LCL 61

There was also a line in front of the counter for checkout. It was unavoidable since people had to buy alcohol here if they didn’t want to go too far off campus.

The part-timer’s expression was sour. I felt sorry for complaining, even if just internally, about why the line was so long. I quietly entered the store.

Unfortunately, there was also a line in front of the refrigerator. It wasn’t just the checkout counter. All the bars near the school would be like this too.

Basically, you had to line up wherever you went.

I furrowed my brow deeply, but no one was going to make way for me. In the end, it was only after waiting for a long time that I could see the refrigerator. I grabbed three bottles of sports drinks that were on a 2+1 deal and also bought chocolate milk from the dairy section. It was a 1+1 deal.

If I had a basket, I could have carried all my items comfortably. My fingers and inner elbows were cold and stinging. It was my own wretched fault for coming late. I joined the counter line without saying anything.

…How long will I have to wait this time?

I spent a total of 20 minutes at the refrigerator and counter. At this rate, it might have been better to go to a different convenience store. I checked my phone occasionally, but still no messages. It seemed no one had noticed that I’d left.

That was fortunate, but…on the other hand, it seemed a bit harsh. Still, is it possible that there’s not a single message on my phone when I’ve been gone for nearly 30 minutes?

I came out carrying the heavy bag with stretched handles. This time, I stood on the side heading toward the school.

While waiting for the green light, I rummaged through the bag. I took out the hangover cure that was stuck in the corner and pushed it into my pocket. It was a jelly hangover cure known for its effectiveness.

Enjoying the feel of the cold plastic against my hands, I called Lim Dae-han while fiddling with it. Even as I crossed the crosswalk mixed with the crowd and passed through the main gate, Lim Dae-han didn’t answer the phone.

Is he still with the seniors so he can’t answer? I thought that he could at least answer the phone…

I couldn’t give it to him separately near the pub, so I was going to give it to him secretly, but he didn’t answer and I was immediately sent to voicemail. I thought about calling once more but decided against it.

Hmm. I swallowed a bitter sigh and went near the pub. I hid the bag in the mat where other students’ personal belongings were kept. I only fiddled with the hangover cure in my pocket, like touching slime. The plastic that had been cold must’ve been affected by my body heat and now felt warm.

“Hey, Young-hyun!”

Park In-gong ran toward me. His posture was like a lizard’s. Instead of answering, I raised my eyebrows, and he excitedly chattered. Apparently, a famous girl group had arrived on campus.

Ah. I turned my head toward the stage too. Unfortunately, trees and the pub tent blocked my view of the stage. Still, the music and cheers were very clear. They were singing a song famous enough that even I knew it. Park In-gong spit as his voice became more and more excited.

“Wanna go, wanna go?”

“No, I’m good. You go. Where are the others?”

“A few are already there. Hey, I’m going. If the seniors ask, cover for me well.”

I quietly watched Park In-gong’s back as he ran off hurriedly, and then entered the pub. And my expression immediately hardened at the scene I saw.

…It was no wonder he couldn’t answer his phone.

Lim Dae-han seemed tipsy, having drunk who knows how much in that short amount of time. He was rubbing his brow with his hand while his arms were crossed.

“Hey, this kid really doesn’t get drunk easily. Usually, at this point, people would be throwing up and making a fuss.”

An unnamed senior quipped. He must have drunk quite a lot too. Lim Dae-han picked up a cup. He looked around the table, perhaps searching for water.

“No water?”

“No.”

“Ah, here it is. Drink this.”

Senior Hyuna had joined the group at some point. She sat next to Lim Dae-han. The senior handed Lim Dae-han some water. While tucking her long straight hair behind her ear, she said something to Lim Dae-han. Probably telling him to know when to stop, but…

I wasn’t sure if I should say this, but the two of them looked good together. They were a handsome guy and a pretty girl. There was a reason people tried to set them up.

When Lim Dae-han said something with his arms crossed, the senior covered her mouth and laughed, then touched his forearm. Lim Dae-han, who had many female friends, seemed unbothered by this. If it were me, I would have stiffened up long ago.

“Young-hyun.”

The senior watching the counter called me. I had been observing them as a third party and belatedly came to my senses.

“…Yes?”

“Where did you go just now?”

The senior asked while twirling a pen around between her fingers. She didn’t seem angry but apparently knew I had left my spot. Is that fortunate?

“I, uh, just went to the bathroom for a moment.”

“Is that so? What about the others?”

“…”

I wanted to say, Park In-gong and the classmates went to see the stage, but the words were stuck in my throat.

When I couldn’t say anything, the senior clicked her tongue.

“They went to see the stage, huh? Will they die if they don’t see celebrities? These are people you can see on TV every day.”

“Haha…”

“Can you go to the kitchen and serve the ordered side dishes?”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

While Lim Dae-han was drinking heavily, I had to help with the pub work. In the end, I couldn’t give him the hangover cure and drinks. As I went back and forth between the kitchen and the pub, I kept glancing in his direction, but couldn’t even make eye contact with Lim Dae-han.

Every time I looked, he had another glass of alcohol in his hands. He seemed to get along well even with seniors he was meeting for the first time. If drinking such strong alcohol was the way to get along with them, I’d rather just be alone. I felt unnecessarily discontented about the whole thing.

“Take the egg rolls to the seniors’ table.”

“Okay.”

After serving and circling the pub for a long time, I was finally able to go to the table with the older seniors. They were already quite drunk. I was reluctant to go there, but I had no other choice.

“Hello-“

I bowed slightly and put down an egg roll on each side of the table. I made eye contact with Lim Dae-han. He slowly closed and opened his eyes. Since it wasn’t the right place to strike up a conversation, I turned to leave.

My forearm was grabbed tightly. Startled, I flinched, and the senior who had been pouring Lim Dae-han drink after drink pulled me in. This senior was probably the one who had been targeting Lim Dae-han.

There were often seniors like that. People who act friendly with juniors while showing off. The senior pointed at me with his chin and asked Senior Seong-hong.

“Is this the one? The one they say is handsome.”

“Young-hyun is handsome, yes.”

Senior Seong-hong added.

“Why didn’t you come and greet us earlier?”

I felt discouraged by the reproachful voice. Had everyone else greeted them while I was at the convenience store? When we first arrived, we all plan to greet them together. Should I apologize? I bit my lip nervously.

“I think our department is better than the Business Department this time?”

“Ah, hyung. Business has been declining since then-“

“You’re full of shit, really.”

The senior laughed and downed his drink. I made eye contact with Lim Dae-han again. He was rubbing his temple and touching his forehead. His eyes looked a bit unfocused and it was clear he was already drunk.

Lim Dae-han spoke to me directly.

“Ki Young-hyun.”

“…Yeah?”

“Bring me some napkins.”

“Ah, just a moment.”

“He needs to bring napkins. Let go of his arm.”

Lim Dae-han said to the senior. The senior who had been joking with Senior Seong-hong while holding onto me finally said, “Ah, sorry,” and let me go. I quickly brought napkins and handed them to Lim Dae-han.

Lim Dae-han hit my thigh with his knee, telling me to go back. I was about to leave, thinking this senior didn’t seem very nice, when he spoke to me again.

“Want to have a drink before you go?”

The senior finished his drink and poured alcohol into it. It was hard to gauge the amount in the paper cup. I felt like I might die if I drank all of this.

I swallowed dryly from nervousness. The senior tossed the cup onto the table.

“Drink it, it’s from your senior. I don’t need to mix it with soda, right?”

“Ah…Thank you.”

“You have to finish it all.”

It was a forceful suggestion. All the seniors I had drunk with before never forced alcohol on me, but he was different, probably because he was a graduate.

My mouth felt parched. I reached out with both hands to take the cup.

“I’ll drink it.”

Lim Dae-han quickly snatched the cup from the table. Senior Hyuna quietly said, “Just drink a little and you can stop after that,” from the side, but Lim Dae-han drank it all anyway.

After finishing, he flipped the cup upside down and tapped it in the air.

“What are you doing?”

The drunk senior asked in an unpleasant voice.

“Who forces people to drink these days?”

“…”

“Don’t give it to someone who can’t drink, give it to me. I’m not drunk yet.”

Lim Dae-han held out the cup again. I could feel the atmosphere turning sour. I bit my lip and glanced at the senior. Senior Seong-hong’s eyes were also darting around quickly.

Senior Seong-hong was clearly afraid of this senior. They were only one or two years apart, so why was he so scared?

“Wow, this bastard is really funny.”

Contrary to my worry, the senior burst out laughing.

“You’re siding with your classmate, right?”

“I’m drinking because I want to.”

“Why aren’t you getting drunk?”

Lim Dae-han was already quite a bit drunk, though. As I looked at him with worried eyes, the tipsy Lim Dae-han pushed his tongue into his cheek.

The alcohol trickled from the narrow-mouthed bottle. As I watched the cup being filled, I made eye contact with Lim Dae-han. He mouthed the words, ‘Come out back.’

Given how noisy and crowded it was in the pub, no one else would have noticed. Lim Dae-han winked with one eye as he tilted the cup. It was probably a wink of affirmation, but I was just worried about whether he was too drunk to walk.

It was several dozen minutes later when Lim Dae-han called me. When I went to where he said he was, it was a path not far from the pub area. There weren’t many people, but it wasn’t completely empty either, being near the pub area.

Lim Dae-han was sitting on a bench with his head bowed, shaking his leg. As I approached with the bag, he lifted his head a beat late.

“Lim Dae-han.”

“Oh, Ki Young-hyun…”

I stood facing him. His voice was drawn out, probably due to the alcohol.

Without a word, I handed him the bag.

“Oh, drinks.”

Lim Dae-han rummaged through the bag. I should give him this too. I took out the hangover remedy I had been keeping in my pocket, waiting for the right moment to give it to him. It had become lukewarm from all my handling. I held out three at once.

“Eat one of these first. The other two…”

“Feed me.”

“…”

I unknowingly clenched my jaw. He was doing whatever he wanted now that he was drunk.

“Just eat it yourself.”

I said firmly, but Lim Dae-han just kept shaking his leg. Damn it. It was hard to reason with a drunk person.

Lim Dae-han seemed unaware that we were near the pub area. Fine, I’ll feed him. I opened the jelly and brought it to his mouth.

“Bite it. I’ll squeeze it for you.”

Lim Dae-han grinned and took the jelly in his mouth. He ate well as I squeezed the tube. Why is he asking to be fed when he can eat by himself? I couldn’t quite understand it, but I decided to let it go since he was drunk.

“Dae-han, listen.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have to drink everything the seniors give you?”

“…”

Lim Dae-han silently rubbed his chin. “This is just one time.” 

Sigh, I exhaled. Okay, it’s fine if he drinks. I’m here anyways.

“Let’s go home together later. Don’t leave separately. Got it?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t just answer, really listen to me.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

He answered well even when drunk. Lim Dae-han chewed on the jelly tube in his mouth. I sat next to him and rummaged through the bag in his arms, taking out the sports drink and chocolate milk.

“Drink all of this before we go.”

“I can’t drink all that. I’m already too full.”

“How can someone who eats several bowls of rice not eat this?”

“Ki Young-hyun.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m drunk.”

But I already knew that. It was a problem that I knew too well. Lim Dae-han leaned his body on my shoulder. It was heavy, but I bit my lip and simply endured it.

His breath smelled strongly of alcohol. Lim Dae-han rubbed my forearm.

“Did it hurt where you were grabbed earlier?”

Instead of answering, I shook my head. And just as I was about to thank him for drinking in my place…

“…Isn’t that Young-hyun and Dae-han?”

At the voice clearly referring to us, I pushed Lim Dae-han to the opposite side. He fell flat with a thud, unable to even cry out. I sat up straight first. I straightened my back rigidly. I tried to act as if nothing had happened.

“What are you two doing there?”

It was Senior Seong-hong and Senior Hyuna.

“Ah, um, well…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence properly. Lim Dae-han, who had been lying face down, showed the seniors the hangover cure wrapper he had been holding in his mouth.

“Ki Young-hyun gave it to me.”

“…Why did Young-hyun give you this?”

Senior Hyuna asked. It was a situation that anyone would find strange. To make matters worse, I had even bought drinks from the convenience store. I held out the bag with drinks to the seniors.

“…I bought these at the convenience store for the seniors, but I ran into Lim Dae-han and gave him one.”

I had become skilled at lying during my school life. Senior Hyuna followed up with another question.

“How many hangover cures did you buy?”

“Ah, this…”

There weren’t many hangover cures compared to the number of people. My mind went blank, but then a brilliant idea came to me. I must be a genius after all.

“I didn’t buy this. There was a Sang-X-hwan booth earlier, and I got it by spinning a wheel there.”

“Oh, really? That was at the entrance, right? Is it still there?”

Fortunately, Senior Seong-hong must have seen the booth. I shook my head.

“…I’m not sure. I didn’t see it when I went to the convenience store.”