Chapter 198 – Alcohol and Sex. Trees. (2)

“Lee Si-heon, you… So… I’m telling you not to do anything dangerous…”

As I looked at Lee Se-young, who had become heavily intoxicated, I thought to myself.

‘I’m screwed.’

It brought back memories from the old days when I used to call and drink together when I was having a tough time. I really urged her to keep pouring and drinking, and now this person has lost her senses.

“Teacher?”

“…And how long are you going to use that damn teacher title?”

It seems she had been holding onto that as well. The title of ‘teacher’ had become so familiar that I thought it was better to just keep using it.

“We’re lovers, right?… So isn’t it correct to call each other by our first names?”
“Right, right.”
“…Screw the honorifics!”
“Exactly.”
“Fine. Do that. Call me.”
“Se-young.”
“…Yeah.”

Did she drink too much? I counted the soju bottles next to me with my hand.

Lee Se-Young had consumed nine bottles of soju. Having unleashed her inhibitions, she drank… No matter how potent the alcohol, when drinking this much, one becomes like a dog.

Indeed… she had become like a dog.

At this moment, Lee Se-Young was just like that.

“…Hey, look here. Mr. Lee Si-heon.”

She was quite literally clinging to me as if she were a puppy, greeting the landlord upon returning home from work. We had been sitting across from each other, but now, we were side by side, our chests pressed together, flirting.

“You’ve heard all about my past… You know everything, right?”

“I know everything. What else are you dissatisfied with?”

“I’m lonely… A lot.”

Up until now, she had controlled herself when drinking. Even when intoxicated, she had never exposed her inner thoughts to such an extent.

But today’s events seemed to have pushed her past her breaking point.

“…It was really a damn struggle.”

“Mm-hmm. I know. Se-Young, you’ve been through a lot.”

“Yeah… Please understand. It’s strange… I didn’t drink like this when I was with Byul. But being by your side… Ugh.”

She frowned as if a headache was coming on, but she didn’t let go of me.

Se-Young didn’t care about the sweat at all.

Because of that, an even more provocative scent filled my nostrils.

“Damn, Dad.”
“It’s awful.”
“… Didn’t this ever happen to you?”
“Many times.”
“I know. You seem like that type.”

Why ask if you already know?

Se-Young, thoroughly intoxicated, appeared utterly different from her usual mature and tough demeanor.

“… Sorry for being so annoying. It probably doesn’t look good that I’m so fixated.”
“When weren’t you?”
“You’re being formal again.”
“… Weren’t you?”

Her two large breasts were pressed firmly together.
It was as if she wanted to have sex right here, right now. Her heart was pounding.
Half-closed and drowsy, Lee Se-Young’s eyes contrasted sharply with her usual wide-eyed gaze, fueling my desire even more.

“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“You know I like you, right?”
“I know.”
“… So why did you date him?”
“… It was you who told me to date him.”

“Even knowing that… I just wanted to hear you say that you love only me.”
“When I’m with you, I’ll only love you.”
“Ugh. That’s so sappy.”

I feel hurt.

I’m used to taking a hit, but I’m not accustomed to being struck like this.
As I stared at the ceiling with a dazed expression, Lee Se-young reached out her hand to touch my face.

“Hey…”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Don’t just suddenly vanish from before me, okay? Just stay… by my side… It’s not that difficult to be together. Even when I die… Die an hour after me.”
“…Alright, I got it.”
“Really… I don’t want to see anyone die. I wish you wouldn’t do anything dangerous… But you won’t, will you?”
“I got it.”
“…Hmph. You’re listening to all of this? What a gullible fool.”

Still, seeing her like this makes her look differently beautiful.
How can one person have so many enchanting aspects?
As I caressed her cheek with my hand, she playfully rubbed her cheek against my palm like a puppy.
Before I knew it, I had taken off my shoes and even rested my legs, clad in stockings, atop the large sofa.

“Because you live like a pushover… that’s why I’m like this, too.”
“Uh…”
“You took my virginity… You’re responsible, right?”
“Yeah, right.”
“At that time, I was really shocked and hurt. But now that I think about it… I wonder why I didn’t resist. Being raped… I imagined it, but I never wished for it.”
“…Really?”
“Maybe I felt destiny too? Say it’s true.”
“…Is it destiny?”

As I dragged my words, Lee Se-young pinched my side.

“Right, right… Yes, it’s true and nothing else.”
“…Yes, it’s destiny. Let’s put it that way.”

Se-young’s inner thoughts, her deepest desires.
She seemed to have had the same imagination as me, wondering what it would have been like if we had met and dated normally.

Se-young exhaled her increasingly ragged breath onto me.
Her breath carried a strong scent of fruit and alcohol.

“Hey.”

Drunken honesty.
A voice that’s inebriated yet serious.

“…Don’t die. Stay healthy. As long as you like it, I’ll do everything for you.”

– Tear.

A tear rolled down Se-young’s eyes.
Something that looked like a jewel, shining, drip-drip-
Was it because a vulnerable part had been forcibly exposed, or because the alcohol had revealed her true feelings?

Se-young wiped her tears on my arm once and muttered with slightly swollen eyes.

“…The World Tree, those damned bastards. Flowers, things that don’t even need to be alive. Even if everyone hates you, you know?”
“I know. I know everything.”
“…If you’ve said this much, show me with action, you bastard!”

Se-young bit my lips as if to attack me.
Strong enough to draw blood, yet not a single drop flowed from my mouth.

Was it because she was intoxicated? Se-young, who didn’t find anything strange about the situation, pounced on me and climbed on top.
My body slumped onto the sofa.
Se-young, who had been kissing me roughly, closed her eyes and teased the inside of my mouth.

“Mmm… Sigh. Yeah.”

I could feel moisture on my cheek. It was tears.

Seeing him talk while intoxicated, I could somewhat guess the concerns he had been grappling with.

We had sex a few times and then broke up again. It wasn’t surprising that our relationship had grown somewhat distant.

That was the extent to which we had drifted apart for a while, both physically and emotionally.

– Squeeze.

Se-Young tightly clung to my back as if she would never let go again. She embraced me so intensely that I felt my ribs being crushed, making me worry about whether I could breathe.

She wasn’t breathing. As if each breath was too precious to waste, she drew in air and bodily fluids from my mouth.

A rough and passionate kiss. The kissing continued for dozens of minutes.

I was breathless too. But strangely enough, it was possible to kiss without breathing. This time, I inserted my tongue, and she gladly welcomed it.

“Gasp… Gasp.”
“Haah… Hiss.”

With our tongues belatedly withdrawn, we gazed at each other and exchanged dazed looks.

“Ugh… Damn. This is truly miserable.”

Se-Young’s eyes were filled with tears.

“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know… I never intended for this to happen. If only I hadn’t drunk.”
“Well, it’s better to cry it out once. Now it sounds a bit more sincere. Come here, let’s hug.”
“What the hell.”

Despite swearing, she honestly opens her arms. I held Se-Young tightly in my embrace. As if doing a sit-up, she naturally raised her body.

As her legs came beside my waist, I could distinctly feel the sensation of her stockings. She was in a fully hanging pose, like a monkey. Unaware of the position she was in, Se-Young shed tears onto my chest.

“…Ugh.”

I gently patted her back.

“…I know all about your past. I knew what you were thinking when you came to see me. If you’re going to cry, cry now.”
“I’m not crying…”
“Come on, just cry it out once, and things will get better.”
“Ugh… For real?”
“Are we going to the motel?”
“If we don’t go, I’ll kill you.”

It’s intense.

I fortified my mind as though I had drunk alcohol several times internally.
When dealing with someone who has consumed alcohol, it is courteous for me to be inebriated as well.

Just a little more intoxicated.
In the embrace of Se-Young, I downed an entire bottle of alcohol.

“Phew.”

Having emptied the alcohol, I pacified my inner energy and heightened the sensation of intoxication.
I looked straight at Se-Young.

“Se-Young.”
“…Yes.”
“We’re lovers, right?”
“Yes, for a lifetime…”
“It’s not difficult for us to trust each other. I admit I’m in a dangerous situation, but the things you worry about will never happen.”
“……”
“Is there something you desire?”

Se-Young nuzzled her cheek against my face.

“…I’m wearing this.”

She opened her hand to reveal the ring.
It was on the other hand when she wore it, but for some reason, the ring I gave her was on the ring finger of her left hand.

Left ring finger…
Was she married?

“……Do it later.”

Lee Se-Young, in the process of creating distance, spoke while gazing at the ring on her left ring finger.
So, it’s a proposal.
Is this the same Lee Si-heon who was rejected before? I felt touched as well.

Amidst the surging emotions, I realized this person also has an incredibly innocent side.

“…Why are you surprised?”
“A little.”
“I didn’t show it, but I’ve always been like this. Not the bold girl you think I am.”
“Either way, it’s good. Men aren’t that complicated. Girls who are possessive tend to be popular.”
“…Tell me you love me, quickly.”
“I love you.”
“I wish I could hear it every morning.”

Once tomorrow passes, it seems like I’ll be the first to curse as if nothing ever happened.
I forced myself to ignore the images forming in my mind and let out a bitter laugh.

“…And this is the only time. If you’re in danger… I have ways to get out again.”
“I think so.”

“So, to avoid any danger… Block everything beforehand. If only I hear about you at work… then I don’t even know what will happen to me.”

It seems that Lee Se-Young thinks this way.
Act with the utmost caution.
It might have been next to impossible, but I nodded.

“If you do that much…”

Se-Young nestled in my arms.

“You can do everything else as you please.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”

I reached out my hand to Lee Se-Young.
A V shape made by extending my index finger and thumb.
Since she had been showing a puppy-like demeanor, I could not resist the urge to give it a try and spoke up directly.

“…Rest your chin here.”
“……”

Treated like a dog. However, she didn’t seem to grasp that idea, and she placed her chin on my hand.
Her cheeks were pushed up by the tips of my index finger and thumb.

– Puff.

Her cheeks puffed up like Shiba. A cute puppy-like expression.
Se-Young blinked her eyes and stared at me, as if questioning what I was making her do.

Laughter bubbles up.

“…Why are you laughing?”
“Because you’re cute.”
“Do I need to hear that from a twenty-year-old now?”

If something’s cute, you say it’s cute. What else should I say?
I spread my arms and hugged Se-Young. She nestled into my embrace without resistance.
A truly unique person.

When our lips meet, she pouts like a duck, inviting me to fully savor the soft sensation.
Her cheeks puff with delight as I gently caress them.

“I can see why Byul hangs out with you.”
“…What are you talking about?”

As I stroke her head, she lowers it slightly, allowing me to touch the top without much thought.
Is this really Lee Se-Young?
Alcohol seems to play a huge role.
She must have liked me that much.

“Shall we go?”

At my question, Lee Se-Young’s eyes widen. She gently presses her skirt over her parted thighs and nods.

“A motel, right?”

Of course.