#062
Yechan internally swallowed a sigh at Jiwoon’s cheerful response. Though he was still a bit hurt inside, Yechan was enveloped by relief that he had prevented Jiwoon’s phone number from being leaked.
“How about granting a wish?”
“Sure.”
Actually, if they continued like this, Jiwoon didn’t particularly have anything to wish for from Yechan. Still, Jiwoon readily agreed with enthusiasm.
Yechan nodded as if he understood and cleaned up the hangover cure trash with a displeased expression.
Before leaving, Jiwoon, who had been watching Yechan put on his coat, suddenly looked for wax. After applying wax to his hands and sweeping about half of Yechan’s bangs to the side, Jiwoon smiled with satisfaction.
Jiwoon unconsciously thought he wanted to kiss that neat forehead, then shook his head once and headed to the bathroom to wash his hands.
Yechan, who had been looking at his face in the mirror, raised his hand to cover the corners of his mouth that kept trying to turn up.
* * *
Seven o’clock. The pub they arrived at right on time was as bustling as the opening general meeting. After exchanging greetings with some familiar faces, the two found seats in the section where the first-years had gathered.
The first-years, wearing department jackets they hadn’t even ordered yet, looked quite nervous. Yechan pressed the bell to order warm water.
Jiwoon had been saying he was cold the whole way there. After handing the water to Jiwoon, Yechan casually responded to the kids’ chatter.
The event proceeded similarly to the general meeting. However, this time the professors were absent. Perhaps because all the encouraging words for new students had been exhausted at the opening general meeting, or maybe because it was just a nominal drinking ceremony, the atmosphere was much lighter and the venue was excited.
The second-years who had experienced the freshman welcoming party last year were already very excited, and the third and fourth-years were busy chatting among themselves as usual. Jiwoon poked at the french fries with his fork.
Perhaps because the meal Yechan had made was delicious, somehow he couldn’t bring himself to touch the snacks in front of him. Soon, Jiwoon put down his fork and whispered to Yechan while keeping his eyes fixed on the president who was holding a microphone and waving, saying it was starting now.
“I’m full.”
Yechan, who had been watching the front, startled at the breath he felt at his ear and turned his head toward Jiwoon.
“What?”
“I said I’m full. The meal you made was delicious.”
Jiwoon brought his lips closer to Yechan’s ear. At the lips that brushed his earlobe, Yechan slightly bit his tongue, then moved his head to lean his face toward Jiwoon and whispered.
“I’ll make more for you. Tell me if there’s anything you want to eat.”
Looking at Yechan like that, Jiwoon briefly pondered what he should ask him to make later. Then suddenly he looked forward at the booming sound.
“Good evening! Korean race! Strongest business! Go! Jun! Here!”
For a moment, Jiwoon was reminded of shouting slogans in the military and let out a sigh. After Go Jun finished his self-introduction, continuing with his age and what he wanted to say, the president joked that this friend really eats well and patted his back.
Then he handed over a 500cc glass full of alcohol that had been sitting on the table next to Go Jun. Immediately, the surroundings became noisy with toasts.
At the almost insane noise, Jiwoon covered his mouth with his water glass. Yechan, watching Jiwoon like that, handed him a napkin.
As Jiwoon wiped his wet lips with the napkin, he asked.
“…Why are the self-introductions like that?”
“Um… that’s just the format.”
“What fucking bullshit…”
“Hyung, the kids can hear you.”
“Ha… So that’s the sabal?”
“Yes. It’s a 500cc glass, that’s right.”
Go Jun downed the 500cc glass in one shot to match the toast. As the president led applause for Go Jun, who was making a face like he was dying from the taste, he gestured to the amp and background music started flowing. It was a famous ballad.
Suddenly someone shouted “Nagari!” The song stopped abruptly. The president giggled and filled a glass on the table with beer, handing it to Go Jun.
When Go Jun downed the beer in one shot, the background music started flowing again. Due to time constraints, the song ended after just the first verse.
After finishing the torturous time and returning to the group of first-years, Go Jun said.
“That drink was 9 to 1…”
At the mention that it was nine parts soju to one part something else, the first-years made disgusted faces.
Jiwoon’s eyes glazed over. When told to do something, you just have to do it. Jiwoon once again thought of the military.
The event proceeded smoothly. The chick-like twenty-year-old freshmen introduced themselves with clear voices, downed their shots, and then showcased their talents.
Most were dancing and singing. When Kim Hyeonji cleanly handled the high notes in her performance, everyone got excited and shouted for an encore, and someone who tried to demonstrate breaking wooden boards with martial arts got “nagari” three times and had to drink three more glasses of beer.
Unusually, there was even a kid who said he learned from his air force father and showcased radio communication with airplanes as his talent. Though it wasn’t completely comprehensible, the nuance was strangely funny, causing roars of laughter throughout the venue.
Jiwoon gradually adapted to the atmosphere. It was actually quite fun. The first-years who finished their sabal returned to their seats and passed around drinks.
“Alright, next. Seo Yechan!”
Yechan, who had been drinking beer at the table, stood up when he heard his name called. Someone from the upper grades let out a shriek.
Yechan placed his hand on Jiwoon’s shoulder once before walking forward.
Come to think of it, I didn’t ask what Seo Yechan was going to do. Jiwoon took a sip of beer and looked at Yechan’s back. The shoulder blades that stood out on his back in the thin beige knit sweater were pretty.
“Good evening! Korean race! Strongest business! Seo! Ye! Chan! Here!”
Standing straight with one arm behind his back, holding the microphone, Yechan looked like an announcer. Everyone cheered at his loud voice with proper diaphragmatic breathing.
“He’s handsome!” someone shouted loudly, and Jiwoon grinned. Somehow his heart felt proud, like his own kid was being praised.
His already handsome white face stood out even more under the lighting. The bangs that Jiwoon had styled also contributed to that handsomeness.
“Yes… If you have eyes, you can see I’m this year’s business department poster boy. Look forward to the festival. Hayeon said she’s preparing a lot, so we just need to enjoy ourselves. Anyway, since I’m a friend who’s rarely seen in the department room, take a good look today.”
After briefly finishing his self-introduction, the president spoke affably while pointing at Yechan. Then he raised a glass and handed it to Yechan.
Yechan downed the glass in one shot while maintaining his posture with one hand behind his back. The venue stirred at Yechan, whose expression didn’t change at all.
Hey, give him one more drink! Ignoring someone’s shout, the president looked at the printout and grinned.
“Ah, he’s doing a rather unusual talent show. He says he’ll do push-ups while carrying a person… This friend wrote down 10?”
At the president’s words, the students started booing and desperately claiming this round would be nagari. Since at some point everything became nagari, it was now unclear what would even pass.
“If he carries a guy and does twenty, we’ll acknowledge it!”
Someone who looked burly among the graduate students shouted.
“Carry me and do five!”
When a man who was clearly severely obese shouted, the pub became a sea of laughter. The president raised the microphone to organize the situation.
“Alright, carrying a guy and exactly fifteen! We’ll settle on that. We don’t have time right now. Please start right away. Who are you going to carry?”
At the president’s words, Yechan rolled up his sleeves and brought his mouth to the microphone. Yechan was looking at Jiwoon and smiling.
“Lee Jiwoon hyung.”
“Alright, where is Lee Jiwoon? Lee Jiwoon, come out.”
Despite the sudden attention, Jiwoon calmly stood up.
He had vaguely expected this from the moment Yechan said he’d carry someone. It would be either the president or me. Recalling his own weight, Jiwoon shook his head and walked forward.
“You’ll hurt your back.”
“I won’t. You lift well, hyung.”
Jiwoon bit his lip. At Jiwoon’s expression, Yechan smiled and clenched and unclenched his fists a few times before lying face down on the floor.
Ooh! People cheered. Jiwoon, who had briefly narrowed his eyes looking at Yechan’s back, turned around. After taking off his shoes and sitting below Yechan’s shoulder blades, Jiwoon raised his legs one by one toward Yechan’s waist and sat cross-legged.
People’s cheers erupted once more. Jiwoon grabbed both sides of Yechan’s waist with his hands and lowered his center of gravity like when doing judo.
“If you’re going to drop me, do it gently.”
Jiwoon whispered to Yechan. Yechan seemed to be smiling a little. Of course, contrary to his words, Jiwoon wasn’t worried at all about Yechan collapsing.
Indeed, Yechan lifted him easily and held out for quite a while. Jiwoon slightly shook his head at the dizzying memory that came to mind.
Soon Yechan began to move.
“One! Two! Three! Four!”
The pub filled with voices counting numbers. Jiwoon felt Yechan’s back muscles expanding and contracting through their touching skin. Taking a small breath, Jiwoon tensed his abs and maintained his balance.
“Fourteen, fifteen!” As soon as the count ended, Jiwoon placed both feet on the ground and put on his shoes. Yechan stood up, brushing off his hands. His face was slightly flushed.
“Yes, give them applause! When you move to a studio apartment in the future, you can ask this friend for help.”
The president, who skillfully wrapped up the sequence with a joke, pushed both of their backs. Sitting down while receiving applause, Yechan whispered to Jiwoon.
“It’s really mostly soju. The alcohol is stronger than I thought.”
Jiwoon listened to Yechan’s words while filling his water glass with water.
“Are you okay?”
“Maybe because I drank too quickly, it’s hitting me a bit… but I’m fine.”
Jiwoon slid the water glass in front of Yechan, who was cooling his fever by placing the back of his hand against his cheek.
After Yechan drank the water, Jiwoon poured more water into the empty glass. Someone was singing in front.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
