Chapter 8: Wanna Have a Drink? (2)

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Jin-wook, having changed into suitable tracksuits, sighed deeply out of his friend's sight.

In his experience, her suggesting they drink first meant exactly the same thing as saying, "Something happened to me today."

He couldn't even guess what had happened today, so he felt a bit uneasy about what she might bring up.

'Is she going to say she's quitting everything and going rogue?'

She had suffered a lot because of her status as a Hunter.

Jin-wook's reason told him that, even if it was hard, Hwang Eun-ha was still necessary to society as an S-Class Hunter.

Because of that, countless times he had swallowed the urge to tell her to just quit whenever he saw her struggling.

And there was another reason why drinking with Hwang Eun-ha was scary.

'How bad will her drunken habits be today?'

When Hwang Eun-ha got drunk and lost her reason, her telekinesis would often slip out of control, causing surrounding objects to float in the air.

People who haven't seen seasoned chicken floating around, dripping sauce all over the floor, might not understand the struggle.

"Haa."

As soon as he entered the mart, he sighed.

What did she say she ordered for snacks? Pork belly (Samgyeopsal)?

"At least her tastes are consistent," he muttered, putting a beverage and several plastic bottles of Soju into the basket before heading to the counter.

"Can I see your ID?"

"Here."

Do I still look young?

Hwang Eun-ha buys alcohol fine without an ID even when she goes out dressed carelessly. Feeling a strange, indescribable unfairness, Jin-wook headed home.

"You bought it?"

When he arrived home, his best friend greeted him. She looked like she had just washed up—her face slightly flushed, hair wet, and body barely covered by a towel.

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"You bought it?"

"Yeah."

"I ordered snacks too. Should be here soon."

"More importantly, why don't you put some clothes on?"

"After I dry my hair."

I sat in front of the vanity and answered Jin-wook nonchalantly. From behind, I heard him cursing, "That careless bitch..."

So what?

You’ve never been a woman, so you wouldn't know, but if you put on clothes before drying your hair, your t-shirt gets all wet.

"Dry it for me?"

"Then thank you."

Besides, he's seen it plenty of times. He even saw my chest this morning. Of course, if I said that out loud, he'd definitely nag me, so I kept it to myself.

I handed the hairdryer to Jin-wook, and soon, a pleasant warm breeze began to dry my hair.

"Your hair got pretty long."

"Yeah."

"Gonna keep growing it?"

"No, I should go get it cut soon."

Anyone seeing us might think we were lovers.

But this guy and I were definitely not in that kind of relationship.

From our childhood as boys, through the period I went missing, and from the moment I returned as a woman—we've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of each other. There was no room for fantasies to develop.

"Thank you."

After drying my hair, I went into my room, put on some clothes, and turned on the computer.

I thought I'd log into the game for a bit before drinking dinner.

It seemed my "hit-and-run" after killing that Choco guy three times in a row this morning had become quite a hot topic; my inbox was literally piled high.

"Wow, that's a lot."

Of course, the heated reaction had died down by now.

And Choco was...

"Still hunting."

I swapped my weapon to a beginner's one and headed back to the field.

I thought Choco might be streaming while hunting, but surprisingly, he wasn't. It seemed he had asked his viewers for understanding, turned off the stream to rest a bit, and was now back to hunting.

[Player]: Dude, where did you go?

[Me]: I had some business, so I went out for a bit.

It seemed his anger from dying three times had subsided; there was no hostility in Choco's chat when he recognized me.

Thinking it might have become a bit boring, I typed again.

[Me]: Not turning the stream on?

[Player]: Gonna turn it on later.

[Player]: Just saying, if you kill me again, I'm blocking you.

[Me]: Ok ok;

[Me]: Also, I'm drinking tonight so I can't log in. Bye bye.

I returned my character to town, went out to the living room, and sat on the sofa. I could hear the sound of water from the bathroom.

Jin-wook needed to shower too, since his day was over.

...But he's taking longer than expected?

"Phew."

When Jin-wook finally came out after his bath, his face was somewhat flushed.

And as a bonus, he wore an expression of Hyeon-ta (Post-nut clarity/Reality hit).

I think I know what he did inside before washing, but since I don't entirely misunderstand the situation, I decided to let it slide quietly.

"Not here yet?"

"Yeah."

Just as I answered Jin-wook asking if the food hadn't arrived, the bell rang.

I quickly got up and practically flew to open the door.

"Delivery...?"

"Yes, thank you."

The delivery man pausing and staring at me for a moment is something I'm used to by now.

I naturally snatched the food from him, closed the door naturally, and lifted the bag, shouting, "It's here!"

"Let's eat quickly."

"Clothes first."

"Okay."

While Jin-wook threw on some clothes and I opened the bags, soju glasses, water, and bottles flew through the air and set themselves down on the living room table.

"Come quickly!" I called out to Jin-wook, who came out wearing tracksuits, and poured soju into my glass first.

Just as he was about to pour his own, I grabbed his wrist. "Nope."

"Give it."

"You pour your own."

"Then you should have come faster. Or you pour the next one."

I clinked glasses with Jin-wook and downed the shot.

Feeling the alcohol buzz through my stomach, a "Kuhhh!" sound escaped me naturally. Jin-wook, half-Confucian scholar that he is, silently picked up a piece of pork belly without reaction.

"Ah, almost forgot this."

I dispersed the telekinesis that resided in every corner of my body.

Rustle.

I heard a sound like a plastic bag fluttering in the wind.

The physical resistance increased by this telekinesis included resistance to alcohol. Unless I was drinking something incredibly potent, this process was essential for me.

"How wasted do you plan on getting today?"

Of course, the moment I do this, my body becomes exactly like a normal person's. I could die just from being stabbed by a knife.

But hey, that won't happen inside the house.

"It's home, so who cares?"

"Wouldn't you care to think about me, the one who has to handle your drunken antics?"

I grinned at his words and held out my glass in front of him.

Jin-wook sighed and poured a moderate amount of soju. I poured for him too and tossed it back into my mouth again.

"So, what happened today?"

"Well."

"Guess you need a few more drinks."

"It's actually a funny story if you hear it, but I don't have the courage to tell it sober."

How many quiet glasses did we share?

I shared a drink with him and turned my gaze to the TV broadcasting the news.

Just in time, a segment covering hot internet topics was on. Contrary to the prejudice against mainstream media being slow, the news that a Hunter who solo-killed the Ghost Steel Frame in the S-Class test had appeared was already breaking.

"Is it related to that?"

"Yeah."

"And the one who killed that Ghost-whatever is you?"

"Yeah. As expected, you catch on quick."

I felt the buzz kicking in.

Jin-wook still looked fine. Was I the only one getting drunk?

Thought so.

Looking at his face, it seemed the alcohol was slowly hitting him too.

"So, why?"

"I want to live a normal life, but I wonder if people will leave me alone once they know that was me."

"I don't know. You aren't that famous, so maybe they won't know. You haven't lifted the privacy protection request with the Association yet, right?"

"Still, the possibility of it becoming known has grown."

I received another glass from Jin-wook, poured it into my mouth, and slammed the glass onto the table with a loud thud.

I heard him sigh, "Ha, this bastard is getting drunk again," but I didn't care.

Now, instead of receiving a glass from him, I opened a bottle myself and chugged a few shots straight from the bottle.

How many times did I repeat that?

Did the reason controlling me disappear from my brain?

With a sigh, the words I had kept bottled up inside started leaking out.

"Haa. I'm not S-Class Hunter Hwang Eun-ha... I'm Hwang Jae-min. Why does everyone try to see me only as a Hunter?"

"Hey."

"Jin-wook-ah, do you see me as a Hunter too?"

"As if. You're my friend, Hwang Eun-ha."

Jin-wook, telling me to stop chugging soju and eat some food, made a lettuce wrap and held it out to me.

Instead of taking it with my hand, I opened my mouth, "Ah." He sighed quietly and fed me the wrap himself.

"I'm glad at least you see me that way."

When did he scoop the rice?

Munching on the wrap and swallowing it, I tried to pour another glass, but Jin-wook snatched my glass away in an instant, telling me to stop.

"Hey, you're drunk. Let's stop here."

"What are you saying? There are still two bottles left! Give it!"

I reached out, but he stretched his arm back as if daring me to try and grab it.

Annoyed by his refusal to give me the glass, I grabbed him with telekinesis and forcibly snatched my glass from his hand.

Honestly, using force like this... I felt a little sorry.

But for some reason, today, I wanted to pour it in until I blacked out.

"Hehe, I'm gonna drink more..."

"Sigh, I give up."

It seems the fact that someone filed a complaint as soon as they found out I wasn't an Awakened... was quite a shock to me.

I trusted that guy (Kang Tae-woo) wouldn't harbor ill intentions, and since the situation back then required me to explain, I trusted him and told him the truth.

"Hey. Remember a few days ago during the day?"

"Yesterday?"

"Yeah. A Gate popped up at our school. Everyone was going home, and just as I was about to join the search team, you appeared and grabbed me."

"I did."

"But, I don't know what he was thinking, but he filed a civil complaint with the Association about it. Asking how someone who isn't even an Awakened registered as a Hunter."

I said that and let out a quiet, slightly unhinged laugh, "Puh-euh-euh."

A guy who couldn't even speak properly in front of me, only good for his ability.

My situation, drinking behind his back like this, felt somewhat pathetic.

"I trusted him, thinking at least he wasn't the type to blab anywhere."

"...Are you sure Kang Tae-woo filed the complaint?"

"Actually, I don't have hard evidence. Just suspicion. But in my mind, it can only be him."

Saying that, I tried to pour another glass, but seeing the empty bottle, I planted my face on the table with a "Puh-hoo."

Just as Jin-wook was about to say, "Hey, I'll clean up, so go inside and sleep. You're really drunk," I lifted my head sharply.

Just in time, I had alcohol in my system.

I brought up something to him that the usual homebody 'me' would never say.

"Hey, wanna go for Round 2 (2-cha)? To a Karaoke."

"What the hell is Round 2..."

"Let's go, huh?"

Seeing Jin-wook's face, looking like he wanted to refuse with every fiber of his being, my eyes sparkled again.

He turned his gaze away as if admitting defeat.

"Then at least put on a jacket."