh... This taste is criminal... haa!"
The heat and stuffiness melted away with one glass—fatigue vanished. It's soaking in... carbonation seeping into every cell... Rinse with beer, then another leg.
"Haaah! This is the shit...!"
"Right? This is the real yas."
Didn't know my limit exactly, but I'd downed five soju bottles back home—should be fine here too, right?
"Hehe? Unnie... I'm so dizzy~."
"Sigh... Time to get you home, Jaejun."
"Home? Right, gotta go home!"
As expected, Jaejun scarfed the chicken and beer then passed out. Worried he'd hold his booze, but nope—tanked less than half a 500cc and crashed.
"Dizzy~ Unnie... so dizzy..."
"Yeah? Want a piggyback?"
"Thanks!"
Hoarded him on my back and headed out slowly. So soft... Lighter than I thought... And off we went somewhere.