Welcome to Dungeon Hotel Chapter 311 - Side Story 1. An Ordinary Romance (6)

Side Story 1. An Ordinary Romance (6) 

 

The reunion was generally cheerful.

 

‘Feels like we do this a bit too often though…’

 

Being able to drink with a variety of side dishes laid out is definitely nice.

 

Although by “variety of side dishes,” I mean things like budget-friendly Jjapaguri, fish cake soup, and silkworm pupae. 

 

This bar in the college district near the school I used to attend was a well-known spot—I’d been here a few times myself.

 

Like most popular spots in a college district, it didn’t have a standout menu item, but the drinks were cheap, the atmosphere lively, and the service not bad.

 

My classmates used to work part-time here quite often.

 

I, too, had the experience of drinking here during my first relationship and blacking out at the traffic light in front of the underpass on the way to the bus stop.

 

Of course, that was back when I didn’t know my drinking limit.

 

“Cheers~ Let’s get closer from now on!”

 

But now, I know my drinking limit well.

 

I looked at Minji and Han Woohyun, who had started running, and felt flustered. 

 

“Junghyo only keeps in personal contact with me here. Isn’t it fine to get closer with your girlfriend’s friend?”

 

“…Let’s become friends.”

 

Are you falling for that?

 

To be precise, it looked like he was just mesmerized by the word “girlfriend.”

 

I wanted to stop the unfair deal happening right before my eyes, but Minji wasn’t wrong either.

 

If it weren’t for at least that friend, my social life would have practically dwindled to zero while living somewhere that’s not even Seoul.

 

So even if it’s in a way like this, it’s something to be glad about that my circle of friends is widening.

 

“Hey, listen. You’re sitting with Junghyo and your friend. But Junghyo just took your friend’s perilla leaf for her. How would that make you feel?”

 

If only she hadn’t asked such an awkward question.

 

But if I stopped her from doing that, she’d probably get upset.

 

“What about Junghyo?” 

 

“What?” 

 

“Did Junghyo eat perilla leaves?” 

 

“Ugh, just understand the context of the question.”

 

Minji felt a pang of irritation at Han Woohyun’s strange answers to her questions.

 

But in fact, Han Woohyun understood that. 

 

I watched Han Woohyun slightly lower his head and thought to myself.

 

He’s probably laughing down there. 

 

By now, I could roughly tell the difference between when Han Woohyun was really a bear and when he was pretending to be a bear while acting like a sly fox.

 

I quietly whispered to Minji beside me.

 

“He’s just teasing you.”

 

“What?”

 

Minji’s eyes widened at that moment.

 

When Minji looked at Han Woo-hyun with a face full of betrayal, he curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

 

Then he poured more soju into the soju-beer tower and handed me a glass.

 

“Let’s get to know each other.”

 

Minji was momentarily dumbfounded by Han Woo-hyun’s grinning face, then said as if in disbelief.

 

“Were you always this kind of character?”

 

Han Woohyun smiled and shook his head. 

 

But Minji shot me a look that clearly said, “I already know enough.”

 

“So that’s why my blind date didn’t work out at all.”

 

“What?”

 

“You’re a one-of-a-kind character. I can’t tell if you’re serious or joking when teasing people. If that’s your type, it probably wasn’t easy to match with.”

 

That’s true. 

 

I gave a brief reply and clinked glasses with Minji and Han Woohyun.

 

Chatting together like the three of us, I began to understand why people introduce their partners to their friends.

 

Of course, these two have known each other for a long time, but just seeing the two people I like getting along so well is heartwarming.

 

‘Above all, it’s because it’s Han Woohyun.’

 

It was then. 

 

“You should get to know me too.”

 

“Mhm?” 

 

A girl with bright eyes suddenly thrust a glass in front of me.

 

“You…”

 

“…”

 

“What was your name?”

 

“Why can’t you remember names?”

 

Actually, this time I memorized it.

 

Chae Minyoung.

 

I’d naturally memorized her name since she asked Han Woohyun out on a date at the hotel.

 

But it’s also true that I’m usually bad at remembering names.

 

“Because I’m not interested.”

 

A large hand suddenly snatched my glass away.

 

It’s Han Woohyun.

 

He rested his chin on his hand, slowly swirled his glass with the other, and smiled at me.

 

“Drink gently. This isn’t water.”

 

He then looked directly at Chae Minyoung and said,

 

“If I’m not interested, I won’t remember the name.”

 

As expected, he was smiling, but it was a slightly different expression than when he looked at me.

 

A face tinged with an unidentifiable chill, almost like contempt.

 

So he has that kind of expression too.

 

I was a little surprised, but Chae Minyoung was even more shocked.

 

“Now…”

 

Chae Minyoung’s eyebrows furrowed, but thankfully, Choi Minji intervened.

 

“Let’s play a drinking game. A drinking game. You’re not going to call this childish too, right? Hey, we’re the MZ generation! We’re not college students, but that doesn’t mean we’re old!”

 

“That makes you sound really old!”

 

Someone chuckled.

 

“Ah, raise your glass, raise your glass, 1!”

 

“2.”

 

“3.”

 

“4.”

 

I quickly called out 4.

 

In a game of wits, 4 is usually the safest.

 

I tapped Han Woohyun’s foot under the table.

 

‘If you lean back too far, you’re more likely to get caught!’

 

That’s what I wanted to say, but Han Woohyun just stared at me and absentmindedly missed his turn.

 

Minji excitedly poured a drink into Han Woohyun’s glass.

 

I looked at the glass Han Woohyun had filled to the brim and was overcome with a sense of foreboding.

 

I… don’t think he can handle a drinking game.

 

* * *

 

“Strawberry, strawberry… strawberry?”

 

With Han Woohyun’s awkward hand gesture, laughter broke out around us.

 

Minji poured a drink for Han Woohyun, but the problem was that he did have a limit to his drinking capacity. 

 

I said I was going to the bathroom, then subtly changed seats and sat next to Han Woohyun.

 

I rested my hand on Han Woohyun’s slightly relaxed jaw and asked.

 

“…Are you still conscious?”

 

But instead of answering, Han Woohyun only rubbed his cheek against my hand.

 

Then, with a voice he barely managed to squeeze out, he said.

 

“There’s nothing dangerous around here.”

 

“You look the most dangerous right now.”

 

“Huh? Isn’t this just an act?”

 

Minji narrowed her eyes and pointed at Han Woohyun with her tongue twisted.

 

“I’m not drinking. Acting!”

 

Is that so?

  

To silence Minji, I gently placed Han Woohyun on my shoulder and poured her some water.

 

“Come on… come to your senses, Minji.”

 

“I’m sober.”

 

“Mhm.”

 

“Don’t believe me?”

 

You’ll have to pronounce it properly if you want me to believe you.

 

I let out a hollow laugh, poured some beer into my glass, and took a sip.

 

“At the very least, I’m more sober than you are when you’re drunk. Seriously. For real.”

 

Minji, looking as if she felt wronged, took a drink of water.

 

It seemed like a bit of life was returning to her eyes.

 

“When I’m drunk? Have you ever seen me drunk?”

 

“As expected, I knew you wouldn’t remember. Don’t you remember me drinking with you here?”

 

Here?

 

This is near our school.

 

Minji shook her head, seeing me frown.

 

“What else could I expect from you?”

 

“What is it? Tell me.”

 

“Our school was nearby, right? So you came here once because I suddenly wanted to drink, right?”

 

“…!”

 

A memory suddenly flashed through my mind.

 

When I broke up with my first boyfriend and drank at a bar, I had blacked out near the underpass after drinking here—and the person who was with me back then was Minji. 

 

“Wow, the first and last time I saw you that drunk, and you don’t even remember it?”

 

I covered my face with my hands and muttered quietly.

 

“No. That’s not it…”

 

I must have erased my memory out of embarrassment.

 

I sighed and poured Minji a drink.

 

“Drink more. Drink as much as you want. I’ll call the designated driver to take you home.”

 

I’m sure I caused a scene back then, completely drunk.

 

This is about it.

 

“I live in Uijeongbu, though.”

 

What?

 

“Still.”

 

“Hehe. You’re not going back on your word.”

 

Minji smiled brightly and watched the soju gushing into her glass.

 

I clinked glasses with her, smiling at her bright, cheerful expression.

 

“You were drunk back then and even made calls and stuff. You remember, right?”

 

I scrunched up my face.

 

It’s a story I really want to avoid, but of course I must have called. Naturally.

 

After all, the usual outcome of drinking after a heartbreak is a series of missed calls, isn’t it?

 

“But the thing is, I stopped you. I took your phone away.”

 

“…!”

 

I looked at Minji differently at those words.

 

“You…”

 

“I’m touched.”

 

“That’s incredible.”

 

Minji, looking proud, gulped down the soju-beer mix like it was a soft drink.

 

This guy.

 

I’ll have to treat her better from now on.

 

“Then answer me.”

 

“MBTI?”

 

I forgot that.

 

When I asked Hyejin again, she just rattled off nonsense, saying her sister’s MBTI was “C.U.T.E.”

 

“No, not that.”

 

Minji pointed at me with a serious expression.

 

“You’re sitting with me, and Han Woohyun just picked the sesame leaf off my plate. What would you do?”

 

“Just stop drinking.”

 

“Ahhh~!”

 

Minji said to me in a whiny voice.

 

I sighed and tried to imagine the answer to this ridiculous question.

 

But no matter how much I think about it—

 

“I don’t think he’d do that.”

 

I looked across the table at Chae Minyoung, who was sitting sullenly.

 

The reason was simple.

 

He’s not interested.

 

Han Woohyun just answered.

 

I’m not interested.

 

I could feel a peculiar sense of pleasure blossoming inside me.

 

Then Choi Minji looked at Han Woohyun leaning on my shoulder and let out a sigh.

 

“You two are dating because you’re so similar.”

 

I smiled slightly and replied in a way that wouldn’t upset Minji.

 

“It’s fine to pick some off yours.”

 

“Why? Why? Do you think I’m easy?! I might be able to flirt with someone else’s boyfriend too!”

 

Minji spoke with an angry face, but I answered calmly.

 

“You’re a good friend. That wouldn’t happen.”

 

“What’s with that all of a sudden? How do you know if we’re good friends or not? You don’t even meet up with me often?”

 

“I know.”

 

“….?”

 

“So basically, with just one word from you, I come, Han Woohyun comes, and everyone here shows up, right?” 

 

I pointed to our table, crowded with quite a few people for a hastily gathered reunion.

 

Just because I came up to Seoul doesn’t mean there are many people capable of hastily organizing a reunion like this.

 

This gathering exists entirely thanks to this person’s social skills—someone who always keeps in touch with others and treats them sincerely.

 

I’ve always said I’m too lazy to do that, but the truth is, I just don’t have the capability.

 

Skills like this aren’t just given to anyone, you know.

 

“So that’s why you’re a good friend. And that’s why I want Han Woohyun to become close with you too.”

 

Choi Minji was momentarily dumbfounded by my words.

 

“…You really…”

 

I gulped down the beer as if my throat were on fire.

 

Soon, a window appeared before my eyes.

 

Congratulations! Your reputation has increased by 1,000!

 

 

…? 

 

Why all of a sudden?

 

“You little rascal. I—I’ll make it up to you (with money). I’ll brag about Dungeon Hotel on my SNS…”

 

“No. You don’t have to.”

 

I snatched Minji’s phone, which was clearly already filled with something.

 

Minji looked at me with deeply moved eyes.

 

“You should have been a man…”

 

Before I knew it, Minji had come over, pushed Han Woohyun aside, and sat down next to me.

 

She rubbed her face against my shoulder and then, as if suddenly remembering something, spoke up.

 

“Oh, right! But who were you talking to for so long back then? That was definitely on my phone…?”