That Face Is the Problem - Chapter 4.2
Jae-gyeong looked at Da-sol’s empty glass and spoke. He could not bring himself to look at Da-sol’s face. If he did, he might cry again, and that would be disastrous.
Da-sol remained still for a moment before slowly lifting his glass as if reluctantly.
“Wow, Da-sol, so impressive. Working for the team’s harmony!”
Hyeon Hee-ro clapped and exaggerated. Da-sol glared at Hee-ro but said nothing in response.
Jae-gyeong’s hands trembled as he poured soju into Da-sol’s glass, filling it only halfway.
“Ah, so funny. Wine? Why so little?”
Yoo Ri-na teased Jae-gyeong while looking at his shaking hands. He forced an awkward smile.
“I thought… maybe you do not drink well…”
He did not want to become the kind of idiot who forced Da-in, no, Da-sol, to drink on their first meeting. However, Ri-na laughed so hard at Jae-gyeong’s thoughtful answer that she held her stomach.
“Da-sol is actually the best drinker among us. He just does not drink often. I have never seen him drunk.”
“Maybe because he goes home first, so you never saw it?”
Ye-jin asked, but Ri-na shook her head.
“No. When I turned twenty, Da-sol bought me drinks. I drank four bottles, and he drank twice as much and was perfectly fine. Really incredible.”
“Da-sol, you seem to be really good at drinking now because you said you’re all better.”
Hyeon Hee-ro said in admiration. At that, Da-sol, who had been silent until now, looked at Hee-ro.
“I still have an alcohol allergy.”
Then Da-sol downed the half-filled soju in one shot. Jae-gyeong was startled. If he had known about the allergy, he would never have poured the drink. Forgetting that it was his first meeting with Da-sol, he patted Da-sol’s back vigorously.
“Da, Da-sol! Spit it out! No, vomit! Quickly…”
“Ah, geez…”
Da-sol muttered a small curse after being suddenly patted on the back, but Jae-gyeong did not hear it. He stood up awkwardly, his face turning pale and blue. Kneeling briefly, he fumbled to pull his phone from his pocket.
“119… I have to call 119…”
Hyeon Hee-ro stopped him.
“Ahaha, Jae-gyeong, calm down. Da-sol was joking. He actually has no alcohol allergy.”
“Excuse me…?”
He thought there was an allergy! He had believed it was cured but was apparently still present! Jae-gyeong blinked widely, looking between Hee-ro and Da-sol. Jin Jeong-eon, sitting between them, sighed and began to explain.
“Hunter Seo Da-sol says he has an alcohol allergy because he dislikes company drinking. It is not true. In the past, Hee-ro often invited him to meals and drinks, so Da-sol used that as an excuse.”
“That was not a date, Jeong-eon. It was to promote team harmony. Why would I ask Da-sol out on a date?”
Hee-ro lightly tapped Jeong-eon’s hand in a playful pout.
“So… I do not need to call 119?”
Jae-gyeong still gripped his phone as he asked. Da-sol looked down at him.
“Sit down. It is fine.”
Gasp… he had spoken to him for the first time. The first words in the conference room had been due to a misunderstanding, so they did not count. This was the first time Da-sol had addressed Jae-gyeong. Jae-gyeong steadied his racing heart and sat down.
‘He really sounds just like Da-in…’
Da-in never spoke harshly to others. Even when rejecting confessions, she was kind and gentle. Jae-gyeong had never confessed himself, but he had once accidentally witnessed how surprised she would be when rejecting others.
‘What should I do? I am sorry… I only see you as a good colleague. I am also a fan. And I want to meet someone like me who is not awakened… I am truly sorry. But thank you for having the courage to confess.’
What a perfect rejection!
Of course, she told awakened people she wanted to meet non-awakened people, and told non-awakened people that she had a fetish for awakened people, but still… Da-in knew how to value others’ feelings.
‘If Da-sol keeps speaking like this, it really feels like being next to Da-in…’
Jae-gyeong caught himself thinking this and immediately scolded himself. He could not confuse Da-in with Da-sol. He could not project Da-in onto Da-sol. That would be disrespectful to both of them.
Focus, Jeong Jae-gyeong.
He bit his lips tightly and poured soju into his own glass until full. Then he downed it in one go, just like Da-sol had done moments earlier.
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