Chapter 90: Soju (2)

 

My head feels like it’s going to split open...

 

I woke up due to the severe headache.

 

The familiar ceiling of my room came into view.

 

Why am I here...?

 

“Ugh...my head hurts...!”

 

I grimaced and forced myself up.

 

It felt as though someone had placed a brick on my head and was smashing it with a hammer. On top of that, my stomach was in knots, making it incredibly hard to get up.

 

I managed to get out of bed and walked into the living room.

 

But what was I doing before I fell asleep?

 

Wait. Wasn’t I drinking at a bar with Han-gyeol yesterday?

 

I remember we ordered another bottle of soju... But from that point until the moment I opened my eyes, I have no memory.

 

“Where did Han-gyeol go...? Ah, my head hurts...!”

 

I was sitting on the living room couch, in agony.

 

I tried to recall yesterday’s events, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember anything.

 

Feeling anxious, I decided to call Han-gyeol in a hurry.

 

“Where is my phone...?”

 

I went back to my room to look for my phone and after finding it in the corner of my bed, I called Han-gyeol.

 

Normally, he would pick up immediately, but today, the response was slow.

 

As the ringtone played, faint music could be heard from outside the room.

 

“Huh?”

 

Holding the phone, I stepped into the living room, where the music sound became clearer.

 

Wrapped in anxiety, I slowly moved toward the source of the music.

 

-“The number you have dialed is not available. Please wait for the beep sound after the tone, you will be connected to voice mail, and the charges will apply.”

 

The failure to connect message played, and at the same time, the music stopped abruptly.

 

“Could it be...?”

 

Standing in front of my brother’s door, I swallowed nervously.

 

Carefully, I turned the doorknob and entered, finding someone asleep on the bed.

 

Please let it be my brother... It has to be...

 

I tiptoed closer and pulled back the blanket... and there was Han-gyeol, sound asleep.

 

Next to Han-gyeol’s head, his phone lay with a missed call notification.

 

A moment of panic washed over me, but then, Han-gyeol’s nape caught my eye.

 

“Wha...?! What is this?!”

 

Han-gyeol’s neck was covered in bruises.

 

“Han-gyeol! Han-gyeol, wake up! What happened to your neck?!”

 

Startled, I shook Han-gyeol awake.

 

“Mmm...!”

 

Jolted by my shaking, Han-gyeol slowly opened his eyes.

 

He turned his head towards me as soon as he saw me.

 

“Han-gyeol?! Are you okay?!”

 

“Eun-ha...?!”

 

“Yeah, it’s me. What happened yesterday-”

 

“Whoa!”

 

Han-gyeol, startled at the sight of me, quickly covered his neck.

 

“Han-gyeol...?!”

 

“Huh? It’s not there?”

 

What on earth happened yesterday?!

 

“Did we fight with someone yesterday?! Did we get into an argument after drinking?! Why is your neck like that?!”

 

My loud questions made Han-gyeol flinch and drop his hands from his neck.

 

“What’s with my neck...?”

 

“Doesn’t it hurt?! Wait, I’ll get a mirror!”

 

I hurried to the living room and brought back a hand mirror.

 

Showing Han-gyeol the condition of his neck, surprisingly, he remained calm.

 

“Wow... it’s worse than I thought.”

 

“That’s not the point-! Doesn’t it hurt?! Look at how bad the bruise is.”

 

“Bruise...? Ah, Eun-ha. This isn’t a bruise. It doesn’t hurt.”

 

Han-gyeol was calm, but I was far from it.

 

“If it’s not a bruise, then what is it?! Be honest, who did you fight with?! Who the hell...did this to Han-gyeol’s neck?!”

 

My fury elicited, but Han-gyeol just chuckled and said,

 

“What if Eun-ha did it?”

 

“What?! What are you talking about?!”

 

“Eun-ha. This isn’t a bruise. It’s a kiss mark you left on me yesterday.”

 

“Kiss mark...?!”

 

The kind that’s made by sucking on someone’s skin?!

 

“Wait... you mean I did this?! I sucked on Han-gyeol’s neck?!”

 

“Seems like you don’t remember... Well, you were pretty drunk.”

 

“I did this...?”

 

I couldn’t believe it. But then, there was no reason for Han-gyeol to lie.

 

“Yeah. Eun-ha did this. I thought I was going to be devoured.”

 

“Wha...what?! For real?!”

 

“Yeah. For real.”

 

“There’s... there’s nothing else I did wrong, right?”

 

I asked cautiously, but Han-gyeol avoided my gaze.

 

“You’re better off not knowing...”

 

I feel like dying. But I need to know before I do.

 

“It’s okay, tell me. How did we get home yesterday?!”

 

“Well... where should I start? What’s the last thing you remember?”

 

“I don’t remember anything after ordering soup and soju at the bar with Han-gyeol.”

 

“Ha... you completely blacked out.”

 

I was fine until then!

 

“So where do I even begin? You really don’t remember anything?”

 

“Shamefully... it seems so. Did I make a huge mistake?”

 

“Not a mistake, but... you really showed me what a wild animal is.”

 

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t recall any of my actions from yesterday.

 

“I’m so sorry! Is your neck okay...?! Does it hurt?!”

 

“No, it doesn’t hurt. But let’s try to restrain ourselves next time. It was a bit embarrassing.”

 

How much did I suck on it...

 

“From what I’ve seen, Eun-ha’s tolerance is about one and a half bottles. Even if you drink a lot, never exceed two bottles.”

 

“Okay...! But did you end up staying at my place because you were too drunk? Did you tell your parents?”

 

At my question, Han-gyeol hesitated before answering.

 

“I was going to take Eun-ha home and then catch a taxi... but Eun-ha threw such a fit, begging me not to leave, that I couldn’t go. Every time I tried to leave, Eun-ha would run out and not let me go. I was afraid of getting in trouble with Eun-ha’s parents, so I just called Eunwoo Hyung, told him I’d put Eun-ha to bed and that I’d sleep in his room. I told my parents I was out drinking with other friends and ended up sleeping at a friend’s house.”

 

Die, yesterday’s me. I was a complete nuisance.

 

“Really sorry...”

 

“It’s okay. It happens when you’re drunk. Don’t worry too much about it.”

 

I couldn’t say anything because I didn’t remember anything. But... there was something I had to clarify.

 

“Um, Han-gyeol...?”

 

“Yeah. What?”

 

I had to ask, even though I felt nothing of the sort.

 

“Did we... do it?”

 

“Do what...?”

 

“You know... se-”

 

As I was about to say the word, Han-gyeol quickly cut me off.

 

“-We didn’t do it! Nothing like that happened...! You were too drunk to even consider it. Though there was a dangerous moment-”

 

“That’s, that’s enough! If we didn’t do it, then it’s fine. I didn’t say anything else, right...?”

 

I hoped that was the end, but Han-gyeol seemed hesitant again.

 

What else could there be? I couldn’t take it anymore.

 

“Do you remember the last thing I said yesterday?”

 

“Sorry! I don’t remember anything after ordering the drinks. I really don’t remember anything.”

 

“Really? It was something Eun-ha asked, and I answered.”

 

“What did I ask?!”

 

“I don’t want to tell you. It might be interesting.”

 

“No, you have to tell me!”

 

“Nah~ But my answer was ’Saet-byul.’”

 

Han-gyeol was making no sense.

 

“Let’s start with the hangover cure. Are you not feeling sick?”

 

“I am...! But it’s more like my spirit is hurting... Han-gyeol, you’re really not hurt, right?”

 

I cautiously checked Han-gyeol’s nape. Seeing the still vivid kiss mark made my face flush.

 

“Yeah. It doesn’t hurt. It was a bit risky, though...”

 

“You could have stopped me...”

 

“I did... but Eun-ha...”

 

“What did I... say?”

 

“Maybe it’s better not to know?”

 

Despite my fear, I couldn’t contain my curiosity.

 

“Go ahead and tell me...”

 

“You said you were going to mark me as yours and told me to just let you do it. No matter how much I tried to stop you, you wouldn’t listen, so I just gave up.”

 

“Me?! That’s a lie, right?! You’re lying because I don’t remember?!”

 

“You were like a real beast. It was kind of scary, you know.”

 

“Ugh...! I’m sorry...!”

 

I wished for a mouse hole to crawl into and hide.

 

“Let’s take care of the hangover first. Did you see the hangover cure I left on your desk?”

 

“No. I haven’t seen it yet. Should we go out to get something for the hangover?”

 

“It’s too much effort; let’s just order delivery.”

 

“Okay...”

 

I ended up in the kitchen without regaining any memory of yesterday.

 

I wondered if banging my head against the wall would bring back memories.

 

That sounded painful, so I decided to wash my face with cold water instead.

 

I was looking a bit haggard anyway...!

 

“Han-gyeol, I’m going to take a shower in the master bathroom.”

 

“Okay. I’ll place the delivery order and then take a shower.”

 

“Thanks. See you in a bit.”

 

I grabbed a towel from my room and headed to the master bathroom.

 

As I opened the bedroom door and was about to enter the bathroom, something started to form in my mind.

 

‘I really like Han-gyeol...’

 

‘Come here... We’re just talking...’

 

‘How about Hanbyul and Eunbyul?’

 

What... What are these memories?

 

The fragments of memory in my head began to piece together.

 

“Wait. Han-byul and Eun-byul...?”

 

I murmured to myself in a low voice. Hanbyul and Eunbyul...?

 

Those were just names I had thought about. If Han-gyeol and I were to have children, a son would take ‘Han’ from Han-gyeol to be Hanbyul, and if it was a daughter, she would take ‘Eun’ from my name to be Eunbyul.

 

But those were thoughts I had never once voiced out loud.

 

“What’s Saet-byul then...?”

 

I remembered what Han-gyeol had said earlier. At the same time, I remembered the words I had said while hugging Han-gyeol tightly.

 

‘The third one’s name will be chosen by Han-gyeol. I’ll keep kissing until you tell me...’

 

As all the memories flooded back, I slumped to the floor in despair.

 

“Oh my goodness...”

--- The End OF The Chapter ---

 

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