・・・・・
It was uncommon for an office professional to drink so much during the week that it affected the next day.
The night Lee Gajun was carried home by Seo Dohyun after drinking was surprisingly a Tuesday. He would have likely endured a severe hangover all Wednesday, so she thought there wouldn't be another drinking night for a while.
"Team Leader Seo must really be a total pervert."
"What? How do you know that, Brother?"
"No, he's suggesting we drink again tomorrow. It's Thursday."
A trickle of cold sweat ran down Gaeul's back.
Drinking again?
Gajun continued speaking, unaware of her feelings.
"Actually, it worked out better this way. I wasn't feeling great on Tuesday, so I was a bit off. But tomorrow, I'm definitely going to drink that guy under the table. Starting today, I’m drinking nothing but Heotgaesu [1] instead of water."
“Are you crazy? It's a weekday. Don't drink. Is it really okay to go to work like that? Won't it affect your performance?"
"I recently finished an important project, so I have some leeway this week. Besides, I'm getting all my work done. Don't try to stop me. This is a fight I can't afford to lose, man to man."
Didn’t that fight already end in a glorious defeat the day before?
"Then at least don't drink so much tomorrow that you have to be carried back hanging off the team leader's shoulder. It was so embarrassing, I almost died of shame."
"What? I was carried back?"
"You blacked out?"
"Uh."
Gajun's face turned pale.
"I thought I took a taxi and came home just fine, but this is serious. I didn't even thank him today because I didn't know anything. He didn't show any signs of it at work. In fact, he suggested drinking again, so I thought nothing had happened. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you would remember, of course."
"Ha... was I in that bad of a state?"
"You were completely out of control. But if he didn't show any signs at work, then see? That team leader seems like a pretty decent person after all."
Gajun shook his head as if having a seizure.
"Ah, in any case, I really hate that guy. I’m definitely going to win."
“...”
“Why do you have that look on your face? It's as if you're looking at a pathetic loser."
"As long as you know."
Gaeul let out a deep sigh and headed toward her room.
Anyway, since she had said that, it seemed unlikely that he would repeat the same mistake tomorrow.
・・・・・
And so, on Thursday night.
“Wow, Lee Gaeul! Are you wearing a face mask again? Huh? Why did the team leader come all the way to our house?"
"Assistant Manager Lee said he would throw up on my suit if I didn't take him home."
Lee Gajun was once again dragged in, hanging off Seo Dohyun's shoulder. This time he had upgraded to a whole new level of nuisance as well.
To not simply abandon such a notorious nuisance on the street, but to take him all the way home simply because he was a teammate — at this point, it might be time to reevaluate Seo Dohyun's character.
Gaeul more or less dropped Gajun in the living room and turned to face the entrance again.
"I'm sorry. When my brother drinks too much, he turns into a complete mess."
Lee Gajun was indeed a mess. Calling him a Golden Retriever was a generous comparison; he was more like a rabid dog.
"Well, that can happen."
Dohyun said that and then looked at Gaeul. Oh no. Their eyes met.
“By the way, what is Assistant Manager Lee’s younger sibling’s name?”
"Excuse me? Oh, it’s Gaeul. Lee Gaeul."
“...Lee Gaeul."
He murmured without taking his eyes off her.
“Ms. Gaeul.”
“...Yes."
"Make sure to tell Assistant Manager Lee that I won’t forget the promise to give him a rematch tomorrow night."
"Ah, okay. Goodbye."
After Dohyun gave a parting nod and turned around, Gaeul closed the front door.
She stood at the entrance and took a deep breath.
Soon, the elevator arrived, and only after the presence of the man had completely disappeared could she let out a long sigh of relief.
・・・・・
Friday, September 1st. On the day autumn began, the sky was expansive and clear.
Gaeul was in a good mood from the morning.
While lying in bed and looking at her phone, she was startled and sat up.
"Wow. This actually works?"
On the screen, her ID was listed among the winners of the Stargram event. As soon as she checked the results, a message came in with the product code. The prize was a gift card for a set that included pizza, oven-baked spaghetti, and cola.
"Should I just finish it before Gajun comes?"
Since he had said he would drink with Seo Dohyun again today, it seemed like there wouldn't be any problems as long as she completely removed all the evidence before he returned.
"No, I’ll cut him some slack since I owe him for getting me chicken. We’ll eat it tomorrow."
Still, the good luck continued.
Wanting ice cream, Gaeul went to the convenience store and found out that her favourite melon-flavoured ice cream was part of a 1+1 promotional event starting today. With a happy heart, she bought two melon-flavoured ice creams and began preparing the documents for a big company's new employee recruitment that had opened today.
At lunchtime, she went to a nearby Korean restaurant and ordered a pork belly meal, and the owner kindly served her sliced apples as a bonus. For dinner, while waiting for her brother, she found two pieces of kelp in the ramen she had cooked, and the egg she added turned out to be a double yolk.
“Should I buy a lottery ticket?"
Gaeul seriously considered it.
After finishing her work for the day, she took a shower and changed into a T-shirt and comfortable pants with a drawstring. As she entered a search portal to look up how to buy a lottery ticket, she noticed that it was already past midnight.
It was about time for her brother to come home.
“Hey, Lee Gaeul. I definitely won't be dragged home today, so don't worry. Remember the pharmacy in front of Balhae University I told you about? If you drink all night and then take their hangover relief set from there, you’ll be fine to go to class. I even went there and got the whole hangover relief set. And that’s not all — I got this jelly that’s supposed to prevent you from getting drunk. If you take it with some Condition [2] before drinking, there’s no way you’ll get drunk."
"What if you still end up getting dragged home?"
"I'll buy you those Nike sneakers you said you wanted."
Recently, Gajun had been bringing home fried chicken quite often, but he was originally known for being extremely stingy. The fact that he was saying things like that this time meant he was genuinely serious about it. To be honest, she still couldn’t completely trust his resolve, but the new jelly sticks and the hangover remedy from the pharmacy in front of Balhae University — featured in recent TV commercials — seemed somewhat reliable. After all, rumours were circulating that the pharmacy owner was a graduate of Chunchoo University.
Even so, there was still a chance that Lee Gajun would fail.
“This outfit is perfect for this occasion.”
She checked her T-shirt and the holey pants again. Although her appearance seemed a bit shabby, this was a carefully calculated look.
At that time, Gaeul introduced herself to Dohyun as being 28 years old, the same age as Gajun. By 28, those who graduated straight from university would have long put their university days behind them, making it unlikely for a working professional to still be wearing a university T-shirt. Therefore, he probably wouldn't associate her outfit with the person she was that day.
Moreover, the dress she wore that day had a neat and simple vibe. To avoid overlapping with that image, she opted for a pyjama concept — though it was a set she felt a sentimental attachment to — and chose the pants that had a hole in them from the fireworks at last year’s club retreat.
Even if he found her appearance somewhat similar, he would never realise that she was the one-night stand from that night.
With a confident expression, Gaeul turned on the television.
・・・・・
Gajun returned home past two in the morning.
"Ah, this way, this way, it’s this way! My house. Ahaha..."
His voice echoed loudly through the hallway.
As expected.
Gaeul, who had been lying on the sofa watching TV, turned it off and got up. It appeared that her brother fought valiantly but ultimately lost the drinking battle against Team Leader Seo today.
“Just give up already."
Still, looking at the time, she realised he had lasted a bit longer today.
If a working adult had drunk like that three times a week and for two consecutive days, it was about time for him to start getting tired of alcohol. She really hoped he would cut back on drinking starting next week. Today had been lucky, so it seemed quite possible that Lee Gajun would pledge to abstain from alcohol.
Gaeul headed to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and took out a sheet mask, tearing off the packaging. Although her brother had fallen, her battle was just beginning.
Knock, knock.
Soon after, a knock sounded at the front door.
“Coming!"
She hastily applied a face mask, put her glasses back on over it, and rushed to the front door. When she opened the door, Seo Dohyun was standing there as usual, wearing a stern expression while Lee Gajun leaned slightly against him.
“Here."
He frowned and tossed Lee Gajun aside like a piece of luggage. As Gaeul subtly shifted to the side, Lee Gajun lost his balance and slid down to the floor.
“I’m sorry if my brother caused you trouble again by getting drunk. I’ll have a serious talk with him about it. I truly apologise…”
"Hey, Lee Gaeul."
The voice from behind sent a chill down her spine. She felt a sense of foreboding. Whenever Gajun acted like this, trouble was sure to follow. Gaeul tried her best not to turn around, but Gajun, who had been kneeling on the hallway floor, suddenly stood up and looked at her.
"Haven’t you been using face masks a lot lately? Are they any good?”
“No, it’s not good. This is trash. If my brother uses it, his skin will get ruined.”
"That's a lie. I think it’s good."
Ominous premonitions tended to come true.
"Lee Gaeul, just because you draw lines on a pumpkin, it doesn’t make it a watermelon. If it’s good, I want to try it too.”
"Hey, Lee Gajun. No, brother. Wait. What are you doing? Hey!"
There was a brief but intense struggle, and despite being drunk, Lee Gajun emerged as the victor.
Gaeul ended up losing her face mask like that.
Even though she was bare-faced, wearing glasses, and dressed completely differently, she desperately prayed to God that Seo Dohyun wouldn’t recognise her.
“Why are you pretending not to know my name? I’ve told you several times.”
God ignored her prayer.
"Last Friday night at the Baekje Hotel lounge bar. Not only did you run away after sleeping with me, but you also treated me like a prostitute, leaving money behind as if it were payment, right?”
To make matters worse, he seemed to believe that the agreed-upon room fee with the app guy was payment for sex.
"By the time the sun was rising, most of your makeup had worn off, making you look younger than I expected. But since you're Assistant Manager Lee's younger sister, I suppose even your age was a lie.”
He was quick to figure it out too.
She hoped they would never have to see each other again, but that didn’t seem likely.
"I have a bit of a tenacious side."
With a smile on his face, he extended his index finger to tap Gaeul’s glasses.
She flinched.
She reflexively closed her eyes and then opened them slightly.
Although his fingertip had only briefly brushed against her glasses, she strangely felt warmth emanating from the area where they had made contact.
"If something doesn't sit right with me, I have to be a total asshole about it to feel better."
Gaeul swallowed a dry lump in her throat.
"Um, I understand that you like me, but I prefer to remember that night as just a midsummer night's dream, a fleeting moment of pleasure..."
"I'm not chasing after you because I like you."
She tried to figure out how to resolve the situation, but Lee Gajun woke up, making it impossible to continue the conversation.
"What are you doing here, Lee Gaeul? Oh, why are you here again, Team Leader?"
In any case, this brother of hers was really no help at all in life.
“...Well, goodbye. I’ll take my leave now.”
“See you again."
An unwelcome farewell accompanied the closing of the front door.
Just like that, her true identity was revealed after only three meetings.
"That bastard can really hold his liquor. Damn..."
The scene was one of utter defeat, with Lee Gajun crawling on the living room floor in a drunken haze while Lee Gaeul stood dazed by the front door, trying to come to terms with this unbelievable reality.
No wonder today had such good luck…
"Haah...”
Gaeul sighed and rubbed her forehead.
She was screwed.
Translator's Corner:
[1] Heotgaesu, also known as Oriental Raisin Tree Tea, refers to a traditional Korean drink often consumed to prevent or alleviate hangovers.
[2] Condition is a popular hangover relief drink in Korea that's been around since 1992. It also uses the same Oriental Raisin Tree extract as the tea, but in a more concentrated manner.
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