A House Call
It didn't take long to prove that Yeondo's claim had been pure bluster. After the two of us had polished off about three bottles, she started showing clear signs of getting tipsy.
I, on the other hand, was fine. My shitty life since I was twenty had been spent in the company of two things: soju and porn. My alcohol tolerance might not stretch to four bottles, but two went down without a hitch.
"Yeondo, aren't you drinking a little too fast?"
"No way! I'm actually a really strong drinker!"
Cute… she was cute. If an ugly girl pulled that, I'd have punched her lights out and ended up at the police station. But when a girl like Yeondo threw a tantrum, it just came off as adorable.
Pretending I had no choice, I poured soju into her glass.
"Cheers right now! Cheers right now!"
She was going at such an aggressive pace you'd think we were in a drinking contest. No way I was losing. I clinked glasses with her and drained mine.
"Ahh."
"Doesn't the booze taste sweet today?"
They say when the alcohol tastes sweet, you're in danger. Looks like she really had me tonight.
I gazed steadily into her slightly unfocused eyes. Was this my chance? The old me couldn't even talk to a girl properly, but after mixing skin with beautiful women and having plenty of conversations, I'd grown some confidence.
Here, I'd listen to her worries. I'd peel away the concerns buried inside Yeondo one by one, like stripping off clothes.
"Yeondo."
"Yes?"
Yeondo was stuffing medium-rare beef into her mouth in little bites. Even after all that tteokbokki earlier, her appetite was running wild.
"Be honest. You don't remember a single thing about that movie earlier, do you?"
"Ugh! Wh-what are you talking about? I watched that movie super carefully."
"Is that so? If you tell me now why you couldn't focus, I'll listen."
"…What?"
"You've got something on your mind. That's why you couldn't focus on the movie, why you were overacting on purpose. And why you're pretending to be a strong drinker when you're not."
"Hey! Seriously, this guy? I told you I'm a strong drinker… Hmph. Fine. I'll tell you. Honestly, I feel inferior to you, Junhyun. I've been working longer than you, but my sales don't come close to yours, so it bothers me a bit. Ah! Don't get the wrong idea. It's not like I'm jealous or anything. I just get depressed thinking the problem is with me."
"Ah… I see. Hmm… Maybe it's because I'm the only guy at the shop besides the owner?"
"Oh please. That only works if you're a handsome guy."
"Ugh! Brutal facts."
"Ah, no… Of course I'm not saying you're ugly… You know what I mean. Ah, no! Misunderstanding, total misunderstanding. I-I really don't care about looks."
"…What are you even saying?"
"Ah, I don't know. I don't know. Just have another shot of soju."
Still, she looked much more relieved after getting it off her chest. Yeondo even said right in front of me, "Ahh, that feels better."
"So that's how it is. Then today is like a date with the enemy, huh?"
"Hey! I've never thought of you as an enemy. You're on my side, Junhyun. Right?"
I answered with a smile.
"Right. Exactly. A hundred percent correct."
"Hehe. That's why I came out today. Otherwise I wouldn't have."
"Ah, because I'm ugly?"
"Hey! How long are you going to milk that?"
"But you really don't need to think that way. I just got really lucky and it happened somehow. Somehow I got a bit close with Manager Iseol, and the owner seems to look favorably on me too. If you wait a little, something good will definitely come your way too, Yeondo."
"Hah… I really hope so. Massage is still the only thing I'm good at."
"You're good at drawing too, aren't you?"
"Ah, that earlier… please erase it from your mind. And that body was from about two years ago, so… just know that I've put on a little belly fat since then…"
"Pfft! Why do I need to know that?"
"Ah, I don't know. I said I don't know. Seriously. Just cheers."
As we exchanged these little bits of small talk, another empty soju bottle had somehow been added to the table. Yeondo was now thoroughly, properly drunk.
Crap. I should have stopped her from drinking earlier. Completely my fault. If she drank any more, she'd pass out the second we got to a motel.
Just as I was about to stop her, she knocked back another shot of soju and spoke with a thoroughly slurred tongue.
"Honestly… be honest with me. Honest. Huh? How do you do it. How are you so good at it…"
I spoke to Yeondo, whose eyes were half-lidded, as if scolding her.
"Yeondo. You seem pretty drunk. Let's stop drinking now."
"What are you talking about! I'm gonna keep drinking until I get an answer. How do you register customers so well…"
She immediately tried to pour and drink another, so I downed that glass for her instead.
"Khhh, bitter. So bitter."
"Where'd my glass go. Hmm… so… you're not gonna tell me?"
"If I tell you, will you stop drinking soju?"
Not that I had anything to tell her in the first place.
Yeondo readily nodded at my proposal. When her upper body swayed and she nearly toppled over, I moved to the seat beside her and offered my shoulder.
"Hee… what, when did you get here."
She turned her head and took a deep breath near my nape.
Ha, I'm going crazy.
Even after all the sex we'd had yesterday, a single breath from her set my body on fire so sensitively I nearly fell apart.
"If I'm going to tell you my secret, you'll need to sober up. You're completely drunk right now, Yeondo."
"I'm not drunk! Oh, what's this…"
Yeondo took my hand and interlaced our fingers. Ah, dangerous. Without thinking, my instincts sought out her lips. She was so pretty. Acting like this toward me, I couldn't just leave her alone. But this wasn't originally a bar — it was an ordinary restaurant with a grill for cooking meat. Too many eyes around. I had to hold back.
"But it's weird… we just interlaced our fingers and I feel all languid and good… Did you put aphrodisiac on your hands or something?"
Oh no — without realizing it, I'd scraped away all the red spots and the pink freckles that had risen on her hands. It had been a completely unconscious act.
Aphrodisiac on my hands… Yeah, maybe that was my secret.
Now that she was properly drunk, maybe it was time to move to the next location.
I reached out with my free hand and slipped it under her nape.
"Heehit! Ah, cold."
"Stay still. I'll show you the secret."
Gently.
I applied light pressure-point technique and gradually worked the area around her nape, little by little. Yeondo's half-lidded eyes slid shut. Her already warm body grew even hotter, and even her slightly tensed fingertips and legs went limp, melting away like ice in iced coffee.
"Mmm…"
"Feel good?"
"Yeees…"
"There are a lot of people watching here. Want to go somewhere without people?"
"Wh-where…?"
Interestingly, as if her instincts were trying to protect her body, she snapped somewhat alert.
But in Yeondo's current state, resistance was difficult. She'd already given me her heart, and she'd even taken my hand herself. Honestly, she'd been waiting for me to say this.
"I think it'd be good to rest a bit and then walk around again."
"Khup. R-right. I think I'm having a bit of a hard time right now."
She said it as if she'd truly been waiting for that.
"There are a lot of motels if we go behind here. I'll give you a massage."
"What… you're going to massage me after coming all the way here? Is this a house call?"
"Yes! House call service!"
"Pff… idiot. Okay. Let's go."
"I think a drunk person just called me an idiot."
"Who? Who called our Junhyun an idiot? Tell them to come out."
Leaving the drunk Yeondo behind, I quickly went to the counter and handed over my card.
Then she came toddling up behind me with quick little steps and scolded me.
"Wh-what are you doing. We agreed I'd pay for the meal today."
"Well. If that was the plan, you're a bit late. Today I feel like paying."
"Hmph…"
She made huffing sounds, but her face was flushed and she was completely smitten with me. Unable to control her swaying body, she clung to my arm. Half-supporting her, I led Yeondo out of the meat restaurant.
"How much was it? I'll transfer you the money."
"Not much. Two million three hundred thousand won."
"Pfft! You scared me. What are you, some old man? It was two hundred thirty thousand, right?"
"Heh."
"Come on, that was too much. Let's really split it."
Yeondo stopped me, genuinely apologetic. We stood face to face, and she was exactly at my eye level.
Damn. If she'd worn heels, she would have been taller than me. Wait, come to think of it, why didn't she wear heels? She was in a dress but had come in low-heeled sneakers.
While I was caught up in various thoughts, she seemed to be thinking about something too, then suddenly had a fun idea and pulled me forward.
"I suddenly thought of something I want to buy. Let's go to a convenience store."
"?"
I had no idea what she was planning to buy.
At a nearby convenience store, Yeondo told me to wait outside for a bit, then came back out a few minutes later.
"What did you buy?"
"Secret."
She grinned and brought her finger to my lips, pressing them gently.
"Let's go, let's go. I'm covering the motel fee~"
Why did "I'm covering the motel fee" sound so sexy?
It felt like holding Mom's hand on my birthday to go buy a toy.
We arrived at the motel, but it was a bit late to rent by the hour. As if none of that mattered, Yeondo paid the motel fee. Still tipsy, she went inside with my support.
"Hoo—"
She let out a deep breath and lay right down on the bed. The handbag she'd been holding fell carelessly to the floor.
By the way, what had she bought? If I opened the handbag, the purchased item would be inside.
Yeondo looked up at me standing there, then burst out laughing. She patted the spot next to her, telling me to lie down.
I'm Groot…
I collapsed next to her like a stick.
Even if I was relatively fine, I'd also drunk quite a bit, so I needed to lie down and catch my breath for a moment.
Poo— poo—
This was my first time coming to a motel with a woman. I never knew motel blankets were this soft. The moment I buried my nose in it, I let out a deep breath without meaning to.
"Hehe. What are you doing?"
"Poofah poofah. Don't you know this? Poofah—"
"Haa… Then I'll go wash up first?"
Ah.
Ahem…
Something I'd only ever heard from friends. When a man and woman go into a motel, the line the woman always says. "Oppa, I'll go wash up first."
Instead of answering, I nodded. Answering felt like it might ruin the mood. I didn't dare mix my voice into this sacred moment.
She demurely went into the bathroom to shower.
But what was this. After entering the shower booth and undressing, Yeondo's body was silhouetted. I couldn't see everything, but her excellent hip line and hourglass waist jumped right into view.
Gulp—
My heart started pounding like crazy.
Clutching this racing heart, I secretly opened Yeondo's handbag.
Ah, what.
This is what she bought?
The corners of my mouth stretched wide upward.