Chapter 33: My Hero (9)
TL/Editor: Raei
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"Thank goodness."
Solace replied with a smile and naturally started eating the side dishes.
But I hesitated.
"What do you mean?"
"Huh? Oh!"
Solace quickly wiped her mouth and waved her hands.
"It's not like that... It's what Soo-yeon told me."
"What did she say?"
"She's not interested in romance. She said she'll never fall in love."The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))
"She always says that to me too."
"Right. It would've been hard for you if you had liked her."
"Maybe so."
I muttered.
At that moment, Song Soo-yeon's head fell off my shoulder.
I stretched out my hand to gently touch her forehead, thinking she was falling.
But she wasn't falling; she was waking up.
Sitting up straight, she spoke in a strained voice.
"Mister... let's go home."
"Are you awake? When did you wake up?"
"My stomach... feels bad. Let's go home."
"Looks like a hangover."
Even now, she seemed heavily intoxicated.
The fact that she hadn't let go of my arm was evidence enough.
Her speech was slurred, and she kept making small retching noises.
Tiny tears were also stuck in her eyes.
I looked down at our table.
We had almost finished the side dishes.
We had drunk enough too.
"Shall we call it a day?"
I said to Solace.
"Um... Yeah..."
Regret tinged Solace's voice.
I quietly chuckled, then mouthed the words to her.
'We'll have another chance.'
Solace's eyes widened as she looked at me.
I nodded towards Song Soo-yeon, indicating that I would try to persuade her.
Solace then smiled a similar smile and stood up.
"Soo-yeon, let's go. I'll take you home."
Song Soo-yeon shook her head.
"I feel dizzy..."
I scratched my head.
There was only one solution, but I hesitated, not wanting to seem like I was taking advantage of her drunken state.
But it wasn't safe for her to sleep here, especially in the cold.
"Soo-yeon, do you want me to carry you?"
Song Soo-yeon looked up at me for a moment, then hung her head and gave a short nod.
I crouched beside her chair.
Without a moment's hesitation, Song Soo-yeon clung to me.
She gripped my neck tightly with her arms.
Alcohol really does change people.
I wrapped my arms around her thighs to keep her from falling.
A sense of guilt washed over me.
It was especially strong since she normally hated physical contact.
But she had agreed to it, and I was doing it with good intentions, so I tried to put aside my unnecessary thoughts.
Solace pointed to the table and asked.
"Oppa, I'll help you clean this up."
"No, no. Go home. I think I should take Soo-yeon home now."
"But..."
"You're a guest. Just go. You have to work tomorrow, don't you?"
"It's still early in the evening, so there's time..."
"Do you really have to accept Solace?"
Song Soo-yeon asked quietly.
"Ah, you startled me."
Caught in my thoughts, I flinched again.
"Were you awake...?"
I checked on Song Soo-yeon again.
She buried her head in my shoulder and continued to ask.
"Aren't you getting too close to her... too quickly?"
"It's a good thing."
"Even so."
"?"
"I might think... you're closer to her than me."
Sniffling from the winter cold, I pondered Song Soo-yeon's words.
It must have felt strange to her that I, usually not sociable, talked a lot with Solace, who is naturally sociable.
It must have seemed odd to her that a fellow introvert suddenly became so fluent in conversation.
I tried not to show it, but my affection for Solace seemed to have spilled out noticeably.
I'm not a fool.
Knowing that Song Soo-yeon doesn't dislike me, many things felt new.
There was also an emotion I could feel through this conversation.
A sense of being neglected.
Even if I really was closer to Solace, now wasn't the time to make such excuses.
It was time to take care of Song Soo-yeon, who was saying this and that because she was drunk.
Both she and I were in a position to comfort each other.
"Soo-yeon, do you know something?"
"What?"
"Do you know when I was the most surprised during this drinking session?"
"I don't really want to hear it if it's about her."
"It was when you were talking about the taste of soju."
Song Soo-yeon's body, which had been tensing up, slowly relaxed.
I waited for her reaction, giving her time.
Burying her eyes in my shoulder, she asked in a murmur.
"Why?"
"Because when I first drank soju, I said the same thing as you."
"............"
"I talked too much with Sol- no, Bom today, didn't I? Leaving you alone."
"........."
"I didn't mean to do that; I was waiting for you to start talking."
"You're lying."
"I'm serious."
A laugh softer than a whisper brushed past her lips.
If she hadn't been carried by me, I wouldn't have heard that laugh.
The mood was gradually becoming brighter.
I made a suggestion to her.
"Shall we continue the conversation we couldn't finish at the drinking session while we walk?"
".........."
".....Yes?"
".........Okay."
"Hmm... where to start... So, you said the first taste of soju was nothing special. How about after drinking more? You said it was nothing, but you were the first to get drunk."
Song Soo-yeon's laughter grew a little louder.
It was a shy laugh, tinged with embarrassment.
Normally, she would have screamed or started cursing, but now, perhaps due to the alcohol or being carried by me, she reacted more gently and compliantly.
Yet, perhaps wanting to maintain her last shred of dignity, she lightly pressed her nails into my shoulder.
Compared to the many rebellious acts she had done before, this was almost cute.
...Actually, it was cute.
So, I smiled too.
This was turning into a perfect drinking session for me.
After calming her laughter, she said,
"......I'm not sure?"
"Is that so?"
".....Yes. So next time, let's drink... just the two of us."
A warm, indescribable feeling came with her words.
I slowly nodded my head.
".....Okay."
I promised. There was no reason I couldn't.
