Chapter 51 – There’s Always Trouble at a Drinking Party (4)

Silently,
I walk along the sidewalk with her on my back.

As I follow the colorful paving blocks with my eyes, I cross beneath a buzzing telephone pole.

Azalea is sound asleep on my back.

What on earth happened for her to drink so much?
With that thought in mind, I support her slightly off-center hips and lift her up a bit.

“Umm…”

A whining nasal sound escapes her.

Soon, I feel a faint dampness from the nape of her neck where Azalea has buried her face.

– Slurp.

Anxiously, she licks my neck or gently taps my shoulder with her feeble strength. At times, she even lets out a pained moan.

‘Sleep talking can be so irritating.’

Feeling the warm breath tickling my nape and the touch of her slender tongue, I slowly walk through the night.

I hadn’t intended for this to happen, but somehow, I found myself separated from the drinking party. As I walked and reflected on the situation, I realized that this was how I had always lived on Earth.

In the past, my drinking gatherings always involved looking after juniors and friends who hadn’t yet adapted to alcohol, and ultimately escorting them home. Though they were juniors and friends, there were only four or five of them in total. I wasn’t a social butterfly, so I hadn’t had many diverse experiences.

“Uh…”

After some time had passed, Dal-rae, who had woken up, let out a sound.

“Awake, are you?”

“Si-heon, is it you?”

Dal-rae muttered with a somewhat suggestive tone. Perhaps due to her drunken state, even her voice sounded enticing, causing me to smile involuntarily.

“You’re being respectful till the end.”

At this point, it wouldn’t be odd to use informal language. That’s what I meant, but she didn’t respond.

“I’m a little hurt. You were pretty good at using informal language with the others earlier, weren’t you?”

A glimpse into her true feelings was revealed as she spoke, her words hazy from intoxication.

“…Are you upset?”

Her tone was cautious, and her voice held a fragile quality, as if the slightest harsh word might cause her to burst into tears. Although her tears were not visible, they were likely not far from falling.

“Did I really seem upset? It was just a joke.”

She hastily retracted her words. In retrospect, she was overly sensitive about relationships.

In a way, she was similar to Cornus, but their approaches differed slightly. Cornus was fundamentally inexperienced, so she obediently followed instructions. Though she was cautious around new experiences, her guard was only slightly raised.

But what about this woman?

On the surface, it was fitting to view Azalea as a social butterfly. She was friendly with her peers and exuded brightness. However, at tonight’s drinking party, she displayed a slightly different reaction toward Si-woo and me.

If I hadn’t misread the situation, she appeared somewhat uneasy when talking with Si-woo.

It was merely formal with me.

‘Unless the affinity is telling a lie.’

Azalea becomes more sensitive to interpersonal relationships as her fondness deepens. That was my hypothesis. I didn’t know why. It wasn’t that I had never encountered someone like this before, but I had never seen anyone so pathologically sensitive.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You seem drunk, so don’t strain yourself. Once you’re inside, get some rest.”

“I’m not drunk.”

– Trudging along.

How long had we walked? With her face buried in my back, she suddenly spoke.

“Being formal is just—”

A murmured monologue in a hushed tone.

Her delicate voice seemed half-muted, as if trying to offer an explanation.

“It was because you were special.”

She continued to steadily move forward.

“Everyone else tries to distance themselves from me. You’re the first person who has approached me like this… But how can I just treat you casually?”

“You’re quite drunk.”

How will you manage tomorrow? You’ll end up regretting it, just like me.

I still remember when Azalea rejected me a few weeks ago. “I want to be friends with you,” she had said. The friendship we had risked our lives for had been strained by my overreaction.

That night, I had desperately kicked the blankets in frustration.

The warning was spoken, knowing how she would feel in the future.

“I’m sorry for being so cold-hearted back then.”

However, once emotions had burst forth, they did not easily subside.

“What are you so sorry for?”

“I’m sorry for everything. I don’t know why I’ve lived so poorly.”

“No, your reaction was normal at that time.”

In a voice on the verge of tears, I hastily continued. In truth, Azalea was not to blame.

Her coldness was understandable, and if I had been in her shoes, I might have lashed out. Rather, it was brave of Azalea to have endured it.

“I’m a terrible person.”

But her thoughts seemed to be different.

The young man who had nestled his cheek against the nape of her neck embraced her tightly, their bodies pressed close together.

The injection was unbearable. Would she have to endure this sight every time they drank together? On the other hand, she felt a deep sense of gratitude for being able to hear this woman’s true feelings. Though it was only a quest, she had genuinely put forth her best effort to become close with this woman.

In her previous world, did she have friends like this? Back then, all her relationships had been superficial, never developing into the kind of bond that could last a decade.

But now, perhaps she could forge deeper connections not only with Azalea, but with others as well.

‘No father around… No, no, that’s not right.’

As the thought crossed her mind, she shook her head, dismissing it.

Before she realized it, they had arrived at the entrance to the dormitory.

*Beep, beep, beep.*

She inserted her student ID card, opened the front gate, and located Azalea’s room, which she had memorized earlier. She searched for Azalea’s ID, the girl’s face still appearing dazed and confused.

Side pocket, back pocket of jeans. As I fumbled, Azalea’s body quivered once.

“Uh”

I took out Azalea’s student ID from the side crossbody bag and opened the door.

– Squeak.

A dim room. The scent of flowers grazed the tip of my nose.

I took a step forward and the entrance light came on. Inside, I noticed clothes that were hastily discarded and underwear that appeared damp. Was my predisposition a problem? My saliva involuntarily went down.

“Hmm.”

I’d go crazy if I stayed here any longer. Resisting the intoxicating scent of Azalea, I ventured deep into the room and laid her on the bed.

“Here, where is this?”
“Your room.”
“I see.”

Azalea murmured in a dazed voice.

“…I wanted to drink with you.”

Upon hearing her raw, unfiltered voice, I instantly tensed up.

Could it be due to the activation of the succubus’ temperament? The voice was incredibly seductive.

Swallowing, I gaze at the person lying on the bed. A seemingly new, pristine white dress with exposed shoulders. Flesh is visible between the folds of the rolled-up skirt. Azalea, her hand resting on her forehead, looks at where I am standing with half-open eyes. As a result, her armpits are refreshingly exposed.

‘What on earth?’

Is this an attempt at seduction?

I wanted to cover her with a blanket, but it seemed my rationality would falter if I approached any further.

Would it even be possible? Since I’ll die if I don’t have sex, should I give it a try? Such sordid desires surged unexpectedly.

‘No.’

Azalea’s personality wouldn’t involve trying to seduce me. Most of her unrealistic actions stem from an obsession with interpersonal relationships; she honestly wouldn’t try to entwine her body with mine. That was merely a reaction due to inebriation. There was no reason to fall for such a baseless misconception.

With determination, I turn my body.

-Thunk.

A box catches on the tip of my foot. Glancing at the delivery box, I see something written in small handwriting:

[Want to capture a male friend’s heart? Strengthen your friendship! – SexyWood No.1]
└Clothes to wear when hanging out with friends later!! (Don’t forget.)

-Tug.

The sensation of my clothes being pulled. Turning my head, I see Azalea, still intoxicated, standing there. My mind is stirred by the pleasant and natural floral scent.

One misstep, and I might commit an actual crime.

-Thunk.

I take a step back.

-Thunk.

She follows with a step forward.

“I have something to say. I don’t know about anything else, but I feel like I must say this.”

-Tug.

Azalea rests her forehead against my chest.

“…Thank you. For killing him.”

It is said that words spoken under the influence of alcohol reveal a glimpse of a person’s true heart.

“And tomorrow-“
“Yes.”

She listed everything she wanted to do, as if she had been dreaming of it for a long time.

“In the morning, we’ll recover from the hangover… go to a cafe… and in the evening, let’s drink together, talking about our mentor.”

Then, she opens her eyes wide.

My mind goes blank in an instant.

My mental strength, which had been holding out tenaciously, suddenly snaps, and my face moves as if someone had manipulated it.

“-Eup”

I feel the smooth texture of the shallowly overlaid pale pink lips beneath the mask.

Startled, I pull away and apologize profusely.

“Uh, I’m sorry. It was sudden.”

I moved without realizing it. It was an undeniably cunning excuse, but there was no other way to explain it.

“…What?”

Azalea, with wide, round eyes.

With a mix of absurdity and embarrassment on my face, I hastily greeted him and rushed out of the room.

“Rest well.”

-Thud.

I closed the front door and slid down to sit in front of it.

What on earth did I just do?

The sensation of his lips lingered in my mind, causing me to forget all the curses I had wanted to spit out.

Soon, new curses came to mind, but before long, I grew annoyed with both this and that.

“I’ve already done it, so what can I do? I’ll just have to beg for forgiveness.”

With my brain overloaded, I eventually decided to stop thinking. This thought was partly fueled by the boldness brought on by the alcohol.

“…I should wash up and go to sleep.”

Stumbling to my feet, I made my way to my room. As I deferred responsibility to my future self, I felt at ease, and it seemed like the alcohol’s influence was returning.

Upon arriving at my room, I leaned my forehead against the doorframe to cool my feverish head for a moment.

I couldn’t tell what material it was made of, but it felt refreshingly cool and pleasant.

*Thud*

I opened the door and stepped inside. Holding my aching head, I removed my shoes at the entrance, then immediately opened the refrigerator, took out some water, and drank it. The cold liquid traced a path from the corners of my mouth down to my collarbone.

“…Ah.”

Pausing for a moment to exhale a short breath, I took a shower and entered the bedroom.

The room was dark, but I didn’t bother to turn on the light since I intended to sleep anyway.

“Ughhh.”

Feeling like a lifeless zombie that had just been shot, I collapsed onto the bed and closed my heavy eyelids.
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*Swish*

In my dazed mind, I heard the faint sound of fabric rustling. Listening more closely, it seemed like the noise of skin brushing against the edge of clothing.

*Swish*

I tried to open my eyes, but my body refused to move, as if paralyzed in my sleep. Was it because I was exhausted?

*Swish*

A subtle weight settles on my abdomen. It wasn’t unbearable.

As life goes on, I experience all sorts of strange occurrences.
Drowsiness washes over me once more. I close my eyes and surrender to the waves of sleep.

-Beep.

Somehow, a familiar sound seems to reach my ears.

-Beep!